| Core Curriculum
The traditional liberal arts are those defined as the Trivium (Grammar, Rhetoric and Logic) and the Quadrivium (Arithmetic, Geometry, Music and Astronomy). For centuries these were the recognized foundation for higher education. Unfortunately most high school and college liberal arts programs no longer focus on building this foundation. The JP Catholic core begins with this understanding. The courses below describe the basics of the liberal art studies at JP Catholic
COMM 100 Poetics & Grammar: The Art of Storytelling
This is the first of three courses that explore logic as art. This course specifically focuses on grammar, reading and analyzing classic western imaginative literature, writing and speaking.
MATH 102 Geometry and Design: Geometry in Art and Architecture
This course explores science of numbers and magnitudes. A special emphasis is placed on how mathematical concepts impact good design and how math impacts art and music.
ARTS 102 Art Humanities
This course teaches students how to look at, think about, and engage in critical discussion of the visual arts.
COMM 101 Dialectics and Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasion
This course is the second in a series of three that explore logic as art. This course focuses on rhetorical discussion and literature. This course incorporates an analysis of practical evangelization.
MATH 103 Applied Mathmatics: Algebra and Statistics
This course explores applied mathematics in fields such as physics, statistics and music. A special emphasis is placed on scientific proof and investigation.
HUMA 100 Masterpieces of Art, Literature and Music: Early Church Fathers
This course will build on the foundation for the student to engage in intensive study and discussion of some of the most significant works of literature, visual arts, and music. The in-depth course aims to teach students to analyze literary texts. The course will interweave a basic study of the great works of literature, poetry, architecture, sculpture, painting, music, and other media, as well as the historical contexts in which these works were made and understood. The study of music will awaken and encourage an appreciation of the art form, and will help the student to learn to respond intelligently to a variety of musical idioms. Faculty will meet with small groups of students for 3 hours per week to dialog on the works of authors including Plato, Augustine, Shakespeare, Aquinas, Austen, John Paul II, as well as Old and New Testament writings. The course will consider the artistic qualities of the early Greek and Roman structures and works by Michelangelo, Rembrandt and Picasso, among others. The course attempts to involve students actively in the process of critical listening, both in the classroom and in concerts that the students attend and write about.
COMM 200: Dialectics and Demonstrative Logic: Scientific Method
This is the third course in a series of three that explore logic as art. This course prepares students for in-depth reading an analysis of literature in the following series of Western Literature courses. This course focuses on the forms of reasoning and using, most specifically on the scientific method.
NATS 200: Natural Science
This course explores the scientific method and reasoning. A special emphasis is placed on the design found in nature and environmental science.
COMM 212: Appreciation of Art and its Efficient Cause
This course explores the artist as the efficient cause of art and builds an appreciation for complete works of liberal art. This course includes a focus on writing exceptional term papers, reflective of a complete work.
DIGM 101: Web Tools
This course builds a foundation of the tools necessary to build a simple web site, utilizing the latest tools and techniques available.
HUMA 203: Social Studies:
This class explores the origin of man and the idea of culture. How did man develop diverse cultures? How did he invent writing, the sciences and educational institutions. How is culture shaped by mass media and business today?
DIGM 300: Web Strategy
This course enables students to develop and understand how to implement web strategies to improve or launch their own business.
HUMA 200: Masterpieces of Art and Literature II
This course will advance the students’ understanding through study and discussion of some of the most significant works of literature, visual arts, and music. The course builds on the foundations laid in HUMA 100, teaching students to analyze literary texts and to construct intellectual arguments of increasing sophistication and complexity. Faculty will meet with small groups of students for 3 hours per week to dialog on the works of authors including Homer, Virgil, Dante, Catherine of Avila, Dostoevsky, and Woolf. The course will consider the artistic qualities of the Parthenon, Amiens Cathedral, and works by Raphael, Monet, Wright, and Warhol, among others. There will be field trips to art museums in Southern California.
HUMA 203: Psychology in Business and Media
This courses exposes students to the important lessons that psychology can tell us about the fields of media and business and their impact on culture.
HUMA 202: Global Cultures - Europe
This course introduces students to the broad range of human cultures from prehistory to the present, with a particular emphasis on European culture. This course examines the development of human cultures in Europe, such as the rise of civilization, the emergence of urban societies, religious beliefs and practices, cultural contacts and conflicts, divisions between rich and poor, gender relations across cultures, and the artistic and literary achievements.
HUMA 310: Western Literature
This seminar course provides an opportunity for students to explore literature from the Western Canon in an interactive small group setting. This course is part of a series of 1-unit courses that continue through the Junior and Senior year of study. A total of 6-units is required for graduation.
HUMA 401: Global Cultures II
This course examines and contrasts the development of human cultures in South America, Africa and Asia, from the earliest civilizations on each continent, the factors influencing the emergence of urban societies, religious beliefs and practices, cultural contacts and conflicts, divisions between rich and poor, gender relations across cultures, and the artistic and literary achievements.
HUMA 402: American Politics
This course provides an overview of the American political system. Beginning with the Founding Fathers and examinaning their thought process and progressing through the modern day political landscape this course explores both the system and the importance of the citizen in the political process.
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