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The heart of a Pomona education lies in training the mind broadly and
deeply, in developing the kind of intellectual resilience that equips
our students for lifelong learning. This requires understanding the
foundations of knowledge and applying the principles of disciplined
inquiry in varied fields of study; learning how to pursue reasoned
conclusions based upon careful assessment of evidence; mastering the
ability to express oneself both creatively and precisely; developing a
respect for truth and the courage to acknowledge error; and acquiring a
sense of historical and cultural context in which to place today’s
problems, challenges and achievements.
These qualities, though described in general terms, can only be learned
by mastering particular bodies of knowledge--by learning how to do
things that are challenging and significant. A liberal arts education
worth its name, therefore, equips graduates for action as well as
reflection, for creativity, curiosity and open-mindedness as well as the
pursuit of specialized interests.
In short, Pomona strives to create intellectual entrepreneurs—people who
are equipped to lead, able to see beyond the status quo, and prepared to
stake out new directions, whether in the arts, in business, in the
academy, in government, in old or new media, or in education. This
combination of capacities and qualities is what makes it possible to
lead a rewarding and productive life in a rapidly changing world.
To encourage the development of these abilities, the course of study at
Pomona has been designed to include four key components--four “pillars”
that support the academic program.
First of these is the freshman seminar known as Critical
Inquiry, in
which students encounter a range of ideas and approaches to learning,
with an emphasis upon the acquisition of critical and analytical
abilities and skills and the development of persuasiveness and style in
writing and speaking.
Second is the College’s carefully developed set of General Education
requirements, which encourage exploration while providing significant freedom of
choice. Students take at least one course in each of five areas: Creative
Expression; Social Institutions and Human Behavior; History, Values, Ethics and
Cultural Studies; Physical and Biological Sciences; and Mathematical Reasoning.
Third is the student’s choice of Major, the specific area of knowledge
that the student has chosen to study in depth as an active scholar.
Fourth and last is the Senior Exercise, a self-designed capstone
experience that brings together the skills and understanding that the
student has gained in the major and then uses them to contribute new and
substantive scholarship to the chosen field of study.
All students must complete 32 full courses, equivalent to four courses
over each of the eight semesters. The number of class or laboratory
hours varies, since classes in such areas as the natural sciences
typically require laboratory sections in addition to lecture and
discussion. Other courses may require additional time for research,
studio, or laboratory work. At the end of this course of study, Pomona
awards the degree of Bachelor of Arts.
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