Spanish Education (BA)

Overview

With the Spanish language being spoken more and more across the country, the need for Spanish teachers continues to rise. Students majoring in Spanish education take a combination of Spanish courses in the School of Humanities, and classes from the School of Education, where students learn the ins and outs of leading a classroom and being an effective teacher. Study abroad opportunities are abundant for those in the Spanish program, and students are given the opportunity to explore the culture of Latin America and Latinos with a focus on social justice. Viterbo University’s Spanish program provides the language and cultural skills that prepare students for a future as a Spanish teacher, and the education program effectively ensures that all graduates are ready to pass knowledge onto the next generations.

Policy
  • For K-12 Spanish, a period of residency of at least one month in a country where the target language is spoken is required.
  • The requirements below must be met before student teaching:
    • Courses in literature and culture must be taken in two of the three areas of the Spanish-speaking world - Spain (Peninsular), Latin America, U.S. Hispanic
    • A proficiency level of Intermediate-High in speaking assessed through a standardized oral exam (Oral Proficiency Interview)
    • A demonstrated cultural knowledge in two of the three areas of the Spanish-speaking world as evidenced through department assessment
Learning Outcomes

Developed by the Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) and adopted by Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI)

  • LEARNER DEVELOPMENT – The teacher understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and the teacher designs and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences.
  • LEARNING DIFFERENCES – The teacher uses understanding of individual differences and diverse cultures and communities to ensure inclusive learning environments that enable each learner to meet high standards.
  • LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS – The teacher works with others to create environments that support individual and collaborative learning and that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.
  • CONTENT KNOWLEDGE – The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and creates learning experiences that make these aspects of the discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure mastery of the content.
  • APPLICATION OF CONTENT – The teacher understands how to connect concepts and use differing perspectives to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving related to authentic local and global issues.
  • ASSESSMENT – The teacher understands and uses multiple methods of assessment to engage learners in their own growth, to monitor learner progress, and to guide the teacher’s and learner’s decision making.
  • PLANNING FOR INSTRUCTION – The teacher plans instruction that supports every student in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context.
  • INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES – The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to develop deep understanding of content areas and their connections and to build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways.
  • PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND ETHICAL PRACTICE – The teacher engages in ongoing professional learning, uses evidence to continually evaluate his/her practice, particularly the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (learners, families, other professionals, and the community), and adapts practice to meet the needs of each learner.
  • LEADERSHIP AND COLLABORATION – The teacher seeks appropriate leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth, and to advance the profession.
  • VITERBO STANDARD – The teacher demonstrates personal qualities and values which reflect the Franciscan values identified in the Viterbo University teacher education conceptual framework.

Technology Education (BS)

Overview

Technology education teachers are in high demand and Viterbo's program has a 100% placement rate. Technology education teachers have a unique opportunity to expose young people to a wide variety of hands-on technology-related projects and explore possible career paths. These highly skilled educators play a critical role in developing the workforce of tomorrow. The technology education program is built around a collaborative effort between Viterbo University and Western Technical College. The School of Education at Viterbo provides coursework on the fundamentals of education theory and practice. Technology courses at Western provide the fundamentals of woodworking, construction, computer aided drafting, manufacturing techniques, fabrication, engine and fluid systems. With a degree in technology education, graduates will be ready to excel in this high demand field.

Learning Outcomes

Developed by the Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) and adopted by Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI)

  • LEARNER DEVELOPMENT – The teacher understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and the teacher designs and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences.
  • LEARNING DIFFERENCES – The teacher uses understanding of individual differences and diverse cultures and communities to ensure inclusive learning environments that enable each learner to meet high standards.
  • LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS – The teacher works with others to create environments that support individual and collaborative learning and that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.
  • CONTENT KNOWLEDGE – The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and creates learning experiences that make these aspects of the discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure mastery of the content.
  • APPLICATION OF CONTENT – The teacher understands how to connect concepts and use differing perspectives to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving related to authentic local and global issues.
  • ASSESSMENT – The teacher understands and uses multiple methods of assessment to engage learners in their own growth, to monitor learner progress, and to guide the teacher’s and learner’s decision making.
  • PLANNING FOR INSTRUCTION – The teacher plans instruction that supports every student in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context.
  • INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES – The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to develop deep understanding of content areas and their connections and to build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways.
  • PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND ETHICAL PRACTICE – The teacher engages in ongoing professional learning, uses evidence to continually evaluate his/her practice, particularly the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (learners, families, other professionals, and the community), and adapts practice to meet the needs of each learner.
  • LEADERSHIP AND COLLABORATION – The teacher seeks appropriate leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth, and to advance the profession.
  • VITERBO STANDARD – The teacher demonstrates personal qualities and values which reflect the Franciscan values identified in the Viterbo University teacher education conceptual framework.

