At the inception of our institution, Dexter Edgar Converse articulated a vision of an educational experience that would transform and empower graduates to “see clearly, decide wisely, and act justly.” The Converse Core celebrates this liberal arts ideal by equipping all students with a broad-based understanding of the natural and social dimensions of the world, the intellectual and practical skills to successfully navigate and change that world, and the capacity to take personal and social responsibility in their lives and communities.
This section outlines the general education requirements associated with "Acting Justly" and includes the categories listed below. Students pursuing a major that has adopted the Essential Core should consult with their advisor.
Category | Foundational Core (Hours) | Comprehensive Core (Hours) |
Community and Global Responsibility | 3 | 3 |
Culture and Diversity | 3 | 3 |
Community and Global Responsibility
Required Hours: 3 for Foundational and Comprehensive Core. Students pursuing the Foundational Core should consult their program advisor.
The purpose of the Converse Core is not merely to understand the world and develop intellectual skills, but to critically evaluate and change the world for the better. Accordingly, students will take courses in which they will hone their capacities for normative inquiry, ethical reflection, values of well-being, and critical engagement with public policy or concrete social-political phenomena. In such courses, students will…
1. Demonstrate knowledge of different approaches to normative evaluation and argumentation;
2. Demonstrate the capacity to engage respectfully and constructively in conversations about competing values and policies;
3. Apply evaluative frameworks to concrete issues and cases.
Students should consult the Core matrix to select courses fulfilling this category.
Culture and Diversity
Required Hours: 3 for Foundational and Comprehensive Core. Students pursuing the Essential Core should consult their advisor.
In our pluralistic society, appreciative knowledge of cultural differences is both a practical necessity and a respectful way of enriching our discourse and perspective. Accordingly, students take courses that deal primarily with either global (non-American) subject matter or topics and methods related to intercultural diversity, social-political justice, or historically marginalized groups.
Students should consult the Core matrix to select courses fulfilling this category.