<p>Hey everyone, just wanted to get an idea of what the core classes at SCU would be like. I went on the website but the way they have it set up between the Foundations and Explorations and Integrations is kind of confusing. Like I assume you'll need to take some type of religion course, but is there any a mandatory secondary language? Can anybody clarify please? Thanks.</p>
<p>Please be aware that the SCU Core changed in 2009.</p>
<p>Foreign Language is part 3 of the “Foundations” structure. The required level attainment will be determined by what type of degree you are seeking (BA vs BS vs BSC).</p>
<p>Religion, Theology, and Culture is part 5 in “Foundations” and 12 and 15 in “Explorations”. You do not need to take a religion class directly as they offer an array of class options that fulfill this requirement.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.scu.edu/provost/ugst/core2009/upload/Core-Guide-Web-Version-UPDATED-010312.pdf[/url]”>http://www.scu.edu/provost/ugst/core2009/upload/Core-Guide-Web-Version-UPDATED-010312.pdf</a></p>
<p>The core curriculum is full of so many buzz words it will make your head spin. Don’t worry about the subtitles over the courses, unless you’re trying to see if a class double dips (ie, can fill two requirements at once.) Look at this worksheet instead: <a href=“http://www.scu.edu/business/undergraduates/curriculum/upload/LSB-Checklist-09-Core-Undeclared-4-20-11.pdf[/url]”>http://www.scu.edu/business/undergraduates/curriculum/upload/LSB-Checklist-09-Core-Undeclared-4-20-11.pdf</a> .</p>
<p>If you’re business, a lot of the business school will satisfy the university core. They also introduced pathways, mainly, I suspect, to stop people from graduating so damn early. (A very significant percentage of students graduate SCU one or two quarters early.) Think of it as a mini-minor that you don’t get listed on your diploma. You take four courses from different departments that are connected by a common theme (example: Islamic Studies) and then write a very short paper your senior about how they were all interconnected. </p>
<p>For religion, all of the courses you take must be from religious studies (RSOC), theology (TSEP) or one called scriptures and traditions (SCTR, I think). All students, except transfers, must take three courses. RSOC courses are a lot like sociology courses, TSEP concerns the teachings and study of Christianity – especially Catholicism – and SCTR courses tend to be more historical. I took two courses in RSOC and one in TSEP. Our religion departments at SCU are fantastic and probably have some of the best professors in the university. </p>
<p>If you’re an engineer, the foreign language requirement is waived. Business school students take two courses (ie, to Elementary Spanish II) and most other students take three. I think science majors might only have to take two, but I’m not sure on that. If you only need to take two courses, it is fairly easy to test out of at least one if you were even halfway decent in high school Spanish.</p>
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<p>FYI to the OP and future post viewers, other majors can satisfy a number of University Core requirements through the major, not just Business related ones. In some cases other majors offer more University Core coverage through their major than Business related ones. For example, Anthro, English, History, Political Science, and Sociology majors can satisfy 6 or more University Core requirements each (through both lower- and upper-division courses). Of course, you won’t be able to tell this if you only use the Business Core link provided above.</p>
<p>Instead it is better to use the University Core list provided and the University Bulletin to compare major requirements and possible University Core requirements covered through that major.</p>
<p>No other major automatically fulfills as many core requirements as the business major, especially if you’re minoring in international business. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, I find the bulletin to be very unclear when they spell out the university core. The core remains the same for everyone, with the exception of fluctuations in the language requirement and, for engineers, an exemption from one pathway course. </p>
<p>One more note for the OP. The core might look a little much, but remember SCU operates on the quarter system. On a semester system, you’ll usually take five courses each semester. At SCU, you can take up to five courses per quarter, so the core really isn’t very burdensome at all, even with the addition of a pathway.</p>
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<p>Notice I said they can? No, they won’t automatically satisfy them, but if the correspondig classes between the Core list and the Bulletin are taken, then they can be covered. This may be looked at as limiting your class selection since you will be constricted to those classes for your major which also satisfy the Core requirement, but if your sole purpose it to hit two birds with one stone, then it works rather effectively. Even then, there can be a plethora of classes that correspond to a single major under a Core requirement. For example, University Core requirement 7 (Civic Engagement), and 8 (Diversity) both have at least 3 courses from each major of Anthro, English, History, Political Science, and Sociology to fulfill those requirements. Other Core requirements have 3 times as many in those respective majors listed.</p>
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<p>That is unfortunate considering the University Bulletin is supposed to be the official guide on all matters with the school, not just academic standards. If the school’s upper-classmen can’t comprehend the Bulletin, then the student may have not cared to pay attention, or the University may have failed them somewhere - among many other possible reasons. Unfortunate indeed.</p>