Academic Policies

The Academic Year

The academic year at Saint Augustine’s College is divided into two semesters of approximately sixteen weeks, including exams. In addition, the College offers an accelerated Summer Session with two four-week block sessions. Students may begin their matriculation at the College at the beginning of the semesters or at the start of the Summer Sessions.

Degrees Awarded

Bachelor degrees are awarded to students who successfully complete a minimum of 120 credits and who satisfy all other relevant graduation requirements provided in this catalog, which may be amended from time to time. Academic programs at Saint Augustine's College lead to two degrees: a Bachelor of Arts and/or a Bachelor of Science. Candidates for either degree must complete all courses in their major, including required supporting courses from other disciplines, with a minimum grade of "C." The degrees are awarded in the following majors.

Bachelor of Arts Degrees

Communication	Psychology
Elementary Education	Sociology
English	Social Work
History	Theatre and Film
Music	Visual Arts
Political Science

Bachelor of Science Degrees

Accounting	Criminal Justice
Biology	Electrical Engineering
Business Administration	Engineering Mathematics
Chemistry	Forensic Science
Computer Engineering	Human Performance and Wellness
Computer Information Systems	Mathematics
Computer Science	Mechanical Engineering

Minors

Accounting	History
Computer Information Systems	International Business
Computer Science	Psychology
Criminal Justice	Religious Studies
E-Commerce	Sociology
Foreign Language (French/Spanish)

Graduation Requirements

Candidates for graduation must have: passed all General Education requirements; earned a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0; earned a minimum grade of "C" in English 131-132; earned a minimum grade of “C” in all major courses, including required supporting courses from other disciplines; and earned the last 30 hours of course requirements in a major in residence at Saint Augustine's College. Candidates for graduation are expected to participate in all commencement exercises, unless excused in writing by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Candidates for graduation must submit an application to their respective advisors to verify their eligibility for admission to candidacy for graduation. The Candidacy for Graduation form must be reviewed and signed by the student’s advisor and submitted to the Division Dean by October 1 of the Fall Semester immediately prior to the Spring Semester in which the student expects to graduate. The Division Dean will review the student’s academic record to determine whether all requirements for graduation have been successfully completed.

In summary, in order to be eligible for graduation, students are expected to know and satisfy all relevant degree requirements published in the Saint Augustine’s College Catalog in effect when they declared their current major, including General Education requirements, division requirements, as well as the major requirements. While students may expect to receive guidance in course selections and assistance in familiarizing themselves with the College’s academic policies from faculty advisors, Department Chairs and Division Deans, students shall be held responsible for satisfying all requirements necessary to earn their degrees. A student's failure to satisfy all relevant degree requirements is not a basis for making exceptions to the College’s academic requirements and/or policies.

Candidates must also be financially cleared with the College. Students should review the Financial Information section of this Catalog for a listing of graduation fees.

Independent Study

Graduation Requirements

Offering courses through Independent Study provides students with an opportunity to complete courses required for graduation, but which may not be offered in the semester needed to complete requirements for the baccalaureate degree. Students needing to complete a required course in their major through Independent Study must obtain an application from the Office of the Registrar.

The application requires prior written approval from the instructor teaching the course; the signature of the Division Dean of the academic department offering the course; the signature of the Division Dean in the student's major; the signature of the Vice President for Academic Affairs; and the signature of the Registrar.

The following policies shall govern Independent Study:

Independent Study is limited to students who are currently enrolled at Saint Augustine's College who must complete required courses in their major;
A student is limited to a maximum of three (3) Independent Study courses. Independent Study may not be used to repeat a course unless otherwise approved by the Vice President for Academic Affairs; and
A student may not enroll in an Independent Study course in any semester that the course is offered as part of the regular schedule of courses.

The faculty member teaching an Independent Study course must:

Provide the student with a standard syllabus for the course; and
The syllabus must include required meeting dates, weekly assignments/topics and graded assignments including an assignment that forms the basis for a mid-term and final grade.

Honor Graduates

In order to be eligible for honors at graduation, a student must have: completed all requirements for the degree within seven years of enrolling in the College; must have earned a minimum of sixty (60) credits at Saint Augustine’s College and earned a cumulative grade point average of 3.40 or greater.

Recognition at graduation for honors in academic performance is as follows:

Summa Cum Laude
3.80 to 4.00

Magna Cum Laude
3.60 to 3.79

Cum Laude
3.40 to 3.59

General Education Mission Statement

The purpose of the General Education program at Saint Augustine’s College is to support the College’s mission by ensuring that its graduates are competent in reading, writing, oral communication, and fundamental math skills; acquire an understanding of the influence that History and the Visual and Performing Arts play in their professional and personal lives; and a consideration of ethical implications of personal and professional conduct.

