Academic Opportunities

Service-learning is a method of teaching whereby students have the opportunity to apply their classroom knowledge to a meaningful experience in the community.

Service-learning consists of the three main components. The first component involves the planning of a meaningful experience. The second component is that of the experience itself which takes place within the context of a nonprofit organization. The experience is focused on impacting an identified community need. The final component is reflection. Through structured reflection, students are able to make the connection between the course objectives and the experience.

Service-learning helps to make course knowledge more relevant to everyday life while fostering an ethic of service and civic responsibility in the students. Students can participate in service-learning through courses that require service learning, courses that offer service learning as an option, or through independent study.

The Service-Learning Program seeks to centralize and coordinate the service-learning activities on campus. The Program also offers support to faculty who teach service-learning courses, identifies community placement where the service-learning experience can take place, represents the University in problem-solving community partnerships and involves faculty, staff, and students in the ongoing development of the Program.

For More Information

Dr. James N. Camp
Thomas More University
859-344-3385
James.Camp@thomasmore.edu

To provide curriculum enrichment and to expand the number and variety of educational opportunities available to its students, Thomas More University is a member of the 17-institution Greater Cincinnati Consortium of Colleges and Universities (GCCCU).

Students from the participating institutions are permitted to enroll in a course or courses offered by a Consortium college or university on a space-available basis.

Tuition payments for the courses are made to the home institution at the home institution’s rate, and special fees for the courses are collected by the host institution.

Students must be in good academic standing to participate in the Consortium. Students’ consortium loads may not exceed one-half of their total class load for a given semester. Students are responsible for ensuring they have taken the necessary pre-requisites for a consortium course, and for ensuring that the course taken will fulfill the desired requirement. The course also must be unavailable at Thomas More University and a student may only take 16 credit hours through the consortium over the course of his/her undergraduate program.  See section on residency for additional policies.  Further explanation of rules and procedures are available in the Registrar’s Office.

Including Thomas More University, Members of the Greater Cincinnati Consortium of Colleges and Universities are:

  • Art Academy of Cincinnati
    The Art Academy of Cincinnati is one of five museum schools in the United States. The Art Academy offers associate and bachelor degrees in design and fine arts and is the only college offering the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in the area.
  • Athenaeum of Ohio
    The Athenaeum is an accredited center of ministry education and formation within the Roman Catholic tradition. The Athenaeum has three divisions embodying the belief that preparation for ministry with the Roman Catholic must be faithful to the teaching of the church.
  • Chatfield College
    Chatfield College, a private three-year liberal arts college, offers the Associate of Arts degree with concentrations in business, health and human services, child development, commercial art, and liberal arts.
  • Cincinnati Christian University
    Cincinnati Christian University prepares students who will take full-time ministries within their local churches or ministry-related careers or who want to be volunteer leaders in their churches. The college offers associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Programs include Bible, general studies and church music, plus emphases on youth ministry, ministry to the deaf, early childhood education, teacher education, music education, journalism, and psychology.
  • Cincinnati State Technical & Community College
    Cincinnati State Technical and Community College provides student-focused, accessible quality technical and general education, academic transfer, experiential and cooperative education, and workforce development.
  • Gateway Community and Technical College
    Gateway Community and Technical College (GCTC) is one of the fastest-growing community colleges in the nation. Our mission, as a member of the Kentucky Community & Technical College System, is to offer a high-quality, targeted education to meet the professional and personal goals of all Kentuckians.
  • God’s Bible School and College
    God’s Bible School and College seeks to glorify God and to serve His Church by providing higher education centered in Holy Scripture and shaped by Wesleyan conviction, thus preparing faithful servants to proclaim Jesus Christ and spread scriptural holiness throughout the world.
  • Good Samaritan College of Nursing and Health Science
    Good Samaritan College of Nursing and Health Science is a private, not-for-profit institution of higher education located in Cincinnati, Ohio. The College serves the tri-state region of Southwestern Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and Southeastern Indiana. The College is a subsidiary of TriHealth, Inc. and Good Samaritan Hospital.
  • Hebrew Union College
    Hebrew Union College is an intellectual center of Reform Judaism and houses the Reform movement’s library and archives collections. HUC is also a leading center for study, training, research, and publication in the Bible, ancient Near Eastern languages, Hellenistic studies, rabbinics, Jewish religious thought and philosophy, and modern Jewish history.
  • Miami University
    Miami offers a comprehensive array of programs and majors. Among the best recognized are accounting, environmental and life sciences, history, international studies, English, political science and paper science (one of eight such programs in the country). A student may take Consortium classes from the Miami University Oxford, Hamilton and Middletown campuses.
  • College of Mount St. Joseph
    ” The Mount,” as it’s known by many Cincinnatians, offers career-oriented programs for traditional and nontraditional students in day, evening and weekend schedules.
  • Northern Kentucky University
    NKU has programs in liberal arts, mathematics, and computer science, information systems, theater, management, marketing, education, nursing, journalism, radio/television and one of the few aviation administration programs in the country. The college also offers pre-professional programs in pre-law, pre-medicine, pre-dentistry, pre-pharmacy, pre-veterinary, pre-physical therapy, pre-wildlife management and a pre-engineering program in conjunction with the University of Kentucky in Lexington.
  • The Union Institute and University
    Union Institute & University is an accredited, private, international university that has, since 1964, redefined higher education by placing learners at the center of their own education. Union has administrative headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio, and currently enrolls approximately 1,750 learners from all 50 states and more than 20 countries worldwide.
  • University of Cincinnati
    UC has a top-notch engineering school and industrial design program, a very good undergraduate business and MBA program, and is well known for its College Conservatory of Music. A student may take Consortium classes from any of University of Cincinnati’s campuses.
  • Wilmington College
    Wilmington College offers programs leading to Bachelor of Arts degrees in accounting, business administration with marketing or management concentrations.
  • Xavier University
    Xavier offers associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees in a wide range of programs, including strengths in such areas as communications arts, business administration, master’s of education, psychology and pre-med/vet studies in life sciences.

