Dartmouth Adopts a Core

After two years of deliberation, the faculty of Dartmouth College on Monday approved a set of curriculum changes similar to Harvard's Core Program.

The series of changes--the first in 70 years--"make clear what a modern faculty consider to be qualities of an educated person," according to a statement published yesterday.

The revised curriculum will concentrate on revamping the school's degree requirements. Students currently required to take course from three general areas-- humanities, social sciences and natural sciences--will have soon have to select courses from eight intellectual fields.

These fields include arts; literature; philosophical, religious or historical analysis; international or comparative study; social analysis; quantitative or deductive science; natural science; and technology or applied science.

In addition to the curriculum changes, the faculty also voted to require seniors to participate in what they termed a "culminating or integrating experience." A thesis or seminar-like effort will satisfy the requirement.

Seniors must also take at least one multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary course under the new regulations.

"The world our students enter is not going to be neatly divided by departmental lines," said Dean of Faculty James Wright in the prepared statement. "Dartmouth's traditional strength in interdisciplinary work will be enhanced significantly by this action."

Finally, the redefined curriculum approves the creation of an optional minor. The minor will not affect the majority of currently enrolled Dartmouth students, although first-years may be able to take advantage of the option.

However most other "changes will not take effect any earlier than the fall of 1993," according to the statement.

Defying the Recession

The overhaul of the curriculum comes at a time when other colleges and universities are having to cut back due to the burden of recession woes.

Yale University, for example, has recently been forced to reduce their rate of faculty hiring and cut at least one academic department due to financial problems.

But Dartmouth, in the midst of an ambitions capital campaign, is seeking to expand both its faculty and course offerings.

The overhaul of the curriculum began in October 1989 with a planning reporthighlighting the need for change. An ad hoccommittee was then formed to produce a report oncurriculum changes, and the faculty began theirreview of the recommendations at the beginning ofthis year.

The recommendations will take effect onceDartmouth trustees complete their review of thechanges the statement said

The recommendations will take effect onceDartmouth trustees complete their review of thechanges the statement said