The Curriculum and Degree Programs

Academic Advising

Academic advising at Salve Regina University is an integral part of our teaching mission that provides students with foundational support to think clearly and make responsible choices about their academic program in order to reach educational, personal and career goals. Faculty and professional advisors will provide students with timely and accurate informational resources. Students, working with faculty advisors, will develop an academic and career plan and enhance their ability for sound decision-making and lifelong learning. Advisors will make referrals as needed to aid all students in their development as scholars and as individuals in service of harmony justice, and mercy.

At Salve Regina University, academic advising provides students with the opportunity to build a relationship with their advisor for the purpose of gaining assistance in planning their educational career, in learning the skills needed for academic success, and in learning how to access the variety of resources and services available to them on campus. All first year students will be assigned to a Compass Advisor who will help students navigate their first year at Salve Regina University. Your Compass Advisor will be your main resource for navigating the academic experience at Salve, learning how to use university resources, and help you select courses that align with your academic, professional, and personal goals. Student are also advised by full-time faculty members in their majors. Students who wish to explore various courses of study before deciding on a major are assigned an Exploratory Compass Advisor, who is trained to help Exploratory students consider their options in order to choose a program of study that best fits their interests and goals. Once a student is ready to declare their major, the student will be assigned to a new faculty advisor from the major’s department.

Academic advising is a collaborative educational process whereby students and their advisors are partners in meeting the essential learning outcomes, ensuring student academic success, and outlining the steps for achievement of the students’ personal, academic, and career goals. This advisor/student partnership requires participation and involvement of both the advisor and the student as it is built over the student’s entire educational experience at the University. Both the student and the advisor have clear responsibilities for ensuring the advising partnership is successful.

Supplemental Advisors:

  • Dr. Kimberly Curesky: Pre-Health Advisor
  • Margaret Steele: Pre-Law Advisor
  • Casey Donahue: International Student Advisor
  • Virginia Obert: Transfer Advisor

The Salve Regina University Core Curriculum: Enduring Questions and
Contemporary Challenges

The Core curriculum at Salve Regina University allows you to contemplate the compatibility of faith and reason and the ideals of the Catholic intellectual tradition, including the distinctive values lived by the Sisters of Mercy. Core courses are designed to deepen your knowledge in the liberal arts and sciences and refine your skills of inquiry, analysis and communication. A deepened understanding of Christian values, the development of an essential knowledge base and the refinement of a liberal arts skill set are necessary to converse and connect with

  • The Past: engaging authors, events and traditions in search of enduring human wisdom;
  • The Present: understanding forces, both material and social, that directly impact us now;
  • The Future: envisioning alternative possibilities for personal, social and global change.

The Core Curriculum focuses on four primary goals:

  1. You will Dialogue with the Catholic Intellectual Tradition. Salve Regina University has a Catholic identity, and a proud heritage rooted in the mission of the Sisters of Mercy. Salve Regina welcomes people of all beliefs. It is a learning community of Catholics, students from other religious traditions, and students who profess no religious affiliation.

    If you are a student who shares a Catholic identity, the Core offers you an opportunity to develop it more deeply, and expand it in conversation with your own tradition as well as other religious and secular perspectives. If you do not share a Catholic identity, the Core gives you an opportunity to develop your own worldview more deeply, and expand it in conversation with a variety of secular and religious perspectives, including the Catholic and Mercy traditions.
  2. You will Seek Truth, Pursue Goodness, Encounter Beauty. A Catholic liberal arts education involves not only education to ground you for the world of work, but integrates skills and concepts of your intended major to a broader experience, one that includes exposure to grand ideas and training in the areas of research, analysis, and rhetorical argument. You will find that expertise in these areas will complement and enhance other marketable skills that you will develop in your major. Study in this curriculum also involves more than reassurance of your strengths, or those subjects in which you may already have an interest. You will be challenged to look for hidden curiosities and talents. This will require some daring on your part, an open-mindedness to exploring new ideas and activities, leaving your comfort zone, being humble, and so, finding out more about yourself. You will discover who you truly are and the vast potential that you hold.

    Salve Regina's Core Curriculum prepares you for a lifetime of challenges and opportunities. In addition to learning essential concepts in a number of disciplines, you will be taught how to think and learn from the perspective of each of these disciplines, improving your capacity to understand the world and its people. The liberal arts core also will equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to participate fully and effectively in addressing issues faced by your community, state and the world.
  3. You will Refine your Liberal Arts Skills of Inquiry, Analysis and Communication. Traditional liberal arts skills, dating back to medieval Catholic universities, include: critical reading, clear writing, and being able to articulate your thoughts orally. They also include quantitative and empirical skills. In the 21st century, they include the ability to pursue inquiry, using tools available in this age of electronic information.

    The student of the liberal arts does not just "know things," whether facts or procedures, but knows how to learn, how to grow and adapt, through lifelong reading, conversation, and inquiry. The liberal arts is not just a label for a set of courses; your grounding in the liberal arts will be fundamental to the person you become.
  4. You will Link the Past, Present and Future. We study the liberal arts not simply out of curiosity, but in order to expand our imaginative possibilities for the present and future. Knowing where humans have been helps us think about where we can be. Knowing where we are today requires looking beneath surfaces or interrogating our immediate impressions in order to grasp the underlying forces that currently influence our lives and to understand our present context more deeply.

Insight into who we are, both as individuals and as a society, is enhanced by an open-minded exploration of who others are. The mission of the University, in part, is to help create a world that is harmonious, just, and merciful. The individual, the society, and the natural world are interconnected. Changes in one impact the others.

The Core Curriculum offers each student opportunities for intellectual, aesthetic, moral and spiritual development. It challenges each student to pursue responsible citizenship and civic engagement for the sake of the common good. It calls us beyond the horizon of our local and national identity in order to address pressing global issues, from poverty and ecological degradation to human rights and international conflicts.

