Dear Turbo

My daughter often talks about “core classes” that she has to take in addition to classes in her major. What are these and why is she required to take classes outside of her field? Is it because of the major she chose or does everyone have to take these courses? 

— A Curious Dad 

Dear Dad, 

I appreciate your curiosity! Courses in the Core are an important component of every student’s education at Geneva College, no matter their field of study. Marketing majors, history majors, chemistry majors, engineering majors, communication disorders majors, education majors — everyone — takes essentially the same core courses. “The Core,” as it is commonly known on campus, is what might be called General Education (Gen Ed) requirements at other places. At Geneva, these are classes in Bible; humanities; physical education; science; composition, communication, and/or critical thinking; the social sciences; and a capstone course in the major. 

At the beginning of their time at Geneva, students complete Learning & Transition (L&T), a class which helps lay a solid foundation for their shift from high school to college, and at the end of their time at Geneva, everyone completes a capstone course in political science, Great Issues in Politics. This is a class that has been part of the College’s offerings for more than 150 years. Such curricula are typical requirements among liberal arts colleges. 

At Geneva, we believe that students should be broadly educated no matter their field of study and career goals. We hold this view for a couple important reasons. First, as humans created in God’s image, we reflect His multi-dimensionality. Our goal is to help students understand God, His call upon their lives, and His unique creation so that we can honor Him and strive to become the people He has designed us to be. Second, we believe that the liberal arts enrich a person’s life. In other words, they make us more fully human. 

Finally, what makes all of the coursework at Geneva unique is that it is firmly rooted in the Christian faith. Faith is not merely an artificial add-on to our classes, but it is an integral component of every course. If God reigns supreme and the whole earth belongs to him, then what we study and the context in which we study it matters. 

Learn more about the Core Curriculum on our website and our blog. 

Written by Jeff Cole, PhD, Professor of History & Chair, Department of Core Studies