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ACADEMIC LOAD ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ operates on the quarter system, with autumn, winter, and spring quarters each consisting of 10 weeks of instruction. Summer session courses may vary from traditional courses in structure and length of term. Courses typically meet for at least 50 minutes per week per academic credit; thus, a typical 3-credit course would meet for at least 150 minutes per week. Enrollment status for graduate degree and certificate students is determined by the following:
>As a graduate student, you may, with prior permission, take courses concurrently elsewhere, provided your combined load does not total more than the number of credits permitted as a normal graduate load for the registration period. No more than 15 credits of 6000–level work may be taken in one quarter without permission of the program coordinator. During the Summer Sessions, master's students should take no more than 6 credits in any four-week period. Students employed full time should take no more than 8 credits per quarter. Financial-aid recipients must carry a minimum of 3 regular on-campus credits to receive financial aid. Class Registration Dates for registration are published in the University Calendar. Matriculated graduate and doctoral students may register until 4:30 p.m. on the fifth day of the quarter. Four registration options are available to you (procedures for registration vary from program to program):
Check with your program's graduate coordinator regarding procedures for registration. Registration on the Web SPU offers undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, graduate, and doctoral students the opportunity to register for classes through . Online registration for the quarter begins around the ninth week of the previous quarter and ends on the fifth day of the quarter at 4:30 p.m. Once web registration has ended, you must come to Student Academic Services, mail, or fax a request to withdraw from classes. The refund, if there is one, will be determined by the date the withdrawal statement is received. Changes in Registration Though choices made during the registration period are considered permanent, changes are permitted through the first week of each quarter. The deadline for adding courses is the fifth day of the quarter. The deadline for withdrawing from courses is the sixth week of the quarter. Specific dates for these registration deadlines are listed in the University Calendar. Withdrawals must be submitted to Student Academic Services in writing after web registration ends on the fifth day of the quarter at 4:30 p.m. Auditing A person who wishes to attend class but who does not desire credit is an "auditor." With approval from the instructor, auditors may register to audit any undergraduate course and most 6000-level courses. Students may change from audit to credit or vice versa during the quarterly add period published in the University Calendar. Auditors may neither participate in class discussions nor take examinations. If they do daily assignments, the instructor is under no obligation to read or correct them. Students who are unable to remain at the University because of low grades and new applicants who do not qualify for admission may not register as auditors. A student may receive credit for an audited course only by enrolling in it as a regular student in a subsequent quarter. Courses that are audited do not count toward financial aid. Tuition rates for auditors will be equal to the tuition credit rate. Adding Classes Students are permitted to change their registration as long as the change is submitted by the fifth day of the quarter (refer to the University Calendar for specific dates). Students may not attend or sit in classes unless officially registered by the fifth day of the quarter. Graduate day and evening classes (classes beginning after 4 p.m.) must adhere to this deadline. Any class addition after this date will be considered a change of registration and will be subject to a $50 fee; these are handled via a registration petition (PDF). Waitlisting Closed Classes As a graduate student, you have the option of waitlisting, via , most classes that are closed. If a spot opens up for you, the automated Banner waitlist process will generate an email to your SPU email address with a deadline for you to take action on your registration. Typically, this deadline will be 24 hours; however, it may be extended during school breaks. When Banner emails you, if you still want the spot in the course, you will access your own registration in Banner and add yourself to the course. If you miss your window to register for the course you will need to re-add yourself to the waitlist. When you re-add yourself you will be added to the bottom of the waitlist. With few exceptions, the waitlist works on a first come, first served basis. The automated process that generates emails to waitlisted students begins running after the scheduled "buffer week" (the week after advance registration for continuing students) and goes through 4:30 p.m. on the fifth day of the quarter. Refer to the University Calendar for these dates. If you have questions about the waitlist process, contact Student Academic Services at sasinfo@spu.edu or 206-281-2031. Independent Study Independent study agreements are courses in which you do specific work independently with the instructor, as outlined in the official independent study agreement. Work for an independent study occurs outside the classroom setting. An independent