Welcome
Welcome to
Viterbo University’s graduate studies programs.
This catalog has
been prepared to acquaint you with the five graduate programs at Viterbo,
especially regarding topics pertinent to all the programs such as requirements,
admission processes, registration, tuition, student services, and university policies
and procedures. You are invited to consult relevant sections of the university
Web pages for more detailed information, particularly sections about requirements for completing the Viterbo University masters degree.
The online
catalog will be updated as changes in policies and procedures are made. There
may be changes in university policies unrelated to specific programs which affect
the health, safety, and welfare of the Viterbo University community that take
effect immediately.
Dedication
To Francis of
Assisi, “Everybody’s Saint,” a man of justice and peace.
To Rose of
Viterbo, a faithful interpreter of the spirit of Francis.
To Clare of
Assisi, confidant of St. Francis and bearer of light to the world.
For their legacy
to us of ideals, energy, and leadership.
Identity
Founded and
sponsored by the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, Viterbo is a
Catholic, Franciscan university in the liberal arts tradition.
Mission
The Viterbo
University community prepares students for faithful service and ethical
leadership.
Accreditation
Viterbo University is accredited by:
- The Higher Learning Commission
30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2400,
Chicago, IL 60602-2504; 800-621-7440; www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org
- Association of Collegiate Business
Schools and Programs (ACBSP)
11520 West 119th Street, Overland Park,
KS 66213, (913) 339-9356; www.acbsp.org
- Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND)
120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000,
Chicago, IL 60606-6995; 312-899-5400; http://www.eatright.org/students/education/accreditedprograms.aspx
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing
Education
One Dupont Circle NW, Suite 530,
Washington, DC 20036; 202-887-6791; www.aacn.nche.edu/accreditation/
- Council on Social Work Education
1725 Duke Street, Suite 500,
Alexandria, VA 22314-3457; 703-683-8080; www.cswe.org
- National Association of Schools of
Music
11250 Roger Bacon Drive, Suite 21,
Reston, VA 20190-5248; 703-437-0700; http://nasm.arts-accredit.org
- National Council for Accreditation
of Teacher Education
2010 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite
500, Washington, DC 20036; 202-466-7496; www.ncate.org/
Its chemistry
program is approved by the American Chemical Society.
The nursing
program is approved by the Wisconsin State Board of Nursing for the licensure
of registered nurses.
The education program is recognized by the Iowa Department of Education
and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction for the certification of
teachers in the elementary and secondary schools and for the training of
veterans.
Viterbo University is recognized and approved by the Iowa State
Board of Education for the K-12 Principal licensure/Supervisor of Special Education (189) and is recognized approved by
the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners to offer the following endorsements:
Early Childhood (106), Middle School (182), Reading Teacher (148,149) and the
Reading Specialist (176), and Talented and Gifted (107).
Viterbo University
holds membership in the:
- American Academy of Nurse
Practitioners
- American Association of Colleges for
Teacher Education
- American Association of Colleges of
Nursing
- Association of Catholic Colleges and
Universities
- Association of Franciscan Colleges
and Universities
- Attorney General’s List for Foreign
Students
- Council of Independent Colleges
- Council on Adult and Experiential
Learning
- Council on Postsecondary
Accreditation
- Midwestern Association of Graduate
Schools
- National
Association of Graduate Admission Professionals
- National Association of Independent
Colleges and Universities
- National Organization of Nurse
Practitioner Faculties
- Wisconsin Association of Independent
Colleges and Universities
Degree Offerings
Viterbo
University offers the following graduate degrees:
- Master of Arts in Education
- Master of Arts in Servant Leadership
- Master of Business Administration
- Master of Science in Mental Health
Counseling
- Master of Science in Nursing
Viterbo
University offers the following undergraduate degrees:
- Associate of Arts
- Associate of Science
- Bachelor of Art Education
- Bachelor of Arts
- Bachelor of Business Administration
- Bachelor of Fine Arts
- Bachelor of Liberal Studies
- Bachelor of Music
- Bachelor of Science
- Bachelor of Science in
Community-Medical Dietetics
- Bachelor of Science in Education
- Bachelor of Science in Nursing
For further
information on undergraduate programs and policies, students may refer to the
university undergraduate catalog.
