Air Force ROTC
Through cooperative programs with Wilkes University, Misericordia University students can take part in Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps. The Air Force ROTC program is based at Wilkes University. Students who participate in ROTC at this institution do so without penalty to their full-time academic status at Misericordia University. Free elective courses are awarded by the university for ROTC participation. Tuition for ROTC courses is paid directly to the institutions offering the programs. More information about ROTC may be obtained from the Director of Admissions at Misericordia University and the ROTC Office at Wilkes University by phone at 570-408-4860 and by email at [email protected] mailto:. More information can also be found online at http://www.wilkes.edu/rotc.
Army ROTC Military Science
Misericordia University offers students the opportunity to participate in Army ROTC at King’s College in nearby Wilkes-Barre through the Northeast Pennsylvania (NEPA) Reserve Officer Training Corps Royal Warrior Battalion. The Army ROTC Battalion continually ranks in the top 10% of all ROTC programs nationwide and was ranked tenth in the eastern United States Army ROTC region in 2010. The Battalion has recently celebrated sixty years of commissioning outstanding officers for America’s military. Students who participate in this program do so without penalty to their full-time academic status. The university awards elective credit for participation in any ROTC course. Any Misericordia University student may participate in any ROTC basic course program for two years without cost or obligation.
The primary objective of the Reserve Officer Training Program is to develop leadership capabilities in students and to train future officers for the active Army, US Army Reserve, the Army National Guard, as well as leaders for the civilian community. The Army ROTC program can be tailored to fit any student’s schedule, particularly in the freshman and sophomore years. Military science instruction is offered at King’s College campus with two, three and four programs of study leading to a commission as an officer in one of the three components of the United States Army. To be commissioned as a second lieutenant, students must pass a physical examination and complete the two, three, or four-year program of military science courses. Students normally take one course per semester during their normal four-year course of study although there are numerous means to meet each student’s academic needs.
All students receiving ROTC scholarship benefits, as well as sophomores, juniors and seniors that are contracted with the Army, receive a monthly stipend. The stipend starts at $300 per month during their freshman year, increases to $350 during their sophomore year, $450 during their junior year and $500 during their senior year. The stipend is paid directly to the student each month that they are in school. The military science department provides all uniforms, equipment and textbooks required for the classes at no cost to the student.
In addition to academic classes, students may also participate on a voluntary basis in many additional training opportunities such as physical training and hands-on equipment training each week. Each semester there is a military social event and at least one weekend training session that includes such events as military marksmanship, cross country orienteering, military rappelling, leadership application courses and obstacle/confidence courses. During breaks and vacations students can volunteer for active army training such as military parachute operations, helicopter operations, military mountain climbing and training with active army units in the United States and overseas. There are also numerous academic internships with state and federal agencies available through Army ROTC. All training is cost free to the student and students are paid for some summer training courses.
The ROTC program consists of two primary programs. Further information about these programs may be found at http://departments.kings.edu/rotc/.
Students who have completed basic training in any U.S. service may qualify for placement into the advanced course. Additionally students who have not completed the ROTC basic course may qualify for the advanced course by attending a paid four week long leadership training course conducted each summer at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Freshman and sophomore students can compete for two, two and one half, and three year ROTC scholarships that pay up to full tuition and fees per year and $1200 per year for books. Special nurse, Army National Guard and Army Reserve Scholarships are also available.
The Army will commission successful graduates as a second lieutenant with a starting salary of over $38,000 per year plus medical and dental benefits, as well as 30 days paid vacation per year.
For more information on the Army ROTC program for Misericordia students at King’s College, contact the Military Science Department at 570-208-5900 ext. 5305 or ext. 5301.
Center for Adult and Continuing Education
Misericordia University offers a variety of educational options for non-traditional students: those students who attend part-time, those who did not go to college right after high school and those with some prior college experience.
The Center for Adult and Continuing Education is sensitive to the alternative needs of students with families, full-time jobs, or both. Evening classes are held every semester and during the summer. Many non-traditional students find weekend, accelerated evening and online classes convenient. All of the university’s academic and student services facilities are available to students. Similarly, such students must comply with the university regulations. The adult learner can access a variety of academic and support services including individualized academic assistance; various computerized career guidance tools to help students determine vocational paths that best suit their work values, interests and abilities; periodic workshops on topics such as study skills, job search, and interview techniques; free tutoring on campus and a free online tutoring and writing assistance service, Smartthinking; and a variety of credit options outside of the classroom (see Credit Option Outside the Classroom).
