Web of Inquiry
The Web of Inquiry, Richmond’s foundational curriculum for students entering in fall 2024 and after, will prepare students to be inquisitive and engaged 21st-century citizens and leaders. It will expand their perspectives through exposure to a variety of disciplines, equipping them to build their own distinct educational, career, and life paths. It will inspire them to think critically, to view the world from multiple viewpoints, and to optimize their strengths.
Students will graduate with deep knowledge within their chosen major as well as a multifaceted worldview that will prepare them for rapidly changing job markets and evolving global landscapes. This curriculum will make them well-rounded thinkers, communicators, advocates, and citizens.
Learning Areas
The Web of Inquiry engages students in new and relevant modes of inquiry across all four years of their education. Learning areas include:
- Areas of Inquiry: Students select from courses in six areas of inquiry – historical, social, literary and textual, visual and performing arts, natural science, and symbolic reasoning, which form the basis of their liberal arts education.
- Integrated Focus Areas: Students enhance their knowledge of quantitative data literacy, written and embodied communication, and power, equity, identity, and culture.
- Engagements: Students participate in a First-Year Seminar, become proficient in a second language, and are exposed to wellness offerings to help them build a healthy lifestyle.
- Integrative Learning Pilot: Students practice integrative learning through the application of prior knowledge and skills to understand new situations and solve new problems.