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Carleton College

Carleton College (Northfield, Minnesota)

www.carleton.edu

Identity Statement:

Carleton College is an independent and highly selective liberal arts college with a diverse and exceptionally able student body, a talented faculty whose first priority is teaching, and a continued commitment to the liberal arts.

General Requirements Statement:

A good liberal arts education requires not only rigor and depth, but also sufficient breadth to expose students to a wide range of subjects and methods of studying them. The college seeks to insure that its students study one field in depth by requiring a major. It encourages students to acquaint themselves with the major divisions of knowledge and modes of inquiry by requiring them to complete a designated number of credits with grades of S or C- or better from each of four broad categories of courses known as distribution areas.

Students must also fulfill a writing requirement and a Recognition and Affirmation of Difference requirement, demonstrate proficiency in a second language, complete four terms of physical education, and complete a major and an integrative exercise within the major.


Distribution Requirements:

Arts and Literature
12 credits
Humanities
12 credits
Social Sciences
18 credits
Mathematics and Natural Sciences
18 credits
Writing Requirement
Writing Designated Course
Writing Portfolio  

Language Requirement (up to 24 credits)
"essential part of a student's preparation in the liberal arts"
Competence through second year course, or competency exam         

Recognition and Affirmation of Difference
6 credits
Physical Education
4 credits
Integrative Exercises
Completed in major field  

Total Credits for Graduation
210
Total Distributive Credits
Without Foreign Language
With Language

70
94
    Percentage Core of Total                                                                33%-45%

   
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