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The path to success by following the Westminster Way

INSIDE WESTMINSTER COLLEGE

Published: Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Updated: Wednesday, January 4, 2012 18:01

NEW WILMINGTON, Pa.-- The Westminster College mission and the liberal arts tradition make up "The Westminster Way."  But what exactly does that mean?  The Westminster Way is a concept built to guide students down the path of success. WCN 24/7's Hannah Paczkowski sits down with senior Alex Scull and discusses which Westminster Way traits he best exemplifies.

The mission of Westminster College is to help men and women develop competencies, commitments and characteristics which have distinguished human beings at their best. The liberal arts tradition is the foundation of the curriculum continually designed to serve this mission in a rapidly changing world.

Westminster WC shoot

 The College sees the well-educated person as one whose skills are complemented by ever-developing values and ideals identified in the Judeo-Christian tradition. Westminster's quest for excellence is a recognition that stewardship of life mandates the maximum possible development of each person's capabilities.

Westminster is committed to fostering an education and experiences that:

  1. to reason logically and evaluate critically
  2. to communicate effectively
  3. to think creatively, and appreciate aesthetic expressions
  4. to demonstrate intellectual curiosity
  5. to acquire knowledge of self, society, human cultures, the natural world, and human relationships to God
  6. to apply our knowledge to contemporary issues
  7. to demonstrate moral and ethical commitments to neighbor, society, and the natural world
  8. to demonstrate commitment to lifelong learning and the acquisition of skills for careers and responsible service as world citizens.

The Westminster Plan

From a curricular perspective, Westminster's vision of a liberally educated person is achieved from a four-year integrated course of study involving general education, prescribed graduation requirements, a major, and electives. At the center of the curriculum is the common core, Liberal Studies, a course of study spanning all four years of the undergraduate experience. The cornerstone of Liberal Studies is Inquiry 111, a semester-long, first-year core requirement for all students. Communication skills are developed in conjunction with the Inquiry course. Students enroll in semester-long courses in writing and oral communication. The middle two years of the undergraduate experience are devoted to cluster courses and to courses satisfying prescribed Intellectual Perspective requirements. The general education curriculum culminates in a senior year capstone course in the major.

Throughout the entire curriculum, the applied use of sophisticated information technology is emphasized in order to enhance teaching and learning, and to provide students with knowledge acquisition skills necessary for a lifetime of learning. Finally, the process of liberally educating students is completed by combining general education with in-depth course work in a major and with electives.

 

The Liberal Studies portion of the curriculum is the common core for all students. This program of study is a four-year series of courses crafted to foster collaborative learning, demonstrate the integration of knowledge, and structured to facilitate the acquisition of learning skills and the development of a community of learners. Liberal Studies has four complementary parts: (A) The First-Year Program; (B) Intellectual Perspectives; (C) Cluster Courses; and (D) Senior Capstone.

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