Undergraduate Core Curriculum

Beginning with Fall 2025 University of Dubuque catalog year, students entering with an Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, or a Bachelor's degree from an accredited two-year or four-year institution will no longer be required to fulfill the Judeo-Christian Traditions requirement. All general education requirements will be considered complete for these students since the senior capstone requirement is completed as part of the major.

Current students who entered UD with a conferred Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, or a Bachelor's degree from an accredited two-year or four-year institution who are currently following the requirements of a previous catalog may request to transition to the 2025 catalog for their General Education requirements, if they will be enrolled in the 2025- 2026 school year. This may be requested on the Academic Record Change form found in MyUD.

NOTE: In some instances, a course may still be required as a pre-requisite to help position the student for success even if they earned an AA, AS, or a Bachelor's degree.

General Education Requirements

Note: Any given course may satisfy only one general education requirement.

I. FOUNDATIONAL INTELLECTUAL AND PRACTICAL SKILLS

All courses in this category are required, and a minimum grade of C must be earned:

• Written Communication: ENG 101 Composition and Rhetoric (3)
• Oral Communication: COM 101 Speech Communication (3)
• Quantitative Literacy: Mathematics: MATH 112 or higher (3)
• Information Literacy/Inquiry & Analysis: ENG/RES 104 Introduction to Research Writing (3)

II. ENGAGEMENT AND RESPONSIBILITY

To explore the major questions and challenges in five contexts of human engagement.

Natural World - One from each of the following components:

• Natural Science: 4-credit science course with a lab (4)
• Environmental Stewardship: BIO 125 Population, Resources and Environment (3)

Social Interaction - One from each of the following components:

• Social Development: PSY 110 Introduction to Psychology (3) -OR- SOC 111 Introduction to Sociology (3)
• Intercultural Engagement: COM 275 Intercultural Communication (3)

Human Expression - One from each of the following components:

• Literature: ENG 260 Literature & Culture (3)
• Fine and Performing Arts:  ART 112 Survey of Western Art II (3) -OR- MUSC 111 Music Appreciation (3)

History and Faith - One from each of the following components:

• History/Philosophy/Politics: HIST 211 U.S. History to 1865 (3)
• Judeo-Christian Traditions: THEO 104 Introduction to Christianity (3)

Personal Development - One from each of the following components:

• Physical Wellness: HWS 244 Wellness Lifestyles (3)
• Personal/Financial Stewardship: BAC 262 - Personal Financial Stewardship (3)

III. INTEGRATION AND APPLICATION

To develop a statement of personal calling/vocation that synthesizes knowledge, skill, and responsibility.

• World View Seminar Two: WVS 201 Self and Society (3)
• Capstone within Major (1-3)

Credit Transfer

The progress of transfer students will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. After the Registrar has evaluated transfer credit hours, the student will develop an academic plan with the academic advisor. Transfer students, at the time of matriculation to UD, will enter with a class standing in accordance with the number of credits earned and accepted by the University of Dubuque for prior education at other institutions.

Official transcripts should be sent to the site-specific LIFE Office of Admission directly from the other institutions attended.

All college level coursework earned at a post-secondary degree granting institution in good standing with their academic accrediting association will be evaluated for transfer credit. Generally, those institutions will be accredited by one of seven accrediting associations. College level coursework completed at a post-secondary institution not accredited by one of the listed accrediting associations may require additional approval from a Department Head and/or Dean. Academic accrediting associations:

• Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC)
• New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
• Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
• Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
• Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
• WASC Senior College and University Commission
• The Commission of Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools in the US and Canada (ATS)

Non-Accredited Institutions

Credits from established four or two year national or international institutions that are not accredited by regional or national accrediting agencies will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Semester credits: UD credits are semester credits. In transferring courses credited in quarter hours, the conversion formula is [semester credits] = [(2/3) x (quarter credits)].

Up to 24 credit hours of credit will be accepted through correspondence and/or extension courses. Transfer students must complete the general college requirements of UD. Students transferring to the University of Dubuque from either Clarke University, Loras College or Emmaus Bible College will have their course work there evaluated on the same basis as any other transfer student. Courses taken at Clarke University, Loras College or Emmaus Bible College after the student has matriculated at the University of Dubuque are considered work in residence at UD.

In most cases, a person academically dismissed from his/her last attended college prior to applying for admission to UD is ineligible for regular admission for two terms immediately following the dismissal. Summer school may be counted as one term. If admitted, the student may be placed on academic probation. An admitted student who was on academic probation at his/her last attended college prior to enrolling at UD may begin on academic probation.

Course Equivalency Approval for Current University of Dubuque Students

Approval by the UD Registrar is required for courses taken at other institutions, if the student wishes to transfer the course back to UD to fulfill a graduation requirement, prior to enrollment and completion of outside coursework. Approval of Clarke University, Emmaus Bible College, Loras College, and Acadeum coursework is also required. Students are encouraged to consult with the UD Registrar on questions regarding transfer equivalency of courses. Request to take a course at another college forms are available on the UD website, under the Academics and Registrar tabs.

• Undergraduate Transferring Credits

The University of Dubuque will evaluate all non-remedial courses passed at an accredited institution, provided the overall grade average for those courses is 2.0 or better. If the student's cumulative grade point average (GPA) at the institution from which the credits are transferred is less than 2.0, the University will only evaluate credit for courses in which grades earned were C or better. A course with a grade of "P"or "S" may be awarded transfer credit at the discretion of the Office of the Registrar. The equivalent number of credit hours, as offered at UD, of developmental credit from an accredited institution may be awarded. Military credit will be evaluated on an individual basis and generally awarded as "CR".

Transfer students should note that courses deemed equivalent to the skills courses of the UD General Education Curriculum will not transfer to the University of Dubuque with a grade of less than C, independent of the cumulative grade point average for all transferring credits:

• COM 101 Speech Communication
• ENG 101 Composition and Rhetoric
• MATH 112 College Algebra or any math course that applies to the General Education requirement
• ENG 104 Research Writing

If any change to the student's transferred equivalencies results in duplication of credit, the transfer credit is forfeited.

If a chosen academic major does not count grades of less than a C in courses taken to fulfill major requirements, it may be necessary to repeat a course or courses. Students should be aware that a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 for all credits taken as well as a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 for credits in an academic major is required for graduation. Consult department listings for specific details on GPA requirements of all majors.

Students transferring to the University of Dubuque from either Clarke University, Emmaus Bible College or Loras College will have their course work from their former institution evaluated on the same basis as any other transfer student. Cross- registered courses taken at Clarke University, Emmaus Bible College or Loras College, after the student has matriculated at the University of Dubuque, are considered work in residence at UD.

Transfer students must earn a minimum of 12 credit hours in their major area of study (some majors may have additional requirements) and earn a minimum of 30 of their last 36 credit hours in residence at the University of Dubuque.

Beginning with Fall 2025 University of Dubuque catalog year, students entering with an Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, or a Bachelor's degree from an accredited two-year or four-year institution will no longer be required to fulfill the Judeo-Christian Traditions requirement. All general education requirements will be considered complete for these students since the senior capstone requirement is completed as part of the major.

Current students who entered UD with a conferred Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, or a Bachelor's degree from an accredited two-year or four-year institution who are currently following the requirements of a previous catalog may request to transition to the 2025 catalog for their General Education requirements, if they will be enrolled in the 2025- 2026 school year. This may be requested on the Academic Record Change form found in MyUD.