Nursing (BSN)

Overview

Viterbo’s nursing program is highly reputable with graduates sought after by employers. The program features a curriculum that prepares students for contemporary nursing practice. There are various pathways for admission, including direct admission.

Policy

Admission to the Nursing Major (traditional BSN)

The following requirements must be met in order to be accepted as a nursing major:

  • composite ACT score of 18 (exceptions have been made for Fall 2021, Spring and Fall 2022)
  • high school rank in the 50th percentile or higher; applicants with no high school rank must have a high school grade point average of 3.0/4.0 scale
  • completion of one year of high school chemistry, or equivalent, with grades of C or better
  • completion of two years of high school algebra, or equivalent, with grades of C or better

Admission to the Professional Nursing Program (traditional BSN)

Viterbo will admit two cohorts into the professional nursing sequence (fall and spring). Viterbo students wishing to enter the professional nursing program at the sophomore level must complete a formal application for admission prior to the semester of desired entry.

  • FALL COHORT
    • Completed prerequisites and in-process prerequisites during spring semester. The application deadline is April 1*. Applicants will be notified of admission decisions by April 18*.
    • Incomplete prerequisites in-process during summer. Students may apply at any time. Additional applicants will be notified of admission decisions on a rolling basis through June, July, and August. Admittance is dependent upon available seats. Applicants will be reviewed in order of course completion date and grade submission. The course grade may be submitted via an unofficial transcript or screen shot.
  • SPRING COHORT
    • Completed prerequisites and in-process prerequisites during fall semester. The application deadline is Nov. 1*. Applicants will be notified of admission decisions by Nov. 18*.

*Dates above may be adjusted for weekends and/or holidays.

  • Applicants for the professional nursing sequence must have completed the following prerequisites by the end of the semester in which the application for admission to the professional nursing program is filed: 
    • ENGL 103 or 105 or 195
    • PSYC 171
    • BIOL 104 and 114 (with grades of C or better)
    • CHEM 106 or 120 and 121 (with a grade of C or better)
    • cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 or above
  • A Viterbo nursing math competency test must be successfully completed prior to submitting the application.  (scheduled through the Academic Resource Center)
  • The Nursing Admission Review Team will review student records after the posting of current semester grades. The committee will admit the most qualified students based on a holistic review of items that may include cumulative grade point average (GPA), cumulative GPA in prerequisite courses, science GPA, previous academic records, interview, essay, or other supplemental items . Preference for admission will be given to the most qualified students.  The school may find it necessary to deny admission to a qualified applicant because of enrollment limits in the professional nursing sequence. Depending on the number of qualified applicants, meeting the minimum criteria for admission may not be sufficient to be admitted to the professional nursing sequence in the desired semester. Entrance is a competitive process.
  • Current Viterbo students who qualify, but are not admitted to the cohort of their choice due to enrollment limits will be guaranteed a spot in the next cohort if they remain enrolled full time at Viterbo and maintain the academic criteria, such as cumulative GPA and prerequisite grade requirements.
  • Students who do not qualify may submit an application for a subsequent cohort. Applications are not automatically carried forward. Applicants who have applied in the past are given no special consideration and are reviewed as a member of the current applicant pool.

Transfer Policy (traditional BSN)

  • Viterbo will admit two cohorts intro the professional nursing sequence (fall and spring). In addition, transfer students will have the option to apply for direct entry into the professional nursing sequence if they meet all qualifications. The size of each cohort is limited and priority is given to current Viterbo students. See application requirements in Admission to the Professional Nursing Program section above.
  • Transfer students need to first apply and be accepted into Viterbo University as a nursing major. In order to be a nursing major, students must meet the following requirements:
    • Submit high school transcript or equivalency which includes high school rank data
    • Submit transcripts from all previous post-secondary schools attended
    • Submit ACT data, if the test was taken, with results indicating a composite score of 18.
      • Applicants with a composite ACT score below 18 must be reviewed by the Viterbo admissions committee. 
      • If no ACT data is available, placement testing in math, reading, writing, and an interview, may be requested prior to acceptance.
    • Completion of one year of high school chemistry, or equivalent, with grade of “C” or better
    • Completion of two years of high school algebra, or equivalent, with grade of “C” or better
    • Cumulative GPA of 2.75 on transfer credits (total earned points divided by number of credits)
  • Once admitted to the university as a nursing major, transfer students may then submit a separate application to the professional nursing sequence if they meet all of the following academic criteria:
    • ENGL 103 or 105 or 195
    • PSYC 171
    • BIOL 104 and 114 (with grades of C or better)
    • CHEM 106 or 120 and 121 (with a grade of C or better)
    • Cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 or above
  • Additional requirements once admitted into the program are:
    • Current State Certified Nurse Assistant;
    • Current CPR for health professionals (American Heart Association);
    • Nursing Math test (administered at Viterbo);
    • Health physical, immunizations, and criminal background check

The deadline to complete these additional requirements is designated in the acceptance letters to the professional nursing sequence.

Clinical Requirements (traditional BSN) ALL STUDENTS

  • Prior to starting the professional nursing sequence, students must show completion of the following: 
    • Current state certification as a nursing assistant (CNA),
    • Current CPR for Health Professionals (American Heart Association),
    • Up-to-date health history and immunization profile including: 
      • Physical examination form - Nursing Physical Form;
      • Record of up-to-date immunization status including – tetanus, diphtheria, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, COVID-19 (complete series), and varicella,
      • Results of an annual Tuberculin test .
      • Failure to have these documents on file by the first day of classes may result in being dropped from the professional sequence.
  • It is required that the student’s health file and CPR certification remain current throughout the course of the program. Failure to comply will mean that the student will not be allowed to begin or to continue in clinical practicum experiences.
  • Federal and state statutes require that criminal background checks be completed for all persons who provide nursing care for others or who have access to people who receive care.
  • Clinical agencies prohibit placement of students with criminal histories of specific crimes and offenses that have been identified as bars to employment or licensure (such as abuse, assault, or neglect). The School of Nursing requires that all students complete a background information disclosure statement and a criminal history search prior to beginning the first clinical practicum in nursing. Students also are required to complete background information disclosure statements at the beginning of each level of the program to insure that requirements continue to be met. In addition, clinical agencies may have other specific requirements that students must meet prior to placement. Individuals whose background check identifies bars to the provision of care in contracted agencies or places restrictions on client contact will not be allowed to progress in the program.
  • Viterbo University School of Nursing utilizes a wide variety of community agencies to assist students in meeting the nursing curriculum objectives. Each student is responsible for his/her own transportation to and from these clinical agencies.
  • Students will be required to purchase their own liability insurance for any clinical experiences occurring outside of the university semester dates.
  • Additional requirements related to the professional program can be found in the current B.S.N. student handbook (traditional program) http://www.viterbo.edu/bachelor-sciencenursing/student-handbook.

Progression in the Professional Nursing Sequence (traditional BSN)

  • In order to progress in the professional nursing sequence, students must earn a grade of C in BIOL 296 or repeat the course until a grade of C is earned.
  • Students are expected to earn grades of C or higher in nursing courses. Students who earn a grade of CD or lower in a nursing course will be placed on probation and must earn grades of C or better in all remaining nursing courses.  Failure to do so will result in dismissal from the program.
  • In addition, students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or higher throughout the nursing program. Failure to do so will result in being dropped from the program until the 2.5 GPA is reestablished.

