Information for colleges engaged in curricular reform about how other schools are managing the task is presented with the central device for organizing details being an imagined core of studies, 50 semester hours, that would encourage coherent and substantive learning in essential areas of knowledge. Rather than acting as a single prototype this report provides information about various models to individual faculties that must decide the undergraduate course of study. The results of a 1989 survey funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities and conducted by the Gallup Organization are discussed, noting that significant gaps exist in college seniors' knowledge of history and literature. Too many colleges and universities fail to provide enough structure in the curriculum. Since many of them allow students to earn bachelor's degrees without taking courses in history, literature, science, or mathematics, trustees and administrators are urged to support faculty members working to strengthen general education requirements. To deal with this problem, a core of learning is set forth as follows: 50 semester hours of required study in cultures and civilizations, foreign languages, mathematics, natural sciences and the social sciences. Several examples of core courses that have been developed at colleges and universities nationwide are included. It is recommended that courses in the core be taught in small classes and in an integrated fashion and that they be taught by the most distinguished faculty. The complete Gallup survey of college seniors on knowledge of history and literataure is attached. (SM)