Core Curriculum Review

Auburn’s Core Curriculum, commonly referred to as the “Core”, represents the shared coursework and experiences Auburn undergraduate students complete. Drawing on a rich academic tradition and designed to foster the knowledge, skills, and perspectives essential to a robust and relevant university education, the Core integrates curricular and co-curricular experiences that are hallmarks of Auburn graduates and provides the foundation that “gives students the knowledge to work wisely and trains their minds and their hands to work skillfully.”

Auburn’s Core Curriculum serves multiple purposes. Beyond supporting academic progression into majors, it offers students meaningful opportunities to explore potential career paths, engage in shared learning experiences, and develop as well-rounded thinkers and engaged citizens.

In spring 2025, the university initiated a review of the Core to ensure that the courses and experiences support Auburn’s mission to prepare students for productive, purposeful lives by providing forward-thinking education, life-enhancing research and scholarship, and impactful service.

The purpose of the Core Review is to bring together students, faculty, staff, alumni, and other members of the Auburn Family to take a thoughtful and comprehensive look at Auburn’s educational experience and ensure that it is:

• comprehensive, coherent, and rigorous

• committed to Auburn’s tradition of academic excellence

• responsive to institutional goals and the university’s strategic plan

• reflective of the abilities needed for careers in a practical world

• effective in equipping students to think critically and creatively about society’s evolving needs

Specifically, the Core Review will consider, but is not limited to:

• Content requirements and their relationship to general education outcomes

• The connections between Core coursework and major/program requirements

• The role of Core coursework in students’ distinctly Auburn experience

• Effective and appropriate pedagogies for delivering the Core

• Critical support structures, including advising, that help students navigate Core coursework

• The integration of coursework completed at other institutions with Auburn’s Core

• Accreditation standards (SACSCOC) and statewide agreements (Articulation and General Studies Committee of the Alabama Commission on Higher Education)

The Core Review is an opportunity to reaffirm the importance of the Core as a shared foundation for all students and to reinforce the critical importance of general education. Ultimately, the Core Review is about strengthening Auburn University by ensuring that the Core and general education outcomes continue to prepare and inspire students now and in the future.