Graduate Student Academic Policies

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.

Academic Advising

Program Directors and Academic Success Coaches serve in advisory capacities to graduate students.

Academic Course Taxonomies

Friends University classifies online course and program offerings according to four discrete taxonomies. These taxonomies are consistent with many other colleges and universities that offer online courses and programs.

• Online Course/Program (ONL): Online courses have all content delivered online through a Learning Management System (LMS) and do not have regularly scheduled classroom meetings.
• Blended Course / Program - BLD (formerly Hybrid Course/Program - HYB): Blended courses are a mix of classroom meetings and technology mediated distance delivery.   Those courses through which a predominance of the instruction (50% or more) is delivered at a distance are considered blended.
• Web Facilitated Course / Program (formerly Web-Enhanced Course/Program - WEB): Web facilitated courses are traditional courses that use a LMS to facilitate communications and content delivery.  Regularly scheduled meetings are not substituted with technology mediated content delivery.
• Traditional (TRA):  Traditional courses are delivered as regularly scheduled classroom meetings that utilize methodologies such as lecture, discussion, group work, writing, etc.  and do not use a LMS to support communications or content delivery.
• Synchronous e-learning (SEL): Synchronous learning courses enable the simultaneous participation of students and instructor at the same time but not in the same place.  It is often referred to as “real-time” instruction.  Technology tools to allow interaction, desktop and file sharing and the ability to collaborate and ask questions in real time are used.  Students are required to be online at a specific time in order to participate.

Online and Blended delivered courses are managed through specific University policy and approval processes.  Web Facilitated courses are guided and managed by University policies consistent with on-ground courses.

Academic Probation and Dismissal

Academic Probation

Academic probation serves as an academic warning system for students who are failing to maintain satisfactory academic progress. Any graduate student whose current cumulative graduate program GPA falls below 3.0 shall be placed on academic probation.

Continued Academic Probation

Students on academic probation who do not raise their cumulative grade point average to a 3.0 may be continued on academic probation if their term grade point average is at least a 3.00.

Academic Dismissal

Students shall be dismissed from graduate programs upon failure to achieve a 3.0 current cumulative graduate program GPA at the end of any term of attendance following placement on academic probation.

Appeal

Students who are academically dismissed will have 10 business days to appeal the dismissal in writing. Appeals must minimally include an extraordinary circumstance that contributed to the student’s academic performance and how the circumstance has been resolved. If the appeal is granted, the student will be reinstated to the University on academic probation. If the appeal is denied, or if the student chooses not to appeal, an application for readmission may be made after sitting out a minimum of 16 weeks following the dismissal.  Dismissal does not release the student from his/her financial responsibility to the University.

Auditing Courses

Current graduate students may audit coursework in undergraduate and graduate courses.

Auditing Undergraduate Coursework:  Current graduate students may audit undergraduate coursework for which they meet the prerequisites.  Students must have the permission of the course instructor to enroll.  A graduate student’s load (total credit hours) will not include undergraduate audit enrollments.  Audit registration may not be converted to credit registration after the second week of the course.  The desire to audit a course must be declared at the time of enrollment in the course to be audited.  Tuition is charged at current audit rates as established by the tuition and fees schedule.

Auditing Graduate-level Coursework:  Current graduate students may audit graduate-level coursework with the permission of the Program Director in whose program the course resides and with the permission of the instructor of the course.  The student must meet the course prerequisites in order to enroll.  Tuition is charged at current audit rates as established by the tuition and fees schedule.  No credit is awarded.

Non-Degree Seeking Graduate Students:  Non-Degree seeking graduate students may audit graduate-level coursework.  The student must have the permission of the Program Director and the instructor of the course to enroll.  The student must meet the course prerequisites in order to enroll.  All non-degree seeking students are ineligible for financial aid.  Tuition is charged at current audit rates as established by the tuition and fees schedule.  No credit is awarded.  Limited to 12 credit hours with or without an undergraduate degree.

Badge and Certificate Policies

Individuals wishing to enroll in badge and/or certificate courses offered through Friends University should apply for Non-Degree Seeking admission as a special student. Graduate degree-seeking students may enroll in undergraduate-level badge and/or certificate courses, but they may not be applied toward a degree program; Undergraduate degree-seeking students are ineligible to enroll in badge and/or certificate courses. 