The Salve Regina Core Curriculum challenges you to cultivate intellectual freedom and responsibility by making your own curricular choices through conversation with others. The conversation occurs with your advisor, professors, fellow students, and the subject matter itself. The path you chart through the Salve core is your own. You are free to choose much of it, and also responsible for your choices. You are not only responsible to yourself in the sense of owning your own choices, but you are personally responsible in the formation of your own views, to do justice to the views of others, to the material that you study, and to wider realities of the social and natural world.

Enduring Questions and Contemporary Challenges: Course Requirements

Part I. University Seminar I and II (6 credits)

Introduction to Inquiry, Analysis and Communication

Small Seminars focus on critical reading and written communication skills. A variety of topics will be offered with professors teaching what they know and love.

Part II: Faith and Reason (6 credits)

Dialogue with the Catholic Intellectual and Mercy Traditions.

  • PHL-225 Quest for the Good Life
  • RTS-225 The Quest for the Ultimate: Dialogue with Global Religious Traditions

Part III. Exploring the Liberal Arts (34-36 credits)

A. Link Past, Present and Future: Paths of Inquiry

At least eight (8) courses across four (4) themes with at least two (2) courses in each theme from different disciplines. Seven of the eight courses must be selected Part III.B of the Core and one University Seminar may count. One additional course may be selected from approved courses offered by any department or program.

Themes:

  • What is Western Heritage? Ancient and Modern
  • Defining the American Experience
  • Building Global Awareness
  • Engaging Creative, Aesthetic and Spiritual Experience

B. Seek Truth, Pursue Goodness, Encounter Beauty

  • 3 Credits Mathematics
  • 4-6 Credits Science
  • 6 Credits Modern & Classical Languages
  • 3 Credits Religious and Theological Studies
  • 3 Credits Philosophy
  • 6 Credits Social Sciences
  • 3 Credits History
  • 3 Credits English Literature
  • 3 Credits Visual and Performing Arts

Part IV. Integrating and Applying Knowledge (3 credits)

Your Integrative Capstone links Enduring Questions and interdisciplinary knowledge from the Core Curriculum to your major in a culminating experience.

Options for Exploring the Liberal Arts

Foreign Languages

In French and Spanish, initial placement in a language class level is done by use of a placement exam. Students testing beyond the fourth semester course in French or Spanish at Orientation will place out of the language requirement, having demonstrated language proficiency. Students placing in the fourth semester course will need to complete one additional semester of study in French or Spanish. Students who place below the fourth semester course will need to take two additional semesters of language study. Students who have taken a language other than French or Spanish will be placed in the appropriate class level by faculty.

Students may also choose to begin a new language at the elementary level, in which case they must complete two courses in that language. Students whose first language is not English may need to complete EAP courses for this requirement.

ARA-111Elementary Arabic I3
ARA-112Elementary Arabic II3
CHN-111Elementary Chinese I3
CHN-112Elementary Chinese II3
FRN-111Elementary French I3
FRN-112Elementary French II3
FRN-205Intermediate French I3
FRN-206Intermediate French II3
FRN-241Communication and Cultures I3
FRN-242Communication and Cultures II3
FRN-302Advanced French Conversation3
FRN-304Advanced French Grammar and Composition3
FRN-305French Culture and Civilization- The Hexagon3
FRN-306Cultures of Francophone World3
FRN-311Survey of French Literature I3
FRN-312Survey of French Literature II3
GRM-111Elementary German I3
GRM-112Elementary German II3
ITL-111Elementary Italian I3
ITL-112Elementary Italian II3
ITL-205Intermediate Italian I3
ITL-206Intermediate Italian II3
ITL-241Italian Culture & Civilization3
ITL-242Introduction to Italian Literature3
LAT-101Elementary Latin I3
LAT-102Elementary Latin II3
PTG-111Elementary Portuguese I3
PTG-112Elementary Portuguese II3
SPA-111Elementary Spanish I3
SPA-112Elementary Spanish II3
SPA-205Intermediate Spanish I3
SPA-206Intermediate Spanish II3
SPA-208Spanish for the Professions3
SPA-241Communication and Cultures I3
SPA-242Communication and Cultures II3
SPA-305Spanish American Cultures and Civilizations3
SPA-306Spanish Culture and Civilization3
SPA-307Spanish for Business and Finance3
SPA-311Masters of Spanish American Literature3
SPA-312Masterpieces of Spanish Literature3
SPA-322Contemporary Hispanic Life: Total Immersion3
SPA-360Advanced Conversation3
SPA-399Special Topics3
SPA-421The Hispanic Caribbean3
EAP-103Academic Communication Skills3
EAP-104Advanced Communication Skills3
EAP-111Academic Research and Writing3
EAP-112Academic Writing in Disciplines3

History

HIS-103Western Civilization I: 500 B.C.-1500 A.D.3
HIS-104Western Civilization II: 1500-Present3
HIS-113History of the United States to 18773
HIS-114History of the United States since 18773
HIS-201Europe 1789-19143
HIS-202Europe 1914-1990's3
HIS-203Hitler and the Holocaust3
HIS/CHP-225Introduction to Public History3
HIS/AST-251Sport in America3
HIS-265Modern Global History3
HIS-306Modern Germany3
HIS-308Modern France3
HIS-309Modern Russia3
HIS-310Modern England3
HIS-311Modern Ireland3
HIS-312Modern Italy3
HIS/AST-313American Immigrant Experience3
HIS-316American Economic History3
HIS-320The American Revolution3
HIS-321America's Civil War3
HIS/AST-322Urban America3
HIS-324American Political Thought3
HIS-331Contemporary Latin America3
HIS-332Contemporary Middle East3
HIS-333Contemporary Africa3
HIS-334Contemporary Asia3
HIS-336Vietnam War3
HIS-340History of Warfare3
HIS-403Modern America3
HIS-415Modern American Foreign Policy3
HIS-422American Presidency3

Literature

Students will select one course from the following list:

