Undergraduate Policies

Admissions
Freshmen Student Admission
Transfer Student Admission
Post-Baccalaureate Undergraduate Student Admission
Non-Degree Undergraduate Student Admission
Senior Citizen Admission
Visiting Student Admission
Re-Entry Admission
Returning Student Admission
Auditing
The Admissions Review Board
Meningitis Vaccination
International Student Admissions
Academic Policies, Procedures and Resources
Academic Definitions
Academic Fresh Start
Academic Grievance Policy and Process
Academic Integrity Policy
Academic Load
Academic Standing
Academic Probation
Academic Suspension
Active and Inactive Status
Administrative Drop of a Student from a Course
Americans with Disabilities Act
Application for Graduation
Armed Forces Policy
Attendance Requirements
Commencement
Course and Program Time Limit
Credit Hour Definition
Cross-Level Listing and Cross-Listing Courses
Degree Plan
Double Degrees (Undergraduate)
Double Major and Minors
Dropping a Class
Family Education Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA)
Final Assessments
Grade Appeal Process
Grading System and Grade Points
Institutional Review Board (Human Subjects in Research)
Internship Programs
Latin Honors Policy
Military Service Credit
Moody Library
Residency Requirement
Teach Out Policy Plan for Program Closures
Transfer Courses/Credit
Transfer Credit for Military Experience
Undergraduate Degree Requirements
Undergraduate Enrollment in Graduate Courses
Withdrawal from University Enrollment

Admissions

Information regarding residential undergraduate admission to the University and all necessary forms for admission may be obtained by visiting the Admissions website at HC.edu/Admissions/ or by contacting the Admissions Office, HCU, 7502 Fondren Road, Houston, Texas 77074-3298. The telephone number is (281) 649-3211 and email is Admissions@HC.edu. Outside Houston, a toll-free number is available: 1-800-969-3210 for Undergraduate Admissions.

For Online students, please call #281-649-3400, option #3 or toll free #855-428-1960, option #3 and email Online Admissions at OnlineAdmissions@HC.edu.

Freshman Student Admission

To be considered for Freshman admission, a student must have completed high school by the end of the current academic year. If a student has taken college level classes while in high school, the student is still considered a Freshman applicant. This includes any college level coursework completed during the summer immediately following high school graduation.

Application for admission must be completed and submitted online to the Undergraduate Admissions Office. Online versions of the undergraduate application can be found on the Admissions webpage at HC.edu/Apply, ApplyTexas.org, or CommonApp.org. Paper versions of the application may also be available upon request.
A freshman applicant has the option of applying through our “test optional” admissions policy, where SAT or ACT test scores are not required to be considered for admission. The second option is to apply through the traditional admission policy, where SAT or ACT scores are required and considered during the admissions process.
Scores recorded on the official high school transcript are acceptable and will be considered as official.
A freshman applicant will be required to submit an official high school transcript from the high school which will issue his/her diploma. Faxes or photocopies, while not official, may be used to provide an initial admission decision. The Admissions Office reserves the right to request additional copies/faxes from the student in the event that the submitted documents are illegible. Upon graduation, a final HS transcript indicating date of graduation will also be required. All official transcripts and score reports must be mailed directly to HCU from the high school (including homeschool), college, or test center. Additionally, documents may be hand carried in a sealed envelope from the institution with the envelope bearing that institution’s Office of the Registrar’s signature and seal.
- As a requirement for students receiving federal financial aid, HCU must check the validity of a high school degree (34 C.F.R. 688.16). HCU requires that students submit a G.E.D. or official transcript(s) from each high school attended, and transcripts are only considered official when sent directly from the institution to HCU. If HCU or the Department of Education has reason to believe that the high school transcript is not valid or was obtained from an entity that does not provide secondary education, the HCU Office of Admissions will directly contact the high school to request clarification. In addition, HCU may contact the state department of education, if that department has jurisdiction over the high school, in the state in which the student earned the high school degree. If a student is found to have submitted false documents, the HCU Office of Admissions will deny admission.
Home-schooled students will be required to submit a signed, course-by-course listing of grades and graduation date on their home-school letterhead. Those not attending an institutional high school must demonstrate high school equivalency. A student who has submitted a minimum acceptable total score of at least 150 on the General Educational Development Testing Program (GED) may also be admitted to HCU.
Students taking college courses while enrolled in high school must submit official final transcripts from the college or university to the Office of Admissions. In considering credit by transfer from other institutions, HCU places a premium on credits from institutionally accredited institutions. However, HCU will also consider a request for transfer credit from institutions that are not institutionally accredited. Applicants must submit transcripts from all institutions attended whether institutionally accredited or non-accredited. See transfer section of the catalog for more details.

Transfer Student Admission

To be considered for transfer admission, the student will have graduated from high school or have high school equivalency and have earned grades at another college or university after high school graduation. All documents must be on file prior to admission consideration. Students not re-admissible to a previous institution may be considered for admission on a case-by-case basis.

Students must be in “good academic standing” – not currently on probation or suspension from another institution. Such documentation of good standing should come directly from the Office of the Registrar of the home College.

Application for admission must be completed and submitted online to the Undergraduate Admissions Office. Online versions of the undergraduate application can be found on our Admissions webpage at HC.edu/Apply, ApplyTexas.org, or CommonApp.org. Paper versions of the application may also be available upon request.
An official transcript from all colleges or universities attended must be sent directly from the college to the Admissions Office. Faxes or photocopies, while not official, may be used to provide an initial admissions decision. The Admissions Office reserves the right to request additional copies/faxes from the student in the event that the submitted documents are illegible. Falsification or failure to provide this academic information from all colleges or universities will result in administrative withdrawal from the University. The cumulative grade point average for transfer students’ admission consideration should be at least a 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.
If a student has not completed or does not expect to complete 32 credit hours from an institutionally accredited institution at the time of application, Admissions may require additional documents to render an admissions decision. In considering credit by transfer from other institutions, HCU places a premium on credits from institutionally accredited institutions. However, HCU will also consider a request for transfer credit from institutions that are not institutionally accredited. Applicants must submit transcripts from all institutions attended whether institutionally accredited or non-accredited.
1. A transfer applicant with less than 32 credit hours may be required to submit an official final high school transcript, indicating graduation date, from the high school which has issued his/her diploma. Faxes or photocopies, while not official, may be used to provide an initial admission decision. The Admissions Office reserves the right to request additional copies/faxes from the student in the event that the submitted documents are illegible. Home-schooled students will be required to submit a signed, course-by-course listing of grades and graduation date on their home-school letterhead. Those not attending a formal high school must demonstrate high school equivalency. A student who has submitted a minimum acceptable total score of at least 150 on the General Educational Development Testing Program (GED) may be admitted to HCU.
2. A transfer student with less than 32 credit hours may be required to submit an SAT or ACT score report. The HCU institution code for the SAT exam is 6282; the code for the ACT exam is 4101. In the event that an exam is submitted multiple times, the Admissions Office will consider the scores that best enhance a student’s application. Scores recorded on the official high school transcript are acceptable.

Post-Baccalaureate Undergraduate Student Admission

Degree Seeking

To be considered for Post-Baccalaureate admission a student must have earned an undergraduate degree from an institutionally accredited institution and is taking undergraduate courses towards a second Bachelor’s degree. Credit awarded will not be applied toward a graduate degree and may not be changed to graduate credit. Please see admissions for more details.

Non-Degree Seeking Post-Baccalaureate Student

To be considered for Post-Baccalaureate admission, a student must have earned an undergraduate degree from an institutionally accredited college or school and is taking undergraduate courses for personal edification or certification. Credit will not be applied toward a graduate degree and may not be changed to a graduate credit.

Non-Degree Undergraduate Student Admission

A Non-Degree student is one wishing to take a class for credit who does not have a baccalaureate degree and is not in pursuit of a baccalaureate degree. Non-Degree applicants and admits are not eligible for merit awards and/or institutional aid from Houston Christian University. Undergraduate students only seeking a certificate are included in this category. Please see admissions for more details.

Senior Citizen Admission

Persons 60 years or older, with proof of age, not in pursuit of a degree, may register for residential classes for a fixed price (contact the Student Account’s Office for a current fee structure at 281-649-3471) when space is available. Such students may register for these courses on a pass-fail basis or may receive an alpha grade.

Visiting Student Admission

To be considered for admission as a visiting student, the student must be enrolled at another institution and wishing to take classes for credit at HCU. If a visiting student decides to continue at HCU, he or she must complete all of the transfer procedures as outlined under “Transfer Student Admission” and be approved for admission. Visiting student status ordinarily is permitted for only one (1) semester. Any exception must be approved by the Office of Academic Records.