Badges

Badges may be credit bearing or non-credit bearing. Credit bearing badges are .5 credit hour courses that comply with the Friends University Credit Hour Definition and appear on the academic transcript. Non-credit bearing badges are a digital representation of a specific skill or knowledge obtained. They are not for academic credit and do not appear on an academic transcript.

Badges may be Independent or Stackable:

• Independent: Content of the badge stands alone. It is not associated with a certificate, stackable badge, or specialization.
• Stackable: Content in the badge accumulates from one badge to the next stackable badge as defined by the offering. A maximum of six stackable, credit bearing badges can be associated with the content of a three credit hour course.

Badges are awarded the grades of BG (Badge Earned) or NBG (No Badge Earned). Work must be consistent with at least a letter grade of a ‘B’ (80%) to receive a BG. NBG indicates that the quality of the work was such that, to obtain credit, the student must repeat regular coursework.

There is no limit on the number of badges a non-degree seeking student may accumulate; however, a maximum of 24 credit bearing badges are eligible to be applied toward an Undergraduate Degree Program (maximum of 12 credit hours) and a maximum of 12 graduate-level, credit bearing badges are eligible to be applied toward a Graduate Degree Program (maximum of 6 credit hours). The number of badges accepted by each individual program will vary and may only be applied under the following conditions:

1. The work is approved by the division;
2. The work is approved by the Academic Dean; and
3. The work is an integral part of a program planned by the candidate and the advisor.

Badge courses are ineligible for Title IV (federal financial aid) funding.

Certifications

Certifications are learning experiences that meet course-level learning expectations as defined by the university.

Certifications may be earned through the completion of one course or a defined sequence of courses based on internal curriculum standards.

Professional Certifications may be earned through the completion of one course or a defined sequence of courses based on external curriculum standards associated with a professional organization. The curriculum is approved by the professional organization to be offered at Friends University and the certificate is awarded by the professional organization.

Certificate coursework must be consistent with at least a letter grade of a ‘B’ (80%) to receive a passing grade (A or B). NC (No Credit) indicates that the quality of the work was such that, to obtain credit, the student must repeat regular coursework. NC is a non-punitive grade. Badges may also be included within a certification course.

Up to a maximum of 12 credit hours earned under non-degree status are eligible to be applied toward an Undergraduate Degree Program; up to a maximum of 6 credit hours earned under non-degree status are eligible to be applied toward a Graduate Degree Program. The number of badges accepted by each individual program will vary and may only be applied under the following conditions:

1. The work is approved by the division;
2. The work is approved by the Academic Dean; and
3. The work is an integral part of a program planned by the candidate and the advisor.

Transfer hours and substitutions are not acceptable in certificate programs, as the certification program area is specific to Friends University.

Certificate courses are ineligible for Title IV (federal financial aid) funding unless they are a requirement of the degree program for which the student is already enrolled.

Class Attendance

Students in the Graduate School are required to attend all scheduled course meetings in all courses.  Graduate School faculty will take attendance in each meeting in all courses.  Specific course attendance requirements are at the discretion of the instructor and are posted in the syllabus for their particular course.

Course Load

Enrollment for Graduate programs is on a semester basis.  In most cases, programs are offered on a 16-week semester basis which includes two 8-week terms.   All Master’s degrees require the completion of a minimum of thirty (30) hours of graduate credit.  Specific program requirements are listed in the program descriptions.

Maximum Enrollment per Semester

The maximum number of credit hours a graduate student can take each semester is 13 credit hours.

Graduate Student Enrollment Status Definitions

Course Equivalencies, Substitutions and Waivers

For degree auditing purposes, the following course definitions will be used:

Equivalent

The course is considered to be the same in description, academic credits, rigor, pre-requisites / co-requisites, and learning outcomes.  Any student who has taken a course considered equivalent to another will only have the most recent grade and hours calculated into the earned hours and GPA.  This will be processed as a ‘repeated’ course.

Substitution 

The course is determined not to be equivalent in nature, but comparable in breadth/depth, content, learning outcomes, level and academic credits. The course will replace a current or prior degree requirement, or a discontinued course that is part of the student’s degree program.  An approved course substitution form must be submitted to the Office of the University Registrar.  A substitution will not be processed as a ‘repeated’ course.

Waiver 

A course waiver will be considered if a student has documented prior knowledge (coursework, test scores, experience, or other evidence) that has been determined to satisfy a particular degree requirement.  The student is required to submit all required documentation to support the request.  No earned hours or GPA will be awarded.  A waiver does not exempt the student from satisfying the total number of hours required for the degree.  An approved waiver form must be submitted to the Office of the University Registrar.

