Other Undergraduate Programs

Applied Music Lessons

Non-music majors have the opportunity to take private voice or piano lessons at Viterbo. Music majors should see the policy section in the Bachelor Degree Programs section of this catalog. The information below is only for non-music majors and non-music minors.

Policy

Non-majors need the consent of the instructor or music chairperson before registering for lessons.
Students register for MUVO 168 or 368 if they wish to take voice lessons, and MUPI 168 or 368 if they wish to take piano lessons. The 168 level is for freshman and sophomore standing and the 368 level is for junior and senior standing. The junior/senior level is only available to students who have accumulated at least two credits of the 168 level and requires the consent of the instructor.
Each .5 credit of applied study is a 25-minute lesson per week with minimum of twelve lessons to satisfy the credit requirement.
An applied lesson fee is charged for each credit of applied lessons.

Art Therapy, Pre-professional Program

The Viterbo University pre-art therapy program provides students with a strong foundation at the baccalaureate level that helps them prepare for graduate studies in art therapy and art in communities. Students in the pre-art therapy program declare an undergraduate minor in art. The pre-art therapy program at Viterbo University has three philosophic purposes: to mentor students in art theory and practice; to prepare students to make meaningful choices concerning their career path in art therapy and art in community settings; and to prepare students academically for successful entry into an accredited art therapy program. Entry into an art therapy program requires students to have completed specific course requirements and a studio portfolio. The following courses of study are recommended for students who wish to pursue graduate studies and certification in art therapy:

Studio Art (37 credits) - ARTS 111, 121, 160, 203, 216, 490, 21 credits of art studio (minimum of nine credits in a media concentration)
Art Education (six credits) - ARTS 206, 361
Psychology (12 credits) - PSYC 171, 220, 340, and one course from PSYC 310 or 320

Certificate Programs (UG)

Viterbo offers the following certificate programs which can be added onto a current undergraduate degree program:

American Sign Language Certificate - LANG-201, 202, 301
Computer Programming Certificate - CSCI-110, 160, 200

English Second Language Program (ESLP) Courses

Viterbo offers an ESLP Program for international, degree-seeking students who have not demonstrated English proficiency as outlined by the International Admissions Office. All ESLP courses are credit bearing and are calculated into a student’s GPA. Students take a placement exam during Orientation Week and are placed into the appropriate level based on the test results:

Students with a placement score of 31 or below are placed into Level 1.
Students with a placement score between 32-40 are placed into Level 2.
Students with a placement score between 41-52 will be placed into Level 3.
Students who have not submitted English proficiency documentation and have a placement score of 53 or above do not need to take ESLP courses.

Level 1 courses include:

ESLP 100: Writing and Grammar I (3 cr.)
ESLP 103: Reading I (3 cr.)
ESLP 115: Speaking and Listening I (4 cr.)

Level 2 courses include:

ESLP 101: Writing and Grammar II (3 cr.)
ESLP 104: Reading II (3 cr.)
ESLP 116: Speaking and Listening II (4 cr.)

Level 3 courses include:

ESLP 200: Advanced Writing and Reading (3 cr.)
ESLP 216: Advanced Speaking and Listening (3 cr.)

Students must earn a C (73%) or above to progress to the next level of ESLP courses.

To exit the ESLP Program, students must earn a C (73%) or above in Level 3 ESLP courses and earn a 53 or above on the exit exam. If students do not meet both of these criteria, they may need to either retake ESLP coursework or take an ESLP support class (ESLP 286) as they continue in their degree-required classes.

While enrolled in ESLP coursework, students may take a limited number of degree-required courses:

Students with a placement score below 40 will take no degree-required courses in their first semester.
Students with a placement score at 40 or above may take 1 degree-required course in their first semester.
Students may not exceed 18 semester credits of ESLP coursework and degree-required coursework combined.

In their first semester at Viterbo, students in any level of ESLP will also take ESLP 105: Orientation (3cr.). New international students who have demonstrated English proficiency will take UNST 115: Orientation to University Life (1 cr.) in their first semester.

French Studies

Viterbo University students may earn a certificate in French Studies at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (UW-L). The tuition to complete the certificate would be covered under the UW-L/Viterbo University co-op agreement. (See relevant section of this catalog.) The certificate is earned and awarded completely at UW-L and the credits would transfer to Viterbo University as elective credits and be applicable to the core curriculum requirements per policy. No notation of completion would be noted on the Viterbo University transcript. Notation would be on the UW-L transcript per UW-L policy. Students intending on pursuing the certificate are subject to UW-L/Viterbo University co-op agreement policy and to UW-L certificate policy. Interested students should contact the chair of the world languages department.

Honors Program

Students can find more information about the honors program on the Honors Program Web page. Incoming students are invited to apply for the Honors Program based on one or more of the following:

ACT scores of 26 or higher (SAT combined scores of 1200 or higher)
A high school grade point average of 3.5 or higher
Evidence of leadership and service during high school

Students who are currently enrolled at Viterbo and carry a GPA of 3.4 or higher may also apply for admission.

Requirements

VUSM-100 Franciscan Values and Traditions - Honors section (3 credits)
HONR-499 Honors Senior Capstone (1 credit)
Digital portfolio documenting honors activities in five categories: global awareness, original inquiry, academic enrichment, leadership development, and service learning.

Internships

Students can find information about internships on the Advising and Career Development web page. See the Academic Regulations section for policy regarding internship credit.

Pre-Law Program

The Viterbo University pre-law program is designed to offer students a meaningful and liberal education at the baccalaureate level. The pre-law program at Viterbo University has two philosophic purposes – to prepare students for successful entry into an accredited law school; and to prepare students scholastically so as to facilitate successful completion of a graduate degree in law.

Students interested in a law career are individually counseled by the pre-law advisor who suggests a program of study and provides information on law school application.

Pre-law students are advised to focus on undergraduate majors which develop reading, writing, and critical thinking. This may be more important than focusing on specific content. Maintenance of a relatively high undergraduate grade point average is very important for successful law school admission. Recommended undergraduate majors include, but are not limited to, accounting, criminal justice, management, English, psychology, and sociology. Minors in history and philosophy should also be considered. Pre-law students will be advised concerning other courses that will benefit them.

A pre-law student may choose to take an internship with a law firm or related legal services organization. This is a means for the undergraduate student to gain hands-on experience for academic credit before the completion of the bachelor’s degree. Such internships are incorporated into the four-year program and do not extend the length of time needed to complete the degree.

Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC)

Students can find information about the ROTC program on the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse ROTC Web page.

Study Abroad/Global Studies

Students can find information about study abroad and global studies on the Study Abroad Web page.