Sociology (Minor)

Overview

The Sociology minor is designed to promote interdisciplinary collaboration for students majoring in another field. Students find sociology to be a highly flexible and applicable minor to pair with their major field of study in order to investigate theoretical ideas and social relations within institutions and organizations that exist in society. The sociology minor will encourage students to better understand the social relationships we participate in everyday, while also driving students to learn more about the intricacies of sociology as it relates to their major.

Biochemistry (BS)

Overview

Viterbo's biochemistry program prepares students for healthcare and STEM-related careers by integrating foundational and humanistic knowledge with collaborative skills. This blended approach is critical as the problems in our world continue to increase in complexity and diversity. This integration is achieved through a curriculum that invites students to use knowledge in applied settings such as course-embedded research, service-learning, and community building both on and off-campus. Students will participate in an annual biochemistry symposium and related seminar course that showcase the complexity of science-related issues within our world.

Policy

Because a biochemistry major program intrinsically contains significant work in both biology and chemistry, declared minors in biology and chemistry will not be granted.

Learning Outcomes
  • Problem Solving: Apply theory, laws, and experimental information to solve biochemical problems
  • Communication: Demonstrate effective written and oral scientific communication including situations requiring collaborative teamwork
  • Techniques: Demonstrate a basic understanding of the laboratory techniques used in biochemistry and related areas           
  • Data Analysis: Correctly analyze and interpret scientific data based on sound scientific reasoning      
  • Literature: Ability to understand and appreciate the primary literature in biochemistry and be able to extract the salient features and advances from journal articles
Addendum

Those students interested in graduate work in biochemistry should follow the recommendations of the American Chemical Society which requires specifically MATH 220, 221, and 320; PHYS 260 and 261.

Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling (MSMHC)

Overview

The Viterbo University Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling degree is accredited by The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. The program is designed to meet state requirements for licensure as mental health counselors in the states of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa. The key content areas include professional identity, social and cultural diversity, human growth and development, helping relationships, career development, group work, assessment, diagnosis, research, program evaluation, and evidence-based counseling, prevention, and intervention skills.

Policy

Grades 

Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 for all MSMHC coursework, with no individual course grade lower than C.

Attendance

All graduate students are expected to attend all class meetings. If a student is unable to attend a class, the student must contact the instructor and take responsibility to meet the class objectives. This makeup will ordinarily require additional written work. It is the duty of the student to make arrangements for missed work. If more than one class meeting is missed within a course, the student shall contact the instructor and the MSMHC director in advance to discuss whether the student should enroll in the course at another time.

Transfer Credit

Individual consideration will be granted in the awarding of transfer credits in order to ensure the student meets the licensure requirements as a professional counselor. Up to 15 credits may be transferred from another CACREP-accredited program.

Requirements

All students are required to complete 60 credits and maintain a 3.0 grade point average to be awarded the Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling degree. Those credits include core courses to be completed by all students, as well as electives to fulfill requirements of one of the program’s optional concentrations. The core courses will include practicum experiences and research activities. Initial contact with one’s academic advisor will focus on developing an academic plan.

Research Project Requirements

All students will complete an action research project prior to graduation. This advocacy and research project will be completed in conjunction with their internship experiences. This research project will address an issue, need, or problem relevant to the counseling profession. The student will develop a research proposal, as well as methodology for the identification, collection, and analysis/synthesis of project data. A final research paper will be submitted to the program director, archived in the Viterbo University Todd Wehr Memorial Library, and presented at the annual graduate research symposium, which will be opened to the professional public.

Learning Outcomes
  • Professional Orientation and Ethics: Construct a philosophy of counseling based on the history and future trends of the profession, professional roles and responsibilities, with an emphasis on ethical practice within the framework of American Counseling Association Ethical Guidelines
  • Diversity and Advocacy: Prioritize and respond to all aspects of social and cultural diversity, optimizing human development with clients
  • Human Growth and Development: Compare and contrast theories of human development across the life span and the full continuum of mental health issues to facilitate effective life transitions
  • Career and Life Planning: Utilize theories and skills to facilitate career and life decisions with clients
  • Helping Relationship: Demonstrate the foundational framework for establishing a therapeutic alliance with clients
  • Counseling Continuum: Work effectively in a variety of modalities (individual, group, family) and to use crisis intervention, brief counseling, and long-term mental health approaches with clients
  • Group Work: Articulate group theory and assess their ability to deliver effective group therapy with clients
  • Research and Evaluation: Utilize relevant research strategies within an evidence-based counseling perspective 
  • Assessment: Accurately select assessment instruments for client needs and program evaluations 
  • Diagnosis: Conceptualize and apply relevant diagnostic procedures for clients
Addendum

Accreditation

The Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling program is accredited by The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

MSMHC Pathway to Ed.D.

MSMHC students may enroll in a maximum of four doctorate level courses (12 credits) that will meet the requirements of the MS in Mental Health Counseling, which also satisfies coursework requirements for the Educational Doctorate in Counseling Education and Supervision. Students will be approved by the graduate faculty to enroll in doctorate level graduate course(s). The following coursework is available to approved MSMHC graduate students:

Educational Doctorate Courses MSMHC Equivalent Courses
COUN 715 Supervision Foundations  
COUN 750 Brain, Behavior, and Psychopharmacology Sub for COUN 650 Psychopharmacology for Counselors
COUN 720 Clinical Trauma Informed Counseling Sub for COUN 580 Trauma and Crisis
COUN 772 Health Care Promotion, Policy, Ethics Sub for  MSMHC Concentration Area

Biology (BS)

Overview

Viterbo’s biology program provides students with a breadth of knowledge within the biological sciences, including cellular and molecular biology, anatomy and physiology, ecology, behavior, and evolution; as well as the opportunity to gain a greater depth of knowledge in specialized areas of interest. The biology program at Viterbo offers a student-centered learning environment including hands-on experiences, career exploration, research, and internships within the curriculum.

Policy
  • Students majoring in biology must maintain a biology grade point average (GPA) of 2.25 to continue in and graduate from this program. The biology GPA is based on all grades earned in the required and elective courses taken in biology and required support courses. Any student whose biology GPA falls below 2.25 will be placed on probation for one semester. If the biology GPA is not raised during that semester, the student may not enroll in further biology courses. An earned grade of a D or lower in any biology or support course will not be credited toward the biology major.
  • Directed research must be faculty-approved, but may be conducted at an institution other than Viterbo University with prior approval. Special topics are offered periodically. Credit for these courses may substitute for one or more of the listed courses with faculty approval.
Learning Outcomes
  • Understand importance of interrelationships and unifying themes of major biological concepts
  • Understand the elements of the scientific method, design and implement experiments independently, and analyze and present data to the faculty and peers in a competent and professional manner
  • Students should be familiar with the principles, operation, and problems of common laboratory procedures and instrumentation
  • Students should understand the complexity of ethical issues surrounding science
Addendum

Viterbo University Degree in Three Program for Biology Majors

This accelerated degree program provides an opportunity for outstanding, highly motivated students to complete their bachelor’s degree in three years rather than the traditional four. This program is available to students who wish to major in biology.

Legal Studies (Minor)

Overview

In our legal studies minor, you will explore legal issues in a variety of ways. This minor is perfect if you want to apply to law school upon graduation and wish to gain an intellectual base in legal studies at the undergraduate level. Legal studies is also relevant if you have an interest in the law and pursue the minor in order to complement your major—generally one in the humanities. The minor includes courses in business law, philosophy, and criminal justice courses and consists of 18 credit hours.

Policy

No more than six credits may come from the courses required in the student's major or any one department.

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