School Information

School of Arts and Humanities

The School of Arts & Humanities provides a meaningful context for a variety of programs for the College in the best tradition of liberal learning and excellence in proficiencies in performance and production oriented specialties. The School is charged with ensuring that arts and humanities students receive, from its curriculum, cutting edge discipline-specific information, and an outstanding foundation in liberal studies.

The School is comprised of a highly qualified guild of faculty who are deeply committed to quality teaching, discovery, and practicing new pedagogical methods for our students. The School’s faculty members also contribute to the advancement of knowledge within their respective disciplines, staying current and relevant to contemporary needs, as well as to developments in their fields.

The School provides approximately fifty percent of the Liberal Arts/Fine Arts requirement for the College. In addition, we offer high quality degrees in Art, English, Foreign Languages, History and Political Science, Communications, Music, and Philosophy and Religious Studies. Many of our programs support other degree programs in other Schools within the College, such as Education, Business, and Mathematics and Science.

The objective of the School of Arts & Humanities is to produce depth and breadth of knowledge, and to do so through programs that provide students with opportunities to develop mastery of an academic or performing discipline, as well as to demonstrate high order skills, such as critical thinking through the examination of theory and the comparison of historical and current data. The School and its faculty encourage a deep engagement in scholarly inquiry, and promote student inquiry, and scholarly research, as well as practical internships in discipline specific context.

The School’s vision is based on the College Vision and Mission – The development of the whole person through a strong Liberal Education program, and is guided by the American Academy of Liberal Education that asserts that the languages of verbal/oral and written communications are the media of all thought, and must be well developed through rigorous instruction and specially designed applications across disciplines.

Huether School of Business

Mission Statement:

As our students proceed on their educational journey through life, it is our privilege to guide and challenge them to attain their highest ambitions.  We provide a stimulating undergraduate and graduate student-centered curriculum that is taught by highly qualified, dedicated faculty with excellent staff support.

We serve our students and community through active engagement in an educational experience grounded on ethics and critical thinking.  Our faculty makes it their highest priority to keep abreast of the latest developments in their academic fields and translate that knowledge as it applies to each student. We are proud to say that we know our students and community well. Our programs are carefully evaluated on the lifelong successes of our students as they live and work in, and contribute to, the global communities of today.

The multiple undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the School of Business offer matriculating students significant flexibility to decide to pursue the traditional four-year degree program or a more innovative combined Bachelor’s and Master’s degree program. The School offers two four-year degree options, the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and the Bachelor of Science in Accounting. Those interested in a combined bachelors and master’s degree in business should review the BS/MBA accelerated program option. In addition, students who are interested in careers as Certified Public Accountants have the opportunity to enter the 150 Hour Accounting Program. The Professional Accountancy program leads to a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Master’s of Science in Professional Accounting and satisfies the State of New York educational requirement for the CPA.

Thelma P. Lally School of Education

The Thelma P. Lally School of Education is committed to developing leaders in the field of education. Our undergraduate programs are designed for students who wish to enter the teaching professions for various grade ranges, and, for aspiring speech-language pathologists. The curricular choices provide opportunities for students to select programs consistent with their professional goals. All programs designed for pre-service teacher preparation include service learning as a teaching-learning pedagogy, so that our future teachers are educated themselves to engage in service learning to benefit communities, and are able to engage their P-12 pupils in service learning. The College of Saint Rose works cooperatively with public and private schools and agencies in the Capital Region to provide students with a variety of professional field experiences in education.

Applications for admission to all education programs must meet the general requirements for admission to undergraduate study. The College’s education programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), have been approved by the New York State Education Department, and meet academic New York certification requirements. The Lally School puts forward a conceptual framework that establishes the philosophical underpinning of all professional education programs and establishes learning outcomes for participants in the program.

Conceptual Framework for Education Programs

Statement of Philosophy and Purpose

The faculty of Thelma P. Lally School of Education at the College of Saint Rose is committed to providing high quality, relevant and distinctive educational programs.  Our philosophy evolves from a strong belief in the profound influence and possibilities of education, educators and leaders to guide and promote the intellectual and human development of people in a diverse, global society.

