College of Adult and Professional Studies Undergraduate Academic Program

Click on any of the following links for information:

• Credit Hours and Credit Points
• Grading System
• Class Attendance
• Academic Policies and Regulations

The administration and faculty of Friends University attempt to outline clearly and advise consistently concerning requirements for graduation and the student’s progress in meeting these requirements. Part of the student’s personal development, however, is the recognition and acceptance of responsibility in meeting all graduation requirements. The student is expected to take the initiative and to follow through in the completion of all requirements and details of the academic program.

A Credit Hour (semester hour) is the equivalent of one regular class period a week for a semester. In general, preparation for one hour of class requires two hours of outside work. Credit Points are assigned as follows for the purpose of determining scholastic averages:

Each semester :
	1 hour of “A” = 4 credit points
	1 hour of “B” = 3 credit points
	1 hour of “C” = 2 credit points
	1 hour of “D” = 1 credit point

The Cumulative Grade Point Average, commonly spoken as a GPA, is determined by dividing the credit hours taken in all graded courses accepted by or completed at Friends University into the credit points received. Example: Four hours with a “C” grade (or 8 credit points) results in a GPA of 2.000.

In Good Standing means that a student has met academic and other requirements and has paid all University financial obligations. Registration may be denied to students not in good standing. Transcripts and diplomas are withheld until past due financial obligations are paid.

Grade Change requests must be initiated within one year of completing the course and prior to receiving the degree.

The grade symbols and their significance are as follows:
Grade “A” indicates superior work.
Grade “B” indicates good work.
Grade “C” indicates satisfactory work.
Grade “D” indicates inferior work, but is a passing grade.
Grade “F” indicates failure to complete work sufficient in quantity or quality to receive credit. Credit may be earned only by repeating the course.

Note: A student may not repeat a course more than twice (total of three attempts) in an effort to achieve a satisfactory grade. The most recent grade achieved by repeating a course is the grade utilized in student records and averages.

Grade “S” when given, indicates satisfactory completion of course.

Grade “NS” when given, indicates a letter grade was not submitted by the course instructor.

Grade “I” indicates an incomplete. A student who has failed to fulfill all requirements of a course may petition the instructor before the close of the term to assign the grade “I” (incomplete). The course extension petition, listing completion requirements and completion date, will be signed by the student and the instructor. A “replacement grade” will also be assigned that will be the letter grade the student will receive if the missing work is not completed. The “I” will change to the replacement grade only if the “I” remains eight weeks after the end of the module, for all modules excluding the project module. DCP programs with project modules will have 12 weeks after the last class of the program before the “I” changes to a replacement grade for the project module.

PACE only: The mark “AU” (auditor) is used to indicate enrollment on a “no credit” basis. Audit registration may not be converted to credit registration after the second week of a regular semester nor credit registration be converted to audit registration after the second week of a regular semester. Private lessons from the Fine Arts department are not available for audit.

“WD” means withdrawn. It signifies that the student has officially withdrawn from the course. The grade “F” is given for unofficial withdrawal from a course.

Grade “Pass/Fail” is used when courses are taken on a pass/fail basis and graded either P (for a grade of “D” or above) or “F.”

Students are expected to attend all class sessions. When absence is unavoidable, students should arrange in advance with the instructor for the completion of all work missed. Penalty for unexcused absences rests with the teachers concerned. Excessive absences or tardiness may jeopardize the student’s academic standing. Degree Completion students who have missed more than two class meetings normally will receive an “F” unless they have formally withdrawn.

ACADEMIC PROBATION AND DISMISSAL POLICY

A student will be placed on academic probation upon earning a cumulative grade point average of less than 2.0 at the completion of a term or semester based on Friends University coursework.

Students that are placed on academic probation will have the following term or semester to raise their cumulative Friends University GPA to 2.0 or above.

Those who do not raise their University GPA to the required minimum will be suspended or dismissed at the conclusion of that second term or semester. However, the University reserves the right to suspend anyone failing to make normal progress at the end of any term or semester.

