2008-2009 Catalog - Virginia Wesleyan College

34PLAN OF STUDYThe honors status for students who are Augustcandidates for graduation will be determined after allsummer course work is completed.Repeating a Course: Students will normally be allowedto repeat a course for which they have been charged qualitypoints only once, and then only if the original grade wasbelow a C (2.0). However, students with a cumulative gradepoint average of 2.0 or above may take for a third time acourse not previously passed if they obtain the writtenrecommendation of their adviser and the approval of thedean of the college, who will consult with any instructorwho has previously taught that course or the coordinator ofthe department in which that course was taught. When astudent repeats a course, all previous grades for that courseremain on the transcript, but only the last grade is used incomputing the grade point average.Non-Resident Credit: While a student is matriculated atVirginia Wesleyan, no credit will be given for courses takenat another college unless permission is given through theOffice of the Registrar prior to registration for such courses.Pass/Fail Grades: Some courses are offered only on apass/fail basis and are so noted in the class schedule for agiven semester. Students also have the option in a givensemester of electing to take one traditionally graded courseon a pass/fail basis provided that the course is not requiredto fulfill general college requirements or any part of thestudent’s major or minor program or the repeat of a courseoriginally taken as a traditionally-graded course. Inaddition, the course cannot be used to fulfill therequirements for graduation with honors. To effect thiselection, a student must obtain the adviser’s signature on aPass/Fail form and return the form to the Office of theRegistrar before the end of the third week of the fall orspring semester or before the end of the first week of asummer class.The following limitations apply: In any given semester,students may not enroll for more than one-third of theiracademic load in pass/fail courses except on writtenrecommendation of their advisers and the approval of thedean of the college. No more than one-third of a student’stotal hours offered for graduation may consist of coursesgraded on a pass/fail basis.Pass/fail grading may not be elected for any honorsseminar nor any course challenged for the H grade.The Grade of H: The H grade may be assigned for workof exceptional quality. This grade may be earned in eitheran honors course or in any other course or pair of courseswhen requested by the student and approved by theappropriate members of the faculty.A student may challenge a course or pair of courses forthe grade of H by following these procedures:During the semester before the course is taken, thestudent must gain concurrence from the instructor(s)involved. The instructor(s), with the aid of the petitioningstudent, must submit a proposal to the Honors Committeebefore early registration for the ensuing semester. Thisproposal must indicate how the work of the petitioningstudent will surpass, in both qualitative and quantitativeways, the requirements normally expected. Particular stressis placed on the qualitative aspects of the additionalrequirements. An honors course listed on a given student’stranscript will include the notation “HNRS.” A grade of Hor another appropriate letter grade may be assigned by theinstructor. Having challenged a course or pair of courses forthe grade of H, a student may not later elect to use thepass/fail option.Course Drop: To drop a course a student must submit acompleted Course Selection Form to the Registrar. Afterthe first week of classes dropping a course does not reducethe total number of semester hours charged for thesemester. Drops after the first week of classes and prior tothe automatic “WF” period (see Academic Calendar) willresult in a grade of W, WP, WF or WU, as determined bythe instructor. From the beginning of the automatic “WF”period until the last day of classes for the semester a dropwill result in an automatic WF or WU. Exceptions to thispolicy may be made for students who withdraw from thecollege for reasons of documented illness.Grade Changes: A request for a grade change must besubmitted by the faculty member to the dean of the collegefor approval. Any change of grade from a reassessment mustbe made within 12 months of the issuance of a grade.Name Changes: Accuracy in record keeping is of theutmost importance in the Office of the Registrar especiallyas we strive to protect the privacy of your academic record.Please notify us at once if you have a name change bybringing the original copy of the birth certificate, marriagecertificate, or court order. Name changes affect only the lastname whereas the first and middle names given at birthremain the same (unless it is a court-ordered change).Withdrawal and Readmission to the College: Astudent who wishes voluntarily to withdraw from thecollege during a given term is not considered officiallywithdrawn until he or she notifies the registrar in writing ofthis intention and completes an official withdrawal form.Assigned grades of W, WP or WF will be determined by thedate of withdrawal and the discretion of the instructor. Anyregistrations for the semester following the withdrawal willbe deleted. If a student fails to register for consecutivesemesters by the last date for late registration, he or she isassumed to have withdrawn from the college.A student who withdraws and desires to return to thecollege must reapply to the Admissions Office forconsideration by the Committee on Academic Standing.A student who has been academically dismissed mayonly apply for readmission once they have met the criteriaas outlined in the Selective Retention Policy.Program EnhancementThe PORTfolio ProgramAt Virginia Wesleyan, we believe that a liberal artseducation is the best preparation for life, especially forcitizenship, careers and professions. However, we have