Academic Catalog

Academic Policies

Registration

Registration is the process by which students with an approved schedule reserve their place in classes for the coming semester. Registration takes place during official periods designated by the Office of the Registrar. All information about registration for each semester is contained in the online University Course Schedule published prior to each registration period.

Pre-Registration

Each semester, students consult with their faculty advisors for approval of schedules of classes for the coming semester. This academic advising will ordinarily take place after the publication of the Class Schedule and Registration Information,  that is, several weeks before registration.

All financial obligations, such as unpaid tuition and fees, library and traffic fines, and residence hall charges, must be paid for the current semester before a student can register for the next semester, or a satisfactory payment plan must be arranged with the Student Accounts Office.

Registration and Coursework

The Registrar publishes the online University  Course Schedule  for the regular semesters and summer session. These schedules include procedures and dates for registration.

Course Modalities At Lewis University

Lewis offers courses in a variety of instructional modalities. The following modalities are listed in the course schedule for each academic term:

  • Traditional: Traditional courses meet fully in-person at a campus location or partner site.  Class meeting days, times, and locations are listed in the public course schedule. 
  • Online1:  Courses are delivered fully online using Blackboard and require no in-person or campus presence.  
  • Online Asynchronous: This modality does not have specified class meeting times or days.  Faculty interaction with the class and student-to-student interaction on a weekly basis are an essential feature of asynchronous classes, even though no real-time interaction is required.
  • Online Synchronous: This fully online modality requires that faculty and students meet in real-time online via video conferencing for scheduled lectures and discussion.  At least half or more of the instructional time will take place in synchronous, online meetings according to the days and times listed in the published course schedule.
  • Blended1: Blended courses include some instructional time online and some in person.  Presence in the classroom is required on designated in-person days and times.  Online instruction may be synchronous or asynchronous.  Meeting locations, days, and times for both classroom and online meetings are listed in the published course schedule.
  • Hyflex: This modality enables students to choose whether to attend live, classroom-based sessions in person, online synchronously, or online asynchronously.  Class meetings are supplemented with instructional materials and assignments that can be complete asynchronously.  Classroom meeting days, times, and classroom locations are listed in the published course schedule.
1

Online and blended courses at Lewis University enable students to enroll in courses in which part or all of the course is delivered at a distance.  All courses that contain online instruction require that students participate in regular and substantive interactive learning experiences on at least a weekly basis.  Faculty teaching online and blended courses will clearly state expectations for interactivity as well as faculty engagement with students and timelines for feedback and grading on assignments.

Change of Registration

Students may make all registration changes online through MyLewis. The schedule of tuition refunds for dropped courses is published in the section on “Financial Information” of this catalog as well as each semester in the online University Course Schedule.

Lower, Upper, and Graduate Level Courses

All University courses are assigned numbers which designate their general level of difficulty. Courses numbered 10000 to 29999 are lower-division courses and are generally taken by freshmen and sophomores. Courses numbered 30000 to 49999 are upper-division courses and are generally taken by juniors and seniors, usually after they have taken lower-division courses in the department. Upper-division courses often have prerequisites. Courses numbered 50000 and above are graduate level courses and are open to undergraduate students only under certain conditions.

Undergraduate Students Enrolling in Graduate Courses

Lewis University undergraduate students may enroll and earn credit in master’s level (50000 level) graduate courses with the following limitations: 

Degree Applicability Limitations  

  • Graduate credits earned at Lewis by undergraduate students may count toward the 120 credits required for a Lewis undergraduate degree.  
    • Students must complete all University graduation requirements applicable to undergraduate students and to graduate students to earn degrees at both levels. 
    • Students must meet all program-specific degree requirements at both graduate and undergraduate levels. 
    • Students must complete a minimum of 21 graduate credits at Lewis post-baccalaureate degree completion and while enrolled in a graduate degree program. 
  • Complete a minimum of 30 graduate credits for a master’s degree beyond the baccalaureate degree, and 30 credits beyond the master’s for a doctoral degree program.
  • Graduate coursework taken as an undergraduate student must be taken within 7 years of Graduate degree completion. 
  • Including graduate coursework taken as an undergraduate student, students must earn at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA to be applicable to the graduate degree. 

    • Students can earn no more than two grades of C (2.0/4.0 scale) (passing) or lower to be applicable to their graduate degree. 

