Common Curriculum

It is the purpose of the Common Curriculum to provide all students with a solid academic foundation and the fundamental tools necessary to continue developing their intellectual ability and inquiry though a broad liberal arts education. The Common Curriculum is completed by fulfilling the requirements designated in each of the areas/departments below:

Cross-disciplinary goals:

First-Year Seminar (FYS): 2 sequential courses

  • Designed to help students further develop skills in critical thinking, speaking and writing.

Ethics Common Seminar (ES): 1 junior/senior level course ETHS390.

  • Designed to help students develop the ability to recognize ethical issues, examine them from multiple perspectives and articulate reasoned arguments that support and facilitate responsible decision-making.

Gender: 1 course

  • Designed to expose students to gender issues; may also satisfy another Common Curriculum requirement depending on designation.

Intercultural learning: 1 course

  • Designed to help all students develop a greater understanding of diversity while recognizing that individual values are shaped by one's unique background.

Experiential Learning: Students will demonstrate the ability to integrate and apply academic knowledge and skills gained from activities that extend beyond the traditional classroom.

Disciplinary goals:

Divisional goals

Natural Sciences (NS): 1 course

  • Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Courses of the College, Environmental Studies, Geology, Nutrition, Physics

Humanities (HM): 2 courses from different disciplines

  • Communication, Education, Gender and Women's Studies, History, Peace Studies, Philosophy, Theater or Literature in any language or in translation

Social Sciences (SS): 1 course

  • Communication, Economics, Peace Studies, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology
  • NOTE: Social Science (SS) requirement must be completed through coursework outside the major department.

Fine Arts (FA): 4 credits

  • Art, Music, Theater

Fine Arts Experience (FAE): no credit (Attendance at a total of 8 designated fine arts events {2 visual/6 performing})

Departmental goals

Mathematics (MT): 1 course

Theology: 2 courses

  • THEO 111 (TH) and THEO 300 level (TU)

Global Language Proficiency

Successful completion of language course of 211 or higher or proficiency examination.

To learn more about the specific requirements, see the Common Curriculum cross-disciplinary courses.

For students entering CSB/SJU in the fall of 2007 or later, the Common Curriculum replaces the Core Curriculum. Students who were enrolled and attending classes prior to the fall of 2007 should still follow the requirements of the Core Curriculum.