Course Registration and Withdrawal

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

Adding/Dropping a Class*

Students may add or drop courses during the add/drop period indicated below. Grades will not be recorded for courses dropped during the add/drop period and courses will not appear on the academic transcript.

4-week courses:  Courses may only be added or dropped (without transcript notation) through the first calendar day of the term. 

8-week courses:  Courses may only be added or dropped (without transcript notation) within the first 5 calendar days of the term.

16-week courses: Courses may only be added or dropped (without transcript notation) within the first 10 calendar days of the term. After the first week of the term, instructor approval may be required to add a course.

Exceptions must be approved by the Academic Dean (or his/her designee) as well as the instructor of the course. A student who does not properly add a class will not receive credit or a grade for the class.  Attendance or non-attendance in a class does not constitute addition or withdrawal from a class.

*Students in the Master of Science in Family Therapy (MSFT) degree program should refer to degree-specific Course Registration and Withdrawal Information.

Withdrawing from a Course

Courses dropped after the add/drop period will appear on the academic transcript and be recorded as “WD” (Withdrawn). Students who withdraw from a course after the last date to drop a course with a “WD” will receive a “WDF” (Withdrawn Failing) grade.

4 week courses:  Students may not drop a course (with a WD) after the 2nd week* of the term has ended.

8 week courses:  Students may not drop a course (with a WD) after the 5th week* of the term has ended.

16-week courses: Students may not drop a course (with a WD) after the 10th week* of the term has ended.

*A week is defined as Monday through Sunday.

Students who withdraw from Friends University after the last day to drop a course with a “WD” will be assigned a “WDF” in all current courses. Appeals due to extenuating circumstances may be submitted in writing to the Academic Dean (or his/her designee) or University Registrar.

A student who does not properly withdraw from a class will receive a failing grade (F) in the course. Attendance or non-attendance in a class does not constitute addition or withdrawal from a class.

All drops will be subject to the refund policies in effect at the time of the drop.  Students are responsible for impacts that schedule changes may have to their current financial aid awards.

Course Retakes

Students may retake coursework during and following the end of their academic program.  Students must register for courses taken as retakes and will be financially responsible for the any costs associated with a course retake.  A student who has earned a degree may not repeat courses to improve their Graduate Degree Grade Point Average.

Change of Major/Program

Students may change programs with permission of the Program Director.  Course substitutions may be allowed.

Credit Hours and Credit Points

The credit hour system provides a uniform metric for determining a ratio of academic work relative to identified learning outcomes and to determine progress toward degree completion and for the forms of academic progress.

Credit Hour Definition

Friends University defines the unit of credit hour as follows:  A credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally-established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than:

(1) one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester hour of credit, or ten to twelve weeks for one quarter hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or (2) at least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (1) of this definition for other activities as established by an institution, including laboratory work, internships, practical, studio work, experiential and prior learning, and other academic work leading toward the award of credit hours.

Graduate Credit

Only courses numbered 500 and above carry graduate credit. Other courses may be taken in support of a specific course of study but are not counted toward an advanced degree and are not computed in a student’s graduate grade point average.

Credit Points

Friends University Credit Points are assigned as follows for the purpose of determining scholastic averages:

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.

The graduate grade point average includes only those courses taken at Friends University for which graduate credit is earned and for which a regular letter grade is assigned. Credit is transferred with the grade and hours earned in the course at the institution where the course was taken.

Degree Requirements and Graduation Information

Degree Requirements

Degree Requirements stipulate minimum expectation for students to be awarded the graduate degree as per a stipulated program of study.

The following requirements must be met in order to be awarded a degree from The Graduate School:

1. The completion of a planned program of required graduate credits with a GPA of 3.0 or above.
2. Graduate students must have an earned Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and a minimum of 30 graduate credit hours to be awarded a Master’s degree from Friends University.
3. If required by the program, satisfactory completion of comprehensive examination or review.
4. If required by the program, satisfactory completion of an exit evaluation (oral or written).
5. The submission and oral presentation of an acceptable Thesis/Project (for programs with this requirement).
6. Any additional program requirements specifically outlined by the program and designated as required for degree completion.
7. Additionally, students must be in good academic standing in order for a graduate degree to be awarded by Friends University.

