Policies Regarding Registration and Course Credit

Faculty Advisers

Each student will be assigned a faculty adviser who will be available to assist in making academic decisions. Prior to registration each semester, every student must have proposed courses approved by the adviser, and, if so indicated in this Bulletin, by representatives of other departments and/or schools.

Students interested in pursuing special programs such as pre-pharmacy or pre-nursing, or majoring in political science, elementary education, middle grades education, engineering or music should declare their intent at the earliest possible date, preferably upon registering for their first semester.

Students interested in obtaining licensure for teaching in the public schools must consult the School of Education prior to registering for the sophomore year.

Credit Hour Policy and Procedure

THE CARNEGIE UNIT - is a unit of measurement used by secondary and post-secondary schools to assure uniformity and consistency in assigning credit for courses awarded by an institution.

Thus, Campbell University uses this unit in defining a semester hour of credit as equivalent to a minimum of three hours of work per week for a 15 week semester. Courses are reported and recorded in semester hours with one semester hour covering between 650-700 minutes. A three semester hour course usually contains the equivalent of 2,100 minutes of instruction. The traditional three-hour course includes between 42 - 45 fifty-minute sessions or 27-29 eighty-minute sessions. The application of this definition requires that all engaged in the process continually adjust for the evolving differences in the methods of delivery, the nature and scope of material, the pedagogy, and the varying ways students commit to the process of education including the pace at which they learn. It is further assumed and expected that students in traditional courses will spend at a minimum an additional two hours of preparation for every hour of instruction.

In non-traditional courses such as Directed Independent Studies and Online Courses conducted over the Internet, the University intends that student learning per credit is the equivalent of between 42 and 45 hours of coursework for the semester or term through activities that demonstrate student competency in the learning outcomes while observing appropriate standards and design practices. The faculty are responsible for ensuring that the expected quantity of student learning relative to credit hours is achieved.

The process for approving courses for credit is a multi-stepped one which includes the formal request for a new course in which the requirements, credit value, instructional materials, budgetary issues, method of delivery, and learning outcomes are identified. This initial process provides compelling evidence of the need for the course and how that course will expand the mission of the department specifically and the University in general. Requestors file through the appropriate Department Chair who subsequently submits the request to curriculum committees within the appropriate schools. If approved, the credit proposal undergoes the scrutiny of the University Curriculum Council for final approval. This council is composed of faculty and administrative persons across the University Community.

Classification of Students

The classification of a student depends upon the number of hours completed and not upon the length of time enrolled in the University. A student is classified:

1. As a senior, upon the completion of 98 semester hours.
2. As a junior, upon the completion of 64 semester hours.
3. As a sophomore, upon the completion of 24 semester hours.
4. As a freshman, if the regular admission requirements have been met.
5. As a special student, if for some approved reason the student is registered for one or more courses but does not meet the admission requirements.
6. As a part-time student, if, with approval, the student is registered for less than 12 hours of credit work.

N.B.: To receive full assistance through the Financial Aid Office or through Veterans Affairs, a student must be enrolled for 12 semester hours.

Undergraduate courses are categorized according to the following classifications:

Traditional: Courses categorized as traditional should include at least one of the following:

• traditional instruction via face-to-face classroom meetings
• laboratory meetings and other instructor supervised educational activities
• in classroom tests, exams, student presentations, discussions, etc.

Blackboard-Enhanced: The line between Blackboard-enhanced and blended/hybrid may seem blurred. If a professor chooses to Blackboard-enhance a course, he or she is still expected to meet with his or her class each scheduled class period. Blackboard enhancement is a great tool; however, this designation does not authorize professors to teach their course via a blended/hybrid or online platform.

Blended/Hybrid: A blended/hybrid course consists of a combination of face-to-face and online educational instructional opportunities as designed by the instructor. Online educational instructional opportunities may include lecture, independent study, visual electronic interaction and other online communication. A course is blended/hybrid when up to 49% of the instructional minutes are delivered via an electronic platform. In the event a blended/hybrid course exceeds more than 49% of the minutes of instruction being offered online, the blended/hybrid course will become an online course.

Online: An online course utilizes online tools and resources to deliver 50% or more class content, discussion, quizzes, exams, etc.

Course Classification by Minutes of Instruction and Mode of Delivery**

**As of August 21, 2020, the above table has been updated to more accurately reflect the amount of online instruction hours.

Courses of Instruction

Courses numbered 100 or 200 are recommended for freshmen; those numbered 200 or 300 are open to sophomores; those numbered 300 to 400 are intended for juniors and seniors. Those numbered 500 are for advanced undergraduate and graduate students. Courses numbered 600 and above are for graduate students only. Credit hours for each course are listed in parentheses after the title.

The University reserves the right to make necessary changes and/or cancel classes in the class schedule where there is insufficient demand for an announced course or where unexpected personnel changes have occurred.

