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In addition to the programs detailed in the preceding sections of the catalog, Emerson offers a variety of unique educational experiences to its students. College faculty encourages interested students to take advantage of one or more of these enriching opportunities.
Institutional Affiliations
Longy School of Music
Emerson College offers the Bachelor of Music degree through a special program with the Longy School of Music in Cambridge. This degree is offered with major programs in Composition, Organ, Piano, Strings, Voice, and Woodwinds and Brass. Students must apply, audition, and be accepted at both the Longy School of Music and Emerson College. Formal acceptance by both institutions is required. Advising for students interested in this program is coordinated through the Office of Academic Affairs.
Professional Arts Consortium (ProArts)
In 1981, Emerson College joined a consortium of neighboring colleges and schools in the Boston area that are dedicated to the visual and performing arts. The seven member schools are Emerson College, Berklee College of Music, Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Boston Architectural College, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, New England Conservatory, and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University. Students in the consortium schools are permitted to cross-register on a limited basis at the participating schools during the fall and spring semesters. First-semester first-years, first-semester transfers, and graduate students are not eligible. Students must be in good academic standing with at least a 2.7 GPA. The Consortium sponsors various activities to foster student and faculty exchange.
Cross-registration forms must be obtained at the Office of the Registrar and require the approval of the Registrar at both institutions. Students will pay tuition at their home institution at the home institution’s tuition rate. Credit hours, grades, and honor points are transferred. Students may take a maximum of 28 ProArts credits as part of their Emerson degree program. Students must be registered for a minimum of 8 credits at Emerson in any semester in which they are taking ProArts courses. ProArts courses are not meant to duplicate or substitute for coursework at Emerson and may not count toward liberal arts or major or minor requirements unless approved by the appropriate department chair/dean.
Education Abroad and Domestic Programs
The Office of Education Abroad and Domestic Programs is committed to providing Emerson students with opportunities to explore their academic goals globally. The office offers semester-long programs sponsored by the College at Kasteel Well, the Netherlands, Emerson Los Angeles, Washington, DC, and the Berklee Valencia Program. In addition, Emerson offers semester-long exchange opportunities with universities in Barcelona, Spain; Hong Kong; Paris, France, and Lugano, Switzerland. Students may also enroll at nonaffiliated education abroad programs.
Emerson does not have an “approved list” of nonaffiliated education abroad programs or program providers. The program selected must be owned and operated by a regionally accredited US educational institution or have a US School of Record. Students must show evidence of admission to an approved education abroad program to remain enrolled as full-time students at the College. Approved courses will transfer upon successful completion of the program and the submission of an official transcript.
Approval of coursework for transfer, particularly within the major, is not automatic. Students must submit courses for transfer credit pre-approval to the Registrar’s Office before registering at another institution. For more information about transfer of credits, please see the Courses at Other Institutions section under Academic Regulations .
The Education Abroad and Domestic Programs Office is located at 120 Boylston Street, 10th Floor, Rooms 1010 and 1014, and can be reached by phone at 617-824-8567 or by email at abroad@emerson.edu.
Kasteel Well, The Netherlands
Emerson College offers qualified sophomores, juniors, and seniors a European program containing a special curriculum that draws on the rich resources of its location to promote multi- and cross-cultural awareness, stimulate critical and political thinking, and enhance appreciation for the arts.
A restored 14th-century medieval castle is home to Emerson’s flagship semester-abroad program. Kasteel Well is a national historical monument that provides living and dining accommodations; classrooms; a resource center; a computer lab; a student center and pub; offices; and a performance area for students, faculty, and staff. Moats and lush gardens contribute to this beautiful setting. Located in southeastern Holland near the German border, Kasteel Well is approximately two hours from Düsseldorf, Amsterdam, and Brussels, and five hours from Paris by easily accessible mass transit.
Costs are comparable to a semester at the Boston campus (not including transportation and travel expenses). Emerson College students who participate in the program are fully registered at the College and eligible for financial assistance. Students are required to take a full (16-credit) course load.
At Kasteel Well, a strong emphasis is placed on academic performance and a well-rounded student experience. Study at Kasteel Well is combined with faculty-guided travel to explore the cultural and historical offerings of several major cities of Europe. Each term, the required academic multi-day field trips will bring students to both Amsterdam and one other European capital such as: Prague, Rome, Madrid, Berlin, Milan, Dublin, or Barcelona. In the future, other cities may be selected. Students may also travel independently but are encouraged to find a good balance between academics and travel. Not travelingtravelling the full weekend or staying “at home” certain weekends will not only be beneficial to the student’s academic performance but will also save money and offer necessary rest, relaxation, and time for reflection. Mandatory informative travel meetings will be scheduled periodically throughout the semester.
