Building Your Foundation
The Core Curriculum at Bridgewater State University is the bedrock upon which you'll build your education. Whether you already know your major or you're undecided, the Core Curriculum provides valuable experience for BSU students.
The Core will help you...
- Develop skills that you may carry over into your major — and your professional life!
- Deepen your understanding of other fields and experiences.
- Learn to communicate more effectively, both inside and outside the classroom.
- Tailor courses for a more individualized degree path.
- Prepare for life in a rapidly changing world.
Stellar Seminars
Every BSU student is required to take a seminar course in their first and second years. But these classes go beyond the basics! You may choose to learn about Asian pop music or how to cultivate plants in Bridgewater’s greenhouse. Maybe you want to study the history of dogs in human society — we have a class on that, too!
Check out these stories about some of the First and Second Year Seminars at BSU, and imagine where these courses might take you.
What is the Core Curriculum?
The BSU Core Curriculum is composed of four main areas:
Skill Requirements
All students are required to demonstrate proficiency in the skill areas of writing, logical reasoning, mathematical reasoning and spoken communication.
- Writing Skills - two courses (must be taken in the first year)
- Foundations of Logical Reasoning - one course (must be taken in the first year)
- Foundations of Mathematical Reasoning - one course (must be taken by the end of the second year)
- Spoken Communication - one course (must be taken by the end of the second year)
Seminars
The First and Second Year Seminars are key features of the BSU Core Curriculum. These topic courses will allow students to explore an area of interest in a small, discussion-oriented course.
- The First Year Seminar is a writing intensive course designed to engage the student in university-level learning.
- The Second Year Seminar is either speaking or writing intensive and will engage students in the connections between classroom learning and the world.
- Second Year Seminars may be used for the major or minor, if specifically permitted by the major or minor.
Core Distribution Requirements
All students will learn about the arts, humanities, the natural and social and behavioral sciences, global culture, multiculturalism, application of quantitative skills and the United States and Massachusetts Constitutions.
- Fine and Performing Arts - two courses
- Humanities - three courses
- Natural Sciences - two courses (one must be a lab science)
- Social and Behavioral Sciences - two courses
- Global Culture - two courses
- Multiculturalism - one course
- Application of Quantitative Reasoning Skills - one course
- U.S. and MA Constitutions - one course
Requirements in the Major
To connect the Core Curriculum with their major, students will complete one writing designated course in their major and will be able to demonstrate information literacy and technology proficiency in their major.