Forms and further explanation of rules and procedures are available in the Registrar’s Office.

The Service-Learning Program also has responsibility for the coordination and promotion of community service opportunities.

Thomas More students are involved with many different nonprofit organizations in the community. Many types of opportunities are available through the Service Learning Office and the Center for Service Opportunities and are also posted on the Community Service bulletin board.

Students may stop by at any time and discuss their interest or go through the binders with the service requests from community organizations to see what may be of interest to them.

The Department of the Army at Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio in cooperation with Thomas More University provides the opportunity for any qualified student to enroll in the Army’s Military Science commissioning program.

Military Science classes are presented on the Northern Kentucky University campus. These courses are taken through the Consortium. Upon graduation and successful completion of the Military Science program, students will be commissioned as Second Lieutenants in the United States Army. No obligation for military service is incurred during the first two years of the program.

For further information about the curriculum and professional development requirements, contact Chris Powers at 859-344-3514 or via email powersc@thomasmore.edu and he will work with other schools offering both Army and Air Force R.O.T.C.

  • Student advising
    Students enrolled in a Military Science program will have two advisors: a Military Science advisor and an academic advisor. The Military Science advisor will advise students only on matters concerning the military science program. Students must consult with their academic advisor on all questions concerning course and graduation requirements in their academic field of study.
  • Academic Correlation
    Certain bachelor’s degree programs correlate directly with certain branches of the Army. Among those are Nursing and the Army Nurse Branch. Students whose career plans are in such a professional area should consult a Military Science advisor.
  • Advanced Placement
    Students may qualify for direct enrollment in the advanced course when awarded placement credit for the basic course by the Military Science Chairperson. Placement credit may be awarded in the following ways:

Veterans may receive credit for all or part of the basic course. (This includes current members of the Reserve or National Guard.)

Non-veterans can earn advanced placement credit by successfully completing the ROTC Basic Camp at Fort Knox, Kentucky.

A similar program exists in conjunction with the Air Force ROTC at the University of Cincinnati.
For additional information call (513) 556-2237.

Currently, an Army R.O.T.C. scholarship is available for full tuition to sophomores and above.  Students must enroll in the program and be committed to becoming an Army officer.  Qualifications: The student must maintain a 2.5 GPA and be in good physical fitness.  Also, students will be able to obtain a 1200 book allowance upon joining.

Thomas More University has joined a U.S. Department of Education initiative to support veterans as they pursue their education and employment goals. Click here to learn more!

