University officials have announced plans to implement a new core curriculum. Again.
The curriculum, which will be rolled out in fall 2025 alongside the new writing style guide, is the second core curriculum change in as many years.
Dylan Rusk, Vice President of University Efficiency, believes the math and science heavy core will teach students the skills they need to be efficient long beyond their time in college.
“This isn’t just about their time at Misericordia. These students need to be efficient in the real world as well. With our new math and science core requirements, students will learn the skills to be able to literally compute peak efficiency via analytics,” said Rusk.
The new core will require students to complete 30 combined credits in math and science, nine of which must be lab sciences. Some of the required classes include Statistics, Advanced Statistics, Advanced Data Analysis and Integration, Quantum Chemistry, and Quantum Mechanics.
Dr. Melanie Choi, Professor of Mass Communications and Design, continues to be baffled by some of the University’s decision making as of late.
“Once again, it doesn’t make any sense. How is making Mass Communication and Design students take 30 credits in math and science efficient?” said Choi.
Rusk believes students may go through a rough patch initially, but eventually, with the skills they acquire in data analysis, they will learn how to consistently maintain maximum efficiency for the rest of their lives.
“Every college and university aim to produce self-sufficient students, but that isn’t enough here at Misericordia. We also aim to produce self-efficient students,” said Rusk.
A significant increase in the required math and science credits aren’t the only changes to the core. Students will also be required to take a class learning the newly created Misericordia University Style Key, otherwise known as MUSK, which will be the only style guide allowed at the University starting in the fall of 2025. MUSK will include a heavy reliance on the Oxford comma and double spacing after periods.
“I know I am beating a dead horse here, but once again the University is contradicting itself. Repeatedly, administration has echoed the importance of efficiency as a key for university operations and the success of its students. However, once again, this administration’s actions contradict their own words. Forcing students to take a three-credit class solely on a style guide they will never use again is extremely inefficient,” said Choi.
The least popular part of core will most likely be the fact that only seniors are grandfathered in the previous core, meaning incoming juniors will only have four semesters to complete the new 60 credit core requirement.
Rusk defended the new core by pointing out the need to graduate balanced students.
“Any Catholic university worth its weight has the goal of graduating well-rounded students. Anyone who attended a Catholic primary or secondary school knows how important being a well-rounded student is. I remember spending two full months learning sentence diagrams in sixth grade,” said Rusk.
Other changes to the core curriculum include 15 required credits in writing intensive courses, as well as 15 foreign language credits. Students must also take two of the writing intensive courses in European literature, and a brand-new writing intensive literature course that focuses on the work of Leo Tolstoy and James Joyce. Specific course requirements in foreign language include three credits each in Russian, Finnish, and Hungarian.
“I might be able to get behind some of the foreign language requirements. I suppose they help graduate world citizens. Plus, who knows, we all may be speaking Russian in 20 years anyway,” said Choi.