Components

What are the Components of the AEP?

The Academic Enrichment Program (AEP) is committed to providing rigorous courses designed to elevate students' critical abilities and math skills to the college level, while at the same time providing peer mentor support and individualized faculty advising.

AEP students traditionally take two to three core courses, Personal and Academic Development, Interdisciplinary Studies and Math Skills.

Interdisciplinary Studies (IS1300W) is a three-hour credit course that focuses on critical skills needed for college-level reading, thinking and writing across the disciplines and addresses student motivation and self-assessment. The designation of "W" in this course indicates "writing-intensive" and that an assessment of the student's writing will count for at least 50 percent of the final grade.

As preparation for courses in all St. Mary's degree programs, IS1300W emphasizes interdisciplinary vocabulary, reading comprehension and conceptual reasoning, resulting in student writing that is analytical and academic as well as reflective and personal. Strict adherence to the university's attendance policy, including weekly participation in small-group study sessions led by a peer tutor, is necessary to complete this course.

MT0401 (Math Skills) is a four-hour non-credit course combining review of basic mathematics and algebraic skills necessary for entry into college-level math courses.

Upon being admitted to St. Mary's through AEP, students are automatically enrolled in MT0401 as a condition of their admission. Students enrolled in MT0401 are not required to take the COMPASS math test. However, some AEP students with above-average SAT and/or ACT Math scores may wish to take the COMPASS test in order to demonstrate their readiness to take a credit math course their first semester. Students must prove their proficiency for placement in a credit math course by presenting their qualifying COMPASS scores to the AEP director before online registration during Zaragoza.

Taking a math course in their AEP fall semester is required of all AEP students, regardless of whether this course is MT0401 or a credit math course. To meet the minimum AEP standard of success, students are required to make a "C" or better in this math course, as well as in all classes their first semester.

ND0101 Personal and Academic Development Designed to increase understanding of the self, explore and clarify academic/career goals, and orient to St. Mary's educational environment. All St. Mary's first-year students are required to pass this course.

AEP students may pick two to three courses from the St. Mary’s Core Curriculum (SMC) and from their majors’ School Specific Curriculum (SSC). The SMC courses taken in the first semester include Foundations of Civilization, Foundations of Reflection: Nature, and Foundations of Reflection: Others. Common first-semester SSC courses include Rhetoric and Composition, Speech, a pure science course like Biology or Earth Science, and a social science course such as Sociology, History, Political Science, Criminal Justice, or Fundamentals of Business for business majors.

Advising for fall and spring Registration aids students in selecting appropriate courses for their first year and for their intended majors.

The AEP Banquet is an end-of-program function that honors students for outstanding achievements in their AEP courses.

Program Exit Requirements: Students must complete each of their credit and non-credit courses with a minimum grade of "C" in order to continue at St. Mary's in good standing. Students who fail to meet this standard will be reviewed by the AEP Evaluation Committee at the end of the fall semester.