Hillyer College

Hillyer College presents a unique opportunity for a select group of students who wish to enhance their academic potential through a two-year Associate in Arts (A.A.) program in preparation for completion of the baccalaureate degree.

The college is founded on the premise that many students can benefit from an intensive, carefully structured liberal arts program that features additional academic support. The curriculum prepares students to enter the last two years of a bachelor’s degree program at the University’s other schools and colleges, as well as many other baccalaureate institutions.

Because the college is fundamentally a traditional liberal arts program, students seeking admission to the college should have followed a standard college preparatory program in high school. Students may enter the Hillyer program directly or as Dual Admission, whereby the student is admitted both to Hillyer College and to one of the University’s other schools and colleges. The first-year core curriculum includes course work in English, history, mathematics, social sciences, the humanities, and academic strategies. Courses in academic strategies assist first-year students in the development and application of effective learning strategies and critical reading and analytic skills necessary for academic success. Students in their sophomore year are provided with a broader array of course options, including the opportunity to take courses outside of the college if they qualify academically. Also, the college has developed a number of field studies and service learning opportunities designed to provide qualified sophomores with a variety of rich, nontraditional learning experiences.

Small classes of usually fewer than 20 students and close interaction between students and faculty form the cornerstone of the college’s success. Through regular classroom interaction and a well-established student advising program, the faculty have continual involvement in the academic development of students.

By means of a rigorous liberal arts program and a supportive environment, Hillyer College offers a solid academic foundation that has benefited young men and women for nearly 50 years.

Facilities

Hillyer College administrative offices and programs are located in Hillyer Hall, where the offices of the dean, faculty, and professional staff are housed. The college operates two computer learning centers in the building. The Hillyer College Study Center is on the second floor, and the college’s portion of the Herbert Gilman Center for Communication Technology is on the third floor. These centers serve students in English, mathematics, economics, biology, academic strategies, and other disciplines within the curriculum.  In addition, the college has a computer classroom on the first floor.

As part of the University community, the college uses classrooms at various locations around the campus. It also uses the biology laboratories in the ISET building and the computer centers in that building and elsewhere on campus. Students may also use the Tutoring Center on the lower level of Harrison Libraries.

Admission of Students

Basis of Selection

In making its selections, the Committee on Admission considers the student in relation to the following criteria: academic performance in secondary school, the recommendation of the secondary school principal or guidance counselor, results of the Scholastic Assessment Test of the College Entrance Examination Board or of the American Testing Program, character, evidence of desire to succeed, and leadership exhibited in curricular and extracurricular activities.

The capabilities of the applicants are evaluated with particular regard to academic potential, seriousness of purpose, and a sense of responsibility.

Prospective students are encouraged to visit the college and discuss their educational plans. Requests for personal interviews should be made to the Office of Admission and Student Financial Assistance, 860.768.4296.

Admission Requirements

A candidate for admission to Hillyer College must be a graduate of, or a student who prior to matriculation will be graduated from, an accredited secondary school.

Sixteen units of secondary subjects are expected, with a minimum of 14 in college preparatory subjects, including the following:

Two or more units of a foreign language are desirable.

Dual Admission

Applicants to many of the University programs in the Barney School of Business, the College of Arts and Sciences, or the College of Education, Nursing and Health Professions may choose to start their studies in Hillyer College.  Students with dual admission are enrolled as students in both colleges.  These students develop their foundation skills in the small, faculty-supported environment of Hillyer College, while also taking courses in their majors.  Students must complete the degree requirements for the A.A. or A.S. programs and meet any requirements for advancing to candidacy in the baccalaureate program.

Student Financial Assistance

Hillyer College participates in the University’s financial assistance program for men and women of good character who show academic promise but lack the necessary financial means for obtaining a college education. Procedures for filing are outlined in this Catalog under Student Financial Assistance.

Honors Experience

Hillyer students are invited to participate in Hillyer honors at the end of their first semester if they have completed 12 credits with a GPA of 3.0 or better. Thereafter, students may join the honors experience when they have attained a GPA of 3.0 and maintain full-time status. To continue in Hillyer honors, students must maintain this GPA and a full-time course load each semester.

To complete the honors experience at Hillyer College a student must take at least 9 credits of honors courses and maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher and grades of B or better in all honors courses. In addition, at least 6 credits must be taken either from the honors courses listed for Hillyer College or as Hillyer contract honors courses. A student may use an honors course offered in any of the other colleges for the remaining 3 credits. First-year honors-eligible students may enroll in HONB 110 - Humanities Honors Seminar   during the spring semester. Second-year honors-eligible students may enroll in HONB 200 - Science Honors Seminar  and/or HONB 210 - Winterterm Honors Experience . Completion of these courses with a grade of 3.0 or higher will result in honors credit.

Academic Regulations

The following regulations apply only to Hillyer College. For a general description of University academic regulations, see the section Academic Regulations .

Attendance

Because students must attend classes regularly in order to contribute to and benefit from classes, the college requires regular class attendance. Each student is expected to abide by the attendance policy articulated in the syllabus for each course in which he or she is enrolled.

Withdrawing from Core Courses

The core of first-year and second-year courses is specifically designed to provide a carefully structured liberal arts program. Therefore, students enrolled in core courses may not withdraw from any core course during the first eight weeks of a semester without the express approval of the faculty member involved and the dean.

