Academic
Policies and Procedures
Degrees, Credit, Calendar
Academic Policies and Procedures
Advising
At
Stephens, each student plans an individual program of studies and
activities with the assistance of a faculty adviser. Students have
the freedom to explore many areas of subject matter and to major
and minor in one or more areas that suit their particular career
or graduate study plans. Students make educational decisions with
the help of faculty advisers and other college support staff.
The faculty adviser is available to students for advice, encouragement,
information and support. Specified days are scheduled for students
to meet with their advisers. Students may meet frequently with their
adviser throughout each semester. Many of these meetings are on
an informal basis.
Faculty members work to be competent advisers, both in their academic
fields and in the liberal arts, and to establish a positive, personal
relationship with students based on confidence and respect. Students
frequently discuss academic, career and personal concerns with their
advisers. When appropriate, referrals are made for professional
counseling. Faculty members treat student-adviser conferences confidentially.
Assessment
Stephens
College has a strong traditional commitment to curricular innovation
as part of its pursuit of academic excellence. In recent years,
a nationwide effort to assess the outcomes of students' educational
experiences has focused attention on the need to demonstrate that
academic programs achieve their stated goals and that students have
developed skills and acquired knowledge consistent with the academic
or programmatic goals of the institution. Stephens College, which is is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association, has developed and is initiating assessment processes
for all academic majors and for its liberal arts requirements. All
students will participate in the assessment process. For the student,
the benefits will be twofold: she will have a concrete record of
her achievements, and she will have confidence that her degree,
as assessed by the College and the accrediting association, is demonstrably
excellent.
Policies
on Access to Students' Records
The
Office of the Registrar maintains an official folder of academic
information for all current students. A permanent academic record
card that shows credit attempted and the resulting grade point average
is also on file. Students may review their academic records by showing
appropriate identification. Records open to students elsewhere on
campus include those maintained in the Office of the Dean of Students,
Health Services, the Office of Financial Aid, Career Services, and
by the faculty adviser. Students may not review financial information
submitted by parents; confidential letters associated with admission,
employment or job placement; or any material for which they waived
the right to review. Any student who believes that inaccurate, misleading
or otherwise inappropriate information may be in one of her record
files may request a hearing with the Academic Standing Committee
about academic matters or the Advising Committee about non-academic
matters. Information about a student, other than directory information
allowed by the Family Education Rights and Privacy Acts of 1974
(as amended), will not be released without the student's written
consent. A copy of the FERPA-1974 is available for review in the
Office of the Registrar. The following directory-type information
may be released about a student: name, campus address and phone,
home address, classification, major field of study, dates of attendance,
degrees earned and honors received. A student who wishes to prevent
the release of directory-type information must make the request
in writing to the dean of students by September 15 each year. Only
College personnel who have a direct educational interest in the
student, the parents who provide financial support, or identified
representatives of local, state and national governmental law agencies
have access to non-directory information. Should information be
requested to comply with a judicial order or pursuant to any lawful
subpoena, efforts will be made to notify the student. Upon written
request and payment of necessary fees, the Office of the Registrar
will issue statements of academic standing and official transcripts
for students in good financial standing; the dean of students will
complete recommendations, employment forms and statements of good
standing; and Career Services will provide placement papers. If
a fee is required, the student will bear the cost (see Transcripts,
below).
Grade Reports
Grade
reports are issued at mid-semester and at the end of each semester
and summer term. Mid-semester reports are distributed only on campus,
to students and their advisers; semester grade reports are sent
to students and the parents of financially dependent students at
the home address. Students whose records in the Financial Aid office
show that they are financially independent may request that parents
not receive grades.
Transcripts
A
transcript is an official copy of the student's permanent academic
record; it bears the College seal and the signature of the registrar.
Official transcripts are available to students in good financial
standing upon written request in the Office of the Registrar. The
charge is $5, paid in advance. Transcripts are normally sent directly
from the Office of the Registrar to the receiving institution. If
a student requests an official transcript for herself, the words
"Issued to Student" will appear on it. A currently enrolled
student may obtain an information copy (unofficial) of her academic
record by providing appropriate identification in the Registrar's
office and paying a nominal copy fee.
Credit and Registration Information
Advanced
Placement, International Baccalaureate Credit and Credit by Examination
Students
who participate in the Advanced Placement Program (APP) while in
high school or the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), conducted
by the College Board, may have score reports sent to the registrar
for evaluation. Credit will be awarded for APP scores of 3, 4 and
5 and for CLEP scores at or above the 50th percentile. Credit gained
through APP or CLEP will advance the degree program, and when appropriate,
will meet liberal arts requirements or count toward a major or minor.
However, because only satisfactory grades are awarded, the credit
will not affect the grade point average.
Students who participate in the International Baccalaureate (IB)
program and score 4 or better on higher-level IB examinations will
be granted credit that advances their degree program at Stephens
College.
