MaryAnn Janosik - Dean, School of Professional Studies and the Graduate College
MaryAnn Janosik, Ph.D.
Dean, School of Professional Studies and the Graduate College
Read about her in SCAN October 2010 »

Welcome

Welcome to the School of Professional Studies.

We are one of the newest schools at St. Catherine University, having been created June 1, 2009, as part of St. Kate's transition from the College of Saint Catherine to Saint Catherine University. As the founding dean of the School of Professional Studies (SPS) and the Graduate College, I am delighted to introduce you to some of our academic programs and the career opportunities they offer.

The School of Professional Studies showcases three of St. Catherine's most highly regarded and well-known disciplines:

  • Education, an enterprising department that offers a range of options at two degree levels and also encompasses our internationally renowned Montessori programs;
  • Library and Information Science (MLIS), offering a master's-level degree that aims to develop information literate and reflective practitioners who demonstrate sensitivity to culturally diverse groups;
  • Social work, a partnership program between St. Catherine University and the University of St. Thomas, which offers a master's degree granted by both institutions and a bachelor's degree available through both our weekday and weekend/evening/online programs.

The advantages of bringing together these three distinct disciplines into one School are too numerous to mention here (and we are still discovering new possibilities as our faculty meet and reflect upon their respective missions and goals), but the notion that SPS "educates professionals committed to social justice, effective leadership, scholarship and responsiveness to community needs" underscores the University's mission and vision.

Common threads

Surrounding SPS's three distinct disciplines are key data that demonstrate St. Kate's innovative spirit and professional viability:

  • Social work is among the fastest growing professional fields, and our joint program with St. Thomas prepares professionals uniquely by integrating social justice, a respect for human dignity and Catholic Social Teaching into the curriculum. Our social work students learn to help people access the services and support they need to address barriers in their lives.
  • Our commitment to training STEM-literate educators took on a new dimension with the requirement that all elementary education majors complete a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) certificate, which means three courses in biology, chemistry and physics. And, our National Center for STEM Elementary Education was launched in summer 2010.
  • All master's degrees in education are accredited and include master's degrees in curriculum and instruction, distance learning, licensure and Montessori.
  • The MLIS, which received initial accreditation by the American Library Association (ALA) in January 2011, aims to train professionals who will share their love of reading and give all citizens access to information that will impact their lives. A robust program whose graduates are highly sought after in the Twin Cities' vibrant library community, the MLIS hosts Monday evening conversations and provides strong fieldwork programs for students.

The common thread interweaving these programs is our institutional commitment to social justice. In preparing professionals to work in education, library science or social work, we want nothing less than to provide all people access to better lives. Our institutional commitment to working with the underserved — lived out eloquently and expressively by our founding mothers, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet — is the cornerstone of our enduring commitment to social justice, to the foundational belief at St. Catherine University that a better world exists for those who are educated.

Career opportunities

Regardless of which professional career path you choose or courses you select, you will be working in an exciting learning community with faculty who are genuinely committed to your professional and personal development. SPS proudly upholds St. Kate's strong tradition as a leading Catholic university distinguished by its innovative spirit and premier baccalaureate College for women. Our faculty strives to integrate career development experiences, community-based action research and volunteer service opportunities into their courses, mentoring students in their academic growth and engaging them in relevant undergraduate research projects.

Within the School of Professional Studies, we hold that our institutional mission — educating all students to lead and influence, learning through the lens of the liberal arts, respecting and adhering to the tenets of human dignity that our Catholic heritage mandates — is also our School's mission. Like the rose window that serves as the University's logo, the School of Professional Studies is a creative and collaborative learning community, offering students a clear window onto a world of limitless opportunity. Here, you can do a world of good.

MaryAnn Janosik, Ph.D.
Dean, School of Professional Studies and the Graduate College

Learn more about her in SCAN October 2010: "Bursting Forth" »