A philosophy of integration informs student learning at Concordia. Learning shaped by integration is interdisciplinary, tests theory and applies knowledge through practice, moves students beyond the classroom into the worlds of work, professional life, and civic engagement, and fosters real-world problem-solving in dialogue with multiple voices and diverse community interests. Integrative learning binds together study of majors, the Core Curriculum, and cocurricular involvement with the development and refinement of responsible engagement in the world to advance the college’s central mission.
Five criteria define integrative learning at the college:
- Venture beyond the classroom.
- Encounter and work alongside persons or groups wrestling with complex situations, problems, questions, or challenges.
- Construct meaningful, interdisciplinary responses to these encounters, taking seriously multiple perspectives.
- Discover questions, perspectives, and problems not necessarily scripted in a course syllabus and work through ambiguity, frustration, and disequilibrium.
- Sharpen and apply skills and competencies that flow out of a liberal arts education and are relevant to future employment.
Consistent with Concordia’s emphasis on integrative learning, every student seeking a Bachelor of Arts degree is required to complete two intensive integrative learning experiences known as PEAKs (Pivotal Experience in Applied Knowledge). *Although PEAKs will vary in format and types of experiences, every PEAK must rigorously fulfill the five integrative criteria. Some PEAKs may be linked to a college course, some may involve research-intensive experiences, and some may be connected with internships; others may occur through study off campus or student leadership positions on campus or in the wider community. Students may also create independent PEAK experiences in consultation with advisors and mentors.
Students are eligible to complete a PEAK at any time; however, in most cases, students will not complete a PEAK during the first year of college. Integrative learning across the curriculum and two guaranteed PEAKs for every student distinguishes a Concordia education. Together they ensure that all Concordia students receive an education of personal transformation and meaningful engagement, equipped and ready for lives of responsible service, civic engagement, and meaningful work.
Students who enter the college with junior classification are required to complete only one PEAK experience.
The information below lists approved PEAKs (Pivotal Experiences in Applied Knowledge). Please note that PEAK formats vary, may or may not be associated with a credit-bearing learning experience, and may be option or required components of learning experiences. Students may fulfill their PEAK graduation requirement with PEAKs of any format. Students are also able to submit their own PEAK proposals. Visit the Integrative Learning Cobbernet site for more information about PEAKs and to read several FAQs.
Listed below are the courses and other learning experiences that offer a PEAK required component (PR) or a PEAK optional component (PO) and well as non-course PEAKs. Regardless of the PEAK format, students will need to register for a zero-credit PEAK 400 CRN to complete the requirement.
PEAK Courses
PEAK Required Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ART 330 | Ceramics | 4 |
| BIOL 409 | Limnology | 4 |
| BIOL 444 | Ecology of East Africa | 4 |
| BUSN 440 | Organizational Behavior | 3 |
| BUSN 460 | Operations Mgmt/Research | 4 |
| BUSN 462 | Theory/Appl in Leadership | 3 |
| CHIN 395 | Cooperative Education at the Concordia Language Villages | 1-4 |
| COM 403 | Strategic Communication and Public Relations | 4 |
| COM 493 | Documentary - Historical Film | 4 |
| CSC 335 | Operations Management/Research | 4 |
| EDUC 321 | Methods of Teaching in PE | 4 |
| EDUC 332 | Teaching in the K-6 Classroom | 2 |
| EDUC 352 | Technology, Instruction & Ecology of the Secondary Classroom | 4 |
| ENG 265 | Animal Stories: Kinship, Rivalry, and Alterity | 4 |
| ENG 267 | The Ethnographic Essay | 4 |
| ENG 358 | Native American Literatures | 4 |
| ENG 439 | Film and Literature | 4 |
| ENPR 445 | Startup Venture | 3 |
| ENVR 265 | Animal Stories | 4 |
| ENVR 350 | Environmental Policy- Politics | 4 |
| ENVR 475 | Interdisciplinary Research | 4 |
| EXS 490 | Practicum in Exercise Science | 4 |
| FND 239 | Nutrition for the Lifecycle | 4 |
| FND 336 | Environmental Nutrition | 4 |
| FND 424 | Clinical Experience | 4 |
| FREN 395 | Cooperative Education at the Concordia Language Villages | 1-4 |
| FREN 490 | Practicum | 4 |
| GER 395 | Cooperative Learning at CLV | 1-4 |
| GS 350 | Family, Community, and Identity in Contemporary Scotland | 1 |
