About "General Education"

Liberal arts and sciences requirements are frequently referred to as general education requirements. Please keep in mind that CORE is, indeed, a liberal arts and sciences program, designed to acquaint you with a variety of academic disciplines, ideas, ways of thinking about the world, and ways of approaching problems. All first-time college students and most transfer students are under CORE requirements.

CORE goals include learning how to learn and to value lifelong learning. CORE is a set of minimum expectations for breadth beyond your major field. Most students do more than the minimum, both in choosing their courses and in participating in activities, events, and opportunities beyond the classroom. Your growth during your college years and after graduation will reflect your choices.

The Purpose of General Education

Participation in a democratic society requires more than the central instruction provided by one major field of study. In our world of rapid economic, social, and technological change, a strong and broadly-based education is essential.

General education helps students achieve the intellectual integration and awareness they need to meet challenges in their personal, social, political, and professional lives. General education courses introduce the great ideas and controversies in human thought and experience. These courses provide the breadth, perspective, and rigor that allow University of Maryland at College Park graduates to claim to be "educated people."

Most Americans change their careers three times during their lifetime. A solid general education provides a strong foundation for the life-long learning that makes career-change goals attainable.

The CORE course list has been developed to ensure that the content and pedagogy of the approved courses meet the educational values articulated in the "Pease Report". As general goals, CORE courses feature active learning, substantial writing, and, where possible, relatively small class, lab, or discussion section size. Many CORE courses are taught by regular faculty members. In addition, CORE courses are subject to periodic review to ensure that the intellectual integrity of the CORE Program is maintained in accordance with the original goals of the Pease Report.

Faculty, staff, and others who advise students under the CORE Program need to be fully familiar with it. This web site presents the elements of the program in sufficient detail to answer most questions that might arise. If you have further questions about CORE, please call The Office of Undergraduate Studies at 405-9361. Additional information about CORE may also be found in the current "Schedule of Classes" and in the "Undergraduate Catalog".