undergraduate bulletin - LaGrange College

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
& AWARDS
INTRODUCTION
Faculty members and the staff of LaGrange College implement curricular and co-curricular
programs that contribute to the fulfillment of the mission of the College and the quest for civility,
diversity, service, and excellence. Undergirding all the academic programs at LaGrange College
is a fundamental commitment to the liberal arts. The underlying philosophy of liberal learning is
found in all parts of the curriculum of the College but is most obvious in the structure of the
Core Curriculum, which serves as foundation of the academic experience at the College.
Baccalaureate majors share the Core Curriculum, which represents just less than forty percent of
a student‘s formal study at the College. Specific courses within the Core Curriculum are
designed to integrate knowledge from diverse disciplines.
Within an ethical and caring community, the total LaGrange College program is designed to
challenge and support students in their search for truth. This program is centered around the
liberal arts curriculum, which provides engagement in a breadth of scholarly disciplines and a
foundation for a lifetime of learning. Because of this orientation, students are given opportunities
to interpret and evaluate the influence of historical, cultural, artistic, mathematical, scientific, and
religious developments. They are exposed to the modes of creative expression and participate in
activities that foster intellectual curiosity. Through a series of experiences allowing examination
of issues involving ethical reasoning, global awareness, diversity, sustainability, personal
wellness, and civic knowledge and service, students have an opportunity to reflect upon and
consider their place in the world and to become successful, responsible citizens who aspire to
lives of integrity and moral courage.
The curriculum of LaGrange College is designed to improve students‘ creative, critical, and
communicative abilities, as evidenced by the following outcomes:
Students will demonstrate creativity by approaching complex problems with innovation and
from diverse perspectives.
Students will demonstrate critical thinking by acquiring, interpreting, synthesizing, and
evaluating information to reason out conclusions appropriately.
Students will demonstrate proficiency in communication skills that are applicable to any field
of study.
CORE CURRICULUM
As a Methodist-related institution, LaGrange College offers an educational experience that
emphasizes the inter-relatedness of knowledge and the importance of understanding and
evaluating human experience. Via the Core Curriculum Integrative Studies courses (i.e., the
CORE courses), the Core Curriculum uses an interdisciplinary approach to develop the students‘
creative, critical, and communicative abilities. The specific objectives of the Core Curriculum
Integrative Studies are also noted elsewhere in this Bulletin (see ―Core Curriculum Integrative
Studies‖).
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