Sep 16, 2024  
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog

Academic Policies


University academic policies are subject to change with suitable notice; subsequent editions of this catalog will document such changes.

Table of Contents

(Academic Policy Links by Category)

 

Admission and Readmission

Transfer Credit

Courses and Registration

Withdrawals

Grading

Academic Standing

Graduation Requirements

Additional Policies and Regulations


A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

 

Academic Policies

(Alphabetical Order)

 

A

Academic Integrity and Honor Code

Link to Academic Integrity and Honor Code   

Academic Load

The academic load is measured in terms of “credit hours.” Graduate students enrolled in 6 or more credit hours during a semester are considered full-time students. Graduate students enrolled in less than 6 hours and  more than 3 hours are considered three-quarters time. Graduate students enrolled in 3 credit hours are considered half-time. Graduate students enrolled in less than 3 hours and more than 1 hour are considered less than half time.

 

Academic Probation (Initial)

Graduate students who fail to maintain the required minimum cumulative grade-point average (GPA) for a given semester will be placed on academic probation for the following semester.

 

Academic Probation (Continued)

Graduate students who fail to maintain the required minimum cumulative grade-point average (GPA) for two consecutive semesters of enrollment, but whose most recent semester GPA meets or exceeds the requirement, will be permitted to return for the following semester. Such students will remain on academic probation until they achieve good academic standing or fail to attain the necessary semester GPA and are subsequently suspended.

 

Academic Suspension (Initial)

Graduate students who fail to maintain the minimum cumulative grade-point average (GPA) for two consecutive semesters of enrollment and whose most recent semester GPA is below the requirement will be placed on academic suspension from Anderson University for one semester.

If a student is suspended at the end of a semester and has registered coursework for the subsequent term, the student will be dropped from their course(s). If, due to administrative processing time, a student’s suspension is not processed until after subsequent courses begin, the courses will still be dropped and the costs of the course will be refunded to the student.

Academic Suspension (Second)

Students re-admitted following suspension are admitted on academic probation. Their academic record is reviewed at the conclusion of the semester they return. Upon review, if the student’s cumulative grade-point average (GPA) meets the minimum requirement for good academic standing, they will be removed from probation.


Students who fail to attain the minimum cumulative grade-point average (GPA) at the conclusion of the first semester they return, but whose most recent semester GPA meets or exceeds the minimum requirement, will be permitted to return for the following semester. Such students will remain on academic probation until they achieve good academic standing or fail to attain the minimum semester grade-point average (GPA) and are subsequently suspended a second time.


Students who fail to attain the minimum cumulative grade-point average (GPA) at the conclusion of the first semester they return, and whose most recent semester GPA is below the minimum requirement will be placed on academic suspension for a second time. 


Re-admission following a second suspension is not likely and would be granted only under unusual circumstances.

 

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Anderson University provides accommodations to enable students with disabilities to access the University community in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Reasonable accommodations are determined based on current documentation and are made on a case-by-case basis. Adherence to academic standards that are essential to a course of study is generally considered non-discriminatory.

Students requesting accommodations from Anderson University must self-identify by contacting the Center for Student Success. Applications for accommodations do not ensure that the student qualifies to receive accommodations.

Students requesting accommodations must have a documented disability as defined by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. All documentation is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. If provided documentation is deemed insufficient, the student will be required to provide additional documentation. Complete guidelines for documentation are available from the Center for Student Success. In general, documentation should include:

  • Letterhead, name, and title indicating that the documentation was provided by a professional, trained in the differential diagnosis of disorders and that evaluation was performed within the last three-years.
  • A clearly stated diagnosis which rules out alternative explanations and diagnoses.
  • Defined levels of functioning
  • An explanation of substantial limitations due to the disability
  • Current treatment and medication
  • Essential accommodations needed for postsecondary education, including duration and rationale.

The Center for Student Success determines the student’s eligibility for accommodations and for eligible students, determines appropriate accommodations.

 

Adding and Dropping Courses

Adding Courses: Students may add courses through the add/drop period dates listed in the academic calendar. Students are encouraged to work closely with their academic advisors to ensure registrations meet the requirements of their pursuant degree.

Late Registrations: If the student is not registered for a desired/required course by the end of the last day to add, they will not be permitted to register. Late registration by appeal will only be considered (not guaranteed) if there is a clear institutional error or if there are extraordinary circumstances deemed qualifying by the office of the Provost.