The educational dynamic of our teaching and learning community fosters insight, meaning, skills, policy formation and strategies necessary to continuously improve the quality of the individual and collective lives affected by our practice.  Ethics, freedom of inquiry and expression, and the exchange of ideas inform our practice.  Integrity, character and a commitment to modeling what we teach are imperatives of our educational endeavors.  The development of theoretical frameworks, critical analysis and fidelity to the application of effective, research-based practices combine to characterize the scholarship and enlightenment to which we aspire.  Instructional technologies support and shape our teaching and learning.  Partnerships with practicing professionals in the field, service, clinical experiences, and a culture of assessment offer extensive opportunities for personal and professional growth, and rich sources for evaluating our effectiveness.

Valuing the knowledge and culturally rich experiences of individuals in the educational process, our faculty strives to be responsible to candidate needs and interests and challenges them to broaden their awareness and sensitivity to diverse backgrounds, thereby becoming reflective, responsive, self-empowered advocates for their learners and communities.  Leadership is at the heart of our efforts to encourage and create new initiatives through which our faculty and our candidates become mutually responsible agents of change.  To ensure the actualization of our philosophy, we model its standards and values in our daily practices and relationships.  This philosophy generates educational experiences that are formative and indelible.

Professional Education Candidate Learning Outcomes

Candidates in professional education programs at The College of Saint Rose will:

1. Acquire and apply the knowledge, skills and dispositions of disciplines relevant to candidates’ projected educational or clinical roles.
2. Apply principles and theories of lifespan human development and learning in all of its diversity to education, service learning and clinical practice, and demonstrate a capacity and disposition to continuously update that knowledge and, therefore, practice according to the best emerging research in the field.
3. Plan and implement practice that is rigorous, comprehensive, inclusive, creative and motivating, inviting candidates’ analytical skills and promoting their dispositions to be lifelong learners.
4. Ensure that evaluation and decision-making are data-driven, multi-faceted, collaborative and recursive, and align instructional/clinical goals, practice, assessments, and standards.
5. Develop and demonstrate personal and professional values that foster the highest ethical standards of the profession; intellectual curiosity and open-mindedness; understanding and responsiveness to multiple social and global perspectives; and collegiality and collaboration among partners in the educational or clinical process that involve children, families, community members, and other professionals.
6. Promote optimal learning opportunities and environments for all individuals in the context of  their experiential, cultural, and/or racial/ethnic backgrounds, including, but not limited to learners who are speakers of non-English languages, or who are gifted, have disabilities, are educationally challenged or who have different interests, ambitions or sexual orientations.
7. Demonstrate in their practice that oral and written language is a functional, as well as social and artistic tool, for communication and thought, and as such reflect the multiple literacies of local, national and global cultures.
8. Integrate a variety of technological methods and programs to enhance pupil learning and practitioner effectiveness, facilitate candidates’ acquisition of technological skills, and their dispositions to use them.

Policies

Culminating courses and courses for final evaluation within degree and certificate programs must be taken at The College of Saint Rose unless a waiver is granted in advance by department faculty and the dean. Waivers will be considered only for students who sustained good academic standing and professional qualities assessment throughout their courses of study.

Professional Qualities Assessment

All candidates in programs in education at The College of Saint Rose are expected to demonstrate dispositions appropriate to the profession for which they are preparing. The faculty has identified the following dispositions as being of primary significance to effective professional performance:  Communication Skills, Professional Responsibility/Accountability, and Ethics, as detailed in the following sections.  All candidates will be evaluated by faculty on these dispositions throughout their programs. Any candidates identified as demonstrating weakness in one or more of the areas will be asked to meet with faculty from their program area and to develop a plan to improve performance. Satisfactory professional performance is required to be in good standing and receive certification or award of a degree in education.

Communication Skills

• effectively communicates orally in a constructive, direct, and appropriate manner
• writes in a way that is clear, accurate, and professionally effective
• is respectful in all communications
• uses appropriate tone, tact, and pragmatics for a professional situation
• demonstrates that s/he has heard what is being said and practices reciprocal listening skills
• responds to people, work, and challenges in an emotionally mature manner
• is respectful in communicating with others
• solicits and gives feedback
• engages in collaborative interactions with others
• uses appropriate conflict resolution skills to handle differences of opinion
• participates in an open exchange of ideas.

