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.

CORE 101
 Anchor Seminar
 1

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

ENG 112
Thinking Through Literature   3
PHL 150
Engaging Philosophy
 3

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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.