Find money to help pay your way through St. Thomas Aquinas College! Complete your FastWeb profile to gain access to the largest database of scholarships, updated daily.

The College

St. Thomas Aquinas College (STAC) was founded in 1952 as a three-year teacher-training college with 30 students. Today, the College offers over sixty majors, minors, and specializations and has a total student body of 2,700 in all programs, on and off campus. Much growth and development has taken place over the Colleges history. The College offers a Master of Science in Education, with concentrations in literacy education, special education, and educational leadership as well as postgraduate certificate programs in literacy and special education. The College also offers a quarterly weekend Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) program with concentrations in finance, management, and marketing. St. Thomas offers a Master of Science in Teaching program for individuals without a background in teacher education who are seeking a career change. Certification is offered in childhood education, grades 16; childhood education and special education, grades 16; and adolescence education, grades 712. The College is home to New York Universitys Master in Social Work program, and St.Johns Universitys Master in Library Science program is also offered through the Colleges campus.

The Colleges most dramatic growth has occurred to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century. Capital improvements were made and new facilities added, so that the main campus now consists of twenty-one buildings on 48 acres. The suburban campus includes two residential complexes: Aquinas Village, which consists of self-contained town-house units that house 250 students, and the McNelis Commons, which consists of town-house residential units that house 400 students and a common dining hall and laundry building. Approximately 40 percent of the Colleges full-time student population resides on campus.

Extracurricular activities are provided through some thirty-five different organizations, including the Spartan Volunteers, a community service program; a student-run radio station (WSTK); and the student-edited campus newspaper and yearbook. The College has excellent sports facilities, and several of its athletic teams have competed in national championships. The College fields NCAA Division II teams in mens and womens cross-country, golf, indoor track and field, and tennis; womens basketball, lacrosse, soccer, and softball; and mens baseball, basketball, and soccer. Intramural athletics are also available.

The College has a campus ministry office, a health office, and residence life, career placement, and counseling services.

Location

The College is located in Sparkill, a hamlet in southern Rockland County, New York, 16 miles north of New York City and adjacent to Bergen County, New Jersey. Rockland County, a sprawling suburban area of about 300,000 people, is rich in history and convenient to the vast cultural and educational resources of New York City.

Majors and Degrees

St. Thomas Aquinas Colleges business administration division awards Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees in accounting (and accounting as a dual degree with a Master of Business Administration degree), business administration, finance, and marketing. Minors are offered in business administration, international business, and management information systems. Specializations are offered in management relations/industrial and organizational psychology. The humanities division awards Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degrees in art therapy and fine arts and a B.S. in graphic design, which are all also offered as minors. B.A. degrees include communication arts, English, philosophy and religious studies, Romance languages, and Spanish. A journalism minor is also offered. The natural sciences and mathematics division offers B.S. degrees in applied mathematics, computer and information sciences, and mathematics. B.S. degrees are offered in biology, medical technology, and natural sciences and, beginning in fall 2008, forensic science. There are specializations in biology, chemistry, and physics. Dual-degree options are also offered and are described below. The social sciences division awards B.S. degrees in criminal justice, psychology, recreation and leisure studies, and social science and a B.A. in history. The division of teacher education offers programs in grades 16 childhood education, the same plus special education, and grades 712 adolescence education, the latter offering certification in biology, English, mathematics, natural science with either biology or chemistry, social sciences, and Spanish.

The College offers a five-year dual-degree program in mathematics/engineering with the George Washington University (GWU) or Manhattan College. Students study at St. Thomas for three years. After completion of their final two years at either GWU or Manhattan, they earn a B.S. in mathematics from STAC and a B.S. in engineering from one of the latter two institutions. The College also offers several dual-degree options in biology: a dual degree in biology (B.S. from STAC) and biomedical engineering (M.S. from Polytechnic University), a dual degree in biology (B.S. from STAC) and physical therapy (D.P.T. from New York Medical College), a dual degree in biology (B.S. from STAC) and chiropractic (D.C. from New York Chiropractic College), and a dual degree in biology (B.S. from STAC) and podiatry (D.P.M. from New York College of Podiatric Medicine). St. Thomas offers a 63-credit prepharmacy program that enables a qualified student to transfer into the Arnold and Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences of Long Island University. There are several other strategic alliances, such as a guaranteed slot at the St.Johns University School of Law in New York and a similar program with Barry University School of Law in Florida that includes scholarship funds. St. Thomas seeks out additional strategic opportunities for its undergraduate and graduate students on a regular basis; students should contact the College for information about new alliances.

