Additional Requirements

2.     A concentration of studies constituting a major (transfer students must complete at least nine hours of upper-level courses in the major discipline at Southern Wesleyan).

3.     Competency in computing, mathematics, oral and written composition.

4.     A total of 128 semester hours with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0.  At least 32 semester hours must be taken by study under the faculty of Southern Wesleyan University, and, except in some cooperative programs, these must be the final 32 semester hours.  At least the last 60 semester hours must be in institutions granting the baccalaureate (bachelor's) degree.

5.     Satisfactory participation in all required divisional and university assessment activities.

6.     Fulfillment of all chapel requirements.

7.     Recommendation by the faculty (Academic Council) and approval by the Trustees of Southern Wesleyan University.

8.     Application for graduation:  It is the student's responsibility to see that all requirements for graduation are met and that application for a diploma is made by the dates specified in the university calendar.

All graduation requirements must be completed, and all financial obligations must be cleared before participation in graduation activities is permitted.

Advanced Placement and Alternative Sources of Credit

Advanced placement and credit may be granted for grades of 3 or above on an Advanced Placement Test (AP Test).  However, this award is dependent on the subject and is not universal.  Additional information is available from the Office of Academic Records.

A maximum of 68 hours credit will be awarded in any combination of the following areas:  CLEP/DANTES (following guidelines recommended by the American Council on Education), Advanced Placement testing, military credit, portfolio, departmental exams, and correspondence.  A fee will be charged for granting all such credit except Advanced Placement and military. Additional information is available from the Office of Academic Records.

Honors Program

Incoming students with excellent high school records and national assessment tests (SAT, ACT) are invited to join the Honors Program at Southern Wesleyan.  Once accepted for admission to the university, students with these credentials will be evaluated, and letters will be sent to those who qualify.

Benefits of the program include academic leadership opportunities, alternative or expanded engagements in class and coursework, opportunities to explore a topic or area of choice in a more in-depth format, preparation for post-graduate work, and notation on transcript and in the graduation ceremony.

Students in the Honors Program are expected to demonstrate a high level of participation in class—discussion, reports, debates, and presentations.  They are also expected to demonstrate abilities like the following: thinking, discussing, writing; analyzing, synthesizing, and gathering and presenting information from a variety of sources and viewpoints.

The honors program consists of coursework and non-credit and service opportunities. Students are expected to maintain an overall grade point average of 3.5 or higher.

The coursework consists of 18 semester hours in the following breakdown:

Major Honors

Outstanding students may, during the first semester of their junior year, petition the Academic Council for permission to undertake an honors project in the field of their major.  To be eligible, the student must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all work attempted and at least a 3.25 in the major.

This honors program will consist of study, reading, and possibly laboratory work or music practice, and will culminate in a scholarly production.  The entire program is supervised by a committee selected by the major advisor in conjunction with the Academic Council.

Three hours of elective credit is awarded during the second semester of the senior year for successful projects.  Additional details are available from the faculty advisor.

May Term and Summer School

Courses offered during the May term and summer sessions are arranged to help students make up deficiencies or to accelerate their programs.  The same academic standards are maintained as in the regular semesters.  Because of the accelerated nature of these programs, no unexcused absences are allowed.

The number of hours a student may take is limited by the length of the term: a maximum of four hours is allowed for a term of three weeks or less; a maximum of seven is allowed for a four-week term.

No course may be entered after the second day of the session.  Withdrawal from a course without record is possible through the tenth day of the term. Tuition will be refunded, minus 25% per day, between dates of registration and withdrawal.

Courses to be taken at another summer school are to be cleared in advance with the registrar to assure equivalency and transfer credit.

Registration

All students must register by “enrollment day” as indicated on the college calendar.  Failure to do so will result in assessment of a late registration fee. 

A student should not register for a course that conflicts with a required basic course.  If two required courses conflict, registration should be for the lower-level course.

