University Core Curriculum
Lydia R. Cooper, PhD, Director, University Core Curriculum
The University Core Curriculum is the academic “center of gravity” of a Seattle University undergraduate education. Deeply rooted in a more than 450-year old Jesuit educational tradition, and emphasizing rigorous, intentional, and engaging courses, the University Core helps students understand the world deeply, develop strong intellectual skills, and prepare to be thoughtful and empowered leaders for a better world.
The 60-credit University Core Curriculum consists of a total of 12 five-credit courses plus a disciplinary capstone course incorporated in each major. The curriculum is built around four main learning objectives, and the course work to develop the knowledge, skills, and values identified in those learning objectives takes place across four modules: Engaging Academic Inquiry, Engaging Jesuit Traditions, Engaging the World, and Reflection. The University Core is designed as a four year program, with students taking Core courses throughout their SU experience.
All Core courses use UCOR as a departmental code, and each course number (e.g. UCOR 1600) refers to a set of courses that all share the same learning objectives but address those objectives through the study of different topics. That gives students a variety of topical options while assuring that all courses accomplish the same goals. The topics and individual section titles for each course are listed on SUOnline and a guide to all of the available UCOR sections is available on the University Core website: (www.seattleu.edu/core/). Core requirements differ slightly depending on previous credits earned as well as a student’s major. See the relevant major section in this Catalog for details.
University Core Curriculum Learning Objectives
Jesuit, Catholic Intellectual Traditions: Students will reflect on questions of meaning, spirituality, ethics, values, and justice through knowledge of the Jesuit, Catholic intellectual traditions and an understanding of diverse religious traditions.
Disciplinary Knowledge and Integrative Learning: Students will learn how different disciplines pursue and integrate knowledge by studying humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, mathematics, and fine arts. They will apply disciplinary approaches to questions of nature, culture, and society through gathering evidence, demonstrating reasoning and analysis, and producing appropriate artistic and well-argued work.
Communication: Students will demonstrate an ability to communicate effectively in a variety of genres and for different audiences and purposes through writing, speaking, and creative expression.
Global Engagement: Students will examine cultures and communities at local, regional, national, and/or transnational levels. Students will be able to act as well-informed advocates for approaches to local and global issues.
The Curriculum
Module I: Engaging Academic Inquiry (30 credits)
Module I is a move into the academy: helping students develop critical academic skills and learn how major disciplinary approaches of the academy make sense of the world, while learning important content from particular disciplines within each approach. Two key goals of Module I are to get students interested in the questions that drive academic inquiry and to experience how scholars go about trying to find answers to those questions. This will help students make the transition to college, but also help prepare them to be curious, life-long learners who are interested in important and meaningful questions and able to understand and evaluate knowledge claims from a variety of perspectives.
Module I Courses:
- UCOR 1100 - Academic Writing Seminar
- UCOR 1200 - Quantitative Reasoning (Fulfilled by: UCOR 1200 or MATH 1010 or above courses of 5 credits)
- UCOR 1300 - Creative Expression and Interpretation
- UCOR 1400 - Inquiry Seminar in the Humanities
- UCOR 1600 - Inquiry Seminar in the Social Sciences
- UCOR 1800 - Inquiry Seminar in the Natural Sciences (Fulfilled by: UCOR 1800, 1810, BIOL 1610/1611 , BIOL 2200, 2220, CHEM 1500/1501, PHYS 1050/1501, or PHYS 1210/1211)
Module II: Engaging Jesuit Traditions (15 credits)
Module II invites students to reflect on personhood: These courses help students learn to examine fundamental assumptions they make about themselves and how they think about existence. The courses in this module ask them to explore questions that transcend any particular time or place and to examine themselves and what they take for granted. Emphasis on deep, critical reflection and ethical/spiritual analysis and discernment is key here, based on the Jesuit educational tradition.
Module II Courses:
- UCOR 2100 - Theological Explorations (Prerequisite: UCOR 1100)
- UCOR 2500 - Philosophy of the Human Person (Prerequisite: UCOR 1100)
- UCOR 2900 - Ethical Reasoning (Fulfilled by: UCOR 2900, 2910 or 2920; Prerequisite: UCOR 2500)
Module III: Engaging the World (15 credits)
Module III is a move out into the world: While the Module I classes invite students into those disciplines by introducing them to key disciplinary questions, content, and approaches, the Module III courses move in the other direction: using different disciplinary approaches to help students more effectively understand and engage important issues and challenges they will face as globally engaged persons.