Most of the Kasteel Well faculty are experts in the areas of philosophy, history and art history, performing arts and theater, science, languages and linguistics, and in the various fields of communication; they are recruited from or affiliated with nearby universities. Course offerings may include:
All students are required to complete the following 1-credit non-tuition course prior to attending the Kasteel Well Program.
HI 100: Topics in European History, Culture, and Art: An Introduction to The Netherlands and the City of Amsterdam
This 1-credit online course serves as an introduction to the history, art, and culture of The Netherlands and prepares students for the planned excursion to Amsterdam. The course prepares students more specifically for the various visits under faculty guidance to specific quarters of the city, to monuments and buildings of (art) historical and/or political importance, to historical/art museums and galleries, and to theaters and concert halls.
Kasteel Well Foreign Language Instruction
(0 or 4 credits): LF 101 Elementary French is offered for credit every semester as part of the Emerson tuition. In partnership with the language school of the University of Nijmegen (Radboud), the Emerson European Center at Kasteel Well offers Castle students the opportunity to take non-credit bearing courses, for a fee, in Italian (beginning) and Spanish (beginning and intermediate).
To participate in the Kasteel Well Program, students must have a minimum 2.0 semester and cumulative grade point average at the time of application. New first-year and transfer applicants will be admitted provisionally if accepted and reevaluated after the completion of their first term. Students will become ineligible if their average drops below 2.0 at any time or if they are on academic probation. Students must also consult with their academic advisors to ensure that degree requirements will be met. Students may attend for one semester only, and admission is not guaranteed.
Applications must be submitted approximately one year in advance of attendance, typically in the fall of the first year. The online application process begins on September 1, and the application deadline for the following academic year is November 1 (for Fall 2023 and Spring 2024). Participants are chosen by random lottery within each major to maintain appropriate representation from each department. Honors students are selected by random lottery in a separate applicant pool and are encouraged to attend during the fall term. More information may be found online at emerson.edu/education-abroad-domestic-programs/kasteel-well-netherlands or by contacting the Education Abroad and Domestic Programs Office, 120 Boylston Street, 10th Floor, Rooms 1010 and 1014, by phone at 617-824-8567, or by email atcastle@emerson.edu. (International students please note: Non-North American and non-EU citizens may need a Schengen Visa. International applicants should contact the Office of Education Abroad and Domestic Programs or the Dutch Consulate in their home country for further information about visa requirements.)
Emerson College Los Angeles
Qualified Emerson seniors and some juniors may enroll for one semester of study at Emerson Los Angeles (ELA), a pioneering semester-away residential internship program in Hollywood. Serving as a bridge between college and the demands and realities of professional and civic life, ELA provides opportunities for academic, professional, and holistic student development through innovative, experiential curricula and robust co-curricular and professional development programming. In collaboration with its extensive alumni network and Los Angeles community partners, ELA challenges students to identify, hone, and market their unique skills in pursuit of careers in communication, the arts, and liberal arts. Students seeking a credit-bearing internship in Los Angeles during the fall or spring semesters must be enrolled in the Los Angeles Program.
All students enrolled at ELA, including the exceptions whom live off-campus, are required to enroll in an experiential learning (internship) course (BC/CC/JR/MK/PA/PB/SA/VM 499) for 4 or 8 credits, depending on department requirements and the specific number of internship hours per week. The internship course, which combines practical experience with academic inquiry, provides an academic framework and context for the internship as well as a set of tools to analyze its contribution to academic, professional, and personal goals.
ELA students have the opportunity to intern at more than 1,000 internship sites in a wide variety of fields, including film, television, radio, new media, music, management, publicity, marketing, and public relations. Student interns learn through experience and integrate theory and practice with the goals of self-knowledge, personal growth, and career development. Interning with industry professionals such as film and television producers, studio executives, film editors, casting directors, talent managers, camera technicians, publicity directors, and others, provides students with a rich understanding of their chosen industry beyond the classroom.
Costs are comparable to a semester at the Boston campus (not including transportation and travel expenses). Emerson College students who participate in the Los Angeles Program must be registered for a full-time course load (12-16 credits) and are eligible for financial assistance.
