The Core Curriculum is a multi-disciplinary program of study required of all students attending Canisius College. The Core goals and requirements express the path by which students will demonstrate their understanding of the knowledge, values, and skills that characterize an Ignatian education.
Please click here (Adobe Acrobat pdf) to read the full descriptions of goals and objectives developed by the Committee for the Core Curriculum. Any designated course must meet all the student learning objectives associated with the Core goal expressed in the course.
Foundation Courses
Breadth of Knowledge
Cross-Disciplinary Knowledge and Skill Attributes
Core Capstone -- please check back for more information
Foundation Courses
The Core Curriculum provides a Foundation of four common courses, generally completed in the first year. These courses include basic instruction in writing (FYS 101, ENG 101), attention to the process of critical thinking through basic development of information literacy (FYS 101, ENG 101, PHI 101, RST 101), and basic understanding of the importance of studying religion and philosophy within the Catholic and Jesuit tradition of education (PHI 101, RST 101).
FYS 101 Explorations of Academic Writing: Special Topics
ENG 101 Writing about Literature
PHI 101 Introduction to Philosophy
RST 101 Introduction to Religious Studies
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Foundation FYS 101 Explorations of Academic Writing: Special Topics
This course emphasizes the production of academic writing through critical analysis of texts, with topics drawn from a wide range of academic disciplines. The courses are intended to be seminar style with reading and discussion appropriately challenging for first year students, with the expectation that students will be able to write so as to enhance learning, find and evaluate information, practice academic integrity, negotiate the process of revision, and use correct grammar and syntax.
Courses granted FYS 101 designation will have a significant component of the course devoted to writing instruction and developing information literacy. It is expected that in FYS 101 students will engage in revision, as well as write at least 15 pages of polished prose, and that they will engage in appropriate research activities. Click on “Skills Expectations” on the left for further explanation of expectations for basic writing-intensive courses and for courses developing basic information literacy.
Sections of FYS 101 may have more learning goals and objectives in addition to those associated with the Core.
Go directly to the Application for FYS 101
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Foundation ENG 101 Writing about Literature
This course develops strategies for reading and writing about literature (poetry, drama, fiction, literary essays), with the expectation that students will be able to understand and interpret primary literary texts; develop writing skills; and develop and organize interpretive essays through the use and evaluation of sources. ENG 101 courses will have a significant component of the course devoted to writing instruction and developing information literacy.
ENG 101 courses will have a significant component of the course devoted to writing instruction and developing information literacy. It is expected that in ENG 101 students will engage in revision, as well as write at least 15 pages of polished prose, and that they will engage in appropriate research activities. Click on “Skills Expectations” on the left for further explanation of expectations for basic writing-intensive courses and for courses developing basic information literacy.
ENG 101 may have more learning goals and objectives in addition to those associated with the Core.
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Foundation PHI 101 Introduction to Philosophy
This requirement acknowledges the special place of the study of philosophy in Catholic Jesuit education. The course provides a thoughtful examination of philosophical issues, with the expectation that students will be able to use logical and critical analysis to understand the claims and arguments proposed by classical and modern philosophers, including some in the Catholic philosophical tradition.
PHI 101 courses will have a components of the course devoted to analyzing the Catholic Jesuit tradition and developing information literacy. Click on “Skills Expectations” on the left for further explanation of expectations for courses developing basic information literacy.
PHI 101 may have more learning objectives in addition to these related directly to Core goals.
The Philosophy Department has developed a common course description for all sections of PHI 101. Please click here for a pdf (Adobe Acrobat) of the description.
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Foundation RST 101 Introduction to Religious Studies
This requirement acknowledges the special place of the study of religion in Catholic Jesuit education. The course provides an academic introduction to religion, with the expectation that students will understand the nature and role of religion in human life and society, including the Jesuit and Catholic traditions as well as other world religions.
RST 101 courses will have components of the course devoted to analyzing the Catholic Jesuit tradition and developing information literacy. Click on “Skills Expectations” on the left for further explanation of expectations for courses developing basic information literacy.
RST 101 may have more learning objectives in addition to these related directly to Core goals.
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Breadth of Knowledge
The Core Curriculum provides for a distribution of seven courses, one in each of seven Fields. The courses provide a broad exposure to the liberal arts tradition, which is an invitation to recognize the multiple ways that natural and social phenomena have been studied and categorized. Many courses designated for Field credit also count as major requirements.
Collectively through the Breadth of Knowledge requirement, students are encouraged to reflect about their inner lives, to consider how attention to the life of the mind bears upon reality, and to discern the human relationship to the natural world and to social institutions. The skills and knowledge students develop through the Breadth of Knowledge reflect the variety of disciplinary norms specific to each Field.
The student learning objective for each required Field is described below. Courses designated in any Field may have more learning objectives in addition to these related directly to Core goals.
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The Breadth of Knowledge Fields are:
Field 1: Religious Studies and Theology
Designated courses that enable students to gain a clearer understanding of the role which religion plays in human life through a careful and systematic examination of religious ideas, institutions, values, or patterns of belief and practice.
