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            When discussing curriculum reform, its important to discuss the basic structure of a curriculum (i.e. closed curriculum and divisional requirements). I decided to look at the structure of Bryn Mawr’s curriculum and two other schools that are similar in other aspects of Bryn Mawr. At Bryn Mawr we must complete two credits above 2.0 in the three divisions: social science, natural science, and humanities. At Barnard, another all-women liberal arts college, students must complete one credit in reason and value, social analysis, historical studies, cultures in comparison, laboratory science, quantitative and deductive reasoning, language, literature, and the visual and performing arts. At Wellesley, another all-women liberal arts, students must complete three units from language and literature, and visual arts, music, theater, film, and video; three units from social and behavioral analysis, epistemology and cognition, religion, ethics, and moral philosophy, and historical studies; and three credits from natural and physical science and mathematical modeling and problem solving in the natural sciences, mathematics, and computer science. Within each of these groupings, some have more specific requirements, in the language and arts categories, one credit much come from each, and the last credit can come from either.

              After my brief research, the first thing I can appreciate is the simplicity of Bryn Mawr’s divisional requirements. All three colleges have requirements, as opposed to letting students taking whatever credits they want with no restrictions, which make them closed curriculums. However, Barnard has many more categories where students must take classes than Bryn Mawr’s. Wellesley seems to split their requirements into three sections like Bryn Mawr, but have specific sub categories where they have more confusing requirements, where within the three credits one must come from a specific sub category. Wellesley and Barnard’s curriculum are much more structured. I might be biased, but I believe Bryn Mawr structure is the best at being “liberal arts”. This is because students must dip their toes into different subjects that they wouldn’t normally, but still have the freedom to choose very widely within the divisional requirements. 

Kellmer, Tracy. Divisional Requirements. 25 Aug. 2008. Bryn Mawr College. 15 Nov. 2009 <http://www.brynmawr.edu/catalog/2008-09/curriculum/div...>.

Articles of Governance. 2 Sept. 2008. Wellsley College. 15 Nov. 2009 <http://www.wellesley.edu/DeanCollege/bk2a1.

The Curriculum. Barnard College. 15 Nov. 2009 <http://www.barnard.edu/catalog/cur/liberalarts.php>.