College Core
The A&S College Core is the foundation for undergraduate study for College of Arts and Science students who enrolled in Fall 2025 and later (students who enrolled before Fall 2025 will take AXLE). The College Core curriculum is centered on exploratory and integrative learning, offering students common intellectual experiences, a firm grounding in the arts and the sciences, and meaning pathways through their education.
Capacities and Tags | Components | Transfer Students | Contact
Core Capacities and Capacity Tags
Through the Core, you will develop five Core Capacities—fundamental competencies that will benefit you for life as both a successful professional and an engaged citizen. You will hone these fundamental competencies by taking a set of Core Courses, which together provide an invitation to the richness and breadth of an arts and science education.
The five Core Capacities are:
- Written & Creative Expression (A)
- Systemic & Structural Reasoning (B)
- Cultural & Interpretive Investigation (C)
- Data Literacy & Computational Thinking (D)
- Ethical & Social Engagement (E)
To complete the College Core, you must earn 16 capacity tags, distributed as follows:
- 4 tags in Capacity A
- 3 tags in Capacity B
- 3 tags in Capacity C
- 3 tags in Capacity D
- 3 tags in Capacity E
You can select from hundreds of courses across the college that carry these tags; courses are indicated as such in YES and in the Undergraduate Catalog.
Components
The College Core consists of:
- The First-Year Core (2 seminars)
- Exploratory Core (2 courses)
- Capacity Courses (5 courses)
First-Year Core
All entering first-year A&S students take two First-Year Core seminars:
- CORE 1010: Being Human (fall) – tagged A, C, E
- CORE 1020: Science, Technology, Values (spring) – tagged A, B, D
These small, discussion-based seminars are intended to broaden your thinking and understanding, expose you to new perspectives and ideas, and encourage thoughtful and engaged dialogue.
Exploratory Core
After the first year, you will enroll in two Exploratory Core electives (CORE 2500s), designed to probe complex, multi-faceted problems and open up new areas of study.
Each Exploratory Core course carries two capacity tags. The particular tags for each course will vary depending on the subject matter.
Capacity Courses
You will also take five Capacity Courses, offered across the college, including at least one in each of the three major divisions of the college: humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences (identified by LE: HFA, LE: SBS, and LE: MNS, respectively).These courses aim for breadth and general competencies, complementing the depth and specialized skills that you gain through your major. Each Capacity Course carries up to two capacity tags.
Additional Requirements
To complete the College Core, students must also take:
- 1 World Language course (tagged LA), offered at second-semester proficiency or above. (Note: to enroll in a second-semester proficiency course, students will need to take a first-semester proficiency course, complete an appropriate placement test, or gain approval from the director of undergraduate studies in a relevant language department.)
- 1 Inquiry Lab (tagged LB), offered in many departments and designed to teach students how to design, conduct, and analyze research.
College Core for Transfer Students
All students transferring into Vanderbilt after their first year of study:
- Are exempt from the First-Year Core
- Need only earn 10 capacity tags
- Take 2 Exploratory Core courses in A&S
- Fulfill the Capacity Course, World Language, and Inquiry Lab requirements either at Vanderbilt or via approved transfer credit.
Contact
If you have questions about the A&S College Core, please contact:
Paul Stob
Director, A&S College Core
paul.stob@vanderbilt.edu
Liz Catania
Associate Director, A&S College Core
elizabeth.catania@vanderbilt.edu
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