Nov 21, 2024

Missouri Baptist University 2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Policies and Procedures

Undergraduate Academic Advisement

After admission to Missouri Baptist University, undergraduate students are assigned to a Student Success Advisor. The advisor plays a vital role in helping the student to develop long range academic and career plans and to select semester class schedules. While it is ultimately the students’ responsibility to monitor their progress toward satisfying the requirements for their respective degrees, Student Success Advisors serve an important role in mentoring students throughout the process. The advisor must also give approval for all schedule adjustments, overloads, inter-institutional registrations (consortium), and directed studies.

If a change of advisor or major is desired for any reason, the student must submit a Request to Change Major/Minor/Advisor form to the Office of Advisement. The electronic form can be accessed at https://mobap.formstack.com/workflows/change_of_major_minor_advisor.

A student desiring Missouri teacher certification is required to apply for admission to the Teacher Education Program. Information is available in the Education section of the catalog and from the Director of Teacher Certification Advising.

Academic Priorities

All students are expected to do the best academic work of which they are capable. They are expected to give first priority to the preparation of assignments, to class attendance, and to class participation. Outside study time needed will vary with each class. Generally, two hours of outside study time are required for each hour of in-class time.

For the University experience to be fulfilling, students must strive to grow through the knowledge offered in class and outside study. True intellectual growth results from an individual forming opinions under the rigors of intellectual discipline.

Class Attendance

Missouri Baptist University’s mission and vision embrace the importance of transformational learning opportunities in both the curricular and co-curricular realms. It is inevitable conflicts will arise between those curricular and co-curricular experiences. As such, the university expects students to attend all classes, yet recognizes co-curricular opportunities could lead to occasional class absences. Faculty, students, and staff are responsible for supporting an environment that upholds the integrity of the education and students’ ability to experience a diversity of educational experiences. However, absence from class prevents a student from receiving the full benefit of the course and often detracts from the learning process for other students in the class. Additionally, for students eligible for financial aid, documented attendance is necessary before the initial disbursement of funds to their student accounts. Absences may result in lower grades due to missed examinations, assignments, exercises, and the failure to actively engage in the classroom learning experience. Excused absences are defined by MBU as:

Participation in an approved university-sanctioned event;
Extenuating circumstances that make it impossible for a student to be present in class (e.g., jury duty, military duty, severe injury or acute/chronic illness). In the event of an extenuating circumstance, a student should submit relevant documentation (jury summons, doctor’s note, etc.), in advance when possible or within three school days of an unexpected event, to the Dean of Students office. The office will validate the circumstances of the absence and, If the absence is approved as excused, provide notification of excused absence to the student’s instructors.

Students are responsible for turning work in on time, even if the student has an excused absence. In the case of an excused absence, it is the student’s responsibility to make arrangements with the instructor to complete missed work in advance when possible or within 24 hours of an unexpected event. All other absences are subject to individual instructor syllabus attendance policies. Students who incur absences in excess of 25% of the total class meetings may have their final grades lowered, up to and including failure of the course. Instructors may establish additional attendance guidelines for their courses in accordance with the official university attendance policy as stated in the academic catalog. Note: For programs leading to certification or licensure (e.g., teacher education or nursing), individual course attendance policies may out of necessity be more strict as the students are required to complete a specified number of hours of clinical or classroom experience to satisfy licensure/certification requirements.

If students believe they have received a course grade that is not reflective of the quality of their work or their class attendance, they should refer to the MBU Grade Appeal Policy in the MBU Academic Catalog.

For students enrolled in hybrid or online courses, course attendance may be defined differently. For asynchronous online courses, documented attendance will be determined by the completion of weekly class assignments. Students failing to complete at least one academic activity, such as assignments, quizzes, exams, or discussions in an online class during a given week will be counted as absent for that week. For students enrolled in hybrid or synchronous online courses, attendance during the in-person hybrid class sessions and synchronous online sessions will be determined by the student’s physical presence during the specified course meetings. Attendance in the online portion of a hybrid course will be determined by completion of class assignments in the same manner as for asynchronous online courses.

In accordance with Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Missouri Baptist University shall treat pregnancy and related conditions as a justification for an excused absence for so long a period of time as is deemed medically necessary by the student’s physician. Requests for excused absence related to pregnancy should be directed to the Dean of Students Office; questions about Title IX should be directed to the University Title IX Coordinator.

Academic Integrity and Honesty

Academic dishonesty jeopardizes the academic integrity of the University and is not in keeping with Christian principles. It is considered to be a serious offense. Missouri Baptist University expects students to attach their names only to work or research which they have done themselves. Materials and sources must be properly documented. Students must prepare original work and research, present their own reports and papers, and take examinations without any assistance or aids not expressly permitted in the testing procedure.

Academic dishonesty includes but is not necessarily confined to: plagiarizing; cheating on examinations; submitting counterfeit reports, tests, or papers; stealing tests or other academic materials; knowingly falsifying academic records or documents such as transcripts; and submitting the same work to more than one class without consent of the instructors involved.

Academic dishonesty of any nature will result in disciplinary action, which may include receiving a failing grade on the work in question, failure in the course, or dismissal from the University. Academic dishonesty is a part of the Student Conduct Code.

Statement on Uniform Grading System Regarding Proper Communication

All formal communication by the student, either written or oral, is graded not only according to the content demanded by the assignment, but also according to established standards of proper English as specified in the Modern Language Association (MLA) or the American Psychological Association (APA) stylebook, or composition books featuring these styles.

Research Papers

Modern Language Association (MLA) or American Psychological Association (APA) styles have been adopted by the University faculty as the official guide for all research papers. Only papers prepared using these forms will be accepted.

Missouri Baptist University Institutional Review Board

Missouri Baptist University (MBU) maintains an active Institutional Review Board (IRB) whose purpose is to ensure the safety of research subjects and investigators. The IRB meets regularly to review all applications for conducting research by MBU students and faculty. All research conducted under the auspices of MBU is subject to the approval of the IRB. The policies governing the operation of the IRB and the research subject to it, as well as appropriate research application forms and procedures, can be accessed at this link https://www.mobap.edu/academics-overview/institutional-review-board/.

Definitions of Academic Terms

DEFINITION OF SEMESTER AND TERMS

Missouri Baptist University operates on the semester plan, offering two regular semesters of sixteen weeks each. Eight-week evening and weekend classes, winter, and summer terms operate on different calendar schedules, but within the semester hour principle. The doctorate and accelerated nursing programs are on a twelve-week cycle limited to admission during specific times during the year.

DEFINITION OF SEMESTER HOUR

Missouri Baptist University grants credit expressed as semester hours. Quarter hours are accepted in transfer as two-thirds of a semester hour. One semester hour normally requires one 55-minute class period per week throughout a regular 15-week semester. Adaptations of this principle are sometimes employed, especially in music, physical education, and laboratory courses.

A one-credit hour laboratory science course meets for one hour and 55 minutes per week; a two-credit hour laboratory science course meets for the equivalent of three hours and 55 minutes per week.
A one-credit hour physical education activity course meets for two 55-minute class sessions per week.
A one-credit hour music ensemble meets for three 55-minute or two 85-minute class sessions per week.
Applied music lessons follow this standard:
- One-credit hour lesson (elective/secondary) meets for 30 minutes per week.
- One-credit hour lesson (major/primary) meets for 45 minutes per week.
- Two-credit hour lesson (major/primary) meets for 60 minutes per week.

Courses operating on an accelerated schedule are offered in accordance with the semester hour principle: day summer sessions, five weeks; winter term, three weeks; and online, evening, weekend, and selected day classes, eight weeks and twelve weeks.

DEFINITION AND SYSTEM OF COURSE NUMBERS

Courses numbered 000-099 are developmental in nature and are not considered for degree credit. Courses numbered 100-299 are lower division courses designed for freshmen and sophomores. Those numbered 300-499 are upper division courses designed for juniors and seniors. Those numbered 500-599 are master’s degree level courses. Those numbered 600-699 are specialist degree level courses. Those numbered 700-799 are doctoral level courses. The third digit in the course number indicates the number of semester hours of credit which the course carries, except for classes with four-digit course numbers. In the case of four-digit course numbers in the Teacher Education Program the third and fourth digits indicate the number of semester hours of credit (e.g. - 4709 = nine, 4712 = twelve). Courses in the M.A. curriculum in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling (Traditional and Licensure Track) also carry four-digit course numbers, with the second digit indicating program year and the last digit denoting credit hours.