 

These are minimum University requirements. Please refer to specific program requirements for more detailed information.  Programs and departments may enforce more stringent restrictions at their discretion but may not grant exceptions to the university minimum standards as outlined in this section. 

Enrollment Limitations

  • Lewis undergraduate degree-seeking students must have 90+ earned credit hours (senior status) and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 in order to seek permission to register for a graduate course.  

  • Undergraduate students are allowed to take one graduate course per semester, not to exceed a total of two 50000 level courses at Lewis. 

    • Should an undergraduate student earn less than a B (3.0) in a graduate level course, the student is not permitted to enroll in additional Lewis graduate courses until fully admitted to a Lewis graduate program. 

    • Undergraduates enrolled in graduate courses may not exceed 18 total credits in a semester when they are enrolled in graduate coursework.  

  • Undergraduate students registered in graduate courses are required to fulfill the same course requirements and grading standards as graduate students.  

  • Prerequisites for graduate courses are not waived. 

  • Graduate credits earned at Lewis by undergraduate students may count toward the 120 credits required for a Lewis undergraduate degree. See also Degree Applicability Limitations, above. 

  • Students are responsible for ensuring that they are in compliance with the Degree Applicability Limitations. Students are encouraged to plan with their advisor.   

  • Exceptions to the Degree Applicability Limitations cannot be permitted under any circumstances. 

APPROVAL PROCESS 

  • Students must submit an approval form, with approvals from: 

a) the student's undergraduate academic advisor

b) the program director of the graduate program offering the course

  • The signature of the Vice Provost of Graduate, Professional, and Continuing Education is required to demonstrate notification and communication so that records of university-wide policy can be maintained. 
  • The approval form is then submitted to the Office of the Registrar and the permission entered so the student may self-enroll. 
  • Any waiver of these requirements requires written approval from  the Vice Provost of Graduate, Professional, and Continuing Education.
 

Fast Track: Bachelor's to Master's Program Guidelines

The Fast Track option (this includes commonly referred to as 4+1 and similar pathway programs) offers potential accelerated pathways to graduate programs for outstanding Lewis University undergraduate students as an exception to the standard Undergraduates Enrolling in Graduate Courses policy.  Regardless of undergraduate major, students can begin taking graduate coursework towards approved graduate programs in their senior year (completion of 90+ credit hours), if they have met the prerequisite course requirements.  The student accepted into a Fast Track program may begin fulfilling selected master's degree requirements while still completing requirements for the baccalaureate degree.  

Minimum Requirements for all Fast Track Students  

  • Students must complete all University graduation requirements applicable to undergraduate students and to graduate students 

  • Students admitted to a Fast Track program may take up to 50% of the credit hours in their graduate program as an undergraduate student. 

  • Students must complete a minimum of 21 hours while enrolled as a graduate student.  

Eligibility to Participate  

  • Departments may determine program-specific prerequisites for admission into Fast Track bachelor's to master's programs in addition to University requirements.  

  • In addition to department-determined program admission requirements, the student must complete at least 75 credit hours before they are permitted to apply and be formally accepted into a Fast Track  bachelor's-to-master's degree program.  

  • The student must complete an application to the Fast Track to master's program and be approved by the program/department. Final approval prior to enrolling in graduate courses must be granted by the Vice Provost of Graduate, Professional, and Continuing Education, assuring compliance with University policy.  

  • Students must have and maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA or higher to enroll in graduate level coursework.  

  • A Fast Track program may require additional evidence of readiness, such as faculty recommendations, additional approvals, or higher GPA.  

Student Status  

  • The student continues to be classified as an undergraduate student, with all rights and responsibilities, until all degree requirements for the baccalaureate degree are completed.  

  • To maintain full-time status as an undergraduate student, 12 or more semester hours must be taken each term.  

  • Admission to a Fast Track program does not replace official application and admission to the graduate program. Application must be made to the graduate program consistent with University policy as outlined in the Graduate Catalog.  

  • Students may not enroll beyond the Enrollment Requirement limits specified in this catalog of two courses, until officially admitted to a Fast Track program and reflected on the student’s academic record.

Full/Half/Part-Time Status

Graduate students registered for 9 or more hours of coursework during a semester are considered full-time students. Graduate students registered for 3 through 8 hours are considered half-time students. Graduate students registered for fewer than 3 hours during a semester are considered less than half-time students.

