IRVING, Texas (Feb. 28, 2023) — According to a third-party study, the University of Dallas is one of just seven schools in America that challenge students to explore the full variety of the liberal arts. UD is also the only member of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities to earn this distinction.
The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) publishes a yearly report card that grades universities on their basic class requirements. The ranking considers seven subjects: composition, literature, foreign languages, government or history, economics, mathematics and science.
Only 22 schools nationwide earned the “A” grade, requiring students to engage with at least six of these subjects. Out of these schools, just a handful — including UD — require coursework in all seven subjects.
Thanks to the formative Core Curriculum, UD is the only university in Texas where undergraduates gain an understanding of all these subjects. In addition, the Core also includes requirements in theology and fine arts, which ACTA commended.
“Location, social climate and other aspects of campus life all have their place in the college hunt. But with its annual report card, ACTA is answering the most fundamental question about a university’s purpose: what will students actually learn?” said UD President Jonathan Sanford, Ph.D.
“In our Core Curriculum, students are immersed in the great works of Western civilization, discuss life’s most fundamental questions and gain an understanding of the natural sciences through real experimentation,” said Philip Harold, Ph.D., dean of the university’s undergraduate Constantin College of Liberal Arts.
“Our students graduate with a full, rich engagement with the world and awareness of their place in it, well-prepared for their journey of lifelong learning.”
UD has earned an “A” on ACTA’s report card since its initial publication in 2009.
