Accreditation
Emerson College is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) (formerly the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc.).
Accreditation of an institution of higher education by the Commission indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of institutional quality periodically applied through a peer review process. An accredited college or university is one which has available the necessary resources to achieve its stated purposes through appropriate educational programs, is substantially doing so, and gives reasonable evidence that it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Institutional integrity is also addressed through accreditation.
Accreditation by the Commission is not partial but applies to the institution as a whole. As such, it is not a guarantee of every course or program offered, or the competence of individual graduates. Rather, it provides reasonable assurance about the quality of opportunities available to students who attend the institution.
Inquiries regarding the accreditation status by the Commission should be directed to Emerson College, Attn: Office of the Provost, 120 Boylston St. Boston, MA 02116. Individuals may also contact:
New England Commission of Higher Education
3 Burlington Woods Drive, Suite 100
Burlington, MA 01803-4514
781-425 7785
Email: info@neche.org
Notice Regarding the Contents of This Catalogue
Emerson College attempts to ensure that the material published in this catalogue is accurate at the time of publication. However, the information contained in this catalogue does not constitute a contract between the College and its students. Emerson College reserves the right to correct or change any provision or requirement in this catalogue at any time. The College specifically reserves the right to change its tuition rates and other financial charges. The College also specifically reserves the right to rearrange its courses and class hours, to drop courses for which registration falls below the required minimum enrollment, and to change teaching assignments.
For further information, contact:
Office of Academic Affairs
Emerson College
120 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02116-4624
Policy Against Discrimination, Harassment & Sexual Violence
Emerson College is committed to and strives to create an educational and work environment free of Discrimination, Harassment & Sexual Violence. Please view our full Policy Against Discrimination, Harassment & Sexual Violence. The Office of Equal Opportunity (OEO) is responsible for addressing all issues of discrimination, harassment and sexual violence (sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking, sexual exploitation) for students, staff and faculty at Emerson College. This includes conduct based on any of the protected categories, such as race, color, national origin, ethnicity, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, religion, disability, age, and other protected identities. Anyone with concerns about this conduct can contact OEO at oeo@emerson.edu or 617-824-8999. Concerns can also be reported online at emerson.ethicspoint.com.
Students’ Right to Privacy (FERPA)
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords you certain rights with respect to your education records. These rights include to inspect your education records, the right to request the amendment of your education records, and the right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information. Students may grant their parents or necessary third parties digital access to their educational records as a FERPA Proxy. More information about FERPA, its exceptions, and setting up a FERPA Proxy are available through the Registrar’s Office and in our FERPA policy.
Types, Locations, and Custodians of Education Records
Following is an illustrative, but not exclusive, list of the types of FERPA-protected records that the College maintains, along with their locations and custodians.
Admission Records
Office of Undergraduate Admission
120 Boylston Street, 5th Floor
Custodian: Vice President for Enrollment
Cumulative Academic Records
Office of the Registrar
180 Tremont Street, 4th Floor
Custodian: Registrar
Health Records
Emerson Wellness Center
216 Tremont Street, 3rd Floor
Custodian: Director of the Emerson Wellness Center
Financial Aid Records
Financial Aid Office
216 Tremont Street, 4th Floor
Custodian: Director of Student Financial Aid
Financial Records
Student Accounts Office
216 Tremont Street, 4th Floor
Custodian: Director of Student Accounts
Placement Records
Career Development Center
216 Tremont Street, 6th Floor
Custodian: Director of Career Development Center
Progress Records or Advising Records
Faculty Office, Individual Offices, or Advising Center
180 Tremont Street, 4th Floor
Custodian: Instructor, Advisor
Disciplinary Records
Office of the Vice President and Dean for Campus Life
Campus Life
120 Boylston Street, 4th Floor
Custodian: Dean for Campus Life
Policy, Practices, and Procedures Regarding Students with Disabilities
Emerson College is committed to providing access to its academic programs and College-sponsored activities to 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. Please review our Student with Disabilities policy for more information about rights and responsibilities of students with disabilities and the College.
