The academic program at Regis is based on a traditional liberal arts curriculum. Such a curriculum assumes that education should be more than the acquisition of facts; it assumes that a primary purpose of education is to train the intellect as fully as possible. That assumption is reflected in the school's academic requirements.

The first three years of the academic program are largely standard for all students. The school believes that every student can benefit from the particular kind of training imparted by each discipline. The education of a student who has a special aptitude or a special interest in math would be incomplete if he did not master the kind of intellectual judgment required by a demanding course in history. Similarly, the student who loves literature needs to learn the kind of problem solving skills involved in chemistry; and so on.

The requirements of the curriculum are also shaped by the nature of the Regis student body. All of the students chosen for admission are, by national standards, intellectually gifted; therefore, it is appropriate that all courses should be intensive and accelerated. In other words, the school does not 'track' students according to ability; all students take essentially the same courses through junior year.

Within the framework of the underclass courses, there is some flexibility that permits students to follow their special interests; indeed, most courses allow for independent study and individualized projects. But, in essence, there is only one major choice made by students prior to senior year: the incoming freshman chooses the foreign language he will study.

There are some other variations which affect small groups of students. Students with sufficient elementary school preparation in algebra are placed on an advanced math track. Similarly, students with sufficient foreign language preparation are accelerated into the sophomore course. Students may also elect to take extra courses. Band/Chorus and the Science Research Project are open to a small number of sophomores and juniors. In senior year, the student is given considerably more freedom of choice. Theology and English are required for all students, but in those subjects the students choose from a group of trimester-long electives. In addition, the student chooses three year-long electives.

The links survey course offerings and yearly requirements in all departments. While some course offerings vary from year to year, these overviews of departmental offerings present a typical academic year at Regis in form and content.