TCU Core Curriculum Requirements
The educational experience offered by TCU reflects its membership in the worldwide academy of learning. The intellectual traditions of the University, honed by the scholarship and creativity of successive generations of faculty, are founded upon a rational and reflective examination of humanity and its natural and social environments. The essential elements of these traditions are captured in the TCU Core Curriculum requirements.
The TCU Core Curriculum is designed to:
• Embody the liberal arts ethos of Texas Christian University;
• Facilitate a focus on educational competencies, learning outcomes and assessment;
• Show sensitivity to the special needs of students in different colleges and degree programs; and
• Provide intellectual challenges and opportunities for students and faculty.
The goals of the TCU Core Curriculum are described clearly in the Heritage, Philosophy and Goals section of the TCU Handbook for Faculty and Staff:
The University … regards as essential the advancement and communication of general knowledge which enables students to understand the past, to comprehend the natural and social order, to search for the good and the beautiful, and to integrate knowledge into significant wholes.
Students who complete the TCU Core Curriculum achieve the following Student Learning Outcomes:
- Analyze human experiences, cultural expressions, or creativity
- Apply mathematical and scientific literacy skills or concepts
- Describe concepts or theories of social responsibility in diverse or global communities
- Communicate effectively
The TCU Core Curriculum has three components:
1. The Essential Competencies Curriculum (12 hours plus 6 hours Writing Emphasis);
2. The Human Experiences and Endeavors Curriculum (27 hours); and
3. The Heritage, Mission, Vision and Values Curriculum (18 hours).
Courses in the TCU Core Curriculum may overlay with other requirements of the student's degree program. The overlay feature provides the flexibility for core requirements to be satisfied in a range between 39 and 63 hours. See TCU Core Curriculum for specific information.