|
|
|
|
Introduction
Welcome, and congratulations on your decision to pursue your undergraduate degree at the College of St. Catherine. This catalog is designed to help you plan your education. Inside you'll find important policy, program and curriculum information that will guide you in making decisions for the 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 academic years. If you have questions about this information, contact the appropriate office listed on this Web site. You also may call the Office of Academic Affairs at (651) 690-6500.
PLEASE NOTE
The provisions of this catalog are not to be regarded as an irrevocable contract between the students and the college. This catalog has attempted to present information about the college for academic years 2003-2005 as accurately and completely as possible. However, for educational or financial reasons, the college reserves its right to change at any time any of the provisions, statements, policies, curricula, procedures, regulations or fees found in this catalog. Such changes will be duly published in the online catalog as they are made and will be included in the next print version of the catalog. Students, faculty and staff of the college are responsible for all information and deadlines contained in this catalog. The online catalog is considered the official College of St. Catherine catalog.
STATEMENT ON NONDISCRIMINATION
The College of St. Catherine admits students regardless of race, color, national and ethnic origin, sexual orientation, age, religion, creed, disability, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, membership or activity in state or local commission, and sex* to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded to or made available to students at the college. The college does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin, sexual orientation, age, religion, creed, disability, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, membership or activity in state or local commission, and sex* in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs. The college does not discriminate on the basis of handicap in admission or access to, or treatment in, its programs and activities.
The Senior Vice President is responsible for coordinating the College's compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and all other applicable laws and regulations prohibiting discrimination in College programs.
*The College does not admit men to its baccalaureate programs.
About the College
The College of St. Catherine (CSC) was founded in 1905 by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet as a Catholic, liberal arts college for women. The college's St. Paul campus offers undergraduate programs for women. The Minneapolis campus offers associate-degree and certificate programs in health care and human services. Both campuses offer graduate degree programs for women and men. As the largest Catholic women's college in the country, St. Catherine provides something very special. That something is a spiritual and ethical grounding, which prepares our students for lives and leadership roles that make a positive impact on the people and communities they serve.
St. Catherine's has committed itself to respect for persons, dignity of work and strength of community. Guided by these values, the campus community fosters learning through caring relationships and interdisciplinary collaboration; provides educational access to all students including those with low incomes, disabilities or academic weaknesses; appreciates the centrality of the liberal arts; celebrates and reflects the diversity of our society; and advances the traditional Catholic commitment to social justice.
A St. Catherine's Education
AT ST. CATHERINE'S, WOMEN NOT ONLY HAVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, BUT EVERY OPPORTUNITY
Everything we do here - both inside and outside of the classroom - is designed to provide the opportunities to build the skills and values that not only help students succeed in college, but inspire them to excel in their personal and professional lives.
A ST. CATHERINE'S EDUCATION IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GETTING A JOB AND GETTING AHEAD IN THE 21ST CENTURY
It's predicted that current college graduates will have eight different jobs during their lifetime, six of which have yet to be identified. At St. Catherine's, students develop the skills, values and knowledge that will make them employable well into the 21st century. This means they'll think on their feet, solve problems creatively, adapt to changing conditions, lead co-workers and colleagues, and master state-of-the-art technology.
The education of people for employment in health-care and human-service positions must be highly responsive to emerging technological advances and sociological changes. At St. Catherine's, we seek to anticipate change through evolution of the curriculum. Adaptations on the Minneapolis campus accommodate students' need to develop areas of competence or specialization in addition to their original area of preparation. The emergence of new areas of practice, both at the critical care and health promotion ends of the health-care continuum, has resulted in the development of new programs and new competency requirements in existing programs.
A ST. CATHERINE'S EDUCATION PROVIDES INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH A VIBRANT LIBERAL-ARTS CURRICULUM
Students choose from more than 45 liberal-arts majors. More than 30 additional majors and minors are available to baccalaureate students in the Day Program through the Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities (ACTC), a consortium of five local private colleges. Students also are encouraged to broaden their horizons through full-year and semester study-abroad programs in more than 12 countries. Intensive core curriculum requirements in math, writing, foreign language and computer literacy support the baccalaureate major course of study and prepare students to excel in just about any job setting.