Capstone Project Requirements

Some graduate programs are structured to require a capstone project in addition to the required coursework.

Where required, students are expected to prepare, on an independent basis, a capstone project.  This project is an outgrowth of coursework in the program.  The work must be approved by the Program Director and, upon completion, must be presented per program guidelines.

Details of the capstone project requirement are stated in the respective program descriptions.  Individual counseling with the program director is advised.

Graduation Information

1. Declaration of Intent to Graduate: The Intent to Graduate form is required to initiate a review of the student’s academic record for degree award and to ensure the student’s place on the commencement program. Students should file an Intent To Graduate Form with the Registrar’s Office as soon as the final plans for completing all graduation requirements have been made. The final date for filing the Intent to Graduate Form is February 1 prior to the May commencement exercises. Applications received after this date may be placed on the following year’s Commencement program.
2. Financial Obligations: No student will be granted a diploma until all financial obligations to the university have been met. 
3. Commencement Attendance: Each candidate for a degree is encouraged to attend the May Commencement Ceremony at which the degree is to be conferred.
4. Dual Master’s Degree Policy (CoP): Friends University offers a limited number of second master’s degree business programs that complement one another and prepare students for unique professional and educational opportunities. All dual degree programs will require a minimum of at least 48 hours of graduate level coursework and students must complete no less than 18 hours or fifty percent (50%) of discipline or program specific coursework for each degree program, whichever is higher.  Finally no more than fifty percent (50%) of the courses can be double counted or applied toward either degree program.

Degree Conferral

Friends University will confer degrees at the conclusion of each 8-week term of the semester. Students who desire to graduate must submit an Intent to Graduate Form to the Office of the University Registrar. Degrees are not posted to the Official Transcript until they are conferred.  Diplomas are prepared after degrees have been conferred.

Outstanding Student Designation

Graduate Faculty in certain programs recognize an outstanding student who has demonstrated achievement beyond standard expectations and excels in and out of the classroom.  These designations are generally announced as a part of the annual commencement activities.

Degree Time Limits

Work for the Master’s degree should be completed within five (5) years of the first registration as a graduate student at Friends University. Additional course requirements may be imposed by the Academic Graduate School Council if the program extends beyond this limit.  Students must complete all graduate degree requirements within five (5) years of their first registration in the program.  Additional course requirements may be imposed upon the student by the Academic Division in consultation with the Dean if the student fails to complete the program within the time frame allotted.

Grading System & Definitions

Faculty have the primary authority for the assignment of grades.  Students have the right to appeal grades through the University Exceptions process.

Grades for graduate work are “A”, “B”, “C”, and “F”.

Grade “I” indicates an incomplete. A grade of “I” may be given by the course instructor if circumstances beyond the student’s control, which are verifiable, prevent completing the coursework.  The student must have started the course and done passing work in the course to receive the grade of “I”. The instructor of record for the course will work with the student to outline any remaining course requirements and determine an expected completion date. The instructor will designate a “replacement grade” that will be assigned if the missing work is not completed. If no replacement grade is designated, the outstanding “I” will convert to an “F”. “I” grades assigned must be resolved within 12 weeks of the end of the semester in which the “I” was assigned. The responsibility for completing all coursework rests with the student.

• Graduate students who have not completed their graduate project or thesis at the end of the respective course will receive a grade of “I”.  

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; credit registration may not 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.

“WDF” means withdrawn failing. It is assigned when a student withdraws after the last date to drop a course with a “WD.”

Certain approved courses numbered 500 and above are graded Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (“P”/”F”) for all students enrolled. Such courses are identified in the schedule of classes and/or announced by the instructor. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory courses may affect the student’s GPA.

“SP” is the grade submitted by an instructor to indicate satisfactory progress in a course. This grade may only be submitted for internship or practicum courses that have been approved by the instructor and Academic Division as a two-term study, or for a course which continues for more than one term. At the end of the next term, or end of the program, a grade of A, B, C, F, P or I will be recorded. If this grade is changed to an Incomplete, the student follows the regular Incomplete procedure.

Grade Changes

All requests for a grade change must be initiated within one year of completing the course and prior to receiving the degree.

Internship Policy

All graduate programs that offer internship courses as a part of their curriculum will establish procedures and guidelines for the internship.  Internship will be assessed on a regular rotation to ensure that they continue to meet their stated outcomes and that students receive the appropriate number of credit hours.