CWP-224Elements of Craft3
CWP-250Introduction to Creative Writing3
ENG-201Literary Masterpieces3
ENG-205Contemporary Global Literature3
ENG-210Myth and Symbol3
ENG-215Elements of Modernism in Twentieth-Century American Literature3
ENG-216Literature and Medicine3
ENG-217African American Literature3
ENG-218Food and Literature3
ENG-228The Romantic Revolution3
ENG-229Victorian Literature3
ENG-230British Modernism and the End of Empire3
ENG-240Witches in American Literature3
ENG-241Film and Literature3
ENG-284America in the Graphic Novel3
ENG-310Fairy Tales and Fantastic Literature3
ENG-313The American Literary Renaissance3
ENG-314Realism and Naturalism in Nineteenth- Century American Literature3
ENG-315The Harlem Renaissance3
ENG-320Literary Nonfiction3
ENG-321British Literature from Beowulf to Everyman3
ENG-322Literature of the English Renaissance From Wyatt to Marvell3
ENG-325Studies in Shakespeare3
ENG-326Restoration and Eighteenth- Century British Literature3
ENG-327Young Adult Literature3
ENG-329The Inklings: C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and their Circle3
ENG-330Literary Landscape of Newport3
ENG-336The Catholic Imagination in Modern Literature3
ENG-337Modern Irish Writers3
ENG-338Literature of Place3
ENG-340Afrofuturism in Literature and Culture3
ENG-345Studies in World Literature3
ENG-346Post-Colonial Literature3
ENG-349Literature From the Middle East3
ENG-375Vienna and the Modern World3
ENG-376The World of Jane Austen3
ENG-378Women Novelists3
ENG-410British and American Novels After 9/113
ENG-412Seminar in Major Authors3

Mathematics

Students will complete one course from the following list:

MTH-170Concepts in Mathematics3
MTH-171Mathematics in Social Sciences3
MTH-172Quantitative Methods for Business3
MTH-173Discrete Mathematics3
MTH-191Applied Calculus3
MTH-195Calculus I4
MTH-196Calculus II4
MTH-203Calculus III4
MTH-211Linear Algebra3
STA-173Statistical Methods (only for Nursing majors)3

Natural Sciences

Students may fulfill the natural sciences core curriculum course area by taking any two 3-credit courses or one 4-credit course in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Science. The following courses may fulfill the natural sciences requirement.

BIO-105Human Anatomy & Physiology I4
BIO-106Human Anatomy and Physiology II4
BIO-110Human Biology: Physiology and Health3
BIO-111General Biology I4
BIO-112General Biology II4
BIO-140Humans and their Environment3
BIO-190Nutrition3
BIO-220Cell Biology and Chemistry4
BIO-232Bioinformatics4
BIO-253Genetics: Classical, Molecular and Population4
BIO-275Tropical Biology3
CHM-113General Chemistry I4
CHM-114General Chemistry II4
CHM-121Chemistry of Human Health4
CHM-130Chemistry in Society3
PHY-201General Physics I4
PHY-202General Physics II4
PHY-205Principles of Physics I4
PHY-206Principles of Physics II4
SCI-102Forensic Science3
SCI-103Physical Science3
SCI-104Earth Science3
SCI-105Integrated Science with Computers3

Religious and Theological Studies

In addition to the common core religious and theological studies course, students will select one course from the following list:

RTS-221The Experience of Loss: Help, Hope and Healing3
RTS-262What the Bible Really Tells Us: The Essential Course for Biblical Literacy3
RTS-300Religious Diversity of Newport3
RTS-305The Spiritual Quest3
RTS-315Thomas Aquinas: Background, Thought, and Legacy3
RTS-316The Satan Seminar3
RTS-321Superheroes, Saints and Sinners: Spiritual Themes in Contemporary Fiction3
RTS-325Who Is My Neighbor? Mercy in the Christian Life3
RTS-326Learning Theology with C.S. Lewis3
RTS-327Technohuman? Technology, Genetics, God and the Future of Humanity3
RTS-328Disability, Vulnerability and Human Flourishing3
RTS-332Care for Creation: Christianity, Ethics and the Environment3
RTS-334Global Ethics3
RTS-335Social Ethics in a Volatile World3
RTS-336Marriage and Family Life3
RTS-337Biomedical Ethics3
RTS-338Sexual Ethics3
RTS-339Friendship, Love & Romance: The Call to Intimacy3
RTS-340Church in the Twenty-First Century3
RTS-341Explorations in Christian Theology3
RTS-345Engaging the Catholic Experience3
RTS-347Symbol, Icon and Beauty in Religious Traditions3
RTS-355Christian Jewish Relations: From Hostility to Hope3
RTS-356Contemporary Christian Spirituality3
RTS-364Understanding the Hebrew Scriptures3
RTS-365The Psalms and the Prophets: A Quest for God and Justice3
RTS-372Jesus and the Gospels: "Who do you say that I am"3
RTS-374The Life and Letters of St. Paul3
RTS-375Good Girls, Bad Girls: Women of the Bible3
RTS-381Engaging the Jewish Experience3
RTS-382Engaging the Muslim Experience3
RTS-383Engaging the Hindu Experience3
RTS-384Engaging the Buddhist Experience3
RTS-385Utopia and Dystopia: Exploring the Roots of Religious Terror3
RTS-386New Religious Movements and Alternative Spiritualties3

Philosophy

One course in Philosophy in addition to the common core course, approved by a committee of the faculty.