Students who have not participated in the APP or CLEP examination
programs, but who believe themselves to be advanced in a particular
area of study, may ask to be examined by appropriate department
faculty for possible awards of Credit by Examination or placement
in an advanced class. When credit is awarded it will serve as elective
credit or to meet a specific degree requirement, as recommended
by the faculty. Advanced placement carries no credit award, but
may serve as a prerequisite for another course. Credit by Examination
does not affect the grade point average. The College charges a minimal
fee per course credit awarded through Credit by Examination.
Course Prefixes and Numbers
The
prefix of a course represents the academic discipline. The
100 and 200 series are lower-division courses, the 300 series are
upper-division and the 400 series are upper or graduate division.
Course Load, Overloads, Repeated Courses and No Credit Grades
The
normal course load for students in a bachelor of arts or a bachelor
of science program is 15 semester hours per semester, plus up to
2 semester hours in an activity, such as applied music or physical
activity. Students in these degree programs, who maintain at least
a 2.33 cumulative GPA, may petition the registrar for an overload
up to the maximum credit allowed per semester (18 semester hours,
plus 2 hours of activity credit.) Students in a three-year
bachelor of fine arts program have automatic permission to enroll
in the maximum credit allowed per semester (20 semester hours).
Additional credit, up to 12 semester hours, may be earned in summer
school, or during summer/winter/spring inter-sessions, providing
courses are available or independent study plans can be worked out
with a faculty sponsor. Additional tuition is charged for credit
earned in this manner, based on the fee schedule in effect at the
time.
A student may be required to repeat a course in order to meet a
grade requirement or may elect to repeat in order to improve her
GPA. When a student repeats a course, the credit and grade
earned when last enrolled nullifies the previous record, including
F grades. Students may not receive credit more than once
for an equivalent course, whether taken at Stephens College or transferred
to Stephens, unless the catalog states that the course may be repeated
for credit a specific number of times.
Pass/Fail Courses, Audits and Zero Credits
Courses
offered on a pass/fail basis are so identified in the catalog course
description and in the course schedule. Students may seek permission
from instructors to take other courses on a pass/fail basis, prior
to enrollment. If the course in question is not in the student's
major or minor, or taken to meet a general degree requirement, and
if the instructor signs the add petition for pass/fail grading,
the registration is entered as such. Grades for pass/fail courses
are recorded as S (Satisfactory) or U (Unsatisfactory). An S grade
grants credit but no grade points. An S grade does not affect the
GPA; a U grade counts as an F in the grade average.
Courses may be audited but only with signed permission from the
instructor. The instructor determines what is required of the student
to have the audit (AU) recorded on the academic record. Audits do
not count toward course load; neither do they produce credit or
grade points. Audits must be enrolled at the beginning of a course
and they may not be changed to credit later. If the student does
not meet the instructor's requirements for the audit, it will not
become part of the student's permanent academic record.
Credit courses may be registered for zero credit, if approved by
the instructor prior to enrollment. Zero-credit enrollments
do not count against the semester course load. Students who enroll
for zero credit are required to do the same coursework as those
enrolled for credit, and grades are assigned accordingly. Grades
for zero-credit enrollments are recorded on the academic record
but, because no credit is received, the grade does not generate
grade points or affect the GPA.
Changes in Registration, Adding and Dropping Courses
Petition
forms for changes in registration are available in the Registrar's
office and in program offices. To drop or add a course, the student
must obtain the signatures of the instructor and the adviser and
bring the completed form, in person, to the Registrar's office.
The drop or add will not be registered until the student personally
brings the form to the Registrar's office.
Each student receives periodic printouts of her class schedule.
Students are responsible for checking the accuracy of their registration
with the Registrar's office. One week is allowed at the beginning
of a semester to add, and up to seven weeks to drop, semester classes.
[A "W" will be recorded as a final grade with no penalty
to the student for all courses dropped after the fourth week of
classes.] One week is allowed to add, and four weeks are allowed
to drop, session courses. Students enrolled in ENG 101 (205) or
ENG 102 (206) or LBA107/108 may not drop without permission from
the Dean of Liberal Arts.
If a student stops attending a class and does not drop it within
the deadline, an F grade will result. Under unusual circumstances,
a student who misses the drop deadline may seek to withdraw (W)
from a class. If the instructor and the registrar agree that the
W is warranted, it will be recorded as the final grade without penalty
to the student. The registrar will not approve a request to withdraw
from class after grade report forms have been distributed.
Drop-add and withdraw deadlines are published and distributed to
all students and advisers in each semester's Schedule of Courses.
It is each student's responsibility to meet these deadlines. Because
ample notice is sent to students, lack of compliance will result
in failing grades.
Attendance Policy
Stephens
College emphasizes the importance of active participation in courses.
