Academic Advising
Your advisor will be a great resource as you choose the Cardinal Core classes that are right for your professional plans and personal interests. Learn more.
As a Ball State student, the Cardinal Core exists to benefit your unique academic journey. You'll take 30 credit hours that cover topics and skills curated address the Core's four pillars: Foundational Skills, Ways of Knowing, Research-based Writing, and Beneficence Themes.
How is the Cardinal Core engaging, practical, and distinctive for students?
- Engaging: Discover your passions and prepare for your profession as you learn alongside students and faculty from all over campus
- Practical: Explore new ideas—maybe even find a new major or minor—in just 30 hours. It’s straightforward to transfer ICC credits as well.
- Distinctive: Choose the Beneficence Theme that fits your personal and professional interests.
To view all of the classes offered for the Cardinal Core, visit the undergraduate course catalog.
Undergraduate Course Catalog
Existing ICC Credits
To see how your ICC credits match up with Ball State’s Cardinal Core, view our Fly Further, Sooner flyer.
*Students who earn the full Indiana College Core Certificate will receive full credit for the Cardinal Core.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are a few commonly asked questions regarding the Cardinal Core, but you can view a more comprehensive list of FAQs here.
The Cardinal Core is an important part of your degree program. It provides an opportunity for you to build your foundational knowledge and portable skills by taking classes from a wide range of topics that complement and extend beyond your major(s).
These courses provide you with foundational knowledge and the necessary skills you will need not only to thrive at Ball State but also to prepare for fulfilling careers and meaningful lives beyond graduation.
Yes. We’ll work with you to make the transferring of course credits as seamless as possible. Learn more about Transferring Your Credits. Ball State’s 30-credit-hour Cardinal Core is aligned with the Indiana College Core (ICC), allowing for the transfer of ICC credits completed in high school or elsewhere. If you have completed the ICC Certificate, you will be credited as fulfilling your Cardinal Core requirements.
Each component (Foundations, Ways of Knowing, Research-based Writing, and Beneficence Themes) builds necessary skills and exposes you to various disciplinary approaches. You’ll take a total of 10 courses (30 credit hours) in the Cardinal Core.
- Foundational Intellectual Skills: 3 courses (9 cr.)
- Ways of Knowing: 3 courses (9 cr.)
- Research-Based Writing: 1 course (3 cr.)
- Beneficence Themes: 3 courses (9 cr.)
You should work with your advisor to determine your Cardinal Core course options. You’ll want to balance Core courses with courses in your degree program. Additionally, some degree programs may suggest some specific Core courses, and your advisor can help you make those choices. Your Beneficence Theme choice can complement your personal and professional goals. The Beneficence Theme portion of the Cardinal Core offers you an opportunity to approach a topic from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. When choosing which Beneficence Theme to pursue, consider your areas of interest or a topic you would like to explore in more depth—for example, Innovation and Creativity, Global Connections, Social Responsibility, Sustainability, Being Human, Personal and Financial Wellness, or Honors in Practice.
No. You must select one Beneficence Theme to pursue and complete a course in each domain (Scientific, Social and Behavioral, and Humanistic and Artistic/Design) within that Beneficence Theme. However, you can take additional courses tied to the Cardinal Core as electives when your schedule allows.
You should work with your advisor to determine the schedule and timeline for completion of the Cardinal Core. You do not need to complete the Cardinal Core by the end of your first or second year. In fact, you could take one or two Cardinal Core courses each semester throughout your time at Ball State.
Yes, some Cardinal Core courses might overlap with major or minor requirements, depending on your program of study. You might even choose to add a major or minor because of a course you take as part of the Cardinal Core. Changing your major will not affect your Cardinal Core credits.
All courses will be offered annually. Work with your advisor to identify upcoming courses, as some may be offered only once per academic year while others may be offered every semester. You’ll have plenty of choices no matter how you want to complete your Cardinal Core requirements. Some Cardinal Core courses are available only in-person, while others are available in a variety of modalities and timeframes; in-person, online, hybrid, 15-wks., 7-wks., etc.
If you are enrolled as a student in the Honors College, you will be able to complete your Ways of Knowing and Beneficence Theme requirements through learner-directed, high-impact courses that are part of the Cardinal Core. If you are not transferring in the Foundations and Research-Based Writing courses, your Honors College advisor will assist you in enrolling in relevant courses to fulfill those requirements.