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Academic Support Services

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Library and Learning Services

First-Year Experience Program

Center for Teaching and Learning

The Undeclared Major

Student Access Services

Career and Internship Services

Library and Learning Services

Dean: Dr. Zary Mostashari

Library and Learning Services facilitates learning, teaching, scholarship, and lifelong learning opportunities by providing Marymount University students, faculty, staff, and the community with access to information and a variety of educational support services. Its facilities are the Emerson G. Reinsch Library and the Ballston Center Library Extension.

Emerson G. Reinsch Library

The Emerson G. Reinsch Library is an integral part of the learning resources of the university. The collection and services reflect both the curricula and the general needs of the university community. It offers the following:

a collection of more than 500,000 volumes in print or electronic format
access to more than 80,000 journals in print or electronic form
more than 200 online information resources — many of which are full-text — available on or off campus 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
library research instruction through class-based presentations or individual appointments
reference assistance in person, by phone, chat, or email
internet access on more than 80 public computers, which includes PCs and Macs; access to many software packages on most public computers
group study rooms that can be reserved online
coffee bar
scanners, printers, and black-and-white photocopiers
netbooks, power cables, headphones, and USB drives that can be checked out
wireless access

The library’s goal is to respond to the changing needs of students, faculty, and staff. Library faculty and staff work closely with colleagues in academic departments to ensure that the library’s resources and services meet the needs of the Marymount community.

Marymount University’s membership in the Washington Research Library Consortium (WRLC) allows students and faculty members to borrow from or use on-site the collections of American University, The Catholic University of America, Gallaudet University, George Mason University, The George Washington University, Georgetown University, Howard University, and the University of the District of Columbia. Library consortium members share an online catalog of collections. Loan requests for books, articles, or media are made online and delivered to the student’s home institution or via email access. Interlibrary loan requests from libraries throughout the United States can be arranged if materials are unavailable in the collection.

First-Year Experience Program

The First-Year Experience program provides tools and guidance designed to promote the successful transition to Marymount University for incoming first-year students and transfer students with fewer than thirty credits. First-year academic advising at Marymount University involves assessing student needs, goals and interests in order to guide students to complete their first year of college successfully. Admitted first-year students and transfer students with fewer than thirty credits meet regularly with their first-year advisor to learn about the Liberal Arts core, general university requirements, and specific requirements within their major field and to discuss academic programs, educational goals, and career plans. Students will be assigned a faculty advisor in their major field at the completion of their first year.

In addition to academic advising, the program collaborates with many campus departments to connect students to curricular and co-curricular experiences that will help them achieve their personal and academic goals through academic workshops and other events. The First -Year Experience Program is also the home to Phi Eta Sigma, which is a national honor society for first-year students who obtain a 3.5 grade point average or higher within their academic semester at Marymount.

All first-year undergraduate and transfer students with fewer than 64 credits are required to enroll in DISCOVER 101 or DISCOVER 201 during their first semester.

Center for Teaching and Learning

The Center for Teaching and Learning provides a variety of programs for Marymount students and faculty that promote student success and support student learning. The center is staffed by specialists in teaching and learning, writing, instructional technology and design, disability and access services, and advising. The center offers the following services:

one-on-one tutoring and group study sessions led by trained graduate and undergraduate peer tutors for many academic subjects
one-on-one writing support by trained graduate and undergraduate writing consultants
workshops, coaching, and outreach for students who need assistance to achieve greater success
assistance for students preparing applications for graduate school, honors and awards, and distinguished scholarships
academic accommodations and related auxiliary services for students with documented disabilities
coordination of academic supports, like auxiliary aids and accommodations, for students with documented disabilities
disability management counseling for students with documented disabilities
support for faculty development such as instructional technology support and teaching pedagogy support
media assistance

The Undeclared Major

Some students are uncertain of their choice of major and choose to enter the university as undeclared. For such students, there is a dedicated first-year academic advisor who will assist in the process of discovering and selecting a major. Beginning studies as an undeclared major allows students to take time for careful reflection in selecting a major that best suits their interests and abilities.

Undeclared students must choose a major by the end of their sophomore year because traditionally a student’s junior and senior years are devoted to taking classes within the major. The first-year academic advisor encourages undeclared students to begin narrowing down their potential majors by the conclusion of the first year.

Typically, there are two types of undeclared students, each with a different suggested first-year course plan.

Undeclared Major Option 1

This option should be chosen by students who are open to several possibilities or have no clear idea about how to choose a major. The focus will be on taking classes required for the Liberal Arts Core and exploring introductory courses in areas of interest.

