Waldorf College - Academics

Academics

Waldorf's curricula includes residential programs in biology, business, communications, creative writing, education, English, history, humanities, music, psychology, theater arts and wellness. Hybrid programs offered primarily online with a minimal residential requirement will be offered early 2010 in business administration, criminal justice administration, fire science administration, international management, organizational leadership, and sport management. The colleges is accredited by the accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) through the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

The Biology Department became a baccalaureate program in 2005 and grants B.A. or B.S. degrees, with tracks in conservation biology, cell and molecular biology and anatomy/physiology. The department equips four laboratories to provide student learning experiences in molecular studies, organismal biology, and ecology. In addition to maintaining high teaching standards, Waldorf faculty build and support federally funded research programs that allow students to participate in research at the undergraduate level, addressing questions in developmental and cancer biology, microbiology, field ecology, and physiological and ecological modeling. The department also features a GeoWall which creates a 3-D environment where students can examine landscapes and intricate structures like a cell, a section of DNA or an internal body organ.

The college is also known for the strength of its communications program which features intensive training in television, radio, public relations, web design and newspaper journalism. Its student-managed broadcast facilities (WAL-TV and KZOW-FM) were among the first in the nation built to operate with only digital media. Its multimedia facility was recently renovated to ensure it's fully compatible with high definition standards.

Waldorf College recently established a new human performance lab for its Wellness Department which features exercise technologies currently being used by NASA and the U.S. Olympic Training Center. The lab, also known as an exercise physiology lab, features a hydrostatic weighing system for the measurement of body density, a metabolic measurement system, and a Trackmaster treadmill that is programmable from the metabolic computer.

The college has one of the few undergraduate programs in the country to specialize in Shakespeare studies. The minor in Shakespeare allows students who complete a satisfactory course of study at Waldorf to continue into graduate work. They are able to complete this study at the Mary Baldwin College and American Shakespeare Center. (Shakespeare and Renaissance Literature in Performance program). The Theatre Arts Department offers four annual productions, including a Shakespeare play and a musical coordinated with the Department of Music. Waldorf College also offers a major in creative writing and boasts an excellent history program and a dynamic education program. Education majors are required to engage in practical experiences in area schools during each semester they are enrolled.

The Waldorf Choir is recognized as one of the oldest a cappella choirs in the midwestern United States. It tours annually (domestically or internationally) as does the Waldorf Wind Symphony.