Core Curriculum

College is one of the best times in your life to explore all the possibilities of your intellect. It’s not simply about acquiring skills for the kind of career you hope to pursue—although yes, that’s important—but how to turn diverse knowledge into well-rounded wisdom.

Critical Thinking. Flexible Knowledge.

The Core Curriculum will be the foundation of your academic experience at Canisius. Grounded in the liberal arts, the Core will inspire you to flex your mind, think critically, and explore multiple perspectives. You’ll learn how to think, not what to think.

Breadth, Depth and Variety

You’ll study a variety of subjects both within and outside your major. You’ll stretch your thinking, feed your curiosity, and enrich your imagination with courses like The History of Food; Justice; Math and Politics; Happiness, Virtue and the Good Life; The Art of the Selfie (portraiture throughout history); and many more.
 
You’ll be encouraged to think deeply and creatively about the world around you—and your place in it— by exploring topics from multiple areas:

  • Literature and the Arts
  • History
  • Mathematics
  • Natural Science
  • Social Science
  • Philosophy
  • Religious Studies and Theology

21st-Century Skills

Through cross-disciplinary study, you’ll develop a set of transferable skills that you’ll be able to draw on throughout your life:

  • Collaborative problem-solving
  • Teamwork
  • Accessing and analyzing information
  • Ethical decision-making
  • Critical thinking
  • Written expression
  • Oral communication
  • Global awareness
  • Cultural competency with diverse peoples
  • Integrative learning

Academic Overview

 

 

View the Core Curriculum in our Academic Catalog