Readmission Policy (traditional BSN)

  • An individual previously dismissed from the School of Nursing seeking readmission shall be required to complete a readmission packet. The guidelines shall be obtained from the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Nursing Programs. The completed readmission packet will be evaluated on an individual basis by a readmission board.
Learning Outcomes
  • Provide holistic relationship-based care that is congruent with the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion for all persons, families, communities, and society.
  • Communicate and collaborates effectively with clients, health team members, and community stakeholders to achieve optimal holistic health outcomes.
  • Integrate knowledge from the liberal arts, the sciences, health information technologies, and the discipline of nursing to provide professional holistic nursing care.
  • Demonstrats safe, evidence-informed clinical reasoning in designing and providing professional holistic nursing care to achieve quality health outcomes.
  • Provide respectful and compassionate care through incorporating the values, standards, and ethical principles of the nursing discipline.
  • Demonstrate development as a professional holistic nurse leader through reflective practice, self-care, and scholarly inquiry.
     

Science Education (Minor)

Overview

The science education minor at Viterbo University is geared towards those in the School of Education. There is a high credit requirement for this minor as a result of the minor's purpose of preparing students to become science teachers upon graduation. The relevant academic routes for students pursuing a science minor would fall into the Middle/Secondary Early Adolescence through Adolescence (6–12) program. This program includes: - biology - broad field science - chemistry. What this means, is that a science minor greatly enhances the education and qualification for those who plan on majoring to become biology, science, or chemistry teachers at the 6-12th grade levels. The total credits of the minor are 27-28. Transfer course and waivers and/or substitutions could modify these credit totals.

Spanish (BA)

Overview

Viterbo’s Spanish program provides the language and cultural skills that prepare students for a global market. This program allows students to explore the cultures of Latin American and Spain as well as Latinos in the U.S. with a focus on social Justice. With a 100 percent placement rate, graduates of this program are professionally and culturally competent to grow in a wide range of careers.

Policy
  • A target proficiency at the Advanced-Low level (ACTFL guidelines) in listening, speaking, reading, and writing as evidenced through course assessment and a course-embedded capstone project
  • A period of residency of at least one month in a country where the target language is spoken is required for Spanish majors
Learning Outcomes
  • Communicate effectively in more than one language in order to function in a variety of situations and for multiple purposes
  • Interact with cultural competence and understanding
  • Connect with other disciplines and acquire information and diverse perspectives in order to use the language to function in academic and career-related situations
  • Develop insight into the nature of language and culture in order to interact with cultural competence
  • Communicate and interact with cultural competence in order to participate in multilingual communities at home and around the world
  • Read and understand a variety of texts
  • Translate a variety of texts

Elementary Education (BSEd)

Overview

Viterbo’s education program has a rich history of training teachers to become ethical leaders and exceptional educators. Viterbo elementary education majors log many hours of field experience prior to student teaching and receive extensive training in their content area, teaching theory, and teaching practice. Viterbo’s education faculty are caring and approachable and have extensive experience in the classroom.

Policy
Learning Outcomes

Developed by the Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) and adopted by Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI)

  • LEARNER DEVELOPMENT – The teacher understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and the teacher designs and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences.
  • LEARNING DIFFERENCES – The teacher uses understanding of individual differences and diverse cultures and communities to ensure inclusive learning environments that enable each learner to meet high standards.
  • LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS – The teacher works with others to create environments that support individual and collaborative learning and that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.
  • CONTENT KNOWLEDGE – The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and creates learning experiences that make these aspects of the discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure mastery of the content.
  • APPLICATION OF CONTENT – The teacher understands how to connect concepts and use differing perspectives to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving related to authentic local and global issues.
  • ASSESSMENT – The teacher understands and uses multiple methods of assessment to engage learners in their own growth, to monitor learner progress, and to guide the teacher’s and learner’s decision making.
  • PLANNING FOR INSTRUCTION – The teacher plans instruction that supports every student in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context.
  • INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES – The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to develop deep understanding of content areas and their connections and to build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways.
  • PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND ETHICAL PRACTICE – The teacher engages in ongoing professional learning, uses evidence to continually evaluate his/her practice, particularly the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (learners, families, other professionals, and the community), and adapts practice to meet the needs of each learner.
  • LEADERSHIP AND COLLABORATION – The teacher seeks appropriate leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth, and to advance the profession.
  • VITERBO STANDARD – The teacher demonstrates personal qualities and values which reflect the Franciscan values identified in the Viterbo University teacher education conceptual framework.
Addendum

