Southwestern University
2001-2002 Catalog
Southwestern University: A Statement
The Academic Program
Degree Requirements
Academic Regulations
Course Descriptions
Brown College of Arts & Sciences
Biology
Chemistry
Classics
Communication
Economics & Business
Education
English
History
Kinesiology
Math & Computer Science
Modern Languages & Literatures
Physics
Political Science
Psychology
Religion & Philosophy
Sociology & Anthropology
Sarofim School of Fine Arts
Art
Music
Theatre
Interdisciplinary Programs
Special Academic Programs
Admission & Financial Aid
Student Life
Cultural Activities
History & Governance
Endowments & Scholarships
University Directory
Board & Officers
Faculty
Administration
ACADEMIC REGULATIONS
REGISTRATION
Registration of new students for a regular semester is the weekday before the
first day of classes. A pre-registration day is available only to currently
enrolled students each fall semester for pre-registering for the spring semester
and each spring semester for pre-registering for the summer and fall semesters.
Students who pre-register must confirm their pre-registration at the appropriate
times before their enrollments are complete. Further, neither registration nor
confirmation of pre-registration is complete until the student has paid all
tuition, fees, and fines in full or a schedule of payments has been approved by
the Business Office.
Students must register or pre-register in person at
the times designated. Students arrange class schedules in consultation with
their academic advisors prior to registration or pre-registration. The
student’s completed tentative schedule card, signed by the academic
advisor, is his or her admission ticket into registration or pre-registration.
The student’s schedule is completed only after the faculty members
involved have personally approved the student’s admission into their
classes. This is done on a first-come basis when students are accepted into
classes by individual faculty members. If a student fails to confirm
pre-registration, the student’s pre-registration is canceled and the
student must register late by asking each faculty member to sign or initial the
student’s tentative schedule card which he or she then returns to the
Registrar’s Office. Faculty members have the privilege of limiting late
enrollments in their classes.
Late registration is possible in emergency
situations through the first week of classes, but is not recommended. No student
may register for a course after the start of classes without the approval of
both the instructor and the student’s academic advisor. Any absences
incurred due to late registration (or late add) may be counted against the
student’s attendance record for the course and any work missed must be
made up to the satisfaction of the faculty member involved. Further, the student
is required to pay a fee for late registration.
CHANGE OF CLASS SCHEDULE
Once registered or pre-registered, students may change their class schedules
only with the approval of both the faculty members concerned and the
students’ academic advisors. Change of Registration (drop/add) cards are
available in the Registrar’s Office. To be valid, the Change of
Registration card must be properly approved and returned by the student to the
Registrar’s Office within three class days of the date the faculty
member’s signature is secured. Improperly prepared Change of Registration
cards will be returned to the student without being processed. Students who
withdraw from a course without the approvals outlined above receive a grade of F
for the course.
Students may add courses through the second week of
classes. Students may drop courses without record entry (or change graded
courses to or from Pass/D/F, audit, or no credit) through the end of the fifth
week of classes. From the beginning of the sixth week through the end of the
tenth week of classes, students may drop courses with a record entry of
“W.” The “W” will appear on the student’s
permanent record but will not be counted as part of his or her academic grade
point average. After the last day of the tenth week of classes, students may not
drop courses. All deadlines are at 5 p.m. on the designated days. NOTE:
Courses may be less than a semester in duration. Drop dates for those courses
are proportionate to the length of the course in relation to a regular 15-week
semester.
THE ORGANIZATION OF COURSES
Semester Hours Credit for courses in the curriculum of the University is expressed in terms of semester hours. One semester hour represents one hour per week of recitation or a three-hour laboratory period (except as otherwise noted). Most courses are scheduled to meet three hours each week and are designated as three-semester-hour courses. Students should expect to spend a minimum of two hours studying outside of class for every hour of class meeting.
Course Numbers
Most courses are designated by five digits. The first two digits denote the
department in which the course is offered; third and fourth digits are the
department’s numbers for the course; the fifth indicates the number of
credit hours usually granted for the course. The number of credit hours may not
be modified except in unusual circumstances and with the specific approval of
the appropriate academic dean.
In the department’s numbers, courses
from 0 to 19 are used for introductory courses, and from 20 to 89 are regular
advanced offerings beyond the introductory level. Courses numbered 90 and above
are special offerings for advanced students.
Example: In the course number
ENG 10-703-01, the following information is conveyed:
ENG 10 indicates the
department (Department of English)
70 is the department’s number for
the course (since it is above 19, it is an above-introductory
course)
3 indicates that the course grants three semester
hours
01 indicates that the course is section number one of multiple
sections
Courses with laboratory requirements show in their Catalog
descriptions the number of clock hours per week devoted to lecture and
laboratory, respectively. For example, (3-3) following PHY 53-104 indicates that
there are three lecture hours and three lab hours per week associated with this
course.
The numbering system in applied music is as follows: the first
position is always “8”; the second position is a letter indicating
the instrument being studied; the third and fourth positions are zeroes; the
fifth position is the number of hours credit being granted. Also, a two-digit
suffix may be used to indicate multiple sections. For example, the course number
APM 8A-001-01 indicates that the course is section one of a one-hour applied
music piano course. NOTE: All courses in applied music and ensembles after the
second semester in each course count as advanced courses.
SPECIAL COURSE OPTIONS
Southwestern offers a number of special course options.
Independent Study
Independent study is offered to students after they have a sufficient command
of the techniques needed to work independently. Independent Study projects are
planned by the student and carefully examined by the supervising professor to
assure that satisfactory scholarship is involved and that the program is suited
to the student’s educational needs. Independent studies may not
duplicate courses appearing in the Catalog. In exceptional cases, with
permission of the academic dean, an independent study project may be approved to
last more than one semester. A minimum of three contacts between teacher and
student are required for any independent study project. A student may not take
an independent study as the first course in a subject area. See course offerings
for independent study numbers.
A Report Form for Independent Study must be
completed by the student and supervising faculty member giving the 1) Title, 2)
Statement of Purpose, 3) Methods, and 4) Content. This form serves to describe
the content of courses that may be repeated with changed content. Completion of
this form does not register a student for this course. Registration must be
through the standard registration process or an add card. The completed form is
due in the Registrar’s Office by the last day to add courses.
Research Courses
Research courses, available in certain departments, require special
permission of the instructor and are available only to those students who have
displayed exceptional competence and maturity in their field of endeavor. The
research course is generally designed to provide guidance in the methodology of
research in a discipline for one who plans to pursue the particular discipline
in graduate school. Registration is made and credit given in the semester in
which the research course is completed.
Tutorial Courses and Seminars
Tutorial courses are offered by several departments where students
demonstrate need and readiness for courses beyond those regularly offered by the
department. Tutorials may be repeated with changed content. Seminars are
provided by some departments for small groups of students to participate more
directly than in regular classes by involving them in the preparation and
presentation of reports and papers. Classes remain under the general direction
of a faculty member. Seminars meet regularly, but less frequently than regular
courses.
Selected Topics
Selected topics are offered by some departments. These special courses are in
addition to the department’s regular course offerings and may be repeated
for credit with changed content.
Honors Courses
Certain departments offer to highly qualified and able junior or senior
students the opportunity to participate in the University Honors Program. This
program is described in the Special Academic Programs section of the Catalog.
Academic Internships
Academic Internships are offered by a number of departments and programs.
These programs allow students to acquire field or on-the-job experience and are
structured so that the students are encouraged to relate their classroom
activities to their field experience. Internships for credit require significant
academic work beyond on-site activities, such as keeping a journal, writing,
research, classroom meetings and presentations. Except under certain
circumstances, all internships are graded on a Pass/D/F basis. Students should
consult the Catalog for specific departmental or programmatic requirements
regarding academic internships. General policies and procedures can be found in
the Faculty Handbook and the Advising Handbook. Students interested in academic
internships must contact the Internship Coordinator in the Office of Career
Services as early in the planning process as possible.
CLASS ATTENDANCE/ABSENCE
Southwestern University considers class attendance to be an essential
component of its educational mission. Students are expected to attend all
regularly scheduled classes, laboratories, studios, rehearsals, etc., for which
credit is granted. The instructor in each course will state an attendance policy
in the course syllabus. Students are responsible for being familiar with the
attendance policy for each course in which they are enrolled. Authorization to
make up work or examinations missed because of absence is granted only as
outlined in the instructor’s syllabus or as described under “Class
Attendance and Absence Policies” in the Student Handbook.
