Common Curriculum

The SMU Common Curriculum is a general education framework that prepares students to be lifelong learners in a rapidly changing, interconnected world. The Common Curriculum is the twenty-first century reboot of the classical university education, challenging students to know the past, understand the present, and build the future.

The SMU Common Curriculum is for students entering Fall 2020 or later.

General Education Mission Statement:

The essence of Southern Methodist University’s educational philosophy is that intellectual and professional excellence rises from the solid foundation of a liberal arts education. Most importantly, general education should provide an intellectual foundation consisting of the broad outlines of human knowledge, providing a context for discipline-specific study, and a framework for a future of lifelong learning. In light of these considerations, an ideal general education course is one which builds a broad, context-rich framework in its content area. To the extent possible, it should transcend departmental boundaries, connecting to ideas in related fields, and relevant social and ethical questions.

FAQs
Resources
Requirements
University Curriculum (matriculation Fall 2016 to Spring 2020)

How do we help our students?

General Education:

Foundations

Foundation requirements ensure all students have the building blocks of a solid, university education, including solid writing and reasoning skills.
FOUNDATION REQUIREMENTS
Breadth

General Education:

Breadth

Breadth requirements investigate the problems of the world through diverse intellectual frameworks, allowing students to understand the problems and issues we face, their origins and evolutions, as well as possible solutions.
BREADTH REQUIREMENTS

Graduation Requirements:

Proficiencies & Experiences

Proficiencies and experiences give students the skills they need to succeed in the workplace and the tools they need to work with increasingly diverse colleagues and audiences. All components push students beyond the boundaries of the traditional classroom, encouraging them to apply their learning in the community and the wider world.

 

PROFICIENCY REQUIREMENTS
girl study
group
working at smu