World View Seminars
Each University of Dubuque student must complete four World View seminars during their time at UD. Through the World View Seminar series, students are confronted with significant questions that help them examine their lives from numerous perspectives. These courses prepare students to participate as engaged, purposeful, and reflective members of society.
In collaboration with Academic Affairs and the Director of the First Year Experience, the Wendt Center developed sessions in World View I exploring integrity, lying/honesty/truth telling, and academic integrity. World View II curriculum focuses on serving our neighbor with justice and compassion.
Undergraduate Disciplines
Disciplines integrate character and ethics as appropriate throughout their programs, culminating ina senior practicum class that emphasizes vocation and ethics within their discipline. As a result, all disciplines at UD integrate concerns for integrity, justice, and compassion throughout their majors.
As UD's Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Mark Ward, puts it, "At UD, education is not just about the transfer of information. It is a process of forming the habits, practices, and virtues of learning, including those related to character development. Each major area of study situates the development of character into the curriculum."
Graduate Programs
The MBA, MM, P.A., and Seminary programs are working with Dr. Annalee Ward to thoughtfully integrate a moral character emphasis into their programs.
One of the points of description in the MBA states, "graduates are equipped to exercise character and ethics in decision-making." The program promises to challenge students "to develop the moral character needed to manage and lead with integrity, justice, and compassion." As Dr. Ricardo Cunningham, Dean for Graduate and Adult Studies points out, "Management with character are the beacons for a firm's success; those without character hasten its demise." Connecting moral character to disciplinary curriculums is key to a successful Wendt Character Initiative. It is also key for building a better world, a world where people act with integrity, treat people fairly and compassionately.
In the new Physician Assistants program, thought has also been given to how best make connections to character. Because PAs are licensed on a condition of having good "moral character," making these connections takes on extra significance. "As medical care becomes increasingly complex and specialized, it is important that the front line medical provider - increasingly the PA of the future - have a trustworthy character," notes Dr. William Karkow.
Character is an important matter in the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary as well, as it seeks to grow the entire person - body, mind, and spirit - in the way of Christ, bringing glory to God and blessing to others. As part of this formation, attention is paid to qualities such as faithfulness and holiness, in coursework and activities such as clergy ethics and disciple formation.