KEENE STATE COLLEGE
Keene, New Hampshire
The College
A public liberal arts college of New Hampshire, Keene State College (KSC) is a vibrant educational community that provides an extensive range of educational opportunities, awarding associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees. Students come to Keene State College for its small size and friendly atmosphere, the choice of thirty-six major programs, a location in the heart of New England, and a private feeling at a public price.
A member of the University System of New Hampshire, Keene State College is a coeducational residential college with an enrollment of approximately 4,300 full-time undergraduate students and 1,000 part-time and graduate students. Founded in 1909, the College enrolled 27 students its first year. From its original 20 acres, the campus has expanded to 160 acres and more than seventy-six buildings that feature an attractive blend of traditional and contemporary architecture.
The superb physical facilities on campus include living accommodations ranging from traditional older residence halls to apartments and suites. The College has three buildings registered as National Historic Landmarks and numerous recently completed facilities, including an expansive Recreation Center, the Pondside Apartments, the Rhodes Hall academic building, the Thorne-Sagendorph Art Gallery, and the Lloyd P. Young Student Center. KSC's most ambitious building project evera new Science Centeropened in 2004.
Keene State is affiliated with CoPLAC (the Council for Public Liberal Arts Colleges) and Campus Compact: The Project for Public and Community Service. Valuing service to the community, the College strives to prepare the next generation of leaders for the state, the region, and the nation.
Location
Keene, New Hampshire, at the geographic center of New Englandonly 84 miles from Boston and 200 miles from New York Cityis a thriving, prosperous city of 22,000. The Keene State campus is bordered by Main Street on one side and the Ashuelot River on another. It is only four blocks from the historic downtown district, which offers a variety of shops, restaurants, and theaters. The surrounding New England landscape includes Mount Monadnock (the most-climbed mountain in the world), only 18 miles to the southeast of Keene. Opportunities for skiing, mountain climbing, camping, swimming, and hiking are all within a short drive of the campus.
Majors and Degrees
Bachelor of Arts, Fine Arts, Music, and Science degrees are granted in American studies; applied computer science; art; biology; chemistry; chemistry-physics; communication; computer mathematics; economics; education; English; environmental studies; French; general science; geography; geology; graphic design; health science; history; journalism; management; mathematics; mathematics-physics; music; physical education; psychology; safety studies; social science; sociology; Spanish; technology studies; theater, dance, and film; and vocational teacher education. An individualized B.A. or B.S. major is available for students who wish to design their own interdisciplinary program. Music education and music performance students are awarded the Bachelor of Music degree. Minors in thirty-seven areas make it possible for students to supplement and strengthen their program. A strong cooperative education program provides work/credit opportunities in many majors.
Two-year degree programs offered are the Associate in Arts in general studies and Associate in Science in applied computer science, chemical dependency, general studies, and technology studies.
The College also offers a master's degree in education.
Academic Programs
Education in the liberal arts and sciences and in several professional fields is provided through associate and baccalaureate degree programs. These programs include three basic components: breadth and balance achieved through general education requirements, depth of scholarship developed through specialization in a major field, and an opportunity to elect a minor or courses in other areas of interest. The College's areas of emphasis include teacher education, science and technology, and the fine and performing arts.
All baccalaureate programs have general education requirements, which are intended to broaden, deepen, and integrate the student's understanding of the most significant aspects of humanity's heritage. These studies also enhance the capacity for aesthetic enjoyment, critical thinking, creativity, abstract and logical reasoning, and oral and written communication.
A total of at least 120 credit hours is required to graduate, including courses in English composition, arts and humanities, social sciences, and science/mathematics.
The academic year at Keene State consists of fall and spring semesters, plus two optional summer sessions.
Off-Campus Programs
Students are encouraged to study for a semester or a year in national and international exchange programs. The National Student Exchange is a domestic alternative to study abroad, with programs at 175 colleges and universities in the U.S., Guam, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Keene State has eleven Direct Exchange Programs with institutions in Ecuador, England, France, Ireland, and Russia and more than sixty consortium programs in such popular destinations as China, Costa Rica, Greece, Italy, Scotland, and Spain.
