Hood students have many options for customizing their academic experience. In addition to discovering their path toward a major, they can add a minor or concentration, study abroad, pursue teaching certification, take on an internship, perform research or apply for Hood’s prestigious Honors Program. They can even create their own major. And while designing their educations, they sample the spectrum of the liberal arts and learn from professors who teach across disciplines, gaining richer, broader perspectives.
The Core
Hood’s “Core” curriculum, undertaken by all students, provides a solid grounding in the liberal arts, including preparation in the humanities, sciences and arts, and hones critical and analytical thinking, writing and oral communication skills. There are three types of classes in the Core: Foundation, Methods of Inquiry and Civilization.
Foundation
Foundation courses are where you get started, acquiring the fundamental skills needed for a liberal arts education—clear, concise writing; proficiency in math; engagement in physical activity and wellness; and the abilities to read, write, speak and listen in a foreign language. Courses are required in:
- English composition
- Computation
- Foreign language
- Physical education
Methods of Inquiry
In Methods of Inquiry courses, you’ll learn how to learn, studying the different approaches liberal arts disciplines take when asking and answering questions. You’ll also become versed in metacognition—that is, thinking about thinking. Courses are required in:
- Aesthetic appreciation
- Scientific thought
- Historical analysis
- Social and behavioral analysis
- Philosophical inquiry
Civilization
In Civilization courses, you’ll study the events and issues that have had the greatest impact on human history, examining the different values of the world’s civilizations, significant modes of thought and scientific breakthroughs in multiple eras and societies. Courses are required in:
- Western civilization
- Non-Western civilization
- Society, science and technology