sjcme brightspace

Online Degrees Available at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine

Saint Joseph’s College appears in our ranking Top 30 Most Affordable Master’s in Nursing Education Degrees Online.

The Online Programs Division utilizes D2L Brightspace to help Saint Joseph’s College of Maine students access seven associate, 17 bachelor’s, and 22 master’s degrees anytime. Twenty-one certificates like Pastoral Ministry to Latinos, Long-Term Care Administration, Catholic Catechesis, and Interdisciplinary Studies are also available online. With a 12:1 student-faculty ratio, interactive online courses either start every 12-week term or the first day of every month. Other benefits include 24/7 Help Desk support, eBook downloads from EBSCOHost, Weelehan Library access, personal advising, Smarthinking tutoring sessions, ADA accommodations, and the Career Connections Program. Two sample online Saint Joseph’s graduate degrees are:

Master of Science in Education: School Leadership

Chaired by Dr. Kathleen Kiley Clements, the 2011 Davis Grant recipient, Saint Joseph’s Master of Science in Education: School Leadership prepares online post-grads for the Praxis II certification exam to oversee K-12 building operations for optimal learning. The 36-credit, non-thesis program follows ISLLC standards in online courses like Special Education Law, Personnel Evaluation, and Financial Planning before the required six-credit internship with licensed administrators.

Master of Arts in Theology

Upholding 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, the M.A. in Theology immerses SJCME graduates in Roman Catholic doctrines to deepen understanding of spiritual faith for following God’s call into lay ecclesial ministry that shares His Word. The 36-credit online degree overseen by Rev. Frank Donio, the 2018 Gaudium et Spes Award winner, provides three specialized tracks in Pastoral Theology, Sacred Theology, and Advanced Diaconal Studies to the capstone project.

Other online options include the Accelerated Master of Divinity, Master of Science in Nursing: Adult Gerontology Acute Care, Master of Health Administration in Catholic Health Leadership, Master of Accountancy, Foundational MBA, and Master of Science in Health Care Educator.

About Saint Joseph’s College

Saint Joseph’s College of Maine was opened in August 1912 by the Portland Regional Community of the Sisters of Mercy, a Catholic nun order of 11,000 rooted in Venerable Mother Catherine McAuley’s ideals. Chartered in 1915, the all-female liberal arts institution was first located in Portland at the Motherhouse. Briefly called the College of Our Lady of Mercy, SJCME relocated to its current 474-acre, waterfront campus on Sebago Lake by 1956. Saint Joseph’s consequently started admitting men in 1970 and adding distance education in 1976. Endowed for $17 million, Saint Joseph’s College of Maine now attracts 2,500 Monks from 22 countries into a value-centered environment with 78 percent retention on-site or online. Linked to 12,155 alumni, SJCME has graduated Marilyn Lacey, Bonnie Newman, Pat DeCola, Charlie Furbush, and others.

The U.S. News & World Report ranked Saint Joseph’s the 136th best Northern college with one of the top 291 online education master’s degrees nationally. On Niche, SJCME has America’s 588th most conservative values, 631st most affordable tuition, and 644th best campus. College Factual named Saint Joseph’s the 97th best Catholic school with the 289th top accountancy and 235th best health administration program. Forbes graded Saint Joseph’s College of Maine “C” for finances. PayScale calculated a mid-career median income of $80,100 for SJCME alumni. In Washington Monthly, Saint Joseph’s boasts the 271st highest volunteerism and 403rd top graduation rate. Value Colleges picked SJCME for the third cheapest online Catholic education. Saint Joseph’s College of Maine was also the 143rd greenest institution according to Sierra magazine.

Saint Joseph’s College of Maine Accreditation Details

In April 2012, Saint Joseph’s College of Maine satisfactorily passed an institutional review by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges to renew the Level III accreditation status for another 10 years under its 14th president, Dr. James Dlugos. Located 118 miles south via Interstate 95 in Burlington, this premier six-state Northeast accreditor is recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation to assure the academic standards of SJCME’s seven associate, 34 baccalaureate, and 22 master’s offerings in Standish or online. Program integrity is evaluated by the following discipline-specific accreditations:

  • Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
  • Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management
  • National Association of Board of Long-Term Care Administrators

Saint Joseph’s College of Maine Application Requirements

Enrolling at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine is labeled “moderately difficult” by Peterson’s though 1,033 of the 1,323 Fall 2016 applicants were successful for 78 percent acceptance. Online master’s programs attract post-grad Monks who’ve culminated four years of schooling for a baccalaureate already. In particular, the Online Master of Science in Nursing requires an accredited Bachelor of Science in Nursing with 300-level prerequisites and active licensure. Master of Health Administration Online cohorts need at least 24 months of full-time experience in clinical facilities like hospitals. Similarly, the Leadership MBA Online calls for two years of practice. Most Online Master of Science in Education tracks are devised for certified K-12 teachers with education prerequisites. Minimum grade qualifications range from 2.5 to 3.0 cumulative averages. Saint Joseph’s won’t require GRE or GMAT scores from online learners. Yet international students are responsible for providing TOEFL marks at or above the 50th percentile.

Saint Joseph’s College of Maine has rolling online admission with four term deadlines: March 1st for Summer, June 1st for Fall, September 1st for Winter, and November 15th for Spring. Interested online master’s students must register an online account to log into the free application portal. Previous colleges submit official documents to the Division of Graduate Studies at 278 Whites Bridge Road in Standish, ME 04084. Please contact (800) 752-4723 or [email protected] for additional assistance. Future Monks follow application checklists requesting these:

  • Official transcripts of postsecondary credits
  • Two references indicating aptitude
  • Typed, 500-word letter of career intent
  • Professional résumé for the last 5-10 years
  • Teaching or nursing licensure if applicable
  • Interview with online program director

Tuition and Financial Aid

For 2017-18, Saint Joseph’s College of Maine reported an affordable average graduate tuition of $8,720 annually. The online Master of Accountancy and Master of Business Administration programs presently bill $540 per credit or $1,620 per course for $19,400 total. Master of Science in Education Online tracks cost $410 per credit or $1,230 per course for $14,760 overall. Online Master of Arts in Theology tuition is discounted to $365 per credit or $1,095 each course for $13,140 combined. Master of Science in Nursing Online cohorts pay $624 per credit or $1,872 per course for the biggest $22,464 price. The Master of Health Administration Online charges $540 per credit or $1,620 for a $19,400 sum though.

According to the NCES College Navigator, the Financial Aid Office gifts $20.46 million yearly for 70 percent of full-time Saint Joseph’s Monks to receive median offers of $19,342 each. College funds include the Eva Albee Kelley Scholarship, Sarah T. Burke Scholarship, CASE Scholars Program, Dollars for Scholars Matching Grant, Family Grant, Nell Goff Scholarship, and Clyde Russell Scholarship Fund. The Opportunity Maine Tax Credit has a $4,128 maximum limit. The Maine State Approving Agency for Veterans Education Programs approves SJCME for GI Bill benefits. Submitting the FAFSA form coded 002051 by March 1st opens Federal Direct Unsubsidized and Plus loans up to $20,500. Online Master of Science in Education students in high-need fields pursue the TEACH Grant. The Maine Community Foundation has master’s options, such as the Catharine Wilder Guiles Scholarship, Guy Gannett Scholarship, and Kingsley Brown Educational Scholarship, too.

Resource: Saint Joseph’s College of Maine