Foundational First-Year Curriculum

The Foundational First-Year Curriculum consists of coursework required of all students during their first year at Houghton. The curriculum is designed to provide the foundation of knowledge and skills to enable students to gain the most benefit from their other studies, both in the remainder of the integrative studies curriculum and in major programs.

The required courses in the curriculum are scheduled for the students by the Academic Records office, making course selection a sinmpler process. Students will be placed in the following courses:

• CLLS 101 First Year Introduction (FYI), an introduction to college life with an emphasis on the Christian liberal arts distinctives of Houghton. One credit hour, taken the first 9 weeks of the fall semester.
• INTS 75 Library Research, an introduction to library and electronic resources to develop research skills. 0 credit hours, six one-hour sessions scheduled early in the semester.
• HIST 101,102 Western Civilization I and II, a survey of western civilization from its ancient cultural roots to the late 20th century, using primary source materials. Two credit hours each semester.
• BIBL 101 Biblical Literature, a survey of the types of literature found in the Old and New Testaments, with attention to literary, historical, and theological aspects of selected texts. Three credit hours taken in the semester alternate to Principles of Writing or Advanced Composition.
• ENGL 101 Principles of Writing OR WRIT 212 or 213 Advanced Composition, a course to improve the student's writing skills. Students with a verbal SAT of 670 or its equivalent take Advanced Composition, all others take Principles of Writing. Three credit hours taken in the semester alternate to Biblical Literature.

Students are advised to complete the integrative studies requirements in mathematics and foreign language in the first year at Houghton, if possible.