Hawk Core Curriculum

Earning a Degree from Dunwoody

All of Dunwoody's academic plans include both technical and Core Curriculum courses to support career readiness skills in combination with technical proficiencies. 

Dunwoody's Core Curriculum aligns with the degree standards set by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education for each degree level. The number and type of Core Curriculum courses a student takes depends on the requirements of their specific degree program. 

The Core Curriculum offers courses in five different content areas:

  • Communication
  • Arts and Humanities
  • Social Science
  • Mathematics, and
  • Natural Science

Hawk Core Curriculum

The Hawk Core Curriculum prepares students to translate their passion for a future profession into career success by learning to

  • Communicate effectively,
  • Construct professional behaviors,
  • Form ethical decisions,
  • Solve problems,
  • Exhibit curiosity,
  • Think critically,
  • Integrate their learning, and
  • Collaborate successfully.

As part of Dunwoody's Core Curriculum, all students complete COMM1000, SSCI1000, HUMN1000, a math or science course based on their program, any additional program-specified core courses, or select from elective courses. Transfer credits meeting the Minnesota Office of Higher Education degree standards are accepted as approved proxies.

Flexible Learning Options

Courses are offered during fall and spring semesters, J-Term (accelerated 3-week term in January), and Summer Session A (accelerated 4-week term in June) and B (accelerated 4-week term in July), and the full Summer Session (accelerated 9-week term in June and July).

The Core Curriculum delivers many classes in flexible options for students including on-campus, online (asynchronous), and hybrid.

PSEO

Dunwoody's Core Curriculum courses are available for PSEO students, earning the student dual credit towards both a high school diploma and college degree.

By the end of their degree, students will be able to:

Arts, Humanities, Communications, & Social Sciences:

  • Construct written, oral, and visual communication for author, audience, text, context, and purpose.
  • Apply ethically and civically responsible behaviors for professional and personal settings in a dynamic society.
  • Collaborate to promote inquiry, discover solutions, and generate new ideas and creative works that are relevant and responsive to the world around them.
  • Explain concepts that influence the behavior and decisions of individuals and institutions.
  • Access, evaluate, and use information gathered through a variety of resources and technologies in developing projects and presentations.
  • Connect and transfer skills and learning among disciplines, domains of thinking, experiences, and situations.

Math & Sciences:

  • Accurately explain information presented in mathematical forms (equations, graphs, diagrams, tables, words).
  • Convert relevant information into various mathematical forms (equations, graphs, diagrams, tables).
  • Use the analysis of data as the basis for drawing reasonable conclusions.
  • Explore a topic in depth, to determine inter-related topics.
  • Evaluate solutions taking into consideration the history of the problem, its feasibility or its impact.
  • Propose a solution/hypothesis taking into consideration ethical, logical or cultural context.
  • Identify multiple approaches for solving the problem within a specific context.

Communications

  • WRIT2010 can also fulfill Communications with Writing category requirement on Academic Plan. 
COMM1000Communication in Context3
COMM1030Project Communication3
COMM1150Interpersonal Communication3
COMM3000Professional Communication2
COMM4000Research Methods3
COMM4100Technical Writing Capstone3
WRIT2010Technical Writing3
WRIT4020Capstone Technical Writing2

Humanities 

ARTS1000Introduction to Drawing3
ARTS1250Design History3
ARTS2200Global Design History3
HUMN1000Ethics3
HUMN2600Technology in Science Fiction & Fantasy3
HUMN2900Ethics of Artificial Intelligence3
HUMN3600Critical Thinking & Creativity3
PHIL4000Ethical Decision-Making2

Mathematics 

  • All mathematics courses can also fulfill the Natural Sciences/Mathematics requirements on Academic Plan. 
MATH1000Algebra & Trigonometry3
MATH1010Algebra I3
MATH1020Algebra II3
MATH1050Algebra, Trigonometry & Geometry3
MATH1250Boolean Algebra3
MATH1300Boolean Algebra & Number Systems2
MATH1700Pre Calculus3
MATH1810Calculus I3
MATH1811Calculus I4
MATH1820Calculus II3
MATH1821Calculus II4
MATH2250Statistics3
MATH2260Probability & Statistics4
MATH2810Multi-Variable Calculus4
MATH2820Linear Algebra & Differential Equations4
MATH2830Discrete Math3

 Natural Sciences

  • All natural sciences courses can also fulfill the Natural Sciences/Mathematics requirements on Academic Plan.   
BIOL1230Anatomy4
BIOL1310Physiology I2
BIOL1320Physiology II2
BIOL1400Human Disease4
CHEM2000Introduction to Chemistry3
CHEM2110Chemistry with Lab4
CHEM2210Chemistry of Fluids & Gases3
GSCI1095How Science Explores the Natural World3
GSCI1311Exercise, Nutrition, & Health3
GSCI3100Materials System Chemistry3

 Physical Science & Physical Science with Lab 

  • All Physical Science with Lab courses can also fulfill the Natural Sciences and Natural Sciences/Mathematics requirements on Academic Plan. GSCI3000 course can also fulfill the Upper Physical Science with Lab requirements on Academic Plan.  
CHEM2110Chemistry with Lab4
GSCI1081Environmental Science with Lab3
GSCI1500General Electrical Science3
GSCI3000Applied Environmental Science with Lab3
GSCI3100Materials System Chemistry3
PHYS1800Physics I with Lab4
PHYS1801Physics I Lab1
PHYS1810Calculus-Based Physics3
PHYS1820Physics II with Lab4

Social Science 

SSCI1000Psychology of Human Behavior3
SSCI1100Introduction to Macro & Micro Economics3
SSCI1200World Geography3
SSCI2400Sociology of Positive Thinking3
SSCI2500Essentials of Global Health3
SSCI2700Decoding Society Through Symbols & Color3
SSCI2800Sustainable Communities3
SSCI2900Smart Cities3