College Offerings

Listings in this section are not associated with any one of the schools of the College.

Aerospace Studies | Dignitas | HECUA Off-Campus Study Programs | SEMESTER PROGRAMS | January (J-Term) programs | Summer programs | Honors Program |Physical Education courses | Preparatory programs | Self-designed majors | Self-designed minors

Aerospace Studies
(Air Force ROTC)

The Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) is a college-level educational program that gives students the opportunity to become Air Force officers while completing their degrees. Any St. Scholastica student may enroll in aerospace studies courses. AFROTC offers post-collegiate opportunities in more than 100 career specialties. Air Force officers are challengedwith organizational responsibilities and experiences not often available to new college graduates. This program is for students who want to challenge themselves as Air Force leaders and managers while serving their country in a professional,high-tech environment.

Active-duty Air Force officers provide a curriculum that gives students insight into the mission, organization, and operation of the U.S. Air Force. Students study Air Force history, leadership, management, professionalism, and U.S. foreign policy and its relationship to defense policy. Scholarships are available on a competitive basis. High school seniors and college College Offerings College Offerings students can compete for five-, four-, three-, two-, and sometimes one-year scholarships, which cover tuition, fees, and book expenses. Participantsmay qualify to receive a tax-free allowance for each month in school.

The following courses are required for both the two- and four-year commissioning programs:
Core Program- Professional Officer Course,16 cr. This sequence is required of all candidates for commissions: AIR 3101-3102, AIR 4101-4102, Leadership Labs.

Dignitas

Dignitas, a year-long common experience for first-year traditional students, is an introduction to The College of St. Scholastica: who we are, whatwe stand for,and howto find a place in this community. Dignitas provides a framework for the entire college experience by introducing the key components of a Scholastica education: community, reflection, intellectual challenge, and social justice. In keeping with our emphasis on community, in the Dignitas program, students remain with the same small group of students and faculty for the year as they explore an intellectually challenging subject, participate in cocurricular activities, and become integrated into the St. Scholastica community. Additional information on the Dignitas program is included in the Benedictine Liberal Arts Education description earlier in the catalog.
The two courses are:
Dignitas 1101 The Responsible Self, fall semester, 2 credits
Dignitas 1102 And Dignity for All, spring semester, 2 credits

HECUA Off-Campus Study Programs

The College of St.Scholastica is amember of the Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs (HECUA).HECUA provides off-campus experiential learning opportunities that link academic studywith hands-onwork for social change.Students earn 16 St. Scholastica credits in the semester-long programs and four St.Scholastica credits in January termprograms.Open to all St. Scholastica majors. St. Scholastica financial aid travels with student in semester programs.
Dorothea Diver, Ph.D., Coordinator

SEMESTER PROGRAMS

Environmental Sustainability: Science,
Public Policy and Community Action

(fall semester/Twin Cities)
Focus your semester on processes of ecosystem degradation and rehabilitation, the social and economic underpinnings of conflict over environmental change, and public policy and community- based strategies to achieve sustainability. Explore the relationships between patterns of environmental resource use and current social inequities through lectures, discussions, group field experiences and internships.

Courses:
Adaptive Ecosystem Management (4 credits)
Social Dimensions of Environmental Change (4 credits)
Field Methods (2 credits)
Environmental Internship (6 credits)

Writing for Social Change

(fall semester/ Minneapolis)
Writing For Social Change explores the long tradition of literature as a tool for social critique and as ameans of creating social change/justice. The semester offers a balance of creative writing workshops (in fiction, poetry, and nonfiction) and critical reading and reflection sessions. A 20 hour/week internship and other fieldwork provide direct access to groups committed to creating social transformation through literature and literary production.

Courses:
Reading andWriting Seminar (4 cr.)
Field Seminar (4 cr.)
Internship and Integration Seminar (8 cr.)

Scandinavian Urban Studies Term (SUST)

(fall semester/Norway, Sweden)
Gain a deep understanding of contemporary Norway using the welfare state and the notion of citizenship as the focus for investigation.Three interrelated seminars give you an understanding of howthewelfare stateworks in the context of a social democracy facing challenges posed by immigration. An option for either an independent study project or language classes rounds out the course load for the semester.

Courses:
Scandinavian International Relations (4 credits)
Urbanization and Immigration (4 credits)
Scandinavian Literature: Immigration and National Identity (4 credits)
Norwegian Language or Independent Study Project (4 credits)

Divided States of Europe:
Globalization and Inequalities in the New Europe

(spring semester/ Norway,Denmark, Poland)
Gain an understanding of the development of the European Union, including historical and institutional foundations, contemporary democratic and social challenges, and the EU's expansion to include the former communist nationstates of Central and Eastern Europe. The program explores the relationship between the EU and globalization and in particular considers the human dimensions of globalization. A hands-on internship in Norway and field experiences in Poland and Denmark offer direct access to the issues studied.