INVOLUNTARY WITHDRAWAL PROCESS
When excessive absences for any reason jeopardize a student’s work in
any course, the instructor may inform the Director of Academic Services and
Advising. Notice may be sent to the student as a warning that further absence
may lead to failure or withdrawal from the course. If continued absence makes
the student unable to complete a course satisfactorily, the instructor makes a
written recommendation to the Director of Academic Services and Advising that
the student be dropped from the course with a grade of “F.” Before
the end of the tenth week of classes, students may elect to withdraw with record
from an involuntarily dropped course by submitting a properly completed Change
of Registration card. After the tenth week of classes, students who can document
an emergency reason for excessive absences may be allowed to drop a course with
record by submitting a Petition to Drop a Course Late to the Director of
Academic Services and Advising.
A student may appeal an involuntary
withdrawal from a course by submitting a letter of appeal to the Director of
Academic Services and Advising within five calendar days of the notification of
withdrawal. The Director will forward all relevant documentation to the Provost,
who will decide the merits of the appeal and inform the student and the
instructor of the result of the appeal. The Provost’s decision is final.
OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS
Transcripts of their permanent record are issued to students and ex-students
of Southwestern or may be sent directly to other institutions upon written
request. All requests for transcripts must be in writing to the
Registrar’s Office and signed by the student or ex-student. Telephone
requests are not accepted but signed fax requests will be honored. There is no
charge for transcripts. No transcript of credits, semester grade report,
statement of standing, diploma, or application for teacher’s certificate
will be granted to individuals who are financially in arrears to the University.
An additional charge will be made for transcripts sent by fax.
GRADING SYSTEM
Grades indicate quality of work done by students as follows:
A
Scholarship of excellent quality;
B Above standard
mastery of the subject matter in a course;
C Standard mastery
of the subject matter in a course. All required work is expected to be completed
for this grade;
D Below standard, but of sufficient quality
and quantity to receive credit;
F Failure.
The following grades
do not affect students’ grade point averages:
P Pass in
a Pass/D/F course; denotes C- or better;
S Satisfactory
performance in an audit or noncredit course;
U Unsatisfactory
performance in an audit or noncredit course;
AU Audit;
CR Credit by examination or in a credit/no credit course;
denotes C- or better;
NC No credit in a credit/no credit
course.
I An Incomplete grade. The grade of Incomplete shall
be given only in the case of medical emergency or some other emergency situation
beyond the student’s control. The grade of Incomplete may not be given for
the sole reason of permitting additional time to complete assigned course work.
If the Incomplete has not been replaced by 5:00 p.m. on the last day to add
courses of the next regular semester, the grade becomes an F. Upon petition in
writing by the student and approval by the faculty member, extension of the
deadline may be granted by the Registrar.
W Honorable
withdrawal from a course (without evaluation) after the end of the first
one-third of the semester (the end of the fifth week for a regular semester
course). Withdrawal privileges terminate at the end of the tenth week of a
regular semester.
The grades of A, B, C, and D
may be awarded with a plus or minus. In determining grade point averages, letter
grades are given the following grade point values: A+, 4.00; A,
4.00; A-, 3.67; B+, 3.33; B, 3.00; B-, 2.67;
C+, 2.33; C, 2.00; C-, 1.67; D+, 1.33; D,
1.00; D-, 0.67; F, 0.00.
All grades are reported to students
by mail to their permanent addresses at the end of each semester.
In
counting grade points for any one semester, students who have a grade of at
least C- in a course completed prior to that semester may not again
present grade points in that course to meet minimum requirements for continuance
in the University.
The courses used for the major and minor must have at
least a C (2.00) average and no grade below C- in
above-introductory courses.
Repeated Courses
Courses may be repeated, but credit hours are counted only once and the most
recent satisfactory completion of the course is the one that grants hours on the
student’s degree plan or transcript. In computing students’
cumulative grade point averages, the grades for repeated courses in which no
hours were earned are included in the average.
Pass/D/F Courses
All non-graded courses, whether student-elected or required by the Catalog,
whether introductory level or above introductory level, are evaluated Pass,
D, or F. Pass indicates a level of C- or better and is not
included in the student’s grade point average, but a D or F
is included in the student’s grade point average.
Students may take
up to 12 total semester hours of elective credit in their junior and senior
years at Southwestern on a “Pass/D/F” basis; however, these courses
cannot replace regularly required courses of the major, minor, or the General
Education or University Requirements for the degree. Certain other courses have
been designated “Pass/D/F only.” These designated courses are
treated the same as graded courses for major, minor, and degree requirements and
do not count as part of the 12 semester hours of Pass/D/F courses students may
elect to take. Students may not change graded registration of an elective course
to Pass/D/F registration or Pass/D/F registration to a graded elective course
after the last date for dropping a course without record (the end of the fifth
week of classes).
Final Evaluations
Final evaluations are required in all courses at the close of each semester.
Students who find it necessary to take a final examination out of schedule may
do so only with the consent of the instructor and of the Registrar and after
payment of a special rescheduling fee of $25 to the Business Office. Petitions
for the approval of a final examination out of schedule are available in the
Registrar’s Office. Re-examination or special projects to raise grades are
prohibited for students who have failed the course or the final examination
except in extraordinary cases as approved by the Provost. The published Final
Examination Schedule may not be altered. Students who have three final
examinations in one day may reschedule only the middle examination. (Take-home
finals do not count in determining whether a student has three finals in one
day.) There is no fee for rescheduling the exam, and the student and the faculty
member may work out the time for the rescheduled exam without administrative
intervention or approval. (Students may take three examinations in one day if
they so choose.) Students with two finals in one day may not reschedule.
Students must request that a final exam be rescheduled at least one week before
final examinations begin, otherwise they must follow their examination schedule
as it stands. Students who wish to reschedule final examinations for personal
reasons must file a Petition for Final Examination Out of Schedule form and pay
the specified fee for each exam rescheduled. Petition forms are available in the
Registrar’s Office.
PERMANENT RECORD
A permanent record of each student’s course credits, grades, degree
plans and academic status is kept in the Registrar’s Office. Access to
this record is governed by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
of 1974, as amended.
A discussion of FERPA may be found in Section XV of the
Southwestern University Student Handbook. Other relevant references are
“Knowing the Rules” in the Southwestern University Faculty Advising
Handbook and “Student Rights and Privacy” in the Southwestern
University Faculty Handbook.
FERPA generally requires the student’s
permission to release anything other than “directory
information” about the student to any person outside the University.
At Southwestern University, Directory Information includes:
•
student’s name
• local and home residence addresses
•
mailing address
• voice mail
• e-mail addresses
•
local and home phone numbers
• date and place of birth
•
major field of study
• participation in officially recognized
activities and sports
• weights and heights of members of athletic
teams
• dates of attendance
• degrees and awards
received
• the most recent previous educational agency or institution
attended by the student
• photographs or other personal
“imagery”
• student class schedule
•
listings of candidates for degrees
• full-time/part-time
status
• other similar information
FERPA does allow the student to
specify that even directory information which applies to him or her not be
released. This is done by signing a form available in the Office of the
Registrar.
Southwestern University policy generally prohibits the release of
lists of students and their directory information outside the Southwestern
community. It also generally prohibits release of address information for a
specific student outside the Southwestern community.
OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION
During the academic year, official University correspondence and notices may
be sent via telephone, electronic mail, or letter. This assortment is necessary
to allow quick, efficient, and effective communication. The University provides
every student with Internet access, an e-mail account, and a postal box at the
University Post Office.
To allow the University to contact students as
needed, each student must maintain records of valid address information,
including telephone, e-mail, SU box, local address (if living off campus) and
permanent address. The latter two may not be the SU Box Number. The Office of
the Registrar keeps information regarding each of these addresses as part of the
directory information on the Student Record, and students must maintain accurate
data there. Furthermore, students are responsible for claiming their accounts,
ensuring that their mailboxes do not become too full, and regularly checking
both e-mail and their SU Box for important University
communications.
