Undergraduate Academic Information

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, and the Center for Spiritual Life. 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 work performance skills
• Demonstrate a strong work ethic in a professional setting
• Explore and refine career choices and professional next steps
• Enhance and develop professional skills
• Network with professionals in the field
• Enhance marketability for employment
• Prepare for future graduate school education
• Work with diverse populations
• Develop strong team-work and collaborative skills
• Develop a sense of civic engagement
• Focus on or develop a professional path to engage in meaningful work

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. Some majors, such as Human Services, Sociology, Psychology, Athletic Training, Sport Management, Justice Studies and Education 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 Association of Schools and Colleges
• 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. Although the experience may vary in some of the details according to major, it usually consists of some combination of internship experience, research project, seminar, and independent study completed during the senior year. 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, and information literacy, as well as in use of technology, as 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 in Bancroft House, the Center for Academic Advising is open throughout the entire day 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. 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 and faculty 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 with creativity and resourcefulness.

Students and faculty engage in a wide range of service including: tutoring in public schools, supporting agencies serving victims of domestic violence; providing tax assistance for Greater Boston residents; building and/or renovating low-income homes in the United States and Mexico; 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 (America Reads & Counts), an Alternative Spring Break focused on addressing community needs in a selected state, early college awareness mentoring, and mentoring for children affected by domestic violence.

Learn more about the Center for Community-Based Learning.

The Lasell College Fall and Spring Connected Learning Symposia include presentations, displays, exhibitions, and performances by Lasell students. Launched in the Spring of 2002, the Symposia showcase students' academic work within a connected learning environment. These end-of-semester 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 week-long Spring symposium culminates with Project Runway, the undergraduate and senior fashion shows.

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.

Students develop and refine their competencies in all 14 of Lasell’s core student learning outcomes through courses in the Core Curriculum and in the majors. Opportunities for students to develop competencies for each outcome are described below:

INTELLECTUAL SKILLS

These skills are essential to success across professional fields. They are introduced in key courses and are integrated into all majors at Lasell.

• Read and respond in an informed and discerning way to written texts of different genres

Lasell introduces students to this learning outcome with the common reading during the summer before they matriculate, and reflections on the common reading are then integrated into the First Year Seminar. Additional assignments in First Year Seminar and first-year writing courses require critical reading of diverse texts. All majors include two writing-intensive courses – one upper level and one lower level – that, in support of other courses in the major, apply critical reading skills to increasingly complex texts. Projects in the culminating capstone experience require reading texts in a sophisticated way needed for entry into the student’s chosen profession or further study on the graduate level.

• Write clear, well-organized, persuasive prose

Two first-year writing courses introduce foundational skills; two department-based writing-intensive courses – one lower level and one upper level – emphasize these skills and support their application to the disciplines. Students continue to reinforce and sharpen their writing skills throughout their major programs of study, as well as in the Core Curriculum, especially in Knowledge Perspective courses, the sophomore multidisciplinary course, and the junior Ethics Experience. Senior capstone courses in each major feature significant written products appropriate to their professional context. Examples include grant proposals, research papers, team-developed analyses, and research-based design statements.

• Use listening and speaking skills to express information clearly and confidently in a variety of settings

Discussion-based first-year courses, especially First Year Seminar and first-year writing courses, introduce students to foundational speaking and presentation skills. Two department-based speaking-intensive courses – one lower level and one upper level – emphasize these skills and support their application to the disciplines. Students continue to reinforce and sharpen their listening, speaking, and presentation skills throughout their major programs of study, as well as in the Core Curriculum, especially in Knowledge Perspective courses, the sophomore multidisciplinary course, and the junior Ethics Experience. Senior capstone courses in each major feature individual and group presentations that demonstrate preparedness for professional work and future graduate study. The Connected Learning Symposium provides opportunities every semester for students to make poster and oral presentations in a professional conference-like setting.

• Apply quantitative reasoning to solve problems effectively

A modular course in algebraic operations introduces students to foundational quantitative reasoning skills in the first year. Students’ quantitative reasoning skills are reinforced through an additional Math course, such as Calculus or Statistics, usually determined by the major.  Additional course work emphasizes quantitative reasoning skills, as appropriate, through a variety of courses in disciplines such as Economics, Accounting, Environmental Studies, and Fashion Design, among many others. A Math minor offers an opportunity for students to complement their major with a program of study that concentrates on quantitative reasoning skills.

