College Core FAQ
First-Year Core | Exploratory Core | Capacity Courses | Language & Lab | Transfer Students
First-Year Core (CORE 1010 & CORE 1020)
Q: Can students take CORE 1010 and 1020 after their freshman year?
A: No. CORE 1010 and 1020 are open only to first-year students in the College of Arts & Science.
Q: Do first-year students have to take CORE 1010 prior to taking CORE 1020?
A: Yes. CORE 1010 is a prerequisite for CORE 1020. They are designed as a sequence; 1010 (taken in the fall) lays the foundation for what happens in 1020 (taken in the spring). This sequence gives students the opportunity to learn valuable skills, ideas, and perspectives in a scaffolded way across a full academic year.
Q: Do all first-year students in the College of Arts & Science have to take CORE 1010 and 1020, even the ones who know they want to transfer to another undergraduate college (Peabody, Blair, Engineering)?
A: Yes. All first-year A&S students are required to complete CORE 1010 and 1020, even the ones who want to transfer.
Q: Can a student “drop” or “withdraw” from CORE 1010 and 1020?
A: No. A student cannot withdraw from CORE 1010 or 1020. All first-year students must complete and earn a grade in these courses to fulfill the First-Year Core requirement.
Q: Can a student retake CORE 1010 or CORE 1020 after the first year to replace their grade?
A: No. Unlike some other courses at Vanderbilt, the First-Year Core courses are not repeatable.
Q: What happens if a student does not receive a passing grade in CORE 1010 or 1020?
A: Students must complete and earn a grade in CORE 1010 and 1020 to satisfy the First-Year Core requirement. A student who earns a failing grade (F) in one or both courses will fulfill the First-Year Core graduation requirement but will not receive the associated credit (0.00 will be entered into the credit and GPA calculation). Nor will the student receive the capacity tags associated with these classes (A, C, E for CORE 1010; A, B, D for CORE 1020). The student will need to earn these capacity tags by taking other courses that carry the tags.
Exploratory Core (CORE 2500 courses)
Q: When should a student take CORE 2500 courses?
A: Students should plan to take both of their CORE 2500 courses during their sophomore year. This is the ideal time to expand their exploration of multiple subjects, perspectives, and questions prior to taking more specialized courses in their chosen major. It is even possible for a student to take two CORE 2500 courses in the same semester (e.g., fall semester sophomore year).
Q: What capacity tags do students earn in their CORE 2500 courses?
A: All CORE 2500 courses carry two Capacity tags, but the tags vary depending on the content of the specific course. Students can see which tags each course carries in the YES registration system.
Q: Can first-year students take CORE 2500 courses?
A: No. CORE 2500 courses are open only to students beyond the first year. Students must complete the First-Year Core before enrolling in the Exploratory Core.
Q: Can students who take courses elsewhere (e.g., summer courses) use the credit they earn from those courses to satisfy their CORE 2500 requirement?
A: No. Courses taken outside Vanderbilt cannot be used to satisfy the Exploratory Core requirement.
Q: What happens if a student does not receive a passing grade in an Exploratory Core course?
A: If a student receives a failing grade (F) in a CORE 2500 course, the student will receive neither credit nor the Capacity tags for the course. The student will need to retake the course and earn a passing grade or take another CORE 2500 course to meet the Core requirement and to earn the associated tags.
Capacity Courses
(courses tagged with A, B, C, D, E offered in departments and programs)
Q: How many Capacity tags can a course carry?
A: A Capacity course can carry up to two tags (with the exception of CORE 1010 and 1020, which carry three tags each).
Q: What’s the difference between a “Capacity” and a “tag” in the A&S Core curriculum?
A: Capacities are the ideas, skills, and perspectives that structure and define the A&S College Core. There are 5 Capacities, each marked by a different letter:
- A: Written & Creative Expression
- B: Systemic & Structural Reasoning
- C: Cultural & Interpretive Investigation
- D: Data Literacy & Computational Thinking
- E: Ethical & Social Engagement
Tags (also called “Capacity tags”) identify which courses teach which capacities. For instance, a course tagged with “C” and “E” will include instruction on “Cultural & Interpretive Investigation” and “Ethical & Social Engagement.”
Q: After the First-Year Core and the Exploratory Core, how many Capacity courses do students need to graduate?
A: After completing the First-Year Core and the Exploratory Core, students must complete at least 5 Capacity courses to meet their College Core requirement. To complete all of their Core requirements, students must earn at least 16 Capacity tags (4 “A” tags, 3 “B” tags, 3 “C” tags, 3 “D” tags, and 3 “E” tags) across the First-Year Core, Exploratory Core, and Capacity courses. But many students will end up with more tags than that.