A student must attend the first class meeting to confirm enrollment
in each course. If the student does not attend the first meeting,
the instructor has the right to require the student to drop the
course.
Students are expected to attend class. Absence from class for any
reason counts as an absence and does not exempt a student from completion
of all work required for a course. All off-campus, College-sponsored
activities are voluntary; they do not allow students unexcused absences
from classes. Students who know of a pending absence are responsible
for notifying the instructor so arrangements can be made to complete
the work. It is the instructor's prerogative to decide whether or
not work may be made up.
Instructors determine the attendance policy for their classes, in
accordance with the College drop-add policy. It is permissible to
use attendance as a factor in determining a student's grade or to
lower the amount of credit awarded for a course. Each instructor
is expected to announce an attendance policy at the beginning of
a course and to state the policy in the syllabus or course outline
given to students. Instructors may drop a student for excessive
absences.
Final Examinations
The
Schedule of Courses published each semester gives advance notice
of the final examination schedule; examination times are also printed
on students' class schedules and on the class rolls provided for
instructors. Examinations are held according to the published schedule
and students are responsible for meeting the schedule. Should a
student find that she has three finals scheduled consecutively on
the same day or that she has more than three scheduled in one day,
she may see if one examination can be re-scheduled. A student who
believes she has an appropriate reason to take an examination outside
the scheduled time may do so only if the department faculty approves
her written request.
Academic Integrity
As
a community of scholars committed to truth, Stephens College espouses
the belief that any type of academic dishonesty violates an important
code of ethics. Therefore, Stephens has adopted an academic honesty
policy that imposes penalties for students who fail to declare enrollment
at another college or university; who are dishonest in examinations,
assignments, or any other academic activity; who plagiarize; who
falsify College forms or records; or who willfully aid other students
in an act of academic dishonesty. The severity of a penalty will
depend upon the nature, extent and frequency of the violation and
may range from failing an assignment to revocation of a degree.
A full policy statement may be found in Within the Ivy, the student
handbook.
Grading Policies
Grades
and grade points are assigned on the following basis: A = 4.0, A-
= 3.67, B+ = 3.33, B = 3.0, B- = 2.67, C+ = 2.33, C = 2.0, C- =
1.67, D+ = 1.33, D = 1.0, D- = .67, F = 0.0.; S = credit but no
grade points, U = F; RE = no credit, no penalty, must re-enroll
in course. Grades in the A range denote excellent achievement, the
B range denotes above average achievement, the C range denotes average
achievement, the D range denotes below average achievement (D- is
the lowest passing mark), and U/F denotes unacceptable (failing)
work. An I (Incomplete) mark may be assigned at the discretion of
an instructor if extenuating circumstances indicate the student
deserves additional time to complete the coursework. An Incomplete
becomes an automatic F if a grade cannot be reported by the end
of the following semester or by an earlier deadline set by the instructor.
A W (Withdraw) mark indicates a late drop with permission. The W
carries no penalty.
The number of grade points earned for a class is computed by multiplying
the semester hours by the point value of the letter grade. Semester
and cumulative averages are computed by dividing the number of grade
points earned by the amount of semester hours carried (not semester
hours earned), excluding courses in which RE or S grades are assigned.
When a course is repeated to improve a grade, the grade and points
earned the second time nullify the previous record.
An instructor may lower a grade or reduce the credit in a course
for excessive absences. Faculty who exercise these options are expected
to discuss their grading system at the beginning of each course
and include their policy in the course outline or syllabus each
student receives. Students should not hesitate to ask an instructor
to explain the grading system employed in that class.
Academic Appeals
In
all academic appeals except a grade appeal, the student consults
the registrar and submits a written petition to the Academic Standing
Committee. The written petition shall set forth all reasons and
documentation as to why the student considers the academic suspension,
expulsion or involuntary withdrawal to be arbitrary, capricious
or contrary to College policy, or as to why it would be appropriate
to waive a degree requirement. The committee will carefully review
the petition and all other pertinent information and records of
the College. It will determine whether or not the academic suspension,
expulsion or involuntary withdrawal was arbitrary, capricious or
contrary to College policy, or whether it would be appropriate to
waive a degree requirement. The appropriate College officials and
the student will be notified in writing of the committee's decision.
In the case of a grade appeal, (1) the student shall speak with
the instructor. The student may ask to see the instructor in the
department chair's office or she may ask her adviser or the student
advocate to accompany her to the appointment. The student must take
all her graded work to the interview and inquire how the final grade
was determined. The instructor may agree that a grade change is
appropriate. If so, the instructor shall complete a Change of Grade
form in the Office of the Registrar. An instructor may change a
grade without review by the Academic Standing Committee if the change
is processed within one semester after the grade is assigned. Grades
that have been on record for more than one semester may not be changed
unless approved after an examination of the circumstances by the
Academic Standing Committee. (2) If the discussion with the instructor
and the department chair does not resolve the issue, the student
may petition in writing the Academic Standing Committee, giving
the committee complete information, including the syllabus and all
the graded work she did for the class, and why she believes the
final grade was arbitrary, capricious or contrary to College policy.
