The Core, Journey

The Core, Journey 

Total Hours Required: 46

Journey is a unified, purpose-driven curriculum designed to guide students through a transformative academic experience. Rooted in the Christian intellectual tradition, this curriculum invites students to Seek, Discover, Know, and Flourish as they engage with transformative texts, critical thinking, and ethical reasoning. It intentionally connects a liberal arts foundation with vocational preparation, ensuring that students develop the skills, knowledge, and spiritual grounding necessary for purposeful living. Journey is built upon four anchor courses, each playing a key role in shaping students’ academic and personal development:

1.  LU 1303 Compass: First Year Seminar The starting point of Journey, Compass welcomes students into Lipscomb’s scholarly Christian community. This course is designed to develop critical thinking skills in students as they build skills for intellectual growth and pursue habits in four areas of wellbeing. Faculty serve as mentors, guiding students as they develop the intellectual curiosity, faith integration, and academic skills necessary for success. Students engage with common readings, study the life of St. Francis, share learning experiences, and complete common assignments that set the foundation for their journey of learning. This course should be taken in the first semester.

2. POWERS (The Power of Words - Rhetorical Sequence): “Writing to Discover and Communicating to Influence”  Designed for Lipscomb students as a linked writing and communication course sequence, POWERS challenges students to push beyond their comfort zones and develop critical academic and professional communication skills. These courses teach shared skills and rubrics, using cross-trained faculty who emphasize the integration of writing, rhetoric, and real-world applications. Students develop the ability to think, write, and communicate effectively, all essential tools for academic and professional success. These courses should be taken as corequisites sometime during the first two years:

• ​LU 1013 POWERS: Writing to Discover 
• LU 1023 POWERS: Communicating to Influence   ​

Note: Students who have prior credit for a writing course comparable to LU 1013 will substitute CO 1223 for the POWERS sequence; Students who have prior credit for a communication course comparable to LU 1023  will substitute EN 1223 for the POWERS sequence.

3.  Virtue, Flourishing & Vocation Students should either take BI 3433 Practices for Spiritual Formation or a discipline specific course called Virtue, Flourishing and Vocation during their Junior or Senior year. This capstone course in the Journey helps students apply their academic learning, faith, and ethical reasoning to their field of study. Students are equipped with the vision and ethical framework to live with purpose, service, and lifelong learning beyond graduation.

​4.  Journey Courses: Seek, Discover, Know, and Flourish  Core Journey courses focus on guidance by faculty who serve as mentors, the exploration of new ideas, new perspectives, and new information. Students engage in self-development as they face intellectual challenges, and they are transformed as they integrate what they are learning through Journey courses into their previously held knowledge and understanding.

Seek, through scripture:

• ​BI 1093 The Story of Israel (taken in the student’s 1st semester at Lipscomb
• ​BI 1073 The Story of Jesus (taken in the student’s 2nd semester at Lipscomb)
• ​BI 1083 The Story of the Church (taken in the student’s 3rd semester at Lipscomb)
• Christianity & Society Menu: Students choose to take one of the following
  • ​BI 3213 Faith and Culture (taken after the Story classes)
  • BI 4213 Christian Ethics  (taken after the Story classes)
  • BI 1003 - Introduction to the Bible and Christianity   (taken prior to the Story classes and recommended for students without prior exposure to Christianity)

 Seek, through core texts and great ideas:

• ​EN 2103 Literary Inquiry or a Survey Literature course (taken after LU1013 and 1023)
• ​​ HI 1003 Great Ideas in History 
• ​PO 1003 Great Ideas in Politics or PL 1003 Great Ideas in Philosophy 

 Discover, through sustained inquiry: 

• Quantitative Inquiry: Any college-level mathematics class. Remedial or developmental coursework will not fulfill this requirement.  
• Scientific Inquiry: SCI 2304 Scientific Inquiry: The Practice of Progress (for non-science majors; 4 hours) OR 4 hours of foundational science coursework.
• ​​Social Inquiry: Choose from courses in Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, Education, Economics, Family Science, or Law Justice & Society.
• Artistic Inquiry: ARTS 2303 Artistic Inquiry and the Human Experience OR 3 semesters of ensembles (for non-CEA majors)
• CEA 3303 Career Creativity (for CEA majors). 

Know self and others:

• Diverse Perspectives: Courses approved for Diverse Perspectives credit are marked with the “DP” tag on the schedule, and students must take one course with this designation. A class taken to fulfill another Core or major/minor requirement can also count toward this requirement.

Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Music degree will also be required to complete 8 hours in a foreign language and are encouraged to take the foreign language sequence (1114, 1124) during the freshman or sophomore year. Students pursuing the Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree will be required to complete 15 hours in math and/or science.