Courses:
Reading/Discussion Seminar (4 cr.)
Field Seminar (4 cr.)
Integration Seminar/ Independent Study Project ( 8 cr.)

Community Internships in Latin America (CILA)

(fall and spring semesters/Ecuador)
CILA offers a semester of study and experience with a focus on community participation and social change, centered in Quito, Ecuador. The program combines rigorous seminar work and independent study with a home stay and a hands-on internship to give an in-depth experience of community participation and social movements in Ecuador.

Courses:
Community Participation for Social Change (4 credits)
Independent Study Project (4 credits)
Internship Seminar and Internship (8 credits)

Metro Urban Studies Term(MUST)

(fall and spring semesters/ Twin Cities)
Examine the causes of and solutions to poverty and inequality in the urban United States. Develop tools to address injustice and build a more equitable society. Field study and professional internships provide direct access to the nonprofit sector in the Twin Cities.

Courses:
Reading Seminar (4 credits)
Field Seminar (4 credits)
Integration Seminar and Internship (8 credits)

City Arts

(spring semester/Twin Cities) Discover themanyways that art and culture can and do impact communities. Explore the role of creative work in addressing pressing social issues. Field study and professional internships provide direct access to the arts community in the Twin Cities.

Courses:
Creating Social Change: Art and Culture in Political, Social, and Historical Context (4 credits)
Arts Praxis: Social Justice Theory and Practice in the Field (4 credits)
Integration Seminar and Internship (8 credits)

Democracy and Social Change in Northern Ireland

(spring semester/Northern Ireland)
Examine the historical, political, and religious roots of the conflict in Northern Ireland, the prospects for peace, and the progress being made toward it.Learn through readings, lectures, discussions, internships, group study projects and field experiences that invite interactionwith people involved in social change.
Courses:
Northern Ireland: Building a Sustainable Democracy (4 credits)
Politics of Conflict and Transformation (4 credits)
Internship Seminar and Internship (8 credits)

Sustainable Development in an Islamic Context

(spring semester/Bangladesh )
Explore the policies, practices, and competing ideologies of socioeconomic development in rural and urban Bangladesh through lectures, discussions, and group field study. Meet with government and development agency leaders and learn about the moderate practice of Islam.

Courses:
Culture and History of Bangladesh (4 credits)
Sustainable Development (4 credits)
Internship Placement / FieldWork (8 credits)

January (J-Term) programs

Intensive Intermediate Spanish

(January term/Ecuador)
Based in Ecuador, this intensive language immersion program can be equivalent to a fourth semester of college Spanish.The program gives students firsthand knowledge of Ecuadorian culture, politics, and society as well as a deepened facilitywith Spanish language through a combination of classroom and field study. 4 credits

Development and Community in Bangladesh

(January term/Bangladesh)
Learn about the work of development agencies, the experiences of urban and rural Bangladesh, and the culture of a secular Muslim society. Explore the policies, practices, and ideologies of socioeconomic development in Bangladesh through lectures, discussions, and group field study. 4 credits.

Summer programs

Globalization and Resistance in Latin America: Ecuador and Bolivia

(summer, 6 weeks/ Ecuador and Bolivia)
This program focuses on various facets of globalization as it affects Latin American and the Andean region, with particular emphasis on growing economic inequality and the proliferation of new social movements in response to this trend. A hands-on internship in Ecuador provides direct involvement in projects emphasizing advocacy and community-based research.
Courses: Globalization and Resistance in Latin America (4 cr.)
Internship and Integration Seminar (2 cr.)

Civil Rights Movement: History and Consequences

(summer 3 weeks,Twin Cities/U.S. South)
Critically examine the events of the Civil Rights Movement by visiting important sites and interviewing leaders of the movement. After several days in the Twin Cities, students embark on a two-week field study tour through the South. A final week of seminars in the Twin Cities integrates the experiences into students' own lives.
Courses:
Civil Rights Movement: History and Consequences (4 cr.)

Honors Program

Honors Program Mission Statement

The College of St.Scholastica Honors Programis based on the Benedictine tradition of academic excellence in the development of the educated personwho is consciously committed to gaining a rigorous understanding of the world.

The Honors Program provides high-achieving students with an enriched academic environment that is shaped through recognition of their unique intellectual and social needs. In order to create this environment, the Honors Program offers challenging courses in the liberal arts and sciences that demand intellectual and moral exploration. The Honors Program is committed to developing lifelong learners through discussion and activity-oriented classes.

