Liberal Studies Curriculum

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The specific minimum requirements of the Liberal Studies Curriculum (LSC) are:

First Year Seminar (one course)

Foundations in Faith, Values, and Thought:

Fundamental Philosophical Questions (one course)

Study of Christian Traditions and Thought (two courses)

Ethical Decision-Making (fulfilled by a course(s) in the major; every major is designed to fulfill this automatically)

Pathways to Understanding the World:

Global Issues that Impact the Common Good (one course)

Historical Studies (one course)

Literary Studies (one course)

Processes of Scientific Reasoning (one course)

Quantitative Reasoning (one course)

Second Language (zero to two courses depending on placement)

Social and Institutional Dimensions of Human Behavior (one course)

Participatory Learning and Competencies:

Artistic Experience (one half-course or full course)

Experiential Learning (internship, qualifying Service-Learning courses, Faculty-Student Research, Study Abroad or designated co-curricular experiences; may not be fulfilled in the first year of college studies)

Oral Communication (included throughout the curriculum; each major is designed so that the student fulfills this requirement automatically)

Written Communication (included in courses throughout the curriculum, especially in First Year Seminars and in at least one designated course in each major)

All Saint Michael’s students must demonstrate entry-level writing proficiency, which we define as the ability to write a short essay with a well-defined point, logical organization, and a minimum of surface errors that interfere with comprehension. This requirement ensures that you have the writing skills necessary to succeed in all your courses at Saint Michael’s.  Toward that end, faculty will review your writing for entry-level proficiency primarily through First-Year Seminar. Students who do not meet the requirement will need to develop proficiency by taking EN 101: College Writing.
 

List of LSC courses by category:

First Year Seminar:

 
FS 112 - Drama and Culture 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FS 122 - Music and the Human Experience  
FS 123 - On Memory  
 
 
 
 
FS 184 - Robotics, Technology and the Evolving Self  
  

Fundamental Philosophical Questions:

  

Study of Christian Traditions and Thought:
   First course:

 
 
  

  Second course:

 
 
 
PH 205 - Philosophy of Society  
 
 
 
 
RS 216 - Early Christianity 
 
 
RS 220 - Modern Christian Thought  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
RS 326 - Work, Capital and God 
 
  

Global Issues that Impact the Common Good:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
AN 335 - Media Nomads: Youth, Television and Trekking in the Buddhist Himalayas 
BI 215 - Epidemiology   
 
 
 
CH 308 - Environmental Chemistry 
EC 110 Economic Issues in a Global World   
 
 
 
 
 
ES 244 - Environmental Study of Sustainable Places - Wales Field Trip  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
GL 320 - Globalization and Latin America 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
HI 390 - Empires: 1492—Present 
 
 
 
 
MU 352 - World Music 
 
 
 
 
PJ 207 - Conflict Resolution: Non-Violent Communication 
PJ 208 - Conflict Resolution: Non-Violent Action 
 
 
 
PO 340 - Social Movements and Contentious Politics 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  

Historical Studies:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MA 304 - History of Mathematics  
 
 
 
 
 
 
MU 243 - History of African American Spirituals and Gospel Song  
 
  

Literary Studies:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  

Processes of Scientific Reasoning:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BI 255 Human Evolution  
 
 
CH 210 - Accelerated General Chemistry II 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
PY 104 - Physics and Robotics  
 
 
  

Quantitative Reasoning:

 
 
 
MA 110 - Mathematics for Social Justice  
 
 
 
 
 
  

Second Language:

All students are required to achieve the low-intermediate level of a second-language in order to graduate from the College. 

Fulfillment of this second language requirement may be demonstrated by:

a) placing above the second-semester language course level on the college’s language test;
b) passing a second semester language course level at Saint Michael’s College;
c) passing a second semester language course level at another institution (the course has to be pre-approved); 
d) passing an Advanced Placement test offered by the College Board with a score of three or higher (four or higher for Latin);
e) passing an SAT II language test at the level specified by the College for that language;
f) submitting a record showing that the student received at least partial secondary education outside the United States in a language other than English 

Students who choose option a), b), or c) and studied Spanish or French in high school or learned it at home and want to continue these languages at SMC will be asked to take an on-line language placement test at home early in the summer.  Then, during a summer registration day, students will take the written portion of this language placement test. 