• Use appropriate technological tools to solve problems efficiently

From the first year on, all Lasell students become more proficient and efficient in the use of Moodle, our Learning Management System, which is introduced to them during Summer Orientation. Faculty integrate technology tools into course work across the curriculum so that students gain the skills to use and benefit from simulations, software applications, and other tools needed to succeed in their chosen professions.  In addition, students gain skills at using presentation tools, which they demonstrate at the Connected Learning Symposium every semester.

• Collect, analyze, and synthesize appropriate data and sources effectively, ethically, and legally

Writing II introduces all first-year students to the fundamentals of using research materials though library information literacy sessions and research assignments. Designated courses in every major emphasize the importance of these skills as they apply to specific disciplines, and the skills are reinforced through progressively more complex course work in the major, as well as in components of the Core Curriculum, including Knowledge Perspective courses, the sophomore Multidisciplinary course, and the junior ethics experience. Many students hone their research skills through independent Directed Study projects, linked credits, and Honors components. All students apply these skills to comprehensive assignments in their capstone courses.

• Work effectively in collaborative settings

Consistent with Lasell’s project-focused Connected Learning philosophy, courses in most majors and in the Core Curriculum require group projects that emphasize the importance of team work and collaboration. Beginning with First Year Seminar and culminating in major capstone courses, students collaborate with both faculty and peers on research projects, service learning projects, and Honors Components. Every semester, students demonstrate their collaborative efforts in presentations at the Connected Learning Symposium.

KNOWLEDGE PERSPECTIVES

Through the Knowledge Perspectives, students become acquainted with ways that professionals ask questions, solve problems, and communicate their results. An ability to understand and use these perspectives supports students’ career success. First Year Seminar introduces all students to a “splash” of each of the four Knowledge Perspectives, while designated courses taken in the first two years provide a more in-depth experience. Courses in the majors, as well as co-curricular activities, apply the skills to professional and practical contexts.

• Experience modes of self-expression and creativity (Aesthetics & Creativity)

Following the “splash” in First Year Seminar, a course such as Art History I, Popular Music, or Dance Explorations provides a foundation for understanding and appreciating aesthetic principles and the creative process. Students may choose to explore this Knowledge Perspective further in relation to one of the other Knowledge Perspectives in a Multidisciplinary course taken in the sophomore year. Courses within certain majors, such as Fashion Design, Graphic Design, and Communication, emphasize this KP, while many students choose minors such as Studio Art and Graphic Design that do so, as well. Many students take electives in the arts and/or pursue co-curricular activities, such as Chorus, drama productions, and dance, that apply aesthetic principles in creative practice. Much of this work is on display at the Connected Learning Symposium at the end of every semester.

• Apply the process of scientific inquiry to comprehend the natural world and to solve problems (Scientific Inquiry & Problem-Solving)

Following the “splash” in First Year Seminar a course such as Astronomy or Forensics provides a foundation for understanding and appreciating principles of scientific inquiry. Students may choose to explore this Knowledge Perspective further in relation to one of the other Knowledge Perspectives in a Multidisciplinary course taken in the sophomore year. Courses within certain majors such as Athletic Training, Exercise Science, and Environmental Studies emphasize this KP. Work in these courses is often on display at the Connected Learning Symposium at the end of every semester.

• Interpret and analyze the complex interrelationships and inequities in human societies in a global and historical context (Global / Historical Perspectives)

Following the “splash” in First Year Seminar,  all students take HIST 104: World Civilization II sometime in their first two years. In this team-taught and highly interactive course, students are immersed in the kinds of inquiry and discourse that historians use to understand world events over time in a global context. Selected courses in most majors and minors reinforce this Knowledge Perspective, and some, like History, Sociology, and Human Rights, emphasize it. Students have additional opportunities to develop skills related to this Knowledge Perspective through programming by the Donahue Institute for Ethics, Diversity, and Inclusion, and the Fuss Center for Research on Aging and Intergenerational Studies, participation in international service-learning programs, and Study Abroad.

• Evaluate and understand how individual differences in mental processes and behaviors relate to beliefs, values, and interactions (Individuals & Society)

Following the “splash” in First Year Seminar, a course such as Psychological Perspectives or Sociological Imagination introduces students to connections and interactions between individual beliefs and behaviors and societal values and norms. Course work in several majors, such as Psychology and Human Services, and certain minors, like Aging and Intergenerational Studies, emphasize this Knowledge Perspective, and disciplines associated with it, such as Psychology, Sociology, and Criminal Justice, offer courses that are popular electives for students in many other majors. Many students explore this Knowledge Perspective more deeply through linked-credits in service-learning, social justice activism, and intergenerational studies. Students have additional opportunities to develop skills related to this Knowledge Perspective through programming by the Donahue Institute for Ethics, Diversity, and Inclusion, and the Fuss Center for Research on Aging and Intergenerational Studies, participation in international service-learning programs, and Study Abroad.

