Saint Joseph College

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From the College

For over seventy-five years, Saint Joseph College has been combining excellence in liberal arts with career-focused, professional education for women. Founded in 1932 by the Sisters of Mercy, the college for women has expanded to include a coeducational graduate program and a baccalaureate degree program for adults. In partnership with each other, these units of the College offer a diverse student population unmatched opportunities to excel–intellectually, socially, and ethically.

The core values of compassionate service, Catholic identity, commitment to women through academic excellence, and diversity are evident in the College’s curriculum and daily life. Students from a multitude of faith traditions and backgrounds are empowered for success.

There are 1,062 undergraduates in The Women’s College. Faculty members and students emphasize leadership in academics, career, and community. Drawing on its Mercy heritage, the College is a community that promotes the growth of the whole person. This is accomplished in a caring environment that encourages strong ethical values, personal integrity, and a sense of responsibility to the needs of society. Women lead every organization on campus, from the Business Society and Student Government to Campus Ministry and honors societies. Saint Joseph College students shine in artistic performances, as coordinators of community service projects, and on the athletic fields. Students also serve with faculty members and administrators on College-wide committees. In the field of athletics, the College’s women compete in eight NCAA Division III sports: basketball, cross-country, lacrosse, softball, soccer, swimming/diving, tennis, and volleyball. The O’Connell Center features a six-lane pool, gymnasium, suspended jogging track, dance studio, fitness center, outdoor track, softball field, and tennis courts for all students’ recreational purposes.

Saint Joseph College has a beautiful residential campus in the quaint town of West Hartford. The campus includes six residence halls, two of which feature apartment-style living and were just opened in fall 2008. Approximately 75 percent of the first-year students in the Women’s College live on campus. Special student services include career planning, alumnae mentoring, internship placement, counseling, health services, academic advisement, and campus ministry.

Saint Joseph College alumnae have considerable impact on the welfare of their communities. They are leaders in many fields, including aerospace research, business, education, environmental science, law, medicine, and politics. Recent graduates enjoy successful careers in accounting, the arts, business, education, government, health care, human services, industry, the sciences, and nonprofit organizations.

Saint Joseph College is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. The chemistry program is accredited by the American Chemical Society, and the social work program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. The Coordinated Undergraduate Program in Dietetics is accredited by the American Dietetic Association. The nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

The College is located in suburban West Hartford, 4 miles from the state capitol and the city of Hartford’s arts and entertainment district. Among the nearby attractions are the XL Center and Coliseum, Bushnell Memorial Hall, where the latest Broadway musicals are performed, and the Wadsworth Atheneum, the oldest public art gallery in the United States. Hartford is a cosmopolitan city with diverse ethnic flavors. It is also the home of the Tony Award–winning Hartford Stage Company, the Hartford Symphony Orchestra, the Connecticut Opera Company, the Hartford Ballet, and the Dodge Music Center, which features indoor and outdoor concerts. West Hartford Center, just minutes from campus, offers an array of coffee bars, boutiques, restaurants, and a beautiful movie theater in the newly completed Blue Back Square.

Saint Joseph College has always enjoyed a strong academic reputation based on a combination of liberal arts and career-focused, professional majors. The College awards the B.A. or B.S. in accounting, American studies, art history, biochemistry, biology, chemistry, child study, economics, English (literature, writing), environmental science, family studies (family and consumer science, contemporary family issues), history (archives and museum skills), international studies, liberal studies, management, mathematics, nursing, nutrition and dietetics, philosophy, psychology, religious studies, social work, sociology, Spanish, special education, and women’s studies.

Teaching certification is offered in elementary education, secondary education, and special education.

Research, clinical, and work placements are factored into all majors as an important component of each student’s program.

Each student must complete a minimum of 120 credits to obtain a baccalaureate degree, and 47 of those credits must be distributed among the general education/liberal arts courses at the College. Specifically, students must take courses in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, philosophy, religious studies, and physical education. An academic counselor assists each student in planning her program of study.

Many unique facets to the academic programs offered increase students’ propensity for success. An honors program and several dual degree programs are offered. The Center for Academic Excellence manages the College’s award-winning Writing Portfolio Program, which enhances students’ writing skills. The center also provides tutoring and other academic support services. Students may design their own major or may develop an interdisciplinary major or minor around a particular theme or problem related to their special talents, personal interests, or career goals. An exciting component of most majors at Saint Joseph College is the internship. Students earn credit for internships at a variety of sites, including the state capitol, the Bushnell Theatre, Aetna, Legislative Office, the Connecticut Department of Economic Development, WVIT-TV, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, the Science Center of Connecticut, and numerous other businesses.

Students at Saint Joseph College may take courses at cooperating institutions through the Hartford Consortium for Higher Education. This is a special arrangement among five Hartford-area colleges–Saint Joseph College, Trinity College, University of Connecticut Greater Hartford Branch, Central Connecticut State University, and the University of Hartford–through which students are able to cross register for courses. No additional tuition is charged, and all credits are transferable.

Students at Saint Joseph College have countless opportunities for global study experiences through our many study abroad programs. Students are assisted by the Director of International Studies and Programs in planning for an international-study experience during a semester, winter recess, or even over spring break. Saint Joseph College also offers a specialized program in Guyana, South American, through the College’s sister hospital. Students in the education and health science fields are encouraged to participate in this program for a work abroad experience at the end of the spring semester during their junior or senior years.