PHL-120Logic3
PHL-125Philosophy of the Human Person3
PHL-126The Pre-Socratics, the Sophists and Socrates3
PHL-130Ancient Philosophy3
PHL-140Medieval Political Philosophy3
PHL-141Medieval Political Philosophy3
PHL-201Classical Political Philosophy3
PHL-202Modern Political Philosophy3
PHL-203Modern Philosophy3
PHL-204Contemporary Philosophy3
PHL-230Plato3
PHL-231Aristotle3
PHL-233Islamic Philosophy3
PHL-234Chinese Philosophy3
PHL-235God and the Philosophers3
PHL-236Philosophy of Justice3
PHL-237Science Fiction and Philosophy3
PHL-238Japanese Philosophy3
PHL-242Thomas Aquinas3
PHL-250Continental Rationalism3
PHL-251British Empiricism3
PHL-260Applied Ethics3
PHL-261Classic American Philosophy3
PHL-271Ancient and Medieval Philosophy3
PHL-280Environmental Ethics3
PHL/ADJ-325Philosophy of Law3
PHL-333Reasoning about Race: The Ontology and Ethics of Racial Justice3
PHL/ENV-334Environmental Justice3
PHL-335Philosophy and Art3
PHL-336Free Will3
PHL-337The Enlightenment and its Critics3
PHL-338Women in Philosophy3
PHL-339Great Thinkers in Ancient Philosophy3
PHL-349Great Thinkers in Medieval Philosophy3
PHL-350Idealism3
PHL-359Great Thinkers in Modern Philosophy3
PHL-360Phenomenology3
PHL-361Existentialism3
PHL-362Analytic Philosophy3
PHL-369Great Thinkers in Contemporary Philosophy3
PHL-435Topics in Philosophy of Science3
PHL-439Topics in Ancient Philosophy3
PHL-449Topics in Medieval Philosophy3
PHL-450Metaphysics3
PHL-459Topics in Modern Philosophy3
PHL-460Epistemology3
PHL-469Topics in Contemporary Philosophy3

Social Science

Students will select two courses from the following. Each course must be from a different discipline.

Economics

ECN-101Introductory Macroeconomics3
ECN-263Global Economics3
ECN-314Comparative Economic and Political Systems3
ECN-315Economic Growth and Development3
ECN-316American Economic History3
ECN-317Economic Ideas in Historical Perspective3
ECN-392China's Evolving Economy3

Political Science

POL-115The American Political System3
POL-120How to Rule the World: Introduction to International Relations3
POL-201Classical Political Philosophy3
POL-202Modern Political Philosophy3
POL-211International Relations and Diplomacy3
POL-215American Government: Classic and Contemporary Readings3
POL-240Comparative Politics3
POL-324American Political Thought3
POL-331Contemporary Latin America3
POL-332Contemporary Middle East3
POL-333Contemporary Africa3
POL-334Contemporary Asia3
POL-345International Environment and Development3
POL-403Constitutional Law and Development3
POL-406The Fourth Amendment: Search and Seizure3
POL/ADJ-414Civil Liberties3
POL-415Modern American Foreign Policy3
POL-416Contemporary Europe and Russia3
POL-421Congress and the Legislative Process3
POL-422American Presidency3

Psychology

PSY-100Introduction to Psychology3
PSY-220Child Development3
PSY-250Social Psychology3
PSY-253Psychology and the Law3
PSY-255Psychology of Prejudice3
PSY-282Psychology: Science Vs. Pseudoscience3
PSY-290Cross-Cultural Psychology3
PSY-390Optimal Human Functioning/Positive Psychology3

Linguistics

LIN-200The Social Fabric: Language in Society3
LIN-245Introduction to Linguistics3
LIN-345Intercultural Communication3

Social Work

SWK-120Social Problems: Analysis by Race, Class and Gender3

Sociology and Anthropology

GLO-100Introduction to Global Studies3
SOA-110The Sociological Imagination3
SOA-130Anthropology: Interpreting Cultural Differences3
SOA-190Introduction to Archeology3
SOA-200The Social Fabric: Language in Society3
SOA-211Race and Ethnic Relations3
SOA-218Exploring North American Indigenous Cultures3
SOA-219Popular Culture3
SOA-230Gender and Sexuality: Cross-Cultural Perspectives3
SOA-249Global Health: Society, Medicine, and the Body3
SOA-320"Sex" at "Work"3
SOA-335Global Capital3
SOA-350Food Matters3
SOA-420Gender Violence3

Visual and Performing Arts

Students will select one 3-credit course (or three 1-credit courses) from the following list:

ART-101Art in Society3
ART-108Introduction to Art History: Stories, Lives, Passions3
ART-131Drawing I3
ART-140The Art of Website Design3
ART-165Photography, Race, & Identity3
ART-172Art Across a Gilded Age Campus3
ART/CHP-180Historic Building Documentation3
ART-202Sculptural Concepts3
ART/CHP-207Introduction to Architecture3
ART-218Introduction to Digital Art & Design3
ART-220Introduction to Making Art with Code3
ART-231Introduction to Ceramics: Clay, Culture and Creativity3
ART-241Introduction to Graphic Design3
ART-244Introduction to Illustration: Pictures for People3
ART-246Intro. to Illustration: Visual Narrative3
ART-250Introduction to Painting: Observation & Color3
ART-256Introduction to Painting: Constructing Painted Spaces3
ART-271Introduction to Digital Photography3
ART-272Introduction to Film Photography3
ART-322Gender and Sexuality in Art3
DNC-100Dance in Society: Aesthetics and Cultural Contexts3
DNC-210Roots of Jazz Dance: Africanist Aesthetics and the American Experience3
DNC-301Dancing Histories3
MSC-100Introduction to Music3
MSC-211Musicianship I3
MSC/AST-215Topics in American Music3
MSC-220History of Music Through 17503
MSC-221Bach to Rock: Music from 1750 to the Present3
MSI-150Individual Voice1
MSI-151Individual Piano1
MSI-152Individual Guitar1
MSI-153Individual Flute1
MSI-154Individual Clarinet1
MSI-155Individual Oboe1
MSI-156Individual Bassoon1
MSI-157Individual Saxophone1
MSI-158Individual Violin1
MSI-159Individual Viola1
MSI-160Individual Violoncello1
MSI-161Individual Double Bass1
MSI-162Individual Trumpet1
MSI-163Individual French Horn1
MSI-164Individual Trombone1
MSI-165Individual Tuba1
MSI-166Individual Percussion1
MSI-167Individual Organ1
MSP-153University Chorus1
MSP-241Jazz Ensemble1
MSP-243Symphonic Band1
MSP-249Orchestra1
MSP-363Madrigal Chorus1
THE-004New York Theatre1
THE-101Introduction to Theatre Arts3
THE-102Foundations of Acting3
THE-135Stagecraft3
THE-220African American Drama3
THE-221Gender and Sexuality in Performance3
THE-261Public Speaking3

Community Service Requirement - Feinstein Enriching America Program

For 25 years the Feinstein Enriching America Program in the Center for Community Engagement and Service has fostered the integration of community engagement and service as foundational to a Mercy education.  The Feinstein Enriching America Program supports the engagement of undergraduate students in the local community responding to the expressed needs of community partners through direct service and advancing work on the Critical Concerns of the Sisters of Mercy: antiracism, immigration, women, earth and nonviolence.

