HMC Common Core
The Common Core presents a coordinated, common foundation essential to the education of all students. It includes three semesters of mathematics, two and one-half semesters of physics and an associated laboratory, one and one-half semesters of chemistry and an associated laboratory, an interdisciplinary or disciplinary “Core lab” selected from a changing set of offerings, a half-semester of college writing, a course in critical inquiry offered by the Department of Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts, and one course each in biology, computer science, and engineering.
Core courses address three objectives: (1) acquisition of disciplinary knowledge and experience with disciplinary-related techniques, (2) skill development in the areas of oral and written communication, critical thinking, teamwork and collaboration, project management, and/or leadership, and (3) explorations of either the interrelationship of technical work and society or the understanding of one’s own culture or other contemporary cultures.
All Core courses must be attempted by the end of the fifth semester.
Students have the option of graduating under the curriculum spelled out in any catalog (that is, fulfilling the set of Core, major, HSA, and overall credit requirements represented by any catalog) that is in effect during their continuous enrollment at the College. Students who entered the College in the fall of 2015, for example, would be able to graduate under the 2016–2017 catalog, if they formally notify the registrar of their wish to do so. However, the student selecting a later catalog is bound by that catalog’s entire curriculum and may not cherry-pick components of the curriculum.
Students will find courses that have prerequisites, corequisites, or concurrent requisite in their description. Following are the definitions:
- A prerequisite is a course (or in rare cases, a requirement) that must be completed before a student can register for the course in question.
- A concurrent requisite is a course that a student must register for at the same time as the course in question. (For example, a lab which must be taken at the same time as the lecture.)
- A corequisite is a course that a student must either have completed prior to OR be registered concurrently with the course in question.
Core courses are listed below. Course descriptions are also given in the course listings for the departments. Core Lab (CL 057 HM ) section descriptions are provided annually to first-year students in advance of pre-registration for sophomore courses.
Biology (BIOL)
BIOL052 HM - Introduction to Biology (3 credits)
Chemistry (CHEM)
CHEM023A HM - Chemistry in the Modern World (3 credits)
CHEM023B HM - Chemistry in the Modern World (1.5 credits)
CHEM024 HM - Chemistry Laboratory (1 credits)
Core Laboratory (CL)
CL057 HM - Core Lab (1 credits)
Computer Science (CSCI)
CSCI005 HM - Introduction to Computer Science (3 credits)
Engineering (ENGR)
ENGR079 HM - Introduction to Engineering Systems (3 credits)
Humanities, Social Sciences, And The Arts (HSA)
HSA010 HM - Critical Inquiry (3 credits)
Mathematics (MATH)
MATH030B HM - Calculus (1.5 credits) / MATH030G HM - Calculus (1.5 credits)
MATH035 HM - Probability and Statistics (1.5 credits)
MATH040 HM - Introduction to Linear Algebra (1.5 credits)
MATH045 HM - Introduction to Differential Equations (1.5 credits)
MATH060 HM - Multivariable Calculus (1.5 credits)
MATH065 HM - Differential Equations and Linear Algebra II (1.5 credits)
Physics (PHYS)
PHYS022 HM - Physics Laboratory (1 credits)
PHYS023 HM - Special Relativity (1.5 credits)
PHYS024 HM - Mechanics and Wave Motion (3 credits)
PHYS051 HM - Electromagnetic Theory and Optics (3 credits)
Writing (WRIT)
WRIT001 HM - Introduction to Academic Writing (1.5 credits)
Completing The Common Core
Core courses are offered once annually, with the exception of CL 057 HM , which is offered fall and spring. Most students complete the Common Core by the end of the sophomore year. First-year Core courses—BIOL052 HM , CHEM023A HM , CHEM023B HM , CHEM024 HM ; CSCI005 HM ; HSA 010 HM ; MATH030B HM or MATH030G HM , MATH035 HM , MATH040 HM and MATH045 HM ; PHYS022 HM , PHYS023 HM , PHYS024 HM ; and WRIT001 HM —must be attempted in the first year and passed before the beginning of the junior year. CL 057 HM , MATH060 HM , MATH065 HM , and PHYS051 HM must be attempted in the sophomore year. ENGR079 HM must be attempted by the fifth semester. The Scholarly Standing Committee tracks student progress through the Core and notifies students of Core deficiencies (e.g., courses that are dropped, withdrawn, failed, or not appropriately attempted). Students must register for all deficient Core courses each time they are offered. Sample programs for the first three semesters appear below.
Sample First-Year Program
The instructors in the first-year program meet regularly with the associate dean for academic affairs to ensure that course material, major assignments, and examinations are coordinated throughout the year.
Sample Sophomore Fall Program
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