Orientation, Registration and Credit OptionsNew Student OrientationAll entering undergraduate students are required to participate in an orientation conducted at the beginning of the semester or program. This orientation is designed to acquaint students with the university programs and services available from the various offices. Entrance ExaminationsAll new students may be required to take academic placement examinations. These examinations are a part of new student registration and are used to determine the level at which a student shall enter a sequence of courses. Some majors require specific placement examinations. Students should inquire within their own area of study as to whether such examinations are required. Registration ProceduresRegistration dates occur seven times in the summer for fall enrollment and once in January for spring enrollment for new students to come to the campus and register. Once new students are notified by the Admissions Office of their acceptance to Indiana Wesleyan University, the Registrar's Office will send information about registration procedures and the appropriate time to come to the campus for testing and advisement in the selection of courses and registration. Returning StudentsReturning students may register for the fall semester and summer sessions in the spring and summer. Registration for the spring semester and May term occurs in the late fall. All students are expected to complete their registration during the time set by the director of records for advanced registration or at the specific time established for this purpose in the current calendar. Detailed instructions for registration will be provided on the wildcat portal at http://wildcat.indwes.edu/Registrar/Registration-Information. Arrangements for financial payment, in accord with one of the approved plans for university charges, must be made in advance or at the time of registration. All students must be registered by the first day of classes in any term. Academic Advising - CAS and Pre-licensure NursingEvery student is personally responsible to meet all requirements, including but not limited to stated competencies, grade-point indexes, specified courses, total numbers of credits in each stated area of study, and total number of credits for the degree program identified in the catalog at the time of enrollment. A faculty advisor is assigned to each student, is available at registration periods for advisement on program requirements and is required to approve the student's registration. Each student has access to their academic record and degree/major requirements via the Internet and portal. Schedule Changes and WithdrawsDrop/Add The student's choice of classes, once made and filed, is expected to be permanent. The last date to add a course shall be the Friday after the first day of classes for fall and spring terms. The last date to drop a course is the second Friday after the start of classes for the fall and spring terms. For students enrolled in the graduate counseling program, the last date to add or drop a course is the second Friday after the first day of the term. For May term and Summer I (S1) and II (S2) sessions, the last date to add or drop a course is the second day of classes. For Summer Term (S1T) the last day to add a class is the end of the first week. The last day to drop a class for the Summer Term (S1T) is the end of the second week of classes. Any desired change in audit registrations follow the same deadlines as previously identified. All drop/add requests made thereafter require a General Academic Petition and approval from the course professor(s), the director of records, and Academic Affairs. Withdrawing from Classes Up until the tenth week of the semester (or 5/7 or 71% of partial semester classes), students may withdraw from a course with a grade of "W." This should be done only after consultation with academic advisors, the Registrar's Office, and the Financial Aid Office, as reduction of course load below 12 credits may affect eligibility for athletics, scholarships, or financial aid. After the tenth week of the semester, students may not withdraw from classes without total withdrawal from the university. Withdrawing from the University A student desiring to voluntarily withdraw from all classes at the university must obtain a Total Withdrawal form available at the Registrar's Office and online at http://wildcat.indwes.edu/Registrar/Forms/. This form must be completed and filed with the Registrar's Office before the student leaves campus. No refunds will be made by the Student Account Services, CAS, until the director of records certifies that the withdrawal procedure has been completed. A student failing to complete proper withdrawal remains a student and will be charged as such and receive a grade at the end of the semester. Students in university housing who fail to check out of their rooms properly will be subject to an administrative charge. Failing work at time of official withdrawal after the tenth week of the semester may be counted as "F" in grade-point average. Intent to Depart Students who intend to depart from the university for the subsequent semester(s) should complete the Intent to Depart form. Students should inform the Registrar's Office by completing and filing an Intent to Depart form available at: http://wildcat.indwes.edu/Registrar/Forms. Leave of Absence Full time degree seeking students may request a Leave of Absence (LOA) in certain