COR 101, COR 102 Narratives of the Self I, II (4 hours each)
The first-year course sequence investigates a variety of fictional and philosophical constructions of the self, the relationships of memory to personal identity, and the disjunction or harmony between public and private selves in texts spanning from the ancient to modern times. Cultivating appreciation of the texts’ historic and cultural context, students will hone in their writing skills with draft revisions and in-depth instruction of the writing process. The authors considered in the courses may include Plato, Sophocles, Shakespeare, Cervantes, Dostoevsky, and Morrison. in conversation with works of each instructor’s choosing
COR 103 Music and Culture (4 hours)
An understanding of music begins with grasping the creative process as a means of self-expression, as well as the artist’s relationship to the world. Using primary sources and live performances, this course examines the styles, trends and developments of Western and selected international music from early civilizations through the 20th century. The investigation begins to develop an understanding of how music and the cultural arts reflect and affect societal trends and values. Offered every fall and spring semester.
COR 104 Art and Culture (4 hours)
Through the study of art this course will help students understand the basic chronology of Western culture, lay the groundwork for broad cultural literacy and look at how art reflects the human condition. The course explores content, formal elements and historical context of the art of Western and non-Western cultures from ancient to modern times. Four basic themes will prevail: Art and Religion, Art and Power, Art and Nature and Art and the Personal.
COR 105 Theatre and Culture (4 hours)
Theatrical expression has been used to form and bind communities, to worship the gods and to explore and expose social norms. This course focuses on the ways in which theatre accomplishes these aims in a variety of ages, such as Greek, Renaissance and postmodern.
COR 191, COR 192 Explorations in Narrative of the Self I, II (4 hours each)
Equivalency for COR 101, COR 102; see COR X9X description, below.
COR 193 Explorations in Music and Culture (4 hours)
Equivalency for COR 103; see COR X9X description, below.
COR 194 Explorations in Art and Culture (4 hours)
Equivalency for COR 104; see COR X9X description, below.
COR 195 Explorations in Theatre and Culture (4 hours)
Equivalency for COR 105; see COR X9X description, below.
COR 201, COR 202 Human Nature and the Social Order I, II (4 hours each)
The sophomore course sequence focuses on the relationship between individuals and communities, examining the extent to which the “good life” can be pursued within the confines of any social order. These courses investigate issues such as the nature of human excellence and virtue, the character of justice, the origins and sources of social order and the status and legitimacy of political power. How can we obtain an accurate description of humans as social beings? What is the good society and how may it be realized? Students in this course are invited to become more thoughtful, self-conscious and self-critical members and citizens of the society and polity in which they live. Authors such as Aristotle, Confucius, Locke, Smith, Tocqueville, Marx, Weber and Du Bois are read, in conversation with works of each instructor’s choosing
COR 203 Great Ideas of Modern Mathematics (4 hours)
This course explores major modern mathematical developments and helps students to understand the unique approach to knowledge employed by mathematics. The course is organized around three major mathematical ideas that have emerged since the time of Sir Isaac Newton. These three ideas may be drawn from: game theory, graph theory, knot theory, logic, mathematics of finance, modern algebra, non-Euclidean geometry, number theory, probability, set theory and the different sizes of infinity, and topology. Students will learn how to solve basic problems in the three areas covered by the course and how to present their solutions concisely, coherently, and rigorously. Note: Effective in the fall of 2017, COR 203 is not a valid way for new students to satisfy their Core mathematics requirement. All students entering Oglethorpe in the fall 2017 semester or later must take COR 314 Mathematics and Human Nature instead of COR 203. Students who have attended Oglethorpe in a degree program prior to the fall of 2017 may satisfy their Core mathematics requirement by taking either COR 203 or COR 314, although there are consequences of each choice. Students are strongly advised to consult an academic advisor or personnel in Career Development or Enrollment Services in order to make informed choices on this matter.
COR 291, COR 292 Explorations in Human Nature and the Social Order I, II (4 hours each)
Equivalency for COR 201, COR 201; see COR X9X description, below.
COR 293 Explorations in Great Ideas of Modern Mathematics (4 hours)
Equivalency for COR 203; see COR X9X description, below.
COR 301, COR 302 Historical Perspectives and the Social Order I, II (4 hours each)
The junior year sequence constitutes an historical examination of human experience in response to some of the themes and issues raised in the first two years of the Core. Drawing on a variety of perspectives from both the humanities and the social sciences, the course strives to construct the histories of significant periods in human history. The first semester focuses on cultural worlds of premodernity. The second semester concentrates on the problems of modernity, such as the rise of the modern state, nationalism, revolution and globalization. Both courses examine the ways in which significant moments have become essential parts of our historical consciousness, enshrined in myth and religion, tradition, culture and institutions. Through careful analysis of current scholarship and original sources, students are invited to consider the complex relationship between history, cultural traditions and the social and political institutions derived from them
COR 314 Mathematics and Human Nature (4 hours)
Students in this course will explore the mathematical method through logical and quantitative reasoning. Through an in-depth study of the tools of abstraction, generalization, and axiomatization, students will learn to solve problems and communicate mathematics. A central theme is the difference between evidence-based and axiom-based argumentation, engendering a discussion of the commonalities and distinctions between mathematics and science.
COR 350 Core Elective
The Core Elective is designed to encourage stronger, and more explicit, connections between discipline-specific courses and themes discussed in the first two years of the Core Program regarding the relationship between self and society. This course may be taken as a substitute for either COR 301 or COR 302, and will similarly allow for more advanced instruction of analytical and methodological skills. Students are expected to have completed COR 101, 102, 201, and 202 before enrolling in a Core Elective course. A student may use COR 350 as an equivalency for either COR 301 or COR 302, but not both. Students may not combine the Core Equivalency for Study Abroad with the Core Equivalency for Core Elective Courses to fulfill their 300-level Core requirements; at least one of either COR 301 or COR 302 must be taken at Oglethorpe.
COR 391, COR 392 Explorations in Historical Perspectives and the Social Order I, II (4 hours each)
Equivalency for COR 301, COR 302; see COR X9X description, below.
COR 394 Explorations in Mathematics and Human Nature (4 hours)
Equivalency for COR 314; see COR X9X description, below.
COR 400 Science and Human Nature (4 hours)
An appreciation and understanding of scientific thought and its role in society is essential. This course examines feedbacks between science and society and cultivates informed consumers of science by considering the history, philosophy and practice of science. The scientific way of understanding is continually changing and evolving—it is provisional. The primary distinguishing characteristic of science is its reliance upon experimentation for the determination of scientific value, and the resolution of conflicts among the practitioners of science. With the use of selected historical and contemporary topics this course seeks to equip the student with the necessary tools to appreciate the interplay of scientific thought and society in our lives
COR 490 Explorations in Science and Human Nature (4 hours)
Equivalency for COR 400; see COR X9X description, below.
COR X9X Explorations in the Core (4 hours)
Explorations in the Core are special sections of existing Core course that adds thematic, or pedagogic innovation within the existing framework of the original course. Each of these “Explorations” will indicate which Core requirement is satisfied by completing this course.