STUDENT STATUS
Normal Student Load
Students normally carry a load of 15 semester hours of academic work each
semester. A regular full-time student is defined as one carrying at least 12 and
not more than 17 semester hours of credit. Students completing an average of 15
semester hours of work each semester for four years plus two hours of FRA
courses will complete the minimum 121 hours of credit required for all degrees.
Any student schedule which includes (A.) three 4-hour courses, or (B.) an
Applied Music, Fitness and Recreational Activity or Ensemble course, may exceed
the 17 credit hour maximum for a total of 18 credit hours without special
approval.
Overloads
When students have proven their ability to do above-average work, they may
carry more than a normal load. Eighteen semester hours of work may be taken if
an average grade of B (3.0) or better is achieved on a minimum of 15
semester hours of academic work taken the preceding semester. Students may
not pre-register for an overload. Students of exceptional ability may be
given permission to take up to 21 semester hours of work. Students wishing to
add a larger than normal academic load must receive advisor and Registrar
approval in advance. There is an additional charge of $350 per hour for all
hours above 18.
Part-time Status
A part-time student is defined as one taking a course load of 11 semester
hours or less. Students may not enroll as part-time students or change status to
that of part-time students without the prior approval of the Registrar. A
part-time student may be a degree-seeking student. Probation or suspension
status for part-time students will be imposed or removed at the discretion of
the Provost. Students who wish to drop below full-time status should meet with
the Office of Academic Services to determine what consequences, if any, could
result from such an action.
Student Leave of Absence
Southwestern University students in good academic standing may apply for a
student leave of absence by completing the Request for Student Leave of Absence
form available in the Office of Academic Services. After review, in consultation
with the appropriate academic advisors and deans and approval by the Director of
Academic Services & Advising, a student leave of absence may be granted for
not more than one academic year.
Auditing
Persons desiring to audit a course must receive the permission of both the
professor and the Registrar. The auditor who is not enrolled as a regular
student at the University is admitted as an audit-only student. Auditors pay
$150 per semester hour for the privilege of auditing a course. There is no
charge for regular students unless their total load (including audited courses)
exceeds 18 semester hours. In this case, they will pay $150 per hour above 18.
Permission from the Registrar is required if a student’s total load
exceeds 17 semester hours. Courses designed to develop skills and that are
“hands-on” in nature such as applied music, studio art, or Fitness
and Recreational Activity may not be taken as audit.
Classification of Students
Students who have fewer than 30 semester hours of credit are classified as
freshmen; those who have at least 30 semester hours of credit and fewer than 60
are classified as sophomores; those with at least 60 semester hours, and fewer
than 90, as juniors; and those with at least 90 semester hours, as seniors.
Students who have already earned degrees and are taking additional undergraduate
work are classified as post-graduates. Special students are conditionally
admitted, and their admission will be reviewed at the close of the semester.
Enrollment will be limited to no more than 12 semester hours for special
students.
ACADEMIC HONORS, PROBATIONARY STATUS, ELIGIBILITY
The University seeks to recognize student academic achievement through a
Dean’s List each semester and by Academic Honors at the time of
graduation.
Dean’s List
Students are placed on the Dean’s List for a given semester if they
attain a grade point average for that semester of at least 3.60 on 12 academic
hours of graded course work, and if they are in good standing with the
University. There is also a Dean’s List for regular part-time students (so
designated by the Provost).
Academic Honors
Each year academic honors (Latin Praise) are awarded upon graduation to a
small group of students who have demonstrated high academic achievement,
measured by their cumulative grade point averages. The faculty, upon
recommendation of the Academic Affairs Council, sets the cumulative grade point
average requirements for graduation cum laude, magna cum laude,
and summa cum laude. The faculty seeks to recognize approximately ten
percent of the graduating class with academic honors. Any change in the grade
point averages required for graduation with honors will be made at least two
years before it takes effect. The most recently approved cumulative grade point
averages, in effect since the May 1983 graduation, are at least 3.65 for cum
laude, at least 3.80 for magna cum laude, and at least 3.95 for summa cum laude.
Students must have a minimum of 60 hours of academic credit at Southwestern
to be eligible to be graduated with academic honors. Grades transferred from
another institution are not included in cumulative grade point averages. The
foregoing is separate from the University Departmental Honors Program explained
elsewhere in this Catalog.
