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Overview
Living
in the
City
Academics
Internships
FAQ's
Application
Process
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FAQ
Who
is eligible?
Any student who has completed
16 credit hours in their major is eligible for Wheaton in
Chicago. Wheaton students must take the 2 credit hour 'Chicago'
course on campus as a prerequisite. Students from other
schools meet this requirement during their semester in Chicago.
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Can
a student from another college enroll in Wheaton in Chicago?
YES!
In fact, we encourage it! Wheaton in Chicago is open to any
junior or senior student with a 3.0 GPA or higher at their
home institution and has completed at least 16 credit hours
of course work in their major.
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How do I apply?
Students
coming from colleges within the Christian College Consortium
must submit a Consortium Application, available from the home institution's registrar's office. Students coming from other colleges
not in the Consortium would send the "Special Student
Application" to Wheaton's admissions office. (The special
student application is available from the Wheaton admission
office by calling 1-800-222-2419.)
All students would also have to fill out the Wheaton in Chicago application and reference
form(s). Please contact the Urban Studies office at Wheaton
College if you have any questions at (630) 752-5730.
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How do finances work for a
student from another college?
Wheaton in Chicago students are charged Wheaton's
standard tuition and rooom costs but pay for their meals individually.
Consortium students are eligible for financial aid from their
home institution. Students from other Christian colleges would
need to check with their financial aid offices to determine
their eligibility for financial aid. Wheaton students often
find that a semester in the city is less expensive
than a semester on campus.
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How
does a student from another college transfer credit to their
home school?
Course credit should be transferable to your home institution,
however we recommend reviewing the courses in the program with your registrar's
office before enrolling in Wheaton in Chicago.
Most schools will grant sociology credit for URBN 451, The City
in a Social Science Perspective (4 hr), bible or theology
credit for BITH 315, Christian Thought (4 hr), and elective
credit for the other courses. URBN 496, Internship (4-8 hr),
credit may need to be cleared by the student's home institution
to be accepted as credit towards your major (see "Internship"
section). Non-Wheaton students also take URBN 231, CHICAGO
(2 hr) as part of the program.
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What is the schedule like for
the semester?
For the academic schedule next year, and an example of the
weekly schedule, click here.
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I
go into the city all the time, what makes this program different?
 When
going for a day, most students usually visit the city’s
downtown area where life is fast-paced and more tourist and
commuter-oriented than in most of the city's neighborhoods. This gives
an unrealistic picture of city life. Even urban ministries
often
give a one-sided picture of the city as a mission field, and a limited understanding
of the people who live there. While in the Wheaton in Chicago
program, students live and work in a city neighborhood, with
many of the day-to-day experiences, frustrations and joys that
one would encounter there.
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Will
this semester set me back in my academic schedule?
Generally, no. The internship credit may count for both Urban
Studies (up to 8 hrs.) and your major (4 hrs.). The exact
number of credits must be worked out between the individual student
and his/her department. The Christian Thought course
counts toward the BITH gen-ed requirement or can be taken as elective independent study by BITH majors or those students who have already taken the course. Altogether, most
students take 16-18 credit hours during the Wheaton in Chicago
semester and don’t loose ground in their academic career.
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How
do I know if I’m accepted?
Any student in good standing and who provides faculty endorsements (see the faculty reference form)
will be accepted into the program. Students
will begin receiving information on the upcoming semester
after the registration deadline which will include a welcome
packet with detailed information on preparing for the semester.
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 I’m
accepted. Now what?
First, you should begin working on your internship placement
(see “Internship”
section). Most questions will be answered in an orientation
dinner held at the home of the Director of Urban Studies for
Wheaton College before you begin Wheaton in Chicago. You can
also contact Sean Young, the Assistant Director of Urban Studies
who oversees the students while they are in Chicago, at (773)
517-0279.
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Do
I have to take all the classes offered?
No. Aside from The City in a Social Science Perspective (and
'Chicago,' for non-Wheaton students) all other classes are elective.
However, students are strongly encouraged to take the other
courses as they are designed to work together in providing
a comprehensive experience for the students. Some students
choose to take fewer internship hours, leaving more time in their
schedule for independent study or the full complement of
courses offered in Wheaton in Chicago. All credits taken in
Wheaton in Chicago can be applied towards receiving an Urban
Studies certificate at graduation.
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Is
it noisy?
The noise level in Uptown is higher than in the suburbs
or rural areas, though not significantly. Students
have found that most of the noise does not travel back to the bedrooms or disturb sleep.
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Is
the neighborhood dangerous?
 Students
are safe in the city. There are more people watching out for
everyone else’s welfare in city neighborhoods than in
ANY suburb. Having said that, the personal safety of students
is one of the highest priorities of the staff and faculty
of Wheaton in Chicago. Students are not sheltered from the
harsh realities of some of the urban communities with which
we come in contact. Christ’s call on Christians is to
"go" and students are asked to go and build relationships with
those they encounter. However, this is never done at the risk
of their personal safety. Students will be instructed in “street
smarts” during orientation and receive guidance in matters of personal safety throughout the semester. Significant time is spent helping students to feel
at home and equipping them to handle any situation that may
arise while they are out in the neighborhoods.
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How
do meals work?
Meals are the responsibility of the
students. Some apartments choose to buy only staples together,
while others buy all of their groceries communally. Most weeks include a dinner, prepared by a few students, with the whole student community, the Assistant Director, and invited guests. Aldi, Jewel-Osco, Broadway Supermarket
(an Asian foodstore), and many small grocers, are within walking distance of the apartments.
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Can
I bring my car?
Chicago is extremely easy to navigate without a personal vehicle. Students are encouraged
NOT to bring cars while enrolled in the program. However,
some students (e.g., student teachers, those who need to travel back to Wheaton
on a regular basis, or those who have special needs with their
internships) are permitted to bring cars. Our facility includes only two parking spaces each semester. Public transportation (to which students will be oriented during their first few days), bikes and the
commuter rail are the main modes of transportation.
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