USF 1998-99 Undergraduate Catalog - Page 236
New College of the University of South Florida, located on USF's Sarasota campus, is a distinguished residential college that serves as the honors college of the State University System. It offers a nationally recognized liberal arts education at regular state tuition rates.
The New College student/faculty ratio is approximately 11:1; ninety-four percent of the faculty hold earned doctorates. Students work closely with faculty members in small classes, tutorials, and on individual projects.
Admission is highly selective. New College looks for students who have demonstrated above average ability, academic motivation and self-discipline.Over half the students are from Florida.
New College offers to students a level of faculty support and facilities for study generally found only at very expensive private colleges. This is possible because the gap between public funding and the actual cost of a New College education is closed by annual grants to the University from the New College Foundation. The Foundation also raises substantial scholarship funds for meritorious students.
The New College degree is awarded for intensive, individualized study in the liberal arts and sciences. Classes, tutorials and independent study projects are tools the student, with faculty guidance, uses to discover and pursue intellectual and career interests. Study at New College culminates in a senior thesis and baccalaureate examination in the student's chosen area of concentration.
New College offers excellent academic facilities. A $6.1 million library opened on the campus in 1986, housing a collection presently numbered at over 200,000 volumes. The library is linked through inter-library loan to the USF system of over one million volumes, and to a network of thousands of other libraries. It also subscribes to computerized data bases that extend its reach beyond the region. The New College Natural Sciences laboratories, open to students around the clock, feature many research-grade instruments, including a scanning electron microscope. The college has access to significant biological field research sites in the Sarasota area. Open-use computer labs are supplemented by dedicated computers in various disciplines.
Campus-based studies can be supplemented by off-campus field research and internships, and by study abroad. New College participates in the Florida State University Study Centers in London and Florence, as well as in other programs, including USF's International Student Exchange.
All studies at New College lead to the Bachelor of Arts. Students may concentrate in a specific discipline or they may design, with faculty approval, an interdisciplinary concentration. The faculty offers the following areas of study: Anthropology, Art History, Biology, Chemistry, Classics, Computer Science, Economics, Environmental Studies, Fine Arts, History, Languages, Literature, Mathematics, Medieval & Renaissance Studies, Music, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Public Policy, Religion, Sociology, Urban Studies.
Elementary through advanced studies in French, German, Russian, Spanish, Latin and Greek language and literature are available.
Study at New College leads to a wide range of careers. Graduates from New College go to medical, dental and law school. A large number do graduate work in the arts and sciences, leading to teaching, research and careers in government and industry. Others obtain advanced degrees in business, education, religion and architecture. Those not going on for advanced degrees have launched successful careers in journalism, fine arts, retailing, management, finances, environmental planning and a host of other fields. Quite a few have become entrepreneurs, founding businesses of their own based on skills acquired while students.
The New College calendar consists of two 15-week semesters and a four-week independent study period in January. Fall semester begins in late August and ends just before Christmas. Spring semester begins the first week in February and ends in late May. Enrollment at New College is full-time.
Students may complete the degree in seven semesters (three and one-half years) as a result of New College's longer academic year and the advanced nature of the program. Three Independent Study Projects are carried out during January and/or the summer recess. Students may register for up to two additional semesters if their academic programs require it; they may also take up to two semesters of academic leave during their tenure at New College without loss of scholarship support. All students must complete a senior thesis and pass a baccalaureate examination based primarily upon the senior thesis.
Transfer students may have the number of semesters required for graduation reduced through the awarding of transfer credit for college-level work done elsewhere. The maximum allowable transfer credit is equivalent to three semesters and one independent study project.
New College actively seeks those students who will benefit most from the demanding academic program and flexible curriculum. The college looks for evidence of intellectual potential, strong academic preparation, self-motivation and initiative, tenacity, curiosity, and concern for others.
AApplicants must submit a State University System application, New College supplementary application, official high school transcript, SAT or ACT scores, a graded research paper from an English or history class, teacher's recommendation, and counselor recommendation. Transfer applicants must also submit transcripts from all colleges or universities they have attended. New College welcomes transfer applicants. A growing number of students come to New College from Florida's two-year community colleges.
New College tuition is the same as for other institutions within the State University System.
Both need-based financial aid and achievement-based scholarships are available to New College students, and about 67% of the students receive some type of direct financial assistance. Students must apply for need-based aid. Achievement scholarships from the New College Foundation are awarded by the New College Admissions Office to those students the college believes will make an outstanding contribution to the New College community.
The New College Admissions Office processes applications on a rolling basis, with decisions beginning about January 15. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid should be completed and submitted as soon as possible after January 1. Application forms and literature can be obtained from the New College Office of Admissions, 5700 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34243. (813) 359-4269.
New College is a residential college, with the majority of its students living on campus or in adjacent neighborhoods. All students attend full-time. Students are challenged to accept major responsibilities for the direction of their own affairs, including their social and extra-curricular activities. The Student Affairs Office, through its professional staff, is responsible for personal counseling, housing, health services, and other support services.
All first-year students live on campus and participate in the community dining plan. Upper-class students may choose college or non-college housing. A medical plan gives students access to a physician.
USF 1998-99 Undergraduate Catalog - Page 257
Dean and Warden - DOUGLAS C. LANGSTON
Chairpersons:
Send comments to:
Karen M. Hall - webCat@ugs.usf.edu
Effective Date: Semester I, 1998
http://www.ugs.usf.edu/catalogs/9899/newcoll.htm