Academic Probation
Students remain in good standing academically as long as they are making
satisfactory progress toward graduation. Academic standing is based only on
coursework attempted at Southwestern.
Full-time students will be placed on
academic probation whenever their cumulative grade point averages at the end of
a regular semester fall below 2.0. To remove academic probation, students must:
1) receive academic counseling as outlined by the Office of Academic Services;
2) pass at least 12 graded semester hours in the next regular semester at
Southwestern with a semester grade point average of at least 2.20; and 3) raise
their cumulative grade point averages to at least 2.0. Students on academic
probation are expected to demonstrate reasonable progress in removing academic
probation. “Reasonable progress in removing academic probation” is
determined at the end of each regular semester by a committee composed of the
Registrar, the Director of Academic Services and Advising (or a designate), and
the Vice President and Dean of Students (or a designate). This determination,
and the notification of students affected, is made as soon as is practicable
after semester grades are posted in the Registrar’s Office. An exception
may be made for students whose performance in Southwestern’s Summer School
raises their cumulative grade point average to a 2.0 or better. Such students
may petition the Academic Standards Committee to have their probation status
removed for the following semester. Students continued on academic probation for
a second consecutive semester must remove the conditions of the continued
probation at the end of that semester to be eligible to return to the University
the following regular semester.
Academic probation status is noted on
students’ permanent records and transcripts.
Academic Warning
Full-time students not on academic probation, whose semester grade point
averages fall below 2.0, but whose cumulative grade point averages are at least
2.0, will be placed on an academic warning by the Registrar. Students receive a
letter notifying them of academic warning, but no entry is made on the
students’ permanent records or transcripts.
Dismissal and Eligibility for Continuance
Students in their first regular semester who do not pass a minimum of six
semester hours of course work are ineligible to return for the following
semester. After students have completed their first regular semester, they must
pass at least nine semester hours each semester to remain eligible to return to
the University. Students continued on academic probation for a second
consecutive semester must remove conditions of the continued probation at the
end of that semester to be eligible to return to the University the following
regular semester. Students declared ineligible to return the first time must
wait one regular semester to be considered for readmission to the University.
Students declared ineligible to return a second time must wait one year to
be considered for readmission to the University. Students declared ineligible to
return a third time are permanently suspended from the University.
Ineligible-to-return status and its duration are noted on students’
permanent records and transcripts.
Students declared ineligible to return
to the University may appeal that decision as outlined in the following section.
Students who sit out the period of ineligibility must apply for and be granted
readmission in order to re-enroll at Southwestern. Students who are granted
readmission to the University after being declared ineligible are readmitted on
academic probation, but the ineligible-to-return status remains on the
students’ records and is considered in determining any subsequent terms of
dismissal or readmission.
Southwestern University reserves the right to
dismiss or deny readmission to students who fail to meet the University’s
academic standards for any reason.
Appeal of Academic Ineligibility Decisions
The procedure for a student who appeals an academic ineligibility decision is
as follows:
1. The student submits an appeal, in writing, to the Associate
Provost no later than the deadline specified in the Registrar’s letter of
dismissal. If applicable, the letter should be accompanied by appropriate
supporting documentation. The student may also submit other written materials
with the written letter, including letters from faculty members supporting the
appeal.
2. The Associate Provost convenes a meeting of the faculty members
of the Academic Standards Committee which studies the appeal letter, any
supporting materials, and the student’s records with input from the Vice
President for Enrollment Management (or designate) and the Vice President and
Dean of Students (or designate). A recommendation is made to the Provost whether
or not to reinstate the student’s eligibility.
3. The Associate
Provost takes the recommendation of the Academic Standards Committee to the
Provost who makes a decision regarding the student’s status based on all
available information. The decision by the Provost is final and is conveyed to
the student by letter.
Withdrawal from the University
A student in good standing may withdraw from the University during a semester
by submitting a completed request for withdrawal to the Director of Academic
Services and Advising. Except under unusual circumstances, students may not
withdraw from the University after the last day for dropping courses. Preprinted
forms for withdrawal are available in the Office of Academic Services and the
Dean of Students Office. Students who withdraw from the University and wish to
re-enroll for a later semester may be required to apply for
readmission.