study should be created only when a needed class is not available for a particular quarter, or when your schedule cannot accommodate a course. Independent studies can be created in situations when you wish to study a topic not covered in an actual course in the SPU Graduate Catalog. A student should not attend a class being offered and use that as part of independent study credits. Only matriculated students at SPU may register for "independent study." You must complete the form and have it signed by your instructor, and the dean or department chair. You and your instructor then must meet on a regular basis for the number of consultations noted in the agreement. Registration for an independent study must be submitted to SAS no later than the 10th day of the quarter (see the University Calendar for specific dates). SAS will create the course as noted on the agreement. Copies of the agreement will be forwarded to you and the instructor. Non-Matriculated Students A student who is not seeking a degree at Seattle Pacific, but who wishes to take courses may be able to do so as a non-matriculated student. Below are policy issues surrounding this type of student status:
To register as a non-matriculated student, complete the Registration Form for Non-Matriculated Students (PDF) and submit to Student Academic Services (SAS) to be processed. This form asks for directory information, the student’s social security number, date of birth, requested courses and the student’s signature. It is important to indicate all current contact information so that the student may receive information from SPU departments. The University will review the completed form to determine whether the individual will be permitted to take courses as a non-matriculated student. Course offerings can be found in the . Students should note that some courses may not be available to non-matriculated students and/or that some courses may have registration restrictions attached. In either case, the student would need to request special permission from the appropriate department. One disadvantage for non-matriculated students is that registration does not begin until all matriculated students have had a chance to register. See the Academic Calendar for specific dates for each quarter. For Autumn Quarter, non-matriculated students can begin registering on September 1 or the first business day in September. Other Things to Consider
*SPU considers an international student to be a native English speaker if both their primary and secondary education took place in Australia, Canada (other than Quebec), Great Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, or the U.S. (other than Puerto Rico).
Currently enrolled matriculated students may take special examinations in approved academic subject matter offered by ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ to gain credit without being enrolled in specific courses. The procedures for obtaining permission and filling the request are to be obtained in SAS. The following limitations pertain to credit by examination:
Withdrawal From Courses Withdrawal with official approval during the first week of the quarter will not result in any record of the class on the transcript. Withdrawal with official approval during weeks two through six will result in a "W" appearing on your transcript. If you do not provide proper written notification to , financial obligations will remain binding, regardless of whether classes were attended or whether any of the contracted services were utilized. Whatever the situation, you should communicate your intent to your advisor and instructor. Before dropping a course, consider the percentage of refund for which you are eligible and any impacts on your financial aid package, if applicable. If you fail to withdraw through SAS by the end of the withdrawal period (see the University Calendar for specific dates), the instructor will issue the grade you earned. Complete withdrawal (PDF) requests or course drop (PDF) requests may be mailed, faxed to 206-281-2669, or delivered in person to SAS. Complete Withdrawal From School If you desire to withdraw from school, you must submit a written request for a complete withdrawal or withdraw via the web by 4:30 p.m. on the fifth day of the quarter. Refunds and adjustments to your student account are governed by the financial policies in Costs and Financial Aid. Students who register but do not attend classes must notify in writing to cancel their registration and related charges. The date this notice is received will determine the amount of refund where applicable. If you fail to withdraw through SAS by the end of the sixth week of the quarter, you will receive the grade earned. Administrative Withdrawals Requested by Instructors If the instructor or advisor receives notification that you will not be attending, the instructor may contact Student Academic Services and request that you be administratively withdrawn from the course. Also, if you do not attend class within the first two days of the quarter, an instructor may ask SAS to administratively withdraw you from the class. If you know that you will miss the first class, notify the instructor to avoid being withdrawn from the class. Administrative Withdrawals Requested by Student Financial Services Student Financial Services has the right to have a student completely withdrawn from classes due to an unpaid balance. Parking Refunds To be eligible for a refund of parking fees, you must inform the . Parking refunds are calculated in accordance with the tuition refund policy.