Visiting students fill out the Visiting Student Application with the Office of Academic Records.
An official transcript or Letter of Good Standing must be sent directly from the most recently attended institution to the Office of Academic Records. Faxes or photocopies, while not official, may be used to provide an initial admissions decision. The Office of Academic Records reserves the right to request additional copies/faxes from the student in the event that the submitted documents are illegible. Falsification or failure to provide this academic information will result in suspension from the University. The student is responsible for meeting all prerequisites for courses taken at HCU.
Visiting applicants and admits are not eligible for merit awards and/or institutional aid from Houston Christian University.
For visiting students interested in taking only online courses, please visit “Online Learning Opportunities at HCU” and click on “Apply Now” to create an undergraduate or graduate online student application.

Re-Entry Admission

A Re-Entry student is any student who has been placed on suspension as a result of an academic or disciplinary action. Students who have been suspended for disciplinary reasons must contact the Student Conduct Office for re-entry requirements. Students desiring to return from academic suspension should complete the following steps:

Re-entry application for admission must be completed and returned to the Office of Academic Records. The student may find this form online at HC.edu/Reentry. A personal statement of at least 250 words is required and two (2) letters of academic recommendation from HCU faculty may be requested to accompany the application.
If the student attended another college or university, whether accredited or non-accredited, while on suspension from HCU, the student must request official transcripts be sent from the former institution directly to the Office of Admissions at HCU. Faxes or photocopies, while not official, may be used to provide an initial admissions decision. The cumulative grade point average for returning students with additional college hours should at least be a 2.0. In considering credit by transfer from other institutions, HCU places a premium on credits from institutionally accredited institutions. However, HCU will also consider a request for transfer credit from institutions that are not institutionally accredited. Applicants must submit transcripts from all institutions attended whether institutionally accredited or non-accredited. See transfer section for more details.
An accepted re-entry student will be on probation status.

Returning Student Admission

A returning student is any student who previously attended Houston Christian University, voluntarily left HCU in good standing, and has not been enrolled in in the previous academic year.

A returning student application must be completed and turned in to the Office of Academic Records at least seven (7) working days prior to the start of the semester a student plans to return. The returning student application may be found online at HC.edu/Returning.
If the student attended another college or university while separated from HCU, the student must request official transcripts be sent from the former institution directly to the Office of Academic Records at HCU. Faxes or photocopies, while not official, may be used to provide an initial admissions decision. The cumulative grade point average for returning students with additional college hours should at least be a 2.0.

In considering credit by transfer from other institutions, HCU places a premium on credits from institutionally accredited institutions. However, HCU will also consider a request for transfer credit from institutions that are not institutionally accredited. Applicants must submit transcripts from all institutions attended whether institutionally accredited or non-accredited. See transfer section for more details.

Auditing

Occasionally some residential classes may be open to members of the community to audit. In those cases, admission is based on procedures setup for signing up for the particular class and no grade is given for any student auditing the course. Auditing students are not expected to do the assignments in a course and auditing students should not expect professor feedback on any work they do. Auditing students are not assigned an H# and are not HCU students; a grade will not be assigned and the course will not appear on a transcript. The fee for auditing a class is set on a case by case basis. Some classes are designed especially for auditing are called “survey” courses, and students in them are called “Surveyors”.

The Admission Review Board

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions is responsible for the Admissions Review Board (ARB). The ARB reviews all admissions policies and admissions standards. The ARB convenes once per semester to review admissions policies and standards and propose updates as needed.

Meningitis Vaccination

After a student is admitted to HCU, a completed HCU meningitis vaccination form must be submitted along with proof and date of the vaccination.

All freshman and transfer students who are 21 years of age or younger on the date classes begin or moving into the residence halls must receive a bacterial meningitis vaccination.

The vaccine must be administered at least 10 days prior to the first day of class or moving into the residence halls. Students will not be allowed to attend class or move into the residence halls if this requirement has not been met.

Once administered, the vaccine is valid for 5 years. More information can be found at HC.edu/Meningitis.

International Student Admissions

An international student is defined as any student wanting to attend the University who does not have the classification of United States citizen, permanent resident status as defined by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), or considered undocumented. This student will attend HCU on a non-immigrant visa status, e.g., F-1, H-4, L-2, A-1, etc. An individual’s immigration status determines whether the student must attend full-time. More detailed information can be obtained by contacting the Office of International Student Services at 281-649-3292 or e-mail to GoGlobal@HC.edu or visit HC.edu/International. All documents must be on file prior to admission consideration for graduate students. All academic documents must be on file for undergraduate students prior to enrolling, and they will not be able to attend class until all of the immigration documents have been satisfactorily submitted. HCU assumes ownership of all documents.

Application for admission must be completed and returned to the appropriate admissions department (Undergraduate Admissions Office or Graduate Admissions). Online submission of an application is required. Paper versions of our application can also be provided upon request. The Graduate School does not have a paper copy of the application; prospective students will complete an online application.
An official transcript must be submitted showing graduation from a secondary school or its equivalent for undergraduate applicants. An official transcript showing a degree from an institutional accredited college or university must be submitted for graduate admissions as well as official copies of transcripts from each post-secondary institution attended. Any undergraduate or graduate applicant who has attended a college or university outside the United States must have his or her transcripts sent to a university approved foreign evaluation service for a course-by-course evaluation and a grade point average calculation. A copy of the evaluation must be sent directly to HCU from the evaluation service. Freshman applicants must also complete this process of evaluation for all foreign high school transcripts; exceptions may be made on a case by case basis for freshman applicants and a transcript may be required instead of a foreign transcript evaluation. Names of approved evaluation services are available at HC.edu/International. The transferring undergraduate student should have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale for all undergraduate work. A graduate student applicant must meet the minimum grade point requirements of the specific graduate program.
In considering credit by transfer from other institutions, HCU places a premium on credits from institutionally accredited institutions. However, HCU will also consider a request for transfer credit from institutions that are not institutionally accredited. Applicants must submit transcripts from all institutions attended whether institutionally accredited or non-accredited. Upon admission to the university, the student’s coursework will be reviewed for transferability and possible equivalent credit by the Transfer Specialist. Transfer credits from a non-accredited institution will be considered on a case-by-case basis pending an institutional review by the Transfer Specialist and the Office of the Provost. For all transferable work, the student must have earned a grade of “C” or higher.
All international applicants must submit copies of all relevant immigration documents, including passport, visa, and I-94. Please refer to the International Admissions page of the HCU website for detailed information and requirements.
Please see the “Graduate Admissions” section of this catalog for the specific requirements as they relate to the appropriate graduate program of interest.

For Current or Seeking F-1 Students
Affidavit of Support
International students must submit documentation verifying financial support, including a completed financial affidavit with a witness certifying the signature of the person providing the support. The amount of support that should be written on the financial affidavit for a single person is available at HC.edu/International. If the student’s dependents will travel to the U.S. with the student, add an additional $5,000* per person for one year to the specific program amount. A copy of the bank account (for three of the last six months) of the person providing the support or a letter from a bank confirming the required funds are available to the student while studying in the U.S. is also required.

English Proficiency:
Holders of F-1 student visas will be required to demonstrate English proficiency in one of the following ways:

Minimum SAT/ACT/IELTS/TOEFL/Duolingo/PTE Academic scores found at HC.edu/International
Successful completion of English Composition of I & II (or higher) from an institutionally accredited institution in the U.S.
Successful completion of the English Language Program at one of the HCU’s partner English Language Schools. A list can be found at HC.edu/International.
Completion of a bachelor’s degree or higher from a university whose instruction was conducted in English
High school diploma earned in the United States
Citizenship from one of the exempt countries listed at HC.edu/International

Immigration Documentation
Students currently on an F-1 visa must submit a copy of visa, passport, I-94 and current I-20. Students seeking F-1 visa status are required to submit a valid copy of the student’s passport.

Health Insurance
All F-1 international students are required to have medical insurance which is valid in the United States. Their coverage should include repatriation and medical evacuation, an ID card in English, and a claims submission address in the United States.

Students will be issued a form I-20 after the University receives all required documents and fees and the student has been accepted by the Admissions Office.

Visa classifications other than an F-1 student visa; please contact the office of International Student Services at (281) 649-3292 or by e-mail at GoGlobal@HC.edu.

Academic Policies, Procedures and Resources

Academic Definitions

Degree Program
A degree program is a prescribed set of courses culminating in an academic award of a baccalaureate, master, or doctorate. The baccalaureate requires a minimum of 120 undergraduate semester credit hours. The master requires a minimum of 30 graduate semester credit hours. The doctorate requires a minimum of 30 semester credit hours at the doctoral level. The University’s post-baccalaureate professional degree programs, master’s and doctoral degrees contain progressively advanced academic content beyond the requirements at the undergraduate level.

