Core Curriculum

More tools for your toolbox.

Everything you learn in your Core Curriculum classes the first few semesters at Butler is designed to make you a sharper thinker, a stronger writer, and a better connector of (seemingly) unrelated concepts. It’s a demanding curriculum—made for those who embrace a good challenge.

Skills that will set you up for years to come.

A Butler education goes much deeper than career preparation. Our graduates learn to see the complexities of the world and use their knowledge as a force for good.

Regardless of major, you’ll take classes in our Core Curriculum—a set of classes that establish the concepts and skills you need to meet the rigors of college and the challenges you’ll encounter outside it.

At its heart, the Core Curriculum shoulders the promise of a liberal arts education: It fosters a well-rounded perspective on the world, while encouraging you to act in the interests of others. The Core Curriculum will challenge you intellectually, pushing you to investigate fields that may be outside your comfort zone. The sciences, the arts, history, and more are all covered.

Core
Components

First-Year Seminar

This year-long course will sharpen your writing, teach you to research, and bolster your critical thinking. Those aren’t just skills you’ll draw on in college–you’ll need them in life.

See First-Year Seminar

Indianapolis Community Requirement

Communities work best when we each do what we can to make them better. Part of our Core involves taking a class that directly impacts the Indianapolis community. It will make a difference here—and plant a seed for ongoing involvement.

See Requirements

Butler Cultural Requirement

Every year, there are hundreds of cultural events in Indianapolis and on campus at the Butler Arts and Events Center. Your mission: Attend eight during your Butler career. A simple assignment—for a more cultured college experience.

See Butler Cultural Requirement

Professor speaks to classroom with globe in background

Social Justice and Diversity Requirement

What forces lead to inequality? How can we counter those? Each of us—especially those in positions of privilege—have a responsibility to ask those questions and act on them.

Learn about Justice & Diversity Requirement

Study abroad group poses for a photo outside a palace

GALA

Every class taught in our Global Adventures in the Liberal Arts program is part of the Core. You can fulfill many of your requirements through this semester-long study abroad program.

Discover GALA Program

Featured Student

Gaming to Make a Difference

“We worked with a local nonprofit to create a video game for people with autism to help them learn how to develop friendships and help identify social cues. This has been one of my favorite classes at Butler because of the immediate impact we had on our client and the community.”

—Matthew O’Hern, Software Engineering

Featured Story

Core Values

“Students in ICRs learn that the more they give, the more they learn. There’s an exchange that happens, and it’s part of what it means to be human—it’s part of caring about other human beings. It can change the way you think and live your life.”

—Dr. Donald Braid, Director of Butler’s Center for Citizenship and Community

Butler student engaging with young children

internal resources

internal resources

Skills that will set you up for years to come.

Core
Components

internal resources

internal resources

Skills that will set you up for years to come.

Core Components

Core
Components