The Academic Achievement Center (AAC) provides free academic support services through a wide range of programs available to all students seeking a successful academic experience.

The AAC offers tutoring services on a walk-in basis or by appointment. Professional Tutors, Peer Tutors, and Learning Specialists work with students individually or in small groups and facilitate targeted study groups and workshops in a variety of subjects. Students work with tutors to integrate and apply effective study skills, learning strategies, time management and organizational skills to their specific coursework to advance and optimize their learning. Online tutoring is also offered free of charge to all Lasell College students through the Academic Achievement Center. Students can work with an e-tutor in various content areas and access a virtual writing lab for feedback on online submissions. The AAC maintains online resources that provide practical strategies for note and test taking, active reading, and writing research papers, among other areas. Students can schedule tutoring sessions via the online scheduling system available through a link on the college website. The Academic Achievement Center is located in the East Wing on the Main Level of the Brennan Library, and is open Monday - Friday.

Learn more about the Academic Achievement Center.

All students at Lasell College are assigned an academic advisor who assists with academic issues, guides them through their transition to college life at Lasell, and helps them prepare for the world after Lasell. Academic advising is a teaching and learning process that engages advisor and student in an ongoing relationship focused on helping the student connect higher education with educational, career, and life goals. Advising promotes active student participation and supports intellectual and personal development toward academic success. Advisors often identify additional resources available to students to help solve problems or meet specific needs. These resources may include the Academic Achievement Center, Registrar's Office, Financial Aid, Career Services, Residential Life, the Health and Counseling Center.  An advantage of attending a small institution is the personalized approach provided, with a network of faculty and staff ready to work with students to help them meet their full potential.

Upon arrival, new students are assigned to a professional advisor according to their major. In the second year, if students have a declared major, they will be assigned a faculty advisor from that major's academic advising team in the summer prior to their second year. If students are enrolled as undeclared majors, they will be assigned a new advisor in the summer prior to their second year if they are declared at that time. If they are not declared by the end of the first year, they will remain with the same professional advisor and be reassigned during their second year once the major is declared. Students meet with their advisors regularly during scheduled advising appointments and during open office hours throughout the semester.

Learn more about academic advising here.

Internships across the curriculum are a critical part of the College's connected learning philosophy. Internships (also known as practica, clinicals, and student teaching) serve several purposes. They help students:

• Apply theoretical knowledge gained through coursework to a non-academic setting
• Learn/strengthen technical, professional, interpersonal, and professional work performance skills
• Demonstrate a strong work ethic in a professional setting
• Explore and refine career choices and next steps toward a professional path to engage in meaningful work
• Network with professionals in the field
• Enhance marketability for employment
• Prepare for future graduate school education
• Work effectively with diverse populations
• Develop strong team-work and collaborative skills
• Develop a sense of civic engagement

Each academic major's internship practices are designed to meet licensure, certification, and professional requirements and expectations, and, thus, internships differ across departments. In every major, internships are an integral component of a comprehensive program, which includes course preparation, the internship work experience, mentoring, guided supervision, reflection, and typically a presentation of learning outcomes. Internship fieldwork hour requirements can range anywhere from 120 to 400 hours in a semester, and some majors require more than one internship.

Learn more about Internship Programs at Lasell.

Lasell’s curriculum offers the flexibility to enable students in most majors to reduce the time it takes to complete a bachelor’s degree to 3 or 3½ years. By planning early, in consultation with an academic advisor, students can explore several possibilities for accelerating their progress towards the degree. These options may include taking up to 18 credits in several semesters with no extra charges (although, occasionally, it may be necessary to take and pay for more than 18 credits in a semester), earning additional credits during online summer and January sessions with substantially reduced tuition charges, and/or earning credit for previously acquired knowledge by taking the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) exam. In addition, some students may apply college credits earned from Advanced Placement high school courses or from high school dual enrollment programs.

Lasell College is Accredited by:

• The New England Commission on Higher Education
• The Commission of Accreditation of Athletic Training Education
• The Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education
• Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs 
• Massachusetts Board of Higher Education (Criminal Justice program)
• The Commission on Sport Management Accreditation  (Undergraduate Program)
• The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs

View more information on Lasell College Accreditations  

Every student at Lasell completes her or his undergraduate education with an intellectually rigorous academic experience that brings together knowledge and skills learned in the major and the Core Curriculum, while providing a bridge to the profession. The capstone is usually completed during the senior year and combines internship experience, research project, seminar, and independent study as appropriate to the major.  Through a variety of connected-learning projects and activities, students have the opportunity to demonstrate proficiency in the fourteen Core Student Learning Outcomes, as well as departmental learning outcomes. The capstone experience emphasizes skills in writing, speaking, research, information literacy, as well as technology, appropriate to individual majors and professions. Above all else, student work in the capstone experience demonstrates preparedness for the demands and requirements for success in his or her chosen profession.

The Center for Academic Advising and First Year Programs provides a centralized location for all first-year students' academic advising services. Located on the main level of the Brennan Library, the Center for Academic Advising is open from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM every weekday. In addition, the Center oversees all academic advising for undergraduate students, and serves as an additional resource for students and faculty. The Center for Academic Advising and First Year Programs provides additional services for first-year students including First Year Seminar Peer Mentoring and Peer Advising. The Center aims to help students succeed as productive members of the Lasell College community.

Learn more about the Center for Academic Advising and First Year Programs here.

The Lasell College Center for Community-Based Learning provides support and opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and community organizations to engage in mutually beneficial projects to help drive the College's mission of civic engagement and democratic practice. Community involvement deepens academic learning; promotes values of citizenship; provides practical, project-focused experience; and develops initiatives that make a direct and lasting contribution to local communities and society. The Center works with students, faculty and community partners to design and implement community service-learning projects as an integral component of the connected learning philosophy at Lasell College, and the Center provides service leadership training across campus to help students increase their communication effectiveness, understanding of diversity, self-awareness, accountability, and ability to meet challenges creatively and with resourcefulness.

