Communication Resource Center
Administration
Timothy J. Sutton, Director
The Communication Resource Center (CRC), also known as the writing center, is a place for all Samford students to receive free assistance with writing, speaking, and critical reading. From brainstorming to presentation or final draft, students work with trained peer tutors to improve as writers, speakers, and critical readers. In addition to individual tutoring sessions, the CRC periodically offers workshops on major style manuals as well as various aspects of oral and written communication.
The CRC also serves faculty, offering workshops and handouts on assigning and assessing oral and written communication.
Contact info:
Communication Resource Center
Brooks Hall 222
crc@samford.edu
www.samford.edu/crc
Disability Resources
Administration
TBA, Director
In compliance with the American with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Disability Resources works to ensure that all aspects of a Samford education and campus life are accessible for students with disabilities. Applicants and students with disabilities are encouraged to learn more about accommodations and the process for registering with Disability Resources by visiting their website: www.samford.edu/dr. Students who wish to request accommodations should contact Disability Resources through one of the following methods:
Contact Info:
Disability Resources
103 Dwight Beeson Hall
(205) 726-4078
disability@samford.edu
www.samford.edu/dr
Health Professions Advising
Health Professions Advising Committee
George E. Keller, III, Chair; Associate Professor, Biological and Environmental Sciences
Chris G. Ballmann, Associate Professor, Kinesiology
David C. Garza, Associate Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry
Advising Areas
Pre-Dentistry
Pre-Medicine
Pre-Optometry
Pre-Veterinary
The quality of pre-professional training for the health sciences is important not only in establishing a firm base for the professional school curriculum but also in providing an intensive cultural background for a full and satisfying life. The health-oriented professional schools, consequently, urge students to get as broad a general education as possible at the undergraduate level. The liberal arts university continues to be the overwhelming preference of the professional schools for the preparation of students for careers in health professions. Samford University has a long tradition of preparing students for careers as physicians, dentists, optometrists, and veterinarians; alumni serve with distinction in every area of health care.
It should be noted that the professional schools have no preferred major; science majors have no advantage over humanities majors in gaining admission to professional school. Therefore, students are encouraged to seek advising in an area they prefer and might use in the future if their career plans change. However, certain minimum math and science requirements must be completed in order to be competitive in the professional school selection process. Recommended advanced science courses will improve students’ competitive edge as well as their readiness for graduate study.
Entrance requirements vary among professional schools, but the basic required science courses are very similar. While making progress toward completing the general education curriculum (including the University core) and major requirements, students also must take the following:
1 year of general biology with lab
1 year of general chemistry with lab
1 year of organic chemistry with lab
1 year of general physics with lab
1 year of mathematics
1 year English composition
The specific courses a student takes will vary somewhat depending on that student’s major; the Health Professions Advising Committee can assist with specific course selection. These minimal courses should be completed during the first three years of study in order to be prepared for professional school admission tests, such as the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), the Dental Admission Test (DAT), or the Optometry Admission Test (OAT).
The Health Professions Advising Committee works closely with students at all stages of their undergraduate career, answering questions concerning career choice, course selection, professional school preparation, and the application process. The committee is also in regular contact with regional professional schools and their admissions directors. Students are strongly advised to make contact with the Health Professions Advising Committee early in their academic career and regularly update the committee on their progress and plans. This frequent contact is crucial since the committee will prepare the student’s composite letter of recommendation, which is sent to the professional schools as part of the application process. In addition, there are many health professions-related activities throughout each academic year, including visits by professional school admission personnel and practicing health care professionals, and students are encouraged to make the most of these opportunities. Contact the Health Professions Advising Committee for more information and/or visit the website at https://www.samford.edu/arts-and-sciences/prehealth-program.
Contact Info:
Prehealth Professions Program
https://www.samford.edu/arts-and-sciences/prehealth-program
Inter-Campus Exchange Program - Birmingham Area Consortium for Higher Education (BACHE)
Samford University cooperates with the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Miles College, University of Montevallo, and Birmingham-Southern College in a student exchange program known as the Birmingham Area Consortium for Higher Education (BACHE). The program is designed to expand the undergraduate educational opportunities for students at these institutions. This arrangement affords full-time Samford day students the opportunity to enroll in a course at another institution. Through collaboration, consortium members are able to expand education opportunities in critical areas, such as environmental studies and foreign languages.
Credit for work taken at UAB, Miles, Montevallo, or Birmingham-Southern while a student is enrolled for courses during fall or spring semesters at Samford University will be recorded as if earned at Samford University and will be treated as quality credits, not transfer credits. Students who propose to take courses at UAB, Miles, Montevallo, or Birmingham-Southern must obtain approval from the appropriate academic dean and the Office of the Registrar. A student may take only one course in the BACHE program per semester. Registration for this course will be a part of the regular Samford University registration procedure, and students will pay tuition for this course at Samford in the usual manner.
