2012–2013 Undergraduate Catalog

Admission

Viterbo University welcomes applications for admission from all students who have prepared for a competitive collegiate program. Admission to Viterbo University is offered to those for whom academic and personal success seems likely. Each candidate is evaluated individually. Evidence of ability to do college-level work is essential. All qualified students, regardless of sex, race, religion, color, national or ethnic origin will be extended an offer of admission on a first come, first served basis as long as space remains available. Students will be evaluated for admission in accordance with the general admission criteria stated below.

General Admission Criteria

Admission to Viterbo University will be determined after the applicant has submitted a secondary school record and after full consideration is given to the student’s class rank, grade point average (GPA), curriculum, ACT or SAT scores, intended major in college and, if applicable, transcript showing previous college coursework. 

Any student who does not meet one or more of the admission criteria will be referred to the dean of admission and/or the Viterbo University Admission Committee for further review and consideration. The admission committee will offer a recommendation on the admission of the student, or ask that the student come to campus and take the Viterbo University placement test.

Any student wishing to appeal an admission decision must notify the admission office in writing.  Additional information such an additional ACT or SAT score, updated transcript, letters of recommendation, etc., should be submitted for reconsideration. 

Viterbo University reserves the right to deny or place conditions on the admission, re-enrollment, or continued enrollment of any applicant, former student, or current student, who in the judgment of the university officials has failed to maintain satisfactory academic progress, would be disruptive of the orderly process of the college’s programs, would interfere with the rights and privileges of other students or employees, is not prepared to benefit from the course of study offered, or places a risk to the safety or well-being of the campus community. The university may consider criminal, juvenile, and disciplinary history in admission and enrollment decisions. Information submitted to Viterbo University must be true, complete, and accurate. Withholding any pertinent information may result in denial of admission or dismissal.

Freshman Admission (Graduating High School Seniors)

A freshman is defined as a student entering college for the first time or a student who graduated from high school in the spring prior to the intended date of entry at Viterbo, but may have already taken college courses at another institution.

Students may apply for admission online at www.viterbo.edu or by obtaining an application for admission from the admission office. The application may be submitted at any time following completion of the junior year in high school. Students should ask their high school to forward an official transcript directly to the Viterbo University admission office.

Students with a strong college-prep background are considered for admission if they have been able to maintain the GPA that their school recommends for the college bound. Students not in college preparatory programs can be offered admission if ACT or SAT results, GPA, and grades show aptitude for college work. All students seeking admission must have graduated from an accredited high school or have earned a GED, or its equivalent. Successful applicants typically submit high school records of a minimum of 16 units of credit that include:

• four units of English
• three units of mathematics
• three units of natural science (chemistry is required of all nursing, dietetics, natural science, and other allied health pre-professional students)
• three units of social science, history, or foreign language
  

A university entrance assessment score report, preferably from the American College Testing (ACT) Program, is required. A Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) score report is also acceptable. Candidates should take one or the other assessment and have the score report sent to Viterbo University. Viterbo University requires all applicants submit an ACT or SAT score to be considered for admission. Those who submit more than one set of scores will be judged on the basis of best composite score reported. Scores reported on an official high school transcript will be accepted. Nontraditional students who do not submit official ACT or SAT score reports or who have not completed a standardized test, may be required to complete an on-campus placement test and an interview to be considered for admission. 

Viterbo University seeks to admit students who rank in the top half of the academic performance range, as measured by standardized assessments (ACT or SAT) and class rank.

Applicants are notified of the university’s decision as soon as all required documents have been received and evaluated. After high school graduation, a complete transcript of your high school record (showing rank in class and date of graduation) must be sent to Viterbo University.

After a student has been offered admission to the university, he or she will receive a housing contract and tuition deposit request. All freshmen not living with parents or spouse must live on campus. These students will be requested to complete a housing contract and submit a room deposit of $100. A tuition deposit of $100 will be requested of all accepted students. Both amounts are fully refundable if a written cancellation request reaches the university before May 1.

Home-schooled Applicants

Viterbo University welcomes applications from home-schooled students. Applicants are required to provide the same documents as mentioned in the General Admission Criteria.  In lieu of a high school transcript, students must submit a document listing their completed coursework.

Early Admission

Exceptional students who have met their high school graduation requirements may be admitted after completion of three years of high school, upon recommendation of the secondary school counselor or principal, and completion of the admission procedure.

Associate Degree Program Admission

Because the associate degree programs are designed for non-traditional students, applicants must be four years out of high school.

Applicants must request that official high school, university and/or military training transcripts, including any American Council on Education (ACE), Advanced Placement (AP), College Level Examination Program (CLEP), Defense Activity for Non-traditional Education Support (DANTES), or International Baccalaureate (IB), be sent directly to the Center for Adult Learning. Hand carried transcripts are not accepted.

