Academic Information

Click on any of the following links for information:

• Degrees Offered
  • Bachelor of Arts
  • Bachelor of Science
  • Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing
  • Bachelor of Social Work
• Double Majors
• Academic Minors
• Degree Requirements
• e-Portfolio
• Honors Program
• Community-Based Learning
• Sustainability
• Study Away
• Partnerships and Articulation Agreements

Major Programs Leading to the Bachelor of Arts Degree 

Contract Major
Environmental Studies
History/Political Science - History Concentration
History/Political Science - Political Science Concentration
History/Political Science and Secondary Education
Leadership for Sustainable Communities
Mathematics
Mathematics and Secondary Education
Psychology

Major Programs Leading to the Bachelor of Science Degree 

Major Programs Leading to the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Degree 

Accounting
Business and Sport Management
Finance
Human Resource Management
Management
Marketing

Major Program Leading to the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree 

Nursing

Major Program Leading to the Bachelor of Social Work Degree 

Social Work

Students may enroll in a double major, but anyone considering such a decision should be fully aware of the advantages and disadvantages. Permission is required of the Department and the Office of Academic Affairs to pursue a double major. The availability of courses, however, can be assured only for the primary major.

All majors should be declared by the end of the student’s second-year. Appropriate forms may be obtained from the Registrar’s Office. Students with two majors must complete all of the degree requirements of the College as well as all department requirements for both majors. If a student successfully completes the requirements for two majors, both majors will be listed on the transcript. The primary major will determine the degree awarded.

To earn a bachelor’s degree students must fulfill the following requirements:

1. Complete the First-Year Experience Seminar (Transfer students are excluded.)
2. Complete a minimum of 120 credit hours
3. Complete the degree requirements for their major(s)
4. Complete the Core Curriculum  requirements.
5. Achieve a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 and meet the minimum grade point average in courses taken in the major.
6. Complete a minimum of thirty (30) credits at Saint Joseph’s College.
7. Complete two semesters of the same foreign language if enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts program.*
8. Complete an academic minor if a Philosophy, Psychology or Theology major.
9. Apply for graduation by filing a “Application for Graduation” by March 1 for May Graduation

In addition, beginning with the Class of 2023, students must complete an e-Portfolio demonstrating satisfaction of institutional and program learning outcomes.

* Students for whom English is a second language can waive the foreign language requirement through CLEP or another standardized test to indicate proficiency. This waiver only releases the student from the requirement, not from the number of credits for the degree.

e-Portfolio

Students must complete an e-Portfolio demonstrating satisfaction of institutional and program learning outcomes.It is recommended that students review their e-portfolio progress with their advisor each academic year 

An e-Portfolio is a digital collection of student work called “artifacts” (papers, projects, videos, student work) that represent the student’s learning and development while progressing towards degree completion at Saint Joseph’s College. Students are introduced to the process of creating their own e-Portfolio in their First-Year Experience (FYE) Seminar, where they learn how to store, organize and reflect on selected digital artifacts. Students maintain their student-owned e-Portfolio throughout their four years at the college collecting and tagging artifacts from CORE courses and courses in their major that demonstrate proficiency with Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILO) and Program Learning Outcomes (PLO). Each major program determines how they evaluate the completed e-Portfolios whether in a senior seminar/ capstone class or culminating experience.

Honors Program   

The Honor’s Program, opened to qualified students from all majors, offers participants a special Honors version of the College’s core curriculum.  The courses, opened only to Honors students, provide students with the opportunity to explore topics in greater depth and to work more closely with faculty.

The Honors Program also provides some unique opportunities for personal enrichment to include access to special cultural events and facutly-led trips both local and abroad.

Please see the Honors Program  description for full details.

Community-Based Learning at Saint Joseph’s College uses course content to engage students within their school and communities while challenging students to learn firsthand about community, democracy, diversity, justice, civil society, social responsibility, leadership and critical thinking.  Students and faculty partner with schools, businesses, organizations, and agencies to solve problems as part of their academic studies, transforming them from passive recipients to active participants in their education and communities while providing a deeper understanding of theories and course content.  Learning continues to occur through an array of reflection activities and assignments that help students connect their experiences with the central ideas, hypotheses, theories, and methods they are studying. The integration of this experiential component into course content reinforces our Core Values and furthers the Mercy tradition of service on which the College was founded.

Saint Joseph’s College uses two designations to identify community-based learning courses: CBL-R (community-based learning is a required component of the course) and CBL-O (community-based learning is an optional component of the course). Upon successful completion of a community-based learning project, community-based learning credit will appear on a student’s transcript.

Sustainability as a goal and as practiced at Saint Joseph’s College encompasses human and ecological health, social justice, secure livelihoods, and a better world for future generations.  It is expressed as a deep and holistic respect for the Earth through daily practices, decision-making, and stewardship in a healthy and equitable way so that communities now and in the future can thrive.  Saint Joseph’s College is sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy, an order based in service to others, with stated critical concerns for the poor, the marginalized, women, immigrants, non-violence, and the care of the Earth.  Rooted in the Catholic social teaching that all persons, without exception, possess inherent human dignity, the College constantly seeks to educate all students through classes and experiences that bring them face-to-face with people in need.  These educational experiences help our students develop skills to be responsible world citizens and lifelong contributors to understanding and solving global problems.

Saint Joseph’s College uses a two-tiered designation system to identify sustainability-focus courses and sustainability-related course sections. The guidelines are based on *AASHE’s recommendations and **STARS recognition.  

Sustainability-Focus (SF)
AASHE guideline:  ”…a course in which the primary and explicit focus is on sustainability and/or on understanding or solving one or more sustainability challenge(s).”

Sustainability-Related (SR)
AASHE guideline: “…a course that is primarily focused on a topic other than sustainability, but incorporates a unit or module on sustainability or a sustainability challenge, includes one or more sustainability-focused activities, or integrates sustainability issues throughout the course.”

*   The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education
**  Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Reporting System
 

Study Away has been shown to be a transformative experience of learning and growth for students.  Students develop confidence and a global perspective while having access to a wide variety of courses.  Students may participate in a semester or summer terms after completion of the first year of study. The Career Studio, which serves as a resource for students during the process of research and application, while the academic advisor (a faculty member) works with the student to determine how the courses will fit into the student’s curriculum.  A minimum GPA of 2.5 is required, but GPA minimum requirements are higher for certain programs.

The College has transfer partnerships and articulation agreements for students interested in programs at:

• Logan University - Doctor of Chiropractic Program
• Merrimack College School of Health Sciences- Master of Science Programs:Community Health Education, Health and Wellness Management and Exercise and Sport Science
• New York Chiropractic College - Doctor of Chiropractic Program
• Salus University for Optometry
• University of Maine School of Law
• University of New England School College of Pharmacy
• University of Saint Joseph School of Pharmacy 
• University of Southern Maine- Master in Athletic Training Program
• University of Southern Maine - Master of Occupational Therapy Program

Additionally the College has a transfer articulation agreements with the following institutions:

• Southern Maine Community College to accept transfer students who have completed the Criminal Justice and Marine Science Degree programs.

For more information regarding these programs, contact the Office of Admissions or the Office of Academic Affairs.