The catalog assigned to newly admitted students is determined by the date of formal admission. Admission status is valid for one year from date of admission. Students must meet the degree requirements of the catalog under which they are admitted or may select a later catalog for a year in which they are enrolled. However, for all other policies (except degree requirements), students must adhere to the current catalog for each year they are enrolled. Statements in the catalog are for informational purposes and should not be considered as the basis of a contract between students and the University. Information regarding any changes in degree programs, graduation requirements, or academic policies will be made available by the Office of the Registrar and the appropriate academic departments.
Chapman University College publishes its academic policies, programs and required courses for graduation. The student is responsible for his/her program including meeting the published requirements and deadlines. The University assists the student in making appropriate decisions by providing academic advising. However, the decisions made in the academic advising process are those of the student.
A minimum of 24 credits in the degree program must be completed at Chapman University College for all master's degrees. For specific program requirements, please refer to the appropriate program section. These credits do not include courses taken to fulfill prerequisite requirements. Students in credential programs are required to complete a minimum of two-thirds of the program at Chapman.
Degrees and credentials are granted on evidence of intellectual growth and development rather than solely on the basis of formal course credits. Fulfillment of the minimum course requirements is not regarded as the sole requisite of a degree or credential. Refer to appropriate program section as some programs specify more stringent policies.
Students are expected to maintain a 3.00 "B" or higher in all coursework toward a degree or a credential at Chapman University College. A cumulative grade point average of 3.00 "B" or higher in all coursework applicable to the graduate degree is required, excluding prerequisite courses.
Admission is based upon possession of a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution and the fulfillment of requirements specified for each program.
Students enrolled in 9 or more credits in a semester are considered "full-time". Students enrolled in 4.5-8.5 credits in a semester are considered "half-time". Chapman University College strongly advises that students taking more than 6 credits in any one session consult with their academic advisor and/or Division Chair.
Until the fall semester, 1971, lower-division courses were numbered 1 through 99; upper-division courses, 100 through 199; and graduate courses, 200 and above. Unless otherwise indicated on the transcript, courses numbered 100-199 gave graduate credits to students who were admitted to graduate standing.
Beginning in the fall semester, 1971, courses are numbered as follows:
001-099 Non-credit courses, e.g. certain remedial courses or continuing education courses not carrying credit.
100-299 Lower-division courses of freshman and sophomore level; freshman level 100-199 and sophomore level 200-299.
300-399 Upper-division courses of junior and senior level which do not give graduate credit.
400-499 Upper-division courses of junior and senior level which may give graduate credit for graduate students, depending on program.
500-599 Graduate courses for graduate students and seniors by consent of department chair.
600-699 Graduate courses for graduate students only.
700-799 Post-master's/doctoral courses.
800-999 Professional coursework**
0001-0999 Professional coursework **
8000-8999 Professional coursework **
9000-9999 Professional coursework **
**Applicable toward a degree at the University with program approval
Students requesting a change of degree program are required to meet all readmission policies/procedures as indicated in the Graduate Catalog, prior to completing coursework.
The following regulations govern the earning of a second master's degree from Chapman University:
Students completing a second emphasis area within one master's degree program may not use previously completed coursework for one emphasis to fulfill the requirements of a second emphasis.
If a comprehensive examination is required for the second emphasis area, the student will be required to complete the examination for each emphasis.
Students must notify the University of any change of address. This can be done via Web Advisor or through the local campus.
Students wishing to transfer from one University College campus to another must submit a Campus Transfer Request form to the new campus. The new campus will request a copy of the student file. Students wishing to transfer from a University College campus to the Orange campus must contact the Admissions Office at the Orange campus.
Class attendance policies are determined by each instructor and shall be included on the course outline distributed during the first week of each class. The University recommends as a minimal policy that students who are absent 20% of the course should be failed.
Students register for each session via Web Advisor or at their campus location. Registration is not complete until all charges are paid or arrangements for payment have been made with the Student Business Services staff by the add/drop deadline. Students who wish to register after the add deadline, must petition and pay a late registration fee if approved. See academic calendar for registration deadlines.
To add a class, a student must do so through Web Advisor or submit an Add/Drop form to the campus administration office by the end of the first week of the session.
