Curriculum

For purposes of reference, courses are listed alphabetically by department. Each department description contains examples of objectives the department seeks to achieve through its educational program, a statement of the requirements of a major and a minor in that department, and a list and description of the courses offered.

Courses numbered 200 and above are upper division. Courses numbered 100 to 199 are lower division.

The letters prefixed to the numbers are an abbreviation for the department in which the course is offered.

Independent Study (IS)

Independent study courses, which are specially designed by the student and the instructor, are listed under the course numbers 440-445 and are subject to the following regulations:

1. Independent study courses are ordinarily limited to juniors and seniors.
2. Not more than 2 courses may be taken independently in the major.
3. Not more than 4 independent study courses may be taken during the four years of college and not more than 2 independent studies in any one term.
4. Independent study credit is not given for a paid job.
5. The application form, which can be obtained from the Provost's Office, must fully describe the rationale and objectives of the course, the content and sources from which the content is to be obtained, methods and activities to be used, evaluation procedure, and any pertinent deadlines to be met by the student. The form is to be completed by the student in conference with the instructor who has agreed to direct the study.
6. A screening committee must give approval for the course. The committee consists of the instructor supervising the course, the chairperson of the department in which the course is being offered, and the academic advisor. The application also must bear the signature of the Provost. At the option of the department, the screening committee meets to discuss the course with the student, or the student personally takes the form to be signed to each member of the committee and answers any questions that a member may have about the course.
7. The application form with all the necessary signatures must be submitted to the Registrar's office in order for the registration to be completed.
8. Faculty members are not required to direct an independent study.

Directed Study (DS)

A Directed Study course is an individualized delivery of an existing course found in the Catalog and is only offered in exceptional circumstances. Course outcomes and objectives for the DS course are the same as if the course was being taken in the normal, classroom delivery mode. Contact the Registrar's office for the approval form prior to registering for the class.

Internships

An Internship offers the student an opportunity to gain valuable experience by applying skills and concepts learned in the classroom to real, work-based problems. Other benefits include the ability to explore a career area, in-depth; and an opportunity to begin building a professional network. Most majors offer a course for which the student can register to earn credit for participation in an internship. Contact your academic advisor or the Career Services office to learn more about locating and applying for internships.

Upon receiving an offer to participate in an internship and securing faculty approval, the student should:

1. Meet with academic advisor to complete the Internship Registration and Release of Liability form for the appropriate course.
2. Submit the Internship Registration form to the Provost's office for approval.
3. Upon approval by the Provost, the Internship Registration form will be sent to the Registrar’s office for processing.
4. Schedule an appointment with the Director of Career Services for an internship orientation.

Reflection and Action: The Core Curriculum

The Core Curriculum is the foundational piece of a Mount Mercy education. Regardless of one’s major, every student at Mount Mercy can be assured of a broad course of study in the traditional liberal arts. The courses in the Core are designed to foster inquiry, critical thinking, personal reflection, and a spirit of service and citizenship. The Core emphasizes freedom of choice as each student creates an individualized plan to complete the core requirements according to his or her needs and interests. The Core Curriculum has four components:

• An introductory Portal Course
• A comprehensive survey of the seven Domains of Liberal Study
• A culminating Capstone experience
• Multiple ways to achieve Competency in writing, math, and oral communication

The Mount Mercy Portal

The portal course has two main objectives: to introduce students to the fields of liberal studies, priming them to make informed choices about their future core courses; and to foster a sense of community and service in the class, at Mount Mercy, and in the greater Cedar Rapids area. Students will examine questions from the Mercy Critical Concerns: earth, immigration, non-violence, poverty, racism, and women.

Through an interdisciplinary approach, students will gain experience examining problems from multiple perspectives. The interdisciplinary nature of the course fosters teamwork and leadership in the students. As they encounter questions from various liberal disciplines, students will be asked to reflect, then take action, as they articulate for themselves what it means to be a citizen in their various communities. During the portal course, students will outline an integrated plan for completing their course of liberal studies, as chosen from the Domains.

Transfer students who have an AA degree from an Iowa Community college, earned 60 hours or more transferable college credits, or have used transfer courses to fulfill 7 of the 10 domain requirements, are exempt from the portal course. Portal courses include:

Note: Portal course waived for RN-BSN students.