Service-learning takes many forms: tutoring/mentoring elementary and middle school students, supporting agencies serving victims of domestic violence; building and/or renovating low-income homes in the United States; becoming stewards of the environment both locally and in Ecuador; mentoring underserved youth; providing service through fashion; visiting with the elderly; promoting voter registration; and raising awareness and resources for pressing local and global issues such as health pandemics, poverty, and natural disasters. Important on-going programs include: literacy and math tutoring, Alternative Spring Breaks  focused on addressing community needs in a selected state, early college awareness mentoring.

The Center works with individual students to help them find community experiences, develop internships in non-profit agencies and create service-learning linked credit courses.

Learn more about the Center for Community-Based Learning.

Lasell students showcase their connected learning each semester through a Connected Learning Symposium. Launched in the Spring of 2002, the Symposium has grown to include presentations, displays, exhibitions, and performances, as well as the School of Fashion's Project Runway. These events gather the Lasell community in celebration of the collaborative accomplishments of students and faculty, helping to further establish the relevance of teaching and learning beyond the walls of the classroom. 

The numbering system used to identify the course offerings described in this catalog is based on a division into the following levels:

100   Introductory courses, survey courses; only courses numbered 101 or higher are counted toward the student's degree, either as requirements or electives
200   Secondary level courses focusing on specific genres or periods; application of theory courses
300   Advanced level courses emphasizing synthesis of information based on broader foundations and applications of knowledge
400   Advanced seminars and baccalaureate degree internships

190   Independent or Directed Study at the 100 level
290   Independent or Directed Study at the 200 level
390   Independent or Directed Study at the 300 level
490   Independent or Directed Study at the 400 level
Students who wish to apply for Independent or Directed Study should consult with the appropriate department chair before April 1 for the following fall semester or December 1 for the following spring semester.

700   Graduate Course level

Each course description identifies the prerequisite work a student should have completed before enrolling in the course. In cases of special interest, students may request the permission of the instructor or department chair to enroll in courses for which they have not completed the designated prerequisite.

Lasell College undergraduate students can enroll in additional courses at Regis College in Weston at no additional cost, earning credits and grades towards their degrees just as they do for Lasell courses. Students are able to register for selected Regis courses in business, fine and performing arts, foreign languages, and the sciences, among others, through the Lasell Registrar's Office. The additional Regis courses add to the more than 450 courses already available to students at Lasell.

Any Lasell student classified as a sophomore, junior, or senior during the semester in which the course is taken may complete one course a semester at Regis. To be eligible, students must be in Good Academic Standing (2.0 minimum GPA) and enrolled in a minimum of 12 credits at Lasell for that semester.

Students are responsible for transportation to Regis. However, the Regis shuttle makes a stop at the Riverside T station, so students are able to coordinate travel between the two campuses. Information about the Regis shuttle schedule is available at the start of each semester.

Additional information about specific courses available to Lasell students and the cross-registration process is available each semester through the Registrar's Office.

All Lasell College students complete 42 credits in the Core Curriculum, and the core student learning outcomes guide learning across all majors within Lasell's unique connected learning environment. With its emphasis on multidisciplinary thinking, inquiry, ethical reasoning, and problem-solving, the Core provides the basis for the skills and breadth of knowledge students need to succeed in the working world.  

CORE COURSES  

Foundational Requirements:

•  FYS 103     First Year Seminar                               3
• ENG 101    Writing I                                                 3
• ENG 102    Writing II                                               3
• MATH 106 Algebraic Operations                              3

Knowledge Perspectives                                                                

• Aesthetics & Creativity                                             3
• Global & Historical                                                    3
• Individuals & Society                                               3
• Scientific Reasoning & Problem-Solving                 3

Quantitative Literacy Requirement                          3  

Multidisciplinary Experience  (MDSC203)            3

 Ethical Reasoning  (PHIL302)                                   3

2 Writing-Intensive courses                                        6

1  Speaking-Intensive course                                       3

Total minimum Core Curriculum Credits           42

The Core Curriculum is made up of inquiry-based courses and internship and capstone experiences, creating a common core learning experience for students each year. As the courses increase in depth and complexity, students develop knowledge, skills, and ownership of their education, and create the habits of lifelong intellectual exploration and social responsibility.

The theme-based First Year Seminar emphasizes the core intellectual skills, while providing an introduction to the knowledge perspectives; connected learning projects and challenging class assignments incorporate synthesis and application.

In the first year, students also complete a self-paced, technology-enhanced mathematics course and take two courses focused on writing skills. Students build on the skills in writing and quantitative literacy established in these foundational courses in two writing-intensive courses within the major and an additional mathematics course, often also within the major. In addition, one speaking-intensive course within the major focuses on oral presentation and speaking skills.

Four courses taken during the first two years engage students in understanding and solving problems they will encounter in their professional and personal lives from four different Knowledge Perspectives: Aesthetics and Creativity, Scientific Inquiry and Problem Solving, Global and Historical Perspectives, and Individuals and Society.

A Multidisciplinary Experience course, usually taken in the sophomore year, introduces a social or intellectual problem (such as sustainable cities) that cannot be addressed from a single knowledge perspective. Faculty guide students through a critical thinking process that crosses traditional disciplinary lines.

The Ethical Reasoning course, usually taken in the junior year, challenges students to analyze and grapple with real, current moral dilemmas, and their complex ethical solutions, by connecting cultural and historical ways of understanding ethical thinking with professional standards.  

In their last two years, students further integrate the Knowledge Perspectives, refine the Core Intellectual Skills, and practice high-level Synthesis and Application in  courses within their majors. The Capstone and Internship Experiences serve as the culmination of the Core Curriculum where students experience the highest level of connection between Core and Department outcomes, skills, and knowledge.  

The Nancy Lawson Donahue '49 Institute for Ethics, Diversity, and Inclusion focuses on fostering awareness about social identities and inequalities, enhancing sensitivity to the moral dimensions of choices individuals make, and collaborating to promote a welcoming and inclusive environment for all members of the Lasell Community. To this end, the Institute sponsors forums that not only augment, but also transcend classroom experience. In addition, the Institute collaborates in coordinating and integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in all divisions at Lasell College. 

Each semester, the Donahue Institute sponsors presentations, panels, workshops, and films on various local and global issues such as intercultural competence, institutional and interpersonal oppression, food insecurity, and mass incarceration. Other regular programs such as the "Student Voices" series involve students in panel discussions and community conversations around issues like socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, and other social themes. The Donahue Institute also works with students to encourage civic engagement, including voting and student activism. The Institute collaborates with faculty and staff to provide programming that connects classroom learning to the wider community. Students are actively involved in initiating and planning Donahue-sponsored events.

See more at:
http://www.lasell.edu/academics/academic-centers/donahue-institute-for-ethics-diversity-and-inclusion.html

International and other students admitted to Lasell College who require English as a Second Language (ESL) support will be assessed for appropriate placement based on TOEFL scores (or an equivalent) and, if needed, individual conferences. Students will be placed into Level 1 or Level 2 accordingly. Each level provides the students with a supportive structure with special attention to the individual student's level of language acquisition (see Course Descriptions), structured ESL tutoring, and support for transitioning to the American culture and American system of higher education. Students will be assigned to the Academic Achievement Center (AAC) during specific times when an ESL specialist, Communication tutors and/or other tutors are available to provide individualized attention to language acquisition needs. Students can elect to use the AAC more than the structured two-hour time block.



  Support for Students' Transition to American Culture and Lasell College:
In order to ensure that all students in the program have easy access to an academic advisor, follow the appropriate course sequences, and make best use of available services, students will be assigned to an academic advisor in the Academic Advising Center for the first year. The advisor will monitor students' progress and address needs as they arise while helping new students learn to navigate resources at Lasell College.

The Fifth Year Option at Lasell College allows undergraduate students with high academic standing to earn both their undergraduate and graduate degrees in as little as five years.

Students may qualify to pursue a Master of Education in Elementary Education (M.Ed Elementary), a Master of Education in Moderate Disabilities (M.Ed. Moderate Disabilities), a Master of Science in Communication (MSC), a Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MSCJ), a Master of Science in Nutrition for Health and Human Performance (MSNHH), a Master of Science in Rehabilitation Science, a Master of Science in Management (MSM), or a Master of Science in Sport Management (MSSM) with approximately one additional year of study.

Students who wish to pursue the 5th Year Option must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or greater and inform their advisor during their freshman or sophomore year by completing the Fifth Year Option Declaration of Interest form.

Planning is essential to success in this program. In addition to the opportunity to complete one or two blended semesters, students may be eligible to waive two courses (6 credits) required in the core curriculum of the MSC, MSNH, MSRS, MSM, MSSM, or M.Ed. Students should select courses in close consultation with both their advisor and Chair of the relevant academic department. Program choice and course load may affect time to master's degree completion. NOTE:  Students who wish to pursue an MSCJ (Master of Science in Criminal Justice) are not eligible to waive two courses.  They can participate in the blended semester, however, and take 1-2 graduate courses in their senior year in close consultation with both their advisor and Chair of the relevant academic department. During each blended semester, students complete their undergraduate degree requirements and simultaneously enroll in one graduate course (3 credits) that will count toward their master's degree. Students must earn a grade of B (3.0 GPA) in their graduate classes. (Note: Graduate course credits cannot be applied toward the fulfillment of the student's 120 undergraduate degree credit requirement.) In a blended semester, students are required to take a minimum of 12 undergraduate credits and one graduate course. In each blended semester, students are not permitted to enroll in more than 18 credits. Senior students registering for their blended semester(s) need to complete a Graduate Course Eligibility form during pre-registration for their first semester senior year. This form is necessary for the Registrar's Office to determine student eligibility. In the final semester of the senior year, Fifth Year Option students will submit an Application for Graduate Admission along with one letter of recommendation and a one page personal statement. The application fee is waived. Students seeking further information regarding the Fifth Year Option should contact:

Lasell College, Office of Graduate Enrollment
1844 Commonwealth Avenue
Newton, MA 02466
617-243-2400 gradinfo@lasell.edu

Master of Education
As described below, through completion of either set majors, minors, or various course combinations, and participation in the blended semester, students can earn as many as 12 credits towards the required 36 credits to earn the M.Ed. Many of the undergraduate courses listed have prerequisites. For complete information on master's degrees, please refer to the graduate section of this catalog.

Education Majors:
Students who complete these undergraduate majors and their bachelor's degree with a minimum 3.00 cumulative grade point average (GPA) can request a waiver of six (6) credits from the Graduate Admission Office. (Note, students must complete these courses with a grade of B or higher.)

Other Undergraduate Majors:
Any Lasell student who successfully completes (with a grade of B or higher) the course combinations listed below can request a waiver of six (6) credits from the Graduate Admission Office. Students must also carry a minimum 3.00 GPA.

Master of Science in Communication
As described below, through completion of either set majors, minors, or various course combinations, and participation in the blended semester, students can earn as many as 12 credits towards the required 36 credits to earn the M.S.C. Many of the undergraduate courses listed have prerequisites. For complete information on master's degrees, please refer to the graduate section of this catalog.

Communication Majors: 
Students who complete these majors and their bachelor's with a 3.00 cumulative grade point average (GPA) can request a waiver of six (6) credits from the Graduate Admission Office. (Note: students must earn a B or higher in the course combinations listed below.)

Communication Minors: 
Students who complete the undergraduate communication minor and their bachelor's degree with a 3.00 cumulative grade point average (GPA) can request a waiver of six (6) credits from the Graduate Admission Office. (Note:  students must earn a B or higher in the course combinations listed below.)

Other Undergraduate Majors: 
Any Lasell student who successfully completes (with a grade of B or higher) the course combinations listed below can request a waiver of six (6) credits from the Graduate Admission Office. Students must also carry a minimum cumulative 3.00 GPA.

