Why is Bridges Better?
We know that general education courses at most universities are organized around required courses in specific subjects, but our Bridges experience is focused on you and the knowledge and skills in demand by employers.
Our Bridges curriculum prepares you for what's next and ensures that you'll never have to narrow your ambitions. The curriculum is designed to overlap with every major at Duquesne so you can maximize progress toward your degree while having the opportunity to discover new interests or pursue additional goals.
Flexible
You can choose courses that interest you. The curriculum is designed to intersect with your major and to give you room to pursue courses and learning opportunities that excite you. While other institutions require a pre-determined set of survey courses, we take a choose-your-own-adventure approach. Know exactly where you want to go? We have a map for that. Ready to explore and discover new interests and talents? We have a map for that, too.
Relevant
Bridges was designed with career-readiness in mind. We used data from employers and hiring managers to identify and embed skills they prioritize. Bridges courses prepare you to adapt and evolve in a dynamic professional landscape. They connect the specialized work you do in you major to relevant insights from other fields and opportunities for experiential learning, giving you knowledge you can leverage for success. Bridges will inform, equip, inspire and engage you.
Friendly
We want to make friends with you and your college credits. Exam credits like AP, College in High School courses, transfer credits from other institutions: bring them with you! Bridges makes it easy to transfer and apply college credit to accelerate your progress to your degree. Learn more about our approach.
Versatile
It's time for bigger goals and Bridges can help you reach them. Because of its flexible design, Bridges can help students who want to pursue credentials in addition to their major, such as certificates, minors or additional majors. Stacking credentials can diversify your skill sets and expand opportunities for employment or graduate study. So ask yourself, "What if?" and let our advisors and faculty help you expand your horizons.
Distinctive
Animated by our Catholic and Spiritan heritage, Duquesne is a distinctive place to learn. Since our founding we've offered education as a catalyst for building better futures with our students and our communities. Bridges introduces students to our heritage through courses that explore the riches of the Catholic intellectual tradition, develop skills for ethical reasoning, inspire a love of learning by asking essential questions, and get you engaged in communities, local and global.
Sample Course Schedules
Our Bridges curriculum is designed to overlap with every major at Duquesne so you can maximize progress toward your degree while having the opportunity to discover new interests or pursue additional goals. Through these sample four-year course schedules, explore how Bridges is built into your entire college experience.
If you are considering becoming a business major, explore below how Bridges courses (bolded below) can be built into your four-year chedule.
First Year
Fall
BUAD 103/103L Innovation Experience
ISYS 184 Business Info Systems
BRDG 101 Writing & Analysis
MATH 101 College Algebra*
COMM 202W Business & Prof Comm *^
BRDG 100 Research & Info Skills
Spring
BLAW 251 Business Law
ISYS 284 Data for Decision Making
BUAD 110 Internship Prep Practicum
BRDG 102 Writing & Literature
MATH 111 Calc for Non-Science*
EQ-XXX Essential Questions Seminar#
Second Year
Fall
STAT 285 Business Statistics
ACCT 214 Financial Accounting
ECON 201 Prin of Microeconomics*
MGMT 261 Mgmt & Org Behavior
BUAD 210 Career Prep Practicum
PHIL/PHL XXX Choice of Philosophy course**
Spring
MKTG 271 Marketing & Business Dev
ACCT 215 Managerial Accounting
ECON 202 Prin of Macroeconomics
SCMG 267 Supply Chain Operations
BRDG 105H/P/T Intro to Ethical Reasoning
Third Year
Fall
Major - Required course
Major - Required course
FINC 313 Business Finance
Bridges: choice of Cultural Fluency course*
Elective
Spring
Major - Required course
Major - Required course
MGMT Global Insights
THEO-XXX choice of Theology course**^
Elective
Fourth Year
Fall
Major - Required course
Major - Required course
MGMT 368W Business Ethics*
Elective
Spring
Major - Required course
Major - Required course
MGMT 499W Strategic Mgmt^
Elective
* fulfills a Bridges competency
** could "double dip" with a Bridges competency and thereby create space for additional
electives or courses towards a certificate, minor, second major, etc.
# could "double dip" with Theology or Philosophy requirement
^ Writing enriched course (Complete three, at least one of which is in your major)
Majors like nursing are highly structured, and for good reason! Whichever major you choose, our Bridges courses (bolded below) are designed to work efficiently with you to help you complete your degree on time. View how Bridges can be built into your course schedule if you are a nursing major.