Special Numbering

A course number such as MUAP 111/MUAP 311 indicates a course that may be taken for multiple semesters of credit. Piano Lesson (Major/Primary) for the first four semesters of credit would use the course number MUAP 111 and upon successful completion of the Sophomore Proficiency the student would receive upper division credit for Piano Lesson (Major/ Primary) using the course number MUAP 311 for the final four semesters of credit.
A course number such as BCHM 481-486 indicates variable credit, ranging from one to six hours.
A course number such as MURA 110/MURA 310 indicates a course which carries no credit per semester toward the degree, but is required for the major or program.
A course number such as KATH 211SC/311SC or KATH 221SC/321SC indicates a course which may be taken twice for credit: the first semester for lower division credit and the second semester for upper division credit.
A course number such as COMT 483A/B indicates a course which may be taken for credit twice, with the A course being designated with I after the title and the B course being designated with II after the title. A course number such as ENGL 333A, ENGL 333B, or ENGL 333C indicates separate but related courses.
Courses with prefixes such as EDPS or CMHS are cross-listed in two disciplines, such as Education/Psychology or Christian Ministry/History. The courses will be listed under both disciplines in the Course Schedule (see the Cross-Listed Courses information on the Course Description index page).
Courses cross-listed at the 400- and 500-levels may be taken for either undergraduate or graduate credit. Selected courses are available to undergraduate students for graduate credit with Senior Permission (see the section on Senior Permission). Students must complete all graduate course requirements to earn graduate credit.
A four-digit course number such as 4712, 4709, or 4703 indicates a course such as Student Teaching which carries twelve credit hours for a sixteen-week semester. Students seeking certification in a K-12 subject area or in more than one subject will complete 4709+4703. Students seeking certification in only one area or level will complete 4712.

DEFINITION OF COURSE LOAD

Undergraduate students carrying less than twelve credit hours of coursework during a Fall or Spring semester are considered part-time. Those enrolled for six hours are considered half-time. Normal course load for a full-time student is between twelve and eighteen hours. Students on academic probation are limited to a twelve-hour load. If the student is enrolled in a laboratory course, the student will be limited to a thirteen-hour load. If the student is enrolled in a laboratory course and IDST 101, the student will be limited to a fourteen-hour load. Students may not take more than fourteen hours in a probation term.

A student with either a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale for the previous semester of full-time work, may enroll for one additional course over the eighteen-hour limit, not to exceed a total of twenty-one credit hours. The academic advisor of the student and the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs must approve the overload of 20-21 credit hours in writing before registration can become official (See the Overload Policy). An additional tuition charge will be assessed per credit hour for the overload.

During three-week and four-week Summer sessions, three hours (one course) is considered a normal load. For each five-week Summer session, six hours is the recommended load. Scheduling of more than the recommended number of hours requires the signed approval of the academic advisor and the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. The student must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or a grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for the previous semester of full-time work. Total credit hours taken on an overload in a three-week or four-week Summer session may not exceed five; no overload is permitted for a two-week session. Total credit hours taken on an overload basis in one five-week Summer session may not exceed eight. Total credit hours taken for a full summer session – 3-week, 4-week, 1st 5-week, 2nd 5-week, 1st 8-week, 8-week Late, 2nd 8-week, and/or 16-week – may not exceed twenty-one. During the Winter Term, three hours (one course) is considered a normal load.

The course load for students involved in eight-week courses should not exceed twelve hours or twenty-one hours total per semester.

Internal designations for student loads for undergraduate students in the Fall and Spring semesters will be as follows:

Student Hours	Student Load
1-5	Less than Part-Time
6-8	Half-Time
9-11	Three-Quarters
12-18	Full Time
19-21	Overload

DEFINITION OF STUDENT CLASSIFICATION

Students are classified by total hours earned, as follows:

	Freshman	0-29
	Sophomore	30-59
	Junior	60-89
	Senior	90+
	Unclassified	Non-degree seeking
	Master	Baccalaureate degree earned
	Specialist	Master’s degree earned
	Doctor	Master’s and/or Specialist degree earned

DEFINITION OF MAJOR

An undergraduate major consists of a minimum number of credit hours (at least 30) in a concentrated subject area declared by the student. Majors are detailed in the catalog, listing the required and elective courses.

DEFINITION OF MINOR

An undergraduate minor consists of a minimum number of credit hours (at least 18) in a subject area. Minor requirements are listed in the catalog. A minor is often chosen in an area complementary to the major.

DEFINITION OF A COGNATE GROUP

An undergraduate student may take at least eighteen semester hours of courses which are cognate to the major. At least nine hours of the cognate group must be upper division. All cognate courses must be chosen from a list which has been developed by the faculty in the discipline, approved by the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and the faculty of the University, and placed on file in the Records Office.

DEFINITION OF CONCENTRATION/EMPHASIS AREA

Some majors, such as Biology, English, and Christian Ministry, are designed to require one or more concentration/emphasis areas to complete the requirements for the major. Concentration/emphasis areas allow students to focus their interest within the major and vary from twelve to eighteen semester hours, depending upon the program.

Overload Policy

A. BACKGROUND

The waiver of overload fees policy clarifies conditions in which students are eligible to receive waiver of overload fees.

B. POLICY

MUSIC: For Music Education majors who are required to enroll in small or large ensemble courses during each regular term of attendance (excluding summer), overload fees are waived up to 19, 20, and 21 credit hours for instrumental or vocal large ensemble or small ensemble courses. This excludes Theatre ensemble courses as they are not required courses for the Music Education major. If a student carries an overload during a semester in which they are NOT enrolled in ensemble courses, the overload fee applies. See definitions section below for ensemble courses which qualify for waiver of overload fee. Students enrolling in the ensemble courses who do NOT need the credit for completion of their major requirements (i.e. non-Music Education majors) will not be eligible to receive waiver of overload fees. NOTE: a zero credit hour ensemble course is available for students who do not need the credit hours for their degree programs.

SCIENCE: Students in the Natural Sciences Division may enroll in BIOL 382-384 Instructional Methods and Problems in Biology or CHEM 372-374 Instructional Methods and Problems in Chemistry to earn credit for serving as a department laboratory assistant. If enrolling in the course causes the student carry an overload, the overload fee for up to 20 credit hours will be waived. This waiver of overload fee will apply only in semesters in which the student is enrolled in the Instructional Methods course.

BY APPEAL: Any overload scenarios not addressed above may be considered for waiver of the overload fee on a case-by-case basis, as determined by the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs in conjunction with the Director of Financial Services. Students who wish to request that overload fees be waived for a particular course must submit a written request to the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, outlining the nature of the overload and rationale for why the waiver of overload fees should be applied.

C. DEFINITIONS

A list of definitions can be found here: PDF of Definitions.

Senior Permission

Undergraduate students majoring or minoring in Accounting; Business Administration; Healthcare Management; Management; Marketing; Exercise Science; Health Sciences; Sport Management; English; Christian Ministry; Behavioral Sciences; Criminal Justice; Psychology; History; Human Services; Social Sciences; Worship Arts Technology; Worship Leadership; Worship Studies; or Biology, Chemistry, Cross-Categorical Disabilities, or Early Childhood, Elementary, Health, Middle Childhood, Physical, Secondary, Music, or Early Childhood Special Education may take designated, dually-listed courses (400/500) during their senior year.

Missouri Baptist University undergraduate, senior-level students with a GPA of 3.0 or higher may take up to twelve (12) hours of graduate credit; they may take no more than six (6) hours in any one semester (or 3 hours per 8-week session). Students must complete a Senior Permission form via Formstack, available online under Electronic Forms at https://www.mobap.edu/academics-overview/academics-records-registrar/forms/ during the first two weeks of each semester or 8-week session, which must be signed by their academic advisor. To be eligible for Senior Permission, students will have completed a total of 90 hours of undergraduate work and cannot exceed a total of nineteen (19) hours in the semester in which they are taking Senior Permission courses. These hours may count toward a master’s degree if they meet the specific requirements for the program. Credits earned as Senior Permission must be applied toward a master’s program within seven years.

