# Academic Principles

**Source**: https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/academics/academic-principles/
**Parent**: https://collegeadmissions.uchicago.edu/apply/application/

## Free Expression: A University of Chicago Core Value

Freedom of expression is an essential element of the educational experience at the University of Chicago.\
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A University of Chicago education is about more than gaining a set of skills, achieving a rite of passage, or even honing the ability to think critically. It is a way of experiencing and moving through the world, an interest in a lifelong dialogue across different perspectives and disciplines, an inclination to ask good questions and seek out knowledge, and a willingness to change perspectives after encountering new ideas. From the beginning, we've believed in the benefits of a liberal arts education, including a robust intellectual foundation in a variety of disciplines.

## The Core

At the University of Chicago, our Core curriculum is each student's introduction to the tools of inquiry used in every discipline—humanities, social sciences, and natural and mathematical sciences.\
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The Core is known for its small, Socratic-style classes capped at a maximum of 19 students where learning takes place through discussion based on primary texts. The [Core curriculum](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COoIIDysF20) accounts for the first third of a student's time in the College, giving them a great deal of flexibility in how they complete it. Not everyone takes the same classes, but everyone studies similar disciplines and tackles similar intellectual challenges, which provides each student in the College a fundamental vocabulary of ideas and common skills of analysis and argumentation. It provides a shared, unifying experience for all students in the College, as well as a robust foundation for any major and habits of inquiry that last a lifetime.\
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Learn more on the [College's Core website](https://college.uchicago.edu/academics/core-curriculum).

## The Quarter System

All this exciting academic activity at UChicago takes place in a [calendar of academic quarters](https://www.uchicago.edu/academics/calendar/), which last nine weeks each and conclude with a reading period followed by a week for finals. Most students take classes during Autumn, Winter, and Spring Quarters, though courses are also available during [Summer Session](https://summer.uchicago.edu/).

## Majors, Minors, and other Areas of Study

Expanding on the breadth of the Core curriculum are nearly [70 majors and 60 minors, as well as dozens of areas of specialized study](/academics/areas-of-study/), with full-time [academic advisers](https://college.uchicago.edu/advising/college-academic-advising-office) helping students navigate these opportunities from day one.\
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At a liberal arts institution such as the University of Chicago, your major does not necessarily determine your career path. While for some students, choosing a major serves as a path to a specific career or profession, for others it represents a way to build skills that could apply to many different careers or to dig into a passionate academic interest. You can begin a major at any time, including your first quarter. Unless otherwise specified by the department, the deadline for declaring a major is Spring Quarter of your third year. Most students will change majors at least once during their time on campus. With so many programs, choosing just one can be difficult, which is why many students will pursue a secondary area of study, either through an additional major or minor.

## Electives and Other Programs

Whether you choose to immerse yourself in the [papal election of 1492](https://news.uchicago.edu/story/donning-renaissance-costumes-students-re-enact-1492-papal-elections) or analyze the underlying international trends hidden within [Eurovision](https://music.uchicago.edu/node/698), the spirit of academic exploration continues beyond your primary major and the Core, as typically about a third of a student's courses are electives. Some students use these courses as a chance to explore a variety of personal or academic interests. About a quarter will choose to use this flexibility to double major, and about half will use it to add a minor. The deadline to declare a minor is the end of Spring Quarter of your third year.\
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The University of Chicago provides additional support as students begin to consider their next steps within an academic setting. Robust pre-professional preparation is offered though the [Office of Career Advancement](https://careeradvancement.uchicago.edu/), while the [UChicago Advanced Scholars Program](https://careeradvancement.uchicago.edu/student-opportunities/one-and-multi-year-programs/uchicago-advanced-scholars-4-1-masters-programs/) offers 4+1 programs in over 25 different programs in 5 of UChicago's graduate schools.

## Academic Advising and Support

From the moment you arrive on campus at the University of Chicago, you're plugged into a network of support.

### Academic and Career Advisers

From day one, each student is assigned a College Adviser and a Career Advisor. College Advisers are full-time staff available to help students navigate academic opportunities throughout their time in the College. They will support you as you select courses, pick a major, choose from options for completing the Core requirements, plan a study abroad experience, consider graduating a quarter early, add a minor, or navigate any other questions relating to your education. College Advisers' caseloads are small so that they can give each of their advisees personal attention.\
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Career Advisers are experts in specific fields and help students navigate the wide range of opportunities offered through UChicago Career Advancement. They will support students as you build your first college resume, coordinate job shadowing opportunities, apply for a [Career Advancement Trek](https://careeradvancement.uchicago.edu/student-opportunities/week-long-programs/treks/), navigate internship opportunities, and apply to graduate programs. These extensive resources ensure that 98 percent of students know their next steps. As a lifelong resource, they ensure that students be supported both during and after their time at UChicago.\
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Once you declare a major, you'll also work with a faculty adviser who's an expert in your field of study and can offer more specialized academic guidance. Your faculty adviser, as well as a graduate student preceptor, may guide you through the process of completing a significant research project for your BA thesis paper.

## Community and Additional Support

The University of Chicago offers support for students through the free [Core Tutoring Program](http://core-tutors.uchicago.edu/), the [Student Health and Counseling Services](http://wellness.uchicago.edu/), and the [Academic Skills Assessment Program](https://wellness.uchicago.edu/mental-health/academic-skills-assessment-program/), which helps students address concerns that can interfere with effective learning. [Student Disability Services](https://disabilities.uchicago.edu/) works to provide resources and accommodations that allow every student to participate fully in the life of the University.\
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First-year students live in House communities with a built-in ecosystem of support. Second-, third-, and fourth-years living in the House give advice on everything from which classes to take, to how to tackle a tricky math problem set, to the best place to get coffee in Hyde Park. Student Resident Assistants serve as peer mentors in each House, while staff or graduate student Resident Heads provide guidance and encouragement. Resident Deans, professors who live in each residence hall, forge ties between students and faculty.\
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Faculty, alumni, students, and staff serve as mentors to students in the College, through both formal mentor-mentee matching programs and informal relationships. Designated mentoring programs include the [LGBTQ Mentoring Program](http://lgbtq.uchicago.edu/mentoring/), the [First-Generation Alumni Mentoring Program](https://ccss.uchicago.edu/support/mentoring), and the [Office of International Affairs](https://internationalaffairs.uchicago.edu/). Students can also build relationships with alumni through the Office of Career Advancement, the Alumni Career Network, and networking events throughout the year.