We understand that students may need to take a leave of absence from the University for financial reasons, personal considerations such as family illness, or for medical reasons. Term-based, credit-hour institutions such as ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ as a rule do not meet the conditions of a federally approved leave of absence; therefore if you are receiving federal aid and withdraw or take a leave of absence from the University, you may be subject to the federal Return of Title IV and state financial aid return policies and to the terms of your student loan(s). International students are bound by particular federal laws with regard to leave of absence; therefore this policy does not apply to them. Note: A student must notify Student Financial Services about any change in planned period of enrollment, whether due to withdrawal from a class, a leave of absence, or withdrawal from the University. The specific requirements by which the student agreed to abide at the time any finanical aid was accepted will remain in effect. A student will be required to re-apply to SPU if away from the University for four quarters or more. Students do not apply for readmission to SPU if they take a leave of fewer than four quarters. A student gone for fewer than four quarters will be responsible to complete the same degree requirements as expected upon his or her first quarter of matriculation at the University. Notification to the department's graduate coordinator and completion of a Leave of Absence (PDF) form is required prior to the start of the quarter that the leave of absence is being requested. While a student is on leave of absence, the University will report the student's enrollment status to lenders and loan service entitites as "not attending," and a student loan borrower's grace period will begin. Students on an SPU leave of absence who do not attend school elsewhere for two consecutive quarters (including summer), or who attend another instiution less than half time for two or more consecutive quarters (including summer) will be expected to begin repayment on some or all of their loans. Students are advised to contact their lender(s) regarding their enrollment plans and for repayment information and grace period expiration. Additional leave of absence requirements:
It is expected that all students adhere to registration deadlines. However, registration petitions are requests for exceptions to regular policies and procedures. The petition process provides students and faculty with the possibility of a response outside the normal bounds of policy when extenuating circumstances are judged to warrant such a response. Extenuating circumstances include illness, injury, death in the family, or problems with immigration. Unresolved holds by the deadline or poor performance in a class does not constitute an extenuating circumstance, and is not grounds for petition. The petition must not only voice the request, but it must also substantiate the validity of the request. Petition forms are available on the forms rack in the lobby (first floor) or at . Instructions for completing this process are listed on the petition. A student seeking late registration must obtain permission from the instructor to sit in the class while the petition is pending. In all cases, the final decision to approve or deny a petition will be made by SAS. SAS reserves the right to deny any petition for any reason. Each approved petition will incur a $50 change of registration fee.
The final exam period is considered an instructional period. Classes are expected to meet during the scheduled time whether or not a final exam is given. An instructor may refuse a student's request to reschedule a final examination. However, instructors may schedule an early final exam for you under the following conditions:
Grade Point Average Your grade point average (GPA) is determined by dividing the total number of grade points earned during a given period by the number of credits for which you were enrolled and for which you received a regular grade during the same period. For example, if you earn 27 grade points during a quarter in which you are enrolled for 9 credits, your GPA for the quarter will be 3.0.
Use of I, G, N, W Grades "I" grade (incomplete): Indicates the student did not complete the work assigned for a course because of absence from school during the quarter due to illness or an acceptable emergency. The student must initiate the request for the "I" grade no earlier than two weeks prior to the final examination or last class session. Unless the student is incapacitated, this request should be made in writing. Documentation verifying the illness or acceptable emergency (e.g., a note from a medical doctor) may be required by the instructor. A student cannot carry more than 20 credits of incomplete grades without prior approval from the registrar. The instructor is under no obligation to grant the request for an "I" grade. However, if the instructor chooses to issue an "I" grade, the instructor and student must formulate a plan for the student's completion of the course requirements. The student may not attend a future class in which she or he is not registered as a means of working toward completion of an "I" grade. A timeline for course completion will be determined by the instructor. However, the student must submit final coursework within one calendar year or the "I" becomes an "E." The student must initiate the removal of the "I" grade once coursework has been completed. "G" grade: Used in only specified courses in which a "final" grade is dependent upon additional work and applies only to approved 6000–7000 level courses, including internships, theses, dissertation, and projects at the discretion of the graduate program. Work must be completed within three calendar years or the "G" becomes permanent. "N" grade: Used in only specified courses in which a "final" grade is dependent upon additional work.
