2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
    Nov 04, 2024  
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Academic and Student Resources



Iwasaki Library

Located on the 3rd floor of the Walker Building at 120 Boylston Street, the Iwasaki Library collaboratively cultivates the Emerson global research, learning, and creative community by prioritizing the development of IDEAS: inclusivity, diversity, equity, accessibility, and sustainability within its collections, services, and spaces.

The Library aligns its resources and services as a foundation of research, learning, and creation. It does this by analyzing data when available, anticipating needs when possible, and experimenting when feasible. The Library will embrace change in its systems, services, and job roles to continuously improve over time.

Iwasaki Library is central to the Emerson global community as a valued facilitator, partner, and catalyst for research, learning, and creation on campus. It equips individuals with the skills and agency to pursue lifelong learning and share in the joy of brightening the changing cultural, social, political, and civic life around us.

The Library website is the gateway to its full array of collections, services, and spaces. The Library’s collections include research databases, journals, books, ebooks, and streaming media items. Databases include content from over 100,000 journals and newspapers as well as statistics, images, and streaming videos. The Library’s discovery service allows patrons to search across dozens of databases at once.

The Emerson College Archives and Special Collections, located on the 2nd floor of the Walker Building, collects and provides access to rare and primary source materials focusing on the history and development of the College (including student groups), theater, journalism, and other topics related to the College’s curriculum. The American Comedy Archives is one subset of our special collections which contains materials related to the writing, producing, directing, and performing of American comedy in all its forms.

Additionally, the Library’s memberships in the Fenway Library Organization (FLO) and Commonwealth Catalog (ComCat) provide access to the collections of many other libraries in Massachusetts. Materials can be requested online and delivered directly to Emerson. Students can place requests to borrow materials from libraries all over the country through interlibrary loans. 

Students working on a thesis, creative work, or research-intensive project can schedule a consultation with a librarian or archivist for in-depth research help. The Library offers a variety of study spaces ranging from armchairs to carrels to tables and small study rooms, including a sensory-friendly study space. Computers include laptops, iMac workstations, an adaptive technology workstation, scanners, iPads for browsing magazines and movies, and a classroom with iMacs. The study rooms are equipped with large screens that can be used for collaborative work or viewing media.

The library keeps a copy of available required readings and viewings on reserve to ensure equal access for all students. Physical books are available for two-hour, in-library loan periods, alongside other reserve resources, such as laptops and external disk drives. Required readings and viewings may also be found electronically, depending on availability.

For more information about the Iwasaki Library, please consult the website, emerson.edu/library, call 617-824-8668, or email  library@emerson.edu.

Information Technology

Emerson IT, the Technology & Media Division, offers unified support for a robust array of innovative and sustainable technology solutions to empower the creative pursuits of the College community, both on campus and online.

Hundreds of computers and several printers and scanners are installed in classrooms and labs throughout the Boston campus for use by students for class and personal use. Industry-standard applications are available, including Adobe Creative Cloud, Autodesk Maya, Avid Media Composer, Final Cut Pro, Final Draft, Microsoft Office, SPSS and Zoom. Students are provided network storage space for real-time and collaborative video editing. Enrollment in the relevant coursework grants access to specialty labs featuring virtual reality equipment, large-format photo printing, color-calibrated monitors, graphics tablets, and film and photo scanners.

Each student’s Emerson account includes secure access to email, online storage, lab workstations, printing, video conferencing, and high-speed internet all over campus. Using their Emerson email, students can also download Adobe Creative Cloud, Autodesk Maya and AutoCAD, Avid Media Composer, DaVinci Resolve, Microsoft Office and Unity onto their personal laptops for free. Academic resources provided include Google Workspace for Education, Canvas for online course management, video hosting, and secure cloud data storage; as well as Zoom for online conferencing.

Access to professional quality media production equipment is available, to students taking certain VMA and Journalism courses, in our Media Technologies and Production studios, postproduction labs, newsroom, Journalism facilities and as lent out through our Equipment Distribution Center (EDC). The EDC, located on Avery Street in the Boston campus, also lends basic portable production equipment to active students taking classes in any department.

The Help Desk, located on the fifth floor of the Walker Building, offers assistance to all students, faculty, and staff with any technology-related questions, including desktop and laptop support, classroom technology assistance, software issues and account management. The Help Desk also lends computers and some media equipment including laptops, adapters, iPads, webcams, and some simple presentation equipment.

During the academic year, the Help Desk is open seven days a week and until 10:00 pm on most weeknights - visit the Help Desk or call at 617-824-8080. Students can also access the IT website at  it.emerson.edu for step-by-step guides, equipment reservation, or to submit an online help request.

Academic Advising

The primary purpose of the Academic Advising Center (AAC) is to ensure that all undergraduate students develop meaningful educational plans that are compatible with their academic, career, and personal goals. The AAC lays an early foundation of accessible and developmental support by guiding students to proactively engage in decision-making, become independent self-advocates, and utilize the available campus support services that will aid in their persistence at the College.

