Fulfilling Core Curriculum Course Requirements

Foundation Courses

Augustine and Culture Seminar (ACS) Sequence (2 courses) 
ACS is a humanistic exploration of St. Augustine and of his and our world that focuses on the question: Who am I? The heart of ACS 1000: Ancients is a reading of Augustine’s Confessions, and contains readings from the Hebrew and Christian scriptures, Greek and Roman antiquity, and cross-cultural texts from Islamic, Buddhist, Confucian, or other traditions. In ACS 1001: Moderns we explore our diverse modern world and give special attention to the modern Catholic intellectual tradition and its ongoing mission to defend the dignity of the human person, to foster human solidarity, and to serve the common good.

ACS is reading- and writing- intensive, and consequently this two-semester course sequence must be taken by all students during the first year of study. Because it is important that students take ACS early in their college careers, students are permitted to drop or withdraw from the courses without academic penalty only under special circumstances. Requests to drop or withdraw must be made to the Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Students. If a student receives permission to drop or withdraw, he or she must take the course at the next possible opportunity.

Theology and Religious Studies (1 course)
THL 1000 involves students of every religion, culture, and worldview in examining the Augustinian vision of “understanding what we believe” (On Free Choice of the Will 1.4). Students investigate Christian and non-Christian religious practices, beliefs, and traditions that have developed over time in diverse cultural and religious contexts as they explore faith, reason, and culture in their many, textured relationships.

The course may examine Catholicism theologically, historically, and culturally (Catholic Studies track); explore Christian theological traditions in their cultural contexts (Faith, Reason, and Culture track); or survey religiosity in general and global religions, including Christianity, in particular as well as their commonalities, differences, and cultural expressions (Global Religious Experience track).

With these foci, the course introduces students to the sources and major thinkers that have shaped responses to the fundamental human questions that underlie all religions and shape the human search for meaning. Students engage religious truth claims, themes, values, and witness as resources for analyzing and critically evaluating contemporary cultural challenges.

Philosophy (1 course) 
Knowledge, Reality, Self (PHL 1000) explores the philosophical responses to the questions of how we can know, what is real, and what is the nature of the human person.

Ethics (1 course) 
The Good Life: Ethics and Contemporary Moral Problems (ETH 2050) provides critical reflection on distinctive and viable visions of the moral life, with particular focus on Christian, especially Roman Catholic, Augustinian accounts, and explores the significance of different visions through an examination of various contemporary moral questions. ETH 2050 is the capstone of the foundation courses. Normally students should take ETH 2050 by the end of their junior year, after taking the other four foundation courses.
 

Language Requirement 

Students are required to study a language other than English at Villanova. Students may satisfy the Core Curriculum Language requirement through starting or continuing a language through the required 'exit' course indicating that the requirement has been met. Students must begin their language studies to fulfill the Core Curriculum Language requirement no later than sophomore year. Students continuing language studies should begin their first year and continue without interruption.

Students must complete the exit course or higher depending on placement. 

1. American Sign Language - ASL 1112/1152*
2. Ancient Greek - GRK 1112
3. Arabic - ARB 1112
4. Chinese - CHI 1112
5. French - FFS 1122
6. German**
7. Irish - IS 1112
8. Italian - ITA 1122
9. Japanese - JPN 1112
10. Latin - LAT 1122
11. Russian - RUS 1112
12. Spanish - SPA 1122
13. Swahili - SWA 1112 

*Students who entered Villanova fall of 2023 or later, may select this option to satisfy their language requirement.
**German is offered through a partner institution and is only available upon discussion/approval with The Ellis Center.

Exceptions to the Language Requirement
The only exceptions are as follows:

1. International (and Puerto Rican) students may satisfy the Core Language requirement by providing a transcript showing their completion of secondary school in a language other than English and complete a Petition for Exemption through The Ellis Center.  
    
2. Students with advanced proficiency in a language that is not offered through Villanova may satisfy the Core Language requirement by satisfactorily passing an advanced proficiency exam (C2) administered by Villanova or another accredited institution and completing a Petition for Exemption through The Ellis Center.  
    
3. Students with a documented learning disability in language learning may take a course from the approved culture courses.
   
   For questions, please see The Ellis Center (former OUS).
    

Documented Learning Difference 
Students who have documentation supporting an accommodation for differences that affect language acquisition, may be granted a language waiver and may fulfill the Core Language requirement by taking one approved ‘world culture’ course. Students must submit documentation to Learning Support Services (lss@villanova.edu) or the Office of Access and Disability Services (ods@villanova.edu), depending on the nature of their difference. A student’s degree audit dictates the eligible courses that count toward this requirement through use of the Language Waiver Cultural Course attribute.