The distribution of the General Education core of courses is designed to provide students with a broad based liberal arts educational core which is intended to develop students’ critical thinking and prepare them for life long learning. The General Education core facilitates students’ academic, social, and spiritual development for education, employment, and life in a complex world.

General Education Goals

Students who graduate from Saint Augustine’s College share certain characteristics based on common learning experiences. On the completion of the General Education course requirements, students should:

Think critically and demonstrate a high level of proficiency in written and oral expression;

Understand and apply mathematical concepts;

Understand essential elements in the physical and natural sciences;

Possess a basic understanding of social and behavioral sciences, and of the human environment and think in an informed manner about social and political issues;

Possess an appreciation of cultural and spiritual values, creative expression and the history and experience of human society through courses in the humanities, fine arts, and languages;

Reflect upon ethical and spiritual questions related to their intellectual interests, social responsibilities, and personal growth; and

Know how to lead a healthy lifestyle based upon an understanding of the importance of exercise and the principles of physical and natural science.

General Education Requirements

General Education requirements for all majors consist of a series of courses from the Division of Liberal Arts and Education, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and Social Sciences. Every student is required to complete the following forty-seven (47) academic credit hours. General Education requirements may not be used to satisfy requirements in the major.

Foundations of Learning*			Hours
GED	112	Freshman Studies*	1
	*	Transfer students who have earned 24 or more credits or who have completed an equivalent freshmen orientation course from a former institution are exempt from the Freshman Studies requirement.

English**
ENGL	131	English Composition I	3
ENGL	132	English Composition II	3
Total			6
	**	All students are required to earn a minimum grade of “C” in English 131 and 132. Students must satisfactorily complete ENGL 131 with a “C” or better before enrolling in ENGL 132.

Modern Foreign Languages
FL	131	Foreign Language I (French, German or Spanish)	3
FL	132	Foreign Language II (French, German or Spanish)	3
Total			6

Ethics
PHIL	235	Ethics	3

History
HIST	231	American History I	3
HIST	232	American History II	3
		or
HIST	133	World Civilization I	3
HIST	134	World Civilization II	3
Total			6

Mathematics (Select One)
MATH	131	College Algebra (or any higher courses)	3
MATH Total	135	Algebra and Trigonometry (for all majors in the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and Computer Science)	3 3

Natural Sciences

Biological Sciences (select one)
BIOL	131 and 131L	Fundamentals of Biology & Lab	4
BIOL	133 and 133L	Principles of Biology & Lab (for all majors in the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics)	4

		and

Chemistry and Physics (select one)
PHYS	131 and 131L	Fundamentals of Physical Science & Lab	4
CHEM	141 and 141L	General Chemistry I and Lab (for Chemistry Majors)	4
Total			8

Social Sciences (select one)
CJ		Criminal Justice Discipline	3
PLPS		Political Science Discipline	3
PSYCH		Psychology Discipline	3
SOC		Sociology Discipline	3
Total			3
Liberal Arts and Interdisciplinary Studies
LIS	221*	Interdisciplinary Perspectives Through the Humanities	3
		(Non-repeatable, topics vary)
COMM	201	Communication Skills	3

*Elective (Select one)**			3
ART		Art Discipline	3
ENGL		English Literature Discipline	3
MUSIC		Music Discipline	3
PHIL		Philosophy Discipline	3
REL		Religion Discipline	3
TDF		Theater/Film Discipline	3
Total			3
	*	Six semesters of a musical ensemble (i.e., Band, Jazz Band, Choir) will substitute for the three hours of a Liberal and Interdisciplinary Studies elective requirement for non-music majors.

		Courses selected should not have a prerequisite requirement unless approved by the Division Chair or Department Chair.

Health & Physical Education*
PE	101	Wellness Concept	1

		and

(Select two)
PE*	104-116	Physical Activities	.5
	104- 116	Physical Activities	.5

		or

		ROTC Courses (2 Credit Hours)
MS **	101	Foundations of Officership	2
MS **	102	Basic Leadership	2
MS**	201	Individual and Leadership Studies	2
MS**	202	Leadership and Teamwork	2
Total			2

*	Participation in a physical activity may be waived only upon the submission by the student prior to the beginning of the course the appropriate documentation to support the waiver. Such documentation may include, but is not necessarily limited to, a written recommendation by a medical doctor clearly stating that the student is incapable of engaging in the physical activity. Such information must be made available to the head of the Human Performance and Wellness Department and the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
**	Participation in ROTC 101-102 and 201-202 is subject to admission to the Army Reserve Officers Training Corps as well as the satisfaction of ROTC requirements. A grade of “C” or better must be earned in each ROTC/MS course for substitution credit to be granted.