  • All students matriculating prior to the 2021-2022 undergraduate catalog must complete the Feinstein Enriching America Program requirement through the completion of (at least) ten hours of community service. These hours must be logged into the community service portal on Campus@Salve [including those completed during Explorientation, Week of Welcome (WOW), New Seahawk Orientation and the First Year Transitions (FYT) course] and approved by the Center for Community Engagement and Service by the spring semester of students’ graduation year at Salve. The inclusion of GST-111: Feinstein Enriching America Program on the student transcript indicates the completion of this graduation requirement.
  • All students under the 2021-2022 undergraduate catalog and following will complete the Feinstein Enriching America Program requirement through participation in the Feinstein Day of Service during New Seahawk Orientation or WOW [~4 hours of service] and the completion of two experiences of direct service with local community partners during their First Year Transitions (FYT) course [~6 hours of service]. Students must log their completed service hours into the community service portal on Campus@Salve and complete associated reflection assignments to fulfill the Feinstein Enriching America Program requirement as part of FYT. The inclusion of FYT-100 First Year Transitions or FYT-200 Transfer Transitions on the student transcript indicates the completion of this requirement. [Students exempted from completing FYT will be exempted from this requirement.]

Only under exceptional circumstances may students be considered for exemption from the requirement. Appeals are made to the Dean of Undergraduate Studies.

Students can find a list of approved opportunities on the Center for Community Engagement and Service page.

Community service can include working with children or the elderly, volunteering in a sports-oriented atmosphere or in local soup kitchens, helping with food drives, working with animals, tutoring, assisting with environmental projects and more.

The center maintains an extensive inventory of service opportunities and facilitates transportation to service sites. Projects not offered through the center must be approved before they can be considered appropriate for a community service experience.

The Feinstein Enriching America Program at Salve Regina is made possible through the generosity of Alan Shawn Feinstein and the Feinstein Foundation.

Degree Programs

Degree Requirements

A minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average is required to qualify for a Salve Regina University degree. Some programs require a higher grade point average. Consult the program description in this catalog or the department for specific requirements. 

Baccalaureate Degrees

The minimum requirement for a bachelor’s degree is 120 credits. A minimum of 30 credits, exclusive of credit by examination options, must be taken at Salve Regina as the residency requirement. Students pursuing the Bachelor of Arts and Science degree must satisfy the course and credit requirements of two major areas, one of a B.A. program, one of a B.S. program.

Students who are readmitted to the University must fulfill the residency requirement of 30 credits at Salve Regina University, 30 of which must be taken after readmission to the University.

The Bachelor of Arts degree in liberal studies requires students to complete a minimum of 24 credits in a concentration approved by the department chair or faculty advisor. A student may apply for this program after earning 90 credits. For more information, contact the Dean of Undergraduate Studies.

Major

The University confers undergraduate degrees in the following disciplines:

  • Accounting (B.S.)
  • American History (B.A.)
  • Art History (B.A.)
  • Biochemistry (B.A.)
  • Biochemistry (B.S.)
  • Biochemistry (B.A.)/Pharmacy (3+3)
  • Biology (B.A.)
  • Biology (B.S.)
  • Biology (B.S.)/Medical Technology (B.S.)
  • Biology (B.S.)/Pharmacy (3+3)
  • Biology and Secondary Education (B.A.S.)
  • Business Administration (B.S.)
  • Chemistry (B.A.)
  • Chemistry (B.A.)/Biomedical Engineering (B.S.) (3+2)
  • Chemistry (B.A.)/Chemical Engineering (B.S.) (3+2)
  • Chemistry (B.S.)
  • Chemistry and Secondary Education (B.A.S.)
  • Communications (B.A.)
  • Creative Writing & Publishing (B.A.)
  • Criminal Justice and Criminology (B.A.)
  • Cultural and Historic Preservation (B.A.)
  • Dance (B.A.)
  • Early Childhood Education (B.S.)
  • Early Childhood Education and Special Education (B.S.)
  • Economics (B.A.)
  • Economics (B.S.)
  • Elementary Education (B.S.)
  • Elementary Education and Special Education (B.S.)
  • Environmental Studies (B.A.)
  • European History (B.A.)
  • Finance (B.S.)
  • French (B.A.)
  • Global Business and Economics (B.S.)
  • Global Studies, International Development Concentration (B.A.)
  • Global Studies, Mercy Critical Concern Concentration (B.A.)
  • Global Studies, Regional Concentration (B.A.)
  • Global Studies, Socio-cultural Identity Concentration (B.A.)
  • Healthcare Administration (B.S.)
  • History and Secondary Education (B.A.S.)
  • Literature (B.A.)
  • Literature/Secondary Education (B.A.S.)
  • Marketing (B.S.)
  • Mathematics (B.A.)
  • Mathematics (B.A.)/Electrical Engineering (B.S.) (3+2)
  • Mathematics (B.A.)/Mechanical Engineering (B.S.) (3+2)
  • Mathematics (B.A.)/Systems Science & Engineering (B.S.) (3+2)
  • Mathematics (B.A.)/Data Science (M.S.) (3+2)
  • Mathematics and Secondary Education (B.A.S.)
  • Medical Technology B.S.
  • Music (B.A.)
  • Music Education (B.A.S.)
  • Nursing (B.S.)
  • Philosophy (B.A.)
  • Political Science (B.A.)
  • Psychology (B.A.)
  • Religious and Theological Studies (B.A.)
  • Secondary Education (B.A.S.)
  • Social Work (B.S.)
  • Sociology and Anthropology (B.A.)
  • Spanish (B.A.)
  • Studio Arts, Ceramics Concentration (B.A.)
  • Studio Arts, Graphic Design Concentration (B.A.)
  • Studio Arts, Illustration Concentration (B.A.)
  • Studio Arts, Interactive Media Arts Concentration (B.A.)
  • Studio Arts, Painting Concentration (B.A.)
  • Studio Arts, Photography Concentration (B.A.)
  • Theatre Arts (B.A.)
  • World Languages Education - French (B.A.S.)
  • World Languages Education - Spanish (B.A.S.)