Academic Certificate
A prescribed set of courses that do not culminate in an academic degree, but could constitute the recognition of a certificate awarded when approved by the University as a stand-alone-award; the minimum requirement for a certificate is 9 semester hours.

Academic Major
At the undergraduate level, an academic major is a prescribed set of courses in a chosen discipline that includes the University’s general education requirements and the requirements of the major that leads to a baccalaureate degree. The minimum requirement for the major component of the degree is 30 semester credit hours. At the graduate level, an academic major refers to a track or set of prescribed courses for an area of specialization within the graduate degree program which provides students a concentrated focus and emphasis for study within the professional degree. For graduate programs with a general education core component, the minimum requirement for the major component of the degree is 24 semester credit hours.

Academic Concentration
A prescribed and focused course of study within an academic major; minimum requirement 9 semester hours, which does not lead to an academic degree or certificate.

Academic Minor
A prescribed and focused course of study outside of the student’s academic major; minimum requirement 12 semester hours.

Course Level
Courses designated 1000 or 2000 level should be appropriate for students taking a class in the discipline for the first time while courses in the 3000 or 4000 level should rely on some previous training in the field of study in the majority of students’ circumstances. Graduate work should be given a number of 5, 6, or 7 with 5000 level courses typical for initial graduate study and 7000 level courses reserved for those courses that are only taken by doctoral students. In each of these cases it is expected that faculty will develop student learning outcomes and assign learning resources and assessments at the level designated by the course number. Discussion of the appropriate course level should be part of the approval process and be documented in departmental minutes.

Academic Fresh Start

Typically, courses can be transferred into HCU regardless of when they were taken. The Academic Fresh Start provides an opportunity for transfer applicants with college credits that are at least 10 years old to begin their career at HCU with a clear academic record. Applicants who are approved for Academic Fresh Start will not receive credit for courses taken 10 or more years prior to enrolling at Houston Christian University, nor will the courses be included in the grade point average (GPA) calculations for admission. If a student is approved for Academic Fresh Start, then the policy applies to all college credits taken 10 or more years ago and it may not be applied selectively to certain courses or terms that are 10 or more years old. Courses taken within 10 years of enrollment will be included in a student’s academic record.

Any college coursework completed within the last 10 years will be used to determine admissibility as a transfer applicant. If there is no subsequent college coursework, applicants will be considered as a new entering freshman.

Courses that are not being utilized will not be calculated as part of the overall transfer GPA. Unless approved by the Office of the Provost, applicants must provide official copies of all former college and university transcripts, including those of courses that are not being utilized.

Academic Grievance Policy and Process

A student may file an academic grievance if he or she believes a grade was awarded improperly or for any academic grievance matter. The process for making a grievance is described below and must be followed by all parties in order to resolve a dispute. While the grievance is in step 1 or step 2 it is considered an informal grievance and at step 3 it is considered a formal grievance. Chairs should keep documentation of written complaints as part of step 2 and the Advocate system is used to document any complaint that is reaches step 3.

The student should make an appointment with the faculty member in question to discuss the matter in person. The student is advised, but not required, to apprise his or her advisor of the matter. It is appropriate to try to resolve differences amicably and in person if at all possible. This is especially true at a Christian institution. If the student is concerned that a private meeting with the faculty member will create antagonism, the student may skip to Step 2. However, the student must make this concern known in writing to the chair of the department in which the course is located explaining why he or she believes this to be the case.
If the student continues to dispute the grade after the face-to-face meeting, the student may bring the matter to the chair of the department. This step requires the student to make a written appeal to the chair and provide a copy to the faculty member and academic advisor. The chair will review the student’s concern and consult with the faculty member, either individually or with both present. The chair will respond to the student and the faculty member in writing of the chair’s recommendation and notify the dean.
If the student is unsatisfied with the chair’s recommendation, the student may submit a written request via Advocate to the dean of the college in which the department resides. The dean will review the written appeal and consult with the chair, the faculty member, the advisor and the student. This will occur either individually or in a group as the dean deems appropriate. The student may request a Standards Committee be formed by the dean. The purpose of the Committee is to bring clarity to all sides, allowing for a thoughtful and informed response from the disputants and to assure integrity in the assigning of grades to students by faculty. However, the Committee has no authority to force the change of a grade. The membership of the committee is composed of all parties heretofore mentioned with the dean serving as chair of the Committee. The dean will also select at least one faculty member from the college and one faculty member from another college to serve on the Committee. The student making the complaint should be the only student involved and no legal representation nor any other parties are permitted. After hearing both sides and deliberating the Committee will render a judgment as to what it advises should be done. The hearing and the rendering is the end of the process. No appeals to change a grade are to be made to the Provost or the President.
If the student believes that the process or the way in which they were treated was unfair, the student may submit a written appeal to the Provost. The Provost will make a judgment whether or not to accept the appeal (the President is not to be contacted in these matters). If the Provost agrees to hear the matter, only two allegations will be considered: 1) that the process itself is unfair; 2) that the student was not treated fairly in the process. The burden will be on the student to demonstrate with facts and evidence that the process or the treatment was unfair. Depending on the Provost’s findings, the matter may be returned to the Standards Committee for further review.
At no time should any HCU employee advise a student anonymously or write an appeal document.
If a student questions any grade as recorded in the Office of Academic Records, the student has until the end of the full semester following the full term in which the grade was awarded to challenge the accuracy of the record. At the end of this period, the record becomes permanent.

Department of Nursing Policy and Grade Appeal Process

Students have the right to appeal for exceptions to SNAH policies or for consideration of a grade dispute through the Admission, Progression and Graduation (APG) Standards committee. Examples of issues that may be reviewed by the APG Standards Committee include, but are not limited to, the following:

Grade disputes on assignments, tests, or courses
Exceptions to admission criteria
Exceptions to progression policies such as re-entry into or progression in a program after two course failures, failure to achieve full admission status after a conditional admission, or after academic probation or suspension.

The procedure for the appeal process is as follows:

The student should first address the issue with the faculty member (if a grade is being disputed), or the department chair (if a policy is being challenged). The student should make an appointment with the faculty member to discuss the matter in person. Students enrolled in 100% online courses may meet via video conferencing such as Zoom or Skype or synchronous video. The student is advised to keep his/her advisor apprised of the matter, but this is not required at this point. It is appropriate to try to resolve differences amicably and in person before seeking to raise the matter to a higher level of authority than the course faculty. If the student is concerned that a private meeting with the instructor will create antagonism, the student may meet with the Department Chair, but must make this concern known to the Chair and explain in detail why he/she believes this to be the case.
If the issue is not resolved, the student may meet with the faculty member and Department Chair of Nursing Programs. The student should submit a written request into Advocate where it will then be directed to the Department Chair, advisor and other relevant parties. The Department Chair will consider the student’s concern, consult with the faculty member of the course and explore options, including the option to appeal to the Admission, Progression, Graduation (APG) Committee. The Department Chair will respond formally in writing to the student and the course faculty. The Dean will be notified of the action.
The chairperson must receive request for review of a student’s concern within 30 days of the issued grade or applied policy or the petition will be deemed “untimely” and not given consideration.
If the issue is not resolved, the student may file a written petition to the Linda Dunham School of Nursing APG Committee for consideration. The petition must be in writing and addressed to the chairperson of the APG Committee and copies provided to the Dean.
Petitions must include the following content:
1. details regarding the issue/s being petitioned,
2. the relief being sought,
3. extenuating circumstances that warrant review of the grade or policy, and
4. a plan of action if the petition is not granted.
The APG Standards Committee chairperson will schedule a meeting (not necessarily hold the meeting) within one (1) week of receiving the petition with exception to University business days.
During the meeting, the student and professor can present their perspectives to the committee, which is a form of internal review. No legal representation or any other parties are allowed in the meeting.
After reviewing the perspectives and clarifying issues, both the student and involved faculty member may be excused from the meeting. The APG Standards Committee will consider the petition and information presented during the meeting and then vote on any recommendations. The APG Committee will render a decision as to what it advises should be done regarding the student’s petition and relief being sought. The student will be notified of the committee’s decision at the conclusion of the meeting. In addition, a letter will be mailed to the student to provide the decision in writing. The APG Standards Committee may make recommendations to faculty regarding grades or decide to make exceptions to policies. According to University policy, only the faculty member(s) responsible for a course may assign or change a grade. The APG Committee has no coercive authority to force the change of a grade. The purpose of the process is to bring clarity to all sides and allow a thoughtful and informed response to the student and involved faculty member. The hearing aspect of the APG Committee serves to assure integrity in the assigning of grades to students by faculty.
All discussion during the APG Standards Committee meeting is confidential. The committee chair will communicate the decision to appropriate faculty members and/or administrators.
Should the student’s petition be denied, he or she may elect to meet with the Dean who will review the situation for consistency with policies and procedures and fairness. If no inconsistencies are noted, the decision is final. No appeals to change a grade or progress in the program should be made to the Provost or the President. If the student contacts the Provost, the Provost will make a judgment as to whether to accept the appeal/request for a meeting. If the Provost does agree to hear the matter, he/she will only consider two issues: a) that the process itself was unfair; and b) that the student was not treated fairly in the process. The burden is on the student to demonstrate the facts and evidence that the process or treatment was unfair. To repeat, the Provost will not hear an appeal to change a grade or allow for continuation in the program. Depending on the Provost’s findings, the matter may be returned to the APG Committee for further review.
Arrangements will be made for students enrolled in 100% online courses to meet these requirements via video conferencing.
Throughout this process, if a student wishes to ask an HCU faculty member or other employee to serve as an advisor, that is permissible, but both the student and the advisor must make this fact known to all parties involved in the academic grievance process. At no time should an HCU employee advise a student anonymously or write an appeal document.