The following guidelines apply to Senior Permission students:

Senior-level students (those who have earned at least 90 semester hours of credit), with a cumulative grade point average of 3.000, may request permission to take up to 12 hours of graduate credit with a maximum of 6 hours per semester (or 3 hours per 8-week session). Students may not be enrolled for more than 19 hours during any semester in which a senior permission course is taken.
Seniors will register for any dually listed (400/500) course as undergraduates (for 400-level courses) and will be charged undergraduate tuition.
Seniors must complete the Senior Permission Form via Formstack, available online under Electronic Forms at https://www.mobap.edu/academics-overview/academics-records-registrar/forms/ during the first two weeks of each semester or 8-week session, which must be signed by their academic advisor.
The Records Office will notify students and their instructors by the end of the second week of day classes, or by the second class session for evening classes, if they have met the eligibility requirements and have been approved to complete the course for graduate credit. Students who elect not to pursue graduate credit after approval has been granted must notify the Records Office in writing.
At the end of each semester, instructors will notify the Records Office of those students who have successfully completed graduate-level requirements. The Vice President for Graduate Affairs will approve those students to receive graduate credit, and the undergraduate course will be updated to the graduate course on the transcript at that time.
These hours may count toward a master’s degree if they meet the specific requirements for the program the student is pursuing. Credits earned as Senior Permission must be applied toward a master’s program within seven years.
Students taking Criminal Justice (CRJS or CRPH) courses for senior permission must be enrolled in online sections.

This program is provided for regular undergraduate students enrolled in a program of study at Missouri Baptist University. Undergraduate students enrolled in courses at MBU through the Intercollege Consortium are not allowed to enroll in these courses for graduate credit.

Registration Procedures and Regulations

REGISTRATION DATES

Pre-registration will open the first Monday following Spring Break for Fall, Winter and Spring semesters and the first Monday after Thanksgiving Break for Summer sessions. Pre-registration will close ten days prior to the beginning of each semester or combined Summer session.

Regular registration will be held during the week prior to the beginning of the semester or combined Summer sessions.

Late registration for Fall and Spring semesters will run through the end of the second week of classes (ten working days). Late registration for online courses will run through the end of the first week (five working days). For late registration dates of short-term (Winter, Summer Terms, and eight-week) courses, see the section “To Add a Course.”

TO REGISTER AS A FIRST-TIME FRESHMAN, TRANSFER, OR READMITTED UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT

All first-time freshmen, transfer, and readmitted undergraduate students must begin the registration process in the Undergraduate Admissions Office. After making application and meeting with an Admissions counselor, first-time freshmen will register for an orientation/registration event and meet their Student Success Advisor to complete the registration process. Transfer and readmitted students will meet with an Admissions counselor then follow the basic procedures for registration (pre-registration, regular registration, or late registration as applicable) outlined below for continuing students. Unofficial registrations for first-time freshmen, transfer, and readmitted students will not be authorized until they have completed the admissions process and have been accepted to the University, even though they may have cleared all other offices.

TO REGISTER AS A CONTINUING UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT

Continuing undergraduate students need to schedule an appointment to register with their Student Success Advisors or academic advisors.

REGISTRATION PROCEDURES FOR MAIN CAMPUS

Schedule Classes – Undergraduate students will meet with advisors to schedule classes unofficially. All registrations will be unofficial until cleared by the Admissions, Student Financial Services, and Records Offices. Once the registration process is complete, students may print a copy of their schedule through myMBU Access (see the Student Services section for more information on accessing the student portal page). NOTE: Undergraduate students who have been absent or withdrawn for the preceding semester (excluding Winter and Summer Terms) must be readmitted by the Undergraduate Admissions Office.
Make financial arrangements in Student Financial Services located in the administration building.
1. Business Office Master Promissory Note – All students must complete a Business Office Master Promissory Note (BOMPN) at the time of admission or readmittance acknowledging that the student is responsible for payment of all charges through personal arrangements and/or financial aid (including, but not limited to, athletic scholarships, alumni, concessions, student loans, etc.).
2. Financial Aid – Students must complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at http://fafsa.gov before any aid can be awarded. The FAFSA may be filed online at http://fafsa.ed.gov. The MBU school code is 007540. In addition to the FAFSA, students applying for federal Stafford loans will need to complete Entrance Counseling and Master Promissory Notes at http://studentloans.gov. Parents applying for federal Parent PLUS loans will need to complete the PLUS Request and Master Promissory Notes at http://studentloans.gov. Applicants may be selected for a review process called verification. In that instance additional financial documents will be required. Financial aid files must be complete before any aid can be disbursed.
3. File Employer Reimbursement Letter – If receiving employer reimbursement, students must have a letter from their employer on file with the Student Financial Services Office detailing the amount and procedure for reimbursement and an MBU Third Party Agreement in order for such reimbursement to be considered in making satisfactory financial arrangements.
4. Make Satisfactory Financial Arrangements with Student Financial Services –
  1. If a continuing/returning student has a balance from a previous semester, this balance must be paid in full prior to the start of a new semester. If a returning student has a previous balance that has been submitted to the university’s collection agency, the student must contact the agency to pay the balance including collection fees and interest fees.
  2. Pending financial aid awards and/or employee reimbursement will be considered in determining the balance after aid.
  3. The remaining balance after the credit of pending financial aid may be paid in monthly installments. Payment plans are prepared in the Student Financial Service Office located on the Main campus or at the Regional Learning Centers.
  4. Delinquent accounts will be submitted to the university’s collection agency. Interest on the delinquent balances will be charged at an annual rate of eighteen percent (18%) plus the agency collection cost fees. Delinquent accounts will be reported to a national credit bureau.
Pick Up Photo ID, Library Access, and Parking Sticker – First-time students or those readmitting must sign the Student Computer Use Policy form prior to receiving their network login and password. Undergraduate students will pick up their photo ID in the Public Safety Office, located in Spartan Row South. Parking stickers (Main campus students only) will be picked up from the Public Safety Office. All undergraduate students taking at least one class on the Main campus must submit a completed Parking Agreement to the Public Safety Office whether they have a vehicle on campus or not. Students enrolled for any class through the Main Campus will be billed for parking at the time of registration. Students having a car on campus must pay the required fee. All fines must be cleared before parking registration can be completed. Parking stickers will be issued on a first come, first served basis after financial arrangements have been completed. Disability requests (handicapped parking tags) will be forwarded to the Student Development Office. Residence hall students will be issued a resident parking tag only if they are confirmed for residence hall occupancy during the term for which they are registering. (All residence hall students must have a resident application on file and paid deposit.) Returning resident students must have an Intent to Return Form on file. Students who are issued a resident parking tag and do not move into the residence hall, or who vacate the residence halls during the semester, must remove their resident student sticker and purchase a commuter parking sticker.
Network Login and Password - Students will receive a welcome email upon admission to MBU with their personalized login information and instructions. If students cannot find their welcome email, they should contact their admissions counselor as soon as possible.

Unofficial pre-registrations will be authorized to official registrations on a weekly basis beginning July 1st for Fall, December 1st for Winter and Spring, and April 1st for Summer. Registrations which have not been authorized ten days prior to the beginning of the semester may be purged. Students whose registrations have been purged will be eligible to re-enroll during regular registration but may lose their position if a class is closed and has a waiting list.

Late Registration:

Procedures for late registration are the same as regular registration with the exception of the assessment of a late registration fee.
Regular and late unofficial registrations not authorized to official by the add/drop period may be purged.

Registration Information

Site Designations
MA		Main Campus (West St. Louis County)
JC		MBU at Jefferson College (Hillsboro, MO)
AJC		MBU in Arnold (Arnold, MO)
HYB		Hybrid (Main/Distance Learning)
MDL		Distance Learning (Only for full-time Main Campus undergraduate students taking 12- 18 hours including web course(s))
WDL		Distance Learning (All Regional Learning Center students and graduate students as well as undergraduate students taking less than 12 hours at Main campus including web course(s))
OLP		Online Program Courses (Only for students accepted into the Online Programs)

In addition, the above site designations will have one or more of the following characters which will further denote specifics regarding the course:

If preceded by the letter D – this denotes a day class (ex. DMA*)
If preceded by the letter E – this denotes an evening class (ex. EMA*)
If followed by an * asterisk – this denotes a 15-week course (ex. DMA*)
If followed by the letter V - this denotes a videoconferencing course (ex. EMA2V)
If followed by the letter W – this denotes a weekend course (ex. EMAW)
If followed by a 1 – this denotes a 1st 8-week course (ex. EMA1)
If followed by a 2 – this denotes a 2nd 8-week course (ex. EMA2)
If followed by # – this denotes a 3-week course.
If followed by ^1, or ^2 – this denotes a 1st or 2nd 4-week course.
If followed by %1 or %2 – this denotes a 1st or 2nd 5-week summer course.
If followed by a ~ – this denotes an 8-week late start summer course.
If followed by a = – this denotes a 12-week course

In addition to the above designations, a class may have an additional letter to denote multiple sections of the same course within the same term. (e.g. DMA*A, DMA*B). These designations indicate that on Main Campus there are two daytime 15-week sections of the same course.