To drop a class a student must do so through Web Advisor or submit an Add/Drop form to the campus administration office by the end of the second week of the session. Drops that are officially processed prior to or by the end of the second week will not appear on the student's transcripts. After the second week of the session, student that wish to withdraw from a course must do so by the end of the seventh week, either via Web Advisor or by submission of an add/drop form. A grade of "W" will appear on the student's transcripts indicating the withdrawal. Students cannot drop a course beyond the seventh week of the session. It is the student's responsibility to officially withdraw from a course. Failure to attend a course does not constitute a withdrawal from a course. Students who stop attending courses without officially withdrawing will receive an "FW" (failure to withdraw). A grade of "FW" is calculated as 0.00 in student's grade point average.
Students who do not attend a class during the first two weeks of classes will be administratively dropped, unless they make arrangements with the instructor prior to the first day of class. Students should not assume that nonattendance will automatically result in an administrative drop. To avoid financial obligation to the University, it is the responsibility of the student to verify that he/she has been dropped from the course by completing an Add/Drop form, or by dropping courses via Web Advisor.
Students who do not attend a class during the first two weeks of classes will be administratively dropped, unless they make arrangements with the instructor prior to the first day of class. Contact may be made in-person, by mail, email, fax, telephone or Web Advisor. A student who stops attending classes without notifying the University will receive a grade of FW" (failure to withdraw). A grade of "FW" is equivalent to a failing ("F") grade and is calculated as such when determining grade point averages.
Students must officially withdraw before the end of the seventh week of classes in order to avoid being responsible for a grade in their classes. Although a student will be unable to receive a "W" grade, financial aid recipients who wish to withdraw after the seventh week should contact the Office of the Registrar in order to retain their financial aid for the session in which they are withdrawing.
Students may find it necessary to interrupt progress during their course of study, leave Chapman and decide to return at a later date. Students who leave the University in good standing and return within two years retain the program requirements of their designated catalog year.
The University may require students to adopt the catalog year program requirements at the time of their return if a program has become impacted or changed by external regulatory agencies.
If students take coursework during their absence from the University, they must provide transcripts of that coursework to the Registrar's Office prior to their return. Non-satisfactory performance or issues of academic integrity may nullify the student's eligibility to return.
Students returning after a two year absence from the University are required to submit a full application for re-admission and must meet all current admission entrance requirements.
Students who have previously registered for a project but who have not completed the requirements are required to submit a continuous enrollment fee for each session the project remains outstanding.
The fee for continuous enrollment is equal to one credit of tuition charged per program and will allow students to remain in active status as well as enable them to utilize University resources for completion of the project.
All requirements for graduate degrees and credential programs, including courses accepted for transfer credit from other institutions, must be completed within a seven-year period. Interrupted enrollment does not alter the seven year period for completion of all graduate degree requirements.
A Exceptional performance indicates consistently excellent performance and distinctly superior quality of work.
B Good performance indicates overall satisfactory performance in completing course requirements at the level expected for an advanced degree.
C Substandard performance indicates performance below the standard necessary for an advanced degree; while credit toward graduation is awarded for most courses, some courses must be repeated. No grade below "C" is acceptable toward a degree program.
F Failure indicates failure to satisfy minimum course requirements. No credit toward graduation is awarded.
I is a grade given when the student has been unable to complete the requirements of the course owing to illness or other extenuating circumstances. It is never a final grade. Failure to remove an "I" within the prescribed time results automatically in an "F" for the course involved. Upon satisfaction of course requirements, an "I" may be annotated with any one of the other grade symbols.
W signifies that a student has withdrawn from a course in the prescribed manner.
FW is assigned at the instructor's discretion to students who cease attending part way through the session without submitting a Change of Program form to withdraw. It is computed in the grade point average as an "F".
P is for Pass, a grade given for satisfactory completion of a course. Grade points are not assigned and it is not computed in the grade average.
NP is for No Pass, a grade given when the requirements for credit in the course have not been satisfied. Courses taken with this grade are not calculated in the student's grade point average but are considered by the Academic Standards Subcommittee regarding student continuance.
SP is for Satisfactory Progress. This grading symbol is used to indicate a student is progressing toward the completion of a course which does not end by the normal session ending date or of a thesis or project. It is never a final grade. Upon completion of the course or thesis project, the SP grade is replaced with a letter grade, HP, P, or NP grading symbol. No grade points are assigned for HP, P, or NP grades.
