SAINT MARY-OF-THE-WOODS COLLEGE

Distance Education Program
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana

Founded in 1840, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) is the nation's oldest Catholic liberal arts college for women and is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The College offers the rich traditions of academic excellence and dedication to educating women personally and professionally for responsible roles in society. The diverse student community of 1,700 includes traditional resident students, commuters, and distance learners at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The College also enrolls men in all adult and distance programs, including the Woods External Degree (WED) Program and all graduate programs. A hallmark of the College is an emphasis on personalized service.

The general studies curriculum required of all undergraduates is designed to develop the communication and analytical skills needed for success in college and in the professional world.

Distance Learning Program

Since 1973, the Woods External Degree (WED) Program has provided the College curriculum to contemporary adult women and men who juggle multiple responsibilities yet need or want a college degree. Now serving 1,200 students, this structured but flexible independent-study program is based on self-paced semesters ranging from five to twenty weeks. Semesters that begin with in-person appointments with instructors and faculty advisers, and a degree can be earned in one of more than thirty majors.

Delivery Media

Faculty members and students communicate by telephone, e-mail, and postal service. All full-time faculty members, some adjuncts, and many students have access to e-mail. All students must have access to computers with modems for communication, word processing, and research. Some courses use videotapes, audiotapes, or optional computer programs.

Programs of Study

The College is chartered to grant the Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Master of Arts degrees.

Undergraduates complete the general studies curriculum, courses required for their chosen major, and additional electives to total 125 semester hours for a baccalaureate degree and 65 semester hours for an associate degree; a minimum of 30 hours must be earned at the College.

Associate majors available through WED are accounting, early childhood/child development, general business, gerontology, humanities, and paralegal studies. Baccalaureate majors include accounting, accounting information systems, business administration, computer information systems, digital media communications, E-commerce, education (preschool–grade 3/mild intervention, elementary, secondary, and special), English, gerontology, history/political science, human resource management, human services, humanities, journalism, marketing, mathematics, not for-profit administration (several areas), paralegal studies, professional writing, psychology, social sciences (history concentration), and theology. Teacher licensure is also available for men and women who have already earned a bachelor's degree.

There are no geographical restrictions, except that education majors must reside within 200 miles of campus for faculty supervision of field experience and student teaching.

The Master of Arts in pastoral theology program is designed for persons who are or plan to be engaged in ministry and for those seeking personal enrichment in theological study.

The Master of Arts in earth literacy program is designed for persons who care for and advocate a sustainable and just earth community.

The Master of Arts in art therapy program emphasizes understanding and applying theories to art therapy, counseling, and psychopathology.

The Master of Arts in music therapy program is designed for professional music therapists who seek an advanced understanding of the therapeutic uses of music, especially as applied to psychotherapy and medicine. Master of Arts degrees require 36 to 40 credit hours.

Special Programs

SMWC offers several learning formats: traditional campus-based study, distance learning, and alternative format courses, a third format that combines independent study with intensive weekend seminars on campus. WED students may combine these formats in any semester of study; about 450 choose to enroll in weekend alternative format courses each year. However, all degrees offered through WED may be completed entirely through distance learning at home, with the exception of a few digital media communication courses, which must be taken via alternative format on campus on weekends.

Student Services

Full-time faculty members serve as academic advisers to the WED students in their departments, meeting each semester to monitor progress and plan subsequent semesters. A WED staff of 7 provides additional support, advocacy, registrarial assistance, and information, including a quarterly newsletter for distance learners. WED staff members also provide referrals to other campus services, such as career development (available by phone and in person) and library materials by mail.

Credit Options

Students may transfer credit earned at other accredited colleges and universities, although some credits may be too dated to meet the requirements. WED encourages students to earn credit for previous college-level learning through CLEP and DANTES, ACE/PONSI awards, and portfolio applications documenting other prior learning. At least 30 semester hours of course work must be earned under the direct supervision of SMWC faculty members to obtain a degree from SMWC.

Faculty

Fifty-seven full-time and 55 adjunct faculty members serve as instructors and academic advisers to WED students. Sixty percent of full-time faculty members have doctoral or other terminal degrees.

Admission

Applicants must have earned a high school diploma or GED certificate and demonstrate potential for success in a distance learning program. Academic history, employment and other life experience, writing skills, and stated goals are considered. Applicants for whom English is a second language must submit TOEFL scores. Applications and all documentation should be submitted at least thirty days prior to the planned enrollment date.

Tuition and Fees

For 2005–06, undergraduate tuition for the WED program is $342 per semester hour. Fees include a $30 application fee, a one-time fee of $80 for the initial on-campus residency (not including housing), an annual $70 technology fee, and modest materials fees for laboratory courses.

Financial Aid

Available financial aid includes Federal Pell Grants, student loans, and, for residents only, Indiana Higher Education Grants. The College awards small WED grants to eligible seniors and offers 10 percent tuition discounts through cooperating employers; this institutional aid totaled more than $63,000 in 2003–04. Finally, the WED staff maintains a directory of private grants and scholarships and encourages WED students to apply for them. Approximately 75 percent of WED students receive some form of aid.

Applying

Applications are reviewed when all materials are received; the evaluation process is usually completed within a month. Two-day orientation residencies are held on campus several times each year and conclude with enrollment in the initial semester.

CONTACT

Office of Distance Education Admission
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana 47876
Phone: 812-535-5106
800-499-0373 (toll-free)
Fax: 812-535-5010
E-mail: wedadms@smwc.edu
Web site: http://www.smwc.edu