The Learning Center

The Learning Center provides a comprehensive spectrum of learning services designed to meet the needs of a diverse student population. The goal of all learning services is to provide each student, according to his or her own individual learning style, with the appropriate academic enrichment, skill development, and support to achieve his/her academic goals. The Learning Center works closely with our Advising Center to ensure that each student develops a personal plan for academic success at Dean College and beyond.

Description of Programs and Services

The Honors Program offers academically talented students an opportunity to engage in stimulating and challenging courses, seminars and colloquia during their tenure at Dean College. Open to students who meet the entrance criteria, honors scholars enroll in honors sections of specific courses, and may enhance non-honors courses through additional intensive reading and analysis with instructors. Exciting academic and cultural activities outside the traditional class environment are also available.

The First-Year Seminar, a course taken during the first semester, helps students make a successful transition to college by teaching students the academic and personal strategies necessary for success at Dean and beyond. Students enroll jointly in a section of First-Year Seminar (FYS) and a paired liberal arts course. The instructor of FYS, an academic coach, attends the liberal arts course with the FYS students, and then models effective learning strategies for that course directly with students. Additionally, all FYS students participate in a speaker series that addresses critical issues facing college students.

Peer Tutoring offers students course-specific tutoring in a wide-range of content areas, from Accounting to Math to Writing. Students may schedule an appointment or drop into the Learning Center, located in Chapman House, at any time to work with a peer tutor. The Center also hosts a variety of workshops to assist students, and houses the Berenson Writing Center and a mini-computer lab for additional education support.

Personalized Learning Services provides one-on-one tutoring from professional academic coaches. The program is designed to build fundamental learning, writing and math skills necessary for college success by teaching students how to independently apply these skills to their current coursework. Students may enroll in the program for one to five hours of support per week for an additional fee.

The Dean Arch Program is a college preparatory program supporting students with learning disabilities. It is specifically designed for students who need or desire one or two semesters of intensive academic skill development in preparation for completion of an associate degree program. The program combines coursework in the liberal arts with coursework in reading, writing, mathematics, technology, study strategies and personal development.

Disability Support Services (DSS) arranges cost-free appropriate and reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities. In addition, DSS also houses the Assistive Technology Lab, through which students with documented disabilities access technology and equipment appropriate for their particular disability. Equipment available includes Kurzweil Readers, Dragon Dictate, text enlargement equipment and other educational software to assist students with disabilities.

The FOCUS Program for International Students offers a unique and innovative program for all international students entering college in the United States. The program combines cultural orientation, language instruction, as well as academic classes to give the international student a holistic educational experience. The program is ideal for international students who want to strengthen their English reading, writing, and conversation skills; prepare for the social and academic challenges of college; and become familiar with American culture.