All other students who want to take a test in a language other than Spanish or French and want to continue the same language and want to choose a), b), or c) will take a different placement test during a summer registration day.  Further information on the second language requirement is available from the program’s coordinator, Qian “Lucy” Dong at 802-654-2457.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  

Social and Institutional Dimensions of Human Behavior:

 
 
 
 
EC 110 - Economic Issues in a Global World   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  

Artistic Experience:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ES 244 - Environmental Study of Sustainable Places - Wales Field Trip  
 
 
 
 
 
MU 352 - World Music 
 
 
MU 364 - Advanced Performance Studies  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  

 

Experiential Learning:

What is the Experiential Learning graduation requirement at SMC?

Experiential Learning means putting theory into practice.  Through direct engagement with situations of life outside the classroom and participation in a recursive practice of action and reflection, learners extract meaning from their experience in applied settings.  Along the way, students develop the skill, intelligence, and perceptivity to act in new and recurring situations.  A wide variety of experiential activities, both curricular and co-curricular, are possible at St. Michael’s College.  For these opportunities to qualify for the experiential learning graduation requirement, students are expected to demonstrate a high level of engagement, responsibility, and personal investment in the activity.

Options for fulfilling the EL requirement

This requirement may be fulfilled through credit-bearing or non-credit bearing experiences that enhance student learning through practical application of concepts learned in the liberal studies curriculum, the major or co-curricular activities.  Some experiences require specified levels of engagement or achievement.  In most cases, the requirement will be filled in the sophomore, junior, or senior year.  There are 6 areas of experiential learning from which students may choose to focus their energies in completing the requirement.  Many students can and will engage in more than one of these experiences.

1. INTERNSHIPS AND PRACTICUMS
2. STUDY ABROAD/STUDY AWAY
3. UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
4. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
5. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
6. INDIVIDUALIZED LEARNING

 

Curricular (credit-bearing) options (such as study abroad, academic internships, student teaching) are automatically tracked and recorded by the registrar.   For designated co-curricular and non-credit-bearing options (such as certain kinds of community service, undergraduate research, or leadership positions to name a few), students should declare their intentions to pursue a particular co-curricular experience in fulfillment of the Experiential Learning Requirement at the outset of the experience.  This should be done in consultation with and by approval of the designated mentor-facilitator in each respective program area. This same faculty or staff mentor-facilitator is ultimately responsible for certifying the student’s completion of the Experiential Learning Requirement.  A form for documenting the successful completion of the EL requirement can be found on the portal (under Academics → Registrar → Documents & Forms → Experiential Learning Form).

1.  INTERNSHIPS AND PRACTICUMS

Credit-Bearing Internships
Off-campus internships completed with direct supervision or mentorship from faculty of the College.  Business students enroll in BU 498.  Media  Studies, Journalism, and Digital Arts students enroll in MJD 413. Environmental Studies, ES 499. All other majors, initially enroll in ID 499 until a department specific prefix can be assigned.  Contact: Margaret “Meg” Sealey, Internship Coordinator.

Non Credit-Bearing Internships
Off-campus internships completed without direct supervision or mentorship of someone at the College will be treated essentially as a co-curricular Individualized Learning experience (see EL area #6).

Practicum Courses
Psychology Practicum, PS 450 and PS 460, Contact: Psychology Department Chair
Student Teaching, ED 428 or ED 475, Contact: Education Department Chair
Experiential Portofolio, BU 495, Contact: Business Department Chair
Emergency Services Training: EMT I, EMT II, FF1, Contact: Peter Soons
Production Practicum: Stage Management, TH 273, Contact: Fine Arts Chair
Writing Center Coaching: Students are nominated and then selected to take EN 314: Teaching Writing, a course that qualifies them to become coaches at the College’s writing center.  This course is followed by a coaching commitment in the Writing Center. Contact: Tim Mackin, Director of the Writing Center.
The Defender: The Defender is the student designed and produced campus newspaper. Students who want to take on the responsibility of managing the Defender enroll in MJD 433: Publication Management.  Contact: Media Studies, Journalism and Digital Arts Department Chair

2.  STUDY ABROAD/STUDY AWAY

Study abroad for a semester, a year, the summer or for shorter study away opportunities, including study trips led by Saint Michael’s faculty. Contact: Peggy Imai, Director of Study Abroad

Extended Service Trips
The College’s M.O.V.E program offers students the chance to work among some of the world’s most destitute peoples through International Extended Service Trips. Contact: Lara Scott, Director of M.O.V.E.

