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Skidmore College
Academics at Skidmore

General Education Curriculum

Skidmore’s foundational General Education Curriculum embodies Skidmore’s commitment to its philosophy of Creative Thought Matters — and the liberal arts more broadly. The curriculum challenges students to study across different disciplines by fulfilling requirements in four important categories.

At the heart of this innovative curriculum are countless, unique opportunities for students to make connections among a diverse array of courses, ideas, and experiences.

Integrations

These courses integrate several disciplines into meaningful learning connections and experiences. One course is required in each of the following:

  • The First-Year Experience (FYE)
    FYE is designed to start students on their Skidmore journey. Its hallmark is the Scribner Seminar, a small, intense course designed to stimulate intellectual curiosity, challenge preconceived notions, and provide a solid foundation for continued study.  
  • The Bridge Experience (BE)
    BE encourages students to understand how power and justice have shaped the experiences of people with a variety of identities in the United States and how these people have responded to the reality of inequality in their lives.
  • The Senior Experience Coda (SEC)
    SEC encourages students to integrate many aspects of a broad liberal arts education and have the opportunity to imagine themselves — productively, creatively, passionately, and responsibly — as citizens in the world they are facing beyond graduation.

Foundations

These courses develop and enhance fundamental aptitudes essential to a liberal arts education. One course is required in each of the following:

Inquiries

These courses expand perspectives and provide new modes of exploration and learning. One course is required in each of the following:

  • Artistic Inquiry through Practice
  • Humanistic Inquiry and Practice
  • Scientific Inquiry through Practice

Proficiencies

These courses are requirements specific to a chosen discipline and expand communication and literacy abilities. Although specific learning outcomes may vary among disciplines, all students will be required to show proficiency in the following areas:

  • Information Literacy
  • Oral Communication
  • Technology Literacy
  • Visual Literacy
  • Writing in the Major

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS, VISIT THE COURSE CATALOG