First Year
Fall
UPNS 103 Nutrition for Wellness
UPNS 121 Comm Engaged Prof Nurse
BIOL 101/L Intro to Life Processes
BRDG 101 Writing & Analysis
EQ-XXX Essential Questions Seminar#
BRDG 103 IPE Health Research Skills
Spring
UPNS 113 Human Dev & Health Promotion
MATH 125 Fund of Statistics*
BIOL 203/4 Intro to Microbiology*
BRDG 102 Writing & Literature
BRDG 105 H/T/P Intro to Ethical Reasoning
Second Year
Fall
UPNS 200 Fund of Nursing Practice
UPNS 218/L Health Assessment
BIOL 207/8 Anatomy & Physiology
Bridges Crit Think & Prob/PHIL course*
Spring
Bridges Crit Think & Prob/PHIL course*
BIOL 209/10 Anatomy & Physiology
UPNS 232 Adult Health and Illness I
UPNS 339 Genetics in Nursing and Health
UPNS 224 Career Mgmt and Prof Dev
Bridges choice of Social & Hist. course*^
Third Year
Fall
UPNS 325 Pharmacology
UPNS 349 Adult Health & Illness II
UPNS 326 Pathophysiology
UPNS 324 Cultural Applications in Clinical Practice*
MLSP 280 Spanish for Health Care Prof
Spring
UPNS 364 Clinical Immersion in Prof Nursing
UPNS 352 Leadership & Mgmt Theory
Fourth Year
Fall
PSYC 399 Prof Prep Psych Majors
UPNS 431 Enhancing Quality and Safety
UPNS 344 Nursing for Children's Health
UPNS 357 Population Health
Bridges Comm & Creative Exp choice*^ or UPNS 445 Synthesis for Nursing Practice
Spring
UPNS 400 Critically Ill Adult
UPNS 411W Nur Ethics Across Lifespan*^
UPNS 453 Transition to Prof Practice
THEO-XXX choice of Theology course** or Nursing Elective
* fulfills a Bridges competency
** could "double dip" with a Bridges competency and thereby create space for additional
electives or courses towards a certificate, minor, second major, etc.
# could "double dip" with Theology or Philosophy requirement
^ Writing enriched course (Complete three, at least one of which is in your major.)
Some majors provide plenty of room for exploration. Add the flexibility of Bridges courses (bolded below), and you can easily customize your academic pathway to include additional credentials such as a certificate, minor or second major. Check out the many opportunities below to "double dip" in the sample Psychology major course schedule.
First Year
Fall
BRDG 101 Writing & Analysis
BRDG 100 Research & Info Skills
PSYC 101 Intro to Psychology*
MATH 125 Fundamentals of Statistics*
Spring
BRDG 102 Writing & Literature
EQ-XXX Essential Questions Seminar#
PSYC 102 Orientation to Psych Major
BRDG 105T/H/P. Intro to Ethical Reasoning
Minor - Required course**
Second Year
Fall
PSYC 203 Intro to Psych as Human Science
PSYC 220 Brain, Behavior, & Cognition
Bridges choice of Comm & Creative Exp course*
PHIL/PHL XXX Choice of Philosophy course**
College Distribution selection**
Spring
PSYC 201 Research Methods in Psych
Major - Required course
THEO-XXX choice of Theology course**
College Distribution selection**
Minor - Required course**
Third Year
Fall
Major - Required course^
Major - Required course Bridges choice of Cultural Fluency course*
College Distribution selection**
Minor - Required course**
Spring
Major - Required course
Major - Required course
Major - Required course
College Distribution selection**^
Minor - Required course**
Fourth Year
Fall
PSYC 399 Prof Prep Psych Majors
Bridges choice of Ethical Reasoning course*
College Distribution selection**
College Distribution selection**
College Distribution selection**
Spring
PSYC 480 Psych & Social Engagement
Bridges choice of Crit Think & Prob course*
College Distribution selection**^
College Distribution selection**
College Distribution selection**
* fulfills a Bridges competency
** could "double dip" with a Bridges competency and thereby create space for additional
electives or courses towards a certificate, minor, second major, etc.
# could "double dip" with Theology or Philosophy requirement
^ Writing enriched course (Complete three, at least one of which is in your major)