Dimension Descriptions and Course Indicators

The curriculum under this dimension should encompass key areas of human artistic expression, such as literature, theater, music, film, visual arts, and dance. Course content should explore the evolution of art and its significance to individuals and society from multiple perspectives—including aesthetics, psychology, history, technology, society, and political economy.

Art is to be regarded as a unique perceptual pathway through which humans understand the world. Accordingly, art courses are envisioned as a journey through which students explore the connection between the individual and the collective.

Through aesthetic analysis of specific art forms, the introduction of their historical and philosophical backgrounds, the reflection of social issues, and the exploration of their psychological impact, students are encouraged to engage in meaningful dialogue with artistic works and to discover how artistic creation can inspire reflections on the meaning of life.

The curriculum also aims to nurture students’ lifelong passion for the arts, foster their abilities to appreciate and create, and encourage them to use art as a means of self-expression and storytelling. By situating artistic themes within broader intellectual frameworks, the program seeks to enable students to integrate their specialized knowledge with the arts, thereby fostering modern knowledge grounded in deep artistic and humanistic cultivation.

This course dimension should include three important components:

First, understanding and making choices regarding the value of individual life. From the personal standpoint, it explores 

1. how to cultivate proper ways of thinking in the lived world;
2. how to pursue epistemic truth without neglecting experiential truth; 
3. how to maintain a proper balance between basic desires and ethical morals; 
4. how to seek artistic appreciation to enrich life within increasingly technology-constrained living forms; 
5. and how to pursue meaning and value within the fleeting nature of finite life.

Second, understanding, respecting, and caring for the value of communal life. From the collective standpoint, it considers the aforementioned issues, emphasizing virtues such as respect, care, and love for others as key learning goals. Building on the first component, it elevates science, ethics, and political democracy to a public level of understanding, ultimately learning how to fulfill personal responsibility in establishing and maintaining a culture of publicness.

Third, addressing the challenges faced in establishing universal or transcendent life values. From a universal and transcendent perspective, it places the above issues within the framework of ultimate purposes and values. This includes further learning content in philosophy and religious studies that explore existential ultimate concerns and practical issues, such as thanatology, end-of-life care and medical ethics, euthanasia, abortion, and funeral rites.

This course dimension encompasses the nature of historical thinking and the development of civilizations. It emphasizes the need for learners to explore the meaning of human lived experiences through concrete historical knowledge and the diversity of world civilizations, thereby cultivating an abstract awareness of history and time. 

At the core of historical consciousness lies the recognition, understanding, and reflection on the concept of “time.” World civilizations, in turn, involve both tangible and intangible products created by humanity—such as modes of production, social organization, political systems, life experiences, and spiritual values.

Time transforms possibilities into impossibilities and vice versa. All environmental factors, material conditions, and cultural artifacts are subject to the passage of time, giving rise to the complex dynamics of memory and forgetting, emergence and disappearance, continuity and rupture, conflict and reconciliation. 

The preservation of historical documents and cultural relics reflects humanity’s intention to record, through symbolic language, those actions, wills, destinies, opportunities, systems, controls, orders, and values that might otherwise be eroded by time. This recording allows for dialogue between past and present, the accumulation of values, the transmission of spirit, and the innovation of tradition—foundations upon which civilizations are built.

The richness and diversity of world civilizations enable dialogue among different peoples, exchanges among regions, and mutual learning among nations. Therefore, the ultimate goal of this course dimension is to cultivate in students a holistic ability to understand and appreciate the historical consciousness embedded in various civilizations.

The curriculum should encompass the major institutions of the public sphere, such as the government, legislature, judiciary, elections, political parties, and local self-governance, as well as specific functional domains including national defense, foreign affairs, public finance, and policing. 

Regardless of the specific course topic, the content must align with the fundamental orientation of democratic thinking. Core democratic principles—such as the protection of human rights, majority rule, the rule of law, administrative legality, pluralism and tolerance, local autonomy, and judicial independence—should be closely integrated with institutional knowledge.

To facilitate deep understanding and internalization, the curriculum should incorporate relatable, real-life materials, encourage discussion and dialogue, and include field observations. 

