Undergraduate Programs of Study

General Information

The academic program at Neumann University is composed of a core curriculum (required of all students), a major area of study (chosen by each student), and a wide range of general elective offerings.

Students pursuing an academic major may also choose a minor area of study as well. Academic minors are only available in the Monday through Friday Day Schedule and are not available to students who are registered in degree programs offered through the Division of Continuing Adult and Professional Studies (CAPS). Concentrations are available only to Liberal Studies Accelerated Degree Program students. Neither an academic minor nor a concentration can be earned independently of an undergraduate degree at Neumann University. Each of these program options is described in the sections that follow.

Neumann University provides a Catholic education in the Franciscan tradition, combining the liberal arts with professional preparation. The University’s academic programs are offered with a broad foundation of liberal arts in an environment which promotes the development of students who embody the Franciscan values of Reverence, Integrity, Service, Excellence, and Stewardship. These values are evidenced through relationships that recognize the uniqueness and dignity of others, and through a sense of responsibility and stewardship as a citizen of both the local and global communities.

Core Curriculum — Goals and Learning Outcomes

The Neumann University Core Curriculum provides knowledge and skills as well as experiences which facilitate change and personal growth, within the context of Christian Humanism, enlivened by the Franciscan tradition.

Goal I:

To have students demonstrate the Franciscan values of Reverence, Integrity, Service, Excellence, and Stewardship.

Learning Outcomes:

During the course of their studies at Neumann University, students:

• Maintain academic honesty as described in the Neumann University Student Handbook.
• Demonstrate respect and courteous behavior toward their peers and instructors in the classroom.

Students who successfully complete Neumann University’s Core Curriculum are able to:

• Explain and/or demonstrate how Franciscan values are used in the service of society, especially in dealing with problems related to prejudice, cultural conflict, and the environment.
• Demonstrate the ability to engage in self-reflection.

Goal II:

To have students achieve the sensibilities, understandings, and perspectives of a person educated in the liberal arts tradition of a Catholic and Franciscan University.

Learning Outcomes:

Students who successfully complete Neumann University’s Core Curriculum are able to:

• Demonstrate a basic knowledge of the liberal arts and sciences.
• Demonstrate a knowledge of the Catholic, Franciscan tradition and those of other major belief systems, particularly as they impact on contemporary events or societies.
• Demonstrate a knowledge of moral theory and the relationship of ethics to religion and other major areas of human activity.
• Describe the impact of different philosophical, social, cultural, or political systems on society or individuals.
• Recognize and evaluate differences in individuals and cultures.
• Analyze, interpret, and evaluate written and spoken texts, as well as visual, musical, or other art forms from a variety of liberal arts disciplines.

Goal III:

To have students investigate different ways of learning; acquire a sense of curiosity; develop an inquiring attitude; and employ a variety of different complex reasoning strategies.

Learning Outcomes:

Students who successfully complete Neumann University’s Core Curriculum are able to:

• Work in small groups.
• Use appropriate methods and reasoning to analyze events and phenomena.
• Engage in a variety of writing and research processes to support learning.
• Solve problems using quantitative reasoning skills.
• Demonstrate the ability to think creatively, reflectively, and critically.

Goal IV:

To have students learn to communicate in a variety of ways with different audiences.

Learning Outcomes:

Students who successfully complete Neumann University’s Core Curriculum are able to:

• Communicate ideas clearly and effectively in both written and oral formats.
• Use technology effectively for written and oral presentations.
• Write prose characterized by unity, continuity, maturity of thought, and the use of Standard English.
• Demonstrate effective listening skills.
• In a language and culture other than English, use elements of that language effectively and appropriately at a novice level (Elementary Language II) or higher for understanding and communicating when listening, reading, writing, and either speaking or signing.