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Course Catalog

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Art

Chairperson: Mat Rude
Leo Kreielsheimer Professor of Fine Arts: M. McCormick
Professors:  M. Farrell (Emerita), T. Gieber (Emeritus), S. Parker, M. Rude
Associate Professor: M. McCormick
Assistant Professors: R. Gil Zambrano, J. Seo

Gonzaga’s Art Department offers students the opportunity to investigate a variety of visual experiences through a study of both the studio arts and art history.

The department offers one major and two minors:

Bachelor of Arts, Art major
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Art major
Minor in Art
Minor in Art History

The Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) in Art is a professional degree in the fine arts intended to provide art majors with greater technical expertise and conceptual proficiency in studio art. It gives students a much more competitive edge when entering the job market for positions in design or media production, applying to graduate programs in the visual arts, or pursuing a career as a practicing fine artist.

The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Art provides students a comprehensive education in the visual arts and art history. It requires fewer credits in art than the B.F.A. and thus allows greater flexibility for students to pursue additional academic interests or a second major in another area of study.

The department is located in the Jundt Art Center. The Jundt Art Center maintains studios in ceramics, design, drawing, painting, and printmaking. Courses in photography and filmmaking are offered in the Journalism/Broadcast and Electronic Media Studies Building.  A theatre-style lecture hall in the Jundt Art Center provides space for art history, visiting artist lectures, and video/film presentations. Some of the department's courses are offered at Gonzaga-in-Florence.

The Jundt Art Museum provides storage and exhibition areas for Gonzaga University’s permanent art collection, plus changing exhibits of local, regional, national, and international artwork. Students and faculty regularly take advantage of the many opportunities to study and learn directly from artworks in the Jundt Art Museum.

The Gonzaga University Urban Arts Center (GUUAC) in downtown Spokane provides exhibit space for Gonzaga art students and faculty, local artists, and visiting artists from outside the region. The GUUAC brings the experience of contemporary art directly to the broader Spokane community.

B.A. Major in Art: 39 Credits

Lower Division
VART 101 Drawing I 3 credits
One of the following two courses:  3 credits
VART 112 Digital Art Foundations
VART 230 3-D Design
One of the following two courses:  3 credits  
VART 140 Ceramics: Hand Building   
VART 141 Ceramics 1  
VART 170 Photographic Art   3 credits   
VART 190 Art Survey: Prehistoric-Medieval 3 credits
VART 191 Art Survey: Renaissance-Modern 3 credits
VART 221 Oil Painting  3 credits
Upper Division
One of the following two courses: 4 credits
VART 350 Beginning Printmaking
VART 351 Beginning Screen Printing
VART 385 Figure Drawing I 4 credits
One the following Art History courses: (non-Art History Concentration Students Only) 3 credits
            VART 394 Special Topics in Art History    
            VART 395 Art in the 19th Century    
            VART 396 Art in the 20th Century    
            VART 407/WGST 350 Women Artists    
            VART 408 History of Photography    
VART Electives (studio art)  4 credits
VART 493 Studio Practice Course 1 credit  
VART 499 Professional Practice Course 2 credits
   
Art History Concentration: 15 credits
    (for Art Majors only)
VART 395 Art in the 19th Century 3 credits
VART 396 Art in the 20th Century 3 credits
Any three of the following elective courses: ** 9 credits

       VART 394 Special Topics in Art History
       VART 403/HIST 302 The Ancient City    
       VART 404/HIST 307 The Archaeology of Ancient Greece    
       VART 405/HIST 308 The Archaeology of Ancient Rome    
       VART 406/HIST 366 American Culture and Ideas    
       VART 407/WGST 350 Women Artists    
       VART 408 History of Photography    
       VART 498 Independent Research    

       

B.F.A. Major in Art: 53 credits
VART 101 Drawing I 3 credits  
VART 112 Digital Art Foundations 3 credits  
One of the following: 3 credits  
VART 140 Ceramics: Hand Building 
    