Master of Science in Management
As described below, through completion of either set majors, minors, or various course combinations, and participation in the blended semester, students can earn as many as 12 credits towards the required 36 credits to earn the M.S.M. Many of the undergraduate courses listed have prerequisites. For complete information on master's degrees, please refer to the graduate section of this catalog.

Business, Sport Management, and Fashion/Retail Merchandising Majors: 
Students who complete these undergraduate majors and their bachelor's with a 3.00 cumulative grade point average (GPA) can request a waiver of six (6) credits from the Graduate Admission Office. (Note: students must earn a B or higher in the course combinations listed below.)

Business Minors: 
Students who complete the undergraduate business minor and their bachelor's degree with a 3.00 cumulative grade point average (GPA) can request a waiver of six (6) credits from the Graduate Admission Office. (Note: students must earn a B or higher in the course combinations listed below.)

Other Undergraduate Majors: 
Any Lasell student who successfully completes (with a grade of B or higher) the course combinations listed below can request a waiver of six (6) credits from the Graduate Admission Office. Students must also carry a minimum 3.00 GPA.

Master of Science in Nutrition for Human Performance
As described below, through completion of either set majors, minors, or various course combinations, and participation in the blended semester, students can earn as many as 12 credits towards the required 36 credits to earn the M.S.N.H.H.P. Some of the undergraduate courses listed may have prerequisites. For complete information on master's degrees, please refer to the graduate catalog.

Athletic Training/Exercise Science Majors:
Students who complete these majors and their bachelor's with a 3.00 cumulative grade point average (GPA) can request a waiver of six (6) credits from the Graduate Admission Office. (Note: students must earn a B or higher in the course combinations listed below.)

Athletic Training/Exercise Science Minors:
Students who complete the undergraduate minor and their bachelor's degree with a 3.00 cumulative grade point average (GPA) can request a waiver of six (6) credits from the Graduate Admission Office. (Note:  students must earn a B or higher in the course combinations listed below.)

Other Undergraduate Majors: 
Any Lasell student who successfully completes (with a grade of B or higher) the course combinations listed below can request a waiver of six (6) credits from the Graduate Admission Office.  Students must also carry a minimum cumulative 3.00 GPA.

Master of Science in Rehabilitation Science
As described below, through completion of either set majors, minors, or various course combinations, and participation in the blended semester, students can earn as many as 12 credits towards the required 36 credits to earn the M.S.R.S. Some of the undergraduate courses listed may have prerequisites. For complete information on master's degrees, please refer to the graduate catalog.

Athletic Training/Exercise Science Majors:
Students who complete these majors and their bachelor's with a 3.00 cumulative grade point average (GPA) can request a waiver of six (6) credits from the Graduate Admission Office. (Note: students must earn a B or higher in the course combinations listed below.)

Athletic Training/Exercise Science Minors:
Students who complete the undergraduate minor and their bachelor's degree with a 3.00 cumulative grade point average (GPA) can request a waiver of six (6) credits from the Graduate Admission Office. (Note:  students must earn a B or higher in the course combinations listed below.)

Other Undergraduate Majors: 
Any Lasell student who successfully completes (with a grade of B or higher) the course combinations listed below can request a waiver of six (6) credits from the Graduate Admission Office.  Students must also carry a minimum cumulative 3.00 GPA.

Master of Science in Sport Management
As described below, through completion of either set majors, minors, or various course combinations, and participation in the blended semester, students can earn as many as 12 credits towards the required 36 credits to earn the M.S.S.M. Many of the undergraduate courses listed have prerequisites. For complete information on master's degrees, please refer to the graduate section of this catalog.

Sport Management:
Students who complete these majors and their bachelor's with a 3.00 cumulative grade point average (GPA) can request a waiver of six (6) credits from the Graduate Admission Office. (Note: students must earn a B or higher in the course combinations listed below.)

Sport Management Minors:
Students who complete the undergraduate sport management minor and their bachelor's degree with a 3.00 cumulative grade point average (GPA) can request a waiver of six (6) credits from the Graduate Admission Office. (Note:  students must earn a B or higher in the course combinations listed below.)

Other Undergraduate Majors: 
Any Lasell student who successfully completes (with a grade of B or higher) the course combinations listed below can request a waiver of six (6) credits from the Graduate Admission Office.  Students must also carry a minimum cumulative 3.00 GPA.

The First Year Seminar (FYS) is part of the Core Curriculum and a requirement for all incoming first year students and transfer students with fewer than 15 credits. The First Year Seminar is a theme-based inquiry course that engages students in a specific area of interest while providing support for a smooth transition into the Lasell College community and the Connected Learning philosophy. Through studying an academic topic, students develop and apply core intellectual skills and receive an introduction to the core knowledge perspectives. At the same time, students connect to the experiences and people that make up the Lasell College Community. Course outcomes are accomplished through engaging activities including reading, writing, class discussions, presentations, team projects, field trips, and exploration of campus resources. Civic engagement and service-learning activities are often part of this course as is participation in the Connected Learning Symposium. Through the seminar, students develop close ties with faculty and peer mentors who serve as advocates for first year students' academic success. Past course titles have included: Challenging Hollywood: Thinking Critically about Movies, Exploring Activism-Changing Our World, Let Us Rock, Pets: Our Perfect Companion, The Meaning of Dress, The “Reality” of Relationships, The Spark of Creativity, The Witch in History and Pop Culture, Women and Sports, and Zombies, Vampires and Revolutionaries. This requirement may be fulfilled by taking either FYS103 or HON101 (for students enrolled in the Honors Program).

A Lasell College education is grounded in the opportunities to learn in professional settings that best prepare students for their careers. The Holway Child Study Centers at Lasell-- the Rockwell Nursery School and the Barn -- serve as laboratory schools on campus where students apply the skills and knowledge of many of the different majors offered at the College.

The Honors Program offers an intensive setting for intellectual and social development and provides a range of academic and professional benefits, including close work with individual faculty and collaborative work with highly motivated peers in many majors.

