University Policies

RESERVATION OF RIGHTS

Point Loma Nazarene University reserves the right to change, update, or alter any of its policies without prior notice, including but not limited to administrative policies, tuition and fees, course-unit values, course offerings, curricula, grading policies, graduation and program requirements, and admission standards and policies. PLNU further reserves the right to refuse admission to any applicant and to disqualify, discontinue, or exclude any student at the discretion of the University.

ACADEMIC HONESTY

The Point Loma Nazarene University community holds the highest standards of honesty and integrity in all aspects of university life. Academic honesty and integrity are strong values among faculty and students alike. Any violation of the University’s commitment is a serious affront to the very nature of Point Loma’s mission and purpose.

Academic dishonesty is the act of presenting information, ideas, and/or concepts as one’s own when in reality they are the results of another person’s creativity and effort. Such acts include plagiarism, copying of class assignments, and copying or other fraudulent behavior on examinations.

A faculty member who believes a situation involving academic dishonesty has been detected may assign a failing grade for a) that particular assignment or examination, and/or b) the course. The faculty member will file a written report of the incident and the action taken with the program director. The director, after an examination of the event, will submit a report to the Vice Provost for Graduate Studies. If the Vice Provost believes other disciplinary action should be taken, consultation between the faculty member and the administrators will determine the resulting discipline.

The student or students involved in the academic dishonesty may appeal the action by talking first to the program director then, if necessary, to the Vice Provost, and finally to the Graduate Studies Committee. The appeal decision reached by this committee is final. If a grade of “F” is received in a course due to academic dishonesty, the student may not withdraw from the course nor can the course be dropped to remove the “F” grade.

EDUCATION RECORDS (FERPA) AND DIRECTORY INFORMATION

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 as amended affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. These include: 1) the right to inspect and review their own education records within 45 days of the day the University receives a request for access, 2) the right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes are inaccurate or misleading, 3) the right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in their own education records, and 4) the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Point Loma to comply with the requirements of FERPA.

The University has defined directory information as name, address (including electronic mail), telephone number, date and place of birth, major field of study, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, participation in officially recognized activities, and the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended. This information may be provided, upon review of the Vice Provost for Academic Administration, as public information or to individuals who demonstrate a need to contact students. Photographs of students may also be used in various University publications or on the University website Students choosing not to release this information or who prefer that their photograph not be used, must inform the Office of Community Life (on the main campus) of their request prior to the second Monday of each semester.

The University may disclose education records to college officials with legitimate educational interests. A college official is a person employed by the University; a member of the Board of Trustees; or an individual serving on a committee, such as disciplinary or grievance committees. PLNU also includes among college officials a student appointed to an official committee or assisting another official in performing tasks. A college official has a legitimate educational interest if the information aids the official in fulfilling professional functions.

Questions related to FERPA policies should be referred to the Office of the Vice Provost for Academic Administration or may be referenced at www.pointloma.edu/FERPA.

APPLICATION FOR GRADUATION

A student who intends to graduate must complete an Application for Degree Candidacy (on-line or in the Office of Records, main campus). The form must be filed with the Office of Records no less than 60 days prior to the anticipated degree posting date. Graduation fees will be applied to the student's account. Work for all courses considered for a degree must be completed prior to the anticipated degree posting date. Passing grades for all said courses must be recorded prior to a degree posting. Posting dates are available on the Academic Calendar.

EXAMINATIONS

Examinations may be deferred due only to illness or other equally valid conditions over which the student has no control. Approval for deferral must occur before the scheduled examination. Faculty and/or the department or school has the authority to grant examination deferral.

CLASS ATTENDANCE

Regular and punctual attendance at all class sessions is considered essential to optimum academic achievement. Therefore, regular attendance and participation in each course are minimal requirements. Absences are counted from the first official meeting of the class regardless of the date of the student's enrollment. A student who registers late must therefore be exceptionally careful about regular attendance during the remainder of the course. Registered students who neither attend the first class session nor inform the instructor of record of their desire to remain in the class may, at the request of the instructor, be removed from the class roster.

