Foundation Courses
Augustine and Culture Seminar (ACS) Sequence (2 courses)
ACS focuses on the question: Who am I? The first seminar (ACS 1000 Ancients) contains readings from Hebrew and Christian scriptures, Greek and Roman antiquity, Augustine, and the High Middle Ages, and is dedicated to understanding the foundations of our shared intellectual tradition. ACS 1001 Moderns continues to address the question of identity with texts from the Renaissance to the modern era.
The two-semester ACS course sequence must be taken by all students during the first year of study. Because it is important that students take the Augustine and Culture seminars 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. For more information about ACS, visit this webpage.
Theology and Religious Studies (1 course)
THL 1000 (Faith, Reason, and Culture) studies Christianity with a particular focus on Roman Catholicism. Animated by Augustine’s concern to relate Christian faith, reason and human culture, this foundation course in the Core Curriculum is organized around the fundamental question, What do I believe? Students embark on a journey that engages them in the quest of faith seeking understanding in the context of contemporary global religious, theological, and cultural pluralism. Students explore the faith-reason-culture relations through the academic lenses of theological and religious studies disciplines.
Philosophy (1 course)
PHL 1000 Knowledge, Reality, Self 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)
ETH 2050 The Good Life: Ethics and Contemporary Moral Problems 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 final piece of the foundation courses. Normally students should take ETH 2050 by the end of their junior year, after taking the other four foundation courses.
Foreign Language Requirement
Language proficiency is required at Villanova 1) through the intermediate level in French, Italian and Spanish; or 2) at the introductory level in ancient Greek, Arabic, Chinese, Irish, Japanese and Russian. Students who are already proficient in other foreign languages may petition for an exemption from the Core Curriculum Language Requirement subject to the conditions under F below.
Students may satisfy the core curriculum language requirement in one of the following ways:
- A.) Advanced Placement Examination
- B.) Comprehensive Examination (Proficiency Exam)
- C.) Credit by Exam
- D.) Romance Languages And Latin
- E.) Irish and Critical Languages
- F.) Petition for Exemption Due to Documented Language Proficiency
Option A: Advanced Placement Examination
Students may satisfy the Core Curriculum language requirement by attaining a score of 4 or 5 on the applicable Advanced Placement exam. Exams that fulfill the requirement and the course equivalency are listed in the Advanced Placement table in Part III of this manual.
For any language not offered at Villanova (such as German), students will not receive course credit for the AP exam in that language. As with other languages, however, students who attain a score of 4 or 5 will satisfy the language requirement. Students who satisfy the language requirement with AP Exams in languages not offered at Villanova must take two additional free electives to assure that they will have enough courses to fulfill graduation requirements.
Any questions regarding Advanced Placement credit should be directed to the Office for Undergraduate Students in SAC 107.
Option B: Comprehensive Examination (Proficiency Exam)
Students may satisfy the Core Curriculum language requirement through satisfactory performance on a proficiency exam administered by the appropriate department. Proficiency exams are administered on specific dates and students must register in advance at the website address below. The deadline to register for a proficiency exam is noon the day before the exam. Students deemed proficient by achieving a grade of C or better on the proficiency examination must instead take two additional free electives to assure that they will have enough courses to fulfill graduation requirements.
Comprehensive proficiency examinations may be scheduled online at this linked website location. Registration requires a Villanova username and password.
Option C: Credit by Exam
Students who would like to pursue credit for language fluency may do so through the Credit by Exam program for any language taught at Villanova other than their native language. Students must meet all conditions in place through the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for the Credit by Exam program. There is a fee of $130.00 per credit. Arrangements for Credit by Exam should be made in the Office for Undergraduate Students in SAC 107. Information about Credit by Exam is available under the policies section of The Guide to CLAS Programs and Policies.
Option D: Romance Languages and Latin
Students selecting this option must pass the Intermediate II course, as well as any necessary previous courses, for the language they have chosen and are not required to go further in that language. Students who studied French, Italian or Spanish in high school must complete an online language placement test to be placed into the appropriate level course sequence. Students who studied Latin in high school must complete the online Latin placement questionnaire to be placed into the appropriate level course sequence. Students interested in one of these languages who have no prior experience in the language are required to take the two-semester introductory course sequence before they may register for the intermediate level courses that fulfill the Core Curriculum language requirement. Because placement tests provide only a rough indicator of a student’s level, students who are placed into a course higher than Intermediate II must complete the course to fulfill the requirement. (A student wishing to demonstrate proficiency via a test must take one of the tests listed above under Options A, B, and C.) Students who are placed directly into an Intermediate II or higher course must take one additional free elective to assure that they will have enough courses to fulfill graduation requirements.
For additional information on online placement exams or to take the online test, please visit this webpage.
For additional information on Latin or to complete the Latin placement questionnaire, please visit the Classical Studies webpage.
Option E: Irish And Critical Languages (Ancient Greek, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian)
Students selecting this option must pass the Introductory II course for the language they have chosen and are not required to go further in that language. These courses are typically four to six credits and meet four to five days per week, depending on the language. Critical language professors will meet with students who have requested placement into these courses during New Student Orientation to determine the appropriate course level. Students should contact individual departments with any questions regarding placement in these languages. Because placement tests provide only a rough indicator of a student’s level, students who are placed into a course higher than Introductory II must complete the course to fulfill the requirement. (A student wishing to demonstrate proficiency via a test must take one of the tests listed above under Options A, B, and C.). Students who are placed directly into an Introductory II course must take one additional free elective to assure that they will have enough courses to fulfill graduation requirements.