| HCL 490 | Healthcare Administration Internship | 3 |
| HCL 491 | Healthcare Financial Management Internship | 3 |
| HCL 492 | Long Term Care Administration Internship | 3 |
| HCL 494 | Long Term Care Administration Internship | 4 |
| HIST 325 | Doing Digital History | 4 |
| IBUS 301 | Intro to International Trade | 3 |
| MATH 335 | Operations Management/Research | 4 |
| NEU 328 | Human Neuropsychology | 4 |
| NURS 302 | Mental Health Nursing | 4 |
| NURS 405 | Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing | 4 |
| NURS 423 | Transition to Professional Nursing | 4 |
| PSC 305 | Global Political Islam | 4 |
| PSC 350 | Environmental Policy-Politics | 4 |
| PSYC 220 | Psychology and Culture | 4 |
| PSYC 222 | The Human Mind | 4 |
| PSYC 326 | Advanced Developmental Psychology: Aging | 4 |
| PSYC 328 | Human Neuropsychology | 4 |
| PSYC 347 | Psychology and Religion | 4 |
| REL 317 | Making Meaning: Reading, Interpreting and Teaching the Bible | 4 |
| REL 375 | Compassionate Justice | 1 |
| REL 379 | Religion, Race & Social Justice | 4 |
| SPAN 395 | Cooperative Education at the Concordia Language Villages | 1-4 |
| SPAN 490 | Practicum | 1-4 |
| SWK 346 | Social Work Practice III: Groups, Organizations, and Communities | 4 |
| SWK 490 | Social Work Internship | 10 |
| WLC 395 | Language & Culture at CLV | 1-4 |
The following PEAKs (referenced in the above list) require a sequence of coursework:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC 332 | Teaching in the K-6 Classroom | 2 |
The PEAK associated with this course requires students to complete EDUC 333: Communication Arts Methods, EDUC 334: Math Methods, K-6; EDUC 336: Social Studies Methods, K-6; EDUC 337/338: Science Methods, K-6; and EDUC 332: Teaching in the K-6 Classroom.. Students register for PEAK with EDUC 332 registration. | ||
| FND 424 | Clinical Experience | 4 |
The following courses are PEAK required but the PEAK only applies to summer offerings of these courses:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ART/ENVR/PHIL 380 | Nature and Culture: Encountering Landscape through Nature Writing as Public Philosphy and Art of the American West | |
| BIOL 380 | Tropical Ecology | |
| REL 319 | Trauma, Resistance, Resilience: Old Testament Perspectives | 4 |
| REL 339 | World Christianity | 4 |
| REL 370 | Religion in a Global Context | 4 |
PEAK only applies to summer offerings of this course in Santorini and South Africa | ||
| SOC/BUSN/ENVR 312 | Global Development Issues | |
PEAK only applies to summer offerings of this course in South Africa, Amsterdam, and London | ||
PEAK Optional Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ACCT 431 | Tax Accounting II | 3 |
| ART 403 | Intermediate Ceramics | 2-4 |
| CHEM 403 | Senior Seminar I | 1 |
| COM 316 | Intercultural Communication | 4 |
| CSC 310 | Web Design and Programming | 3 |
| CSC 311 | Mobile Applications Development | 3 |
| CSC 390 | Academic Internship | 1-8 |
| CSC 470 | Applied Software Project | 3 |
| DATA 390 | Academic Internship | 1-8 |
| ENG 200 | English at Work in the World | 1 |
| MUS 170 | The Concordia Orchestra | 0 |
| MUS 181 | The Concordia Band | 0 |
| PSYC 324 | Drugs and Behavior | 4 |
| SPAN 311 | Spanish Composition & Grammar | 4 |
| SPAN 312 | Conversation and Film in the Hispanic World | 4 |
The following courses are PEAK optional but the PEAK only applies to summer offerings of these courses:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| GS 380 | Bega Kwa Bega - Service in the Heart of Africa |
Non-Course PEAKs
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| One Land: Three Faiths - Exploration Seminar to Israel and Palestine | ||
Spring Interim Study Away. Student must have taken or be concurrently enrolled in REL 200: Christianity and Religious Diversity | ||
| Mayo Innovations Scholars Program (MISP) | ||
Full Year. Students register for the PEAK in spring semester. | ||
| Narrative 4 | ||
Spring/Summer. | ||
| Directed Research | ||
Fall, Spring, Summer. | ||
| Youth and Emerging Adult Religious Affiliation Research Program | ||
Fall, Spring. | ||
| PSYC Internship PEAK | ||
Fall. Students may or may not register for a "for-credit" internship at the same time. | ||
| PSYC Research PEAK | ||
Spring. Students may or may not register for PSYC 487 at the same time. | ||
| Theatre PEAK Project | ||
Spring, Fall. | ||
| Office of Student Engagement (not being offered 2022-23) | ||
August-April. Experience is an entire year, but students register for PEAK in the spring. | ||
| Homecoming Chairperson | ||
December-October. Student starts duties in December and will register for PEAK in the fall when activities conclude. | ||
| Resident Assistants (RA) | ||
