Integrative Core
The mission of the University of Mount Union is "to prepare students for fulfilling lives, meaningful work, and responsible citizenship." To accomplish this mission, the University draws upon its roots in a historic understanding of the liberal arts. A liberal arts education provides students with a broad base of knowledge in addition to training a specific field of study. At its heart, a liberal arts course of study does not teach a single point of view but equips and empowers students to form their own conclusions based on critical reasoning. The Integrative Core (IC) values this tradition of learning.
The Integrative Core is a distinctive program designed to prepare students to meet the challenges of the 21st century world. It provides a framework for them to experience and shape a coherent and transformative education grounded in the liberal arts. Graduates can no longer expect to interact with the same demographic group and hold one job in the same discipline for their entire career. Integrative and synthetic thinking are more and progressively important for people to succeed personally and professionally in an increasingly interconnected world, in which cultures interact, technology changes rapidly, and the workplace is fluid. The Integrative Core guides students through developing the ability to think across and within different disciplines, contexts, and cultures.
The Integrative Core comprises eight courses totaling 32 credit hours of coursework. These courses include:
- One First Year Seminar taken in the first semester
- Four Foundations courses (one from each of the four Foundations areas – humanities, natural sciences, social sciences and arts) that should be completed by the end of the sophomore year
- Raider Foundations Portfolio submission (should be completed by the end of the sophomore year)
- Two Explorations courses taken during the junior year
- One Capstone course taken during the senior year
Eligible students will also have the potential to graduate with University Honors through the Honors Program.
For any questions regarding the Raider Foundations Portfolio, email icore@mountunion.edu or visit the Integrative Core office in KHIC 233.