The MKC Academic Model
Small classes. Structured support. Real-world learning.
At Maximilian Kolbe College Career School, academics are designed around how students actually learn best. Our model combines small learning communities, structured support, hands-on learning, and real-world experience to help students grow academically, socially, and professionally.
Experiential Learning
Learning extends beyond lectures. Students apply their knowledge through projects, community engagement, and real-world problem solving. These experiences help students connect academic ideas to practical challenges .
Cohort Learning
Students learn in small cohorts of 10–12 peers who take courses together and build strong relationships throughout the program. Cohorts create a supportive environment where students collaborate, build confidence, and develop communication and teamwork skills.
Learning Therapists
Each cohort works with a dedicated Learning Therapist who provides structured guidance in executive functioning, study strategies, and social communication. This built-in support helps students stay organized, confident, and engaged in their learning.
Innovation Labs
Courses connect through collaborative studio projects where students explore real-world challenges and design creative solutions.
"At MKC, students aren't just attending college — they are building the community they learn in."
- Heather Hanvy, Dean of Experiential Learning & Work Integrated Programs
Foundational Program The foundational program provides the groundwork for the MKC experience. During the first two years, students build essential academic skills while developing confidence through cohort learning, experiential projects, and structured support from learning therapists. Students also begin participating in Kolbe Works, gaining professional experience while contributing to the campus community.
CERTIFICATE
PROGRAMS
Maximilian Kolbe College Career School offers a two-stage pathway designed to support students as they develop academic confidence, leadership skills, and real-world experience. Students begin with the foundational coursework and may continue into the advanced program.
Advanced Program The advanced program builds on the Kolbe foundation and focuses on leadership, systems thinking, and applied problem solving. During the final two years, students explore complex social issues, develop professional skills, and deepen their learning through advanced coursework, pathway specialization, and experiential projects. Graduates of both programs leave prepared to contribute meaningfully to their communities and careers.
I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It’s easy. Just click “Edit Text” or double click me to add your own content and make changes to the font.
Year 1
(Fall)
KBWX 1300 Designing Your Life
COMM 1310 Public Speaking
BIOL 1305 Nutrition, Health & Wellness
POLI 1310 Political Structures in America
TECH 1300 Digital Literacy & Workplace Technology
Foundational
PROGRAM
Year 1 (Spring)
KBWX 1305 Experiential Learning I
ENVT 1335 Environmental Science & Sustainability
PSYC 1320 Healthy Relationships
MATH 1315 Quantitative Reasoning & Personal Finance
HIST 1345 U.S. Social History Since 1450: Capitalists, Rebels, Zombies & The Slave Machine
Year 1 (Summer)
HIST 2325 Ancestral Appetites & Culinary Chronicles
MATH 2300 Financial Health & Retirement
Year 2
(Fall)
ENGL 2300 Great Books & Big Ideas
BIOL 2315 Biological Systems & Health
POLI 2315 Social Change in America
ARTS 2310 Humanities: Culture, Identity & Society
SOCI 2340 Criminology, Law & Civil Rights
Year 2
(spring)
KBWX 2300 Experiential Learning II
PHIL 2305 Ethics, Power & Moral Decision Making
NSCI 2350 Earth, Weather & Human Origins
ENGL 2325 Magic, Myth & Meaning: Witches, Wizards, and Storytelling
ARTS 2350 Digital Media & Game Design
The following certificate programs illustrate the typical course sequence for students enrolled at Maximilian Kolbe College Career School. Individual pathways may vary slightly depending on student interests and program development.
ADVANCED
PROGRAM
The following certificates illustrate the typical course sequence for students enrolled at Maximilian Kolbe College Career School. Individual pathways may vary slightly depending on student interests and program development.
Year 1
(Fall)
Year 1 (Spring)
Year 2
(Fall)
Year 2
(spring)
STAT 3300 Introduction to Social Statistics
CRIM 3315 Law, Justice, & Social Work
SOCI 3305 Emergency Management & Community Resilience
COMM 3345 Social Communication
Pathway Course 1
*Students develop foundational skills in data literacy, communication, and social systems.
SOCI 3350 Leading Nonprofits & Social Ventures
BUSN 3335 Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship
HUMN 3335 Humanitarian Issues
Pathway Course 2
Pathway Course 3
*Students explore leadership, nonprofit management, and social innovation.