If a student is dropped in error during the Roster Verification process, the instructor must notify the University Registrar of the error as soon as possible in order to have the student added back to the course. This pertains to data entry errors only. If the student has never attended (see Initial Course Attendance and Roster Verification for attendance definitions), the student must petition for a late registration to the Office of the Provost.

Dropping Courses: Students may drop courses through the dates listed in the academic calendar. Any course dropped during the add/drop period does not appear on the student record.  Once the add/drop period ends, students can withdraw from courses up until the published last day to withdraw for each term and/or session. (See Withdrawal from a CourseAdministrative Withdrawal, and Attendance and Participation Requirement for more information.)

 

Administrative Withdrawal (Faculty Initiated Course Withdrawal)

This policy applies to all student populations and course delivery modes.

Enrolled students are expected to maintain regular attendance in seated classes and regular participation in online classes. If a student consecutively misses 25% of the semester or term noted by a lack of attendance (seated) or participation (online), the faculty member will assign an Administrative Withdrawal as soon as the 25% threshold of non-attendance or non-participation is reached.  If the student had been attending/participating regularly with submitted and satisfactory assignments up to the point of their disengagement from the class, a grade of WP will be assigned.  If the student had not been attending/participating regularly and little satisfactory work has been submitted, a grade of WF will be assigned. (Note: WF can only be awarded after the Last Day to Withdraw with a W has passed. Any WF request submitted prior to that date will be entered as a WP.)

Anderson University benefits greatly by administering Federal financial aid (e.g., Pell Grants, Work-Study, student loans, etc.) for our students. Federal regulations require that we accurately report the Last Date of Attendance for any student who is no longer attending or participating in one or more classes. Timely reporting is critical to our ability to comply with Federal requirements. Failure to comply jeopardizes our eligibility to administer Federal financial aid.

The Last Date of Attendance for any class is the applicable withdrawal date, as determined by class attendance records, computer-assisted instruction, academic counseling, the student’s latest class assignment submission, or the student’s attendance at an instructor-assigned study group. Faculty will report the Last Date of Attendance to the Registrar when the student is determined to be no longer enrolled. In order to report the Last Date of Attendance, faculty must submit an Administrative Withdrawal Request in Workday.

According to the Department of Education, here are examples of course attendance/participation:

  • Physically attending class
  • Submitting an academic assignment
  • Taking an exam, interactive tutorial or computer-assisted instruction
  • Attending a study group assigned by the school
  • Participating in online discussion about academic matters
  • Initiating contact with faculty member to ask a question about the academic subject studied in a course

Note: Logging into a course does not count as official attendance if no work is being completed.

Application for Graduation (Program Completion)

Students nearing completion of their degree must apply for program completion. Applications are accepted in the fall for spring graduation and in the spring for summer and fall graduation. Deadlines for applications are set by the University Registrar and distributed to students. Failure to meet the stated deadline may result in a delay in time of graduation. The graduate program completion fee is $100. The graduate certificate program completion fee is $25. All fees must be cleared before receiving a diploma or official transcript.

 

Attendance and Participation Requirement

Enrolled students are expected to maintain regular attendance in Seated (In-Person) courses and regular participation in Online courses. Individual departments establish attendance and participation expectations based on what is required for success within each discipline. Regardless of whether or not department policies establish penalties for insufficient levels of attendance/participation, all instructors will record physical or virtual (synchronous online) attendance for all Seated (In-Person) course class meetings and will track participation during all Online (asynchronous) courses. Participation in Online courses is determined by whether or not students are submitting work for assessment by the instructor.

B

C

Clearing Financial Obligations Prior to Graduation

Any indebtedness to Anderson University for tuition, fees, library fines, parking fines, disciplinary fines, room, board, or Bookstore charges must be cleared before graduation. Failure to do so may result in a delay in receiving a diploma.

Continuous Enrollment

A student whose enrollment at Anderson University is interrupted for three semesters (defined by no graded coursework for the previous three consecutive semesters) must apply for re-admission. If re-admitted, the student comes under the curriculum and regulations stated in the catalog in effect at the time of their readmission.

