Santa Clara University

Pathways

Pathways, clusters of courses with a common theme, promote integrative and intentional learning. More specifically, they cultivate the ability to make intentional and reflective educational choices; to study a theme from a number of disciplinary or methodological perspectives; and to perceive connections and relationships among ideas. ENGINEERING students with take three courses or 12 units. ARTS & SCIENCES and BUSINESS students will take four courses or 16 units.

Pathways also provides opportunities for undergraduate research experience and for deepening links with Residential Learning Communities and Centers of Distinction.

Procedures

Students will declare their Pathways by the end of the sophomore year.

By the winter quarter of the senior year, each student will submit a portfolio containing
• representative papers or written projects from each Pathway course
• a two-page paper reflecting on learning in the Pathway courses

Students may change Pathways after discussing plans with a Pathways advisor.

Guidelines

Normally, no more than two courses in a student’s Pathway may be taken in the same department.

For BUSINESS students and students in the COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES, two courses in any individual student’s major department may contribute to the requirements for that student’s Pathway, as long as the courses have been approved for the Pathway. For ENGINEERING students, only one course in the student's major department may contribute to the requirements for that student's Pathway, as long as the course has been approved for the Pathway.

A student’s Pathway may contain no more than two courses in either the Cultures & Ideas sequence (C&I 1, 2, and 3) or the Religion, Theology, & Culture sequence (RTC 1, 2, and 3).

Only one course in a Pathway may be a Foundations course (normally taken the first year).

Some courses will be appropriate for more than one Pathway, but students will complete only one Pathway.