/Institutions/Cumberland-University/json/2015-2016/2015-2016-Undergraduate-Catalog-local.json

/Institutions/Cumberland-University/json/2015-2016/2015-2016-Undergraduate-Catalog.json

2015-2016 Undergraduate Catalog > Academic Affairs > Classification of Students, Terms, and Courses

Classification of Students, Terms, and Courses

Full-Time Student

A full-time undergraduate student is one who has been accepted by the University and who is enrolled for 12 or more semester credit hours in the Fall, Spring, and/or Summer semester. Full-time academic loads in Fall, Spring, or Summer semesters may not exceed 18 total semester hours without submitting an academic appeal. Full-time status is determined by summing all semester hours during the grading periods assigned to the appropriate semester.

Part-Time Student

A part-time student is enrolled in fewer than 12 total undergraduate hours in the Fall, Spring, or Summer semesters.

Special Student

A special student is a non-degree seeking person who has been given permission to enroll by the Admissions Committee.

Transient Student

A transient student is defined as a student who seeks:

1.   To enroll at another college/university for credit to be transferred to Cumberland University, or

2.   To enroll at Cumberland University to have academic course work transferred to another college/university. 

Cumberland University students requesting transient permission at other institutions must file the request in writing stating the desired transient institution, the specific courses at the transient institution, the calendar term the course will be taken, and the equivalent Cumberland University courses. If permission is granted, a “Letter of Transient Permission” becomes part of the permanent record file of the student and a copy of the letter will be provided to the student as proof of transient permission. Any course work completed without first having prior written approval may not be used as academic credit toward a  degree. All course work grades approved by the Dean of the appropriate School for transient permission will be calculated as part of the cumulative  grade point average. The calculation will not be figured in until the final GPA for graduation is determined. The student is responsible for completing all admissions and/or other enrollment requirements at the transient institution and for having the transient institution forward an official transcript to Cumberland University upon completion of the approved coursework.

Students temporarily enrolling at Cumberland University for the purpose of taking course work to be transferred to their permanent (home) institution must present a Statement of Permission and Good Standing from the Dean or Registrar of the college of their current institution. This document must arrive on or prior to regular registration day of the term for which the student is seeking admission and be signed by the Official from the home institution. Specific classes for which the student is being given permission to register must be listed. In addition to the Statement of Permission and Good Standing, the transient student must apply to the University and pay the application fee. This institution will not provide academic counseling to transient students nor guarantee the appropriateness of course work taken here to the degree being sought by the student elsewhere.

Regular Term

Cumberland University has three regular terms that are used to determine the academic calendar. They are Fall semester, Spring semester, and Summer semester. All students must conform to the deadlines and procedures outlined in the Cumberland University Register.

Non-Regular Term

Non-regular terms, off-campus classes, or accelerated terms may be deemed appropriate by the administration. In isolated circumstances, financial assistance may not be available due to federal or state guidelines. Students should check with the Office of Student Financial Services before registering for a non-regular term class. Course fees, other charges, and regulations will be published before the beginning of each of the non-regular terms.

Lower Division Courses

Courses numbered at the 100 or 200 level are lower division courses.

Upper Division Courses

Courses numbered at the 300 or 400 level are upper division courses.

Graduate Division Course Numbering

Courses numbered at the 5000 and 6000 level are graduate division courses. Information on graduate degree programs is located in the Graduate catalog.

Academic Terms

Emphasis  - A sequence of classes, within a discipline, major, or recognized area of study that allows a student to focus coursework in a specific academic subset of the chosen discipline, major, or area of study.

Major - A major field of study should be selected as early as possible.  A major must be declared before the senior year. Each major consists of a minimum of 30 semester hours in a chosen area of specialization. The total number of hours may vary with the specialization area chosen.

Minor - Some students choose to complement a major program with a minor in a related field. All minors require a minimum of at least 18 semester hours. Specific requirements for majors and minors are listed in the respective disciplines.

Face-to-Face (in-seat) Course  - A Face-to-Face (in-seat) course is a traditional academic course interface in which the faculty and students primarily meet, engage and interact at the scheduled course time in each other’s presence. This type of course interface can be enhanced by web based  content, electronic course management systems or other electronic based technology, but such technology does not exceed 24% of the faculty-student contact for the course.

Hybrid Course  - A Hybrid (blended) course is an academic course interface in which some traditional face-to-face (in-seat) time has been replaced by a mode of distance learning (i.e. course management system, web based content, online learning activity, or other electronic based technology). A hybrid course is designed to integrate face-to-face and distance learning activities so that they reinforce, complement and enrich one another to best engage the students in learning. This course interface has 25% - 49% of the course time dedicated to distance learning and 51% of the course time in the traditional face-to-face  mode.

Distance Learning Course  - A Distance Learning course is an academic course interface in which the course interactions between faculty and students are primarily at a distance from one another, rather than in each other’s presence. A distance learning course utilizes a means of distance learning as the principal mode of interaction between faculty to students and student to student. It may utilize course management systems, web based content, online learning activity, video conferencing, chat room and/or other electronic based technology. This course interface has 50% - 100% of the course time dedicated to distance learning.

Academic Credit Hours - To maintain alignment with federal regulations and regional accrediting bodies, Cumberland University uses the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools - Commission on Colleges definition of an academic credit hour. An academic credit hour is defined as the amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement. Institutionally this is equivalent to reasonable approximations of:

1. Not less than one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours out of class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester, or not less than two hours of classroom or direct faculty instruction or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time, or
2. At least an equivalent amount of work as required and outlined in item 1 above for other academic activities as established by the institution including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of academic credit hours.

The credit hour definition above is a minimum standard that does not restrict particular courses at Cumberland University from setting a higher standard that requires more student work per academic credit hour. Best practices in higher education are followed to determine requirements for academic credit hours assigned to particular courses and/or activities.

Credit Guidelines

1. Lecture Class Instruction - Normally, 750 semester minutes, excluding final exams is associated with one academic credit hour for a semester. Is is also widely accepted as best practice among higher education institutions to expect two hours per week (for 15 week semester) or 1800 minutes per semester of preparation or other work outside of the class.
2. Non-Lecture Class Instruction

• Laboratory - Normally, one academic credit hour is associated with a class meeting for 50-200 minutes per week for an entire 15 week semester (or the equivalent of 750-3000 minutes per semester).
• Clinical - Normally, one academic credit hour is associated with a class meeting 100-300 minutes per week over a 15 week semester (or the equivalent of 1500 to 3000 minutes per semester). Note that there can be variation in the requirements per clinical credit hour based upon best practices in higher education for a particular clinical type.
• Studio - Normally, one academic credit hour is associated with a class meeting 1500-3000 minutes per semester (or 100-300 minutes per week in a 15 week semester).
• Practica and Internships - Normally, one academic credit requires a minimum of 50 hours per 15 week semester or its equivalency.
• Independent Study - Academic credit hours associated with this type of instruction will be assigned credit depending upon the amount of activity associated with meeting the learning outcomes of the course, faculty supervision, and student outside work activity. Best practices in higher education will be followed in assigning appropriate academic credit.
• Distance Learning - Academic credit hours associated with this delivery format of a course will be equivalent to academic credit hours assigned when a course is conveyed in any other delivery format at Cumberland University.

Procedures for Exceptions

Situations and new developments in best practices in higher education may occur that prompt variance in academic credit assigned for a particular course from that stated above. If this situation should occur, a curriculum change proposal should be initiated and submitted by the academic school in which the variance is recommended. Documentation of adherence to best academic practices in higher education necessitating the adjustment in academic credit assigned will be documented in the curriculum change proposal.