Year One — Fall

EN 101 Composition I (WR core course)*

Humanities (FNA, HI-1, LT-1) core course*

TRS 100 Theological Inquiry (TRS-1 core course)*

DSC 101 DISCOVER First-Year Seminar*

One (1) explore elective**

Year One — Spring

EN 102 Composition II (WR core course)*

PH 200 Introduction to Philosophy (PH-1 core course)*

Natural Science (NS) core course with lab*

Introductory Social Science (SS-1) core course*

One (1) explore elective**

Undeclared Major Option 2

This should be chosen by students who are able to narrow down their choice of major to two or three possibilities, and at least one of those choices is a field that is mathematics- or science-intensive. In addition to taking Liberal Arts Core requirements, these students will take introductory mathematics and science courses. This will give students an opportunity to evaluate their aptitude in these disciplines.

Year One — Fall

EN 101 Composition I (WR core course)*

Mathematics (MT) core course*

Natural Science (NS) core course with lab*

TRS 100 Theological Inquiry (TRS-1 core course)*

DSC 101 DISCOVER First-Year Seminar*

Year One — Spring

EN 102 Composition II (WR core course)*

PH 200 Introduction to Philosophy (PH-1 core course)*

Mathematics (MT) or Natural Science (NS) core course

Introductory Social Science (SS-1) core course*

One (1) explore elective**

* Fulfills Liberal Arts Core/University Requirements. See University Requirements and the Liberal Arts Core and Course Descriptions for further information.

** Explore electives should be selected from courses in the subject area(s) in which the student is considering a major.

Student Access Services

Student Access Services (SAS) are available for all eligible students through the Center for Teaching and Learning. The director of SAS assists students with disabilities in determining reasonable accommodations and is available throughout the year for information, referrals, and consultation with students and faculty. The specific accommodations that a student is eligible to receive are determined on a case-by-case basis, using the disability documentation submitted by the student to SAS. SAS does not duplicate the services offered to all students through other campus offices.

To receive support from SAS, the student must submit typewritten documentation from a qualified professional that describes a clearly diagnosed disability and its current functional impact on the student in academic settings. Marymount does not conduct testing or provide diagnosis, but a list of local evaluators can be provided upon request.

After submitting the appropriate documentation to SAS, students wishing to receive accommodations in Marymount courses must develop with SAS a Faculty Contact Sheet (FCS), which contains a list of the student’s approved course accommodations. Some accommodations made in the past have included allowing extended time for examinations; the use of e-readers, volunteer note-takers, and sign language interpreters; and the option to record lectures. Students must present the FCS to their instructors and discuss their accommodations and any disability-related concerns they may have about the course at the start of each semester. SAS supports students through this process by providing one-on-one consultations on topics such as personal self-advocacy, disability disclosure, and effective communication with professors.

The following accommodation requests will require additional procedures and documentation from the student: housing and dining accommodations, emotional support animals, and other major modifications. Please refer to the SAS section of Marymount’s website to review our most updated policies and procedures. Marymount's Office of Student Access Services readily adheres to the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act (ADA/AA), Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and all pertinent state and local laws and regulations.

Career and Internship Services

Outstanding internship experiences are available throughout the Washington area with corporations, government agencies, schools, hospitals, and retail establishments. Marymount University is committed to helping students identify and secure appropriate internship opportunities, and supports this goal through its Center for Career Services (CCS). The center offers the tools to equip students with the search and identification process.

The center offers frequent workshops and programs on establishing educational goals suited to career and internship plans, choosing careers, developing a résumé and cover letters, supporting internship site selection, gaining employment, and interviewing. Career advisors provide individual guidance, career advising and coaching, and vocational assessments.

Faculty advisors and academic internship mentors work in collaboration with the center to help students prepare for and successfully complete an internship. The internship is a structured work experience, supervised by a faculty mentor, that allows students to apply knowledge and skills learned in the classroom to a concrete situation that is new to the student.

Undergraduate students who have advanced in their major complete an internship during the junior or senior year. Some programs permit substitution of 300/400-level research-based experiential coursework within the student’s major for the internship. Waiver of the internship for a research experience may be authorized only by the dean of the student’s school.

Students register for a 3- or 6-credit internship course within their major, and most are graded on a pass/fail basis. Students must be registered for the internship during the semester that the internship takes place, including summer. Students enrolled in a teaching licensure program fulfill the internship requirement through a 6-credit student-teaching experience during a fall or spring semester.

The internship experience builds on Marymount’s core curriculum and each student’s academic major by offering students real-world experience in their field. While enrolled in their internship, students explore career interests; improve their understanding of the responsibilities required of a profession; apply critical thinking, oral and written communication, and teamwork in an organizational setting; and network with professionals in their areas of interest.

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