Q: When should students complete their Capacity courses and earn the necessary tags?
A: Students should complete their Capacity requirement by the end of sophomore year. In fact, they should aim to complete all major components of the A&S College Core—First-Year Core, Exploratory Core, and Capacity courses—by the end of sophomore year.
Q: Should first-year students take Capacity courses?
A: Yes! First-year students should plan to take Capacity courses right away in the fall semester. Because most Capacity courses are offered at the 1000- and 2000-level, they are designed especially for first- and second-year students.
Q: Can Vanderbilt students who take courses elsewhere (e.g., summer courses) use the credit they earn from those courses to fulfill Capacity tags?
A: Yes and no. If the course taken elsewhere is a direct equivalent to a course at Vanderbilt that carries Capacity tags, a student will receive credit for the equivalent course and the tags it carries. However, if a course taken elsewhere does not have an equivalent at Vanderbilt (NO-EQ), a student cannot earn Capacity tags for it, even though the student receives credit for the course.
Q: Are there classes in other Vanderbilt undergraduate schools (Blair, Peabody, Engineering) that carry Capacity tags?
A: Currently, a small number of courses offered in the Blair School of Music carry Capacity tags that students can apply toward their Core requirements.
Q: What happens if a student does not receive a passing grade in a Capacity course?
A: If a student receives a failing grade (F) in a course that carries Capacity tags, the student will receive neither credit nor the tags for the course. The student will need to retake the course and earn a passing grade or take another Capacity course and earn its associated tags.
World Language & Inquiry Lab
Q: Can students place out of taking a World Language (LA tag) course?
A: No. All students are required to take a World Language course. Students can “place” into a World Language course appropriate to their level, but they cannot place out of the requirement to earn an LA tag.
Q: Why do some lower-level language courses (e.g., Greek 1101, French 1101, Spanish 1100) not carry the World Language (LA) tag?
A: The World Language requirement states that students take a language course “at second-semester proficiency or above.” Many students will “place” beyond first-semester proficiency and be able to enroll directly in a course that allows them to demonstrate second-semester proficiency (and earn the LA tag). Students who do not place beyond first-semester proficiency will have to complete a lower-level language course before they are able to enroll in an LA-tagged course.
Q: What is the difference between a course that involves a lab component and an Inquiry Lab (LB tag) course?
A: Some STEM majors (e.g., Biological Sciences) require that students take lab courses as part of their program of study. Such courses are identified with an “L” after the number. The A&S College Core requires that students take an Inquiry Lab course (tagged “LB”) that meets a series of specific learning objectives that teach the principles of how rigorous research is created, conducted, and analyzed. A lab (L) course may or may not also be labeled as an Inquiry Lab (LB). Inquiry Labs are offered in a range of departments and programs across the college, not just in the natural sciences.
Q: Can Vanderbilt students who take courses elsewhere (e.g., summer courses) use the credit they earn from those courses to satisfy the LA and LB requirements?
A: No. Vanderbilt students cannot use credit from courses taken elsewhere to satisfy their World Language and Inquiry Lab requirements.
Q: What happens if a student does not receive a passing grade in a World Language or Inquiry Lab course?
A: If a student receives a failing grade (F) in an LA or LB tagged course, the student will receive neither credit nor the tag associated with the course. The student will need to retake the course and earn a passing grade or take another LA or LB tagged course to meet the requirements and to earn the tag.
Transfer Students
Q: How do transfer students complete the College Core requirements?
A: Transfer students:
- 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.
Q: Can transfer students take CORE 2500 courses?
A: Yes! Transfer students are required to take two CORE 2500 courses. What’s more, every CORE 2500 course reserves seats specifically for transfer students.
Q: Can transfer students use credit from courses taken at a previous institution to satisfy the CORE 2500 requirement?
A: No. Because of the distinctive, interdisciplinary nature of Exploratory Core courses, transfer students must take both of their CORE 2500 courses at Vanderbilt.
Q: Can transfer students use credit from courses taken before entering Vanderbilt to earn Capacity tags?
A: Yes. Credit from courses taken before enrolling at Vanderbilt can earn 1 Capacity tag and count toward the 10 tags required of transfer students (2 each of Capacity A, B, C, D, E).
Q: Can transfer students use credit from courses taken before they enrolled at Vanderbilt to earn LA and LB tags?
A: Yes. With appropriate approval, transfer students can fulfill their World Language and Inquiry Lab requirements via credit from courses taken at previous institutions.