Journey Course Descriptions

LU 1303 Compass: First Year Seminar The purpose of this course is to lay a foundation on which students will build their skills in thinking critically, reasoning ethically, communicating effectively, and deliberating responsibly by asking central human questions and discussing important contemporary topics. Compass will provide a foundation for a lifelong journey of learning, equipping students with the intellectual, ethical, and spiritual tools to seek truth and to pursue wellbeing. The search for truth involves nurturing the capacity to think critically, creatively, and collaboratively and to behave ethically and empathetically. Our goal is to aid students in knowing God, understanding the world and self, and serving others as the ultimate aim of a Christian liberal arts education that prepares students to live out their vocation to love and serve their neighbors. 3 hours, taken in the first semester.

​LU 1013 POWERS: Writing to Discover Students will be grounded in the classical study of rhetoric and then learn to craft compelling stories and arguments for diverse audiences using a variety of methods. Students will craft personal, academic and professional writing. Students will learn to communicate ethically and persuasively using effective strategies to share their ideas with others. 3 hours. Co-requisite: POWERS Communicating to Influence. Prereq: Score of 22 or higher on the ACT Reading/Writing section (540 or higher on the SAT Writing section) or credit for EN 1113 with a grade of C or above. Students without ACT scores must take a departmental writing assessment.

LU 1023 POWERS: Communicating to Influence ​​Students will be grounded in the classical study of rhetoric and then learn to craft compelling stories and arguments for diverse audiences using a variety of methods. Students will consider many perspectives and types of media as they learn to communicate ethically and persuasively using effective strategies to share their ideas with others through speech and digital rhetorics. 3 hours. Co-requisite: POWERS Writing to Discover.

ARTS 2303 Artistic Inquiry and the Human Experience This course will immerse students in the connection between art and their personal lives, revealing how art communicates meaning and enriches human experience. They will explore the dynamic relationship between the arts and broader culture, and recognize their own roles and responsibilities within the arts community. By engaging with various artistic mediums and experiences, students will discern the structure and power of storytelling, explore the human condition, and encounter the power of the artistic mind. This engagement will enhance their lives and careers. 3 hours.

CEA 3303 Career Creativity  With an eye to working creatives, this course is designed to equip students with the skills to generate fresh, innovative ideas with commercial application in multiple professional arts industry disciplines: animation, fashion, film & TV, fine art & graphic design, music, theatre, and other creative arts. Students work through a progression of creative challenges relevant to the entertainment industry. Class work is pointed towards narrative structure, collaboration, interdisciplinary thinking, working against limits, and expressing the commercial zeitgeist. By framing work within a professional context, students experience the challenges and opportunities that come with being a working creative. 3 hours, for CEA majors only.

SCI 2304 Scientific Inquiry: The Practice of Progress Students will embark on a journey of discovery through the practice of modern science, using current technological, biomedical, and environmental issues as avenues of illumination. They will learn how scientists know what they know, how changes to knowledge are inherent to the nature of science, and how ethical scientific innovation is performed. Engaging in both the classroom and laboratory, students will discern how we as humans observe the world we live in, attempt to understand it, and venture to change it. The goal is for students to become more perceptive, more reflective, and more prepared to live in a world in which science increasingly plays a pivotal role in their daily lives and futures. 4 hours, for non-STEM majors only.

Journey Diverse Perspectives Courses

As a Christian liberal arts university grounded in biblical truth and the life of the mind, Lipscomb affirms that all people bear the image of God, having inherent dignity, value, and purpose. Therefore, the liberal arts core is designed to consider how image bearers of diverse cultural and ideological spheres can expand student knowledge, skills, and experiences by exposing students to texts, thinkers, and disciplines with whom they may not be familiar. Exposure to diverse perspectives can develop curiosity in students, challenge unquestioned patterns of thinking, and affirm disciplinary ways of knowing that are distinct from the student’s own experience. Attending to diverse perspectives is characterized by a sincere pursuit of truth. A primary aim is to cultivate a grace-filled, Christ-centered academic community and to foster a culture of belonging where all individuals are loved and their contributions are valued, and where intellectual charity and cultural humility flourish. 

• BY 3553/NURS 3553 The Art of Anatomy, Culture, & Healthcare   
• ED 3343 Cultural Perspectives in Education 
• EN 2103 Literary Inquiry: World Stories at the Nashville Film Festival
• EN 2903 Reading and Writing Critically 
• EN 3063 African American Literature 
• ENGR 3613 Humanitarian Engineering  
• FR 1114 Elementary French I 
• FR 1124 Elementary French II 
• GE 1114 Elementary German I 
• GE 1124 Elementary German II 
• ITA 1114 Elementary Italian I 
• ITA 1124 Elementary Italian II 
• KIN 1303 Healthful Living  
• KIN 2013 Sport Sociology  
• LJS 3533 Women and the Law  
• ML 2103 How Language Works  (Co-listed as EN 2103 Literary Inquiry: How Language Works)
• NURS 4054 Community Health Nursing 
• PO 3153 African Politics  
• HI 4053/PO 4053 History and Politics of the Middle East 
• PS 3483 Human Sexuality 
• PS 4613 History and Systems of Psychology 
• SN 1114 Elementary Spanish I 
• SN 1124 Elementary Spanish II  
• SW 3133 Human Diversity  