Internship Assessment and Other Information

Internship will be assessed on a regular rotation to ensure that they continue to meet their stated outcomes and that students receive the appropriate number of credit hours.  Students are subject to any/all employer and/or internship policies established by the external entity (employer/organization/institution) in the administration of the internship.

Operational Guidelines for Internships

All graduate programs that offer internships as a part of their curriculum will establish procedures and guidelines for the internship.  These must include the following:

1. A syllabus outlining:
   1. The purpose of the internship
   2. The established criteria for earning internship credit
   3. Stated outcomes
   4. Relevant dates
   5. Grading Criteria
2. An Internship Agreement that includes:
   1. Internship/Project Title
   2. Description of Internship
   3. Description of Student involvement
   4. Name and title of the agency/company sponsor
   5. Agreement section that includes:
   6. Signatures of student, agency/company sponsor and Program Director
   7. Dates
3. An Internship Performance Record that includes:
   1. Main project description and duties
   2. Log of activities. dates and hours spent on the project
   3. Attached summary report prepared by the student
   4. Signature area for student, agency/company sponsor, internship supervisor and program director

Online Programs and Courses - Academic Week Definition

An academic class week is defined as Monday through Sunday for all 16 week online courses and Monday through Saturday for all 8 week online courses.

Placement Policy - Division of Business, Technology and Leadership

Student Placement

To ensure compliance with ACBSP Criterion 6.3.3., the Graduate School Division of Business, Technology, and Leadership (BTL) Division will place students in appropriate foundational courses based on criteria that traditionally indicate student preparedness for graduate level business courses.  The proposed placement guidelines are based on practices of ACBSP and AACSB accredited universities.  The determination of placement in foundational courses will be made by the Graduate School.

Qualification Standards

1. Students entering a degree program in the Graduate School BTL Division with a bachelor’s degree in business or accounting from an ACBSP, AACSB, or IACBE candidate or accredited institution will be enrolled in the courses associated with the graduate degree they seek.  No BTL Foundations courses are required.
2. Students entering a degree program in the Graduate School BTL Division with a bachelor’s degree in business or bachelor’s from an institution without secondary business accreditation or candidacy who do not have a minimum of three (3) years of professional experience in the field of study they enter at Friends will be required to take courses in BTL Foundations in order to proceed with studies in their chosen graduate business program.

Students entering a degree program in the Graduate School BTL Division without a bachelor’s degree in business who do not have a minimum of five (5) years of professional experience in the field of study they enter at Friends will be required to take courses in BTL Foundations in order to proceed with studies in their chosen graduate business program.

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) for Graduate School

The Graduate school at Friends University recognizes that graduate-level learning may be acquired beyond the institution.  Many adult students have acquired knowledge from professional training and experience that is equivalent to learning provided in the graduate classroom.  Where graduate-level learning from these experiences can be articulated as academic accomplishments, Friends University will award up to six (6)* hours of graduate-level credit to students pursuing a master’s degree through Prior Learning Assessment (PLA).  A fee will be charged for the evaluation and recording of prior learning credit.

*A maximum of six (6) credits can be obtained through transfer credit, the use of PLA, or a combination of both, excluding the Master of Science in Family Therapy (MSFT) degree program.  This policy is only applicable to non-cohort programs of study.

Process for PLA

Program recruiters may share (with well qualified candidates) the opportunity of prior learning credit to be awarded.  Candidates will express their interest in PLA to the program director at the time of their interview.  Program directors will determine if the candidate should be referred to the Director of PLA for further information.  Faculty members (approved by program directors) in the Graduate School will evaluate a student’s competency level based on the ability to demonstrate equivalent or greater academic learning aligned to the learning objectives from one or more designated graduate-level courses.  Review of the submitted documents demonstrating equivalence is achieve through a series of assignments, to determine whether or not the learning is graduate-level work.

PLA Appeals Process

Students who wish to appeal the denial of credit for PLA evaluations must contact the PLA Office.  The appeal must be in writing and address why he/she feels credit should have been awarded.  PLA appeals must be received within four (4) weeks of the date of denial notification.  The Director of Prior Learning will discuss the appeal with the faculty evaluator and make the decision concerning the appeal.  Students may be required to present additional evidence to verify learning.  If the denial decision stands, students may submit an additional appeal to the Academic Dean. The Dean’s decision on the PLA credit denial is final.  The student will be informed in writing of the decision for the requested appeal.  Additional fees are not required for the appeals process.

