The term “core” at Wheeling Jesuit connotes the “heart” of the curriculum which is centered around the Human Person. Its purpose is to give concrete expression to the Mission of the University: “educating for leadership, educating for life and educating men and women for others.”

The core intends to provide all students, regardless of major, with the skills that will enable them to pursue their own integral development and contribute to the common good. In a spirit of free inquiry, it also enables them to articulate a coherent vision of reality and a set of resulting ethical principles. In so doing, it empowers students to discover and to discern that which is true, good and beautiful.

Rooted in the rich Catholic and Ignatian traditions, Wheeling Jesuit affirms that all reality is the work of a loving Creator in whose image and likeness we are made. It views human persons as rational, responsible, communal and called to contribute to creation with their own unique set of skills and opportunities. Convinced that dialogue among differing worldviews is vital, Wheeling Jesuit welcomes men and women from a rich variety of spiritual and ethnic traditions and encourages all students to grow in their faith as a foundation for promoting peace and justice throughout the human community.

Concerning Skills

Students should think creatively and critically and be able to:

• Evaluate and construct clear arguments based on the rules of logic
• Participate actively in society as scientifically literate citizens
• Read various types of literature, identify their literary form and assess the accuracy and truthfulness of their content
• Use basic mathematical methods to solve quantitative problems

Students should communicate effectively and be able to:

• Write fluently, grammatically and eloquently
• Search effectively for information using contemporary tools
• Assemble and deliver a cogent oral presentation with poise
• Engage in reasoned and informed inquiry and discussion
• Communicate across cultures and language
• Recognize and use non-verbal and symbolic modes of communication
• Define problems, identify methods of approaching them and build models to resolve them
• Use modern technology effectively in all of the above

Concerning a VISION centered on the person

A goal central to Jesuit education is that students develop a vision of reality that enables tham to ask questions leading to an understanding of:

• The nature of persons: their origin, historical context and destiny
• The place of persons in the world community in the past, present and future
• The role of persons in contempory culture, including an understanding of the scientific world view, the aesthetic view and experience of life, the philosophical and religious dimension of life and the historical context of culture
• The ethical implications of their vision of the person
• The integration of methods and content of the various disciplines

Concerning Values

In addition to the skills and vision described above, the core should also help students to develop the following attitudes and convictions:

• A commitment to and passion for lifelong learning
• A commitment to base their lifelong ethical decisions on their vision of the person and of the world
• A deep respect for all persons, resulting in a desire to know and learn from men and women from various cultural, religious and racial backgrounds
• A strong desire to serve others, improve the human condition and promote faith, peace and justice
• A willingness to take leadership roles in their professional work, with a particular commitment to ethical decision-making in personal and professional situations
• A sense of responsibility for their actions and the consequences of their actions

English Composition

One of the following, to be determined by placement:

Fine Arts

Every student must complete either:

FAS 101 Introduction to Fine Arts, and (1 cr) a minimum of 2 additional fine arts credits or: (2 crs)
FAS 105 Topics in Fine Arts (3 crs)

Mathematics

One of the following:

CSC 108	Introduction to  Structured Programming	(3 crs)
CSC 110	Computer Science I	(4 crs)
MAT 102	Mathematics in Society (For nonscience majors)	(3 crs)
MAT 105	Introduction to Statistics I	(3 crs)
MAT 108	Pre-Calculus	(3 crs)
MAT 111	Calculus I	(4 crs)