Professional Responsibility/Accountability

• attends to and completes academic and professional duties in a timely fashion
• reflects on his/her own performance
• accepts, receives, and integrates feedback
• collaborates with colleagues and works as a team member
• displays an appearance that is consistent with professional expectations
• shares in the workload of the group or organization
• is accountable for his/her own work rather than deflecting responsibility elsewhere
• works within the rules and expectations of the group or organization
• demonstrates a commitment to continuing professional growth and development

Ethics

• values, models, and promotes respect for all individuals
• demonstrates awareness and sensitivity to diverse populations
• recognizes and works within role boundaries within the professional context
• demonstrates honesty and integrity in all situations
• gives credit where it is due
• displays professional behavior in terms of language and dress
• respects privacy and confidentiality where appropriate
• models intellectual curiosity, open-mindedness, and critical analysis
• demonstrates a commitment to providing educational services to diverse populations

School of Mathematics and Sciences

The School of Mathematics & Sciences spans a wide range in disciplines, from the lab-based physical sciences, to mathematics and computer science, to the social sciences. The School’s twenty academic programs offer students a great deal of opportunities for study, research, and field-based practice. Included in these programs are majors designed to prepare graduates to teach high school level biology, chemistry, and earth science. Our location in the Capital District offers abundant opportunities for internships in laboratory science, computer science, and technology, along with such social service areas as mental health counseling, social work, and criminal justice/forensics. Opportunities also exist throughout the School’s programs for independent research, often carried out alongside faculty mentors. This combination of classroom, lab, and field-based education prepares our students quite well for further graduate study, medical, dental, or veterinary school, or for careers in their chosen professions.

School of Mathematics and Sciences Research Honors Concentration

In order to promote undergraduate research within The College of Saint Rose, the School of Mathematics & Sciences has created a research honors concentration program.

The School recognizes that what constitutes research may vary considerably across disciplines. The description listed below represent the accepted definitions of research within the School of Mathematics & Sciences for individual departments currently offering research honors:

1. Empirical examination of one or more hypotheses using research protocols and experimental designs appropriate to the student’s discipline. (Criminal Justice, Behavior and Law, Physical and Biological Sciences, Psychology, Social Work, Sociology)
2. Robust exploratory examination of an advanced Computer Science topic (e.g. programming, design, analysis, simulation) following a traditional research trajectory and/or requiring implementation of a large-scale programming project. (Computer Science)
3. In-depth critical or theoretical examination of the literature on an unresolved issue in the field. (Criminal Justice, Behavior and Law, Social Work, Sociology)
4. Qualitative examination using research protocols and designs appropriate to the student’s discipline. (Criminal Justice, Behavior and Law, Social Work, Sociology)
5. Qualitative or deconstructive research that challenges a discipline’s orthodoxy or grand narrative. (Social Work)

Procedural Details:

1. Students interested in pursuing research honors and who have achieved at least a B average at Saint Rose, must file an “Intent to Pursue Research Honors Concentration” document with the Dean of Mathematics & Sciences, accompanied by a letter of support from a faculty member within the major, and sign up for Research Honors Concentration Candidacy in Mathematics & Sciences for their major at the academic advising office. This concentration will appear on their academic progress report and academic transcript as “Research Honors in Mathematics and Sciences – Department of __________.”
2. Students must select a faculty member to be a primary research advisor within their major who agrees to oversee the student’s progress toward Research Honors.
3. Students must complete the research requirements for honors established for their major as indicated in the course catalog, and maintain an average of B or higher in these traditionally graded courses.
4. At the time of graduation, students must have a minimum overall average of B and must meet or exceed the minimum GPA for research honors within their major as established by their department.
5. At the conclusion of the research honors requirements, students will submit a thesis in a format appropriate for a scholarly journal within their discipline. Copies of the final thesis will be kept on file in the School of Mathematics and Sciences and in the Neil Hellman Library.