SYNTHESIS AND APPLICATION

These outcomes call on students to integrate skills, knowledge, and experiences in their major courses, field work, and Core courses. The related skills are essential for members of workplace and civic communities.

• Analyze how meanings and knowledge are created by diverse cultures and how they evolve over time

Many of the Knowledge Perspective and Multidisciplinary courses in the Core Curriculum introduce students to critical analysis, especially in the context of cultural diversity. Certain majors, like English Literature, and minors, like Diversity and Inclusion, emphasize these skills, as do selected courses in most other majors and minors. Many students develop these skills of synthesis and application related to issues of diversity further through linked-credits in service-learning, social justice activism, intergenerational studies, and research, as well as through programming by the Donahue Institute for Ethics, Diversity, and Inclusion and the Fuss Center for Research on Aging and Intergenerational Studies, and especially through participation in international service-learning programs and Study Abroad.

• Respond critically and analytically to moral issues and make informed, ethical decisions

While courses in all majors introduce students to ethical issues and moral reasoning, and many majors have specific requirements related to professional ethics, the Junior Ethics experience offers students the most comprehensive academic opportunity to apply and synthesize modes of ethical reasoning and practical decision-making. Many students develop these skills of ethical reasoning and moral decision-making further through linked-credits in service-learning, social justice activism, intergenerational studies, and research, as well as through programming by the Donahue Institute for Ethics, Diversity, and Inclusion and the Fuss Center for Research on Aging and Intergenerational Studies and participation in international service-learning programs.

• Participate actively as a citizen in communities both large and small

First Year Seminar and many Knowledge Perspective and Multidisciplinary courses introduce students to principles and practices of active citizenship, and these are reinforced through service-learning requirements in certain courses in every major. Many students develop these skills of synthesis and application related to active local and global citizenship further through linked-credits in service-learning, social justice activism, intergenerational studies, and research, as well as through programming by the Donahue Institute for Ethics, Diversity, and Inclusion and the Fuss Center for Research on Aging and Intergenerational Studies and participation in international service-learning programs. Active local and global citizenship is a signature theme of the Lasell College Honors Program.

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.

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, individual conferences, and/or the English placement exam and 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 transition 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 three-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 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.

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 FYS 103 or HON 101 (for students enrolled in 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 to think 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 College involves credit-bearing coursework coupled with a one to two week community service field experience, working "shoulder-to-shoulder" with community members in another country. Lasell has offered programs in Brazil, Mexico, Nicaragua, Uganda, and most recently, in Antigua, Ecuador, Belize, Vietnam, and Tanzania.

Learn more about Lasell's International Service-Learning Programs.

The Jessie S. Brennan Library contains a collection of more than 67,000 items, and through the library webpage, provides access to over 80 databases that include 31,140 text journals, along with e-books and e-journals. 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 (Apple and pc-based), 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 available through an online reservation system. 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.

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.

Examples of work that students might do include being a tutor for America Reads, America Counts, or ACES Early College Awareness Program, helping build trails through a nature preserve, being a peer mentor in a local recreation program, or developing a website or planning an event for a non-profit agency.

Social Justice Activism (SJA)
For this credit, students participate in activities specifically aimed at promoting social justice and that act to address issues of justice by raising awareness or advocating for change.

Examples of work that students might do include petitioning, lobbying, participating in or organizing a march or protest, or doing voter education/registration.

Research Across the Curriculum (RAC)
For this credit, students conduct a research project that extends an area of study in the host course.
Examples of work that students might do include completing a content analysis of a particular aspect of the media, surveying and analyzing student opinions on a political issue, or conducting an experiment on social behavior.

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. Examples of work that students might do include writing an in-depth paper on parenting practices or work habits across different generations, gathering narratives of children's and adolescents' best friends, or examining changes in an artist's work across his/her lifetime.

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 Nancy Lawson Donahue ‘49 Institute for Ethics, Diversity, and Inclusion has as its mission, fostering awareness of the importance of a civil society, and creating sensitivity to the moral dimensions of choices individuals make. To this end, the Institute sponsors forums that not only augment but also transcend, classroom experience. The Institute coordinates and integrates diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in all divisions at Lasell College.