NC is given in those circumstances where a student's progress towards completion of a thesis or project is considered inadequate by the thesis committee. The student is required to repeat the thesis course. This grading symbol is not punitive and grade points are not assigned.
AU is for audited coursework. No grade or credit is awarded to students for auditing, and courses are not used in computing the grade point average.
NR is for Not Reported, indicating that the instructor has not submitted the final grade, therefore no credits or grade points can be calculated for this course.
A Pass or No Pass grade may be used for any course below the 400 level.
Credits attempted or earned on the Pass "P" or No Pass "NP" basis are not used in computing the grade point average.
Credit by examination cannot be used for degree credit.
All grades are on a 4.0 scale
A = 4.0 |
B = 3.0 |
C = 2.0 |
A- = 3.7 |
B- = 2.7 |
C- = 1.7 |
B+ = 3.3 |
C+ = 2.3 |
F = 0.0 |
Students may audit a class if they choose to do so. No credit is earned from audited classes. A grade of "AU" is assigned to audited classes, which is not used in computing the grade point average. Course requisites are enforced in determination of registration eligibility for the course. Audit fees may be assessed. It is strongly recommended that students confer with their advisor prior to officially auditing a course.
Students may select Audit as an option at the time they initially register for courses via WebAdvisor. After initial registration in a course, in order to change the grading basis (e.g. to Audit) students must submit a change of grading system form to the Registrar's Office by the end of the 7th week. Changes in grading basis cannot be done via WebAdvisor. Course requirements such as homework, exams and papers are not graded by the instructor for students who are auditing a class.
Except as specified by department or school, any graduate-level course number 400-600 at University College may be repeated to improve the grade. The lower grade remains on the record with a notation that the course has been repeated. Only the higher grade and credit are computed in the grade point average. Credit is given only once for a repeated course, except as noted in the course description. It is recommended that a course be repeated as soon as practical if it is to be taken for a higher grade. In exercising this option, a graduate student must repeat the course at Chapman University College.
The grade of Incomplete may be assigned by an instructor if a student, through circumstances beyond his or her control, has not completed a small portion of a course by the conclusion of the session. The student must request in writing the grade of Incomplete and must propose a date acceptable to the faculty member by which the missing work will be completed. Failure to complete all coursework by the agreed-upon deadline will result in the assignment of a grade of "F". A grade of Incomplete may not be assigned in order to give a student a chance to do more work to improve a grade.
The deadline for removal of an Incomplete is one year from the first day of the session in which the Incomplete was recorded, unless a shorter period of time is specified by the instructor. The deadline determined by the faculty member must be specified when the Incomplete grade is reported via WebAdvisor, as well as on the Report of Incomplete form, available at the campus administrative office. A copy must also be provided to the student. No extension will be granted for more than a full calendar year from the date of original enrollment.
Reading and conference courses are offered only when absolutely necessary to graduate students with an overall grade point average of at least 2.75. The courses may be taken only for the purpose of meeting graduation or credential requirements by students who could not meet the requirements because of circumstances beyond their control. They are not offered to resolve scheduling conflicts with other classes, or work, or to complete a schedule. To enroll in reading and conference courses, students must obtain a Request for Course by Reading and Conference form from their campus administration office. A minimum of 5 hours of instruction for each credit is required for reading and conference courses.
Independent study and research is offered to upper-division and graduate students with overall grade point averages of at least 3.0 "B", to research particular topics that are not provided for by regular curriculum offerings. To enroll in independent study and research, a student must obtain an Independent Study and Research form from their campus administration office. A minimum of 5 hours of instructor-student contact for each hour of credit is required. Students should spend 40 to 50 hours in instruction and research for each credit of independent study.
As a community of scholars, Chapman University College emphasizes the mutual responsibility of all members to seek knowledge honestly and in good faith. Students are responsible for doing their own work, and academic dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated anywhere in the University. In order to safeguard the conditions under which scholarship is performed, measured, and evaluated, the following will serve to define academic dishonesty, to identify procedures for hearing cases involving academic integrity violations, and to give suggested guidelines for sanctions according to the offense.
