2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
    Dec 07, 2024  
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Special Institutes and Programs


Institutes

Institute for Thomas Paine Studies

The Institute for Thomas Paine Studies (ITPS) is an interdisciplinary organization that supports the study of Early American history and its relevance today. The ITPS supports student engagement with local, national, and global history communities, and developing intellectual and professional skills in a wide-range of areas. Focused on three primary directions-public history, digital humanities, and archival studies-the ITPS is also home to the Thomas Paine National Historical Association Archive (TPNHA), a vast collection of artifacts from the late eighteenth through the twentieth century. Inspired by the legacy of Thomas Paine, the ITPS seeks to promote scholarship, civic engagement, and learning through expanding initiatives. Examples include:

  • Student Opportunities and Curriculum: the ITPS offers a minor in Public History and the Digital Humanities, which includes an internship program. The ITPS internship program provides students with a wide-range of opportunities, ranging from scholarly research and academic training to all forms of public history and museum studies, like curating exhibits, virtual reality projects, promotion and marketing, and non-profit management to multiple forms of history communication, from documentary production, podcasting, blogging, and social media campaigns. Students also have the opportunity to participate in the McNeil Center Undergraduate Research Workshop (URW) at the University of Pennsylvania and work with our community partners, the Center for Digital History at George Washington’s Mount Vernon and the Thomas Paine Cottage Museum in New Rochelle, amongst others.
  • Public and Academic Programming: The ITPS hosts and collaborates on a wide range of events - virtual, hybrid, and in-person, from bi-annual large scale conferences to symposiums to invited-talks and thematic workshops. The ITPS also hosts a vibrant podcast, “Public History in a Virtual Age,” a blog, “Letters from North Avenue,” and a monthly newsletter, “Page of Reason”.
  • Research and Publication: In addition to student opportunities, the ITPS is also a resource for Iona faculty, staff, and broader history-oriented communities pursuing multiple forms of multidisciplinary research. In addition to programming, the ITPS has a robust scholarly profile, including the forthcoming volume with Cornell University Press, The Age of Revolutions in the Digital Age, an ITPS co-edited special issue of New York History (Summer 2020), and the digital humanities Text Analysis Project. In addition to preservation and access efforts around the TPNHA collection, the ITPS collection also includes the Lapidus Collection, a generous donation of secondary literature from Ruth and Sid Lapidus to support research around the archive.
  • Community collaborations: Our projects also include collaborative partnerships with local, state, and national organizations including University of Virginia Press, Cornell University Press, Mount Vernon, the McNeil Center, the Omohundro Institute, and the Kinder Institute for Constitutional Democracy, and the New York State Archives, Consider The Source program. The ITPS is also involved with preparations for the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution with the New York State Historian’s Office, supporting Rev250 NYC, Revolutionary Westchester 250, and the America 250 New York Indigenous Working Group.

For more information, please see the ITPS research portal, http://theitps.org/, or follow us on twitter @TheITPS and on Mastodon at historians.social/ITPS. For questions or to get involved, please contact Director Dr. Nora Slonimsky at itps@iona.edu.

Special Programs


Air Force ROTC

Iona University participates in an extension of the Air Force ROTC program at Manhattan College, Riverdale, NY, and an extension of the Army ROTC program at Fordham University, Bronx, NY. To learn more about opportunities to participate in the Air Force or Army ROTC programs, students should contact the Office of the Dean, School of Arts and Science at Iona University.

Brother John G. Driscoll Professorship in Jewish-Catholic Studies

The Brother John G. Driscoll Professorship in Jewish-Catholic Studies is a gift from Mr. and Mrs. Jack Rudin ‘86H, to Iona University to honor President Emeritus Br. Driscoll’s fifty years as a member of the Congregation of Christian Brothers. As a program in Jewish-Catholic Studies, the Driscoll Professorship adds a unique perspective to the fulfillment of Iona’s mission to prize the values of justice, peace and service.

