What is the University CORE?


The university core curriculum is anchored by the question: As students of a Catholic, Jesuit, and 91³Ô¹ÏÍø, how do we educate ourselves to become women and men for a more just and humane global community?

Each year, as students progress through the program, they will address a main theme and question that support the anchoring question. 

Yearly Themes and Questions

Students will examine this question through courses that encourage intellectual engagement and curiosity and provide a broad foundation of fundamental skills. First-year core courses include:

  • First-Year Seminar
  • Writing
  • Reasoning
  • Communication and Speech
  • Scientific Inquiry
  • Mathematics
 

In their second and third years of the core, students will explore themes and questions through courses in philosophy and religious studies.

 

These courses include:

  • Philosophy of Human Nature
  • Christianity and Catholic Traditions
 

In their second and third years of the core, students will explore these questions through courses in philosophy and religious studies.

 

These courses include:

  • Ethics
  • World/Comparative Religion
 

Students will address this question through the culminating core course, the Core Integration Seminar. In this seminar, students integrate the principles of Jesuit education, prior components of the core, and their disciplinary expertise.

 

Broadening courses intersect with the core themes and extend students’ appreciation for the humanities, arts, and social/behavioral sciences. These courses can be taken at any time throughout the four years. Courses designated as writing enriched, global studies, and social justice taken throughout the core and in the major reinforce essential knowledge and competencies.

 
Designations represent key skills and values of Jesuit education and are embedded within core courses, major/minor courses, and elective courses. Students must complete two (3 credit) courses designated as Writing Enriched (in addition to Writing), one (3 credit) course designated as Global Studies (in addition to World/Comparative Religion), and one (3 credit) course designated as Social Justice.
 

Log into Zagweb and click Student tab, click on Student Profile, and then choose “Registration and Planning.” Select “Browse classes” and select term (i.e. Spring 2022) from the drop-down menu. Click on “Advanced Search” to view options like attributes. Leave the Subject field blank to pull all subjects, or choose by specific subjects, then click in the attribute box to find the attribute of choice (e.g., “Core: Global Studies”) and click “Search.” A list of courses fulfilling that attribute will appear. Please note that if you search for more than one attribute at a time, the list will include courses that fulfill either, and not necessarily both, core areas).