VART 141 Ceramics: Ceramics I
    
VART 170 Photographic Art 3 credits  
One of the following two courses:  3 credits  
VART 190 Art Survey: Prehistoric-Medieval 
    
VART 191 Art Survey: Renaissance-Modern 
    
VART 201 Drawing 2

3 credits

  
VART 221 Oil Painting 3 credits  
VART 230 3-D Design 

3 credits

  
One of the following two courses:
 4 credits  
VART 350 Beginning Printmaking
    
VART 351 Beginning Screen Printing
    
 VART 385 Figure Drawing 1 4 credits  
Three additional 300-level or above studio art courses 12 credits  
Two upper division art history courses 6 credits  
VART 493 Studio Practice Course 1 credit   
VART 494 BFA Solo/Two-Person Exhibit 0 credit  
VART 499 Professional Practice Course 2 credits   

Minor in Art: 24 credits
Lower Division
VART 101 Drawing I 3 credits
One of the following three courses: 3 credits
VART 112 Digital Art Foundations
VART 170 Photographic Art
    
VART 230 3-D Design
One lower division VART Elective 3 credits
Upper Division
One of the following five courses: 3 credits
VART 394 Special Topics in Art History
VART 395 Art in the 19th Century
VART 396 Art in the 20th Century
VART 407/WGST 350 Women Artists
VART 408 History of Photography
VART Studio Art Electives * 12 credits

Minor in Art History: 24 credits

  (for non-Art Majors; Art Majors may declare a concentration in Art History)
Lower Division
VART 101 Drawing I 3 credits
One of the following three studio courses: 3 credits
VART 112 Digital Art Foundations 
VART 141 Ceramics I
VART 221 Oil Painting 
VART 190 Art Survey: Prehistoric-Medieval 3 credits
VART 191 Art Survey: Renaissance-Modern 3 credits
Upper Division
VART 395 Art in the 19th Century 3 credits
VART 396 Art in the 20th Century 3 credits
Any two of the following electives: ** 6 credits
           VART 394 Special Topics in Art History  
           VART 403/HIST 302 The Ancient City  
           VART 404/HIST 307 The Archaeology of Ancient Greece  
           VART 405/HIST 308 The Archaeology of Ancient Rome  
           VART 406/HIST 366 American Culture and Ideas  
           VART 407/WGST 350 Women Artists  
           VART 408 History of Photography  
           VART 498 Independent Research  

**A maximum of two upper-division art history courses in study abroad programs may be substituted for the upper-division elective requirements, with prior approval from Department Chair.

The Visual Literacy minor focuses on an interdisciplinary approach to studying photographic and video arts, photojournalism, and documentary film. The minor gives students models for thinking critically about the interpretation and impact of images in society and artistic creation, and the evolving role of video in online news and social media. The curriculum integrates experiential learning with the theories and ethics of artistic and journalistic visual creation.

Minor in Visual Literacy: 18-21 credits

Lower Division
INMD 101 Media Literacy 3 credits
Two of the following options: 6 credits
           VART 112 Digital Art Foundations(1)  
           VART 170 Photographic Art(1)  
           JOUR 270 Photojournalism  
           VART 272 Intro to Filmmaking  
           JOUR 280 Design and Editing  
Upper Division
Three of the following options: 9-12 credits
           BRCO 320 Image Communications  
           VART 371 Art Fusion  
           JOUR 374 Documentary History and Analysis  
           VART 408 History of Photography  
           JOUR 470 Documentary Filmmaking  
           VART 472 Creative Filmmaking  

See the Undergraduate Catalog department sections for individual course descriptions.

(1) Students majoring or minoring in Journalism must take VART 170 or VART 112.

*Note: Students using JOUR 470 and/or BRCO 320 to satisfy the Visual Literacy minor requirements, may not also use the courses for an upper-division BRCO, JOUR or PRLS elective course required for Broadcast & Electronic Media Studies, Journalism, or Public Relations majors and minors. 