Grading System

Grades are reported and recorded each mid-semester and again at the end of each semester. Mid-semester grades may be viewed online through the Self-Service Center. For an interpretation of grades, see Grades . Students in Hillyer College are not permitted to register for a course on a Pass/No Pass basis (except physical education courses), unless it is a course in the college offered only on that basis.

Academic Standards

The academic progress of first-year students is informally evaluated at the end of the first semester. Warning letters are sent to students who have unsatisfactory grade point averages and/or have completed fewer than 12 credits of course work. The academic progress of each Hillyer College student is formally evaluated at the end of the second semester of the first year and at the end of each subsequent semester. Students who do not make satisfactory qualitative or quantitative academic progress will be placed on probation, removed from degree candidacy, or dismissed; and, as a result, may lose financial aid.

Qualitative Progress

The table below summarizes the qualitative criteria the Hillyer College Academic Standing Committee uses in reviewing each student’s academic standing.

Quantitative Progress

In addition to maintaining a satisfactory grade point average, full-time students must complete 24 credits of course work by the end of their first year and 48 credits by the end of their second year to make satisfactory quantitative progress

Students who are on probation and who do not make substantial progress toward removing themselves will be removed from degree candidacy (RDC). In addition, students who do not complete the requirements for the A.A. degree by the end of four full-time semesters may be removed from degree candidacy, unless their performance qualifies them for dismissal or a fifth semester. A fourth-semester student on quantitative probation, having a GPA of 2.0 or higher and within 12-15 credits of earning an Associate in Arts, may be afforded a fifth semester rather than being placed on RDC. Students who have been removed from degree candidacy are no longer matriculated in Hillyer College and may continue at the University for only 15 more credits of study, on a part-time basis, through the Center for Adult Academic Services. A student who has been on academic probation for two consecutive semesters, and who has failed to remove him- or herself from probation by the end of the second consecutive semester, is eligible for academic dismissal. A student whose record is substantially below the standard may be dismissed at the end of any semester except the first semester.

Appeals of Probation or Dismissal

Students who are newly placed on probation or who have been dismissed have the right to appeal the decision to the College’s Academic Standing Committee if they encountered extenuating circumstances during the semester that contributed to their poor performance.

Courses Outside of the College

First-year students who want to undertake foreign language study may do so.  Computer courses beyond CSB 110-Computer Concepts are also permitted.

For students without dual admit status: Sophomores with a 2.0-2.99 overall grade point average are eligible to take one (1) course per semester outside of Hillyer College without special permission.  Sophomores with an overall grade point average of 3.00 or above may take two (2) courses per semester outside of Hillyer College without special permission.

Students with dual admit status: Students may take courses in the college of their dual admission in pursuit of their major, even in the first year. Students must fulfill the degree requirements for the Hillyer College program; courses that are taken outside Hillyer College must meet these requirements.

All students wishing to take courses outside Hillyer College should consult with their advisor and/or the Assistant Dean to be sure that the courses will count in the curriculum. Students taking courses outside of Hillyer College must comply with prerequisites and corequisites, if any. Students wishing to take classes outside of Hillyer College who do not meet the overall grade point average restrictions may file an appeal with the Academic Standing Committee of the College.

Physical education courses may be taken for credit but do not satisfy Hillyer degree requirements.

Advancement to Candidacy into Bachelor’s Degree Programs

Hillyer College students, including those with Dual Admission status, who meet the requirements for graduation with the Associate in Arts may advance to Bachelor’s degree candidacy in the junior year in one of the four-year colleges of the University of Hartford, such as the College of Arts and Sciences, the Barney School of Business, or others, provided the requirements are satisfied.

The program of Hillyer College has been established to meet the first-year and second-year general education requirements of most liberal arts colleges.

Candidates who have a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or higher and who meet other stated requirements are best qualified for transfer consideration. A minimum grade of C (2.0) is required for transfer of individual course credit at the undergraduate level to most four-year programs at other academic institutions.

General Information

Student Services

The college provides for all of its students a variety of services, including instruction in reading and learning skills, academic guidance and counseling, peer tutoring, and placement testing.

Each first-year student is assigned an advisor who is a member of the faculty of the college. Advisors help their advisees plan their academic program and make decisions concerning various academic issues; they also provide information about the College and University policies and programs. Sophomores continue working with their first-year advisor unless a change of advisor is necessary. These faculty members advise sophomores on such issues as progress toward the degree, academic standing, and transferring to baccalaureate programs. Career guidance is provided by the University’s Career Services and advisors.

Programs

• General Sciences, A.S.
• Liberal Studies, A.A.

Courses

• SYB 110 - Introductory Sociology
• SYB 112 - Study of the Black Experience
• SYB 115 - Studies in Social Problems
• SYB 130 - How to Change the World: An Introduction to Social Action
• SYB 150 - Sports and Society
• SYB 170 - Intro to Criminal Justice
• SYB 210 - Fundamentals of Human Services
• SYB 220 - Social Inequalities of Gender and Sexuality
• SYB 225 - Case Management Practices
• SYB 230 - Sociological Perspectives on the Connecticut River
• SYB 240 - Sociology of Immigration
• SYB 250 - Race, Ethnicity, and Inequality
• SYB 255 - Addictive Behaviors for Human Services
• SYB 275 - Urban Trauma and Resilience
• SYB 280 - Independent Study in Sociology
• SYB 290 - Special Topics in Sociology

• SDB 110 - Effective Speech
• SDB 120 - Introduction to Theater
• SDB 190 - Special Topics in Speech/Drama
• SDB 230 - Community Field Experience: Writing and Speech