Students must not complete their degree requirements prior to participation in the program. Courses are taught by visiting Faculty Fellows and ELA faculty who both hold academic credentials and are working professionals in their fields. ELA faculty members include producers, directors, screenwriters, advertising and public relations executives, actors, entertainment marketing professionals, and more. Course offerings vary from semester to semester. Student housing is located in the on-site residence hall that houses approximately 200 students.
Typical ELA course offerings include:
To participate in the Los Angeles Program, students must meet requirements determined by their individual departments and have a minimum semester and cumulative grade point average of 2.7 at the time of application. Students may become ineligible if their average drops below 2.7 at any time or if they are on academic probation. Students must consult with their academic advisors to ensure that degree requirements will be met. Students may attend ELA for one semester only.
Applications must be submitted one to one-and-a-half years in advance of attendance, typically in the fall of the junior year. The online application process begins September 1 and the application deadline for the following academic year is December 15 (for Fall 2023 and Spring 2024). Participants will be selected on the basis of their application essays, cumulative grade point average, class standing, and faculty recommendations. New transfer students must also submit an official transcript from their previous institution. Some preference will be given to applicants from underrepresented majors, and the percentage of accepted applicants from each department will remain roughly constant. Admission is not guaranteed.
More information may be found online at emerson.edu/ela. The Education Abroad and Domestic Programs Office is located at 120 Boylston Street, 10th Floor, Rooms 1010 and 1014, and can be reached by phone at 617-824-8567 or by email at la@emerson.edu.
Washington, DC, Internship Program
Qualified juniors and seniors may enroll for one semester of study during the fall term only in Emerson’s Washington, DC, Internship Program. This residential program offers students the opportunity to spend their fall semester in Washington, DC, and acquire knowledge and skills in a variety of professional areas. Among them include political communication and polling, public relations, journalism, marketing, diplomacy, visual and media arts, professional writing, and sports communication. Discussing public policy, writing business plans, attending and participating in conferences and other professional development events, developing webcasts, and initiating media releases are among the various opportunities awaiting the creative and ambitious Emerson student.
Eight internship credits at a site chosen for students’ specific goals and interests anchor a semester schedule that includes a full course load of 16 credits. A diverse range of internship opportunities are available to students wanting to get hands-on working experience and build a professional network in Washington, DC. They are strongly encouraged to contact the director of the program to discuss the different options available to them in DC. Juniors and seniors from all majors may apply. All rules concerning internships apply to this program, including the minimum required grade point average of 2.7 and junior standing.
Emerson College is affiliated with The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars, an independent, nonprofit educational organization located five blocks north of the White House and one block north of Scott Circle. Mandatory student housing is located at The Washington Center’s housing facility at the north end of Capitol Hill in the NoMA (North of Massachusetts Avenue) area. The center’s residence hall is a central hub for students, with a 500-seat auditorium, classroom space, and a student lounge and fitness center. Overflow student housing is located in professional-style apartment buildings, most of which are in suburban Maryland and the Arlington and Alexandria areas of northern Virginia, and are easily accessible by mass transit.
To participate in the Washington, DC, Program, students must meet requirements determined by their individual departments and have a minimum semester and cumulative grade point average of 2.75 at the time of application. Students may become ineligible if their average drops below 2.75 at any time, or if they are on academic probation. Students pursuing academic credit must also submit their internship to the Career Development Center for approval prior to the start of their work. Students must consult with their academic advisors to ensure that degree requirements will be met. Participants may attend for one semester only, and admission is not guaranteed.
Two applications must be submitted: first, an Emerson online application to determine eligibility and then the official Washington Center application for program admission. Applications must be submitted online the semester prior to attendance. The application deadline for Fall 2023 is April 1, 2023. More information may be found online at emerson.edu/education-abroad-domestic-programs/washington-dc-programor by contacting the Education Abroad and Domestic Programs Office, 120 Boylston Street, 10th Floor, Rooms 1010 and 1014, by phone at 617-824-8567, or by email atwashington@emerson.edu.
Berklee Valencia Program
Emerson College has partnered with Berklee College of Music to offer Emerson students the opportunity to study at Berklee’s international campus in Valencia, Spain. Sophomores, juniors, and first-semester seniors can enroll for one semester of study in either the fall or spring term.
To participate in the Berklee Valencia Program, students must have a minimum semester and cumulative grade point average of 2.5 at the time of application. Students may become ineligible if their average drops below 2.5 at any time, or if they are on academic probation. Students must consult with their academic advisors to ensure that degree requirements will be met. Participants may attend for one semester only, and admission is not guaranteed.