CREDIT BY TRANSFER
Credit from another regionally accredited institution, including credit
completed through approved dual credit programs, is normally accepted at face
value upon receipt of an official college transcript of the credit by
Southwestern University. However, Southwestern University evaluates all transfer
work for its applicability to Southwestern programs of study. Credits earned at
non-accredited institutions are subject to re-evaluation on the basis of the
quality of work done at Southwestern University. Although there is no limitation
on the number of years for which courses are accepted, the older the courses
are, the less likely they are to be currently applicable. Generally, applicable
courses are accepted if they have grades of C- or better. Grades of
D or F are not accepted. Transfer hours are not calculated in
the student’s overall grade point average. Up to three hours of graded
Fitness and Recreation Activity course credit are accepted. Excess Fitness and
Recreation Activity hours are not accepted, nor is credit for varsity athletics.
Some military training, ROTC, etc. may be accepted for credit (P or CR) if the
credit appears on a transcript from a regionally accredited institution. Credit
by examination hours awarded by another institution will transfer only if they
meet the minimum standards required by Southwestern at the time the transferring
student enters Southwestern.
Upon approval, courses taken by a Southwestern
University student at another regionally accredited institution or previously
approved foreign institution may be transferred to Southwestern University. If
the student has earned 90 or more semester hours, approval of the Registrar is
required. When a course is to be taken at a two-year college, approval of the
Registrar is required if the student has earned 60 or more hours at the time the
course will be taken. No course taken at a two-year college will count as
upper-level credit. If a course is to substitute for a course in the general
education requirements common to all degrees, it requires approval by the
student’s academic advisor and the Registrar (in consultation with the
appropriate department chair). If a course is to substitute for a course
fulfilling either a requirement specific to a degree plan or a major, it
requires approval by the student’s academic advisor and the appropriate
department chair. Approval is based on content equivalency as documented by the
course description in the catalog of the institution in which the course is
taken and/or the course syllabus. Prior approval should be secured on a form
provided by the Registrar’s Office (for regionally accredited
institutions) or by the Director of Study Abroad (for foreign institutions).
Unless that is done, no guarantee can be given that credit so earned will
fulfill requirements on degree plans at Southwestern.
Failure to report
courses taken at another institution on an official transcript, either prior to
admission or at any time prior to graduation at Southwestern, is considered a
falsification of records and could result in severe disciplinary
action.
Credits earned through extension and correspondence are treated like
other transfer credit for establishing scholastic status, eligibility for
graduation, and honors.
CREDIT BY EXAMINATION—PLACEMENT
If an entering first-year student has earned no previous college credit in
the area being tested either at Southwestern or elsewhere, he or she may receive
college-level credits or exemptions prior to enrollment through the College
Board Advanced Placement examination. Upon entering Southwestern, students may
be granted exemptions through Southwestern University’s foreign language
placement examination, if results warrant such exemption. Upon declaring a major
or minor in a language, students may earn up to six credit hours by examination.
Such language credits are not posted to a student’s permanent record until
all requirements for the major or minor are fulfilled. (See also the Modern
Languages and Literatures section of the Catalog.)
Foreign Language Examinations
Southwestern administers placement examinations in French, German, Latin, and
Spanish. Students with a high school background in language should place high
enough to receive exemption from a beginning level course. Credit hours are not
awarded.
Students taking language to fulfill the language requirement for
their degrees are expected to attain proficiency in oral and written expression,
listening comprehension and reading. These goals are usually attained at the end
of a fourth semester course at the college level which is why students remain in
the same language through the intermediate level. Students may take a
proficiency test at the level required for their degree program or complete with
a passing grade the specified semester requirement.
All incoming students
with high school credit in a foreign language that they intend to continue at
Southwestern are to take a foreign language placement exam during the
Orientation week of their first year. Students can receive exemption if their
placement scores so warrant, and they will be advised as to which course they
should take in that same language, based on the results of the placement exam;
in the case of Classical languages, additional information such as high school
program will be used to help establish placement. Students may take the
beginning course (-014) in a different language if they choose not to pursue the
language taken in high school.
Placement tests may be taken in more than
one foreign language. These tests are routinely given once a year to first-year
students during orientation. Students entering the University at mid-year may
take placement tests before the beginning of the spring semester.