Competencies

In addition to completing a Portal Course, a Capstone course and all of the Domains of Liberal Studies, students are required to demonstrate core competencies. These may be demonstrated by taking and earning at least a C- in particular courses, or a student may demonstrate competencies through previous experience and coursework. Students who think that they may be able to demonstrate a competency need to arrange assessment well in advance of beginning their Mount Mercy coursework. The competencies should be completed within a student’s first two years of college. If a student demonstrates competency and one of the course requirements listed below is therefore waived, that does not grant the student the credit hours listed. Students transferring to Mount Mercy with an AA degree from an Iowa Community College are considered to have met the competency requirements in writing, math and speech.

The competencies are:

1. Writing Competency: Met by successful completion of four hours of college-level English Composition: 

Note: The writing course is a prerequisite to the literature courses.

  2. Oral Communication competency: Met by successful completion of CO 101 Oral Communication.

  3. Mathematics competency: Met by successful completion of the three-hour college-level math course including:

4.  Technology Competency: Met according to criteria set within the curriculum of each major.

The Mount Mercy Domains of Liberal Studies

The Mount Mercy Domains of Liberal Studies give all students in all majors a sense of breadth and connection among traditional liberal arts disciplines. These courses are grouped according to the overall concepts covered by courses in that domain: Expressive Arts, Global Awareness, Historical Roots, Holistic Health, The Natural World, Self and Society and Ultimate Questions.

Domain Requirements

Domain I: Expressive Arts – Great works of art, music, drama, and literature engage us emotionally and cognitively as they interrogate the ways we perceive and understand ourselves and the world around us. Studying literature and the fine arts strengthens habits of mind – observation, the ability to entertain multiple perspectives and discern significant patterns; envisioning, the ability to imagine and think innovatively; reflection, the ability to evaluate one’s own perceptions; expression, the ability to communicate what is meaningful in the pursuit of purposeful living; and aesthetic judgment, the ability to appreciate the context in which fine art is created – that find application in every discipline of study.

Two courses, one from literature, one from fine arts. The courses included in this domain:

Domain II: Historical Roots – The courses in this domain will enable students to gain a deeper understanding of the human condition and the relationship between historical developments and contemporary social and political trends. The curriculum provides opportunities for students to investigate the social, economic, political, and cultural development of diverse peoples from the beginnings of civilization to the present. Emphasis is placed on reading, writing, researching, speaking, and on critical and analytical thinking. The courses included in this domain include:

Domain III: The Natural World – Courses in this domain will give students a basic understanding of the natural world and how it functions. Students will learn to employ the scientific method as they engage with specific fields of inquiry, such as the central processes of biological systems, the energetics and chemical reactions underlying all processes in living and non-living systems, the global role of geologic, hydrologic and atmospheric systems in supporting life on earth, and the impact of human activity on the environment. Students are required to take a course and an accompanying lab, but transfer students who have earned at least six hours of approved science credits do not have to meet the lab requirement. The courses included in this domain:

 Domain IV: Ultimate Questions – This domain introduces students to the study of the ultimate questions of human experience.  It invites consideration of possible answers to those questions through philosophical or religious reflection about the existence of God, the meaning of human life, ethical responsibility, the common good, and social justice.  These courses provide significant encounters in key places with the Catholic intellectual tradition in philosophy and religious studies, including sources, fundamental questions, and developmental stages.  As liberal arts courses, they also engage students in critical analysis of ideas and symbols, and foster a variety of skills including critical thinking, finding key concepts in the midst of complex information, evaluating ideas, and communicating effectively.

Two courses, one from Philosophy, one from Religious Studies. The courses included in this domain:

 Domain V: Self and Society – This domain is designed to expose students to the study of society and the manner in which people behave and impact the world around us. It introduces students to the concepts and methods of social science, the scientific inquiry into human behavior and social, political and economic problems within institutions. Students will appreciate the interconnectedness and complexity of human interaction as represented in the various social science disciplines. The courses included in this domain:

Domain VI: Global Awareness– Courses in the Global Awareness Domain address the basic question of what it means to live in a globalized world. Courses in this Domain address at least one of three areas: multicultural sensitivity as individuals come in contact with cultures that are different from their own; the interconnectedness of global political and economic policies; and an understanding of ecological and resource issues that transcends national borders.

