Foundation Level

The Foundation Level offers students a broad introduction to different ways of knowing embedded in the liberal arts. Regardless of major or academic interest, students should engage with what it means to think like an artist, a scientist, a philosopher, a historian, a theologian, a writer, a mathematician, a social scientist, and more.

While drawing on disciplinary perspectives and important works from liberal arts disciplines, Foundation Level courses are organized to go beyond disciplinary introductions toward cultivating the Habits of Heart and Mind orienting the UP Core. By emphasizing breadth and ways of knowing, the Foundation Level is designed to provide students knowledge, skills, and values that make for a well-rounded education and a successful foundation for further learning experiences at UP and beyond.

Courses in the Foundation Level currently include:

Literacy & Dialogue (6 credits)

• ENG 112: Thinking Through Literature
• PHL 150: Engaging Philosophy

Faith & Ethics (9 credits)

• THE 105: Engaging Ultimate Questions: Religion, Faith, and Ethics
• THE 205: Biblical Texts in Global Contexts
• PHL 220: Engaging Ethics

Aesthetics & Creativity (3 credits)

• FA 107: The Creative Process in Visual Arts
• FA 108: The Creative Process in Performative Arts

Science & Problem Solving (9 credits)

• One course in BIO, CHM, ENV, or PHY
• One Core math course (including MTH 160: Quantitative Reasoning, or MTH 161: Elementary Statistics, or MTH 201: Calculus I)
• One of PSY 101: Psychological Science, or ECN 120: Principles of Macroeconomics, or ECN 121: Principles of Microeconomics, or POL 200: Introduction to United States Politics

Diversity & The Common Good (3 credits)

• One of CST 225: Interpersonal Communication: Relating to Others, or SOC 101: Introduction to Sociology, or SW 101: Social Work and Social Justice, or HST 210: Who is America: The Early U.S., or HST 211: Who is America: The Modern U.S., or ETHS 205: Critical Ethnic Studies.*

Global & Historical Consciousness (3 credits)

• One of HST 25x: Regional History courses (currently 251: Modern East Asia, 254: Colonial Latin America, 256: Modern Latin America) or HST 220: The Search for Justice in the Western Tradition or HST 221: The Social Question in Modern European History or POL 203: Introduction to Political Theory, or POL 205: World Politics, or French, German, Spanish 202-308 or CHN 103.

*NOTE: AP/IB credits do not fulfill the Diversity and the Common Good Habit; students do receive elective credit for these courses. 

NOTE: To ensure that all students have some exposure to a historical disciplinary lens, students must have credit for at least one college level class in history. Students can fulfill this requirement through a foundation level HST course for either Global & Historical Consciousness or Diversity & the Common Good. Students may also fulfill the requirement of taking one college level history class through a HST course taken to fulfill an exploration level requirement, or through earning other college level history credits.