The Arts and Sciences undergraduate program requires a minimum of 128 credit hours of study and at least one internship or practicum experience. These credits are earned through a combination of degree requirements, electives and career development opportunities in the city of Boston and beyond. The degree requirements are comprised of four components which each contribute to students' achieving the goals of the undergraduate program. Remaining credits are earned with elective courses. Often, students use electives to complete a minor program or benefit from the special academic opportunities offered.
Institutional Learning Outcomes
Emmanuel College prepares students to:
Emmanuel students address complex realities across diverse areas of inquiry, drawing on deep connections formed through the study of the liberal arts and sciences and a chosen discipline. Through critical analysis, balanced reflection and active discourse, they confront vital issues equipped with the intellectual tools to imagine solutions. Students emerge with a deeper appreciation for the pursuit of knowledge as a pathway to a more meaningful, creative and enriching life.
Students of Emmanuel College are able to apply knowledge to real-world challenges by engaging in creative and ethical problem solving. As people who value and promote diversity, graduates work on multiple levels to advance their organizations and all whom they serve and employ. Students see themselves as part of a larger whole and add value through teamwork and leadership, recognizing the need to be agile and forward-leaning in their chosen professions.
Inspired by Catholic social teaching and by the values of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, students honor the dignity, worth and gifts of every human person. Through vibrant discussions, they reflect on their own moral reasoning and on diverse perspectives-including voices that have been historically silenced. As active participants in campus life, they develop the interpersonal and leadership skills to practice courageous advocacy. And throughout Boston and beyond, they experience the joy of serving others while finding purpose by addressing inequality. These transformative experiences empower students to discover their strengths and a deeper sense of personal identity; grow emotionally, morally and spiritually; and gain the confidence to embrace their convictions through social action.
The Curriculum
Students are required to demonstrate minimum competency in areas Emmanuel deems necessary for higher learning and functioning in today's world. Students fulfill these requirements either through coursework or demonstration of competency. The following courses fulfill the requirement for each foundational skill:
- Writing communication skills: ENGL1103 First-Year Writing
- Second language skills: Two consecutive semesters of a foreign language or American Sign Language or demonstration of skill.
The knowledge, skills and habits of the mind developed through the study of the liberal arts disciplines and their respective methods of inquiry, their concepts and vocabulary, their creative and critical processes, and their contributions to human knowledge are basic to the goal of developing the intellectual, aesthetic and moral sensibility assumed in a person liberally educated for life. Courses that fulfill these requirements are marked with the abbreviations noted in parentheses in the course descriptions section of the Academic Catalog.
The major program allows students to develop depth of knowledge and skills in an academic discipline. Students choose a major program offered by Emmanuel or develop an individualized major. Majors lead to either a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Bachelor of Science (B.S.), or Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (B.F.A.). Typically, majors leading to a B.A. require 40 to 48 credits, whereas majors leading to the B.S. or B.F.A. require between 60 and 68 credits. At least 50% of the credit hours counting towards the major requirements must be completed at Emmanuel.
See our Programs of Study page for a list of majors and their requirements.
The Capstone is the culminating experience of the undergraduate program. Through this experience, students demonstrate achievement of program goals through academic work that exhibits knowledge and skills appropriate to the degree-level of the program. The nature of the Capstone Experience requirement depends on the major program. Students who double major will complete multiple Capstone Experiences, as each major program defines an appropriate culminating experience. In all majors, the Capstone Experience involves completing a significant piece of work that requires the integration and application of learning from multiple courses. Students should consult with their academic advisors early in their majors to ensure that they are prepared for the work required in the capstone courses.
Just a few examples of capstone experiences are:
- Research or Applied Internships (PSYCH), through which students participate in work experience in clinical or social service placements or as research assistants either on campus with a faculty member or off-campus at a number of sites (Boston Children's Hospital, etc).
- Strategic Management (MGMT4304), through which students focus on both the strategy process (assessing company performance, identifying problems and possibilities and putting plans into action) and the ethical issues and social responsibilities that should be addressed in the formulation and implementation of strategic decisions.
- Programming in SAS (MATH4101), through which students develop and pursue an independent research project using SAS software, designed for advanced analytics, multivariate analyses, business intelligence, data management, and predictive analytics.
- Graphic Design: Senior Studio (ART4432), through which students explore user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design through a series of projects focusing on app development. The course is designed to be an incubator where students actively research, prototype and document their design process in preparation for their senior thesis.
- Advanced Accounting (ACCT4201), which requires students to apply and integrate a variety of skills, tools and knowledge to address contemporary issues and problems facing the accounting profession.
