Academic Program

The Academic Program

The academic program at Union flows from the fundamental assumption that a liberal arts college must cultivate in its students a passion for learning.

We seek to do this by providing a rich and varied set of course offerings, a faculty committed to teaching, extensive opportunities for undergraduate research and study abroad, and outstanding facilities.

Your academic career at Union will have three principal components. First is general education, designed to acquaint you with a broad range of subjects outside your major. Second is the major, a field of study pursued in depth. The third component consists of electives, those courses you take because you want to.

Because we know that choosing can be difficult, we provide extensive advising support. Whether you are a freshman who wants to talk about general education possibilities or a senior who wants to discuss graduate school, our faculty members, deans, and counselors are committed to helping you.

The Major

Depth of knowledge and understanding in a particular field are provided by the major. Your major can be a traditional subject, such as English, history, or physics, studied within the normal departmental context. Or, at Union, the first liberal arts college to offer engineering, you may study one of the principal branches of engineering.

There also are numerous interdepartmental majors, interdisciplinary programs, and two-degree programs; examples include Africana studies, biochemistry, environmental studies, and others.

About 30 percent of Union´s students major in the social sciences, 30 percent in the sciences, 20 percent in humanities, 15 percent in engineering , and 5 percent design their own majors.

Students decide on a field of concentration by the end of their sophomore year. Those who want to pursue a secondary field of concentration may select one academic minor, normally consisting of six courses.

General Education

As a college committed to a liberal education, Union requires that a substantial portion of each student's education be devoted to study outside the area of the major. Through the General Education Curriculum, students are encouraged to strive for a breadth of learning that will complement the expertise acquired in the major.

To give students a surer grasp of the heritage represented by the western tradition, the General Education Curriculum requires each student to take one of several two-course history sequences as well as associated literature and civilization courses. To give students a better knowledge of foreign cultures, the program has strong incentives to study a foreign language, embark on a Term Abroad, or study a non-western culture. Students also must select courses from mathematics, the natural sciences, and the social sciences.

The College's Writing Across the Curriculum program requires all students to take a certain number of courses that use writing as a key element.

A Dedicated Faculty

Union places great emphasis on teaching, and its 174 faculty members have been chosen because they like to teach. The student-faculty ratio is 11 to 1, and many classes are small; 68 percent of Union's classes have 25 or fewer students, and 40 percent have 15 or fewer.

Union does not stratify faculty functions according to rank; full professors often teach freshmen -- and there are no graduate student teaching assistants.

Although the emphasis is on teaching, Union also expects its faculty members to continue to be active scholars and researchers. In a great many cases, faculty and students work together.

Accelerated Programs

Joint programs with nearby colleges include a program with Albany Law School and a program with Albany Medical College.

Union offers several five-year, two-degree programs leading to a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in selected fields.

Independent Study and Undergraduate Research

Many Union students take advantage of the opportunity to plan part of their educational program through independent study and research where they're given access to the tools of inquiry and expected to explore for themselves.

The most common forms of independent study are investigative papers of "thesis" caliber in the humanities and social sciences and research papers in the sciences and engineering.

Union vigorously promotes additional serious research, and in some instances such research leads to joint publication with faculty. Twice in the past decade Union has hosted more than 1,200 students and faculty at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (Union regularly sends one of the largest groups to the conference), and more than 250 students present their research at Union's annual Steinmetz Symposium. During the summer about 50 students receive research fellowships to work with faculty members.

Many departments offer internships; one popular one is in Washington, D.C., where students work for a term in congressional offices or government agencies.

Educational Studies

Through the Educational Studies Program, students can become certified to teach at the secondary school level in English, languages (French, German, Latin, and Spanish), mathematics, science (biology, chemistry, earth sciences, physics, and general science), and social studies.

Honors Programs

The Union Scholars Program offers selected students several outstanding opportunities. Participants have a more intensive program in General Education, work closely with faculty on individualized projects, take part in an international experience or off-campus internship, and can graduate early, create an enriched program to meet specific needs and objectives, or earn a graduate degree.

Union Abroad

The College offers a range of formal resident-study programs in foreign countries, and half of Union's students study abroad at some point. In the foreign country, the student in most instances lives independently with a family or in an international dormitory and participates in the normal cultural life of the community. A Union faculty member usually accompanies the group.

Click here for the current Catalog with the latest information on International Programs

The Academic Calendar

Union operates on a "3-3-3" calendar, dividing the academic year into three terms of 10 weeks each. The flexible calendar permits many variations, but most students accumulate credits at the rate of three a term (nine a year) over a four-year period.