Transcription of PLA Credit

PLA credit is recorded as Prior Learning Assessment/Portfolio credit with the course/subject title and number of credits awarded. PLA credit will be documented as transfer hours on the students “Official” academic transcript, as such, transfer detail is not displayed on the official transcript. PLA credit is not issued a letter grade and does not affect GPA. PLA credit does not meet residency requirements and may not be accepted if transferring to another institution. Duplicate credit will not be granted for courses already recorded on a student’s transcript.

Simultaneous Program Enrollment Policy

Students pursuing a graduate degree at Friends University must be admitted to the specific program from which they are planning to graduate.  Students may not be admitted to more than one graduate degree program at the time of their initial admission to the Graduate School.

New Program Admission prior to Completion of Current Program

Students desiring to start an additional Graduate program prior to the completion of their initial program will require an approved exception from the Graduate School to begin the new program.  Student must be in good academic standing to initiate this exception.

Special Programs, Courses and Session

Required International Travel Courses

For Program-Specific, Course-Specific, Degree-Seeking Graduate students only enrolled in said course: Students traveling internationally as part of any Friends University course, regardless of college, for the purposes of meeting a requirement for graduation will enroll in the Friends University course for the term of travel and pay the standard tuition and fees for their college in addition to any direct costs associated with the trip.

Students traveling as part of a program in partnership with another university or institute where contractual agreements regarding tuition, fees, and other direct expenses are in place will enroll in the appropriate Friends University course(s) and pay the tuition, fees, and other direct expenses set by the partnership agreement.

Policy for International Travel Courses where students do not fall into the above categories:

All persons wishing to travel with a Friends University international course but where the course does not fall under one of the cases listed above must enroll in the course for (graded) credit. This includes each of the following:

• Students wishing to travel with, and earn credit for, a course in their current college of enrollment but not for graduation credit.
• Students wishing to travel with, and earn credit for, a course in their current college of enrollment but beyond the current package load.
• Students wishing to travel with, and earn credit for, a course outside of their current college of enrollment where the course will not apply toward graduation credit.

Note: Those persons not currently enrolled as a student at Friends University, who wish to audit an international travel study course, must apply to and be accepted by the University as a “Non-Degree Seeking Special Student” or a “Non-Degree Seeking Guest Student” and must obtain a student ID. The fee for admission to the University will be waived if admission is solely for the purpose of participation in a travel course. For these Non-Degree Seeking students, tuition will be assessed a per credit hour fee set at the current Education Workshop rate for the number of hours of the course.

Experimental Courses

In addition to the courses which are described in the Catalog, Friends University offers experimental courses. These courses are not listed in the Catalog since they are designed to meet the special needs of the community or students or arise out of the interest of faculty. These courses are offered a maximum of three times and require the approval of the Academic Division and the Academic Dean. Such a course is designated with the number 600EX in the class schedule publication.

Independent/Directed Study Courses

A primary goal of graduate study is to encourage independent study under the supervision of members of the graduate faculty. In addition to research projects, internships and practicums, the graduate programs use individual study, case studies and directed readings as the basis for various independent study offerings. The following requirements govern enrollment for credit in independent study:

1. The consent of the instructor must be obtained before enrollment.
2. The content of the study should differ from the content of the regular course offerings.
3. The contact hours between student and professor must be sufficient to ensure consistency with credit earned in regular course offerings.

Transfer Credit Policies

Friends University accepts, within the limits reflected in this policy, post-secondary academic work completed for credit at other regionally-accredited institutions and recognized foreign universities. An official transcript from each institution previously attended is required in order to be admitted to the university. A transcript is considered official when delivered directly to Friends University from the previous institution via mail or secure PDF. The final determination of whether a transfer course may be used to meet a degree requirement is made by the Academic Dean in conjunction with the appropriate division faculty.

Credit is transferred with the grade earned in the course at the institution where the course was taken; only passing grades are accepted for credit. All grades are calculated for a transfer GPA except 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 transcribed but not counted toward major or graduation requirements based on the below transfer credit parameters.

Graduate Transfer Credit Parameters

• A maximum of 6 credit hours of graduate-level coursework may be transferred to Friends University and apply toward a graduate degree.
• Courses must be completed with the minimum grade of a “B” to be eligible for transfer.
• Courses must have been completed within 5 years prior to the semester in which degree work at Friends University begins to be eligible for transfer.
• Approval of the applicable Program Director is required prior to the semester in which degree work at Friends University begins to be eligible for transfer.

