Core Course

Cowell Core Course: Imagining Justice Past and Present

What is Core Course? Every incoming first year student at UCSC will complete a core course (or more) associated with their college. The Core Course serves as:

• An opportunity for you to have a common academic experience with the people who live in your community and build an intellectual community amongst your peers.

• An introduction to UCSC’s academic expectations.

• Preparation for advanced university level reading and writing through a seminar setting with detailed writing instruction and feedback tailored to meet your needs.

The topic of Cowell’s Core Course is Imagining Justice Past and Present. This course focuses on conceptions of justice, both historic and contemporary, and considers how theorists, artistic  media, and societies themselves may transmit, question, or revise notions of what is just. How do we define justice? When can we say that justice has been served? Do ideas about what is just differ according to time, place, and culture, or are some notions of justice recognizable as general human values? Learn more about the content of the course on the Cowell Core Course website!

Students will attend seminar sessions of Core Course several times a week, and all first-year students will attend Plenary sessions on Wednesday from 7:10-9:00pm. In the seminar section, students will focus on developing their analytical and writing skills. The Plenary sessions will include invited speakers, movies, lectures, and adviser visits. Do not enroll in any other courses that meet on Wednesdays from 7:10-9pm.