Independent Study

Independent Study is an intensive, highly individualized course taken for knowledge enhancement beyond the courses offered in a particular area of interest and covering material not described in the University catalog in any other format. An Independent Study is offered by a department only to its majors and minors.

Independent Study must relate to a subject for which the student has adequate preparation and must be commensurate with the student’s class level, major field, and experience. The faculty supervisor must have, or be willing to develop, expertise sufficient to assess the quality of a student’s independent learning. Learning outcomes and criteria or rubrics for assessment of learning should normally be agreed upon in advance.

Independent Study can involve what Ernest Boyer termed the scholarship of discovery, integration, application, or teaching (Scholarship Reconsidered--Priorities of the Professoriate, 1990) or the scholarship of creativity, including creation of works of art, literature, music, film, and theater.

A student must meet with the independent study supervisor to decide on focus, scope of project, meeting times, due dates for progress reports and plan for human subjects approval, if necessary. Credit for a single independent study should not exceed three semester hours; a student should not register for more than three semester hours of independent study in one semester; and the total number of credit hours of independent study for a single student over the course of that student’s graduate career should not exceed six hours.

A faculty member should normally supervise no more than one independent study student per semester. Students must apply for independent study using a form obtained at their Dean's Office, which must be approved by the supervising instructor, the student’s academic advisor, the department chair of their major, and the Dean’s Office of their major before the student enrolls for the course. If the course is in a department different from their major, the department chair and dean of that program/college must also sign this request.

Class Attendance Policy

Students are expected to attend all classes as part of the normal learning process. Students bear the ultimate responsibility for all missed class material as the result of an absence and can be required to make up any work missed.

Students must be consistent in attendance, both on-ground and online, at the beginning of the term to confirm registration and to be listed on the official course roster. Students will be withdrawn from the official class list by the instructor if they do not have the instructor's prior approval and fail to attend the first two weeks of 16-week courses or the first week of 4- to 8-week courses.

Faculty members have a right to establish their own rules and regulations concerning class attendance consistent with program and institutional policies. Students may receive a grade reduction or failing grade if they do not observe attendance requirements set for their classes.

Excused Attendance Policy

The University will normally excuse an absence when it is required by:

  1. the student’s mandatory participation in University activities and events;
  2. a student’s religious beliefs, observances and practices;
  3. mandatory military and civic obligations such as responding to a subpoena;
  4. as a reasonable accommodation to a student’s disability;
  5. a student’s or family member’s significant illness or injury;  or
  6. a death in the student’s immediate family.

Students may be required to provide valid documentation of adequate cause for excused absences.

It is the student’s responsibility to initiate contact with the faculty member about the absence in advance when possible. Student athletes should provide their instructors with their competition schedule during the first week of the semester.  Coaches and students will update faculty on any changes or additions to the athletic schedule during the semester. An excused absence does not excuse the student from learning course material or fulfilling other course requirements. Students may be required to provide valid documentation of an excused absence.

Normally, a student’s grade may not be reduced solely as the result of an excused absence. However, if a student has an excessive number of excused absences, considered alone or in combination with any unexcused absences, which adversely impacts the student's ability to fully attain the course learning outcomes, the instructor may, after meeting with the student, issue the student a reduced grade, arrange for a grade of  "Incomplete,"  or recommend that the student withdraw from the class. The number of excused absences allowed for a specific class will be identified in the course syllabus and approved by the program.

In addition, the nature of some classes may make attendance mandatory. Examples of this type of class include:

  1. Classes in which there are attendance requirements from an external accreditation organization;
  2. Labs with specific activities that cannot be made up and are an essential component of achieving the course student learning outcomes;
  3. Courses with performances or productions that cannot be made up and are an essential component of achieving the course student learning outcomes;
  4. Courses with frequent student discussion or group work that cannot be made up and is an essential component of achieving the course student learning outcomes.

It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of the excused absence policy in every class. Students should work carefully with their academic advisors to prepare a course schedule to minimize attendance issues and conflicts.

Grievance Policy

A student who believes his or her rights under this policy have been violated will follow the standard grade appeal process.

Withdrawal Policies

Students who no longer wish to attend should self-drop during the drop period to avoid financial and academic repercussions.