International students whose native tongue is not English may satisfy the
foreign language requirement by scoring at least 550 on the TOEFL exam.
College Board Advanced Placement Examinations
College Board Advanced Placement examination credit is recognized and three
or four semester hours of introductory-level elective credit may be awarded for
scores of 4 or 5 in each subject area. AP credits may count for Perspectives on
Knowledge (POK) Courses. No credit is given for scores on College Board Aptitude
or Achievement Tests or ACT examinations. However, students who do well on these
tests are encouraged to take the appropriate College Board Advanced Placement
examinations through their high school to be awarded credit as stated above.
International Baccalaureate Program
Southwestern University recognizes the International Baccalaureate Program
and will consider requests for academic credit on an individual basis. A minimum
score of 5 on higher-level exams is required to be considered for credit.
Decisions regarding credit are made on a case-by-case basis for each applicant
by the appropriate academic department.
General Certificate of Education Examination—Advanced Level (“A” Levels)
Successful completion of the Advanced Level Examination (completion with a
grade of A or B) yields the equivalent of Southwestern University
introductory level credit in the subjects tested. Evaluation will be made on an
individual basis to determine, in conjunction with the appropriate Southwestern
University departments, the specific introductory courses for which the student
will earn credit.
CREDIT BY EXAMINATION—ADVANCED STANDING
Students who are currently enrolled may earn credit by taking advanced
standing examinations in most subject areas, except that native speakers who
have been exempted from the foreign language requirement may not take an exam in
their native languages. These examinations may be administered, after proper
approval, in two ways: by CLEP subject examination or by a departmentally
prepared examination. Petition forms for these examinations are available in the
Office of Testing and in the Registrar’s Office. An advanced standing
examination in a subject must be taken prior to enrollment in a subsequent
continuous course in the same subject. Further, an advanced standing examination
may not be taken in the same subject more than once a semester and not at all in
the same semester in which the student is enrolled in the corresponding course.
All advanced standing examinations must be completed and scores reported before
the final week of classes to be included on the student’s permanent record
for that semester.
Advanced standing examination credits are treated like
regular courses for degree plans, repeated courses, etc., except that only
grades of A, B, C, or CR are recorded. A level of
C- or better is required to earn CR. A student may choose between
the letter grade or CR after the exam is scored. Letter grades affect the
student’s grade point average, but CR does not. Once the choice of
letter grade or CR has been recorded, it cannot be changed. Students are
advised that certain professional certifications, medical schools, graduate
programs, etc. will not accept a grade designation of CR for meeting
certification or admission requirements.
CLEP Subject Examinations
In general, students should not take CLEP subject examinations prior
to entering Southwestern. Credits received for CLEP subject examinations
while students are enrolled at other universities are usually treated like other
transfer credits if they appear on official transcripts along with credits for
regular course work. The only exception to the rule of not taking CLEP
subject examinations before entering Southwestern are for the CLEP
subject examinations in foreign language. Credit for appropriate scores
on these examinations can be awarded without prior arrangement with
Southwestern, but credit is not posted to the student’s permanent record
until Southwestern academic credit has been earned.
Students currently
enrolled may take CLEP subject examinations after prior approval. If the
CLEP subject examination in a particular subject area is available, it
must be taken before a departmental examination is requested. In the case of
chemistry, an American Chemical Society standardized examination is used in lieu
of the CLEP subject examination. For these examinations, letter grades or
CR are awarded based on the score level that the department concerned
determines is appropriate. This level is indicated on the petition form before
the examination is approved. CLEP subject examinations for advanced
standing credit are arranged for through the Office of Testing. CLEP
subject examinations may not be repeated within a six month’s
period. The testing service keeps track of this and will disallow repeated exams
within the prohibited time period. NOTE: Southwestern University does not grant
credit for CLEP general examinations.
Departmental Advanced Standing Examinations
If the appropriate CLEP subject examination is not available in the subject area in which a student seeks advanced standing, students may arrange to take a departmentally prepared advanced standing examination. The student usually arranges this type of examination with an individual professor who signs the petition form and administers the examination after the student has received all approvals and paid the appropriate advanced standing examination fee.