Academic Integrity Policy

Academic integrity is valued at HCU and is at the very heart of the nature of the University as a Christian Liberal Arts Institution. It is the responsibility of all students, faculty, and staff to demonstrate academic integrity. The Academic Integrity policy is designed to promote “the development of moral character, the enrichment of spiritual lives, and the perpetuation of growth in Christian ideals” (HCU Preamble).

Upholding academic integrity provides experience that develops students to act with integrity in all areas of their lives. It is not considered “grace” to allow students to bend rules or act unethically without consequence; to do so violates faculty and staff’s obligation to “train the mind, develop the moral character, and enrich the spiritual lives” (HCU Preamble) of students. However, the University is committed to responding in a redemptive manner, seeking to balance compassion with accountability. Students can expect to be treated with Christian love as they deal with alleged academic integrity matters.

In practice, academic integrity means holding oneself to the highest ethical standard in all academic pursuits – doing all individual work alone, relying on one’s own knowledge during assessments, engaging truthfully with others, following all university policies and procedures, and encouraging this behavior in fellow students and throughout the HCU community. All academic integrity matters are to be documented in Advocate on the HCU portal which is accessed by clicking on the “Advocate” button.

Academic integrity is violated when academic dishonesty or misconduct has occurred. As a Christian university, HCU views any act of academic dishonesty as a violation of the University’s fundamental principles. Academic dishonesty occurs when a student:

submits the work or record of someone else as his/her own;
copies another’s quiz or exam answers, laboratory work, or written assignments (e.g., homework);
willfully cooperates with or seeks aid from another student during an academic assessment;
has special information for use in an evaluation activity that is not available to other students in the same activity;
accesses unauthorized materials during an exam (e.g., cell phone, textbook, prohibited calculators)
copies, uses, buys, sells, or otherwise shares any part of an academic assessment (e.g., an exam);
works together with other students on assignments that are clearly intended to be individual in nature;
prepares assignments (e.g., papers) for another student to turn in as his/her own work;
submits work as his/her own when it is not (i.e., plagiarism). This includes quoting or paraphrasing another’s work or ideas without citing and referencing appropriately, as well as submitting AI-generated work that was assigned to be the student’s own work;
submits work for one class that has largely been prepared for and submitted for a grade in another class;
falsifies or fabricates data or information;
falsifies or fabricates fieldwork documentation (e.g., internship hours).

Other forms of academic misconduct include:

destroying, concealing, stealing, or otherwise abusing resource materials (e.g., library books);
computer misuse, including illegal use or destruction of computer software or hardware, downloading, emailing, or otherwise accessing unauthorized material (e.g., pornographic content, gambling programs), accessing any computer through a login that belongs to someone else, or otherwise engaging in inappropriate or illegal activity (e.g., hacking, tampering with network, harassment) including the aforementioned using HCU Wi-Fi;
unauthorized copying or distribution of copyrighted materials;
engaging in research activities with human subjects without the approval of the Institutional Review Board;
classroom misconduct, i.e., any conduct which is disrespectful, harassing, aggressive, or otherwise substantially disrupts the progress of the class in the judgment of the faculty member.

The faculty member is responsible for notifying students in every class at the beginning of each term about the Academic Integrity Policy by including the policy in every course syllabus. Students are responsible for knowing and following the policy in all cases. The faculty member or academic administrative officer is responsible for establishing clearly whether academic dishonesty or misconduct has occurred.

The process is to be redemptive in nature. As directed by the faculty member, the student could correct and resubmit the assignment in question or receive a failing grade for the assignment in question. At the sole discretion of the faculty member, the student may be directed to resubmit the assignment in question or the student may receive a failing grade for the assignment in question. However, failing the course specifically as a result of the alleged violation is not an option (although when the grade for the assignment is calculated with grades for all assignments in the course, the result could be failing the course). In all cases, the faculty member shall report the incident to the dean of the college.

The student may appeal the action by following the process outlined in the Academic Grievance Policy and Process. Once an investigation into an alleged violation of academic integrity has begun, the student may not receive a grade of “W” for the course in which the alleged violation occurred. The student should be aware that suspension from the University or other administrative action may be taken in cases of academic dishonesty or misconduct, including but not limited to a pattern of academic dishonesty or misconduct. A decision to suspend a student is made by the Office of the Provost. Inclusion in the HCU Catalog is considered sufficient notice to all students of University policy and procedures regarding this matter.

Academic Load

The minimum number of semester hours (120) required to complete an undergraduate degree at HCU suggests that a student must average approximately fifteen hours each semester to make normal progress toward degree completion in a four-year period. For the undergraduate programs, the minimum load for full-time enrollment is twelve (12) undergraduate semester hours with an allowed maximum of nineteen (19) semester hours; 6 hours is required for the student to be enrolled half-time for the semester. In some exceptional cases, internships or classes in clinical settings may require a significant amount of additional time, and thus a student may be considered full-time even though they are enrolled for less than twelve (12) hours. In those cases, the relevant dean should submit the Full-Time Enrollment form to the Office of the Provost for approval. Note: Some scholarships and financial aid may require a specific number of hours. The normal course load per semester for undergraduate students is 15-18 semester hours. The faculty advisor and appropriate dean must approve credit hour overloads.

Schedules for more than 19 semester hours may only be permitted if one or more of the following criteria are met:

The student has a 3.0 GPA (B average) on all courses completed and for the immediately preceding semester.
The student has a 3.25 GPA for the preceding semester; or
The student is a last-term senior in good standing.

The maximum credit for any summer is fourteen (14) hours which must be earned in not more than four courses. Five full courses will not be permitted for any reason whether taken in residence or by transfer. Students may not earn credit for more than two courses for a maximum of seven (7) hours in any one term.

Classification of Undergraduate Students
Freshman:	Fewer than 30 semester hours of credit
Sophomore:	At least 30 and not more than 59 semester hours
Junior:	At least 60 semester hours and not more than 89 semester hours and approved degree plan on file with the Office of Academic Records
Senior:	At least 90 semester hours and a 2.00 scholastic standing or above
Other:	A student who is an auditor, visiting student, post-baccalaureate student, or non-degree seeking student per the definitions in the admissions section is not classified as a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior.
Part-time Student:	Undergraduates registered for fewer than twelve semester hours in a regular semester

Academic Standing

The Office of Academic Records will maintain a cumulative record of the grade point standing of each student.

Regularly admitted students are students have met or exceeded the minimum requirements for admission. Conditionally admitted students are students who are admitted through the Admissions Review Board because they did not achieve the acceptable minimum requirements for regular admission and are subject to the “Conditional Admission Agreement”.

Academic Probation

In the first semester that any student fails to achieve the acceptable minimum GPA, he/she will be placed on academic warning. If the student fails to achieve the acceptable minimum GPA in his/her second semester, he/she will continue on academic warning for the ensuing semester. Notification of the action will be sent to the student and the faculty advisor and will be recorded on the student’s permanent transcript. If the student fails to achieve the acceptable minimum GPA in his/her third semester at HCU, he/she will be placed on academic probation. Finally, if the student fails to achieve the acceptable minimum GPA in his/her fourth semester, he/she will be placed on academic suspension.

Any undergraduate student who has failed to earn the cumulative scholastic levels designated above and who is ineligible for academic warning will be placed on academic probation and removed from the list of degree candidates until the appropriate cumulative standing is attained. A student on academic probation must earn a 2.00 GPA standing in the current semester to be eligible to continue in enrollment beyond that semester. Removal from academic probation requires that the student meets the required scholastic levels as set forth in this section of the catalog. Students on academic probation are not eligible to represent the University unless they receive a waiver from the Provost.

Notification of the action will be sent to the student and the faculty advisor and will be recorded on the student’s permanent transcript.

