Academic Policies

Schedule of Classes

A complete schedule of classes offered each semester showing days of the week and the hours at which they will meet will be available in print and online before the beginning of the semester. In addition, a tentative listing of course offerings planned for the following semester will be made available online. The University reserves the right to cancel classes with an enrollment of 10 or fewer students and to make changes in a student’s schedule for class balancing and other administrative purposes.

Final Examinations

University policy requires that final examinations, when included as part of course requirements, be given at the end of each semester and summer term. A schedule prepared by the Office of the Registrar establishes each semester’s final examination period; the final day or days of each summer term are reserved for final examinations. All final examinations are to be administered at the published time, unless other arrangements are approved by the vice president for academic affairs.

Graduating seniors in their last semester, fall or spring, with a grade point average of 3.0 or better in a given course (this recommendation not to include general education courses) may be excused from the final examination at the option of the instructor. Such students may elect to take the final examination which will count in the determination of the final grade. This policy does not apply to courses taken during summer sessions.

Academic Load

A semester hour (or credit) generally consists of one contact hour per week. To be considered fulltime, an undergraduate student must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 semester hours in a semester. To complete a bachelor’s degree (a minimum of 120 semester hours) in the traditional four years, a student would need to carry an average academic load of 15 semester hours in a semester.

Degree-seeking students may register for a maximum of 19 semester hours per semester; however, the academic load for the first semester should generally not exceed 17 hours. The maximum of 19 semester hours does not apply to private applied music lessons and ensembles. The maximum academic load in the summer is 14 semester hours overall (7 semester hours per session).

A student who wishes to register for more than 19 semester hours in a regular semester, or for more than 14 semester hours overall in a summer semester, (including non-Shepherd University semester hours), must have a 3.0 or higher overall grade point average, and must not be carrying any incomplete grades from previous semesters. If these criteria have been met, the student must obtain an approval form from the Office of the Registrar, and seek approval from the academic advisor, department chair, and the vice president for academic affairs. Any exceptions to this rule must be appealed by petition to the Admissions and Credits Committee.

In no case may a student enroll for more than 23 semester hours per semester.

A student may initially register to audit a course. Regular University tuition and fees are charged and no credit is awarded for an audited course. Declaration of a change in a course status from credit to audit must be processed within the first 15 days of classes (Monday-Friday) of a fall or spring semester or within the first three class days (Monday-Friday) of a summer session. Any subsequent change in course status must be appealed to the Admissions and Credits Committee. A student who audits a course is expected to comply with the instructor’s attendance policy.

Special Examination for Course Credit

Application must be made to the registrar for permission to take a special examination. To qualify for permission to take such an examination, an applicant must be a degree-seeking student enrolled full-time at Shepherd University and be recommended by the department chair and the instructor concerned. Examinations will not be given for courses in which the student has previously earned a low grade.

Applicants must pay a fee for each special examination. A receipt for the payment of the fee must be obtained from the Business Office and submitted with the application for special examination. No money will be refunded if any examination is failed. Upon successful completion of the special examination, the student will receive the credit hours for the course with no letter grade designated. This will not affect the grade point average of the student.

Courses Taken at Other Institutions

Once enrolled at Shepherd University, a student must receive prior approval to enroll in and transfer any additional course work from another institution. Transfer approval is subject to the following conditions:

• A student must be in good academic standing (GPA > 2.00). Courses taken during a period of academic suspension will not be approved for transfer.
• A Shepherd course for which a grade of D, F, or W was received may not be repeated elsewhere, even when an articulation agreement exists for the course. No Shepherd University D or F grade can be replaced by an equivalent transfer course.
• Courses in the major, minor, or teaching field cannot be taken at another institution.
• Only courses from accredited institutions of higher education may be transferred to Shepherd.
• A maximum of 72 transfer semester hours from accredited two-year institutions may count toward graduation requirements.
• The last twelve hours of course work before graduation must be completed at Shepherd.
• A GPA deficiency earned at Shepherd University cannot be made up at another institution.

A Transfer Approval or Consortium Registration form must be completed, including appropriate faculty signatures, and submitted to the Office of the Registrar prior to enrolling at another institution. Both forms are available in the Office of the Registrar.

Exceptions to any of these policies must be petitioned through the Admissions and Credits Committee for final action.

The University offers courses which fulfill short-term needs not justifying permanent listing in the Catalog or which respond to requests received on short notice.

Each discipline may have two courses, one lower-level and one upper-level, bearing the designation “Special Topics: (specific title).” The numbering of these courses is generally 199, 299, 399, or 499 depending on the level. The class schedule and the student transcripts also will carry the specific title of the course. Courses will be offered upon the agreement of the vice president for academic affairs.

