How to survive—and love—the Core Curriculum

Despite the excitement you expressed about the Core Curriculum in your winning Columbia application, the titanic reading lists and unending calls for discussion posts and papers may force you to question the Core’s purpose at times.

The subject of constant philosophical and pedagogical debate, the Core unites students in Columbia College and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and define the University’s undergraduate mission of cultivating critical thinking. Amid the myriad Core experiences, one thing remains clear: Everyone discovers at least one aspect that stretches his cultural knowledge, productively contextualizes her political views, or exposes his previously unknown love for classical literature. Here are some universal maxims (Kant, anyone?) to assist in the odyssey before you:

1. No one demographic of instructors teaches the Core best.

   The Core pushes you to shed preconceived notions, and you will do just that upon realizing that your doctoral student instructor leads as fantastic a section as that of his famed dissertation adviser.

2. An instructor’s status does not directly determine his competence.

   Some theoretical linguists could illuminate Greek philosophy, but not all literary critics can teach you Renaissance poetry. For seminar-style courses, use CULPA (Columbia Underground Listing of Professor Ability) to consider the most important variables in an instructor: time to commit to students, scholarly background, and workload.

3. Sit down with your CC or Lit Hum professor before writing a substantial essay. Refine your ideas with your instructor in advance. This shows that you care and can also result in a more insightful paper and a better grade.
4. Exploit the valuable foreign language requirement.

   Language is the quickest route to culture—a foundational goal of the Core—and proficiency in another tongue serves as a marketable skill. Study for tests, do all the homework assignments, and enroll in a counterpart two-credit conversation course where available.

5. For Global Core courses and courses satisfying the science requirement, choose classes that contribute toward your major or track. Seek feedback on CULPA before you enroll. If you go in without a dedicated passion, immerse yourself in diverse subjects you would not research otherwise.
6. Read selectively.

   As instructors admit, not everything can or should be read, and certain sections of text provide greater understanding than others. While some texts’ meatiest selections appear logically, others pose challenges to locating these selections. Since annotating will facilitate your exam reviews and clarify confusing passages, always have a pencil handy.

7. Do not be surprised if Core classes consume more time than courses for your major. Some weeks, you may feel like you are majoring in Lit Hum or Gateway. The task of rewriting parts of a University Writing paper can last an entire day of your weekend. For the Lit Hum final, rely on class notes, the texts, and online guides; for CC, meet up with classmates to work through the ideas discussed in section.