Through an array of programs including course work, interreligious study with in-state area Jewish and Catholic congregations, networking with organizations such as the American Jewish Committee, the Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center and the Anti-Defamation League, sponsoring a lecturer series in Jewish-Catholic studies, and building library collections in Judaica and Jewish-Catholic Studies, the Driscoll Professorship dedicates itself to:

  • effecting mutual understanding between the peoples of the Jewish and Catholic faiths;
  • fostering learning about the similarities and differences between Judaism and Christianity;
  • exploring foundations in shared scripture;
  • deepening understanding about the effects and implications of the Shoah; and
  • celebrating the spiritual vitality and gifts of the two faiths.

The department of Religious Studies offers the course “The Holocaust and the Churches” which includes a travel component to Poland to study at the former death camp, Auschwitz.

For more information, please contact Dr. Elena Procario-Foley of the Driscoll Professorship at eprocariofoley@iona.edu.

Child Abuse Identification Workshop

The Child Abuse Identification Workshop is required for all New York State Education Department educator certifications. There is a fee for this workshop, and completers receive a certificate of completion for registration in their New York State TEACH account. Further information is available at: http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/certificate/ca.html and on the Education department homepage.

Council on the Arts

The Iona University Council on the Arts is dedicated to sponsoring artistic and cultural programs for the enrichment of the Iona University community, particularly the student body.

With an endowment from the Baron Lambert Fund for the Arts, established by Mr. and Mrs. Joseph M. Murphy, the Council exists to make the arts more present and visible - providing the unique awareness, inspiration, and participation which the arts promote.

Consisting of Iona University faculty, administrators, students, and alumni, the Council on the Arts seeks to expand and deepen the cultural life of our student body. The Council produces and coordinates events whereby students, faculty and administrators may experience the arts communally.

In addition to public performances and conferences, the Council sponsors programs such as Art Quest trips, designed to introduce members of the Iona community to the cultural richness of the community.

For more information, visit https://www.iona.edu/new-rochelle-community/br-kenneth-chapman-gallery/council-arts

Deignan Institute for Earth and Spirit

The Deignan Institute for Earth and Spirit serves the emergence of an ecological civilization to revive and protect our common home through transformative environmental education, spiritual animation, and creative celebration.

Challenged by our planetary crisis and rooted in our inspiring legacy of St. Columba’s monastic university at Iona, The Deignan Institute for Earth and Spirit is committed to fostering an integral and peaceful Earth community in the light of religious faith, evolutionary cosmology, environmental science, and comprehensive justice.

Under the direction of founder, Dr. Kathleen Deignan, CND, and through the generosity of Iona Alumni benefactor Christopher J. O’Connor, The Kathleen Deignan, CND Institute for Earth and Spirit is a collaboration among three current endeavors which she founded at Iona: The Iona Spirituality Center, The Thomas Berry Forum for Ecological Dialogue and The Thomas Merton Contemplative Initiative.

Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) Workshop

The Dignity for All Students Act (DASA) Workshop is required for all New York State Education Department educator certifications and for certification in School Building Leadership.  There is a fee for this workshop, and completers receive a certificate of completion for registration in their New York State TEACH account. Further information is available at http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/certficate/dasa-applicant.html and on the Education Department homepage.

Inter-Institutional Cooperation

Iona University maintains articulation agreements with several two-year colleges. Details regarding current articulation agreements with Bronx Community College, Kingsborough Community College, Rockland Community College, SUNY Orange, and Westchester Community College are available at those institutions for students who wish to transfer to Iona to complete a four-year degree.    

Iona has special agreements with the New York College of Podiatric Medicine, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM), University of St. Joseph’s College of Pharmacy, and Seton Hall Law School for students who are interested in these careers.

Internships

Internships are available for qualified students in both the School of Arts and Science and the School of Business. Arrangements for internships should be made through department chairs and departmental internship coordinators. lnternships are available in the United States and abroad.

Interprofessional Education (IPE)

Interprofessional Education (IPE) is an innovative competency-based approach to the preparation of healthcare and education professionals for effective interprofessional collaborative practice. At its core, IPE brings students from varied professional disciplines together to “learn with, from and about” one another for the purposes of enhancing the quality of service delivery, improving health and education outcomes, supporting provider well-being, and actively engaging in the pursuit of health and educational equity, while also maximizing cost effectiveness.  At Iona, IPE is fully integrated into the discipline-specific curricula of graduate programs in Communication Science & Disorders, Marriage & Family Therapy, Mental Health Counseling, Occupational Therapy, School Psychology and undergraduate programs in Childhood Education, Nursing and Social Work.  

