In the spirit of what is best in a liberal arts education, the academic core at Saint Anselm College has been designed to offer students a breadth of experience that will prepare them for life; an education that not only provides professional and career preparation, but also encourages a lifelong pursuit of truth that will sustain and enrich their lives. This education is facilitated through a core curriculum composed of a set of common courses and learning outcomes considered essential for the education of students in all majors.
The College has recently revised and reinvigorated its academic core by adopting a new core curriculum that began Fall 2014. The new core is characterized by its balance between common courses that foster a sense of academic community and elective courses that allow for individual student choice.
The core curriculum includes three major elements:
- Humanities
- College Writing
- Core Learning Outcomes
Beyond the Classroom
A true liberal arts education cannot be contained within the confines of a course catalog. Rather, the full measure of understanding, inquiry, and service required of a fully educated student is often paid outside of the classroom. Students at Saint Anselm College have many opportunities for academic, cultural, and social enrichment outside of the classroom.
As home to several internationally recognized centers and institutes, Saint Anselm welcomes thought leaders from around the world to study, speak, and conduct research on campus. In fact, the New Hampshire Institute of Politics is a noted national venue for democratic discourse that has hosted political commentators and presidential debates. In addition to coursework, scientific and academic research weighs heavily in undergraduate education at Saint Anselm. Students at Saint Anselm have the opportunity to participate in research opportunities working alongside faculty members working in the laboratory and social sciences in academic settings and facilities on campus, as well as in field locations all over the world.
And in keeping with the Benedictine devotion to learning in the service of humankind, Saint Anselm College encourages all of its students to participate in service learning to apply classroom concepts in challenging community contexts. Service learning projects are coordinated by the Meelia Center for Community Engagement and faculty members often integrate service learning options in their courses.
Spiritual life, including Mass service, volunteer opportunities, and alternative spring break ministries are coordinated by Saint Anselm's Campus Ministry.