Academic Information

Graduation Requirements To be eligible to graduate from a certificate program, a student must fulfill the following graduation requirements: Health-Related Certificate Programs: Completion of the college's residency requirement. Completion of all professional courses within five years of beginning the sequence. Completion of all program requirements within seven years of admittance to CSC. Other Certificate Programs: Completion of the program's course requirement. A cumulative grade point average of 2.0. Associate Degree Programs: All candidates for an associate degree must fulfill the following graduation requirements: Completion of all program requirements within seven years of admittance to CSC. Completion of the college residency requirement of a minimum of 30 semester credits. A.S. and A.A.S. degrees only: Completion of all professional courses within five years of beginning the sequence. Associate Degree Liberal Arts and Sciences Core Requirements: Written/Oral Composition and Communication - ENGL110 Humanities - two credits in literature (ENGL209, 210, 211, or 250) and two credits in art Natural Science and Mathematics - six credits (may be taken in biology, chemistry, ecology, math, or physics) Theology - two credits Social and Behavioral Science - eight credits (PSYC100, SSCS100 and two other credits in SSCS electives) Philosophy - PHIL200 At least four additional credits of liberal arts and sciences are required for the A.A.S. degree and the A.S. degree. Individual programs may require specific credits in the liberal arts and sciences. Students are encouraged to refer to their program's curriculum guide in this catalog for program-specific credit requirements. For information about the two credit minimum requirement for Core Integrated Learning (CIL), refer to the CIL section of the catalog. Baccalaureate Programs: The college offers four-year programs in the liberal arts and sciences, or in the liberal arts and sciences with professional preparation, leading to the bachelor of arts (B.A.), bachelor of science (B.S.) or bachelor of interpreting (B.I.) degree. All candidates for a B.A. or B.S. degree must fulfill the following graduation requirements (see ASL/Interpreting major description for requirements specific to the B.I. degree): A minimum of 130 semester credits including: a) completion of the liberal arts core requirements for either the B.A. or B.S. degree, as appropriate to the major; b) acceptance into and completion of the requirements for an approved major; c) a minimum of 80 semester credits outside the department of the major, or outside the department with the most courses required as part of an interdepartmental major. Demonstration of required proficiencies in writing, and information and technology. Completion of the college residency requirement of a minimum of 64 semester credits. This residency requirement is reduced to a minimum of 48 semester credits at CSC if 57 or more semester credits are transferred prior to enrollment at CSC. Completion of the senior residency requirement of 24 of the last 32 semester credits in residence. Completion of an Intent to Graduate form. A cumulative grade point average of 2.0. Outcomes for the Liberal Arts Core Requirements: The vision of the College of St. Catherine is to be the world's preeminent Catholic college educating women to lead and influence. In its mission the College is committed to the liberal arts as the broad base of learning and to the pursuit of excellence for its students. St. Catherine offers academic programs in an atmosphere that stimulates students to make their lives full and meaningful and provides opportunities, both intellectual and personal, for them to develop leadership abilities, spiritual values, and responsible commitments to society. Along with the depth of knowledge provided by her major, the liberal arts baccalaureate student at the College of St Catherine will have opportunities to acquire a broad knowledge in a variety of disciplines and transferable skills to serve as a foundation in a life-long process of learning. At graduation, the student will have developed to an acceptable level: an appreciation of the Catholic tradition and its commitment to social justice an understanding of different modes of inquiry in major disciplines, as demonstrated through: a facility in scientific reasoning and quantitative methods critical thinking and problem-solving in a variety of contexts and from a variety of perspectives (e.g. global, cultural, historical, political) an understanding of individuals in society an appreciation of aesthetic experience and the ability to exercise aesthetic judgment a facility in theological and philosophical reasoning an understanding of the experiences and contributions of women an understanding of the experiences and contributions of diverse communities. the ability to communicate effectively in a variety of modes proficiency in information technology the knowledge and strategies for maintaining a sound body the ability to engage in creative, integrative processes Approved by the St. Paul Faculty January 9, 2001 Baccalaureate Liberal Arts Core Requirements: The following requirements apply to students seeking either a B.A. or a B.S. degree. Writing Requirement (see below). Information and Technology Proficiency (see below). CORE courses - both CORE100 The Reflective Woman, and CORE399 The Global Search for Justice. History - one course. Literature in English - one literature course that involves careful reading of any literary genre originally written in and read in English. Fine Arts - one course from among the following: art, music, theater, or classical mythology. Special rules apply for music lessons and ensembles. Philosophy - one course, excluding PHIL210 and/or PHIL215. Theology - one course. Foreign Language - demonstration of equivalency through the second semester level either by completion of the second semester elementary course at the College of St. Catherine or by achieving a passing grade on an approved equivalency test. American Sign Language (ASL) satisfies this requirement. Satisfied by two years of high school course work in the same language, with a minimum grade of C-. Health and Fitness - completion of two different one-credit courses from the EXSS100 offerings, or the two-credit EXSS103 Health, Fitness and Lifestyle Issues. Social Science - one course from among the following: anthropology, economics, geography, political science, psychology, or sociology, except ECON220 or 225, or PSYC205. Laboratory Science - one course with a laboratory component chosen from biology, chemistry, geology, or physics. Mathematics or statistics - one course, selected from ECON220 or 225, PSYC205 and all MATH courses numbered 100-level or higher except MATH250. Additional requirements for students seeking a B.A. degree: Foreign Language - demonstration of equivalency through the third semester level either by completion of the first semester intermediate course at the College of St. Catherine or by achieving a passing grade on an approved equivalency test. Satisfied by three years of acceptable high school course work in the same language, with a minimum grade of C-. Philosophy or Theology - one additional course. Additional requirements for students seeking a B.S. degree: Mathematics, Laboratory Science or Social Science - two additional courses from any of these three categories. Students who believe they have language skills sufficient to meet the language requirements (for example, native speakers from another country for whom English is a second language) should contact the chair of the language departments to determine equivalency. Required Proficiencies - Baccalaureate Programs The ability to communicate and use information effectively is critical to both professional achievement and the fulfillment of public responsibilities and personal relationships. The faculty