Degree Requirements

All students majoring in disciplines within the School of Arts are required to complete courses in the Liberal Arts Core. The purpose of the Liberal Arts Core is to provide a common background of knowledge in the humanities and social sciences which serves as a context for more specialized study in the individual major. The core is intended to provide exposure to the differing methods and modes of inquiry appropriate to various disciplines as well as to the assumptions upon which the disciplines are grounded, their knowledge claims, and their limitations. It seeks to provide opportunities for students to make conscious connections between specialized learning and basic human concerns and to build a durable foundation for lifelong learning.

Core courses seek the development of skills in different forms of inquiry, abstract logical thinking, critical analysis and informed judgment. Particular emphasis is placed on the development of the ability to bring what one has learned in one context to another, from one discipline to another, and from one community to another. These goals are sought within an atmosphere of free inquiry, dialogue, and interfaith concern.

Some majors may require specific courses (see following pages) to fulfill the Liberal Arts Core or the University General Education requirements. Students seeking Teacher Licensure must meet special requirements. The Liberal Arts Core requirements are as follows: