Specialized Educational Opportunities
Commonwealth Honors Program
The Honors Program offers a stimulating, challenging, and enriching educational experience through curriculum requirements, social events, and cultural activities. It provides highly motivated students opportunities to reach their full academic potential. The Honors Program is accredited as a Commonwealth Honors Program by the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education; this means that graduates of the North Shore Community College Honors Program can transfer their Honors credits directly into Honors Programs at any State University or University of Massachusetts campus, continuing in an Honors Program for their bachelor’s degree. Both new and current students are eligible to apply to the Honors Program. For information on eligibility, the academic requirements of the program, and to access the application form, visit
www.northshore.edu/honors.
Experiential Education/ Applied Learning Clinicals, Field Experience and Practicums
Most pathways provide students with opportunities to learn outside the classroom through service learning and optional internships. Many programs require experiential learning through co-op, field placement, practicum, clinical, or internship experience. North Shore Community College students are out in the community, experiencing their chosen professions and making workplace connections in North Shore in a variety of settings throughout the region.
The following NSCC programs require experiential education:
Accounting
Aviation Science- Professional Pilot
Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health
Cosmetology
Culinary Arts and Food Services
Developmental Disabilities
Direct Support Certificate
Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation
Infant/Toddler Child Care Certificate
Early Childhood Development
Early Childhood Education
Environmental Studies
Gerontology Certificate
Graphic Design
Horticulture
Human Services Practitioner
Legal Administrative Assistant
Management
Marketing
Medical Administrative Assistant
Medical Assisting
Mental Health Certificate
Nurse Education
Occupational Therapy Assistant
Paralegal
Physical Therapist Assistant
Practical Nursing Certificate
Radiologic Technology
Respiratory Care
Surgical Technology
Veterinary Technology
Youth Worker
Cooperative Education/Internship
The Cooperative Education/Internship program provides an opportunity for students to enhance personal growth and professional development through a meaningful interaction between their academic program and related work environment.
Students are required to complete a 120-hour work experience as well as class work assigned in the weekly seminar sessions. Class participation is a mandatory part of the program. A faculty coordinator supervises and evaluates the student’s academic work and employer documentation of a 120-hour work experience. Upon completion of the 120-hour work experience and the academic components, a letter grade and 3 credits are awarded.
The following programs of study require a Cooperative Education/Internship experience: Accounting, Digital Graphic Design, Marketing, Management, Culinary Arts and Food Service, Computer Applications, Computer Programming, Executive Administrative Assistant, Legal Administrative Assistant and Medical Administrative Assistant.
The following disciplines have an elective Cooperative Education/Internship experience: Business Administration, Liberal Arts, and Health Science.
Participation in this program is subject to the student securing an appropriate work placement. For additional information or assistance call the Office of Cooperative Education, 978-739-5511 or 781-593-6722 x5511.
First Year Experience (FYE)
First Year Experience is strongly recommended for all first-year students seeking an associate’s degree. The course provides the skills, knowledge, and abilities needed for academic persistence and performance development, as well as an overview of the psycho-social influences on college and career success. In addition to decision making, critical thinking, study, oral and written communication skills, topics include educational goal setting, college orientation, successful academic behaviors, and career and life planning. The course emphasizes cross-cultural awareness, personal and social responsibility, resource availability, and college policies and procedures. It fulfills both open and liberal arts electives.
Massachusetts Colleges Online (MCO)
North Shore Community College (NSCC) is a member of Massachusetts Colleges Online, a consortium of community and state colleges. NSCC students can expand their academic opportunities through cross registration in online courses and programs at participating colleges. For more information, visit
www.mco.mass.edu.
Service-Learning and Civic Engagement
The Service-Learning program at North Shore Community College offers an educational opportunity for students to combine community service with course objectives and requirements. In addition, students focus on critical, reflective thinking as well as personal and civic responsibility. Service-Learning experiences involve students in activities that address local needs while developing academic and career skills. Service-Learning opportunities are offered in courses, often as optional components, in several departments and programs throughout the college Service-Learning Courses at NSCC. The number of service hours required as well as the classroom assignment varies from course to course. The Service-Learning and Civic Engagement program is supported by the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Innovation. For more information, contact the Coordinator of Service-Learning at 978-739-5571.
Technology Enhanced Courses
North Shore Community College is a leader in technology within the State’s community college system offering students a broad spectrum of course-related technology services. All students have a Campus Pipeline account through which they can get up-to-the minute course information and materials as well as communicate via email with their professors and fellow students. Students may also enroll in courses where faculty have integrated technology into their courses by redesigning curricula to include new software, the Internet, and multimedia to enrich teaching and learning. Redesigned curricula include fully online courses that have no onsite requirements; hybrid courses that blend the traditional classroom setting with online instruction where students meet 30-70% of their time in a college classroom and complete the rest of their weekly work online; and courses that include a variety of multimedia presentations and assignments.
TRIO/Student Support Services (SSS)
TRIO/SSS is a federally-funded program offering academic advising and enrichment services to 350 eligible NSCC students each year. Students selected for TRIO must be full-time, day students who are: motivated to be successful and graduate from NSCC; willing to work hard; and interested in giving back to others through community service. They must meet federal guidelines (U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizens who are low-income, first-generation-to-college, or have a documented disability) to be eligible. TRIO students receive an extensive summer orientation, meet regularly with their TRIO academic advisor throughout the year, and have access to dedicated tutors, opportunities for study groups, free social and cultural activities, visits to 4-year colleges, opportunities for community service and leadership, and much more.
Most students enter TRIO in the fall through TRIO Linked Learning (TLL), a unique collaboration between faculty and TRIO staff. They become part of a small, supportive learning community, taking foundation courses (Composition 1 and Speech are offered in the fall; Composition 2 and Psychology in the spring) in classes that are limited to 15 students. Advisors will assist students in selecting and registering for additional courses to complement their TLL courses. TLL faculty and TRIO staff meet several times each semester to review student progress and ensure that students have the help they need to be successful in their courses. Interested students should complete an application and return it to one of the TRIO offices. An advisor will then contact them to schedule a time to meet to learn more about the program.
For more information visit TRiO: Student Support Services
Danvers: DB 104, x5439
Lynn: LW 165, x6626
Monday – Friday, 8am-4pm
Women in Transition
The Women in Transition (W.I.T.) program is a strength-based supportive learning community dedicated to easing the transitions to college, career, and life-changing possibilities. The program faculty and staff guide the women within the comfort and safety of a small learning cohort. Women of all ages and diverse life experiences discover and develop academic skills and competencies, college success strategies, and life skills. The program faculty and staff specifically encourage and assist in building the self-esteem and confidence needed to examine the students’ attitudes, values, thoughts, beliefs, and feelings related to creating a unique life plan. Upon completion of this one-year, part-time program, each student will move on to pursue her educational, professional, and personal goals.
For more information, contact the coordinator at 978-739-5515
Writing-Supported Courses
Writing-supported courses give students an opportunity to strengthen thinking and writing skills while studying various fields of knowledge. In these courses, instructors and students will discuss how to approach writing assignments by using the writing process. Students will learn course material through graded and ungraded writing assignments and will receive assistance from their instructors while working on their writing.