Official Withdrawal from a Course

A student who is unable to complete a course may withdraw and receive a grade of “W.” Prior to requesting a withdrawal, undergraduate students should meet with their Advisor, Success Coach, or Faculty Mentor.  Graduate students should meet with their Advisor or Program Director. Student Athletes must also meet with the Director of Athletics Compliance.  Students are responsible for understanding any consequences that may result from a withdrawal, including financial aid or athletic eligibility.  To withdraw from a course, the student must initiate through MyLewis or complete a Withdrawal Form from the Office of the Registrar if withdrawing from all courses.  The student will remain officially registered, with all its effects and consequences, until and unless the official withdrawal is entered.  A withdrawal grade does not affect the student GPA, but does count as attempted hours for financial aid.

A student cannot withdraw from a course simply by ceasing attendance in a course. A student who ceases attendance in a course without initiating withdrawal through MyLewis and/or completing a Withdrawal Form will earn a grade of “F.”

Withdrawal from courses with the grade of “W” is allowed through 75 percent of a course. (Through twelve full weeks for 16 week courses; through the six full weeks for eight week courses.) Withdrawal involves the loss of tuition and credit hours and may change the student’s status from full-time to part-time.

In extraordinary special cases of where a student is unable to complete a course after the withdrawal deadline occurs such as medical emergency, the student may be eligible for a late administrative withdrawal petition.  Those cases are approved through the Deans Office for the course.

Unofficial Withdrawal from a Course

Students must be especially consistent in attendance, both on-ground and online, during the first two weeks of the course to confirm registration and to be listed on the official course roster.  Students who fail to attend or participate in an in-person or online course during the first two weeks and who have not received prior approval from the instructor for absences may be reported to the Office of the Registrar by the faculty as a ‘No-show’ by the institutional drop deadline. These students may be administratively dropped and no financial aid is disbursed to their student statement of account. If the student is reported as a ‘No-show’ for one or more (but not all) of their classes, that student is assigned a ‘W’ grade by the Office of the Registrar for the classes that were reported. Students who have been dropped or withdrawn because of a no show are not eligible to return to the class without instructor approval and finalized re-enrollment through the Office of the Registrar

Coursework Away from Lewis

Once students have matriculated at Lewis University, they may not take courses at other colleges and universities for transfer to Lewis except for sound academic reasons and with the prior approval of the respective graduate director. Exceptions to this policy will be made only for students desiring courses not available at Lewis, but which are important to their academic programs, and only to a maximum of two courses. In such cases, approval must be secured before the courses are taken, and only the semester credit hours of B or higher will transfer. The grade does not transfer. There is a charge for posting these credits. Forms and further information can be obtained through the office of the respective graduate director.

Earning Degree Credit Outside of Formal Coursework

Prior learning assessment is a term used by colleges to describe the process of earning college credit for learning acquired through a student’s work, training, volunteer experiences, and personal life (Colvin 2006). Credit is not granted on the basis of a student’s experience; instead it is granted for graduate level learning which can be demonstrated and documented. At Lewis University, PLA includes the successful completion of national proficiency examinations, departmental challenge examinations, special licensures and credentials in a profession, and the development and submission of a Prior Learning Portfolio.

  • Not all graduate programs at Lewis permit PLA. Graduate students can only earn course credit through PLA if their graduate program and advisor approve.
  • Credits awarded for prior learning are transcripted on a pass/no credit basis and do not affect the student’s grade point average.
  • A Lewis graduate student may earn no more than 25% of the credits in their program through PLA.
  • All credits pursued and earned through PLA must be completed prior to the student's last semester at the University.
  • Once a student has registered to develop a PLA portfolio, the timeline for completion of an individual portfolio (by subject area) will be one calendar year.

The appropriate faculty in each graduate program will determine the required college equivalent learning to be demonstrated by a student for each method of PLA. College/program administrators will determine the appropriate subject matter expert, i.e., faculty member, who will evaluate a student’s examination, credentials, and/or portfolio. The School of Graduate, Professional, and Continuing Education (SGPCE) will coordinate student registrations for PLA; students will be billed through the Business Office. Contact the School of Graduate, Professional, and Continuing Education (SGPCE) at (815) 836-5570 for additional information on PLA.