Exceptions to the foregoing attendance regulations due to extenuating circumstances beyond the student's control may be granted only by appeal to the Vice Provost for Graduate Studies. Students should consult the syllabus of each course for specific applications of and elaborations on the above attendance policy.

Registration and Records

TRANSCRIPTs

A complete and official transcript of coursework is available in the Office of Records. By federal law, requests must be accompanied by a written signature. Transcripts may not be released to anyone other than the student except by written authorization. There is no charge for transcripts unless a rush order is requested. Unofficial transcripts are available from the Office of Records. Forms for ordering both are available on the University website. Current students may print their own unofficial transcripts from the University website.

COURSe OFFERINGS AND CLASS SCHEDULEs

All course offerings are posted on the University website. The schedule of classes is available each spring for the following year’s classes. Also, in the spring a Summer Sessions schedule of classes is posted. The University reserves the right to cancel any class with insufficient enrollment and make necessary changes in its schedule and programs.

Course Numbering System

400-499	Upper-division courses open to post-baccalaureate and graduate students when approved by the director of the graduate program.
500-599	Post-baccalaureate courses in the School of Education credential programs. Some 500-level courses in the Education Specialist and Clear Administrative Services Credential course sequence are approved for a master's degree program in the School of Education. Open to students with a valid baccalaureate degree.
600-699	Graduate courses open to students who hold a valid bachelor’s degree.
700-799	Educational Specialist courses open to students who hold a valid master’s degree.

PREREQUISITE/CO-REQUISITE

Some courses listed in this Graduate Catalog stipulate either a prerequisite or a co-requisite. A prerequisite is a condition or requirement that must be fulfilled prior to enrolling in a course, such as a specific student classification, permission of the instructor, or another course. A co-requisite refers to a condition or a requirement that must be met prior to or concurrent with enrollment in a course.

ADD/DROP POLICY

Adding a Class. Students may add courses until Friday of the second week of the semester or the first week of a Quad. If a class needs to be added after that period, students must complete a change of schedule form, with the approval of the program or Regional Center director and the instructor of record of that class. The form is then filed with the Office of Records.

Dropping a Class. Students may drop a course through the first 50% of the period of offering; enrollment will be deleted from the student’s permanent record. After that, a student with extenuating personal circumstances may request permission of the program director (or the Regional Center Director in the case of programs in the School of Education) to withdraw from the course. If approved, a W will appear on the transcript with no impact on the GPA. If the petition is not approved or not submitted, the grade of WF will be assigned or a letter grade in accordance with the grading policy noted in the syllabus as determined by the instructor of record. Students should consider refund and transcript Implications when dropping a class.

MAXIMUM COURSE LOADS

The maximum course load for a graduate program is twelve units. Overloads may be carried with the written approval of the program or Regional Center director. This must be filed with the Office of Records prior to the applicable registration period. Minimum full-time course load for graduate students is six units per semester.
 
The maximum course load for credential students is 18 units, including fieldwork. As with the graduate program, overloads may be approved by the Regional Center Director and filed with the Office of Records prior to the applicable registration period. Minimum full-time course load for credential students is twelve semester units.

INDEPENDENT STUDY

Independent studies at the University level enable students to enrich their academic experience by pursuing topics and research in a closely supervised program with an academic supervisor. In such a study, a qualified student works with the instructor to develop a plan and syllabus. Graduate students may receive credit for up to six units of independent study to be applied to their degree program. No more than four units may be received from one project or study.

An Independent Study form and proposal must be submitted with a registration form to the program director, with an approved copy filed with the Office of Records. The independent study must be approved by the instructor, department chair or school dean, and the respective college dean.

Grades and Appeals Process

GRADING SYSTEM

Traditional letter grades (A, B, C, D, F) including plus and minus grades are used to indicate the level of scholarship earned for each course. Except for the correction of an error, all traditional letter grades are final at the conclusion of a term. Once the degree has been posted on the student’s official transcript, no change of grade action is allowed for courses leading to the degree. The grade of C is the lowest grade acceptable for graduate credit.