Academic dishonesty can take a number of forms. It includes, but is not limited to, cheating on a test or examination, claiming the work of another as your own; plagiarizing any paper, research project, or assignment; or falsely submitting material to fulfill course requirements.
Cheating includes unauthorized copying from the work of another student, with or without that student's consent; using notes or other unauthorized material during a test period, and giving or receiving assistance from another when it is expected the student will perform his or her own work.
Falsifying data to show either the process or the product of scholarly examination to be different from what actually occurred is also considered dishonest. This includes falsely reporting attendance or participation in any field-work experience.
Students may not submit work done in one course to satisfy the requirements of another course, unless both instructors agree beforehand to accept such work. Forged or altered documents may not be presented. This includes transcripts, add/drop forms, or any academic form which has been falsified or on which a professor's signature, or anyone else's signature, has been forged or altered.
Failure to report any previous academic work at another college or University is also considered a violation of academic integrity.
In cases involving academic integrity violations, the appropriate action is initiated by the course instructor. If the instructor believes a student has violated the University standards, the following action should be taken.
In all cases of alleged violations of academic integrity it is vital to maintain confidentiality. None of the parties involved should discuss the issue outside the above procedures.
Dismissal for a violation of academic integrity will be noted on the transcript.
Faculty members are responsible for ensuring an effective learning environment for all students in their classes, which encourages active student participation, including the right to raise questions and challenge information. Hence, faculty members also have the responsibility and authority to maintain appropriate student behavior. Classes are defined as including laboratories, internships, field placements, or any settings that can be designated as a learning environment, such as travel studies and field trips.
Consequently, if a student is considered to be threatening or disruptive in the classroom, behaves in a way that interferes with the learning of other students, or refuses to fulfill the academic requirements of the course, the faculty member has the right to have the student who demonstrates such behavior removed from the class, either by administrative withdrawal or by making arrangements for the student to complete the requirements in absentia.
The faculty member should immediately report the matter to Division Chair and Campus Director.
If the student wishes to appeal the decision of the faculty member, he/she must submit the appeal in writing to the Division Chair within five working days of the decision. The Division Chair will then conduct an investigation and report to the Dean. If the Division Chair determines that the faculty member is possibly at fault, the Dean may address the situation directly with the faculty member or may return the matter to the Division Chair for disposition. If the student is dissatisfied with this outcome, he/she may submit a written appeal to the Provost, whose decision in these matters is final and binding. During this period of appeal, the student may not return to class. Even if the student's appeal is successful, the student may not return to the class, unless the faculty member has specifically agreed to this. If the Provost upholds the faculty member's original decision, the student may still be subject to the student conduct system for further conduct review at the discretion of the Division Chair.
Faculty/Instructors have the final authority in assigning student grades except for cases involving clear evidence of capricious grading or failure to follow the professional standards of a discipline or field. All requests for review of grade must be filed within 30 days from the date that the grade was posted in WebAdvisor.
Faculty/Instructors may change final grades after submission to the Registrar's Office only for clerical error. Once a grade is submitted, additional work may not be assigned to enable the student to receive a higher grade.
However, a student who believes he or she has received a grade that is capricious or based on standards that are not in line with the professional standards of a discipline or field must contact the faculty/instructor for an explanation of the grade and for possible reconsideration.
If, after meeting with the faculty/instructor, the grade dispute is not resolved, the student may submit a written request for review by the Division Chair. If the Division Chair finds merit in the student's request, the Chair will review the grade assignment with both the student and faculty/instructor and determine the final grade. If necessary, the Chair will notify the Office of the Registrar of a change in grade.
At the end of Grade Review Process, each student has the right of an academic appeal. Appeal of the Division Chair decision regarding grade review are made to the Dean of University College. Students must file their appeal with the Dean of University College within 30 days after receipt of notification of the decision rendered by the Division Chair.
The appeal must state the reasons for the request and provide evidence that the student has attempted to find remedy by discussing the matter with the faculty/instructor and the Division Chair. Specific and credible evidence that a grade in the course may have been assigned capriciously or outside the professional standards of a field or discipline must be provided.
The decision of the Dean is final and binding.
The following policy is the University College guideline for satisfactory academic achievement in graduate programs. Some programs specify more stringent policies. Please refer to appropriate program section.
A graduate student must maintain a minimum Chapman University cumulative grade point average of 3.00 "B" based on all coursework applicable to the graduate degree excluding prerequisite courses. A student whose Chapman University cumulative GPA falls below 3.0 will be reviewed by the faculty for possible probationary status. When placed on probation, a student must obtain a session GPA of 3.0 or higher for each of the next three sessions and must have a Chapman University cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher by the end of the third session. Failure to do so may result in dismissal.
A credential student may be dismissed from the program if they receive a grade of "C+" or below in more than one course; earns below a "B-" in EDUU 510 or a "No Pass" in supported or Directed Teaching; or receives a grade of "C-" or below in any class. Please refer to the Credential Programs in Education for additional information.
The action of dismissal will be placed on the official transcript. A student who has been dismissed may not continue in course work and will be administratively withdrawn.
Academic Probation and Dismissal policies are separate from and in addition to policies governing dismissal for violating academic integrity or dismissal for inappropriate student behavior.
A petition is a request to waive an academic policy, procedure, or ruling.
Students may file a petition to request an exception to a Chapman University College policy, procedure, or ruling. Students must explain fully why the University should act favorably on the petition, citing any exceptional conditions, mitigating circumstances, and/or conditions beyond the student's control. Copies of documentation to support the student's claim must be provided.
Petitions to exception to CUC Policy will be reviewed by the Academic Standards Subcommittee. Requests regarding curricular issues within a student's major (i.e. course transfer, course articulations, course substitutions, etc.) will be reviewed and decisions rendered by the appropriate Division Chair. Petitions regarding general education curricular issues outside of students' major will be reviewed by the Academic Standards Subcommittee.
Appeals to the decisions of the Academic Standards subcommittee and the Division Chair are made to the Dean of University College. See Academic Appeals and Deadline section.
An appeal is a review of a petition decision based on unfair process, discrimination, or bias. It is not a reconsideration of the merits of the decision.
Each student has the right of academic appeal. Appeals of the Academic Standards Subcommittee and the Division Chair decisions are made to the Dean of University College.
Students who are dissatisfied with the action taken on by the Academic Standards Subcommittee or the Division Chair have a maximum of 30 days after receipt of notification to appeal to the Dean of University College.
Requests from the Dean's Office for additional information must be provided by the student to the University within 30 days of receipt of request; failure to provide documentation will result in a denial of the appeal.
The Dean will review the case for appropriate procedure and fairness. The Dean's decision is final and binding.
Although a student may have completed all requirements, graduation is not automatic. Every degree candidate is required to file an Application for Degree Conferral with the Office of the Registrar and pay the appropriate fee. If the student should fail to complete requirements by the intended graduation date, a new Application for Degree Conferral must be filed. Submission of the Application is done via WebAdvisor. For information and application deadlines go to www.chapman.edu/RegOffice/default.asp Chapman confers degrees for University College students 5 times during the academic year. See the academic calendar for dates. All degree requirements, including but not limited to incompletes, internships, JWP, missing grades, etc. must be completed by the last day of the month in which the degree is to be conferred. Work completed at external institutions must be received on or before the conferral date in order to be considered in meeting degree requirements.
Formal university commencement ceremonies are held in the Spring. To participate in ceremonies students must file a "Commencement Attendance Reply" with the Office of the Dean. To be eligible for participation, at the time of the application deadline students must have filed an Application for Degree Conferral, and the student's official program evaluation must indicate that the student is on course to satisfactorily complete all degree requirements (including comprehensive examination, thesis/project, internships, and practicums) by the end of the summer session of that year. Students' receiving degrees subsequent sessions are entitled to participate in the following Spring commencement ceremonies.
Diplomas are mailed out approximately two to four weeks after the date of conferral of the degree. This allows time for confirmation from the Office of the Registrar that all degree requirements have been met. Under no circumstances will a diploma be released prior to the conferral date.
Transcripts from other institutions which have been presented for admission or evaluation become part of the student's academic file and are not returned or copied for distribution.
Diplomas or copies of transcripts will not be released to any student with an unpaid balance to Chapman or a Chapman-sponsored agency. Presently enrolled students may print unofficial copies of transcripts at any time via Web Advisor. Official transcripts are issued only with the written permission of the student. Contact the Registrar homepage: www.chapman.edu/RegOffice/default.asp or office for further processing and fee information.