History
of Viterbo University
Viterbo
University was founded in 1890 in La Crosse, Wis., by the Franciscan Sisters of
Perpetual Adoration (FSPA). The university is named Viterbo for the 13th
century Franciscan, St. Rose of Viterbo, Italy.
The university
has evolved from a normal school to a four-year liberal arts university with
master’s programs in education, nursing, business administration, servant
leadership, and mental health counseling. Collegiate courses were introduced in
1923 and steps were taken toward the development of a regular four-year college
program. By 1931–32, St. Rose Junior College had been formally established and
approved by the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Further development followed,
and by 1939 the college was approved as a four-year, degree-granting
institution for the preparation of teachers for elementary schools.
In 1937 as plans
were being made for the construction of a college building, located across the
street from the convent, the name was changed from St. Rose College to Viterbo
College (one final name change was to occur in 2000 when Viterbo changed its
status from college to university). Lay women were admitted in 1943; in 1970
men were admitted.
In the 1950s,
Viterbo University expanded its program in the liberal arts and in the
preparation of teachers for secondary schools. In 1952, this program received
the approval of the University of Wisconsin Committee on College Accreditation.
With its status
as a four-year liberal arts college achieved, Viterbo University sought
accreditation by the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary
Schools and by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education.
Both were granted in 1954. Accreditation by both associations has regularly
been re-confirmed.
The university
began offering graduate education courses for teachers in 1973. An accredited
Master of Arts in Education program was introduced in 1987. In 1998, the
university received approval to offer a Master of Science in Nursing. In 2001,
a Master of Arts in Servant Leadership was approved, followed in two years by
the Master of Business Administration. The Master of Science in Mental Health
Counseling was approved in 2011. Each of these accredited programs grew out of
its sponsoring school. They provide an alternative approach to their field
through the strong focus on ethics, service, and leadership.
Viterbo
University has also added numerous licensure and certificate programs at both
the graduate and undergraduate levels during the course of its most recent
history.
During this first
decade of the new millennium, Viterbo University continues to grow and develop
to meet the needs of its students and community. Currently Viterbo University
is carrying out a transformational strategic plan entitled, University
of Opportunity: Hope and Help, which provides a blueprint for the
future. Much will change but all that emerges will be solidly grounded in
Viterbo University’s mission and identity.
Viterbo
University has balanced continuity and change with consistent ability. As the
university met the challenges and
opportunities which have defined its past, so it will continue to do in the
21st century. The heritage and continuing support of the Franciscan Sisters of
Perpetual Adoration, combined with the dedication of its current stewards,
assures Viterbo University a viable future in meeting the intellectual,
spiritual, and developmental needs of its students.
Core Values
In keeping with
the tradition of our Franciscan founders, the university holds the following
core values:
- contemplation—reflecting upon the
presence of God in our lives and work;
- hospitality—welcoming everyone we
encounter as an honored guest;
- integrity—striving for honesty in
everything we say and do;
- stewardship—practicing responsible
use of all resources in our trust;
- service—working for the common good
in the spirit of humility and joy.
Campus Facilities and Grounds
- Murphy Center,
815 Viterbo Court (1941), a five-story building, provides classrooms, offices
for the administration and faculty, and services for students. It also houses
the library, the Academic Resource Center, computer laboratories, and career services.
- Marian Hall,
704 Franciscan Way (1957) and Bonaventure Hall,
700 Franciscan Way (1965), offer residence, recreational, and dining facilities
(1966) for students. Five apartment complexes, McDonald
Terrace, 715 8th Street South (1975), Treacy
House, 825 Market Street (1975), Rose
Terrace, 801 V-Hawk Court (1997), Canticle House, 814 and 820 8th Street South, (2010),
and Clare
Apartments, 710 8th Street South (2012), offer apartment-style living for students.