at the College of St. Catherine support and encourage the development of oral and written communication and information and technology skills. Throughout the curriculum, whether general requirements or courses directly associated with a student's major, students will learn to communicate to a variety of audiences and access and manipulate information in a myriad of ways. That is why, in addition to course work, the college provides a Writing/Reading Center with professional and student staff ready to assist students to improve their communication skills and a Computing Services Center that offers training and helpdesk support for students' academic computing needs. BACCALAUREATE WRITING REQUIREMENT Clear, eloquent writing opens doors to worlds students aspire to enter. At the College of St. Catherine, writing competency is required of all students as part of the basic process of earning a degree. To this end, each student must take four writing-intensive courses. This college writing requirement may be fulfilled in the following ways: Core Writing Requirement Both CORE100 The Reflective Woman and CORE399 Global Search for Justice are writing- intensive courses. Successful completion of the two courses shall fulfill two writing-intensive course requirements. Writing Requirement for Majors Each student must take one writing-intensive course, or the equivalent of one writing-intensive course in her major. In those disciplines where the writing requirement has been integrated throughout the departmental curriculum, students fulfill the major's writing requirement through drafting and redrafting a sequence of writing assignments in several courses, following plans specially devised for majors. Students completing a major through another Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities (ACTC) school should consult with the Director of Writing Programs to determine the course(s) within their major with a sufficient focus on writing that can satisfy this component of the writing requirement. Fourth Course Requirement A fourth and final writing-intensive course may be taken in the form of any other writing-intensive course, whether elective or required for a major or minor course of study. ENGL 200 Writing: Developing Skills and Confidence, a composition course with emphases upon the writing process, drafting techniques and concerns with audience, is recommended for students wanting a course focusing exclusively upon writing. Writing-intensive courses are indicated by a "W" after the course number (also see list of writing-intensive courses for the 2001-02 academic year below). Majors that have elected to integrate writing across the curriculum will describe their plans in separate departmental materials. Students should consult their major advisor for information on their major's writing requirement. An expository writing course transferred from another college or university may be credited as one writing-intensive course, depending upon approval from the director of writing programs and the registrar. Writing-intensive Courses for 2001-02: ART 265W Art History: Modern BADM312W Intermediate Accounting II BADM449W Business Policy Formulation BADM463W Sales Force Leadership BIOL111W Environmental Biology BIOL485W Senior Seminar CDC 315W Developing Therapeutic and Counselor Authenticity CORE100W The Reflective Woman CORE399W Global Search for Justice ECON348W International Economics ECON361W Microeconomic Theory ECON485W Seminar in International Business and Economics EDUC207W Teachers as Leaders for a Changing Society ENGL200W Writing: Developing Skill & Confidence ENGL202W Intermediate Writing: Strengthen Critical & Persuasive Voice ENGL203W Personal Writing: Autobiog./Reflective ENGL213W Written Communication for College (when taken after ENGL212) ENGL220W Approaches to Literature ENGL230W Literature in Translation ENGL275W Shakespeare ENGL290W Women and Literature ENGL302W Advanced Expository Writing ENGL304W Journalistic Writing ENGL305W Linguistics ENGL310W Language as Power ENGL402W The Editorial Process ENGL486W Seminar FCNS215W Sociocultural Aspects of Clothing FCNS400W Management Approach to Family Systems FCNS421W Experimental Foods FCNS430W Advanced Nutrition FREN305W French Composition I FREN306W French Composition II HIST130W Introduction to U.S. History INDI209W Promotional Communication INDI221W Perspectives on Health and Aging INFM320W Research and Needs Analysis MATH485W Senior Seminar MUS 311W History and Literature of Music I MUS 312W History and Literature of Music II OSOT310W Life Occupations OCOT455W Seminar PHIL220W Ethics PHIL230W Social and Political Philosophy PHIL420W Contemporary Ethical Theory PHIL485W Senior Seminar POSC171W Intro to Political Science POSC220W Introduction to Comparative Government POSC225W Introduction to World Politics SOCI325W Cultural Anthropology SOCI370W Social Theory SPAN300W Oral and Written Spanish SPAN325W Advanced Oral & Written Spanish THEO302W Pastoral Theology THEO306W Issues in Pastoral Theology THEO315W Christian Marriage THEO320W Suffering, Compassion and Healing THEO330W Current Topics in Old Testament Studies THEO335W Current Topics in New Testament THEO338W Women and the Bible THEO345W Women in American Christianity THEO367W Quest for God in Contemporary Experience THEO375W Studies in World Religions THEO380W Spirituality and Work THEO393W Christian Women Mystics THR 412W Drama: Theory and Criticism WOST205W Foundations in Women's Studies WOST485W Senior Seminar (when offered at CSC) INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY PROFICIENCY The information and technology proficiency requirement is integrated into the course work for majors of most departments. Students will be expected to use discipline-appropriate computer applications (e.g., word processing, graphing, database searching, statistical analysis, spreadsheet construction) in courses within their major, and in the required mathematics or statistics course. Information technology is also addressed in CORE100 The Reflective Woman. In the event that the major does not fulfill the requirement, the department will advise students on an alternative method for its completion (e.g., successful completion of INFM250, PHYS111, CSCI106 or any other CSC computer science course). Students who are pursuing a major through the ACTC should consult with the Office of the Academic Dean on an acceptable way to demonstrate satisfaction of this requirement. Major Fields of Study Baccalaureate majors consist of not fewer than seven nor more than 10 courses required in the department. Approved interdepartmental majors may consist of up to 12 courses required from among the disciplines comprising the major. All course work in a baccalaureate major is subject to the following restrictions: Courses in a major must be taken for a regular letter grade. A minimum grade of C- is required for a course to be counted toward the major. Unless otherwise stated, a minimum cumulative grade point average of C (2.0) must be earned for all major course work. A minimum of one-half of the courses in the major must be completed in residence. Transfer courses, substitutions and courses taken on campuses of the Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities (ACTC) for a CSC major require the approval of the chair of the major department. Supporting courses for some majors must be completed for a letter grade with at least a C- or C. Unless otherwise stated, required supporting courses may be completed with the S/U grading option. PETITIONING FOR ADMISSION TO MAJOR OR CHANGE OF MAJOR Certificate and Associate Degree Programs: Students who wish to change programs or majors must complete the required paper work. Forms for this purpose can be obtained in the Registrar's Office. Baccalaureate Programs: Normally, a student will select a major field of study before the end of her sophomore year by petitioning for admission to the department. Departmental approval of the petition is required for admission to the major. Forms for this purpose may be obtained from the Office of Academic Advising. In some departments, it may be necessary to limit the number of petitions approved in any given year because of limited clinical facilities, internship opportunities or other similar factors related to required learning experiences in the program. Special Majors A student may plan and gain approval for a special major involving work in two or more departments when no existing major or double major meets her academic needs. Examples of such majors have included Family Studies and Engineering Physics. Such majors are to consist of a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 15 courses, with at least half of the courses to be numbered 300 level or above. Special majors require the approval of the Educational Policies Committee. The Petition for Special Major form is available in the Office of Academic Affairs. Minors - Baccalaureate Programs A minor consists of four to six specifically designated courses in a discipline. Students who wish to pursue a minor should contact the department chair or a faculty advisor in the minor discipline for assistance in planning the course work to be included in the minor. All course work in a minor is subject to the following restrictions: Courses in a minor must be taken for a regular letter grade. A minimum grade of C- is required for a course to be counted toward the minor and the cumulative grade point average for the minor must be 2.0 or higher. A maximum of two transfer courses may be counted toward a minor. Transfer courses, substitutions and courses taken on campuses of the Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities (ACTC) for a CSC minor require the approval of the chair of the minor department. See the Courses of Study section of this catalog for a list of the minors available and the specific courses required for each. Courses Outside the Major- Baccalaureate Programs All students graduating from the college must complete a minimum of 80 semester credits in disciplines outside of their major program. Courses outside of the major are defined as those courses outside of the department of the major or outside the department with the most courses required for an interdepartmental major. Required supporting courses are considered courses outside the major. An exception to the 80 credit policy is made for music education majors who must complete a minimum of 68 semester credits in disciplines outside the major. (See ASL/Interpreting program description for non-major course requirements specific to the B.I. degree.) Applied Foreign Language - Baccalaureate Programs Students at the post-intermediate level may have the possibility of applying a foreign language in the study of another discipline. For further information, consult the language departments. Individualized Learning INDEPENDENT STUDY An independent study is a form of study initiated the student, for the purpose of expanding knowledge and/or skill in a particular area of interest. The work must be completed within the term of registration. Independent studies are not allowed for courses described in the catalog. In proposing an independent study, students work with a faculty evaluator to develop a learning contract, which specifies the content and objectives of the study as well as the requirements and procedures for evaluation. The amount of credit to be earned for the study also is included in the learning contract. An independent study may be taken for 2 or 4 credits and is graded S/U (satisfactory/unsatisfactory) unless it is in the major or minor. Certificate and Associate Degree Programs Students may take a maximum of four independent study credits. Exceptions may be granted by the program director. Baccalaureate Programs Students may register for no more than two Independent Studies, and for no more than six Independent Study credits. Exceptions may be granted by the student's major department chair. Further information and forms for independent studies are available in the Registrar's Office. FACULTY-DESIGNED INDEPENDENT STUDY FOR ASSOCIATE DEGREE PROGRAMS Faculty-designed independent studies are available in some areas of the associate degree program curriculum. Faculty have designed these independent studies with opportunities for students to make some choices about learning objectives and methods, which are recorded on a learning contract. Students taking faculty-designed independent studies work primarily on their own, though they keep faculty advised about their progress. Faculty-designed independent studies are listed in this catalog and in the class schedule. DIRECTED STUDY Directed study is individual study of a college catalog course. The Directed study must be approved by the appropriate academic officer. A directed study is approved on a limited basis when the student is unable to complete the course requirement in a timely fashion unless the directed study occurs. Negotiation of learning activities for the course is conducted between the instructor and student and primarily involves individual learning. CORE100W and CORE 399W may not be taken as Directed Study. INTERNSHIPS An internship is designed to be a structured out-of-class learning experience that takes place on or off campus and includes a substantial work component. An internship provides students with an opportunity to test career interests and potential. All internships are arranged in conjunction with the internship coordinator in the Career Development Office. The coordinator assists students in generating possible internship sites, answers questions and provides training in resume preparation and interviewing. All students are required to participate in an internship orientation prior to beginning an internship. Internships may be taken for 2 or 4 semester credits or on a non-credit basis. Students who wish to earn credit for an internship must make arrangements with a faculty member to serve as an advisor. The advisor and the internship site supervisor work with the student to prepare a learning contract which includes a list of learning goals, the specific strategies for achieving those goals, the methods to be used to evaluate achievement and the amount of credit to be earned. Further information may be obtained by contacting the Career Development Office. RESEARCH Undergraduate research provides an opportunity for students to apply their knowledge and further develop critical-thinking skills through collaboration with an advisor (a CSC faculty member or a researcher at an off-campus site) on a scholarly project. Such projects, often arranged to take place either during the summer or during January, introduce students to scholarship as it is practiced in the discipline and anticipate and help prepare students for graduate study and an academic career. Students may arrange to earn credit for their research. Opportunities for students to become involved in undergraduate research are made possible through both college-wide and individual departmental programs. Students interested in pursuing a research project should contact an appropriate faculty member or their major department chair. The registration form for arranging academic credit for research is available in the Office of the Academic Dean. Background Study Requirement Minnesota law requires that any person who provides services that involve direct contact with patients and residents at a health-care facility licensed by the Minnesota Department of Health have a background study conducted by the state. An individual who is disqualified from having direct patient contact as a result of the background study, and whose disqualification is not set aside by the Commissioner of Health, will not be permitted to participate in a clinical placement in a Minnesota-licensed care facility. Failure