Core Focus Themes & Disciplines (Only Applies to Class of 2020)

Approved Themes

* Please note that only one AP course can be used toward fulfilling a Core Focus
* For students electing this option, the two courses chosen must be from two different departments or programs.

Africa

ARH 103 (Tribal and Village Art)
BLS 210 (Topics in African and African-American History)
BLS 225 (The African World View)
HIS 344 (History of Africa Since 1850)

Ancient Greece 

HIS 337 (Ancient World I: Near East and Greece)
PHL 206 (The Wisdom of Socrates)
HIS 360 (Greek and Roman Warfare)

Antiquity

ARH 200 (Art of the Ancient Classical World: Crete, Greece, and Rome)
ARH 307 (From Abraham to Alexander: The Art and Archaeology of the Ancient Middle East)
CLA 201/202 (Classics in Translation)
HIS 337 (Ancient World I: Near East and Greece)
HIS 338 (Ancient World II: Rome)
PHL 300 (Ancient Philosophy)
PSC 341 (Classical Political Theory)

Asia

ARH 104 (Asian Art)
ARH 211 (The Arts of Southeast Asia)
ARH 270:001 Asian Art Through VR Games
ARH 279: Chinese Art
AST 298 (East Asian History I)​
HIS 298 (East Asian History I) (Formerly HIS431)
HIS 299 (East Asian History II) (Formerly HIS432)
HIS 368 (Modern China)
HIS 369 (Modern Japan)
HIS 482 (Seminar: The Samurai)
PSC 320 (Comparative Asian Politics)
PSC 321 (Chinese Politics)
PHL 325 (Asian Philosophy)
THL 358 (The Church and the Major World Religions)

China

ARH 279: Chinese Art
HIS 369 (Modern China)
PSC 320 (Comparative Asian Government and Politics)
PSC 321 (Chinese Politics)

Colonialism

ENG 370 (Global and Postcolonial Literature)
HIS 230 (Early Latin American History)
HIS 301 (History of American Involvement in Vietnam)

Diplomacy and Foreign Policy

AMS480/HIS485 (The History and Culture of the Cold War)
HIS 301 (History of American Involvement in Vietnam)
HIS 321 (American Diplomatic History I)
HIS 322 (American Diplomatic History II)
PSC310 (American Foreign Policy)
PSC 361 (International Politics of the Middle East)
PSC 375 (International Conflict Resolution)

East Asia

APG 327 (Himalayan Cultural Studies)
ARH 104 (Asian Art)
ARH 211 (The Arts of Southeast Asia)
ARH 270:001 Asian Art Through VR Games
ARH 279: Chinese Art
AST 200 (Asian Studies)
HIS 298 (East Asian History I)
HIS 299 (East Asian History II)
PHL 325 (Asian Philosophy)

France

FRN 212 (French Civilization)
FRN 304 (French Culture)
FRN 321 (Survey of French Literature I)
FRN 322 (Survey of French Literature II)
FRN 311 (Masterpieces of French Literature)
HIS 311 (Era of the French Revolution)
PHL 422 (Contemporary Existentialism)

Globalization

AMS/GST/SOC/WMS 318 (Globalization and Social Justice)
ECN 440 (Economics of Globalization)
ECN 365 (International Trade Theory and Policy)
GST 201 (Case Studies in Globalization)
HIS 352 (Global Feminisms in the Age of Empires and Beyond)
PHL/GST 337 (Philosophy and Globalization)
ENG 370 (Global and Postcolonial Literature)
GST/PSP 360 (Justice Across Borders)
GST 370 (Special Topics in Globalization)
HPM 315 (Issues in Global Health)

Ireland

ENG 360 (Modern Irish Literature)
HIS 414 (Twentieth-Century Ireland)

Italy

ARH 205 (Italian Renaissance Art)
ARH 306 (Baroque and Rococo Art)
HIS 323 (The Renaissance)
ITA 212 (Italian Civilization)
ITA 303 (Authors and Works of the Early Renaissance)
ITA 304 (Authors and Works of the Late Renaissance)
ITA 318 (Modern Italy)
ITA 321 (Survey of Italian Literature I)
ITA 322 (Survey of Italian Literature II)
ITA 401 (Risorgimento I)
ITA 402 (Risorgimento II)
ITA 403 (Modern Italian Literature: The Early 1900s)
ITA 404 (Modern Italian Literature: 1950-Present)
ITA 405 (Italian Cinema)

