Explorations courses provide students a broad exposure to various disciplinary experiences, help students achieve the qualities of a liberally educated person, and complement the work of the ECG courses.
In particular, the Explorations sequence teaches students to understand themselves as products of—and participants in—institutions, creative traditions, the historical process, and value-driven decision making.
The Explorations (12 credits) courses cover four areas: Heritage, Individual and Society, Aesthetic Appreciation, and Values.
Heritage (3 credits)
As a result of this course, students will:
- demonstrate knowledge of the interrelationship between ideas, events, and people influencing life throughout history
- demonstrate the ability to think critically, analyze, and reflect upon the way the past shapes the present
- explore the traditions of diverse cultural and social groups in order to gain a sense of self and others
- enhance their ability to communicate through the written word by synthesizing ideas and developing supported positions in the relation of the past to the present
The Individual and Society (3 credits)
As a result of this course, students will:
- collect data, analyzing and interpreting the variables that affect the relationship between the self and society
- understand the influences of structures of power (e.g., family, school, religion, government, gender, race, and/or class) on attitudes, behavior, values, and identity
- demonstrate the ability to access and critique information relevant to understanding the dynamic relationship of the individual and the socio-cultural environment
- enhance their ability to communicate orally about the relationship between individual and society and to understand their audience by effectively employing appropriate presentation skills
Aesthetic Appreciation (3 credits)
As a result of this course, students will:
- make and support critical judgments about artistic works
- demonstrate an understanding of the vernacular and/or fine arts and of their aesthetic principles
- demonstrate an understanding of creativity as an expression of one's view of the world
- enhance their ability to communicate about artistry and/or to develop and express their own creativity and to share that communication in small group settings
Values (3 credits)
As a result of this course, students will:
- understand the important roles that values play in determining human actions
- understand how different values affect cooperation and conflict
- be prepared to engage in the dynamic interplay of values with their local and global communities
- articulate their own beliefs about what is valuable and critique human behaviors in light of those beliefs
There are a variety of courses by which students can fulfill the Explorations requirement. Students are expected to discuss their selection of Explorations courses with their advisors.