Study Rates Gardner-Webb's Core Curriculum in the Nation's Top Two Percent

Gardner-Webb University’s core curriculum ranks in the nation’s top two percent for quality and breadth, according to the 2011-2012 What Will They Learn? study by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA). The study rated all the major public and private colleges and universities in all 50 states—a total of 1,007 four-year institutions—on an “A” through “F” scale. Gardner-Webb was among only 19 schools—and the only school in the Carolinas—to earn an “A.”

ACTA argues that for students to gain the knowledge and values necessary for responsible democratic citizenship, they should be required to take the following seven core subjects: composition, U.S. government or history, economics, literature, math, science, and foreign language at an intermediate level. Gardner-Webb received an A for requiring at least six of the seven.

“The beauty of our core curriculum,” said GWU President Dr. Frank Bonner, “lies in its diversity, its versatility. No matter the career field our graduates ultimately choose, their core classes provide the foundational knowledge, attitudes, values, and learning skills to enable them not only to achieve professional success but to lead fulfilled and productive lives as well.”

Press Release Contact: