Special Academic Programs

Holy Cross offers a range of experiential learning and other academic opportunities through the J.D. Power Center for Liberal Arts in the World, the Ciocca Center for Business, Ethics, and Society, the Office of Study Abroad, and the various programs listed below:

Scholar Programs

The College Honors Program

The College Honors Program is one of the oldest programs providing special educational opportunities at Holy Cross. These special opportunities include honors seminars, ambitious independent projects culminating in the senior honors thesis, and the intellectual excitement of a multidisciplinary classroom where students from a wide variety of majors address significant matters with faculty members who are expert in integrative teaching and scholarship.

Students apply to the program as second-semester sophomores. Students take an interdisciplinary seminar, typically in the junior year, although students who study abroad as juniors can complete this seminar requirement upon returning. In the senior year, all honors students register for thesis credit equivalent to one course each semester. The senior thesis is an advanced independent project, which can be either in or out of a student’s major and which, in its ambition and scope, represents the most advanced work possible at the undergraduate level. The senior year culminates with the members of the honors program presenting their research to the College community at the Academic Conference.

Seminar topics and faculty vary from year to year. Specific course information can be found in the schedule of classes.

The Fenwick Scholar Program

The Fenwick Scholar Program continues to provide the highest academic honors the College bestows. From among third-year students nominated by their major departments, the Fenwick Selection Committee selects the student(s) who will participate in this unique academic opportunity. The Scholar designs, with one or more advisors, a program of independent research or a project that will constitute much or most of the senior curriculum. Projects are expected to complete the Fenwick Scholar’s undergraduate education in the most challenging, creative, and meaningful way. At the end of the fourth year, the Fenwick Scholar is required to give a public presentation to the College community, and to present an appropriate record of this achievement to the College library. Recent Fenwick scholars have pursued projects such as:

• Using Organometallic Chemistry to Develop Imaging Agents
• Blood Pressure Waveform Measurement with a Laser Doppler Vibrometer
• Debussy in Context: Continuity and Change in Fin-de-Siecle France
• Changing Perspectives on Insanity in Early America, 1750-1844
• Convention, Invention, and the Ingenue: Theatre’s Young Women
• The Dark Night at Manresa: Edith Stein and the Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola
• Exploring the Interface between Chemistry and Education
• Conspicuous Consumption: Understanding the Role of Indian Chintz in Shaping British Fabric Design

Distinguished Fellowships and Graduate Studies

More than half of Holy Cross students begin some form of graduate or professional study within two years of graduation. Many pursue degrees in medicine, law, and business, while some enter academic programs leading to Masters and Ph.Ds. Advanced degree holders enter careers in academia, scientific research, public policy, and many other fields. The Office of Distinguished Fellowships and Graduate Studies assists students who pursue major international and national awards, such as the Fulbright, the Beinecke, the Rotary, and the Truman, to help fund their post-baccalaureate plans. The director coordinates the Graduate Studies Advisors in the academic departments; maintains a web page and a library of information about graduate and professional studies; informs students about the Graduate Record Examination; consults with applicants on their personal statements and project proposals; and conducts practice interviews to prepare finalists for their competitions. The director also chairs the Graduate Studies Committee, which nominates Holy Cross’ representatives in those competitions that restrict the number of applicants per school. In recent years, Holy Cross students have won grants from nearly all of the major foundations, including the Marshall, Fulbright, Truman, Goldwater, and the Beinecke.

Concurrent Registration at Area Schools

Admission to Holy Cross means access to the colleges and universities participating in the area cross-registration agreement. Normally, a Holy Cross student may enroll in one course per semester at a participating institution provided the course has been approved by the appropriate Department Chair, the student’s Class Dean, and the Registrar. Students who could only fulfill graduation requirements by taking two courses in a semester through cross-registration may request permission through the Office of the Class Dean.  The request also requires the approval of the host institution.

Evening and summer courses at participating institutions are not part of the concurrent registration program and will be accepted in transfer only if they satisfy degree or college-sponsored program requirements (see Transfer Courses).