Domain VII: Holistic Health – Courses in this domain explore health-related theories and research and address various aspects of the six dimensions of wellness including physical, emotional, social, environmental, intellectual, and spiritual. Courses aim to increase students’ knowledge within the dimensions of wellness to enable them to enhance health-related aspects of their own lives and perhaps the lives of others. The courses included in this domain:

The Mount Mercy Capstone

Note: Students should consult accelerated and traditional course schedules to determine course availability and delivery format.

Transfer Credits

Developmental, remedial, vocational, test out, or experiential learning college credit is not transferable to Mount Mercy. A maximum of 63 semester hours (non-technical) from two-year, regionally-accredited, associate degree granting institutions will be accepted. (See exceptions for business department majors, early childhood majors, and outdoor conservation majors). There is no limit to the number of semester hours that will be accepted from a four-year, regionally-accredited institution. Credit earned at non-regionally accredited institutions may be accepted in transfer on a case by case basis.

Transfer courses meeting the requirements noted above and completed with a grade of D- or better will be accepted at Mount Mercy. Whether or not the D- grade counts toward the major is up to the individual department. (See department description.) Transfer course grades will be listed on the Mount Mercy transcript but will not count toward the cumulative grade point average.

Transfer courses marked with a double grade meeting the requirements noted above will have the higher grade transferred to Mount Mercy. For example, if a grade of CD has been assigned, the higher grade, C, will be placed on the Mount Mercy transcript.

Transfer of Technical Credit

Transfer Credits Specific to BAA/BAS Degree

A maximum of 63 semester hours from regionally-accredited, postsecondary technical institutions will be transferred to Mount Mercy for students pursuing majors available under the Bachelor of Applied Arts or Bachelor of Applied Science degrees, unless otherwise designated for a specific major. A maximum of 16 semester hours from postsecondary technical courses will be transferred to Mount Mercy for students pursuing majors not available under the Bachelor of Applied Arts or Bachelor of Applied Science degrees.

* NOTE: Computer science courses taken seven or more years ago are subject to review by the department before awarding credit for a major or minor in computer science.

Iowa Community College AA Transfer Articulation

Students who transfer to Mount Mercy with an AA degree from an Iowa community college will have all Core Curriculum requirements waived except the Mercy Capstone and one course in the Ultimate Questions domain. These two requirements must be taken at Mount Mercy.

Business Department Transfer Articulation

Mount Mercy accepts a maximum of 75 semester hours from an Iowa community college for all transfers planning to pursue either a BBA degree, BAS degree, or BS degree with a major in the business area, provided that the student has completed an AA, AS/CO (Career Option) or AAS degree from an Iowa community college. This is an exception to the general policy of accepting a maximum of 63 semester hours from any community college. The courses comprising the 75 credits will count toward the total 123 semester hours required for graduation with the BBA, BAS, or BS. Iowa community college transfers into Mount Mercy’s BBA, BAS, or BS degree program will be required to meet all the graduation requirements of that degree.  

Early Childhood Education Major Transfer Articulation

Mount Mercy accepts a maximum of 75 semester hours from Kirkwood Community College for all transfers planning to pursue either a BS degree with a major in early childhood education. This is an exception to the general policy of accepting a maximum of 63 semester hours from any community college. The courses comprising the 75 credits will count toward the total 123 semester hours required for graduation with the BS. Kirkwood Community College transfers into Mount Mercy’s BS degree program will be required to meet all the graduation requirements of that degree.

Healthcare Leadership Major Transfer Articulation

Mount Mercy accepts a maximum of 75 semester hours from an Iowa community college for all transfers planning to pursue a BAS degree in healthcare leadership, provided that the student has completed an AAS degree in a healthcare related field from an Iowa community college. This is an exception to the general policy of accepting a maximum of 63 semester hours from any community college. The courses comprising the 75 credits will count toward the total 123 semester hours required for graduation with the BAS. Iowa community college transfers into Mount Mercy’s BAS degree program will be required to meet all the graduation requirements of that degree.  

Outdoor Conservation Major Transfer Articulation

Mount Mercy accepts a maximum of 75 semester hours from Kirkwood Community College for all transfers planning to pursue either a BAS degree or BS degree with a major in outdoor conservation, provided that the student has completed an AAS in Parks and Recreation from Kirkwood Community College. This is an exception to the general policy of accepting a maximum of 63 semester hours from any community college. The courses comprising the 75 credits will count toward the total 123 semester hours required for graduation with the BAS or BS. Kirkwood Community College transfers into Mount Mercy’s BAS or BS degree program will be required to meet all the graduation requirements of that degree.