Ways to Satisfy Core Curriculum Requirements

The Core Curriculum consists of 39 credit hours of coursework distributed across three general areas:

• 13 credit hours of Foundation Skills in English Compo­sition, Foundations of Inquiry, Communication Studies, and Quantitative Reasoning designed to strengthen students' writing, oral, and mathematical skills.  
• 23 credit hours of Disciplin­ary Studies in Fine Arts, Human Health, Humanities, Science, and Social Science designed to introduce students to the universe of human knowledge.
• 3 credit hours of Integrative Studies designed to increase students' respect for and appreciation of human diversity.

No Core course may satisfy more than one requirement. In Fall 2012, the SIU Faculty Senate adopted the Liberal Education and America's Promise of the Association of American Colleges and Universities LEAP initiative as the learning objectives of the SIU Core Curriculum.

Students who have received a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution will also be considered to have their University Core Curriculum complete. See Transfer Student Admissions for information on how to apply and where to have official academic transcripts sent.

Students completing an Associate of Arts (AA) or an Associate of Science (AS) degree satisfying the Illinois Articulation Initiative’s General Education Core Curriculum (IAI GECC)* in a baccalaureate-oriented program in an accredited Illinois two-year institution will (a) be accepted with junior standing and (b) be considered to have completed the University Core Curriculum requirements (see The Compact Agreement below). Associate degrees from Illinois institutions that do not satisfy the IAI GECC or associates degrees earned at other than Illinois two-year institutions will be reviewed by Articulation and Evaluation staff. If the degree is determined to be baccalaureate-oriented and to have comparable content and credit hour criteria, the same benefits will be extended to those graduates. 

The Compact Agreement

SIU has recognized the Illinois regionally accredited community college transferable baccalaureate oriented Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degrees under the Compact Agreement since 1970. SIU will continue to recognize the baccalaureate oriented associate degree (A.A. or A.S. degree) under the Illinois Articulation Initiative provided that those degrees satisfy all the requirements of the Illinois Articulation Initiative’s General Education Core Curriculum. The Associate in Engineering Science (A.E.S.), the Associate in General Studies (A.G.S.), and the Associate in Fine Arts (A.F.A.), and some Associates of Science degrees do not carry the same benefits as the traditional A.A. and A.S. as described below. Students pursuing an Associate of Science degree are strongly encouraged to check with an academic advisor on their campus to determine whether their degree satisfies all the requirements of the IAI GECC. For more information, contact Articulation and Evaluation. Illinois public community college graduates who hold an A.A. or an A.S. satisfying the requirements of the IAI GECC will be:

1. Admitted to SIU if enrollment occurs after earning the associate degree and prior to coursework attempted at another institution;

2. Considered a junior in class standing; and

3. Evaluated as having completed the SIU University Core Curriculum (general education) requirements required for general graduation purposes. Major courses that are also Core Curriculum courses may not automatically be completed by earning the A.A. or A.S. degree.

Transfer students may satisfy the requirements of the University Core Curriculum by successful completion of the Illinois Articulation Initiative's General Education Core Curriculum (IAI GECC). Transfer students who have not completed all Core Cur­riculum requirements prior to enrolling at SIU can have their transcripts evaluated and comparable courses will be applied toward the University Core Curriculum or the IAI General Education Core Curriculum requirements on a course-by-course basis. A student must have a minimum of 30 semester hours of transfer credit toward the satisfac­tion of general education requirements prior to enrollment at SIU in order to be eligible to complete the IAI GECC transin lieu of the SIU UCC requirement subsequent to admis­sion to the University. 

An Overview of the Illinois Articulation Initiative's General Education Core Curriculum Requirements

Students completing the "42 Hour Block" or an AA degree in a baccalaureate-oriented program in an accredited Missouri two year institution that participates in the 42 Hour Block program will be considered to have completed the University Core Curriculum.

Students participating in the University Honors program may satisfy University Core Curriculum requirements in both Disciplinary and Integrative Studies by taking specifically designated University Honors Courses. See the University Honors Program course page for more details.

The Capstone Option advantage allows students to complete an abbreviated University Core Curriculum (UCC) requirement of 30 hours rather than 39 hours.

For more information, see the Capstone Option and Brochure.

Many courses from colleges and universities from within and outside of the United States qualify for transfer credits towards University Core Curriculum requirements. Visit the Transfer Equivalencies page for more information, or contact Transfer Student Services.

General Information

Credit, not to exceed thirty hours (fifteen hours toward an associate degree, including credit through the College Board Advanced Placement Program and the College Level Examination Program, may be earned through proficiency examinations. Credit will be considered nonresident. A combined total of forty hours may be earned through proficiency examinations and credit for work experience.

Departmental Exams

All University Core Curriculum courses are available for proficiency credit, subject to the restrictions above. Students should contact the department offering the course for specific information on UCC course proficiency exams.

DANTES Credit

Credit will be accepted for Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) subject standardized examinations within the limitations enforced for proficiency credit. No credit is allowed for college-level GED tests. The recommendations of the American Council on Education (ACE) as set forth in the U.S. Government bulletin, Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Forces, are followed in evaluating credit possibilities based upon formal service-school training programs. 

CLEP, AP, Proficiency Exams

Proficiency credit via General Examinations of the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or Advanced Placement (AP) is available for some University Core Curriculum requirements. Credit given through the High School AP or CLEP examinations will be nonresident, will not carry a grade, and will not be used in computing the student’s grade point average. The credit will be validated upon receipt and acceptance by Southern Illinois University Carbondale. A charge will be assessed for proficiency examinations taken at Testing Services. Please visit Testing Services at testingservices.siu.edu for more information.

International Baccalaureate Program (IB) Exams

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program sponsored by the International Baccalaureate Organization is a comprehensive and challenging two-year course of study for students of senior high school age leading to final examinations in six subject areas. The Higher Level (HL) courses represent a recommended 240 teaching hours. Students who do not satisfy the requirements of the full Diploma Program or who have elected to take fewer than six subjects are awarded a certificate for the examinations completed. SIU will award proficiency credit to students who have passed the Higher Level (HL) exams with appropriate scores. No credit is awarded for Standard Level (SL) courses. Upon receipt of test scores, the appropriate number of credit hours will be entered on the student’s record. If test scores for new freshmen are received after orientation/registration, the student will need to work with their academic advisor to ensure duplicate curses are not taken.For more information, please see the International Baccalaureate Organization’s website at www.ibo.org.

Detailed information about the courses for which proficiency credits are available and the exam scores required to receive credits is available at the Alternative Credit Opportunities page in the Undergraduate Catalog.