UTSA's core curriculum receives 'A' grade for fourth consecutive year

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(Oct. 22, 2014) -- For the fourth consecutive year, The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) has received an A-rating from the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) for the caliber of its core curriculum.

UTSA is one of only three Texas institutions and 23 universities in the United States to receive the highest rating in the 2014-2015 edition of the ACTA "What Will They Learn?" report. The study examined whether institutions of higher learning require seven courses deemed "crucial" to a well-rounded education: composition, literature, foreign language, U.S. government or history, economics, mathematics and science.

The study of the curricula of 1,098 colleges and universities across the country found that just 18 percent of colleges nationwide require even a single foundational course in American history; only 13 percent require intermediate-level foreign language; just 38 percent require even one literature course and just 3 percent require basic economics, according to the ACTA.

"Too many college rating systems rely on largely extraneous measures like alumni giving or selectivity to determine which colleges top their list," said Anne Neal, ACTA president. "What Will They Learn? looks at the most important data -- the strength of a college's education -- to find out which institutions are delivering the tools students will need to succeed in career and community."

UTSA earned the A-rating for requiring at least six of the seven subjects considered crucial to a solid core education. Foreign language is the only subject not currently required of all undergraduate students seeking a degree at UTSA.

"UTSA's strong core curriculum produces well-rounded graduates who are prepared to compete in a global economy," said John Frederick, UTSA provost and vice president for academic affairs. "As UTSA continues its advancement to Tier One status, we will continue to require a comprehensive, wide-ranging course of study that gives our students the basic skills and knowledge they need to excel."

In addition to the A-rating in the "What Will They Learn?" report, UTSA has been ranked by Times Higher Education as one of the Top 100 Universities Under 50 Years Old for the third consective year.

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