Two applications must be submitted: first, an Emerson online application to determine eligibility and then the official Berklee College of Music application for program admission. Admission is rolling so it is best to apply well in advance. More information may be found at emerson.edu/departments/education-abroad-domestic-programs/berklee-valenciaor by contacting the Education Abroad and Domestic Programs Office, 120 Boylston Street, 10th Floor, Rooms 1010 and 1014, by phone at 617-824-8567, or by email atabroad@emerson.edu.
Global Pathways Programs
Emerson is committed to growing education abroad through the active engagement of Emerson faculty. As a result, each year faculty across disciplines have increasingly stepped up to lead and/or teach one or more courses in an Emerson Global Pathways Program during the summer or winter breaks. With this in mind, an Emerson faculty director for every Global Pathways Program works closely with students, offering them individual guidance on course selection and other pre-departure orientations. The presence of Emerson faculty at a global center is not what makes the Emerson Global Pathways Programs: it’s the closeness of the overall academic relationship, in all its many dimensions, between Emerson College and its overseas partners. Emerson Global Pathways Programs are continuously evolving. Detailed information on each program can be found at emerson.edu/global-pathways.
2023 Global Pathway Programs may include, but are not limited to:
- Australia: Global Perspective in Public Relations
- Austria: Salzburg Global Seminar
- Chile: Contemporary Performance and Festival Production
- Czech Republic: Prague Summer Film Program
- England: Comedic Arts in London: From Shakespeare to Standup
- France: Paris French Language and Global Communication
- Germany: Berlin: Metropolis in Motion
- Greece: Athens: Citizens and Citizenry
- Ireland: Writing Place and Distance: Art and Environment in the West of Ireland
- Jamaica: Imagining Jacaican Culture Through Visual & Multimedia Storytelling
- Mexico: Rosarito Public Diplomacy Workshop
- Netherlands: Art into Film
- Netherlands: James Baldwin Writer’s Colony
- Netherlands: Travel Writing
- Scotland: Kristin Linklater Voice Centre Workshop
- Spain: Barcelona Art, Theatre, and Culture
- Sweden: Blueprinting Innovation: Sweden’s Globally Influential Creative Economy
Global Pathways Programs have different eligibility requirements based on class standing and major. Programs vary from two to six weeks in length and are 4 or 8 credits each. Please check the website for application deadlines and dates. To be eligible for a Global Pathways Program, students must have a minimum 2.5 semester and cumulative grade point average at the time of application. Students will become ineligible if their average drops below 2.5 at any time, or if they are on academic probation.
More information may be found online at emerson.edu/global-pathwaysor by contacting the Education Abroad and Domestic Programs Office at 120 Boylston Street, 10th Floor, Rooms 1010 and 1013. Staff can be reached by phone at 617-824-8567 or by email at abroad@emerson.edu.
International Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs)
The Office of Internationalization and Equity is responsible for, among other things, developing and maintaining the College’s exchange agreements with institutions around the world.
These exchange agreements, or Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), have strengthened existing partnerships and provided new opportunities for bi-directional mobility of faculty, students, and scholars ranging from one week to a full academic year. Each program/partnership is unique and tailored to the needs, interests, and academic niches of both Emerson College and the partnering international institution.
The College has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the following institutions:
- Argentina: Universidad de la Empresa Buenos Aires (UADE)
- Australia: International College of Management, Sydney
- China: Beijing Normal University - Hong Kong Baptist University United International College (UIC)
- China: Hong Kong Baptist University
- China: Lingnan University
- China: University of Hong Kong
- France: Paris College of Art
- Spain: Berklee College of Music, Valencia Campus
- Spain: Ramon Llull University, Blanquerna School of Communication and International Relations
- Switzerland: Franklin University
Department of Professional Studies and Special Programs
Summer Session
The Department of Professional Studies and Special Programs offers a full range of classroom and online courses during the summer months. Full-time degree-seeking students may take courses during the accelerated May Intersession or during two summer sessions to accelerate academic progress, complete graduation requirements, or enhance their academic credentials. Undergraduate students may not enroll in more than 12 credits in either summer session.
Taking Undergraduate Courses Prior to Matriculation
Prior to matriculation, students may take a maximum of 24 undergraduate credits through Professional Studies to be counted toward their undergraduate degree. Non-matriculated students may only register for undergraduate-level courses at Emerson during the summer sessions.
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