Academic Policies
|
Student Records
The Office of the Registrar maintains the permanent academic records of students enrolled at Grace Baptist Bible College. Documents submitted to any employee of Grace Baptist Bible College in exercise of official duties are the property of Grace Baptist Bible College. The permanent academic record contains the history of course enrollment by semester, the grades awarded, and degrees conferred. Student Privacy Statement With certain exceptions, no employee of Grace Baptist Bible College will disclose personally identifiable, non-directory information to any third party without the express written consent of the student. Grace Baptist Bible College guarantees the right of currently and formerly enrolled students to view their maintained educational record within 45 days of a written request, with limited exceptions. Unless otherwise notified by the student in writing, GBBC may publicly disclose directory information including the following: Name Addresses (local, home, and/or billing) Emails (personal and college) Housing assignment Phone numbers (landline and/or cellular) Grade Point Average Degree(s) and major(s) earned Class level Date of graduation or commencement Dates of attendance Academic honors/awards Photographs Enrollment Verification and status (part-time, full-time) Anticipated graduation date Admission Status (prospect, applicant, admitted; degree or non-degree seeking) Parents who desire to access their children’s records must have proper permission, so access is only granted when a FERPA form is properly filled out and on file with the Office of the Registrar. In order to protect the privacy of students, documents detailing any part of a student’s academic progress will be sent by email or faxed only by written authorization by the student. Documents transmitted by these formats are neither secure nor official. This includes grade reports, transcripts, and enrollment verifications and status. Request for Transcript The Office of the Registrar issues transcripts within three to five business days after receipt of a signed and completed transcript request form and the processing fee. Grace Baptist Bible College issues transcripts only after all obligations to the College have been fulfilled. Requests for official transcripts may only be made by the student. Request for Enrollment Verification Students who have signed a waiver limiting disclosure of directory information (see prior list) must submit a request for official verification before that information can be released. Students who request such information must contact the Office of the Registrar. Enrollment in a given semester is verified only after the end of the drop/add period and may include anticipated graduation information only when the student has reached senior level status. Academic Guidelines
Catalog Requirements Graduation requirements correspond to the catalog in effect at the first time of matriculation as a degree-seeking student. Students matriculating for the first time in the summer semester are subject to the catalog of the previous term. If a change of status is desired, the student must complete an appeal form. The appeal must be approved by the Mentor, the Academic Dean, and the Director of Student Development before a change of status is permitted. Course Load The average course load for a full-time on-campus student is 15 semester hours. The college charges full time tuition for on-campus students enrolled in 12 to 18 credit hours; additional costs are incurred for credits over 18. A student is considered part-time when enrolled in 11 or fewer credits; tuition for part-time students is calculated on a per-credit basis. Non-degree seeking students are permitted to take a maximum of 18 total credit hours. Additional coursework requires admission as a degree-seeking student. Course Overload Students must petition to enroll in 19 or more credit hours in a given semester by submitting a letter to the Office of the Registrar that includes the number of credits desired and the rationale for the request. Overload credits must be approved by both the Registrar and the Academic Dean. The Registrar or the Academic Dean may request a personal interview with the student. Factors that may influence whether permission is granted include the advisor’s recommendation, student’s grade point average, type of credit, and employment requirements. Permission must be granted prior to registration. Semester and Course Length The actual number of weeks from the first day of class through final exams will vary slightly from semester to semester. The length of individual classes is adjusted to ensure that there is a minimum of 750 minutes (12 ½ hours) of actual teaching time for every 1 credit hour of course work. For example, a course designated as a 3-credit course will meet for a minimum of 37 ½ hours for the given semester. So, while the actual length of a semester may vary due to holidays, special events, etc., the required teaching time will always remain consistent. Class Standing Academic classification is established for all Grace Baptist Bible College degree-seeking students according to the following credits: Credits Earned Class Standing 0-32 Freshman 33-64 Sophomore 65-96 Junior 97+ Senior Academic Mentors As students matriculate into the college for the first time, they are assigned an academic advisor based upon their anticipated ministry track as listed on their admissions materials. Students whose intended ministry track is unknown are assigned an advisor whose teaching responsibilities are within the core curriculum. If students petition to change their ministry track with the Office of the Registrar, their advisor may be changed to someone more knowledgeable of that ministry track. Advisors assist students with major declarations, course planning, and academic concerns in a manner that meets their educational and career goals. It is important for students to maintain regular contact with their faculty advisor to assist them as they progress towards graduation. Students may request to change their academic advisor by submitting an Academic Declaration & Update form to the Office of the Registrar. This change must be approved by the Registrar. Students are the sole individuals responsible for fulfilling all graduation requirements according to the requirements listed in the catalog. In no case are college employees responsible for the failure to meet degree requirements. Faculty Accessibility Grace Baptist Bible College is a teaching college; full-time faculty members are participatory members of the campus community. As such, students should find it easy to connect with their professors and mentors outside of class. Course Registration & Academic Info
Registration for New & Former Students New or former students, who are degree-seeking or non-degree seeking, must register for courses on or before registration day which occurs at the beginning of each semester. Please see catalog calendar for specifics on date and time. Pre-registration for Continuing Students Continuing students, who are degree-seeking or non-degree seeking, pre-register for their next semester courses during the semester prior to their continued enrollment. Eligibility to pre-register is limited to those students who have no unreconciled obligations, financial or otherwise. Academic advisors are available to assist students in their preparation for pre-registration and must clear students to register for those courses. After interaction and advisor approval, students may register during the dates provided by the Office of the Registrar. Continuing students who seek to register after the end of the pre-registration period are assessed the $50 late registration fee. Grading System
A+ 100-99 A 98-95 – Superior Work A- 94-93 B+ 92-91 B 90-87 – Above Average B- 86-85 C+ 84-83 C 82-79 – Average C- 78-77 D+ 76-75 D 74-72 – Below Average D- 71-70 F 69-0 – Failure WP Passing at the time of withdrawal from class/college; Student’s GPA is not affected WF Failing at the time of withdrawal from class/college; Student’s GPA is affected in the same manner as an ‘F.’ I Incomplete; Student’s GPA is not affected; after six weeks, grades still incomplete will automatically be recorded as failures P Passed Credit Academic credit is awarded according to a 4.0 system. One credit is awarded for each class hour for a semester. Quality points are awarded using the following scale: 4 points for each credit hour of “A” work 3.7 points for each credit hour of “A-” work 3.3 points for each credit hour of “B+” work 3 points for each credit hour of “B” work 2.7 points for each credit hour of “B-” work 2.3 points for each credit hour of “C+” work 2 points for each credit hour of “C” work 1.7 points for each credit hour of “C-”work 1.3 points for each credit hour of “D+” work 1 point for each credit hour of “D” work .7 points for each credit hour of “D-” work 0 points for each credit hour of “F” work Grade point averages (GPA) are determined by dividing the total quality points by the total credit hours attempted that are of academic consequence. Adding & Dropping Courses Once a student pre-registers or registers for a class and the mentor has approved the schedule, a student should complete the Registration Update Form in order to drop a class or add a class. The appropriate signatures must be obtained and the mentor must always approve the change. Once the semester begins and the class meets the first time, then the appropriate change fee may apply and be assessed. Beginning on the first day of classes, all students may add or drop courses for a period of five days (or as specified on the Academic Calendar). Students may not add courses after the drop/add period. Classes dropped during this period do not appear on the student’s transcripts. Withdrawal Procedures After the conclusion of the drop period, students may still withdraw from the course by completing the “Registration & Schedule Update” form. Course withdrawals after the drop period are recorded as a “WP” or “WF” (withdrawal passing or withdrawal failing, respectively). “WP” has no effect on grade point average; “WF” is treated like an “F” and will adversely affect the student’s GPA. A student may not withdraw from the course after the mid-point of a semester class. In a one week module, a student may not withdrawal after the third day of class. Students who choose not to follow the correct withdrawal procedures may receive an “F” for the course involved and may incur continuing costs. Students who desire to withdraw from the institution will need to contact the Registrar and complete the “Institutional Withdrawal Form.” Our policy requires the student to take the following steps to officially withdraw from the institution:
A student who withdraws from the institution must completely pay his/her bill in full and settle all obligations (financial and otherwise) before leaving the institution. Any other arrangement must be in writing and approved by the Director of Business and Academic Dean. Transfer of Credit The following three guidelines are used to determine the general acceptability of transfer credit:
Assessment Exam Grace Baptist Bible College may administer this exam at the beginning and end of our academic curriculum. This exam aims to assess our students in the four distinct areas of our curriculum (Bible, Exegesis, Theology, and Church History). The first segment is given when the student enters Grace Baptist Bible College, then the second segment is taken at the beginning of their last semester. Student Classifications Seniors are those students who have a reasonable prospect of graduation during the College term following the one in progress. Auditors are those students who do not wish academic credit. Full-time Students are those who take 12 or more credits hours in a semester. Part-time Students are those who take 1 to 11 credit hours in a semester. Graduation Requirements
Student Responsibility Students alone bear the responsibility for completing all degree requirements. Faculty mentors, the Registrar, and other administrators are available to counsel students in their progress toward degree completion, but the responsibility remains with the student. Application for Graduation By the midterm advisement of the semester prior to the expected graduation (see school calendar for specific dates), a student anticipating degree completion must submit to the Office of the Registrar a completed graduation application. A student is not eligible to graduate unless application is made. The application is specific to the semester of graduation; failure to complete coursework in that semester requires reapplication. A graduation fee is automatically applied when this application is submitted. Graduation Requirements Upon recommendation of the faculty and with the approval of the Board of Trustees, the degree of Bachelor of Biblical Studies or Associate of Biblical Studies is conferred upon students who have met the following requirements for graduation:
Commencement The commencement ceremony is held each May. Eligibility to participate in Commencement is limited to those who have completed all degree requirements. Graduation (i.e. conferral of degree) occurs only upon fulfillment of all degree requirements and is dated at the end of the term in which the final degree requirements are completed. Graduation Honors Grace Baptist Bible College graduates will be honored for high cumulative academic achievement: Latin Honors Cumulative GPA Summa cum laude 3.85-4.00 Magna cum laude 3.60-3.84 Cum laude 3.30-3.59 Honors Students Dean’s List Names of full-time students are placed on the Dean’s List when their grade point average for the semester is 3.3 or higher. Academic Discipline and Administrative Withdrawals Academic Warning Notices At the approximate midpoint of each semester, any student in jeopardy of receiving a grade of “D” or “F” will receive an academic warning notice from the instructor of the course. The student must discuss the warning with his/her advisor. Academic Probation At the end of any given semester, all degree-seeking students must meet the minimum grade point average of 2.0. Any student who fails to attain this required GPA is placed on academic probation. Students earning a grade point average of 2.0 or above in a subsequent term will be removed from academic probation. Students on academic probation may be placed on academic suspension unless they achieve the minimum term grade point average of 2.0 in the following term. Academic Suspension Degree-seeking students who earn a GPA below 2.0 for two consecutive semesters may be placed on academic suspension. The normal duration of suspension is one semester, and the student must submit proper application for readmission to the Office of Admissions. Such readmission is not automatic and will be dependent upon demonstration of significant productive activity during the period of suspension. Dismissal At times it becomes necessary to dismiss students from the college for various unanticipated non-academic reasons. GBBC always desires to correct issues before they reach the dismissal stage. Recommendations for dismissal may come from the faculty, the Barnabas Committee, the administration, or local church pastors. Decisions regarding dismissal are always serious, carefully deliberated, and never taken lightly. The process for dismissal begins with the Barnabas Committee which will make every effort to resolve the issue. Final dismissal votes are made by the full faculty and those with faculty status in the administration. |
