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Types of Courses

Fourth Credit Option for Service Learning & Civic Engagement

The 4th Credit Option awards students one additional credit for performing 30 hours of civic engagement activities and service that is linked to a course. Under this option students may earn up to three liberal arts credits during their college career that may be used as electives toward graduation.

The 4th Credit Option for ACADEMIC SERVICE LEARNING allows students to integrate their academic studies with service to disadvantaged and underserved individuals or groups in the community with a particular academic course. Together with the facilitation of the professor of the course and with a supervisor at the site, students are challenged to find the connection between academic content of a course and experiential learning at a site. This opportunity is available to all students of and all courses in the college.

The 4th Credit Option for ACADEMIC SERVICE LEARNING consists of a student’s commitment to:

• 30 hours per semester, beyond classroom time;
• setting and meeting learning goals agreed upon by the student, the agency and the professor;
• attending an initial orientation;
• participating in TWO discussion sessions and a mid-semester Reflection assignment;
• completion of a final project.

The goals of the program are to provide students the opportunity to:

• Integrate coursework and experiential learning through service, research, and volunteering
• Reflect, with peers, staff and faculty, on experiences and academic links discovered through their civic engagement
• Develop critical analytical skills while exploring underlying problems that face agencies and communities served. 

Internship

The Manhattanville Internship Program offers students an important link between the academic and professional worlds. The College’s location in southern Westchester County, near New York City and Fairfield County, Connecticut, offers easy access to many nearby corporate, governmental and not-for-profit organizations, where students gain valuable experience in internships that complement their course work. The Center for Career Development assists students as they identify and apply for internship opportunities.

After completing 60 credits, students can integrate their academic studies with supervised work experiences by doing an internship on a part-time basis during the academic year or on a full or part-time basis during the summer for academic credit. Students usually register for internships under their major departments and must secure a faculty advisor from that department. They may also do one internship outside the department for interdisciplinary credit. Working with their faculty advisor, students identify learning objectives and formulate an academic project related to the internship. In addition, the employer evaluates the student’s work. A maximum of nine internship credits may be applied to the degree.

Independent Study

The independent study offers selected students an opportunity to work with considerable autonomy in areas not covered in the regular curriculum, under the guidance of an appropriate full-time faculty member. (In rare cases part-time faculty may, with the approval of the department chair and the provost, oversee independent studies.) Independent Studies are usually reserved for upper class students in areas in which they have an appropriate background. Independent Studies are not available in foreign languages, except for advanced literary or cultural study. In order to ensure sufficient planning, students should obtain a faculty supervisor and register for the Independent Study in the semester preceding the one in which it will be taken: i.e., during pre-registration. The standard deadlines regarding add/drop apply to independent study courses. The proposal for Independent Study work must be approved by the faculty supervisor, and should focus on at least one of these options:

Special Readings: The student sets up and works through a reading list approved by the faculty supervisor. A substantial piece of written research is often produced.

Research Project and Field Work: In consultation with a faculty member qualified in the chosen area, the student prepares a proposal for a research project, which is carried out under faculty supervision either in an academic setting or in the field and culminates in a formal paper. After completing the project, the student submits a written report to the faculty supervisor, along with an appraisal by the fieldwork supervisor. Normally the equivalent of only one semester of fieldwork can be applied toward the degree.

 Audit

Individuals may audit courses on a space-available basis and with permission of the instructor. Audit courses are recorded on a transcript but receive no grade or credit and may not be applied to any degree. Auditors may register only after the regular add/drop period for the term has passed. Auditors are required to pay an audit fee listed in the schedule of fees. Senior citizens (age 62 and older) may have this fee waived upon presentation of proof of age at the time of registration.

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