Go directly to the Submission Form for Breadth of Knowledge
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Field 2: Philosophy
Designated courses that enable students to understand, articulate, and evaluate the values, principles, and assumptions on which individual and social decisions rest.
Go directly to the Submission Form for Breadth of Knowledge
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Field 3: Arts
Designated courses that enable students to understand the aesthetic dimension of creative work in the fine arts and/or literature and to articulate how that creative work mirrors and shapes human experience.
Go directly to the Submission Form for Breadth of Knowledge
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Field 4: History
Designated courses that enable students to understand how historians use evidence to study the recorded past, to situate events, artifacts, and experiences in their historical context, and to analyze the process of change over time.
Go directly to the Submission Form for Breadth of Knowledge
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Field 5: Social Sciences
Designated courses that enable students to explain, interpret, and critically analyze human behavior and social structures from the perspective of the social science through which the courses are offered.
Go directly to the Submission Form for Breadth of Knowledge
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Field 6: Natural Sciences
Designated courses that enable students to explain, interpret, and critically analyze the natural world using the scientific method from the perspective of the natural science through which the courses are offered.
Go directly to the Submission Form for Breadth of Knowledge
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Field 7: Mathematical Sciences
Designated courses that enable students to reason quantitatively, abstractly, or computationally about the world using the symbol systems rooted in quantitative measures, logical analysis, and/or algorithms to solve practical problems.
Go directly to the Submission Form for Breadth of Knowledge
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Cross-Disciplinary Knowledge and Skill Attributes
The Core Curriculum provides six requirements which address matters central to the Catholic Jesuit tradition of education and necessary for preparing students for the modern world. Students are required to take courses with all six designations. Any course may carry the Cross-Disciplinary Knowledge or Skill designations as long as the course has a significant component on the specific subjects. Designated courses may also satisfy Field and major requirements, as well as elective credit.
Attributes are divided into two categories: Knowledge (Justice, Ethics, Diversity, Global Awareness) and Skills (Advanced Writing-intensive, Oral Communication). All of these goals are understood to manifest themselves differently in the many types of intellectual engagement specific to disciplines.
Any course may be designed with an attribute as long as the course has a significant component on the specific Core goal. "A significant component" is defined as either a substantial portion of the course materials or a component of the courses materials, no matter of what magnitude, that guides students' understanding of all other materials. Courses with either contemporary or historical frames of reference will be considered for Attributes designation. Attribute designations may appear on courses which students take in fulfillment of Core requirements, major requirements, and free electives.
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Diversity Designation
Designated courses that enable students to develop an understanding of the multicultural character of the United States by giving attention to the cultural differences within the United States in many areas of society. This Core goal is grounded on the assumption that education ought to provide students with the intellectual tools and expansive perspectives by which to examine their own communities and values as well as the communities and values of people different from them.
Courses designated as Diversity may have more learning objectives in addition to those associated with the Core.
Go directly to the Application Form for the Diversity Attribute
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Ethics Designation
Designated courses that enable students to develop an understanding of personal action, the good in terms of human agency, happiness, and living a worthwhile life. Focus will be upon moral issues, living well, and the frameworks that make living well intelligible, both personally and professionally. This Core goal is grounded on the assumption that an understanding of ethics is an integral part of educating the whole person.
Courses designated as Ethics may have more learning objectives in addition to those associated with the Core.
Go directly to the Application Form for the Ethics Attribute.
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Global Awareness Designation
Designated courses that enable students to develop an awareness of nations, countries, regions, communities, and cultures outside of the United States. This Core goal is grounded on the assumption that we live in an increasingly interconnected world, and that a liberal arts education ought to provide students the intellectual tools and understandings to comprehend global events.
Courses designated as Global Awareness may have more learning objectives in addition to those associated with the Core.
Go directly to the Application Form for the Global Awareness Attribute
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Justice Designation
Designated courses that enable students to develop an understanding of the nature of justice, including the tension between justice and power, as well as the causes of injustice. The focus will be upon the promotion of justice.
Courses designated as Justice may have more learning objectives in addition to those associated with the Core.
Go directly to the Application Form for the Justice Attribute
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Advanced Writing-intensive Designation
Designated courses at the 200-level or above with significant emphasis on using writing as a way to learn. The Core goal is that students will engage in the process of drafting, re-writing, and editing at an advanced level, with extensive commentary and assistance of instructors. Designated courses will include students writing at least 20 pages of polished prose. Courses designated as Advanced Writing–intensive may have more learning objectives in addition to those associated with the Core.
Go directly to the Application Form for the Advanced Writing-intensive Attribute.
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Oral Communication Designation
Designated courses that enable students to develop abilities to communicate effectively and appropriately in a range of contexts, including face-to-face, through practicing their skills at both sending and receiving messages. Effective communication helps maintain a sense of community as well as an ability to craft consensus in an increasingly diverse and complex world. Preparation for life in the modern world requires sensitive and skillful communication with those of widely different backgrounds, cultural experiences, and values.
Courses designated as Oral Communication may have more learning objectives in addition to those associated with the Core.
Go directly to the Application Form for the Oral Communication Attribute.
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