Foundational Core

Foundational Core

All students pursuing a baccalaureate degree at Southeastern will have as part of their curriculum a Foundational Core. Completion of the Foundational Core will provide each student with the breadth of knowledge and experience necessary to pursue a concentrated study within the selected major field of study.

Foundational Core Mission

As our university mission states, Southeastern is committed to integrating personal faith and higher learning. The Foundational Core Program consists of an interdisciplinary core of courses that engages the major fields of academic study and experience. Courses are selected from biblical and religious studies, the natural and social sciences, communication, English and the humanities, mathematics, and business. As the term core suggests, its mission is to develop the kind of essential knowledge, skills, values, and experiences that will inform and shape each Southeastern graduate, regardless of major, to indeed creatively serve their generation in the spirit of Christ.

Foundational Core requirements are:

• Arts of Communication (9 hours) – one course in speech and two courses in English Composition
• Behavioral and Social Sciences (9 hours) – one behavioral science course, one stewardship course, and one social science course
• History and Government (3 hours) - one course in either history or government.
• Humanities and Fine Arts (6 hours) – one course in humanities and one course in literature
• Mathematics (6 hours) – two courses in Mathematics
• Natural Science (4 hours) – one course in a natural science with a lab
• Religion (18 hours) – six courses in religion

Total Program Hours - 55 Credit Hours

Writing Intensive Requirement

In addition, each student will take two courses designated as Writing Intensive (WI) after completion of the Composition sequence. At least one of these two courses must be in the student’s major area of study. The students may receive a Writing Endorsement on their transcript when they graduate by completing five Writing Intensive (WI) courses.

Foundational Core requirements for specific majors may have additional hours and/or specify particular courses. See the individual major under Programs of Study for details. Education programs also base Foundational Core requirements on the state of Florida guidelines for teacher programs. Each candidate for a baccalaureate degree must complete the general education core.

Structure of the Foundational Core Program

The Foundational Core Program has three phases, not of equal amounts of coursework.

1. In their first-year students take a religion course titled Christ, Culture, and the University. This is an orientation to being a university student at a Christian university. It will address such areas as theology and faith integration, personal spirituality, and being a faithful and effective student. It is vital that students gain a sense of being Spirit-led and biblically based as a foundation for their Southeastern studies and for a life lived in service to Christ. To establish this kind of foundation for study and life, this course addresses university studies as a call from God and develops the principles of faith integration and spiritual practice.
2. Also beginning the first semester and continuing primarily through the sophomore year, students will take the bulk of their general education courses. The various colleges and departments endeavor to reflect and be conscious and intentional regarding the integration of foundational core values and perspectives in these courses.
3. At the end of the sophomore year or early in the junior year students take the faith integration course for their major or a religion elective in majors that have yet to develop a faith integration course.

Foundational Core Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of the courses of their Foundational Core, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the background, content, and themes of the biblical text
• Demonstrate oral communication skills through research, topical development, and style-specific presentations of focused material
• Demonstrate knowledge and skill in effective writing by exhibiting competency on an outcome exam and by producing a piece of writing that meets the requirements of standard English
• Demonstrate the ability to interpret, analyze, and evaluate statements, arguments, and evidence in order to construct well-supported, clearly articulated conclusions and positions
• Demonstrate problem-solving skills in a broad range of significant mathematics (i.e., probability, statistics, algebra, numbers theory, geometry, historical algorithms)