Journey Social Inquiry Courses

Economics

• EC 2403 Principles of Macroeconomics 
• EC 2413 Principles of Microeconomics 
• EC 3603 International Economics and Finance 
• ENGR 3943 Engineering Economy and Planning  

Education

• ED 2313 Introduction to Education 

 Family Science

• FS 1013 Introduction to Family Science 
• FS 2013 Introduction to Marriage & Family Therapy 
• FS 2333 Family and Intimate Relationships: Christian Perspectives 
• FS 2503 Families and Spirituality 
• FS 3433 Family Relationships Across the Life Span 
• FS 3503 Family Dynamics 

Global Learning

• GL 110V The Cross-Cultural Experience 
• GL 1203 City as Text 

Law, Justice, and Society

• LJS 2103 Society and the Law 

 Psychology

• PS 1113 Introduction to Psychology 
• PS 2423 Life Span Development 
• PS 3243 Human Development and Learning 
• PS 3413 Social Psychology 
• PS 3483 Human Sexuality 
• PS 4113 Mindfulness: History, Science & Practice 
• PS 4423 Abnormal Psychology 

Sociology and Social Work

• SO 1123 Introduction to Sociology 
• SO 2103 The Family 
• SO 2113 Social Problems 
• SO 3023 Criminology  
• SW 1103 Introduction to Social Work  

Journey Virtue, Flourishing, and Vocation Courses

• CEA 3993 Faith & Vocation in the Arts —For all majors in George Shinn College of Entertainment & the Arts
• CO 4003 Empathy in Media: Virtue, Flourishing & Vocation –For Communication majors and those in related fields
• ED 3993 Virtue, Flourishing and Vocation in Education–For all College of Education majors
• ENGR 3993 Engineering / Computing Ethics: Virtue, Flourishing and Vocation–For all Raymond B. Jones College of Engineering majors
• LJS 3993 Public Service Vocation and Leadership –For all Law, Justice and Society majors
• NUTR 3993​ / KIN 3993 Vocation & Flourishing in the Health Sciences For all Nutrition and Kinesology majors
• SE 3993 Social Work Practice as Vocation –For Social Work majors and those in related fields
• NURS 3993 / NURA 3993 Virtue, Flourishing, & Vocation in Nursing  For all School of Nursing majors

Transfer Student Guidelines

Transfer Student Bible Requirement

Transfer students seeking a Lipscomb degree must satisfy the Bible requirement based on the number of credit hours they initially transfer to Lipscomb, as specified below. Credit may be granted for Bible courses taken at other faith-based institutions based on review of syllabus by Bible faculty.

Students who transfer 67-93 credit hours to Lipscomb must complete two Bible courses at Lipscomb: BI 1073 (Story of Jesus) and BI 1093 (Story of Israel). (Virtue, Flourishing and Vocation may be substituted for BI 1093  if the course is required by the major).
Students who transfer 47-66 credit hours to Lipscomb must complete three Bible courses: BI 1093 (Story of Israel) and BI 1073​ (Story of Jesus) and BI 1083  (Story of the Church). (Virtue, Flourishing and Vocation may be substituted for BI 1083​  if the course is required by the majorr).
Students who transfer 33-46 credit hours to Lipscomb must complete four Bible courses: BI 1093,  BI 1073​, BI 1083 , plus one of the following: Christianity & My Life or Christianity & Society 
Students who transfer 32 or fewer hours to Lipscomb must complete the full Bible requirement, as described above or approved Bible credit courses as determined by the associate dean for undergraduate Bible.

Other Guidelines:

1. Any student who has developed competence in a Lipscomb Core (Journey) course may achieve credit by examination-CBAPE, CLEP or course examination-by taking the examination prior to taking a college course in the same area of study
2. Journey requirements for students transferring to Lipscomb University will be determined by the following criteria:
   (a) Associate Degree Transfers (Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) institutions) - Follow criteria in the Admissions section of undergraduate catalog. For Bible requirements, see the Transfer Student Bible Requirement, described above. The Compass course will be required for students who complete an Associates degree while still enrolled in high school.
   (b) Associate degree transfers (non-TBR institutions) - All subject area requirements must be met and will be evaluated on a course-by-course basis. See the Transfer/Dual Enrollment Equivalents to Journey table below for guidance. For Bible requirements, see the Transfer Student Bible Requirement, described above.
3. Teacher Education: students should see the Office of Teacher Education for special Core requirements.

​Transfer/Dual Enrollment Equivalents to Journey Requirements