A student's degree will be awarded effective the quarter in which the final grade is assigned. "HW": The "HW" grade is assigned in rare cases by University administration after thorough review and substantiation of a student's circumstances. Examples of situations leading to a hardship withdrawal include incapacitating illness or injury, or death of a family member. "W": Withdrawal with official approval during weeks two through six will result in a "W" appearing on the transcript. (See Withdrawal From Courses.) Pass/No Credit Option
Equivalent Courses Courses noted as being "equivalent" may be substituted for each other. You may not receive duplicate credit for two courses considered equivalent to each other. If you take an SPU course equivalent to a course previously completed at SPU, the rules outlined below in the section regarding "Repeating Courses" will be employed. If you take an SPU course equivalent to a course previously transferred from another school, credit for the transfer course will be rescinded and the SPU credits and course grade will apply. Courses taken at another institution cannot replace an equivalent SPU course for which credit has been received. Repeating Classes You may repeat any course previously taken at SPU (or enroll in an SPU course noted as being "equivalent") for the purpose of earning a higher grade, unless the course is designed to be repeated for additional credit. Effective Autumn 2011, the highest grade received in a course or its equivalent will apply to both the GPA for graduation and for honors at graduation. The original and repeated course will still appear on the transcript, but the lower grade and credits will be excluded from the overall GPA and credit total. Only courses taken at SPU will be used to change course grades. A course may be repeated only once. If you believe you have unusual circumstances, you may petition to repeat a course more than once by submitting a registration petition, accompanied by a statement from the course instructor, to Student Academic Services. Courses taken at another institution cannot replace an equivalent SPU course for which credit has been received. Academic Probation Any graduate student whose cumulative GPA falls below 3.0 shall be placed on academic probation.
If you decide to appeal an academic decision, contact the advisor for more detailed information and assistance. The University provides a process whereby a student may appeal an academic decision, including, but not limited to, grades on course activities, evaluations, course grades, decisions on program admissions, and decisions on fulfillment of program and graduation requirements. Academic appeals can be made only on grounds of unfair treatment against the stated standards, not against the professional judgment of the faculty member(s). The intent is always to resolve the appeal at the most immediate level. Only in extraordinary circumstances, if a resolution cannot be obtained at the first level, is the process moved to the next level. In each case, the student shall bring the appeal in writing to the person or committee who made the original decision. If a resolution is not obtained at that level, the student may appeal to the next level in the school or University administrative structure. Guidelines for Academic Appeals
Levels of Appeals Appeals on final grades must be submitted within one quarter of the grade being awarded. For appeals on academic decisions such as grades on course activities, evaluations, course grades, and decisions on program admissions, the levels to be followed in order are the following:
Academic petitions regarding general University matters such as decisions on graduation requirements or other Catalog academic regulations may be made in the following order:
Academic Integrity A breach of academic integrity occurs when students receive academic benefits they did not earn through their own work. In its more blatant forms, academic dishonesty includes:
It is not dishonest to discuss possible answers to an exam question as part of a study group, to discuss ideas for a paper with other members of the class, or to ask a friend to read a draft of a paper for suggestions to improve it, unless the professor has prohibited these activities. It is not dishonest to summarize, paraphrase, or quote the words of others in a paper so long as the student acknowledges the sources with appropriate citations. Guidelines for Penalties Against Academic Dishonesty The penalties for breaches of academic integrity shall be clearly spelled out in a course syllabus. They may range from no credit for the work in question to no credit for the course. Both the students and the instructor have obligations to report and to prevent cheating, plagiarism, or other academic misconduct. If the instructor suspects academic dishonesty, the following guidelines apply:
Graduation All master's and doctoral degree students who wish to participate in Commencement must apply to graduate by February 1. The application is available from the graduate advisor. The form will be forwarded to SAS so that mailings regarding Commencement can be sent out during Spring Quarter. To participate in the Commencement ceremony, you must have completed all courses necessary to fulfill graduation requirements during Autumn or Winter Quarter — or be registered during Spring Quarter and/or summer session for the last of the courses you need to complete your degree. Some departments may not allow you to participate in Commencement ceremonies if you will not complete all degree requirements after Spring Quarter. Please check with your program coordinator for specifics.
