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Academic Policies

AXLE (Achieving eXcellence in Liberal Education)

The AXLE curriculum consists of four parts: the First Year Common Experience, the Writing Requirement, the Liberal Arts Requirement, and the Major.  AP credit cannot be used to fulfill AXLE curriculum requirements outside of the Major.

The First Year Common Experience includes a First Year Writing Seminar.

The Writing Requirement has three segments: demonstration of basic skills in English Composition, completion of a 100-level W course no later than the fourth semester in residence, and completion of either a second 100-level W course or a 200-level W (discipline-specific) course or an approved course in Oral Communications at Vanderbilt University as a graduation requirement. Only W courses offered in the College of Arts and Science or in Music Literature (MUSL) may count in fulfillment of the Writing Requirement.

The Liberal Arts Requirement is composed of a total of thirteen courses taken at Vanderbilt, and distributed across six areas of inquiry. The First Year Writing Seminar and all 100-level and 200-level W courses and all Oral Communications courses are also counted in the thirteen-course Liberal Arts Requirement.

» More information about AXLE.