Emerson employs a dual advising model composed of professional advisors, who are trained across all major/minor disciplines, and a cohort of departmental faculty advisors, who mentor juniors and seniors in their respective fields of expertise. Primary functions of the AAC are to register all new first-year and transfer students; offer targeted first and second-year advising programs anchored in the AAC; provide long-term planning to all transfer students in their first semester at the College; serve as a reliable academic resource to the entire undergraduate student population; and train and support all faculty advisors. In addition, the AAC advises students returning from study abroad or a leave of absence; coordinates the change-of-major and minor declaration process; and administers all advisor assignments.

The AAC is located on the fourth floor of 180 Tremont Street (Ansin Building). More information can be found online at emerson.edu/advising or by contacting the office at advising@emerson.edu or 617-824-7876.

Lacerte Family Writing and Academic Resource Center

The Lacerte Family Writing and Academic Resource Center (WARC) offers a variety of academic support services to all Emerson students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The center provides individualized consultations on all phases of the writing process for academic projects. In addition, the center offers support in study strategies, including time management. For international students who are non-native English speakers, appointments focused on language and grammar development are also available. Professional academic support specialists are on staff to assist students with specific needs and requests. The WARC’s mission is to develop confident and independent writers and learners by providing resources for intellectual growth and academic success.

All services are free of charge. The WARC is located on the fifth floor of 216 Tremont Street. Students can book appointments directly with academic support consultants online, or meet with one of our professional staff to form a support plan by emailing warc@emerson.edu. For more information about the WARC, please visit us at emerson.edu/warc or call 617-824-7824.

Student Accessibility Services

Emerson College is committed to providing access to its academic programs and social activities for all qualified students with disabilities. While upholding this commitment, we maintain the high standards of achievement that are essential to the College’s programs and services. In advancing these dual aims, the office ensures that the College’s policies, practices, and procedures conform to federal and state statutes and regulations. Its philosophy is that students are independent and self-determined, and that students with disabilities- just like all students- have control over their lives here at Emerson and are ultimately responsible for making their own decisions.

Emerson offers services through Student Accessibility Services (SAS) to students with documented physical, medical, visual, hearing, learning, and psychiatric disabilities. Any student with a disability who is seeking accommodations or who has specific questions about disability services at Emerson should contact Student Accessibility Services via email at sas@emerson.edu or by phone at 617-824-8592. Student Accessibility Services is located on the 5th floor of 216 Tremont Street. Visit emerson.edu/student-accessibility-services for more information.

Office of Student Success

The Office of Student Success provides a holistic perspective on student success, encompassing positive outcomes for both students and Emerson College. We empower students by translating their academic and personal aspirations into tangible actions with individualized guidance and an extensive network of resources. Focusing on student retention, student satisfaction and degree completion, we contribute to an inclusive and socially just community that promotes collaboration, access, belonging, foundation setting, academic and personal growth. making sure that students have the support they need to realize their fullest potential. Students may encounter obstacles or difficulties associated with college life-academic, financial, personal, interpersonal, or wellness-at any time.  Students can make an appointment or just drop in. Staff members are available for one-time or ongoing support. For students who would be best served by taking time away from the College, the Office of Student Success coordinates the leave of absence, readmission and withdrawal processes.

The Office of Student Success coordinates Emerson’s first-year experience course, Emersion: Foundations of Student Success (FS 101), and provides support and programming for transfer students, first-generation college students, low-income students, students with academic concerns and challenges and US military veteran students and their dependents. Student Success operates the campus Pantry (Located at 120 Boylston St., Walker Building, Suite 211) and manages the Student Assistance Emergency Fund to help eligible students with indirect costs of attendance. Broadly, the office works with cross-campus partners to make sure that conditions are in place to support the success of all of our diverse and talented students. More information can be found online at emerson.edu/student-success or by contacting the office at 617-824-8650 or studentsuccess@emerson.edu.

Office of Student Care and Support

Student Care and Support receives referrals from students, faculty, staff, etc. about students of concern. The Office works with key partners on campus to provide support for those students with a goal of helping them succeed academically and personally. Student Care and Support coordinates outreach to students who are struggling with the goal of getting students connected to resources and providing wraparound care.

Emerson encourages faculty, staff, students and other community members to share concerns about students who may be struggling with academic, personal or emotional challenges, exhibiting concerning behavior or dealing with a difficult situation. Referrals can be submitted using the General concern form at emerson.edu/shareaconcern.

Student Care and Support also manages ConcernCenter, which is an accessible interactive database of resources at Emerson. ConcernCenter can be found at concerncenter.emerson.edu.

Student Care and Support can be reached directly at care@emerson.edu. More information about supporting students can also be found on the Care Out Loud webpage. 

