Academic Services and Opportunities

Office of Academic Services

Since its founding in 1946, New England College has emphasized its small classes and its student‐centered education. Pathways‐Academic Success Services provides NEC students with comprehensive academic support services that focus on individualized student attention and meaningful academic support. Academic Achievement Resources provides a wealth of support options that assist students in their quest to become independent, motivated and successful learners.

Advising and Success Coaching

Email: advising2@nec.edu

Students wishing to improve their ability to be academically successful during their collegiate experience can receive supporting instruction through the Academic Advising Office. Advising staff can provide course requirements needed for graduation, help students track their progress, discuss academic policies, as well as connect students with appropriate campus resources. Students having academic difficulties are encouraged to meet with the advising staff to develop a plan to achieve academic success.

In addition, all first-year students will work with their faculty advisor and student success coach in creating a first year, student success plan. This plan will assist students to understand their choice to pursue an education at NEC, enhance educational experiences, and the tools students can use to be successful. It will also assist students to recognize their strengths and discover areas that can be improved, and set-up specific academic achievements in coursework at NEC.

NEC has also implemented a Peer Success Coaching Program. The purpose of this new program is to provide peer-supported guidance for undergraduate students throughout their entire NEC experience. This program places emphasis on helping students identify obstacles to academic performance and assisting them in creating solutions for overcoming those challenges. These positions aim to forward New England Colleges commitment to engage students not only academically, but socially and civically as well.

PASS  (Positive Academic Support System)

email: ebrooks@nec.edu

PASS provides guidance and support to students who have been placed on academic probation. Students in the program meet with a member of the Student Success team on a weekly basis and are encouraged to take advantage of support services available on campus.

Mentoring Program

email: ebrooks@nec.edu

The Mentoring Program is designed to facilitate reaching academic and personal goals. Through their relationship with an Academic Mentor, students gain the academic skills and confidence to achieve inside and outside the classroom. Mentoring is intentional and tailored to individual needs. Mentoring includes multiple scheduled meetings, systematic communication with faculty and staff, and engagement with families.

Students who thrive in Mentoring are interested in academic success, managing time and staying organized. Mentors encourage students toward thoughtful, intentional actions and decision making. Enrollment in the Program requires an additional fee. Students interested in enrolling in the Mentoring Program can do so by completing the following form:

Mentoring Program Enrollment Form

Tutoring and Academic Support Center

email: tutoringcenter@nec.edu

The Tutoring and Academic Support Center provides academic tutoring services, free of charge, to all student populations of New England College in a welcoming and supportive environment. The Center provides a variety of academic services including professional and peer‐tutoring programs and skill building workshops.  Working closely with faculty and staff, tutors encourage students to excel at their academic goals. The primary objective of tutoring is to foster student academic success while encouraging independent learning.

The Center offers writing development, time management, study techniques, test‐taking strategies, and goal-setting processes, as well as select content tutoring in a number of academic disciplines. At the core of our services are the following:

Writing support: We assist students in all facets of the writing process: brainstorming, critical thinking development, organization of ideas, thesis development, outline preparation, revision strategies, and editing strategies.

Critical reading skills: We model active reading strategies and teach summarizing, paraphrasing, and analytical skills.

Time management and study skills: We review course syllabi and co‐curricular activities with students and help them learn to create schedules that will lead to the most effective use of their time. Additionally, we teach effective study strategies tailored to individual student needs.

English for Speakers of Other Languages: We assist students for whom English is an additional language with reading and writing skills and facilitate small group conversation practice sessions.

Office of Career and Life Planning

With the help of the CLP team, students can develop comprehensive career and life plans consistent with their skills, interests, values and personal characteristics; acquire skills by engaging in co-curricular, work and service activities successfully, and; effectively articulate and demonstrate their skills, interests, values and characteristics to contacts in the world of work and further study. 

Career and Life Planning works with the entire College community in order to accomplish its mission. CLP actively engages students and ensures students access to services in the following areas, consistent with their interests and abilities: 

• Career development, choice of major and interest “testing” 
• Resume and interview preparation, the job search and employer contact 
• Internships 
• Community service work-study 
• Graduate school application and acceptance 

Career & Life Planning is open from 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. every day. 

Internships 

What are internships? 

• A field-based setting to expand your network, knowledge, and skills 
• You are an active member of a company’s professional staff 
• Work with experienced professionals capable of teaching and evaluating your progress 

Career and Life Planning can help every step of your way to search, apply, and interview for an internship. We LISTEN TO YOUR individualized goals and pathways to jumpstart your career! Appointments are only an email away. 

Community Service 

Career & Life Planning offers a variety of volunteer service placements in the local communities. These placements include opportunities in public schools, a private school for challenging teens, after‐school programs, a daycare center, a senior center, a public library, a teen center and an equine therapy center, among others. Volunteering in the community not only helps those in need, but enables NEC student volunteers to acquire additional skills and a sense of confidence. With approval of a sponsoring faculty member, volunteer work can be undertaken for academic credit as an internship. Under Federal Work Study regulations, students with work‐study funds as part of their financial aid package can also be paid for working in the community. 

English as a Second or Other Language (ESOL) Transitional Programs at New England College

English Language Programs

New England College offers a range of both credit and non-credit bearing ESOL courses designed to target the specific needs and abilities of the incoming English language learner. These courses focus on the skills necessary to succeed in an academic environment. Coursework and experiential learning are combined to speed the acquisition of the academic English language tools needed to succeed in the classroom.

The ESOL language course sequence at New England College is for students who meet a minimum TOEFL (or equivalent) proficiency, but do not meet the minimum requirement for acceptance into a college major. These courses are designed to improve English communication in an academic setting across four areas: listening, oral communication, reading comprehension and written communication. Students are placed in the appropriate course, based upon their TOEFL (or equivalent) score.

The goal of NEC’s ESOL courses is to prepare students for academic success. All courses in NEC’s ESOL sequence are highly participatory. Our program is designed to immerse students in the study of academic English and our faculty are committed to student success. The college provides tailored academic advising, support, and recourse referral for all international students throughout their studies.

Our graduate ESOL classes also provide vocabulary, reading, research, listening, and writing skills in the context of each graduate program. Students frequently take a semester of ESOL before beginning their graduate courses. New England College’s ESOL program is committed to facilitating the successful transition to your academic program.

Our ESOL classes also provide opportunities to utilize English outside of class through campus life activities, field trips, and cultural events to introduce students to their new surroundings - Henniker, New Hampshire, the Boston metropolitan area, and New England.

Admission Process

International students follow the same procedure as domestic students if they do not require English as an additional language (native English speakers or 80 minimum on the TOEFL IBT). Our EAL Transitional Program accepts students with low to intermediate English proficiency, expressed by a TOEFL IBT 45 or the equivalent on comparable English proficiency tests. Students must show proof of financial support before the College issues an I‐20 (Certificate of Eligibility for Non‐Immigrant [F‐1] Student Status). We look at each applicant on his/her own merits and evaluate all materials, including coursework, recommendations, extracurricular activities, and an essay to determine acceptance.

Honors Program

Introduction 

The New England College Honors Program (NECHP) offers special challenges and opportunities to a limited number of academically talented and highly motivated undergraduate students. It fosters collaborative relationships between students and faculty through small intensive classes, a faculty mentor system for introducing students to the intellectual standards and methodologies of academic disciplines, and informal contacts encouraged by co-curricular offerings. NECHP courses and projects represent additional opportunities for academically gifted and adventurous students; they are not an alternative curriculum. Honors programs are designed to nurture talent by providing opportunities to go farther into an academic discipline, to broaden and deepen an education beyond the usual required work, and to nurture and reward genuine intellectual curiosity. 

Eligibility 

Students may be admitted to the NECHP based on their academic achievements prior to their entry into the College. Criteria for admission to NEC as Honors students might include, but may not be limited to, one or more of the following: 

• High School GPA (3.25 or better) 
• Recommendations from two qualified referees aware of the competitive nature of the program. 
• Application essay (specific to the NECHP application process) 
• Transfer Student Eligibility: 
• Transfer GPA of 3.0 or above 
• Recommendations from two qualified referees aware of the competitive nature of the program 
• Application essay (specific to the NECHP application process) 

NEC students 

Students may apply to the program during their first year. Criteria through which second‐year might enter the program include exceptional performance in first‐year courses (including Honors versions of the 1st year courses which any highly motivated student might attempt with the instructor’s permission), a record of achievement in another college’s honors program and the recommendation of two or more Faculty members. 

• An NEC GPA of 3.25 after 30 credits of work 
• Recommendations from two qualified referees aware of the competitive nature of the program 
• Application essay (specific to the NECHP application process) 
• Why should students aspire to become Honors Scholars at NEC? 
• Challenging core courses 
• Interaction with an outstanding group of peers 
• Social and intellectual activities outside the classroom 

Priority registration 

Transcript notation of Honor’s Diploma can have practical benefits: prospective employers and graduate admissions committees often look carefully at an undergraduate record for evidence of extra initiative and genuine intellectual strength. 

Honors Curriculum 

Each Honors Scholar must complete a minimum of four honors courses and must enroll in the interdisciplinary honors seminar each semester that they are a student at NEC. In the junior or senior year, the student will conduct two semesters work on an honors project that is separate from any capstone or senior thesis required by the major. The student will work with a faculty mentor and will also be advised by an honors project committee of two additional faculty members. 

Honors Research and Scholarly Work Symposium 

At the end of the Spring Semester the honors students will help organize a showcase of scholarly and artistic work. Juniors and Seniors conducting an “honors project” will present their projects at this event. 

Honors Diploma 

Program Requirements for an Honors Diploma: 

• A student will receive an “honors diploma” by completion of all of the following 
• A total of 4 designated Honors classes which may include Honors LAS 1, Honors LAS 2 and Honors LAS 7 and/or additional honors eligible courses. 
• Interdisciplinary honors seminar (total of five semesters) that the student is enrolled in the program. 
• Honors Project and Presentation 
• Final GPA of 3.25 or above 

Honors Committee 

The Honors Committee consists of the Director of the Honors Program and one faculty member from each of the College’s academic divisions.

International Study

Telephone: 603.428.2358 

New England College promotes international programs as an important part of its efforts to foster an awareness of world citizenship. We believe in the importance of exposure to different cultures in the personal development of our students. The College maintains cooperative relations with many study abroad program providers and foreign institutions, and provides information on a wide variety of academic opportunities abroad. 

Eligibility Criteria 

• Students wishing to participate in study abroad opportunities must apply to the Director of Career and Life Planning in advance of the projected study abroad and meet the following criteria: 
• Students should have successfully completed a minimum of 30 credits in residence at New England College. Transfer credits from other colleges will not normally be applied to this credit total; 
• Students should have achieved sophomore status or above; 
• Students must have good academic and social standing, including a cumulative grade point average of no less than 2.5 in credits earned at New England College; 
• Any student not meeting these conditions may petition the Students Committee. 

Application Deadline 

The priority date for semester‐long study abroad applications is the end of the second week of the preceding semester of the intended study. Deadline dates for regular applications to study abroad programs are no later than October 15 (for the Spring semester) and March 15 (for the Fall semester). The application fee for study abroad programs is set at $250 (of which $50 is non‐refundable). 

Costs for Study Abroad 

Normally, New England College students enrolled in semester‐long study abroad programs will continue to pay tuition, room, and board to New England College, which will in turn pay the tuition, room, and board expenses at the study abroad location. Enrollment in study abroad credits approved by New England College may be considered enrollment at New England College for federal financial aid purposes. As such, New England College students studying abroad in an approved program continue to be eligible for most of their institutional and federal financial aid. Please contact Student Financial Services for further details. Additional scholarships may be available through our study‐abroad partners. 

Study Abroad Opportunities 

New England College sponsors study abroad programs in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belize, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, England, Fiji, France, Germany, Greece, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Morocco, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Peru, Russia, Scotland, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, and Ukraine. 

Office of the Provost

Telephone: 603.428.2235

The Office of the Provost is responsible for creating and maintaining a dynamic learning environment for undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education students at New England College. Specific areas of responsibility include designing and implementing academic policy and programs, hiring and evaluating faculty, integrating new learning technologies, and monitoring student academic progress. The Office of the Provost oversees the undergraduate and graduate divisions, the School of Graduate and Professional Studies, the division of Student Development,  the NEC Galleries and Libraries, the Registrar’s Office, Academic Support Services, and the Center for Civic Engagement. As well, the Office of the Provost supports student learning and achievement. Responsibilities include developing and implementing policies related to campus life, promoting co‐curricular programming, and providing student services which enhance the NEC learning environment.

The Center for Civic Engagement

The Center for Civic Engagement focuses on broadening and deepening traditional civic engagement through Town Hall Series which organizes and hosts U.S. presidential candidates, campaign leaders and elected officials, Speaker Series which hosts a variety of high profile speakers as well as election debates, and, to coincide with the presidential primary, College Convention, in which college students from across the country meet for a week and enjoy access to presidential candidates, campaign staff, political experts and media. CiviCorps also provides an opportunity for students to take an active role and organizing and supporting the Center’s civic engagement activities.

Project Pericles

Project Pericles is a national organization committed to civic and social engagement based on knowledge of the principles and history of American democracy. As one of the ten founding Colleges, New England College is proud to be associated with this project and with the founder, Eugene Lang. NEC’s Pericles program has two essential aspects ‐ a theoretical, knowledge‐based aspect, and a civic engagement aspect, in which students become personally involved in civic and socially responsible service.  Through Project Pericles, students are provided opportunities to develop their advocacy skills, to meet and debate with equally engaged students on other Pericles’ campuses and to attend national meetings.

Office of Student Access and Accommodations