CCC: Policies & Procedures

While some courses may double count for overlay requirements and a course area requirement, students may not count a single course for more than one course area requirement. Some courses may be approved for more than one course area requirement. In such a case, a student may count the course toward either requirement but not both. For example, a course that is both Diversity and Philosophy Level One certified may be counted as either Diversity or Philosophy Level One but not as both Diversity and Philosophy Level One (for the same student)

  1. If approved, a Writing Intensive overlay course may double count for any course area requirement except for World History and Rhetoric and Composition
  2. If approved, a Writing Intensive course may also count as Mission overlay course
  3. If approved, a Mission overlay course may double count as any of the following course area requirements: Fine and Performing Arts, Creativity, & Design, Literature, Mathematics, Natural Science, Social Science

Some courses may count as either a course area requirement or a Mission overlay requirement but not both. For example, a course that is both Theology and Faith and Reason (Mission overlay) certified may be counted as either Theology or Mission overlay but not as both Theology and Mission Overlay (for the same student)

The following course areas may not double count as Mission Overlay courses (for the same student) even if such courses are approved as Mission overlay: Diversity, Philosophy Level One, Philosophy Level Two, Religious Studies, Theology

​​​​​​Saint Joseph’s University awards credit for some Advanced Placement (AP) examinations. Credit is given only upon receipt of an official report from the College Board. The AP course credit may count toward the 120 credits graduation requirement. A score of 4 or 5 on certain AP exams may fulfill some Cornerstone Core requirements. Depending on the exam taken, course areas in which students may apply sufficient AP credit include:

  • World History
  • Rhetoric and Composition
  • Fine and Performing Arts, Design, and Creativity
  • Mathematics
  • Non-Native Language
  • Social Science
  • Natural Science

For Block Transfer policies, please see the Block Transfer section under Transfer Credit Policies.

The following policies apply to other forms of transfer credit, including regular course transfers and study abroad:

  • Transfer credit is not possible for the Inequality (INT 151) and Diversity course areas
  • Philosophy, Religious Studies, and Theology course areas:  Students may transfer credit from an approved study abroad program; or where there is a block transfer agreement in place; or approved transfer credit from another institution  A course in one course area -- Philosophy, or Religious Studies, or Theology --may not satisfy any other core course area requirement.
  • Transfer credit may be received for the overlay requirements and for other Cornerstone Core course area requirements, subject to the above course area restrictions

There are two overlay requirements, Writing Intensive and Mission.

The Mission overlay includes three sub-categories (any one of which satisfies the Mission overlay requirement)

  1. Ethics and Social Justice, or
  2. Faith and Reason, or
  3. Global Citizenship

If approved, courses may count for both the Writing Intensive overlay and the Mission overlay.  Overlay courses may count for some but not all course area requirements, as follows:

  1. If approved, Writing Intensive courses may double count for any course area requirement except for World History and Rhetoric and Composition
  2. If approved, a Mission Overlay course may double count as any of the following course area requirements: Fine and Performing Arts, Creativity, & Design, Literature, Mathematics, Natural Science, Social Science

Some courses may count as either a course area requirement or a Mission overlay requirement but not both. For example, a course that is both Theology and Faith and Reason (Mission overlay) certified may be counted as either Theology or Mission overlay but not as both Theology and Mission overlay (for the same student)