Those students majoring in nursing, social work, and nutrition, and those in the graduate counseling program, may gain practical experience providing community-based, accessible health screenings and referrals; health and nutrition education; counseling services; and social work case management services at The Wellness Center on Church Street in Hartford. The College has also established a partnership with the Franciscan Center for Urban Ministry in order to reach out to its neighboring city and enhance the quality of life of its residents in need.

The Pope Pius XII Library has a collection of more than 134,000 volumes, including computer databases, periodicals, microforms, audiovisuals, a Sirsi online catalog, and OCLC interlibrary loans. A collection of materials used in elementary and secondary education is featured in the Curriculum Materials Center.

The College uses laboratory schools with several of its academic programs. The renowned School for Young Children, located one block from the campus, and its counterpart, the School for Young Children at Asylum Hill, in Hartford, are operating preschools that provide child study majors with training and experience. The college also recently opened a Charter School located in Hartford to enhance the diversity of classroom experiences available to students while serving the community. The Gengras Center, located on the campus, is a special education school serving children and young adults (ages 4–21) from approximately fifty area cities and towns in Connecticut and Massachusetts. It provides for special education needs and also helps to prepare special education teachers.

The College’s primary technology centers are located in McDonough Hall; Internet access is available throughout campus including many WiFi hotspots. Additional facilities and services include a media center that provides production materials, expertise, and equipment for making and using a number of media instructional aids; science and nursing labs; and the Carol Autorino Center for the Arts and Humanities. The center includes Lynch Hall, which houses humanities, faculty offices, and classrooms; the Bruyette Athenaeum, featuring the 365-seat Hoffman Auditorium; the Saint Joseph College Art Gallery; a print study room; large lecture hall; reception room; and music practice rooms. The building also houses the College’s archives.

The tuition and fees for full-time freshmen entering in 2009 are $26,240. Room and board cost is approximately $11,500. The cost per credit for part-time students is $550.

The goal of the Saint Joseph College Financial Aid Program is to place a high-quality, private education within the reach of as many qualified students as possible. This goal is achieved by offering need- and merit-based financial aid that includes a combination of grants, loans, and on-campus employment opportunities. More than 85 percent of full-time undergraduate students receive some form of financial assistance. Merit-based scholarship awards are available to all eligible first-year, transfer and international students.

Saint Joseph College’s faculty consists of 85 full-time faculty members and 4 librarians. Of the total faculty, 68.8 percent are women. Of the full-time faculty, 90 percent hold the highest possible degrees in their fields. Small classes benefit both students and professors. The student-faculty ratio is 11:1. The faculty and all members of the College community promote the welfare of students and help them attain the objectives set forth by the College’s mission. Faculty members also serve as advisers to many extracurricular activities, including sports, campus ministry, and community service; direct students in independent study; involve students in scholarly research; and act as mentors before and after graduation.

The Student Government Association works for effective communication among students, faculty members, and administrators. Students are encouraged to voice their opinions and concerns to the association for consideration and action. In addition, student representatives sit as voting members with faculty members and administrators on major College-wide committees. The Student Government Association encourages the development of leadership skills and provides funds annually for several of its members to attend leadership workshops and conferences.

Saint Joseph College seeks women who are anxious to accept the challenge of rigorous academic programs while pursuing the interests and careers that will help them achieve their goals. Applications are encouraged from interested students of every race, age, and religious affiliation. In accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Saint Joseph College is committed to the goal of achieving equal educational opportunities and full participation for people with disabilities in higher education.

Candidates for first-year admission should complete a four-year course of study in a regionally accredited secondary school or have equivalent homeschooling preparation. The program should include 16 academic units in college-preparatory courses distributed among the areas of English, mathematics, natural sciences, social studies, and foreign languages. Applicants are required to submit scores of the SAT or ACT tests. A personal interview is a highly recommended part of the admission procedure, since it offers a mutual opportunity for the student and Admissions Counselors to discuss educational and professional goals.

The Committee on Admissions operates on the principle that a student’s ability, motivation, and maturity should be determined by a careful individual review of all the applicant’s credentials, including the academic record, standardized test scores, written personal statement, and guidance counselor’s evaluation. Special consideration may be given to some applicants whose preparation varies from the recommended pattern but whose record gives evidence of genuine intellectual ability and interest. International students should contact the Office of Admissions for further information.

Saint Joseph College admits qualified students for transfer in both fall and spring semesters.

The Committee on Admissions recommends that application for first-year admission be made in the first semester of the senior year in secondary school. All applications should be completed by April 1. A nonrefundable $50 fee must be sent with paper applications; the application fee is waived for students who apply online at http://admissions.sjc.edu. Students are encouraged to begin the financial aid process by completing the FAFSA form online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov as soon as possible after January 1 of the year they are applying for admission. The priority deadline for completing the FAFSA is February 15. Students should complete the FAFSA using estimated income information if they or their families will not have completed their tax returns prior to February 15. Financial aid counselors are available to assist prospective students and families with the financial aid process.

Transfer applicants for the spring semester should apply by December 1; applicants for the fall semester, by June 1. Students applying to the nursing program should contact the College to learn about special deadlines. Transfer candidates who wish to apply for financial aid should complete or update the FAFSA online by November 15 if applying for the spring semester or by August 15 if applying for the fall semester.

For further information about admission to Saint Joseph College, students should contact: