Academic Policies

 

 

People, relationships, practices, guidelines and requirements all contribute to making a learning experience positive and productive. The seminary education offered at Wesley attempts to find the proper balance between teaching and learning, enabling you to achieve those educational and developmental goals so essential for service and life in the Kingdom. The following policies serve to order and guide the learning process, touching on such issues as academic progress, grading and evaluation, and relationship to class and seminary.

Academic Calendar and Class Scheduling (revised)

Effective in the Fall 2008 Semester, the academic year at Wesley Biblical Seminary will change from a two semester, January term, and a summer term schedule to a three semester sequence. The new academic calendar will look like this: a fifteen week fall semester, a fifteen week spring semester, and a twelve week summer semester. Each semester will be separated with a two to three week break. The spring semester continues to include a one-week spring break. The exact dates for the academic calendar for the upcoming year can be located elsewhere in the website.

For on-campus studies, the courses are scheduled in a block format where the class meets for two or three hours of class time on one specified day of each week..This arrangement allows pastor/students to take courses simultaneously with their pastoral duties.

For online studies, the courses will extend across the fifteen or twelve week semester. WBS is moving away from the six week session in which a student could take only one course. With the change to a 12-15 week semester, online students will be allowed to take more than one concurrent course.

Each semester one to three evening classes provide opportunity for seminary study to business and professional people who could not otherwise attend classes. One or two courses per semester are usually offered during the weekend. The typical weekend class, meeting four weekends during the semester, will have a three-hour Friday evening session and a Saturday session of four to eight hours. In both the evening and weekend classes, expectations for the quality of course work are the same as those for the day courses.

Course Load

The number of hours a student should take during any given semester will depend upon several variables: academic ability, employment responsibilities, family relationships, travel requirements, and so forth. Students, in consultation with their advisors, will establish an appropriate schedule of courses in light of the influencing variables.

In order to complete a degree program in the specified time, a full-time student must complete twenty-five semester hours during the academic year. These hours may be taken during the fall, spring, or summer semesters. Taking courses during the summer semester allows the student to reduce the number of hours needed in the fall and spring to complete the desired number of total hours for the year.

Auditing Classes

With permission from the professors in charge, classes may be audited. If a student is interested only in auditing courses, an auditing application must be approved. While the auditing student will not be required to take class examinations or do term work, attendance is required. Notation of “Audit” is made on the transcript regarding audited courses. However, the audited courses cannot apply toward degree requirements. Auditing fees and special considerations for students and staff are identified in the Financial Information section of the catalog.

Academic Waiver

Petitions for the waiver of required courses are available from the dean’s office. The petitions must be properly processed in order for any waiver of degree requirements to be granted to the student. Students with a strong undergraduate background in theological studies, such as a graduate of a Bible college, may waive a number of introductory courses and replace them with more advanced courses in the same field. If students believe they have achieved a given competency at a graduate level, they may petition the faculty for opportunity to demonstrate that achievement. In the event the achievement level is satisfactory, certain degree requirements may be adjusted. Interested students should see their faculty advisor.

Classification

• Junior. All first-year students with up to 24 hours completed.
• Middler. M.Div. students with 25 to 49 hours completed or M.A. students with over 25 hours but who will not graduate in the academic year.
• Senior. M.A. students with 25 or more hours completed, and M.Div. students with 50 or more hours completed who anticipate graduation in the academic year.
• Auditor. A student taking courses for audit only.
• Special Student. Students who do not enroll in a degree program.

Class Attendance

Class attendance is key component of learning Wesley Biblical Seminary. Students are expected to attend regularly and punctually all classes for which they are registered. Specific details on class absences and make-up work are found in the Student Handbook.

Withdrawal

Students who withdraw from any or all of their courses during the semester must complete an official withdrawal process. Failure to do so may result in failing grades for the course work, the forfeiture of funds, or both. Further details on withdrawal are given in the Student Handbook. If circumstances develop that make withdrawal necessary, students should make immediate contact with their faculty advisor.

Grading

Grades are one of several criteria used for granting degrees at Wesley Biblical Seminary. A Unit of Credit measures quantity—the number of hours spent in the classroom. One hour of credit is the equivalent of 50 minutes per week in class for the duration of the fifteen-week semester. A Grade Point measures quality—the value of student work on a scale of “Superior” to “Failure.”

The seminary uses the following grading scale as a means of attempting to show the quality of work achieved by the students.

• A - Superior quality of work.
• B - Above average work.
• C - Average work.
• D - Below the standard required for graduation.
• F - Failure for a course.
• I - Incomplete is a temporary grade given when a student has been providentially hindered from completing course requirements by the end of the semester. The student must make arrangements with the professor before the end of the term to complete work at a later date. An “I” must be removed by the end of the following semester or it automatically becomes “F”. No grade points are given an incomplete. The incomplete is used to calculate a temporary Grade Point Average (GPA).
• W - Withdrawn from the course. No grade points given. Grade is not used to calculate GPA.
• CR/NCR - Credit or No Credit is given for the course without placing any qualitative value on the course work. No grade points given. Grade is not used to calculate GPA.

The following numerical value is placed on the letter grades when calculating the student’s Grade Point Average. These numbers are multiplied by the hours credit to provide the total grade quality points.

• A 4.00
• A- 3.67
• B+ 3.33
• B 3.00
• B- 2.67
• C+ 2.33
• C 2.00
• C- 1.67
• D+ 1.33
• D 1.00
• D- 0.67
• F 0.00

Method of course grade calculation is determined by the individual professors. However, there are typical components that usually are considered in arriving at an assessment of the quality of the student’s achievement: daily or weekly assignments, periodic and final examinations, term projects, class participation, and attendance.

Thesis

The M.A. (biblical lit and theology) concentrations no longer require a thesis. The M.Div. Honors Research concentration now requires a master thesis. While the thesis is not expected to constitute original research, it is expected to demonstrate mastery of accepted research methodology, a broad and deep acquaintance with the literature on the chosen topic, a grasp of the related issues, an ability to think both critically and creatively on the issues, and an ability to communicate all of these clearly and effectively.

Students writing theses should study carefully the Handbook for Thesis Writing at Wesley Biblical Seminary. The handbook provides specific guidelines and expectations that are essential for the student to follow. The thesis is to be completed during the student’s final year. Students anticipating a thesis should take a research orientation course offered each spring. They should consult with their faculty advisor very early in the academic program to lay out a time schedule for this extensive research project. Students must complete the research techniques course before launching a thesis project.

Language Requirements

Candidates for the Master of Divinity, the biblical literature concentration, and the theology concentration of the Master of Arts must have a working knowledge of New Testament Greek. A knowledge of Hebrew is required for the biblical literature concentration. Incoming students who have acquired a knowledge of these languages may validate their competency through examination. Satisfactory performance in the language assessment will allow students to take more advanced courses in biblical languages.

Examinations

All examinations must be taken when scheduled. An exception to this ruling will require the prior consent of the professor involved. Responsibility for initiating arrangements to take examinations at other than scheduled times rests upon the student.

Enrollment, Satisfactory Academic Progress, and Financial Aid

Satisfactory academic progress is “reasonable progress toward completion of an educational goal.” The following guidelines identify the minimum achievements necessary to make reasonable progress toward degree completion. Students are making satisfactory academic progress if they are in good academic standing, as later described, and complete at least twelve semester hours each year.

Enrollment Status

Student enrollment status is determined on a fifteen-week semester basis. One semester hour denotes fifteen hours of classroom experience and at least thirty hours of academic preparation and research.

• Full-time Status. The minimum full-time class load is nine semester hours. The maximum load above which a student must receive special permission from the dean is eighteen semester hours.
• Half-time Status. Six to eight semester hours comprise the range for half-time enrollment.

Academic Standing and Probation

Students maintain good academic standing by satisfactorily completing 75% of the courses in which they enrolled prior to the current term and having a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.50 or above. Grades representing satisfactory completion of a course are A+, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, and CR (Credit). Grades representing non-satisfactory completion include D+, D, D-, F, I (Incomplete), and NC (No Credit).

At the end of the fall and spring semesters, review of the records of all degree students occurs. In the event a student fails to meet the standard for good academic standing, he or she will be placed on academic probation by receiving a notification of such action and having a notation placed on the transcript.
Students placed on academic probation must prepare with the assistance of their faculty advisor a strategy for improving academic performance. Students are given eighteen semester hours to bring their performance to the standard of good standing. Probationary students failing to reach this goal in eighteen semester hours will be subject to academic dismissal.

The student may request exemption from the above-described policy on academic probation by presenting a written description of extenuating circumstances and plan for satisfactory progress to the Academic Affairs Committee for consideration. The student will be advised in writing of the committee’s decision. The student’s appeal should be directed to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Time Limits for Completion of Degrees

The Master of Divinity must be completed within eight (8) years of the student’s matriculation. The Master of Arts and the Master of Arts in Christian Education must be completed in five (5) years. Such limitation ensures that the educational experiences are reasonably focused and current. Exceptions to these limits may be appealed to the Academic Affairs Committee. The written request should be given to the student’s faculty advisor who will forward the appeal to the committee.

Satisfactory Progress and Eligibility for Financial Aid

Students must be enrolled as degree students meeting the minimum standards for satisfactory academic progress to be eligible to apply for seminary and federal financial aid. Students must apply annually for seminary endowed scholarships as well as Federally-backed loans.

Special and audit students are not eligible for financial aid. Students admitted on probation or placed on academic probation after matriculation are ineligible for seminary aid. If students fail to meet the standards for good academic standing as described above, they will be notified of their ineligibility for financial aid. When the students re-establish good academic standing, they will again be eligible to apply for all forms of financial aid.

Students losing their financial aid eligibility may appeal the decision by submitting a written request with description of extenuating circumstances to a committee comprised of the dean, the student’s faculty advisor, and one other faculty member. The committee will advise the student of its decision in writing. The student’s appeal regarding financial aid eligibility should be directed to the Director of Financial Aid.