Option F: Petition for Exemption Due to Documented Language Proficiency
Students who are fluent in languages for which no comprehensive exam is offered through the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences may petition for an exemption from the Core Curriculum language requirement by submitting a written request for exemption along with documentation of proficiency from an accredited institution. International students may submit Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores as documentation of foreign language proficiency for the purposes of the petition process. Students deemed proficient through the petition process must instead take two additional free electives to assure that they will have enough courses to fulfill graduation requirements. Petitions and supporting documentation should be submitted to the Office for Undergraduate Students in SAC 107.
Notes:
- i.) Language courses vary from three to six credits; regardless of the number of credits, an individual language course counts as one course for purposes of graduation.
- ii.) Placement tests are used to place students only; they are not to be confused with a proficiency exam.
- iii.) Students seeking accommodations for documented learning disabilities should contact the Office of Learning Support Services in the Falvey Learning Commons, Suite 212, or by phone at (610) 519-5176.
- iv.) Additional questions regarding the Core Curriculum language requirement should be addressed to a student’s faculty advisor or to the Office for Undergraduate Students 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 requirement, although the department offers courses every semester specifically designed for the Core Curriculum. These specifically designed courses, along with courses offered from other departments designated by the appropriate attribute, fulfill the core requirement.
Science (2 semesters with laboratory)
Non-science majors meet the Core Curriculum Science requirement by taking two semesters of Mendel Science Experience (MSE 2000 or MSE 2001), thematically-based lecture/laboratory courses or two semesters of science courses with a laboratory component designed for science majors.
Science (AST, BIO, BIOC, CHM, CBN, CSC, ENV, MAT, PHY - B.S. only) majors meet the science requirement through the regular program of study in their major.
Mendel Science Experience courses are unique to Villanova and will not be accepted for transfer into the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Core Literature and Writing Seminar (CLAWS) (1 course)
All students take a thematic literature and writing seminar course by the end of their sophomore year. These courses are designated by the LWS attribute.
History (1 course)
Any history course specifically designated for the Core Curriculum fulfills the Core requirement. These specifically designed courses, along with courses offered from other departments designated by the appropriate attribute, fulfill the Core History requirement.
Social Sciences (2 courses)
Students will satisfy the Social Sciences requirement by taking two courses typically offered through the Departments of Economics, Gender and Women’s Studies, Geography and the Environment, Global Interdisciplinary Studies, Political Science, Psychological and Brain Sciences, Public Administration, or Sociology and Criminology. These courses are designated by the Social Science attribute.
Fine Arts (1 course)
The Fine Arts requirement is met through courses that foster and develop an understanding and appreciation of artistic creativity. While some courses may focus on the creative processes that go into making a work of art, others may focus on analysis and interpretation of the products of that artistic creativity. Special designated courses in Theater, Studio Art, Art History, English, and Communication (e.g., Rhetoric/ Performance and Media/Film Studies), designated with the appropriate attribute, fulfill the core requirement. Please note that not all Studio Art courses meet the Fine Arts requirement.
Theology and Religious Studies (1 course)
The second TRS course in the Core Curriculum develops the theme of faith seeking understanding, engaging culture from a specific disciplinary perspective: biblical studies, systematic or fundamental theology, Christian ethics, historical theology and Augustinian Studies, spirituality, pastoral studies, or world religions. Students must have taken THL 1000 or its HON equivalent before taking this upper level course. Christian students gain deeper insight into their faith, students from other religions achieve a better understanding of the uniqueness of their own tradition, and all undergraduates acquire that advanced knowledge of the faith-culture-reason relations that are a vital part of the Villanova experience and a necessity for the educated person.
Core Curriculum Diversity Requirement (2 courses)
Consistent with the University’s Mission Statement and its implementation of the new Core Curriculum in the College of Arts and Sciences, students will take at least two courses designated as “diversity.” Learning to see through the eyes of other peoples and cultures is essential to becoming a citizen of the world. Beyond introducing students to the contextual study of diverse groups, diversity education must foster understanding of how individuals are affected within systems of power, oppression, deprivation, marginalization, and privilege.
The objectives of completing core diversity courses ideally include all of the following:
- a.) Expand student knowledge of unfamiliar cultures;
- b.) Expose students to the complexity of power relations across and within varying cultures;
- c.) Provide students the knowledge-base to develop skills for engaging across cultural contexts.
Students are required to select two courses, covering two out of the three areas below:
Diversity 1: Courses that focus on populations (often named as non-dominant, minority, or impoverished groups) in the U.S. or Western Europe, and the systems or mechanisms that give rise to the experiences of power, privilege, and marginalization.
Diversity 2: Courses that focus on women’s experiences and/or highlight the relationship between gender, culture, and power.
Diversity 3: Courses focus on the culture, economics, politics or ecology of societies and nations other than those of Western Europe and the United States and that emphasize power, privilege, and marginalization or a critical analysis of how these cultures define and express themselves.
NOTES:
- Service learning courses, internships, and other experiential or community-based learning courses may be applied toward this requirement, provided they include a significant reflective component, just as traditional diversity courses do, and have been pre-approved for diversity course credit.
- Study abroad courses may be applied toward this requirement; such courses will be assessed the same way as courses at Villanova.
- A student may not use a single course to fulfill more than one category of the diversity requirement.
- The diversity requirement cannot be fulfilled by independent study or a senior thesis.
- Language courses cannot fulfill the requirement, although literature courses in a foreign language can fulfill the requirement provided they focus on appropriate material.
- A student may take 1-credit workshops provided they meet the above stated requirements of a total of 3 credits in one of the Diversity categories.
- The spirit of the diversity requirement calls for students to select courses that will broaden their education. The Core Diversity Committee believes it is ultimately the student’s responsibility to select courses to achieve this goal.