The Program strives to foster independent thinking and social responsibility, enthusiasm for intellectual inquiry and learning, and an appreciation for the power and relevance of ideas. It maximizes engagement with Lasell hallmarks - student-centered teaching and connected learning - through a mix of discussions, field explorations, customized research projects, leadership training, and community-based service.

The Honors Program aims to produce interdisciplinary thinkers and problem-solvers with a critical moral sensibility who are able tot hin from global perspectives. Students gain the skill to research problems and approach solutions from a number of angles as they develop the leadership strategies to organize action and implement solutions.

In addition, the Honors Program provides many benefits, including an intensive setting for development of oral and written communication skills, critical thinking, leadership training through team-building, service-learning and community-based projects, opportunities for internships, conferences, seminars and professional networking through National and Regional Honors Associations, and formal recognition including Honors designation on the student transcript.

Designation as a Lasell Honors Program graduate is noted on the student's official transcript and receives special recognition at Commencement. Honors Program's nationally represent a high level of academic achievement and unique accomplishments that demonstrate initiative and responsibility.

Objectives
The objectives of the Honors Program are consistent with the educational objectives of the College, but designed for highly motivated students to work more intensively and creatively to achieve the following:

• To improve skills in writing, critical thinking, and problem-solving 
• To improve oral communication, listening and presentation skills
• To work collaboratively with peers
• To approach issues from an interdisciplinary and global perspective
• To connect theory to practice by completing a community-based project
• To demonstrate analysis and action on social justice through community service

Overview of Program Requirements
Courses: Honors students take four Honors courses, one each year at the College.
Components: In addition, each year they select a project in one of their regular non-Honors courses, converting that project into an "Honors Component" conducted for Honors credit (four Components total).

This "4 Course + 4 Component" sequence is designed to blend with any student's major, minor and set of interests.

Four Honors Courses
Each year, students take one course available only to Honors students.

Four Honors "Components"

Typically, students will undertake Honors Components in the semesters they are not taking an Honor Course (listed above). Components represent a customized education; each component may be designed by the student and professor to deepen knowledge of course subject matter, to apply subject matter of the course to the student's major or career goals, or to sharpen skills the student would like to hone.

Two Components must be in courses at the 200 level or above.
Other Component options may be offered. Honors students are notified of options through the Registrar and the Honors Director. Guidelines and sample Components are available from the Honors Director.

Continuing Eligibility Requirements
Students must pass all Honors courses and components with a grade of C or better. Students must maintain a 3.5 overall cumulative average to continue in the Honors Program. If they are unable to do this, they may be placed on "Honors Probation" for one semester. If they demonstrate eligibility at the end of that semester, in consultation with the Honors Program Director, they will regain good standing in the Honors Program.

Our approach to technology is based on the College's philosophy of connected learning, infusing the classroom environment with the most current systems, websites, and social media. Lasell integrates technology and multimedia systems throughout the curriculum and community to support students' academic and co-curricular endeavors. All campus classrooms are equipped with technology to support an engaging, interactive learning environment. Industry specific software and systems are available in the computer labs, and students utilize these systems in their course projects. The Technology Help Desk is located on the ground floor of Brennan Library and Help Desk staff provide 24/7 support services for students, faculty and staff. Our high-speed wireless network covers all residence halls and classrooms as well as most public areas throughout the campus.  

Read more about Technology for Students at Lasell College.

International service-learning at Lasell, also referred to as Shoulder to Shoulder Programs, offers a collection of cultural immersion and service-learning programs in which Lasell students learn about various social justice issues within a global context. Students in these credit-bearing travel courses engage in academic coursework taught at Lasell in addition to spending time in their chosen destination for 7-14 days. Students live in the style of their host community while learning and working "shoulder to shoulder" with local partners. The Shoulder-to-Shoulder programs include a variety of service-learning projects including environmental studies, ESL instruction and curriculum development, and social justice. Each project shares the ultimate goal of connecting the local with the global and vice versa.

Lasell currently offers Shoulder-to-Shoulder programs in Antigua, Vietnam, Ecuador, Tanzania, and Mexico.
Learn more about Lasell's International Service-Learning Programs.

Students must submit an online application by the posted deadline. Participants must be in good academic and disciplinary standing. Please note that Shoulder-to-Shoulder programs are designed for participation prior to degree completion. Participation by seniors in spring semester programs will be approved on an exceptional basis.

For more information, students should visit the Office of International Services on the 2nd floor of the Arnow Campus Center, or contact the office to set up an appointment by email at studyabroad@lasell.edu or phone at (617)-243-2398.

The Jessie S. Brennan Library contains a collection of more than 41,000 items in-house, and through the library webpage, provides access to over 86 databases that include over 45,000 online journals, 62,450 e-books and over 55,300 streaming and digital video and audio titles. The library provides 24/7 access to resources, services and research assistance.

As a member of the Minuteman Library Network, the library shares resources with 42 libraries, including six academic libraries. This allows us to provide easy access to over six million items, all searchable through a shared online catalog.

Library staff offer a variety of services, in-person and virtual, and a number of resources, both in physical and electronic formats, that support research, teaching, and learning. The research staff, in support of the teaching mission of the College, offers a variety of programs and services to help Lasell students to become good researchers and critical thinkers. Students receive assistance and training in classes and with the help of a librarian at the research desk.

There are over 60 computer workstations (PC and Mac), along with printers and scanners located throughout the library, which also houses the Winslow Archives, the Academic Achievement Center, the Kyo Yamawaki Curriculum Library, and several group study rooms. The library is open seven days a week during the regular academic year.

 

Visit the Brennan Library website.

Lasell's Early Action Partnership for Student Success (LEAPS), led by a faculty-staff LEAPS Committee, enhances and coordinates the academic warning system to support academic advising. In addition to the individual conferences that occur informally between students and faculty, several formal mechanisms are also in place. These mechanisms are important advising tools that create opportunities for students, especially first-year students, to discuss their academic progress and explore appropriate resources such as classroom faculty, academic advisors, the Academic Achievement Center, and the Counseling Center. Students who receive a LEAPS notice via email are asked to speak with their advisor as soon as possible to resolve the issue.

