Overview
Southern Connecticut State University’s (SCSU) Early College program enables eligible high school students to enroll in and earn credit in college courses. Students apply and register; teachers can become certified to teach as SCSU Affiliate Instructors at their high school; and counselors facilitate the process. Southern's Early College program provides high school students with the opportunity to explore courses in health care, business, education, science, or the arts and earn up to 30 college credits towards a degree. Courses are held either at local high schools or on our college campus.
Programming and Partnerships
Courses include: Principles of Financial Accounting; Personal Finance; Biology I; Critical Thinking in Finance; Foundations of Sports Management; Introduction to Healthcare Professions; Dynamics of Gender, Race, and Class; New Literacies: Digital Text and Tools for Learning; Political Change and Conflict; The Media, Freedom and Power; and many others.
SCSU has over 100 partnerships with high schools across the state.
Student Eligibility
Students must be a high school junior or senior with a 3.0 GPA (B average) or higher. High school counselors may recommend participation in specific courses where students have demonstrated academic promise or successfully completed related college-level coursework with a 2.0 GPA (C average) or higher.
Instructor Credentials for Concurrent Enrollment Courses
Early College teachers go through the same vetting process as any adjunct instructor employed by SCSU. More information about the application process can be found on the Early College Teachers website. Requirements include: a Master's Degree; a detailed cover letter describing relevant background and qualifications to teach specific SCSU course(s); a current curriculum vitae; one letter of recommendation from your principal, department head, or a colleague (if you are the department head); official undergraduate and graduate transcripts; a proposed course syllabus for each course for which approval is being sought that must match the curriculum taught at SCSU.
Registration and Fees
When high school students apply, their eligibility is confirmed, and if they are taking courses at their high school, they are registered in bulk. Students taking Early College classes on campus use the same registration process as our matriculated college students.
Students from partner high schools pay only $65, which covers two courses spanning the fall/spring semesters. The cost for a single summer course is $55. Students from our partner high schools who qualify for the Federal Free/Reduced Lunch Program are eligible for a full program fee waiver. Eligibility for the Free/Reduced Lunch Program is confirmed by site coordinators during the application review process.
Supports for Multilingual Families
SCSU’s admissions office supports calls and emails from students or families who speak Spanish or English. Each high school designates an early college contact person who supports their students in the program.
Contact Information
Dr. Andrew Smyth
Director of Early College
Southern Connecticut State University
smytha2@southernct.edu
203-392-5113
Website