About the Program of Liberal Studies
Founded in 1950, the Program of Liberal Studies (PLS) offers a three-year prescribed sequence of seminars and tutorials anchored in the Western and Catholic traditions.
At the core of the Program’s undergraduate curriculum are the Great Books seminars, in which small classes of 12-16 students meet twice weekly to study and discuss major texts from the Western and, to a limited extent, Eastern traditions. Parallel to the seminar, PLS students take a required sequence of tutorials that offer deeper, more focused explorations in literature, philosophy, science, theology, political theory, the fine arts, and intellectual and cultural history.
Through the course of the Program, students acquire a broad intellectual background while developing their abilities to read texts critically, formulate articulate and thoughtful arguments, and communicate effectively. As a result, PLS graduates leave the Program well-prepared to succeed in a wide range of professions.
PLS alumni have become leaders in business, finance, law, medicine, science, education, and academic scholarship; they have developed innovative programs to help the poor and disadvantaged; they have flourished in publishing, journalism, film, and the fine arts; and they have served the Church as clergy or in religious life.
PLS courses are taught by faculty who are committed to the ideals of a liberal arts education and who are leading scholars in their respective fields. The pursuit of scholarly excellence within a close-knit, highly interdisciplinary environment has made participation in the Program a rich and valuable experience for both professors and students.
Alongside its vibrant intellectual culture, PLS has a long tradition of community outreach grounded in Catholic social teaching. This tradition is readily evident in the enormously successful Great Books seminars led by faculty at the South Bend Center for the Homeless and by PLS students at numerous local schools. It is also embodied in the actions of PLS graduates, many of whom spend several years working for programs like the Alliance for Catholic Education, AmeriCorps, Teach for America, or the Peace Corps.