Learn more about LEAPS.

The Lasell curriculum builds upon the concept of "connected learning," which combines breadth in the arts and sciences, professional/technical coursework, and educational projects that tackle real issues. Connected learning refers to explorations of issues, problems, and events through in- and out-of-classroom activities and projects. Lasell College strives for students to be so engaged with academic subject matter that learning itself matters to them in ways that go beyond meeting course requirements and earning grades. We thereby emphasize the idea of Lasell students being productive versus consumptive learners as they become committed simultaneously to a successful and rewarding career, an ongoing life of intellectual exploration, and active citizenship. Through course-based projects, internships, clinical experiences, and on- site training, all of Lasell's degree-granting programs center on students' understanding of the value of their academic work as they prepare to become imaginative and ethical practitioners in their chosen professions.

In support of its commitment to connected learning, Lasell has created several on-campus opportunities for linking classroom and professional experience. For instance, students across the curriculum work with experienced teachers and children at our on-site Child Study Centers. The Athletic Training students work with Lasell athletes in a state-of-the-art training facility. The Fashion program brings experts from a wide variety of companies and organizations to campus to interact with our Fashion majors. Students plan, organize and produce an annual departmental fashion show during the spring semester that highlights student- designed garments; additionally students are active throughout the year working on industry related events with various organizations in the greater Boston area.  Lasell College Radio engages Communication majors as well as students across the curriculum in hands- on media production, as does The 1851Chronicle, the College's student newspaper, and Polished, which is becoming one of Boston's premier fashion, culture, and trends magazines. Criminal Justice and Legal Studies students learn about the court system through participation in Mock Trials. Our Exercise Science Lab allows students to practice and master assessment and rehabilitative techniques as they learn them in class. At the College's annual Fall and Spring Connected Learning Symposia, students showcase their academic accomplishments in a professional conference-like setting.

The College experience aids students in forming a view of life, and this includes understanding not only the requirements of a successful professional career but also the positive contribution one can make as an active community member and global citizen. Lasell's Center for Community-Based Learning provides opportunities for volunteer work as well as course-based community service-learning projects, including a variety of domestic and international service learning trips. Lasell's Donahue Institute for Ethics, Diversity, and Inclusion fosters awareness of the importance of a civil society and sensitivity to the moral dimensions of choices individuals make. The Institute sponsors various events and programs in support of its mission.

Lasell College is known nationally for its living-learning retirement community, Lasell Village. Although Lasell Village is among a growing number of College-affiliated retirement communities in the country, it is the first to feature a formal, individualized, required continuing education program for its residents. The Village provides a host of intergenerational learning opportunities. Lasell College students can work and learn at Lasell Village in a variety of program related internships, as well as interact with Lasell Village residents on campus in classes, at College events, and by working collaboratively on a variety of on or off-campus projects.

Lasell College academics are designed to provide a supportive and empowering environment for every student. A low student to faculty ratio ensures close attention to varying learning styles. The academic advising system focuses upon and fosters the development of personal initiative and decision-making; the advisor serves as a facilitator and a guide, helping the student to make choices rather than making choices for the student. There are many additional support services offered at the College to facilitate student learning, as well as ensure the quality of co-curricular life, and academic and professional planning. These include the Academic Achievement Center (AAC), Registrar's Office, Financial Aid, Career Services, Residential Life, the Health and Counseling Center, and The Center for Spiritual Life. Connected learning beyond the curriculum also includes a wealth of opportunities for leadership development and participation in organizations and College activities.

The goal of the Lasell Plan of Education is to provide educationally sound and engaging opportunities for each student to realize his or her fullest potential. Lasell College students graduate with an enriched sense of the contribution they can make in their profession and their community, enhanced confidence in their ability to learn and grow, and an eagerness to meet the challenges they will face throughout their personal and professional lives.

Lasell Works combines selected academic majors with a heightened professional focus while dramatically reducing the cost of education by reducing tuition $22,000 over four years. When combined with other potential cost reductions, a student's total savings over four years can be as much as $38,000. Students benefit from not only declining tuition each year, but also an enhanced learning experience.

The program provides all of the elements of our traditional bachelor's degree with an added series of five professionally focused credit-bearing seminars woven throughout the Lasell Works experience.  Seminars emphasize leadership, financial literacy, as well as professional and career development. In their sophomore year, Lasell Works students live off-campus and courses are provided on-line.  Students maintain part-time employment, which is linked to a professional development seminar, earning income and credit at the same time.  With the exception of the above-mentioned enhancement seminars, freshman, junior and senior years for Lasell Works students are similar to those of other students not in the program. Learn more about Lasell Works here.

Linked-Credits are one credit experiences linked to a host course, involving work in an area that is tied to the classroom experience. Linked-Credits provide connected learning opportunities in areas that support the mission of the College and that often tie into the work of various Centers at the College.

There are four possible Linked Credit options:

Service-Learning (SVL)
For this credit, students do 15 to 20 hours of service learning with an agency off campus, coupled with reflection on the social justice issues related to the service agency. Students wishing to enroll in the SVL linked credit meet with the Director of the Center for Community Based Learning, and the professor of their host course before enrolling.  

Social Justice Activism (SJA)
For this credit, students participate in activities aimed at promoting opportunities for all people and addressing inequities by raising awareness or advocating for change. Working towards social justice requires that the root causes of injustice be investigated - the structural/social conditions that bring about group disparities and exclusion. Students wishing to enroll in the SJA linked credit meet with the Director of the Donahue Institute for Ethics, Diversity, & Inclusion and the professor of their host course before enrolling.   

Research Across the Curriculum (RAC)
For this credit, students conduct a research project that extends an area of study in the host course. Students wishing to enroll in the RAC linked credit meet with the Director of the Fuss Center for Research on Aging and Intergenerational Studies and the professor of their host course before enrolling.   