to participate in a clinical placement required by the academic program could result in ineligibility to qualify for a degree in the program. Residency Requirements In order to graduate from the college, students must satisfy residency requirements related to total course work, senior-year course work, major course work, and possibly minor course work. Course work in residence is defined as all courses registered for and completed at the College of St. Catherine. In addition to courses taken on campus, this includes course work taken on an exchange basis (fall and winter semesters only) through the Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities (Day Program baccalaureate students only) and approved study abroad programs. For specific information, see the preceding sections on Graduation Requirements, Major Fields of Study and Minors. Credits earned through examination (CLEP, AP, proficiency exams) or the Credit for Academically Relevant Learning (CARL) program are not considered in residence and therefore may not be used to satisfy college residency requirements. Credits earned from courses taken at other ACTC institutions during J-term and during the summer do not count toward residency. Student Roles in Program Assessment In all its curricula, programs and services, the college is accountable to its students and external audiences for providing a liberal arts education consistent with its mission. Thus, as part of its comprehensive assessment process, the college routinely measures student attitudes, achievement and satisfaction college wide and within academic and non-academic departments. The focus of these efforts is program evaluation rather than measurement of individual student attitudes or performance. Some examples of the types of questions being asked are: Do students display intellectual growth related to completion of the core curriculum and their major? Do our classes create effective and efficient learning communities? Do specific student affairs programs meet students' needs? What are the unique advantages of a liberal arts education at the College of St. Catherine? The confidentiality of individual students' responses is guaranteed. Participation in assessment activities at the college-wide level (e.g., focusing on core curricular outcomes and non-academic programs and services) is expected of all students. Not every student is selected for participation in every activity. However, individual students will be involved in one or more assessment activities. Participation in assessment efforts is a graduation requirement of all academic programs and majors. The information obtained through all of these assessment procedures is used to evaluate and improve the quality of the educational experience at the college. It is through cooperative participation in the assessment process that the college can better understand itself and adapt to better serve its students. Application for a Degree When students are prepared to complete the requirements for a given degree, they must file an Intent to Graduate form with the Registrar's Office by the published deadline for the term they expect to have their degree granted. Upon receipt of the completed Intent to Graduate form, the registrar will verify the student's eligibility for graduation, include the student as a candidate for graduation and order the diploma. Transfer Credit Evaluation The registrar administers the credit evaluation process for transfer purposes. Generally, baccalaureate-level course work from regionally accredited institutions of higher education will be considered for transfer toward the CSC degree. To be accepted, transfer course work must be at the baccalaureate level, not vocational-technical, and must carry a grade of C- or better. In order for courses to be counted as equivalent to CSC courses, they must be reviewed by the appropriate department chair. Both degree credits and corresponding grade points will be transferred (after conversion to semester credits when necessary) for all approved course work and be included in the student's cumulative grade point average at St. Catherine's. The respective St. Catherine major department chair or program director judges the equivalency of transfer work to CSC major program requirements once the registrar's evaluation has been made. Credit earned by correspondence, extension or certain other special programs may be applied toward the CSC degree requirements when such credit has been awarded as degree credit from regionally accredited institutions. Courses and credits from nonaccredited institutions and from competency-based programs will be accepted at the discretion of the academic dean. When credit is awarded toward the CSC degree from these institutions, a grade of Satisfactory (without grade points) will be recorded. Evaluation of course work from nonaccredited institutions may be postponed until the student has shown competency to complete advanced work successfully. AGE OF CREDIT TIME LIMITS Certificate and Associate Degree Programs In some programs, courses that are prerequisite to admission to a specific professional program must have been completed within seven years prior to enrollment at the College of St. Catherine. To be applied toward a degree, transfer credit also must have been completed within the seven years prior to the date students first enroll. Special considerations regarding age of credit will be given to students with a baccalaureate or higher degree. Baccalaureate Programs Department chairs may impose time limits for courses applied to the degree, if appropriate. Academic Advising Each student at St. Catherine’s is assigned an academic advisor. Advisors help students clarify educational objectives, plan suitable courses of study, use available resources, explore opportunities for learning, and address academic problems that may arise. Professional advising staff and faculty advisors are available to students in all of St. Catherine’s undergraduate programs. Certificate and Associate Degree Programs: Students in associate degree and certificate programs are assigned academic advisors within their area of study. In order to assure sound academic planning, all first-year students in these programs are required to obtain their academic advisor's signature on their registration materials. They are further encouraged to contact their academic advisor regarding any concerns or difficulties that might have an impact on their academic success. Baccalaureate Programs: Students in the Weekend College program are assigned an advisor in their chosen major at the time they enroll. Weekend College students are encouraged to meet with their advisor or the Weekend College academic advisor at least annually and to use advising resources as needed. The Office of Academic Advising coordinates advising for students in the Day Program and serves as a clearinghouse of information for students and faculty regarding academic programs, policies and procedures, as well as overseeing Day students’ initial registration at the college. The office's professional staff advise students who are changing or deciding majors, pursuing majors at another ACTC college and taking leaves of absence or considering withdrawing from the college, as well as students looking for extra assistance with academic planning or academic problems. Because discussing and carefully planning an academic program is crucial to success, first-year students and sophomores in the Day Program are required to meet with their advisors each term prior to registration. Juniors and seniors are strongly advised to consult with their advisors every semester. First-year students in the Day Program are assigned to advising groups of approximately 10 students drawn from their The Reflective Woman class. The advisor, a faculty member or student affairs staff professional, meets with the advisees individually and as a group. These