The Brandeis Core

Students work together on a project in a classroom

Build the skills that matter most — no matter what you study.

The Brandeis Core is the shared academic experience every undergraduate completes. It ensures you graduate not only with deep knowledge in your major, but with essential skills you'll use for the rest of your life — and the flexibility to explore what excites you along the way.

The Skills You'll Build

At Brandeis, the Core builds essential skills into coursework across every program of study. Every undergraduate develops a recognizable set:

  • Teamwork and collaboration
  • Technological fluency
  • Quantitative reasoning
  • Global understanding and social responsibility
  • Clear communication

These skills are woven into courses across programs of study — so whether you study biology, philosophy, business or theater, you graduate able to think deeply and apply what you know in the real world.

How the Core Works

The Core is organized into four areas:

  • First-Year Seminar: A small, discussion-based course taken in your first year
  • Core Competencies: Essential skills including communication, teamwork, quantitative reasoning and global engagement and justice, integrated into courses across every major
  • Areas of Inquiry: Coursework across the sciences, social sciences, humanities and creative arts that reaches beyond your major
  • Health, Wellness and Life Skills: Practical skills for a healthy, balanced life

The Core is designed so that many courses count toward more than one requirement, giving you flexibility in how you shape your education.

Students working on computers together at an office during an internship

Beyond the Classroom

At Brandeis, learning extends well beyond the classroom. Many students use it to pursue internships, research and other applied experiences that connect classroom ideas to the real world.

From day one, every student has both an academic advisor and a career advisor to help link their studies to what comes next — and students can earn microcredentials that provide verifiable proof of skills like data analysis, leadership and management.

Explore the Core Requirements

Visit the Undergraduate Affairs website for more details.