MERRIMACK COLLEGE
North Andover, Massachusetts
The College
Founded by the Order of St. Augustine in 1947, Merrimack College is recognized as a superior Catholic coeducational institution of higher learning. The 2,150 undergraduates come from more than twenty-six states and more than twenty-one countries. The College is located just north of Boston, Massachusetts. Merrimack is a college of liberal arts, business, science, and engineering. Seventy-five percent of the students reside on campus in the College's residence facilities, town houses, or apartment-style housing. The College strives to provide continued growth in its academic, professional, and support services. These services include Academic Support Services; Undergraduate Research Programs; the Career Services and Cooperative Education Office, which provides students with career development and job placement; the Counseling and Health Offices; the Campus Ministry Office, which is involved with social-action projects through its Merrimaction Corps; and the Center for Augustinian Study and Legacy. The Center for the Study of Jewish-Christian Relations is one of the few centers of its kind nationwide and is thoroughly integrated into the academic foundation of the College.
The College offers a full calendar of academic, cultural, ecumenical, athletic, and social activities. The Student Government Association sponsors film series, leading musical artists, and prominent lecturers on campus. Students also may participate in the On-Stagers, one of the College's more than fifty cocurricular activities; intramural sports; or such College traditions as Homecoming, Winter Weekend, or the Mr. Merrimack Contest. The College also has a student newspaper, a student chorus, and a faculty-student jazz ensemble. As a member of the Hockey East Conference, NCAA, and Northeast Ten Conference, Merrimack has sixteen athletic varsity teams with eight sports for men and eight sports for women. The S. Peter Volpe Physical Education Center houses exercise rooms, a 3,600-seat hockey rink, and a 1,700-seat gymnasium for basketball. Outdoor facilities include athletic fields for soccer, football, baseball, and softball as well as tennis courts.
In addition to its undergraduate degrees, Merrimack also offers a Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree in elementary education.
Location
Merrimack College is located in northeastern Massachusetts, 25 miles north of Boston. From campus, it's a 25-minute drive to the city of Boston, the ocean, or great sport and shopping opportunities. Two hours north are the Lakes Region and White Mountains of New Hampshire. Cape Cod is two hours south. New York City is a four-hour drive. The area provides a wealth of interesting historical sites, cultural opportunities, and recreational pursuits.
The 220-acre campus offers a beautiful New England setting. The College recently opened two new residence halls offering multiple options in housing. The award-winning Rogers Center for the Arts is a 600-seat, state-of-the-art auditorium and art gallery sponsoring hundreds of cultural, musical, film, and lecture offerings for students and the community. The Sakowich Campus Center opened with new dining areas, study lounges, a book store, a chapel, and computer cafs. A multipurpose gymnasium, an indoor running track, and weight and aerobic rooms also enhance this center of student life.
Majors and Degrees
Merrimack College awards the B.A. and B.S. degrees through both day and evening programs. In addition, numerous certificate programs are offered through the Corporate Education Office, including Web design and financial planning. Bachelor of Arts degree programs in the liberal arts include communication, digital media art, economics, English, fine arts, French, history, philosophy, political science, psychology, religious studies, Romance languages, self-designed major, sociology, and Spanish. Teacher certification is available for elementary, middle, and secondary education through both a four- or five-year program to attain the M.Ed. in elementary education.
Students in the sciences or engineering may attain the Bachelor of Arts degree in biology and mathematics and the Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry, chemistry, civil engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, environmental science, health science, physics, and sports medicine.
Bachelor of Science degrees are offered in business administration with academic concentrations in accounting, finance, information technology, international business, management and organization studies, management operations, and marketing.
The Division of Continuing Education offers programs leading to either associate degrees in electrical engineering or the arts and bachelor's degrees in communications studies, electrical engineering, and the arts.
Academic Programs
In the Augustinian tradition, Merrimacks community is committed to scholarship and service to others and provides students myriad opportunities to develop intellectually, spiritually, socially, and ethically. The College seeks to provide sound professional training with a commitment to an integrated liberal arts component in all courses of study.
The Merrimack College academic calendar consists of two 15-week semesters, beginning in early September and mid-January. Summer sessions are also available.
To receive a bachelor's degree, all students must complete forty semester courses with a final quality point average of 2.0 or better. Students usually take five academic courses each semester. All bachelor's degree programs revolve around a fifteen-course liberal arts core curriculum. The remaining semester courses in a student's program, following completion of core, major, and cognate requirements, are open electives. The liberal arts core curriculum consists of courses in religious studies and philosophy, humanities, the social sciences, and mathematics and science.