advisors are specially trained to facilitate the transition to college, to help each student learn more about possible majors and to assist students in developing a productive relationship with a faculty advisor at the beginning of their college careers. Transfer students and students beyond their first year at the college choose or are assigned advisors in their major departments. FOUR-YEAR GRADUATION GUARANTEE FOR BACCALAUREATE DAY PROGRAM STUDENTS The Office of Academic Advising administers the four-year graduation guarantee plan. This program, available to students who enter the college as first-time baccalaureate students in fall semester, guarantees that students who meet regularly with their advisors, follow their advisors' advice and make satisfactory progress in their course work, will graduate in four years. Should the student meet all conditions of the guarantee and not graduate, she may request to take any course(s) necessary to complete her degree in the fifth year tuition-free. Majors that routinely require more than four years for completion, education licensure programs governed by the state, special majors and majors offered through the ACTC are not covered by the guarantee. Double majors and minors also are not covered. Students who begin their studies in one major and change to another major may not be eligible to continue under the guarantee. For a complete statement of the policies governing this program, contact the Office of Academic Advising. Learning Center and O'Neill Center for Academic Development The Learning Center on the Minneapolis campus, and the O'Neill Center for Academic Development on the St. Paul campus are both designed to address the diverse academic needs and goals of all members of the college community. Detailed descriptions of both Centers are found in the Student Affairs section of this catalog. Distinctions and Awards In addition to election to honor societies, the college gives recognition to students for scholarly achievement in the following ways: ANTONIAN SCHOLARS HONORS PROGRAM - BACCALAUREATE PROGRAMS Upon completion of all the requirements of the Honors Program, students are recognized as an Antonian Scholar in the commencement program and with a special diploma. The title of her Senior Honors Project and completion of the program is noted on the student's transcript. DEAN'S LIST - BACCALAUREATE PROGRAMS The Dean's List gives recognition to those Day students who have achieved a grade point average of 3.667 and above in a semester while taking at least three full courses (12 semester credits) for letter (A-F) grades. The Dean's List gives recognition to Weekend College students who have achieved a grade point average of 3.667 and above in a trimester while taking at least two full courses (eight trimester credits) for letter (A-F) grades. The Dean's List is assembled three days after the deadline for submission of final semester or trimester grades. Students with incomplete grades may not be considered for the Dean's List during the semester or trimester in which the incomplete is given. Part-time day and Weekend College students earning a 3.667 grade point average and above for four or more full courses in a given academic year qualify for an annual part-time students' Dean's List. Contact the Office of the Academic Dean with questions about the Dean's List. DEPARTMENTAL HONORS Departmental honors aim to provide intensive study and opportunity for original work in the student's major field. Departmental honors are awarded by the major department according to specific departmental criteria. COLLEGE HONORS AND AWARDS Each year, deserving students are selected for college honors and awards or inducted into honor societies. All Programs: Abigail Quigley McCarthy Awards Baccalaureate Programs: Antonian Scholars Dean of Students Award Irish Studies Award Francis T. McCahill Athlete of the Year Joseph Miesler Memorial Award Mary Alice Muellerleile Student Leadership Award Mary E. McCahill Award Mother Antonia McHugh Award Re-Entry Adult Program Leadership Award Sister Alberta Huber Leadership Award Thomas More Awards Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges Honor Societies Alpha Delta Mu/Beta Epsilon (Social Work) Alpha Kappa Delta (Sociology) Beta Beta Beta (Biology) Delta Mu Delta (Business Administration) Delta Phi Delta (Art) Delta Phi Lambda (Creative Writing) Iota Sigma Pi (Chemistry) Kappa Gamma Pi (Scholarship/Leadership/ Service) Kappa Omicron Nu (Family, Consumer and Nutritional Sciences) Mu Phi Epsilon (Music) Omicron Delta Epsilon (Economics) Phi Beta Kappa (Liberal Arts) Pi Delta Phi (French) Pi Epsilon Delta (Theater) Pi Gamma Mu (Social Sciences) Pi Lambda Theta (Education) Pi Mu Epsilon (Mathematics) Pi Theta Epsilon (Occupational Therapy) Psi Chi (Psychology) Sigma Delta Pi (Spanish) Sigma Tau Delta (English) Sigma Theta Tau (Nursing) Theta Alpha Kappa (Theology) LATIN HONORS Latin honors are awarded to baccalaureate students upon completion of all graduation requirements with the following cumulative grade point average: for graduation cum laude, a GPA of 3.667; for graduation magna cum laude, a GPA of 3.8; for graduation summa cum laude, a GPA of 3.9. The honors awarded will be noted on the student's transcript and in the program at commencement. Eligibility for Latin honors is determined approximately six weeks prior to commencement. Contact the Office of the Academic Dean with questions about Latin honors. Registration Students register for classes during assigned registration periods prior to the beginning of each term. Weekend College students may register in person or by mail according to the published calendar. All first-year and sophomore students in the Day Program on the St. Paul campus, and all first-year students in health-related certificate programs and associate degree programs on the Minneapolis campus are required to obtain the signature of their advisor on their registration form. All students are strongly encouraged to consult their academic advisor for assistance in planning their registration (see Academic Advising section of this catalog). Students who wish to register for more than 18 credits in one term must obtain written approval from their advisor. A late fee is charged for all returning students who register on or after the registration deadline. This fee does not apply to changes in registration. Students must adhere to all prerequisite, corequisite and concurrent course requirements, unless the requirement has been waived by the instructor. Definitions: Prerequisite: must be taken prior to the upper-level course Corequisite: may be taken either prior to or at the same time as the upper-level course Concurrent course: must be taken with the accompanying course Prerequisite, corequisite and concurrent course requirements are listed at the end of every course description, if applicable. All students are cautioned to attend the first class session of each course for which they register, as instructors are free to reassign spaces to students on waiting lists when there are unexcused absences. Registration procedures and policies for Summer Session classes are included in the Summer Session bulletin that is distributed in early March. Students may register for summer courses in person or by mail. CHANGES IN REGISTRATION Students must make all changes in registration (including section changes within the same course) in writing, and no change in registration takes effect until it has been processed by the Registrar's Office. Telephone or voicemail requests to drop or add courses cannot be processed. If a student stops attending class and does not officially drop the course, the instructor may award a failing grade for the course. Forms for dropping and/or adding courses are available from the Registrar's Office. Courses may be added on a space available basis until the deadline for adding classes. The instructor's signature