Dear Villanovan,
Welcome to the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences!
Choosing to study in the Arts and Sciences brings you into a community of leaders with a tradition that stretches back for centuries. Most of the greatest thinkers, leaders and innovators throughout human civilization have come from the rich traditions and foundations of the Liberal Arts and Sciences.
A strong grounding in the Arts and Sciences will provide you the critical thinking and analytical skills to address any type of problem or situation that presents itself; important insight into the human condition to be an effective leader and change-maker, and the communication skills to be effective in any walk of life. By becoming a part of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, you are choosing a challenging and rewarding program of study that will yield dividends for the rest of your life. A degree is the Arts and Sciences is an education for a lifetime. Your challenge is to take advantage of the opportunities that Villanova’s College of Liberal Arts & Sciences offers.
This handbook for students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Enchiridion, is meant to be a ready reference for information on the College, our academic programs, regulations, and policies. It is important for you to be familiar with the topics included here so that you can make continuous progress toward completion of your degree.
As a student in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, you are part of a learning community that draws upon the legacy of St. Augustine, whose own pursuit of knowledge was characterized by open, intelligent, and respectful interaction with and integration of various points of view. The College programs in the liberal arts and sciences are designed to foster an awareness of moral, religious, and humanitarian values, all of which are necessary for the total growth of the individual and success after your education at Villanova. As St. Augustine reminds us:
Let knowledge be used as a kind of scaffolding to help build the edifice of love and understanding, which shall endure forever even after knowledge itself shall be destroyed. (Epist. 55, 22, 39)
The faculty and staff of the College are eager to help you attain your goals and realize the advantages of a Villanova education. The Enchiridion is one of the several handbooks that will be invaluable to you while you are enrolled at Villanova.
I wish you every happiness and success as you become a part of our College.
