SPECIAL PROGRAMS OF STUDY

First Year Program

The First Year Program is a program designed to aid students in their transition from high school to college. Students are notified of their selection for this program in June prior to the June Orientation. The program consists of three general education courses which are intrinsically connected. Consequently, students cannot withdraw from a course within the program.

College Honors Program

Assumption has a long-standing tradition of academic excellence. In keeping with that tradition, the College offers the College Honors Program, which is designed to foster academic engagement inside and outside the classroom. The program promotes intellectual friendship and discourse while providing a common, intensive learning experience in small seminar classes, without isolating Honors students from other students. This program allows the student to earn an "Honors Program Certificate." Interested students should contact the Director of the Honors Program.

To earn an "Honors Program Certificate" a student must complete six courses as part of the Honors Program, with a minimum GPA in those courses of 3.25 and a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25. During the Freshman year, they will take HON100, Life Stories, and HON101, Global Perspectives. These two courses together will satisfy one Humanities Depth requirement and one Social Science requirement. They will take two Honors electives from among Honors-designated courses outside the Honors Program. It is recommended that these electives be taken during the Sophomore year. Enrollment in Honors elective courses will not be limited to students in the Honors Program. A GPA of 3.0 or approval of the department chair is required for enrollment in all Honors-designated courses, so that Honors Program students are enrolled in these classes with similarly motivated students from the college at large. During the Junior and Senior years, students will take HON300, Honors Seminar, and HON444, Honors Capstone.

Outstanding high school students who have demonstrated academic excellence in standardized test scores, rank in class, engagement inside and/or outside the classroom, and a passion for learning will be invited to apply to the program. Students with an outstanding first semester may also apply to join the program at the beginning of their sophomore year. The Program Director will invite eligible students to apply during the Spring semester. Transfer students are eligible to apply to the Honors Program at the time of admission by submitting a transcript and writing a required essay. Students who join the program after the freshman year will take Life Stories and Global Perspectives along with two Honors Electives during their sophomore or junior years. In addition, some students may pursue "Departmental Honors." Interested students should contact the department chairperson.

Departmental Honors

The College is currently designing a Departmental Honors Program for which it has adopted the following framework. This framework is preliminary because the College must successfully design ways to facilitate and support substantial student research in light of the various circumstances confronted by faculty in departments with very different patterns of enrollment.

To earn "Departmental Honors," a student will: o earn an "Honors Program Certificate;" o earn a minimum GPA in the major of 3.25; o complete a significant research project earning a grade of B+ or better in the student's major; o fulfill other such requirements as specified by the department (with the approval of the usual processes of academic governance).

Study Abroad

Given the academic and personal value to be derived from a Study Abroad experience, Assumption College encourages qualified students to investigate the possibility of spending a semester or a year abroad as an integral part of their undergraduate education. In the past five years, students from Assumption College have studied in Australia, Austria, Chile, Costa Rica, Czechoslovakia, England, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland, and "Semester at Sea."

Eligible students may also consider an internship in a Study Abroad Program. Recently, students have held internships in London, England, and Sydney, Australia. A student does not have to be proficient in the language of the country in which he or she wishes to study. Some programs permit a student to begin language study; other programs offer language immersion for those students who are familiar with the language.

A student needs to meet with the Dean of Studies, who grants approval for the Study Abroad Program. A student must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA at the time of application. Students work with the Dean's office to select a program, submit an application, and secure course approvals. Students should also consult with their academic advisor regarding appropriate choices for study abroad courses.

Internships

Assumption College recognizes the wisdom and utility of encouraging internships and practica in a variety of fields that are academically valid, beneficial, and feasible. The heart of an internship (unlike an independent study) is the student's work experience, coupled with an academic component which usually consists of a reflective journal, readings in the field, and a comprehensive research paper. In recent years, students have undertaken internships with state representatives; in museum and archival work; in radio, television, and newspapers; in banking, public relations, personnel work, and labor-management relations; and with dentists and physicians. Students can also look forward to the prospect of working at such places as the University of Massachusetts Medical School, the John F. Kennedy Library, Old Sturbridge Village, and many other significant internship sites. Opportunities also exist for students to do internships in Washington, D.C., as well as in a number of international settings. Interested students should contact the Dean of Studies.

The primary responsibility for designing an internship project rests with the student who may propose a plan or choose one already in existence. Internship guidelines and application forms are available in the Office of the Dean of Studies. (Descriptions of existing internships are available in the Office of Career Services.) The student should approach a faculty member with the internship's description, and once the faculty member agrees to act as a sponsor, a proposal is submitted to the Dean of Studies. The deadline dates for submitting proposals are distributed to students' by e-mail or to students' mailboxes at the beginning of the school year, and are also placed in registration packets and posted in the Office of the Dean of Studies, located in Alumni 026.

The student must be in good academic standing (2.8 GPA) and must have the academic background and talent to work effectively on the internship. An internship project, in most instances, carries three academic credits. The student and faculty-sponsor propose the amount of credit they believe appropriate to the project. The Dean of Studies must approve the internship's proposal prior to the start of that internship. Final approval by the Dean at the conclusion of the internship is required before the internship is recorded on the student's transcript. A student may complete only one internship, unless otherwise noted by major. There is no limit, however, on the number of proposals the student may draft and submit.

Independent Study

A student may undertake a course through an Independent Study by drafting a proposal in cooperation with the appropriate instructor. The proposal must be prepared on a form available in the Office of the Registrar. It must carry the signature of the faculty member and the Chairperson of that department before being submitted to the Dean of Undergraduate Studies for final approval. Independent Study possibilities are open to students in most academic disciplines. Ordinarily, only one independent study per semester is permitted.