2004-2005 Supplement Updated information for this section was published in the catalog supplement printed September 2004. Click here for an Adobe Acrobat PDF of the supplement for this section of the catalog. You may need to download the Adobe Acrobat Reader from the Adobe website if you wish to view the documents in Adobe format (.pdf).

Men and women of ability and achievement are welcome in all divisions of Canisius College. Their acceptability as students is judged by the Committee on Admissions and is based on aptitude, achievement, and character alone.

Nondiscrimination
Canisius College does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion or creed, color, sex, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran’s status, genetic predisposition, carrier status, or disability in administration of its educational policies, employment practices, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.

Canisius admits students of any age, race, religion or creed, color, sex, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, marital status, or veteran’s status to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the College.

It continues to be the policy of Canisius College not to discriminate on the basis of handicap.  No person is denied employment, admission, or access solely because of any physical, mental, or medical impairment which is unrelated to the ability to engage in the activities involved in the education requirements or occupation for which application has been made.

Secondary School Preparation
The secondary school program of studies should include 16 units of credit in academic subjects. The college considers academic subjects as those stressing mental development – ruling out courses where emphasis is on manual or physical dexterity, such as typewriting, driver training, shop, band practice, etc. Requirements for admission to specific curricula are:

BACHELOR OF ARTS

Subject		Units
English		4
Foreign Language (sequence)		2
Mathematics		3
Science		1
Social Studies		2
Electives		4
Total		16

NOTE: Applicants for admission to the mathematics major must have 3-1⁄2 units in mathematics and 2 units in science.

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE – Natural Sciences

Subject		Units
English		4
Foreign Language (sequence)		2
Mathematics		3 1/2
Science		2
Social Science		2
Electives		2 1/2
Total		16

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE – Business Administration

Subject		Units
English		4
Foreign Language (sequence)		2
Mathematics		3
Science		1
Social Science		2
Electives		4
Total		16

Mathematics Requirements: Two units in mathematics should include a study of algebraic and geometric concepts and deductive reasoning. The third unit should represent completion of a course in intermediate algebra and trigonometry, or a one-year course in intermediate algebra. Candidates for a mathematics major or concentration must include trigonometry and advanced algebra in their secondary school programs.  Candidates who have not completed the three units in mathematics will be required to complete one or two non-credit, college-preparatory math courses at Canisius before enrolling in college-level mathematics courses.

Applications for Freshman Admission
Candidates for admission to the college should complete the admissions application form and present it to their high school counselor so that an official high school transcript can be attached to it. A check or money order made payable to Canisius College for the application fee should be included with the completed application form.  An essay or personal statement by the applicant is recommended.

Candidates are strongly encouraged, but not obliged, to visit the college for an interview with a member of the Admissions staff. Letters of recommendation are not required, but are encouraged and will be considered in reviewing applications for admission. Candidates for admission to the college are required to take the SAT – I or the ACT. These tests may be taken in the junior or senior year of high school. The student must arrange for a record of their SAT or ACT scores to be sent to Canisius College.

When to Apply
Prospective students should submit an application during the fall semester preceding the year they wish to enter the college. Students who wish to apply for any form of financial assistance should submit all materials by February 1 to the processors. Applications for admission may be obtained from the Admissions Office. Applications for financial aid may be obtained from high school guidance offices.

Early Admission Policy
Canisius College will accept approved candidates for early admission from high schools that officially approve of this policy and whose curricula are satisfactory. Early admission candidates fall into two categories:

1. Students who have completed all their high school graduation requirements in less than four years; and

2. Students who have completed a majority of their high school requirements in less than four years.

In both cases, the students are applying for admission as full-time freshman students.

The following conditions for early admissions are required:

1. Students will not be admitted unless they are specifically recommended by their high school principal or counselor;

2. Students must have completed three years of high school.  Exceptions to this rule are very unusual;

3. Ordinarily, applicants will not be admitted unless they have reached their sixteenth birthday or will reach their sixteenth birthday by the end of the first semester of freshman year;

4. Applicants will be required to take the SAT-I or ACT; they will not be considered unless the test scores are eminently satisfactory; and

5. The college understands that the high school will recommend only a student whose achievement has been excellent and who has given evidence of high academic motivation.