Latin America

APG 321 (Latin America: Mexico and Central America)
APG 322 (Latin America: South America)
HIS 230 (Early Latin American History)
HIS 231 (Modern Latin American History)
PSC 336 (Latin American Politics)​
SPN 309 (Hispanic Caribbean Literature and Culture)
SPN 322 (Survey of Spanish-American Literature)
SPN 405 (Contemporary Hispanic Poetry)
SPN 408 (Contemporary Spanish-American Novel)
SPN 417 (Spanish-American Literature)
SPN 418 (Spanish-American Novel)

Law

ECN 352 (Business, Government, and Society)
ENG 390 (Law and Literature)
HPM 310 (Health Law)
LAW 201 (General Law)
LAW 305 (Legal Studies: Topics in Civil Litigation)
MGT 330 (Legal Environment for Business I)
PHL 423 (Law and Morality)
PSC 300 (Law and Society)
PSC 311 (American Constitutional Law)
PSC 312 (Civil Liberties)
PSC 369 (International Law and Organization)
PSY 335 (Psychology of Law)
SOC 337 (Criminology)

Medieval Europe

ARH 204 (Medieval Art and Architecture)
ENG 305 (Medieval Literature)
ENG 307 (Chaucer)
HIS 303 (Medieval England)
HIS 331 (Medieval Europe I)
HIS 332 (Medieval Europe II)
HIS 334 (Men and Women in Medieval Society)
MSC 214 (Music of the Middle Ages and Renaissance)
PHL 310 (Medieval Philosophy)

Middle East

ARH 307 (From Abraham to Alexander: The Art and Archaeology of the Ancient Middle East)
HIS 339 (Ancient Egypt)
HIS 342 (History of the Middle East to 1920)
HIS 345 (History of the Modern Middle East)
PSC 329 (Middle Eastern Politics)
PSC 361 (International Politics of the Middle East)

Modern Britain 

ENG 353 (The Victorian Age)
ENG/WMS 354 (Nineteenth-Century British Novel)
ENG 363 (Twentieth-Century British Novel)
HIS 304 (Modern Britain)
HIS 319 (Victorian Worlds)

North Ireland (*courses only offered at Stranmillis University)​

Northern Ireland Culture and Education
Peace and Conflict: The Irish Question from Plantation to Peace​

Renaissance Europe

ARH 205 (Italian Renaissance Art)
ENG 308 (Sixteenth-Century Literature)
ENG 313 (Renaissance Drama)
HIS 323 (The Renaissance)
HIS 324 (The Reformation)
ITA 303 (Authors and Works of the Early Renaissance)
ITA 304 (Authors and Works of the Late Renaissance)
SPN 401 (Spanish Literature of the Golden Age: The Renaissance)
MSC 214 (Music of the Middle Ages and Renaissance)

Russia and Eastern Europe

HIS 312 (Nationalism and Independence in Eastern Europe)
HIS 313 (Eastern Europe Since World War I)
HIS 421 (History of Russia I)
HIS 422 (History of Russia II)
HIS 485 (Seminar: The History and Culture of the Cold War)
PSC 324 (Government and Politics of Russia and the Former Soviet Union)

Russian/Soviet/Post-Soviet Studies

HIS 421 (History of Russia I)
HIS 422 (History of Russia II)
HIS 313 (Eastern Europe Since World War I)
HIS 482 (Seminar: The Collapse of Communism)
PSC 324 (Government and Politics of Russia and Former Soviet Union)​

Social Justice

GST/PSP 360 (Justice Across Borders)
GST 371 (Global Service Learning)
OC/GST 318 (Globalization and Social Justice)
PHL 301 (Ethics, Moral Leadership, and the Common Good)
PHL 320 (Philosophy of Catholic Social Thought)
PSC 215 (Human Rights)
PSP 101 (Intro to Service in Democratic Communities)
PSP 302 (Diversity, Community, and Service)
PSP361 (Philanthropy)​
PSP 371: Mapping Youth Leadership
THL 375 (Global Service in Solidarity)
THL 376 (Catholic Social Thought)​

Approved Disciplines

Students: You must declare and complete two courses in an approved Core Focus theme or discipline.