(3) The committee will ask the instructor how grades were assigned
for all students in the class and why the petitioner received her
grade. (4) The committee will carefully review all grade work and
other pertinent information and will decide whether to uphold the
grade or change it. In exceptional cases where a grade change is
called for, the committee, after consulting with the instructor,
will direct the registrar to change the grade. All parties will
be notified in writing of the committee's decision.
Independent Study
Students
are encouraged to consider independent study to help realize special
academic interests and goals. Three types of independent study are
available at Stephens. Special Studies recognize learning that is
achieved through work-related experiences. Readings are available
in subjects not offered in the regular curriculum; at least one
major research paper will be required. In a Project the study culminates
in a project that is supported by readings and short papers. Independent
study allows the student to explore subjects not available in the
regular curriculum. The credit is elective unless the study is approved
by the registrar to meet a liberal arts requirement or by a department
chair to count toward a major or minor.
Mid-Missouri Associated Colleges and Universities (MMACU)
Through
the Mid-Missouri Associated Colleges and Universities (MMACU) consortium
arrangement among mid-Missouri higher education institutions, undergraduate
students may enroll at member colleges and universities in courses
not available at Stephens. Stephens students do not pay additional
tuition for enrollment through the MMACU program; however, special
course fees may be required. All MMACU enrollments are on a space-available
basis. To participate, students must have completed at least one
semester at Stephens College, be in good standing and have met appropriate
prerequisites. Students must follow the drop-add, attendance and
other academic policies of the institution they visit. MMACU institutions
include Lincoln University (Jefferson City), William Woods University
(Fulton), Westminster College (Fulton) and the University of Missouri
(Columbia). A similar arrangement is also available through Columbia
College (excluding evening program). Course schedules for MMACU
institutions and Columbia College are available on their web sites.
Information about enrolling is available in the Registrar's
office.
Stephens College accepts for transfer college-level courses enrolled
through the University of Missouri Center for Independent Study.
The Center catalog is available in the Registrar's office. UMC tuition
is charged at the lower- or upper-division rate for UMC independent
study and is to be paid by the student upon enrollment. Credit earned
through this program counts toward degree requirements at Stephens
as elective credit, as general education credit if approved by the
registrar or for the major or minor if approved by the department
chair.
Advanced Courses
All
baccalaureate degrees require completion of at least 36 semester
hours of advanced-level courses (300 level or above). The 36 required
advanced-level semester hours include all 300 level and above courses
taken in the major, minor or toward the upper level liberal arts
requirement.
Number of Courses and GPA
A
baccalaureate degree requires completion of all specific and general
requirements, a minimum of 120 semester hours of college-level credit
and a cumulative GPA no lower than 2.0.
Transfer Credit
Students
are required to submit an official transcript for all work passed
or failed at any other college or university, prior to or after
enrolling at Stephens. It is considered a form of academic dishonesty
not to declare these enrollments. The student who applies
for admission, re-admission or reinstatement to Stephens is responsible
for having each institution send an official transcript directly
to the Office of Admissions. After entry to the college, transcripts
are sent directly to the Office of the Registrar. All college-level
coursework completed with a C- or better at an accredited institution
of higher education and oriented toward a baccalaureate degree,
including dual credit earned while in high school , will
be accepted for credit at Stephens College. Credit will be granted
only once for equivalent courses. The registrar determines which
transfer credit will count toward liberal arts requirements. The
registrar and the appropriate department chair will evaluate credit
that may apply toward a major or minor upon submission of appropriate
descriptive information. Courses accepted will be included in the
cumulative hours earned but neither grades nor grade points earned
at other institutions will be used in the computation of the Stephens
College grade point average. Credit earned at institutions that
have non-regional accreditation and all credit over 20 years
old , will be considered for transfer, but only on a course-by-course
basis, as approved by the registrar or department chair.
Transfer credit counts toward graduation and is incorporated into
the academic record either as elective credit or to count toward
specific degree requirements.
Grade of Incomplete
A
student who completes most of the work in a course at a passing
level, but is unable to complete the work on time due to extenuating
circumstances, may speak with the instructor to see if receiving
an Incomplete (I) mark is warranted. When an instructor grants an
incomplete, one semester is allowed to complete the coursework,
unless the instructor sets an earlier deadline. If the work is not
submitted by the deadline, the grade automatically becomes an F.
If unusual circumstances indicate the need, the instructor may grant
one additional semester to complete the course. An incomplete does
not affect the GPA in the semester it is assigned. Students who
receive incompletes are ineligible for a deans' list that semester.
Classification of Students
Students
are classified according to the amount of semester hours earned.
