Natural critical thinkers

In this age of unprecedented change, you will need critical thinking skills to separate real news from fake news, truth from lies, and to distinguish information from knowledge.

At Notre Dame, our Core Curriculum will empower you with the fundamentals of critical thinking. It will provide life-long skills – essential for a new generation of CEOs, entrepreneurs, leaders and global citizens.

For the start of the 2023 academic year, the University will be launching a new core curriculum which will open up a range of new learning opportunities and experiences for our students.

Our decision to introduce a new core curriculum is a result of extensive consultation, both internally to the University and externally, and it will support the key elements of the University’s new Strategic Plan.

What is also exciting is that the new national core curriculum will be offered in a variety of delivery modes, including intensive versions that will include unique international experiences. You can learn more about our core curriculum through these FAQ documents for staff and students.

The University continues to pride itself on delivering a memorable learning experience for our students and helping them gain the most from their time at Notre Dame. We genuinely believe that our new national core curriculum is an important initiative that will further make our university a unique and distinctive choice for students.

Employers seek graduates who can think critically, creatively and compassionately. Every Notre Dame student is encouraged to develop these skills through the Core Curriculum, which examines perennial themes, theories and ideas that relate to today’s society.

Through the study of Philosophy, Ethics and Theology, the Core Curriculum allows you to collaborate with students of all disciplines, solve problems, ask questions and consider how you can achieve your career ambitions while building a better world.

Philosophy has a beautiful way of making you look at the world in a different way. It allows you to tap into things that you might not have thought about before.

Jesse – Philosophy

Read our blog, written by one of our students, to find out more about what a liberal arts education means for you.

Staff Factsheet Student Factsheet