[H] Audit. The grade assigned when a course is taken as an audit course. A student wishing only exposure to a course may elect to audit the course. The student registers in the regular manner and pays a fee. Regular attendance at all class meetings is the responsibility of the student, but written assignments and examinations are not mandatory. A grade of H is awarded for satisfactory attendance. A grade of F is awarded for non-attendance. Courses audited carry no credit toward the grade-point average, toward graduation, or toward meeting professional requirements. Audit units count toward the student's course load, except in determining financial aid. Audits may be repeated for credit.

[CR] Credit.The grade utilized for designated courses which are graded on a Credit/No Credit basis. Courses graded Credit are counted toward a student's total number of units but have no grade-point value and no effect on the grade-point average.

[I]  Incomplete. A grade of Incomplete is given for work which has been completed partially in a satisfactory manner, but which, for valid reasons such as illness or death in the family, is not finished. The grade of “I” is to be given only on the basis of extraordinary circumstances clearly beyond the student’s control. The grade of “I” is regarded as a deficiency grade and may be removed by the assignment of additional work to make up the deficiency; or, in cases where the “incomplete” is assigned because of inability to take a final examination, by a special examination. A grade of “I” must be made up, if at all, by the end of the next regular semester. Until made up, a grade of “I” is considered as “F” in determining the student’s grade-point average, and eligibility for financial assistance.

[IP] In Progress. A provisional grade assigned to certain courses which may extend longer than a semester due to the nature of the course requirements. Fieldwork courses may fall into this category. The grade of "IP" carries no grade points and is replaced by the grade earned when the requirements for the course are properly completed. The grade of IP (In Progress) is assigned at the completion of the intervening team. If the work is not completed within one calendar year from the end of the semester date of enrollment (two years for Graduate Education 687 and 796), the course will be closed and a grade assigned based on completed work and computed into the grade-point average. It is the student's responsibility to take initiative in completing the coursework during the one-year period.

[NC] No Credit. The grade recorded for all non-passing work in those courses graded on a Credit/No Credit basis. The “NC” grade has no grade-point value and no effect on the grade-point average.

[W] Withdrawn. This grade is recorded when a student doing passing work is given permission by the program or Regional Director to drop a course after the first 50% of the course (for exceptional circumstances such as personal and family emergency).

[WF] Withdrawn under failing conditions. This grade is recorded when a student does not request permission or whose petition to withdraw from a class is denied after 50% of the class has passed.A grade of “WF” is considered the same as an “F” in calculating the grade-point average.

Grade Points. Letter grades are converted to numerical equivalents for computation according to the following scale:

Courses in which grades of IP, W, CR, and NC are received are not included in determining the grade-point average. Minimum Grades Required. Except as indicated below, all students admitted to a post-baccalaureate program must maintain a grade-point average of 3.000 (B) or better as a condition of remaining in the program. The minimum acceptable grade-point average for Master of Ministry students is 2.750. The grade-point average is computed on all courses taken since admission to graduate study. Courses accepted as transfer credit are not used in computing the grade-point average. Students may repeat courses in which they earned a grade lower than a C. If this is done, each grade appears on the transcript, but the lower grade is not used for grade-point calculation. Students receiving Veterans Benefits may not be eligible for benefits when repeating a course.

COURSE GRADE APPEALS

It is the responsibility of the faculty to evaluate student performance and assign grades.The University has established a course grade appeal policy, however, that may be used when a student believes the syllabus was not followed in the grade calculation or if it is thought that grading was done in a capricious and arbitrary manner.The appeal policy does not include student dissatisfaction with a grade based on the faculty member’s professional judgment. A Course Grade Appeal Form available at each Regional Center, is filed with the program director and must be filed within one year from the end of the course in which the grade was given.

