Academic Opportunities

Berks Community Television
A number of courses each year are offered in partnership with Berks Community Television (BCTV). To take advantage of this partnership, some or all of the class meetings are held at the BCTV facility at 645 Penn Street in Reading. The courses being offered will be published well in advance of each semester.

Consortium Classes
Alvernia College is a member of the Higher Education Council of Berks County. The other members of this council are Albright College, Kutztown University, Penn State Berks-Lehigh Valley College and Reading Area Community College. Full-time undergraduate students have the opportunity to cross register for one course each regular semester at any one of the other consortium colleges and they will be billed through Alvernia. Classes taken through the consortium will appear on transcripts as graded courses and will be calculated into the GPA. The student must go to the Registrar’s Office at Alvernia College to start the process. Registration over 17 credits will require an overload fee.

Graduate Opportunities at Alvernia College
Alvernia College offers four Master Degrees: Master of Business Administration, Master of Education, Master of Arts in Liberal Studies, and Master of Science in Occupational Therapy. For the M.B.A., M.A.L.S., and M.Ed., students will have the opportunity to take six graduate credits during their senior year thereby allowing them to complete their degree within one year after graduation (these credit also count towards undergraduate course requirements). With proper scheduling many students will be able to complete their undergraduate and graduate degrees in five years. For more information on the M.B.A., M.Ed., and M.A.L.S. graduate programs, call the Graduate Center at 610-796-8228. For more information on the M.S.O.T. program see the Occupational Therapy section of this catalog.

Graduate Partnerships with Other Institutions
Alvernia College, in partnership with Temple University, offers a unique opportunity for students to enter Temple’s School of Dental Medicine after completion of their third year at Alvernia College. Temple University will reserve spaces for qualified students and this enables the student to complete dental school one year earlier. Specific guidelines and requirements are available from the Dean of Arts and Science.

Alvernia College also offers Marywood University’s Master of Social Work on the campus. and students have the opportunity to complete this degree largely on Alvernia’s campus. See the Director for the Marywood University program in the Graduate Center for further details.

Honors Program
The purpose of the Honors Program at Alvernia College is to assist students of outstanding intellectual promise and high motivation who are seeking increased challenge at the undergraduate level and/or who are interested in future graduate or professional study. The program is designed to recognize and encourage academic excellence, to stimulate students to work at their own pace, and to facilitate the exchange of ideas and information among students and faculty with varied interests in different disciplines.

The Honors Program will offer students the opportunity to challenge themselves through innovative and imaginative curricula. Students are encouraged to excel academically, to prepare for graduate and professional school, and to participate in leadership and service opportunities. The program will provide co-curricular activities, service opportunities, and intellectual and social support, adding significant dimension to the student’s academic program.

Honor Students are:

Honors students must complete a number of requirements in order to graduate from the Honors Program and receive the distinction on the student’s transcript. See Honors Distinction in the Academic Information section of this catalog.

Independent Study
Independent study is available for students above freshman standing (30+ credits) with the approval of the chairperson of the department in which the course is offered. The material in independent study courses will not duplicate any course regularly offered in the curriculum of the college. Students will work as independently as possible under the direction of a faculty member and will usually present their work at a departmental seminar.
• 375 Independent Study Prerequisite: At least sophomore standing (30+ credits).
• 475 Independent Study Prerequisite: Senior standing (90+ credits).

Institute of the Arts.
Alvernia College has partnered with the Institute of the Arts located in Wyomissing to allow full-time undergraduate students the opportunity to take a number of classes at the Institute for credit. Students may take one elective credit each semester on a pass/fail basis. The courses being offered will be published well in advance of each semester. These courses may include painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, dance, piano, music, and ceramics. Students are expected to attend each class meeting at the Institute even if the Institute’s calendar does not match Alvernia’s. These courses are considered free electives and may not be used to fulfill any fine arts area, including the foundation courses, Area II, or minor requirements. Students begin the registration process at the Registrar’s Office. Registration over 17 credits will require an overload fee.

Practicum/Internships/Cooperatives
Practicum field experience is available to students reaching sophomore standing (30+ credits). Students who want to participate in additional practice beyond those pre-determined by a program must obtain permission from the appropriate chairperson. The program of activities in a practicum is controlled by the College in cooperation with the agency involved. The activities include hours of participation, supervision and required assignments. Grades, withdrawals and incomplete work in practice are governed by the regulations in effect at Alvernia for regular classroom courses. Contact Career Services and Center for Academic Advancement for more details.

Special Topics
In addition to the courses in this catalog, the class schedules may also include “Special Topics” courses. These special interest courses may be available in any discipline and at any level. Special topics courses are identified by the number “90”, such as BUS 390, COM 290, or HIS 190. Number of credits may vary. A description of the available Special Topics courses is printed in the College Course Schedule published each semester.

Study Abroad
Alvernia College encourages students to broaden their academic experience by taking advantage of referral for study through several study abroad programs. Programs range from summer internships to full semester sessions. To find out more about study abroad opportunities, contact Betsy G. Stiles (610-796-5504), Project Coordinator of Study Abroad for the Office of the Provost.

The Washington Center Experience
Alvernia students have an opportunity to earn college credit by spending a semester in Washington, D.C. where they serve as interns in a congressional office, government agency, major corporation, newspaper or news network, or agencies devoted to legal affairs, international relations, or business and economics. They also may intern with one of several non-profit groups dealing with the environment, women’s issues, the arts, education, science, or labor relations among others. Participants are customarily juniors or seniors who have achieved grade point averages of 2.5 or better and who have the endorsement of the appropriate academic area. In addition to their internship, students select one seminar dealing with the arts and humanities, communication, public policy, the legal system, business, and government. Interested students should see their academic advisor or the Career Services Office.

 

 

 

Updated: March 29, 2005

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