Grading

Lewis University determines a student’s academic standing according to the grade point system. Grades and quality points awarded are listed below.

Grade Point Average

The Grade Point Average (GPA) is determined by dividing the total number of credit hours a student has attempted into the total number of quality points earned. The grades of “P,” “AU,” “N,” “I,” and “W” do not enter into the calculation of the GPA. The grade of “F” earned in a pass/fail course is included in the calculation of the GPA. Grades earned at other colleges or universities are not included in calculating the GPA.

Calculation Grade Meaning Quality Points
Counted in GPA A Outstanding 4.0 per credit hour
Counted in GPA A- Outstanding 3.7 per credit hour
Counted in GPA B+ Good 3.3 per credit hour
Counted in GPA B Good 3.0 per credit hour
Counted in GPA B- Good 2.7 per credit hour
Counted in GPA C+ Satisfactory 2.3 per credit hour
Counted in GPA C Satisfactory 2.0 per credit hour
Counted in GPA C- Passing 1.7 per credit hour
Counted in GPA D+ Passing 1.3 per credit hour
Counted in GPA D Passing 1.0 per credit hour
Counted in GPA D- Passing 0.7 per credit hour
Counted in GPA F Failing 0.0 per credit hour
Counted in GPA IF Incomplete to Failing 0.0 per credit hour
Not Counted in GPA P Passing
Not Counted in GPA W Withdrew
Not Counted in GPA TR Transfer Credit Accepted
Not Counted in GPA AU Audit
Not Counted in GPA N No Grade was Reported
Not Counted in GPA I Incomplete

Incomplete Grade

In certain circumstances, if a student who has satisfactorily completed the majority of the requirements of a course is unable to complete that course because of documented compelling circumstances, they may request that the instructor award a grade of "Incomplete." It is up to the instructor to accept or deny the request based on the student's progress in the course and the seriousness of the circumstances which prevent the student from completing the course. The assignment of an “Incomplete” grade is initiated by the student. In rare or unusual circumstances where a student is incapacitated or otherwise unable to request the “Incomplete” on their own behalf, an instructor may initiate the “Incomplete” process on behalf of the student, if all the following conditions are met.

A student may request a grade of Incomplete under the following circumstances:

  1. The student is PASSING the course at the time of the request. OR the student has the ability to pass the course, assuming completion of the coursework
  2. The request is made AFTER the withdrawal date but ON or BEFORE the course end date.

Note: In some cases, the student may be required to provide documentation of the compelling circumstances that will prevent them from completing the course before the end of the grading period for the term.

For the purpose of satisfying the Incomplete the student should not re-register for the same course in a subsequent term.

Restrictions on awarding an Incomplete grade:

  1. Requesting an incomplete grade during the semester in which the student intends to graduate may require the student to defer their graduation date.
  2. Incomplete grades may not be permitted for students who already have an unresolved Incomplete grade for a prior semester. Multiple incompletes can be granted in the same semester.

For a grade of Incomplete to be recorded, the student and the instructor must complete and sign an Incomplete Grade Form, which outlines the specific requirements that must be completed by the student. The form must be signed by the Department Chair and submitted to the Dean’s Office before the last day to enter grades for the term in which the Incomplete is requested.

The Resolution of an Incomplete Grade:

  1. To earn credit for the course, the student must successfully complete all requirements within the course, as specified by the instructor in the Incomplete Grade Form.
  2. Once the instructor certifies satisfactory completion of requirements, they must submit a Change of Grade Form for the student.
  3. For incomplete grades earned in the Fall semester or any portions thereof, the latest date for submission of the grade change by the instructor will be the following March 1st. For Spring semesters or any portions thereof, the latest date for submission of the grade change by the instructor will be the following July 1. For Summer term or any portions thereof, the latest date for submission of the grade change by the instructor will be the following October 15th.
  4. Failure to meet the stated deadline or obtain an official renewal of the incomplete grade will result in an automatic grade change from "I" to "IF," with zero credit granted for the course.
  5. Before the stated deadline, the student may request an extension of the incomplete grade. Official extension of an incomplete grade may be granted only once and requires permission of the course instructor and approval of the Chair of the Department and Dean of the College that offers the course.

