2022-23 Undergraduate Academic Catalog

General Education Council

Roberts' Core Curriculum, the Academic Exploration Program (AEP), the First-Year Seminar Program, and the major in Cross-Disciplinary Studies (B.S.) are overseen by the General Education Council. The Council is composed of faculty from each school as well as staff from programs crucial to student achievement. 

The Core Curriculum

The Roberts Core Curriculum maximizes relevance and student choice while enabling students to develop practical skills and broad, creative thinking. The Core consists of a Shared Core (classes that all students take) and a Choice Core (courses among which students choose in select disciplines). 

Focuses

Students can pursue an “Open Track” through the Choice Core, or they can choose one or more of three focuses: The Examined Life & Human Experience, Faith & Culture, or Global Responsibility and Community Commitment. Each focus contains a variety of courses in each of nine disciplines that fulfill General Education objectives while exploring the themes of the focus.  

The Core Minor in Critical Analysis and Social Engagement 

Students earn a minor in Critical Analysis and Social Engagement without taking any additional courses, fulfilling the requirements of the minor and the core curriculum at the same time by choosing 18 or more hours from among the three Choice Core focuses.

This interdisciplinary minor trains students as perceptive thinkers, creative problem-solvers and ethical thinkers in a world where social competence, vision and collaboration are more important than ever. Critical Analysis and Social Engagement encompass abilities that executives and hiring managers across career fields name as crucial to success: critical thinking, the ability to analyze and solve complex problems, communication skills, ethical judgement and decision-making, information literacy, and working effectively in social situations. Developing these abilities enhances life and career success as well as marketability in a variety of fields.   

See Core Curriculum Requirements for full details on the Core Curriculum, including Focuses and the minor in Critical Analysis and Social Engagement. 

Interdisciplinary Major

Our cutting-edge interdisciplinary major enables students to construct a creative, challenging, and timely degree relevant to their personal interests and professional goals. The B.S. in Cross-Disciplinary Studies combines an 18-21 hour minor with two 15-hour areas of study. This degree prepares students for the constantly changing dynamics of a marketplace marked by these constants - employers want graduates who can communicate, think critically, and creatively solve problems. These majors also provide a way for students and parents to save time and money, as students who have pursued another major even through their junior year can switch into one of these majors and still graduate on time with a meaningful and marketable degree.

The Academic Exploration Program

The Academic Exploration Program helps students systematically determine their academic and career plan. This includes choosing not only the perfect major, but also strategically using every college credit to pursue double majors, minors, areas of concentration, internships and course clusters that prepare them for life and career. Students may enter the program upon entry to Roberts and access program initiatives throughout their time at Roberts. The program includes:

  • Exploratory First-Year Seminar course
  • specialized advising 
  • course sampling
  • specially designed career advisement and training, including alumni mentoring
  • Dine-A-Mind professor lunch program
  • classroom visitation program
  • Coffee House events with alumni and formerly undeclared students 
  • Career fair lunches
  • Academic Exploration Resource Page

To speak with a representative of the General Education Council, call 585.594.6113 or email generaleducation@roberts.edu