The new core requirements will introduce you to the many opportunities offered by a liberal arts education at Puget Sound. You are encouraged to put down roots in the rich tradition of the liberal arts, grow and find focus in your major and minor(s)/emphasis, and continue to branch into new disciplines throughout your time at Puget Sound. The core provides a smooth transition to college academics, a flexible interdisciplinary education, and the freedom to flourish while enhancing critical thinking abilities, cognitive skills, and creativity. 

The revised core curriculum goes into effect in Fall 2024. Current students can switch to it in the fall by contacting the Registrar's Office.

New Requirement

What You Can Expect

First-Year Experience: 2 units
100-level Connections and Critical Conversations Seminars 

 

 
  • Semester 1: 100-level Connections courses introduce university-level academics through a student-led project
  • Semester 2: Critical Conversations Seminars (CSS) courses build information literacy, writing, and speaking skills
Divisions: 3 units
Art/Humanities, Social Sciences/History, and Natural Sciences/Mathematics
  • All courses in a division count toward that divisional requirement
  • Each department and all their courses are situated in one division
  • Division cores can double-count with majors and minors, but not with core requirements (except overlays)

Connections: 2 units
200–400 Level Connections

 
  • You take two Connections courses at the 200–400 level
  • New, 200-level Connections courses will span multiple disciplines
  • Connections 300–400-level courses remain unchanged

Language: 0-2 units

 
  • New Language Core (from Fall 2023) comprises two classes for most students

Knowledge, Identity & Power (KNOW): 0-2 units

 
  • 2 KNOW courses, one of which must be at the 300-level.*
  • KNOW courses can double-count with majors and minors.

Experiential Learning: 0-1 unit

 
  • Went into effect in 2022-23.
  • Experiential Learning units can double-count for majors and minors

* Pending Board approval.

 

Progression Through the Core & Divisions

  1. Put Down Roots: You will begin your core journey by taking 100-level Connections and a CCS course in your first year. You may also begin fulfilling the Language core from your first year on.
  2. Find Your Focus: Anchor yourself by honing in on a major and minor(s)/emphasis that challenges and excites you. You can then progress to 200-level Connections courses, exploring the curriculum and learning about possible fields of study if you're undeclared.  It is recommended you also complete Experiential Learning and KNOW requirements before your senior year.
  3. Branch Out: Throughout your academic journey, you will also fulfill the divisional requirements by taking courses from the Arts/Humanities, Social Sciences/History, and Natural Sciences/Mathematics divisions. In your junior and senior years, you will have the opportunity to return to interdisciplinary approaches by taking a 300–400-level Connections course.

 

Dig Deeper Into the Core

First-Year Experience

  • In your first semester, you will take a 100-level Connections course to learn about the value of the liberal arts through a student-led project on the course’s central theme while connecting to campus and practicing skills for academic success. These courses are pass/fail only.*
  • In your second semester, you will take a Critical Conversations Seminar course, exploring the course theme while developing skills in college-level writing, speaking, research, and information literacy. These classes are pass/fail only.*
  • In these classes, you will engage with campus and find community, develop academic skills, gain an understanding of the elements of a liberal arts education, navigate the university and its curriculum, and develop the skills needed to succeed at Puget Sound and beyond.

* Note for Current Students: 100-level Connections courses replace SSI 1 courses and Critical Conversations Seminar courses replace SSI 2 courses in the previous core curriculum.

 

Continuing Connections

  • New 200-level Connections courses, combined with our existing 300–400 level courses, create a coherent, interdisciplinary journey for students, connecting you to a range of scholarly perspectives throughout your undergraduate career.
  • 300–400-level Connections courses reconnect students to interdisciplinary thinking toward the end of their undergraduate journey.
  • Students must take two Connections courses above the 100 level. These can be any combination of 200-400 level Connections courses. Connections courses can count as major/minor requirements.

 

Experiential Learning, KNOW & Language

  • Experiential Learning (EXLN) and Knowledge, Identity & Power (KNOW), are part of the core that can double-count with most other core requirements. 
  • EXLN and KNOW courses may double-count with other requirements, including major/minor curricula, divisional requirements, and 200–400 Connections classes.
  • The new Language requirement was integrated into the core in 2023–24. The Language Core requirement cannot double-count with first-year seminars or Connections core classes, but can double-count with divisional requirements.

 

Branch Out Into the Three Divisions

  • Departments and programs are now divided into three divisions: Arts/Humanities, Social Sciences/History, and Natural Sciences/Mathematics.
  • You’ll take at least one course from each division.
  • Courses can count toward major/minor curricula, but not toward other core requirements (excluding overlays). These courses are now graduation requirements and not part of the core.
  • This divisional structure ensures that students graduate with exposure to quantitative analysis and a holistic understanding of different disciplines’ approaches to knowing the world.