Honors Program courses fulfill Benedictine Liberal Arts Education requirements. Some Honors courses are interdisciplinary (IDS) and will fulfill any appropriate Benedictine Liberal Arts Education area.
Debra Schroeder, Ph.D., Director

Policies
Application and admission:

Students must request a formal interview with the Honors Director for admission to the program. Students should meet 2 of 3 criteria: be in the top 15 percent of their class, hold a GPA of 3.5 or higher, and have a minimum score of 26 on the ACT or 1100 on the SAT. Students who do not meet two of these criteria may still request an Honors interview, and if successful in the interview will be admitted to the program.

Retention:

Students who have not enrolled in an Honors course for two years will be removed from the program.

Graduating from the Honors Program:

Students must complete 20 credits in Honors with a minimum grade of B in each class. Eight credits must be upper division. At the time of graduation, a student must hold a 3.5 GPA.

Transfer students may speak to the Honors Director about a four-to eight-credit exemption, although they still must take eight credits of upper-division Honors courses to graduate.

Honors Program outcomes:

1. Lifelong learning - Students will enjoy learning and create and participate in effective intellectual learning communities.
2. Effective intellectual communication - Students will be able to engage in informed intellectual discourse on a variety of topics including disciplinary issues and values.
3. Interdisciplinary understanding - Students will be able to make interdisciplinary connections.

Physical Education courses

The Physical Education Programis comprised of a full range of activity courses including aerobic and anaerobic exercise, racquet sports, outdoor programs and individual and team sports. The classes are designed to provide a level of curriculum where by studentsmay achieve the skills and knowledge specific to their area of interest.
Individual and Team Sports.................0-2 cr. each. Development of basic skills, techniques, rules and etiquette in the following lifetime sports:

Preparatory programs

Each year, graduates of The College of St.Scholastica continue their education in graduate professional program in several different disciplines. Students preparing for graduate professional school select a relevant major and work toward meeting the major requirements at the same time that they work toward meeting the admission requirements of the graduate professional program. The College of St.Scholastica has identified advisors who can assist students in planning an undergraduate program that will prepare them for entry into the desired graduate professional program. In addition, the College sponsors two advisory boards to assist in preparing students to enter graduate professional programs in the health professions and in law.

Pre-medical and pre-health professions advising

Students seeking admission to a health professional program often complete a major in the sciences and are advised by science faculty with experience working with students who plan to attend medical, pharmacy, dental, veterinary, optometry, podiatry, or chiropractic school.

Students seeking admission to the graduate program in occupational therapy or physical therapy at The College of St. Scholastica often work toward a Health Science major with admission after three years of undergraduate study. In the fourth year of study these students complete the first year of the professional program, which also serves as the final year of the Health Science undergraduate major. Some students prefer a fuller traditional undergraduate experience and a wider choice of majors, entering the graduate occupational therapy or physical therapy program after completion of a bachelor's degree.

In addition to individualized pre-medical and pre-health professions advising by facultymembers, The College of St. Scholastica has formed the Pre-Health Professions Advisory Board, consisting of respected medical and health professions in the regionwho serve as resources to the College and its students.

Pre-Health Professions Advisory Board

The Board has a varied, talented and experienced group of professionals as activemembers. They help St. Scholastica prepare its students in the best way possible for success in post-baccalaureate health care education and careers. This may include advising on course offerings, extra curricular clubs and awards, exam preparation and the opportunity to"shadow" them and see what their profession demands. The Board members also serve as mentors to St. Scholastica students enrolled in one of our many successful pre-professional programs.

Advisory Board members in 2007 included:
Judith Arvold, M.D. Mark Rhodes,M.D.
Jim Callahan,M.D. Steven Schuder,D.V.M.
Kim Chart,D.D.S. Kevin Stephan,M.D.
Lori DeFrance, M.D. Linda Van Etta,M.D.
James Monge,M.D. Maria Van Nurden,O.D.
Frank Nash, R.Ph. Tim Zager, M.D.
Lisa Revoir,M.D.

Pre-Medicine
Pre-Physician Assistant
Pre-Pharmacy
Pre-Dentistry
Pre-Veterinary Medicine

Undergraduate preparation for careers in medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, and other health professions (such as optometry, chiropractic, podiatry, etc.) follow similar routes, including strong preparation in biology and chemistry. Students often choose a biology or biochemistry major, although any major is acceptable with careful planning to ensure that requirements for the major as well as for admission to the professional school are met. Students need to be aware of the specific prerequisites of the schools to which they plan to apply.
Advisors: Many faculty members within the School of Sciences advise pre-professional students.

