General Education Requirements

General-education requirements, fulfilled primarily by courses offered by the College of Arts and Sciences, are designed to provide structure for each student’s course of study while affording the greatest possible freedom to design an individual academic program. While the details of these foundational courses vary slightly from one degree to another, this general overview applies broadly to all students.

Foundational Courses: Freshman Studies

The Valpo Core course, titled The Human Experience, is a two-semester, 8 credit general education course required of all first-year students not enrolled in the Christ College Freshman Program. Focusing on the human experience as great thinkers, writers, and artists have represented it, this interdisciplinary foundation course draws on an intercultural, multinational reading list. It is designed to introduce students to college-level work by developing skills in close reading and critical thinking, in speaking, and especially in writing.

Foundational Courses: Academic Area Studies

These foundational courses provide broad exposure to the major branches of learning; build essential reading, writing, quantitative, and analytical skills; and encourage awareness of the development of human thought over time and of the diversity of human culture.

Subjects covered in the foundation courses at Valpo include:

• Writing Intensive: one course
• Theology: two courses (one in the junior or senior year)
• Cultural Diversity: three courses:
  • Foreign Language (two courses) and a
  • Cultural Diversity course
• Humanities: two courses, one each from two areas:
  • Fine and Performing Arts
  • History
  • Literature
  • Philosophy
• Social Science: two courses, one each from two different areas of study
• Natural Science: two courses, one each from two different areas of study
• Quantitative Analysis: one course
• Kinesiology: one credit hour

Apply to Earn Your Degree in the College of Arts and Sciences

Are you ready to pursue a well-rounded education in one of the degree programs at Valparaiso University? If you are motivated, passionate about your future, and ready to pursue a degree in a field that interests you, then it’s time to take the next step.