So, SMU is implementing a a new way of doing its core courses (aka University Curriculum https://www.smu.edu/Academics/OfficeofGeneralEducation/UniversityCurriculum), dividing them into Foundations and Pillars. Each of these categories has two levels, and the second must be taken at SMU. According to my spreadsheet, that means 45 hours of core courses. Then they have Proficiencies and Experiences, which add another 35 hours. (https://www.smu.edu/Academics/OfficeofGeneralEducation/UniversityCurriculum/Requirements/ProficienciesandExperiences)
The grand total of core courses? 84 hours- before you even start counting what is needed for your major. This is insane!
You’re supposed to be able to write an ‘experiences’ paper, and petition the faculty committee, to see if one course can be used to meet two criteria.
The whole thing sounds like an incredibly time-wasting paper chase. I know this program is very new, but any experience or insight would be appreciated. They offered a very generous merit aid package, but this will be a Deal Buster.
Thanks in advance!
im an smu student and many of these classes meet multiple pillars and proficiencies, major classses also meet some pillars and proficiencies. I took a class last semester (im more into my major now) that met two pillars and two proficiencies all in one
Thanks for replying! It’s great that you’ve worked out all the ins-and-outs with your degree program.
All this paperwork and procedure-chasing would have been on top of an Engineering program, where it’s already tough to graduate in just four years, so it was just WAY too much overhead to deal with. Plus, almost none of the 50ish dual-credit hours would transfer, and losing that much work was too painful.
Luckily, there were other good offers, where almost all the dual-credit hours count toward core courses. SMU’s offer was declined.
Best of luck, and thanks again.
Were your core classes not all accepted at Smu?
To clarify: It’s not that they weren’t accepted; it’s that they wouldn’t count towards their Foundations and Pillars (core courses). SMU requires that most of their core courses be taken ‘in residence’, even if that means repeating what you’ve already done. So many of these Proficiencies and Experiences seemed more like Merit Badges; to a high-achieving student, it seems like a frivolous waste of time. Big shame - seriously nice campus.
Their pillars, depth, and breadth are truly stupid, but this is true of most schools across the country. A finance has no earthly reason to take a history of jazz in urban America course…Unless the University just wants to pocket $5k a pop for wasting your time.