When new students think about their future college experience, chances are they focus on their major field of study. But, looking back, many Dominican alumnae/i remember classes from their core curriculum as being the ones that first taught them how to:

• Get excited about learning for learning’s sake
• Think critically
• Hone their writing skills
• Explore new ideas and ways of thinking
• Ponder life’s big questions
• Make connections between classes and experience

These are critical aspects of a liberal education that prepare students not only for career opportunities but also for life-long learning.

Dominican’s Core Curriculum—the word “core” comes from a Latin word for “heart”—is divided into four main parts:

• Foundations – Courses that equip students with basic skills all college students should have.
• Area Studies – Courses that introduce students to seven key modes of inquiry and the ways in which each of these contributes to an understanding of the world
• Liberal Arts and Sciences Seminars – Courses that apply multiple perspectives to life’s most important issues amid the rich interplay and connection of student experiences, academic disciplines, and common questions and texts.
• Multicultural – Courses that allow students to engage the diverse cultures within the U.S. or beyond its borders.

Senior Seminar Explores Enduring Questions through Pilot Grant from National Endowment for the Humanities.