An undergraduate must attain the following acceptable minimum GPA:

Undergraduate Acceptable Minimum GPA
0-48 hours	1.8
49-72 hours	1.9
73 hours and above	2.0

Academic Suspension

An undergraduate student on academic probation who fails to attain a 2.0 GPA standing in the current semester will be suspended. Students can apply for readmission after one full semester has passed.

A student who is suspended must submit a re-entry application at least 30 days before the next semester begins. When reapplying after suspension, the student must submit the following:

A personal statement of approximately 250 words.
The student may be required to provide two letters of support for re-entry from two HCU faculty.
Upon receipt of these documents by the Office of Academic Records, the student’s file will be reviewed by the college in which the student’s major is housed. The student will be contacted with a final once all items have been reviewed.
If admission is denied, the student may appeal in writing to the Admissions Review Board. Students who are placed on academic suspension will be notified of that action in writing. The action will be recorded on the student’s permanent record.
A student who is suspended for a second time may not be readmitted until at least two semesters have passed. A student on second suspension must submit a re-entry application following the above steps. An undergraduate student on academic probation who fails to attain a 2.0 GPA standing in the current semester will be suspended and may not apply for readmission until at least one (1) full semester has passed. A student who is suspended must submit a re-entry application at least one (1) month before the next semester begins. A personal statement of approximately 250 words and two letters of recommendation from HCU faculty may be requested to support the student’s application for re-entry.
Upon receipt of these documents by the Office of Academic Records, the student’s file will be reviewed by the college in which the student’s major is housed. The student will be contacted with a final once all items have been reviewed. If admission is denied, the student may appeal in writing to the Admissions Review Board. Students who are placed on academic suspension will be notified of that action in writing. The action will be recorded on the student’s permanent record.

A student on second suspension is strongly encouraged to enroll in at least twelve (12) hours at another institutionally accredited institution during the two (2) semesters the student is sitting out. The student should achieve a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5 to improve their opportunity to be reinstated at HCU by the Admissions Review Board. Any course in which the student has earned a grade of “F” at HCU cannot be repeated at another institution for transfer credit at HCU. For the re-entry application to be processed, an official transcript must be sent directly from the institution to the Office of Admissions.

A student who is suspended for a third time is not eligible for readmission.

A student who is admitted after a suspension must earn a 2.0 GPA standing in the current semester to continue. Such a student will be readmitted on academic probation and will maintain that status until the required scholastic levels as set forth in the “Scholastic Standing” section of this Catalog are met.

Active and Inactive Status

Undergraduate students enrolled as residential, “H” campus, students are considered to be in “active status” with the University, when maintaining continuous enrollment in consecutive 16-week long terms. Summer terms are excluded in considering “active status.” If a student does not enroll in consecutive long terms, the student changes to “inactive status” and may complete a returning student form for re-entry, when seeking readmission to the University.

Undergraduate enrolled as online, “O” Campus, students are considered to be in “active status” with the University from the time of initial entry, until which time the student has one-full academic year break in enrollment (i.e. No course enrollment for two consecutive fall/spring long terms and one summer term). A student who fails to enroll in classes over the course of one full academic year will break enrollment and will be placed in “inactive status.” A student who breaks enrollment may complete a returning student form for re-entry, when seeking readmission to the University.

Administrative Drop of a Student from a Course

The Office of Academic Records may administratively drop a student from a course, via an Add/Drop form, with the approval of the instructor, the advisor, and the Dean of the College or School in which the course is taught. The administrative withdrawal of a student from a course may occur only through the last day for dropping a course with a grade of “W.” These dates are specified for each academic semester in the academic calendar. A student may be withdrawn from a class for reasons including, but not limited to, the following:

If the prerequisites or co-requisites as listed in the current HCU Catalog for the course from which the student is being withdrawn have not been met.
If there are circumstances beyond the student’s control (serious illness, accident, etc.) that will involve excessive absences in the course from which the student is being withdrawn.
The student has not attended a class up to the census date, or other matters pertaining to financial aid and compliance with law.

Dropping or withdrawing from the University are serious matters and cannot be accomplished by email, phone calls, voice messages or purporting to have told someone at the University that the student is not returning or has chosen not to attend. Formal rules and documents must be fulfilled to drop or withdraw with the approval of the Office of Academic Records required.

Americans with Disabilities Act

Houston Christian University complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 regarding students with disabilities. In order to request and establish academic accommodations, the student is responsible for contacting the Director of Disability Services via email at 504@HC.edu to schedule an appointment to discuss and officially request academic accommodation services. If academic accommodations are approved, the Director will provide a Letter of Accommodations to the professor(s) and the student. The student must apply for academic accommodations each semester and the Director will provide approved written accommodations each semester. Please refer to the website, HC.edu/504 for all accommodation policies and procedures.

Students requiring accommodations for disabilities related to University Residence Life should also contact the Director of Disability Services at 504@HC.edu and refer to the website HC.edu/504 for more information under Residence Life Accommodations.

Application for Graduation

Each student must file an application for graduation in the Office of Academic Records before the end of the semester that precedes the semester that graduation is expected. For example, for a Spring graduation, a student is expected to file for graduation before the end of the Fall semester. A degree plan must have been filed with the Office of Academic Records before a student can file an application for graduation. The deadline to apply for graduation is Full Term Census Day (12th class day) of the semester you intend to graduate. Graduation applications received after that date will incur a $50 late fee. Students should always apply by the Full-Term Census Day of the semester they intend to graduate, if not earlier. The application for graduation will verify the name as it should appear on the diploma, the date the degree is expected to be conferred, and the major fields of interest to be completed as a part of the degree requirements. The Office of Academic Records will perform an audit of the student’s degree requirements and notify the student and their advisor of the coursework and other requirements the student still needs to complete.

Armed Forces Policy

HCU students serving in the Armed Forces (including military reserves) who are called to active duty after the first day of classes may consider two options in determining enrollment status and refund options with the university. The same options are offered to active-duty personnel who are transferred unexpectedly as a result of the activation of reserve or National Guard units. The student must present an official copy of their military orders to the Office of Academic Records in order to exercise either of the options listed below.

Students may withdraw from all courses as of the effective date of the orders to report to active duty and be placed on a leave of absence for a period of one year, which can be extended with documentation of continued active duty service. The student will receive a full refund for all tuition and fees for the term of withdrawal. University housing and meal plan fees will be refunded on a prorated basis for the actual services received up to the date of withdrawal. No course credit will be awarded. A grade of “W” may be noted on the student’s transcript if withdrawal occurs after the census date for the term.
Seek appropriate grade assignment. If a substantial part of the semester has been completed by the time the student is called for active military duty, the student may meet with each instructor to determine an appropriate grade. Since assignment of grades is the responsibility of the instructor, he/she may assign whatever grade is appropriate based on the quantity and quality of the work completed. If the appropriate grade is an incomplete, HCU will extend the deadline by which the incomplete must be removed from the student’s academic transcript to 1 year from the time the student returns from active duty (may be further extended by written request). There is no refund of tuition or fees for any classes in which the student receives a grade. University housing and meal plan fees will be refunded on a prorated basis for the actual services received.

Attendance Requirements

Regular attendance in class is important for student success, and it is university policy that students must attend class. Faculty members are responsible for maintaining complete and accurate attendance records for each student. Absences are recorded beginning from the first class session after the student has enrolled in the course. Professors are not obligated to allow students to make up work they miss due to unexcused absences. Any student who does not attend at least 75% of the scheduled class sessions will receive a grade of “F” for the course, regardless of his performance on other assessments such as tests, quizzes, papers, or projects. Professors may apply additional attendance policies as appropriate to individual courses. Likewise, the College or School may also apply additional attendance requirements as necessary. In either case, all applicable attendance policies will be stipulated in the course syllabus.

Attendance in an online class is by the week and requires a student to perform an activity in the class, not just logging in.

Excused Absence Policy
Students represent Houston Christian University through participation in university sponsored or sanctioned activities such as the arts, music, and intercollegiate athletics. When the activity schedule occasionally conflicts with academic obligations, student-participants and their sponsors will follow a standard protocol to provide faculty members with prior, written notification of their administratively excused absences from classes. Faculty members will determine, in consultation with student-participants, how missed classes and assignments are made-up in a manner that fulfills academic obligations and accommodates the obligation of the student to participate in a university activity. Except for excused absences (see below), student-participants have the same responsibility with regard to class attendance and assignments as do all other students. Houston Christian University is committed to the philosophy that academic events, artistic performances, and intercollegiate athletics are an important part of the institution’s mission to provide diverse educational opportunities to our students. The University recognizes that there may be occasions when, due to a scheduled event, a participating student must miss a class with an excused absence.

