Exploring Academics at The College of Saint Rose: A Comprehensive Overview

Founded in 1920 by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondelet, The College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York, has evolved from a Roman Catholic women's college to a coeducational institution in 1969 and becoming an independent institution sponsored by the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondelet in 1970. Today, it offers a diverse range of academic programs catering to traditional students, working professionals, and international students alike. The College of Saint Rose is chartered by the Board of Regents of New York State and accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Academic Programs and Degree Offerings

The College of Saint Rose is approved by the New York State Education Department to offer a variety of degrees and programs, including:

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.)
Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
Master of Science (M.S.)
Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed.)
Certificates and Advanced Certificates
Programs leading to professional licensure, certification, and teacher certification

These programs are conducted through its various schools, such as the School of Arts and Humanities, the Huether School of Business, the Thelma P. Lally School of Education, and the School of Mathematics and Sciences.

Accelerated and Dual Degree Programs

The College of Saint Rose provides opportunities for students to expedite their academic journey through accelerated and dual degree programs. These programs combine an undergraduate (Bachelor’s) degree with a graduate (Master’s) degree, allowing students to earn both degrees in an abbreviated time frame. Undergraduate financial aid awards continue to apply through the graduate degree phase of Dual Degree programs.

To be accepted into a specific accelerated or dual degree program, students must meet the eligibility criteria for that program. At the completion of 110 total credits, both undergraduate and graduate, the student makes the transition to graduate student status.

Accelerated Degree Options are developed by faculty by creating purposeful shared combinations of undergraduate and graduate credits and courses. These options combine an undergraduate program with a graduate program and allow a student to share up to 18 credits between the bachelor’s and master’s degree but not to exceed more than half of the total graduate credits required of the master’s degree. Students enrolled in an Accelerated Degree Option are awarded each degree separately after completing the requirements for that degree.

Exploratory Program

For first-year students who are undecided about their major, The College of Saint Rose offers an Exploratory Program. This program allows students to explore various areas of study while emphasizing self-inquiry, writing, critical thinking, and other skills instrumental to academic success.

All Exploratory students are enrolled in EXY 100 - Explorations during their first semester. This course is designed to give them the tools and information they need to make an informed decision about their major. Students are actively encouraged to select a major by the end of their first year. It's important to note that bachelor’s degrees are not awarded in the Exploratory Program. The Office of Academic Advising assists students with exploring their options or declaring their majors.

Declaring a Major and Academic Minors

All students at The College of Saint Rose must declare an academic major once they have accumulated 60 credits. Majors can be declared at any time prior to completion of 60 credits but must be officially recorded by the time the student has accumulated 60 credits. Students who complete all major requirements for a second major have this fact recorded on their transcripts. Students who pursue a double major are awarded either the B.A. or B.S. degree.

The College also offers the option of academic minors in a variety of disciplines. Academic minors provide students with a prescribed group of courses that can add a special dimension to the major. A minor may also allow students an opportunity to pursue a personal interest or passion unrelated to the major. A maximum of two courses (6-8 credits) for the minor may be equivalent transferred courses or taken pass/fail up to the discretion of the department.

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Pre-Law Program

The College of Saint Rose offers a special program in conjunction with Albany Law School, Pace University Law School, and Western New England University Law School, which facilitates the completion of both an undergraduate degree and the J.D. degree within a six-year period. Undergraduate transfer credit policy will be followed for the purpose of accepting credit from these institutions in completing the undergraduate degree. Students must submit an official transcript from their Law School to The College of Saint Rose after their first year.

This program is open to selected students earning an undergraduate degree in the following majors: Communications; Criminal Justice, Behavior and Law; English; History; History & Political Science; Interdepartmental Studies; Political Science; Psychology.

While the College does not offer an established “pre-law” major, a designated member of the faculty assists students interested in a law career by suggesting those courses best suited to the development of the basic skills and insight needed for law school in conjunction with advice from the student’s major advisor.

Pre-Medical Advisory Program

Faculty members at The College of Saint Rose help to ensure that students who want to go to medical or other health-related schools have the advice, coursework, and support they need to help them prepare an effective application. At Saint Rose, these students are guided by a committee of faculty members who are dedicated to keeping students on track for medical or other health-related schools. Students in the Saint Rose pre-medical advisory program must submit completed evaluation forms.

Each spring semester, the Pre-Medical Advisory Committee offers an optional review of each pre-medical student’s progress by examining individual academic progress reports and performance in core courses. In the fall of the senior year, the members of the Pre-Medical Advisory Committee conduct a thorough evaluation of the pre-medical student’s performance and subsequently compose a Committee letter of evaluation to support the qualified student’s applications to medical school.