A ST. CATHERINE'S EDUCATION PROVIDES INTENSIVE CAREER-DEVELOPMENT TRAINING THROUGH ACADEMIC-ADVISING AND CAREER-SERVICES PROGRAMS
Academic and career advising begin the moment students step on campus. During their first year, for example, students are assigned an academic advisor who helps them define career goals, choose a major, plan their college courses and make the transition from high school to college. During the sophomore year, baccalaureate students receive a personal invitation from our college president to assess their academic and career progress with a career development advisor.
Through a combination of intensive advising, personal assessment tests and job experience through internship and mentorship programs, students are thoroughly prepared to pursue their career goals by the time they complete their program of study. And when they're ready to graduate, they will find a wealth of resources for learning how to write a resume, conduct an interview, negotiate salary or apply to graduate school.
A ST. CATHERINE'S EDUCATION GIVES STUDENTS THE POWER TO LEAD CHANGE RATHER THAN ALLOWING CHANGE TO LEAD THEM
St. Catherine's career preparation is important, but it isn't everything. After all, how valuable can an education be if students are taught to solve problems on the job but are unable to address the more complex issues affecting their lives and their world? To equip students for meeting life's challenges and leading a meaningful life, we take rigorous steps to develop what we call "the St. Catherine's leader." A St. Catherine's leader:
- lives a commitment to justice;
- acts from a strong self-concept;
- thinks critically and creatively;
- communicates effectively;
- exercises power appropriately;
- cultivates a positive sense of direction; and
- evokes hope.
THROUGH COURSES THAT HELP STUDENTS DEFINE THEIR VALUES AND DEVELOP AND LISTEN TO THEIR INNER VOICE. . .
Defining one's values is the key to understanding one's self. St. Catherine's requires two core-curriculum courses for baccalaureate students, The Reflective Woman and The Global Search for Justice.
In The Reflective Woman course, first-year students are asked to look inward to discover their values in relation to the world around them. They answer hard questions - questions about who they are, who they want to be, what the good life will be for them and how they will make life-changing decisions. In discovering these answers, they build a framework for making decisions that will guide them toward the life they've always envisioned.
The Global Search for Justice requires juniors and seniors to take the values they defined in The Reflective Woman course and turn those values outward to bring about positive change in the world. By studying global issues of peace, meaningful work and social justice, students begin to develop the discipline and consciousness needed to change oppressive systematic conditions and reshape their world.
Through curricular experiences in the areas of health, human services and the liberal arts, certificate and associate degree students develop ethics and values, critical and creative thinking skills, and the effective communication skills necessary to enhance the physical, intellectual, social and spiritual development of themselves and others.
... AND LEADERSHIP ACTIVITIES THAT CULTIVATE THEIR TALENTS AND PUT VALUES INTO ACTION
St. Catherine's provides a host of on- and off-campus leadership activities that encourage women to reach out to others while realizing their dreams. Some baccalaureate students develop new leadership skills by joining the honors program, the student government board or one of the college's 10 NCAA Division III sports teams. Others share their skills with the Twin Cities community at large as Volunteers in Action or members of the student-developed Women Helping Women organization.
Health-Care Certificate and Associate Degree Programs Overview
Believing that specialized professional education partnered with the liberal arts promotes and reinforces our institutional values, the associate degree programs pursue three central educational outcomes for its students: professional preparedness -- readiness for entry-level positions or specialized roles;
academic preparedness -- intellectual and technological capability for educational advancement and lifelong learning; community and societal awareness -- social understanding that encourages involvement, service and leadership.
The curriculum in the associate degree programs and health-care certificate programs includes course work in the liberal arts and sciences program, the professional education programs and practical experiences such as laboratory work, clinical assignments, fieldwork and internships. Student services support the curricular effort.
While the liberal arts and sciences and professional education programs have discrete educational objectives, through them the College also addresses some common educational goals:
- to promote a holistic world view and a focus on the "whole person" in all one's interactions;
- to promote an appreciation for cultural diversity;
- to examine the place of work within a broad view of one's career;
- to examine and appreciate the spiritual dimension of one's human reality;
- to promote an expectation that one must become a lifelong learner; and
- to promote the development of ethical responsibility and leadership in the family, workplace and broader community.