Students who are academically suspended or dismissed may apply for re-entrance after sitting out a minimum of eight weeks. The completion of an academic dismissal proceeding does not relieve the student from his or her financial obligations to the University.

GRADUATION HONORS

(Degree Completion Students only)
The minimum standard for graduating HIGHEST HONORS is both an overall grade point average of 3.90 and a grade point average of 3.90 on Friends University coursework.

The minimum standard for graduating HONORS is both an overall grade point average of 3.60 and a grade point average of 3.60 on Friends University coursework.

Graduate students and associate degree students are ineligible for these honors.

Order of the Tower: Students graduating with a bachelor’s degree and maintaining honors automatically become eligible for the Order of the Tower, the honorary society of the University. These students are presented the crimson honor cord at Commencement and receive special mention during the exercises.

Alpha Chi: Alpha Chi National Honor Scholarship Society was established at Friends University in February 1986 to promote academic excellence and exemplary character. Based on GPA and Friends University hours in residence, membership is by faculty invitation only to students of junior or senior status. The members are presented the Alpha Chi blue and green cords to wear on their gowns during the Commencement ceremony.

TRANSFER STUDENT CREDIT POLICIES

Students from other accredited institutions may be admitted to advanced standing upon the presentation of official transcripts. A transcript is considered official when mailed direct to Friends from the previous institution. An official transcript from each college previously attended is required in order to be considered for admissions. Friends University normally accepts course credit from all accredited colleges and universities. (Exception: In keeping with our Quaker heritage, Friends University does not accept ROTC military credits.) Students from nonaccredited post-secondary institutions will be admitted and their credits verified by the Registrar after 15 hours of acceptable work at Friends. Care should be taken not to duplicate work completed at the previous institution. (See guidelines for proprietary school credit and experiential learning credits.)

Request for permission to validate any credit earned in a non-accredited school by examination or sequence course may be addressed to the Associate Vice President of Registrar and Enrollment Services.

Credit is transferred with the grade earned in the course at the institution where the course was taken. All grades are calculated for a transfer GPA, including courses that might have been deleted from consideration by an “academic fresh start” at the transferring institution. Students should be aware that credits may be transcripted but not counted toward major or graduation requirements. “D” grades in major courses and certain other courses are not accepted toward graduation.

The Degree Completion programs require 46 credit hours from a four-year college (including the 30-hour residency requirement). All students may use experiential learning credits (portfolio) to count as four-year college credits but not as residency credits.

The Friends University guidelines for translating proprietary school credit to Friends University credits are:

1. The student must take proficiency examinations over the proprietary school courses for which they are seeking Friends University credit. The examinations can be given the first semester the student enrolls at Friends. (Refer to the credit by examination section for procedure and cost.) The Friends University faculty will make the final decision on grades and total hours.
2. The student must successfully complete 15 hours of credit at Friends University before the translated credits will be added to the student’s official transcript.

REGISTRATION

Students are listed on official class rosters upon completion of their registration, which includes course selection and the payment of fees and tuition.

In registering for the first time, students will want to keep in mind the opportunities for Credit Examination and Advanced Placement as described elsewhere in this Catalog.

CHANGES IN REGISTRATION

(PACE)
To add or withdraw from a class in the semester-based programs, a student must complete the proper form and obtain the necessary signatures. A Change of Registration form must be completed and submitted to the Registrar’s Office. Attendance in a class does not constitute addition or withdrawal from a class.

Adding a Class

No addition to a student’s schedule may be made after 10 academic days from the beginning of classes during a semester or after five days in eight-week sessions. Any exceptions must be approved by the Associate Vice President of Registrar and Enrollment Services (or the designee) as well as the instructor involved. A student who does not properly add a class to their registration will not receive a grade for the class.

