General Catalog - John F. Kennedy University

General Informationwho meet the following criteria are eligible to participate inthe commencement ceremony:• Prior fall and winter graduates,• Students who are completing all requirements as ofspring quarter or semester,• Students who have six or fewer quarter or four semesterunits to complete in summer.Students must also fulfill the master’s/doctoral examinationor thesis/master’s/doctoral dissertation project requirements ifrelevant to their degree programs. Students in programs requiringa master’s examination must either have passed the exam or bescheduled to take it during summer quarter. Thesis and doctoraldissertation students must have the rough draft of the thesis ordissertation project approved by May 15.Awards at the Commencement CeremonyOutstanding Student AwardAt the request of the president of the university, each schoolselects a student to honor at commencement who best exemplifiesacademic excellence, service to their school or the university, andservice to the community. Due to the high regard in which they areheld, these awards are the only awards presented to students at thecommencement ceremony.The Founding President Harry L. MorrisonDistinguished Teaching AwardA citation and monetary gift is given to honor the memory ofDr. Morrison, founding president of the university. The awardrecognizes special dedication to the university and its students andis made to the faculty member who best exemplifies excellence inteaching and creativity in the classroom as well as in program andcurriculum development and contribution to the enhancementand development of the faculty member’s field of study.TranscriptsStudents may obtain John F. Kennedy University official transcriptsby providing a written request that gives name, student IDnumber or social security number, current address, major, dates ofenrollment, degrees/certificates awarded, name on transcript (ifdifferent from current name), address to which the transcripts areto be sent, and any special instructions (e.g., holding for currentgrades or degree posting). Transcript Request Forms are availablein the registrar’s office and online. All transcript requests mustbe signed and accompanied by a $6 fee for each transcript. Rushtranscripts will be sent within one working day following receiptof request for a fee of $12. Rush processing cannot be guaranteedduring registration periods.A transcript is issued only if all financial obligations to theuniversity have been paid in full. Unofficial transcripts will not beissued to students. Transcripts are never faxed.Transferability of JFK University CoursesEach institution has its own policies for transfer credit and studentsare advised to contact the receiving institution to determinetransferability of JFKU coursework. JFKU courses taken credit/nocredit may not be accepted by other institutions.Unit CreditUnits described throughout this catalog, excluding law, are quarterunits (credits). The university subscribes to the national standardJohn F. Kennedy Universityfor student workload, which is a minimum of 500 seat minutes perquarter unit of credit.The School of Law is on the semester system. One and one-half(1.5) quarter units equal one semester unit (credit).Academic TermThe university’s academic year, other than the School of Law, isdivided into four 11-week quarters, which include ten weeks ofinstruction and one week of final examinations. For financial aidpurposes, an academic year is defined as a minimum of threequarters of enrollment.The Counseling Psychology program offered on the Berkeley campusmeets in five academic sessions each year. However, contactand content is structured so that each course awards credit fullyequivalent to the university’s academic quarters.Fall and spring semesters for the School of Law are 18 weeks induration, which includes 15 weeks of instruction, a one-week readingperiod, and two weeks for final examinations. Summer sessionis 11 weeks in duration, which includes a three-day reading periodand four days for final examinations.Full-Time Unit LoadFull-time load is defined as 12 units per quarter for undergraduates;nine units per quarter for students in master’s degree, PsyD,or graduate certificate programs; and six units per semester forlaw students.AttendanceStudents are expected to attend all class meetings of courses inwhich they are enrolled and comply with attendance requirementsspecified in the course syllabus. Excessive unexcused absencesmay affect the course grade.Non-Degree StudentsMost courses are open to non-degree students. However, theapproval of the instructor or school dean may be necessary toregister for some courses including courses that are part of acertificate program. Refer to the Admission section in the front ofthis catalog for information regarding application as a non-degreestudent.AuditorsMany courses offered by the university may be taken withoutacademic credit. Auditors may participate in class discussionand activities, but do not complete written assignments or takethe final examination. Audited courses are not recorded ontotranscripts. Audited units are not counted in financial aid awarding.Class schedule information (available on the university’swebsite) indicates courses that may be audited by includingan A in the grading criteria code. If the grading criteria does notinclude an A, written permission from the dean or departmentchair is required.Auditors do not pay student association fees and are not consideredmembers of the Student Association nor are they viewedas students for employment purposes. Auditing a course doesnot fulfill the requirement of being in attendance in a degree orcertificate program.General Information 17