Department-Specific Requirements

The following programs are currently participating in the School of Mathematics and Sciences Research Honors Concentration program:

Computer Science

In addition to the general requirements for research honors described above, students pursuing research honors in the Department of Computer Science must meet the following criteria:

1. Entry to the research honors concentration is limited to students who have achieved at least a 3.5 GPA in the major and a 3.0 GPA overall after completion of their junior year.
2. Entry into the program is granted upon submission of an acceptable project proposal. A student must submit his or her proposal to a faculty member of the Computer Science Department; the proposal must describe the intended project and be approved by the faculty member (who becomes the faculty advisor for the project). The proposed project must be a robust exploratory study of a topic not covered in any major course or a deeper examination of a topic covered in a student’s coursework. Programming, design, analysis, or simulation are possible areas of focus.
3. In addition to the faculty advisor, at least two other faculty members within the department serve on the student’s committee.
4. Once approved, the student embarks on the project, registering for a 3-credit independent study in the first semester of his or her senior year. Note that such projects may span a student’s entire senior year.
5. Students must earn at least a B in the independent study.
6. Students must present their research project to their committee; the committee determines if the project work is acceptable or requires further investigation or revision.
7. Students must publish their work in a peer-reviewed journal or conference proceedings. Examples include the Journal of Undergraduate Research here at The College of Saint Rose, poster sessions at a computing conference, etc.

Criminal Justice, Behavior and Law

In addition to the general requirements for the research honors concentration described above, students pursuing research honors in Criminal Justice, Behavior and Law must have: a grade of B or higher in CJS 230, CJS 231, SOC 288, SOC 351; a 3.5 GPA in the major and 3.2 overall GPA for entry into the program. Once admitted, the student must maintain a 3.2 overall GPA.

Physical & Biological Sciences

In addition to the general requirements for the research honors concentration described above, students pursuing research honors in the Department of Physical & Biological Sciences must also meet the criteria described below:

1. Research may be conducted by completing at least 6 credits of undergraduate research (BIO 400, CHM 400, ESC 490, PHY 400) or at least 6 credits of internship (BIO 494, CHM 494, ESC 494) or at least 8 weeks of Department-approved, full-time, supervised summer research. Credit-bearing courses listed here for honors research cannot be taken pass/fail.
2. As a component of the “Intent to Pursue Research Honors” document for the Department of Physical and Biological Sciences, the student must write an approved research proposal and obtain a letter of support from the supervising faculty.
3. In addition to achieving at least a B average at the College, students intending to pursue research honors in the Department of Physical and Biological Sciences must have earned at least a B average in their major requirements at the time of completing the “Intent” document.
4. The research honors option is not available to freshmen in the Department of Physical and Biological Sciences.

Psychology

In addition to the general requirements for the research honors concentration described above, students pursuing research honors in the Department of Psychology must also meet the criteria described below.

1. Students must have a minimum GPA of 3.2 in Psychology at the time of graduation.
2. Students must earn a grade of B or higher in each of the required courses for research honors listed below:

   PSY 295 Research Methods and Statistics I

   PSY 299 Research Methods and Statistics II

   PSY 493 Independent Research I

   PSY 494 Independent Research II

   PSY 495 Directed Research (minimum of 3 credits)

   PSY 498 Senior Seminar in Psychology: Research

Students interested in pursuing research honors should consult the Research Honors and Independent Research Guide which may be found online at the Department of Psychology web site. This manual contains a detailed list of the requirements for research honors as well as important documents and sample timelines for PSY 493 and PSY 494.

Social Work

In addition to the general requirements for the research honors concentration described above, students pursuing research honors in the Department of Social Work must meet the criteria stated below: 

1. Completion of SWK 451 with a grade of B or higher 
2. Completion of six credit hours of advanced research
3. Submission of a manuscript to a peer reviewed journal

Sociology

In addition to the general requirements for the research honors concentration described above, students pursuing research honors in the Department of Sociology must have a grade of B or higher in both SOC 288 and SOC 351 for entry into the program.