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A&S College Core

The A&S College Core is the new foundation for undergraduate study in the College of Arts and Science for all students entering Vanderbilt in Fall 2025 and later.

Through the College Core, A&S students develop Core Capacities that equip them to communicate clearly; to analyze intricate problems; to challenge their own assumptions; to evaluate diverse types of data; and to probe important social, scientific, cultural, and ethical questions. In the Core, students also share common intellectual experiences, engage with varied methods of inquiry across the college, and carve meaningful pathways through their education.

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Why the A&S College Core?

A broad, deep, and integrative education in the arts and sciences is a training ground for the pursuit of knowledge and for lives of sustained curiosity and purpose—whether as artists or activists, scholars or entrepreneurs, professionals or citizens.

This kind of education is vital for confronting complex and swiftly evolving challenges, none of which can be addressed by a single discipline or from a single vantage point. By connecting disparate methods, perspectives, and bodies of knowledge, our students are prepared to understand and shape the world they will encounter as graduates.

The College Core is built around 5 Core Capacities:

Written & Creative Expression
Systemic & Structural Reasoning
Cultural & Interpretive Investigation
Data Literacy & Computational Thinking
Ethical & Social Engagement
How it Works

Students gain these Core Capacities by taking a series of courses that encourage curiosity and exploration across the arts and sciences:

  • All entering A&S students, excepting transfer students, take 2 First-Year Core seminars:
    • CORE 1010: Being Human
    • CORE 1020: Science, Technology, Values
  • After the first year, students enroll in 2 Exploratory Core electives, designed to probe complex, multi-faceted problems and open up new areas of study.
  • Students also take 5 Capacity Courses, offered across the college, including at least one in each of the major divisions of the college: humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. These courses aim for breadth and general competencies, complementing the depth and specialized skills that students gain through coursework in their chosen disciplines and elective courses.
  • Students take at least 1 World Language course to foster understanding of new cultures and outlooks.
  • Finally, students complete 1 Inquiry Lab, offered across many fields, to learn how to design, conduct, and analyze research.

Learn more about the A&S College Core