Grounded in nationally established Interprofessional Collaborative Practice competencies (IPEC, 2013), instructional IPE modules are embedded in courses throughout IPE students’ curricula to support scaffolded learning and progressive movement toward interprofessional collaborative practice competency attainment.  IPE Foundation modules are delivered in the context of fall and spring full-day retreats, which are then followed by training in culturally responsive and affirming practice as well as health and educational equity, Sim-Lab IPE experiences, and opportunities for IPE Field Fellowships. Additionally, IPE students are trained in the evidence-based Mind UP social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum/intervention.  

Iona in Mission

The Iona in Mission program is a unique cross-cultural learning experience offered by the Office of Mission and Ministry. This program carries on the legacy of service as displayed by Blessed Edmund Rice and the Christian Brothers, and expands the classroom context by engaging students in service to those most marginalized in our world. These immersion trips take place during winter, spring, and summer breaks. Providing ample opportunities for reflection, analysis and spiritual nourishment, Iona in Mission trips introduce students to the causes and effects of violence, poverty and racial injustice, and challenge students to understand the liberating power of education through this call to serve and advocate for change. Each year 5-7 Iona in Mission trips are typically offered and these may include, but are not limited to:

  • A domestic immersion in Philadelphia, Mississippi or West Virginia
  • An international immersion in Jamaica
  • Christian Brothers outreach sites in Lima, Peru; Brownsville, Texas; or Dublin, Ireland

More information regarding the Iona in Mission program can be found at https://www.iona.edu/offices/office-mission-ministry/iona-mission.

Learning in Retirement at Iona

Learning in Retirement at Iona (LIRIC) is an independent, self-governing, life-long learning institute within the college community. LIRIC offers daytime courses and cultural and social activities for men and women of retirement age. The curriculum includes classes and workshops in history, science, literature, current events, theatre, art, music, film, mah jongg, and tai chi. Field trips to museums, historic sites and live performances enrich the program.  For information and to request a catalog visit the website: www.iona.edu/liric.

Liberty Partnerships Program

Iona University is one of several Liberty Partnership Institutions across New York State, connecting faculty and students from higher education institutions and P-12 schools to provide comprehensive pre-collegiate/dropout prevention programs and services to youth. Iona University’s Liberty Partnerships Program currently partners with the Yonkers School District to serve at-risk students, and their families, at three high schools and two elementary schools. The University provides a range of services both during the school day, after school, and in the summer. Current information about programs can be found at Iona University’s website: https://www.iona.edu/new-rochelle-community/liberty-partnerships-program.

Minor Concentrations

The School of Arts & Science offers minor concentrations in the majority of the majors and in Black Studies, Digital Humanities, Environmental Studies, Esports, Ethics, Italian, Neuroscience, Pre-Law, and Physics.  Students may earn a minor in Drug and Alcohol Abuse Studies that qualifies them to sit for the CASAC examination. Most LaPenta School of Business degree programs offer a complementary minor program for BBA degree students. Business minors are also available to students in the School of Arts and Science, including a general business minor, and minors in specific business areas. The NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences offers minor concentrations in Healthcare Communications and Diversity and Social Welfare. See Academic Programs for a full listing of minor concentrations.

The Iona Family Therapy Center

The Iona Family Therapy Center is operated by Iona University’s Marriage and Family Therapy program. Individual, couple, and family therapy services are available to the community onsite at the clinic or provided via tele-therapy. Services are provided by appointment only. Currently, in-person appointments are only available on Mondays, 3:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Tuesdays 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., Wednesdays 3:00 p.m - 9:00 p.m, and Thursdays 3:00 p.m - 4 p.m. Remote tele-therapy sessions are available Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. The IFTC is located in the lower level of Sieker Hall at 171 White Plains Rd. Bronxville, NY 10708. There is no fee for students, faculty, staff, and alumni of Iona University. For more information or an appointment, please call (914) 633-2418 or email IFTC@iona.edu. 

