The Inquiry Core Curriculum
Core Curriculum Program Requirements
Last updated April 4, 2024
The CSU Inquiry Core Curriculum consists of a minimum of 36-credit hours, divided into two categories: The Foundations of Inquiry and The Methods of Inquiry.
The CSU Core is designed to align with the Ohio Department of Higher Education’s OT-36 general education requirements and support the development of CSU’s Core Competencies. To achieve both of these goals, each requirement in the core curriculum must:
- Embed the appropriate OT-36 learning outcomes; and
- Develop and assess the required core competencies
The table below indicates the OT-36 alignment and the core competencies associated with each requirement.
| Requirement | Min Credit Hours | OT36 Alignment | Required Core Competencies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Category 1: Foundations of Inquiry |
|||
| Inquiry Launch | 3 | Any | Inquiry Launch Learning Outcomes
Collaboration |
| Finding Your Voice | 3 | First Writing | Written Communication |
| Research & Professional Writing | 3 | Second Writing | Written Communication
Information Literacy |
| Quantitative & Formal Reasoning | 3 | Mathematics, Statistics, and Logic | Collaboration or Quantitative Literacy |
| African-American History & Culture | 3 | Diversity, Equity, Inclusion or Arts & Humanities or Social & Behavioral Sciences | Intercultural Knowledge & Competence
Written or Oral Communication Critical Thinking |
| Category 2: Methods of Inquiry |
|||
| Human Culture & Creativity | 3 | Arts & Humanities | Collaboration
Written or Oral Communication Critical Thinking |
| Global Human Perspectives | 3 | Arts & Humanities | Intercultural Knowledge & Competence
Written or Oral Communication Critical Thinking |
| Scientific Inquiry | 6 | Natural Science | Quantitative Literacy
Critical Thinking |
| Scientific Investigations | 1 | Natural Science lab | Collaboration
Information Literacy |
| Society & Human Behavior | 3 | Social and Behavioral Science | Collaboration
Information Literacy Critical Thinking |
| Diversity in Society | 3 | Diversity, Equity, Inclusion or Arts & Humanities or Social & Behavioral Sciences | Intercultural Knowledge
Written or Oral Communication Critical Thinking |
| Data & Digital Literacy
May be met by completing a second “Quantitative & Formal Reasoning” course or a course from this category |
3 | Social and Behavioral Sciences | Digital Literacy
Collaboration Critical Thinking |
