Immersive. Interdisciplinary. Individualized.
An academic journey designed for you.
Other schools may offer “general education requirements”, but at Drake, every course you will take (starting on Day 1!) is designed to help you dive into academic interests, pursue topics of interest, provide you with necessary professional skillsets, and intentionally fulfill graduation requirements.
First Year Seminar (FYS)
Your FYS is more than just a class, it's a built-in community. Through engaging discussions and shared experiences, you'll ease your transition to Drake and connect with classmates from day one.
Each FYS is limited to only 19 students. You’ll be grouped into an interesting class topic of your choice, which will help you connect to other students on campus who share your interests—no matter their intended major.
Beyond the fun topic, your FYS is a student-centered learning experience designed to develop the critical thinking, writing, and communication skills needed to excel at Drake and beyond.
FYS COURSE EXAMPLES:
■ Magic, Monsters, & Medievalism
Hear more about the FYS
■ Wicked: Defying Gravity & Authoritarianism
■ Superhero Comics & Contemporary Culture
■ Legacy of the Salem Witch Trials
■ Conspiracy Theories & Misinformation
■ The Economics, Sustainability, & History of Chocolate
■ Life Lessons from Children's Books
■ A Small Dose of Toxicology
■ Listening to the Marvel Cinematic Universe
■ The History of Hip Hop
■ How We Show Up
Learn more at drake.edu/fys
Areas of Inquiry (AOIs)
No “general education requirements” at Drake! Instead, Bulldogs take courses in 9 Areas of Inquiry (AOI) topics. Each of the 9 topics offers dozens of options spanning a wide variety of academic departments.
See below for a few example classes under each of the 9 AOI topics.
MAXIMIZE YOUR TIME: You can use AOI courses to further your goals in your major, explore potential major pathways (while keeping graduation on track!), or simply to pursue areas that fascinate you.
Artistic Literacy
27 choices including Stagecraft, Music in Western Cultures, and Film: Memory & Society
Engaged Citizen 23 choices, including Social Problems, Introduction to Women's & Gender Studies, and The Media in Modern Politics
Scientific Literacy* 90 choices, including Descriptive Astronomy, Biological Sciences for Non-Majors, and Intro to Psychology
Quantitative Literacy*
26 choices, including Business Calculus, Discrete Mathematics, and Math Pathways
Values & Ethics
17 choices, including AI Ethics, Communication Law & Ethics, and Human Rights & World Politics
Hear more about AOIs
Written Communication
17 choices, including Reading & Creating Comics, Advertising Copy & Content, and Reading Shakespeare
Historical Foundations 20 choices, including Magic & Western Esotericism, Themes in Art History, and Civil Rights Movements
Information Literacy 17 choices, including Marketing Research, International Management & Leadership, and Introduction to Cybersecurity
Global and Cultural Understanding
29 choices, including Modern Mexico, Beginning Japanese, and Comparative Religions
*One course in these topics must be completed by students on the Honors Track.
Explore all your choices at drake.edu/aoi
Honors Track
The Honors Track provides an alternate option to the AOI track and is open to students of any major! Students are also welcome to take honors classes, even if they are not completing the Honors Track.
Honors Track is more in-depth, interdisciplinary coursework. Often, two or more categories from the AOI track are combined to make one honors course.
The Honors program is a tight-knit learning community of other curious students who are highly motivated. Honors students also sponsor and enjoy special programming and events outside of the classroom.
All Drake classes are small, but honors classes are even smaller! Honors courses are limited to 20 or fewer students. Small class sizes enable deeper conversations to strengthen writing and critical thinking skills.
Students completing the Honors track take one class each from the Artistic Experience, Scientific Literacy, and Quantitative Literacy categories of the AOI track, the Honors-specific course titled Paths to Knowledge, and five Honors electives to replace the AOI track.
HONORS COURSE EXAMPLES
■ Material World of Art
■ Wrongful Convictions
■ Comparative Religions
■ AI Ethics
■ Language & Reality
■ Grief & Loss
■ Restorative Justice
Learn more drake.edu/honors
■ Globalization
■ The Science & Policy of Global Warming
■ Urban Environmental History
■ Women & The Law
■ Organizational Behavior
■ Independent Study
Hear more about the Honors Track