Intergenerational Studies (IGS)
For this credit, students design and complete a project that compares some aspect of thought or behavior across individuals of different ages. Students wishing to enroll in the IGS linked credit meet with the Director of the Fuss Center for Research on Aging and Intergenerational Studies and the professor of their host course before enrolling.   

As part of the academic advising process, course instructors issue progress reports at approximately the mid-point of each semester, by a deadline determined by the Registrar. Students receive a "GD" ("Good") when they are evaluated at the time to be doing work at a grade level of B or above; they receive an "S" ("Satisfactory") when they are evaluated at the time to be doing work between a grade of C and B-; and they receive a "WA" (Warning) when they are evaluated at the time to be doing work at a grade level of C- or below. Students who are freshman-standing or sophomore-standing will receive progress reports in-person from their advisor. Students who are junior-standing or senior-standing may access their progress reports through Self-Service. In an effort to support Lasell's "green" initiative, the Registrar distributes the progress reports and warning notices electronically to academic advisors in the form of a PDF. After meeting with freshman and sophomore students, advisors may either forward the PDF to the student, or may print a hard copy for the student's record. Mid-term progress reports are indications of progress at points-in-time. They are to be understood as prompts for working constructively to do the best work possible in a course; they are not, in any way, indications of what a student will earn for a final course grade.

The RoseMary B. Fuss Teaching and Learning Center provides leadership and support for active, engaged, and connected learning, teaching, and assessment in face-to-face, web enhanced, and online environments, as well as promoting faculty scholarship and professional development.  Through on-campus workshops and consultations, active participation in professional organizations, and presentations by faculty and staff on pedagogy and scholarship, the Center disseminates effective practices found in Lasell classrooms and throughout the higher education community.

How to connect with us:
Visit us in the Teaching and Learning Center on the ground floor of Brennan Library: If you'd like to consult on tools, strategies, and resources to design or teach your course, the Center staff can help with using our learning management system, web-based resources, generating class discussions, creating and evaluating integrative assignments, or any of your teaching questions. 

You can make an appointment by emailing TLC@Lasell.edu or you're welcome to drop by.

Email or call: You can reach any of the staff at TLC@Lasell.edu or 617.243.2001 (x2001 if you're on campus).

Set up a classroom visit: If you'd like feedback during your class, we're happy to come by. If your students are using an application that you'd like us to demonstrate, we can work with you to visit your class in person or virtually. 

Learn more about the RoseMary B. Fuss Teaching and Learning Center.

Established in 2001, the RoseMary B. Fuss Center for Research on Aging and Intergenerational Studies promotes intergenerational connections through research, education, partnerships, and programming. Located at Lasell Village, the Center hosts conferences, lectures, and other events that address issues related to aging and intergenerational relations. The Center also facilitates research studies initiated by members of the Lasell College community and provides research support to scholars and groups from outside the College community who wish to explore aging and intergenerational issues.

The Center sponsors the Talk of Ages website, a web resource for integrating aging content and intergenerational activities into college classes.

Learn more about the RoseMary B. Fuss Center for Research on Aging and Intergenerational Studies.

Service-learning, a form of connected learning, is both an action-oriented teaching method and an educational philosophy. Through public service projects, students apply classroom material to address real life challenges and social justice issues in and beyond the Lasell campus. Typically, service-learning projects are developed in response to a community need and are undertaken with a non-profit organization. Assignments include students' preparation for and engagement in service, as well as reflection on the service experience, particularly as that experience relates to larger social structures, US culture, and global relationships. In addition to service-learning course projects and service-learning internships, students may also elect the Linked Credit Service-Learning Option (SVL 115, 215, 315, or 415) that is offered in selected courses. Students register early in the semester after the instructor presents this option. To earn a linked credit, which receives a separate grade, students conduct public service projects combined with an academic assignment, which could take the form of essays, reports, journals, oral presentations, portfolios, or other creative products as determined by the instructor. A linked credit service-learning selection is an attractive feature on a student's academic transcript. A student who completes three linked credit options receives credit for a three-credit arts and sciences or unrestricted elective. See the course description section of the catalog for further information and restrictions.

Lasell College is an institution committed to fostering a learning environment where students strive for excellence.  Lasell College provides appropriate and reasonable accommodations to ensure that no student is discriminated against on the basis of his/her disability. Students with disabilities are very capable individuals who experience some kind of challenge that may call for accommodations to foster success in the classroom. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the College provides accommodations for eligible students with documented disabilities to afford equal access to educational programs and services.

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), "disability" is "having a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities." Lasell College also accepts the definition of "learning disability," defined in Public Law 94-142, as a "disorder in one or more of the basic processes involved in understanding and using language, spoken or written, which may manifest itself in an imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell or do mathematical calculations."

All disability accommodations are determined on an individual basis, making use of submitted comprehensive disability documentation as well as confidential consultation with the student. The determined accommodations may differ from those previously provided to a student, as the accommodations must appropriately address the current impact of the disability on the student's performance and the anticipated functional impact within a collegiate setting.  Disability Services helps all students fully access the academic, residential and social aspects of student life at Lasell College. For information about the process of requesting and accessing appropriate academic accommodations, contact the Director of the Academic Achievement Center & Learning Disabilities Services. To request residential accommodations, contact the Director of Disabilities Services and Coordinator of Student Conduct.

Lasell College ensures FERPA compliance, and therefore all documentation submitted will remain confidential. It is the student's responsibility to disclose a disability, and it is up to the student to continue the accommodation process by communicating his/her needs to the faculty and/or other appropriate college personnel. Lasell College recognizes the right of the student to determine who receives disability-related information, as well as the right to confidentiality.

For more information, click here.

Speaking Across the Curriculum is a campus-wide initiative that gives students the opportunity to hone their speaking and listening skills by engaging in various forms of presentation throughout their major course of study. 

