As an honors college, SMCM upholds rigorous academic standards.  Our students are challenged to think critically and intelligently, in both their major areas of study and their general education classes.  Even those students who excelled in a high school curriculum may find that it takes some adjustment to be successful in an honors college setting.  With this in mind, we provide various academic services to help students adjust and excel here at St. Mary’s.

THE OFFICE OF ACADEMIC SERVICES

Lois Stover, the associate provost in the Office of Academic Services, coordinates and supervises the College’s advising program and is responsible for tracking the academic progress of all students.  Students can visit the Office of Academic Services regarding academic problems and concerns, postgraduate and non-institutionally affiliated undergraduate scholarship information, and the student-designed major.  Students who wish to change their adviser or major, receive assistance with an academic problem, or simply need someone from whom to get an additional point of view on an academic matter should also consult the Office of Academic Services.

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

The Office of Academic Services and the ADA coordinator, Nancy Danganan, work with disabled students individually to develop the most helpful academic accommodations.  Students with disabilities who seek accommodations in academic courses or in their housing assignments must submit documentation of their disabilities to the Office of Academic Services before receiving accommodations.  Documentation should be a written report by a professional who is knowledgeable about the disability; it should include a statement of the current status of the disability, its relevance to the college setting, and recommendations for academic, housing, or other accommodations.  Documentation should usually be no more than three years old.  Information about a student with a disability is confidential and will be shared only with appropriate personnel and only after the student completes a consent form.  Please visit http://www.smcm.edu/academics/academicserv/disabilities.cfm for more specific information regarding students with disabilities and acceptable documentation.

Students are admitted to St. Mary’s because of their potential for academic success, irrespective of physical or learning disabilities.  Administrative staff and faculty work cooperatively to assist students with disabilities in their educational plans and in their adjustments to the College community.  The Office of Academic Services works to ensure that all educational programs are equally accessible to qualified students.  Students with physical, learning, and other disabilities are encouraged to contact the Office of Academic Services for specific information and assistance about potential special needs. 

TUTORING SERVICES

The College’s Writing Center provides free tutoring to all students.  Peer tutors are trained to work with students on writing assignments in any discipline. Visit www.smcm.edu/writingcenter for center hours and more information.

Students in need of tutoring services for a specific course are encouraged to talk to the professor of that course.  Tutoring is arranged by each discipline individually.  The Office of Academic Services provides a list of contacts for tutoring in each discipline.

ACADEMIC ADVISING

Each student is assigned an academic adviser who explains the College curriculum and general education requirements.  The adviser also helps plan a course of study that suits the individual’s goals.  The adviser can do the following:

• Assist in selecting courses, deciding on a major, and undertaking an internship or a study-abroad program;
• Help monitor academic progress;
• Serve as a general source of academic information.

The best student-adviser relationship is one that has regular and open communication and a good match of interests and values between the individuals.  As students change, define, and refine their goals, and especially when they declare a major, it is customary for them to change advisers.

STUDY ABROAD AND NATIONAL STUDENT EXCHANGE

LaRita Hager, Adviser/Director of International Education
Anne Arundel Hall 100, 240-895-4202

There are many opportunities for spending academic time abroad.  The following are among the options available for SMCM students:

Scholarships for participation in study-abroad programs are awarded each semester.  To be considered, students need to complete an application form with recommendations and transcript and submit it to the Office of International Education by March 1 for summer or fall study abroad and October 15 for spring study abroad.

St. Mary’s College of Maryland is a member of the National Student Exchange (NSE), a consortium of more than 120 colleges in the U.S., including Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Canada.  St. Mary’s students can attend one of these institutions for a semester or academic year while paying their tuition and fees to SMCM and room and board to the host school.  Applications are due at the beginning of February, and placements are made in March for the following year.

Students may gain approval for a credit transfer to SMCM from many study-abroad programs sponsored by other colleges and universities in the United States.  These study programs include academic and language classes, as well as tours of the surrounding areas, including archaeological zones and cultural attractions.