Integral Curriculum of Liberal Arts, BA
In the Integral Program, you’ll immerse yourself in the tradition of liberal arts, reading primary texts as parts of coherent traditions of thought.
Our renowned faculty will guide you through four thousand years of literature and philosophy, including the Greco-Roman, Asian, and Christian traditions. Track the history of ideas up to the present day through the work of Confucius, Plato, Nietzsche, Austen, Dostoevsky, and more.
Our students grow tremendously in their critical thinking, writing, and verbal communication skills and are rewarded with a greater grasp of the ideas (and questions) that continue to shape human society.
Learn More About the Program
Get to know our well-respected faculty and their specialties as scholars. Or explore scholarship opportunities and an array of research possibilities.
Curriculum
Learning Outcomes
Students who complete the program will demonstrate:
- THE CAPACITY for disciplined examination and discussion of fundamental ideas and questions, as treated or suggested by some of the great written texts; and
- AWARENESS of variations in the kinds and degrees of knowledge attainable in different fields of inquiry, acquired through active use of the resources employed in those fields, e.g., experience, reflection, hypothesis, experiment, measurement, and inference; and
- ABILITY for close reading and listening, for precise verbal formulations of questions, distinctions, concepts, arguments, and judgments, and facility at addressing and responding to classmates’ like contributions; and
- WELL-DEVELOPED COMPETENCE in written formulation of questions, distinctions, concepts, arguments, and judgments.
Saint Mary's Testimonials
“The Integral Program has helped me develop an outstanding repertoire of skills, from critical thinking to overcoming complex problems in a group setting, and leadership skills. These skills translate into virtually any field, from business environments, the field of law, as well as the education system, and many more. The Program has provided me with a set that sets this major apart from others. After completing the Integral Program, I am confident that I will have the skills and mental aptitude to complete any task I am confronted with going forward.”
Kayla Mahoney ’22
One of 40 schools that will change the way you think about college. Saint Mary’s is the only California college and only Catholic college with this distinction.
Contact Us
Elizabeth Hamm, Program Director
elizabeth.hamm@stmarys-ca.edu
925-631-4155
Cathleen Huston, Assistant
cwh4@stmarys-ca.edu
925-631-4467