Concentration

  • Biology, Environmental Sciences Concentration (B.S.)
  • Finance, Corporate Finance Concentration (B.S.)
  • Finance, Wealth Management Concentration (B.S.)
  • Political Science, American Government and Public Law (B.A.)
  • Political Science, International Relations and Comparative Politics Concentration (B.A.)
  • Religious and Theological Studies, Christian Theology Concentration, B.A.
  • Religious and Theological Studies, Ethics Concentration, B.A.
  • Religious and Theological Studies, Scripture Concentration (B.A.)
  • Religious and Theological Studies, World Religions Concentration (B.A.)
  • Theatre, Acting Concentration (B.A.)
  • Theatre, Musical Theatre Concentration (B.A.)
  • Theatre, Technical Concentration (B.A.)

Minor

The University offers a number of single discipline and interdisciplinary minors which students may complete to enhance their education.

  • ABA Minor
  • Accounting Minor
  • Art History Minor
  • Biology Minor
  • Business Administration Minor
  • Chemistry Minor
  • Communications Minor
  • Creative Writing Minor
  • Criminal Justice and Criminology Minor
  • Cultural and Historic Preservation Minor
  • Cybersecurity Minor
  • Dance Minor
  • Data Analytics Minor
  • Economics Minor
  • Entrepreneurship Minor
  • Environmental Studies Minor
  • Film Minor (Interdisciplinary)
  • Finance Minor
  • Food Studies Minor
  • French Minor
  • Global Business and Economics Minor
  • Global Studies Minor
  • Healthcare Administration Minor
  • History Minor
  • Hospitality and Tourism Management Minor 
  • Human Services Minor
  • Italian Studies Minor
  • Literature Minor
  • Marketing Minor
  • Mathematical Finance Minor
  • Mathematics Minor
  • Music Minor
  • Neuroscience Minor
  • Philosophy Minor
  • Political Science Minor
  • Psychology Minor
  • Religious and Theological Studies Minor
  • Secondary Education Minor
  • Sociology and Anthropology Minor
  • Spanish Minor
  • Special Education Minor
  • Sports Management Minor
  • Studio Art Minor
  • Theatre Arts Minor
  • Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies Minor

Pre-Law

Salve Regina University has a pre-law advisor who will consult with students interested in pursuing a career in the law. The pre-law advisor also hosts events where students can meet with Salve alumni to learn about their experience applying and attending law school.

There is no single major that students should pursue to prepare for law school. Development of reading comprehension, writing, and analytical reasoning skills will assist in preparation for law school. It is helpful for students to be challenged by rigorous courses that differ from the chosen major in order to balance their education.

For admission, law schools emphasize the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and the cumulative grade point average as well as extracurricular and community involvements. It is advised that students take the LSAT at the end of junior year after extensively studying for it.

Pre-Professional Health: Pre-Medical, Pre-Veterinary, Pre-Dental

Salve has a pre-health advisor to recommend medical school prerequisites during their undergraduate experience. Students who intend to pursue an advanced degree in medicine, dentistry, or veterinary medicine should consult the admission requirements for the professional schools in which they are interested. While most students pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in biology or chemistry, many schools are accepting students with degrees in other majors. An academic plan that takes into account professional school admissions requirements and admissions tests (GRE, MCAT, VCAT, and DAT) should be developed in consultation with the undergraduate pre-professional health advisor.

Accelerated Bachelor's/Master's Degree Programs

Two options are available for students wishing to start on their graduate degree in their senior year: a 5-year pathway (5Y) which allows for completion of the degree in one year after completing their undergraduate degree, and an Accelerated pathway which provides the ability for students to begin their graduate program in the senior year but complete their graduate program at their own pace. More information about these programs including a full listing can be found at salve.edu/graduate-and-professional-studies/combined-bachelors-masters-programs.

5 Year (5Y) Pathway

Designed for undergraduates to begin their graduate program while still in their senior year of undergraduate studies but is specifically designed to allow students to complete their master’s studies in one-year post-graduation from their undergraduate program. The 5Y pathway has a flat rate of tuition for the fifth year and students retain the services that they had as undergraduate students. Students in the 5Y pathway require 126 credit hours to complete their undergraduate degree and must take 4 courses in their senior year. Of the 4 graduate courses taken in their senior year, only 2 can count towards the undergraduate credit requirements. Students in the 5Y pathway will matriculate into the 5Y program for the specified master’s program upon graduation from the undergraduate program. 5Y students MUST take 4 courses in the Fall and 4 courses in the Spring semesters of the fifth year to remain as 5Y students. If students opt to no longer follow the 5Y course path, they will revert to traditional graduate students for the remainder of their enrollment. Only certain programs are designed to support the 5Y pathway. The 5Y programs are: 

  • Master of Business Administration (MBA)
  • MS in Administration of Justice and Homeland Security  
  • MS in Healthcare Administration  
  • MA in International Relations  
  • MS in Innovation and Strategic Management 

These programs may also be taken in the Accelerated pathway but there will be no continuation of undergraduate services and the students will be billed at the traditional graduate credit hour rate upon matriculation into the graduate program. 5Y students may also opt to transition into the Accelerated program if they cannot complete 4 graduate courses in their senior year.

