ACADEMIC POLICIES

SCHOOL YEAR

The school year is divided into two semesters of approximately 18 weeks each, with the first semester ending prior to the Christmas recess.

CREDITS

The unit of credit is the semester hour, defined as one class hour per week for one semester. Accordingly, a lecture course which meets three periods per week carries three semester hours of credit. Exceptions to this include laboratory periods, physical education courses, and choir, which require two class periods per week for each semester hour of credit.

Piano and organ each carry one credit per semester. This credit includes a weekly lesson and daily practice periods.

CREDIT-HOUR LOAD

An average semester load for a full-time student is 16 to 18 credit hours. Full tuition is charged for 12 or more credits.

To gain the most from each course, the student should spend on the average two hours of preparation for each hour in class. Quiet time is available for studying in the dormitories on school nights, and time should be reserved on weekends for additional preparation.

Students are required to attend all classes on their schedules. Vacations are to be so arranged that no credit-carrying classes or tests are missed.

GRADING SYSTEM

A system of letter grades is used for all credit-carrying courses except Education 404 and Choir, for which a PASS/FAIL system is employed. The letter grades are as follows:

A, A- (A = Excellent)
B+, B, B- (B = Good)
C+, C, C- (C = Average)
D+, D, D- (D = Poor)
F (F = Failure)
 

ACADEMIC STANDING

A grade point system that grants 4 grade points per credit for an A is used to determine the quality of a student's work. A plus or minus after a letter grade raises or lowers the grade points by .33 grade point. For example:

A 4.00 grade points per credit
A- 3.67 grade points per credit
B+ 3.33 grade points per credit
B 3.00 grade points per credit, etc.

No grade points are given for an incomplete (I) or a failure (F).

The grade point average (GPA) is the ratio of the number of grade points earned to the number of credits taken. Credits transferred from other colleges and universities are not included in the GPA.

Class status is based upon the total number of credits earned at ILC and accepted by transfer from other institutions, as follows:

Freshman: 0 to 31 credits
Sophomore: 32 to 63 credits
Junior: 64 to 95 credits
Senior: 96 or more credits

The minimum GPAs for graduation from the degree programs are as follows: 2.00 for the A.A. degree; 2.50 for the B.A. and B.S. degrees.

Good academic standing: The academic standing of the student is determined at the end of each semester in residence. Those students whose cumulative GPA at ILC is at or above the level required for graduation are in good academic standing.

Academic warning: Those students whose cumulative GPA at the end of any semester falls below the standards required for graduation will receive academic warning and will be offered academic counseling for improving their grades. They may continue their enrollment from semester to semester if they are able to meet these minimum academic levels while pursuing their degree:

A.A. degree:

Cumulative GPA of 1.50 upon the completion of 32 semester credits
Cumulative GPA of 1.75 upon the completion of 48 semester credits

B.S. and B.A. degrees:

Cumulative GPA of 1.75 upon the completion of 32 semester credits
Cumulative GPA of 2.00 upon the completion of 64 semester credits
Cumulative GPA of 2.25 upon the completion of 96 semester credits

(Note: The cumulative GPA is based only upon courses taken at ILC. The number of semester credits completed, however, includes also those credits accepted by transfer from other institutions and applicable to the degree.)

Academic probation and suspension: A student whose cumulative GPA falls below the aforementioned levels will immediately be placed on academic probation. If the situation continues for an additional semester, the student will be suspended from the degree program in which he/she is enrolled. Reentry into the degree program may be permitted after the passage of one semester, and upon application by the student and approval of the academic dean and the registrar. Such approval will take into consideration any factors which may have a bearing upon the student's ability to improve his/her grades after readmission.

Special students, who are not pursuing a degree program at ILC, are not required to meet certain minimum academic levels. They will, however, be offered academic counseling if their grade average in any semester falls below 1.00.

An A.A. graduate with a grade point average of 3.50 or above will graduate with "Honors." The honor categories for the B.S. and B.A. graduates are as follows:

3.50 - 3.69 Cum Laude (With Honor)
3.70 - 3.89 Magna cum Laude (With High Honor)
3.90 - 4.00 Summa cum Laude (With Highest Honor)

Only such students are eligible for graduation honors who have earned at Immanuel Lutheran College at least half of the credits required for their degree and who have been in residence during the two semesters prior to their graduation.

Recommendation for being considered a candidate for the CLC teaching ministry, or for being admitted to the CLC theological seminary, is based upon the attainment of the B.S./B.A. degree and upon the qualifications set forth by Holy Scripture in 1 Corinthians 4:1-2, 1 Timothy 3:1-7, and Titus 1:5-9.

INCOMPLETES/FAILURES

An incomplete (I) is given when the course work has been satisfactory but for acceptable reasons the student was unable to complete all work by the end of the semester. An incomplete must ordinarily be removed within two calendar weeks after the end of a semester, or it will be permanently recorded as an F.

Required courses with a grade of F must be repeated successfully, unless the requirement has been satisfied by the successful completion of an approved substitute. A "NC" (no credit) will replace the F on the transcript.

ACADEMIC HANDBOOK

Detailed information about the academic policies of the college department is contained in an Academic Handbook, which is distributed to all students during orientation.