Academic Programs

The College maintains academic flexibility and is committed to responding to the needs of individual students. The College strives to develop students who are not only generally educated but also possess advanced knowledge in specialized areas, are prepared for further study, and have the background to undertake fulfilling careers. To earn a bachelors degree, students must complete a total of 120 semester hours, including a minimum of 51 credits in a core curriculum; complete all requirements for the specific major; and complete the final 30 hours at St. Thomas. The College awards up to 30 credits for life experience and up to 30 credits for achievement on the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP). The College operates on a semester calendar (trimester on the M.B.A. level). Students may enroll in classes in the fall, winter (a one-month session), spring, and summer (three separate sessions). Classes are scheduled during the day and evening, and students are permitted considerable academic flexibility in planning their programs.

Students can pursue independent study and internships, and many majors require a field practicum. The College maintains an active Center for Academic Excellence as a resource for developmental skills, and students are encouraged to meet regularly with faculty advisers for academic guidance and career direction.

Several unusual programs supplement the traditional academic areas. The College has a widely recognized program for college-age learning-disabled students, called the Pathways Program (at an additional cost). The College also participates in the New York State Higher Education Opportunity Program for economically and academically disadvantaged students and provides an Honors Program for exceptionally qualified students. The full-tuition-scholarship Honors Program provides a summer of study at Oxford University.

Off-Campus Programs

The College offers a campus interchange program involving three other fully accredited colleges (Barry University in Miami Shores, Florida; Dominican College of San Rafael in San Rafael, California; and Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan) through which a student may attend a semester at one of the participating colleges during the junior year.

The College offers courses at local businesses and industries and an associate degree program at West Point for eligible students at the United States Military Academy and Stewart Army Subpost.

A study-abroad program is offered through the College, providing students with the opportunity to study at colleges and universities in such places as Brazil, Canada, England, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, and Morocco. Several other locations are available.

Academic Facilities

The Colleges most dramatic growth occurred during the last decade as it modernized to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century. Costello Hall houses the science laboratories, technology theaters, and Azarian-McCullough Art Gallery. Spellman Hall houses a multiroom technology corridor with state-of-the-art technology and language labs. Lougheed Library provides a variety of online research opportunities for students. Aquinas Hall houses athletic facilities and a new fitness center. Maguire Hall is home to classrooms, art studios, and the newly renovated Sullivan Theater, and Marian Hall houses accounting labs and a communications studio. Additional meeting areas are provided in the Romano Student-Alumni Center and in the two residence complexes, McNelis Commons and Aquinas Village.

Costs

For 200708, the tuition for full-time study (12 to 16 credits per semester) was $18,400. Room and board at the College Commons cost $9400. Certain studio, laboratory, and computer courses carry fees.

Financial Aid

In 200607, 75 percent of the student body received financial aid. The College is committed to providing competent but needy students with the resources necessary to continue their education. Students who lack adequate financial resources should submit the Financial Aid Form to the College Scholarship Service and to the College. Financial aid is usually granted in a package of awards. Financial aid programs include Presidential Grants, special scholarships, athletic grants, Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) grants, Federal Perkins Loans, Federal Stafford Student Loans, Federal PLUS loans, and Federal Work-Study Program awards.

Faculty

The faculty has 75 full-time and 55 part-time members; 75 percent have earned doctorates. The student-faculty ratio is 17:1. All faculty members participate in the academic advising of students and serve on College committees. Many serve as advisers to extracurricular activities.

Student Government

The Student Government consists of elected members who officially represent the student body, are responsible for planning and implementing student-originated programs, and coordinate and oversee all extracurricular organizations. Through its various offices, students play a vital part in offering consultation on new policies, planning social and cultural events, managing student funds, and operating the judicial system. In addition, the All-College Forum, which is composed of elected students, faculty members, alumni, administrators, and trustees, meets regularly to discuss policies, procedures, long-range plans, and any problems affecting the College.

Admission Requirements

All applicants must have successfully completed an approved secondary school program or the equivalent, including four years in English, two years in college-preparatory mathematics, at least two years in science, one year in a single foreign language, and at least one year in American history. Applicants whose high school background varies from the recommended pattern are considered if they demonstrate interest and ability. Freshman applicants must submit the application for admission, including an essay, high school transcripts, SAT or ACT scores, and their guidance counselors recommendation. Transfer students must submit the application and official transcripts of all previous college work. All students are encouraged to visit the campus for an interview. An academic evaluation is prepared for every matriculant.

Create your FastWeb profile today to learn more about St. Thomas Aquinas College.

Complete your FastWeb profile for access to tons of great tools that will help you get into and pay for [School_Name], including:

• College admissions advice from REAL admissions officers
• Expert scholarship advice
• Get matched to scholarships you qualify for
• College survival tips from other students like you
• Plus much more!

Check out FastWeb today!