Accelerated Masters

Designed for undergraduates to begin their graduate program while still in their senior year of undergraduate studies. The pathway requires students who are able to take 2, 3, or 4 graduate courses in their senior year. Students may not take only 1 graduate course as undergraduates. Students in the Accelerated pathway will matriculate into the traditional graduate program upon graduation from the undergraduate program and will pay standard tuition rates for the specified degree. The following programs may be taken in Accelerated mode:  

  • MS in Behavioral Analysis  
  • MA in Clinical Counseling 
  • MA in Leadership Dynamics and Practice 
  • MBA  
  • MS in Administration of Justice and Homeland Security  
  • MS in Healthcare Administration  
  • MA in International Relations  
  • MS in Innovation and Strategic Management 

These programs are designed for the University's highly motivated and qualified undergraduates. Eligibility for the programs requires timely planning and coordination of the undergraduate and graduate curricula. Candidates for the programs apply by February 15th of their junior year. Applicants should have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.30 and should expect to take up to four graduate courses for 12 credits in the senior year- six credits apply toward the baccalaureate degree and six credits apply toward the master's degree.

  • Undergraduate students who are enrolled in graduate courses must be full time (minimum of 12 credits) at the start of the 15-week semester. Graduate level courses that begin in the second session do not count toward the minimum.
  • Undergraduate students may register for no more than two graduate courses per semester and for a total of no more than four graduate courses while having undergraduate status.

Final acceptance is conditioned on successfully completing the undergraduate degree. Students interested in pursuing one of these programs should contact the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies to schedule an appointment to meet with the appropriate graduate program director as soon as they develop that interest. Consult the specific program for details on accelerated bachelor's/master's degree programs.

Double Majors

Salve Regina University encourages students to consider a double major when feasible. Advisors and department chairs work with students to try and facilitate a double major and to determine whether the proposed major combination appears to be within the student's capabilities and achievable within a reasonable period of time. Students should be cautioned that it may not be feasible to complete a double major within four years. Summer courses and a heavier course load, including overload fees, may be required to complete a second major. Course cancellation, long-term illness, failure to pass a course, or other unforeseen situations may jeopardize the ability of the student to complete the double major. For the double major, especially careful advising that includes faculty members of both majors should take place.

Core Curriculum courses may fulfill requirements for both majors. Any number of cross-listed courses may fulfill requirements for both majors.

If the student's two majors each require a thesis, the student may or may not be required to complete a thesis for each program. Whether one thesis could be submitted which would meet the thesis requirement for both programs will be decided by the chairs of the majors involved. If one thesis is approved for both majors, it carries only three credits. The additional three credits associated with a second thesis must be obtained by taking an additional course or other accepted academic work.

No more than 40% of courses in a double major may be counted for both majors. That is, at least 60% of the courses must be distinct.

Simultaneous Pursuit of Two Baccalaureate Degrees

The total minimum requirement for graduation with two baccalaureate degrees is 152 credits. A minimum of 72 credits, exclusive of credit by examination options, must be taken at Salve Regina as the residency requirement. Note that departmental requirements may necessitate course work in the concentration that will result in exceeding the minimum. In addition to satisfying specific major/minor and core curriculum requirements for each degree, the student must take for the second degree at least 32 credits in addition to those completed for the first degree, thereby earning the equivalent of five years of University study.

Second Degree Students

Students who have previously completed a baccalaureate degree and wish to pursue a second baccalaureate degree at Salve Regina University follow the regular application procedures. These students are classified as special students and must complete requirements in the major, as well as prerequisites, and core curriculum requirements in Religious and Theological Studies (RTS-225 The Quest for the Ultimate: Dialogue with Global Religious Traditions and a core RTS course). Second degree students must complete a minimum of 30 credits in the second degree program at Salve Regina University to receive their degrees. International students whose first language is not English and who already possess a baccalaureate degree must complete the University's core curriculum requirements in Religious and Theological Studies (RTS-225 The Quest for the Ultimate: Dialogue with Global Religious Traditions and a core RTS course) and complete EAP courses through EAP-104 Advanced Communication Skills and EAP-111 Academic Research and Writing-EAP-112 Academic Writing in Disciplines, unless they have a minimum TOEFL score of 79 (550).

Professional Studies

The Professional Studies program seeks to address the needs of adult learners by offering 7-week compressed online courses. Such courses are available only to students enrolled in a professional studies program. Professional studies students are subject to academic and financial policies published in this catalog such as federal loan eligibility, satisfactory academic progress, grading, and graduation. Registration information for professional studies is available online at the RN to BSN website. For information on the RN to BSN program, please see the Professional Studies section of the Graduate and Professionals Studies catalog.

Special Programs and Opportunities

Service Learning

Service learning is the integration of socially significant, field-based community service with learning and reflection in the context of an academic course. Participating in a service learning experience provides students with the opportunity to serve the community in a way that utilizes the knowledge and skills learned in the classroom. As such, service learning is an excellent way to live out the University's Mission to "seek wisdom and promote universal justice." Students are encouraged to participate in service learning in courses that offer this opportunity. Students can learn about Service Learning opportunities through the Center for Community Engagement and Service.

Interdisciplinary Programs

Shaped by our unique Mercy mission and location in historic Newport, interdisciplinary academic programs cross the boundaries between traditional departments and disciplines using a problem-focus or subject-themed approach. Foundational and cross-disciplinary courses are combined with internships, hands-on research and/or cohort experiences including study abroad in ways that allow students and faculty members to work outside their traditional departments and to connect fully with the local community, and wider world. The following majors and programs are designed especially for students who want to work beyond just one discipline: American Studies, Cultural and Historic Preservation, Environmental Studies and Global Studies.

Pell Honors Program

The Pell Honors Program promotes the University's Mission of preparing students to serve the community, to seek peace and justice in the world, and to be responsible citizens at the local, national, and international levels. The aim of the Pell Honors Program is to realize Senator Claiborne Pell's vision of a liberal arts education as the key to informed citizenship. Through the Pell Honors Program, students develop their analytical and communication skills by entering into respectful but critical debates on topics such as politics, international affairs, human nature, ethics, religion, and society and culture.

