Academic Policies Overview
The College's Mission
The college's mission is based on our firm belief that a liberal arts education in a residential setting allows students to discover what their real talents and interests are, and that it develops in them the skills, abilities, and habits of mind in any field of endeavor, including ones that do not yet exist. It is the mission of Coe College to provide students an education that directs them toward a meaningful and successful life. Our curricular and co-curricular requirements and opportunities are built on these convictions.
Requirements and Opportunities
Coe's traditional liberal arts education assists students in first making the transition from high school to college and then making the transition from college to graduate school or to their chosen career. Coe College has a set of requirements for all students, as well as a wealth of individualized options for students to pursue. All first-year students complete the First-Year Seminar in their first fall term. In addition, all students must complete the general education requirements for their earned degree, which include liberal arts experience courses, cultural perspective courses and writing emphasis courses. Students will also complete a practicum experience, which varies by discipline, in their junior or senior year, so they can make connections between their academic work and their plans for life after college. All students must also meet the requirements of at least one non-collateral major and complete at least 32 course credits with a minimum GPA in their major field and for the college. For more detailed information, see the Coe College Catalog.
In addition to the college requirements for graduation, Coe provides many opportunities for students both in and out of the classroom to help prepare them for academic work while at Coe, as well as life after graduation. The Stewart Memorial Library staff supports students in various ways through inter-library loans, online journal access, information literacy components to courses, and varied places to study.
The Learning Commons, located in Stewart Memorial Library, provides various supports for student learning, including:
- Peer tutoring for all courses
- Peer consulting for all writing assignments in the student-staffed Writing Center
- Peer consulting for all assignments and activities involving oral communication in the student-staffed Speaking Center
- Accessibility and ADA accommodations
- One-on-one academic coaching and self-directed resources for study habits and learning skills
- Off-campus study
- National fellowship and graduate school applications
Academic Advising
First-Year Seminar instructors serve as the primary advisors for first-year students in their respective sections. The FYS advisor is available throughout the year to discuss academic and personal goals and to assist students in making course selections. Students transition to a faculty advisor of their choice when they decide on a major.
Faculty advisors work with students to help them create an individualized academic plan for their four years at Coe, including graduation requirements, study abroad and internships, or other academic practicum experiences.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. A complete description of FERPA is available in the Coe College Catalog. In many situations, complaints relative to FERPA can be resolved with the college on an informal basis. Any student who wishes to discuss a FERPA complaint may contact the Registrar, lower level Voorhees Hall. To file a FERPA complaint with the U.S. Department of Education, contact the office that administers FERPA at:
Family Policy Compliance Office
U. S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-4605