Courses in liberal arts and sciences help students explore important elements that are central to the human experience. Art, literature, psychology, religion, natural science and social science have become vehicles that humans use to understand themselves and their world. When students take courses in these disciplines, they further identify their personal struggles and accomplishments as related to other individuals and the broader human condition. An enriched perspective prepares students to relate to and work with people who exhibit diverse responses to common problems or illness.
Courses in professional education programs provide students with the specific knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to function competently in their fields. The curriculum is presented using a developmental and cumulative framework. That is, in the beginning of the student's learning experience, emphasis is placed upon laying the foundation that will constitute the base for the student's professional education and work orientation. It is here that fundamental concepts and skills are learned. As these concepts and skills are mastered, theory, ideas and activities of the particular field are introduced. By the end of the course of studies in the professional program, students:
- are equipped with skills necessary to function capably in their chosen fields;
- possess a foundation of theoretical knowledge upon which to base their practice and are free from the need for constant supervision;
- know when to function independently and when to seek direction;
- have the necessary knowledge and interpersonal skills to function as effective and responsible members of a team; and
- understand the need for study in rapidly changing occupational areas after completing their programs.
The laboratory provides students with safe and controlled learning experiences in which professional skills are developed and clinical problems are simulated. These exercises are carefully planned and sequenced so students can master necessary psychomotor skills, apply theoretical principles and integrate skills and principles into appropriate clinical judgments and actions. As an integral part of developing competence, students are involved in real-life situations in a variety of ways, including clinical laboratory settings, internships and fieldwork assignments. Here both faculty and clinical staff provide expert instruction and supervision as the students continue to practice and learn. By the end of all these practical experiences, students:
- have developed increased understanding and skill in problem solving resulting from the exercise of critical, independent judgment in real-life situations;
- have integrated previous learning through practice; and
- have gained new knowledge, which is introduced in the laboratory setting.
In keeping with the founding purpose of the Minneapolis campus, the student body includes a number of students who are working to overcome such barriers to higher education as economic disadvantage; a physical, perceptual or other form of disability or deficits of educational background. The Minneapolis campus community benefits from the experience of the range of human diversity among our students and gains an appreciation for those who have a variety of abilities and backgrounds.
Baccalaureate Programs Overview
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 baccalaureate faculty January 9, 2001
All baccalaureate programs are dedicated to providing women with a challenging and rewarding education. Men may earn college credit for course work or earn a second major certificate or other certificate; however, they may not receive the bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree from the College of St. Catherine.
In addition to its broad-based liberal arts excellence, St. Catherine's offers a top quality professional course curriculum. Health-care professions such as nursing and pre-occupational therapy, and pre-medicine and pre-physical therapy courses support the college's reputation as the oldest and largest health-care educator in the state of Minnesota. Other programs include pre-professional courses (pre-law, pre-engineering, etc.); accounting; sales; chemical dependency counseling; dietetics; K-12, elementary and secondary education; social work; and information management.
The baccalaureate degree is offered through two options: the traditional day/evening program and Weekend College. St. Catherine's was the first college in Minnesota to offer a weekend program, which was launched in 1979, specifically to meet the educational and lifestyle needs of working women. The day/evening program attracts traditional-age college students out of high school and transfer students from other two- and four-year liberal arts institutions. St. Catherine's also welcomes women of all ages who are starting or completing a degree.
DAY PROGRAM
In the day program, the academic year is divided into two semesters: September- December (fall semester) and February-May (winter semester). This schedule facilitates student exchanges with other colleges that have adopted a similar calendar. There are opportunities to arrange an independent study, participate in an internship program, study abroad or take a course at another institution.
WEEKEND COLLEGE
Weekend College offers women the opportunity to earn a college degree by attending classes every other weekend, with three terms during the academic year: September--December, January--March, April--June. Classes are scheduled in time blocks of three-and-one-half hours on either Friday night, Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon, Sunday morning or Sunday afternoon. Weekend College requires a significant degree of independent study. The following majors are offered: accounting, business administration, chemical dependency counseling, communication, elementary education, health information management, information management, management information systems, nursing, occupational science/pre-occupational therapy, philosophy: applied ethics, sales, speech communication and social work. Additional majors in English, theology and women's studies are available in a combined day/evening/weekend format. A high school or GED diploma is a minimum requirement.