Freshman: 0.0 to 26.99 hours; sophomore: 27.0 to 53.99 hours; junior:
55.0 to 89.99 hours; senior: 90 or more semester hours.
Deans' Lists (Honors and High Honors)
Full-time
students who are enrolled in at least 12 semester hours of graded
(A-F) credit who have no incompletes and who earn semester GPAs
that meet the standards described below will be named by the vice
president for academic affairs and the vice president for student
services to a deans' list at the end of each semester. Part-time
students who complete at least 12 semester hours over two semesters
and meet these grade standards will be named to a deans' list at
the end of the second semester.
Grade requirements for deans' lists are based upon a minimum GPA
determined by the vice president for academic affairs and the vice
president of student services. Students are named to the lists at
the end of the fall and spring semesters. The current GPA requirements
are 3.80 or better for the high honors list and 3.60 to 3.79 for
the honors list. Credit and grades earned through Stephens in an
off-campus program or through the Mid-Missouri Associated Colleges
and Universities consortium (MMACU) will count toward eligibility
for a deans' list.
Graduation with Honors
Eligibility
to graduate with honors is based upon criteria adopted by the faculty
of Stephens College. On April 15, 1987, the faculty set the following
cumulative GPA ranges for graduation honors with Latin designations:
cum laude: 3.70 to 3.79; magna cum laude: 3.80 to 3.89; summa cum
laude: 3.90 to 4.00. Since the fall of 1988, students who receive
cum laude, magna cum laude or summa cum laude honors must be eligible
to graduate and meet the following additional criteria, adopted
by the faculty on April 13, 1988.
Students in the residential program must have at least eight sessions
(four semesters) of full-time enrollment at Stephens and achieve
the requisite final cumulative GPA to graduate with Latin honors.
Students in a continuing education degree program must have at least
102 semester hours of graded credit, earn at least 30 semester hours
from Stephens College after admission to the program and achieve
the requisite final cumulative GPA.
As an alternative to Latin honors designations, graduation "with
honors" is available to continuing education students who complete
degree requirements and meet the following criteria: achievement
of 3.8 or better GPA in all college credit attempted after admission
to the program and completion of at least 24 semester hours of advanced-level
courses enrolled through Stephens College.
May degree candidates who have the requisite GPAs at the end of
the fall semester will be nominated for graduation honors. Actual
honors are determined after second semester final grades are recorded,
and it is ascertained that requirements are met. Graduation honors
are noted on diplomas and official transcripts.
Satisfactory Academic Progress, Probation and Suspension
The
goal of satisfactory academic progress is to achieve no less than
the 2.0 cumulative (overall) GPA required to receive a degree from
Stephens College. Students who carry a standard load of 15 semester
hours per semester, who maintain at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA and
who meet all other degree requirements, can expect to receive a
baccalaureate degree in four academic years. Students who carry
fewer courses or who repeat courses in order to improve their GPA
should plan to attend summer school or enroll more than four years.
Good standing is attained when at least a 2.0 (C) semester average
is earned over 12 semester hours or more and at least a 2.0 cumulative
GPA is maintained. Students who enter the College on probation or
who are placed on probation must carry 12 semester hours and earn
a semester GPA of 2.0 or better by the end of the second semester
on probation or academic suspension will result. Suspended students
are not eligible to enroll at the College. Probationary students
who meet the 2.0 semester grade requirement, but whose cumulative
average remains below 2.0 may enroll, but they remain on probation
until a 2.0 cumulative average is achieved. A student whose semester
GPA is less than 1.0 in any semester, but whose cumulative average
remains 2.0 or better, will be placed on academic probation with
the warning that a semester average of 2.0 or better in at least
12 semester hours must be earned the next semester or suspension
will result. A student who earns less than a 1.0 average in any
semester, whose cumulative average falls below 2.0 as a result,
will be placed on academic suspension.
If there are extenuating circumstances, as determined by an interview
with the dean of students or the registrar, a suspended student
may petition the Academic Standing Committee for immediate reinstatement.
When suspended, a student is normally expected to enroll at another
regionally accredited institution for one semester and earn a 2.0
average on the equivalent of 12 semester hours, in support of her
petition to be reinstated. When a student petitions the Academic
Standing Committee for reinstatement, the committee reviews the
student's record of achievement and makes a decision that fully
considers the student while upholding the academic standards of
the College. Reinstated students who do not meet the conditions
set by the committee during their first semester back at Stephens
will be suspended again, without immediate appeal. Applications
for immediate reinstatement are processed through the registrar.
All other applications for reinstatement are processed through the
Office of Admissions. When reinstated, a student's eligibility for
financial assistance will be reviewed under the criteria explained
in the next section.