August-April. Students are RAs the entire year but will register for PEAK in the spring. | ||
| Family Weekend Chairperson | ||
January-October. Student starts duties in January but will register for PEAK in the fall when activities conclude. | ||
| Physics/Earth Science Research PEAK | ||
Fall, Spring, Summer. Students may register for 487 at the same time. | ||
| URSCA (Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity) PEAK | ||
Summer, Fall, Spring. Students do work mainly in summer but some in the fall or spring. Register for the PEAK in the following spring. | ||
| NEW Leadership Institute - Patty Johnson Seed Grant | ||
Fall. Register for PEAK in the fall. | ||
| Leading from the Heart | ||
Fall. | ||
| Lutheran College Washington Semester (LCWS) Program | ||
Fall, Spring. | ||
| Habitat for Humanity Trip | ||
Fall, Spring. | ||
| Justice Journeys | ||
3-4 trips offered per year. | ||
| Corn Feed Chairperson | ||
One per year. | ||
| Sustainability Internships | ||
Fall, Spring, Summer. | ||
| Swendseid Scholars Award Program | ||
Summer. Internship through the Career Center. | ||
| Library Outreach Internship | ||
Yearly. Internship through the Library. | ||
| Internship for PEAK | ||
Fall, Spring, Summer. Internship through the Career Center. | ||
| Academic Conferences and Community Events Coordinator. | ||
Fall, Spring, Summer. | ||
| Student Managers at the Center for Student Success Leading the Leaders | ||
Fall, Spring. Three options: (1) Orientation Committee - PEAK in fall; (2) Tutor Managers - PEAK in spring; (3) Writing Center Managers - PEAK in spring. | ||
| Cobber SALT: Students and Alumni Linked Together | ||
Yearly. Six leadership roles: (1) President; (2) Director of Engagement; (3) Director of Professional Development; (4) Director of Alumni Awareness; (5) Director of Marketing; and (6) Director of Operations. Students hold position for the year and register in the spring for PEAK. | ||
| Orientation Chairperson | ||
Yearly. Student holds position from September through Orientation the following year. Register for PEAK in the fall at the end of the experience. | ||
| PACODES | ||
Fall, Spring. | ||
| Washington DC Experience - Government Regulation of Business (tied to BUSN 308) | ||
Spring, May. Offered annually in May in Washington DC. | ||
| Physics at National Laboratories | ||
Breakaway. | ||
| Norway Peacebuilding Project | ||
Spring Interim or May. | ||
| Tutors & FYT Mentors | ||
Yearly. Students hold the position for the academic year (August-April) but register for the PEAK in the spring. | ||
| DRIVE Teaching Assistants | ||
Fall, Spring. | ||
| Mock Trial | ||
Students begin work in the fall but register for PEAK in the spring. | ||
| Camp Counselor PEAK | ||
Summer. Students must meet with PEAK instructor prior to their summer camp counselor experience. Students then register for the PEAK in the fall semester immediately following their experience. | ||
| Concordia BuildOn Study and Trek | ||
May. Offered every 2 to 3 years. | ||
| Act Six or CAS Mentor | ||
Fall, Spring. | ||
| Pre-Medicine Internship for PEAK | ||
Fall, Spring, Summer. Students register for BIOL 390 along with PEAK CRN. | ||
| Advancement Student Outreach and Development Assistant PEAK | ||
Connect with Concordia alumni via phone, text and/or video. These paid positions are available both fall and spring semesters. Contact advancement@cord.edu to learn more. | ||
| Student Philanthropy Intern PEAK | ||
Students must already be part of the Student Outreach and Development Assistant team to be considered for this PEAK. These paid positions are available both fall and spring semesters. Contact advancement@cord.edu to learn more. | ||
| Advancement Student Outreach and Development Manager PEAK | ||
Students must already be part of the Student Outreach and Development Assistant team to be considered for this PEAK. These paid positions are available both fall and spring semesters. Contact advancement@cord.edu to learn more. | ||
| Concordian Editor | ||
Annually. | ||
| Reading for Inclusion, Diversity, & Equity (RIDE) | ||
Annually. | ||
| Cobbers in Business | ||
Fall, Spring. | ||
| Space Grant Robotics Challenge | ||
Annually. | ||
| Budapest Semesters in Mathematics | ||
Varies. | ||
| Mathematics Day Celebration | ||
Only offered for 3 years (2022-2024) | ||
| Education Club Chairperson | ||
Students register for PEAK in the spring | ||
| Scheel Investment Fund Management | ||
Offered every fall and spring | ||
| Science Outreach PEAK | ||
Every semester | ||
| Study Away PEAK | ||
Approval from Office of Global Learning for Study Away programs | ||
| MOPOC (Mentorship Opportunities for People of Color) | ||
| Concordian Staff PEAK | ||
Students do work the entire year, but register for the PEAK in the Spring Semester | ||