Lower Division
VART 101 Drawing I
3.00 credits
The graphic representation of visual reality in a variety of media; emphasis is directed toward an understanding of observation, form, line, value, composition, and space. Fall and Spring.
VART 112 Digital Art Foundations
3.00 credits
An introduction to basic design and digital art, using the computer as a primary tool and Adobe Photoshop, as well as drawing and painting materials. Fall and Spring.
VART 115 Art Appreciation
3.00 credits
An introduction to the visual arts of the Western world. The basic premise of the course stems from a conviction that painting, sculpture, and architecture reflect the times and places that produced them. Fall and Spring.
VART 121 Painting Methods & Materials
3.00 credits
An introduction to a variety of methods and mediums that are used in basic painting. Students will learn how to prepare different surfaces for painting, including paper, panel and canvas. Intended for the non-art major/minor. Fall and Spring. Fulfills the following degree requirement(s): Core: Fine Arts and Design.
VART 140 Ceramics: Hand Building
3.00 credits
This course will focus on hand-building techniques such as coiling and slab construction as well as an introduction to the potter's wheel.
VART 141 Ceramics I
3.00 credits
A basic experience with clay. Emphasis on hand building techniques with an introduction to wheel forming. Secondary emphasis on developing fundamentals of clay and glaze technology. Fall and Spring.
VART 170 Photographic Art
3.00 credits
A survey of the role of photography in media and art as well as contemporary human experience. The course emphasizes creative control of digital cameras and an understanding of the principles of photography in creating images with technical and high aesthetic value. Fall and Spring.
Equivalent:
JOUR 170 - OK if taken between Fall 2018 and Summer 2022
SOSJ 170 - OK if taken since Fall 2021
VART 180 Special Topics
1.00- 3.00 credits
Topics to be determined by instructor.
VART 190 ArtSurvey:Prehistoric-Medieval
3.00 credits
A study of art and architecture from the Prehistoric era to the late Middle Ages. Fall, even numbered years.
VART 191 Art Survey:Renaissance-Modern
3.00 credits
A study of art and architecture from the late Middle Ages to modern times. Spring, even-numbered years.
VART 192 Independent Study
1.00- 3.00 credits
Topic to be determined by faculty.
VART 193 FYS:
3.00 credits
The First-Year Seminar (FYS) introduces new Gonzaga students to the University, the Core Curriculum, and Gonzaga’s Jesuit mission and heritage. While the seminars will be taught by faculty with expertise in particular disciplines, topics will be addressed in a way that illustrates approaches and methods of different academic disciplines. The seminar format of the course highlights the participatory character of university life, emphasizing that learning is an active, collegial process.
VART 194 World Art
3.00 credits
An introduction to the visual arts of Africa, Oceania, Asia, and the indigenous populations of South and North America from the fourteenth century to today. Fall, odd-numbered years
VART 195 Arts of Asia
3.00 credits
This course focuses on the art and architecture of China, Japan, Korea, and South and Southeast Asia from the Neolithic period to today. Students will examine developments in a variety of media, including painting, sculpture, architecture, ceramics, prints, textiles, and alternative media that have emerged since the 1960s. Spring, odd-numbered years.
VART 201 Drawing II
3.00 credits
A continuation of VART 101. Spring.
Prerequisite:
VART 101 Minimum Grade: D
VART 202 Figure Drawing in Florence
3.00 credits
Focuses on traditional drawing techniques and methods for depicting the physicality of the body and of space. VART 101 recommended as a pre-requisite but not required. Florence campus only.
VART 212 Sculpture Materials & Design I
3.00 credits
Explores the principal elements of design through sculpture and drawing projects. Students will develop their structural and perceptual senses, with a special emphasis on 3-D perception. Florence campus only.
VART 221 Oil Painting
3.00 credits
Basic problems in oil techniques, explorations in still life, landscape, and expression. Fall and Spring.
Prerequisite:
VART 101 Minimum Grade: D or VART 112 Minimum Grade: D
VART 230 3-D Design
3.00 credits
A foundational course focused on the principles and elements of design for three-dimensional/sculptural art. Students learn how to turn a concept/idea into a three-dimensional work of art. Fall and Spring.