Each student is assigned a faculty advisor at the time of admission.  The advisor must be consulted before the registration process begins.

Course Load

A normal course load is 16 hours per semester. Those registering for 12 or more hours will be considered full-time students; those for fewer than 12, part-time.

No student may exceed 18 hours without permission of the faculty advisor and the appropriate academic dean.

Adding or Dropping Courses/Withdrawal

Up to the dates indicated in the calendar, courses may be added or dropped (for a fee) according to the following procedure:

                   1.          Obtain forms from the Office of Academic Records and fill them out properly.

                   2.          Secure approval of the advisor and financial aid officer.

                   3.          Return the forms to the Office of Academic Records.

If a course is dropped within the first four weeks of classes, no record is made.  Classes dropped between the end of the fourth week of classes and before the end of the eighth week will be assigned a grade of W.  Classes dropped after the last scheduled day for dropping a course will incur an NC or 0, except in the case of withdrawal from school when a W will be assigned.  Those withdrawing from school should contact the Counseling Center. Exceptions to these rules must be handled by the appropriate academic dean.

Students who must miss the first class session of any course in the residential campus program must contact the instructor of the course ahead of time.  If no prior arrangement is made, students missing the first session will be automatically dropped from the course.  They may still add the course later through the process described above.  However, if the course has a waiting list, students on the waiting list would have priority.

Good Standing

At the close of each semester and the second semester of summer school, a student's record will be reviewed to determine eligibility for continuation without restriction.

To remain in good standing, a student must earn the GPA (semester and cumulative) indicated:

       Hrs. Attempted                                                   GPA

       12                                                                     1.6

       24                                                                     1.6

       36                                                                     1.7

       48                                                                     1.8

       60 and above                                                     2.0

Any student who fails to meet these requirements will be placed on academic warning for the following semester.  Students placed on academic warning will be advised to limit co-curricular activities and they are allowed no unexcused absences from classes.

Any student who does not attain good standing by the end of the semester on academic warning will be placed on academic probation.  Students who are on probation are allowed no class cuts and have limits on the extent they may represent the university (see details below).  By the end of the semester of probation the student must meet the requirements for good standing or be suspended for one full semester.  (Attendance at May term and summer school is permitted.)

Following one semester of suspension, the student may apply for readmission.  After an interview with the Admissions Subcommittee, the student may be readmitted on probation and (if admitted) will have one semester to attain good standing or face permanent exclusion.

For transfer, part-time, or special students, the academic dean will determine standing.

Representing the University

Representing the university is a responsibility and a privilege; therefore, such representation is generally carried out only by students in good standing.  Also, off-campus overnight travel may make it difficult for students on academic probation to do well enough in their studies to remove probation; therefore, students on probation should not be involved in the following:

       membership in the homecoming court

       holding office in university organizations

       having a continuing role in leading chapel

       phonathon

       ministry teams

       intervarsity athletics, including travel with the team in a support role

                   (Students on probation may practice on campus.)

       *senior practicum, including directed teaching

       *Christian Service Organization (CSO) teams

       *traveling ensembles

       *major dramatic productions

*Exceptions:  Students for whom participation in one of these activities is a degree requirement may be allowed to participate, even if on academic probation.  If the allowed activity is CSO, the director should assign limited activities, not to exceed three overnight trips in a semester. 

The provost will issue a list of those on probation at the beginning of each semester.  Faculty sponsors, instructors, and others in charge of activities prohibited above, or of other activities which make heavy extra-class demands on a student’s time, or which involve representing the university, should consult this list and take action to advise against or prohibit participation.  Because a student may be placed on social probation during a semester or session, those in charge should also consult the vice-president for student life when the activity begins.

Who's Who

During the fall semester each year, nominees are selected from the roster of graduating seniors for inclusion in Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges.

Candidates will be nominated by student vote and elected by faculty vote, using the criteria of character, scholarship, leadership, and participation in co-curricular activities.