First Year Students
Arts and Letters Courses
College of Arts and Letters courses fulfill the bulk of University requirements, which most students choose to complete during their first year.
University Seminar
A three-credit, reading-, writing-, and orally intensive course taught by an Arts and Letters faculty member in the arts, humanities, or social sciences. University Seminars consist of approximately 15 students and may also fulfill a requirement in theology, philosophy, history, social science, fine arts, or literature.
First Year Composition
A three-credit reading and writing intensive course designed to help students learn how to craft arguments based on different sources of information.
Biblical/Historical:
A critical study of the Bible and the early Catholic tradition, which fulfills the University's first theology requirement.
Introduction to Philosophy
A general introduction to philosophy with emphasis on perennial problems, such as the existence of God, human freedom, and moral obligation, which fulfills the University's first philosophy requirement.
Fine Arts
Each year, course offerings vary, but students may choose courses in music, studio art, design, or creative writing to fulfill their University fine arts requirement.
History
Each year, courses offerings vary, but students may choose courses in ancient history, western civilization, American history, or European history to fulfill their University history requirement.
Literature
The College of Arts and Letters offers a University Seminar in literature during the first year. Students wishing to satisfy the literature requirement after the first year typically do so by completing a literature course in the departments of English, Classics, East Asian Languages and Literatures, or Romance Languages and Literatures.
Social Science
Each year, course offerings vary, but students may choose introductory courses in anthropology, economics, political science, psychology, or sociology to fulfill their University social science requirement.
