2002-2003 Academic Catalog

Academic Information 21 Academic Course Load Assuming that proficiency requirements have been satisfied, a minimum of 128 semester hours is required for graduation. A student should average at least 16 credit hours each semester to graduate upon completion of the 8th semester. A normal course load is 15-18 hours each semester. Students working more than 20 hours per week are advised not to carry a full course of studies. A student’s academic load is subject to reduction or limitation by a school dean or academic vice president for poor scholarship or excessive work outside of school hours. Students who wish to take more than 18 credit hours must obtain permission through the following procedure: To request 19-20 credit hours The following students require advisor approval: • SENIORS with at least a 2.3 cumulative GPA • SOPHOMORES and JUNIORS with at least a 2.5 cumula- tive GPA • FRESHMEN with at least a 2.7 cumulative GPA • All students without a Cedarville University GPA who scored at least a 25 or equivalent on the ACT The following students require department chair approval: • Any student not meeting the criteria above • Any student whose advisor is not available The following students require dean approval: • Any student whose department chair is not available To request 22 or more credit hours • All students require approval of advisor, department chair and dean The following situation requires academic vice-president approval: • When dean is not available Classification of Students Regular students are those who have met the requirements for admission, are enrolled in a degree program, and are carrying at least 12 semester hours of credit in that academic semester. Special students are those who are not enrolled in degree programs. Part-time students are those who have met all admission requirements, are seeking a degree, and are taking fewer than 12 semester hours. Transfer students are those who have studied full time for at least one term at another accredited college or university. High school students are those who have not completed high school graduation requirements. Assignment to Classes Official class membership is determined according to the following schedule: Class Hours Completed Freshman 1-30 Sophomore 31-60 Junior 61-90 Senior 91+ Special Assigned Class Attendance In general, regular attendance is necessary for the student to receive full benefit from the college experience. Since there are several different ways in which ideal class attendance may be achieved, official faculty policy allows each faculty member to determine and develop attendance standards which will meet the particular needs of the course. Out-of-Class Courses In order for students with irreconcilable conflicts to be able to complete graduation requirements on schedule, it sometimes is necessary to allow instruction in an out-of-class setting. To take a course out of class: 1. The course must be 2000, 3000, or 4000-level. 2. Students must obtain approval from the department chairperson, the faculty member teaching the class, and the advisor. Out-of-class course approval forms are available in the Aca- demic Services Office. Exceptions to the course level require- ment listed above must be approved by the respective faculty member, department chairperson, and advisor. Correspondence Study / Distance Education Cedarville University does not offer correspondence, and it does not accept correspondence credits from institutions that do not have accreditation from a recognized United States regional accrediting agency. In some unusual circumstances, the Univer- sity may accept correspondence credits from regionally-accred- ited institutions of higher learning, but a student may not utilize more than 10 semester hours of correspondence credits toward fulfilling degree requirements. Cedarville University does offer several mediated/online learning courses, and it does accept this type of courses from institutions who are accredited by a U.S. regional accrediting agency. Distance learning courses are subject to the same policies and restrictions as normal transfer courses. The University reviews and processes credits received for distance learning and correspondence study in the same manner as transfer credits. For additional information, contact the Academic Services Office. Personalized attention from professors adds value to the Cedarville educational experience.