Process for Students Making Accommodation Requests
Emerson’s Student Accessibility Services Office offers services to qualified students with documented physical, medical, visual, hearing, learning, or psychiatric disabilities. The director of Student Accessibility Services is the College’s primary contact person for all students with disabilities.
Although the College does not require Emerson students with disabilities to register with the SAS, students must contact the SAS if they choose to request an accommodation or if they would like to take advantage of the SAS’s services. When making requests for accommodations, students should remember that it takes time for the College to arrange accommodations and that accommodations cannot be made retroactively. If a student’s requests are not made in a timely manner, the College cannot guarantee that accommodations will be provided when needed. For example, the College requires sufficient time to arrange for accommodations such as sign language interpreters and texts in alternate formats. When requesting extended time for examinations, students should note that professors often need to know about the need for test accommodations early in the semester so alternate arrangements can be made in advance of any exams.
Students who request accommodations will be asked to provide the SAS with recent and sufficient documentation of their disability and the reason(s) their requested accommodation is necessary. A qualified professional must prepare the documentation. Specific guidelines for preparing and submitting appropriate documentation can be found at emerson.edu/student-accessibility-services. The College reserves the right to determine the adequacy of the documentation and may request additional assessments. SAS staff will engage in an interactive process with the student to gather information relevant to the request. The student’s completed request, including interview notes and all information provided, may be reviewed by SAS staff and staff in Counseling and Psychological Services and/or the Center for Health and Wellness, in order to assess the reasonableness and feasibility of the request. Students will have an opportunity to meet with SAS staff to obtain the outcome of the review and discuss their accommodations, and they will be informed in writing of the decision, as well as of their right to appeal the decision. Policies, procedures, and responsibilities for the SAS and for the student will be clarified.
Location and Contact Information
The Student Accessibility Services Office is located at 216 Tremont Street on the fifth floor. The director for student accessibility services can be reached by email at sas@emerson.eduor by telephone at 617-824-8592. The mailing address is Student Accessibility Services Office, Emerson College, 120 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116. Additional information concerning the philosophy, policies, and procedures pertinent to disability services can be found atemerson.edu/student-accessibility-services. Students should contact the SAS with any and all questions or concerns.
Clery Disclosure
Emerson’s Annual Security Reports contain important safety and security information, including policies concerning: Campus Law Enforcement, Alcohol and Other Drugs, Notice of Non-Discrimination, Crime Prevention & Wellness Education, Campus Security Authorities, Timely Warning and Emergency Notifications, Sexual Misconduct, Health & Safety, Facilities (Security and Access), Emergency Response and Evacuation Procedures, Missing Students Notification, Confidentiality & Privacy, Fire Safety Information, and Sex Offender Registry Information, as well as crime statistics for the past three years concerning certain categories of criminal offenses that occurred on campus, in campus residence halls, or in non-campus buildings or public property immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus.
Emerson publishes an annual campus security report for each of its three campuses (Boston, Los Angeles, and Kasteel Well, Netherlands), in compliance with the Clery Act. These reports are available online at emerson.edu/departments/police/staying-informed/clery-reports. Requests for paper copies of the report can be submitted via email to Robert_Smith@emerson.edu or requests can be made in person at the Emerson Police Department, which is located at 114 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts.
Policy Regarding VA Benefits
Students that are a covered individual1 are able to attend or participate in their course of education during the period beginning on the date on which the individual provides to the educational institution a certificate of eligibility2 for entitlement to educational assistance under chapter 31 or 33 and ending on the earlier of the following dates:
- The date on which payment from VA is made to the institution
- 90 days after the date the institution certified tuition and fees following the receipt of the certificate of eligibility.
Emerson College will not impose any penalty including the assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities, or the requirement that a covered individual borrow additional funds, on any covered individual because of the individual’s inability to meet their financial obligations to the institution due to the delayed disbursement funding from VA under chapter 31 or 33. Covered individuals are responsible for any amount not covered by the VA.
1A covered individual is defined as any individual who is entitled to educational assistance under chapter 31, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment, or chapter 33, Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits.
2A certificate of eligibility can also include a “Statement of Benefits” obtained from the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) website (eBenefits) or a VAF-28-1905 form for chapter 31 authorization purposes.
GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
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