VART 241 Ceramics II
3.00 credits
Qualities of form, function, and style are explored by means of wheel forming. Glaze development and approaches to firing techniques are introduced. Spring only.
Prerequisite:
VART 141 Minimum Grade: D
VART 272 Intro to Filmmakeing
3.00 credits
An experiential, hands-on course that introduces students to the fundamental aspects of digital filmmaking. Students will learn basic camera operation, audio recording, and video editing while also examining the creative and ethical considerations associated with the craft of filmmaking. Spring
Prerequisite:
VART 170 Minimum Grade: D or VART 112 Minimum Grade: D or JOUR 270 Minimum Grade: D
Equivalent:
BRCO 272 - OK if taken since Fall 2024
FILM 262 - OK if taken since Fall 2024
VART 292 Directed Studio
1.00- 3.00 credits
Variable credit, directed study for the student with a limited schedule. Studio work by arrangement. Fall and Spring.
VART 293 Introduction to Florence
3.00 credits
A survey of Florentine history from its origins to 1400, with special reference to the artistic, social, and literary developments of the 13th and 14th centuries. Florence campus only.
VART 294 Florence of the Medici
3.00 credits
A study of the artistic, social, and literary developments in Florence from the time of Savonarola through the Florence of Michelangelo, Cosimo I, Galileo, and the Grand Dukes. Florence campus only.
VART 295 Spanish Art-Modern and Contemp
3.00 credits
Granada campus only.
VART 296 Spanish Art-Ancient, Medieval
3.00 credits
Granada campus only.
Upper Division
VART 312 Sculpture Materials &Design II
4.00 credits
Explores the principal elements of design through sculpture and drawing projects. Students will develop their structural and perceptual senses, with a special emphasis on 3-D perception. Florence campus only.
VART 322 Fresco
4.00 credits
Exploration of Fresco techniques. Both buon and fresco secco are introduced. Students have hands-on experience and produce a fresco image during the course. Florence campus only.
VART 323 Painting: Narrative/Figuration
4.00 credits
Focuses on the human figure and creating narrative in painting. Students work partly from direct observation, crafting works that explore imagery, symbolism, and setting. Fall only.
Prerequisite:
VART 221 Minimum Grade: D
VART 324 Painting: Theory & Practice
4.00 credits
Focuses on contemporary theory in painting. Students create works on a single theme using different materials and processes.
Prerequisite:
VART 221 Minimum Grade: D
VART 341 Intermediate Ceramics Projects
4.00 credits
A directed study of specific throwing and/or hand building techniques. Studio processes of glaze development and firing practices will be introduced.
Prerequisite:
VART 241 Minimum Grade: D
VART 349 Special Topics in Studio Art
4.00 credits
Topics to be determined by instructor.
VART 350 Beginning Printmaking
4.00 credits
Introduces students to the development of imagery through a variety of etching and relief processes. Fall.
Prerequisite:
VART 101 Minimum Grade: D
VART 351 Beginning Screen Printing
4.00 credits
Introduces students to the development of imagery through the screen printing process. Spring.
Prerequisite:
VART 101 Minimum Grade: D
VART 352 Intermediate Printmaking
4.00 credits
This course adds new printmaking techniques to the processes learned in beginning printmaking, refines the abilities already learned and expands the student's knowledge about image development through the printmaking process. Fall and Spring.
Prerequisite:
VART 350 Minimum Grade: D or VART 351 Minimum Grade: D
VART 360 Museum Studies
3.00 credits
An exploration of the value and function of museums. History of Italian museums as outstanding examples of European Culture from the Renaissance to the 20th Century. Florence campus only. Can be substituted for one Art History requirement for Art majors.
VART 371 Art Fusion
4.00 credits
Students experiment with the use of various art media, including photography and film, to create mixed media pieces and learn how to critically engage in the analysis of creative works of art. Spring.
Prerequisite:
VART 112 Minimum Grade: C- or VART 170 Minimum Grade: C-
VART 385 Figure Drawing I
4.00 credits
Basic problems in developing the human figure and experiments with a variety of drawing media. Florence campus and main campus. Fall and Spring.
VART 386 Figure Drawing II
4.00 credits
A continuation of VART 385. Fall and Spring.
Prerequisite:
VART 385 Minimum Grade: D
VART 393 Special Topics Study Abroad
