Baccalaureate Programs Overview

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.

The liberal arts core curriculum at the College of St. Catherine is anchored by two required multidisciplinary and writing-intensive courses. The Reflective Woman, intended as a gateway common experience to critical inquiry for all entering students, is normally completed in a student’s first term at the College. Separate sections are offered for first-time and transfer students; however, all sections follow a common curriculum, using the same assignments and readings. Global Search for Justice, the capstone senior level course, challenges students to apply the lessons of college education to issues of justice throughout the world. Together, these two courses embody the special character that makes a St. Catherine’s education unique.

Newly-developed core minors are optional interdisciplinary minors designed to help you connect liberal arts disciplines through innovative and intriguing themes. Each core minor includes a sophomore integrative seminar of two creatively linked courses that explore complex personal or social issues, and three other liberal arts courses required either before or after that seminar. Core minors provide pathways that connect your liberal arts distribution requirements and extend your learning beyond the classroom into co-curricular and community opportunities.

Along with the liberal arts courses every student takes to satisfy degree requirements, liberal arts and science majors are available in a variety of areas, allowing an in-depth study of the significant contributions of liberal arts and sciences to human understanding. Majors or minors in a variety of disciplines within the arts, humanities, social, and physical sciences offer knowledge and skills essential for leading and influencing in a complex world. In addition to traditional liberal arts disciplines, several interdisciplinary majors and minors offer students ways to explore issues through multiple perspectives and develop their abilities to synthesize knowledge. Liberal arts majors and minors provide essential skills for today’s work places, for life-long fulfillment, and as valuable foundations for graduate study and professional careers.

In addition to its broad-based liberal arts excellence, St. Catherine’s offers a top quality professional curriculum. Healthcare 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 healthcare educator in the state of Minnesota. Other programs include pre-professional courses (pre-law, pre-engineering, etc.); accounting; sales; 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 on the 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.

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 weeks long. In Minneapolis, the first session is seven weeks long and the second session is four weeks in length. Summer school begins in early June 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 participating in a study abroad course, administered through the Office of Global Studies.

URL: http://minerva.stkate.edu/academiccatalog0709.nsf/pages/baccalaureate
This page was created on 06/03/2005 and last updated on 05/02/2007.
Comments, questions and feedback about this site may be addressed to registrar@stkate.edu.