Course numbers are designated as follows:

000-099	Developmental
100-199	Freshman
200-299	Sophomore
300-399	Junior
400-499	Senior
500-599	Master¹
600-699	Specialist
700-799	Doctoral

The last number in the three-digit number indicates how many credit hours the course carries (e.g. 503 – this is a master-level course that carries three credit hours).

¹A four-digit course number such as 5712, 5709, or 5703 indicates a course such as Student Teaching which carries twelve credit hours for a sixteen week semester. Courses in the M.A. curriculum in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling (Traditional and Licensure Track) also carry four-digit course numbers, with the second digit indicating program year and the last digit denoting credit hours.

Online Courses:

The MDL sections are reserved for undergraduate students taking 12-18 hours on Main campus including any web course for which they are enrolled (9-15 hours for summer sessions). An undergraduate student taking 12-18 hours of Main campus classes pays a comprehensive tuition rate during the fall and spring semesters (during the summer there is a comprehensive flat rate for those enrolled for 9-15 hours). Enrolling a student in the MDL section of a course does not charge additional tuition and allows the course to count toward full-time enrollment which will impact scholarships.

Students taking classes at Regional Learning Centers, or less than 12 hours on Main campus including any web course for which they are enrolled, are charged tuition on a per credit hour basis. The students in this situation are enrolled in the WDL section as it is charged on the per credit hour basis.

Courses with a type of HYB (Hybrid) indicate courses offered in a combined classroom and online format.

The OLP sections are reserved for students accepted into the Online Programs at MBU.

Terms for Undergraduate, Master, and Specialist students:

FA-24	Fall	(August – December)
WT-24	Winter	(December – January)
SP-25	Spring	(January – April/June)
SU-25	Summer	(April/May – August)

For specific start, end, add/drop, and withdrawal dates, see the Term Calendar.

Terms for Doctoral and ABSN students:

FAQ-24	Fall	(September –December)
WTQ-25	Winter	(January – April)
SPQ-25	Spring	(April– June)
SUQ-25	Summer	(June – September)

Schedule Adjustment

Students finding it necessary to add or to drop a course(s) must complete a Schedule Adjustment form supplied by the Records Office. Students should consult the University calendar, printed in the appropriate Course Schedule, for all deadline dates. If a student stops attending a course but fails to complete the proper forms, the final grade will be recorded as XF. An XF is a penalty grade and counts against the semester and cumulative grade point averages (GPA).

Students who make any changes to their schedule after the first day of each semester will be charged a $30.00 schedule adjustment fee.

Students should refer to the Academic Calendar for deadlines for adding or dropping classes.

TO ADD A COURSE

Fifteen and Sixteen-Week Terms (Full Semester)

Students wishing to add a class must file a completed Schedule Adjustment form, including signatures, by the end of the tenth working day of the term in the Records Office.

Twelve-Week Terms (Student Teaching)

Students wishing to add a class must file a completed Schedule Adjustment form, including signatures, by the end of the fifth working day of the term in the Records Office.

Ten-Week Terms (Forty Sessions – Summer)

Students wishing to add a class must file a completed Schedule Adjustment form, including signatures, by the end of the fourth working day of the term in the Records Office.

Eight-Week Terms

Students wishing to add a class must file a completed Schedule Adjustment form, including signatures, by the second class meeting in the Records Office.

Five Week Terms (Twenty Sessions – Summer)

Students wishing to add a class must file a completed Schedule Adjustment form, including signatures, by the end of the second working day in the Records Office.

Four Week Terms (Student teaching)

Students wishing to add a class must file a completed Schedule Adjustment form, including signatures, by the end of the second working day of the term in the Records Office.

Three-Week Terms (Twelve Sessions – Summer and Winter)

Students wishing to add a class must file a completed Schedule Adjustment form, including signatures, by the end of the second working day of the term in the Records Office.

TO DROP A COURSE

Fifteen and Sixteen Week Terms (Full Semester)

Courses officially dropped, with a completed, signed, and submitted Schedule Adjustment form in the Records Office, on or before the tenth working day of the semester will not appear on the student’s transcript. Courses officially dropped after the tenth working day, but before the end of the twelfth week of the semester, appear on the transcript with the grade of W, indicating that the student withdrew without grade point penalty. Courses officially dropped after the twelfth week are marked WF. A WF is a penalty grade and counts against the semester and cumulative grade point averages.

Twelve-Week Terms (Student Teaching)

Courses officially dropped, with a completed, signed, and submitted Schedule Adjustment form in the Records Office, on or before the fifth working day of the term will not appear on the student’s transcript. Courses officially dropped after the fifth working day but before the end of the ninth week appear on the transcript with the grade of W, indicating that the student withdrew without grade point penalty. Courses officially dropped after the ninth week are marked WF. A WF is a penalty grade and counts against the semester and cumulative grade point averages.

Ten-Week Terms (Forty Sessions – Summer)

Courses officially dropped, with a completed, signed, and submitted Schedule Adjustment form in the Records Office, on or before the fourth working day of the term will not appear on the student’s transcript. Courses officially dropped after the fourth working day but before the end of the sixth week appear on the transcript with the grade of W, indicating that the student withdrew without grade point penalty. Courses officially dropped after the sixth week are marked WF. A WF is a penalty grade and counts against the semester and cumulative grade point averages.

Eight-Week Terms

Eight-week courses officially dropped, with a completed, signed, and submitted Schedule Adjustment form in the Records Office, by the second class meeting will not appear on the transcript of the student. Courses officially dropped after the second class meeting but before the sixth class meeting appear on the transcript with the grade of W, indicating that the student withdrew without grade point penalty. Courses officially dropped after the sixth class meeting are marked WF. A WF is a penalty grade and counts against the semester and cumulative grade point averages.

Five Week Terms (Twenty Sessions – Summer)

Courses officially dropped, with a completed, signed, and submitted Schedule Adjustment form in the Records Office, on or before the second working day of the term will not appear on the student’s transcript. Courses officially dropped after the second working day but before the end of the twelfth working day appear on the transcript with the grade of W, indicating that the student withdrew without grade point penalty. Courses officially dropped after the twelfth working day are marked WF. A WF is a penalty grade and counts against the semester and cumulative grade point averages.

Four Week Terms (Student Teaching)

Four-week courses officially dropped, with a completed, signed, and submitted Schedule Adjustment form in the Records Office, by the second working day of the term will not appear on the transcript of the student. Courses officially dropped after the second working day of the term but before the third week appear on the transcript with the grade of W, indicating that the student withdrew without grade point penalty. Courses officially dropped after the third week are marked WF. A WF is a penalty grade and counts against the semester and cumulative grade point averages.

Three-Week Terms (Twelve Sessions – Summer and Winter)

Courses officially dropped, with a completed, signed, and submitted Schedule Adjustment form in the Records Office, on or before the second working day of the term will not appear on the student’s transcript. Courses officially dropped after the second class day, but before the end of the tenth class day, appear on the transcript with the grade of W, indicating that the student withdrew without grade point penalty. Courses officially dropped after the tenth class day are marked WF. A WF is a penalty grade and counts against the semester and cumulative grade point averages.

WITHDRAWAL FROM THE UNIVERSITY

A withdrawal from the University is a full withdrawal from all courses and terminates the matriculation of the student. If a student discontinues enrollment from the Missouri Baptist University, whether voluntarily or not, re-entry for future semesters may be contingent on satisfying conditions outlined by the Director of Undergraduate Admissions. Any student who voluntarily withdraws from the university or is dismissed for any reason must apply for readmission in order to re-enroll after having been absent the preceding semester.

An accurate student record will be especially important if the student decides to return to Missouri Baptist University or transfer to another institution. Withdrawals can affect a student’s federal financial aid eligibility.

Students finding it necessary to withdraw from the University must complete a Withdrawal from School form, which can be secured from the Records Office on the Main campus, online, or at the Regional Learning Center offices. All notices of withdrawal must be provided to the Records Office to be considered official notification of a withdrawal. Otherwise, they will receive an XF grade for each course, which is a penalty grade and counts against the semester and cumulative grade point averages.

