General Information

St. Ambrose University was founded in 1882 by the Diocese of Davenport. In 2026, St. Ambrose University formally combined with Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Mount Mercy was founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1928 and is an affiliate campus of St. Ambrose.

The St. Ambrose and Mount Mercy Campuses 

  • You can learn more about the St. Ambrose campus here: www.sau.edu
  • You can learn more about the Mount Mercy campus here: www.mtmercy.edu 

Mission of St. Ambrose University

An Inclusive, Catholic, and diocesan community of learners, the University empowers all its members to act courageously, to seek wisdom through faith and reason, to work for justice and to lead lives of service and mercy.

Department Organization

The University includes three colleges:

  • College of Arts and Sciences 
  • College of Business
  • College of Health and Human Services

Catholic Identity Statement

Guided by the life and legacy of Saint Ambrose of Milan, St. Ambrose University’s Catholic identity is rooted in seven faith tenets:

  • Members of the University community are inspired by the example of Jesus Christ, whose life, death, and resurrection reveal God’s love.
  • Members of the University community ardently explore faith and rigorously exercise reason. Faith and reason combine to clarify and express our relationship with God and all creation.
  • Members of the University community anchor our actions in the belief that all life is sacred.
  • We begin from a position of faith in the God-given goodness of every individual.
  • We “will the good” of the other.
  • Members of the University community welcome and celebrate all people. Together, we create a space in which others can discover the sacredness within themselves and within others.
  • Members of the University community explore faith both individually and within the context of community. Through worship, shared rituals, and collaborative learning, members of the University community cultivate a community of belonging.

University Values

Our values drive our approach to education and inspire a community of belonging.

  • Courage - Members of the University community act courageously. We lead with integrity in the face of challenges; we seek truth and justice. Courage prepares us to embrace the intersection of faith and reason, to be open to new ideas while remaining true to our core values.
  • Wisdom - Members of the University community seek wisdom. We demonstrate a willingness to learn from others, about others and with others. Wisdom grows from humility. Wisdom prepares us to make ethical decisions, challenge our assumptions, learn from our experiences, and guide our actions.
  • Justice - Members of the University community work for justice. We labor for the common good, to improve the condition of humankind. We respect the dignity of all living things. We walk in solidarity with the vulnerable.
  • Mercy - Members of the University community practice mercy. We cultivate compassionate hearts that recognize the suffering and dignity of others. Mercy prepares us to respond with empathy, hospitality, and action, seeking healing, reconciliation, and human flourishing.  
  • Service - Members of the University community serve. Love animates our generous and compassionate service to one another, our communities, our environment, and our work.

About the Catalog

The University Catalog contains a range of information regarding students and academics. The University reserves the right to make changes to, among other things, its academic programs, academic calendar, academic schedule, whenever it deems doing so necessary or desirable. This includes, but is not limited to, the modification of course content; rescheduling classes with or without extending the academic term; canceling scheduled classes and other academic activities; and requiring or offering alternatives for scheduled classes or other academic activities.

Accreditation Relationships and Memberships 

St. Ambrose is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is an independent corporation that was founded in 1895 as one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States. HLC accredits degree-granting post-secondary educational institutions in the North Central region of the United States. www.hlcommission.org (800.621.7440)

Special accreditations for specific undergraduate programs includes: Accounting, Economics, Finance, Management, and Marketing–Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs; Education–Iowa Department of Education; and Industrial and Mechanical Engineering–Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology; Nursing-Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, The Iowa Board of Nursing; Social Work—Council on Social Work Education.

Special accreditations for specific graduate programs includes: Accounting and MBA–Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs; Nursing (MSN and DNP)-- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, The Iowa Board of Nursing; Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT, PhD), Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy; Occupational Therapy— Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education; Speech-Language Pathology—American Speech-Language- Hearing Association; Physical Therapy—Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education; Social Work— Council on Social Work Education; Physician Assistant Studies—Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant; and Public Health—the Council on Education for Public Health.

St. Ambrose holds memberships in a variety of professional associations. These include the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, the Council of Independent Colleges, and the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities.

