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Specific details of regulations concerning the academic program are included in the student handbook, The Knapsack. Enrolled students should consult the handbook or the Academic Affairs Office for answers to specific questions. Student academic records maintained by the school and furnished to the student are available from the Registrar's Office. The following are some special regulations which should be of interest.
A semester hour is the unit of academic credit representing one hour of lecture class or three hours of laboratory work each week for an academic semester. If a class meets three times each week, the credit earned is three semester hours.
As exceptions to the above procedure, during the optional May period of off-campus study and the summer session, classes meet more often and for longer intervals to cover the material necessary to qualify for the semester hours of credit.
A student earns quality points, along with semester hours, by successfully completing a course with a grade of "D" or better. The number of quality points is determined as follows:
A -- Superior Four quality points for each semester hour
B -- Good Three quality points for each semester hour
C -- Satisfactory Two quality points for each semester hour
D -- Poor and Unsatisfactory One quality point (lowest passing mark)
F -- Failure. No quality points
Thus, a student who makes a grade of "A" on a three hour course earns twelve quality points.
Certain other symbols also may be used in recording grades. These symbols are:
WP -- Withdrawal Passing
WF -- Withdrawal Failing (considered same as "F")
W -- Approved Withdrawal (see page 35)
I -- Incomplete (becomes "F" if not removed during first four weeks of the following semester)
S -- Satisfactory (C or above)
U -- Unsatisfactory (D or below)
Y -- Audit
P -- Pass (A grade of 70 or above with no hours credited, in cases where a student has exceeded the allowed number of excused absences in a general education course. Approval required.)
A student's scholastic average (or grade-point ratio) is determined by dividing the total quality points earned by the number of semester hours for which the student has registered -- (I's, WP's, Y's, S's and U's are not included in this calculation).
Students who earn a minimum of 60 semester hours of credit here and have a cumulative grade-point ratio of at least 3.75 on all courses taken at PC and elsewhere and 3.75 on PC courses are graduated summa cum laude; those with 3.60 but less than 3.75, magna cum laude; and those who average 3.30 but less than 3.60, cum laude.
Students enrolled in 12 or more hours for graded credit (which may include a grade of "S" in 101 Modern Foreign Language courses) who achieve an average of 3.30 or better in the fall or spring semester -- with no grades of "I" or "U" for that period -- are included on the Dean's List, while the names of students with perfect 4.00 averages also appear on the President's List.
Those students who successfully complete departmental Honors Research Programs (see page 41) are graduated With Honors in the departmental discipline.
The minimum number of semester hours a regular student must take during any one semester to remain in school is 12. The normal load per semester is 12 to 18.
Additional hours may be taken with the following overload limitations:
19 hours -- 2.80 GPR previous semester 20 hours -- 3.00 GPR previous semester 21 hours -- 3.30 GPR previous semester
No student will be given credit for more than 21 semester hours in one semester. This total includes correspondence, extension and audit courses.
To graduate in four years a student must successfully complete an average of slightly more than 15 hours per semester.
Pass-Fail Option
During their combined junior and senior years, students may elect to take up to nine hours of courses on the pass-fail option. Work equivalent in quality to a "C" will be graded as "S" and shall carry credit hours toward graduation, but not quality points. Work of a quality below "C" equivalent will be graded "U." This option does not apply to the general education requirements, nor to the requirements in the major or minor field.
No more than two courses may be taken pass-fail in either the fall or spring semesters and only one course may be taken pass-fail in the summer term.
Students are classified according to the number of hours completed and the number of CEPs attended. To be classified as a sophomore, a student must have earned 28 semester hours and have attended a minimum of 10 Cultural Enrichment Program (CEP) events (five lecture and five performance); for junior rank, 60 hours and 20 CEP events; for senior rank, 90 hours and 30 CEP events. Students receiving financial aid should be aware of the fact that CEP credits are considered in classification and sometimes determine eligibility for aid.
Final examinations are held at the close of each semester. A report, showing grades made on courses taken by the student, is sent out following the close of each semester.
Faculty members also report to the registrar the standing of students (satisfactory, "D" or "F") at the midpoint of each semester and students and faculty advisors are notified of the students' standing.