Auditing Courses

Students may audit courses for a fee.  The instructor’s permission on the audit form is required. The fee must be paid at the time of enrollment and is non-refundable. Auditors are subject to the conditions of enrollment established by the instructor, but do not take course examinations and papers assigned to students; all other expectations are the same. Students who audit a course must establish regular attendance during the first two weeks of class or they will be submitted as a “No Show.” No credit is earned for audited courses, but the course name and the designation “AU” are listed on the transcript at the completion of the course. Students who do not follow the attendance policy in the syllabus may earn a “W” as a final grade. Students can obtain the audit form from the Office of the Registrar. Nursing courses may not be audited. 

Students may audit most courses offered in the College of Aviation, Science, and Technology; the College of Education and Social Sciences; the College of Fine Arts, Humanities, and Communication; and the School of Graduate, Professional, and Continuing Education. Ordinarily, students may not audit studio or laboratory performance-based courses. Students’ work in audited classes will not be formally assessed and no grades will be issued. Auditors are expected to read required texts and are permitted to ask and answer questions in class. 

Courses taken for audit do not apply toward any academic degree and do not count as part of a student’s full or part-time course load for purposes of financial aid or loan deferments. 

The following policies apply to auditing: 

  • Registering to audit a course can occur only after priority registration  

  • No late audit registrations will be accepted after the add deadline. 

  • Students may not change from audit to credit or credit to audit once the term has started.  

  • Auditing is permitted only if classroom seating is available. 

  • Potential auditors must receive written permission from the instructor and in some cases, permission of the department chair or program director. 

  • Auditors receive only provisional permission to attend classes until course registration is completed at the end of the add/drop period. 

  • A student’s total number of for-credit and audited courses may not total more than 18 hours without approval from the appropriate academic dean’s office. 

  • Students may not register for a course for credit in the same semester they are auditing that course. 

Audit requests may be made with a learning facilitator, success coach, or faculty mentor and sent to the Office of the Registrar for processing once signed by the student, instructor (and perhaps chair or director) and then submitted to the Business Student Accounts Office.

Change of Grade

The only reason for which a change of grade may be requested is an error in the original recording of the grade. A grade change must be made in the first six weeks of the semester after the course was taken. A change of grade will not affect the status of a student dismissed for academic deficiency, unless the error is brought to the attention of the Faculty Academic Appeals Committee at the time the dismissal hearing is held.

A grade change is typically initiated by the instructor and requires the appropriate college dean's approval.

Students are obliged to check their grade reports and consult with their instructors if there is a question of error. To appeal a grade, see the Grade Appeal Process.

Repeated Courses

Graduate courses may be taken a maximum of three times, except those restricted by a major department or a college. All attempts and grades will appear on the permanent record, but only the highest grade and its corresponding hours attempted, hours earned, and quality points will be honored. Credit will be given only once for the course. The grades "W" or "I" do not replace the previous grade.

Grade Report

Your official grade report may be obtained online at mylewis.lewisu.edu. Students with special needs may contact the Office of the Registrar for assistance after grades have been posted.

Transcript

The transcript is the academic record of the student. It contains all courses taken at Lewis University and the corresponding grades, credits attempted, credits earned and quality points, as well as the grade point average. Approved transfer credits are also on the transcript with only the course title and credits earned listed. The transcript is updated after each semester after all final grades are posted to include coursework for that semester. The Office of the Registrar safeguards the transcript. The University adheres to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, with regard to information contained on the student transcript. Students may review their unofficial transcripts through MyLewis. Official copies are available, for a fee, by placing an order through our partner, Parchment.

Transcripts from Other Institutions

Student transcripts from previously-attended institutions that were provided for admission consideration become the property of Lewis University and are considered official only at the time of receipt. Lewis University does not provide copies of transcripts from other institutions (nor allowed to be copied) that are part of a student's education record. In order to obtain accurate up-to-date information and assure that no protocol of the issuing institution is circumvented, a student must contact the originating school for a copy of that transcript.

Graduation

A student graduates at the conclusion of the semester when all degree requirements have been completed.  The student must take a course of study that will result in graduation upon conclusion of that semester and apply for graduation by the deadline provided by the Office of the Registrar. It is important to understand that the student’s record becomes permanent upon graduation. Nothing is added, deleted, or changed on the student’s transcript after the graduation date. If a student is appealing a grade or part of their records as of the conferral date they will need to postpone their graduation term if they wish to continue pursuit of the appeal.