Definition of an Excused Absence

This policy for University excused absences applies to participation as an athlete, manager, student trainer, student coach, or graduate assistant in NCAA intercollegiate competitions, or participation as a representative of Houston Christian University at academic events and artistic performances approved by the Provost or designee. In addition, students who have national guard or reservist obligations that don’t prevent the successful completion of the course may have those obligations treated as excused absences.
Practice or rehearsal for any event is not eligible for consideration as an excused absence.
This policy excludes those academic endeavors that require the completion of a predetermined number of clock hours. Departmental practices and procedures of each College should be consistent with this policy as much as possible in order to be sure that the University serves student needs.

Activity Director or Head Coach Responsibilities

Head Coaches or the faculty member in charge of a university activity shall inform instructors of dates which students will miss class due to an excused absence well in advance of the date of that anticipated absence. For activities such as athletic competitions where schedules are known prior to the start of a semester, coaches must provide instructors by the second week of each semester a written schedule showing days in which students expect to miss classes. For other university excused absences, the faculty or staff member in charge must provide each instructor at the earliest possible time the dates that students will miss.
It must be understood that travel plans may change due to unforeseen circumstances. In each case, the head coach or director will make every effort to notify the instructor as soon as possible.
The HCU Athletic Affairs Committee has also developed an Administratively Approved Absence Form to be distributed to all professors of student-participants detailing absence information. This form comprises a list of times and dates when a student-participant will be administratively excused from a class during that semester. It is developed by the Head Coach or sponsor and checked by the Athletic Director or Dean of the sponsor.

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Regular and punctual class attendance is essential. Do not miss class for other reasons. Be in class every day.
Make-up work for University-excused absences
- It is the responsibility of the student to request from the instructor an opportunity to complete missed assignments, activities, labs, examinations or other course requirements in a timely manner.
- The student should set up an appointment with the instructor to discuss an action plan designed to meet any missed course requirements during the time of the excused absence. The timing of this meeting should take place at the discretion of the instructor.
- Students are responsible for all material covered in classes that they miss, even when their absences are excused, as defined above.
- Missed classroom activities will be rescheduled at the discretion of the instructor. When possible, missed class work should be completed prior to leaving for an excused academic activity.
Students should be aware that excessive absences—whether excused or unexcused—may affect their ability to do well in their classes.

Faculty Responsibility

Instructors are responsible for taking attendance and for providing students with an equitable way to make up missed work due to an absence excused by this policy.
Instructors should inform students in a timely manner of procedures to make up missed work, e.g., including the information in the course syllabus.
Instructors may not penalize students for absences excused by this policy.

Violation of Academic Conduct Regulations

Falsifying information or documentation in order to obtain an excused absence is considered a violation of the Code of Student Conduct and Academic Conduct Regulations.
Sharing information about a make-up examination or quiz with other students is deemed a violation of the Code of Student Conduct and Academic Conduct Regulations.
Anyone found responsible for falsifying information or documentation in order to obtain an excused absence or sharing examination or quiz information may face consequences per the Academic Integrity Policy section of the catalog, in addition to any sanction(s) imposed by the administration.

Commencement

Commencement ceremonies are scheduled annually in August, December, and May. Degree recipients are encouraged to participate. Students will be limited in the number of their guests who can attend the ceremonies.

Course and Program Time Limit

In general, there is no time limit on counting undergraduate course credit towards degree completion. Courses that are an exception to this rule are noted in the description of the course in the HCU Catalog. The degree plan is based on the HCU Catalog in effect at the time of the student’s initial enrollment in the University. Where degree plans have changed significantly, been discontinued, and/or where courses are no longer offered, the advisor and the University will work toward finding acceptable course substitution(s). It should be noted, however, where acceptable substitutions are not available the total number of hours to degree may be impacted when there have been substantial changes to courses, pre-requisites, and/or degree plans.

Credit Hour Definition

Houston Christian University defines a credit hour as follows:

At least fifteen (15) contact hours, as well as, a minimum of thirty (30) hours of student homework is required for each semester credit hour.
Laboratory courses, with little outside work, require a minimum of forty-five (45) contact hours. If moderate outside work is required, thirty (30) contact hours are required.
Four (4) credit 4000 level undergraduate studio art classes are senior studio courses where much individual attention between the instructor and student is required. In order to facilitate this instruction, four (4) credit 4000 level classes will meet for three (3) academic hours per week as a class and one (1) academic hour per week as individual instruction between the instructor and the student. These individual instruction hours will be recorded and maintained by the Department of Visual Arts.
Music courses follow the recommendations for awarding credit as required by The National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). Normally, a semester hour of credit represents at least three hours of work each week for a period of fifteen or sixteen weeks. In lecture classes, such as music history, normally one semester hour of credit is given for one 50-minute session plus two hours of preparation each week of the term. For ensembles, like laboratory classes, normally one semester hour of credit is given for two to four 50-minute rehearsal sessions per week, depending on the ensemble. For applied lessons, normally one semester hour of credit is given for each three hours of practice, plus the necessary individual 30-minute lesson per week with the instructor. For example, a two-semester credit hour applied lesson would meet for two 30-minute lessons per week.
Master of Fine Arts studio art classes are taught on an intensive apprenticeship model. The number of contact hours between instructor and student must be sufficient to ensure the development of knowledge and skills required by each course. Graduate studio classes require at least 1.5 instructional contact hours per week and at least 1.5 hours of homework for each three (3) credit class. Individual instruction hours will be recorded and maintained by the Department of Visual Arts. Additionally, the MFA studio courses consist of graduate committee critiques three times a semester. MFA students are expected to be working in their studios at least 18 hours a week.
Internships, clinical, and field experiences require a minimum of forty-five (45) clock hours for each semester credit hour.
For online, hybrid, and other nontraditional modes of delivery, semester credit hours are assigned based on learning outcomes that are equivalent to those in a traditional course setting, forty-five (45) hours of work by a typical student for each semester hour of credit.

Cross-Level Listing and Cross-Listing Courses

Houston Christian University acknowledges that, on occasion, it is appropriate to cross-level list a graduate class with an undergraduate class as well as cross-list two undergraduate classes or two graduate classes. It is also understood that graduate classes demand more rigor, higher-order learning, and be progressively more complex than undergraduate classes in the same subject matter.

When cross-level listing a graduate class with an undergraduate class of the same subject matter:
Each course must have a separate syllabus, and specific student learning outcomes are to be provided for each course clearly indicating the greater degree of analysis, synthesis, rigor, critical thought and independence required for the graduate course. Student learning outcomes are expected to be different for the graduate class.
Each course should have separate descriptions listed in the course catalog that reflect the advanced academic content of the graduate course.
Acceptable configurations of such courses include 4000/5000 and 4000/6000 cross-level listings Undergraduate courses at the 3000 level or below should not be cross-level listed with a graduate course.
Course titles should be similar but do not need to be identical.
Cross-level listed courses must be taught by faculty terminally degreed in the field of study.
Graduate course requirements should be determined by academically qualified faculty(terminal) with graduate teaching experience in the subject matter and should reflect the foundational knowledge and skill development to support independent research and professional practice.
Examples may include but are not limited to, independent research projects, portfolios, case studies, theses, dissertations, or other examples of graduate research/professional practice.
Classes must meet at the same time, in the same place/modality, with the same instructor, and have the same number of credit hours.

When cross-listing graduate/graduate or undergraduate/undergraduate courses of the same subject matter:

Each course must have a separate syllabus with the same student learning outcomes even if the courses are two separate disciplines.
Each course should have separate descriptions listed in the course catalog.
Course requirements should be determined by academically qualified faculty in each discipline with appropriate teaching experience in the subject matter.
For graduate courses, the faculty of record should be terminally degreed in the field and for undergraduate courses, the faculty of record may be masters qualified in the field. Faculty teaching cross-listed courses where the course content is the same but the rubric is different, the faculty must be academically qualified in both disciplines, (minimum of a masters in one disciple and graduate hours in the second).
- Classes must meet at the same time, in the same place/modality, with the same instructor, have the same course level (same first digit in the rubric) and have the same number of credit hours.

Degree Plan

By the end of their sophomore year, students are encouraged to have a degree plan filed. Students cannot file for graduation without a degree plan on file. A transfer student who transfers more than fifty (50) semester hours must file a degree plan before the first day of the second semester in residence. A transfer student who expects to receive Veteran’s Administration benefits must file a degree plan no later than the end of the second semester of enrollment. The degree plan is based on the HCU Catalog in effect at the time of the student’s initial enrollment in the University. In addition, a student can choose to file a degree plan based on the current catalog year. In some cases, while a degree plan may be valid, the courses in it may have been discontinued or changed. In those cases, the University will work with the student to come up with a viable solution.

Double Degrees (Undergraduate)

An undergraduate double degree option is whereby a student earns two baccalaureate degrees simultaneously. The minimum number of hours required for earning both degrees at the same time, is 165 semester credit hours. This would include the required hours for the primary degree, generally, 120 semester credit hours, and the required hours for the second degree, which would include both the core and program requirements for the second degree, which would generally be at minimum 45 additional semester credit hours. The University counts the liberal arts core classes toward both degrees earned.