will be required after the published deadline. The term calendar contains the deadline for dropping a course without notation on the transcript. Courses dropped between this deadline and the last day to withdraw result in a W (Withdrawal) notation on the transcript. Courses dropped after the last day to withdraw automatically receive a grade of F. Students are financially responsible for every course for which they register; the amount of tuition refunded for a dropped course is established by deadlines found in the Summary of Financial Procedures distributed by the Student Accounts Office. Students are expected to read this publication and adhere to published deadlines. REGISTRATION AT OTHER COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES Students working toward a degree at the College of St. Catherine and planning to register for courses at other colleges and universities must receive prior written approval from the Registrar's Office in order to transfer that course work into their CSC academic program. Policy on Student Eligibility for Study Abroad In order to be accepted for and have a successful study abroad experience, students must meet the following standards of performance and behavior: 1) must have attained sophomore status (first-year students may take J-term programs); 2) must be in good academic standing and must have at least a 2.5 GPA; 3) must demonstrate appropriate maturity, good judgment and cultural sensitivity required of successful experiences in foreign cultures; and 4) goals for participating in study abroad must be compatible with the goals and objectives of the program selected. It will be the decision of the global studies coordinator whether the student has met these criteria for acceptance into a study abroad program. If denied acceptance for study abroad, the student has the right to appeal that decision in writing to the Global Studies Advisory Committee. Decisions of that committee are final. Instructional Policies ACADEMIC INTEGRITY POLICY The mission of the College of St. Catherine provides for excellence in education through the search for truth and justice. In accordance with the mission, the college expects all students and faculty to uphold the highest standards of academic integrity, and acts of academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following examples of conduct: when a student misrepresents her/his work; when a student violates the academic rights of another student; cheating on assignments or exams, including the use of crib notes or other unauthorized materials; submitting papers or assignments written by another person (student, commercial agency, etc.); copying from another student's paper; stealing copies or conveying test items or answer sheets; plagiarizing on papers and other assignments; consenting to have one's work used by another student as her/his own; falsely reporting information or misrepresenting actions in clinical or classroom laboratories; depriving other students of necessary course materials by stealing books, periodicals or other materials from the library, AV center, labs, etc.; submitting the same paper, or substantially similar papers, to meet the requirements of more than one course without approval of the appropriate instructors; interfering in a harmful way with another student's work, such as sabotaging another student's laboratory experiment, or entering or deleting data in another student's computer account, or unlawful duplication of copyright materials. When academic dishonesty is alleged, a complaint shall be filed with the academic dean's office (St. Paul campus) or the associate academic dean's office (Minneapolis campus) and the matter will be resolved under the Student Judicial System. However, if a charge of academic dishonesty is not contested, the academic dean (St. Paul campus) or associate academic dean (Minneapolis campus) will endorse the grade awarded by the faculty on the project, test, paper or course involved. (Revised 3/96) GRADING The grading system of the college includes the following grades with appropriate grade points assigned to them: Grade Grade Points A 4.000 Superior achievement of course requirements A- 3.667 B+ 3.333 B 3.000 Better than satisfactory achievement of course requirements B- 2.667 C+ 2.333 C 2.000 Satisfactory achievement of course requirements C- 1.667 D+ 1.333 D 1.000 Less than satisfactory achievement of course requirements but acceptable for credit F 0.000 Failure to achieve course requirements In addition, grades with the following notations are also given: S = Satisfactory; credit given; does not affect grade point average U = Unsatisfactory; no credit given; does not affect grade point average W = Withdrawal after official deadline I = Incomplete X = Signifies that the course extends beyond term end date. Replaced by grade when course is completed AU = Audit LAB = Signifies successful completion of the no-credit laboratory portion of a course (for courses that require separate laboratory registration) Grades are made available to students on the Web as soon as possible after the end of the term. Students are notified in writing when academic performance has resulted in probation, suspension or other academic action. INCOMPLETES A grade of incomplete is given only when unusual circumstances deem it appropriate. Ordinarily, such circumstances would involve matters that are not wholly within a student's control, such as illness. Students who wish to receive an incomplete must present an Incomplete Contract to their instructor no later than the last day of the term in which course requirements are due. If the incomplete is granted, the deadline for completion of the work will be no later than the midterm of the following regular semester or trimester. (The deadline may be extended under extenuating circumstances with the approval of the instructor and the appropriate academic dean.) The instructor will submit an alternative grade which will automatically be recorded if the student does not complete the requirements for the course by the deadline. S/U GRADING OPTIONS When a student elects the S/U grading option for a course, work meriting a letter grade of C- or better is recorded as S (Satisfactory). A final grade below C- is recorded as U (Unsatisfactory). S and U grades do not affect the grade point average. Baccalaureate students may choose this option for no more than one course per semester or trimester (excluding courses only graded S/U) and for a maximum of 26 semester credits excluding CARL, CLEP and proficiency exams. The S/U option is not allowed for courses in the student's major or minor field, or for CORE100 and 399. Unless stated by the major department, the S/U option may be elected for required supporting courses. Students should be aware that most graduate schools require letter grades in all the prerequisite courses for their advanced degree programs. Students must elect the S/U option by the published deadline. The form for designating the S/U option is filed in the Registrar's Office. Once elected, the S/U option may not be rescinded, even if the filing deadline has not lapsed. REPEATING A COURSE When a course is repeated, the most recent grade received when taking the course is counted toward the grade point average, although the previous grade(s) remains on the transcript, with the notation "Course Repeated." If a student receives U or F grades, credit may be gained only by repeating the course and not by proficiency exam. Courses may be repeated once. Exceptions may be granted. Permission is obtained from the program director or program chair. AUDITING Auditors are students who attend classes and participate in discussions but do not submit papers or examinations for a regular letter grade. Although academic credit is not earned, and therefore may not be used to complete degree requirements, audits are recorded on the student's transcript. The grade