Given that Taiwan does not possess a long-standing tradition of democratic constitutionalism, special attention must be paid to correcting entrenched stereotypes and practices that run counter to democratic and legal norms. Through repeated clarification and subtle influence, the ultimate goal is to cultivate mature, rational citizens with a profound commitment to democratic values.

The curriculum should cover the understanding and exploration of the impacts of globalization and post-industrialization on modern economic activities and social life. The development of globalization and post-industrial society requires members of contemporary society to recognize that diverse social groups coexist within a shared yet often conflicting framework of interests and opinions. 

Therefore, the curriculum will approach from the perspective of pluralistic thinking to examine the increasingly complex and differentiated economic activities, modern social life, and organizations.

Course content will include economic topics such as the ways economic activities are conducted, government economic policymaking, and the concept of sustainable economic development; social topics such as social differences and inequalities, social institutions, and social change; and communication topics including information, technology, culture, communication, and media literacy.

The cultivation of an international perspective and global competitiveness is the focus of this dimension, with students’ concern for their local community serving as the source of such competitiveness and ambition. Therefore, the curriculum should cover the development and establishment of competitiveness and ambition expanding from the “local” to the “global,” as well as how to shape an international perspective and global competitiveness based on regional development.

Although Taiwan’s geographical location and historical development make China and Asia the most advantageous arenas for competition, understanding other regions of the world is also within the scope of this curriculum. 

Thus, the course content will include topics that connect local concerns with a global outlook, introductions and discussions on China and Asian affairs, knowledge and discussions of other world regions, and analysis of interregional relationships and mutual influences.

Introduce fundamental mathematical concepts to help students understand the overall framework of basic mathematics; train and stimulate students’ thinking and logical reasoning abilities through the analysis and reasoning processes of mathematical propositions; inspire students to apply the scientific method by using rigorous logical thinking in their daily lives.

Through the study of physics, chemistry, astronomy, earth sciences, and related knowledge, students will gain an understanding of the interaction between humans and nature. This will guide students to learn scientific inquiry methods and develop a rational and critical scientific attitude. Additionally, students will understand the impact of science on human society within its historical context. 

From the microscopic world of molecules and cells to the macroscopic scale of ecosystems, we offer a comprehensive education in the diverse fields and perspectives of life sciences. 

Students are guided to explore the origins of life and the intricate interconnections between humans and other living organisms within ecosystems. 

Our curriculum emphasizes accurate scientific understanding while introducing the development and applications of modern biotechnology. Through this, we inspire students to reflect on the impact of life sciences and technology on human societies and cultural thought, fostering a deep respect for life and a commitment to protecting the natural environment.

The intellectual capital accumulated during the Renaissance and the Enlightenment paved the way for the First Industrial Revolution, ushering machines into the human world. 

The discovery and application of electricity, combined with the rapid development of modern information technology, have given rise to today’s knowledge-based economy. 

Understanding the historical interplay between modern civilization and technological development, along with related scientific knowledge, enables contemporary citizens to better navigate an increasingly technology-driven environment. It also empowers them to actively engage with—and potentially influence—the direction of technological progress, ensuring that innovation remains human-centered and aligned with principles of sustainability.

To address the concerns central to this dimension, the curriculum not only introduces specialized knowledge from both technological and socio-humanistic fields, but also emphasizes the dynamic interactions between the two. This integrated approach aims to cultivate students’ ability to think critically and interdisciplinarily from multiple perspectives.

This category of courses aims to guide students in reflecting on the philosophy and goals of university education. 

Through freshman orientation activities and self-exploration, students gain an understanding of their living and learning environment and its resources, enabling them to adapt to university life and plan a personalized, forward-looking deep learning roadmap.

This category of courses aligns with the College’s eight core elements—Holistic Thinking: General Education, Languages, Arts and Culture, Creativity; and Holistic Living: Career Orientation, Health Promotion, Social Care, and Diversity & Inclusion. Through collaborative student involvement in course design, implementation, and reflection, these courses cultivate students’ skills in writing, oral communication, creativity, aesthetic appreciation, field research, and social engagement.