Duplicate Credit

Credit is generally not awarded for a course that duplicates coursework previously completed, either at the same or a different institution.  If a transcript shows a course has been repeated, credit is awarded based on the most recent grade earned.

Previously Non-Regionally Accredited Institutions

Students submitting transcripts from previously non-regionally accredited institutions will have coursework transcribed in accordance with the accreditation of the transferring institution at the time of the student’s entry.  All courses and credit hours will be evaluated for appropriate course equivalency or elective credit at Friends University.

Quarter Cr Hrs

Credits from colleges on the quarter system will be converted to semester credit hours prior to being transcribed by multiplying the credits by two-thirds. Under this formula, a 3 quarter-credit hour course converts to 2 semester credit hours.

Clock Hours

For courses with transcripted clock hours only, including clinical clock hours, Friends will request the granting institution calculate a conversion.  If no conversion is submitted, Friends will employ the following conversion calculation:  40 clock hours equal to 1 credit hour.  If a grade scale is not provided, a grade of “CR” (credit) will be transcribed.

Non-U.S. Credentials

Students requesting transfer credit from a post-secondary institution outside of the United States must provide an official transcript to a National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) member organization (www.naces.org) or InCred (www.playnaia.org/InCred) for evaluation. Post-Secondary institution evaluations must include the U.S. equivalency, course-by-course evaluation, number of earned credits and cumulative GPA.  The official evaluation from a NACES accredited service or InCred must be sent directly to Friends University.

Articulation Agreements

Transfer credit policies may be superseded by individual articulation agreements between Friends University and other institutions, in keeping with the spirit of the Mission of the University.  

Internal Institutional Credit Transfer

Upon approval of the program director, equivalent hours of work earned in one Friends University Master’s degree program may be applied to a second Friends University Master’s degree program. If two degrees are to be awarded, the student must earn a minimum of 48 credit hours. Friends University courses may be substituted at the discretion of the program director and in accordance with all academic policies

Undergraduate/Graduate Enrollment Policy

Students pursuing an undergraduate degree at Friends University may be permitted to enroll in graduate courses in their undergraduate program and to apply said hours to the appropriate graduate degree. A limited number of seats are available in order to remain fiscally prudent.  With permission of the undergraduate advisor or Academic Success Coach and Division Chair, undergraduate students may apply up to 15 credit hours of graduate credit toward their undergraduate degree.

Withdrawal from The Graduate School

To withdraw completely from the University, a student must notify the Graduate Program Director in person, in writing, by e-mail or by fax that they are withdrawing. The student or Program Director will complete a withdrawal form and forward the form to the Office of the University Registrar for final processing.  Student Account Services, Financial Aid, Admissions (if applicable) and Vice President of Student Affairs offices will be notified of the withdrawal.  Discontinued class attendance does not constitute an official withdrawal. The official withdrawal date will be the date this procedure is initiated by the student. If a student is no longer attending any class, the University may withdraw the student’s enrollment by Administrative Withdrawal.

Re-Entry into Same Program following Withdrawal

A student must re-apply to return to their original Graduate program if they have not enrolled in one or more courses for more than three (3) consecutive semesters.

Re-Entry into a New Graduate Program following Withdrawal

Students may apply to a new Graduate program after withdrawing from the University at any time. Students must meet the admissions standards of the new program to which they are applying.  Students who are not in good academic standing must obtain an exception from the Graduate School in order to be considered for re-admission to a new graduate program.

Students who have been academically dismissed from another institution or from Friends University may apply for readmission after sitting out for at least one semester. Students who have been academically dismissed must meet the admissions standards for full admission, including GPA, to be re-admitted as a degree-seeking student; exceptions must be approved by the Academic Dean or his/her designee and will require documentation that demonstrates the capacity for future academic success. 

Students who have been academically dismissed from Friends University as a result of an academic honor code violation are subject to all stipulations set forth by the Academic Integrity Board.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to modify or change policies, programs, curriculum and schedules contained in this catalog at its sole discretion at any time without further notice. Further, the University reserves the right to correct data entry issues or correct erroneous information contained in this catalog at its sole discretion at any time without further notice.The contents of this catalog do not constitute a contract between students or prospective students and the University.

Friends University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding this policy: EEOC/Title IX Coordinator, Friends University, 2100 W. University Ave., Wichita, KS 67213, 316-295-5000.