Course Numbering

Appropriate course levels are designated for students as follows:

  • 700-900 levels - Students pursuing Doctoral degrees
  • 500-600 levels - Students pursuing Master’s degrees
  • Certain 600-level courses in some programs may also be open to students pursuing Doctoral degrees.
  • 100-400 levels - Students pursuing undergraduate Bachelor’s degrees

In general, courses within undergraduate levels are designed to be appropriate for students as follows:

  • 100-level and 200-level - First year students and Sophomores
  • 300-level - Sophomores and Juniors
  • 400-level - Juniors and Seniors

Students may enroll in courses for which they have met all pre-requisites. Individual course prerequisites prevent underclassmen from taking higher level courses for which they are unlikely to be successfully prepared. First year students are advised not to enroll in 300 or 400 level courses, even if they have met all pre-requisites.

D

Definition of a Credit Hour

Anderson University awards credit for academic achievement in a variety of instructional settings including traditional classrooms, skill-development classes, off-campus work practice settings, hybrid classes that use both seated and online sessions, and online classes. All classes have defined student learning outcomes, and a description of the time requirements and delivery modes is published on the class syllabus template.

Traditional Classes

The University has an established system for credit hours based upon 2100 instructional minutes for a standard 3-credit hour course.  For seated courses this equates to 14 weeks of instruction plus the exam period where 3-day per week courses meet for 50 minutes per class, and two-day per week courses meet for 75 minutes per class.

Linked to this standard is the normative and historical expectation that students devote two hours working on class-related activities out of class for every hour they spend in the classroom. This model is used as the basis for determining the credit awarded for all courses regardless of the format for delivery. 

Skill Development Classes

In courses with significant skill development outcomes, e.g. studio courses, laboratory courses, or physical activity courses, the credit hour definition is altered to reflect the standard disciplinary practice of two hours of supervised activity being equal to one hour of credit.

Some classes include a mixture of didactic and skill practice sessions.  For a class with this mixed structure, the credit awarded reflects the time devoted to each component of the course.

Internships and Clinical Practice Classes

Work-setting classes require a minimum of 40 hours of placement activity for each hour of credit awarded. Variations above this minimum are dictated by professional standards required by specialized accreditors and are clarified in the course syllabus.

Online Classes

As with any course, online classes begin with the defining student learning outcomes and development of course content. The course is then formatted so the entire learning experience is available by digital means. Time expectations for students in an online class are consistent with traditional classes when time committed to readings and videos, participation in shared discussions or group work, and time working independently on course-related activities and assignments are considered. Enrolled students participate in class activities and complete online assignments per a schedule provided by the instructor.

Hybrid Classes

Hybrid classes are designed so that a significant portion of the course is delivered by digital means employing reading, instructional videos and/or lectures, journals, discussion boards, or assignments that students complete outside of class.  The in-class time is then devoted to active student learning activities in a face-to-face classroom.  In most cases, the courses meet one day a week, and enrolled students participate in class activities and complete online assignments and activities per a schedule provided by the instructor.

In some graduate hybrid courses, the schedule for the seated portion of the class may require fewer actual meetings, but the class meeting time on those days is extended. These days are generally termed “intensive” because the time in face-to-face instruction lasts the full day. 

Zero Credit Hour Classes

Occasionally, a course will be identified as having zero credit hours. Such courses exist for one of three reasons.

(1) The course serves as a placeholder in the administrative software to reserve a day/time and location on the course schedule. This typically applies to certain lab courses.  A student’s performance in such a zero-credit hour lab is reflected in the grade of the corequisite course. For example, CHE 113, General Chemistry I Lab, is zero credit hours. However, student performance in the lab is reflected in the grade of CHE 111, General Chemistry I (5 credit hours).

(2) Completion of the course is a graduation requirement, but no credit hours or grades are assigned to the course. This typically applies to requirements such as music recitals, demonstration of skill proficiency, or an oral presentation or defense of a research project, thesis, or dissertation.

(3) The course is a placeholder in the administrative software to record completion of a co-curricular graduation requirement. Such requirements have no assigned credit hours or grades. For example, the university requires full-time traditional undergraduates to attend at least eight journey (chapel) events per semester. Completion of this requirement is recorded on a student’s transcript. Failure to complete the requirement will affect a student’s eligibility to graduate but does not affect their grade point average.

