Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Columbia's core, for example, requires the kids to read the Iliad, Odyssey, Aeneid, Plato, Confessions, Inferno, and much much more. Also a choice between a music or art 101, and a really basic science requirement. Discussing Plato isn't for everyone, on the other hand lots of kids are surprised to find they enjoy it. Still, some kids find all the requirements prevent them from taking courses in their preferred subjects.

You'd think they'd update it for the 21st century. Greece isn't exactly leading the world anymore....

Don't worry, there's also plenty of Jane Austen and Dostoyevsky and 20th century writers in Lit Hum.

As others have pointed out there is a big variation in schools on core classes v distributions v open. Schools like Boston College and Georgetown include religion/philosophy classes in their core given their Jesuit status. Several of the liberal arts schools have very limited or no distribution requirements and they state that most kids take a variety of classes anyway - that's why the chose liberal arts.

I think a core curric is actually a bit antiquated. Kids at the most selective colleges are coming in with pretty robust high school transcripts and have taken advanced level classes. Most are also doing double majors or major/minors so have a heavy requirement load to complete the double majors. Despite my liberal arts undergrad degree I am starting to come around to thinking that college needs to produce more specialists than generalists, so not sure that the distribution requirements serve that purpose. The exception would be writing intensive classes - I do think that is worthwhile. The colleges that I've seen require writing intensive classes (usually 2) have those spread out among the departments though- it does not need to be an english or history class.

I forget if Hopkins has a core - it should be on their website though.

Anonymous wrote:Columbia's core, for example, requires the kids to read the Iliad, Odyssey, Aeneid, Plato, Confessions, Inferno, and much much more. Also a choice between a music or art 101, and a really basic science requirement. Discussing Plato isn't for everyone, on the other hand lots of kids are surprised to find they enjoy it. Still, some kids find all the requirements prevent them from taking courses in their preferred subjects.

You'd think they'd update it for the 21st century. Greece isn't exactly leading the world anymore....

Hopkins has distribution rqmts plus the ability to take classes pass/fail (I think it has to be your 6th class in your first 2 years and can be your 5th class your last 2 years). This allowed me to take a number of different classes I'd never have tried - I took linear algebra, geology, astronomy,differential equations all pass/fail. I was a liberal arts person and only dared take those classes with a pass/fail option - would never have done well enough in them to risk my GPA. The p/f option really allowed me to branch out. I thought it was great.

Columbia's core, for example, requires the kids to read the Iliad, Odyssey, Aeneid, Plato, Confessions, Inferno, and much much more. Also a choice between a music or art 101, and a really basic science requirement. Discussing Plato isn't for everyone, on the other hand lots of kids are surprised to find they enjoy it. Still, some kids find all the requirements prevent them from taking courses in their preferred subjects.

Its an individualized thing, whether or not a student wants strong curricular requirements. Its just important that they understand the range of schools in this respect and decide what they want going in.

on the continuum of curriculums you have columbia and chicago on on end with their cores and brown on the other end with their open curriculum.

hopkins is in the in the middle like most schools with distribution requirements

Columbia College has a classic core curriculum with required classes that everyone must take, not just distribution requirements. Columbus's core curriculum was one one best experiences of my life. I don't know what Hopkins has, but if you read about Columbia's, you'll understand what that term means n it's best form.

What is core curriculum? I think I heard Hopkins doesn't have one. Is this true? What are the pros and cons?