There are also theme houses and apartments located on campus for students.
- The Fine Arts Center,
929 Jackson Street (1971, renovated in 1998), is an outstanding liberal arts
facility for the creative activity of art, music, and theatre arts departments.
The academic wing contains classrooms, studios, practice rooms, laboratories,
and faculty offices as well as a fine arts library, a music recital hall, a
dance studio, an audio-visual room, a choral and orchestra rehearsal room, an
art gallery, and professional artist exhibits. The theatre wing contains the La
Croix Black Box Theatre, an experimental studio theatre, and the Main Theatre,
a performing theatre unique to the Midwest which can accommodate drama,
concerts, and opera by adjustment of size and sound.
- San Damiano Chapel,
940 Franciscan Way (1979), is the center of worship at Viterbo.
- Brophy Center,
816 10th Street South (1983), houses the School of Business, classrooms,
lecture halls, demonstration and seminar rooms, and faculty offices.
- Dedicated in 1984, Assisi
Courtyard is a large beautifully landscaped space which is a
favorite congregating space for students. Assisi Courtyard is also home to the
famous sculpture, “Dancing Francis” (of Assisi) which symbolizes Viterbo’s commitment
to the environment and Franciscan ideals. The sculpture “St. Clare” (of Assisi)
is also on display in the Courtyard.
- The Varsity
Athletics Center, 814 Viterbo Court (1987), is a
multi-use facility which houses basketball and volleyball courts, training and
fitness rooms, and racquetball courts. The R.W. Beggs Sr. Gymnasium is used for
V-Hawk practices and regular games.
- The Student
Union (1989), provides a place for socializing and studying. It
contains a large screen TV, and lounge and eating areas. The cafeteria
(remodeled in 2006), Crossroads snack bar, and the university bookstore are
located in the Student Union.
- The Todd Wehr Memorial Library (1991, renovated in 2006), located
on the first and second floors of Murphy Center, provides a central place for
study and research. Library staff members provide individualized services to
students, faculty, and staff. The library’s collection of over 90,000 print and
77,000 electronic titles consists of books for general circulation, scores,
reference works, DVDs, videos, and CDs. The library has access to over 35,000
online periodicals and newspapers through its various databases, and continues
to subscribe to over 200 periodicals and newspapers in paper format. E-Reserves
and interlibrary loan complement these information resources. Special
collections include the university archives, and an art collection consisting
of over 350 pieces. Students have access to 100 computer stations throughout
the library, and there are wireless laptops, video cameras, iPads and more
available for checkout at the main desk. Spaces include Franny’s,
a 24/7 study and computer lab with coffee service, a library classroom designed
to accommodate group work, and quiet study areas on the second floor.
- The Student
Development Center, 936 Franciscan Way (1996), is home
to Viterbo University’s housing, counseling, and health services.
- The Outdoor
Athletics Complex, N3175 State Road 16 (1999), is
home to a variety of V-Hawk sports including men’s and women’s soccer, men’s
baseball, women’s softball, and a large practice area.
- Viterbo Court (1999),
which is located between the Varsity Athletics Center and Murphy Center, is
beautifully landscaped and features a large Viterbo University seal.
- V-Hawk Court (2000)
is located between the Amie L. Mathy Center and Marian Hall/Rose Terrace and
features walkways, park benches, tables wired for Internet access, and a clock
tower. Bricks donated by employees, friends, and alumni, which are engraved
with names or Viterbo University memories, surround the clock tower.
- The Physical
Plant Building, 727 Winnebago Street (2002), houses
the physical plant offices, including custodial services, maintenance personnel
and equipment, and campus security. Additional services include employee and
student ID photos/programming, building/room key distribution, work order system
support, fleet vehicle management, and facilities administration.
