Ask big questions, build essential skills, and discover your learning connects to the world around you — all in the heart of Music City.
At Belmont, we believe college should prepare you not only for your career, but for a meaninful life. The BELL Core – our General Education curriculum – gives every student the opportunity to explore big questions, connect across disciplines, and build a foundation for lifelong learning.
Through the BELL Core, you'll engage with courses in writing, science, social science, ethics, religion, and the arts. You'll collaborate with classmates from across majors, develop critical thinking and communication skills, and prepare to contribute to a flourishing world.
How the BELL Core is Structured
The BELL Core’s Liberal Arts curriculum is organized into three categories that provide a well-round approach to your development as a life-long learner: Signature courses, Foundations courses, and Degree Cognates.
Signature Courses (16 Credit Hours)
These courses are unique to Belmont and provide the structural framework for your general education experience, guiding you from your first semester to graduation. You’ll explore foundational ideas in the First-Year Seminar, return to key themes in Writing and Religion during your first and third years, and bring it all together in the Senior Capstone. Along the way, you’ll engage in Interdisciplinary Learning Communities and collaborative courses that help connect your major with the world beyond the classroom.
Foundations Courses (22 Credit Hours)
These courses provide a broad base of knowledge and skills across the liberal arts — helping you think clearly, communicate effectively, and engage thoughtfully with the world. Through courses in Communication, Humanities, the Sciences, the Arts, and Wellness, you’ll develop the tools you need to thrive in any major or career path.
Degree Cognates (0-15 Credit Hours)
Degree Cognates extend your general education in ways that align with your specific degree path. These courses vary by major and are designed to deepen your skills in areas like social science, foreign language, math, or the natural sciences — depending on your program’s goals.
What You'll Take With You
The BELL Core is more than a checklist of courses — it’s a launchpad for how you’ll think, connect, and contribute throughout your life. These are the habits of mind and heart you’ll begin developing through your general education experience:
- Critical Thinking: Ask meaningful questions, evaluate evidence, and form your own reasoned conclusions.
- Communication: Learn to write, speak, listen, and present ideas in ways that are clear, persuasive, and impactful.
- Citizenship: Explore different worldviews, engage in civil discourse, and reflect on what it means to live well in community.
- Connecting Disciplines: Integrating ideas acrosss disciplines to develop a deeper, more contextual understanding of the world.
Ready to dive deeper?
Explore course options and how the BELL Core can form you into the thinking, leader, and person you want to be.