SUMMER SESSION
Approximately 100 academic credit courses are offered each summer between the two campuses. (See the Academic Calendar for the dates.) Two summer sessions are offered on each campus. On the St. Paul campus, each session is five to six weeks long. In Minneapolis, the first session is seven weeks long and the second session is four weeks in length. Summer school begins in late May on both campuses.
JANUARY OPPORTUNITIES
The month of January presents students with an opportunity to pursue a variety of academic possibilities, such as arranging an independent study or internship, taking a course at another institution or studying abroad. Tuition and fees vary and are available from the Office of Global Studies.
THE STUDENTS
There are 3,569 undergraduate students in the day, Weekend College and associate degree programs. The students in these programs are 97.6 percent women; 18.8 percent international or multicultural; from 30 states and 30 countries. Graduates include Rhodes, Fulbright, Truman and Goldwater Foundation scholars.
THE FACULTY
281 faculty; 89 percent hold the highest degrees in their field
Student/faculty ratio: 10:1
Average class size: 13
THE CAMPUSES
ST. PAUL CAMPUS
110-acre wooded campus
Five miles from downtown St. Paul
Seven miles from downtown Minneapolis
State-of-the-art math, science, art, theater, computer and physical fitness facilities
MINNEAPOLIS CAMPUS
Specializes in educating students for health-care careers
Located in the heart of Minneapolis and in close proximity to major health-care facilities
Accreditation
- The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association
(30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2400, Chicago, IL 60602-2504 or
www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org)
- National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission
- Minnesota Board of Nursing
- Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education
- National Association of Schools of Music
- Council on Social Work Education
- American Chemical Society
- Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
- Program approval by the American Dietetic Association
- National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences
- Commission for the Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
- Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care
- Committee on Accreditation of the American Health Information Management Association
- Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiology Technology
- Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography
- Institute for Chemical Dependency Professionals of Minnesota
- American Montessori Society
Safety and Security
The safety and security of students, faculty and staff are of the utmost importance. While campus safety is the responsibility of every member of the campus community, the college employs trained security officers whose main responsibilities include the safety and security of the individuals on campus and the property of the college. Trained escorts are available to accompany students, faculty and staff to their vehicles as they leave campus. The college complies with all local, state and federal guidelines regarding campus security programs. These services are all provided by the Safety and Security department.
Academic Calendars
SEMESTER PROGRAMS
Fall 2003
Classes begin September 3
CIL week October 20-23 (Minneapolis campus)
Midterm break October 24
Classes resume October 27
Thanksgiving recess November 27-28
Classes resume December 1
Final examinations December 15-18 (St. Paul campus)
Commencement December 18
Winter 2004
CIL week January 28-30 (Minneapolis campus)
Classes begin February 2
Midterm break March 22-28
Classes resume March 29
CIL week March 29-April 2 (Minneapolis campus)
Easter break April 9-12
Classes resume April 13
Final examinations May 17-21 (St. Paul campus)
Commencement May 23
WEEKEND COLLEGE
Fall 2003
Orientation August 23
Classes meet Sept. 5-7, 19-21; Oct. 3-5, 17-19; Nov. 7-9, 21-23; Dec. 5-7
Final Examinations December 5-14
Winter 2004
Orientation December 13
Classes meet Jan. 2-4, 16-18, Jan. 30-Feb. 1, Feb. 13-15*, 20-22; March 5-7, 19-21
Final Examinations March 19-28
Spring 2004
Orientation March 20
Classes meet April 2-4, 16-18, April 30-May 2, May 14-16,* 21-23; June 4-6, 18-20
Final Examinations June 18-27
*Back-to-back weekends
SUMMER SESSION 2004 (Minneapolis)
Session I: June 1 - July 19
Session II: July 20 - August 16
SUMMER SESSION 2004 (St. Paul)
Session I: Morning and evening classes, June 2 - July 12
Session II: Morning and evening classes, July 13 - August 18
|