- The D.B. and Marge Reinhart Center for Ethics, Science,
and Technology, 900 Viterbo Drive (2003), is a
state-of-the-art facility, home to Viterbo University sciences, the D.B.
Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership, the copy, mail, and media center,
and other administrative offices including the Office of the President. The
showcase of the center is a tiered conference auditorium to host Webcasts and
downlinked national video conferences as well as live and distance presentations
on leadership and ethics. A large board room on the first floor provides a state-of-the-art
environment for meetings and events. The second and third floors house science
labs, classrooms, offices, and computer labs.
- The Amie
L. Mathy Center for Recreation and Education, 811 8th Street
South (2005), is adjacent to the Varsity Athletics Center. It is a “first of
its kind” facility serving the recreational needs and physical education
programs for Viterbo University students, faculty, and staff , and members of
the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater La Crosse. This collaborative facility
includes a three-court gymnasium, 1/8 mile indoor track, multi-purpose room, a
large strength and conditioning room, general locker rooms, two conference
rooms, and administrative/coaches’ offices.
- The Hawk’s
Nest (2006), is located in Marian Hall. It provides student
amenities including a pool table, a ping pong table, seating area, and a lounge
with large screen TV.
- The
Nursing Center, 916 South 10th Street
(2011), is Viterbo’s newest campus facility. This outstanding 68,700 square
foot state-of-the-art facility is home to Viterbo’s signature nursing and
dietetics programs, and also provides
opportunities for the university’s allied health programs. The cornerstone of
the facility features four cutting edge simulation labs dedicated to critical
care, medical/surgical care, maternal/newborn care, and child health care.
Three lecture halls, 11 multi-purpose classrooms/labs, a community health lab
and a premier dietetics lab round out the building. Viterbo graduates more B.S.N.
nurses than any other private college in Wisconsin and this showcase facility
provides numerous opportunities to provide the most modern of training,
enhancing the already strong reputation of the program.
- The Academic
Computing Labs/Classrooms serve the campus: 1) as a resource
for the integration of technology into the curriculum; 2) as a tool for
academic research; and 3) in the application of technology for the completion
of class assignments. More than 280 IBM-compatible and Macintosh computers are
available for use throughout 14 main labs in Murphy Center, the Reinhart
Center, Brophy Center, the Nursing Center, and the Fine Arts Center as well as
numerous computers located in the Todd Wehr Memorial Library. All student
accessible computers are connected to the internal campus network and provide
high-speed access to the external resources of the Internet. The campus is
standardized on the Microsoft Office Professional Suite to facilitate the
sharing of electronic documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and databases
with professors and with other students. Additional discipline specific
software is available based on the requirements of the various academic
departments. All students are issued Web based electronic mail accounts for the
duration of their enrollment at the university. These accounts are accessible
from all networked computers on campus and from any computer in the world that
has Web-based access to the Internet.
- Viterbo University Off-campus Center,
Wisconsin, 2323 S 109th
Street, Suite 375, West
Allis, WI, is the off-campus office for the coordination of graduate education courses
offered throughout the state of Wisconsin. The center also serves as classroom
space. Viterbo rents other permanent space in Green Bay and contracts space for
course offerings in other areas of the state.
- Viterbo University Off-campus Center,
Iowa, 4949 Westown
Parkway, Suite 195, West Des Moines, IA, is the off-campus office for the
coordination of graduate education courses offered throughout the state of
Iowa. The center also serves as classroom space. Viterbo contracts space for
course offerings in other areas of the state.
Mission of Graduate Studies
Viterbo
University’s mission is to prepare students for faithful service and ethical
leadership. The mission of graduate studies at Viterbo University is to provide
an environment in which students are prepared to be professional, scholarly and
ethical leaders of tomorrow. Graduate students and faculty grow together toward
this mission through an understanding of and capacity for scholarship, critical
thinking, academic rigor and intellectual ethics.
