2005-2006 Academic Catalog

Academic Information 21 Assignment to Classes Official class membership is determined according to the following schedule: Class HoursCompleted Freshman 0-30 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 that 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 is sometimes 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 theadvisor. Out-of-class course approval forms are available in the Academic Services Office. Exceptions to the course level requirement listed above must be approved by the respective faculty member, department chairperson, and advisor. Correspondence Study / Distance Education Cedarville University does not offer correspondence credits, 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 University may accept correspondence credits from region- ally-accredited 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 course from institutions that 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. Internships Many of the major fields of study include opportunities to receive credit for supervised, on-the-job activities. Interested students should contact the respective department chairperson for details. IndependentStudy Independent study allows students to develop a high degree of independence in their ability to choose and investigate prob- lems. The objectives of the program include providing opportuni- ties to explore areas not covered in normal course structure, recognizing foreign travel experiences, rewarding self-motivated students, and encouraging joint study by faculty and students on specialized projects. Individual students and faculty members develop the specific criteria that must be met for the successful completion of specific independent study projects. However, the following guidelines govern the independent study program: 1. Only one independent study project may be undertaken in an academic term, unless permission is granted from the department chairperson and dean of the student’s primary major. 2. The maximum credit that may be earned for an indepen- dent study project is three semester hours. 3. The faculty member supervising the independent study, the student’s advisor, and the department chair must sign the student’s independent study form. Registration for the independent study must occur at the beginning of the semester in which the work is to be completed. 4. No more than six semester hours in independent study may be counted toward the major field, no more than three semester hours toward a minor field, and no more than 12 semester hours toward graduation. Independent study taken outside major and/or minor fields must be approved by the department chairperson and the dean of the supervising faculty member. 5. Supervising an independent study is a privilege a faculty member may extend to a student. It is not a right that a student has. 6. Supervising faculty members determine the grade (letter grade or credit/no credit) for the independent study. Testing Out Procedure Qualified students may earn credit toward graduation by passing the appropriate examinations with a grade of B or better. A student interested in testing out should obtain a course test-out form from the Academic Services Office, obtain the approval of the chairperson of the department in which the course is offered, and contact the instructor of the course to schedule the test. A student may not test out of a course previously audited. Tests must be taken during registration week or during the first two full calendar weeks of the semester. Upon testing out of a course, a student must pay one-half tuition for the course credit. Credit for the course and a designa- tion of test-out will appear on the student’s transcript with a grade of CE (credit by examination). This grade is not computed into the cumulative grade point average. Credits earned by test- out during a semester do not count toward the 12 semester hours required for full-time status. No student may earn more than 40 semester hours of test-out credit through tests adminis- tered at the University, CLEP, AP, IB, or any other recognized testing agency. Hours earned by test-out do not count as hours in residence toward graduation with honors.