Normal Class Load

During the regular semester on the main campus, a normal class load is fifteen to sixteen hours (not including CUC). During the summer terms a normal load is six semester hours. For Adult and Online education students, a normal class load is six hours per session, and may not exceed nine hours without the express approval of the extended program director.

Students living in on-campus housing must carry a minimum load of twelve semester hours. Students carrying less than twelve hours will not be eligible for full financial aid.

Overloads

Students enrolling in more than eighteen semester hours (not including CUC) during the regular semester or nine semester hours during summer terms at the main campus must obtain permission from the appropriate dean and pay the appropriate overload charges. Adult and online education students enrolling in more than nine semester hours per session must obtain permission from the campus director and pay the appropriate overload charges.

Under no circumstances should a student attending summer school sit for more than 18 semester hours.

Directed Independent Study (DIS)

Independent study is any type of study which is conducted under the supervision of an instructor but which is not available as a regularly scheduled course or which is a regularly scheduled course but is not currently available.

Credit hours will be given for each independent study course as listed in the catalog for regularly scheduled classes. All independent study should be initiated by the student, and a contract submitted prior to the semester for which credit is sought. The student should submit a written request to the faculty adviser, or campus director (if an Adult and Online Education student) during the advisement period and obtain approval before registration.

The student and faculty member will work out the format of each course and will adhere to the standards set by the department.

Departmental standards will include the following:

1. No student may take more than one three-semester-hour independent study course per semester; no student shall present more than nine credit hours in independent study toward a major without the approval of the discipline department chair, adviser, and the dean of the college/school.
2. The student’s schedule should allow for an average of three hours of work per week per semester hour, including time spent in meeting with the professor.
3. A clear written understanding should be established between the student and professor concerning the objectives of the study, procedures, reading, written work, travel, and means of evaluation.

Supervision of independent study will be on a volunteer basis for the professor. No professor should supervise more than three independent studies during any semester/term. All independent study contracts shall be approved by the faculty adviser, the supervising professor, the discipline department chair, the appropriate dean, and the Registrar. (Note: Adult and Online Education students require only the approval of their site Director.)

Blank independent study contracts may be obtained in the Office of the Registrar and on Campbell’s website.

Enrollment at Other Schools

Requests for permission to enroll in courses at other colleges or universities for subsequent transfer of credit to Campbell University must be approved in writing by the adviser, the appropriate department chairperson, and the Registrar prior to enrollment. Forms are available on the Registrar’s Office website under ‘Important Forms’ section.

Students who do not have at least a 2.0 GPA at Campbell normally will not receive approval to transfer courses to Campbell. In such special circumstances where approval is granted, students should understand that the transfer courses will be held in “suspense” and not transferred until the student has attained a 2.0 GPA at Campbell University.

Furthermore, students who are in their fourth semester at Campbell University or who have completed 64 semester hours may not transfer work from two-year institutions (junior colleges, community colleges, or technical colleges).

Courses taken during a term of disciplinary suspension may not be applied toward degree credit at Campbell University.

Students should understand that they must complete the last 32 semester hours in residence at Campbell, and that work completed at another institution while a student is ineligible to return to Campbell will not be accepted in transfer.

A deficit in quality points must be resolved by completing courses at Campbell.

Auditing a Course

A student may audit any course by obtaining the permission of the instructor and the appropriate dean prior to the start of class. The requirements for attendance and participation are determined by the instructor.

A student auditing a course receives no credit and no grade. However, satisfactorily completed audits are reported to the Registrar’s Office and made a matter of permanent record. Students may elect to retake a course for credit and a grade. A course that is audited is considered to be a part of a student’s load and is included in the tuition and fee charges.

Credit/No Credit Option

Juniors or seniors with a cumulative GPA of 2.000 or higher may take up to a total of 9 semester hours of credit/no credit courses. No more than one course can be taken during a reporting term. Required courses for a major or courses taken to fulfill the General College Curriculum (GCC) may not be taken on a credit/no credit basis.

Letter graded courses which have been failed may not be repeated on a credit/no credit basis.

Registration for credit/no credit courses will be handled in the same manner as for regular enrollment. Registration for a credit/no credit courses requires registration for a minimum of 12 additional semester hours on a letter grade basis for the reporting term. The decisions to take courses on a credit/no credit basis must be made by the official date, “last day to drop without a grade.” Students taking a course for credit/no credit will be charged at the same tuition rate as a graded course.

A student registered for a credit/no credit course performing “at or above average” as determined by the instructor will receive credit hours only and a transcripted mark of CT (credit). A student registered for a credit/no credit course performing “below average” as determined by the instructor will receive no credit hours and a transcripted mark of NC (no credit). Neither grade (CT or NC) impacts a student’s grade point average.