APPEAL OF DECISIONS

A student who wants to appeal a decision shall set forth in writing the request and the basis for it. The appeal shall be made in the following order:

• The instructor of record for the course
  
• The program coordinator
• The Regional Center director responsible for the student’s academic area.
• The Vice Provost for Graduate Studies
• The Provost

Decisions may be appealed ten working days after postmark date of the semester’s grade report or ten working days after decision is postmarked. The University is committed to responding within ten working days following the receipt of an appeal.

ACADEMIC PROBATION

Satisfactory progress toward the credential or graduate degree is required. A student may be disqualified from further credential or graduate-level work if a 3.000 grade-point average is not maintained (2.750 for the Master of Ministry student). In the event that the grade-point average drops below the minimum level, the student will be placed on academic probation and given one semester to raise the GPA to the satisfactory level.

Exceptions to this policy may be appealed to the Graduate Studies Committee after review and recommendations by the appropriate department or school. The final decision on the appeal rests with the Graduate Studies Committee. The final decision is filed with the Office of Records by the respective program director. If academic dismissed, the student forfeits all fees and charges.

Degree Requirements

APPLICABLE CATALOG

Students in continuous enrollment may elect to graduate under the curricular requirements of either the Graduate Catalog for the year in which they enter the University or the Graduate Catalog of a subsequent year. Those whose enrollment is not continuous (i.e. not enrolled for more than one semester) as regular students are subject to the Graduate Catalog requirements for the year in which they re-enter the University or that of a subsequent year. A student may not combine requirements from two or more catalogs.

DEPARTMENT/SCHOOL RECOMMENDATION FOR A DEGREE

Prior to recommending a student for a degree, the department or school will evaluate the student’s knowledge base, including a capstone academic experience, and grade-point average, writing, speaking, and other requirements.The Office of Records will review documents prior to degree posting to assure that all requirements for graduation have been met. Normally, all work taken toward a degree must be completed in full before graduation. Degrees are conferred only once a year at the close of the academic year. A candidate who is deficient in meeting graduation requirements by an amount which could reasonably be earned in the Summer Sessions following, may be permitted to participate in the spring Commencement. The student will not receive a diploma but will be recognized publicly as a summer graduate, and that fact will be indicated on the Commencement program. The diploma will be presented only upon satisfactory completion of all work for the degree.

TIME LIMIT FOR COMPLETION OF A GRADUATE DEGREE

All requirements for graduate degrees must be completed within an eight-year period from the time of initial enrollment in the program. Transfer credit will be evaluated for acceptance by the program or Regional Center director.

TRANSFER CREDIT

Students may transfer, with the approval of the program director, a maximum of six graduate semester units to a graduate degree. Students who have completed a master's degree in Education may transfer six units of appropriate coursework toward the Master of Science (M.S.) degree in General Biology or 12 units of coursework toward the Master of Arts degree in General Biology. Students may transfer six units of appropriate post-baccalaureate upper-division Biology coursework toward the M.S. in General Biology or 12 units of that coursework toward the M.A. in General Biology.

All coursework must have been completed within the last seven years at a regionally accredited institution.

CURRICULAR EXCEPTIONS

Occasionally, an exception to the requirements in the Graduate Catalog may be appropriate. For consideration of a curricular exception, students petition the Graduate Studies Committee for consideration. Decisions regarding exceptions are made by the committee based on the merit of each individual case.

THESIS/GRADUATE PROJECT

The purpose of a thesis or graduate project is to give students experience in carrying out the kind of research they may expect to do throughout their professional careers. A thesis/graduate project involves investigation of primary sources. It may involve a re-examination or re-evaluation of primary sources that others have already studied in an effort to confirm or revise the conclusions of others. It may involve a new program of testing and analyzing procedures or methods. It is intended to demonstrate the student's ability to work independently on a problem, to demonstrate wide familiarity with the literature in the field of the program, to demonstrate command of the techniques and principles of research, and to demonstrate ability to form valid generalizations from the data used.