Candidates for the Presbyterian College degree must earn a minimum of 48 semester hours while regularly enrolled at the College. This must include the last 24 semester hours. In addition, students are required to complete at least one-half of their major work in residence at PC. However, students who lack not more than two courses to complete the requirements may, upon approval of the academic vice president and the major advisor (where courses are in the major field), complete such requirements at another regionally accredited senior institution. An exception to this rule also may be allowed by the academic vice president when courses necessary for graduation are not currently offered at Presbyterian College.
If academic work taken at another college while the student is enrolled at PC is to be accepted as credit toward a PC degree, both the choice of the other college and the course to be taken must be approved in writing in advance by the academic vice president or the registrar. This includes summer school work taken at another college.
Courses passed with a grade of "C" or better will be entered on the student's permanent record with the hours passed but not the grade earned at the other institution. Hours in these courses are credited towards graduation requirements but are not used in the calculation of the student's grade-point ratio.
A maximum of six semester hours may be earned in an approved summer session; and 12 hours, in an approved 10 weeks session at PC or elsewhere. Laboratory courses may bring these to 7 and 14 hours, respectively.
Students on academic probation or suspension will not receive any academic credit for courses taken at other institutions during the time of suspension or probation.
Students may enroll in selected readings, research, internships, directed studies, special projects and special topics. These courses have specific requirements and are usually limited to juniors and seniors. A maximum of nine hours may be counted toward graduation requirements in courses in this category.
A directed study requires that a student have a minimum grade point ratio of 2.25 and the course must be approved by the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs prior to the semester in which it is taken. Each directed study will culminate in a research paper or its equivalent and is normally open to departmental majors with junior or senior standing.
Internships may be taken toward undergraduate degrees. Students are limited to a maximum of 6 hours credit for all internships. A minimum grade point ratio of 2.25 is required (or higher if specified by the department in which the internship is taken). Internships are offered on a Pass/Fail basis only. A department may, at its option, offer the pass/fail hours required in the internships to count toward its major. A minimum of 42 hours of supervised field work is required for each hour of credit given, and there must be on-going contact between the on-campus and the off-campus supervisors in these programs. The student intern is required to keep a log which chronicles day-to-day events.
Selected readings are open to students with sophomore, junior or senior standing. Hours earned in these readings cannot be used to meet requirements for the major.
Research in certain departments is offered for students with a grade point ratio of 2.50 (or higher if specified). Research projects are normally open only to majors.
Seminars are regularly offered by various departments of the College. The requirements for these courses are individually listed.
Special Projects are open to sophomore, junior or senior students who have a grade point ratio of 2.25. All projects must be approved by the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Special Topics which cover subject matter which is not part of the regular curriculum must have prior approval of the department and the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. A specific special topic may be offered to a student only once.
It is the student's responsibility to ensure that all requirements for graduation have been completed. This includes, but is not limited to, completion of required courses, appropriate cumulative grade point average, required grade point average in major coursework, and fulfillment of the CEP requirements. A senior audit should be completed no later than one full semester before the anticipated date of graduation with the Registrar's Office.
Students whose graduation has been delayed due to certain circumstances, may be allowed to "march" at commencement, if only two courses (6 to 8 hours) are needed to complete the degree, provided the student has a 2.00 grade point ratio and has met CEP requirements. Students in this category should contact the Registrar early in the acadamic year of graduation to determine eligibility.
Students who fail to graduate with their entering class will remain subject to the general education graduation requirements of that class and must fulfill the major requirements applicable at the time the major is declared.
A student may improve the cumulative grade point average by repeating courses. Whenever this is done, the original grade will remain on the transcript, but the number of hours attempted, the number of hours passed and the quality points will count only from the last time the course is taken. A course may be repeated only twice, either at PC or at another institution. A student is subject to permanent suspension if a course which is required for graduation is failed three times.
Students officially enrolled in Presbyterian College who seek to earn credit by examination must meet all of the eligibility requirements established by the College and the academic department. The policies covering these procedures are as follows:
1. Academic departments will have the option of using a CLEP Subject Examination or an examination prepared by the department.
2. Approval to take an examination must be obtained from the Department Chairman and the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. Permission to take an examination will be given only in those instances in which the student is able to demonstrate conclusively that knowledge of the subject to be tested has already been acquired.
3. To earn credit by examination, a student must make a score equivalent to a letter grade of "C" or better. The passing score for CLEP Subject Examinations will be 55.
4. Credit earned by examinations will be so indicated on the student's transcript and will carry no letter grade nor quality points. It does not count as credit earned in residence.