Withdrawing from/Dropping a Class Grades will not be recorded for courses dropped by the end of the first week of a regular semester. Courses dropped between the second and tenth week will be recorded as “WD” (withdrawn). Permission to withdraw from a course after the tenth week of a semester or fifth week of an eight-week session is possible only in extenuating circumstances by special permission of the Associate Vice President of Registrar and Enrollment Services (or designee). A student who does not properly withdraw from a class will receive a failing grade (F) in the course. (Refer to the Student Initiated Withdrawal section for procedures on complete withdrawal from the University.)

ELECTIVES

CAPS students currently enrolled in a degree completion program are allowed to take courses in other degree completion programs at the approved tuition rate for elective credit. To add or withdraw from a class taken for elective credit, a student must complete the proper form and obtain necessary signatures from their academic advisor. Attendance in a class does not constitute addition of or withdrawal from a class. Students enrolling in elective coursework must meet any and all prerequisite requirements of the course for which they are enrolling.

AUDITING CLASSES

Current Students wishing to audit CAPS degree completion courses or general education undergraduate courses may do so by contacting their academic advisor and obtaining needed permissions for specific courses. Tuition is charged at one-half the regular rate, no credit is given and there may be fewer obligations for coursework.

Non-students wishing to audit CAPS degree completion courses or general education undergraduate courses may do so by completing an application for admission and paying all regular fees. Tuition is charged at one-half the regular rate, no credit is given and there may be fewer obligations for coursework.

DROPS/ADDS

Students in a CAPS degree completion program may add or drop a course within their program. To add or drop a class in a degree completion program, a student must complete the proper forms, obtain the necessary signatures of their academic advisor and program director, and contact Student Account Services. Attendance in a class does not constitute addition of a class. Non-attendance does not constitute withdrawal from a class.

CREDIT BY EXAMINATION AND EVALUATION

Friends University confers credit by examination, particularly College Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests. Hours earned through credit by examination are listed on the student’s transcript but will not affect the cumulative grade point average. A student may earn up to 60 semester examination hours. Scores, which fail to meet minimum standards for conferral of credit, will not be recorded nor will they penalize the student who has attempted the exam.

CLEP GENERAL EXAMINATIONS

CLEP General Examinations, usually taken by prospective students before they begin their college study at Friends, measure general education in five broad areas (English composition, mathematics, natural science, social studies and humanities). An acceptable essay is also required for credit in English by CLEP general examinations. Students may take all five portions or only those in which they feel adequately prepared.

Scores at or above the 50th percentile of sophomore college norms will permit conferral of as much as 3 credits in English and 6 credits in each of the other areas for a total possible on General Examinations of 27 semester hours of Friends University credit.

General examinations may be taken any time during the college career, but credit will not be granted after a student has completed college courses within the broad general area to be tested.

CLEP SUBJECT EXAMINATIONS

CLEP subject examinations will be used for the conferral of credit only if the student completes the prerequisite introductory course exam early in the first semester of registration for advanced coursework.

ACT-PEP EXAMINATIONS

Proficiency Examination Program (PEP) examinations of the American College Testing (ACT) program also may be utilized for credit in most instances, with similar proficiency minimums as the CLEP examinations.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT PROGRAM

Students who have participated in the Advanced Placement Program at the high school level, sponsored by the College Entrance Examination Board of New York, will receive college credit if their grades on the Advanced Placement Examinations are in one of the upper two categories. Further information may be obtained from the Vice President of Academic Affairs.

CREDIT BY EXAMINATION

When no satisfactory standardized test is available, a student may request permission to take a campus-created exam to demonstrate proficiency in a particular course or subject. Permission for such an exam must be received from both the Vice President of Academic Affairs or Division Chair and the professor who would design and administer the exam.

Credit earned by examination saves repetition, time and money. Test fees are $45 per credit hour and are non-refundable although a student may fail to score high enough to receive credit.

A student may earn up to 60 semester hours of credit by examination. Credit by examination is recorded only for regular matriculated students, after a semester in residence has been completed. Credit by examination will not be figured into the cumulative GPA.