Degree Conferral Timing

Degrees are conferred and submitted after the end of each semester to coincide with commencement. Typically, the degree conferral date will be the last commencement day of the semester for all students. Due to course sequencing, non-traditional students may finish their degree requirements after the first session of the semester. This can create a gap in time between meeting requirements and official conferral. Any student needing conformation of complete degree requirements before the official conferral date may contact the office of the University Registrar for a confirming letter of the pending conferral date.

Degree Designations on Diplomas

Diplomas from Anderson University will bear the degree and program earned. The student’s transcript will list the appropriate degree, program, and concentration.

 

E

F

G


Good Academic Standing

It is the University’s desire that all students successfully complete their programs of study. The following regulations are established to guarantee that a student is making satisfactory progress toward completing a degree program.

To remain in good academic standing, the graduate student must maintain a specific cumulative grade point average (GPA).


The grade-point average (GPA) used to determine good academic standing is reflected in the “Cumulative GPA” line on the student’s Academic History and includes all courses numbered 500 and above.


Good academic standing is reviewed three times per year at the closeof each academic semester: fall, spring, and summer.


Note: Good Academic Standing is separate from the Financial Aid policy of SatisfactoryAcademic Progress (SAP). Questions concerning SAP and financial aid eligibility should be directed to and addressed by the Financial Aid Office.


To be eligible for graduation, students must be in good academic standing at the completion of their program of study. Depending upon the discipline, the required minimum cumulative GPA varies.


Minimum Cumulative GPA Required for Good Academic Standing and Eligibility for Graduation:

 Degree/Program

 Minimum GPA 

 Master of Arts (Bib/Theo)

2.0

 Master of Arts in Teaching

3.0

 Master of Business Administration

3.0

 Master of Criminal Justice

3.0

 Master of Divinity

2.0

 Master of Education

3.0

 Master of Education: Admin/Supv

3.0

Master of Medical Science

3.0

 Master of Ministry

2.0

 Master of Music in Music Education

3.0

 Master of Organizational Leadership 

3.0

Master of Public Service and Administration

3.0

 Master of Science (all colleges)

3.0

 Master of Science in Nursing

3.0

 Doctor of Ministry

3.0

 Doctor of Nursing Practice

3.0

 Doctor of Philosophy

3.0
 Doctor of Physical Therapy

3.0

 Certificate Programs

3.0

 Doctor of Education

3.0

 Education Specialist

3.0

 

Graduate Certificate Pursuit

Certificates are considered non-degree credentials. As such, certificates are able to completely overlap with any degree programs that share the course components of the certificate. Certificate coursework is credit-bearing and adheres to all SACSCOC principles including faculty qualifications, learning outcomes assessment, and rigor. Any student pursuing a certificate that is not their primary program of study will need to apply to graduate separately since this is considered a separate credential.

Graduate Degree Requirements

Like all institutions, Anderson University has requirements that must be met before a degree can be awarded. Advisors and administrators are committed to assisting students as they meet these requirements, though it is the primary responsibility of the student, however, to be acquainted with, make progress toward, and ultimately meet all degree requirements.

Graduate students pursuing a degree from Anderson University must satisfy all requirements for graduation including the following:

  1. Submit an Application for Graduation and pay graduation fee.
  2. Complete total hours required for desired degree/credential.
  3. Meet the minimum Grade Point Average requirements for Graduation for desired degree.
  4. Complete all degree requirements of the catalog year in effect in which the student is starting the degree program. In some cases, the student may choose a newer catalog year if the updated requirements are advantageous for the student’s academic experience.
  5. Clear all financial obligations to Anderson University.

H

I

Incomplete Grades

It is the student’s responsibility to request the grade of “I”, an incomplete grade, when some extenuating circumstance beyond the student’s control (e.g. serious medical condition with documentation, required change in work schedule, etc.) prevents the completion of a course within the standard time requirement. An “I” is a temporary grade and can only be granted when a student has successfully completed at least 50% of the work required in the course. When the student does not meet this criterion, then it is likely a WP or WF should be assigned.

To initiate the process for assignment of an Incomplete, the student should have an initial conversation with the course instructor. Eligibility for an incomplete grade will be determined by the instructor’s review of the student’s progress in the course and the documentation provided by the student such as medical statements or a statement from the employer, as well as consideration of their own availability to extend the time period. The maximum allowable time for an extension is thirty days.