3.00- 4.00 credits
Topic determined by instructor.
VART 394 Special Topics in Art History
3.00 credits
Consult instructor for topic as it will vary each semester.
VART 395 Art in the 19th Century
3.00 credits
A survey of European and American art from c. 1789 to 1914. Special emphasis placed on the relationship between art and political revolution, Orientalism and "Primitivism" in the visual arts, the rise of landscape painting, the invention of photography, and the formation of an avant-garde identity in the nineteenth century. Fall.
VART 396 Art in the 20th Century
3.00 credits
A survey of European and American art from the 1890's to 1990's. Course topics include: the relationship between avant-garde culture and political radicalism; "Primitivism" in western art; the machine aesthetic; abstraction and its meanings; the influence and role of photography in modern culture; and the emergence of alternative and experimental visual media in the 1960's and 1970's. Spring.
VART 397 Renaissance Art
3.00 credits
A survey of the painting, sculpture, and architecture of Italy, 1400-1600. Florence campus only.
VART 401 Renaissance Architecture
3.00 credits
Renaissance Architecture, civil engineering, and design from Brunelleschi to Leonardo and Michelangelo and the interdependence of such fields to Florentine humanism and the development of European modernity. Florence campus only.
VART 402 The Image of God
3.00 credits
A comparative study in religious art and architecture between the Western world and traditional Far Eastern aesthetics (Chinese and Japanese), focusing on the basic element of spirituality. Florence campus only.
VART 403 The Ancient City
3.00 credits
This course is a survey of the development of the city in the ancient world. Students will explore urban forms and processes as they are shaped by - and as they shape - their social, cultural, economic and physical contexts. The course will focus on representative urban centers of the ancient Near East, Egypt, and the Mediterranean world, tracing the evolution of ancient urbanism from the Near East to the classical worlds of Greece and Rome.
Equivalent:
HIST 302 - OK if taken since Fall 2015
VART 404 Archaeology of Ancient Greece
3.00 credits
This course examines the techniques and methods of Classical Archaeology as revealed through an examination of the major monuments and artifacts of Ancient Greece and its neighbors. Architecture, sculpture, vase and fresco painting, and the minor arts are all examined, from the Bronze Age through the Hellenistic period. We consider the nature of this archaeological evidence, and the relationship of classical archaeology to other disciplines such as history, art history, and the classical languages.
Equivalent:
HIST 307 - OK if taken since Fall 2015
VART 405 Archaeology of Ancient Rome
3.00 credits
This course examines the techniques and methods of classical archaeology as revealed through an examination of the major monuments and artifacts of ancient Rome and its neighbors. Architecture, sculpture, vase and fresco painting, and the minor arts are all examined, from the Early Iron Age through the Late Roman period. We consider the nature of this archaeological evidence, and the relationship of classical archaeology to other disciplines such as history, art history, and the classical languages.
Equivalent:
HIST 308 - OK if taken since Fall 2015
VART 406 American Cultures and Ideas
3.00 credits
This course will examine American history through an exploration of its culture. Throughout this course we will work towards defining what culture is, how it shapes expectations and assumption, how it motivates human actions and interactions, and how it is bound by time and place. Each student’s ability to critically read cultural sources from an appropriately historical frame of reference will be tested in a variety of assignments, including weekly readings, writing assignments, and active class participation.
Equivalent:
HIST 366 - OK if taken since Fall 2015
VART 407 Women Artists
3.00 credits
An introduction to women as creators of fine and decorative art within North America and Europe from the late 18th C. to today. The course also addresses how women have been represented in art by men and other women.
Equivalent:
WGST 350 - OK if taken since Fall 2015
VART 408 History of Photography
3.00 credits
An introduction to the origins and history of photography from the 1830’s to today. Spring, even-numbered years.
VART 421 Advanced Painting Projects
4.00 credits
Advanced oil painting problems in still-life, figure and landscape. Fall and Spring.