The Air Force has an R.O.T.C program and students interested in learning more about this program can contact Chris Powers at 859-344-3514 or via email at powersc@thomasmore.edu

The Bishop Roger J. Foys Ministry and Service Scholarship is a competitive scholarship designated for Catholic students that are interested in furthering their involvement in ministry and service. The recipients of the scholarship are highly motivated students on the Thomas More campus and serve as positive role models to the University community. They will receive the highest level of opportunity to enhance leadership skills, strengthen their spirituality, promote Catholic identity, and cultivate strong relationships with students, faculty, and staff.

Students who are selected to receive the Bishop Foys Scholarship are required to be engaged in community service both on and off campus as well as actively involved in the Campus Ministry Leadership Team. Students engaged in Campus Ministry will have the opportunity to coordinate campus-wide programs for prayer and worship, fellowship and faith development, and service and social justice. All students will be required to dedicate a minimum of 20 hours a semester to ministry and service as guided by the Director of Campus Ministry.

Recipients of the Bishop Roger J. Foys Ministry and Service Scholarship are awarded a scholarship amount dependent on several factors in the application process. The determination of the amount of the award does not include KEES scholarships or student/parent loans. For students residing on campus, federal and state awards may be applied toward the cost of room and board and will not affect the value of the Bishop Roger J. Foys Ministry and Service Scholarship. To be considered, candidates must complete and submit the application and supporting materials by the deadline.

CRITERIA

Minimum qualifications include:

  • Acceptance to Thomas More University
  • Must be Roman Catholic
  • Demonstrated commitment to ministry and/or community service
  • Cumulative GPA of 3.0

Program requirements:

  • Serve as an ambassador for Campus Ministry throughout each academic year
  • Attend monthly formation and leadership development meetings
  • Complete a total of 20 hours of ministry and service work per semester as guided by the Director of Campus Ministry
  • As a sophomore, serve as a mentor to new students coming into the program (counts towards service hours required)
  • Participate actively in the Campus Ministry Leadership Team

See thomasmore.edu/foys for more information and to apply.

Individuals in the James Graham Brown Scholars Program are challenged to be virtuous scholars, who, over the course of a lifetime, hold the honorable traditions and habits of well-rounded thinkers, leaders, and citizens. Open to incoming, current, and transfer students, CLICK HERE for eligibility, requirements, and application information.

The Monsignor Cleves University Honors Program (MCUHP), named for former Thomas More president and philosophy professor Msgr. William Cleves, is a community-focused academic and co-curricular program for students in the top 10% of each entering class at Thomas More University. Honors students spend their time in the program reflecting on the impact of their college experience on their personal and academic growth. This program offers unique goals and benefits for these students and has specific requirements for participation.

Additional details will be added soon. For more information please contact: MCUHP Director Maria (Cari) Garriga, Ph.D., garrigm@thomasmore.edu | 859-344-3397

An internship mirrors Co-op in that students work for business, industry, government or non-profit organizations to gain career-related work experience. The differences are that internships may be unpaid, students may only work one semester, and work hours range from 10 to 20 per week (or 40 hours per week during the summer). Students work through their academic departments to arrange credit for internship experiences. Eligibility requirements and academic requirements may vary between disciplines, see the respective course description and department for details.

Thomas More University is committed to preparing its students for careers in the contemporary world. Thomas More University strives to recognize and understand the complexities and problems of the world, and to offer meaningful, just solutions consonant with the Christian values espoused by Thomas More University.

A special $700,000 Global Perspectives endowment provides scholarships for Thomas More students to study and travel abroad, as well as partial scholarships for international students to study at Thomas More.

Thomas More University offers a number of travel and study abroad opportunities. As a member of the Cooperative Center for Study Abroad (CCSA), a consortium of American colleges and universities, annual study programs are offered in Great Britain, Ireland, Australia, and Hong Kong. In addition, Thomas More has three sister universities: the Catholic University of Eichstätt in Eichstätt, GermanyMary Immaculate College in Limerick, Ireland; and Sacred Heart University in San Juan, Puerto Rico. In cooperation with other consortia and universities, Thomas More University is able to place students in study-abroad programs on six continents.

The Global Perspectives Endowment Fund was created by a grant award from the James Graham Brown Foundation, Inc. in 1996. The goal of the program is to enhance the global literacy of our students by providing international educational experiences.

For more information, please contact the Global Initiatives Office.