Academic Information

Overview of Schools, Departments, and Programs
Accreditation, Memberships, and Degrees
Graduate Studies: Purpose
Aims of the Graduate Programs
Approved Programs
Class Schedules and Attendance
 

Overview of Schools, Departments, and Programs

College of Liberal Arts, Sciences, Business, and Education

Dean: Thomas Lappas, Ph.D.
The College of Liberal Arts, Sciences, Business, and Education engages students at the undergraduate and graduate levels in liberal studies as well as professional programs in education and business. The faculty, through teaching, research, and creative pursuits, foster an environment in which the quest for knowledge is considered valuable for its own sake in addition to preparation for students’ future endeavors. In this environment students develop the habits of mind of thoughtful, adaptable, creative, and productive human beings. Programs within the School of Business and Leadership prepare students to be responsible decision-makers who contribute sustainable value for themselves, organizations, and society. This is accomplished through learner-centered programs that are global, ethical, and entrepreneurial in orientation. The goals of the School of Education are inextricably interwoven with the liberal arts philosophy, traditions, and mission of Nazareth University; therefore, the mission of the School of Education is to prepare teachers who are educated in the liberal arts and committed to a life guided by intellectual, moral, and ethical values.

Liberal Arts, Sciences Graduate Programs:
Master of Arts in American Studies
Program Director: Scott Campbell, Ph.D.

Master of Science in Higher Education Student Affairs Administration
Program Director: Becky Fahy, Ph.D.

School of Business and Leadership
Associate Dean: Joseph Porter, D.S.P.
Program Director: TBD

School of Business and Leadership Graduate Programs:
Master of Science in Global Business and Leadership

Master of Science in Marketing Communications Leadership

Master of Science in Human Resource Leadership

School of Education
Associate Dean: Shanna Jamanis, Ph.D.

School of Education Graduate Programs:
Inclusive Early Childhood Education
Program Director: TBD

Inclusive Childhood Education
Program Director: TBD

Inclusive Adolescence Education
Program Director: Gena Merliss, Ph.D. 

Literacy Specialist
Program Director: Laura C. S. Jones, Ph.D.

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
Program Director: Rui Cheng, Ph.D.

TESOL for International Educators
Program Director: Rui Cheng, Ph.D.

College of Interprofessional Health and Human Services
Dean: Cathy S. Rasmussen, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
The mission of the Nazareth University College of Interprofessional Health and Human Services is to educate culturally-responsive professionals able to work interprofessionally to promote and sustain health and wellness and improve quality of life in the global community.

Interprofessional Health and Human Services Graduate Programs:
Master of Public Health
Program Director: Mary Dahl Maher, Ph.D., MPH, CNM, RN

Master of Science in Creative Arts Therapy
Art Therapy Program Director: Emily Genovese, ATR-BC, LCAT 
Music Therapy Program Director: Laurie Keough, M.S.Ed, LCAT, MT-BC

Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (Combined BS-MS Program)
Program Director: Julie Kunisch, O.T.D.

Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology
Program Director: Melissa Johnson, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

Master of Social Work
Program Director: Rebecca Rouland, Ph.D., LMSW

Doctor of Physical Therapy
Program Director: Mary Ellen Vore, PT, Ed.D., MSCS

College of Visual and Performing Arts and Design
Dean: TBD
The College of Visual and Performing Arts and Design engages students at the undergraduate and graduate levels in liberal studies and in the fine and performing arts. 

School of Music Graduate Programs:
Master of Music - Performance and Pedagogy
Program Director - Katie Hannigan-Tabon, D.M.A.

Master of Science in Education - Music Education
Program Director: Keith A. Koster, Ph.D.

Visual and Performing Arts and Design Graduate Programs:
Master of Science in Education - Art Education
Program Director: Samantha Nolte-Yupari, Ph.D.

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Accreditation, Memberships, and Degrees

Nazareth University is incorporated under the authority of the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York. It is an accredited member of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Documentation regarding this incorporation and accreditation may be seen during regular business hours in the Office of the President. The University holds memberships in the American Council on Education, the Association of American Colleges and Universities, and the New American Colleges and Universities. The University is approved by the New York State Education Department for the training of veterans and other eligible persons.

College of Liberal Arts, Sciences, Business and Education

• The Clinical Laboratory Sciences program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS). 
• The School of Business and Leadership is a member of the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE). Nazareth is pursuing IACBE accreditation.
• The teacher education programs in the School of Education are accredited by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP).

