Core Curriculum Requirements

The purpose of the Core Curriculum is to provide students with a foundation and the intellectual tools necessary to examine the fundamental, recurring questions about ourselves and our world. These questions challenge students to broaden their interests and explore a variety of academic areas. Striving to ask those questions well and make good moral and ethical judgments about them is at the heart of our colleges' mission.

The Core Curriculum is composed of four levels of requirements:

Proficiency-based requirements

Foreign language proficiency
Students demonstrate proficiency in speaking or reading a classical or modern language through satisfactory completion of the language proficiency exam or through satisfactory completion of Modern/Classical Language 211 (with any passing grade).

Mathematics Proficiency
Students demonstrate proficiency in elementary algebra and geometry through satisfactory completion of the mathematics proficiency exam or calculus readiness exam.

Fine Arts Experience
First Year Students beginning Fall 2001 must complete the Fine Arts Experience requirement by attending 8 designated Fine Arts Experience Events -- four events per semester.

Cross-Disciplinary courses

First-Year Symposium (2 courses)-- CORE 100 & 101, or HONR 100 &101

Senior Seminar--CORE 390 or HONR 390 only.  Education majors can complete EDUC 390 and SWRK majors can complete SWRK 390.  Ordinarily completed during Senior year.  Cannot be repeated for credit.  Both semesters of First-Year Symposium must already be completed.

Disciplinary courses

Only courses which are designated within the course title by the appropriate symbol (FA, HML, MT, JC, etc) may be used to complete the following disciplinary requirements.

• FA ( 4 credits)  Must be from courses that are designated as fulfilling Fine Arts.
• HML ( 2 courses)  Must be from different departments or disciplines ( ex. Not two literature courses even if they are from different dept.)
• TH ( 1 course)  Must be 100 level theology course.
• HMU ( 1 course)  Must be from the same discipline as one HML or TH already completed.  Cross-listed courses only fulfill either the HMU or the JC, but not both disciplinary requirements. 
• JC ( 1 course)  May be satisfied only after the TH and one HML course is completed.  Cross-listed courses only fulfill either the HMU or the JC, but not both disciplinary requirements. 
• MT ( 1 course)  Must have satisfied the Math Proficiency before the completion of the course.
• NS ( 2 courses)  Must be from different departments (unless NATS, COLG, HONR, PCST or ENVR).
• SSL ( 1 course)  Must be 100 level.
• SSU ( 1 course)  Must have completed the SSL course first.

Flagged courses

Courses may carry 1 or more flags, in addition to meeting Core disciplinary or Major requirements.  Flagged courses are specific to the instructor and term. Flagged courses are listed in the Class  Schedule and updated lists are posted at the Office of the Registrar.

• Gender Perspectives ( 1 course)
• Global Perspectives ( 1 course)
• Quantitative Reasoning ( 1 course) Must have satisfied Math Proficiency before completing the course.

Physical Education requirement

• PHED 117 -  Skills for Healthy Living -- 1 credit (Required for students who began as First-Year Students from Fall 2000-2003)

For further details of the Core Curriculum requirements consult "Exploring the Human Condition".

Mo Laube
Data/Web Coordinator
Office of the Registrar
College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University
Phone 320-363-3399
Fax 320-363-2714
mlaube@csbsju.edu