Part-time, Evening and Online
Flexible scheduling enables many students to work towards a degree without giving up full-time work or family care.
ARCH Accelerated Undergraduate
The ARCH Accelerated Undergraduate Program is an accelerated, bachelor’s degree completion program designed for adult students who have prior college credits and relevant work or life experience. Classes are held at Luzerne County Community College (LCCC) in Nanticoke one evening per week. Classes are also held in Nanticoke every third Saturday. Online classes are also available. Classes are scheduled in five-week, seven-week, and full semester formats. Students in the ARCH Accelerated Undergraduate Program are limited to 12 credits per 15-week semester (with the exception of those enrolled in a required lab science course, who are limited to 13 in that semester). This program is also available for students who want to earn a second bachelor’s degree or a certificate.
For further informaton on distance education courses, please refer to the Student Identity Verification Procedures and Distance Education and Guidelines for Instructional Time Equivalencies Across Formats/Assignment of Credit Hours policies, under the Undergraduate Academic Policies and Procedures section of the catalog.
ARCH Accelerated Undergraduate faculty are professionals within a field of expertise and have been carefully selected and trained to facilitate adult learners in this innovative learning environment.
Weekend College Classes on Campus
Weekend College is a special accelerated educational model for adult learners in select programs who must balance family and career responsibilities while pursuing their education. Students earn credit toward a degree by attending classes every other weekend. The program emphasizes independent, self-motivated study. Weekend College classes meet on Saturdays and/or Sundays (8 am-noon).
For further information contact the Center for Adult and Continuing Education at 570-674-6450.
Non-credit Programs
For individuals interested in professional and personal development, the Center for Adult and Continuing Education offers a variety of credit-free programs, classes and workshops.
The Fun and Fitness Program offers special programs, camps, non-credit courses and workshops for children, students, employees, alumni, and the community.
For further information, contact the Center for Adult and Continuing Education at 570-674-6289.
Consortium Programs
Students at Misericordia University may register for courses at King’s College and/or Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, if those courses are not part of Misericordia’s curricula. The program is reciprocal. Full-time students in good academic standing who meet specific course prerequisites are eligible. Ordinarily, cross registration is available only to juniors and seniors who have received permission from their major department to participate in the program. Cross-registered courses are considered part of a student’s regular course load; no additional tuition fees are charged and courses carry full academic credit and grade value.
Credit Options Outside the Classroom
Misericordia University recognizes that significant, meaningful learning often occurs in settings other than structured, university-sponsored courses. For adult students who would like to receive credit for knowledge they have already acquired, College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) permit them to translate their learning into college credit. No more than a total of 40 credits may be earned through credit options outside the classroom.
CLEP: College Level Examination Program
CLEP allows students to demonstrate their knowledge in a wide range of subject areas. CLEP examinations are standardized tests that measure a person’s knowledge of the material covered in introductory college courses. The knowledge may have been obtained through on-the-job experiences, professional workshops, classes at business or technical schools, volunteer activities, or vocational pursuits. CLEP credits are treated as transfer credits and are awarded on a credit/no credit basis. Only passing grades appear on transcripts. Call the Center for Adult and Continuing Education at 570-674-6450 for more information. Students will be required to submit the transcript for the CLEP courses to verify completion.
Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) Credits - Graduate Programs
Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) credits provide students the opportunity to validate their relevant learning in a written document called a portfolio. The portfolio information is organized to correspond as closely as possible to comparable courses from Misericordia University inventory of graduate offerings. Emphasis is placed on the satisfactory presentation of the student’s knowledge relative to each course’s learning objectives.
Eligibility for PLA application will be determined by the appropriate program director who will select a faculty assessor from the involved department. The assessor will review the portfolio according to the following criteria: the learning will be demonstrated to be college level; the learning is current, particularly in quickly-changing fields; the learning must be able to be generalized and transferred, i.e., it can be applied outside of the specific context or situation in which it was acquired; the learning must be measurable; the learning must have a theoretical as well as a practical component; credits will be awarded for competence and actual learning outcomes, not merely the experience; the credits awarded will not duplicate other earned credits.