circumstances to preserve their current catalog rights and possibly provide positive implications for financial obligations such as loan repayment, and health and car insurance. Types of Leave of Absence: A. Medical Leave of Absence - LOA petition must be accompanied by a statement from a medical care provider verifying the need for the LOA. B. Personal Leave of Absence - petition must include a plan for addressing personal or family issues that lead to the successful completion of the student's academic program. C. Planned Educational Leave of Absence - petition must include plans for enriching educational goals that lead to the successful completion of the student's academic program. These plans can include participation in non IWU-supported study abroad experiences, no IWU-supported internships, or short term missions or service programs. Leave of Absence petitions are available in the Registrar's Office and must be completed and approved before the "drop" deadline for the term in which the LOA is requested. Medical and certain unplanned for LOA requests may be considered retroactively or after the "drop" deadline based on the individual circumstances. LOA appeals must be filed and approved by the associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences before the end of the term for which the LOA is requested. A Leave of Absence will not be approved for students who are subject to academic dismissal or student conduct dismissal. Students who do not return to Indiana Wesleyan University by the end of their approved LOA will be considered to have withdrawn from IWU at the end of their last term of regular enrollment. International students should work with the international student coordinator in the Admissions Office when contemplating a planned LOA as there are Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services regulations regarding the status of international students. In order to maintain catalog rights under the LOA petition, students must receive prior approval from the Registrar's Office for coursework taken at other institutions for transfer to IWU. Failure to do so could result in failure of the coursework to transfer, or loss of current catalog rights. Students on LOA may not participate in or be registered for any IWU coursework during the LOA time period including incomplete courses, independent learning contracts, and online courses. Student work positions, divisional stipends, and leadership positions are not guaranteed upon return and must be reapplied for. It is unlikely that there will be any financial aid benefit for the student who takes LOA. All questions regarding financial aid must be discussed with the student's financial aid counselor. Students should consult with Student Account Services, CAS and the Financial Aid Office to discuss any financial ramifications of a LOA. Returning from a Leave of Absence: A student may choose to return from a LOA earlier than planned but must return on the first day of classes for the semester. When students return from a LOA, either on time or early, they may request reinstatement through the Admissions Office by completing the re-enrollment form before the first day of new term. Students must notify the Registrar's Office of their intent to return before the end of the term previous to the expected date of return. Undergraduate students who are on Academic or Citizenship Probation status when they take a LOA will return with the same status. Study Abroad students who use a LOA to attend unaffiliated programs should be aware that there is no guarantee of academic credit at IWU and must apply for such under transfer policy guidelines. Credit OptionsClassroom Study The most common way to earn credit in the College of Arts and Sciences/School of Nursing is by registering in the semester programs of the university, attending classes under the instruction of a university professor, submitting the required work, and passing the required examinations. On Line The College of Arts and Sciences offers on line course options for undergraduate students during May and Summer Sessions. Students should talk to their advisor and check the Schedule of Classes for those terms for details. Transfer Students who have attended other accredited colleges or universities may transfer credit toward their education at IWU. Transcripts of all other university work must be submitted directly to the Indiana Wesleyan University Registrar's Office from the office of the registrar at the college or university previously attended. Transcripts delivered by hand or received from another party are not official and cannot be used for purposes of transfer work. The university registrar is responsible to approve the transferability of all credits. To earn a degree from IWU, undergraduate students must take the last 30 semester hours of course credit needed to fulfill degree requirements at IWU. Students pursuing transfer course options toward the end of their college career should seek assistance from the Registrar's Office to ensure they are in compliance with this policy. Credit is granted for work with a satisfactory grade ("C" or above) taken at an approved college or university that are accredited by a regional accrediting body or the Association for Biblical Higher Education (formerly the Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges). If there is no applicable course at IWU or within the student's major, the credits may be applied