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Academics

Degree Information

Each degree in the College of Arts & Sciences consists essentially of three parts:

• The general education component and the major field or interdisciplinary program.
• An overview of the general education program is described in the General Catalog. Although this pattern applies to every degree in the College, certain variations for the major field are specified by individual departments.
• Electives: every major has room for a few elective credits.

1. FIRST YEAR CORE
Cr. 10, Core 110 and 115. Also known as the Valpo Core, this is a writing-intensive interdisciplinary course that initiates first year students into the VU academic community by exploring significant themes in human experience, engaging students with resources from the areas of history, theology, philosophy, literature and the arts. It is a core experience extending for two semesters, 5 credits each semester, in seminar sections of about 20 students. It is taught by trained core faculty from areas across the University, the faculty meeting regularly to promote extensive collaborative activity for both faculty and students.
Web site: Core: The Human Experience

2. ACADEMIC AREA STUDIES
a. Theology 6 Cr.
1) One foundational level Theology course 3 Cr.
2) One upper level Theology course taken in the junior or senior year 3 Cr.

b. Literature and Fine Arts 6 Cr.
1) ENGL 200 3 Cr.
2) One course in Fine Arts or Fine Arts-Literature 3 Cr.
Courses which fulfill this requirement are ART 101, 102, 311, 317, 318, 319, 320, 321; CLC 200, 220, 251; ENGL 231; FLGR 250, 260; FLJ 250; MUS 101, 317, 318, 319; PHIL 210; FLS 250; THTR 101, 238, 239, 337.

c. Foreign Language 8 Cr.
Course number 102 in a foreign language in which the student has no more than one year of high school credit, or course number 103 or 203 in any foreign language. A student who has completed a second year language course in high school will not be granted credit toward degree requirements for course 101 in that language at Valparaiso University. International students whose native language is not English and who are studying on a nonimmigrant visa are exempt from the foreign language requirement provided that they have fulfilled the General Education Requirements in English (ENGL 101 and 200).

d. Diversity: Global Cultures and Perspectives 3 Cr.
Courses which fulfill this requirement are ECON 336; GEO 102; GLST 150; HIST 232, 240, 250, 304, 331, 341, 342, 350, 355, 393; FLJ 251; PHIL 220; POLS 130, 335; SOC 150, 230; FLS 250; THTR 334; THEO 250, 260, 357, 362, 363, 364, 365, 366; NUR 318, 418. In appropriate cases, a course from this area may be used to fulfill another area requirement.

e. Diversity: United States Cultural Diversity 3 Cr.
Courses which fulfill this requirement are ECON 136, 233; GEO 200, 274; HIST 225, 226; PHIL 120; POLS 110; SOCW 330; SOC 160, 275, 347; THEO 337, 368; NUR 310. In appropriate cases, a course from this area may be used to fulfill another area requirement.

f. Philosophical and Historical Studies 3 Cr.
One course in either philosophy or history. (CLC 311 will also fulfill this requirement.)

g. Studies in Social Analysis 6 Cr.
Two courses from the following selection: ECON 136, 210, 221, 222, 223, 233; GEO 101, 102, 200, 201; GNST 201; POLS 110, 120, 130, 220; SOC 110, 150, 160, 275. The two courses must be from two different departments.

h. Studies in Natural and Behavioral Sciences/Mathematics 12 Cr.
Three four-credit courses, to be selected as follows:
1) Two laboratory science courses to be selected from one of these options:
a) Two courses from different departments, from the following: ASTR 101 and 101L, BIO 125, BIO 151, BIO 71, CHEM 111, CHEM 121, CHEM 131, GEO 104, MET 103, PHYS 111 and 111L, PHYS 141 (or 151) and 141L, PSY 110 and 111.
(Note: GEO 104 and MET 103 are in the same department; ASTR 101 and the PHYS courses are in the same department.)

OR

b) Two courses from the same department, from the following pairs: BIO 151 and 152, BIO 171 and 172, CHEM 121 (or 131) and 122 (or 132), PHYS 111 and 111L and 112 and 112L, PHYS 141 (or 151) and 141L and 142 (or 152) and 142L.

2) A third course from the list in 1) a, from a different department than either of the first two courses, or a four-credit mathematics or computer science course. MATH 110 and 114 will not fulfill this requirement.

NOTE: In the cases above where a three-credit lecture and a one-credit laboratory are listed together, such as PSY 110 and 111, the two courses count as a single four-credit science course for this requirement, and both must be taken.

i. PE 101-105 1 Cr.

Honors and Research Opportunities

Departmental Honors Work

Honors work is designated for students of exceptional ability who may benefit by earning a limited number of the credits required for graduation through supervised independent study rather than through regular course work. Students who apply for Honors Work should understand that their work will be evaluated according to the highest standards of scholarly achievement.

Honors Work may be pursued by any student who is a degree candidate in the College of Arts and Sciences and whose major or program is administered by a department or an administrative committee within the College.

A student who has completed at least 80 credit hours, but has not yet entered upon the work of the last two semesters, and who has a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.00 and a grade point average in the major of at least 3.50 may apply through the major department or program committee for admission to Honors Work. To apply, the student must submit a plan for a major independent project which will be undertaken under the supervision of a member of the major department or program. The application form, which requires the student to articulate the independent project briefly, clearly, and with a timetable and modest bibliography, is available in the dean's office or by following the link below.

For more information on Departmental Honors Work, please click here.

Research and Scholarship Opportunities

The Valparaiso University Celebration of Undergraduate Scholarship is a conference that allows undergraduate students to showcase their creative and/or scholarly work and research in a professional format.

The Celebration began as the idea of an interdisciplinary group of faculty who attended several national meetings on the role of research in the undergraduate experience of college students. Several universities and national groups currently offer conferences for undergraduate students to present research, and it was felt that there should be an opportunity for VU students to share this work with the campus community.

Students who have worked on high quality class projects, senior projects and theses, or independent scholarship are encouraged to participate. Projects completed or near completion in the Fall Term would be excellent choices for presentation at the Celebration. Spring Term projects are also welcome as long as, in your estimation, they are close to completion.

For more information on the Celebration and on other research, scholarship, and fellowship opportunities, please click here.

Questions and comments about the College of Arts & Sciences Web site can be directed to Jan.Rubsam@valpo.edu.

Last updated 06/29/2007