Students are admitted based on high school performance and/or life and work experiences. Students admitted to the associate degree program who wish to change to a bachelor degree program prior to completion of the associate degree must meet the general admission criteria to Viterbo University. Students completing the associate degree program may transition, assuming good standing, to a bachelor degree program. Advisors in the Center for Adult Learning can assist with the paperwork for that transition. Some bachelor degree programs have additional admission criteria. Transitioning associate degree students must meet those criteria as well.

Transfer Student Admission

A transfer student is defined as any student with college credits from another institution who did not graduate from high school in the spring prior to the intended date of entry at Viterbo.

Viterbo University welcomes applications from students attending two-year or four-year regionally accredited schools. Credit for college-level work is granted in all areas that correspond to courses offered at Viterbo University as long as the student has earned a grade of C or higher for the course. (Grades of C- or CD are not eligible for transfer.)

Transfer students will be considered for admission as long as they have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale, are free to return to their previous college or university, and are considered to be in good academic standing both at their previous school and at Viterbo University. See academic departments for transfer admission criteria. Transfer students to Viterbo University must submit the following:

• an application for admission
• an official high school transcript sent directly from the school to Viterbo University
• an official set of college transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended sent directly from the institution(s) to Viterbo University (hand-carried copies of both the high school transcript or any post-secondary transcripts are not accepted)
• results of the ACT or SAT (for nursing and dietetic majors)
  

Degree Completion Program Admission

Because the degree completion programs are designed for non-traditional students, applicants must be four years out of high school, have earned an associate degree from a regionally accredited institution, or be an accepted Pathways student.

Applicants must request that official high school, university and/or military training transcripts, including any ACE, DANTES, CLEP or AP scores, be sent directly to the Center for Adult Learning. Hand carried transcripts are not accepted.

Students are admitted based on high school performance and/or life and work experiences. Students admitted to a degree completion program who wish to change to a traditional bachelor degree program prior to completion of the degree completion program must meet the general admission criteria to Viterbo University as well as any admission criteria specific to the traditional program. See the Admission section of this catalog.

Transfer Credit Policy

Credits for letter graded courses earned at regionally accredited institutions will transfer to Viterbo University. Courses in which a student has earned a grade of C or higher will be considered for transfer to Viterbo University. Credit for courses where the earned grades are less than a C are not eligible for transfer. A student may be required to repeat a transferred major or required support course where the grade requirement of the department or accrediting body is higher than a C. Individual schools or departments may also require that coursework in the major be current with academic and professional standards.

Viterbo University recognizes the value of career education provided by regionally accredited technical colleges and strives to provide opportunities for those students to combine their technical education with advanced coursework in their major field and a background in the liberal arts that results in a baccalaureate degree. Credits which are a part of an associate degree program will be considered for transfer to Viterbo University.

Courses of a remedial or pre-college nature will not be accepted for transfer.

All credits eligible for transfer from two-year institutions will be transferred to Viterbo University. Students must, however, satisfy all support and discipline-specific coursework for the major. Every student must earn a minimum of 43 credits in upper division coursework as required by the university’s accrediting body.

Students enrolled at Viterbo University who wish to take a course at another institution must obtain prior approval to insure the course will transfer to Viterbo University. The form for this approval is available in the registrar’s office or on the office’s Web page.

Students who transfer to Viterbo University with an earned baccalaureate, Associate of Arts (A.A.), or Associate of Science (A.S.) degree from a regionally accredited college or university will have the Foundation requirements of the core curriculum waived (unless required by the students’ major as a program requirement), except the information fluency requirement (a one-credit course or included in part of a course within the major.) A student with earned baccalaureate, A. A., or A. S. degree from a regionally accredited college or university will also have the Ways of Thinking requirements of the core curriculum waived, except the theological inquiry, integrating faith and reasoning, and philosophical and moral inquiry requirements (unless required by the students’ major as a program requirement). The baccalaureate, A.A. or A.S. degree must be completed and earned prior to enrollment at Viterbo University.

Students who transfer to Viterbo University with an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree from a regionally accredited college or university will have the Foundation requirements of the core curriculum waived (unless required by the students’ major as a program requirement), except the information fluency requirement (a one-credit course or included in part of a course within the major.). The A.A.S. degree must be completed and earned prior to enrollment at Viterbo University.

Students who transfer to Viterbo University, into the BSN completion program, with a diploma from a three-year diploma nursing program will have the Foundation requirements of the core curriculum waived (unless required by the students’ major as a program requirement), except the information fluency requirement (a one-credit course or included in part of a course within the major).

Transfer Articulation Agreements

Viterbo University has transfer student articulation agreements with the following institutions: