Undergraduate Majors

Academic excellence within a contemplative environment developing the skills of body, heart and mind

The faculty of Naropa University, under the direction of the vice president for academic affairs, has established requirements and criteria for graduation with the degree of Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Fine Arts. These requirements incorporate the breadth and depth of study traditionally associated with the liberal arts tradition in higher education. In addition, the university’s contemplative arts requirements effectively unite classroom learning with personal awareness disciplines. The core curriculum, required for all undergraduate students, forms the foundation for the full four-year program of study. For admissions requirements, contact admissions@naropa.edu.

The Structure of a Naropa Baccalaureate Education
A student must meet the following requirements to receive the Bachelor of Arts degree or the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Naropa University:

• Earn a total of 120 credit hours with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00;
• Fulfill the core curriculum;
• Earn the final 60 upper-division credit hours at Naropa. A grade of “C” is the minimum grade a student may receive in required courses in the major and minor field of study;
• Complete the requirements for one of the majors;
• Complete the Naropa University entry/exit survey for assessment.

The Major
Naropa University offers majors in Contemplative Psychology, Early Childhood Education, Environmental Studies, Interdisciplinary Studies, Music, Peace Studies, Performance, Religious Studies, Traditional Eastern Arts, Visual Arts and Writing & Literature.

The Minor
The optional minor field is designed to provide students with experience in an alternative area of study. Students may minor in Contemplative Education, Contemplative Psychology, Early Childhood Education, Ecology and Systems Science, Environmental History and Justice, Environmental Sustainability, Horticulture, Music, Performance, Religious Studies, Sacred Ecology, Sanskrit, Tibetan, Traditional Eastern Arts, Visual Arts or Writing and Literature.

Assessment
Naropa University is committed to the regular assessment and enhancement of student learning. All academic departments assess the effectiveness of their programs annually through faculty review of student work. These regular reviews are used as the basis of program improvement. Faculty members collect and submit student course work to assessment committees as part of this process.