Through the Integrations Curriculum you will fulfill your general education requirements building on the skills and experiences you bring with you to CSB/SJU while exposing you to new topics, new perspectives and career possibilities you may not even know exist. You’ll have a top-tier academic experience and be prepared for a rapidly changing world.

Foundational Courses

• College Success (INTG 105 College Success): Must be completed in the first year.
• Learning Foundations (INTG 100 Foundations): Must be completed in the first year.
• Transfer Seminar (INTG 205 Transfer Seminar): 2 credits (required for transfer students, completed in their first semester at CSB and SJU)
• Cultural and Social Difference: Identity (CI designated course).  Must be completed in the first year, can be taught in any department, and can count towards majors. May be 100 or 200 level.
• Theological Explorations (THEO 100 Theological Explorations) Course must be completed in the first 4 semesters.

Foundational Courses will not carry engagements, Quantitative Reasoning (QR,) or Ways of Thinking.

Ways of Thinking - Courses

Students will take 5 different Way of Thinking courses (4 credits in each Way of Thinking). Students cannot count more than 2 different Ways of Thinking in any 1 department. One course may carry 2 Ways of Thinking if the course is co-taught by 2 different instructors who applied for the course to carry 2 Ways of Thinking. These courses may be completed as part of a major or minor and you may complete up to two different Ways of Thinking within the same department. These courses may be completed as part of a major or minor.

• Abstract Structures (AS designation)
• Artistic Expression (AE designation)
• Human Experience (HE designation)
• Natural World (NW designation)
• Social World (SW designation)

Themes: 3 courses in either Justice, Movement, or Truth

Student must complete at least 3 different courses with the same theme (justice, movement, or truth) and only need to complete one courses in one theme. Students must complete themed courses in no fewer than two separate departments and courses may or may not have an associated way of thinking. Students must complete at least one thematic focus course with any combination of two other themed courses. (i.e., two Thematic Encounter at any level, one Thematic Encounter and one Thematic Focus, or two more Thematic Focus courses.) Students should complete Learning Foundations and Cultural & Social Difference: Identity courses before taking a Thematic Focus course.

• Themed courses are either thematic encounter or thematic focus courses.
  • Thematic encounter courses have at least 25% of the course content and assignments dedicated to the theme. 
  • Thematic focus courses have at least 50% of the course content and assignments focused on the theme. 
• Thematic encounter and focus courses may be major or minor courses.
• To complete the themed course requirement: students will successfully complete 3 courses in the same theme, in at least 2 different departments, at least 1 of which is a thematic focus course. 

Upper Level Coursework

• Theological Integrations (TI designation)
  • Course may carry engagements. Prerequisite: Theological Explorations
• Cultural and Social Difference: Systems (CS Designated Course)
  • Course may carry engagements. Prerequisite: Cultural and Social Difference: Identity
• Learning Integrations (INTG 300 Learning Integrations)
  • To be completed in one of the students last two semesters
  • Prerequisites:
    • Senior standing and a member of either the junior or senior cohort
    • Completion of THEO 100 Theological Explorations, CSD:I, INTG 100 Foundations/INTG 205 Transfer Seminar
    • Completion of the themed course requirement
    • Theological Integration (TI) is a pre or co-requisite for enrollment in Learning Integrations
    • A Writing Designated course (WR) is a pre or co-requisite for enrollment in Learning Integrations

Global Language Proficiency

As globally engaged citizens, all students will complete a Global Language Proficiency requirement. Fulfilling the requirement will differ based on students’ previous language experience. See Global Language Proficiency Details for information about how to complete this requirement.

Additional Integrations Requirements

• Quantitative Reasoning (QR designation): Attached to an existing course
• Benedictine (BN designation): Attached to an existing course
• Write Requirement (WR designation): Attached to an existing course
• Engagement Requirements (AR, EX, GL designations)

Other Graduation Requirements

• 124 Total Credits
• 40 Upper-Division Credits
• 2.00 GPA* (both cumulative and major)

* Please note some majors/minors may require a higher GPA to earn their degree. 

Upon completion of the Integrations Curriculum, students will have advanced adeptness in 12 skill areas highly valued in all career fields.

The study of a world language fosters communication skills while helping students understand cultural patterns other than their own and gaining a broader outlook on historical and contemporary issues. All students on campus, wherever they are from, are required to fulfill the Global Language requirement as part of the process of becoming the globally engaged citizens at the heart of our schools’ missions.

Students whose first language is English

Students who have studied a global language previously will take a placement test which will indicate whether they should enroll in 111, 112, 211. Students new to a language will begin with the 111 course in that language. For students who are studying Spanish, if the placement test score is higher than 211 level, there is an option to take Hispanic Studies 230 course to fulfill the global language requirement or ask to take a departmental language proficiency test (option 3). No student will fulfill the Global Language Proficiency requirement simply by the result of the placement test. Placement test and proficiency test are different.

Students whose first language is English may satisfy this requirement in any of the following ways:

¹

In order to enroll in HISP 230 students need to take a placement test and place beyond 211. 

²

For languages not offered at CSB+SJU, contact the language coordinator.

US bilingual/multilingual students when one of their languages is English

US bilingual/multilingual students may satisfy the Global Language requirement in any of the following ways

¹

Need to complete a bilingual evaluation to determine whether a student is eligible to take EBS for the Global Language proficiency requirement. If a student demonstrates the advanced academic English skills AND above intermediate level for any other languages, that is considered as fulfilling the requirement. The evidence of advanced academic English skill differs case by case. Please contact the language coordinator for the evaluation.

²

Students who choose Completion of a Language Course at the 211 level for the Global Language requirement and have studied the global language previously will take a placement test which will indicate whether they should enroll in 111, 112, 211. No student will fulfill the Global Language proficiency requirement simply by the result of the placement test. Placement test and proficiency test are different.

³

Spanish speaking students, whose placement test score is higher than 211 level, may take Hispanic Studies 230 course to fulfill the global language requirement or ask to take a departmental language proficiency test (option 4). 

International bilingual/multilingual students for whom English is not the first or strongest language

International students for whom English is not the first or strongest language will take the CSB+SJU English Proficiency Test¹ during their International Student Orientation when they arrive to campus. This will determine if a student is required to take an ESL class or if they have already acquired advanced academic English at a level high enough to fulfill the Global Language requirement for the Integrations Curriculum.

International bilingual/multilingual students may satisfy the Global Language requirement in either of the following ways. 

¹

The ESL course is a 4-credit course which is taken in addition to other non-ESL courses during the semester taken. The course is designed to help students succeed in all their classes at CSB and SJU by ensuring a high level of proficiency in communicating in English and strengthening academic English skills necessary for college level of course work. A typical semester course load is 16-18 credits. In addition to the Global Language requirement of the Integrations Curriculum, the CSB and SJU ESL course also fulfills the Global Engagement requirement.

²

This proficiency test is different from what students have submitted at the time of admission. The CSB and SJU English Proficiency Test will be taken during the International Student Orientation when students arrive to campus.

International/multilingual students may choose to take any global language courses offered at CSB and SJU as elective.  Taking courses in French, German, Spanish, Japanese, and/or Latin will not fulfil the Global Language Proficiency Requirement for an International bilingual/multilingual students for whom English is not the first or strongest language.