CORE at a Glance

Beginning Fall 2011, the University Core Curriculum (the Core) will be the general education program of William Paterson University for students entering Fall 2011 or later. It is a 40 credit program, which constitutes a third of the entire undergraduate curriculum.

Students create their Core experience by choosing a sequence of 13 (thirteen) courses from each of the following six areas of study. Each area and sub-area will have a variety of courses to choose from.

 

The Core

AREA

CREDITS

LEVEL

1. Personal Well-Being

3

1000 or 2000

2. Expression

Arts and Communication

3

1000 or 2000

Writing

3

1000 or 2000

Literature

3

1000 or 2000

3. Ways of Knowing

Philosophical Perspectives

3

1000 or 2000

Historical Perspectives

3

1000 or 2000

Social and Behavioral Sciences

6

1000 or 2000

Scientific Perspectives

4

1000 or 2000

Quantitative Thinking

3

1000 or 2000

4. Diversity and Justice

3

2000

5. Community and Civic Engagement

3

2000 or higher

6. Global Awareness

3

2000 or higher

TOTAL CREDITS

40

  

 

  • Courses in Areas Four, Five and Six (Diversity and Justice, Community and Civic Engagement, and Global Awareness) may be within student majors. Such courses can thus be used to satisfy both, Core and major requirements.
  • Students at WPU are required to complete four (4) Writing Intensive (WI) courses and two (2) Technology Intensive (TI) courses. These courses are not additional “stand-alone” courses but any course — within the Core, or any major or any minor or any free elective — that has been designated as a WI or TI course. Note that one of the WI courses must be at the 3000 level or higher. 

 

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