Courses Comprising the 2026 Core Curriculum
Perspectives
- First-Year Seminar (3)
- ENGL 101 Composition or ENGL 115 Rhetoric (3)
- Theological Explorations, THEO 200-499 (3)
- Philosophical Explorations, PHIL 200-299 (3)
- Creative Explorations (3)
- Scientific Explorations (3)
- Mathematical Explorations (3)
- Humanities Integrations (3)
- Natural Science Integrations (3)
Cultures, Community, and Global Citizenship
- Historical Foundations (3)
- Social Science Integrations (3)
- Second Language (0-6)
- Solidarity and Kinship (flag) (3)
Ethics/Religion and Society
- PHIL 100 Philosophical Foundations: Ethics (3)
- THEO 111 Theological Foundations (3)
- Literature and the Moral Imagination (3)
- E/RS Focus (flag) (3)
Total Courses: 14-16, plus 2 flagged courses
Total Credit Hours: 42-48, plus 6 flagged hours
Why these courses?
The Core Curriculum is structured along two dimensions. Each Core course contributes to answering a Vital Question, an essential human question within the framework of the Jesuit Catholic tradition of education. Each Core course also contributes to a dimension of Student Development, from Foundation, to Exploration, to Integration.
Core Courses address one of three Vital Questions:
- Perspectives courses: What is the nature of reality, and how can I understand it?
- Cultures, Community, and Global Citizenship courses: What factors shape my identity and my position in society in relation to others, and how can I be a responsible citizen of my community, my society, and the globe?
- Ethics/Religion and Society courses: What is the common good and how can I lead a just life?
| Vital Questions | Foundation | Exploration | Integration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perspectives | First-Year Seminar ENGL 101/115 |
Philosophical Explorations Theological Explorations Creative Explorations |
Humanities Integrations |
| Scientific Explorations Mathematical Explorations |
Natural Science Integrations | ||
| Cultures, Community, and Global Citizenship | Historical Foundations | Second Language | Solidarity and Kinship Social Science Integrations |
| Ethics/Religion, and Society | THEO 111 Theological Foundations PHIL 100 Philosophical Foundations: Ethics |
Literature and the Moral Imagination | E/RS Focus |
Which courses satisfy these requirements?
Courses that carried a specific Core designation prior to 2026 retain that designation in the current Core.
| Core Designation | Qualifying sections and approval |
|---|---|
| First-Year Seminar | CORE 100 or section approved by FYS Committee |
| Creative Explorations | Courses or sections approved by the relevant department chair or program director, including Art; Music and Theatre; Creative Writing; DIFT; or other appropriate creative areas. (If usure of appropriate department for submission, contact CCC.) |
| Scientific Explorations | Courses or sections as approved by the Core Curriculum Committee |
| Mathematical Explorations | Courses as designated by the Chair of Mathematics |
| Humanities Integrations | ASLN 300+; ENGL 121+ (excluding 205); FREN 300+; GERM 300+; HIST 200+ (and some 100-level courses, based on Chair approval); ITAL 300+; PHIL 300+; SPAN 300+; THEO 300-499; some CLAS courses; other sections as approved by Humanities Chairs |
| Natural Science Integrations | Lecture-lab sequence in BIOL, CHEM, or PHYS |
| Historical Foundations | HIST 199 or designated CLAS sections |
| Social Science Integrations | Courses or sections as approved by the Core Curriculum Committee |
| Second Language | Six credits in a single language from the point of testing placement, or one 202-level course |
| Solidarity and Kinship | Courses or sections approved by the Solidarity and Kinship Committee |
| Literature and the Moral Imagination | CLAS 205; ENGL 205; FREN 205; GERM 205; SPAN 205 |
| E/RS Focus | Courses or sections approved by the E/RS Committee |