Diplomas are not distributed during Commencement. During the ceremony, you will receive a diploma cover. Degrees are awarded when the department notifies SAS that all requirements are complete. Diplomas will be mailed approximately six weeks after the degree is posted, as long as all financial obligations to the University are met.
Honors The graduate faculty elect a number of master's and doctoral students for recognition by Who's Who Among Graduate Students in American Colleges and Universities each year. This honor is awarded to candidates who will graduate from Seattle Pacific by the end of Summer Session, have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above, and demonstrate outstanding scholarship, service to the community, leadership, and future potential. Additionally, the President’s Citation is awarded each year to a graduate student or students who have adhered to the ideals of ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ and demonstrated the highest academic achievement in this context.
Official transcripts are released only on written authorization of the student whose records are requested. The University reserves the right to deny official transcript services for indebtedness to the institution. Official transcripts may be released to students. You may view unofficial copies of your transcript via . Each official transcript costs $5. Payment is due at the time of the request. Payment can be made in person with cash (in-person only), or by check, Visa, or MasterCard. If you have an account, official transcripts are released only if the account is paid in full. You may request one unofficial copy of your transcript at a time at no charge. Unofficial transcripts may also be viewed and printed through . Transcripts contain the student's entire academic history while at SPU:
Undergraduate, graduate, and CEUs are segregated on separate pages of the ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ transcript. Although a copy of the transcript may be requested at any time, updated transcripts will be available after final grades have been submitted and recorded. To receive a copy of the transcript, either place your order online through or visit the Ordering Transcripts SAS web page. The letter needs to include your name that you attended under; social security number or SPU ID number; the last quarter and year you attended; if you are enrolled in a current quarter of instruction, the number of classes enrolled in for that quarter; transcript destination address; your signature, and the number of official copies required. Seattle Pacific will resend a transcript to the originally requested destination provided the University made an error in processing. The University must, however, be contacted within three months of the original request. After the three-month grace period, a separate written request must be submitted. The University reserves the right to approve or deny any request for resending a transcript for any reason other than University error. Payment is due at the time the transcript is requested. Payment can be made by cash (in-person only), check, Visa, or MasterCard. Student Records and Confidentiality Certain items of information about individual students are fundamental to the educational process and must be recorded. This recorded data concerning students is used for only clearly defined purposes and is safeguarded and controlled to avoid violations of personal privacy. SPU has the responsibility to effectively supervise any access to and/or release of official information about its students. In this regard, SPU is committed to protecting the right of privacy of all individuals about whom it holds information, records, and files. Access to such records is restricted to the student concerned, to parents of a dependent student, to others with the student’s written consent, to officials within the University, and to a court of competent legal jurisdiction. The following policies have been established to comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (hereafter referred to as the “Act”): Public Information.The Act provides that public “directory information” about a student may be made available to third parties without permission of the student. However, public notices must be given of intent to publish the information, so that those students wishing to withhold information from public access (such as an unlisted telephone number) may do so. Release of Information. With the exception of directory information, no information in any student file may be released to any individual or organization without prior written consent of the student. When disclosure of information is mandated by court order or subpoena, the staff member receiving such orders must immediately notify in writing the student concerned, prior to compliance with the legal order. Information from University records about students is released for approved research purposes only if the identity of the student involved is fully protected. Student Access. With certain exceptions, official student information collected and maintained by SPU is available for inspection and review at the written request of the student. Clarification of exceptions may be obtained by contacting the university registrar. A request for general access to all official records maintained by the University must be made in writing to the university registrar. A request for access to information maintained by a particular office may be addressed to the administrative head of that office. When making such a request, the student must provide proper identification. The designated staff person must supervise the review of the contents of the record with the student. The student is free to make notes concerning the contents, but no material may be removed from the record. Student requests for access to appropriate information must be granted within 45 days of the written request. If health reasons or extreme distance from the University prevent the student from inspecting the education record, then copies of specific education records will be made. The student must pay all copying expenses in advance of release of the record. Unless stipulated otherwise in the University’s current Graduate Catalog, all copies are 25 cents per page. Confidentiality. The University allows any enrolled student the option of becomingconfidential in the computer system to protect his or her identity from outside sources. A request for confidentiality must be submitted in person to Student Academic Services. When an SPU student requests their records and identity to be flagged as confidential, the following ramifications may apply:
Student loan agencies may have difficulties accessing information necessary to carry out their functions. Since the University will not be able to confirm attendance, the confidential student’s loans could possibly be placed into repayment status.