Important message for students and advisors:

• Please note that only one AP course can be used toward fulfilling a Core Focus
• A core focus in discipline may be fulfilled by courses in a minor, certificate program, or a second major taken in a discipline on the Core Focus in Discipline list.

The Office of the Registrar will record the core focus for all double majors where one major includes an approved Core Focus in Discipline. Students pursuing a minor or certificate program must declare the core focus themselves. (Dropping a second major, minor, or certificate program may require declaring a new Core Focus to satisfy this requirement for graduation.)

• Liberal Arts Honors program students fulfill the Core Focus requirement through successful completion of the Liberal Arts Honors curriculum. Students enrolled in the 3-2 engineering and 3-4 NECO optometry programs fulfill the Core Focus by virtue of completing the degree program.  All secondary education and music education majors are considered double majors for this purpose and may fulfill the Core Focus through completion of appropriately designated courses in the second (Core Foundation area) major.

Disciplines

• Anthropology
• Arabic**
• Art
• Art History
• Biology
• Black Studies****
• Chemistry & Biochemistry
• Chinese**
• Computer Science​
• Dance (specific course choices are below)
• Dramatic Writing (specific course choices are below)
• Economics
• English ***
• Engineering-Physics-Systems
• Film [specific course choices are below]
• French**
• German**
• Global Studies
• Greek**
• History
• Italian**
• Latin**
• Mathematics
• Music
• Political Science​​
• Psychology
• Sign Language**​
• Social Work
• Sociology
• Spanish**
• Speech [specific course choices are below]
• Theater [specific course choices are below]
• Women’s Studies

Dance: Any two of the following:

111 (Intro to Dance)
212 (Modern Dance)
214 (Ballet)
216 (Jazz Dance)
313 (Intermediate Modern Dance)
314 (Intermediate Ballet)
315 (Dance Composition)
316 (Intermediate Jazz Dance)
319 (History of Dance)
370 (Special Topics in Dance)
410 (Children’s Dance)

Dramatic Writing

321 (Screenwriting)
405 (Principles of Playwriting)

Film: Any two of the following:

120 (History of Film: Silent Era)
121 (History of Film: Classic Era)
220 (The Catholic Imagination of Four American Filmmakers)
226 (Analyzing Film)
321 (Screenwriting)
322 (Film Theory)
323 (Women in Film)
328 (Film/Video Production)
428 (Advanced Video Production)
472 (Special Topics in Film/Video: Studio)
473 (Special Topics in Film/Video: Text)

Speech: Any two of the following:

102 (Intro to Oral Communication)
107 (Oral Interpretation)
109 (Acting)
203 (Public Speaking)
204 (Voice and Diction)

Theatre: Any two of the following:

103 (Intro to Theatrical Design)
105 (Stagecraft)
107 (Oral Interpretation)
108 (Script Analysis)
109 (Intro Acting)
201 (History of Fashion and Costuming)
202 (History of Theatre)
204 (Voice and Diction)
205 (Theatrical Production)
206 (American Musical Theatre) [Includes AMS 206]
301 (Western Drama in Performance)
304 (Acting: Realism)
305 (Acting: Improvisation)
306 (Acting: Presentational Styles)
309 (Principles of Directing)
320 (Women in the Arts)
405 (Principles of Playwriting)
407 (Children’s Theatre and Creative Drama)
470 (Special Topics in Theatre/Studio)
471 (Special Topics in Theatre/Text)

*Additional departments will be added to this list based on the approval of two or more courses for foundational Core requirements (except for Philosophy or Theology, per the Core Curriculum legislation).

** Students who elect to satisfy the Core Focus through the completion of modern or classical language courses must choose two courses in the same language.

*** Students who choose English as their Core Focus discipline cannot use ENG 101 to satisfy a requirement.​

****Students who choose Black Studies as their Core Focus discipline must take BLS 101