Graduate Studies Goals
- Support the mission and philosophy,
strategic plans and strategies, policies and procedures of the university.
- Provide support and guidance in the
development and implementation of dynamic graduate programs.
- Work to enrich and create greater
opportunity for graduate research on campus.
- Provide leadership in strategic,
academic, and assessment planning and in implementing and reviewing programs at
the graduate level.
- Advocate for all graduate programs
and collaborate with other university leaders to secure necessary resources for
program growth and quality assurance.
- Collaborate with other deans,
program directors, and cabinet regarding policies and procedures for admission,
marketing, recruitment, and graduation at the graduate level.
- Develop, implement, and supervise
policies, procedures, and requirements affecting all graduate programs and
faculty in consultation with deans and program directors.
- Develop collaborative relationships
with internal and appropriate external constituencies in order to facilitate
excellence and growth in graduate programs.
Graduate Student Expectations
Intellectual
1. Learn research methods,
ethical dimensions, and historical knowledge bases of the discipline.
2. Provide accurate and honest
reporting of research results.
3. Read, reflect, research and
write critically in a disciplined manner.
4. Dedicate the appropriate time
and energy to accomplishing academic excellence and completing the degree in a
timely fashion.
5. Learn the historical and
theoretical context of the discipline.
6. Generate new ideas and ways
of viewing things.
7. Discover new ways of serving
and leading.
8. Initiate inquiry to advance
your understanding of the discipline.
20. Develop a contemplative
approach to synthesis of theory and praxis.
Professional
11. Develop personal and
professional accountability in both theory and praxis.
12. Understand and practice GPAE
policies and procedures, specific program requirements, and standards of
performance established by the specific discipline(s).
13. Behave in a professional and mature nature in all interactions with
faculty, staff and other students.
14. Create an ethos of collegiality and collaboration through high
levels of contribution and participation.
15. Demonstrate a commitment to the common good.
16. Participate in the university community to the
extent able.
17. Develop, to the extent possible, a broad
network of professional relations.
Ethical
9. Exercise the utmost integrity
in all facets of the graduate program.
10. Commit to the personal &
professional development of virtue and character.
18. Contribute to the University’s
and the program’s mission as appropriate.
19. Develop a disciplined approach
to integrating mind, body and spirit.
21. Apply ethical leadership
humbly and diligently.
Practicing
Academic Integrity as a Graduate Student
Violations of academic integrity at the graduate
level can be either intentional or unintentional; however, even unintentional
violations are subject to disciplinary action. (See Academic Integrity
Policy.) The following are some examples
of how students can avoid academic misconduct:
·
Learn
how to cite sources properly. There are several excellent guides to proper
citation available in the Viterbo University library and bookstore. Always ask in advance if you are uncertain
which citation style your instructor prefers or your program requires.
·
When
in doubt as to whether to cite or not cite a source, the rule of thumb is to
make the citation. Ask your professor if you are unsure about what is
acceptable and what is not. In general, it is better to err on the side of
over-citation than under-citation.
·
Take
careful and complete notes when you are conducting research, and keep your
notes in case your work’s integrity is challenged. Also keep copies of
successive drafts of work to keep track of the revisions you make.
·
Make
sure you understand your professor’s expectations about collaborating with
others in the course or on a given assignment. Do not assume that because
collaboration was permitted on one assignment it is permitted on another. And
do not assume that each professor has the same standards; be sure you
understand what “collaboration” means in each of your courses. Ask your
professor if you are uncertain about the assignment you have been given.
·
Manage
your time. Most students who commit academic misconduct were tempted to do so
when the deadline for an assignment was approaching, and they were unprepared
and made a bad choice. If you have run into unforeseen obstacles in completing
your assignment and need more time, ask the professor for more time. Do not
take short cuts or call into question your integrity for one course or one
assignment. If you need help in improving your time management skills, consider
enrolling in one of the time management workshops offered by Viterbo’s Academic
Resource Center.