as elective credit. Credit hours accepted in transfer are recorded, as part of the student's official academic record. All graded qualified coursework transferred and transcripted are used solely in the calculation of the honors GPA. Credit taken by correspondence from a regionally accredited institution may be applied toward a degree at Indiana Wesleyan University, for a maximum of 12 semester hours accepted. Credits from unaccredited schools, colleges and universities and from schools/colleges/universities not accredited by recognized accredited agencies–such as proprietary business schools, vocational/technical schools, or other single purpose institutions may be assessed individually for possible credit. The number of credits transferable from such institutions will be limited to two years (62 semester hours). Credits earned from international institutions will require submission of transcripts and course syllabi for external evaluation by Education Credentials Evaluators (ECE). For more information about this organization, please visit their Web site (https://www.ece.org/). Credit through examination (CLEP/DANTES/Advance Placement) may only be awarded with official test scores from an official testing center and an Indiana Wesleyan University individual assessment. The maximum number of credits awarded shall be limited to a total of 40 semester hours for the baccalaureate degrees and 18 semester hours for the associate degrees, and ordinarily will not be applied to upper-division requirements in the major (junior and senior levels). It is the responsibility of the student to obtain approval from the appropriate division for the application of credits to the majors. Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Many high schools offer Advanced Placement (AP) courses to students. These are evaluated as subequivalent to university freshman-level courses and appropriate credit will be given for grades of 3 or above. Incoming Freshman who prior to their enrollment at Indiana Wesleyan University, pass the AP Spanish Language Exam with a minimum score of 4 will receive credit for SPA-237 and SPA-238. Students who pass the AP Spanish Language Exam with a minimum score of 3 will be awarded credit for SPA-117 and SPA-118. AP credit for these courses will not meet intercultural competence. Some high schools offer International Baccalaureate courses and programs. Credit may be awarded for successful completion of some courses through the International Baccalaureate programs. Scores of 5 or higher are required for such credit to be accepted. Credit may only be awarded with official scores and an IWU individual assessment. Achievement Examinations The College Level Examination Program (CLEP), the Proficiency Examination Program (PEP), and DANTES offer examinations of university-level achievement. CLEP examinations may be accepted for credit by the university upon admission and registration. Scores on selected examinations at a level of "C" or above will be acceptable for credit in appropriate areas. Examinations can be scheduled by The Center for Student Success after consulting with the director of records. A $25 per credit hour transcription fee will be assessed. Several CLEP examinations are recognized by the university for credit, however, the College of Arts and Sciences does not accept the College Composition CLEP test. Assessment - Portfolio Credit from nontraditional learning by life experience may only be awarded with an Indiana Wesleyan University individual portfolio assessment. Credit will be determined through the assessment and approval process. Students with life experience education may have developed a body of information equivalent to university-level learning. This may be work experience, hours earned at nonaccredited institutions, or other nontranscripted learning. After a student has been admitted into a major and has accumulated at least 12 classroom credits, assessment of such learning may be attempted. Guidelines and fees information is available in the Registrar's Offices. Independent Learning Contract Occasionally, students may benefit from academic enrichment by Independent Learning. Such learning is generally intended for on campus course work in a subject not offered in the current schedule of classes. Independent Learning contracts are a privilege extended to degree seeking junior and senior students. Undergraduate students who have earned a 3.0 cumulative GPA, have met the university writing competency requirement, have completed all course prerequisites, and have earned a minimum of 60 credit hours. Undergraduate students on Academic Probation may not participate in Independent Learning. Students who wish to take an Independent Learning course should work closely with the professor of the course and the Registrar's Office to complete the specific paperwork and comply with the following:
All coursework is expected to be completed by the end of the semester in which the course is attempted. If medical or other extenuating circumstances arise that prevent a student from completing all coursework in that semester, a professor may, at his or her discretion, award a grade of "I" (incomplete). See full incomplete policy for additional information. Audit A student who has been accepted into an Indiana Wesleyan University degree program or as an unclassified student may choose to audit specified courses as follows:
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