Credit Hour Definition
Regardless of course duration, delivery, or instructional method, Stevenson University awards academic credit in compliance with Maryland state requirements outlined in the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) and with the Department of Education’s federal credit-hour definition, as defined in the Federal Code of Regulations.
State credit hour definition (COMAR 13b.02.02.16.D)
(
1) An in-State institution shall award 1 credit hour for:
- A minimum of 15 hours, of 50 minutes each of actual class time, exclusive of registration, study days, and holidays;
- A minimum of 30 hours, of 50 minutes each of supervised laboratory or studio time, exclusive of registration, study days, and holidays;
- A minimum of 45 hours, of 50 minutes each of instructional situations such as practica, internships, and cooperative education placements, when supervision is ensured and learning is documented; or
- Instruction delivered by electronic media based on the equivalent outcomes in student learning in §D(1)(a) of this regulation, and may include a combination of telelessons, classroom instruction, student consultation with instructors, and readings, when supervision is ensured and learning is documented.
(2) One quarter hour of credit is awarded for instruction equivalent to 2/3 of the contact hours required for 1 credit hour.
Federal credit hour definition (34 CFR §600.2)
A credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than:
- one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out of class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester or trimester hour of credit, or ten to twelve weeks for one quarter hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or
- at least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (1) of this definition for other activities as established by an institution, including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading toward to the award of credit hours.
For additional information please see the Academic Affairs portal page.
Course Load
For full-time status, a student may take 12 - 18 credits each semester; however, the typical full-time undergraduate course load is 15 to 17 credit hours per semester. Credits earned during Winterim do not count toward a student’s regular fall or spring course load for the purpose of determining full-time status or financial aid. Students must take a minimum of 12 credits in fall or spring to be considered a full-time student for that semester, regardless of Winterim enrollment.
A student may not register for more than 18 credit hours in any one semester without the permission of the student's advisor and the academic program administrator. There is an additional tuition charge for credits over 18. If the total number of credits taken by a student in any given fall and Winterim semesters exceeds 18, then the student will pay standard tuition rates for any credits taken in excess of 18 in Winterim.
Registration
Registration takes place on the days scheduled in the academic calendar. Students may register on or after their assigned appointment time, and registration is done online using Student Planning, a software package designed for registration. Prior to registration, all students are required to meet with their advisor. It is the advisor’s responsibility to check the student off in Student Planning so that registration will be enabled for the student.
There are several circumstances that could cause a student's registration to be blocked. Students who have not completed the required Student Health Profile will not be allowed to register as well as those students who have not met their financial obligations to the University. Those students who have not been cleared by Student Accounts prior to the start of the semester will be removed from their classes.
Courses may be canceled for insufficient enrollment, and students will be notified via email regarding course cancellations.
All prerequisites, including any minimum grade requirements, for a course must be fulfilled prior to starting the course. Students may be removed from a course when the prerequisites have not been met. Students are not permitted to "sit in" on classes for which they are not registered.
Students in traditional undergraduate programs are permitted to enroll in 8-week accelerated online courses during the summer. Students in traditional undergraduate programs are not permitted to enroll in 8-week accelerated online courses during the fall or spring semester and are not permitted to enroll in 16-week online math courses at any time. Any exceptions to these guidelines must be approved by the appropriate administrator.
For more information about registration, please see the
Registration Guide on the Registrar's webpage and information on the Registrar's portal page.
Non-Credit Courses
The University offers a non-credit foundational math course that provides support for basic skills. If, as a result of placement testing, a student is required to complete such a course, the course will count for determining charges and course credit load. However, no credit is applied toward the degree requirements.
MATH 005# - Foundations of Quantitative Reasoning is a four credit course for billing and credit hour load, but no credit is applied to the degree requirements. It is designed to review the foundational mathematics which students need to succeed in introductory MATH courses.
Course Add/Drop
Students may add or drop classes only during the published add/drop period. Course changes during the add/drop period will not be reflected on the student’s transcript.
Course Withdrawal
To withdraw from a course, students must complete a Course Withdrawal form that is available through the forms.stevenson.edu link. Students may not withdraw from courses online through Student Planning. Notice to the instructor of intent to withdraw is not sufficient. Students who stop attending and fail to officially withdraw from a class will be given a grade of "FX" which calculates as an "F."
Students may withdraw from a course only during the published withdrawal dates. Students withdrawing from class during this period will have a "W" recorded on their transcript; a grade of "W" does not affect the GPA. The last date for withdrawal from a course without penalty is listed in the enrollment calendar for each semester and is found on the Registrar's Office website page. Withdrawing from a course after the published withdrawal date results in a grade of "WF." Students may not withdraw from classes during exam week.
Traditional students who withdraw from an accelerated course that is offered any time during the semester must do so during the published drop/add period. After drop/add ends, students will be able to withdraw based on the published schedule, but no refunds of tuition will be given even if the class has not started.
A student may be administratively withdrawn from the University if their absences in a class are excessive.
There may be extraordinary cases in which serious illness, injury or another significant personal situation prevents a student from continuing their classes after the published withdrawal date. If this is the case, students should refer to the Medical/Compassionate Withdrawal Policy that is located in the Withdrawal from the University section of the catalog.