When the faculty member agrees that the student has met the criteria to be granted an Incomplete, and he or she is willing to accommodate the request, the faculty member will download and complete a copy of the Request for an Incomplete Grade. The instructor and the student must agree on the assignments that will be submitted late, and the form must include a list of these items. Signatures by both parties on the form will be viewed as agreement to the stated requirements for completion. Once the assignments are listed and the signatures provided, the completed form must be delivered to the Registrar’s Office for processing. The Request for an Incomplete Grade Form must be submitted to the Registrar before the end of the last regular class day in a semester or term.

Upon receipt of the completed form, the Registrar’s Office will enter the grade of “I.” The instructor is required to submit the final grade within 10 days of receiving all designated assignments or no later than 10 days beyond the 30-day extension. In the unusual case when a grade is not submitted by the date indicated on the form, the “I” grade will be converted to an “F”. A student can access his or her transcript through the student portal to monitor the resolution of the course grade.

Initial Course Attendance and Roster Verification

Students are expected to attend and participate in their classes; therefore, faculty must monitor student attendance and participation and incorporate attendance markers into their course(s).

Each term/session the University Registrar’s office will initiate the attendance reporting process by informing faculty of the deadline for entering attendance. Faculty will access course rosters through Workday and mark the name of any student on the roster accordingly:

  • Attending
  • Did Not Attend
  • No Longer Attending (if the student stopped attending during the add/drop timeframe.)

Note: If there is a student sitting in class who is not listed on the course roster, notify the student they are not listed on the roster and refer that student to the University Registrar as soon as possible.

Attendance includes at least one of the following:

  • Physically attending a class where there is an opportunity for direct interaction between the instructor and students
  • Submitting an academic assignment
  • Taking an exam, an interactive tutorial, or computer-assisted instruction
  • Participating in an online discussion post/assignment
  • Initiating contact with a faculty member to ask a question about the academic subject studied in the course

Attendance does not include:

  • Logging into an online class without active participation
  • Participating in academic counseling or advising

If a student is dropped in error during the Roster Verification process, the instructor must notify the University Registrar of the error as soon as possible in order to have the student added back to the course. This pertains to data entry errors only. If the student has never attended, the student must petition for a late registration to the Office of the Provost.

J

K

L

M

Multiple Graduate Degrees

Students who have earned one graduate degree, may enroll and earn a second degree, provided they have completed a minimum of 30 unique credit hours for each degree. Course sharing/transfer between each degree is only allowed if each degree retains at least 30 unique credit hours. Students are only permitted to pursue multiple graduate degree programs simultaneously or sequentially if each program pursuit requires a minimum of 30 unique credit hours.  

N

O

P

Policies Governing Final Examinations

  1. Final summative exams or assessments will be given on the day and hour scheduled. Students will not be permitted to take exams or complete other summative experiences early, except for highly extenuating circumstances. Late “make-up” exams/assessments will be scheduled only in rare cases involving extreme extenuating circumstances (such as students with a verifiable debilitating illness or injury or a death in the immediate family, which occurs at a time that requires the student’s absence from an exam). In such cases, the student is responsible for initiating efforts to arrange with the instructor a time when the final exam or assessment can be completed.
  2. If a student has more than two final exams or assessments scheduled on the same day, he or she may request to complete one or more final exams/assessments with another section of the same course, or by another arrangement, if approved by the instructor. The final exam/assessment must be completed within the days designated as the Final Exam/ Final Assessment Period.
  3. The course ends when the final examination/assessment has been administered.

Posthumous Degree Conferral

In the event of a student’s death, the university may award eligible students their degree posthumously. Eligible students must have completed a minimum of 75 percent of his or her program of study and have been enrolled and in good standing at the time of his or her passing.

Upon the Office of the Registrar verifying sufficient academic progress, and the Provost and the Senior Vice President for Student Development verifying good standing, the Office of the Provost will recommend the awarding of a posthumous degree to the President and the Board of Trust. If approved, the degree will be conferred at the next Commencement ceremony, in coordination with the student’s family.

Q

R

Re-Admission Following Suspension

The one-semester period of suspension is defined as beginning after the last day of the semester during which the student received a suspension and continuing until the first day of the semester the student is eligible to begin a new semester at Anderson University.

