Program Mission
The mission of the Bachelor of Arts in Great Books program is to form leaders who understand the human experience and are prepared to serve the common good as skilled professionals and engaged learners. Through a Franciscan approach to vocational discernment, applied experiences in the community, and a classical education, the program fosters integrated thinking by exploring some of humanity’s greatest texts.
Program Purpose
The Bachelor of Arts in Great Books is a four-year liberal arts program in which students delve into great works of literature from the classical age through to our contemporary era. The core texts are from a diverse range of authors, each examining what it means to be human in our world. Transformative conversations are held in seminar-style classes where students actively drive the focus and faculty serve as mentors. Students complete nine seminar courses and a unit in vocational discernment. Two internships and a career-oriented minor prepare students to take their humanistic education into their chosen profession or pursuit of graduate school.
Program-Level Student Learning Outcomes (PLOs)
Upon completion of the Great Books program, graduates will be able to:
- Demonstrate foundational skills of inquiry (e.g. reading, writing, communicating).
- Articulate truths from humanistic texts or other sources.
- Discern vocational paths for service to the common good as a skilled professional and engaged learner.
- Apply humanistically-informed leadership skills in the community.
A student may declare the Great Books degree at any time, but must meet with a faculty advisor to help develop his/her individual degree plan. Requirements for acceptance into the program are the same as for acceptance to Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University.
Semester 1
Semester 2
| COMM 2310 | Professional Interpersonal Comm | 3 |
| GRBO 3310 | Great Books Seminar I: The Classical World | 3 |
| LATN 2410 | Intermediate Latin | 4 |
| PHIL 1310 | Ways of Living: An Introduction to Philosophy | 3 |
| WRIT 1311 | College Writing II | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 16 |
Semester 3
| GRBO 2100 | Vocations After Great Books | 1 |
| GRBO 3311 | Great Books Seminar II: Autobiography and Confession | 3 |
| PHIL 2310 | Logic and Critical Thinking | 3 |
| THEO 2315 | History of Christianity | 3 |
| ANTH 3310 | Religions of the World | 3 |
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| Minor Course 1 | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 16 |
Semester 4
| COMM 2311 | Professional Public Speaking | 3 |
| GRBO 3320 | Great Books Seminar III: The Good Life | 3 |
| PSYC 1310 | Introductory to Psychology | 3 |
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| Minor Course 2 | 3 |
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| National Sciences Elective | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Semester 5
| GRBO 3321 | Great Books Seminar IV: Economics and Work | 3 |
| GRBO 3330 | Great Books Seminar V: Beauty | 3 |
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| Minor Course 3 | 3 |
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| Ethics/Philosophy Elective | 3 |
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| Free Elective | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Semester 6
| GRBO 3331 | Great Books Seminar VI: The Natural World | 3 |
| GRBO 4330 | Great Books Internship I | 3 |
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| Minor Course 4 | 3 |
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| Free Electives | 6 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Semester 7
| GRBO 3340 | Great Books Seminar VII: The Good Community | 3 |
| GRBO 3341 | Great Books Seminar VIII: Southern Literature | 3 |
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| Minor Course 5 | 3 |
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| Free Electives | 6 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Semester 8
| GRBO 3350 | Great Books Seminar IX: Health and Disease | 3 |
| GRBO 4331 | Great Books Internship II | 3 |
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| Free Elective | 3 |
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| Free Elective | 3 |
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| Free Elective | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 15 |
Total Credit Hours for Bachelor of Arts in Great Books = 121
Ethics/Philosophy Electives may be taken from PHIL 2315, PHIL 2320, THEO 3345, THEO 3350 or THEO 3360
Natural Sciences Electives may be taken from BIOL, CHEM, PHYS or PHSC