More than a set of requirements, it’s at the core of our educational program—a chance to practice meaningful, urgent cross-cutting skills—critical & creative thinking, written communication, ethical reflection & dialogue. Faculty elevate Core Ed when you name this purpose.
Core Education Curriculum
Core Education includes all the courses that all students must take, including the writing sequence, area of inquiry courses, cultural literacy courses, and courses fulfilling Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science requirements. The UO Senate recently added learning goals called Methods of Inquiry that overlay the already existing Areas of Inquiry (Social Science, Arts & Letters, and Natural Science). The Methods of inquiry are derived from our UO missions statement -- that our students think critically and creatively, reflect ethically, and communicate clearly.
Core Education courses are currently being re-approved to align with the new methods of inquiry and cultural literacy requirements. The changes are intended to identify and deepen the skills that students develop across disciplines. But for students, these changes would be largely invisible without instructors adopting shared language and making the objectives of core education courses transparent. By naming the purpose and value of Core Ed and lifting up the core skills your class teaches, you can help motivate student learning and connect to a shared project.
Below, you'll find resources for core education instructors including templates to facilitate course re-approval and sample syllabus statements for core education courses.
Core Education Courses at UO: In the graphic below explore where core education is taught at UO. Click a category in the graphic to filter and explore the departments and colleges that teach different types of core education courses.
US: Difference, Ineqaulity & Agency Courses help students learn essential cultural literacy skills, specifically the development of analytical and reflective capacities so they can understand and ethically engage with the ongoing social, political, economic, and cultural power imbalances that have shaped and continue to shape the United States.
Faculty leaders who teach DIA courses or use anti-oppressive pedagogies have contributed toward development of teaching materials, trainings, and support networks for faculty teaching US: DIA courses.
Core Education helps students develop the broad skills they need to succeed in their careers: critical thinking, written communication, creative thinking, ethical reflection, and cultural literacy. The Teaching toward Career Readiness toolkit provides resources and examples of how instructors are helping students identify and apply these skills from courses to their careers.
of employers agree that, regardless of major, every college student should acquire broad knowledge in the liberal arts and sciences.
of employers agree that the capacity to think critically, communicate clearly, and solve complex problems is more important than a specific major.