DROP: If a student withdraws from the University by the tenth working day of the semester, the courses will not appear on the transcript.

WITHDRAW: If a student withdraws from the University by the tenth working day but before the end of the twelfth week of the semester, their courses appear on the transcript with the grade of W, meaning withdrawal without grade point penalty. Additionally, withdrawal after the twelfth week results in a grade of WF, which is a penalty grade and counts against the grade point average. For permissible withdrawal periods for Winter, Summer, and eight-week sessions, consult the section on dropping or adding a course and refer to the calendar in the Course Schedule for specific deadline dates.

Charges and/or refunds are made in keeping with catalog regulations (see Refund Schedule). Accounts become due and payable immediately upon withdrawal.

PETITION FOR WITHDRAWAL DUE TO EXTREME EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES AFTER PERIOD OF “W” GRADE

Students who are facing extreme extenuating circumstances, and who have missed the withdrawal during the “W” period, may submit a Petition for Withdrawal Due to Extreme Extenuating Circumstances to be considered for late withdrawal from courses. Regardless of the circumstances, late withdrawal petitions are not guaranteed to be approved.

The petition will require the student to meet the definition of an extreme extenuating circumstance; provide an explanation, details, and documentation of the circumstance, and address why they were not able to withdraw from the classes by the “W” withdrawal period. Documentation to support the petition must be submitted, and must support that the extreme extenuating circumstance occurred in a time-frame appropriate to the petition.

Extreme Extenuating Circumstances are limited to:

Death in the immediate family (NOTE: Immediate family members include spouse, mother, father, sister, brother, son, daughter, or legal equivalent thereof.)
Medical, legal, or other complications from sexual assault or other violent assault.
Medical emergency which resulted in medical confinement or incapacitation for at least 50% of the class contact hours or, in the event of an online course, for at least 50% of the total time allotted for the course. The medical confinement or incapacitation need not be consecutive; intermittent medical confinement or incapacitation may be counted as cumulative provided all are caused by the same medical condition.
Permanently/totally disabled.
Students who are recalled to military active duty. (Initial enlistment into the military and Active Duty for Training for Reservists do not typically qualify.)

A committee will receive petitions for withdrawal due to extreme personal circumstances. Committee membership includes, but is not limited to, representatives from the Dean of Student Office, Student Financial Services, Records Office, Business Office, Student Success Center, and for graduate students, representation from Graduate Affairs. Documentation of the committee’s recommendation will be sent to the Provost and Records Office.

PETITION FOR FINANCIAL RELIEF

Students meeting criteria defined as an extreme extenuating circumstance may petition for financial relief associated with the cost of tuition and fees in accordance with University policy. More information can be found online on the Student Financial Services webpage.

REPEATING A COURSE

If a course is repeated, only the higher grade will be used in calculating the cumulative grade point average. Both enrollments will appear on the transcript. Students should be aware that federal financial aid will cover repeats of courses that were previously failed and may not include more than one repetition of a previously passed course. Also, athletes should be aware that under NAIA regulations, repeat courses previously passed with a grade of “D” in the initial attempt and retaken, earning a grade of “C” or better, shall be considered toward satisfying the 24/36-Hour Rule.

Repeat courses previously passed with a grade of “D” in the initial attempt and retaken, earning a grade of “D”, shall be excluded and cannot be considered towards satisfaction of the 24/36-Hour Rule. Only the initial attempt shall be considered toward satisfying the 24/36-Hour Rule. A maximum of one repeat course per term previously passed with a grade of “D” (or the equivalent) may be counted toward satisfying the 12-Hour Enrollment Rule.

Students should check with the Director of Athletic Compliance & Eligibility for additional information on satisfying the 24-hour rule for athletic eligibility.

AUDITING A COURSE

University credit is not granted for audited classes. Since the auditors do not participate in the graded written assignments or examinations, the chief benefit is from class lectures and discussions. Although auditing may be permitted, the University strongly recommends that qualified students enroll for coursework on a for credit basis. Online courses are not available for audit. Students must complete the Audit Course Request Form for approval.

DECLARING OR CHANGING A MAJOR

The major of an undergraduate student as listed on the application for admission will be considered the student’s declared major until the student completes a Request to Change Major/Minor/Advisor form, available in the Records Office and the Student Success Center, and submits it to the Student Success Center.

If an undergraduate student is admitted to the University as undecided or undeclared, the major will be listed as undecided until the student completes a Request to Change Major/Minor/Advisor form and submits it to the Student Success Center.

CHANGING NAME OR ADDRESS

Students may update only local, billing, and/or home address information through myMBU Access.

CHOICE OF CATALOG

A candidate for an undergraduate degree is expected to meet the graduation requirements stated in the catalog in effect at the time of first matriculation. However, if graduation requirements are completed more than six years after the date of first matriculation, the student must meet the requirements of a later catalog:

An undergraduate student maintaining continuous enrollment during the regular sessions, must meet the requirements of the catalog in effect when application for graduation is approved;
or
An undergraduate not maintaining continuous enrollment (not registered at Missouri Baptist University for one or more regular semesters), must meet the requirements of the catalog in effect at the time of latest matriculation;
Any undergraduate student may elect to meet the requirements of the catalog in effect at the time of graduation.

UNDERGRADUATE GRADING AND GRADE INFORMATION

A student receives grade points for every unit of credit completed, calculated per the scale in the table below. The grade point average is obtained by dividing the total number of grade points earned by the total number of semester hours attempted. Courses in which grades of IP, CR, NC, P, W, WV, or AU were awarded are excluded in determining grade point averages. All other grades affect the grade point average.

Grade	Explanation	Affects GPA	Affects Earned Hours
A	4 grade points awarded per credit hour	YES	YES
B	3 grade points awarded per credit hour	YES	YES
C	2 grade points awarded per credit hour	YES	YES
D	1 grade point awarded per credit hour	YES	YES
F	0 grade points awarded per credit hour	YES	NO
AU	Audit: course not taken for academic credit	NO	NO
CR	Credit: courses offered on a Credit/No Credit basis*	NO	YES
IN	Incomplete: to be removed within one semester (15 weeks) or quarter (12 weeks) after which time the grade will automatically be changed to an F	YES	NO
IP	In Progress: applies to a course or research spanning more than one grade-report period	NO	NO
NC	No Credit: courses offered on a Credit/No Credit basis*	NO	NO
P	Pass: meets course objectives	NO	YES
W	Withdrawal during the permissible withdrawal period	NO	NO
WF	Withdrawal/Failure: Withdrawal after the permissible withdrawal period	YES	NO
WV	Waiver of required course on basis of competency as established by examination	NO	NO
XF	Unofficial Withdrawal/Failure due to excessive absences	YES	NO

*At present, the Credit/No Credit grading option is only available for courses carrying zero (0) credit hours (e.g. – MURA 110/MURA 310 Recital Attendance) and for the awarding of credit by examination or portfolio assessment of prior learning.

SCHOOL OF NURSING GRADING SCALE

The School of Nursing will use the following grading scale in the table below. Students must earn a 77% or higher in all theory nursing courses and a grade of “P” in all clinical and lab courses. Students must maintain a 77% average on all unit examinations in each course to pass.

No extra credit will be awarded at any time in any nursing course.

Refer to the Progression Policy for further information.

Lecture Course Grade	Range	Interpretation
A	93-100	Excellent
B	84-92	Above Average
C	77-83	Average
F	<77	Failure

Clinical & Lab Grades	Interpretation
P	Pass - meets course objectives
F	Fail - Fails to meet course objectives

FINAL GRADES

Final grades are available to all students at the conclusion of each semester or term. It is the student’s responsibility to login to myMBU Access to print out a final grade report. (See the section on myMBU for more information on accessing the student portal page).

MID-TERM GRADES

Mid-term grades are issued only for full semester undergraduate lecture courses. It is the student’s responsibility to login to myMBU Access to print out a mid-term grade report. (See the section on myMBU for more information on accessing the student portal page).

GRADES IN UNDERGRADUATE MAJOR OR MINOR

Only grades of C or higher are counted toward fulfilling minimum requirements for the undergraduate major, minor, or cognate. Students who earn a grade of D in a course which is required in their major or minor must repeat the course, or substitute another appropriate course with the approval of their advisor, the Dean, and the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. If a course is substituted, the grade of D on the original course is included in calculating the grade point average in the major or minor, as well as in the total cumulative grade point average.

