Stephens College : Curriculum Catalog

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 accredited by the Higher Learning Commission 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 Vice President for Student Services, 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 Vice President for Student Affairs 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 vice president for student services 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 $10, 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 third week of classes.] One week is allowed to add, and four weeks are allowed to drop, session courses. Students enrolled in 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, as electives 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: 54.0 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 vice president for student services 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 70 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. A graduation fee of $100.00 will be charged. 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. Under certain circumstances this requirement may be waived with permission from the students academic adviser and the registrar.

Liberal Arts Program

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 21st century. The College provides for all students, regardless of their majors, a women-centered, globally-oriented, ten-course, thirty-semester hour Liberal Arts Program. Within that program, students take three Core Courses, four Learning Community Courses, and three Choice Courses. All students take required Liberal Arts Program (LBA) courses unless they bring to the College advance placement, international baccalaureate or transfer credit that matches these requirements. All Liberal Arts courses, regardless of the topics they cover, provide opportunities for students to sharpen their critical thinking and communication skills.

In addition to the LBA courses they take to fulfill LBA program requirements, students may take other LBA courses for elective credit. Departments may approve various LBA courses as electives in their majors and minors. LBA courses may not count as required courses in any major or minor.

CORE COURSES - 9 to 12 semester hours

Composition 1 & Composition and Research 2 - (6 hrs.)

Students take this sequence of courses during their first two semesters.

Sophomore Seminars - (3-6 hrs.)

Students usually take one or two LBA Sophomore Seminars during their second year. One of these courses focuses on American Government and Economics while the other focuses on Human Geography. Both are offered in a mixed format of larger lectures combined with small research/discussion groups, and both include symposia where, at the end of the semester, students present the findings of their research.

LBA Sophomore Seminar 1: American Government / Macro Economics (3 hrs.)

LBA Sophomore Seminar 2: Human Geography / Global Village (3 hrs.)

LEARNING COMMUNITY COURSES 12 hrs.

Students take four area studies courses during their first and second years within a mixed-major Learning Community:

• LBA Historical Studies	(3 hrs.)
• LBA Cultural Studies	(3 hrs.)
• LBA Social Sciences	(3 hrs.)
• LBA Literary Studies	(3 hrs.)

CHOICE COURSES

To complete their Liberal Arts Program requirements, students choose one approved three hour course in Quantitative Literacy, one approved 3 hour course in the Natural Sciences, and one approved 3 hour Ethics course. Students may take these courses any time during their enrollment.

Quantitative Literacy	(3 hrs.)	Approved courses include Math for Elementary School Teachers, Statistics, Personal Finance, College Algebra, and Calculus. If a student's major or minor requires a specific quantitative literacy course, that required course will satisfy the LBA program's quantitative literacy requirement.
Natural Science	(3 hrs.)	Approved courses include Ecology, Biological Concepts, Crime Scene Analysis, Horticulture, Physics) If a student's major or minor requires a specific Natural Science course, that required course will satisfy the LBA program's Natural Science requirement.
Ethics	(3 hrs.)	Students meet the LBA program Ethics requirement either by taking an LBA Ethics course or by taking an ethics course required by their major or minor and approved by the Curriculum Committee as meeting LBA program requirements.

The College will give to students who transfer to Stephens every consideration in determining which transfer courses fulfill Liberal Arts Program requirements. Stephens Students who wish to complete part of the Liberal Arts Program requirements at another regionally accredited college or university 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 approval from the appropriate department chair for 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.)

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. A graduation fee of $100.00 will be charged. 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

Bachelor of arts degrees may be in a single-discipline, interdisciplinary or student-initiated major.

A bachelor of arts degree 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 degree, 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 degrees may be in a single discipline, interdisciplinary or student initiated major.

A bachelor of science degree 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 degree 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

Bachelor of fine arts degrees may be in a single discipline, interdisciplinary or student-initiated major.

The bachelor of fine arts degree 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 degree 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 15 semester hours of credit in all degree programs must be earned through Stephens College or its programs.

A student-initiated bachelor of fine arts degree 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.

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 24 hours. 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 graduation fee will be charged). 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 Composition 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.