BUSN 4320 Urban Planning & Community Development
COMM 4310 Documentary Film Making for Social Change
SOCI 4325 Nonviolent Movements in Historical & Contemporary Contexts
Pathway Course 4
*Students examine community change, social movements, and storytelling for impact.
BIOL 4335 Public Health & Community Wellness
BUSN 4335 Financial Planning for Nonprofit Organizations
Pathway Course 5
Pathway Course 6
*Students focus on systems-level problem solving and professional preparation.
Foundational Program - Certificate in Workplace Communication & Personal Development:
-
COMM 1310 Public Speaking
-
PSYC 1320 Healthy Relationships & Interpersonal Dynamics
-
PHIL 2305 Ethics, Power, & Moral Decision-Making
-
KBWX 1300 Designing Your Life
Foundational Program - Certificate in Science, Health & Environmental Awareness:
-
BIOL 1305 Nutrition, Health & Wellness
-
BIOL 2315 Biological Systems & Health
-
ENVT 1335 Environmental Science & Sustainability
-
NSCI 2350 Earth, Weather, & Human Origins
Foundational Program - Certificate in Humanities, Culture & Creative Expression:
-
ENGL 2330 Great Books & Big Ideas
-
ENGL 2335 Magic, Myth & Meaning
-
ARTS 2310 Culture, Identity, & Society
-
HUMN 2310 Humanities
Foundational Program - Certificate in Experiential Learning & Applied Practice:
-
KBWX 1305 Experiential Learning I
-
KBWX 2300 Experiential Learning II
Foundational Program - Certificate in Social Systems, Culture & Civic Engagement:
-
HIST 1345 U.S. Social History since 1450
-
POLI 1310 Political Structures in America
-
POLI 2315 Social Change in America
-
SOCI 2340 Criminology, Law, & Civil Rights
Foundational Program - Certificate in Digital Skills & Applied Technology:
-
TECH 1300 Digital Literacy & Workplace Technology
-
ARTS 2350 Digital Media & Game Design
-
MATH 1315 Quantitative Reasoning & Personal Finance
-
MATH 2300 Financial Health & Retirement
Advanced Program - Advanced Certificate in Community Development & Public Systems:
-
BUSN 4320 Urban Planning & Community Development
-
SOCI 3305 Emergency Management & Community Resilience
-
BIOL 4335 Public Health & Community Well-Being
Advanced Program - Advanced Certificate in Social Impact Communication & Media:
-
COMM 3345 Social Communication
-
COMM 4310 Documentary Film Making for Social Change
Advanced Program - Advanced Certificate in Law, Policy & Social Systems:
-
CRIM 3315 Law, Justice, & Social Work
-
SOCI 4325 Nonviolent Movements in Historical & Contemporary Contexts
-
HUMN 3335 Humanitarian Issues
Advanced Program - Advanced Certificate in Social Entrepreneurship & Nonprofit Management:
-
BUSN 3335 Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship
-
SOCI 3350 Leading Nonprofits & Social Ventures
-
BUSN 4335 Financial Management for Nonprofit Organizations
Advanced Program - Advanced Certificate in Data & Social Research:
-
STAT 3300 Introduction to Social Statistics
Specialization Pathway - Specialization Certificate in STEM Applications & Innovation:
-
STEM 3305 The Science of Complex Systems
-
STEM 3310 Finding the Signal: Data, Patterns & Hidden Meaning
-
STEM 3325 Design Lab: Engineering for Real Life
-
STEM 4350 Brains, Machines & Human Innovation
-
STEM 4300 Applied Innovation Lab I
-
STEM 4310 Applied Innovation Lab II
Specialization Pathway - Specialization Certificate in Creative Humanities & Cultural Inquiry:
-
HUMN 3305 The Human Mind: Psychology, Identity & Consciousness
-
HUMN 3315 What Makes Us Human? Culture, Ritual & Belief
-
HUMN 3335 Writing the World: Creative Writing & Narrative Craft
-
HUMN 4345 Life, Death & the Search for Meaning
-
HUMN 4300 Applied Innovation Lab I
-
HUMN 4310 Applied Innovation Lab II
Specialization Pathway - Specialization Certificate in Business Management & Organizational Leadership:
-
BUSN 3305 Introduction to Accounting
-
BUSN 3310 Introduction to Management
-
BUSN 3315 Business Law
-
BUSN 4305 Human Resource Management
-
BUSN 4300 Applied Innovation Lab I
-
BUSN 4310 Applied Innovation Lab II