The Bonaventure Program at Quincy University provides the foundation for a liberal arts education. Because of the foundational nature of the classes, it is recommended that 100-level and 200-level courses be completed before the end of the sophomore year, except for the fine arts course, which can be taken at any time during the 4 years.
Quincy University’s educational mission in the Catholic, Franciscan tradition has two parts: who we want our students to be and what we want our students to know. Accordingly, we seek to instill in our graduates values which will enable them to pursue wisdom and to transform the world, and to impart the knowledge and skills essential for educated persons to live successful and productive lives.
The common educational experience provided for our students is known as the Bonaventure Program, named after St. Bonaventure, who was a 13th century Franciscan scholar. The program includes knowledge in the traditional liberal arts and sciences, where students use disciplinary and interdisciplinary modes of inquiry to investigate aspects of the natural and human world. This investigation requires reflection on ultimate questions and intellectual exploration of multiple perspectives and cultures. In the Franciscan tradition, such a journey expresses openness to the truth of the other and is founded in respect for persons and the integrity and goodness of creation. This journey is undertaken in community and towards action in the world. The goals of a liberal arts education-academic breadth, civic engagement, critical reading, writing and thinking-are supplemented by the Franciscan values of respect, justice, peace, and service.
Students create an e-portfolio of significant assignments in Bonaventure Program courses. In the senior year, students review their portfolios and reflect on the relationship between what they learned in their majors and what they learned in the Bonaventure Program. We believe it is important to integrate the Quincy University learning experience.
The Bonaventure Program intends to set students on the path of lifelong learning and guide them to become thoughtful, moral individuals. The learning outcomes of the Bonaventure Program include knowledge, skills, and dispositions. Learning outcomes in the arts and sciences disciplines are assessed at the program level. The following learning outcomes are assessed at the university level:
- Written Communication - Students will demonstrate skill in writing by following generally accepted standards for clear, coherent, audience-centered writing.
- Oral Communication - Students will demonstrate skill in speech by following generally accepted standards for clear, coherent, audience-centered speaking.
- Information Literacy - Students will access needed information, critically evaluate information and its sources, and use information effectively, ethically and legally for specific purposes.
- Critical Reasoning - Students will explore, analyze, and synthesize information in a comprehensive manner prior to coming to a conclusion.
- Problem-Solving - Students will utilize appropriate strategic planning processes to answer questions and/or reach desired goals.
- Global Perspective - Students will demonstrate an understanding of global issues, conflicts and decisions, including the worldviews of other societies, and their impact on individuals and the global community.
- Knowledge of Diversity - Students will demonstrate an understanding of multiple forms of discrimination, the perspectives of groups and individuals affected by discrimination, poverty and/or other inequities, and the contributions of underrepresented or marginalized social groups.
- Ethical Reasoning - Students will apply ethical reflection to a variety of personal, professional, and social issues, using knowledge of multiple ethical theories and perspectives.
- Civic Engagement - Students will integrate civic engagement into their participation in civic activities.
- Leadership - Students will apply knowledge of effective leadership to their participation in leadership activities.
- Critical Self-Reflection and Personal, Intellectual, and Spiritual Growth - Students will practice critical self-analysis as reflective, educated and ethical persons who pursue wisdom.
Bonaventure Signature Courses
The Bonaventure Signature Courses, hours taken in theology and philosophy, are those courses that especially support our Franciscan mission. Three courses are required including Western Religious Traditions, an additional theology course, and an ethics course. Note: If the ethics requirement is met outside of the philosophy prefix (PHI), an additional philosophy course is required.
Writing Across the Curriculum
Because Quincy University is committed to graduating students who are capable writers, the Bonaventure Program requires four designated “writing-enriched” courses. One course in the major is strongly recommended. Students transferring in 48-85 hours need 2 writing-enriched (W:) courses (one in the major recommended) and students transferring in 86 hours or more must complete one (preferably in the major).
Technological Literacy in the Bonaventure Program
The University is committed to graduating technologically literate students. Students will be required to achieve minimum technological competency as defined by the departments, divisions, or schools. These academic units will be responsible for demonstrating that the technology competency requirements have been met.
The Quincy University Service Learning Requirement
Service learning is a type of experiential education that fulfills academic goals with activities that address human and community needs. Community service is deeply embedded in the foundation of Quincy University as a Catholic, Franciscan institution. A service learning activity is an unpaid, voluntary project performed by a student or group of students with an approved non-profit agency, institution, or organization that benefits the local, national, or global community. The primary beneficiary of this service is the institution and the people it serves rather than the student.
- Beginning in Fall 2010, all incoming first-year students at Quincy University must perform 30 hours of approved service learning activities before being certified for graduation. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the required service learning hours by the end of the junior year.
- Undergraduate students (excluding PS and non-degree seeking students) who transfer to Quincy University must meet the following requirement:
| Transferred semester credit hours: |
0-23.9 hours - 30 service learning hours |
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24-47.9 hours - 20 service learning hours |
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48 hours or more - 10 service learning hours |
- Students enrolled in Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing and Health Sciences Programs are required to complete 10 hours of Service Learning at Quincy University.
- Students are required to submit hours and reflect on each service learning experience through the university provided tracking application, Mobileserve.
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