Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences

The Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences is the oldest and largest of the undergraduate colleges of the University. It offers either a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree, depending upon the major discipline, and prepares graduates for careers in a broad range of fields, as well as graduate training in both professional and academic disciplines.

In the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences a student's program consists of required Core courses, intensive study in a major field, and a choice of individual electives reflecting a student's personal interests.

Core—A modern version of the traditional Jesuit Ratio Studiorum, the Core in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences provides an introductory exposure to the various disciplines that define a liberally educated individual in today's world as well as to the philosophical and theological ideas that help integrate these different areas of knowledge into a student's own intellectual perspective. All Morrissey College of Arts and Science students must complete the University Core requirements in the Arts, Cultural Diversity, History, Literature, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Philosophy, Social Sciences, Theology, and Writing, as well as a Foreign Language Proficiency Requirement.

Major—All students in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences must select a major field of study from the 39 majors offered in the college. Work in the major is not necessarily directly related to career training, but it is meant to develop critical and analytical thinking, professional and presentational skills, and an appreciation for the complexity of an area of study beyond the introductory level. A major generally consists of at least 30 credits (ten to twelve focused courses) in a field, 27 of which are not used to fulfill requirements for another major or minor. Some of these are sequentially organized required courses. Some of the courses are more narrowly focused major electives. A list of majors is available at the Majors and Minors page.

Electives—Electives in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences are designed to challenge students to help define their own individual education. Students may use electives to pursue intensive work in another field with a second major or minor; to study fields that bridge traditional disciplines through organized interdisciplinary minors; to pursue professional interests in management, education, or nursing; or to explore their own individualized personal, intellectual, and artistic interests.

Thus, the purpose of the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences is to produce broadly-educated, as well as highly-skilled graduates.

To ensure a coherent, well-developed program, students must meet with their faculty advisors before registration for each semester. They should also consult with other faculty, students, the Deans, the Pre-medical and Pre-law advisors, the Counseling Office, and the Career Center.

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