University Core Requirements - Traditional Programs

Baccalaureate Degrees

Overall Structure

Each degree program consists of the following elements:

1. The University core is a series of courses required of all undergraduates, except students in the Honors Program.
2. Degree programs in business (BBA) and science (BS) have a specific set of courses required of all students in the degree program: business core or science core. The degree core for BS programs is adjusted to suit particular majors.
3. Each major program has a set of courses required of all students in the particular curriculum. The balance of each program is a number of electives chosen by students to complement their major course of study and to complete the minimum credit requirement. These electives may be used to pursue a minor and, in some instances, a second major.
4. Specific requirements for a degree and for each major are listed in the section of this catalog devoted to the school offering the degree. Unless otherwise specified, a minor in either school requires a minimum of 12 upper level credits in a given discipline beyond those mandated by the University or degree cores.
5. For the Bachelor of Arts degree, 3/4 of the total number of credits for the BA degree must be liberal arts credits; for the Bachelor of Science degree, 1/2 of the total number of credits for the BS degree must be liberal arts credits; for the Bachelor of Business Administration degree, 1/4 of the total number of credits for the BBA degree must be liberal arts credits.

The University Core Curriculum

(As of Fall 2022 - For Previous Core Curricula, see appropriate catalog year above)

The University Core Curriculum is the program of studies designated by the faculty as essential for providing students with the necessary resources for initiating a lifelong engagement in the study of the liberal arts.  All courses are designed to help Iona students achieve those goals which derive from Iona’s educational philosophy.  In particular, these courses provide students with skills and knowledge that help them to understand and live in the contemporary world.

Mission of the Core Curriculum

The Iona University Core Curriculum commits to the ideals of liberal education through the provision of a common learning experience that prepares students for ethical, engaged citizenship and lifelong learning through the lenses of diversity, sustainability, and a global perspective.  Framed by the values of peace, justice, and service, the content-rich, interdisciplinary liberal arts curriculum is cohesively structured and characterized by an emphasis on the skills of critical thinking and literacy in its many forms.  Aspiring to the ideal of full intellectual engagement, the Core Curriculum seeks to facilitate students’ ability to question and challenge accepted wisdom.  Iona University’s dynamic Core Curriculum promotes the use of high impact educational practices designed to foster deep learning experiences that support students in pursuit of the knowledge and skills needed to thrive as citizens and prospective leaders in an ever-changing world.

CORE STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

SLO 1 - BIG IDEAS: Through engagement with “big questions” grounded in the liberal arts, students will demonstrate knowledge of the meaning and complexities of the human experience and its relationship to the natural world.  

SLO 2 - KEY ABILITIES: Through immersion in a nurturing community dedicated to intellectual engagement, students will demonstrate the skills needed to thrive as citizens and prospective leaders in an ever-changing world. Such skills include:

        2A: Critical thinking 

        2B: Written communication 

        2C: Oral communication 

        2D: Quantitative literacy 

SLO 3 - GLOBAL AND CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT: Through a comprehensive curricular experience that emphasizes the values of peace, justice, and service, as well as appreciation for human diversity, sustainability, and civic engagement, students will demonstrate the ability to apply a global perspective and the principles of ethical reasoning.

        3A: Human Diversity 

        3B: Ethical Reasoning 

        3C: Global Perspective 

The University Core consists of 15 courses in 6 areas 

1. Columba Cornerstone - one course
2. English Composition - one course
3. Humanities - five courses (one three-credit course in each area: Fine and Performing Arts, History, Literature*, Religious Studies, and Philosophy) *Literature course may be taught in English or Italian, in a course studying literature.
4. Social Science and Business - two courses: Students take two three-credit courses in this area, with at least one course taken from Economics, Political Science, Psychology or Sociology. 
5. Science/Technology/Math - three courses (one course in each area: Computer Science, Mathematics, and lab-based Science)
6. Diversity, Cross-Cultural, and Global Perspectives - three courses (one three-credit course in language acquisition, one three-credit course in human diversity, one three-credit course in global perspectives or an additional course in language acquisition*) *Second course in language must be the same language as and at a higher level than the first course.

