The Adult Student

Adult Learner Application (Acrobat Reader required, available below) Alternative Credits for Adult Students Accel Program Postbaccalaureate Teacher Certification
College of St Joseph has a long and successful history of serving adult learners. If you are an adult seeking to continue your education, the College of St. Joseph is the right place for you! Both day and evening classes are available. Approximately 80% of our night students and 20% of our day students are adults. Courses required for a degree are cycled so that most degree programs can be completed by attending only in the evening if desired.   An adult learner is defined by the College as anyone age 22 or older. Many adults who apply for admission to the College have been out of school for many years. Because of this, we place less emphasis on the high school or previous college records in evaluating students for undergraduate study. More emphasis is placed on the nonacademic growth experiences a student may have had since the last participation in a formal educational program.
CSJ offers academic advising by our professional, full-time staff. We will counsel you into courses that fit your background and interest. If you are uncertain about your skills, CSJ offers placement tests to determine which courses are right for you. CSJ will help you make the transition back to school through its counseling, career development, and academic support services.
Although all academic programs at CSJ are available to adult students, there are a number that are designed specifically for adults: Alternative Credits - includes Harvest program for life experience ACCEL - accelerated, full-time program for a bachelor's degree in organizational leadership Postbaccalaureate secondary education teacher licensure program Alternative Credits for Adult Learners The College acknowledges that adult learners may enter the college with knowledge attained through modes outside of formal college and university instruction. Consequently, as a means to evaluate student knowledge at entry, a variety of options that assess student learning are sanctioned. The college allows eligible adult learners to translate their experience into college credit through a variety of options including: Standardized tests and our Harvest program. By participating in alternative credit options, students may reduce the number of classroom hours needed to attain a degree. Students planning to earn a degree from the College of St. Joseph may enroll in the Harvest program at any time during the spring, fall or summer academic sessions. Learning is evaluated through a variety of assessment tools including: Portfolios College Level Examination Program (CLEP) Defense Activities for Non-traditional Education Services (DANTES) American Council of Education (ACE) Program on Non-Collegiate Sponsored Institutions (PONSI) American Council of Banking (AIB) Challenge Exams ACCEL The Bachelor of Arts Degree in Organizational Leadership was created for experienced individuals as a catalyst for career advancement. This unique curriculum contains 14 modules that are scheduled sequentially over a period of three semesters and have a combined value of 42 semester hours. The term modules signifies the integrated nature of this curriculum; it is not a collection of independent courses. Each module is taken with a cohort group of 15-20 students who remain together throughout the 18 months of the program. The program's learning outcomes are designed to enhance communication, understanding of management principles and processes, decision-making and problem-solving skills, and lifelong learning. Program learning outcomes are designed to enhance leadership ability to: Communicate effectively in a variety of settings. Understand how individuals and groups influence organizational behavior. Understand and apply management principles and processes. Develop comprehensive decision-making skills. Apply the research process to organizational problem solving. Understand ethics in a professional and world view context. Gain lifelong learning skills. ACCEL Program Admission Guidelines Documentation of relevant work experience. Approximately sixty (60) semester hours of credit from an accredited institutions) with a grade of "C" or better. Grade Point Average of 2.0 or better on a 4.0 scale for all previous college work. Official transcripts from high school (GED accepted as well) and all post-secondary institutions attended. One letter of recommendation. Checklist for Starting ACCEL Complete/send application with $25 application fee. (available below) Have all previous colleges/universities send transcripts to the Admissions Office. Have personal recommendation form completed and sent to us. Send high school transcripts/GED. After acceptance, a $200 deposit is required (the deposit will be credited toward first semester charges). Print/View an Application for Adult Learners  (Acrobat Reader required, available at bottom of page) Postbaccalaureate Teacher Certification for Secondary Education in English and Social Studies (History) This program fulfills the requirements for Secondary Education Licensure in Vermont for individuals who have an appropriate bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution and who want to teach either English or Social Studies (History) at the secondary level. Admission Guidelines To be considered for acceptance into the program, a candidate must: Present a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education with a major (at least 30 semester credit hours) and a 2.5 grade point average in either an English or Social Studies field - such as Anthropology, American Studies, English (English/Creative Writing or English/Communications, etc.), Economics (as a social science), Geography, History, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Liberal Arts or some other interdisciplinary area with a concentration in either English or Social Studies. Demonstrate computer and communications skills, and broad study in the liberal arts and sciences with evident achievement of the knowledge and competencies associated with the CSJ General Education Core. Satisfying the general education requirement at most institutions will ordinarily meet these expectations, but additional course work and/or an English competency test might be required of some entrants. Provide a reference from a person able to speak to the applicant’s potential to succeed in the program and as a professional educator. Pass the PRAXIS I and appropriate sections of the PRAXIS II national teacher test. Submit an essay explaining the reasons for seeking a career as a secondary teacher. Interview with the Director of Secondary Education and other faculty. An official academic transcript of the bachelor’s degree is to be submitted as part of the application process and will be analyzed to determine the degree’s eligibility for and parity with CSJ’s program in Secondary Education. If either the course work or GPA do not meet the entrance requirements outlined above, an applicant might be denied entry or invited to take courses at CSJ by which to qualify for later formal admission into the program. TOP OF PAGE