A course taken at a participating institution must grant a minimum of three semester credits in order to be counted as one of the 32 semester courses required for graduation. Grades from courses taken through participating institutions are calculated into a student’s GPA.

The College reserves the right to withhold permission to attend a participating institution if the calendar of the institution differs substantially from the calendar of Holy Cross, thus making it impossible for a student to complete graduation and/or course requirements by the date stipulated by the College.

For Students Interested in the Health Professions

The College of the Holy Cross offers support for students who wish to apply to graduate health professional schools, including medical school, dental school, veterinary school, physician assistant programs, nurse practitioner programs, and other allied health professional programs. Students register with the Health Professions Advising Office to obtain advising and access to critical information; there is no application process. Students may request advising from the Health Professions Advisor or Associate Health Professions Advisor at any time by contacting the Health Professions Advising Office. Students considering applying to a graduate program will be assigned an advisor from the Health Professions Advising Committee. Faculty on the Health Professions Advising Committee serve as individual advisors to juniors, seniors, and alumni applying to health professions schools. When a student is ready to apply to health professions schools, the full committee assesses candidates and determines the level, tone, and content of the candidate's rating and recommendation for health professions schools. Each advisor writes a composite recommendation letter for their advisees and offers ongoing support throughout the process. This composite letter of recommendation is submitted on behalf of the student to the intended health professions schools.

Health Professions Advising is not a program, major or concentration. It is an advising support network to help students craft a program of study to meet specific needs, as entry requirements for graduate programs vary between and within health professions. However, there are important deadlines that students must meet throughout the year so it is critical to carefully read email from the Health Professions Advising Office.

Requirements vary by graduate program. Students sitting for the MCAT entrance exam for medical school will be expected to have taken:

• two semesters each of general chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, and biology with lab
• one semester of biochemistry
• one semester of calculus and one semester of statistics.
• two semesters of English (one may be a literature class taken outside of the English Department)
• one semester of psychology and
• one semester of sociology

Requirements for dentistry and PA programs are similar.  See our web site for requirements of a variety of programs. The College also offers internship and research programs related to health professions.

For Students Interested in Law

More than 800 students from Holy Cross have matriculated to ABA-accredited law schools in the past decade. Students thinking about a career in law are encouraged to choose a major at the College that suits their talents and interests. Lawyers come from a wide range of backgrounds. In choosing courses, students are encouraged to include those that develop the following skills: oral and written expression, reading comprehension, and creative and critical thinking. Courses that require students to observe accurately and to think objectively and logically are also invaluable.  

Holy Cross is a member of the American Mock Trial Association and the American Moot Court Association.  Over the past two decades, Holy Cross trial teams have won bids to national tournaments in numerous years. Three Holy Cross students have won the number one orator award at the National AMCA Tournament.  The Mock Trial team has won the New England Regional Tournament several times and has won bids to the National Tournament at least nine times. The New England AMTA regional tournament has twenty exceptional college and universities teams competing. The college also supports a mediation team that has distinguished itself over the past decade.  Holy Cross was one of only two undergraduate institutions to receive an invitation to compete in the national law school tournament, where they were competitive against some of the best law school students in the United States. They have also competed overseas in Europe, competing in international tournaments.  Travel and tournament costs are paid for by the college from generous donations from several alumni.

For Students Interested in Military Science

Holy Cross offers a program in Naval Science. Students interested in this program should consult the appropriate section of this Catalog. Holy Cross students who are enrolled in Army ROTC Military Science Program or Air Force ROTC Military Science Program do so via cross-registration. Courses for these programs are offered through WPI and appear on a student’s transcript although they do not count toward the thirty-two courses required for graduation.