If a student wishes to enroll at Anderson University following the period of suspension, an Application for Admission must be submitted to the Admission Office. Students will also be required to complete a Suspension Appeal/Re-engagement form that will be submitted to the Office of the Provost. Decisions regarding readmission are based on evidence supporting the probability of successful completion of the academic program at Anderson University.

Right to Appeal

If a student perceives treatment to be unfair, capricious, or arbitrary in any academic decision (including a course or assignment grade), then such a decision may be appealed. Students should understand that mere unhappiness with a decision or grade is not grounds for an appeal. For an appeal to have merit, there must be some evidence that the student has been treated unfairly and/or inappropriately with regard to the administration of the University’s policies. 


Appeals must be initiated within thirty (30) calendar days of the date of the decision or action being appealed. The student should first appeal the decision in writing to the person who made it, offering information and supporting rationale for reconsideration. At each step, the respondent has two (2) weeks to reply in writing with a decision. As needed, the student may then appeal the decision in writing to the next highest authority within two (2) weeks of the decision being communicated. 

In matters related to course grades (whether for an assignment or a final course grade), the line of appeal is the instructor in the course, then the College or School Dean (or, for academic units without a Dean, the Program Director), and finally the Office of the Provost, which will render a final decision.

Repeating a Graduate Course (Initial)

If a student receives a grade of D or F in a course, the student may repeat the course one time without obtaining permission from the College Dean/Director. Only one course attempt will be calculated into the grade point average although both course attempts and grades will appear on the student’s transcript. Only the higher grade will be calculated into the GPA. If a student does not meet the minimum GPA requirement for their respective college, the student may petition to take a course with a grade of C for a better grade.

 

Repeating a Graduate Course (Second)

After repeating a course and a student fails to earn a grade of a C or better, the student may petition the Dean of the College requesting to retake the course a third time. The Dean of the College reserves the right to refuse a third attempt. If after the third attempt and the student fails to obtain a C or better, no additional attempts will be allowed.

 

Requests for Adjustments in Course Delivery, Participation, or Section

Students enrolled in a seated course section should not expect to change that enrollment to an online section after the Add/Drop Period, nor expect to be able to participate online only, when enrolled within a seated or hybrid course. Students are expected to remain in the same course section and modality for which they registered. Students requesting an adjustment in course delivery, participation, or section, due to special circumstances, have the following options:

  1. If the last date of withdrawal without academic penalty has not been reached, the student may withdraw from the course without academic penalty. There may be financial penalties that come with this option. (See “Withdrawal from Courses,” Academic Catalog.)

  2. If the student has a medical or other hardship that impedes the student’s ability to complete the semester, the student may request a Temporary Leave of Absence through the Center for Student Success. Requests with appropriate documentation will be considered and, if approved, will relieve the student of academic penalty. (See “Temporary Student Leave,” Academic Catalog.)

  3. If the student has successfully completed at least 50 percent of the coursework in a given course, the student may request a grade of Incomplete. If the Incomplete request is approved, the student will have 30 days from the last class period of the term to complete the coursework. (See “Incomplete Grades,” Academic Catalog.)

  4. In the case of a prolonged illness or injury during the semester, students may be away from classes for an extended period. Students who provide medical documentation to the Center for Student Success may request from their faculty flexibility in making up work and tests for their courses. While faculty are encouraged to work with students, in some circumstances the absence period may be too long to recover the coursework.

Students with unique circumstances that fall outside the options above may petition in writing to the Center for Student Success for review of the situation and request an adjustment to their schedule. Any such schedule adjustments must be recommended by the Center for Student Success and approved by the Office of the Provost.

S

Statute of Limitations - Time Limits

Graduate degrees awarded from Anderson University require that our students have current useable knowledge in their field: therefore, each program establishes appropriate time limits for their degrees. Students should consult their specific program handbook to determine applicable time limits.

T

 

Temporary Graduate Leave

In the event of unavoidable and unforeseen circumstances, which will prohibit a student from taking classes for one or more semesters, a student may request Temporary Student Leave. For example, a student may request a Temporary Student Leave for the following reasons: childbirth, military service, physical health, or mental health. Temporary Student Leave allows the student to return to the university within one year without having to reapply or to change catalogs. In order to qualify for Temporary Leave status, the student must (1) be in good academic standing with the university, and (2) provide support documentation and receive approval from the Dean of the College, (or his/her designee), in which the graduate student is enrolled.