Academic Standing Criteria for Financial Assistance
Students
receiving financial aid must fulfill certain criteria to determine
that they are in good standing and maintaining satisfactory progress
in their course of study. For financial assistance purposes, a full-time
student must maintain satisfactory academic progress defined as
successful completion of at least 21 semester hours per year with
a cumulative 2.0 GPA. Students who carry a normal load of 15 semester
hours per semester, who maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA and who meet
other degree requirements, can expect to receive a baccalaureate
degree in four academic years. For purposes of financial aid, Stephens
College sets a maximum time frame of six academic years for a full-time
student to complete a baccalaureate degree. At the end of each semester,
a determination of continued eligibility for financial assistance
is made. Any student who fails to meet the established criteria
will be placed on financial probation for one semester. Continued
failure to meet the established criteria will result in suspension
of financial assistance and loss of all eligibility for financial
assistance.
In the event of loss of eligibility of financial assistance due
to extenuating circumstances, the student may appeal to an Appeals
Committee for reinstatement of financial assistance eligibility.
The student must complete the Financial Assistance Appeal Statement,
which is available from the director of financial aid. Examples
of extenuating circumstances, which must be documented by the student
and which would be considered by the Appeals Committee include the
death of a relative of the student or an injury or illness of the
student.
Where there are no extenuating circumstances, the student may petition
for reinstatement of financial assistance eligibility when she subsequently
obtains academic standing consistent with the established criteria
as stated in the first paragraph of this section.
Successful course completion requirements for financial assistance
eligibility will be pro-rated for transfer, three-quarter and half-time
students. GPA requirements are the same for part-time students as
for full-time students.
Withdrawal from Stephens
When
it is necessary for a student to voluntarily withdraw from the College,
she or her parents will provide written notification to the vice
president for student services. The date of withdrawal is the date
of notification, unless a later date is requested. Students are
expected to leave within 48 hours of the date of withdrawal. If
any refund is due upon withdrawal, it will be made on the basis
of the policy in effect that year.
Retention Information and the Student Right to Know Act
In
compliance with the Student Right to Know Act, Stephens publishes
the current applicable data in the College catalog. Detailed information
about the retention rate of students at Stephens College is available
on request from the vice president for student services.
Obligation of the College in the Event of Curtailment of Programs
Stephens
College will not be obligated to refund any fees for room, board,
tuition or other charges, nor will it assume liability for any kind
of curtailment of operations resulting from weather, accident, fire,
war, or riot; nor from lack of faculty or other personnel, lack
of materials, supplies, or equipment, or any cause not involving
gross negligence on the part of the College.
Notification of Rights under FERPA For Postsecondary Institutions
The
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students
certain rights with respect to their education records. They are:
- The
right to inspect and review the student's educational records
within 45 days of the day the College receives a request for access.
Students should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The College officials will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the College official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
- The
right to request the amendment of the student's education records
that the students believes are inaccurate or misleading. Students
may ask the College to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate
or misleading. They should write the College official responsible
for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want
changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading.
If the College decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the College will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of his or her right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right of a hearing.
- The
right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information
contained in the student's education records, except to the extent
that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the College in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the College has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks.
A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility.
- The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Stephens College to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA are:
Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-4605
Directory
Information Notice
Colleges
may disclose, without consent, "directory" information.
Directory information is information not generally considered harmful
or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. This includes, but is not
limited to, a student's name, address, telephone number, date and
place of birth, honors and awards, field of study, enrollment status
and dates of attendance. However, the College must give eligible
students a reasonable amount of time to request that the school
not disclose directory information about them.
Degrees, Credit, Calendar
Stephens offers three baccalaureate
degree programs: bachelor of arts, bachelor of fine arts, and bachelor
of science. The associate in arts degree is also available.
At Stephens, course credit is counted in semester hours. Some courses
are completed in a semester, some are completed in a session (half
a semester); however, the same amount of instructional time is scheduled
for courses receiving the same amount of credit, whether taught
in the semester or session format. Credit transferred from other
regionally accredited colleges or universities is converted into
semester hours.
The Stephens academic calendar consists of first semester (fall
term) and second semester (spring term). There are at least 71 instructional
days in a semester, plus a final examination period. Each semester
contains two sessions. Summer programs are offered in some residential
and performing arts programs.
Semester I (Fall Term)
15 weeks
Session 1:7.5 weeks; Session 2:7.5 weeks
Semester II (Spring Term)
15 weeks
Session 3: 7.5 weeks; Session 4:7.5 weeks
Students
are held responsible for knowing the academic policies and procedures
of the College, as published in the catalog, the course schedule
and advising materials. Degree programs are planned in accordance
with the catalog of the year the student entered Stephens. Faculty
advisers, program chairs, support staff and student life and academic
administrators of the College welcome the opportunity to assist
students as they plan a degree program. Potential graduates are
required to file a degree plan and an application for graduation
with the registrar at least one semester prior to the semester in
which they expect to receive a degree. The registrar and department
chairs evaluate each senior's degree plan. Students and their advisers
receive copies of the evaluations. When deficiencies are identified
in a degree plan, it is the student's responsibility to make the
necessary adjustments that will allow them to complete graduation
requirements.