on the transcript is AU. Unlike a credit-earning student, an auditor does not have a claim on the time of the instructor for the purpose of critiquing or evaluating the auditor's work. Department chairs, in conjunction with individual faculty members, will determine which courses are available and appropriate to be taken as audits. Students may register to take a course on an audit basis up until the deadline for adding classes each term. This also is the last day students may change from credit to audit status, or vice versa, with any appropriate changes in tuition applied. Audit registration and all changes between credit and audit status must be processed through the Registrar's Office. Students will be charged at a rate of 25 percent of tuition for auditing a course. FINAL EXAMINATIONS In the last week of each semester, final examinations are conducted at the hours specified on the posted final examination schedules. Trimester examinations in Weekend College are given in the week following the end of classes in each trimester or during the last class meeting. Some instructors may administer take-home exams. ATTENDANCE Regular class attendance is expected of all students. Students are responsible for class assignments whether present or not. Absences for any reason may be taken into account in the evaluation of your work. Each instructor will state her or his attendance policy at the beginning of each semester. ENROLLMENT LIMITS AND MINIMUM CLASS SIZE The college reserves the right to limit the enrollment in any course and to cancel any course for which fewer than 10 students register. CLASSIFICATION OF STUDENTS Associate Degree Programs: The student's classification is based on his or her progression through the program. For example, a student is considered a first-year student until he or she completes the courses outlined in the first year of the curriculum. Baccalaureate Degree Programs: Student classification is based on earning the following number of credits: Sophomore: 24 semester credits Junior: 60 semester credits Senior: 92 semester credits STUDENT STATUS Undergraduate Programs: PER SEMESTER | PER TRIMESTER | SUMMER Full time | 12 or more credits* | 8 or more credits* | 6 or more credits* 3/4 time | 9-11 credits | 6-7 credits | 5 credits Half time | 6-8 credits | 4-5 credits | 3-4 credits Below half time | 5 or fewer credits | 3 or fewer credits | 2 or fewer credits Graduate Programs: Full time 6 or more credits 3/4 time 4-5 credits Half time 3 credits Below half time 2 or fewer credits *These credit levels are used for deferment reporting and for awarding financial aid. NOTE: The state of Minnesota requires a different definition of full-time enrollment to award state grant funds. Detailed information can be found in the Admission and Financial Information section of this catalog. WITHDRAWAL FROM THE COLLEGE Students may withdraw from the college at any time by contacting the appropriate office. Weekend College students must contact the Weekend College Office or the Registrar's Office. Day students on the St. Paul campus must contact the Office of Academic Advising or the Registrar's Office. Minneapolis campus students must contact the Registrar's Office on that campus. In all cases, the effective date of withdrawal is the date on which the student initially contacts the appropriate office. No refunds of tuition are given unless a student has officially withdrawn. Such refunds are made on a prorated basis according to the schedules published in the Summary of Financial Procedures (distributed by the Student Accounts Office) and on the college's Web site. LEAVE OF ABSENCE Health-Related Certificate Programs and Associate Degree Programs: Students wishing to take a leave of absence for one or two terms must contact the Registrar's Office. Upon return from the leave, students must apply for re-enrollment through the Registrar's Office. Second Major Certificate and Baccalaureate Programs: Students wishing to stop attending classes and return after one or two semesters (three trimesters for Weekend College students) may request a leave of absence. Day and second major students must contact the Registrar's Office or the Office of Academic Advising to request a leave. Weekend College students must contact the Registrar's Office or the Weekend College Office. Students who have taken an official leave of absence and who return to St. Catherine's within one academic year must complete a re-enrollment form (available online and in the Registrar's Office) when they return from leave and prior to registering for courses. Students on leave will receive information on registration from either the Office of Academic Advising or Weekend College during their leave. READMISSION TO THE COLLEGE Health-Related Certificate Programs and Associate Degree Programs: If a student discontinues course work for any reason, he or she must apply for re-enrollment through the Registrar's Office. Program completion time limits apply to re-enrolled students, in that time away from the college is counted toward the seven year maximum (and five year maximum for major course work). Petitions for readmission after academic suspension will be reviewed by the associate academic dean. Students returning to the college after an absence of one year or more will be required to meet the same degree requirements as newly admitted students. Second Major Certificate and Baccalaureate Programs: Students in good standing who have withdrawn from the college may be readmitted by contacting the Office of Admission. Readmission is required only if the student has been away from St. Catherine's for more than one academic year. An additional application fee is not charged. Petitions for readmission after academic suspension must be addressed to the academic dean. Students may apply for readmission after one year from the date of academic suspension. Typically, program requirements established at the time of admission do not change for students who temporarily leave the college and return within five years to complete their programs. Students whose absence from the college extends five or more years will need to complete the program requirements under the catalog in effect at the time of their re-enrollment. Modifications in such requirements may be made at the discretion of the academic dean. ACADEMIC PROBATION AND SUSPENSION Health-Related Certificate Programs and Associate Degree Programs: To advance from one term to the next, students are required to show satisfactory academic performance to meet requirements of the particular program and to fulfill all financial obligations to the college. Policies for progression within programs are available from the program director. Probation results as a consequence of earning a D in any course that must be completed at the C level for graduation, or earning an F in any course. Students are informed by the dean's office, in writing, of their status. A student must complete a minimum of six credits in the next semester with grades of C or better. If the student does not qualify for removal from probation but shows improvement, the student may be placed on extended probation. At the end of the probationary term, the student may be removed from probation, placed on extended probation or suspended. Students may be suspended from the college if the conditions for removal from probation are not met. They may apply for readmission after one semester's absence. Readmission to College After Suspension: Conditions to be met prior to or at the time of re-enrollment may be established, and they will be presented to the applicant as part of the re-enrollment offer. Offers of re-enrollment to students who were suspended for academic reasons will include at least the following conditions: 1. The student will be on probationary admission status during the first semester. 