Core Program

Calvin University Core Program

The Calvin Core is inspired by our vision of being a Christian liberal arts university with an expanded global influence.

At Calvin, we have long defined our conception of a liberal arts and sciences education in terms of our key commitments to God’s world in all its diversity—across domestic, global, and natural environments. The core curriculum incorporates these commitments as crucial threads, which are woven throughout the core program and framed by the disciplinary breadth afforded by study of the arts and humanities, the natural and social sciences—all intended to prepare students for lives of Christian service.

Beginning in the Community and Commitments course, students explore how our Reformed intellectual heritage uniquely informs our community’s commitments to justice, reconciliation, and renewal, including our dedication to environmental sustainability, our celebration of God’s gifts in global regions and cultures, and our affirmation of diversity and difference. Subsequent courses provide opportunity for students to explore and deepen their understandings of these commitments within specific academic disciplines, to learn core competencies, and to develop broad understanding of the world, its inhabitants, and ourselves. These exposures to the breadth of the liberal arts and sciences, coupled with the in-depth study within majors, prepare students to engage in a cross-disciplinary exploration of a contemporary challenge or enduring question as a culminating liberal arts experience.

FOUNDATIONS

Community and Commitments

Complete one of the following courses.Transfer credit not accepted.

Foundations of Christianity I

Complete one of the following courses. One Foundations of Christianity course must be completed at Calvin University.

Foundations of Christianity II

Complete one of the following courses. One Foundations of Christianity course must be completed at Calvin University.

COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS

Foundational Writing

ENGL 101 - Written Rhetoric
Or
ENGL 100 - Enhanced Written Rhetoric I And
ENGL 102 - Enhanced Written Rhetoric II (two-course, full-year sequence)

Health and Movement (Personal Fitness)

Complete one of the following courses. A student participating at Calvin in a varsity sport for two full seasons is exempt. Completion of ROTC or other military training exempts a student from both Health and Movement requirements.

Health and Movement (Leisure, Sport, and Skills)

Complete one of the following courses. Completion of ROTC or other military training exempts a student from both Health and Movement requirements.

World Languages I

Complete one of the following courses. 102 courses have a prerequisite of 101. High school exemption from World Languages I is possible. To obtain a high school exemption, a student must complete three sequential years in the same language with a B or better for each semester (two years for students who are engineering or nursing majors at graduation). (Near) native speakers of a language other than English are exempt from World Languages I.

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

Complete coursework totaling at least 26 semester hours from at least five of the six Knowledge and Understanding categories, including at least 2 semester hours from each of the following categories: Arts, Oral Rhetoric, Visual Rhetoric; Humanities; Social and Behavioral Sciences. Students are encouraged to take 4 semester hour courses when possible.

World Languages II

Complete 0–4 semester hours of coursework numbered 201 or higher in a language other than English OR complete 101-102 (8 semester hours) in a different language from coursework completed for World Languages I.

Arts, Oral Rhetoric, Visual Rhetoric

Complete coursework totaling 2–6 semester hours, with up to 4 semester hours in any one discipline.

Humanities

Complete coursework totaling 2–6 semester hours, with up to 4 semester hours in any one discipline.

Mathematical Sciences

Complete coursework totaling 0–4 semester hours.

Natural Sciences

Complete coursework totaling 0–6 semester hours, with up to 4 semester hours in any one discipline. At least one course must include a laboratory.

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Complete coursework totaling 2–6 semester hours, with up to 4 semester hours in any one discipline.

CROSS-DISCIPLINARY INTEGRATION

Engaged Citizenship Commitments

Complete at least one tagged course in all three areas. Engaged Citizenship Commitment courses may overlap with other core requirements. Test credit, including Advanced Placement, CLEP, and International Baccalaureate, may not satisfy Engaged Citizenship Commitment requirements.

Diversity and Difference (Tag)

Complete one of the following courses. May overlap with other core requirements.

Environmental Sustainability (Tag)

Complete one of the following courses. May overlap with other core requirements.

Global Regions and Cultures (Tag)

Complete one of the following courses. May overlap with other core requirements.

Contemporary Challenges and Enduring Questions

Complete one of the following courses.