Module III Courses:
- UCOR 3100 - Religion in a Global Context (Prerequisite: UCOR 2100)
Students take 2 of the following Global Challenges courses as designated by their major:
- UCOR 3400 - Humanities and Global Challenges
- UCOR 3600 - Social Sciences and Global Challenges
- UCOR 3800 - Natural Sciences and Global Challenges
The prerequisites for all Module III courses are 65 earned credits and completion of all Module I UCOR courses.
Students may consult their major requirements in the Academic Catalog for the designation of Global Challenges courses required for their major. Note that students who are double-majoring must only take the Global Challenges courses required for their primary major. Students seeking a double degree must complete the Global Challenges courses required for both majors. In cases where double degree students are required to take all three Global Challenges courses, exceptions can be made with the approval of the Core Director. Students may submit a Petition for Exception to Policy through their advisor.
Module IV: Reflection (3 credits minimum in the major)
Module IV involves reflection: By combining major capstone experiences with an opportunity to reflect on their educational experience and growth, the Core helps students identify and “own” portions of their educational experience that are particularly meaningful to them.
Module IV courses
- Disciplinary Capstone: 3 or more credits in designated major course (see major requirements for details)
Prior Learning Assessment (AP, IB, etc.)
A limited number of UCOR courses can be satisfied through prior learning assessments. The specific exams, minimum scores, and course equivalents are detailed in the relevant policies (#75-16 and #99-1).
UCOR courses eligible for prior learning assessment include:
UCOR 1100 - Academic Writing Seminar
UCOR 1200 - Quantitative Reasoning (or MATH 1010 or above courses of 5 credits)
UCOR 1300 - Creative Expression and Interpretation
BIOL 1610/1611, BIOL 2200, BIOL 2220, CHEM 1500/1501, PHYS 1050/1051, or PHYS 1210/1211 for UCOR 1800 - Inquiry Seminar in the Natural Sciences.
Running Start credits are treated as transfer credits (see below).
University Core Curriculum Requirements for Transfer Students
For full details regarding the Core requirements for transfer students, please see the University Core Curriculum Policy #2012-1 on the Office of the Registrar’s website (https://www.seattleu.edu/registrar/).
General principles regarding transfer courses:
- Once a student has matriculated at Seattle University only the following University Core courses can be fulfilled with courses transferred from accredited domestic institutions:
- UCOR 1100 - Academic Writing Seminar
- MATH 1010 or above courses of 5 credits to fulfill UCOR 1200 - Quantitative Reasoning
- UCOR 1300 - Creative Expression and Interpretation (direct equivalency to UCOR 1300: Only courses with a hands-on art component are accepted. Art appreciation courses are not accepted for UCOR 1300 for matriculated students.)
- BIOL 1610/1611, BIOL 2200, BIOL 2220, CHEM 1500/1501, PHYS 1050/1051, or PHYS 1210/1211 to fulfill UCOR 1800 - Inquiry Seminar in the Natural Sciences. (Introductory science courses designed for non-majors are not accepted for UCOR 1800. Only courses with a laboratory component are accepted for UCOR 1800.)
- UCOR 3100 - Religion in a Global Context
- A minimum of 4 transfer credits are required to satisfy a 5-credit requirement.
- Non Seattle University courses being taken for University Core credit as part of an education abroad experience must be approved by the Core Director prior to enrollment. Please submit the Education Abroad Course Approval form.
- Students transferring from another Jesuit institution may often count courses from that institution as fulfilling Module II requirements at SU. Students should submit a petition to the Core Director regarding potential transfer credit for courses in Module II.
- See Transfer Policy #77-1 regarding minimum grade requirements for transfer courses.
- Courses are evaluated for transfer on two different bases, depending on what Core requirement is involved (see below):
1) Direct Equivalency: where the course content of the transfer course approximately matches the content and objectives of the SU Core requirement
2) Categorical Substitution: evaluation based on subject area or discipline (see the University Core Curriculum Policy #2012-1 for details)
I. Students transferring with up to 74 credits prior to first enrollment at SU:
The following courses are fulfilled through transfer based on direct equivalency:
- UCOR 1100 - Academic Writing Seminar
- UCOR 1200 - Quantitative Reasoning
- UCOR 1300 - Creative Expression and Interpretation
- UCOR 3100 - Religion in a Global Context
The Module I Inquiry Seminars are fulfilled with transfer credit based on categorical substitution.
