In the last issue of the Justice, I promised that I would use my next column to detail what I believe an ideal Brandeis core curriculum would look like. This week, I intend to do just that. I believe that the educational goals of a Brandeis core curriculum ought to be fivefold.

The first goal should be providing every student with a basic understanding of Western philosophy and literature. Although the United States is certainly a multicultural society-it was built on a distinctly Western European set of ideas and cultural norms. As such, I believe that a truly well-educated Brandeis student ought to take a series of classes that teach the foundational texts of Western civilization. Each and every student in the University should be required to take Hum 10a, "The Western Canon."

This class studies texts such as the Bible and the works of Virgil, Homer and Dante and requires students to think critically about the literary texts that have shaped the Western world for millennia. In addition, every Brandeis student should be required to take a class in Western philosophy or political thought, in addition to a class that focuses on English Literature.

Our University must also focus on producing graduates who can be effective leaders in their communities and workplaces, and there are at least two skills vital to achieving such leadership ability: writing and speaking skills. Brandeis already requires all students to take a University Writing Seminar, and that should not change. We also have a Writing Intensive requirement, which ought to remain in place, although with serious changes.

As our curriculum stands now, many writing intensive classes require about as much writing as many classes that don't fulfill that requirement. In order to qualify as a writing intensive class, a class should require weekly short, analytical writing assignments. In addition, the class ought to require at least two long essays, and allow, as they already do, at least one revision on both papers.

Additionally, no foreign language classes ought to fulfill this writing requirement. Brandeis does have an Oral Communication requirement; however, students may elect to take a second writing intensive class instead. That should not be permitted. Oral communication skills are a vitally important part of learning to be an effective leader, and thus, of a serious liberal arts education.

A good core curriculum emphasizes not only ideas and social consciousness, but also focuses on the technical knowledge that is required to bring about meaningful change in the modern world. Thus, providing students with a working knowledge of the social, physical and natural sciences ought to be a goal of a Brandeis core curriculum.

To achieve that end, I believe that Brandeis ought to leave its School of Social Science requirement intact. However, our School of Science and Quantitative Reasoning requirements require modification. In place of a School of Science requirement, each student ought to have to take a class in the natural or physical sciences, whether it is chemistry, physics or biology. It is crucial that a liberal arts education includes a component that teaches students about the science which has led to such phenomenal social progress in the last centuries of human history.

Clearly, this would most likely require offering separate tracks for hard science classes because not every student can be expected to take "General Chemistry." The University could offer separate classes in Chemistry for pre-med students, Chemistry majors and other sceince majors. Furthermore, every student should have to take a class in mathematics or formal logic, which will provide our students with invaluable analytical skills.

A good core curriculum will also teach students the value of cultural enrichment and the fine arts. I believe Brandeis already does a relatively good job at achieving this goal with our School of Creative Arts requirement. However, the criteria of what counts for a creative arts class ought to be tightened. For example, classes such as "Public Speaking," which do not expose students to the cultural arts, ought not fulfill this requirement. Rather, this requirement should focus on giving students a serious appreciation for theater, music and the fine arts.

Finally, any 21st-century university must provide its students with a global consciousness. Again, Brandeis is probably currently best at achieving this goal.

Our foreign language requirement should remain in place; however, students should not be allowed to place out of the requirement by using Advanced Placement test or SAT II scores alone. Only a test administered by Brandeis should allow students to place out of the language requirement. Furthermore, the Non-Western requirement should remain in place but become more focused. Every student should have to take one class that focuses on non-Western politics, philosophy or history and one class that focuses on non-Western literature or culture.

This core curriculum is certainly hefty, and no cross-listing would be allowed. However, our time as undergraduates ought to cultivate in us not only an expertise in one or several areas of study, but a working and broad-based knowledge of the world at large.

Brandeis is not only a research university but also a liberal arts university; we believe in giving our students a well-rounded education for education's sake. I believe my core will achieve that goal and that our graduates will be better off for it.