Prerequisite:
VART 324 Minimum Grade: D or VART 323 Minimum Grade: D
VART 432 CIS:
3.00 credits
The Core Integration Seminar (CIS) engages the Year Four Question: “Imagining the possible: What is our role in the world?” by offering students a culminating seminar experience in which students integrate the principles of Jesuit education, prior components of the Core, and their disciplinary expertise. Each section of the course will focus on a problem or issue raised by the contemporary world that encourages integration, collaboration, and problem solving. The topic for each section of the course will be proposed and developed by each faculty member in a way that clearly connects to the Jesuit Mission, to multiple disciplinary perspectives, and to our students’ future role in the world.
VART 441 Advanced Ceramics Projects
4.00 credits
Exploration of advanced glazing and firing techniques. Emphasis is on developing individual expression in ceramic form.
Prerequisite:
VART 341 Minimum Grade: D
VART 442 Ceramic Materials
4.00 credits
A study of glaze theory and empirical formulation methods. Coursework is designed for the advanced student contemplating graduate school or a professional career in the studio. Upon sufficient demand.
Prerequisite:
VART 241 Minimum Grade: D
VART 443 Kiln Design and Construction
4.00 credits
An exploration of kiln types, firing methods, and chamber designs. A kiln will be constructed and fired. Upon sufficient demand.
Prerequisite:
VART 241 Minimum Grade: D
VART 450 Advanced Printmaking Projects
4.00 credits
This course continues to refine the abilities already learned and expands the student's knowledge about printmaking. The emphasis is on idea development in combination with technical skills to create a body of work through printed means. Individual exploration is encouraged and challenged through critical dialogue in combination with the teacher and fellow students.
Prerequisite:
VART 352 Minimum Grade: D
VART 466 Philosophy of Art
3.00 credits
An analysis of beauty, creativity, and taste according to the theories of Aristotle, Plato, Aquinas, and some contemporary philosophers. Several representative works from all areas of the fine arts are examined in the light of the aesthetic principles of classical philosophy.
Equivalent:
PHIL 472 - OK if taken since Fall 1996
VART 472 Creative Filmmaking
4.00 credits
An exploration of moving images and digital video as they relate to documentary films and art. Students learn how artists employ digital video and moving images in their artistic work. They also learn how to apply fundamental visual strategies of digital media and technological tools, including media editing software such as Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects, to the creation and editing of video. Lab fee. Fall.
Equivalent:
BRCO 472 - OK if taken since Fall 2024
FILM 467 - OK if taken since Fall 2023
INMD 410 - Taken before Spring 2020
VART 480 Special Topics Studio
1.00- 4.00 credits
Topic to be determined by Instructor.
VART 485 Advanced Drawing Projects
4.00 credits
Exploration of advanced drawing techniques.
Prerequisite:
VART 386 Minimum Grade: D
VART 492 Independent Study
1.00- 4.00 credits
Specialized study by arrangement with individual studio faculty.
VART 493 Studio Practice
1.00 credit
Students begin a body of work that launches them towards their larger group of works to be· shown in April of their senior year as part of the senior exhibition. Students discuss and learn about various forms of studio practice and how artists create spaces, projects, and situations for themselves. Group critiques of work-in-progress will take place on a weekly basis. Fall and Spring.
VART 494 BFA Solo/Two-Person Exhibit
.00 credits
Students will exhibit a body of work in the local area, on or off campus. Students will be responsible for the planning, marketing, and installation of their solo or two-person show. Fall and Spring.
VART 497 Art Internship
.00- 6.00 credits
Professional work experience in an art-related field.
VART 498 Research
1.00- 4.00 credits
Individual research on an art topic approved by and arranged with a faculty member.
VART 499 Professional Practice
2.00 credits
Required of Art Majors. Open to art minors by departmental invitation only. A seminar designed to prepare the graduating student for vocations in art or postgraduate studies, culminating with a public exhibition of the senior's portfolio demonstrating learned skills. Enrollment by permission of instructor. Spring.
 