General Degree Requirements: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of
Fine Arts and Bachelor of Science Degrees
The
following general requirements apply to students in the residential
program who earn the bachelor of arts degree, the bachelor of fine
arts degree or the bachelor of science degree. A student in the
residential program is one admitted through the Office of Admissions,
regardless of where the student resides.
Academic
Residency Requirement
Academic
residency for the residential program is met by one of the following:
full-time enrollment for at least seven semesters, full-time enrollment
for at least six semesters with at least 12 hours of advance placement
or college hours earned before initial enrollment, or full-time
enrollment (12 semester hours) for at least three semesters for
transfer students. Part-time students meet the academic residency
requirement. The last 15 semester hours of credit in all degree
programs must be earned through Stephens College or its programs.
Liberal
Arts Program
Dean: Dr. Tina Parke-Sutherland
As Stephens' Mission Statement explains, the Liberal Arts curriculum grounds all the College's degree programs, striking an appropriate balance between preparing students for the careers they hope to pursue and educating them for the lives they'll lead in the 21 st century. The College provides for all students, regardless of their majors, a women-centered, globally-oriented, 10-course Liberal Arts Program, organized around multi-year Learning Communities. Each Learning Community brings together up to 40 first-year students from various majors and keeps them together for their three or four years at the College. Inside their Learning Communities students take all required Liberal Arts courses and participate in field trips, study abroad programs, student-faculty research, and service learning. The program's collaborative, team-based pedagogical strategies involve students with each other, with faculty, with upper-class student mentors, with student-life professionals, with alumnae and with the broader community. The Learning Community concept facilitates learning and helps students make important and long-lasting connections to the greater Stephens family all over the world.
Inside their Learning Communities, students take a total of 10 courses in the Liberal Arts Program throughout their 3 or 4 years at the college-8 at the100- and 200-levels in their first two years and 2 at the 300-level in their third/fourth years. These courses provide an interdisciplinary platform for the study of the behavioral/social sciences, literature, philosophy, religion, humanities, history, the fine arts, women's health, science, ethics. math, and digital literacy. All Liberal Arts courses, regardless of the topics they cover, provide opportunities for students to sharpen their critical thinking and communication skills.
In each Learning Community, first-year students take a year-long course in critical reading, writing, researching, reasoning, speaking (LBA 107-8:Text and Meaning) closely linked to other concurrently offered Learning Community courses and including a digital film-making component.
The second-year Liberal Arts Program includes the year-long Sophomore Research Seminar where the Learning Communities investigate the contemporary world through various categories and, at the end of the year, bring all their research together in a State-of-the-World Sophomore Symposium. Service-learning projects dovetail with students' research areas.
Due
to the special nature of the Liberal Arts Program at Stephens, the
College strongly recommends that students complete all the Liberal
Arts requirements within their Learning Communities. However, the
College will give to students who transfer to Stephens every consideration
in determining which transfer courses count toward the Liberal Arts
Program requirements. Stephens students who wish to fulfill part
of the Liberal Arts Program requirements at another regionally accredited
college during the summer may seek approval to do so by providing
to the Registrar and the Dean of Liberal Arts, for their review,
catalog descriptions of the courses they wish to take. Students
should seek from the appropriate department chair permission to
take transfer courses in the major or minor. To ensure transferability,
students need to secure approvals prior to enrolling in transfer
courses. (Forms are available in the Office of the Registrar.)
Advanced
Courses
All
baccalaureate degrees require completion of at least 36 semester
hours of advanced-level coursework (300 level or above). The 36
semester hours of required advanced-level coursework includes all
300-level and above courses taken in the major, minor or toward
the upper-level Liberal Arts requirement.
Number
of Courses and GPA
A
baccalaureate degree requires completion of all specific and general
requirements, a minimum of 120 semester hours of college-level credit
and a cumulative GPA no lower than 2.0.
Liberal
Arts Requirements
All degree programs require that students earn a minimum of 24 semester hours of lower-division Liberal Arts course credits. Students must meet lower-division requirements prior to attaining junior standing. Students in all degree programs also complete 6 semester hours of upper division Liberal Arts courses.
Students
may substitute transfer credit for courses within the Liberal Arts
Program only with the approval of the Registrar and the Dean of
Liberal Arts. Transfer courses approved to substitute for the Liberal
Arts Program requirements must be graded A-C and registered for
credit.
Application for a Degree, Graduation
Potential degree candidates receive and must
file degree-check materials and a degree application with the registrar
at least one semester prior to the intended date of graduation.
Associate and baccalaureate degrees are granted in December, May
and August to students who qualify. Commencement is held only in
May of each academic year. Students who graduated the previous December
and those who file a plan with the registrar that enables them to
graduate the following August may participate in May Commencement.
