2023-2024 Academic Catalog

Transfer Alert! The Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI)

Concordia University Chicago is a participant in the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI), a statewide agreement that allows the transfer of the completed Illinois General Education Core Curriculum between participating institutions. Completion of the transferable General Education Core Curriculum at any participating college or university in Illinois assures transferring students that lower-division general education requirements for a bachelor’s degree have been satisfied, excluding graduation and mission-related requirements. This agreement is in effect for students entering an associate or baccalaureate degree-granting institution as a first-time freshman in summer 1998 and thereafter.

The following codes identify qualifying general education courses:

IAI Code General Education Type
IAI C Communication
IAI F Fine Arts
IAI H Humanities
IAI L Life Sciences
IAI M Mathematics
IAI P Physical Sciences
IAI S Social/Behavioral Sciences

IAI General Education Core Curriculum

  • Communication
    • 3 Courses/9 semester hours (2 Writing and 1 Speech course)
    • ENG-1100, COM-1100, and ENG-2000  here at CUC
  • Humanities and Fine Arts
    • 3 Courses total, 1 course must be a Humanities course, 1 course must be a Fine Arts course/9 semester hours
    • Humanities – Literature, History, Philosophy, and/or Foreign Languages at CUC
    • Fine Arts – Art, Film, Music, and/or Theatre at CUC
  • Mathematics
    • 1 Course/3 semester hours
    • Please refer to the General Education page regarding the program's math requirements
  • Physical Sciences and Life Sciences
    • 2 Courses total, 1 Course from each area/7-8 semester hours, a course from Physical Sciences and/or Life Sciences must have a lab (L) designation
    • Physical Science – Chemistry, Earth Science, and/or Physics
    • Life Science - Biology
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences
    • 3 Courses total, from at least two different disciplines (e.g., no more than 2 courses from, for example, psychology)/9 semester hours
    • Anthropology, Economics, Geography, Political Science, Psychology, or Sociology here at CUC
  • Total hours – at least 37 semester credit hours for a full complete transferable general education package.

CUC requires a minimum grade of D- for general education courses that are not prerequisites for other courses and requires a minimum grade of C for prerequisite courses. If a student has completed only part of the Core Curriculum, or is transferring from a non-IAI participating institution, transfer credit for completed coursework will be awarded the same as if the Core had been completed. However, the remaining coursework necessary to complete the bachelor’s degree will be determined according to CUC’s current practices and policies.

Concordia-Chicago recognizes proficiency and College Level Examination Program (CLEP) credit, and will apply it toward the IAI General Education Core Curriculum requirements as appropriate. See an academic advisor for additional information and read about the IAI at www.itransfer.org.