Students who wish to remove their confidential status must come in person to Student Academic Services with proper identification. Student Correction of Education Records Students who believe that information contained in their education records is inaccurate, misleading, or violates privacy or other rights, may request that the University amend the records. The first step is to contact the or records custodian. The University will decide within a reasonable period of time whether or not to do so. If the University declines to amend the student's records, it will inform him or her of the right to a hearing. Upon written request, the University will provide an opportunity for a hearing to deliberate the student's case. However, a hearing may not be requested by a student to contest the assignment of a grade. If the hearing panel determines that the student's challenge is without merit, the student may place in his or her record a statement commenting upon the information and setting forth reasons for disagreeing with the University's decision. A complete copy of the may be obtained here or by contacting the dean of student life or SAS. Students have the right to file complaints concerning alleged failures by the University to comply with the requirements of the Act. Such complaints should be addressed to: Family Educational Rights and
Privacy Act Office (FERPA) U. S. Department of Education Change of Personal Information It is your responsibility to notify the University of any changes to your permanent or mailing addresses. This will enable the University to forward important quarterly information to you. (PDF) are available in Student Academic Services, Student Financial Services, and Residence Life. You can also change your directory information through . Students who wish to change their names (e.g., due to change in marital status) need to provide SAS with the official documentation for the change (e.g., copy of marriage license). Veterans' Benefits ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ's undergraduate and graduate academic programs of study are approved by the Washington State Approving Agency (SAA) for enrollment for those eligible to receive educational benefits under Title 38 and Title 10, U.S. Code. For information on education benefits, contact the veterans' coordinator in SAS by calling 206-281-2031. Professional advancement courses (5000–5999) are not approved by the Washington state approving agency (SAA).
Visiting Graduate Students Students who have been admitted to a master's degree program in another accredited institution may enroll for up to 9 credits at SPU, with the approval of the program from which courses are to be taken. To gain admission to Seattle Pacific as a visiting graduate student, the applicant must submit the standard graduate application form and a letter from the dean's office of their home institution stating that the applicant is a student in good standing at that institution. Non-Matriculated Students In certain programs, qualified individuals who desire to take a particular 6000-level course but not planning to work toward a graduate degree or certificate may register for the course only with the advance approval of the director of graduate studies of the program from which the course is to be taken. Such students will be classified as graduate non-matriculated students. Permission to register as a non-matriculated graduate student is always on a space-available basis. If a non-matriculated graduate student later applies and is accepted for admission to a graduate program, the credits earned in a course as a non-matriculated graduate student may be used in meeting master's degree requirements only if
Up to 12 credits, at the discretion of the program, taken before admission to a program may be applied toward master's degree requirements. It is vital to check with the program director to learn how many credits taken as a non-matriculated student apply to each particular degree. For more information about policies governing non-matriculated students, see the Registration section of this catalog. Student Transportation Policy Academic courses usually do not require the transportation of SPU students from campus to another location unless so stated in the course syllabus. If a course or event is to be convened at a remote location, students will be required to provide their own transportation to the site or activities. Unless specifically stated, the University normally assumes no responsibility for determining transportation of students to the site of a course or to nonacademic activities, whether such activities occur on or off campus.
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