Requirements for a Major or Minor in Credo


An Interdisciplinary Honors Program

Program offered
• Honors Program

Faculty
Gregg A. Muilenburg, program director
Stephanie A. Ahlfeldt
W. Vince Arnold
Shawn Carruth
Jonathan P. Clark
George B. Connell
Dawn E. Duncan
Mark W. Gealy
Richard A. Gilmore
Roy Hammerling
Mark J. Krejci
Michelle M. Lelwica
Bryan A. Luther
Heidi L.K. Manning
Susan M. O'Shaughnessy
Carol I. Pratt
Max W. Richardson
Lisa Sethre-Hofstad
Peter Schultz
David A. Sprunger
Jonathan M. Steinwand
David T. Wintersteen

The Credo honors program offers a distinctive, challenging way to fulfill the Core distribution courses required for graduation.

Credo students enter the program by taking a Credo Inquiry Seminar their freshman year and then take three more specially designated exploration courses, one each in the humanities and fine arts, natural sciences and mathematics, and social sciences. For students who do not take a Credo Inquiry Seminar, both a humanities and a fine arts Credo designated exploration course are required. The Credo designated exploration courses are typically team-taught by outstanding faculty who bring a distinctive approach and perspective to the subject. These courses are only open to Credo students and investigate topics not usually covered in other courses at Concordia. During the junior or senior year, Credo students undertake directed independent research projects typically in the area of their major. These projects often are departmental capstone courses approved by the Credo director.

Students are invited to join the Credo program at admission or during the fall semester of their first year. The requirements for graduating with Credo honors are as follows:
1. An overall Concordia grade point average of 3.5 or higher
2. Successful completion of a Credo Inquiry Seminar or an additional humanities or fine arts Credo exploration course
3. Satisfactory completion of a Credo exploration course in each of the three Core areas
4. Satisfactory completion of a capstone independent study project in the junior or senior year

After completing their Credo Inquiry Seminar, the remaining required Credo courses can be taken in any order. Usually, there are several Credo courses offered each semester. The Credo exploration courses count toward the completion of the exploration course requirements of the Concordia College Core Curriculum.

The Credo honors program also includes an optional, abroad experience that rotates between China, Tanzania, and the Mediterranean island of Crete. Student participants spend the first three weeks of the spring semester at Concordia taking preparatory classes before embarking on the 10-week abroad portion of the program. Accompanied by Concordia professors, students will live in a residential atmosphere and travel to important sites in the countries they visit. Students may also travel independently during a seven-day spring break period.