II. Students transferring with 75 or more credits prior to first enrollment at SU, but without a transferrable degree
The following courses are fulfilled through transfer based on direct equivalency:
- UCOR 1100 - Academic Writing Seminar
- UCOR 1200 - Quantitative Reasoning
The following courses are fulfilled through transfer based on categorical substitution:
- UCOR 1300 - Creative Expression and Interpretation (hands-on creative art courses or survey/history/appreciation courses in Visual Art, Music, Dance, or Theater. Credits for participation in artistic activities do not satisfy this requirement.)
- UCOR 1400 - Inquiry Seminar in the Humanities
- UCOR 1600 - Inquiry Seminar in the Social Sciences
- UCOR 1800-1810 - Inquiry Seminar in the Natural Sciences
The following course is waived:
- UCOR 3100 - Religion in a Global Context
Students will complete one Global Challenges course at Seattle University, either of the courses specified by major (see major requirements for details). The requirement for a second Global Challenge course is waived.
- Clarification: Engineering students fulfil this requirement in the major with CEEGR 3020.
III. Students transferring with 90 credits prior to first enrollment at SU, with an Associate in Science - Transfer Degree (AS-T) from Washington Community Colleges (as defined in Transfer Policy #77-1)
The following courses are fulfilled through transfer based on direct equivalency:
- UCOR 1100 - Academic Writing Seminar
- UCOR 1200 - Quantitative Reasoning
The following courses are fulfilled through transfer based on categorical substitution:
- UCOR 1300 - Creative Expression and Interpretation (hands-on creative art courses or survey/history/appreciation courses in Visual Art, Music, Dance, or Theater. Credits for participation in artistic activities do not satisfy this requirement.)
- UCOR 1400 - Inquiry Seminar in the Humanities
- UCOR 1600 - Inquiry Seminar in the Social Sciences
- UCOR 1800-1810 - Inquiry Seminar in the Natural Sciences
The following course is waived:
- UCOR 3100 - Religion in a Global Context
One Module III Global Challenges course is satisfied through application of AS-T credits.
Students must complete one Global Challenges course at Seattle University, either of the courses specified by major (see major requirements for details). The requirement for a second Global Challenge course is waived.
- Exception: Albers School of Business and Economics students fulfill this requirement in the major with INBU 3200 or ECON 3130.
- Exception: Engineering students fulfill this requirement in the major with CEEGR 3020.
IV. Students transferring with 90 credits prior to first enrollment at SU, with a Direct Transfer Associate Degree (DTA) from Washington Community Colleges (or equivalent as defined in Transfer Policy #77-1)
The following courses are satisfied by the DTA-Associates degree:
- All of Module I is satisfied by the DTA degree
- UCOR 3100 - Religion in a Global Context course is waived
- One Module III Global Challenges course is waived.
Students must complete one Global Challenges course at Seattle University, either of the courses specified by major (see major requirements for details). The requirement for a second Global Challenge course is waived.
- Exception: Albers School of Business and Economics students fulfill this requirement in the major with INBU 3200 or ECON 3130.
- Exception: Engineering students fulfill this requirement in the major with CEEGR 3020.
V. Students entering Seattle University with a first degree from an accredited US institution
Most of the University Core is waived. The following courses must be fulfilled at Seattle University:
- UCOR 2100 - Theological Explorations
- UCOR 2900 - Ethical Reasoning
VI. Students entering Seattle University with a first degree from a non-US institution
The following courses are fulfilled through transfer based on direct equivalency:
- UCOR 1100 - Academic Writing Seminar
- UCOR 1200 - Quantitative Reasoning
- UCOR 1300 - Creative Expression and Interpretation
- Module I inquiry seminars are waived.
- UCOR 2500 - Philosophy of the Human Person is waived.
- UCOR 3100 Religion in a Global Context is waived.
The two Module III Global Challenges courses may be fulfilled with transfer credit based on categorical substitution.
VII. University Core Requirements for Readmitted Students
Students readmitted to Seattle University are subject to the Core requirements in effect at the time of their readmission (See Readmission Requirements, Policy #76-10). Readmitted students’ coursework will be evaluated based on the transfer student rules described above as determined by the number of credits earned at the time of readmission, and any degrees earned prior to first enrollment at SU. There is one exception to these rules:
- UCOR 3100 will not be waived for students who return to Seattle University with 85 or more credits unless THRS 300-399 was waived during their previous attendance.
SU courses that were not approved Core courses when taken may not be used to fulfill Core requirements upon readmission. Appropriate prior SU courses may be accepted for Module II requirements.