Elementary Education (transfer agreement) Major (Bachelor of Science in Education)

The Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in the Early Childhood Education and Foundations of Teacher Education programs must have been earned after May 2008 for Wisconsin Technical System graduates. Students may not begin these specifically-articulated transfer programs or be considered a student in these programs until the AAS degree has been completed and documented on the technical college transcript. A student who did not complete the AAS degree could instead complete the requirements of the general major, and any completed courses of the AAS would count toward the major, but in order to come into this articulated transfer agreement program, the AAS must be completed prior to transfer to Viterbo. The student cannot be dually enrolled .  

  • Core curriculum and mission seminars – see core curriculum section of catalog. Education majors are required to take specific general education courses to satisfy DPI licensure requirements. Students may take any course fulfilling the core curriculum requirement categories, with the exception of specific courses in the following categories: historical analysis – HIST 111 or 112; scientific reasoning in the natural sciences – BIOL 100 or 160 or 161 or 203 and PHYS 102; integrating faith and practice – RLST 433.
  • Major requirements (Early Childhood Education) – EDUC 255, 290, 302, 306, 308, 311, 323, 355, 405, 413, 441, 482, MATH 255
  • Major requirements (Foundations of Teacher Education) – EDUC 255, 290, 302, 306, 308, 311, 323, 355, 405, 413, 441, 482, MATH 255
  • Certifiable minor – certifiable minors for elementary/middle education majors are available in early childhood education, English/language arts, history, mathematics, science, Spanish, and special education. Methods and student teaching in the minor are incorporated into the teaching major program.
  • Bachelor of Science requirement – a minimum of 11 credits of natural science and/or mathematics
  • Final degree requirements – a minimum of 120 college level credits, minimum of 40 credits at the 300/400 level

Transfer courses and waivers and/or substitutions could modify the required credit total in the core curriculum and major.

Biochemistry (BS)

Overview

Viterbo's biochemistry program prepares students for healthcare and STEM-related careers by integrating foundational and humanistic knowledge with collaborative skills. This blended approach is critical as the problems in our world continue to increase in complexity and diversity. This integration is achieved through a curriculum that invites students to use knowledge in applied settings such as course-embedded research, service-learning, and community building both on and off-campus. Students will participate in an annual biochemistry symposium and related seminar course that showcase the complexity of science-related issues within our world.

Policy

Because a biochemistry major program intrinsically contains significant work in both biology and chemistry, declared minors in biology and chemistry will not be granted.

Learning Outcomes
  • Problem Solving: Apply theory, laws, and experimental information to solve biochemical problems
  • Communication: Demonstrate effective written and oral scientific communication including situations requiring collaborative teamwork
  • Techniques: Demonstrate a basic understanding of the laboratory techniques used in biochemistry and related areas           
  • Data Analysis: Correctly analyze and interpret scientific data based on sound scientific reasoning      
  • Literature: Ability to understand and appreciate the primary literature in biochemistry and be able to extract the salient features and advances from journal articles
Addendum

Those students interested in graduate work in biochemistry should follow the recommendations of the American Chemical Society which requires specifically MATH 220, 221, and 320; PHYS 260 and 261.

Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)

Overview

Viterbo University’s graduate nursing program is specifically designed to be relevant and responsive to the needs of practicing professional nurses who wish to formally advance their knowledge and skills and seek an advanced nursing role. Graduates in this track will be prepared to manage health and illness states of varying complexity in persons across the lifespan and to promote optimum health-related quality of life. The provision of high quality, cost effective primary health care to patients/families/aggregates in a variety of settings is emphasized.

  • National Board Certification Pathway (Primary Care)
  • 3-4 year plans; 61-64 credits 
  • For students with a BSN or MSN who want to provide primary care to patients across the lifespan 

Political Science (Minor)

Overview

Our political science minor deepens your knowledge of how governments, institutions, public policy, and political behavior work in the modern world. This minor is perfect if you plan to enter a career in government service, public policy, journalism, or a related profession. Political science can also help you prepare for law school and other graduate programs.

Subscribe to