Pre-Professional Programs

Students interested in admission to the study of medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine or related areas of professional practice should follow a well-balanced program of study that includes the humanities and social sciences. There is no one major that provides the best preparation for admission to professional schools. Students should choose a major which is best suited to their interests and alternate career objectives, should the decision be made not to enter professional school after graduation from Iona University. However, students who wish to enter medical or dental schools are strongly advised to complete the following courses as they are required prerequisites for admission to many programs: BIO 101 and BIO 102; CHM 109 and CHM 110 and CHM 209, CHM 210, and CHM 220; PHY 101 and PHY 102; and MTH 231. Be sure to contact the Health Professions Adviser for more information and guidance.

Returning Alumni Program

With the continuing intellectual development of lona graduates in mind, the University has established the Returning Alumni Program. Since this program is designed for personal enrichment rather than for university credit, courses are not reflected on the student’s university transcript. Interested alumni may arrange to take one undergraduate course during either the fall or spring semester for a nominal fee (refer to Tuition and Fee Schedule). Registration in a course is subject to space availability and/or an acceptable number of regular students registered. Registration and payment takes place at the Office of Student Financial Services on the day preceding the start of the term.

Alumni requiring continuing education credit to submit to an accrediting or professional body will need to pay the full course audit price per the Tuition and Fee schedule and have the course reflected on the student transcript.

School Violence Prevention and Intervention Workshop

The School Violence Prevention and Intervention Workshop is required for all New York State Education Department educator certifications. There is a fee for this workshop, and completers receive a certificate of completion for registration in their New York State TEACH account. Further information is available at http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/certificate/save.html and on the Education Department homepage.

Service-Learning

In the spirit of its commitment to academic excellence, social justice and deep critical thinking, Iona University sponsors courses that engage students in the integration of community engagement, reflection and the academic pursuit of specific disciplines.  Semester-long courses that may utilize a service-learning pedagogy include: The Religious Imagination , Bilingual Interviewing and Counseling, The Producer’s Craft , The Role of Business in Contemporary American Society , and Spirituality .

Study Abroad

Iona University encourages students to broaden their educational experiences and gain cultural perspectives through study abroad.  There are faculty-led study abroad options available for summer and spring break. While students can also study abroad for a full semester with campus partners.  Academic credits are earned with faculty led programs and credits can be transferred to Iona University for Full semester programs with prior approval. Students are to work with the study abroad office and The Center for Advising and academic Services to ensure course equivalencies are approved prior to participating in a full semester program study abroad program with a partner institution. Honors Program students can use their six free credits per academic year for study abroad.

For further information concerning study abroad options, contact the coordinator of Study Abroad, or visit Iona’s website at www.iona.edu/academics/study-abroad.

Thomas Berry Forum for Ecological Dialogue

The Thomas Berry Forum is an open and inclusive space for ecological education, exploration, and transformation. In 2009, after the death of the celebrated geologian and cultural historian, Father Thomas Mary Berry, CP, four of his students gathered at Iona University to initiate The Thomas Berry Forum for Ecological Dialogue to celebrate and promote his wisdom and legacy. It is the hope that this Forum will be a creative resource for the entire Iona University community, and for the many other dialogue partners - regional, national, and global - whom we hope to engage in Berry’s Great Work to awaken the ecological phase of human development. In particular, we wish to serve Iona’s interdisciplinary and integral Environmental Studies Program as a hosting platform for conferences, convocations, lectures, retreats, campus sustainability initiatives, and eco-pilgrimages that will enhance our academic enterprise. For more information visit: https://www.iona.edu/academics/schools-institutes/kathleen-deignan-cnd-institute-earth-and-spirit/thomas-berry-forum

Training in the Needs of Children with Autism

The Training in the Needs of Children with Autism Workshop is required for all New York State Education Department educator certifications. There is a fee for this workshop, and completers receive a certificate of completion for registration in their New York State TEACH account. Further information is available at http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/certificate/autism.html and on the Education Department homepage.