Academic Facilities
The Wallace E. Mason Library houses more than 300,000 paper volumes; has active subscriptions to nearly 1,200 periodicals, newspapers, and annual publications; and has a microform collection of more than 550,000 items. Students also have access to the 100,000 volumes available nearby at Keene Public Library. Mason Library has direct online access to thousands of other libraries and also subscribes to EPIC, which provides subject access to the OCLC database. Mason Library houses the Cohen Center for Holocaust Studies, with resources for scholars and teachers; it also houses the Curriculum Materials Library, used by student and classroom teachers across the state.
Keene States new Science Center prepares graduates for professional life in business, industry, and the public sector, and trains science teachers on all levels. The $23-million, state-of-the-art building is a center for interactive learning and research in science and mathematics.
Other academic resources include the Arboretum, the BodyWorks Fitness Center, the Film Studies Center, the Language Learning Center, and the Writing and Math Centers.
The Redfern Arts Center on Brickyard Pond, which serves as a major regional performing arts center, houses classrooms and performance spaces for the art, music, and theater programs. The Thorne-Sagendorph Art Gallery hosts exhibits by KSC students and faculty members, as well as regional, national, and international artists.
Computer equipment, both wired and wireless, is available in all academic areas. A network connects student rooms and the offices of full-time faculty members and administrative personnel to the online library catalog, e-mail, and the World Wide Web.
Costs
Tuition for the 200405 academic year was $5060 for New Hampshire residents and $11,500 for out-of-state students. Room and board cost $5966, and mandatory fees totaled $1860. Books and supplies cost about $600 per year.
Financial Aid
Financial assistance is available in three basic forms: grants and scholarships, loans, and part-time employment. Grants and scholarships do not have to be repaid. Educational loans must be repaid, but such loans are made on a long-term, low-interest basis. Additional aid consists of part-time, on-campus employment. At Keene State, aid can be based on merit or need or a combination of both. Matriculated students are eligible to apply for assistance if they are enrolled for at least 6 credits per semester. Currently, approximately 70 percent of Keene State students receive some sort of financial aid. Interested students should write to Student Financial Services for more information.
Faculty
The resident faculty numbers about 360 men and women (185 full-time and 175 part-time) who value personal attention to students and a commitment to academic advising. They are also active in their academic fieldswriting books and articles, serving as consultants, presenting papers and seminars, participating in exhibits, and performing in concerts.
Student Government
The 27-member Student Assembly is the official student government organization of Keene State College. Its members are elected by the student body, with representatives for each academic class, off-campus students, and adult learners. A student body president and vice president are elected by the entire student body, while the chair of the Student Assembly, the secretary, and the treasurer are elected by Student Assembly members. Members of the Student Assembly serve on student committees and College Senate committees. The Student Assembly allocates student activity fee money and recognizes and sets policies for official student organizations.
Admission Requirements
The following requirements apply to all undergraduate programs except the Associate in Science in technology programs. Applicants should provide an application accompanied by the application fee; an official high school transcript and evidence of high school graduation or a satisfactory high school equivalency certificate; scores on the SAT I (applicants are responsible for making arrangements to take the test and for having the results forwarded to Keene State College); and a satisfactory evaluation from a high school guidance counselor, principal, or teacher. Applicants who have been out of high school for several years do not need to submit the evaluation, and questions regarding this requirement should be addressed to the Director of Admissions.
Applicants should have completed college-preparatory course work, ensuring competence in English grammar and composition, college-level reading speed and comprehension, and a distribution of courses in the humanities (English literature, a modern language, history, and philosophy), the social sciences (political science, sociology, anthropology, psychology, economics, and geography), the sciences (three years required, one of which must be a lab), and mathematics (algebra I, algebra II, and geometry).
A personal interview is not required, although all applicants are encouraged to visit the campus. Visits are arranged through the Admissions Office.
Application and Information
To receive an application form and additional information, students should contact:
