The Cornerstone Curriculum Certificate is a program of study designed to prepare students for success in their academic and professional future. Through Minerva’s Cornerstone courses and a year-long structured Civic Project, students dramatically improve their analytical decision making, creative problem solving, teamwork, and communication skills.
Students will learn and apply the habits of mind and foundational concepts (HCs) that underlie four core competencies — thinking critically, thinking creatively, communicating effectively, and interacting effectively — that are the common foundation for every Minerva student.
Curriculum Overview
The Visiting Scholars year is for students who are looking for a rigorous, interactive academic experience, to establish transferable skills and knowledge which are at the core of Minerva’s transformational education.
Through the courses offered through the Cornerstone Curriculum Certificate program, students develop the cognitive skills needed to succeed in their academic and professional endeavors. This unique curriculum taught on the Forum™ online learning environment allows students to learn how to think critically and creatively and communicate and interact effectively. Visiting Scholars also participate in a structured year-long Civic Project, in which they'll work in teams to address a globally relevant challenge question under the mentorship of a Civic Partner. Students are guided to grow their professional readiness and apply classroom learning to develop a tangible and practical deliverable.
Minerva University is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).
HABITS OF MIND AND FOUNDATIONAL CONCEPTS
Empirical Analyses
Empirical Analyses focuses on thinking creatively. You will become familiar with the central methods used in the natural and social sciences, enabling you to frame problems effectively, identify solutions, develop and test hypotheses, and engage in informed conjecture. (8 units)
Multimodal Communications
Multimodal Communications focuses on communicating effectively. You will learn to understand and convey information at a high level, gaining practical experience in public speaking, visual communication, design, debate, and artistic expression. (8 units)
Formal Analyses
Formal Analyses focuses on thinking critically. You will receive training in advanced logic, rational thought, statistics, computational thinking, and formal systems — all of which will help you formulate, analyze, and solve complex challenges. (8 units)
Complex Systems
Complex Systems focuses on interacting effectively. You will explore how humans function as members of various systems, learning the concepts of multiple causality and multi-factor interactions, group project collaboration, negotiation, leadership, and formal debate. (8 units)
Civic Project
The Civic Project is a mandatory year-long program designed to develop your professional readiness and deepen your capacity for real-world impact. Working in teams under the mentorship of a Civic Partner, you will address a globally relevant challenge questiondrawn from multidisciplinary focus areas: arts, wellness, sustainability, governance, information technology, and equity and inclusion. You will also produce a tangible, practical deliverable that applies your classroom learning to the broader world. (2 units)
Active Learning in Small Seminars
All Minerva classes are synchronous and conducted on the Forum™ virtual learning platform. Seminars are capped at 20 students and focus on discussion, debate, and collaborative work sessions. This active learning approach stimulates deep cognition, enhancing your understanding of course material and furthering your ability to apply concepts to unfamiliar situations in novel ways.
In each session, your professor prompts students to participate in the lively exchange of ideas and deep engagement with course material that are the hallmarks of active learning. Classes include breakout groups, polls, simulations, and presentations, which give you numerous opportunities to develop and apply practical knowledge that is both relevant to your career and critical for the world.
Earning the Cornerstone Course Certificate
Whether you are a high school graduate, a current university student, or a university graduate, you can participate in the Cornerstone Courses Certificate program as a Visiting Scholar. The one year (two-semester) full-time offering allows students to engage in an unparalleled learning experience. The Cornerstone Curriculum Certificate will be granted upon successful completion of the eight Cornerstone courses and the Civic Project.