Waivers of Degree Requirements or Other Academic Policies
Under unusual or extraordinary circumstances, some students
will have reason to petition for the waiver of an academic policy
or procedure. Such students submit a written petition to the Academic
Standing Committee for consideration. Supportive statements written
on behalf of the student by the faculty adviser, other faculty or
a student life staff member are usually requested by the committee.
After thoughtful consideration of the petition, a decision is made
by the committee and communicated to the student.
Degrees
A
baccalaureate degree requires completion of at least one major.
Students are expected to declare a major prior to attaining junior
standing. General information about the types of degrees offered
at Stephens is given below. Specific information about the requirements
for each major is found in the academic sections of the catalog.
The Bachelor of Arts Degree
Stephens
offers three types of bachelor of arts majors: single-discipline
majors, interdisciplinary majors, and student-initiated majors.
A bachelor of arts major includes at least 24 semester hours of
specified credit, of which at least 15 semester hours must be at
or above the 300 level. As many as 45 semester hours may be required
in the major, including those specified in the prefix of the major
and those specified in other prefixes. The last 15 semester hours
in all degree programs must be earned through Stephens College or
its programs.
A student-initiated bachelor of arts major, including the liberal
studies major, is subject to the above guidelines and is planned
by the student in conjunction with her adviser and the department
chairs or coordinators who represent the primary disciplines that
will comprise the major. Declaration forms and guidelines are available
in the Office of the Registrar.
The Bachelor of Science Degree
Bachelor
of science majors may be in a single discipline, interdisciplinary
or student initiated.
A bachelor of science major includes at least 45 semester hours
of specified credit, of which at least 15 semester hours must be
at or above the 300 level. As many as 57 semester hours may be required
in the major, including those specified in the prefix of the major
and in other prefixes. The last 15 semester hours of credit
in all degree programs must be earned through Stephens College or
its programs.
A student-initiated bachelor of science major is subject to the
above guidelines and is planned in conjunction with the faculty
adviser and the department chairs who represent the primary disciplines
that will comprise the major. Declaration forms and guidelines are
available in the Office of the Registrar.
The
Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree
The
BFA major must include at least 60 semester hours of specified credit
of which at least 15 semester hours must be at or above the 300
level. A bachelor of fine arts major may specify up to 75
semester hours of required credit in the major, including those
to be taken in the prefix of the major and those to be taken with
other prefixes. The last 5.0 courses of credit in all degree
programs must be earned through Stephens College or its programs.
A
student-initiated major is not available in the bachelor of fine
arts degree program.
Minors
Students
completing a baccalaureate degree program may elect to include a
minor, as offered by the academic areas of the college; there is
no student-initiated minor. The requirements for minors are found
in the academic sections of the catalog. A minor requires a minimum
of 15 semester hours, of which 6 semester hours must be 300-level
or above. Students may elect additional courses in the prefix of
the minor, up to a maximum of 8.0 courses. Lower-level courses required
for a major, but not in its prefix, may also count toward a minor
(not applicable to interdisciplinary majors). Minors completed
are recorded on the student's academic record but not on the diploma.
Concentrations
A
concentration consists of 15 to 24 semester hours organized exclusively
for inclusion in the liberal studies major. The concentration may
be disciplinary, interdisciplinary or interdepartmental.
One advanced-level course (3 semester hours) is to be designated
as the capstone (senior requirement) course.
Double Majors or Minors and Dual-Degree Programs
Students
may earn a double major by completing all general and specific requirements
for two majors that are available in the same degree program, after
which a single diploma is awarded. A double minor may be completed
in any baccalaureate degree program. Students who complete the general
and specific requirements that pertain to two degree programs, such
as a bachelor of arts major and a bachelor of science major, and
who complete a minimum of 150 semester hours, will receive a diploma
for each degree program. A dual-degree may require additional semesters
to complete. Double majors or dual degrees may not be earned
within the same department or combination of departments, if the
major is interdisciplinary.
Associate in Arts Degree
The
associate in arts degree signifies completion of a two-year academic
program, primarily in the liberal arts. The associate in arts degree
may be conferred in December, May or August. Applications for this
degree must be filed in the Office of the Registrar one semester
in advance of the date on which the degree is to be awarded. The
requirements are as follows:
Residency:
Students who enter as freshmen must be a full-time student for at
least four semesters; transfer students must enroll full-time for
at least two semesters. Part-time students must earn 24 semester
hours through Stephens to meet the residency requirement. The last
15 semester hours in the degree program must be earned through Stephens
College.
Liberal
Arts: Completion
of all lower division liberal arts courses including Text and Meaning
I and II or its equivalent.
Number of Courses and GPA: A minimum of 60 semester
hours of college-level credit and a cumulative GPA no lower than
2.0 (C) are required.
