Accommodations Policy

Disability-related accommodations are determined by the Office of Accessibility Resources and Services (OARS). Students are responsible to contact OARS. Once OARS determines that accommodations are to be made, it will notify the student and the instructor via e-mail. Students choosing to use the disability-related accommodations must contact the instructor no later than five business days before accommodations are needed. The instructor will provide approved accommodations, but the student is required to initiate the process for the accommodations.

Adding a Course

During any term (full term, half term, January), students may add courses prior to the deadline listed in the academic calendar published in the academic catalog. Though not required, it is recommended that students consult their advisor before adding a course. Course adds are official on the date students make the change online or written notice is received by the Office of the Registrar.

Attending Classes

Bethel University places a high value on faculty-student interactions and active student participation in the classroom. Students are responsible for all required work in each of their courses. Instructors determine the attendance policy for their courses, as described in the course syllabus. Students must assume full responsibility for class attendance and for work missed because of absence. Since class sessions facilitate not only individual learning but also group interaction, absences can become a serious problem for both the individual and for the group. Students should communicate with their instructor in a timely fashion about their absences and the possibility of completing missing work. 

Students are expected to participate in a course in accordance with the course's method of instruction (e.g., face-to-face, online asynchronous, or online synchronous). For example, students enrolled in face-to-face classes are expected to attend in person rather than online, whether synchronously or asynchronously.

Auditing a Course

Students wishing to audit a course must secure the consent of the instructor. A student may change to or from audit status with the instructor’s approval only during the first four weeks of the fall and spring semester and two weeks in January term. Auditing at Bethel is defined as observation in the classroom setting. Auditors are required to meet the attendance requirements set by the instructor. Participation beyond attendance in class activities is at the instructor’s discretion. The grade AU is given when a student audits a course. Students who do not meet the attendance requirements will be graded WZ. PSEO students are not eligible to audit courses. 

Course by Arrangement 

In special circumstances (e.g., a course has not been offered the terms indicated in the catalog or on academic plans) students may request to take a course by arrangement. To be eligible to take a course by arrangement, a student must have a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher and have junior or senior standing. Only courses that are requirements for a major or minor can be taken by arrangement. Students may take only one course by arrangement while completing their undergraduate degree in the College of Arts and Sciences.

A completed Course by Arrangement form must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar by the add/drop day of the term in which the course is taken. The form must be approved by the Faculty Supervisor, Academic Advisor, the Department Chair of the department offering the course, and by the Registrar. If the course by arrangement is at an international site, the student must complete required activities in the Office of International Studies and Off Campus Programs and obtain approval from the Associate Dean of International and Off Campus Programs. The Associate Dean of International and Off Campus Program's signature on the course by arrangement form indicates approval. For an international summer or fall course by arrangement, the deadline date for the submission of the completed form to the Office of the Registrar is March 1. For an international January session or spring course by arrangement, the deadline date for the submission of the completed form to the Office of the Registrar is November 1. 

Course Concerns

Concerns about course content and procedures should be addressed first to the instructor and then to the department chair (unless the instructor is also the department chair). If the issue has not been resolved by the department, the student may contact the Dean of Academic Programs by submitting the CAS Academic Petition form.

Course Time Conflict 

A course time conflict is a partial overlap of two academic courses. The partial overlap needs to be less than half the scheduled time of either course. If the time conflict is greater than 50% for either course, students must pursue a Course by Arrangement. Both courses must be requirements in the student's major(s) or minor(s) or for the Honors Program, with the exception of music ensembles and performance groups. Both instructors must sign off on the course time conflict form. This form needs to be returned to the Registrar's Office by the add/drop date for the term. 

Disenrollment from a Course

Students who do not meet requirements may be administratively dropped from future course(s) in a program at the request of the department chair. 

Dropping a Course

There are two ways for a student to drop a course.

Administrative Drop 

Student Initiated Drop

During any term (full term, half term, January), students may drop courses prior to the deadline listed in the academic calendar published in the academic catalog. Though not required, it is recommended that students consult their advisor before dropping a course. Dropped courses do not appear on the transcript. Course drops are official on the date students make the change online or written notice is received by the Office of the Registrar.

Cross Enrollment

Cross enrollment provides an opportunity for students enrolled in one Bethel school (CAS, CAPS, Seminary, or GS) to take specific courses in another Bethel school as a guest student. Students must consult their academic advisors in CAS or student success advisors in CAPS, Seminary, or GS before undertaking the cross enrollment process. Requests are subject to approval by advisors, department chairs or program directors, and deans. Limitations may include prerequisites, available space, program restrictions, and the number of courses at the host school in which a student may enroll.

Grades and Grading

The scale below is used to define letter grades as well as the grade points assigned. The scores or points required in a course to earn a particular letter grade are determined by the instructor. All grades are considered final and are not subject to change except for errors in calculation, or as a result of a formal grade appeal process (see the Academic Appeals section of this catalog):

Grades for Music Components

Grade Replacement

When a student repeats a course the grade and credits for the earlier course are excluded from the student's GPA. If the repeated course is taken at Bethel, the new grade and credits are included in the GPA. If the repeated course is taken at a different institution, the new grade and credits are not included in the GPA. Grades for all courses remain on the student's transcript. 