Credit given will be from one to four hours, and the course may be repeated as needed by the department. Topics for these courses will be created as needed by the department.

Classification of Students

Classification of students is made on the following basis: first year, 29 semester hours or less; second year, 30 to 59 semester hours; third year, 60 to 89 semester hours; fourth year, 90 or more semester hours.

Selecting a Major and Minor

The list of majors and minors is found at the beginning of Section VI Programs of Study with the curriculum for each following in that section. A comprehensive major needs no minor; teacher education programs are comprehensive.

Where a minor is required, students should be aware of the value and necessity of choosing the minor early in their University career. Delaying this decision beyond the second year may mean that the student will not be able to complete the degree program in four years.

Degree-Seeking Undecided Majors

Students who seek a baccalaureate degree but have not chosen a major will be placed in the B.S. Undecided program and assigned an academic advisor in Career Services with whom they will work closely until a major is officially declared. Students will not be permitted to remain as B.S.Undecided registrants after they have completed 30 hours of undergraduate credit.  At that time, students will be assigned an academic advisor in the department of their declared major.

Withdrawal and Change of Class Schedule

Students desiring to add or drop a course during the first five class days of a semester should do so by using the RAIL system. A course dropped during this time period will not appear on the student’s transcript.

Beginning on the sixth class day of the semester until 4 p.m. on the 2nd Friday after mid-term week, a student may withdraw from a class with a grade of W, without affecting grade point average (see Grading System). A week containing one or more scheduled class days is considered a full class week. There will be no exceptions to this deadline (see Summary of Withdrawal Dates).

The last day for withdrawal from an eight-week class will be as posted in the academic calendar.

During the summer sessions, any time prior to 4 p.m. of the second calendar day before the last day of classes of each summer term, a withdrawal (W) will be permitted. Failure to submit the withdrawal form to the Office of the Registrar by the deadline will result in the grade of F or IF (see Grading System).

Until 4 p.m. on the last class day of the semester, a student may process through the Office of the Registrar a complete withdrawal from the University (all enrolled classes). Students who discontinue attending class without following the proper withdrawal procedures will receive a grade of F or IF in the course (see Grading System).

Withdrawal from the University must be reported and financial clearance made at the Business Office (see Grading System for additional information on withdrawals).

Summary of Change of Class Schedule (abbreviated dates in summer)
Action: Add a course.
Process: No form required; add class AND PAY online through RAIL. No bill will be mailed.
Eligible Dates: First five class days.
Result: Course added.

Action: Drop a course.
Process: No form required; drop class online through RAIL.
Eligible Dates: First five class days.
Result: Course dropped; course will not appear on transcript.

Action: Withdraw from a course.
Process: Form required; obtain from advisor; submit to registrar.
Date: Sixth class day through 2nd Friday after mid-term week.
Course Grade: W.

Action: Complete withdrawal from the University.
Process: Form required; obtain from registrar.
Date: Sixth class day through the last class day of the semester.
Course Grade: W.

The withdrawal procedure is incomplete until all necessary signatures have been secured and the appropriate forms returned to the Office of the Registrar by the specified time stated in the current academic year calendar.

Any counseling provided to a student from any employee of the University, which differs from established University policies, must be confirmed by the vice president for academic affairs. Although a student may receive advice from any agent of the University, the final responsibility for a decision concerning withdrawal rests with the student, in consultation with the course instructor, in accordance with University policies. Prior to withdrawing from a course, those students receiving financial aid must refer to the Satisfactory Academic Progress  section of the Catalog.

Any student who commits academic misconduct is ineligible to withdraw from a course unless the withdrawal is approved by the instructor. This exception to the withdrawal policy applies to the entire period within which a student would otherwise be eligible to withdraw and receive a W on the transcript. This exception to the withdrawal policy may be applied retroactively to the transcript in cases where the student is ultimately found by the University to have committed academic misconduct prior to the date that a withdrawal was processed by the registrar. Refer to the Student Handbook.

Absence from University/Readmission

Students in good academic standing who must discontinue their studies for a brief time will be considered eligible to re-enroll in future semesters, as long as they return after no more than two consecutive regular semesters (not including summer sessions), and do not take courses at another institution during that time without prior approval from the University. (For procedures to take courses with permission during a time of absence, see Taking Courses at Other Institutions.)

Students who are on suspension, who take courses at another institution without prior approval, or who are absent from studies for more than two consecutive regular semesters (not including summer sessions), must re-apply through the Office of Admissions.

Students wishing to return after absence, and who do not need to re-apply through the Office of Admissions, should check the semester schedule of classes for advisement dates, and make an appointment with their advisor.