Merrimack College also offers interdisciplinary courses, study-abroad programs, and internships through the departments of English, history, management, political science, psychology, and sociology. Special academic programs include a double major in the Division of Arts and Sciences; a contract Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree, consisting of a special interdepartmental program in two or more fields; and a double-degree program, usually involving five years, through which the student earns two bachelor's degrees (B.A. and B.S.).
Off-Campus Programs
Cooperative education (work-study) provides paid work experiences and may be elected by students majoring in biology, all business programs, chemistry, civil engineering, computer science, electrical and computer engineering, health sciences, math, physics, and select liberal arts. Internships are available and provide students with another avenue of hands-on experiential learning. The Stevens Learning Center provides students the opportunity to learn and develop through active participation in organized service at volunteer community sites while enrolled in traditional course work. International study allows students to immerse themselves in the history and culture of another country and study abroad for a year, semester, or summer. The classes taken abroad are approved for transfer credit and serve as part of the student's academic program.
Academic Facilities
Students find tremendous informational and interactive resources in McQuade Library. It is home to three floors of computer labs; the Media Center; MCTV-10, Merrimack's cable TV station; a 190-seat auditorium; an art gallery; a reference room; a periodicals room, with 900 subscriptions; and more than 130,000 volumes. Through the automated NOBLE (North of Boston Library Exchange) resource-sharing network, students have instant access to twenty-six other libraries. Interlibrary exchanges and a global online library offer convenient access to additional services. The Girard School of Business and International Commerce offers smart classrooms that are completely wired for Internet access, computer labs, and a technology auditorium with videoconferencing capabilities. The Gregor Johann Mendel, O.S.A., Center for Science, Engineering, and Technology provides students with state-of-the-art laboratory equipment and facilities.
Costs
Tuition for the 200506 academic year is $24,200; room and board cost $9730. These costs are exclusive of books, supplies, travel, and personal expenses.
Financial Aid
Merrimack College sponsors financial aid through federally and state funded grants, loans, and work-study awards. Merrimack also provides scholarships and campus employment from College operating funds. To be eligible for any scholarship or financial aid program, an applicant must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by February1. Students who receive scholarships or other financial aid through Merrimack College are notified between March15 and April30. Currently, 75 percent of all Merrimack students receive scholarships and financial assistance through federal, state, and College funds.
Faculty
The Merrimack faculty is committed to the academic and personal growth of undergraduate students. There are 139 full-time faculty members, of whom more than 75 percent hold a Ph.D. degree. More than 100 part-time faculty members, most with terminal degrees, complement the course offerings for students. The faculty-student ratio is 1:12. Faculty interaction with students, through small classes and the availability of personal contact, is a hallmark of Merrimack. Faculty members also participate in a Student-Faculty Advisement Program to provide for students' individual academic guidance; they also serve on many College-wide academic and student affairs committees.
Student Government
The Student Government Association has a twofold purpose. This democratic body represents all students' rights by concerning itself with all policy matters that affect the student body and by serving as a primary liaison between students and the administration. The association also conducts and coordinates a varied program of social and cultural events for the College community.
Admission Requirements
Merrimack College seeks academically prepared students who are eager to improve themselves intellectually and socially within the College community. The Admission Committee considers each applicant on an individual basis and evaluates a candidate's strengths in light of personal accomplishments, motivation, and the academic major selected. The Admission Committee places primary emphasis on the secondary school record (courses selected and rank in class), SAT or ACT scores, and teacher or guidance counselor recommendations. Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to visit the campus for an interview. The Admission Committee does not discriminate against applicants on the basis of race, sex, religion, or national origin; in fact, the College welcomes diversity among students. Applicants must have earned the following high school units: 4 years of college-preparatory English, 3 years of social studies, 3 years of mathematics (including algebra II), 3 years of science, 2 years of language, and 5 electives. Applicants for the sciences or engineering programs, however, are expected to have at least 4 years of mathematics and 4 years of science (including physics for engineering).
Merrimack offers early action and deferred admission to properly qualified applicants. Merrimack also gives credit and advanced placement for scores of 3 or better on the Advanced Placement examinations sponsored by the College Board in certain academic areas.
Transfer applicants for the fall or spring semester should be in good academic standing at the institution last attended, not be on academic or disciplinary probation at that institution, and have a quality point average of at least 2.5 on the Merrimack College scale.
International applicants must also submit the results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
Application and Information
Early-action candidates applying for entrance for the fall term should apply by November30. Regular-decision candidates should apply by February1. All applications for the spring term should be made by December1. Merrimack College adheres to the NACAC deposit deadline of May1.
For more information, students should contact:
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