3.  UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH

Students and faculty work together on independent research projects which may be for credit or not-for-credit, take place on or off the SMC campus, and occur either during the academic year or the summer.  The work may lead to publication and/or presentations at academic conferences. Students are required to submit a report to the VPAA’s office at the culmination of the research project. Examples:

Summer research funded by an External Agency
Summer research either at Saint Michael’s College, at a research university, or at a national laboratory, with funding provided by an external agency at the state, regional or national level. Examples of research opportunities include:

Vermont EPSCoR’s summer internship program
National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates
NASA VT EPSCoR Summer Research
US Department of Energy National Undergraduate Fellowship
Contact: Faculty members in your area of study

Summer research funded by Saint Michael’s College
Vice President for Academic Affairs Research Grants for directed summer research on campus. All academic fields, including Humanities, Social Sciences, Mathematics, and Natural Sciences are eligible. Contact: Office of the VPAA

Summer research through the Center for Social Science Research
Research fellowships are available to students who wish to pursue an independent research project under the guidance of a faculty sponsor. These projects are funded and include a stipend of up to $3,700 for students working full time on a project for at least two months in the summer. Contact: Professor Herbert Kessel, Department of Economics.

Honors Research in Psychology: PS 408. Contact: Psychology Department

4.  COMMUNITY -ENGAGEMENT

Community Engaged Learning
A number of courses at Saint Michael’s have a Community-Engaged Learning (CEL) component, including local, domestic and international learning opportunities.CEL 205 - Critical Perspectives of Service  .  First-year seminars may not be used to fulfill the EL requirement.   Contact: Joan Wagner, Director of Community Engaged Learning

Community Service
Community service engages students in activities that primarily focus on freely providing time, talent, and energy to address human and community needs.  As students participate in activities designed to build community and respect the value and dignity of all, they come face-to-face with complex societal issues and their role in creating a more just world. Opportunities for formal learning may arise through orientation, training, and reflection activities provided by MOVE or a partnering organization. Designated levels of activity in community service qualify to fulfill the EL requirement. Contact:  Lara Scott, Director of M.O.V.E.

5.  LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Opportunities for Leadership Development exist in a variety of co-curricular programs on campus.  Achieving and acting in specified leadership levels fulfill the EL requirement.  For information on each, contact the following:

Edmundite Campus Ministry: Anna Lester
Fire and Rescue Program: Peter Soons
Intercollegiate Athletics: PKLA Programs: Meggan Dulude
Mobilization of Volunteer Efforts: Lara Scott
Onion River Review: Prof. Will Marquess
Orientation Leadership and Student Association: Grace Kelly
Residence Assistant (RA) Program: Catherine Welch
Army ROTC and Air Force ROTC
Wilderness Program: Todd Wright

6.  INDIVIDUALIZED LEARNING         

The Individualized Learning option allows for a variety of independent student experiences including a substantial commitment to one or more of the following: a non-academic internship; an off-campus workplace; a project designed to benefit the community or natural environment; or other combination of non-classroom learning situations which actively engage students in intellectual, emotional, social, or physical learning tasks. Students enroll in a half-course EXP 401 - Seminar in Experiential Learning  during their final year of studies at Saint Michael’s College in order to synthesize and critically reflect on their customized, hands-on experience. Students should enter the course with at least one focal experience in mind and have already completed the independent learning experience prior to taking this course. For more information on pursuing individualized learning, consult Joan Wagner. 

Courses that fulfill one of the six areas of the Experiential Learning requirement:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ED 428 - Student Teaching Seminar  
ED 475 - Student Teaching Internship  
 
 
 
ES 244 - Environmental Study of Sustainable Places - Wales Field Trip  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
PH 351 - Otherness and Marginalization: Levinas and the Alienated  
PO 352 - Health and Development in East Africa 
PO 353 - Applied Health and Development Approaches in East Africa