2. In order to remain at the college beyond the first semester, the readmitted student must meet the conditions of the re-enrollment. 3. As part of the re-enrollment decision, the applicant's previous educational record at the College of St. Catherine will be evaluated as that of a student transferring from another college. Baccalaureate Programs: A student is placed on probation by the action of the Educational Policy Committee because of an unsatisfactory academic term or an unsatisfactory cumulative grade point average. Unsatisfactory progress is defined as a grade point average of less than 2.0, or having received grades of F or I in at least one-half of the previous term's course work. A student may be placed on probation without prior warning if the Educational Policy Committee determines that her academic situation is severe enough to warrant such action. Ordinarily, a student can receive a maximum of two letters of warning from the committee before being placed on probation. A student may be suspended from the college if she does not maintain the following minimum cumulative grade point average: Completion of 32 credits 1.5 Completion of 64 credits 1.9 Completion of 80 credits 2.0 A student who is suspended from the college has the right to appeal her suspension to the academic dean. If she does so, she will be interviewed by the academic dean before action is taken on the appeal. If the appeal is granted, a contract will be agreed to for improving the student's performance. Should the terms of the contract not be met, the student may be suspended for a full year without the right of appeal. ACCESS TO RECORDS At the close of each semester or trimester students may view their grades on the CSC Web site. Students may request a complete transcript of their college record from the Registrar's Office for a nominal fee. Transcripts may be withheld if a student has not met financial obligations at the college. The college maintains the following records for students: Medical records of treatments and immunizations received at the college are kept for seven years. These records are available through the Health Center. Standardized test scores (e.g., ACT, SAT). These records are available through the Registrar's Office. Letters of recommendation for seniors, alumnae and graduate students that have been processed through the credentials service provided by the Career Development Office are kept for a limited period of time. Financial aid records. These records are available through the Office of Financial Aid. Academic records. These records are available through the Registrar's Office. Disclosure of student records to a third party is limited by law. Access is given only upon written consent of the student, or if required by law. Additional information about a student's right to access his or her record and the laws governing release of said records can be found in Le Guide. THE AGE OF MAJORITY Under Minnesota law, the age of majority is 18 and carries full adult rights and responsibilities. The college communicates directly with students in matters concerning grades, academic credit and academic standing. In communications with parents, the college is bound by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (as amended) to respect the privacy of the student and not to disclose information from student education records without the prior consent of the student. Only with written permission of the student may such information be provided to parents, guardians or spouses. Credit By Examination Students may demonstrate mastery of curriculum areas through Advanced Placement (AP), the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), the Credit for Academically Relevant Learning (CARL) program, International Baccalaureate (IB) Exam, or departmental proficiency examination. The following general guidelines apply to all of these programs (specific details for each follow): A maximum of 32 semester credits earned through these programs may be applied toward the degree. A grade of Satisfactory is awarded for credit earned through these programs and is not included in computed grade point averages. (In some special cases, where the major requires it, the letter grade will be awarded.) Credit earned through these programs does not fulfill the college residency requirement. Credit is recorded on the student's permanent record after he or she enrolls at the college. ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) The college grants credit for Advanced Placement (AP) Tests administered by the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB). The Minimum grade required for credit varies across subject areas. For some AP tests, credit is awarded for a grade of 3 or higher, whereas other tests require a minimum grade of 4 or 5. Specific requirements are on file in the Registrar's Office. COLLEGE-LEVEL EXAMINATION PROGRAM (CLEP) CLEP has been established to enable students of all ages to earn college credit by examination. The College of St. Catherine accepts the recommendations of the American Council on Education for the minimum scores necessary to earn credit and the number of credits awarded for General and Subject Examinations. Students must have official CLEP scores submitted for credit to be considered. To obtain further information about CLEP examinations, write to the College-Level Examination Program, P.O. Box 6600, Princeton, NJ 08541-6600, visit their Web site at http://www.collegeboard.org, or inquire at the Office of Academic Affairs. CREDIT FOR ACADEMICALLY RELEVANT LEARNING (CARL) The CARL program provides an opportunity for students to earn credit for prior learning that took place outside of the classroom. Interested students develop a portfolio that describes and documents a relevant, college-level learning experience, which is assessed by a faculty evaluator. After evaluation, the faculty member recommends a credit award for the student's learning. Students are charged a rate of 50 percent of tuition for CARL credits and may apply for the program after completing 16 semester credits at the college. For further information, contact the Office of Academic Affairs. POST SECONDARY EDUCATION CREDITS Students who completed post-secondary college-level work through their high school may be able to transfer the course work to CSC. (See Transfer Credit Evaluation in this catalog for information pertaining to the evaluation process.) The Registrar's Office must receive a copy of the student's transcript from the college that offered the course. Having the course recorded on the student's high school transcript is not sufficient. INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE EXAMS (IB) The college grants credit for IB exams. The IB exam score determines the number of credits awarded. The number of credits varies across subject areas. Specific requirements are on file in the Registrar's Office. PROFICIENCY EXAMS A proficiency exam allows students to earn credit for a course by successfully completing an examination and/or skills test covering the content of the course. Students may request to challenge a course when they believe their previous course work (for example, a portion of a course or combination of courses), experience (work, on-the-job training, continuing education) or knowledge (independent study in an area of special interest) is commensurate with a CSC course. This option is provided only by certain departments. Baccalaureate students may use proficiency examinations to satisfy a maximum of two courses in any one department. A fee, equal to one-fourth of the tuition, is charged for the testing process (unless the course is already discounted). Applications to take a proficiency exam must be submitted to the instructor (associate degree programs) or department chair (baccalaureate programs) no later than the second week of the term in which the particular course to be challenged has begun. Individual programs may have earlier application deadlines.