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Because entrance to medical school is highly competitive, we advise our pre-medical students to participate in a variety of extracurricular activities to enhance their medical school application packages. Many pre-medical students prepare for the required Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) by supplementing the strong instruction we offer in core courses with an MCAT preparatory course. The Pre-Medical Advisory Committee also encourages students to attend our monthly Science Colloquium Series on current issues in science. Pre-medical students are further advised to participate in the many opportunities we offer for undergraduate research and to engage in volunteer and service-learning activities that bring science and medicine to life. Many pre-medical students choose to pursue internships in a variety of exciting clinical and professional settings.

Students opting this track gain coursework and experience necessary to be competitive for applying to become a physician assistant. No specific undergraduate major is required. Most PA programs require applications to have 500-1000 hours of patient contact experience prior to matriculation in their program. The exact number of hours required varies by school. By the end of the sophomore year it is strongly suggested that students identify PA programs they would like to apply to and look up their specific course and contact hour requirements.

Army ROTC Leadership Program

The College of Saint Rose offers Army ROTC Leadership courses on campus. The ROTC program may be pursued in conjunction with any academic major offered at The College of Saint Rose. The purpose of the courses offered by the Military Leadership Department are to train quality college students to become the future leaders of the United States Army and the civilian community.

The course of study is divided into two parts-the first two years (Basic Course) and the last two years (Advanced Course). Students incur no military obligation while enrolled in the Basic Course and may withdraw from the course at their option. Selection for the Advanced Course is competitive. Students selected for the Advanced Course participate on a contractual basis. (1) Completion of the first two years (Basic Course) allows a student to earn four academic credits towards graduation while qualifying for the Advanced Course. (2) Students may also qualify for entrance into the Advanced Course by selection to the four-week Leadership Training Course (LTC) held the summer between their sophomore and junior year at Fort Knox, KY. Qualified students may compete for two-year scholarships while attending the summer Leadership Training Course. Students may elect to enter the Advanced Course upon successful completion of LTC. All expenses to attend the course are fully funded by the military.

All students accepted into the Advanced Course must attend the Leadership Development and Assessment Course (LDAC) during the summer after their junior year. The purpose of LDAC is to evaluate the leadership potential of officer candidates who wish to pursue a commission in the United States Army. During the senior year, the student has the option of applying for one of two types of commissions. The first type, a Reserve Forces Duty commission as a citizen Soldier with the Reserve Forces, is for graduates wishing to serve in the US Army Reserve or US Army National Guard, while pursuing a civilian occupation. The second option enables graduates to go on active duty, as a Second Lieutenant in their assigned military specialty.

Laboratories offered focus on the application of leadership methods and techniques that are taught in the classroom. Laboratories also stress adventure and outdoor activity as a means to build personal confidence. This is an optional activity for students who are not pursuing a commission. Exciting internships are offered to enrolled sophomores and juniors who qualify. Army Schools. Some of these skills are parachutist certification, rappelling certification and outdoor survival certification. Other internships include foreign language programs in other countries and the opportunity to serve in multiple career fields found in the United States Army as junior leaders. ROTC scholarships are awarded based on a student’s merit and grades.

Study Abroad Programs

Students who are interested in studying abroad can choose from a variety of experiences: Faculty Led Programs, Semester/Year Long Study, and Summer Sessions.

Semester Abroad: Semester abroad programs run an entire semester (3-4 months) and are offered through direct affiliates - overseas institutions and third-party providers. Students take a minimum of 12 credit hours when on a semester program, and they also have the option of (1) adding a service learning component to their study abroad or (2) enrolling in a for-credit internship.
Summer Abroad: Summer abroad programs are for students who want a shorter-term experience and fewer credit hours abroad. Students on summer programs typically take 3-9 hours of credit. These students may also add a service learning component to their study abroad.
Faculty-Led Programs (FLP): A Faculty-Led Program (FLP) is a study abroad experience that is offered in conjunction with an academic class that is taught either fall or spring semester at The College of Saint Rose. The class meets on campus like any regular class, but it also has an additional 1-2 week travel component that typically occurs during a semester break. Students travel with the faculty member and other class members, so there is a high amount of small group interaction.

The Association of Colleges of Sisters of Saint Joseph (ACSSJ) Student Exchange Program offers students the opportunity to enrich their educational experience by studying for a semester or a year at a member campus: Avila University, Kansas City, MO; Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia, PA; Elms College, Chicopee, MA; Fontbonne University, St. Louis, MO; Mount Saint Mary’s College, Los Angeles, CA; Regis College, Weston, MA; St. Catherine University, St. Paul, MN and St. Joseph’s College, New York, NY. Full-time students who have completed at least 24 credit hours and maintain a minimum 2.5 grade point average are eligible to participate. The exchange may be for one or two semesters. The two semesters may be on one campus or a semester each on two different campuses. Students must apply by April 10 for the fall semester, and November 10 for the spring semester.

