<p>Hi I'm new to this board, but could anyone please enlighten me on how the "Common Core" curriculum works? Is it very rigid and what are the course requirements? Also, how does it compare to, say, Columbia's Core Curriculum?</p>
<p>its all there.
Basically, you have to take 6 quarters total in humanities, arts, and civilization studies. you can split these up in different ways (for example, you can take 3 humanities, 2 civ. studies, and 1 arts; 3 civ. studies, 2 humanities, and 1 arts; or 2 of each).</p>
<p>You have to take a social science sequence of 3 quarters. I believe there are 5 different sequences to choose from.</p>
<p>You need to take 6 quarters total in math and natural sciences. Again, these can be split up in different ways. </p>
<p>AP credit is only granted for the math and science core curriculum. For everything else, ap scores and placement exam scores will only determine placement, which means you have to complete core requirements for humanities, civ. studies, arts, and social sciences no matter what.</p>
<p>the course catalog may help as well:
<a href="http://college-catalog.uchicago.edu/%5B/url%5D">http://college-catalog.uchicago.edu/</a></p>
<p>I don't know much about columbia's core.</p>
<p>I also don't know too much about Columbia's core...but, I do believe they read the same exact texts in the same sequence of courses. With the U of C core, there is much more flexibility: yes "Self" and "Power" (two of the most popular Sosc core sequences) will probably read a fair bit of the same literature (i.e. Marx's Capital and Smith's Wealth of Nations) but they have different focuses and will definitely read different stuff as well. This flexibility carries through even to the science courses for the non-majors, for instance, I took the "Biology of Gender" for my nat sci requirement, which was definitely a really interesting class.</p>
<p>So AP credit is not granted until AFTER the first year?</p>
<p>yeah, basically ap credit counts toward elective courses. a 4 or 5 on an ap exam counts for 3 elective quarters, and you can get credit for up to 6 quarters I believe. So if you get ap credit for 6 quarters, you will only have to complete 36 quarters rather than the normal 42.</p>
<p>However, what one may find is that it makes little difference. My S has AP credit and is ignoring it because he needs to fit in "more" not fewer courses for his concentrations. His AP courses do not contribute to his concentration plan. He will need to attend a couple of summer quarters as well, if his plan (subject to change) is to work.</p>
<p>I'm a bit confused. There are 42 credits for the core requirements plus the additional major requirements?</p>
<p>No, the graduation requirement is 42 courses (1 course = 1 credit).</p>
<p>See <a href="http://collegecatalog.uchicago.edu/liberal/curriculum.shtml%5B/url%5D">http://collegecatalog.uchicago.edu/liberal/curriculum.shtml</a> for more information.</p>
<p>Also, one may have to take non-credit P.E. courses if one does not pass the physical education and swimming tests during orientation week.</p>
<p>Courses though equal in credit, are not equal in time requirements. One course may meet 3 hours per week and another 9 or more (particularly science courses with a lab). Some language courses meet 6 or more hours per week. </p>
<p>One thing that is good to understand about Chicago is that the faculty can do just about anything they want. S had a prof this quarter that decided a one day final at the scheduled time wasn't enough so he gave an additional exam on one of the designated reading days. Another made a paper due on the other! (Chicago only designates two days for reading prior to finals, many other top schools give 7 or more.)</p>
<p>Oh, phew, that makes me feel a lot better. </p>
<p>WTH - PE!??!!? PE TEST!?!?!? JLSAFJKW'E;;534WJO380A</p>
<p>Ack, horror of all horrors. There's a reason I weasled my way out of PE for most of high school. I guess I better start getting in shape now. >_< I was always the one in PE class who never ran the mile and, consiquently, finished it in about 20 minutes.</p>
<p>Could we opt out of taking a physical examination/swimming test if we know that we're going to take a PE class?</p>
<p>Sorry, but YAY!! They actually want people to stay in shape and not get fat. I applaud the administration for instituting PE in order to combat the rise in obesity around the US, which at last count affected 62% of americans.</p>
<p>Well even though I favor less administrative intervention, in some cases such as with the fattening of America, I believe that making students have to pass a PE test is a good thing and helps to instill a consciousness around the university about health and well-being.</p>
<p>Sweet! A PE test! Haha, much better than the tests that require actually possessing knowledge (I'm not so good at those...).</p>
<p>I'm afraid of water :(
(Of swimming in it, that is, I can drink it fine)</p>
<p>I'm all for anti-obesity stuff, but what does swimming have to do with it? I'm in shape and willing to do any other PE class. If I have to swim to graduate, I might not graduate. :(</p>
<p>Also, maybe I'm just really stupid, but I don't understand the 42 credits requirement.</p>
<p>A few people have said that you need 42 credits to graduate, which means you can sometimes take 3 classes a quarter and sometimes 4. If you take 3 classes a quarter for all four years, and each class is one credit, wouldn't you have more than 42 credits? (3creditsx4quartersx4years=48 credits)</p>
<p>The typical academic year is three quarters, autumn, winter and spring.</p>
<p>I was right, I am just really stupid. The really sad part is that I knew it's three quarters- just wasn't thinking logically. Thanks, patsfan.</p>
<p>Swimming, a requirement? Of course, we don't want students drowning in the main Quad's pond, now do we? Can't they allow us to run a couple of laps around the campus instead?</p>
<p>Jesus people, develop minds and bodies. From what I read, the test is not exactly hard to pass.</p>
<p>I believe passing the swim test is a "graduation requirement," not simply a placement test for PE.</p>
<p>my interviewer said you only had to swim like two laps across the pool in any stroke that you want....even "doggy paddle" is ok....unless they changed it since she was there.</p>