The great books program at the University of Navarra

Abstract

This document contains the final report of the University of Navarra’s participation in the second cohort of the “Qualitative Narrative Assessment” project, conducted by the Association for Core Texts and Courses in 2014-2016. The project studies the educational impact of classical texts or of great cultural relevance. We will first present the choices for modelling the new Great Books program at Navarra in the context of the university’s institutional mission and of the restraints imposed by our educational tradition. Second, we will explain the actions taken for the improvement of the new project, from the first meetings of a Committee for the Core Curriculum to the launching of our flagship project: a two-tier program that offers an optional track based on core texts seminars (the “Inter-College Itinerary”). Third, we will describe which procedures of narrative assessment have been implemented, and how those have helped us adjust course; finally some concluding remarks for further improvement will be added. This document has been published in M. Kathleen Burk and David DiMattio (eds.) Qualitative Narrative Assesment: Core Text Programs in Review, 35-75.