For additional information, visit the website for:

• Air Force ROTC (https://www.wpi.edu/academics/departments/air-force-aerospace-studies) or
• Army ROTC (https://www.wpi.edu/academics/departments/military-science)

For Students Interested in Teacher Education

Holy Cross has a program to earn a Massachusetts state licensure as a secondary or middle school teacher in the subject areas of Biology (8-12), Chemistry (8-12), Chinese (5-12), English (5-12), French (5-12), History (5-12), Latin (5-12), Mathematics (5-12), Physics (5-12), and Spanish (5-12) when completing a liberal arts degree and taking courses within a major in the same academic area as they wish to teach. A program for the teaching of Religion at the middle or secondary level is available for Religious Studies majors, although this program does not lead to Massachusetts state licensure. The Holy Cross Teacher Education Program has a special focus on urban education. The program requires a specified sequence of courses in education prior to the second semester in the fourth year which is devoted to a Practicum (student teaching). These courses are Educational Psychology, Our Public Schools, a course in urban issues, a course in literacy or human development, and Methods of Teaching. Students must also take the Multilingual Learners course, which can be done prior to student teaching or during the Practicum semester. Students are required to complete at least 40 hours of pre-practicum prior to the fourth-year practicum. Both the pre-practicum and practicum occur on site in Worcester-area schools. Students who cannot complete all of the requirements can elect to participate in the Ninth Semester program, which allows them to complete their coursework,  graduate with their class, and then do their student teaching in the Fall semester immediately following graduation. Students should contact the Director of the Teacher Education Program for further information.

For Students Interested in Business and Management

A rigorous liberal arts program is an excellent preparation for a business career and at Holy Cross, your major doesn’t define their future — students do. A student can choose any major they are passionate about while building a strong foundation in business through experiential learning opportunities as well as recommended courses in accounting, finance, and economics — courses which may be taken either at Holy Cross or through cross-registration at area schools. In addition to academics, students are encouraged to strengthen written and verbal communication skills and take on leadership roles through collaborative campus activities and experiential learning opportunities. Many of the premier graduate schools of business require applicants to have several years of work experience prior to pursuing an MBA degree. The Center for Career Development has a Business Advisor who assists students with their academic and career plans.

The Carlyse and Arthur A. Ciocca '59 Center for Business, Ethics, and Society prepares students to become ethical leaders and critically engaged citizens of a society deeply shaped by business. It offers multiple opportunities to explore questions about how business can contribute to the common good and promote real, long-term sustainable value for society. A liberal arts education is most valuable in today’s world when students have opportunities to connect their classroom learning to real-world environments and problems. Thus all of the pathways include significant experiential learning components. You can choose any major you are passionate about, while gaining real-world business exposure and perspective.  Follow the Catalog link to the Ciocca Center for more information about its programs.

For Students Interested in Engineering

Holy Cross offers two cooperative programs for students who are interested in combining the study of the liberal arts and sciences with engineering. The 3-2 Engineering Program combines three or four years at Holy Cross with two additional years at Columbia University’s Fu School of Engineering. The Collaborative Accelerated Master’s Program with Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) allows students to begin their master’s study at WPI while completing their Bachelor of Arts degree at Holy Cross.

Students in the 3-2 Engineering Program spend their first three (or four) years at Holy Cross and apply for a transfer to Columbia for the final two years. Students must complete their major, the pre-engineering courses, and all the common area requirements before leaving Holy Cross. Students who successfully complete the program will receive two degrees at the end of five (or six) years: an A.B. (bachelor of arts) from Holy Cross and a B.S. (bachelor of science) in a specific engineering major from Columbia.

Students in the Accelerated Master’s Program with WPI spend all four years at Holy Cross while taking WPI undergraduate and graduate engineering courses during their sophomore, junior and senior years. Any WPI graduate courses taken during this time and some Holy Cross upper-level undergraduate courses can count toward their master’s degree in engineering. Depending on how many graduate credits are accrued during their time at Holy Cross, students in this program can expect to spend one to two additional years after graduation to earn their master’s degree.

Both engineering programs are open to students of all majors and class years. Advisors offer one-on-one guidance to connect you to the resources and tools that will enable you to achieve your individual career goals. Students who wish to pursue either program should contact the Engineering Program Advisor as early as possible in their college career in order to properly plan their courses. Additional information can be found on the Holy Cross Engineering website.