NON-COLLEGIATE TRAINING

College credit is recognized for certain types of non-collegiate training programs and military service where college credit recommendations have been established. Valid documentation (certificates, diplomas, etc.) must be submitted to the Director of Prior Learning for evaluation. Veterans must submit their Separation Form DD-214 to apply for credit from military service. The amount of credit recognized will vary in accordance with the plans of the student, the recommendations of the appropriate guide (such as The Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services) and the educational policies of the University. A fee may be charged for the evaluation and recording of this credit.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING CREDIT

Friends University recognizes that learning may take place in settings other than the college classroom. Many adult students have acquired knowledge and skills from life’s experiences (a job, self education, practical experience, etc.), which are equivalent to that provided in the classroom. Where collegelevel learning from these experiences can be verified and properly documented, Friends University will award college credit

Any student enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program at Friends University may apply for experiential learning credits by submitting the necessary resumes and documentation to the Director of Prior Learning. The Director of Prior Learning directs the documentation to faculty members from a cross section of academic disciplines who have experience in evaluations and assessments.

The maximum amount of experiential learning credit, which may be awarded, is 30 credit hours. Experiential credit is not recognized as credit meeting residency requirements for degrees. For traditional undergraduate students, a $50 per credit hour evaluation and placement fee will be assessed for each hour of credit, payable upon submission. Details and guidelines for applying for experiential learning credit can be secured from the Director of Prior Learning, College of Adult and Professional Studies.

Experiential credit can save money and reduce the length of a degree program. Although numerous other colleges also recognize experiential learning, each institution sets its own standards on what and how many credits it will accept in transfer. Students intending to transfer or attend graduate schools should inquire of that school how experiential credit will be accepted.

INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE CREDIT
Friends University will grant 30 hours of General Education credit upon entrance to students who have successfully completed an International Baccalaureate Diploma. (Diploma with high school transcript and standard admissions procedures.)
IB Area		Requirement		Course		Hrs
Language A		Competency		Writing 1, 2		6
Language B		B.A. Requirement		Foreign Lang		8
Exp. Science		Perspective		Phy/Biol Sci		4
Mathematics		Competency		College Algebra		3
Theory of Knowl.		Perspective		Intro to Phil.		3
Study of Man		Foundations		World Civ. OR		3
				American Character
Electives		Perspective		Art/Music OR		3
		Competency		Intro to Comp.
Total Credit Hours						30

DEGREES

Friends University confers five bachelor’s degrees and two associate’s degrees:

• Bachelor of Arts


• Bachelor of Business Administration


• Bachelor of Fine Arts


• Bachelor of Music


• Bachelor of Science


• Associate of General Business


• Associate of General Studies

CAPS DEGREE PROGRAMS		Bachellor of Business Admin.		Bachelor of Science		Associate of
General Studies						*
General Business						*
Business Management		*
Computer Programming				*
Computer Technology				*
Criminal Justice				*
Accounting		*
Human Relations				*
Human Resource Management		*
Org. Mgmt & Leadership				*

REQUIREMENTS FOR ASSOCIATE DEGREES

The Associate degrees are conferred upon completion of 62 semester hours of appropriate coursework. All credits earned toward an associate’s degree may be applied toward baccalaureate degrees at Friends University.

At least 15 credits, including six of the last 12 credits applicable toward the degree, must be earned at Friends University.

Only grades of “C” or higher may be applied toward hours in the major, and a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 is required for all coursework accepted by or completed at Friends University.

A bachelor’s degree requires an additional 15 or more semester hours of credit earned subsequent to the Commencement exercise for the conferral of the associate’s degree. (Normally, approximately two years of college study will ensue between conferral of associate and baccalaureate degrees.) See the PACE section for specific requirements for an Associate of General Studies.