Change of Catalog Year
If a student elects to move to a new catalog year, all policies of the new catalog will apply to the student, and the student must fulfill all requirements of the new catalog year. Students may not change to a prior catalog year. If a student desires to change to a new catalog year, the student should discuss this with his/her academic advisor so that all implications of the change are fully reviewed. A Change of Catalog Year form is available through the forms.stevenson.edu link.
Repeating Undergraduate Courses
An undergraduate student may not register for the same course more than two times without prior approval of the dean of the school in which the course is offered. Withdrawals and audits count as attempts. If a student repeats a course, only the latter grade will be used in calculating the cumulative grade point average. However, all courses taken will remain on the student's transcript. If a student withdraws from a course that has already been taken, the grade of “W” does not replace the original grade in the calculation of the student’s grade point average. If a student receives VA benefits, specific regulations apply to the payment for repeated courses. Please contact the school certifying official in the Registrar's Office.
Attendance
Each student is responsible for their own class attendance and regular attendance is expected. Every student is responsible for the material covered or the skills exercised during scheduled classes. Grades will be based on demonstrated achievement of the objectives of the course, not on attendance in class as such. Although attendance alone does not determine grades, students should be aware that grades may depend on class activities, experiments, discussions, or quizzes for which consistent attendance is necessary. Students who stop attending and fail to officially withdraw from a class will be given a grade of "FX" which calculates as an "F" in the GPA.
Athletic Department Class Conflict Information
Stevenson would like to provide the best education possible for those individuals who have chosen to represent the University in intercollegiate athletic participation. Student athletes will, on occasion, have varsity athletic conference National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) games scheduled at times that conflict with regularly scheduled academic classes. Student athletes should keep in mind their athletic schedules when registering for classes each semester. The NCAA Compliance Officer issues the Stevenson University Athletics Department Class Conflict Confirmation Form each semester to validated student-athletes participating in their NCAA traditional season. The Class Conflict Confirmation Form outlines comprehensive information on student-athlete, faculty, and athletic department staff responsibilities. If a student athlete or faculty member has any questions regarding the form or is in need of further information, please contact the Athletic Department office manager at 443-352-4251.
Final Examinations
All students are required to take final examinations. If a student misses an examination because of an emergency or illness, the student must contact the faculty member as soon as possible. If the student cannot reach the faculty member, the student should contact the Center for Student Success. The faculty member will work with the student to provide an opportunity for the student to take the examination at a rescheduled time. At that point, the student should contact the Academic Link to reschedule the examination. Students will not be permitted to reschedule for reasons other than documented emergencies or illness. A student who is scheduled to take three or more exams in one day should contact the Registrar's Office no later than the Monday of the last week of classes regarding rescheduling an exam. The Registrar’s Office will work with the student’s faculty to determine which exam will be rescheduled. Requests received after the Monday of the last week of classes cannot be accommodated.
Leave of Absence
A degree-seeking student who finds it necessary to cease enrollment at the University for one or more consecutive semesters (with the intent of returning at a later date) must complete the leave of absence section of the Withdrawal from the University form that is available through the forms.stevenson.edu link. The leave of absence can be in effect for a maximum of two consecutive semesters. A student with a leave of absence on file does not need to reapply for admission to the University if they return within two consecutive semesters. Students who return to the University after a leave of absence of two consecutive semesters or fewer will return under the same catalog year in which they first enrolled at Stevenson.
Withdrawal from the University
A degree-seeking student who wishes to withdraw from the University must do so using the Withdrawal from the University form that is available through the forms.stevenson.edu link.
Military Service Withdraw and Refund Policy
Stevenson University students who are called to active duty during the course of a term or session should contact the School Certifying Official to formally withdraw for military service. For the purpose of this policy, military service is defined as “service, whether voluntary or involuntary, 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” (ED 34 C.F.R. 668.18).
Students who withdraw from the University for military service during the course of a term or session are eligible for a 100% refund of tuition and fees. Room and board expenses will be prorated based on the official date of withdrawal.
Students must supply a copy of military orders to be eligible for any tuition, fees, or room and board adjustments. Students receiving financial aid will be subject to the refund policies as provided by the federal or state agency sponsoring the aid. Department of Defense Military Tuition Assistance and Veteran’s Education Benefits will be returned to the government agency as required.
Students who have to withdraw from the University after the add/drop deadline will receive a grade of W or I, depending on the amount of coursework completed and the expected length of the absence.
Medical/Compassionate Withdrawal Policy
Withdrawals after the published last day to withdraw are only allowed for approved medical/compassionate reasons. A student may only request a medical or compassionate withdrawal in extraordinary cases in which serious illness or injury (medical) or another significant personal situation (compassionate) prevents a student from continuing their classes, and incompletes or other arrangements with the instructors are not possible. Any student submitting a request for a medical or compassionate withdrawal must have a compelling reason for the request and thorough and credible documentation. If, after the last day to withdraw, the student does not complete their classes or leaves the university without obtaining official approval, the student will be assigned a final course grade based upon the assignments completed by the student during the course(s).