Experienced Adult Program (EAP)

The College of Saint Rose recognizes college-level learning gained outside the traditional classroom through its Experienced Adult Program (EAP), which enables students to earn credit by documenting their learning through a portfolio process. Credit is granted for knowledge acquired through experience, not for the experience itself. A successful portfolio may include documentation of work experience, volunteer activities, seminars, military service, independent inquiry, other learning activities, or a combination of the above.

The portfolio process begins after a student has been admitted to the College. It should be submitted early in the program, so that the student’s degree plan can stay on track and can accommodate any revisions brought on by portfolio review. A fee is due at the time of portfolio submission. The cost is \$300 for having up to 12 credits assessed; \$425 for more than 12 credits. The fee is for the assessment process; not for credits.

Senior Citizen Programs

The College offers senior citizens, aged 62 and older, the opportunity to audit courses for their personal and professional development. Seniors may begin registration the Friday before the start of a new semester. No tuition is charged and no credit is awarded for courses taken through this program. The College also welcomes senior citizens to any public campus events, such as lectures, concerts, art exhibits, plays, or films.

The College Experience Program

Living Resources is an Albany, New York-based, not-for-profit organization whose mission is to promote and provide life-enhancing services to individuals with disabilities in a safe and secure environment. The College Experience Program provides individuals with developmental disabilities, as well as the Saint Rose students and faculty working closely with them, with real-life experience, perhaps not otherwise available to them.

The College Experience Program at The College of Saint Rose offers a curriculum designed to foster independence and encourage students with developmental disabilities to explore areas of interest both professionally and socially. Students in the College Experience Program have a required course of study and electives. They live in supported apartments close to the College campus. While the students receive residential habilitation support from Living Resources, College Experience Program students are exposed to all that the College campus has to offer.

History Programs at Saint Rose

The History major is part of the history program at The College of Saint Rose. The history major at Saint Rose is not ranked on College Factual’s Best Colleges and Universities for History. This could be for a number of reasons, such as not having enough data on the major or school to make an accurate assessment of its quality.

During the 2021-2022 academic year, The College of Saint Rose handed out 8 bachelor's degrees in history. Of the 8 students who graduated with a Bachelor’s in history from Saint Rose in 2022, 50% were men and 50% were women. The majority of bachelor's degree recipients in this major at Saint Rose are white.

History students may decide to major in one of the following focus areas. For History majors, Albany is an ideal location. History field experiences are readily available. Field experiences are designed to provide students interested in history with an opportunity to investigate public history by working at historic sites, in museums and in historical organizations. Internships are designed to provide students interested in politics with an opportunity to study the political process first hand by working in the New York State Legislature, public offices, law firms, and community agencies. Students are encouraged to take 3-15 credit hours of history field experience or political science internships as part of their general electives for their degree program. They may also pursue up to six credit hours in independent study or directed readings after completing the required upper-division coursework in that geographic area or subfield. At least 33 of the 45 credits required in the major must be completed at The College of Saint Rose.

To strengthen their ability to think critically and present their ideas effectively, all majors are required to take an introductory research methods workshop, upper-division courses that emphasize acquisition of analytical and research skills, and a senior capstone seminar. In this seminar, faculty specialists address a particular topic or related topics and engage with the students in open discussion. Students are normally required to conduct research on these topics and to prepare oral and written presentations. The seminars are usually restricted to seniors.

Independent studies, moreover, are designed to offer exposure to intellectual work that does not fall within the required curriculum and is not offered in the regular course rotation. Departmental majors are required to fulfill their upper division courses in residence.

Tuition and Financial Aid

The average full-time tuition and fees for undergraduates are shown in the table below.

	In State	Out of State
Tuition	\$36,122	\$36,122
Fees	\$1,330	\$1,330
Books and Supplies	\$1,200	\$1,200
On-Campus Room and Board	\$14,394	\$14,394
On-Campus Other Expenses	\$2,100	\$2,100

Financial Aid is defined as any grant, scholarship, loan, or employment opportunity given with the express purpose of assisting you with education-related expenses to make you education affordable. The Undergraduate Admissions Office begins review of Freshman applications each fall in late September for the following Fall. Students are encouraged to submit a complete an application as early as November. The Admissions Team will return a decision on complete applications within just three weeks. Applicants may also apply via the Common Application Online. Art applicants are required to complete a portfolio review.

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