Candidate's Reply Date Agreement – May 1
Canisius College adheres to the College Entrance Examination Board’s Candidates’ Reply Date Agreement (CRDA). The purpose of the CRDA is to afford applicants who have been approved for admission to Canisius the opportunity to evaluate fully their own particular situation regarding college admission.

Students who have been accepted for admission to Canisius, therefore, may do one of two things:

1. Submit a freshman deposit upon receipt of their letter of acceptance; or

2. Withhold deposit until May 1, i.e., take advantage of the Candidates’ Reply Date.

The deposit is non-refundable after May 1.

Physical Examination and Immunizations Records
All students are required to submit a completed physical examination form and immunization history to the Student Health Center prior to class attendance.  The information provided on the form will be used to provide the proper medical treatment should the need arise.  All information submitted to the Health Center is confidential and will not be released without a student's written permission.

Students who will be under the age of 18 years must have a parental consent signed for treatment in the Health Center.

New York State Public Health Law 2165 requires that all students born on or after 1957 submit proof of immunity to measles, mumps and rubella.  This requirement is strictly enforced.

For more information about the physical examination and immunization requirements, visit the Student Health Center Web site at www.canisius.edu/student_health.

Advanced Placement for Incoming Freshmen
Students may obtain advanced placement and college credit for certain kinds of educational experience in high school. The first experience is successful performance on the College Entrance Examination Board Advanced Placement Test. Advanced placement may be authorized in these subjects: American History, Economics, English, European History, French, German, Latin, Spanish, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, and Computer Science.

Students who obtain a score of 4 or 5 on the appropriate exam will be granted credit and advanced standing. In this instance, the student’s examination experience is substituted for the analogous college course. Students scoring a 3 or below are not eligible for either credit or advanced standing.

The second method for securing college credit and advanced standing is through involvement in special courses offered in affiliation with accredited colleges. Such courses must be taught according to the syllabus of the affiliated college, are awarded credit by that sponsoring college, have special student selection requirements, and may be taught either by high school or college faculty members.

Students who achieve a grade of B or better may be granted college credit and advanced standing. The award of college credit shall be utilized only for purposes of substitution in free electives in the student’s curriculum.

Students seeking college credit and advanced standing must provide proper documentation and must petition the appropriate dean at the time of first matriculation at the college.

International Baccalaureate Recognition Policy: Canisius College recognizes the academic challenge and prestige inherent in the International Baccalaureate Programme.  Canisius College awards up to 6 credits as free electives or core curriculum courses for each International Baccalaureate subject at the higher level passed with a score of 5 or above.  Departmental review is required for credit in any subject in a student’s major.

Students with advanced placement scores, college courses while in high school, International Business scores and CLEP scores do not receive duplicate credit. If a student obtains multiple eligible scores in the same subject areas, a student only gets credit for one of the scores in a given subject area. For example, students with a 4 on the AP Calculus exam and a 52 on the CLEP Calculus will receive only four credits for calculus plus free elective credit.

College Level Examination Program
Students who are applying for admission to Canisius College or who are presently in attendance here may be eligible to receive college credit for previous experience through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP).

The minimal acceptable score on the subject examinations is the 50th percentile. Credit in the corresponding subject areas taught at the college is usually granted after consultation with the appropriate dean. Credit is not awarded for the general examinations.

International Students
All entering students are expected to have mastered the principles of English grammar and composition. Those from international schools should present evidence that they understand, write, and speak English well enough to participate in college studies; such students are required to sit for the C.E.E.B. Test of English as a Foreign Language (T.O.E.F.L.) and have results of this test forwarded to the Director of Admissions.

Certified transcripts of secondary school and college work should be forwarded to the Director of Admissions. When not written in English, these should be accompanied by certified translations.

Since federal and/or state financial aid is not available to international students, they are also required to present certified evidence of sufficient funding to cover their education expenses as undergraduates. Qualified students may be eligible for institutionally funded programs.

Transfer Students
Applicants with previous college experience should have certified (official) transcripts of secondary and college records forwarded by those schools directly to the Director of Admissions. Applications for admission may be obtained by contacting the Office of Admissions, Canisius College, 2001 Main Street, Buffalo, New York 14208 (716-888-2200 or 800-843-1517).