Credit for work taken at UAB, Miles, Montevallo, or Birmingham-Southern during Samford University’s summer terms may be recorded either as exchange credit or as transient credit. Registration for transient credit will be a part of the regular UAB, Miles, Montevallo, or Birmingham Southern registration processes, and students will pay tuition for these courses at either UAB, Miles, Montevallo, or Birmingham-Southern. A Transient Application Form must be completed prior to enrollment. These application forms are available in the Office of the Registrar.
Students receiving Veterans Benefits are not eligible to participate in the BACHE Exchange Program.
Contact Info:
Birmingham Area Consortium for Higher Education (BACHE)
https://www.uab.edu/bache/
At Samford:
Office of the Registrar
(205) 726-2911
Libraries
Samford offers a wealth of library resources featuring extensive print and online collections, as well as multimedia resources that include microfilm, music scores, and audio and video recordings. The online catalog and other electronic resources are available to students 24/7 at https://library.samford.edu/. Other libraries in the Birmingham area cooperate with Samford on a reciprocal basis, increasing the variety of resources directly available to the Samford community.
Samford University Library
Administration
Kimmetha H. Herndon, Dean, University Library
Lori D. Northrup, Associate Dean, University Library
The Samford University Library is the primary library for all students, faculty, and staff. In addition to books, e-books, periodicals, unique collections, and electronic resources, the library houses a large government documents collection-serving as an official repository. The Special Collection houses outstanding research materials with particular strengths in Alabama history, Baptist records, and Samford University Archives. Individualized and group instruction in the use of library resources is provided on a regular basis by librarians.
A computer laboratory, computer classroom, individual and group study rooms, multimedia viewing and listening rooms, meeting rooms with advanced presentation capabilities, and a patron-lounge area are available for patron use. The Alfa Presentation Practice Room on the Library’s second floor allows students to practice and record presentations individually or as a group.
Einstein Bros Bagels, on the library’s first floor, offers the perfect spot for refreshment, studying, and meeting with friends and classmates.
The University Library is home to the Marla Haas Corts Missionary Biography Collection, the Alabama Men’s Hall of Fame, and the Hellenic Scholars’ Library.
Contact Info:
Samford University Library
(205) 726-2748
library@samford.edu
https://library.samford.edu/
Lucille Stewart Beeson Law Library
The Lucille Stewart Beeson Law Library provides extensive legal research and study materials for the Cumberland School of Law and the rest of the Samford community. The library contains 13 conference rooms, 474 study spaces, large carrels with electrical and data connections, and more than 30 computers. Online access to current legal information is provided through computer-assisted legal research systems. The law library collection contains more than 162,000 print book volumes and more than 132,000 digital book volumes, either owned or available through subscription, more than 4100 print serials and more than 7700 digital serials, either owned or available through subscription, and more than 126,000 volumes equivalent in microfiche.
Website: https://www.samford.edu/cumberlandlaw/library/
S.A.M. Suite
The S.A.M. Suite is dedicated space in the College of Health Sciences (CHS building 1, 4th floor, CHS Room 1433) for faculty, staff, and students to fulfill many school and university activities. The S.A.M. Suite is available during normal CHS business hours (Monday thru Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm) and can be used for: faculty collaborating on research, grants, scholarship, or service; faculty mentoring students; faculty meeting with students to address academics; student leaders having small group discussions; and interprofessional educational activities. The S.A.M. Suite houses textbooks that are required in the pharmacy curriculum plus other resources identified to be important for student education. In the spirit of allowing access to these references/resources for the benefit of all faculty and students, these items cannot be checked out and leave the area.
Website: https://www.samford.edu/pharmacy/drug-information-resources
Education Learning Commons
The Education Learning Commons is located on the third floor of the Orlean Beeson School of Education. Its primary function is to provide current resources, media, and services to the School of Education students, faculty, and staff as they design and utilize instructional materials for the P-12 classroom. Resources include an Education Library, a Make-and-Take Lab for the creation of curriculum materials, and an Instructional Technology Lab, which consists of computers and instructional software to facilitate learning in the field of education. The center is staffed to provide technical services and assistance to teacher education students as required by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.
Website: https://www.samford.edu/education/curriculum-materials-and-technology-center
Global Center
The Global Center, located in the Beeson School of Divinity, features interactive resources that include world population and demographic databases as well as foreign language news broadcasts that assist students as they prepare for service throughout the world.
Website: https://www.beesondivinity.com/global-center/
Other Departments and Program Offerings