Each Fall, the Donahue Institute hosts a Donahue Distinguished Scholar, who leads discussion in different classes, meets with students and faculty informally and gives a public lecture. Other regular programs such as the "Student Voices" series involve students in panel discussions and debates, and a film series forms the basis for discussion around issues of race, gender and other social themes. Every semester, the Donahue Institute sponsors lectures or debates on various local and global issues such as hunger and genocide, domestic violence, crime, military intervention, and international trade policies. The Donahue Institute also works with students to encourage civic engagement, including voting and student activism. The Donahue Institute collaborates with faculty to provide programming that connects classroom learning to the wider community. Students are actively involved in initiating and planning Donahue-sponsored events.

The RoseMary B. Fuss Teaching and Learning Center, located on the ground floor of Brennan Library, 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. An internal website provides resources and tutorials for faculty and students.

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.

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. Types of assignments in Speaking-Intensive Courses will vary by major.

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.

Lasell encourages students to study abroad and/or do internships abroad. Study abroad helps students gain independence, maturity and confidence. It broadens the educational experience through knowledge of another country and culture, and gives a new perspective on the world and on the USA. Study abroad can entail a semester of coursework at a foreign university, an international internship, or international service-learning. Lasell has a home-school tuition model - this means that students studying abroad for a semester through one of our affiliate programs are regarded as full-time Lasell students and pay Lasell tuition, fees, room and board. Because students maintain full-time enrollment, financial aid is portable - including State and Federal aid (excluding work-study), Lasell scholarships such as the Presidential scholarship, Service, Donahue and Leadership scholarships, and other institutional aid.

Lasell College students have the option of studying abroad through an affiliate study abroad program that includes over 75  institutions in approximately 40 countries. The Lasell Study Abroad Program includes  three partnership programs. Our partnership with Franklin University provides a unique, one-semester international experience for students at both institutions. Franklin University is located on a hillside above Lugano, Switzerland, the principal city of Switzerland's southernmost Italian-speaking region of Ticino. Located just 45 minutes from Italy's fashion capital of Milan, Franklin is the perfect location for Lasell students to study a variety of disciplines from a cross-cultural perspective. Franklin also affords Lasell students a unique opportunity to participate in a mandatory two-week academic travel program to another country in the world. This is included at no additional cost. The Franklin University academic travel programs allow students to visit an array of places around the globe ranging from the nearby Swiss Alps, to the deserts of Namibia. The program is open to students in all majors, with specially designed opportunities for International Business majors from Lasell studying at Franklin. Franklin students can travel to Lasell to study in a variety of disciplines, with specially designed opportunities in Fashion.

The partnership with Letterkenny Institute of Technology (LYIT) provides Lasell students in Business, Communication, Education, Graphic Design, Hospitality, and Sport Management with a unique opportunity to directly enroll in an Irish university that, like Lasell, believes that practical experience should be an integral part of the collegiate learning experience. The College’s main campus is located in Letterkenny, the commercial hub and largest city in the County Donegal, a region in the Northwest of Ireland that is often seen as being a bastion of Gaelic language and culture. In addition to studying major-specific coursework, students can also choose from a variety of Irish cultural classes such as Irish History & Heritage, Irish Cultural Studies, or Gaelic Language. LYIT students also have the opportunity to travel to Lasell for semester study abroad in any major.

The typical timing for semester-long study abroad is during the fall semester of the junior year, or the spring semester, if there are compelling reasons (such as fall athletics) why a student cannot go in the fall semester. 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 nonrefundable costs that may have been incurred in setting up the experience. Students interested in study abroad should notify their academic advisors to begin academic planning as early as freshman year. Once the student and academic advisor have determined the general plan for study abroad, the student should meet with an advisor in the Office of International Services, located in the Arnow Campus Center on the 2nd Floor in Room 210.

Lasell College offers online undergraduate courses during two intensive sessions in the summer and one in the winter. These courses provide undergraduates with an opportunity 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, or students can accelerate their degree program by earning credits during the summer and winter terms. Many summer and winter 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.

First Year Writing

In their first year, students take two writing courses, Writing I followed by Writing II.  Writing I and Writing II are designed to 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. Students are introduced to a variety of strategies and techniques to use as writers. Writing II builds on what students learn in Writing I and includes an emphasis on research 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, one at the 100/200 level and one at the 300/400 level. The goal of the Writing Intensive Courses is to provide students with an opportunity to develop their writing skills in formats important to their programs of study. 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.