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Post Graduate (PG) Year at SEM

Need an extra year before college?

SEM's PG program will help you use that time productively.

Buffalo Seminary College T-Shirt Photo

 

Even before the pandemic, many secondary school graduates began to articulate a desire for a new academic experience before the beginning of their undergraduate careers. Some students expressed interest in more time for independent study; more time to explore new academic interests or particular intellectual passions; more time for immersion in the Arts; more time to cultivate athletic excellence; more time to explore future professional careers and community service opportunities. 

Because the pandemic has compromised the daily lives, rituals, and experiences of secondary school students, girls are even more interested in and enthusiastic about exploring post graduate opportunities and cultivating friendships and relationships with a diverse group of peers.

SEM’s PG year program is distinctive: it provides students with the opportunity to pursue rigorous advanced coursework, develop research initiatives, engage in a seminar focused on cultivating individual growth and identity and increased social awareness and civic engagement. Our students experience the responsibilities, joys, and transformational experiences of living in a residential community. In addition, our post graduates will have the opportunity to develop hands-on experience within the city of Buffalo through internships and service commitments. 

It is clear that today, students need and deserve an extra year of extraordinary educational experiences. Those who attend SEM as post graduates will emerge with greater confidence and skills as scholars, enlightened and engaged citizens of the world, students who see education, learning, and community as the foundation for lives of service and integrity in their college and professional years. Our PG students’ preparation for engaged leadership and success in college will be exceptional.

Postgraduate Course of Study

The PG program is a yearlong program where students are enrolled in five classes.  PG students must pass all courses and complete a capstone project to qualify for a certificate from Buffalo Seminary.  

The capstone project requires PG students to hone their critical thinking skills, research skills and public speaking skills with a topic of their choice.  They will work with an advisor throughout the year who will help them in the brainstorming and research process as well as assist with securing community service or an internship related to their topic.  

An important component of the PG program is individual growth and development.  Through PG Seminar, students cultivate their sense of identity and purpose.  PG Seminar fosters student growth, resilience and self-confidence, increases social awareness and civic engagement, and helps students pinpoint colleges that will best serve their unique talents and interests.  Students work closely with an advisor, their dean, and a college counselor throughout this process. 

Required Courses:

  • English
  • Math
  • History
  • PG Seminar
  • Elective

Campus Experience

Living in the SEM residences provides a unique opportunity for our PG students to live more independently while still having the benefits of caring adults to provide guidance and support.  PG students can fully immerse themselves in the traditions and programs at SEM while also taking advantage of SEM’s downtown Buffalo location.  Our proximity to the arts, cultural events, businesses, and medical facilities allows PG students to take full advantage of all the city has to offer, providing another layer of the PG student’s educational experience.

 

Interested?   Contact our Admission Office

Admissions@buffaloseminary.org