REQUIREMENTS FOR BACCALAUREATE DEGREES

Students should familiarize themselves with the following requirements for baccalaureate degrees. Students who continue in college without interruption will meet requirements in effect at the time of their first registration, modified by curriculum and certification changes deemed essential by the faculty. Students who leave college for two or more semesters will meet graduation requirements in force at the time of return. Due allowance will be made for changes in course offerings.

1. Hours, Scholarship, Residence:
   Baccalaureate degrees require a minimum of 124 semester hours with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.000 on all courses accepted by or completed at Friends University.


2. Residence:
   
   1. A minimum of 30 semester hours must be earned in residence at Friends.
   
   
   2. Out of the minimum 124 hours required for graduation, 24 of the last 30, or 50 of the last 60 must be taken in residence at Friends. B.A., B.B.A., B.S., B.M. and B.F.A. students who completed a minimum of 60 semester hours at Friends during their early college years but have since transferred out will be permitted to re-establish residency with an additional 12 hours in residence.
   
   
3. Correspondence and Extension: Not more than 30 semester hours earned by correspondence and extension may count toward a degree. (Friends University does not offer courses by correspondence.) Advance written approval for correspondence or extension courses should be secured from the Registrar before taking the course or by the Vice President of Academic Affairs if study abroad is contemplated. As a general policy, Friends University does not approve extension or correspondence courses when coursework applicable toward degree requirements is being offered on campus.


4. Remedial Study:
   
   1. Up to 6 credits of courses numbered below 100 may be included in the 124 hours required for graduation.
   
   
   2. Up to 4 credits of courses numbered below 100 may be included in the requirements for an associate’s degree.


5. General Education: All students must meet the general education requirements in effect when they entered college. See the section on General Education for specific requirements.

ADDITIONAL GRADUATION INFORMATION

1. Declaration of Intent to Graduate: Students normally should file an Intent To Graduate sheet with the Registrar’s Office two semesters before their expected degree completion date. The final date for filing the Intent to Graduate application is February 1 prior to the May commencement exercises. Applications received after this date will be placed on the following year’s Commencement program.


2. Financial Obligations: No student will be granted a diploma of graduation until all financial obligations to the college have been met. A graduation fee for each degree awarded will be added to charges at least by the last term of attendance before graduation for traditional undergraduate degrees.


3. Commencement Attendance: Each candidate for a degree will attend the commencement at which the degree is to be conferred unless granted permission, because of extenuating circumstances, to receive the degree in absentia.


4. Major Fields - Baccalaureate Degrees: In addition to General Education, each student will complete a concentration in a field of special interest known as a “major” along with supporting courses for the major field concentration. The major consists of at least 24 hours. No more than 30 hours in a single prefix may be required in a major. No more than 40 hours in a single prefix will be counted toward the 124-hour graduation requirement.

Unremoved “D” grades cannot be counted toward meeting the minimum requirements in a student’s major. This includes all specifically named courses and elective hours required by the major program but does not include requirements from other academic areas.

Grades of “D” are permissible in the areas of the major program if the hours of “D” are in excess of the minimum major named and elective requirements. These can be used as general electives and will count toward graduation to the extent they do not exceed the maximum hours permitted in the major.

Many students complete two majors in the course of their studies. Double majors must fulfill all requirements for both majors. However if the majors cross degree requirement lines, then general education requirements for only one degree shall be required. Second majors cannot be listed on the academic record after the first degree is awarded.



5. Multiple Degrees: (Awarded at Same Time) A second baccalaureate degree will require 30 semester hours of credit in addition to the hours required for the initial baccalaureate degree. Requirements for all general education and major courses must be fulfilled for both degrees. Both degrees could be awarded at the same Commencement.


6. Other Programs of Study: Individuals whose interest or needs are not met by a recognized major should consult with the Dean of the College on the possibility of an individually-designed program of study in Liberal Studies.


7. Second Degrees: Students entering Friends University with a recognized baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution will not be required to fulfill general education requirements but must meet requirements for the major and any supporting courses required as well as the minimum number of hours for any degree from Friends University (30 hours).