GRADE APPEAL POLICY

If a student believes he or she has received a course grade that is not reflective of the quality of work put forth in accordance with the expectations outlined in the course syllabus, the following procedure provides a way for that student to appeal the grade and address his or her concerns. However, the student should not assume that any grade appeal will be successful.

The first step is to contact the instructor upon posting of the final course grade. Final course grades are posted online through myMBU Access the week following the end of the course. In the event that the instructor is no longer employed by the University, the grade appeal will be determined by the Dean. This first step should be completed by the student in writing by letter or e-mail to both the instructor and the Dean no later than 30 days after the beginning of the semester following the one in which the disputed final grade was received (30 days into the Spring semester for a Fall or Winter course or 30 days into the Fall semester for a Spring or Summer course). The appeal must be factually based and the evidence for the appeal clearly explained. An appeal may be based on one of the following standards: (1) the recorded grade is an error or (2) the grade determination was not reflective of the quality of work put forth in accordance with the expectations outlined in the course syllabus. These are the only legitimate grounds for an appeal. Students may not appeal an individual test, assignment, or project grade.

Upon receipt of the appeal, the instructor has fourteen (14) days to evaluate and respond in writing. The deadline for responding may be extended by the instructor or Dean for good cause. The student will be notified of any such extension. The instructor’s response need only notify the student as to whether the appeal has been sustained or denied. If the instructor determines that the grade should be changed, the instructor will file a Change of Grade Form with the Records Office. A copy of that communication will be provided to the student and to the Dean. If an instructor fails to respond to a student’s grade appeal within fourteen (14) days (or by the date set forth in any notice of extension), then the grade appeal will be deemed denied and the student may proceed to the next appeal level.

If the instructor denies the appeal, the student may next appeal to the Dean responsible for the course within fourteen (14) days of receiving the instructor’s decision. If the course instructor is the Dean, or if the Dean reviewed the original appeal because the instructor is no longer with the University, the appeal would be to the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs. To initiate the second-level appeal, the student must submit the following items to the Dean (or the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, when appropriate) and to the Records Office: signed Grade Appeal Form, the instructor’s written denial, and an explanation with supporting evidence as to why the denial is deemed to be unjustified. The Grade Appeal Form is available in the Records Office and can be downloaded from the MBU website.

The Dean will consider the grade appeal and review the points of disagreement and thereby determine whether the grade was recorded in error, or whether the award of the grade was not reflective of the quality of work put forth in accordance with the expectations outlined in the course syllabus.

The Dean will render judgment as to whether the grade that has been assigned is the accurate grade. The Dean’s decision will be the final determination of the grade.

UNDERGRADUATE TRANSFER CREDIT

The entire transcript of an undergraduate transfer student, including grade point average and credit hours, will be evaluated as if all hours were earned at Missouri Baptist University. Thus, a grade of D is not acceptable in a course taken to fulfill a major or minor requirement, but may fulfill other requirements. A required course must be repeated if a grade of F is earned. An elective course may be repeated or another course substituted if a failing grade is earned. Both will appear on the transcript.

Students will be permitted to take up to twenty-one credit hours in a semester in combination with MBU and another institution. Students who are enrolled in MBU and continue to take coursework outside of MBU that exceeds the twenty-one credit hour limit will not have those additional courses applied to their transcript.

Missouri Baptist University does not have an academic forgiveness policy and therefore accepts all transfer credits with the grade originally earned unless the course has been repeated for a higher grade (Repeating a Course).

Academic Honors and Awards

Academic honors for undergraduate students are conferred at two levels: semester recognition and in conjunction with graduation.

SEMESTER HONORS

Semester Honors recognize those undergraduate students on the Honor Roll and the Dean’s List, and those receiving the President’s Citation, during Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters or undergraduate students enrolled in Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall quarters. All full-time students enrolled for at least twelve semester hours at Missouri Baptist University are eligible to receive Semester Honors recognition with the following exceptions: students are disqualified for honors during any semester in which they are on disciplinary probation (such as for failing to attend chapel), or in which they receive a grade of F, WF, XF, or IN, regardless of grade point average. Semester honors are based only on the MBU classes enrolled for that semester.

The Dean’s List carries the names of all qualified students who have achieved a grade point average of 3.75 or higher during a regular (Spring or Fall) semester or qualifying undergraduate quarter (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall). Those students on this list who have achieved a perfect 4.00 grade point average are further honored by a special citation from the President.

The Honor Roll carries the names of all qualified students who have achieved a grade point average of at least 3.40, but less than 3.75 during a regular semester or qualifying undergraduate quarter.

STUDENT FELLOWS

A student fellow is an upperclassman selected by a faculty member to assist in grading papers and tests, proctoring exams, or other appropriate duties related to the instructional process, including typing, copying, and filing.

To be eligible a student must meet the following criteria:

Be recommended by a full-time faculty member;
Be ranked as a junior or senior;
Be pursuing a major or minor in the discipline taught by the faculty member recommending the student;
Have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale;
Have completed at least one full-time semester or twelve credit hours at Missouri Baptist University;
Be enrolled as a full-time student for the semester(s) in which he/she is serving as a fellow.

Each full-time faculty member is eligible to nominate a student to serve as a fellow. The nominations are reviewed and approved by the Dean’s Council each semester.

Recognition for service as a student fellow is noted on the student’s transcript as an academic honor. In addition, the student will receive a stipend each semester that they serve as a student fellow.

AWARDS

Awards are conferred during the Spring semester at the Missouri Baptist University Outstanding Students of Achievement awards ceremony. Students are recognized for the following areas of achievement.

Demonstrating exceptional achievement or progress in an academic discipline
Making a significant contribution to the University, commonly through exceptional participation in extracurricular activities
Demonstrating superior university citizenship and positive attitude in relationships with the faculty, staff, and student body.

GRADUATION WITH HONORS

An undergraduate student who has attended Missouri Baptist University as a full-time student (12 hours or more) for at least two semesters or undergraduate quarters (Fall, Spring, and Summer or Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall Quarter), or as at least a half-time student (6 to 11 hours) for at least four semesters (Fall, Spring, and Summer or Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall Quarter), may qualify for honors at graduation by achieving one of the following cumulative grade point averages:

An index of 3.40 to 3.59 may qualify for graduation Cum Laude
An index of 3.60 to 3.79 may qualify for graduation Magna Cum Laude
An index of 3.80 to 4.00 may qualify for graduation Summa Cum Laude

In considering the eligibility of a transfer student for graduation with honors, the student’s entire transcript will be evaluated as if the hours were earned at Missouri Baptist University. For all students, both the degree credit cumulative and total cumulative grade point averages must be at or above the indexes listed above.

Only students who have completed all requirements for graduation (Fall or Spring semester graduates) are recognized at commencement by the wearing of gold honors cords. Summer graduates receive their honors cords with their diplomas upon completion of all requirements for graduation.

Academic Probation and Suspension

Students whose cumulative grade point average (GPA) is below 2.00* at the end of the Fall or Spring semester or Summer session, are placed on academic probation by the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs for one regular semester.

A freshman or transfer student accepted on probation is given one term to raise grades above the probationary level. The student is expected to show evidence of reasonable progress in improving academic performance during the probationary period.

If the grade point has not been raised by the end of the probationary period, the student will be placed on academic suspension. The student may then petition the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs in writing for permission to re-enroll. The petition must explain the causes for academic deficiency and outline a program of action to overcome them. The Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs must approve any such petition before the student is permitted to re-enroll for classes at Missouri Baptist University. A student suspended for a second time is normally not eligible for re-admission.

Students on academic probation, or re-admitted after being placed on academic suspension, are limited to a twelve credit hour course load. A load of thirteen or fourteen credit hours may be approved in special circumstances, such as enrollment in a laboratory science course. However, probation or suspension students will not exceed 14 credit hours in the semester.

*NOTE: Students in the Teacher Education Program must maintain an overall GPA of at least 2.500 as well as content and professional education GPAs of 3.000 in order to continue in the program. Certain majors or programs – such as Exercise Science – may also require a minimum overall GPA of 2.50.

In order for students to continue to receive federally funded financial aid, they must maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP) in their course of studies pursued at Missouri Baptist University. Please refer to the section on “Federal and State Aid” on the Financial Support Information for specific information regarding SAP.