Double Majors and Minors

Undergraduate students wishing to receive a double major may work with the Office of Academic Records and the relevant dean(s) to come up with a degree plan. A student must complete the Liberal Arts Core Curriculum and the college or school requirements of all relevant colleges and/or schools including but not limited to any college or school core. A student does not need to repeat courses in the Liberal Arts Core Curriculum or in a college or school core when they overlap between the two majors. In addition, if a student has a major or minor that overlaps another major or minor within or across disciplines, they do not need to repeat the courses that overlap but they do need to take courses that are approved substitutions by the respective dean(s). Hours taken for a minor do count toward the overall credit hour requirement.

Dropping a Class

Students who cease to attend class must follow the prescribed withdrawal procedures. Failure to do so will result in course failure(s), lower scholastic standing, and personal financial loss. Students contemplating dropping a class must see their advisor to complete the proper steps; the drop process is not complete until the forms are filed by the student and processed in the Office of Academic Records. A student may not drop a class after the published last day to drop.

Once a student registers for a class, the student will receive a grade for the class unless the drop process is completed through the Office of Academic Records. This includes students who may have never actually attended class or who may never have completed payment of tuition and fees.

Family Education Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA)

HCU is subject to the provisions of a federal law known as the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (also referred to as FERPA or the Buckley Amendment). This law affords students enrolled at HCU certain rights with respect to their education records. Please visit HC.edu/Rights-Under-FERPA for additional information.

Final Assessments

Faculty are expected to administer to all students including seniors end of semester assessments or examinations appropriate to their field of study and the particular class. If the instructor chooses to give a final exam in lieu of an assessment, it must be taken when scheduled by the Office of the Provost. Senior final exams are to be taken during the last class period prior to the final exam week. Each final exam period, with the exception of the Summer term, is preceded by one study day on which no grade-determining activity may be conducted nor may be due between 8:00am-5:00pm on that day. No University student events are scheduled Monday through Friday of final exam week.

Grade Appeal Process

A student may file an academic grievance if he or she believes a grade was awarded improperly. For more information, see the Academic Grievance Policy and Process.

Grading System and Grade Points

The University system of grading is expressed in letters and grade points as indicated below:

Grade	Percentage	Grade Points
A	(90 and above)	4
B	(80 – 89)	3
C	(70-79)	2
D	(60 – 69)	1
F	(0-59)	0
CR	Credit by Examination	–
I	Incomplete	–
P	Pass—see below	–
AU/X (no longer an option)		–
W	Withdrawal from the university or course after the census date and before the last day to drop.	–

Only the dean of a college or school may grant incompletes and only to students who have a major documented emergency since the last day to drop a course. The student receives 0 grade points and 0 semester hours and the course grade becomes an “F” if the stated work is not completed by the end of the following semester. Summer is a bona fide semester so a grade of “I” issued during a Spring semester must be completed by the end of the last Summer session following the Spring semester.

HCU undergraduate students may register for one (1) elective course each semester on a pass-fail basis. Students must file the pass-fail course form in the Registrar’s Office. This option does not apply to courses in the core curriculum or the major. The hours earned in pass-fail courses are counted in the total required for a degree but not for honors. A pass grade does not affect the computation of scholastic standing; however, a fail grade in a course affects scholarship standing in the same way as any other failing grade. Courses taken on this basis are counted as a part of the student load for the term, and the type of registration elected for any course may not be changed after the last date to register as posted in the class schedule. These courses are designated at registration by a “P/F” following the course number. A student who properly registers for a course on a pass-fail basis may, at the discretion of the instructor, be assigned a grade of “A” where the student’s performance merits that grade. The assignable grades are “A,” “P,” and “F.”

Students may repeat courses that they have previously taken. For purposes of GPA calculation, courses taken at HCU which are repeated at HCU are calculated in the cumulative GPA as having been taken only one (1) time. The cumulative GPA is adjusted in the semester in which the course was repeated. The student may raise the cumulative GPA by this means. Students should be aware, however, that many graduate and professional schools and certifying agencies calculate GPA by averaging all grades earned in all registrations.

If a student questions any grade as recorded in the Registrar’s Office, the student has until the end of the full semester following the full term in which the grade was awarded to challenge the accuracy of the record. At the end of this period, the record becomes permanent.

Institutional Review Board (Human Subjects in Research)

The Institutional Review Board protects the rights of human subjects in research projects proposed by faculty, staff, students, and/or outside persons. The University’s Institutional Review Board is responsible for reviewing all research proposals involving human subjects. Applications may be obtained from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) website, which also outlines the procedures and timelines for research originating within or outside of HCU. .

Internship Programs

HCU offers internship opportunities under the direction of the various academic divisions in awareness of the value of practical experience in the learning process. Such external learning opportunities may be known as practicum, internship, preceptorship, clinical experience.

Credit is awarded based on clock hours of experience gained. One semester hour of credit may be awarded for each 45 clock-hours of internship experience. Legal review of formal memoranda of understanding governing group placement shall be secured from university legal counsel.

Latin Honors Policy

Distinctions for academic excellence are awarded at graduation to undergraduate students who have completed a minimum of 60 semester alpha-grade hours in residence at HCU and have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher. This designation will be noted on the official transcript and diploma. Honors announced at the commencement ceremony or included in the commencement program are based upon completed hours and GPA at the time of the ceremony and may be adjusted once all final grades are posted. Latin honors designations and minimum cumulative GPAs are listed below. GPAs are rounded to two decimal points for purposes of awarding honors.

Cum laude, for a cumulative GPA of 3.50 to 3.69
Magna cum laude, for a cumulative GPA of 3.70 to 3.84
Summa cum laude, for a cumulative GPA of 3.85 to 4.00

Military Service Credit

The American Council on Education (ACE) recognizes the educational value of military training and experience. ACE continuously evaluates military school courses and occupations and makes recommendations for college level credit. ACE credit recommendations are present on the Joint Services Transcript (JST) of the military service member.

Each service member will receive at least 3 hours of elective credit for basic training as documented on the JST, and may receive up to 30 elective credits for military service as recommended by the American Council of Education (ACE) Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services and in accordance with HCU policies regarding transfer credits.

Based on the evaluation, credit may also be applied toward specific degree requirements where appropriate, as well as any possible credit for passing DANTES subject tests that have been reviewed and approved by the corresponding department. Courses from other accredited institutions will still be eligible to receive transfer credits.

Moody Library

Please see the library’s web page HC.edu/MoodyLibrary for information on Moody Library.

Residency Requirement

The minimum residency requirement is:

At least 25 percent of the credit hours required for an undergraduate degree from Houston Christian University must be earned through Houston Christian University. No more than 75% of the credits applied to an undergraduate degree may be transfer credits. Hours taken at HCU must include at least 12 semester hours of upper level courses in the major completed at HCU with a grade of “C” or better in each course. The residency requirement for a minor is a minimum of nine (9) hours of upper-level courses taken at Houston Christian University with a grade of “C” or better in each course. A student whose undergraduate degree includes 60 semester hours in residence at this University may be allowed to earn six (6) of the last 36 hours in another approved institution except in the last semester of residence before graduation.

A minimum of forty-five (45) additional semester hours of undergraduate credit taken at HCU must be earned beyond the first degree in order for a second degree to be conferred. All requirements for the second degree must be met. Additional majors, programs, certifications, licensure, and specializations may be noted on the transcript as deemed warranted by the Office of Academic Records.

Teach-Out Policy Plan for Program Closures

A teach-out plan, as defined by SACSCOC, is “a written plan developed by an institution for students to complete their programs of study because it has decided to end a program, off-campus instructional site, method of delivery, or to close the institution. A teach-out plan provides an orderly process, the equitable treatment of students, minimal disruption and additional costs to students, and covers all enrolled students regardless of their progress to completion.”

When proposing a program for closure through the Academic Affairs process, plan information is requested. Teach-out plans should include:

A list of all students currently enrolled in the program
A list of all students admitted to the program that are yet to enroll, but will be impacted by the closure
Expected current graduation date of each student enrolled in the program
Expected graduation date of each student admitted to the program but not yet enrolled
A comprehensive plan/schedule of courses that will ensure the student can complete the degree, OR
For students that have decided to change (or switch) to an alternate degree plan following the announcement of the closure, confirmation of the new degree plan being filed with the Office of Academic Records, as well as confirmation of a change of major on file, will be required.

Teach-out plans (using the template made available by the Office of the Provost) should be used by advisors to assist students in completing their degree plans. If the student fails out of the program (e.g. no longer has the academic GPA or standing to remain in the program), the teach-out plan is no longer in effect. If a student fails to register for classes for an entire academic semester (fall, spring, or summer) per the teach-out plan established, the teach-out plan is no longer in effect. Students wanting to return to the program will be advised into alternate degree plans that seek to meet their needs and aspirations while meeting all academic polices as applicable.