Pre-Occupational Therapy

Students may prepare for entry into the Master of Arts program in Occupational Therapy at The College of St. Scholastica or for entry into other schools across the country. Typical majors for pre-occupational therapy students include Health Sciences (for those planning for entry into the St. Scholastica OT program after three years of undergraduate study),Biology, and Psychology.
Advisor: Carolyn Dorfman, Ph.D.,O.T.R./L.
(Occupational Therapy Department)

Pre-Physical Therapy

Students may prepare for entry into the Doctor of Physical Therapy programat The College of St. Scholastica or for entry into other schools across the country. Typical majors for pre-physical therapy students include Health Sciences (for those planning for entry into the St. Scholastica DPT program after three years of undergraduate study), Biology, Exercise Physiology, and Psychology.
Advisor: Denise Wise, P.T., Ph.D.
(Physical Therapy Department)

Pre-Law advising

A student preparing for a law career needs to acquire ability in three areas: comprehension and use of language, understanding of human institutions and values, and creative power in thinking. Of these three, the first, which has to do with skill in reading and writing, is often considered the most important. St.Scholastica offers a student abundant opportunities to develop in all three areas. A student may take courses in English, communication and theatre arts, history, philosophy, religious studies, psychology, management, math and computer information systems. Each of these disciplines encourages the development of ability in at least one of the three recommended areas.

The student-run pre-lawsociety organizes activities related to the practice of law. Speaker forums and law school admission sessions with recruiters are just two examples of this group's activities.

Since competition to enter law school is strong, the student must maintain a high grade point average at the College. In addition to individualized pre-law advising, The College of St.Scholastica has formed the Pre- Law Advisory Board, consisting of respected attorneys in the region who serve as resources to the College and its students.
Pre-Law Advisor: Brad Gangnon, M.A.
(Communication and Theatre Arts Department)

Pre-Law Advisory Board

St. Scholastica is proud to offer pre-law students the opportunity to meet and interact with prominent members of our community and alumni who were selected to be members of the Pre-Law Advisory Board. The board members have a diverse background and cover a wide array of law specialties and serve as a valuable resource for pre-law students.
Advisory Board members in 2007 include:
Charles Bateman, Esq.
Kay Biga, Esq.
William Burns, Esq.
Katie DeGrio, Esq.
Leslie Dollen, Esq.
Camille Doran, Esq.
Jessica Durbin, Esq.
Jill Eichenwald, Esq.
Gustav Layman, Esq.
Timothy Little, Esq.
Yvonne Novak, Esq.
Joseph J. Roby Jr., Esq.
Mark Rubin, Esq.
The Honorable Patrick J. Schiltz
Thomas Thibodeau, Esq.
Melanie Triplett, law student
PatrickWeir Jr., Esq.

Other Pre-Professional Advising

Students seeking admission to other professional programs in disciplines such as library science are well served by members of the faculty who have the expertise to guide them in selecting majors and activities that support their admission to these programs.

Pre-Library

Modern librarianship is amirror to the history of our culture. Librarianship satisfies a great variety College Offerings of interests - from the small public library to the university, from historical archives to research institutions, from public service to technology - that offer a rewarding career in service and lifelong learning. There are four major areas of librarianship, each of which requires slightly different undergraduate preparation. The first area is in the K-12 school system. Please refer to the Educational Media and Technology (EDM) program for more details. The other three areas of librarianship are public libraries, academic libraries, and special libraries such as those associated with hospitals, corporations and law offices. These all require a master's degree from an American Library Association (ALA) accredited graduate school. An overall minimum GPA of 3.0 and high scores on the GRE will best position the student for admission into graduate school. To prepare for graduate school, the student should complete a bachelor's degree with a regular academic major. It is recommended that the undergraduate coursework include some courses from the EDM Program as well as a diverse background of coursework in English, history, foreign languages, science, management, and computer applications and programming. Majoring in areas such as the health or natural sciences allows for possibilities in special libraries. Some graduate library and information science programs offer a dual degree combining a Master of Library Sciencewith a Master of Business Administration, Master of Fine Arts, Master of Science with history or education, or Juris Doctor.Students interested in pre-library should consult with an advisor about how pre-library can combine their interests with an academic plan best suited for their professional goals.
Advisor: Kevin McGrew, M.A., M.Ed. (Library)

Self-designed majors

Consistent with the Benedictine heritage stressing the uniqueness of the individual, students who wish to pursue a course of study not accommodated by traditional majors or those offered at The College of St. Scholastica may design their own major in consultation with two faculty sponsors. Such majors may include cross-disciplinary studies. Courses selected should create an intellectually coherent course of study.

Approval of the self-designed major is contingent upon reviewby the Curriculum Committee. A plan for the individualized course of studies should be submitted to the Curriculum Committee by the two faculty sponsors and the student. The chair of the Curriculum Committee signs the Application to Major form upon approval. Students must complete at least onehalf of the selected courses after the major is approved. Self-designed majors should be no fewer than 34 credits and nomore than 58. Fiftyeight credits is the maximum allowed so that students are able to complete a minor.

Self-designed minors

Students may construct a self-designed minor in consultation with their faculty advisors. Self designed minors should be no fewer than 18 credits and no more than 21. They should be from at least two different departments and need approval of a division chair. Students must complete at least one-half of the selected courses after the minor is approved.