A Look at Midland
Midland is a four-year, private, coeducational college of liberal arts and sciences, which seeks to offer undergraduate education of the highest quality, to prepare every student for satisfaction and success in a vocation and to advance the Christian view of life.
History
Founded in 1883, Midland Lutheran College is the product of college and church mergers. In 1887, Midland College was established at Atchison, Kansas, by the General Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. In 1919, the College moved to the Fremont College campus at Fremont, Nebraska, and the institutions were joined. Following the 1962 merger of The American Evangelical Lutheran Church, The Augustana Lutheran Church, The Finnish Evangelical Lutheran and The United Lutheran Church in America, Midland merged with Luther Junior College, founded in Wahoo, Nebraska, in 1883. The College then took the name Midland Lutheran College. Today, Midland is affiliated with the Nebraska and Rocky Mountain Synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Location
Midland Lutheran College is located in Fremont, Nebraska, a community of 25,000 approximately 25 miles northwest of Omaha and 50 miles north of Lincoln. It is reached by U.S. Highways 30, 77 and 275, the Greyhound Bus Line and Eppley Airfield in Omaha.
Students
A student body of approximately 900 men and women from more than 24 states and several foreign nations attends Midland. While many of the students graduated in the top one-third of their high school classes, Midland faculty and counselors are committed to helping all students achieve their maximum potential.
The majority of the students are between the ages of 18 and 22, and about 60 percent of them live in campus residence halls. The College also provides educational opportunities for older, nontraditional and part-time students.
Many Midland students have set their career goals upon entering college. Others enroll who are undecided about a career. With the help of an academic advisor, students may choose to take a variety of courses during the first two years. In this way, students may examine several academic and career options and make informed educational and career choices.
Calendar
Midland operates on the 4-1-4 academic calendar consisting of two four-month terms separated by the three-week January Interterm. Evening, summer and weekend classes are also offered.
The 4-1-4 Academic Calendar
The Four-Month Fall and Spring Terms
Midland uses the 4-1-4 calendar plan for its academic program which consists of two terms of approximately four months duration separated by a three week Interterm during January. The fall term begins in late August and is completed before the Christmas break in mid-December. The spring term begins in late January and ends in mid-May. Each 14-week term is followed by a final examination period.
The 128 credit hour graduation requirement is designed to be completed in four academic years by earning an average of 32 credits per year. Students typically carry 14-16 credit hour loads during fall term and spring term and are limited to three credit hours or one course during Interterm. The careful scheduling of heavier fall and spring term loads and completion of summer courses can result in attainment of a second or third major, additional endorsement fields in teacher education and/or multiple concentrations within a major field.
Interterm
At the physical center of the calendar at Midland is the three-week period called Interterm. Interterm is designed to provide the student with opportunities for individual research, concentrated study in a chosen area and creative educational experiences not available during the regular term. An Interterm project may take many forms and, depending on the nature of the project, the student may work alone in independent study, with another student or faculty member in a joint project, or with a class. Some projects take the student away from campus for experiences within the city, state, other areas of the United States, or foreign lands. Midland participates in cooperative programs with sister institutions to provide the option of choosing from several hundred unique educational experiences at geographical locations across the world.
Courses taken during Interterm are accorded full academic credit. Participation in Interterm is not required although approximately 80 percent of the fall term students elect to enroll in an Interterm course. To encourage students to participate in Interterm, there is no extra tuition charge to full-time students who successfully complete the fall term or those registered as new full time students for the spring term. Likewise, resident students not enrolled in Interterm may not reside in a residence hall or eat in the Dining Hall.
Interterm offers students a change of pace, based on the premise that it is academically sound to provide a concentrated period in which both professors and students are free from multiple class commitments and able to concentrate on a single project or topic of special interest.
Interterm is designed to fulfill seven objectives:
• To afford a depth of inquiry and freedom of method not practically obtainable within the fall or spring term.
• To provide breadth of educational opportunities via experiences outside the geographical boundaries of the Midland campus, domestically and internationally, as well as experiences on campus.
• To promote learning by doing, as well as learning from a text book.
• To promote increased student initiative and responsibility for planning and pursuing educational objectives.
• To encourage and enable students to explore study in disciplines in which they may not have an extensive background.
• To facilitate opportunities for student initiated courses.
• To facilitate curricular flexibility via team teaching and interdisciplinary study.
Summer Session
A limited number of courses are also available during the summer months. Pre-session begins in late May and concludes in early June. During this three-week period, students are limited to a single three credit-hour course.
Regular session begins in mid-June and concludes in late July. During this seven-week period, the maximum student load without special permission is nine credit-hours.
Post-session begins in late July and concludes in mid-August. Students are limited to a single three-credit hour-course during the three-week period.
Adult Degree Completion Program (Midland iMpact Program)
The iMpact Program at Midland Lutheran College is designed for students who wish to strengthen their academic backgrounds, enhance their professional knowledge and skills, and advance their careers. It is tailored to the learning styles and schedules of working adults. The program will inspire people to learn and lead in the world with purpose. The iMpact Program will be offered over three trimesters and one summer session. Classes will be held during 10-week trimester sessions with classes held primarily on the weekend.