2009-2011 - Benedict College

62 ACADEMIC POLICIES
All new freshman students are required to complete the eight (8) semester credit hours of seminar
classes as required by the current catalogue. However, students who have been out of high school for
six (6) or more years may be permitted to substitute documented work or military experience for
Freshman Seminar. The school dean must approve these substitutions using the College’s course substitution
form.
Students, who transfer to the College with a grade point average (g.p.a.) above 2.0 attained at the
transferring institution, may begin the Seminar Series at their level of classification at Benedict College
at the time of their admittance and complete the series through the senior year. If students attain a
grade point average below a 2.0 at the institutions from which they transfer, these transfer students
must complete the entire Seminar series. All students, regardless of standing or experience, must
complete Junior and Senior Seminar. Transfer students or students who completed high school more
than six years earlier may be allowed to substitute documented work or military experience for
Freshman and Sophomore Seminars as approved by a committee.
All students must write an extended research paper (Senior Paper) as a part of the requirements of a
junior or senior level course in their program of study. The research paper will be prepared and evaluated
according to institutional and departmental policies. Music majors perform a senior recital to fulfill
this requirement. Art majors present a senior art exhibit to fulfill this requirement.
Additionally, each student is required to complete a minimum of 120 hours of Service Learning for
graduation via Seminar courses and designated departmental courses, with the exception of transfer
students. Transfer students are required to complete the total number of hours commensurate to their
classification at the time of admittance. The projected hours based upon classification are as follows:
FRESHMAN - 20 hours per year
SOPHOMORE - 40 hours per year
JUNIOR - 40 hours per year
SENIOR - 20 hours per year
At least 25% of semester credit hours counted toward graduation will be earned through instruction at
Benedict College. The final 25% of credit must be earned in residency at Benedict College and must
include substantial work in the student's major field of study.
Programs are designed for full-time students to complete them in eight semesters provided they follow
the progression plan precisely as oulined. The length of the program is further defined by the time
needed by students to successfully complete all graduation requirements and earn the number of
credit hours required by each major as defined in its curriculum sheets.
A student may find it desirable to attend summer school or additional semesters in order to complete
a program of study.
Graduation requirements for students who complete their degrees within ten (10) years, whether continuously
enrolled or not, may be governed by the catalogue under which they entered Benedict College
or any catalogue introduced subsequent to readmission. Under these circumstances, the governing catalogue
is whichever one is more favorable for the students to complete their degree requirements.
A college graduate who wishes to obtain a degree in another major subject area may do so by completing
the requirements of the appropriate Program of Study as listed in the catalogue in effect at the
time the student begins work on the second degree. The student must complete at least an additional
30 credit hours required by the second degree. No course applied to meet the requirements of the
first Bachelor's degree may count toward this 30 hour requirement. For non-Benedict graduates, at
least one year of residency and 30 credits that meet major or upper division specifications are
required. At least half of the courses required for the major must be completed at Benedict College.