MULTIPLE MASTER’S DEGREES

A graduate student may earn more than one master's degree from Point Loma Nazarene University by meeting all university and department/school requirements and by fulfilling all graduation requirements for each degree.The additional master's degree or concurrent program may not be an another emphasis or concentration in the same degree program. When a second degree is pursued in the same academic discipline (e.g., the School of Education or the School of Business, etc.), two-thirds of the courses for the second degree must be distinct from the first degree.

Students desiring to pursue two graduate programs concurrently must apply for program eligibility for both programs and be accepted into those programs. In addition, they must meet with the program director of both graduate degree programs in order to plan the joint course of study. Concurrent graduate program students must meet the requirements of both programs, as stated above.

WAIVERS AND PETITIONS

Some departments or schools permit waivers of certain courses. Students are required to submit a Curricular Exception Petition for each course in question to the program director for approval of the department or school. The student is responsible for filing the approved form. Unlike transfer credits, waivers fulfill course requirements only, as no units are awarded from a waiver. Students with course waivers subsequently must choose alternate elective units, in consultation with the department or school, in order to satisfy the total unit-requirements in their degree programs.

Students seeking an exception to an academic program policy or procedure must complete a Curricular Exception Petition. The forms are available through the program or the Regional Center. The student then submits the petition to the program or Regional Center director for consideration by the department/school faculty. Any exceptions are granted only on a case-by-case basis.

COURSE REPLACEMENT AND SUBSTITUTION

Changes to stated degree and credential requirements must be approved through the academic petition process and initiated through the respective department or school. Course replacements and/or substitutions may not exceed 20% of the total units required for the degree or credential. The rationale for such changes must be substantiated with official academic records that become part of the student's PLNU academic records.

Withdrawal and Readmission

WITHDRAWAL FROM THE UNIVERSITY

Students who find it necessary to withdraw from the University must do so by contacting their program coordinator or the Office of Records and completing a Notice of Intent to Withdraw from the University. If withdrawal occurs while a student is registered for classes, please follow the procedures listed below for withdrawing from a course.

WITHDRAWAL FROM A COURSE

Students may drop a course at any time up to the last day allowable to drop a course (see Academic Calendar). If this action leaves the student with no further courses, a withdrawal form must be filed in a timely manner. Students with extenuating circumstances, such as personal or family emergencies after the last dray to drop may contact the Regional Center Director or Program Director for consideration of the matter. If the action is approved, courses would then be graded with a W (withdrawal) unless the faculty deems the student's performance at the time of withdrawal unsatisfactory at which time a WF grade would be assigned.

Students who stop attending or never attended a course for which they are registered will receive an F in that course if accepted procedures for dropping/withdrawing are not followed.

Financial implications may be found under "Refund Policy."

LEAVE OF ABSENCE

Students may apply for a Leave of Absence from their program for a maximum of 180 days in any 12 month period for professional or personal reasons. Students with an approved Leave of Absence will still be considered "in school status" for Title IV loan repayment purposes.

A Leave of Absence request must be submitted for approval to the appropriate academic department or school, must be accompanied by the student's signature and must have a reasonable expectation for return to the University within the specified time. Upon return, students must resume coursework at the same point in their academic program.

The completed Leave of Absence form will be housed in the Office of Records. Failure to return in a timely manner will instigate an administrative withdrawal from the University as of the initiating date of the Leave of Absence. This may have a bearing on loan grace periods and other financial aid implications.

READMISSION

Students who have been admitted to the University and accepted for graduate studies and have subsequently withdrawn for more than one calendar year, must apply for readmission. Administratively withdrawn students must reapply in all cases. Students who have completed a graduate degree or credential program must apply to the new program and meet those program standards.

ADMINISTRATIVE WITHDRAWAL

Students who have not attended or enrolled in a course for one semester, are not currently completing coursework, have not filed an approved Leave of Absence with the Office of Records and have not officially withdrawn, will be administratively withdrawn. Such withdrawal may have financial aid implications. Students with this status must apply for readmission to the University and academic program.