Degree Requirements
Arts and Letters Requirements
Foreign Language Requirement
Students in the College of Arts and Letters are required to complete a foreign language requirement.
Minimum Requirement
Students with no prior experience in the language they select must complete three courses in that language.
Credit and Placement
Students who have previous experience in their selected language will be placed by examination and given a maximum of six credits, which is generally equivalent to two courses.
Course credit and placement is determined by scores on SAT II: Subject Tests, CEEB Advanced Placement Exams, and International Baccalaureate Exams. Departmental Placement Exams may be used for placement but not for credit.
Language Options
Students may choose to fulfill their language requirement by taking Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Greek, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Portuguese, Russian, or Spanish.
Study Abroad
Students planning on studying abroad in a program that requires language study should consult with the appropriate department regarding their course selection.
Fine Arts Requirement
The College of Arts and Letters requires its students to complete at least one course in music, art, art history, or creative writing.
Minimum Requirement
If the student does not complete the University Fine Arts/Literature requirement with a Fine Arts course, then the student must also complete a Fine Arts requirement for the College of Arts and Letters.
Course Options
Courses in studio art, design, music, or film, television, and theatre may satisfy the fine arts requirement. Please check with an assistant dean in the Office of Undergraduate Studies to ensure that the course will fulfill the requirement.
Literature Requirement
The College of Arts and Letters requires its students to complete at least one course in literature.
Minimum Requirement
If the student does not complete her University fine arts/literature requirement with a literature course, then she must also complete a literature requirement for the College of Arts and Letters.
Course Options
Generally, the literature requirement is satisfied by the completion of a University Seminar during the first year or by a course offered by the English Department or one of the Language and Literature Departments during the sophomore, junior, or senior years.
Social Science/History Requirement
The College of Arts and Letters requires its students to complete an additional course in social science or history beyond the University’s requirements.
Minimum Requirements
A student must complete either two history courses and one social science course or two social science courses and one history course in order to fulfill all College of Arts and Letters and University requirements.
Course Credit and Placement
Students may receive credit for scores received on the CEEB Advanced Placement Exams, International Baccalaureate Exams, or SAT II Exams. Students should check with an advisor regarding credit and placement.
Course Options
Courses offered by the Departments of Anthropology, Economics, History, Political Science, Psychology, or Sociology will fulfill the requirement.
College Seminar (http://www.nd.edu/~csem/)
The College of Arts and Letters requires that all sophomores complete the College Seminar, a one semester, interdisciplinary, orally intensive course that will introduce students to the College, expose them to major works, and engage important normative, ethical, and moral questions.
The College Seminar consists of 15 to 18 students and will be taught by faculty from the College. Students will have the option of taking College Seminar during either semester of their sophomore year.