The highly selective Pell Honors Program is open to students from all academic majors. Students who demonstrate strong potential for academic excellence, exhibiting both intellectual curiosity and a passion for learning, are identified during the University admissions process. These students are invited to apply for acceptance into the program. Current students who wish to apply to the program may do so at the end of the fall semester of their freshman year. The process starts by scheduling a meeting with the program director in November. To be eligible for admission into the program, students must have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.8 or above during their first semester and must submit an application packet that includes the completion of the Pell Honors admissions essay, a writing sample (in the form of a course paper from their first semester), and two letters of recommendation from full-time Salve Regina faculty. The application materials must be submitted to the program director by the fall semester’s last day of classes.

The honors program extends through the traditional four years of baccalaureate study but can be completed in three years. The program consists of the following main components:

  1. Specially-designed honors sections of the University Seminars, history and social science core courses, and Special Topics seminars;
  2. An experiential learning requirement in the form of an academic internship, a study abroad experience, sponsored research with a faculty mentor, or professional fieldwork (nursing, education, and social work majors only);
  3. Participation in a variety of academic and co-curricular opportunities that may include workshops, lectures, reading groups, discussions, and field trips.

Pell Honors students must maintain a minimum 3.3 cumulative grade point average to remain in the program.

Pell Honors Program students in good standing (cumulative GPA 3.3 or higher) may request to waive fees for up to 9 overload credits by completing an Overload Approval Form.

For more information see Pell Honors Program.

Internships

Internships provide opportunities for students to apply knowledge and skills learned in the classroom within professional settings in a variety of organizations. Students may identify internship opportunities with the help of departmental faculty members and the Office of Career Development. An internship is both an academic and practical experience that requires guidance from a faculty sponsor and an internship site supervisor. The student, faculty sponsor, and site supervisor complete and sign an Internship Learning Agreement form which specifies the student's responsibilities, learning objectives, and academic requirements for the internship. Students enroll in an internship course and must work between 105-120 hours to earn 3 credits (requisite hours vary by department). Students must complete the work concurrently during the semester in which they are registered for the internship, and may not earn credit for work completed prior to submitting a completed and approved internship learning agreement. Interns must have a minimum GPA of 2.00 (higher, in some departments) to complete an internship for credit. Students considering an internship for credit should consult with the department chair during the semester prior to the internship for guidance and departmental requirements. The Office of Career Development can assist students who are interested in internships that will not carry academic credit.

Center for Global Education & Fellowships

In support of the mission of Salve Regina, the Center for Global Education & Fellowships actively promotes international and intercultural understanding and enriches the curricular and co-curricular environment by facilitating the exchange of people and ideas and assisting in the development of the skills and attitudes necessary for our graduates to function as global citizens. The office supports study abroad and exchange programs, international partnerships, international student services, fellowship advising, the English for Academic Purposes program and a range of on-campus international programming. Programming includes International Education week, held annually in November, and the Language House, a residential living and learning community focused on the French and Spanish languages and cultures.

International Student Services

The Center for Global Education & Fellowships assists newly accepted students with all pre-arrival and pre-enrollment steps including travel documentation. The Office hosts a mandatory week-long international student orientation. In addition, a dedicated team supports enrolled international students throughout their degree program or exchange stay with federal and state regulations affecting international students (immigration, taxes) as well as offering academic, cultural and personal support and programming to meet the specific needs of international students. Each international student will be assigned an academic advisor from the Center for Global Education & Fellowships to assist them in the selection of academic courses. This advisor will be a supplemental advisor to their faculty major advisor.

Study Abroad

The Center for Global Education & Fellowships provides advising and assistance to Salve Regina students who wish to study abroad as part of their degree program. In conjunction with Salve academic departments, partner universities and affiliate program providers we offer short term, semester and year-long programs throughout the world. Academic prerequisites and admission requirements vary by program. Students wishing to pursue any of these opportunities must complete an application with the Center for Global Education & Fellowships. Federal Financial Aid, institutional aid and merit scholarships are available to students enrolling in approved study abroad programs during the semester and academic year. Students should consult with their Study Abroad advisor as well as the Office of Financial Aid to consider their various program options and costs, to understand any adjustments to their aid packages and to explore applicable external scholarship opportunities.

English for Academic Purposes

English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses offered by the Center for Global Education & Fellowships are for students who are non-native speakers of English and are taken during their first two semesters. The courses are designed to develop their academic English skills and to help them gain a clear understanding of American academic culture to succeed in college. Students take two EAP courses each semester in conjunction with two to three other credit-bearing undergraduate courses. All EAP courses earn three credits and either fulfill the University’s foreign language requirement or qualify as elective credit for EAP students.

Military Science and Leadership (Army ROTC)

Army Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) is offered by Salve Regina in cooperation with the University of Rhode Island, and is available to all students. The Army ROTC program is normally taken in sequence over four years, but convenient options are available for three- and two-year programs.

The military science courses listed below serve as electives designed to complement the various undergraduate majors available at Salve Regina. They emphasize development of individual leadership ability and preparation of the student for future leadership roles in the Army. Professional military education skills such as written communications, human behavior, history, mathematical reasoning and other skills, are fulfilled through the combination of the core curriculum and military science. Significant scholarship opportunities are available to students participating in the ROTC program, based on performance and not on financial need. Although enrollment in ROTC courses does not constitute joining the U.S. Army, nor does it constitute an obligation to do so, physically qualified American citizens who complete the entire ROTC program are eligible to be commissioned in the U.S. Army. Delayed entry into active service for the purpose of graduate study is available.

MSL-101Introduction to Leadership I1
MSL-102Introduction to Leadership II1
MSL-201Leadership and Military History3
MSL-202Leadership and Team Building3
MSL-300Leadership Training Internship6
MSL-301Advanced Leadership Management I3
MSL-302Advanced Leadership Management II3
MSL-401Adaptive Leadership3
MSL-402Adaptive Leadership in a Complex World3