Emerson Financial Wellness Program

Financial Wellness works collaboratively with the offices of Student Success, Financial Aid, and Student Accounts to provide financial education programming and resources to support the whole student. 

The program provides financial counseling for students and alumni whose financial questions extend beyond financial aid and billing, and provides workshops, webinars, and events throughout the semester covering a range of topics such as saving, budgeting, credit, and managing student debt. All programming is announced on EmConnect.

In addition to campus-based workshops and appointments, the program partners with iGrad to provide an online financial wellness tool for all Emerson community members. iGrad provides videos, articles, online classes, and webinars on all personal finance and student aid topics, as well as a searchable scholarship database.

More information about Emerson Financial Wellness Program can be found at emerson.edu/financial-wellness.

 The Social Justice Collaborative

The Social Justice Collaborative works with and supports individuals and communities through personal and systems advocacy, community-centered projects, and radical care. It believes in individual and community self-determination and works to support the agency of students, faculty, and staff, especially those from historically marginalized groups. The Collaborative engages in an ongoing practice of praxis-reflection and action-informed by Black feminist theory; decolonization; critical trans politics; abolition; and disability, healing, and transformative justice frameworks. It works to deepen its own liberatory practices and works to create liberatory spaces for others.

Please feel free to visit the Social Justice Center at 120 Boylston Street, 10th Floor; the Elma Lewis Center at 148 Boylston Street; Healing and Advocacy Collective at 150 Boylston Street, Piano Row 240; and the HIVE (Hub for Inclusive Visionary Engagement) at Tufte B106 (alley entrance). For more information, please visit emerson.edu/social-justice-center or like us at facebook.com/SocialJusticeCtr.

Healing and Advocacy Collective

No one should make you feel like you can’t be yourself or that decisions are not consensual. If you are feeling:

  • Anxious or panicked;

  • Sad or depressed;

  • Checked out or disinterested;

  • Unsure or overwhelmed;

  • Numb, unreal, or out of body;

  • Run down, sick, or tired; or

  • Not hungry;

Your feelings make sense and are valid.

It’s not your fault.

These things are rooted in power and control, take choices away from survivors, and make consent impossible:

  • Emotional Abuse

  • Threats and Intimidation

  • Verbal Abuse

  • Sexual Assault

  • Physical Harm

  • Cultural Abuse

We believe you. We’re here.

Connect with us; we’re free and confidential counselor/advocates.

Call, email, or stop by, no appointment necessary:

617-824-8857
advocate@emerson.edu

Piano Row 240 at 150 Boylston Street
emerson.edu/healing
facebook.com/HealingandAdvocacyCollective
Instagram.com/HealingandAdvocacyCollective
Instagram.com/TrumanTales

We can:

  • Provide ongoing trauma-informed support

  • Request No Contact Orders and academic modifications

  • Go to OEO, Community Standards, and other meetings with you as your advocate;

  • And more…

You get to pick what works for you.

We recognize that people of any race, ethnicity, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, faith, socioeconomic status, age, ability, veteran status, and citizenship status can be impacted by power-based interpersonal violence and we’re here to support Emerson students (domestic, international, undergraduate, graduate), faculty, and staff on all campuses.

Healing and Advocacy envisions a world where all communities are committed to community-building, radical care, and justice- a world where violence does not seem inevitable. We are all accountable to interrupt the norms and behaviors that reinforce harm and oppression. It is not only up to survivors to change things. It requires social change, and we’re all a part of that. Everyone can do something. Here are some ideas about how to get involved throughout the year:

  • Participate in an active bystander intervention workshop

  • Try out our Yoga for Healing and Arts & Crafts for Healing workshop series

  • Follow us on Instagram and Facebook

  • Consult with us on a class paper, project, thesis, or capstone

  • Connect with us for student organization meetings, events, and additional activities

  • Visit with Truman the friendly beagle

International Student Affairs

In the International Student Affairs Office, students can come and find support and resource referrals for most situations they would encounter on campus. The Office of International Student Affairs (OISA) strives to provide relevant up-to-date information on F-1 student visa issues. Staff are available to process immigration forms; provide advice regarding I-20s; and help provide practical training and programming in conjunction with other campus offices, including discussing issues related to academics and adjustment to the United States. The director plans orientation, informational meetings, and social programs for international students. The Office of International Student Affairs is located on the 10th floor of 120 Boylston Street and can be reached at 617-824-7858; its website is found at emerson.edu/international-student-affairs.

Optional Practical Training

Optional practical training (OPT) is a type of work authorization benefit available to most F-1 students. OPT is available for a total of 12 months during or after completion of studies. Students may choose to do some, all, or none of the optional training before graduation, but most students choose to take their 12 months of OPT after graduation. Students are eligible to apply for post-completion OPT no earlier than 90 days prior to the last day of the graduating semester and no later than 14 days prior to the last day of the graduating semester. Students are encouraged to plan ahead and apply early to avoid any delay or problem in the application process.