Classes are small, almost always faculty taught, and organized by a Common Core curriculum, one (or two) of the 50 majors, and the student’s desire to explore electives. Drawing on the unique combination of a traditional liberal arts college with a large research university, students are able to take classes from the fine arts to the physical sciences, and combine small discussion-based classrooms with innovative research.

University of Chicago undergraduates are known for their intense curiosity about the world around them, and our liberal arts curriculum is known for its wide scope and intense rigor. The term “liberal arts” refers to the idea that a broad education and the ability to think critically can “liberate” a student’s mind by enabling them to make well-informed choices they can truly call their own. A liberal arts education is concerned not with technical training that is useful only on the job, but with the moral considerations that we come across in our daily lives. To this end, our students divide their time at the College between three requirements—the general education, or Core, curriculum; their major; and electives.

The famed Core curriculum, a model for American general education, is the University of Chicago student’s introduction to the tools of inquiry used in every discipline—science, mathematics, humanities, and social sciences. The goal is not just to transfer knowledge, but to raise fundamental questions and become familiar with the powerful ideas that shape our society.

The Core curriculum is usually completed in the first two years in the College and consists of a third of the student’s total credits. With this solid background, students move onto one of 50 majors, spending a third of their time in the College acquiring sophistication and depth of knowledge in one or two fields or interdisciplinary topics. The last third of the undergraduate program is devoted to electives, where students can take classes in any department or acquire a second major or minor in one of 24 fields.

Being a major research university in one of the largest metropolitan areas in the country, the curriculum is supplemented by a wealth of other study, research, and internship opportunities in the university, Chicago, and all over the world. Students are supported by award-winning faculty, state of the art laboratories, research institutes, workshops, libraries, museums, advising, and study abroad opportunities.