Honors Degree Core Curriculum

The Honors core is required of all students in the honors program and consists of 56-57 credits grouped in 7 areas.

1. Humanities - Four courses (Honors sequence HON 101 , HON 102 , HON 201 , and HON 202 )
2. Social Science - Two courses* chosen from the following: ECO 201 , ECO 202 , POL 201 , POL 203 , PSY 201 , PSY 202 , SOC 101 , or SOC 102  .
   * Business students must take ECO 201  and ECO 202 .
3. Interdisciplinary - Three 300-400 level courses from the following disciplines: English, history, philosophy, religious studies, economics, psychology, political science, or sociology; or BUS 410.  The courses must be from different disciplines.
4. Mathematics, Science, Technology - Three courses (one mathematics - MTH 231  , one lab science - BIO 101 ,  BIO 125 , CHM 109   or PHY 101 , and one computer science - CS 201 ).
5. Fine and Performing Arts - One course at the 200-level or above.
6. Honors Core - Three courses: HON 109 , HON 401 , and HON 402  
7. Modern Languages** - Two courses in one language (French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Spanish, American Sign Language)
   ** Students seeking to take their high school language must be placed according to skill level and may NOT take intro level of the high school language and receive credit. AP exams in French, German, Spanish and Latin (not Virgil), with a score of 3 or better, may be used to fulfill this requirement.

Foreign Language Substitution Courses

Students with appropriate documentation may fulfill the foreign language requirement through the completion of a sequence of substitution courses. A list of these courses is available from academic advisors and from the Office of the Dean of the School of Arts and Science.

Adjustments to the University Core

As noted above, University core requirements may, in certain instances, be waived or adjusted on the basis of testing or evaluation.

University core requirements may be satisfied through Advanced Placement Program (AP) credits or College Level Examination Program (CLEP) credits in accord with policies set forth in the “Registration and Academic Procedures ” section of this bulletin. Credits from high school bridge programs are accepted on a course-by-course basis. Normally a maximum of 12 credits from high school bridge courses will be accepted.

In addition, students have the option of pursuing departmental testing or evaluation in order to satisfy the requirement, or by obtaining permission to take more advanced courses in accord with policies established by the department.

All students pursuing adjustments to the University core must file an authorization form with the Office of the Dean of the School of Arts and Science. Transcripts for students will be annotated to reflect adjustments. Students who satisfy requirements through AP, CLEP, or high school bridge credits will have the course equivalent and credits earned entered. For students who qualify for advanced placement in Areas I, II and IV, eligibility for advanced study will be indicated.

Designing a Program of Study

In designing a program of study with their academic advisors, students should use the following guidelines:

• The minimum full-time semester course load is 12 credits. Ordinarily, students carry 15 credits a semester to complete their degrees in four years.
• Students must complete prerequisite courses before enrolling for advanced courses.
• Student schedules should not include a set of five consecutive class meetings.
• Elective credits should be used to add breadth to the program, rather than an excessive number of credits in the major.
• In addition to the required major field of study, students may, if their degree program permits, elect to complete a second major or a minor field of concentration. “Double majors” must be approved by the academic dean.
• Ordinarily, a single course may be used to satisfy no more than one requirement. Introductory level courses may be used to satisfy the University core.

Graduation Requirements

To be eligible for graduation, students must:

1. Earn a minimum of 120 credits for a BA or BBA. Some BS degrees require more than 120 credits (check the major description for details);
2. Satisfactorily complete all requirements of the degree program in which they are registered, including the capstone experience which may be set by departments and schools; and
3. Maintain a minimum average of “C” (i.e., 2.0 cumulative index) computed according to the method indicated in this catalog both in their major and in their overall index. 

To participate in the Spring Commencement ceremony the following requirements must be met:

Baccalaureate Degree Students:

Must have no more than 6 outstanding credits or 2 classes at the end of the spring semester. These final credits must be completed over the summer either at Iona or, with permission from The Center for Advising, in consultation with the Major department, at another college or university. Proof of enrollment for the outstanding credits MUST be presented and verified.