Appeals to the teach-out plan policy must follow the current university appeals process.

All teach-out plans will be maintained by the Office of the Associate Provost. The Director of Assessment and Academic Operations will work continuously alongside Program Coordinators to navigate teach-outs until all students have completed their program.

Transfer Courses/Credit

A student otherwise eligible to transfer to HCU from another institutionally accredited collegiate institution may expect to receive acceptance of his previous academic work as consistent with regulations which must be observed among colleges and universities. In general, an official transcript from an institutionally accredited college or university is accepted and recorded as received, and the courses completed used to the fullest extent possible to apply toward a degree. The transcript must be sent directly from the transfer institution to HCU. Credit is usually given at the same level at which the course was originally taken.  

All foreign transcripts must be sent to an HCU approved evaluation service. The evaluation service must send an official report directly to HCU. The International Student page of the HCU Website contains a list of current service providers.  

In considering credit by transfer from other institutions, HCU places a premium on credits from institutionally accredited institution; however, HCU will also consider a request for transfer credit from institutions that are not institutionally accredited. Applicants must submit transcripts from all institutions attended whether institutionally accredited or non-accredited. Upon admission to the university, the student’s coursework will be reviewed for transferability and possible equivalent credit by the Transfer Specialist. Transfer credits from a non-accredited institution will be considered on a case-by-case basis pending an institutional review by the Transfer Specialist and the Office of the Provost. The number of credits that can be transferred are dependent upon the program of study the applicant is interested in pursuing at HCU.* All students must meet the minimum residency requirement for graduation. For all transferrable work, the student must have earned a grade of “C” or higher.  

Undergraduate students transferring to HCU from other institutions will have their transcripts evaluated by the Office of Enrollment Management upon acceptance to HCU. The Office of Enrollment Management also has information regarding equivalent core requirement courses from other Texas institutions of higher education. This guide is helpful in course planning if presently attending another institution with the intention of transferring to HCU.  

Undergraduate students contemplating concurrent or visiting enrollment at any other college must secure prior approval in writing using the Request for Prior Approval of Transfer Credit form. This form must be signed by the student’s advisor and the Dean of the College or School through which the course is offered and processed by the Office of Academic Records in order for credits to be accepted in transfer. Exceptions to this policy are courses which are listed as equivalent on the published HCU Course Equivalency Guide or on the Texas Common Course Numbering System website. Students should seek counsel first from their academic advisor. Only courses with a grade of “C” or better from accredited institutions will be considered for transfer credit. Once an undergraduate student has enrolled at HCU, no more than 18 semester hours total will be accepted for transfer credit and student must meet minimum residency requirements for graduation. After completion of approved work elsewhere, an official transcript showing successful completion of the course(s) must be sent directly from the awarding institution to HCU Office of Academic Records. The student risks the loss of credit by failure to adhere to these policies.  

Credits earned by examination will be awarded at the end of the term in which the credit was earned according to the published HCU Credit by Examinations Requirements list. If the examination was completed prior to enrollment at HCU, credits will be awarded upon completion of the student’s first term of enrollment. It is the student’s responsibility to submit all official scores to HCU. If a student does not wish for credit by examination to be awarded on their transcript, they must notify the Office of Academic Records at academicrecords@hc.edu.   

*In recognition of the 2020 Pandemic, HCU will accept transfer “P” credit for University Admissions for the academic periods and terms of Spring 2020 – Fall 2020. A “P” indicates successful completion of the course for all academic purposes but a course with a “P” does not contribute to any GPA calculations. Students should communicate with advisors and financial aid concerning P credit for implications with federal programs.

Transfer Credit for Military Experience

Credit may be granted for military experience. Credit will be evaluated based on the recommendations outlined in the American Council on Education (ACE) Guide to the evaluation of Education Experiences in the Armed Services manual.

Students must submit one of two documents:

A Joint Services Transcript (JST)—an academically accepted document approved by the American Council on Education to validate a service member’s military occupational experience and training along with the corresponding ACE college credit recommendations. All enlisted, officers and warrant officers, both active and veterans from all Army components, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy are eligible for a JST.
Form DD214 or FORM DD256, as well as a military transcript (SMART for Navy, Marine Corps; Coast Guard Institute for Coast Guard; AARTS for Army; and CCAF for Air Force).

Undergraduate Degree Requirements

A minimum of 120 semester hours with no fewer than 30 semester hours of upper level courses.
Freshman Year Seminar, FYS 1300, is required of all students who enter with fewer than thirty (30) semester hours of credit. College credit earned prior to high school graduation does not count toward the 30-hour credit limit. 100% online students will take a one-hour course, ONLN 1300 Introduction to Online Learning, instead of FYS 1300.
Community Life and Worship Program: Participation in the Community Life and Worship Program (CLW) is a graduation requirement for all degree-seeking undergraduate students. Students must earn a total of 80 CLW credits for graduation. The HCU Student Handbook contains a complete description of the CLW credit system. CLW events offered each semester are listed on the HCU website at HC.edu/CLW.
Major requirements are determined by the College or School in which the major resides. See the appropriate College or School section of this Catalog. However, each major must include a minimum of twelve (12) upper-level hours.
Undergraduate degree and certificate concurrent enrollment: Students may be enrolled in an undergraduate degree program and an undergraduate certificate program simultaneously. Typically, a course can count for one degree program and one certificate program, but no more, though in the case of a student enrolled in multiple undergraduate degrees, the courses for the core curriculum can overlap. Students in an undergraduate program who are interested in adding a certificate or certification must apply and/or file a degree plan for the program. Students who have been accepted to a certificate program, but not a graduate degree program, must follow the entrance procedure for the degree program they want to enter.
Undergraduate Degree Plan Declaration: Before 64 semester hours have been completed, a student must see his or her advisor to complete and file an Undergraduate Degree Plan with the Office of Academic Records (only the Provost may provide a waiver for this requirement). Students who fail to follow this policy will not be considered as a candidate for a degree. (See section on “Degree Plans” in this Catalog.)
Liberal Arts Core Curriculum: The Liberal Arts Core Curriculum is the foundation unit in the academic organization of the undergraduate instructional program of HCU; it is required for success in every major and develops the knowledge and insight conducive to citizenship as well as leadership in a chosen profession.

Liberal Arts Core Curriculum Requirements

ENGL 1313 Composition and Literature I	3 hours
ENGL 1323 Composition and Literature II	3 hours
PSYC 1313 General Psychology	3 hours
PHIL 1313 Introduction to Philosophy	3 hours
Natural Science and Lab	4 hours
MATH 1305 Math for Critical Thinking or higher or PHIL 1305 Logic and Quantitative Reasoning**	3 hours
GOVT 2313 American and Texas Government	3 hours
ENGL 2315 or ENGL 2325 Great Works of Literature I or II	3 hours
HIST 2311 Western Civilization I	3 hours
History: Choose one three-hour course from HIST 2312, HIST 2313, or HIST 2323	3 hours
ART 2343 Art Appreciation or MUSI 1331 Music Appreciation	3 Hours
COMM 1323 Rhetoric and Public Speaking	3 Hours
CHRI 1301 Introduction to the Bible*	3 hours
CHRI 2373 Christian Theology and Tradition*	3 hours
Total	43 hours

37 Hour Curriculum Core + 6 Hour Christianity Core = 43 hours

*Transfer students with 45+ hours of credit will take one three-hour course, CHRI 3300 Introduction to the Bible and Theology, in lieu of CHRI 1301 and CHRI 2373.

**See individual degree plans as some plans require a specific math course.

Undergraduate Enrollment in Graduate Courses

Undergraduate students may request to take a graduate course with the approval of the appropriate deans, both the dean of the college or school where the student is receiving their degree and the dean that oversees the course the student wishes to take. Graduate coursework taken for undergraduate credit may only apply to undergraduate degrees and these courses cannot be used in the future for graduate credit. Graduate coursework taken while a student is an undergraduate but is not used for undergraduate credit may be used to count for graduate work. This is most often the case in courses taken as part of an accelerated program. Undergraduate students taking graduate work should be exceptional and the number of hours an undergraduate student takes at the graduate level should be no more than 9 hours or whatever is required by their accelerated program, whichever is greater. In accelerated programs at a minimum 120 of the hours are designated for the undergraduate degree and 30 hours are designated for the graduate degree for a combined total of at least 150 hours.

Withdrawal from University Enrollment

A student who wants to withdraw from the University with a grade of “W” after the last date to drop with a “W” can only do so under the most extreme circumstances beyond the control of the student and with the approval of the Provost.