Core curriculum at Belmont Abbey College, Charlotte, NC - undergraduate education, literature, history, science, social science, philosophy, and theology

Princeton Review

CORE CURRICULUM

Our distinctive core curriculum lies at the heart of undergraduate education at Belmont Abbey College. The core subjects you study will help you succeed in college, prepare you for your career, and enable you to become a more knowledgeable, thoughtful person.

Through studying the liberal arts in a Catholic, Benedictine context, you will not only focus on the good, the true, and the beautiful, but also gain a deep understanding of the literature, history, science, social science, philosophy, and theology that have shaped Western Civilization. Studying Rhetoric, Logic, Grammar, and Writing, as well as the Fine Arts and the U. S. Constitution, will give you the skills, knowledge, and habits that will enable you to live a successful, moral, and ultimately good and happy life.

Studying the liberal arts will help you to think analytically, write and speak well, and master quantitative skills. As the term “liberal arts” implies, this kind of education will free you from ignorance, pettiness, and prejudice, but it will also free you to use all of your abilities and talents to become the person you were meant to be.

FS 101 First-Year Symposium, 3 credits
N.B.: Students transferring more than 13 credit hours to Belmont Abbey College are not required to take the First-Year Symposium
Foundational Skills in the Liberal Arts

Writing, 6 credits
- Rhetoric 101 Rhetoric, Logic, Grammar, and Writing I
- Rhetoric 102 Rhetoric, Logic, Grammar, and Writing II
  (RH 101 is a prerequisite for RH 102)
Quantitative Thinking, 3 credits
One of the following, appropriate to the student's major:Mathematics 135 Mathematics for Liberal Arts
Mathematics 151 College Algebra
Trigonometry and Pre-Calculus
Any 200-level Mathematics course
Any Statistics course
Any Calculus course

Further Explorations in the Liberal Arts

Theology, 6 creditss
- Theology 105 Introduction to Scripture
- Theology 205 Introduction to Theology
Philosophy, 6 credits
- Political Philosophy 211 Classic Texts I
- Political Philosophy 212 Classic Texts II
History, 6 credits
- History 101 Western Civilization I
- History 102 Western Civilization II
Literature, 6 credits
- English 211 Literary Classics of the Western Tradition I
- English 212 Literary Classics of the Western Tradition II
Fine Arts, 3 credits
One (or more) of the following:
Art 101 Introduction to Art in Western Civilization I
Art 102 Introduction to Art in Western Civilization II
English 104 Creative Writing
English 216 Introduction to Film Criticism
Theater (TA) 108 Introduction to Theatre Arts
Theater (TA) 110 Introduction to Stage Craft
Theater (TA) 150 Acting I
Theater (TA) 112 Theatre Appreciation
Music 101 Music Appreciation
Three credit hours in any one of the following:
Chorus (1 credit)
Voice (1 credit)
Piano (1 credit)
Organ (1 credit)
Natural Sciences, 8 credits
- One of the following:
  
  Biology 101 General Biology
  Biology 201 Cell Biology (Instructor's permission required)
  Biology 231 Organismal Diversity (Instructor's permission required)
- One of the following:
  
  Science 110 Physical World
  Chemistry 105 General Chemistry
  Physics 101 General Physics 1:
Social Sciences, 6 credits
- Political Science 201 The U.S. Constitution
- One of the following:
  Economics 201 Introductory to Economics I
  Psychology 201 Introductory to Psychology
  Sociology 201 Principles of Sociology or
  another psychology or sociology course (Instructor's permission required)

Other Graduation Requirements

Writing-Intensive Requirement, one flagged 3 credit course
Each student must complete at least one course designated as "Writing Intensive," marked with the designation (W) in the course schedule. Students are strongly encouraged to choose one within their major or minor field of study.
Global Perspectives Requirement
Students meet the Global Perspective requirement through successful completion of one of the following:
- Any course among History 102, Theater Arts 108, or Theology 365.
- Any course approved as meeting the ―Global Perspectives‖ criteria and so designated by the Office of the Registrar.
- The intermediate level of a modern language (fourth semester of college-level language).
- Significant study abroad (five weeks or longer).
Competency in Technology
All Belmont Abbey College students must demonstrate basic computer competency in one of the following ways:
- Passing the competency exam administered during the first semester and/or periodically upon demand.
- Successful completion of CS (Computer Studies) 100 or another CS course relevant to the student's major.
- Successful completion of a technology-intensive class in the major.