The goal of the Speaking-Intensive Course is to provide students with an opportunity to develop their speaking skills in formats important to their programs of study. The Speaking-Intensive Courses build on the speaking skills introduced in First Year Seminar, and a series of communication workshops, by including instruction on how to speak in a particular discipline. In each major, students will take at least one Speaking-Intensive Course at the lower (100/200) level and one at the upper (300/400) level. While the types of assignments in Speaking-Intensive Courses will vary by major, all assignments will provide students with practice in using listening and speaking skills to express ideas and information clearly and confidently in a variety of settings.

Students enrolled in Speaking-Intensive courses are also offered free professional and peer- tutoring support through The Academic Achievement Center (AAC). Further, students may also choose to take a 1-credit Seminar in Speech Tutoring course to become a peer speech tutor in the Academic Achievement Center (ACC).

The Sophomore Alternative Semester (SAS) program allows students entering their second year at Lasell to pursue full-time online coursework at a reduced cost, while working and living away from the Lasell campus. Students in the SAS program are required to work for 16 - 20 hours per week at a part-time job that is linked to an online 3 credit Professional Development Seminar course emphasizing professional exploration and development. Students in the program are required to enroll in three or four additional academic online courses, for a total of 12 to 15 credits. The group of students enrolled in the program take all of their courses together as a single cohort.

All courses are offered at a reduced rate, and no Lasell institutional aid is available. However, students are eligible for federal, state and outside financial aid.  The direct cost of the SAS program is dependent upon individual award packages.
To be eligible for the Sophomore Alternative Semester (SAS), students must:

• submit the SAS application
• have a cumulative G.P.A. of 2.0 or higher by the end of their first year of study
• have successfully completed at least 24 credit hours by the end of their first year of study
• be in good academic, financial, and disciplinary standing
• have off-campus housing during the SAS program

All interested students are encouraged to meet with their academic advisors to explore the SAS option thoroughly.

Learn more about the Sophomore Alternative Semester here.

Study Abroad-International Education

Lasell encourages students to explore international opportunities including a semester spent studying abroad at a foreign university, short-term faculty-led service learning programs, and international internships. International exposure and cross-cultural learning enriches the educational experience through knowledge of another country and culture. By studying abroad, students build confidence and gain a new perspective on the world and their place within it. 

In order to make studying abroad accessible to all students, Lasell uses a home-school tuition model for semester abroad programs. Lasell students studying abroad for a semester pay tuition, fees, room and board to Lasell, and Lasell pays the study abroad program directly. Financial aid is awarded as if the student is on campus full-time and living in residence. Institutional (Lasell) financial aid as well as state and federal aid is available on the same basis.

Lasell offers over 75 study abroad programs in more than 40 countries, including three international partner institutions with tailored study abroad programs for Lasell students; Universidad Veracruzana in Mexico, Letterkenny Institute of Technology in Ireland, and Franklin University in Switzerland. Students who wish to study abroad during their time at Lasell can visit the Office of International Services for information and guidance on study abroad opportunities. The Office holds several programs throughout each semester also designed to inform students about study abroad opportunities.

Students are encouraged to discuss study abroad with their academic advisors, in addition to meeting with an advisor at the Office of International Services to find the best fit academically and personally for their study abroad experience. The staff in the Office of International Services will provide guidance on the study abroad process, information about additional scholarship opportunities, and can connect students with returned study abroad students called Global Ambassadors to receive peer-to-peer advice. Once a student has made the decision to go abroad, a specific application process must be followed. Students must first indicate the approved program they are applying for and submit an online application to Lasell's Office of International Services. If accepted, the student will then apply directly to the study abroad program.

The typical timing for semester-long study abroad is during the fall semester of the junior year. The spring semester is also permitted if there are compelling reasons why a student cannot go in the fall semester (such as fall athletics). Study abroad is not allowed during the freshman year or during student's final semester at the College. Under certain circumstances, students with an exceptional academic record may be allowed to study abroad during their sophomore year, if this better fits the needs of their academic program, and if their academic advisor approves their application. Only students with an overall GPA of 2.5 are allowed to study abroad; several programs abroad require a higher GPA than 2.5. Falling out of good academic standing after applying to a study abroad program renders students ineligible to study abroad, and students must then assume responsibility for any non-refundable costs that may have been incurred in setting up the experience.

For more information, students should visit the Office of International Services on the 2nd floor of the Arnow Campus Center, or contact the office to set up an appointment by email at studyabroad@lasell.edu or phone at (617)-243-2398.

Lasell College offers online undergraduate courses during the fall and spring semsters, as well as two intensive sessions in the summer and one in the winter.  Summer and winter sessions provide undergraduates with an opportunity to accelerate their degree program by earning credits during the summer and winter term, or to earn credits so that they can stay on track for their intended graduation date if they have, for some reason, fallen behind in credits. Some courses will fulfill Core Curriculum requirements; some may fulfill major requirements; and some may be taken as unrestricted electives.

Students may also complete the academic internship requirement during the summer, in most majors, earning credits for a professional internship and an online course; please see individual department internship requirements.

Click here for more information about on line undergraduate courses at Lasell.

First Year Writing
In their first year, students take two writing courses, Writing I followed by Writing II. Writing I and Writing II provide students with the tools and confidence to be prepared for the writing situations they will encounter in their other courses at Lasell, in the professional world, and in their personal lives as active and engaged citizens. Writing I focuses on writing as a process and introduces students to a variety of strategies and techniques to use as writers. Writing II builds on what students learn in Writing I and focuses on research and public writing.


Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC)
Students engage in writing throughout their entire educational career at Lasell College. First year students take two writing courses, Writing I and Writing II, and upper class students take two Writing Intensive courses in their major. The goal of the Writing Intensive Courses is to build on the tools and skills learned in English 101 and 102 and provide students with guidance and instruction on how to write for a particular discipline.  In each major, students will take one Writing Intensive Course at the 200 level and one at the 300/400 level. While the types of assignments in Writing Intensive Courses will vary by major, all assignments will provide students with practice in writing clear, well-organized persuasive prose. Additionally, faculty in a wide variety of courses incorporate multiple types of writing into their classes as a way to help students learn and engage with the course material. 

Learn more about the Writing Program here.