Return to the A&S Advising Index

How to Read/Update Your Curriculum Card

Your Curriculum Card is a roadmap to graduation which can be used to:

• Track your progress toward graduation
• Double check your advisement and schedules
• See what course you have left to take
• See where you have flexibility for minors & double majors

You can locate blank A&S Major Curriculum Cards online or stop into the Dean's office to get an updated copy of your official curriculum card, used to track you toward graduation.

Curriculum Card Components:

• General Education Courses
  • These courses are required of all Niagara students
  • Some variations can occur based on total transfer credit
• Distribution Courses
  • A course selected from each category is required of all Niagara students
  • Some specific NS, MAT, and AS courses are required for certain majors.
• Free Electives (4 courses of your choice)
  • Any 3 credit courses outside of your major discipline
  • These are good spots for minor, double major, study abroad, or extra transfer courses
• Major Courses
• These courses are specified by your major and may not fit into the general education requirements or the free electives.

• Advised Electives (Total # varies by major)
  • These can include courses in your major discipline or others related to your major & career interests or other courses similar to the free electives.  
  • Biology, Social Work & Theatre strongly recommend that these courses are related to your major/career interests.
  • These are also good spots for independent research, internship, co-op, minor, double major, study abroad, extra transfer and other courses.

SAMPLE GENERIC CURRICULUM CARD

Additional Requirements

• 3 Writing Intensive Courses (Satisfied by WRT 100, ENG 100, & Senior Seminar/Thesis)
• 3 hours of community service logged in with Learn & Serve
• International Studies Only - Study abroad or international internship

Basic Rules (See the NU Catalog for the official guidelines)

Overall:

• Each Curriculum contains at least required 40 course units (at least 120 credit hours) which must be satisfied for graduation.
• Do not take the same course twice as it won’t count toward your degree requirements
• A 2.0 Overall GPA is required for graduation (2.5 for social work and nursing).

General Education:

• Major discipline courses cannot be used on the general education (left-hand) side of the curriculum card.
• You should not take both REL 101 and 103.
• HIS 199 does not transfer and must be taken at NU.
• Double Dipping, using one course for two requirements, is not allowed amongst the general education courses.   Minor or double major/degree courses required for the second major or minor may fit within the general education courses.

Major:

• A maximum of 10 courses transfer in on the major side of the curriculum (right side)
• A 2.0 Overall GPA is required for graduation (2.5 for social work)
• Social work major courses must be completed at a C level or higher and Nursing major courses must be completed at a C+ level or higher

Minors:

• There is a grid for minors at the bottom of the curriculum cards.  This is not an extension of your curriculum card, unless you run out of room to place the courses.  This just allows you to check off your progress in satisfying the minor requirements.

Suggestions for notation when using a curriculum card

Completed NU Courses	Include the grade (e.g. A, B+, C)  Using the grades for NU courses distinguishes NU credit from transfer credit allowing you to estimate your academic progress and status
In Progress NU Courses	"Fa07" for in progress course Fall 2007. Avoid putting it in the Grade box except forto avoid confusing it as a passing grade
Failed NU Courses	"(F)" outside of the grade box if you plan to retake it, or at the bottom of the page if you aren't going to retake the course. Noting the Fs helps to reveal possible F to Rs to pursue and and if you accumulate a number of them in your major you should probably consider something else. Avoid putting it in the box to avoid confusing it as a passing grade
Completed Transfer Courses	“3” or “4” to represent completed credits
In Progress Transfer or Study Abroad Courses	"ip" Noting the in progress courses reveals which courses you are currently in as well as courses for which you still need to send in official transcripts. Change it to a credit value once they have appeared on your NU transcript.

SAMPLE TRANSCRIPT AND FILLED IN CURRICULUM CARD (currently being filled out)

Fake Transcript

Fake Curriculum Card