Students who request assessment of their prior learning must:
- Be matriculated at the university with a declared major;
- Limit requests for assessment to those course areas that will fulfill degree requirements in their declared graduate major;
- Have had all transfer credits officially evaluated prior to attempting this credit option;
- Submit the designated fee for each PLA assessment being evaluated made payable to the department assessing the PLA portfolio(s).
Students who have been awarded prior learning assessment credits at another institution will not automatically be awarded such credit in transfer. Students have the opportunity to present their portfolios, with updated information, to the appropriate program director for consideration.
In no case may the number of PLA credits brought into a graduate program at Misericordia University after matriculation exceed twelve (12), nor can the combination of PLA credits and/or transfer credits exceed twelve (12).
The PLA decision of the department is final.
Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) Credits - Undergraduate Programs
Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) credits provide students the opportunity to validate their relevant learning in a written document called a portfolio. The portfolio information is organized to correspond as closely as possible to comparable courses from Misericordia’s inventory of undergraduate offerings. Emphasis is placed on the satisfactory presentation of the student’s achievement relative to each course’s learning objectives.
For challenged courses, a faculty assessor from the involved department will be selected by that college’s dean. The assessor will review the portfolio according to the following criteria: the learning will be demonstrated to be college level; the learning is current, particularly in quickly-changing fields such as computer science and business; the learning must be able to be generalized and transferred, i.e., it can be applied outside of the specific context or situation in which it was acquired; the learning must be measurable; the learning must have a theoretical as well as a practical component; credits will be awarded for competence and actual learning outcomes, not merely the experience; the credits awarded will not duplicate other earned credits. (This includes transfer, CLEP, and/or completed course credits, ACT, PEP exams, etc.)
Students who request assessment of their prior learning must:
- Be matriculated at the university with a declared major;
- Limit requests for assessment to those course areas that will fulfill degree requirements in their declared major;
- Have had all transfer credits officially evaluated prior to attempting this credit option.
- Submit the designated fee for each PLA assessment being evaluated made payable to the Center for Adult and Continuing Education.
Students will not be required to have any previously earned university credits; thus there will be no minimum GPA requirements. Students who have been awarded prior learning assessment credits at another institution will not automatically be awarded such credit in transfer. Students have the opportunity to present their portfolios, with updated information, to the appropriate department chair for consideration.
The option for prior learning assessment will be available only during fall and spring semesters. The PLA decision of the department is final. For more information contact the Center for Adult and Continuing Education at 570-674-6450.
Honors Program
The honors program is an interdisciplinary community of undergraduate students and faculty working together to create an intellectually stimulating and challenging environment for learning. Honors students take a common sequence of core curriculum courses, participate each semester in the Honors Explorations Seminar, and produce a professional quality paper or project as part of the Honors Capstone. The honors program also sponsors a variety of extra-curricular programs, such as travel to local and regional historical venues and cultural events, opportunities for presenting original research, and participation in conferences sponsored by the National Collegiate Honors Council and other colleges and universities. Program-related decisions are made and activities are planned with input from both honors faculty and students. Honors students also receive recognition on their transcript, at university awards ceremonies, and at commencement.
The academic portion of the honors program consists of three components. The first is an alternative 36-credit core sequence in the humanities and social sciences. All students must complete a core curriculum, but honors students take humanities and social sciences classes with a special emphasis on written responses (science and math requirements are taken as part of the regular core). Honors classes are not necessarily harder, but approach course material in different ways. They tend to be small and interactive, emphasize discussion and critical analysis, and use primary sources in addition to textbooks. Additionally, honors courses are interdisciplinary, linked by common principles and ideas. All honors core courses are listed as “Section HR” in each semester’s schedule of classes. In combination they include: two semesters of English, fine arts, history, philosophy, and religious studies, plus one semester of psychology and either sociology or economics. Elective honors courses in math, the natural sciences, and the health sciences also may be offered. A minimum of eight honors section core courses is required to graduate with honors.