Non-Discrimination Policy

The University admits students of any race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, military or veteran status, national origin, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, age, or any other protected category under applicable local, state or federal law to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, military or veteran status, national origin, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, age, or any other protected category under applicable local, state or federal law in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

Policy on Access to Student Information

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA)

The University maintains an educational record for each student who is, or has been, enrolled at the University. In accordance with FERPA, as amended, students have these rights: 

  1. Students can inspect and review their education records within 45 days from the day the University receives a request for access. Students should submit to the registrar, dean, provost, head of the academic department or other appropriate official a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The University official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the University official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed. 
  2. Students can request the amendment of their education records that they believe are inaccurate or misleading. They should write the University official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. 
    1. FERPA was not intended to provide a process to be used to question the substantive judgments that are correctly recorded. The rights of challenge are not intended to allow students to contest, for example, a grade in a course because they felt a higher grade should have been assigned. 
    2. If the University decides not to amend the record as requested, the student will be notified in writing of the decision and the student’s right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing. 
  3. Students have the right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student's education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent if the disclosure meets certain conditions found in section 99.31 of the FERPA regulations. The University discloses education records without a student’s prior written consent under the FERPA exception for disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests.
    1. A school official is a person employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person serving on the board of trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee. A school official also may include a volunteer or contractor outside of the University who performs an institutional service or function for which the school would otherwise use its own employees and who is under the direct control of the school with respect to the use and maintenance of personally identifiable information from educational records, such as an attorney, auditor or collection agent, or a student volunteering to assist another school official in performing their tasks. 
    2. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill their professional responsibility for the University. 
    3. ​As of Jan. 3, 2012, the U.S. Department of Education’s FERPA regulations expand the circumstances under which a student’s education record and personally identifiable information contained in such records including: your Social Security number, grades or other private information – may be accessed without consent. First, the U.S. comptroller general, the U.S. attorney general, the U.S. secretary of education, or state and local education authorities (“Federal and State Authorities”) may allow access to records and personally identifiable information without consent to any third party designated by a federal or state authority to evaluate a federal- or state-supported education program. The evaluation may relate to any program that is “principally engaged in the provision of education,” such as early childhood education and job training, as well as any program that is administered by an education agency or institution. Second, federal and state authorities may allow access to education records and personally identifiable information without consent to researchers performing certain types of studies, in certain cases even when we object to or do not request such research. Federal and state authorities must obtain certain use-restriction and data security promises from the entities that they authorize to receive personally identifiable information, but the authorities need not maintain direct control over such entities. In addition, in connection with Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems, state authorities may collect, compile, permanently retain and share without consent personally identifiable information from education records, and they may track participation in education and other programs by linking such personally identifiable information to other personal information that they obtain from other federal or state data sources, including workforce development, unemployment insurance, child welfare, juvenile justice, military service and migrant student records systems.
  4. ​Students can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by The University to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of administers FERPA is: Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Ave., SW Washington, DC 20202-4605
  5. Under the provisions of FERPA, as amended, students have the right to withhold the disclosure of directory information. Should a student decide to inform the institution not to release directory information, any requests for such information from individuals not affiliated with the University will be refused.
    1. If students choose to withhold directory information, they must complete a Request to Prevent Disclosure of Directory Information Form in the registrar’s office by the end of the add/drop period. Students must complete a new form for nondisclosure each academic semester. 
    2. The institution will honor a student’s request to withhold directory information listed below but cannot assume responsibility to contact the student for subsequent permission to release it. Regardless of the effect upon the student, the institution assumes no liability for honoring instructions that such information be withheld. 

​​Directory Information 

Directory information at the University is defined as: student name, campus box number, residence hall address, permanent address, telephone, email address, parents’ names, hometown, high school attended, dates of attendance, full-time/part-time status, honors, awards, special recognition, degree(s) received, major, classification (senior, junior, etc.), activities, photographs and sports participation (including height and weight of team members). 

Directory information is a term used by FERPA to designate information that may be released without a student’s consent. In the event that the University chooses to make a student directory available, that directory will contain only a student’s name, campus box number, and University email address. No additional information will be included in the directory. The student directory is only made available internally. 

Any questions concerning the student’s rights and responsibilities under FERPA should be referred to the registrar’s office. 

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 

The University maintains an educational record for each European Union (EU) student who is, or has been, enrolled at the University. In accordance with GDPR, EU students have these rights: 

  • the right to be informed;
  • the right to access;
  • the right to rectification;
  • the right to erasure;
  • the right to restrict processing;
  • the right to data portability;
  • the right to object; and
  • the right not to be subject to automated decision-making, including profiling.
 

Any questions concerning the student’s rights and responsibilities under GDPR should be referred to the registrar’s office. 

Student Handbook

Student support resources are available to help meet students’ various needs—whether informational, health, psychological, financial, vocational, academic, social, or spiritual.

Detailed information on student life, student rights and responsibilities, and student services is available in the Student Handbook.