ARIZONA INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE
In summer 1998, Arizona International College (AIC) moved to a new location on The University of Arizona main campus. The new location will provide AIC students with easy access to the educational resources and student services available at UA Main Campus. AIC is expected to remain on the UA Main campus for three to five years while the college further develops its programs, policies, and curriculum in anticipation of becoming independent.
Admissions requirements
Students must apply to the University for admission. Entering freshmen must meet the entrance requirements established by the Arizona Board of Regents for all Arizona universities.
Transfer policies
UA students wishing to transfer to AIC from another college at the university should first consult with an AIC advisor. A student's UA course work will be evaluated for its applicability to AIC graduation requirements. Students who complete all UA general education requirements will satisfy AIC's core requirements. Transfer students who have not completed their UA general education program may still use their UA courses to meet many AIC core requirements; in such cases the applicability of transfer course work will be determined on a course by course basis.
Contact AIC Admissions and Enrollment at (520) 626-0624 to schedule an appointment for pre-transfer advising.
Curriculum
The curriculum at Arizona International College is unique among UA colleges. AIC's curriculum design presupposes a close professional and personal relationship between students and faculty members, based on a contract approach to teaching and learning. After completing a common core program, students work with faculty advisors to design an individual course of study in one of six areas of concentration. Students also satisfy competancy requirements in six essential skills, and complete two supervised internships in community service and career learning. AIC awards the Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in one of the six major content areas of study.
AIC students will generally take AIC courses to satisfy degree requirements. AIC students may enroll in courses offered by another UA college if these courses are first approved by both advisor and student as part of the student's learning contract. UA Main Campus students may enroll in an AIC course only with the instructor's and their major advisor's permission. Main campus students may add AIC courses only during the drop/add period at the beginning of the semester.
Core curriculum
All students begin the core program with an introductory course, On Becoming a Fully Educated Person. During their first two semesters, AIC students also complete other specified core courses: Critical Writing and Conversation, Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Analysis, Human Experience and Creativity, and Origins and Problems of the Modern World. The core program also requires second language study, along with the exploration of the culture and political economy of the second language region.
Concentrations
AIC does not offer traditional majors. Instead, the college classifies academic programs in six broadly construed areas of advanced study called concentrations. Within the area of study defined by a concentration, a student works closely with a faculty advisor to develop a unique program of study tied to specific academic and career goals. The six concentrations are described below.
Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Natural Sciences and Mathematics combines rigorous study of fundamentals in biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics with a broad view of how scientific knowledge relates to our society. Popular areas of interest include pre-medicine and environmental science.
Social Sciences
Social Sciences introduces students to disciplines such as psychology, sociology, economics, and political science. Using the perspectives offered by scholarship in these areas, students develop the skills to analyze contemporary issues like citizenship, poverty, diversity, and social conflict at local, national, and global levels. Many pre-law and business students follow social science programs.
Humanities
Humanities students grapple with the universal questions of who we are and what makes us human. Students explore disciplines such as history, philosophy, literature, and religious studies to gain an understanding of our disparate cultures, our traditions, and where we are headed.
Fine and Performing Arts
Students of Fine and Performing Arts learn about traditions and techniques in fields such as art, music, theater, dance, and film. Studies in this area emphasize both the development of personal creativity and an understanding of art as an enduring element of human culture.
Language and Culture
The concentration in Language and Culture emphasizes proficiency in a second language as an essential step toward experiencing and understanding another culture. Students combine language studies with other cultural studies such as the literature, history, theater, or music of a country or region. Study abroad, through course work, internships, or independent study is an important component of each student's program.
Liberal Studies
The Liberal Studies option allows students to develop a concentration that spans two or more of the categories above. Examples of such programs are sustainable development, women's studies, international trade, international relations, and environmental studies. Students may also design new programs to match particular academic interests or career goals.