Credit by Examination

Students may earn credit by satisfactorily completing the General Examinations or the Subject Examinations of the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), the Subject Examinations of the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Subjects (DANTES), the examinations of the United States Armed Forces Institute (USAFI), the Advanced Placement examinations of the College Entrance Examination Board, International Baccalaureate, or any other standardized test approved and accepted by the American Council on Education and documented in the “ACE Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services,” often referred to as the “ACE Guide.”

College credit may be awarded to a student who completes the Advanced Placement Examination with an acceptable score. For details, please see the PDF chart for “AP Score Equivalency Guide” on the Admission’s webpage 

Applicants should arrange with the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) for the Advanced Placement Examination and should request the CEEB to send the results of these examinations to the Dean of Admissions. The decision on the appropriate amount of credit to be awarded will be determined by the department chair with the approval of the appropriate dean.

Credit may be earned by satisfactorily completing the General Examinations or the Subject Examinations of the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) of the College Entrance Examination Board. A maximum of 64 hours of freshman and sophomore level credit may be earned for scores recommended by the American Council on Education. Applicants who seek credit by examination may obtain further information from the Registrar of the University.

Credit for courses in the core curriculum to be earned through CLEP, DANTES, USAFI, APP, Challenge Examinations, and other nontraditional methods should be submitted prior to the end of the student’s first year of enrollment at Campbell.

Transfer Credit Policies

Transfer Credit from Domestic Institutions:

A transfer student from an accredited two-year institution may receive up to sixty-four (64) semester hours of course credit.Applicants from four-year institutions do not have a limit on the amount of hours that will transfer. These courses will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

No more than 64 credit hours from two-year colleges and non-traditional sources will be accepted in transfer. This includes any combination of lower-division military credit, lower-division CLEP, and/or courses taken at a two-year institution. Upper-division credits for military courses will be noted on the evaluation of transfer credits as 300/400 level courses.In order to earn a bachelor’s degree from Campbell, a student must complete the final 32 hours at Campbell, and 12 of these hours must be upper level (300-400) courses.

All students from a regionally accredited junior and community colleges are eligible to apply for transfer under a direct transfer policy if they have an overall “C” average and are recommended by the registrar of the sending institution. Full credit will be given to junior and community college courses at the associate degree level (100-200 level).

Campbell University will accept semester hours only from all transfer work. Campbell University accepts course content only for “D” grades; consequently, a student will not earn hours toward graduation for “D” work completed at another college or university. The student’s grade point average (GPA) will be determined by the work completed only at Campbell University.

In those instances where course titles on transcripts are inadequate to determine the nature of the course, students are responsible for providing documentation of content. Institutional catalogs, course syllabi, or other written evidence may be used.

Transfer students must be in good academic and social standing at the school from which they are transferring.

When the official evaluation is complete, the student can view the evaluation in Student Self Service along with a personalized updated checklist for their declared major showing all courses remaining to be completed for graduation.

Transfer Credit from International Institutions:

Students who attended college outside of the United States must provide a translated and evaluated transcript from a Campbell University approved academic evaluation agency. Additional information, such as course descriptions, institutional catalogs and course syllabi may be required to make an accurate determination of transfer credits. 

Transfer Credit from Military Experience:

Campbell University accepts many forms of Professional Military Education (non-academic experience and training) that have been evaluated by the American Council on Education (ACE) as academic credit. Credit can only be transferred if it is applicable to the student’s chosen degree program requirements.

College-level credit can be applied to corresponding areas of the student’s degree program requirements

College credit recommendations can be accepted for study completed in service schools and Military Occupations found in the “Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services” published by American Council of Education

Military credit will only be evaluated after the academic documents have been reviewed.  ACE recommendations for vocational or technical credit are not accepted as transfer credit.

High School Credit:

In some cases, a student who has taken foreign language at the high school level may qualify to have foreign language waived for their program. This waiver cannot exceed the 200 course level and no credit will be issued.

Adult and Online Education (AOE) Campus Specific:

All official college transcripts, official CLEP/DANTES scores,  and JST/CCAF transcripts must be received in the student’s home campus office before an evaluation of transfer credits can be completed. Once all documentation has been received, students will receive an official evaluation within 8 weeks. Priority for completion will be based on proximity to graduation, pending financial aid, and date of submission.

Comprehensive Articulation Agreement

Campbell University has partnered with the N.C. Department of Community Colleges in the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement. This agreement addresses the transfer of credits in the core curriculum between institutions in the North Carolina Community College system for students who wish to transfer to Campbell University.

Substitution Policy

Upon the recommendation of the adviser and department chairperson (or Adult and Online Education director), the dean of each school has the authority to approve subject substitutions. Substitution forms can be obtained from the Registrar’s Office website under the ‘Important Forms’ section or by contacting the Adult and Online Education director of choice.