Core Foundations

students in caf

Arrive

Foundations 101 (1 sm hr):
Introduction to the Christian Liberal Arts

Most students will take FNDN 101 in fall of their first year
Three female students sitting on the steps of the outdoor chapel, smiling and talking

Thrive

Foundations 102 (3 sm hrs):
Human Flourishing

Most students will take FNDN 102 in spring of their first year
Four students sitting down, reading a book and talking at the Trinity Commons

Dive

Foundations 201 (3 sm hrs):
Ideas that Inspire

Most students will take FNDN 201 in fall or spring of their second year

The foundations courses within the core are exactly that—a foundation for your entire TWU education. These courses are your base and will set you up with the ability and confidence to succeed no matter what your program focus is. 

You’ll learn how to carry out sound academic research 

  • to improve your information literacy and discern when information is valid, reliable, and relevant 
  • to help you develop and express complex ideas in a clear, precise, and engaging way and with authority 

You’ll be exposed to a wide range of historically and culturally significant works and ideas 

  • to prepare you to recognize and discern the meaning and importance of ground-breaking ideas 
  • to help you negotiate your way around information as it is presented from different viewpoints and to see the connections between them 

You’ll be immersed in religious, philosophical, and scientific approaches to learning 

  • to enable you to integrate both reason and faith in your search for truth 

You’ll understand the importance of ethics and morals in your search for knowledge and how you apply it 

  • to encourage you toward acts of Christlike service in the world  

Academic Research + Writing (6 sm hrs)

  • ENGL 101: Introduction to Writing
  • ENGL 102: Introduction to Literature and Culture
  • ENGL 103: Introduction to Fiction
  • ENGL 104: Introduction to Poetry and Drama

Logical and Ethical Reasoning (3 sm hrs)

  • PHIL 100: Philosophy for Life
  • PHIL 103: Introduction to Logic
  • PHIL 105: Introduction to Philosophy
  • PHIL 106: Introduction to Philosophy II
  • PHIL 109: Critical Thinking: Informal Logic
  • PHIL 210: Contemporary Ethical Issues

Religious and Spiritual Thought (9 sm hrs)

  • RELS 110: Introduction to Christianity
  • RELS 111: The Old Testament: God, Humanity, the World
  • RELS 112: The New Testament: God, Humanity, the World

Scientific Method + Lab Research (3-4 sm hrs)

  • BIOL 103/196: Introduction to Biology I – Ecology and Biodiversity + Laboratory
  • BIOL 104/197: Introduction to Biology II – The Design of Life + Laboratory
  • BIOL 113/198: Principles of Biology I + Laboratory
  • BIOL 114/199: Principles of Biology II + Laboratory
  • BIOL 216: Plant Environments
  • BIOL 241: Human Anatomy & Physiology I
  • BIOL 262: Marine Biology
  • CHEM 101: Elementary Elements
  • CHEM 103/198: General Chemistry + Laboratory
  • CHEM 111/198: Principles of Chemistry + Laboratory
  • GENV 109: Introduction to Physical Geology
  • GENV 121: Earth and Atmospheric Science
  • GEOL 109: Introduction to Physical Geology
  • PHYS 111: Fundamentals of Physics I