The second academic component requires student participation in the non-credit Explorations Seminar (HNR 300 ), which meets three times per semester. Within this seminar, students and faculty together explore a theme or topic that often relates to issues being explored in the honors courses. While the seminar may take different forms, such as a debate, a roundtable, or a guest lecture, it always involves discussion among students and faculty.
The final academic component of the program is the Capstone Project (HNR 401 ) in which students create a professional-quality project that advances their research and presentation skills. Students develop their projects after a process of self-directed research and writing under faculty guidance. The final projects are presented in a public forum to the university community.
Students are admitted to the honors program by application only. Admission decisions for first-year students are based on high school academic record, involvement in extra-curricular activities, evidence of intellectual curiosity, and overall “fit” with the program. Application materials may be requested by any qualified, interested high school senior. In addition, current and transfer students can determine their eligibility for admission to the program by contacting the program director. To remain in the honors program, students must maintain a 3.15 GPA in their first and sophomore years, and a 3.35 GPA subsequently.
All honors courses are open to non-honors first-year students and sophomores with a 3.0 GPA or higher, and to juniors and seniors with a 3.25 GPA or higher, with the professor’s approval and assuming space is available.
For information contact Honors Program director Brian Carso, JD, PhD.
Service-Learning
The mission of Misericordia University’s Office of Service-Learning is to engage students in the development of lifelong civic responsibility through academic coursework. The university believes that through service engagement, students will gain the knowledge, skills and commitment to make a significant impact on the communities in which they live. The goal is to not just engage students in learning through service but to instill a lifelong commitment to mercy, service and justice. Further, Misericordia University believes that the combination of strong academics, career development and community service leadership will foster the development of citizens who will take leadership roles in creating communities where mercy and justice prevail.
Service-Learning Goals:
- Support the incorporation of Service-Learning service opportunities into courses.
- Provide service-learning experiences supportive of the university’s mission that connect students with their communities.
- Foster a commitment to mercy, service and justice.
- Develop strong community partnerships between the University and within the community.
For further information, please contact the Office of Service-Learning at 570-674-6203.
Study Away Programs
Studying abroad provides you with an opportunity for academic, personal growth that might not otherwise happen if you remained on campus during your Misericordia University career. From an academic perspective, you have the opportunity to take courses not offered at Misericordia University and with permission, use those courses to graduation requirements. Imagine studying in Ireland and being able to take an Irish history courses while there. There is nothing like studying a subject and being able to see what it is that you are studying! Studying abroad also provides you with the opportunity to expand your worldview and develop life-long friendships with students from around the world and the United States. The experience will change you forever!
Where you ultimately wind up studying will to a certain degree, depend on your major. You will want to seek a study destination that provides the courses you will need in order to stay on track to graduate. The duration and the semester or summer you study abroad will sometimes dictate where you study as well. The Study Abroad Office and your advisor will work with you to determine which destination and academic term is best for your study abroad experience.
Office of Summer Studies
The Office of Summer Studies, located in the Center for Adult and Continuing Education, in collaboration with the deans and department chairs, manages the summer undergraduate and graduate course offerings for both current and visiting students. The Center hosts and facilitates summer conferences and institutes and assists with special programs, camps, non-credit courses, and workshops for children, students, employees, alumni, and the community.
Office for Students With Disabilities
Misericordia University is committed to creating an environment where all are welcome and does not discriminate in the recruitment, admission, educational process, or treatment of students. In the spirit of hospitality and justice, we comply with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as amended. In order to receive services, students must self-identify their disability and provide documentation from a healthcare professional. Eligibility for accommodations such academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aides is determined through an individualized, interactive process in the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD).
The OSD is located in the SSC, on the lower level of Alumnae Hall. Individuals seeking accommodations may call 570-674-6408 or email Kristen Ricardo, Assistant Director SSC/Office for Students with Disabilities at [email protected].
Alternative Learners Program
The Alternative Learners Program (ALP) is a fee based program for services offered in addition to those Misericordia University is required to provide students under Section 504 and other applicable laws. ALP services include an eight-week course in Learning Strategies and individualized support provided by a program coordinator on a weekly basis. See the university fee schedule for more information.
Women with Children Program
The Ruth Matthews Bourger Women with Children Program is designed for academically qualified single mothers and provides the opportunity to live on campus with their children while attending classes.
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