There are three graduation dates each year: December, May and August. Diplomas are mailed to students 6 to 8 weeks after graduation who successfully complete their degree studies following posting of grades and a final review of the permanent record, and if the student has no outstanding financial obligations.

Application for Graduation

All candidates for graduation at any of the three graduation periods must submit an application to the Office of the Registrar.

Graduation Month Deadline to Apply
December October 1
May February 1
August July 1

Applications received after the deadline will be considered for the next graduation. All students are required to pay a graduation fee.

Commencement

The University has commencement ceremonies in December and May for those meeting the graduation requirements. December graduates participate in the December ceremony; May graduates participate in the May ceremony. Students completing graduation requirements in August receive certification from the Office of the Registrar that they have completed all requirements and receive their diplomas by mail. August graduates are invited to participate in the December commencement ceremony.

Students that elect to participate in the ceremony do so as candidates for graduation.  Ceremony participation does not constitute official conferral.  Final determination will be made by the Office of the Registrar after all grades are final.

Students who need no more than three (3) credits to earn their degree may participate in commencement exercises if they present a documented case of extreme hardship for participation which is approved by the Provost/Registrar. For students to be eligible for the exception policy, they must have made satisfactory progress in their degree program in every semester of their attendance at Lewis, and they must have submitted an application for graduation in a timely manner. Such a petition must be filed with the Provost no later than two weeks prior to the scheduled commencement.

For this policy, the term “extreme hardship” includes only those circumstances beyond the control of the student. These circumstances would involve major illnesses or the impending death of the student, or loved one, significant financial or political crisis/burden making future semester participation nearly impossible, or a circumstance of similar magnitude. The desire to participate with one’s peers is an inadequate circumstance. Being three (3) credits from graduation is only a requisite to appealing to participate; it is not a request which by itself is deemed acceptable.

Student Responsibilities/Appeals

The information contained in this catalog is accurate according to the best information available at the time of publication. However, all statements regarding offerings, requirements, tuition charges and fees, academic regulations, and student life are subject to change without notice or obligation.

Students should also consult specific program requirements in respective College Handbooks for any additional requirements. The institutional policies represent a minimum expectation from the University. An individual academic program may have academic policies that are more stringent than the institutional policies.

Good Academic Standing

To remain in Good Academic Standing at Lewis University, the graduate student must maintain a cumulative graduate GPA of at least 3.0. No grade less than a C (2.0) will be accepted toward meeting graduation requirements. Students who fail to maintain good academic standing will be placed on academic probation.

Academic Probation and Dismissal

A graduate student who fails to maintain a minimum of a 3.0 Lewis University Graduate Cumulative GPA or meet additional standards set by the academic program, will be placed on academic probation.  The graduate student will receive written notification of probationary status from the Associate Provost for Graduate Studies. A student on academic probation will work with his/her graduate academic advisor to establish a plan to address the probation and return to good academic standing. While on academic probation, the student must achieve a semester GPA of 3.0 or higher during each semester. Once a student's Lewis University Graduate Cumulative GPA meets or exceeds 3.0, the student will return to good academic standing.
Students who do not meet the minimum GPA requirement required by their academic program during any semester on academic probation are subject to dismissal. The program director and the Associate Provost for Graduate Studies will review the academic standing of each student subject to dismissal and send written notification of academic dismissal.

Policy and Procedure for Appealing Academic Dismissal from the University

  1. If a student wishes to appeal a decision to dismiss, a written letter of appeal must be sent to the College Graduate Council by the dismissed student according to the instructions outlined in the letter of dismissal. Appeals will be accepted only if they are in writing.
  2. The College Graduate Council will review the material and render a recommendation to the Associate Provost for Graduate Studies
  3. The Associate Provost for Graduate Studies will review the material and recommendation, render a final decision, and communicate the decision to the student in writing via certified mail.

