The Core is an opportunity to inquire into the fundamental aspects of being and our relationship with God, nature and our fellow human beings.
Popular Searches
The Braniff Graduate Student Association (BGSA) of the University of Dallas was established to further the interests of the student body of the Braniff Graduate School of Liberal Arts within the University of Dallas community. All students enrolled in the Braniff Graduate School are members of the BGSA.
The BGSA is comprised of a Senate and an Executive Board. The Senate consists of six Senators, who represent the interests of the members of the BGSA on all matters concerning school policy and student life. The Senate as a whole serves as a forum for BGSA participation in the larger University community. Consisting of the President, the Treasurer, and the Secretary, the Executive Board administers the activities of the BGSA and serves as the official voice of the BGSA to the students, faculty, staff, and administration of the University.
9th Annual BCLA: The "Perennial Quarrel" Between Poetry and Philosophy | October 27-8, 2023
Each year the Braniff Graduate Student Association organizes a conference that reflects the unique interdisciplinary nature of the Braniff Graduate School and its emphases on classical education and contemporary scholarship.
Discover more about the 9th Annual BCLA.
Conference Date: Friday, April 1, 2022
Addressing the fundamental questions at the heart of natural law theory, the conference aims to clarify the ground of the disagreement between Thomas Aquinas and Leo Strauss on such questions as the knowability of natural law and the relation between theology and natural law. Although there are important affinities between the Straussian and Thomistic approaches to the question of natural justice—e.g., an understanding of nature as normative and of human nature as essentially unchanging throughout history, as well as a defense of the contemplation of the truth as the highest human activity—there are also important points of tension which, when examined, enable us to better see what is distinctive in each approach.
To this end, the University of Dallas has invited a select group of scholars to discuss the basic themes of this dispute as framed by Dr. James Carey in his book, Natural Reason and Natural Law: An Assessment of the Straussian Criticisms of Thomas Aquinas. We envision the conference as a friendly dialogue between scholars whose thoughtful disagreement on this topic can help us to grasp the basic problems that inhere in the philosophic quest for justice.
For more information, check out the official conference page.
For Every Time, a Season | March 4-5, 2022
Discover more about the 8th Annual BCLA.
4th Annual BUCLA: The Good Life | February 4-5, 2022
Each year the Braniff Graduate Student Association organizes an undergraduate conference that focuses on eudaimonia, the good life.
Discover more about the 4th Annual BUCLA.
7th Annual BCLA: Solitude and Community | March 5-6, 2021
Discover more about the 7th Annual BCLA.
3rd Annual BUCLA: The Good Life | Jan. 16, 2021
Discover more about the 3rd Annual BUCLA
Nov. 9, 2019 at 10:30 am - 12:00 pmBraniff 202
Dr. Gerard Wegemer from the English Department will lead a seminar on the short text, "To the Young, on How to Profit from Pagan Literature" by St. Basil, an experienced educator, accomplished classical scholar, and master rhetorician. A Q&A session on the seminar teaching method follows the discussion of the text.
6th Annual BCLA: Nature and Human Flourishing | Nov. 15-16, 2019
Discover more about the 6th Annual BCLA.
2nd Annual BUCLA: The Good Life | Oct. 11-12, 2019
Discover more about the 2nd Annual BUCLA
Date: Apr. 6, 2019
Esther Moon (IPS Literature) discussed how to strengthen a resume and how to prepare a submission for publication in an academic journal. Alex Taylor (IPS Literature) discussed what to avoid when writing a conference abstract.
Date: Mar. 2, 2019
Dr. William "Bill" Frank and Dr. Christopher Mirus from the Philosophy Department spoke on how beginning instructors ought to prepare a syllabus and design a course. Dr. John Peterson (IPS Politics) and Kimberly Heil (IPS Philosophy) spoke on how to lecture and how to use Socratic circles.
Click here for the workshop handout and here for an article by Dr. Frank on liberal education and UD's Core.
Date: Feb. 23, 2019
Dr. Peter Kreeft, well-known author and professor of philosophy at Boston College and The King's College, delivered a lecture entitled, "A Trinitarian Psychology of the Creative Imagination: Mind, Will and Heart" at the University of Dallas. This event was sponsored by the Provost's Office and the BGSA.
You may watch Dr. Kreeft's lecture here.
5th Annual BCLA: Scripture and the Disciplines | Feb. 15-16, 2019
Discover more about the 5th Annual BCLA.
1st Annual BUCLA: The Good Life | Oct. 5-6, 2018
Keynote Address: "Pietas" by Dr. Susan Hanssen | University of Dallas, History Department
This conference aimed to recover and renew the Western heritage of liberal arts and the Christian intellectual tradition in pursuit of eudaimonia, the good life. There were panels made up of upper level undergraduate students from across the country as well as a number of UD undergraduate students. Braniff graduate students served as moderators.