Husson University

Catalog Introduction

The Husson University Catalog for the 2024-2025 academic year provides a wealth of information for existing and prospective students, their families, and the University community.  The reader will find useful information relating to Admissions, Financial Aid, and Student Affairs.  In addition, the Catalog provides program requirements and course lists relevant for students entering during the 2024-2025 academic year.  Though the University and its academic departments reserve the right to modify degree program requirements and courses so as to enhance educational outcomes, degree requirements noted herein represent the expected course of study and academic policies that will apply to students throughout their academic career at Husson so long as they remain within their chosen discipline of study.

Husson University faculty, staff, and administration feel privileged to foster the intellectual and personal development of students who enter our programs.  We hope that the Husson University Catalog for the 2024-2025 academic year provides you with clear and sufficient information of our programs of study and policies. We are grateful for the opportunity to serve you and welcome any questions you might have.

History

Founded in 1898, Husson became a University in October of 2008, having evolved from a small proprietary school to an accredited independent institution offering undergraduate programs in business, education, health, communications, and science and humanities, graduate programs in business, nursing, occupational therapy, criminal justice administration, counseling psychology, school counseling, and first professional doctoral programs in pharmacy and physical therapy. The undergraduate student body has grown to over two thousand day students and one thousand graduate, evening, and online students. In addition, the campus is home to international students who come to Husson from all parts of the world. Husson graduates have achieved success in a wide variety of professional positions in Maine and throughout the world.

The Eastern Maine Medical Center School of Nursing, founded in 1892, merged with Husson University and became the origins of the School of Health. In 1997, Husson purchased the New England School of Communications, which was a wholly-owned subsidiary of the University with separate accreditation and degree granting authority until 2014 when it merged with Husson.

Vision

Husson will be a University of choice for premier professional programs where students succeed, experiential learning is championed and global engagement is emphasized.

Mission Statement

Husson University inspires and prepares students for professional careers in current and emerging fields within the context of an education informed by the sciences and humanities.

We achieve this career preparation by supporting and emphasizing

• Outstanding teaching.
• Scholarly contributions to one's discipline or field of expertise.
• An undergraduate and graduate curriculum that is challenging, relevant, and promotes critical thinking skills, self-confidence and strong communication skills.
• Commitment to ethical behavior and social responsibility through involvement in the world by faculty and students, administrators and staff, board members, and involved citizenship as a university.
• Lifelong learning to prepare students professionally and personally for the challenges of a constantly changing world.
• A diverse cultural and global perspective achieved through student development and experiential learning opportunities that reinforces our commitment to a strong academic community.
• Careful management and stewardship of University resources.

The Campus

Husson’s approximately 200 acre campus is situated on a wooded hillside that is only a short walk away from a shopping center and two miles from the business district of the city of Bangor, Maine (population 36,000). Most points in the city are accessible by public transportation from the campus, and Bangor is the home to the second largest public library in New England, and the oldest continuous community symphony orchestra in the country. The population of greater Bangor is approximately 100,000.

Campus amenities include three residence halls with single, double, and triple rooms all equipped with internet access via data port and wireless systems.  Townhouse units include four private bedrooms, 2 full baths, living room, and kitchen. All Townhouses are completely furnished with a bed, mattress, desk, chair, wardrobe, dresser and nightstand in the bedrooms. The Darling Learning Center combines experiential learning classroom space and administrative offices on the first floor with four additional floors of suite style residential accommodations.  The dining center provides a healthy dining experience with options that satisfy a variety of tastes and needs. The center offers flexible meal plans.  On-campus amenities include science and networked microcomputer labs, library and conference rooms as well as an arboretum, an athletic complex that includes the Swan Fitness Center, and a 6-lane competition-size pool.  The Richard E. Dyke Center for Family Business serves as an interface between the University and Bangor business community. The campus includes six academic and administrative buildings. The Harold Alfond Hall, opened in the fall of 2021, houses the College of Business and is home to the Ronan Center for Financial Technology and iEX Center. Peabody Hall hosts the Sawyer Library, the Online Division, science labs, and faculty and administration of the Pharmacy program. The O’Donnell Commons houses the health programs of Nursing, Occupational Therapy, and Physical Therapy. The Education programs of the College are located in the Darling Learning Center. The Meeting House hosts the College of Science and Humanities, executive administration, as well as the Gracie Theater, a state-of-the-art 500 seat auditorium. Peabody Hall also offers a bookstore and a campus center that houses an art gallery, chapel, and dining and performance areas for the Husson community as well as the Furman Center that serves as a center for student activities and recreation. The George E. Wildey Communications Center is home to the New England School of Communications (NESCom) and houses the radio station and television, recording and production studios. 

The Sawyer Library

The W. Tom and Bonnie Sawyer Library provides physical and online informational resources that support curricular as well as research activities. The Library acquires materials that complement the degree programs and reflect the interests of the University. These include introductory, practical, professional, and theoretical materials. Books and journals for recreational reading and for personal growth are also part of the collection. In addition, the Library maintains modest collections of federal and state documents, company annual reports, and pamphlets.

Online resources are a critical component of the Library’s collection. The Library has online resources to support all the degree programs, and these include a variety of full-text databases and journal indexes. Information about the Library’s resources, and its online catalog, is accessible from the Library’s Internet home page. Follow links to the Library from the University’s home page at http://www.husson.edu/.

Sawyer Library belongs to a consortium of over fifty public and academic libraries in Maine. Students may borrow materials from these libraries, and from other Maine libraries. Students also have access to local libraries, including Bangor Public Library, Parrot Health Science Library at Eastern Maine Medical Center, and Fogler Library at the University of Maine. The Library is open seven days a week during the academic year and offers a quiet environment which is conducive to learning and studying.

Information Technology

The office of Information Technology is responsible for designing, implementing and maintaining Husson’s computer and technology systems and facilitating the use of these systems by the Husson Community. It also manages the computer labs, campus email, Husson’s Ethernet and telecommunications network and various Web and file servers. The University has computer resources available in a number of locations. 

All students have access to their own campus email address, server storage and personalized Web portal for viewing grades and registering for classes. Public computer kiosks are available for access to email and to the World Wide Web, and each residence hall is equipped with copper and wireless access to the Internet.

Collaborations and Locations

Husson University offers degree programs at offsite locations and closely collaborates with other educational initiatives including:

New England School of Communications

The New England School of Communications (NESCom), was a wholly owned subsidiary of Husson until 2014 when it merged with the University and the College of Business under the leadership of a Dean.  Up until the merger, NESCom was accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges. It is now under the umbrella of accreditation afforded to Husson University by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).

Online Division

Husson University provides its professional education through an online modality which is accessible to students regardless of where they live.