5. Credit cannot be earned by examination for any course in which a grade has been received. Unsuccessful attempts to earn credit by examination do not become a part of the student's permanent record.
6. A test fee of $25 will be charged for each local test administered. A $10 recording fee will be charged for posting any credit earned by examination.
A student with a disability affecting academic performance should inform, in writing, the Office of Academic Affairs of his/her disability and should provide the appropriate documentation as required by the College. Presbyterian College does not have special academic programs for students with disabilities. The College, however, provides reasonable accommodations for otherwise qualified students with disabilities to assist them in obtaining an education. The Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs serves as the ADA/504 coordinator for the College.
Satisfactory progress toward a degree is encouraged through the academic probational regulations. The minimum academic level rises as more hours are attempted.
Student records are evaluated at the end of each semester and at the end of the second session of summer school. Probation levels are based on total hours attempted at all colleges attended. However, hours transferred into PC are not used in computing the cumulative grade-point ratio.
Hours Academic Attempted Probation Level 0-31 hours Below 1.50 GPR 32-61 hours Below 1.75 GPR 62 or more Below 2.00 GPR
A student who fails to meet these standards is placed on academic probation. A freshman or transfer student placed on academic probation at the end of the first semester at PC has one additional semester and both summer sessions to raise the grade-point ratio above the probation level. Otherwise, a student has one calendar year after being placed on probation to raise the grade-point ratio above the probation level. Failure to do so will result in suspension from Presbyterian College.
Students suspended at the end of the fall semester may not attend during the spring semester. Students suspended at the end of the spring semester may not attend the summer sessions or the fall semester. Students suspended at the end of the summer session may not attend during the fall semester. Students suspended for a second time are subject to permanent suspension.
Any student suspended under the academic probation regulations may appeal the action to the admissions committee which considers each request on individual merit and the student's probability of ultimate academic success.
The student on academic probation or suspension will not receive any academic credit for courses taken at other institutions. This rule may be waived, for due cause, only by the academic vice president. A student whose grade point ratio for a semester falls below 1.20 may, at the discretion of the Admissions Committee, be suspended from college.
Students who have been suspended for any of the above reasons may apply for readmittance after the period of suspension is over by submitting an application to the Admissions Office. These students will be in competition with other regular students for admission.
A student who wishes to withdraw from the College during a semester may do so only with the approval of the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Dean of Students. The student should contact either the Dean of Students or the Academic Affairs Office to initiate the withdrawal procedures. Students who leave the college without following the appropriate procedures will receive grades of "F" in their course work and jeopardize their opportunity to return in the future. Students who are granted a withdrawal will receive grades of "W" and may apply for re-admission, but will be in competition with other students for space.
A student may request a leave of absence (in advance) for a semester. This request must be approved by the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. The student must present evidence to show that such a leave of absence is justifiable. Normal justification will include medical and psychological reasons, family and financial circumstances, etc. A student who is granted a leave of absence will not be required to reapply in order to return to the College, however, the student should submit written notice before returning. Normally, a leave of absence will not be granted for more than two terms.
Except for those granted a leave of absence, all students who have been absent from the College voluntarily or involuntarily for one or more terms or parts thereof, and who desire readmission for a subsequent term, shall submit the customary application for admission with such supporting documents as may be required by the Admissions Committee and shall be in competition with other applicants for admission at that time. Students who have been absent from the College voluntarily or involuntarily for medical or psychological reasons, including those granted a leave of absence, must receive medical or psychological clearance acceptable to the College before being allowed to return to the College.
There is within any community the need for a set of regulations which guide the actions of the individuals within that community in their relationships with each other. At a college these relationships may be divided into two general categories: Academic and co-curricular. The first pertains to all of those activities involved in the instructional program within the classroom, laboratories, etc., under the direct supervision of the faculty and the Academic Affairs Office. The second involves all other activities which occur in the dormitories, on the playing fields, in social life, etc.
A summary of the Honor Code and the Code of Conduct is given in the section of this catalog which deals with Student Life (beginning on page 60) and in full detail in the student handbook, The Knapsack. Copies of the codes are given to each individual student who enrolls at Presbyterian College and also are printed in the student handbook. All students are expected to sign a matriculation pledge which states their agreement to abide by the regulations included in these codes.
The Honor Code contains most of those items which directly pertain to the academic life of the College: lying, cheating, plagiarism and stealing. All members of the academic community at PC are expected to abide by the regulations in these codes.
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