Core Curriculum Requirements
Introductory Level - 1 credit hour
Students should first encounter the Core through CORE 101: Anchor Seminar. The purpose of this introduction is to engage with the rationale of the Core and its foundation in the liberal arts, to overview the structure of the Core throughout a student’s four years of study, to explore academic values as related to the six Core Habits of Heart and Mind, and to introduce University life in order to facilitate a smooth transition to UP’s educational community.
At the Introductory Level, all first-year students will take CORE 101 on a pass/fail basis.
Foundation Level - 33 credit hours
The Foundation Level introduces the Core Habits of Heart and Mind through introductory-level disciplinary lenses. By taking courses spanning a variety of liberal arts disciplines, students will develop the Core Habits through specific course learning activities and objectives and will receive an introduction to the knowledge base of a liberal arts discipline and to the ways of knowing associated with that discipline. Together, the Foundation-level courses provide students with a robust yet balanced exposure to the fine arts and humanities (with particular emphasis on philosophy and theology), the social sciences, and the natural sciences and mathematics.
At the Foundation Level, all students will take courses distributed across the following six habits.
Aesthetic Inquiry, Imagination, and the Creative Process - 3 credit hours
Select one course from following:
FA 107
|
The Creative Process in Visual Art |
3 |
FA 108
|
The Creative Process in Performative Art |
3 |
Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion, and the Common Good - 3 credit hours
Select one course from the following:
CST 225
|
Interpersonal Communication: Relating to Others |
3
|
ETHS 205
|
Critical Ethnic Studies |
3 |
HST 210
|
Who is America: The Early U.S.
|
3 |
HST 211
|
Who is America: The Modern U.S.
|
3 |
SOC 101
|
Introduction to Sociology
|
3
|
SW 101
|
Social Work and Social Justice
|
3 |
Global and Historical Consciousness - 3 credit hours
Select one course from the following:
HST 220 |
The Search for Justice in the Western Tradition |
3
|
HST 221
|
The Social Question in Modern European History |
3
|
HST 251
|
Modern East Asia
|
3 |
HST 254
|
Colonial Latin America |
3
|
HST 256
|
Modern Latin America
|
3
|
POL 203
|
Introduction to Political Theory |
3
|
POL 205
|
World Politics |
3
|
CHN 103
|
Beginning Chinese Language and Culture III
|
3
|
FRN 202
|
Intermediate French Language and Culture
|
3
|
FRN 205
|
Accelerated Intermediate French Language and Culture
|
6
|
FRN 301
|
Advanced French Conversation, Composition and Culture
|
3
|
FRN 302
|
Advanced French Conversation, Composition and Culture
|
3 |
GRM 202
|
Intermediate German Language and Cultures
|
3
|
GRM 207
|
Accelerated Intermediate German Language and Culture |
6
|
GRM 301
|
Advanced German Conversation, Composition, and Culture
|
3
|
GRM 302
|
Advanced German Conversation, Composition, and Culture
|
3
|
SPN 202
|
Intermediate Spanish Language and Cultures
|
3
|
SPN 205
|
Accelerated Intermediate Spanish Language and Culture |
6
|
SPN 301
|
Advanced Spanish: Art and Society in Latin America and Spain I
|
3
|
SPN 302
|
Advanced Spanish: Art and Soc in Latin Am and Spain II
|
3
|
SPN 308
|
Advanced Spanish for Heritage Speakers
|
3
|
Other HST courses designated HTS 25x or HST 291 may fulfill the Global and Historical Consciousness requirement. Please confirm eligible course offerings with a program counselor.
Literacy, Dialogue, and Expression - 6 credit hours
Religion, Faith, and Ethics - 9 credit hours
PHL 220
|
Engaging Ethics
|
3 |
THE 105
|
Engaging Ultimate Questions: Religion, Faith, and Ethics
|
3 |
THE 205
|
Biblical Texts in Global Contexts
|
3 |
Scientific and Quantitative Literacy and Problem Solving - 9 credit hours
Select one course from the following - 3 credit hours
ECN 120
|
Principles of Macroeconomics |
3
|
ECN 121
|
Principles of Microeconomics
|
3
|
POL 200
|
Introduction to United States Politics
|
3
|
PSY 101
|
Psychological Science
|
3
|
Select one course from the following - 3 credit hours
MTH
|
Any mathematics course above MTH 120 |
3
|
Select one course from the following - 3 credit hours
BIO |
Any 100-level course or any 200-level course required of a major
|
3
|
CHM |
Any 100-level course or any 200-level course required of a major
|
3
|
ENV
|
Any 100-level course
|
3
|
PHY
|
Any 100-level course or any 200-level course required of a major
|
3
|
Exploration Level - 6 credit hours
At the Exploration Level, all students will take 6 credit hours of courses designated as exploration courses for the University Core Curriculum. These courses will address at least two Core Habits and must be approved by the University Core Curriculum Committee or the Core Director.
The broad purpose of the Exploration Level is to help students integrate multiple ways of knowing from liberal arts disciplinary perspectives to better understand and engage with timely and timeless issues of human concern. The more specific purpose of the Exploration Level is to challenge students to further engage the nature and value of the Core Habits of Heart and Mind by identifying interconnections and employing multi-disciplinary lenses.
To ensure that students receive broad exposure to disciplines outside of their major in the spirit of our liberal arts Core, the following criteria apply to students earning Exploration Level credit:
- To promote breadth, the two Exploration courses may not be from the student’s primary major and count for major credit. However, they may be applied to a secondary major or minor.
- While one Exploration course outside of a primary major may be pre-programmed by program curricula, at least one course should be left to the discretion of students to promote exploration.
- Students may enroll in a course in their primary major that is also designated for the Exploration Level, but they may only apply the course toward either their primary major requirements or a Core Exploration Level requirement.
- To encourage breadth, at least one Exploration Level course should come from outside the student’s division (humanities, social sciences, natural sciences and mathematics) or school (including linked courses). Exceptions may be made to accommodate students in multi-disciplinary programs.
- To take an Exploration course a student should have taken at least one Foundation level course associated with one of the Core Habits being covered by that course. This requirement should be achieved through advising and introductory coursework.
Integration Assignment
Prior to graduation, students will also complete an integration assignment reflecting on educational experiences with the University Core Curriculum and demonstrating an ability to understand the Core Habits.