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Academics Home Academic Affairs Academic Calendar The Academic Program Costs of Attending Course & Exam Schedules Fellowships & Scholarships Majors Offered Registrar Programs & Departments Schaffer Library Scholars Program Undergraduate Research Union University	The Academic Program The academic program at Union flows from the fundamental assumption that a liberal arts college must cultivate in its students a passion for learning. We seek to do this by providing a rich and varied set of course offerings, a faculty committed to teaching, extensive opportunities for undergraduate research and study abroad, and outstanding facilities. Your academic career at Union will have three principal components. First is general education, designed to acquaint you with a broad range of subjects outside your major. Second is the major, a field of study pursued in depth. The third component consists of electives, those courses you take because you want to. Because we know that choosing can be difficult, we provide extensive advising support. Whether you are a freshman who wants to talk about general education possibilities or a senior who wants to discuss graduate school, our faculty members, deans, and counselors are committed to helping you. The Major Depth of knowledge and understanding in a particular field are provided by the major. Your major can be a traditional subject, such as English, history, or physics, studied within the normal departmental context. Or, at Union, the first liberal arts college to offer engineering, you may study one of the principal branches of engineering. There also are numerous interdepartmental majors, interdisciplinary programs, and two-degree programs; examples include Africana studies, biochemistry, environmental studies, and others. About 30 percent of Union´s students major in the social sciences, 30 percent in the sciences, 20 percent in humanities, 15 percent in engineering , and 5 percent design their own majors. Students decide on a field of concentration by the end of their sophomore year. Those who want to pursue a secondary field of concentration may select one academic minor, normally consisting of six courses. General Education As a college committed to a liberal education, Union requires that a substantial portion of each student's education be devoted to study outside the area of the major. Through the General Education Curriculum, students are encouraged to strive for a breadth of learning that will complement the expertise acquired in the major. To give students a surer grasp of the heritage represented by the western tradition, the General Education Curriculum requires each student to take one of several two-course history sequences as well as associated literature and civilization courses. To give students a better knowledge of foreign cultures, the program has strong incentives to study a foreign language, embark on a Term Abroad, or study a non-western culture. Students also must select courses from mathematics, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The College's Writing Across the Curriculum program requires all students to take a certain number of courses that use writing as a key element. A Dedicated Faculty Union places great emphasis on teaching, and its 174 faculty members have been chosen because they like to teach. The student-faculty ratio is 11 to 1, and many classes are small; 68 percent of Union's classes have 25 or fewer students, and 40 percent have 15 or fewer. Union does not stratify faculty functions according to rank; full professors often teach freshmen -- and there are no graduate student teaching assistants. Although the emphasis is on teaching, Union also expects its faculty members to continue to be active scholars and researchers. In a great many cases, faculty and students work together. Accelerated Programs Joint programs with nearby colleges include a program with Albany Law School and a program with Albany Medical College. Union offers several five-year, two-degree programs leading to a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in selected fields. Independent Study and Undergraduate Research Many Union students take advantage of the opportunity to plan part of their educational program through independent study and research where they're given access to the tools of inquiry and expected to explore for themselves. The most common forms of independent study are investigative papers of "thesis" caliber in the humanities and social sciences and research papers in the sciences and engineering. Union vigorously promotes additional serious research, and in some instances such research leads to joint publication with faculty. Twice in the past decade Union has hosted more than 1,200 students and faculty at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (Union regularly sends one of the largest groups to the conference), and more than 250 students present their research at Union's annual Steinmetz Symposium. During the summer about 50 students receive research fellowships to work with faculty members. Many departments offer internships; one popular one is in Washington, D.C., where students work for a term in congressional offices or government agencies. Educational Studies Through the Educational Studies Program, students can become certified to teach at the secondary school level in English, languages (French, German, Latin, and Spanish), mathematics, science (biology, chemistry, earth sciences, physics, and general science), and social studies. Honors Programs The Union Scholars Program offers selected students several outstanding opportunities. Participants have a more intensive program in General Education, work closely with faculty on individualized projects, take part in an international experience or off-campus internship, and can graduate early, create an enriched program to meet specific needs and objectives, or earn a graduate degree. Union Abroad The College offers a range of formal resident-study programs in foreign countries, and half of Union's students study abroad at some point. In the foreign country, the student in most instances lives independently with a family or in an international dormitory and participates in the normal cultural life of the community. A Union faculty member usually accompanies the group. Click here for the current Catalog with the latest information on International Programs The Academic Calendar Union operates on a "3-3-3" calendar, dividing the academic year into three terms of 10 weeks each. The flexible calendar permits many variations, but most students accumulate credits at the rate of three a term (nine a year) over a four-year period.
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