Accommodations Policy
Disability-related accommodations, beyond what is provided as part of the BUILD program supports, are determined by the Office of Accessibility Resources and Services (OARS). Students requesting disability-related accommodations work with their advisor or a BUILD Staff member to request needed accommodations. Once OARS determines that accommodations are to be made, they will notify the student and the instructor via email.
Attending Classes
Students are responsible for all required work, whether that be individual or interactive, in each of their courses. Instructors determine the attendance policy for their courses as described in the course syllabus. Students assume full responsibility for class attendance and for work missed because of absence. Students should communicate with their instructors in a timely fashion about any 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, or hybrid) and as detailed in the course syllabus.
Some programs and courses may specify additional course attendance requirements; these requirements will be stated within the program’s catalog page, handbook, and/or in individual course syllabi.
Course by Arrangement
In special circumstances, students may request to take a course by arrangement. Only courses that are requirements for the Certificate in Applied Studies can be taken by arrangement. A student may take only one course by arrangement while completing their Certificate in Applied Studies. A course by arrangement is graded on a S/U basis.
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 student's academic advisor, the Director of BUILD, and the University Registrar.
Dropping a Course
There are two ways for a student to drop a course:
Administrative Drop
Any student with no documented academic activity in a course (according to the course requirements) by the term's drop date may be dropped from the course.
Student Initiated Drop
During any term (full term, half term, January session), students may drop courses prior to the deadline. Though not required, it is recommended that students consult their advisor before dropping a course. Dropped courses do not appear on the student's transcript. Course drops are official on the date students make the change online or written notice is received by the Office of the Registrar.
Dropping a course could have an impact on the student’s bill and/or Financial Aid. Students should contact the Business Office and/or Financial Aid Office to determine the impact of dropped classes on their student bill.
Grades and Grading
The scale below is used to define grades. The scores or points required in a course to earn a particular 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):
| Grade | Definition | Grade Points |
|---|---|---|
| S | Satisfactory | 65-100% of total points |
| U | Unsatisfactory | 0-64% of total points |
| IN | Incomplete (courses graded S/U) | N/A |
| W | Withdrawal | N/A |
S/U Grading
Courses are graded on a S/U basis as indicated in this catalog. The S grade indicates at least D level achievement (65% or higher).
Transferring S/U Courses to Bethel
Satisfactory or passing grades must be defined as equivalent to a C or higher in order to receive transfer credit.
Grade Replacement
Students can replace a previously earned Bethel grade by repeating the same course in a subsequent semester or part of term. Grade replacement occurs when the grade is entered for the repeated course; the lowest grade is excluded and the highest grade is included in the GPA. The lowest grade earned grade and credits will show on the transcript, but will not be included in the GPA calculation or the cumulative credits earned.
Courses that are designed to be taken multiple times (e.g., internships, music ensembles, topics courses, etc.) are excluded from this policy.
Incompletes
A student who is unable to complete all course requirements due to extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control (such as serious illness or critical emergencies), may request an incomplete grade (I or IN) from the instructor. To be considered for an incomplete grade, students must have completed (⅔) two thirds of the work at a passing grade. An incomplete will not be considered for a student who is simply behind in their assignments.
This incomplete must be negotiated with the instructor and have a set deadline when the remaining work is to be submitted. That deadline must not exceed 90 days; an earlier deadline is at the discretion of the instructor and must be included on the petition.
The remaining work must primarily be done through the independent effort on the part of the student. If the incomplete grade is not removed by the set deadline, it will be changed to the default grade listed.
Prerequisites
Course prerequisites are courses that must be completed prior to enrolling in a specific course. In some cases, prerequisites may be taken concurrently.
Registration Changes
Full Term Course
Students may not add courses after the 8th calendar day of the term without the consent of the registrar. Courses dropped after the 8th day and through the end of the 12th week will be graded “W.” No full term course may be dropped after the 12th week of class.
Half Term Course
Students may not add a new course after the 8th calendar day of the start of the half-term without the consent of the registrar. Courses dropped after the first and through the end of the 6th week of a half-term class will be graded “W.” No half term course may be dropped after the 6th week of classes. Course registrations, drops and adds are official on the date written notice is received by the Office of the Registrar.
Withdrawing from a Course
A student may withdraw from a course starting the day after the drop deadline. Unlike dropping, a course withdrawal appears on the student’s transcript with a grade of “W.” The withdrawal deadline is approximately at the 60% point of the course. The specific dates are posted on the Office of the Registrar’s website. Course withdrawals are official on the date students withdraw from the course online or written notice is received by the Office of the Registrar.
The “W” grade does not impact the student’s GPA. However, it is taken into consideration as attempted credits when determining Financial Aid eligibility. Please see the Satisfactory Academic Progress under the Financial Aid section of this catalog.
Withdrawal (Academic Administrative)
The instructor may request an administrative withdrawal from a course if the student has consecutively ceased to participate in 20% or more of the course. (See Attendance Policy for information about what constitutes participation.) Requests are reviewed by the Registrar.
For withdrawal from all courses and/or re-enrollment, please see Withdrawal from the University/Re Enrollment section of the policies.