<p>Well, JW, I suppose we could debate the virtues of a core curriculum, but maybe it is best if I quote the explanation from the CMC catalog: </p>
<p>“The learning goals of a CMC education are to teach students transferable abilities including analytic skills, communication skills, and critical thinking skills, and to impart intellectual breadth and preparation for responsible leadership and citizenship through exposure to a variety of academic disciplines. Within the broader context of the College’s unique mission, each major discipline at CMC has set its own learning goals including substantial knowledge of the chosen field of study with identified student learning outcomes for assessment and evaluation.” </p>
<p>The goal is for a student to finished the general education requirements by the end of the sophomore year and to focus on their major(s) their last two years. I don’t know about Wesleyan, but CMC students also have to complete a senior thesis. As described in their catalog, the student must complete a serious piece of scholarship under the supervision of a faculty reader who teaches within that major. The senior thesis should serve as a capstone experience to a student’s undergraduate education.</p>
<p>Although these requirements may seem onerous, the students don’t seem to mind. In 2011, CMC was ranked #2 by Princeton Review among all colleges with the happiest students.</p>