Grade Appeal Process

  1. If a student wishes to appeal a final grade for a course, the student must, prior to the third week of the subsequent fall or spring semester, contact the instructor of the course to express concern. The instructor of the course will review with the student how the final grade was determined.
  2. If the student is not satisfied with the explanation, the student may submit a letter of appeal with a rationale for a change of grade to the program director/department chair of the program where the course is offered or to the dean’s office if the instructor is the department chair. The program director/department chair or dean’s designee will communicate with the instructor to review the student’s letter of appeal and to ascertain how the grade was determined. The program director/department chair or dean’s designee will then meet with the student to inform the student of the program director/department chair or dean’s designee’s determination on the appeal.
  3. If the student is still not satisfied with the result of the grade appeal and wants to appeal to the dean, the student must submit a letter of appeal to the dean of the college. The letter of appeal must contain a summary of the meetings with the instructor, the program director/department chair or dean’s designee, and it must include any evidence supporting the claim for a grade change.
  4. The dean will review the material and render the final decision. The dean will communicate the decision in writing to the student and to the instructor of the course. The dean’s determination is final.
  5. Appeals must move with reasonable speed through the review process. The full process from when the student first contacts the instructor should take no longer than four weeks. Anecdotal notes will be made and signed by all participants in all phases of review of the grade.

Note: Students in programs with a lockstep sequence and/or who must maintain a specified GPA may need to accelerate the grade appeal process. Please consult your college guidelines for specifics.

University Policies and Procedures for Appealing Other Academic Matters

All appeals regarding academic matters other than grade appeal and academic dismissal are handled according to the following guidelines:

  1. If a student wishes to appeal an academic decision, a written letter of appeal must be sent to the appropriate academic dean.
  2. The dean will review the situation and render a decision. The dean will communicate the decision in writing to the student.
  3. If the student is not satisfied with the decision of the academic dean, the student may petition the Provost. Documentation submitted with the written petition must include the original letter of appeal and the decision of the academic dean.
  4. The Provost will establish an ad hoc committee composed of:
    1.  one faculty member appointed by the appropriate academic dean;
    2. one representative from the Office of Student Services;
    3. one faculty member chosen by the student.
  5. The ad hoc committee will hear the appeal and make a recommendation to the Provost, who makes the final decision. The Provost will communicate the decision in writing to the student.

Academic Honesty

Scholastic integrity lies at the heart of Lewis University. Plagiarism, collusion and other forms of cheating or scholastic dishonesty are incompatible with the principles of the University. Students engaging in such activities are subject to loss of credit and expulsion from the University. Cases involving academic dishonesty are initially considered and determined at the instructor level. If the student is not satisfied with the instructor's explanation, the student may appeal at the department/program level. Appeal of the department/program decision must be made to the Dean of the college/school. The Dean reviews the appeal and makes the final decision in all cases except those in which suspension or expulsion is recommended, and in these cases the Provost makes the final decision.

Leave of Absence

A fully admitted graduate student who wishes to discontinue temporarily his or her graduate studies due to special circumstances (e.g., medical, personal or professional reasons) must request a formal leave of absence, in order to retain his or her status in the graduate program.  A student may request a leave of absence for a semester.  Under extraordinary circumstances, a student may request additional leave of absence, semester by semester, for up to a total of two academic years.  A student requesting a leave of absence must complete a Leave of Absence form and submit it to the Program Director. The Program Director will review and decide on each request.  If the request is denied or the student fails to file a request for a leave of absence, the student will be required to apply for readmission and be subject to the curriculum at the time of readmission.  A leave of absence does not alter the expected time limit for degree completion.

A fully admitted student may defer the starting of their studies, semester by semester, by requesting the deferment to the program director.  The maximum deferment is two academic years.  The student is subject to the curriculum offered at the time when s/he registers for the first class in the program.  All academic policies apply only after the student is fully matriculated.

Clinical, Practicum, Student Teaching, and Internship Placements Outside of Illinois

Students completing a clinical, internship, practicum, student teaching, or similar learning placement in states outside of Illinois may require additional permission by Lewis University, the placement state, or Illinois licensing boards. Students interested in learning placements outside of Illinois should consult with an academic advisor in their program and appropriate licensure agencies prior to beginning a learning placement outside of Illinois.

Furthermore, the curricular and field placement learning experiences that are a part of a student's graduation requirements at Lewis University are in alignment with the state of Illinois academic experiences only. Should a student/graduate of a program choose to leave the program or move to a different state post-graduation, please be advised that the other state may require additional or different academic and field placement requirements in order for a person to be licensed/certified in that state. Students should seek out their academic advisor and appropriate licensure agencies for information regarding out-of-state placements and/or requirements for licensure/certification outside of the state of Illinois.