Outcomes: Enduring Questions & Ideas (Q&I) | Undergraduate Admissions

We believe that Q&I Core is part of what makes a Concordia University Irvine education one of the most meaningful, comprehensive, and practically applicable in the country. And recent data from the NSSE (National Survey of Student Engagement) illustrates why. NSSE results show that CUI freshmen rank in the top 10% of students in the country on almost every major indicator (9 out of the 10 assessed, to be exact). The survey cites our students’ strong engagement with diverse perspectives, collaborative learning, analytic thinking and reflective integrative learning, among other learning indicators.

Interestingly enough, these indicators mirror qualities that employers find most desirable in potential employees, according to a recent study published in Forbes, which names the top 5 most desirable career skills as:

Ability to work in a team structure
Ability to make decisions and solve problems (tie)
Ability to communicate verbally with people inside and outside an organization
Ability to plan, organize and prioritize work
Ability to obtain and process information

One of the people that was involved in my interview and hiring process was very familiar with the Concordia University system. Never underestimate the power of having Concordia on your resume.

Jon Crosier ’08, Senior Technical Account Manager at Amazon Web Services

The Kind of Thinking You Can Take to Work

“Q&I caused me to think bigger and deeper,” says Kristina Deusch ’14. “It confirms that education is not simply about what to think, but how to think.” Kristina majored in English at Concordia and now works in publishing at Cambridge University Press. “Q&I pushed me to read more, think faster, and develop my skills—all of which have affected me positively, in school and work. I loved being surrounded by the classic works of great thinkers and scholars, and that greatly influenced my career decisions moving forward.”

Our graduates, like Kristina, can be found putting their CUI education to work at:

NASA
Amazon
The U.S. State Department
The Walt Disney Company
The Los Angeles Unified School District
Northwestern Mutual
Nike
PwC
St. Jude Medical
Wells Fargo

Colleges of Distinction

Since 2017, Concordia University Irvine has been recognized by the Colleges of Distinction for our innovative, engaging experiences that prepare students for successful careers, active citizenship, and lifelong learning. To be designated among the Colleges of Distinction, a school’s curriculum must emphasize such core competencies as critical thinking, writing, oral skills, research, and global perspectives - skills that are reinforced through our distinctive Q&I curriculum. They must also offer dynamic out-of-classroom learning and study abroad programs. View CUI’s Colleges of Distinction profile.

Q&I Outcomes

Practical, Meaningful & Measurable

The Kind of Thinking You Can Take to Work

Colleges of Distinction