College of Interprofessional Health and Human Services

• The Master of Science (M.S.) in speech-language pathology at Nazareth University is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
• The Creative Arts Therapy Programs of Art Therapy and Music Therapy are approved by NYS as licensure-qualifying. They satisfy the education requirement for licensure as an LCAT. In addition, the Art Therapy program at Nazareth University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of The Accreditation Council for Art Therapy Education (ACATE). The Music Therapy Program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) and approved by the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA).
• The Occupational Therapy program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE).
• The Physical Therapy program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).
• The Nazareth University programs in Social Work (BS and MSW) are accredited by the Council for Social Work Education (CSWE). The Master of Social Work Program is fully registered with the New York State Education Department. 
• Nazareth University’s nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
• The Nazareth University public health programs are following the standards of the Council of Education for Public Health (CEPH) as they prepare for accreditation.

College of Visual and Performing Arts and Design

• Nazareth University is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).
• The University’s Art Education programs are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.

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Graduate Studies: Purpose

Nazareth University offers at the graduate level master’s degree programs that initiate or extend professional preparation in selected fields of teacher education, creative arts therapy with specializations in art therapy and music therapy, higher education student affairs administration, global business and leadership, human resource leadership, strategic marketing, music performance and pedagogy, occupational therapy, public health, speech-language pathology, and social work. The University also offers a doctor of physical therapy program. Students may expect to study, at an advanced level, the areas of knowledge required for professional practice and to acquire the skills necessary for implementing current professional patterns.

Also offered is a program in American studies, leading to the master of arts degree. This program is a collaborative endeavor that includes optional study abroad at University of Pannonia in Hungary.

The graduate programs share the general aims of the University to provide an environment of study and scholarship conducive to the intellectual life, always with emphasis on the student. Nazareth is committed to the belief that a strong interaction between student and teacher provides the best promise of achieving these goals.

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Aims of the Graduate Programs

The distinctive objectives of the graduate programs include the following:

• engage students with faculty and colleagues in the pursuit, discovery, evaluation, and dissemination of knowledge and its application to human thought and behavior;
• discover, explore, and share innovative strategies;
• enable students to make insightful analyses of contemporary trends and problems;
• communicate the results of growth in knowledge and the applications of evidence as discovered in the study of the humanities and social sciences through which the professional and citizen of the global community serves humankind.

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Approved Programs

The following are programs of graduate study approved by the State Education Department of the University of the State of New York:

Degree:
Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed.)

NYS Teacher Certification Exams, Annual Institution Report (2022-2023)*

• Total number of students taking tests: 144 / Total number passing: 135

  • Pass rate equals 94%

* In accordance with Title II of the Higher Education Act, Nazareth University has a report available on our teacher preparation programs which includes information on the pass rate of program graduates on required New York State certification examinations.

Degree:
Master of Science (M.S.)

Degree:
Master of Social Work (M.S.W.)

Degree:
Master of Arts (M.A.)

Degree:
Master of Music (M.M.)

Degree:
Master of Public Health (M.P.H.)

Degree:
Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.)

Program:
Teacher Certification Annotations & Extensions

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Class Schedules and Registration

Graduate classes are offered during fall, spring, and summer sessions, plus selected offerings during January intercession. Nazareth offers a wide range of graduate programs, each with a unique scheduling model to meet student needs (includes day, evening, weekend, hybrid and online classes). Consult individual departments or program directors for specific information about each program’s typical offering schedule.

All courses in the master’s degree programs are numbered at the 500 and 600 levels, with additional 700 level courses in the Doctor of Physical Therapy program. In some instances a course may carry double numbers (cross-listed), indicating that credit may be claimed in more than one area. Students should indicate clearly at registration in which area they intend to receive credit.

The official academic calendar and registration information are published on the Registration and Records website. Students are responsible for following registration procedures.

Course registration for fully and provisionally accepted students takes place online using Student Planning during specific time periods after the first term of study. Students in their first semester of study register through Student Planning following advisement by their Academic Department.

The University reserves the right to cancel, combine, limit, change, or add sections of any published course.

New students should obtain photo ID cards and parking decals from the Office of Campus Safety.

New York State requires college students to demonstrate immunity to measles, mumps, and rubella, and to receive information on (or the vaccine for) meningococcal meningitis within the last five years prior to enrollment. This requires receiving two doses of the MMR vaccine, or proof of immunity, documentation on meningococcal disease or a signed waiver for the meningitis vaccine. See Health & Counseling Services in the Overview of People, Campus, Services section of the catalog for more detailed information.

Inclement Weather - Any change in the University’s operating status such as emergency closure due to severe weather will be announced via: NazAlert (the University’s emergency notification system using voice, email, and text messaging) and will say Nazareth Weather Alert • Social media (the University’s campus Twitter and Facebook accounts) • Recording on the University’s main phone number (585-389-2525) • Local news and media outlets. 

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