The regulations of this section supersede all similar policies in previous catalogs and are effective for all students.

Readmission of Service Members

If service members cannot attend school due to military service as defined below, MBU will readmit them with the same academic status they had when they last attended, or when they were last admitted to MBU but did not begin attendance because of military service obligations. A student’s readmission rights under this specific policy are terminated in the case of a dishonorable or bad conduct discharge, general court-martial, federal or state prison sentence, or other reasons as stated in 34 CFR 668.18(h), but students may still be eligible for regular readmittance.

READMISSION PROCEDURES

The student, or an appropriate officer of the Armed Forces or official of the Department of Defense, must give oral or written notice of the student’s military service as far in advance as is reasonable under the circumstances. This notice must be provided to the Director of Records. No notice is required if precluded by military necessity. The student may, alternatively, submit an attestation that military service necessitated the student’s absence from the institution at the time of readmission.

The student must also notify the Director of Records of their intent to return to MBU within three years after the completion of the period of service and provide appropriate documentation. If a student is hospitalized for or convalescing from an illness or injury incurred in or aggravated due to service, the student will be given a two-year extension from the end of the recovery from such illness or injury to provide notification.

The cumulative length of absence and of all previous absences from the school for military service may not exceed five years. Only the time the student spends performing service is counted.

DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS

Students applying for readmission should provide documentation to establish that they did not exceed the five-year service limitation, and that their readmission rights have not been terminated pursuant to the exceptions stated in 34 CFR 668.18(h). Documentation that will satisfy these requirements includes, but is not limited to, the following:

DD (Department of Defense) 214 Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty.
Copy of duty orders prepared by the facility where the orders were fulfilled carrying an endorsement indicating completion of the described service.
Letter from the commanding officer of a Personnel Support Activity or someone of comparable authority.
Certificate of completion from military training school.
Discharge certificate showing character of service.
Copy of extracts from payroll documents showing periods of service.
Letter from National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) Team Leader of Administrative Officer verifying dates and times of NDMS training or Federal activation.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Military service is defined as voluntary or involuntary service in the armed forces, including service by a member of the National Guard or Reserve on active duty, active duty for training, or full-time National Guard duty under federal authority, for a period of more than 30 consecutive days under a call or order to active duty of more than 30 consecutive days. This does not include National Guard service under state authority.

An appropriate officer, as defined for the purposes of providing notification of a student’s military service that necessitates the student’s absence from an institution, is a commissioned, warrant, or non-commissioned officer authorized to give such notice by the military service concerned.

At the time of readmission, the student will be admitted at the same academic status into the next program class occurring after MBU has received the student’s intent to return to courses, unless a later date is requested. MBU reserves the right to readmit at a later date to extenuating circumstances. If the program is no longer offered, admittance will be offered into a program determined to be most like the prior program.

For the first academic year, a student readmitted to the same program will be charged tuition and fee charges they would have been assessed for the academic year during which they left the school. However, if veteran education benefits or other service member education benefits will pay the higher tuition and fee charges for the year, the school may assess those charges to the student as well. Subsequent years will be assessed no more than the tuition and fee rates that other students in the program are assessed for that academic year.

If MBU determines that the student is not prepared to resume the program, MBU will make reasonable efforts to assist the student to become prepared. However, MBU will not readmit a student if it is determined that there are no reasonable efforts available to prepare the student to resume the program at the same point or enable them to complete, or that the student is not prepared after reasonable efforts are made.

Students who fail to apply for readmission within the required time limits or who otherwise do not meet the conditions set out herein may still be eligible for regular readmittance to MBU.

FERPA: Notice of Educational and Privacy Rights

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords eligible students certain rights with respect to their education records. (An “eligible student” under FERPA is a student who is 18 years of age or older or who attends a postsecondary institution at any age.) These rights include:

The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days after the day the University receives a request for access. A student should submit a written request that identifies the record(s) the student wishes to inspect to the Records Office (for academic records), the Office of Student Development (for disciplinary records), the Office of Student Financial Services (for financial records), the Office of Career Development (for placement records), or the Student Success Center/Special Needs Coordinator (for Special Needs/individual accommodation records). A University official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the University official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA.

A student who wishes to ask the University to amend a record should write the University Office responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record the student wants changed, and specify why it should be changed.

If the University decides not to amend the record as requested, the University will notify the student in writing of the decision and the student’s right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
The right to provide written consent before the University discloses personally identifiable information (PII) from the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.

The University discloses education records without a student’s prior written consent under the FERPA exception for disclosure to University officials with legitimate educational interests. A University official is typically includes a person employed by the University in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person serving on the board of trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee. A University official also may include a volunteer or contractor outside of the University who performs an institutional service or function for which the University would otherwise use its own employees and who is under the direct control of the University with respect to the use and maintenance of PII from education records, such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent or a student volunteering to assist another University official in performing his or her tasks. A University official typically has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibilities for the University.
The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the University to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202

FERPA permits the disclosure of PII from students’ education records, without consent of the student, if the disclosure meets certain conditions found in § 99.31 of the FERPA regulations. Except for disclosures to University officials, disclosures related to some judicial orders or lawfully issued subpoenas, disclosures of directory information, and disclosures to the student, § 99.32 of FERPA regulations requires the institution to record the disclosure. Eligible students have a right to inspect and review the record of disclosures. A postsecondary institution may disclose PII from the education records without obtaining prior written consent of the student —

To other University officials, including teachers, within the University whom the University has determined to have legitimate educational interests. This includes contractors, consultants, volunteers, or other parties to whom the University has outsourced institutional services or functions, provided that the conditions listed in § 99.31(a)(1)(i)(B)(1) - (a)(1)(i)(B)(3) are met.
To officials of another educational institution where the student seeks or intends to enroll, or where the student is already enrolled if the disclosure is for purposes related to the student’s enrollment or transfer, subject to the requirements of § 99.34.
To authorized representatives of the U. S. Comptroller General, the U.S. Attorney General, the U.S. Secretary of Education, or State and local educational authorities, such as a State postsecondary authority that is responsible for supervising the university’s State-supported education programs. Disclosures under this provision may be made, subject to the requirements of §99.35, in connection with an audit or evaluation of Federal- or State-supported education programs, or for the enforcement of or compliance with Federal legal requirements that relate to those programs. These entities may make further disclosures of PII to outside entities that are designated by them as their authorized representatives to conduct any audit, evaluation, or enforcement or compliance activity on their behalf.
In connection with financial aid for which the student has applied or which the student has received, if the information is necessary to determine eligibility for the aid, determine the amount of the aid, determine the conditions of the aid, or enforce the terms and conditions of the aid.
To organizations conducting studies for, or on behalf of, the University, in order to: (a) develop, validate, or administer predictive tests; (b) administer student aid programs; or (c) improve instruction.
To accrediting organizations to carry out their accrediting functions.
To parents of an eligible student if the student is a dependent for IRS tax purposes.
To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena.
To appropriate officials in connection with a health or safety emergency, subject to § 99.36.
Information the University has designated as “directory information” under § 99.37.
To a victim of an alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence or a non-forcible sex offense, subject to the requirements of § 99.39. The disclosure may only include the final results of the disciplinary proceeding with respect to that alleged crime or offense, regardless of the finding.
To the general public, the final results of a disciplinary proceeding, subject to the requirements of § 99.39, if the University determines the student is an alleged perpetrator of a crime of violence or non-forcible sex offense and the student has committed a violation of the University’s rules or policies with respect to the allegation made against him or her.
To parents of a student regarding the student’s violation of any Federal, State, or local law, or of any rule or policy of the University, governing the use or possession of alcohol or a controlled substance if the University determines the student committed a disciplinary violation and the student is under the age of 21.

DIRECTORY INFORMATION NOTICE

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a Federal law, requires that the University, with certain exceptions, obtain students’ written consent prior to the disclosure of personally identifiable information (PII) from their education records. However, the University may disclose appropriately designated “directory information” without written consent, unless a student has advised the University to the contrary in accordance with University procedures.

Students who do not want the University to disclose any or all of the types of information designated below as directory information from their education records without their prior written consent must notify the University’s Director of Records in writing. Those who choose to block the University from releasing directory information should note that this will restrict financial records, degree conferral, and dates of attendance from being released to any agencies that may require this information for employment or loan deferment. Once directory information has been blocked, the student must submit a formal written request to remove the block.