Incompletes

A student who has attended class regularly and submitted assignments as required, but is unable to complete all course requirements by the end of the term due to causes beyond the student’s control, may petition for a grade of Incomplete after the deadline to withdraw from a course. The student must first consult with the instructor to develop a plan to complete the course requirements; all remaining work should be done largely through the independent efforts of the student. The instructor will then review and approve the Petition for Incomplete, which describes the work that must be completed, as well as the grade that should be assigned if the deadline set by the instructor is not met. This deadline can be no later than the end of the eighth week of classes of the next semester. The instructor enters the incomplete when entering course grades: an I is entered for courses graded A/F; an IN is entered for courses graded S/U. If the student completes all requirements specified on the petition before the deadline, the newly-earned grade replaces the grade of I or IN. If the student does not complete all the requirements, then the grade on the petition replace the I or IN. Copies of the petition should be kept by the instructor, the student, and the Registrar’s Office.

NOTE for Active Military Duty Students: Students who accept a grade of Incomplete in a course must complete the course within six months of the date they are released from active duty. Payment during an enrollment period in which an incomplete is elected as a result of call to duty may be delayed until course completion at no additional cost.

Extension of Incompletes

The deadline for completing an Incomplete can be extended by mutual agreement of the instructor and student, as well as approval by the Dean of Academic Programs. Both the instructor and the student should submit the form found on the Registrar's Office website.

Prerequisites

Many courses have prerequisites in order to ensure that students have the appropriate academic preparation and experience for the course. Course prerequisites are listed with each course description. In some instances, the prerequisite may be waived by consent of the instructor.

Registration Changes

S/U Grading

The S/U grading option is used in student teaching and internships as well as music performance organizations and private lessons taken without credit. Other courses are graded on an A-F basis unless the S/U option is indicated in this catalog. The S grade indicates at least D level achievement.

Transferring S/U Courses to Bethel

With the exception of satisfactory or passing grades awarded during the COVID-19 pandemic of Spring and Summer of 2020, satisfactory or passing grades must be defined as equivalent to a C or higher in order to receive transfer credit. For credits taken during Spring and Summer 2020 only, all Satisfactory or Passing grades awarded will be awarded transfer credit, even if the other institution does not define satisfactory or passing grades as equivalent to a C or higher.

Withdrawing from a Course

Students may withdraw from a full-term course after the drop deadline and before the end of the 12th week of class. A grade of “W” is assigned for course withdrawals. Course withdrawals are official on the date students withdraw from the course online or written notice is received by the Office of the Registrar.

Students may withdraw from a half-term course after the drop deadline and before the end of the 6th week of class. A grade of “W” is assigned for course withdrawals. Course withdrawals are official on the date students withdraw from the course online or written notice is received by the Office of the Registrar.

Students may withdraw from a January session course or other course less than five weeks in length after the drop deadline and before the end of the 17th day of the term. A grade of “W” is assigned for course withdrawals. Course withdrawals are official on the date students withdraw from the course online or written notice is received by the Office of the Registrar.

Note: Special Education Courses

With the exception of January session, the add, drop, and withdrawal deadlines follow the College of Adult and Professional Studies calendar published in the catalog.

Note: Active Military Duty Students

If the student drops all courses during the Add/Drop period, he/she will have the net tuition bill reduced to zero (additional gift aid from Bethel will be added to the school bill so the total gift aid from Bethel covers 100% of tuition and fees for the dropped course[s]). Non-Bethel sources of financial aid are subject to federal and state refund policies and may be used to cover non-tuition educational expenses (e.g., room and board). 

If the student withdraws after the end of the Add/Drop period, a grade of “W” and a notation that the student was called to active duty will be recorded on the transcript and other pertinent academic records. Students who choose to withdraw may be readmitted and re-enrolled, without penalty or redetermination of admission eligibility, within two years following release from the state or federal active military service.

Withdrawal (Academic Administrative)

Science Lecture/Lab Registration

In select science courses, students are required to register for specific lecture and lab sections. When this is the case, lectures and labs will have the same section numbers (e.g., Lecture: Section 1 and Lab: Section 1A, 1B, etc.). To ensure correct course placement, students must register for the lecture and lab sections simultaneously. For specific instructions on registering for these types of courses, students should reach out to the Office of the Registrar. 

Non-Z Companion Course 

With approval of an instructor, students may fulfill the Cross-cultural (Z) Experience requirement through an independent cross-cultural experience connected to a non-Z companion course. This may be done during the academic year or during summer school. In addition to registering for the non-Z companion course students must also register for, and successfully complete, two half-credit courses designed to help them gain the most benefit from the experience as well as future cross-cultural experiences (GES 101 and GES 102Z). (See the chart below for terms when courses should be taken.)

A non-Z companion class is an already existing course that has not been approved as a Z course, but which includes some cross-cultural interaction as part of a required or optional assignment. The faculty member teaching the course must approve a student’s request to use the course as a non-Z companion class, but will not be responsible for overseeing or evaluating Z-related activities and assignments beyond any assignments and activities already required for the class.

The chart below illustrates when to enroll in GES 101 and GES 102Z based on when a student participates in an independent cross-cultural experience in conjunction with a non-Z companion course.

Faculty Conduct

Any concerns about faculty conduct unrelated to academic content and course grades should be directed to the Dean of Faculty by submitting the appropriate form found on the Registrar's Office webpage.