Home- Academics- Core Curriculum Liberal Arts Core Curriculum The Core develops fundamental skills and habits of mind that are essential for success in college and beyond. Menu Menu The Value of the Core Interdisciplinarity of knowledge Knowledge rarely fits nicely into human-defined disciplines. The Core connects to all majors and opens the door to the endless possibilities that a Liberal Arts education provides. Shared intellectual engagements The Core curriculum explores questions, texts, and patterns of thought that form the foundation of human societies. The Core provides an intellectual foundation shared by students, faculty, and all Colgate alumni. Old questions, new contexts Society evolves rapidly, casting new light on classic problems. The constantly evolving Core curriculum allows each new class to approach these subjects with fresh perspectives and methods of discovery. Liberal Arts Core Courses All Colgate graduates complete the courses below, in any order, by the end of their sophomore years. Legacies of the Ancient World Courses examine the ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern texts that continue to have lasting influence on academic discourse and critical thought. LEARN MORE Challenges of Modernity Students explore pivotal issues of modernity (i.e. urbanization, scientific discovery, imperialism, capitalism, aesthetic innovation) through texts across media and disciplines. LEARN MORE Communities and Identities Courses ensure that all students appreciate the identities, cultures, and human experience inherent in communities and regions of the world. LEARN MORE Scientific Perspectives on the World Courses apply scientific methods to an issue in society or outside the realm of natural sciences and mathematics. LEARN MORE Global Engagements A wide variety of courses meet the educational goals of global engagement. These courses teach perspectives critical to living an examined life in the globalized 21st century. LEARN MORE Areas of Inquiry To foster breadth of learning, students take six courses from a range of disciplines across three areas: Human Thought and Expression; Social Relations, Institutions, and Agents; and Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Academics Majors and Minors Departments and Programs Off-Campus Study Core Curriculum Research Fellowships & Scholarships Scholars Programs Pre-Professional Planning Academic Calendar University Catalogue Course Offerings Libraries RELATED LINKS Intellectual Engagement INTELLECTUAL ENGAGEMENT Collaborative research by highly regarded faculty is a Colgate trademark. Off-Campus Study OFF-CAMPUS STUDY Colgate has one of the most robust off-campus study programs in the country. Career Services CAREER SERVICES Staff members and dedicated alumni play a key role in students' career exploration. Lucky 13 LUCKY 13 Find out why 13 is the most popular number on campus.