Florida Atlantic University

Purpose of the Core Curriculum

Florida Atlantic University believes that higher education should go well beyond the preparation of individuals for demanding careers in their chosen fields.  It should also provide broad intellectual enrichment through systematic exposure to a diversity of academic experiences.  The purpose of the core curriculum in this endeavor is to develop the intellectual skills, habits of thought, ethical values and love of learning that transcend the choice of major.  These are the hallmarks of educated men and women capable of meeting effectively the social, political and economic challenges of contemporary life.  Perhaps at no other time in history has a well-rounded, inquiring intellect been more important and useful than in the world of rapid technological change and ever increasing globalization in which we now live.  Thus, the mission of a comprehensive university education as reflected in its core curriculum is to produce graduates who can:

• intelligently analyze information
• appreciate diverse peoples and ideas
• adapt to change through the self-motivated acquisition of new knowledge.

Consequently, the FAU core curriculum is a carefully devised program that draws on many subject areas to provide and reinforce essential skills and values from different points of view.  It equips students with the academic tools they will need to succeed not only as undergraduates in their degree programs, but also as responsible citizens in a complex world.  Thus, the courses that comprise the FAU core curriculum combine to develop:

• substantive knowledge in a breadth of fields
• the ability to think critically
• the ability to communicate effectively
• an appreciation for how knowledge is discovered, challenged and transformed as it advances.

Students are invited to select from a number of the core curriculum courses listed in the catalog in completing their core requirements.  All courses in the core curriculum contribute to meeting its purpose thereby allowing flexibility in making individual choices.