University Undergraduate Core Courses

The University Undergraduate Core at Saint Louis University will prepare all students to be intellectually flexible, creative, and reflective critical thinkers in the spirit of the Catholic, Jesuit tradition. The Core nourishes students’ minds, hearts, souls, and well-being, and guides them in discerning how to use their talents for the good of others.

Students take courses in the following areas:

Ignite Seminar (2-3 Credits - One Course)

Students choose from a list of seminars designed to ignite their passion for scholarship and introduce them to what makes teaching and learning at Saint Louis University distinctive and transformative.

CORE 1000 Ignite First Year Seminar - See course listing

Cura Personalis Sequence (2 Credits - Two Courses Plus One Experiential Requirement)

Self in Community must be completed during the first 36 credits at SLU.

In the spirit of caring for the whole person, this three-part series of requirements offers students grounding, guidance, and support as they join the University community, engage in vocational discernment, and plan for a purpose-filled life in solidarity with others.

CORE 1500 Cura Personalis 1: Self in Community - See course listing
CORE 2500 Cura Personalis 2: Self in Contemplation - See course listing or experience listing
CORE 3500 Cura Personalis 3: Self in the World - See course listing

Theological and Philosophical Foundations (6 Credits - Two Courses)

The disciplines of Philosophy and Theology lie at the center of Jesuit education. These two courses challenge students to reflect on their own and others’ worldviews by wrestling with “ultimate questions” in dialogue with the Catholic, Jesuit tradition.

Eloquentia Perfecta (Minimum 8 Credits - Three Courses Plus One Writing Intensive Course)

Eloquence in written, oral, and visual communication is central to the Jesuit, liberal arts curriculum and essential to academic excellence and action for the common good.

Equity and Global Identities

Attributes that can be applied to experiences or courses in the Core, major, minor, or other coursework.

At the center of the University Core is a commitment to helping students understand the world in which they live so that they can better advocate for justice and act in solidarity with people who are disadvantaged and oppressed.

Ways of Thinking (12 credits - Four Courses)

A hallmark of a liberal arts, Jesuit education is exposure to a breadth of disciplines and intellectual traditions. Each category exposes students to a distinct, disciplinary lens through which to encounter and engage with the world around them.

Collaborative Inquiry (2-3 Credits - One Course)

Pre-requisites: CORE 1000 Ignite First Year Seminar; CORE 1500 Cura Personalis 1: Self in Community; 60 earned credits, including 21 credits in the University Core.

Students choose from a list of seminars where they work together to integrate concepts and methodologies from previous Core courses and other coursework to explore complex questions.

Collaborative Inquiry courses

Reflection-in-Action (One Experiential Requirement)

Reflection-in-Action - See course listing or experience listing

Additional Information about the University Undergraduate Core

Second Baccalaureate Degree Core Requirements

Students seeking a second baccalaureate degree must complete 30 credits within the general disciplinary areas and categories listed below:

Theological and Philosophical Foundations

3 credits in Theology or Religion
3 credit in Philosophy or Ethics

Eloquentia Perfecta

3 credits in Written Composition
3 credit in Oral Communication (or equivalent)
3 credit in Arts (Fine, Performing, Art History, etc.) (or equivalent)

Ways of Thinking

3 credits in Humanities
3 credits in Natural or Applied Science
3 credits in Social or Behavioral Science
3 credits in Quantitative Reasoning (Math / Statistics)
3 credits in Humanities -or- Social / Behavioral Science