1. Do students still need to complete a foreign language requirement for Core?
No, but they may use foreign language courses to complete free elective requirements. Only those students whose major requires foreign language and students in the All-College Honors Program must complete foreign language courses. Education majors should see their Associate Dean to determine if they need to take a language.
2. What if I completed one language course? Do I have to take another to complete AS VIII requirements?
No, but you may take another language course if you want, and it will fulfill elective credit.
3. What if I completed the AS VIII requirement (two courses in the same language)? Will it count?
Yes, it will fulfill elective credit.
4. What happens to Area Studies courses completed in the old core that are no longer required in the new core?
All excess courses will now become free electives.
5. How will students know how their old core requirements transfer into the new Core?
All students and advisors will be able to run a GriffAudit to see how their courses meet new Core requirements.
6. Will new DRS forms outlining the new Core requirements be available for advisor use?
No. As of August, all majors will be available on GriffAudit for student and advisor use. The Student Advisement Center will no longer produce DRS forms.
7. Where can students go to learn how to read their GriffAudit?
Students may go to the Student Records Office in BA-106 for assistance.
8. What do I need to do in order make sure I have enough credits to graduate?
You need to check your GriffAudit, talk to your advisor or make an appointment at the Office of Student Records to be sure that you have completed Core requirements, major requirements, and enough electives to reach at least the minimum of 120 credits. Note that some majors require more than the 120 credit minimum.
9. Who needs to fulfill the requirements of the new Core?
Any students who began attending in fall 2008 (including new freshmen athletes who take classes in summer 2008) or after need to complete the new Core. Substitutions will be made for courses completed prior to fall 2009.
10. What about students who started at Canisius before fall 2008?
Those students will complete a modified Core. Details are on the Core Curriculum website under “Core for Students.”
11. Do all students need to take FYS 101?
All new freshmen who will begin attending at Canisius in fall 2009 (including new freshmen athletes who take classes in summer 2009) must complete FYS 101. No transfer credit will be given to freshmen for this course. All students who began attending at Canisius prior to fall 2009 who have already completed ENG 101 may substitute it for this requirement. New transfer students may substitute an equivalent course from their previous school.
12. I am an athlete and started at Canisius during the Summer Session. What core requirements should I follow?
If you started in summer 2008, follow the core requirements for students who began attending at Canisius in fall 2008. If you started in summer 2007 or earlier, follow the core requirements for students who began attending at Canisius prior to fall 2008.
13. What if I completed ENG 101 in spring 2009. What do I take in fall 2009?
Register for ENG 102. It will fulfill the new Core Foundations requirement.
14. What if I failed ENG 101?
See the Director of Academic Advising to register for FYS 101 in fall 2009. If you complete this course successfully, your grade will be substituted for the course you failed.
15. What if I have not yet completed ENG 101 or ENG 102?
See the Director of Academic Advising to register for FYS 101 in fall 2009. Then, register for ENG 101 in spring 2010.
16. If I have not taken PHI 101 or RST 101 yet, when should I take these courses?
In 2009-2010. There are many sections of these courses scheduled in 2009-2010 to accommodate both new and continuing students. Take one in each semester.
17. How many Fields courses do students need to complete in the new Core?
Students must complete one course from each field. Major, minor, and concentration courses may be used to complete Fields requirements if they are appropriately designated.
18. Where can I find the list of courses that are approved for Fields designation for the Breadth of Knowledge requirement?
On the Core Curriculum website.
19. How many attributes do students need to complete in the new Core?
Students who began attending at Canisius prior to fall 2008 must complete two courses that were International and Cultural Diversity-designated (ICD) in the old core or are designated as either Diversity or Global Awareness in the new Core. Students who began attending at Canisius in fall 2008 or later must complete all six attributes. Courses completed that were ICD-designated in the old core will substitute.
20. Do I have to complete the International and Cultural Diversity (ICD) requirement?
If you are a student who began attending at Canisius prior to fall 2008, you must complete two courses that were ICD-designated or are designated as either Diversity or Global Awareness. Students who began attending at Canisius in fall 2008 must complete both the Diversity and the Global Awareness requirements in the new Core. Completed courses that were designated ICD will substitute.
21. I don’t see any Diversity or Global Awareness designations in the Banner Registration System or on the Core Curriculum Website. What do I do?
The faculty is in the process of applying for and approving courses with these and other Core designations. Between now and fall 2009, many courses will be designated. If you need a designated course to graduate and none of your courses is designated by fall 2009, see your Associate Dean for options.
22. I don’t see any courses designated with the Cross-Disciplinary Knowledge and Skills requirements. What do I do?
The faculty is in the process of applying for and approving courses with these and other Core designations. Between now and fall 2009, many courses will be designated. If you need a designated course to graduate and none of your courses is designated by fall 2009, see your Associate Dean for options.
23. If I did study abroad, will I get credit for Diversity and Global Awareness?
If you began attending at Canisius prior to fall 2008, you will get International and Cultural Diveristy credit. If you began attending at Canisius in fall 2008 and engage in study abroad after fall 2009, you will get Global Awareness credit.
24. Who needs to complete a Core Capstone course?
Students who began attending at Canisius in fall 2008 or later are required to complete a Core Capstone in order to graduate. Students who began attending at Canisius prior to fall 2008 are not required to do so.
25. Can major, minor, and concentration courses fulfill Core Curriculum requirements?
If the courses are appropriately designated for Core, they will count both for major or minor and Core fulfillment. Students still need to complete a minimum of 120 credit hours to graduate. Note that some majors require more than the 120 credit minimum.
26. Can I take courses designated in the new Core even if I am not required to do so?
As long as it is not equivalent to a course for which you already have credit, you may a course designated for Core. Such courses may substitute for Area Studies if you need those, or may fulfill major or elective credit.
27. How will AP, IB, and CLEP credits fit into the new Core?
Acceptable scores substitute for specific courses that may fulfill major, minor, fields, and elective credit. These scores will not count towards the attribute requirement, even if the Canisius course equivalent granted is an attributed course. Run your GriffAudit to see how your AP, IB, and CLEP scores have counted toward fulfillment of requirements.
28. How many free electives will students gain with the new Core?
It depends upon how each student fulfills his or her fields and attributes requirements. Students may double-dip and use major, minor, and concentration courses to complete these requirements as long as courses carry the appropriate Core designations. In order to graduate, all students must have a minimum of 120 credit hours completed in addition to the completion of all Core and major requirements. Note that some majors require more than the 120 credit minimum. GriffAudit will take all courses into account and tell each student how many electives he or she has left to complete.
29.Will the change to the Core effect the way graduate schools or employers look at my transcript?
No. Transcripts reflect courses completed and grades, not the type of requirement the courses filled.
30. What are the new Honors Program requirements?
A new Honors curriculum will be in effect for fall 2009. Honors students should run a GriffAudit to see how their courses fit into the new structure or see Dr. Dierenfield, Director of the All-College Honors Program.
31. What if I want to change from All-College Honors to the new Core?
A chart has been developed outlining the correspondences between the new Core and the both the old and new Honors curricula for advisor use when advising students who have decided to leave the All-College Honors Program. Additionally, students who have left the All-College Honors program should run a GriffAudit to see how their Honors courses fulfill the requirements of the new Core.