Core Curriculum

All undergraduates share a common core curriculum designed to ensure students have a well-rounded base of knowledge and to spark academic curiosity. Each student will additionally have school- and major-specific requirements depending on the area(s) of study.

In response to an increasingly globalized world, the core curriculum focuses on multidisciplinary academic and community experiences. One highlight of the core curriculum is the value placed on public service. All students are required to participate in one or more service learning courses, which bridge classroom instruction and community practice.

Below is a basic outline of Tulane's core requirements. Only two components of the core curriculum need to be completed your first year - Freshman Writing and TIDES.  The remainder may be completed at any point throughout your undergraduate studies. You'll find more specific information about the core curriculum here.

• Writing Skills (2 courses; 6 credits minimum)
  • Freshman Writing (1 course; 3–4 credits)
  • Writing Intensive (1 course; 3 credits)
• Foreign Language (0-3 courses)
• Scientific Inquiry
  • Formal Reasoning (1 course; 3–4 credits)
  • Mathematics and Natural Sciences (2 courses; 7 credits)
• Cultural Knowledge
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences (2 courses; 6 credits)
  • Textual and Historical Perspectives (2 courses; 6 credits)
  • Aesthetics and the Creative Arts (3 credits)
• The First-Year Seminar
  • Tulane Interdisciplinary Experience Seminar (TIDES) or the Honors Colloquium
• Public Service
• Race and Inclusion (1 course; 3 credits)
• Global Perspectives (1 course; 3 credits)