Academic Life

Sequence of Readings

The sequence of readings in the Academic Program is integrated into a year-by-year order of readings called the annual tutorials.  Each reading builds upon the previous ones—in a gradual way. At the end of their undergraduate liberal education in the Academic Program, the students begin to see the integration that exists in the world and within themselves and understand that engagement with the world and communion with God are necessary if they desire to truly live life well. In this way, the students are encouraged to continue in their own growth and development for the rest of their lives.

The sequences of readings are designed so that the students will discover the first principles that are found in the world, such as the whole is prior to and greater than any one of its parts; all men desire to know; and every human action aims at the final good of happiness. Thus, all of the tutorials are integrated on the basis of first principles, since the world itself is integrated in this way. For example, the biologist knows that the organs of an animal are not understood without the whole animal, nor the cell without the organ, nor the membranes and macromolecules without the cell.  In imitation of nature, then, all of the annual tutorials are integrated on the basis of parts that can be referred to a whole.

[Top]