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A Liberal Arts Education for the 21st Century

As students find their way in the world, the liberal arts can light their path. No matter their passions or major, a well-rounded education will propel them to a successful future with limitless potential.

Liberal Arts at USD

At USD, we believe in the power of interdisciplinary learning. We are committed to challenging students to see how all subjects are ultimately interconnected in our society. Today, we are just as committed to the liberal arts tradition as we have been since our founding in 1949.

A liberal arts background enables students to be multifaceted thinkers and scholars, equipped with both a curious mind and the skills to analyze the world from myriad perspectives. Students are taught how to learn, how to think and how to communicate across disciplines — skills that ensure success over the course of a lifetime.

The Immaculata bell tower on the USD campus

Catholic Intellectual Tradition

The Catholic intellectual tradition complements the liberal arts by emphasizing the education of the whole person. Outside the classroom, students have countless opportunities to discover what moves them, to grow in faith and spirituality, and to expand their worldview.

A USD professor works in the lab

Core Curriculum

To ensure students receive the full liberal arts experience, they complete USD’s core curriculum alongside the requirements for their selected major and/or minor. The core curriculum outlines coursework that has been designated by faculty as critical personal and professional competencies.

A USD student studies in the residence halls

Living Communities

USD’s five themed Living Learning Communities (LLCs) bring first-year students who share common interests together in a way that combines residential, academic and social experiences. Each LLC is comprised of roughly 15 different first-year courses, which span academic interests.

Career Readiness Programs

USD’s undergraduate schools and college require students to complete a career readiness program. There’s the Compass program in the College of Arts and Sciences, Passport in the Knauss School of Business and CONNECT in the Shiley-Marcos School of Engineering. Students get professional guidance while exploring their passions.

USD Honors Program

A true embodiment of the liberal arts, the USD Honors Program challenges our most intellectually curious students to take their academic journey to the next level. Team-taught courses and research complement standard coursework, providing a near-graduate level experience.

Building on Our Foundation

The Learning Commons

More classrooms. Flexible study space. Stadium seating for more than 150 people. Meet USD’s newest building: the Learning Commons. The two-story, 36,000-square-foot space was designed to host classes, study groups, work teams and solo exploration. Also equipped with the latest in sound and video technology for presentations, films and other events, the Learning Commons is another anchor to the liberal arts academic core on campus.

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