Canisius will consider for transfer all students who have quality point averages of at least 2.00 at their current or previous institutions. A maximum of 20 courses may be transferred from two-year colleges and at least 60 more credit hours must be earned at Canisius in order to be awarded the bachelor’s degree. Students transferring from four-year institutions must complete at least 30 credit hours at Canisius, including at least 18 in their major, in order to earn the bachelor’s degree.

Advanced standing from accredited two-and four-year institutions of higher education is granted when the course objectives for the completed work are substantially the same as course objectives at Canisius. In certain courses, if advanced standing is not awarded, equivalency examinations may be arranged through the office of the appropriate dean and must be taken within two months after admission. The credits are awarded when the examination is passed with a minimum grade of “C” and the student has paid the appropriate fee as listed in the tuition and fees section.

Students who intend to transfer from a two-year college are encouraged to confer early in their studies with their academic advisers for proper planning and course selection. Canisius will provide advisement assistance to any prospective student or college adviser who may seek information related to courses, majors, curricula, or academic policies. Interested parties should contact the Office of Admissions at the number listed above.

Canisius College has a variety of articulation and dual degree agreements with many of the community and junior colleges throughout New York State. These agreements recognize specific programs and majors at the two-year institutions that will allow students  the most comprehensive transfer of courses and credits. Students should consult with their academic counseling center for specific information on articulated programs and majors.

Adult Students
Adult students are defined as those who are at least 22 years of age upon admission, whether they are entering the college as freshmen or with previous college credit. Such applicants are not required to take the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the American College Test (ACT). Proof of a high school diploma, or its equivalent, is required in addition to official transcripts from any high school, college, or university previously attended. These records will be considered along with the applicant’s other accomplishments, including employment, family, and volunteer experiences.

Disqualified Students
Academic policy at Canisius College prohibits acceptance of a student who has been academically disqualified from another college or university until one academic year after date of dismissal. Exceptions to this policy may be made after review of the applicant’s academic credentials by the appropriate academic dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, the Wehle School of Business, or the School of Education and Human Services.

Non-Matriculated Students
Non-matriculated students, i.e., individuals who are not working toward a degree, may be admitted to a maximum of three courses a semester. Courses requiring prerequisites may be taken only when supporting documents are presented at the time of application insuring that the prerequisite courses have been successfully completed. Non-matriculated students will receive the normal college credit for all work successfully completed.

Visiting Students
Students from other colleges or universities who wish to attend Canisius for the purpose of transferring earned credits to their parent institutions must apply for entrance through the Director of Admissions.

The application must be accompanied by a letter of permission from the appropriate academic dean at the parent institution. The letter, in substance, should state that the applicant has permission to take courses at Canisius for the purpose of transfer back to the parent institution.

Auditors
Students wishing to audit courses at Canisius College must secure the approval of the Registrar. No credit is granted for an audited course. Responsibility for examination, assignments, and attendance is determined by the faculty member teaching the course. No student will be permitted to change from audit to credit after the first meeting of the class.

Auditing fees are listed in the Tuition section of the catalog.

Spouse of Alumni Grant
During the Fall and Spring semesters of each academic year, Canisius College offers grants to spouses of alumni or alumnae who wish to earn credits toward their bachelor’s degree. Applicants must meet normal admission standards of the college and may not have been enrolled in a college program during the past three years.

In addition, they must abide by the following regulations:

1. The grant is available for one Fall or one Spring semester only. (The grant is not available for summer courses);

2. The grant will not exceed the tuition cost for six credit hours of study. All fees remain the responsibility of the student;

3. Other awards (Tuition Assistance Program, Aid for Part Time Study, etc.) will be applied to the student’s total tuition cost and may reduce the Spouse of Alumni Grant;

4. All courses must be at the undergraduate level. If, upon completion of the semester, the student has demonstrated academic ability, he or she may continue to matriculate under the normal academic policies of the college. An admission application may be obtained from the Director of Admissions, Canisius College. Applicants should arrange to have transcripts of high school and college (if any) records sent to the Admissions Office.