Our undergraduate curriculum will provide students with a set of literacies and competencies that are indispensable for their future careers, their roles as engaged and responsible citizens, and their well-being as individuals.
This innovative literacy-based approach focuses on the acquisition of multiple knowledge areas and skills as well as diverse perspectives necessary for successfully navigating a complex, ambivalent, and rapidly changing world. The sets of literacies include:
- media, narrative, and visual literacies
- scientific, technological, and environmental literacies
- numerical, computing, and data literacies
- a solid grounding in ethics and civic responsibility
- a substantial understanding of human cultural diversity, both past and present
- intercultural literacy
- a nuanced understanding of social and economic structures and of global dynamics
- knowledge of political systems and democratic structures
- critical thinking and problem-solving competencies
- facility in oral and written communication
The explicit concentration on literacies leverages the existing Arts & Sciences curriculum in all disciplines and on all levels — including introductory and core courses, major-specific courses, graduate education, and capstone experiences. This approach, in conjunction with innovative career-planning efforts in the College of Arts & Sciences, will better prepare students to understand their value, meet the challenges of the workplace, and engage meaningfully with critical sectors of society.