In addition to their major and minor areas of study, all undergraduate students follow a common program designed to complete their education in those areas that the University considers essential for a Catholic, Jesuit, liberal, and humanistic education. The University Core Curriculum consists of forty-five credits of course work, with additional designation requirements that can be met through core, major, or elective courses.

The University Core Curriculum is a four-year program, organized around one overarching question, which is progressively addressed through yearly themes and questions. Hence, core courses are best taken within the year for which they are designated. First year core courses encourage intellectual engagement and provide a broad foundation of fundamental skills. Second and third year courses examine central issues and questions in philosophy and religious studies. The fourth year course, the Core Integration Seminar, offers a culminating core experience. Taken at any time throughout the four years, broadening courses intersect with the core themes and extend students’ appreciation for the humanities, arts, and social and behavioral sciences. Finally, the designation requirements (writing enriched, global studies, and social justice) reflect important values and reinforce students’ knowledge and competencies.

Overarching Core Question: As students of a Catholic, Jesuit, and Humanistic University, how do we educate ourselves to become women and men for a more just and humane global community?
Year 1 Theme and Question: Understanding and Creating: How do we pursue knowledge and cultivate understanding?

  • The First-Year Seminar (DEPT 193, 3 credits): The First-Year Seminar (FYS), taken in the fall or spring of the first year, is designed to promote an intellectual shift in students as they transition to college academic life. Each small seminar is organized around an engaging topic, which students explore from multiple perspectives. The FYS is offered by many departments across the University (click here [PDF] for list of FYS courses).  
  • Writing (ENGL 101, 3 credits) and Reasoning (PHIL 101, 3 credits): The Writing and Reasoning courses are designed to help students develop the foundational skills of critical reading, thinking, analysis, and writing. They may be taken as linked sections. Writing (ENGL 101) carries one of the three required writing-enriched designations (see below).
  • Communication & Speech (COMM 100, 3 credits): This course introduces students to interpersonal and small group communication and requires the application of critical thinking, reasoning, and research skills necessary to organize, write, and present several speeches.
  • Scientific Inquiry (BIOL 104/104L, CHEM 104/104L, or PHYS 104/104L, 3 credits): This course explores the scientific process in the natural world through evidence-based logic and includes significant laboratory experience. Students pursuing majors that require science courses will satisfy this requirement through their major.
  • Mathematics (above Math 100, 3 credits): Mathematics courses promote thinking according to the modes of the discipline—abstractly, symbolically, logically, and computationally. One course in mathematics, above Math 100, including any math course required for a major or minor, will fulfill this requirement. MATH 100 (College Algebra) and courses without the MATH prefix do not fulfill this requirement.

Year 2 Theme and Question: Being and Becoming: Who are we and what does it mean to be human?

