In addition to credit earned in the traditional classroom setting, Southern Adventist University accepts credit earned by two other means-challenge examinations and distance courses.
The goals and objectives of the University emphasize not only facts and concepts but also values and attitudes best transmitted by interacting over a period of time with peers and professors committed to moral excellence, critical thinking, and the pursuit of truth. For this reason, most university credits should be earned through class participation. However, the University will permit a maximum of one-fourth of the credit required for a given degree to be earned by these nontraditional means.
Southern recognizes the International Baccalaureate as nontraditional credit and will record up to 12 hours of credit of courses taken on the Highest level (HL).
University Credit by Examination. Although the university recognizes several types of examination for credit, some policies apply to all types.
- No CLEP or challenge exam may be attempted for a course in which the student has been enrolled beyond the second week of a semester.
- No course may be challenged as part of the last thirty hours of any degree.
- Grades are recorded for departmental challenge examinations and scaled scores are recorded for nationally formed examinations.
- Students may earn a maximum of 12 hours of credit by examination in courses that do not appear in the University Catalog if the evaluating tests are approved by Undergraduate Council.
- Credit for challenge and/or validation examinations will not be placed on a student's permanent record and is, therefore, not transferable until that student has successfully completed 12 semester hours in resident at Southern Adventist University.
- Fees charged for challenge examination and credit are listed under "Other Charges and Fees" in the financial section of this Catalog.
- Additional information concerning challenge examinations may be obtained from the Records and Advisement Office or the Counseling and Testing Center.
There are specific policies for different types of credit by examination.
- Challenge examinations demonstrating competence equivalent to a regular course and prepared by a department/school. The following policies apply:
- Challenge examinations must be passed at "B" level or above.
- Since not all classes listed in the Catalog are open to challenge examinations, students must obtain permission from both the department chair or school dean and the Vice President for Academic Administration before petitioning to challenge a course.
- Students must also furnish evidence of adequate preparation to challenge a class before the department chair or school dean assigns a professor to prepare a challenge examination.
- A student may challenge a given course only once.
- A challenge test may not be taken if the student has audited the class.
- College Level Examination Program (CLEP) subject examinations
- In general, CLEP subject examinations must be passed at the score of 50 or higher to receive credit.
- The English Department participates in CLEP for ENGL 101 but not for ENGL 102. As part of the CLEP exam, a written essay is required.
- The CLEP exams in history qualify as elective credits. They do not fulfill the general education requirement for history. Three hours of AP/CLEP credit can, however, count towards a history major or minor.
- The following subjects are not acceptable by CLEP exam: BIOL 151, BIOL 152, CHEM 151, CHEM 152, or modern languages course.
- Advanced Placement Examinations
- In general, AP examinations must be passed with a score of 3, but some departments have additional restrictions.
- AP history exams, if passed with a 4 or higher, qualify for elective credits. They do not fulfill the general education requirement for history. Three hours of AP/CLEP credit can, however, count towards a history major or minor.
- The biology and chemistry AP requirement is 5. Students may be exempt from taking BIOL 152 if they have an Advanced Placement grade of 5 and a grade of "B" or better in BIOL 151. A student receiving a score of 5 on the chemistry AP examination will be given credit for CHEM 151. Credit for CHEM 152 requires a 5 on the AP exam and years of H.S. Chemistry and laboratory work that is equivalent to our university chemistry lab. A student receiving a score of 4 or higher on the AP Chemistry exam will receive credit for CHEM 119. (A student may not receive credit for both CHEM 119 and CHEM 151.)
- A score of 3 or higher on the AP English Language and Composition exam or on the AP English Literature and Composition exam earns credit for ENGL 101. Credit for ENGL 102 may not be earned through Advanced Placement.
- Modern language offers students the opportunity to earn up to six intermediate language credits in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish through the STAMP 4S test. Details are available from the Modern Languages Department.
Online Courses. Students are encouraged to take advantage of the courses offered online by Southern Adventist University. The University also accepts credits from distance education providers that are accredited by NUCEA (National University Continuing Education Association) on the same basis as credits from other approved accredited colleges or universities.
Unless otherwise noted, Southern's online courses begin and end within the same time frame as the university's face-to-face courses during any semester or summer session in which the online courses are scheduled.
The following policies apply to all courses taken outside of Southern Adventist University's face-to-face and online courses:
- A maximum of 12 semester hours of distance or extension credit may apply toward a baccalaureate degree program and eight hours toward an associate degree.
- Distance courses must be approved in advance by the University.
- Distance work may not apply on the upper division requirements of the major or minor.
- A minimum grade of "B" must be earned to apply on the lower division requirements for a major.
- A course in which the student earned a grade of "D" or "F" while in residence may not be repeated by distance.
- No distance credit will be entered on the student's record until s/he has earned a minimum of 12 hours in residence with a average of at least "C."
- Official transcripts must be in the Records and Advisement Office before a diploma will be ordered. The graduation date will be the last day of the month after the official transcript is received.
Practicum and Internships. Suggested departmental/school guidelines for practicum and internships.
Practicum
- A minimum of 50 clock hours per one credit hour.
- The process of learning a job on a part-time basis.
- The work may be done at various job sites.
Internships
- A minimum of 100 clock hours per one credit hour.
- The application of learning the skills of a job on a full-time basis.
- The work must be supervised on one job site.