<p>I'd like to major in archaeology with a possible minor/concentration in classics. After looking at some of the Core classes, some of them seem like classes I'd be interested in anyway. So, as my title states, do you think the core would be be good for me? Also, i'm slightly confused about the core versus the requirements (science, foreign language, etc.)... Are they separate things, or do they sort of work together?</p>
<p>The Core includes the Core classes and a few requirements. The main Core classes that everyone in CC takes are Literature Humanities (a year-long seminar class where you “read” well-known literature and then discuss it), Contemporary Civilization (similar but for philosophical texts), Frontiers of Science (learn the basics of scientific inquiry by hearing from top scientists and discussing simple statistics and methods), University Writing (learn how to write in different styles through a series of assignments and seminar discussions), Art Humanities (learn and discuss the history of art/architecture), Music Humanities (ditto for music). </p>
<p>In addition to those classes, you have to fulfill the science requirement (take two science classes, anything from hard Physics and Orgo classes to intro Astronomy and Psych) and the Global Core requirement (two classes relating to a non-Western culture; you’ll fulfill this as a side effect of taking Archaeology classes!), and a Phys Ed requirement (two gym classes and a swim test). That may seem like a lot, but it’s only about a third of the classes you’ll take at Columbia. The Archaeology major’s requirements are here: [Archaeology</a> | Columbia College](<a href=“Columbia College Bulletin < Columbia College | Columbia University”>Columbia College Bulletin < Columbia College | Columbia University)
You have to do three intro Anthro classes, five electives, a lab course, a senior seminar, and 4-6 weeks of field work. </p>
<p>It’s definitely doable. And if you’re interested in the Core classes (which it seems like you are), the Core will probably be a good fit for you!</p>
<p>It sounds like the Core is a good fit for you, based on just the little bit in this thread.</p>
<p>One nice thing about the Core is that it’s pretty explicit. pwoods laid it out well. They’re all supposed to be decent classes (well, not Frontiers of Science…), so if you’re interested in studying the great works of western cultural, they’re great.</p>
<p>The website to use is [The</a> Core Curriculum](<a href=“http://www.college.columbia.edu/core/core/]The”>The Core Curriculum | Columbia College)</p>
<p>The classes are pretty standardized, so you can see the syllabi for all the current year classes (obviously they’ll be slightly different whenever you attend). For example, the Lit Hum reading list. </p>
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<p>Thank you so much! Such helpful responses! The more I look at Columbia, the more I think I like it…</p>
<p>there are six courses that i would say form the main core, and then the peripheral core. the main core is: lit hum, contemporary civilization, music hum, art hum, university writing and frontiers of science. (the peripheral core is foreign language, science and global core - though i think they will make the global core more integrated). the main core feeds off of each other, and it is built around traditional liberal arts skills with a central theme of studying, observing and debating the development of Western Civilization (from Ancient Greece to the present). the classes are highly related.</p>
<p>i think that the core is especially strong for individuals interested in classics, literature, history, philosophy, archaelogy and similar subjects. that is to say it is particularly geared toward both a survey of periods/works interesting to students of those disciplines, but also it highlights skills integral to those academic specialties - reading a lot, writing papers.</p>
<p>but i think, in case someone else stumbles onto this page and mistakenly presumes the core is only for those students, that would be wrong. in fact what makes the core great for any student is the fact that:</p>
<p>a) it is truly an intellectual escape from coursework, so it encourages you to be as nimble as possible in thinking, and maybe consider researching something you probably would not otherwise. so even though it will touch on things related to archaeology, it is not an archaeology class, and you have license to maybe be more speculative than you could in an actual specialty class.</p>
<p>b) it creates common language for students across disciplines, encourages interdisciplinary approaches to even simple things: how to understand Adam Smith from economic, historical, literary, scientific perspectives (Wealth of Nations has a lot of proto-environmental science in it). thus creating a unique intellectual experience and community.</p>
<p>c) it makes you better at soft skills that will continue to be important for all students - writing and arguing especially. i have a friend who attended the University of Chicago, another well known school for its core, but spent the whole time without having to write more than 2 papers. needless to say he regrets not having to push himself more at explaining himself concisely. </p>
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<p>the fact, then, that you are a classics/archaeology prospective major just makes the experience that much more exciting because the material will be directly and especially relevant.</p>
<p>Short answer: Pretty much if you look at the explanations Columbia has of LitHum and CC and that turns you on rather than off, you’re a good fit for the Core and the Core is a good fit for you.</p>
<p>Long answer: I have to leave, so I can’t finish the long answer.</p>