Student seeking a Temporary Student Leave will complete a withdrawal form available in the office of the dean of their college. The Dean or his/her designee will be identified on the form as the clearance contact for the student’s return enrollment. Other approval signatures required on the form include the financial aid office and the library.

When the student believes that she/he is ready to return to the university, the student must request an interview with the designated staff member. Following an interview and review of supporting documents, the staff member will determine the student’s readiness to return. Upon determining that the student is ready to return, the staff member will notify the students’ academic advisor that clearance has been granted and that the student may begin the registration process.

If a student is initially denied Temporary Student Leave or if the designated staff member denies the student’s request to re-enroll, the student may appeal the decision to the Office of the Provost, who will assemble a review committee to consider the appeal.

Transfer Policy

Transferability of hours will be determined by the Program Director, in consultation with the University Registrar. Additionally, the following minimum standards must be met for all graduate transfer work:

  • Only graduate level courses will be considered for graduate level transfer credit.
  • The student earned a grade of B (3.0) or higher. 
  • The transfer courses must satisfy requirements in the student’s graduate program. 
  • The institution where the student completed the course holds regional accreditation. * 

*Courses completed at institutions that do not hold regional accreditation but have national or specialized accreditation may be eligible for transfer credit. However, additional information, as determined by the Program Director, will be required for consideration. 

 Degree/Program

Allowable Transfer Credit

 Master of Arts (Bib/Theo)

6

 Master of Arts in Teaching

6

 Master of Business Administration

6

 Master of Criminal Justice

6

 Master of Divinity

33

 Master of Education

6

 Master of Education: Admin/Supv

6

 Master of Ministry

12

 Master of Ministry Management

6

 Master of Music in Music Education

6

 Master of Organizational Leadership

6

 Master of Science (all programs)

6

 Master of Science in Nursing

9

 Education Specialist

6*

 Doctor of Education

6*

 Doctor of Ministry

9

 Doctor of Nursing Practice

9

 Doctor of Philosophy

6
 Doctor of Physical Therapy

0

 Certificate Programs

0

*Not more than 6 hours of transfer credits can be awarded to the Ed.D. including transfer credit awarded during the Ed.S. program.

 

Treatment of Grades, Course Work and Transfer Credits

  1. Attempted credits include all courses listed on the academic transcript and include grades of A, B, C, D, F, I, P, NC, W, and IP.
  2. If a student is permitted by their program to repeat a course in order to improve a grade, credits for repeated courses will count as additional credits attempted for financial aid purposes.
  3. Transfer credits will be counted as attempted and completed credits for the completion ratio calculation and count towards the maximum time frame allowed.

U

V

W

Withdrawal from Courses (Student Initiated)

After the add/drop period, students can withdraw from courses through the last day to withdraw from courses as noted in the academic calendar. Students will receive a grade of “W” in any course from which they withdraw. Any course in which a grade of “W” is received is subject to tuition charges. (See the Anderson Central  Refund Policy for specific information pertaining to charging for withdrawn courses; see Adding and Dropping Courses and Attendance and Participation Requirement for more information.) 


Note to Students: Withdrawing from courses may affect your tuition and fees (see Anderson Central for more information), your financial aid (see Financial Aid & Scholarships  for more information), or your athletic eligibility (if applicable).


Note to Student Athletes: Withdrawing from course may affect your eligibility. Please be sure to consult with Athletics before completing the course withdrawal.


(For more information on faculty initiated course withdrawal, see the Administrative Withdrawal (Faculty Initiated Course Withdrawal) policy.)

Withdrawing from the University

Under certain situations, it may be necessary for a student to withdraw from the University. A student should notify the Dean of the College if they are considering a full withdrawal, and then the student should contact their Academic Success Advisor to initiate the withdrawal process. If a student is withdrawing for a documented medical reason, the student should contact the Center for Student Success to process the withdrawal. Depending on the date of the official withdrawal, a grade of “W” or “F’ may be assigned. Students failing to follow the procedures of official withdrawal will be awarded a grade of “F” for all courses in which they remain registered.

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These policies apply to graduate programs at Anderson University in general.  The Anderson University Graduate Catalog takes precedence at any point where the policies disagree.