Total General Education Requirements		47 hours

Students should make every effort to complete all General Education requirements in their freshman and sophomore years. One course may not be used to satisfy two (or more) requirements. Hence, General Education courses may not be used to satisfy requirements in the student’s major, Divisional requirements or requirements for the minor. Physical activity requirements may be satisfied by proof of having served at least one year on active duty in any branch of the United States Armed Forces and/or by proof of having served at least one year in the Reserves in any branch of the United States Armed Forces.

Time Limit (Seven-Year Rule)

Students matriculating as degree students at Saint Augustine’s College are allowed seven consecutive years to complete degree requirements under the catalog in effect when they entered the College or when they declared their current major, whichever event is the most recent. If students have not met the requirements for graduation under the Catalog within the seven-year time frame, they will be denied eligibility for graduation under that Catalog. Students whose time limit has expired will be graduated under the current College Catalog. Students exceeding the seven-year time limit may appeal in writing to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs for exceptions to this rule.

Residence Requirements: 30-Hours Rule

All students enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program are required to complete the final thirty (30) semester hours of academic credit in residence at Saint Augustine's College. The student should be enrolled at the College during the year in which the degree is granted. This requirement also applies to transfer students who are admitted to the College. Coursework taken within the Cooperating Raleigh Colleges (CRC) Consortium is considered "in residence."

The Department Chair, Division Dean, and the Vice President for Academic Affairs must give prior written approval to students, who have attained senior classification, for a waiver of the 30-hour rule to support the completion of graduation requirements, including waivers for general education or major requirements as well as CRC coursework. Official transcripts from the CRC institutions where academic credit was earned must be forwarded to the Office of the Registrar prior to Commencement.

Students who have earned a grade of “D” or “F” in a course required for graduation while enrolled at the College must repeat that course at Saint Augustine’s College and obtain a grade of “C” or better. The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs may make exceptions to residence requirements in conjunction with the approval support of the Division Deans and the Department Chairs.

Earning a Second Baccalaureate Degree

Students wishing to pursue a second degree are responsible for initiating and coordinating any action relating to the majors, whether pursuing two degrees concurrently or successively. Saint Augustine’s College will not permit a student to earn more than two baccalaureate degrees.

Prior to pursuing courses in the second major, students are encouraged to meet with the Department Chairs and the Division Deans to obtain a full understanding of the courses and/or other requirements necessary for graduation. Division Deans, Department Chairs, and faculty advisors are encouraged to meet regularly with students pursuing a second bachelor’s degree to insure that candidates for a second degree remain thoroughly familiar with all graduation requirements.

With the exception of a minimum of 47 hours of General Education credit, students may not use one course to satisfy two sets of academic requirements. Students pursuing a second bachelor’s degree at the College will not be awarded credit towards the second major for courses that were required to complete the first major.

Thus, students who plan to graduate with two degrees and dual majors must satisfy the requirements for each major, including all supporting courses and electives with separate courses. Credit for supporting courses completed at another institution for other than the first major may be transferred to Saint Augustine’s as part of the maximum number (i.e., 90) of transferable credits. Students who satisfy all graduation requirements for two degrees shall receive two diplomas. Students pursing a second degree at the College must satisfy all internal graduation requirements of the division in which their majors are located.

Successive Pursuit of a Second Degree (Dual Degree)

Students who already hold a baccalaureate degree either from Saint Augustine’s College or another regionally accredited college or university may earn a second baccalaureate degree at Saint Augustine’s College by meeting the following requirements:

Complete a minimum of 30 credit hours towards the requirements for the second baccalaureate degree at Saint Augustine’s College;
Satisfy all current requirements for the second major, including all course prerequisites;
Earn a grade of “C” or better in the required major coursework; and
Earn a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher in all coursework earned at Saint Augustine’s College.

Students who have previously earned a baccalaureate degree at Saint Augustine’s College or at another regionally accredited institution and who wish to acquire a second baccalaureate degree from Saint Augustine’s College must satisfy the current major requirements in effect when they enroll for the second baccalaureate degree.

Concurrent Pursuit of A Second Degree at Saint Augustine’s College (Dual Degree)

Concurrent Pursuit of A Second Degree at Saint Augustine’s College (Dual Degree) A student may earn two degrees concurrently at Saint Augustine’s College by meeting the following requirements:

Earn a minimum of 60 hours at Saint Augustine’s College;
Receive written approval from the Division Dean in which the second major is located;
Meet all graduation requirements for both degree programs;
Satisfy all requirements for the two majors with separate courses; and
Earn a grade of “C” or better in required majors coursework.

Semester Credit Hours

A semester credit is defined as one 50-minute class per week (or its equivalent) for one semester. For example, a three-hour class may meet for three 50-minute periods per week, or for two 75-minute periods per week, or for a combination of the two formats per week for one semester. Laboratory and studio classes normally require two to four hours in class per week to be equivalent to one semester hour.

Credits Earned at Accredited U.S. Colleges

Once a student has matriculated at Saint Augustine's College, he/she may not pursue courses at another accredited college or university as transfer credits towards a degree without obtaining, in advance of registration for such courses, written approval from the Department Chair, the Division Dean, and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. The College may not accept courses taken without such prior approval. Further, after a student has earned 65 or more semester hours of academic credits at another college, credits earned after enrolling in Saint Augustine's College from a junior college, community college, technical institute or other comparable institution will not be accepted as transfer credits.

Students transferring from regionally accredited community colleges and/or technical institutes will receive appropriate credit for courses completed. The student must, however, meet the requirements of the Saint Augustine's College major, even if this involves pursuing freshman and sophomore level courses. The respective Division Dean and/or Department Chair will review the record of the transfer student and will make the final recommendation on the course’s applicability towards the major. This procedure will also apply in cases where the transfer student has earned the Associate of Arts or the Associate of Science degree from a state-approved program or programs approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. All transfer credits will be evaluated where applicable, but will not be computed in the grade point average at Saint Augustine's College.

Credits Earned at Foreign Colleges

Students transferring credit from courses taken or degrees completed at Colleges and/or Universities in foreign countries must have their transcripts forwarded to either World Educational Services (WES) or Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc., (ECE) for the evaluation of foreign educational credentials.

The student should request that the transcript evaluation be sent from WES or ECE to the Office of the Registrar at Saint Augustine’s College. The student must also provide the Office of the Registrar with an official copy (including the foreign college’s or university’s seal or stamp) on the transcript. The Registrar shall forward a copy of both the transcript and WES’ or ECE’s evaluation of the transcript to the Department Chair.

The respective Division Dean and/or Department Chair will review the transcript and the transcript evaluation of the international student and will make the final determination on courses to be taken and/or credit accepted towards the degree. The international student must, however, meet the graduation requirements as found in the current Saint Augustine's College Catalog, even if this involves pursuing freshman and sophomore level courses.

Cooperating Raleigh Colleges (CRC)

Through an agreement with North Carolina State University, Shaw University, Meredith, and Peace, Colleges (i.e., the Cooperating Raleigh Colleges or the “CRC”), students may take courses and pursue programs of study, including courses leading to a minor, when such courses are not offered at Saint Augustine's College. Fall and Spring Semester credits earned through the CRC are not considered transfer credits and, therefore, are computed in the students’ semester and cumulative grade point averages.

Students who are enrolled at Saint Augustine's College and who are interested in taking courses through the CRC must receive written permission prior to registration at the CRC institutions from the Department Chair, the Division Dean and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. During the summer there is no inter-institutional program with local colleges.

Students who have previously enrolled in courses at Saint Augustine’s College and who received a grade of “D” in courses required in the major must repeat such courses at Saint Augustine’s College. Where there are extenuating circumstances that students believe warrant consideration in the application of this policy, students should appeal in writing to the Department Chair of the department in which the course is offered and written authorization must be granted prior to enrolling in the course through the CRC by the Division Dean and the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Students who attend North Carolina State University and are not certified as North Carolina residents must pay additional tuition, and/or fees to North Carolina State University above the tuition and fees charged at Saint Augustine's College.

Articulation Agreements

Students who enroll as transfer students from a North Carolina Community College System institution and who have earned either an Associate of Arts or an Associate of Science two-year degree are able to transfer and enter into Saint Augustine’s College at the junior class level with all general education requirements satisfied. However, in the event that a major course requires a pre-requisite that has not been satisfied as part of the community college curriculum, then the student will be required to take that pre-requisite in order to satisfy the major course requirement.

If a student earned a two-year degree with an Associate in Applied Science, then their academic coursework will be transferred on a course-by-course basis. Course applicability is at the discretion of the academic Division Dean upon the recommendation of the major Department Chair.