The University has designated the following information as directory information:

Student’s name, address and telephone number
Date and place of birth
Email address
Photograph
Program of Study (including degree, major, minor, and/or educator certification area)
Dates of attendance and enrollment status/grade level
Degrees, honors, and awards received
Credit hours in progress or already completed
Participation in officially recognized activities and sports
Weight and height of members of athletic teams
The most recent educational agency or institution attended

RETENTION OF RECORDS

Missouri Baptist University has adopted the recommendations of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers as its policy concerning retention of student records. The majority of a student’s record is maintained in the permanent file and will be retained until five (5) years after graduation or the date of last attendance, whichever is later. Exceptions include audit authorizations, schedule adjustment forms, registration forms, and transcript requests, which are maintained one (1) year from the date submitted, and official transcripts from high schools and other colleges or universities which will be maintained for ten (10) years after graduation or last date of attendance.

Records of academic performance, including individual student records (transcripts, narrative evaluations, competency assessments, etc.) change of grade forms, original graded rosters, and graduation lists are maintained permanently in the Records Office.

The admission materials of those who apply but do not enroll are retained by the Admissions Office for one year after the term for which application was made.

Academic Transcripts

Official academic transcripts must be requested from the Records Office in writing by mail, fax, in person, or electronically through Parchment and must include the signature of the student. The charge for each official transcript is $10.00. Unofficial transcripts may be printed from myMBU Access (see the catalog section on myMBU for more information on accessing the student portal page). No transcript, official or unofficial, will be issued until the account of the student has been cleared by both the Business and Student Financial Services Offices and all holds affecting the release of transcripts have been cleared. Transcript request forms are available in the Records Office and can be downloaded from https://www.mobap.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/transcript-request-form-10.pdf.

Undergraduate Graduation Requirements and Application for Graduation Process

Graduates of Missouri Baptist University are expected to demonstrate a lifestyle that will reflect honor on themselves, and on the institution which awarded the degree, as they serve the needs of the community and seek to make the world a better place in which to live. The degree is academic in structure, but represents ethical, social, moral, and spiritual development as well. Although a student earns the privilege of being considered for graduation, the final decision regarding the awarding of degrees is the prerogative of the faculty for recommendation and approval.

The candidate for any degree should study carefully all courses and other requirements for that degree and for graduation as listed in the University catalog. Each student is responsible for all requirements as stated. Careful attention to the program will result in completion of the requirements for graduation in the minimum time.

The undergraduate degree programs are designed with a strong liberal arts foundation. Credits are given as standard semester hours, at least 120 of which are required for graduation (64-65 for the Associate degree). Students must complete at least 30 hours in a major field of study, and satisfy the requirements of both the general education program and the degree program for which the student has opted. The remaining hours to be applied toward the degree are elected by students with consent of their academic advisor.

A major field of specialization should be declared by the beginning of the junior year, and may be chosen earlier. This choice is to be made after a conference with the student’s academic advisor, followed by a formal declaration to the Records Office. A degree plan should be filed in the Records Office as soon as the major has been declared.

In order to be considered a candidate for graduation, a student must have fulfilled, or have in progress, the following requirements:

The academic advisor of the student follows the designated choice of degree, major field(s) of study, and minor(s) or cognate(s) at the time of declaration. Academic advisors work in partnership with the students on all semester schedules. Those seeking teacher certification must also obtain approval for their program of study from the School of Education and complete a certification check.
The student will meet assessment criteria established by the faculty as follows:
1. Students who have completed between 0-29 credit hours will complete the Proficiency Profile in their first semester of enrollment.
2. The student who has completed between 55 and 89 credit hours, with at least 30 hours earned at Missouri Baptist University, will take a mid-level assessment test of general education.* All general education and degree requirements, with the exception of IDST 403 World Citizen, should have been completed or be in progress at the time this test is taken.
3. All students will take the appropriate subject field test(s)* for their major(s) during the senior year, and/or complete other internal/external subject assessment measures (such as portfolios, senior recitals, senior research projects, or internships) as determined by the faculty.
  *Students seeking teacher certification are required by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to pass content assessments for each area in which certification is being sought. Students must also receive a passing evaluation on their Professional Development Folio the semester prior to student teaching as well as achieve a passing composite score on the Missouri Educator Evaluation System (MEES) summative evaluation, which is completed during student teaching.
A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 on a 4.00 scale, for both degree credit and non-degree credit, must be maintained on the overall program. Certain majors and degree programs (e.g., Exercise Science and Sport Management majors or the Associate of Science Degree in Pre-Nursing) require a cumulative grade point average of 2.50 or better. The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) requires a 3.00 in the content area (for K-12, middle, and secondary subjects), with no grade lower than C, as well as a 3.00 in professional education, with no grade lower than C for teacher certification. Therefore, certain majors (Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Special Education, Elementary Education, Middle Childhood Education, Music Education, K-12 Education, Secondary Education, and Special Education Cross-Categorical Disabilities Mild/Moderate) require a major GPA of at least 3.00 for graduation. In addition, the School of Education requires a cumulative GPA of 2.500 for graduation. Students should check catalog requirements for their specific program.
A student seeking to earn a baccalaureate degree must complete at least 42 hours of junior and senior level upper division courses.
A minimum of 120 hours is required to complete a baccalaureate degree at Missouri Baptist University; however, some programs may require in excess of 120 hours for completion. A minimum of 64 hours is required to complete an associate’s degree.
At least six hours of major and three hours of minor must be earned at Missouri Baptist University.
At least 24 of the last 32 hours must be completed at Missouri Baptist University. This requirement is waived for students enrolled in the Plus-Two programs.

All candidates for baccalaureate degrees must file an Application for Graduation in the Records Office during the first semester of their junior year (sophomore year for associate degree candidates), as notice of intent to graduate. This will make it possible for records to be checked to determine eligibility for graduation. Unless the Records Office is thus properly notified of intent to graduate, a graduation delay may ensue. To be admitted to unqualified candidacy for graduation, the student must be following an approved degree program, making it possible to graduate as planned, and must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 (some programs do require a higher minimum GPA).

Final graduation checks must be completed with the Director of Records (or School of Education Advisor for students in the Teacher Education Program) no later than the tenth working day of the semester in which the student plans to complete degree requirements. Summer session graduates must complete a graduation check by the graduation application deadline as listed in the Academic Calendar .

DEGREE CONFERRAL

Degrees are conferred eight times during the academic year:

Fall – at the conclusion of the Fall Semester
Fall Quarter - at the conclusion of the Fall Quarter
Winter – at the conclusion of Winter
Winter Quarter - at the conclusion of the Winter Quarter
Spring – at the conclusion of the Spring Semester
Spring Quarter - at the conclusion of Spring Quarter
Summer – at the conclusion of the Summer Semester; and
Summer Quarter - at the conclusion of the Summer Quarter

Students must complete all degree requirements before the degree conferral date each term (or conferral date of their graduation term). The conferral dates can be found on the Academic Calendar page.

Diplomas for graduates are mailed to students after the term of completion, upon verification of degree requirements. No student may receive a diploma until all degree requirements are completed, the necessary official records are on file in the Records Office, all holds are cleared, and all accounts are paid in full, including the graduation fee.

DUAL BACCALAUREATE DEGREES

Students may pursue two different baccalaureate degrees (e.g., Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science), simultaneously, with different majors at Missouri Baptist University provided that they complete a minimum of 144 semester hours, at least 24 semester hours beyond the minimum requirements for the first degree, including all specific requirements for each degree and each major. A minimum of 12 additional hours of upper division coursework is also required for a total of 54 hours of upper division credits.

REQUIREMENTS FOR EARNING A SECOND DEGREE AT MISSOURI BAPTIST UNIVERSITY

A student who already holds a baccalaureate degree may qualify for a second, and different¹, baccalaureate degree from Missouri Baptist University by completing a minimum of 24 hours in residence after all requirements for the first degree have been completed. These hours must include all major, minor, general education, and degree requirements pertaining to the second degree which were not included in the first degree program. The major for the second degree must differ from the first, and must include at least 12 hours of additional upper division work, for a total of 54 hours of upper division credits. A minimum of 144 semester hours is required for completion of a second baccalaureate degree. At least six hours of major and three hours of minor must be earned at Missouri Baptist University.

¹For example, if a Bachelor of Science degree has previously been earned, then the student may pursue a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science in Education, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Music Education, or Bachelor of Professional Studies degree at Missouri Baptist University, but not another Bachelor of Science degree.

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