New core curriculum expected to be launched in fall 2025

By Zoe Finholm//

A new core curriculum is expected to be launched at Hood in the fall of 2025. Current students will continue to take courses under the existing core.

The faculty are considering two models—one called Heart, Mind and Hands and the second called You and HOOD Together.

The Heart, Mind and Hands model would have a yearlong first-year experience, rather than the current first-year seminar, and would include a service-learning component. The first-year experience, as well as English composition, would be part of the “heart” component. The “mind” section would include natural sciences, social and behavioral analysis, humanities, language, ethics, data literacy and holistic wellness and arts. The “hands” section would require students to complete some sort of capstone, which would likely be completed in their major.

The You and HOOD Together model would include a first-year seminar and require an additional writing class. Students would also take classes related to hope, opportunity, obligation and democracy, the four pillars of the college. The “together” element would include high-impact practices such as internships, study abroad and capstones.

Both models keep a global language requirement, but permit American Sign Language to count for the requirement.

The involved faculty members have conducted surveys of current students, faculty and alums and spoken with members of each academic department to see what they like and what they don’t like about the current core model, Dean of Faculty and Professor of Political Science Paige Eager said.

Core curricula are usually revised every 10 years. The most recent change for Hood’s core curriculum was in 2012 when the first-year seminar and global perspectives was added.

Eager said that she has heard a mixture of reactions from people. “A lot of faculty has told us that they want the Gen Ed to be something that is just as important to educating the whole student, not just the student in their major,” Eager said. “We have tried with both models to integrate more high-impact practices and have more connection between learning outcomes in the majors and the core curriculum.”

Sophomore Caylee Sheaffer said, “I think that it would be a great idea to revisit the core curriculum and potentially make it easier/better for incoming students. I think that this could make it easier to complete core classes.”