  • Philosophy of Human Nature (PHIL 201, 3 credits): This course provides students with a philosophical study of key figures, theories, and intellectual traditions that contribute to understanding the human condition; the meaning and dignity of human life; and the human relationship to ultimate reality.
  • Christianity and Catholic Traditions (RELI, 3 credits). Religious Studies core courses approved for this requirement explore diverse topics including Christian scriptures, history, theology, and practices as well as major contributions from the Catholic intellectual and theological traditions (click here [PDF] for a list of approved courses) .

Year 3 Theme and Question: Caring and Doing: What principles characterize a well lived life?

  • Ethics (PHIL 301 or RELI, 3 credits): The Ethics courses are designed to help students develop their moral imagination by exploring and explaining the reasons humans should care about the needs and interests of others. This requirement is satisfied by an approved ethics course in either Philosophy (PHIL 301) or Religious Studies (click here [PDF] for a list of approved courses).
  • World/Comparative Religion (RELI, 3 credits): Religious Studies courses approved for this core requirement draw attention to the diversity that exists within and among traditions and encourage students to bring critical, analytical thinking to bear on the traditions and questions considered. These courses carries one of the required two global-studies designations (see below) (click here [PDF] for a list of approved courses).

Year 4 Theme and Question: Imagining the Possible: What is our role in the world?” 

  • Core Integration Seminar (DEPT 432, 3 credits). The Core Integration Seminar (CIS) offers students a culminating core experience in which they integrate the principles of Jesuit education, prior components of the core, and their disciplinary expertise. Some CIS courses may also count toward a student’s major or minor. The CIS is offered by several departments across the University (click here [PDF] for list of CIS courses).

The Broadening Courses

  • Fine Arts & Design (VART, MUSC, THEA, 3 credits): Arts courses explore multiple ways the human experience can be expressed through creativity, including across different cultures and societies. One approved course in fine arts, music, theatre, or dance will fulfill this requirement (click here [PDF] for a list of approved courses).
  • History (HIST, 3 credits): History courses are intended to develop students’ awareness of the historical context of both the individual and the collective human experience. One course in History (HIST 101, HIST 102, HIST 112, HIST 201, HIST 202) will fulfill this requirement.
  • Literature (3 credits): Literature courses foster reflection on how literature engages with a range of human experience. One approved course in Literature (offered by English, Classics, or Modern Languages) will fulfill this requirement (click here [PDF] for a list of approved courses).
  • Social & Behavioral Sciences (3 credits): Courses in the social and behavioral sciences engage students in studying human behavior, social systems, and social issues. One approved course offered by Criminal Justice, Economics, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, or Women and Gender Studies will fulfill this requirement (click here [PDF] for a list of approved courses).

The Designations
Designations are embedded within already existing core, major, minor, and elective courses. Students are encouraged to meet designation requirements within elective courses as their schedule allows; however, with careful planning students should be able to complete most of the designation requirements within other core, major, or minor courses.

  • Writing Enriched (WE; 3 courses meeting this designation): Courses carrying the WE designation are designed to promote the humanistic and Jesuit pedagogical ideal of clear, effective communication. In addition to the required core course, Writing (ENGL 101), which carries one of the WE designations, students must take two other WE-designated courses (click here [PDF] for a list of approved courses).
  • Global-Studies (GS; 2 courses meeting this designation): Courses carrying the GS designation are designed to challenge students to perceive and understand human diversity by exploring diversity within a context of constantly changing global systems. In addition to the required core course, World/Comparative Religion (RELI 300-level), which carries one of the GS designations, students must take one other GS-designated course (click here [PDF] for a list of approved courses).
  • Social-Justice (SJ; 1 course meeting this designation): Courses carrying the SJ designation are designed to introduce students to one or more social justice concerns. Students must take one course that meets the SJ designation (click here [PDF] for a list of approved courses).

Major-specific adaptations to the University Core Curriculum

All Gonzaga students, regardless of their major, will complete the University Core Curriculum requirements. However some Gonzaga students will satisfy certain core requirements through major-specific programs or courses. Any major-specific adaptations to the core are described with the requirements for the majors to which they apply.