Requirements and Planning & Registration

Requirements

St. Mary’s Projects may be mandatory depending on the student’s major. All students should check the College catalog to determine if their major requires them to complete a St. Mary’s Project (SMP).

Double majors are required to work closely with the department chairs in both majors to ensure that the capstone requirement is fulfilled in each major. Transfer students should consult with the chair of their department to determine if a St. Mary’s Project is mandatory for them.

8 semester-hours of credit

A St. Mary’s Project requires 8 semester-hours of credit. All of these credits must be taken at St. Mary’s College of Maryland.

Each student may receive credit for only one 8-credit St. Mary’s Project. Double majors may not do two SMPs; an alternative senior experience may be required in a major if the student does not complete an SMP in that major; check with the department chairs in each major.

Initiation and Approval

The initiation of the project and its completion are the responsibility of the student. Projects must be approved by the department or departments in which the student is majoring (and minoring, if the project is complete within the minor). If the project is to be undertaken across two disciplines, both disciplines should formally approve the project.

Planning & Registration

Plan Early

Because the St. Mary’s Project is the culmination of studies at the College, it is important to plan for this work as early as possible. In this way, students can include specific courses, internships, study abroad, or other experiences as part of their curriculum. Prior to registration for the project, students should discuss potential projects with a faculty adviser and a project mentor.

Each department has its own procedures and guidelines for assigning mentors, and for proposing and approving projects. Students should familiarize themselves with their major department‘s procedures and deadlines.

Registration Process

How to Register

Students will officially register for their SMP with an add form signed by their mentor.

The following must be included on the add form:

• Student’s name and ID.
• Semester for which the student is registering.
• Discipline of the SMP and SMP course number (493 for the first 4 credits and 494 for the second 4 credits).
• Number of credits to be completed during the specified semester.
• Mentor’s name printed.
• Mentor’s signature and date.
• Student’s signature and date.
• If adding the SMP results in an overload (over 19 credits), the signature of the student’s advisor is required (see below about registering for an overload).

Registration Deadline

The deadline for registering for a SMP is the end of the fourth week of classes.

Forms

Add/Drop Form (PDF)
Release Form (PDF)

Pre-Registering

Students may pre-register for their SMP during their registration time. If the mentor is known, then a completed add form can be submitted to the front desk of Glendening Hall during the student’s registration time. The student will be registered for the mentor’s specific section.

If the mentor has not been determined but the student’s SMP is approved by the program, students can preregister for section .01, the “place-holder” SMP section. When the signed add form is received, the student will then be registered for their mentor’s specific section. Please see list below for specific department requirements.

Timing

Students will usually register for 4 credits of the project in both the fall and spring semesters of the senior year. However, other plans for distribution of credit are possible. For example, in one semester a student might register for 14 credits through a study abroad or internship experience and 2 credits for the St. Mary’s Project. On returning to the College, the student will complete the remaining 6 credits for the St. Mary’s Project.

Completed projects completed are due to mentors two weeks prior to the last day of classes. Archival material must be submitted to the Glendening Hall Student Services Desk on the last day of classes in the appropriate semester.

IMPORTANT REMINDER: When registering for the next semester, students cannot overload (take more than 19 credits). If adding a SMP would result in an overload, the student must wait until the semester begins and register for the SMP by submitting an add form. The advisor’s authorization for the overload is required on the add form. In addition, please note: there is a $300 per credit hour additional charge for any credits over 19 for MD/DC residents, and $450 for non-MD residents.