University Core Curriculum

The purpose of the university core is to prepare students with college-level competencies and values. Students completing the core curriculum will have a foundation in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and mathematics. College-level competencies include the following.

  • Critical thinking–distinguish between rhetoric and argumentation; recognize assumptions; recognize best hypothesis; infer and interpret relationships between variables; and draw valid conclusions.
  • Writing–recognize grammatically correct clause of sentence; organize language for coherence and rhetorical effect; recognize and reword figurative language; and organize elements of writing into larger groups of meaning.
  • Reading–interpret meaning of key terms; recognize primary purpose of a passage; recognize explicitly presented information; make appropriate inferences; and recognize rhetorical devices.
  • Mathematics–recognize and interpret mathematical terms; read and interpret tables and graphs; evaluate formulas; order and compare large and small numbers; interpret ratios, proportions, and percentages; read scientific measuring instruments; and recognize and use equivalent mathematical formulas or expressions.

See each degree program for specific core course requirements.

University Core

(45 hours)

Bible (12 hours)

  • BIB 1310 Introduction to the Old Testament
  • BIB 1320 Introduction to the New Testament
  • BIB 3305 Christian Heritage
  • BIB 3310 Christian Life

Written and Oral Communication (9 hours)

  • ENG 1301 Composition Studies
  • ENG 1302 Composition and Literature
  • COM 2340 Communication for the Professional

Human and Social Science (12 hours)

  • 3 hours from PSY 1300 General Psychology or SOC 1300 General Sociology
  • 3 hours from HIS
  • 3 hours from ECO, FIN, GOV, or HIS
  • ESS 1200 Personal Fitness and Wellness
  • UNI 1170 University Seminar
  • UNI 2000 University Skills

Natural and Physical Sciences (6 hours)

  • MAT 1311 College Algebra
  • 3 hours from BIO, CHE, NRC, or PHY

Cultural Awareness (6 hours)

  •  6 hours from  AFA, BIL, ENG, Fine Arts History, FOL, GBC, GOV, HIS, PHI, or REL

First-time beginning undergraduates must take UNI 1170 (University Seminar) during their first semester of attendance. Students transferring to the university with post-secondary transfer credit totaling 30 or more hours are exempt from UNI 1170 (University Seminar).

Transfer students must take a Bible courses at the university equal to 10% of the courses taken at the university but no fewer than 6 hours.

Requirements for Associate Degrees

  • Completion of 60 semester hours or more depending on the prescribed requirements
  • Achieve an overall GPA of at least 2.00
  • Complete at least 25% of hours required for the degree in residence
  • Completion of course requirements and examinations specified by the major department and the university
  • Completion of an application for graduation, submitted to the office of the registrar before the deadline
  • Requirements for the degree must be completed within 7 years of original enrollment in the university

Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees

  • Completion of 120 semester hours or more, depending on the prescribed requirements. At least 39 hours must be from upper level courses
  • Achieve an overall GPA of at least 2.00
  • Completion of at least 25% of the hours required for the degree from the university. Residency requirement must be completed after achieving senior status and at least 15 of the hours required for residency must be upper level
  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing students must complete at least 25% of their hours at the university
  • Completion of major courses with a GPA of at least 2.0
  • At least 18 hours of the major must be from upper level courses
  • Completion of course requirements and examinations specified by the major department and the university
  • Completion of an application for graduation, submitted to the office of the registrar by the deadline
  • Requirements for the degree must be completed within seven years of original enrollment at the university
  • Students seeking a second baccalaureate degree must complete the requirements for both degrees and earn a minimum of 24 semester hours in addition to those required for the first degree

Requirements for Minors

Minors are a cohesive set of courses selected to complement a major or to explore areas of interest unrelated to a major. Students are not eligible to pursue minors in the same discipline as their majors. Completion of an approved application for a minor must be submitted to the office of the registrar before the deadline to apply for graduation.

  • Completion of 18 semester hours or more from a specific area of study, 9 of which must be upper level
  • No more than 12 transfer hours may be counted towards a minor
  • Completion of minor courses with at least a 2.0 GPA except for the Honors Minor which requires a 3.0 GPA

Graduation Commitment

It is the responsibility of students to know their academic plan and to register for and complete courses that fulfill the academic plans. Degrees will be awarded only when students satisfactorily complete the conditions of their academic plans and meet all other requirements for earning a degree. Students must complete the application for graduation when registering for their last semester. Students have one year from the intended graduation date to complete the graduation requirements; if they do not complete graduation requirements within one year, they must re-apply for graduation. Students needing longer periods of time must secure dean approval.

To participate in commencement exercises, students must have successfully completed, or be currently enrolled in and completing, all program requirements for the degree during the term in which they intend to graduate.

Graduating Catalog

Students are entitled to graduate under the curriculum of the catalog in effect at the time of their first completed semester of enrollment with the following exceptions.

  • Students may not use a catalog older than seven years
  • Students who interrupt their enrollment, for reasons other than involuntary military service, for more than one calendar year shall be covered by the catalog in effect at the time of the re-entry
  • Students who change their major from one department to another within the university shall be governed by the degree requirements that are in effect at the time the change of major becomes effective