NOTES: 

• Total Credits: Courses that fulfill language requirements may be used to fulfill other requirements (i.e., primary major, core curriculum, minors, concentrations, or free electives).
• Placement tests are used to place students only and are not to be confused with a proficiency exam.
• Those who begin their language study in the intermediate or advanced levels, satisfy the requirement through demonstration of proficiency, or receive a language waiver for documented learning differences that affect language acquisition, must still complete the total number of required credits for degree completion.
• Additional questions regarding the Core Curriculum Language requirement should be addressed to a student’s faculty advisor or to The Ellis Center in SAC 107. 
   

Mathematics or Statistics (1 course) 

Students must take one course in either Mathematics or Statistics. Any course offered by the Department of Mathematics and Statistics fulfills the Core Curriculum requirement. Certain courses offered by other departments (e.g., Computer Science and Philosophy) also fulfill the requirement. These courses are designated by the Mathematics A & S Core attribute.

Natural Science (2 courses with laboratory)

Non-science majors meet the Core Curriculum Natural Science requirement by taking two semesters of Mendel Science Experience (MSE), thematically-based lecture/laboratory courses designed for non-science majors; or two semesters of lecture/laboratory courses designed for science majors.

Science (AST, BIO, BIOC, CHM, CBN, CSC, ENV, MAT, PHY - B.S. only, PSY - B.S. only) majors meet the science requirement through the regular program of study in their major. 

Literature and Writing Seminar (1 course) 

All students take a thematic literature and writing seminar course. Courses designated with the Core Lit & Writing Sem attribute fulfill the requirement. 

History (1 course) 

This requirement is met by taking a specifically designed course designated by the Core History attribute. 

Social Sciences (2 courses)

Students satisfy the requirement by taking two courses designated by the Core Social Sciences attribute.

Students majoring in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, Criminology, Economics, Geography, Political Science, Psychology, or Sociology fulfill the Core Social Science requirement through the regular program of study in their major. 

Fine Arts (1 course)

The requirement is met by taking a course that focuses either on the creative processes that go into making a work of art, or on analysis and interpretation of the products of that artistic creativity. All courses designated with the Fine Arts Requirement attribute fulfill the Core Curriculum requirement.

Theology and Religious Studies - Upper Division (1 course)

The upper division Theology and Religious Studies Core Curriculum requirement develops the theme of faith seeking understanding, engaging culture from a specific disciplinary perspective. Students must take THL 1000 before taking an upper division course designated by the Core Theology attribute. 

UNITAS Division Requirement (2 courses)

Learning to see through the eyes of other peoples and cultures is essential to a liberal arts education. Villanova and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences are committed to offering a curriculum that, as stated in the University’s Learning Goals, encourages students to recognize how different ideas, behaviors and systems affect individuals’ sense of community and belonging and influence efforts to build a just and peaceful world. Consistent with those goals and the University’s Mission, students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences take at least two courses with the UNITAS Division 1-3 designation, indicated by a DIV attribute.

Students are required to select two courses, covering two out of the three areas below:

UNITAS Division 1 (DIV 1): Courses that focus on historically marginalized populations in the United States or Europe, and the systems or mechanisms that give rise to the experiences of power, privilege, and marginalization.

UNITAS Division 2 (DIV 2): Courses that focus on women’s experiences and/or highlight the relationship between gender, culture, and power.

UNITAS Division 3 (DIV 3): Courses that focus on societies and nations other than those of Western Europe and the United States and that emphasize power and privilege or analyze how these cultures or national communities define and express themselves.

NOTES: 

• Service-learning courses, internships, and other experiential or communitybased learning courses may be applied toward the UNITAS Division requirement, provided they include a significant reflective component and have been pre-approved for UNITAS Division course credit.
• Study abroad courses may be applied toward this requirement; such courses will be assessed the same way as Villanova courses.
• Although some courses have more than one UNITAS Division attribute, all students must take two different courses; a single course with multiple attributes may not be used to fulfill both UNITAS Division course requirements.
• The UNITAS Requirement cannot be fulfilled by independent study or a senior thesis.
• Language courses cannot fulfill the requirement, although literature courses in another language may fulfill the requirement if they are designated with a UNITAS Division attribute.
• A student may fulfill one UNITAS Division 1 (DIV 1) course requirement by taking three 1-credit COM 5300: Dialogue, Identity, and Social Justice courses. 

Professional Development Course (1 course)

NOTES:

• The 1-credit Arts and Sciences Professional Development (ASPD) 2000 course fulfills the College’s sophomore professional development requirement.
• Courses in the College that carry the ASPD attribute also fulfill the requirement.
• ASPD 2000 does not fulfill any professional development course required by academic departments in the College.