Lycoming College Academic Policies and Regulations

Athletics

Athletics is an important part of the Lycoming experience. As a member of the NCAA, Lycoming sponsors nineteen intercollegiate sports for both men and women student-athletes.

Men can choose from football, soccer, cross country, wrestling, golf, basketball, lacrosse, swimming, tennis, and track and field. Women can compete in soccer, cross country, lacrosse, volleyball, basketball, swimming, softball, tennis, and track and field.

Lycoming is a member of the Middle Atlantic Conference, which is a Division III athletic conference. As a Division III school, Lycoming does not offer athletic scholarships.

In addition, the College offers a very active intramural and recreation program that is open to all students. This program includes, among others, basketball, water polo, volleyball, flag football, and indoor soccer.

Academic Policies and Regulations

Students are expected to familiarize themselves with the academic policies contained in this Catalog. Failure to do so does not excuse students from the requirements and regulations described herein.

The Unit Course System

Instruction at Lycoming College is organized, with few exceptions, on a departmental basis. Most courses are unit courses, meaning that each course taken is considered to be equivalent to four semester hours of credit. Exceptions occur in applied music and theatre practicum courses, which are offered for either one-half or one semester hour of credit; in departments that have elected to offer certain courses for the equivalent of one, two or three semester hours of credit; and in physical activities courses which are zero credits. Furthermore, independent studies and internships carrying two semester hours of credit may be designed.

The normal student course load is four unit courses (16 semester hours) during the fall and spring semesters. Students who elect to attend the special sessions may enroll in one unit course (four semester hours) during the May term and one or two unit courses (four - eight semester hours) in each of the summer terms. A student is considered full time when enrolled for a minimum of three unit courses, or the equivalent, during the fall or spring semesters, one unit course, or the equivalent, for the May term, and two unit courses for each of the summer terms.

Students may enroll in five unit courses (20 semester hours) during the fall and spring semesters if they are Lycoming scholars or were admitted to the Dean’s List at the end of the previous semester. Exceptions may be granted by the Dean of the College. There will be an additional charge, see page 13. Overloads are not permitted during the May and summer terms.

Alternative Credit Sources

Transfer Credit

Matriculated students who wish to study at other campuses must obtain prior written approval to do so from their advisor, the chair of the department in which the credit will be awarded, and the Lycoming College Registrar. Course work counting toward a major or minor must also be approved in advance by the chairperson of the department in which the major or minor is offered. Once a course is approved, the credit and grades for the course will be transferred to Lycoming and calculated in the student’s grade point average as if the courses were taken here. This means that “D” and “F” grades will be transferred as well as all other grades. Unapproved courses will not transfer. Final determination of transfer credit will be made by the Registrar based on official transcripts only.

Lycoming College does not have a statute of limitations but it reserves the right to refuse to accept some courses for transfer in which the content is outmoded. The Registrar will consult the academic department(s) involved.

Students are expected to complete their last eight unit courses (32 semester hours) and 16 semester hours in their major at Lycoming. Requests for waivers of this regulation must be sent to the Committee on Academic Standards

Credit By Examination

Students may earn credit or advanced placement through the standardized examinations listed below. A maximum of 50 percent of the course requirements for the Baccalaureate degree may be earned through these examinations. The appropriate academic department will determine which tests they will accept and the course equivalencies. A list of approved examinations is available in the Office of the Registrar. Although these examinations may be taken after matriculation, new students who are competent in a given area are encouraged to take the examination of their choice before entering Lycoming so that the college will have the test scores available for registration advising for the first semester of enrollment. Students applying to the college for the first time should inform the Admissions Office that they have completed these tests and provide the official scores as part of their application packet. Continuing students must send official test scores to the Office of the Registrar and inform their academic advisors when examinations have been taken.

The College Entrance Examination Board Advanced Placement (CEEB AP) - In most cases, a score of four is required for credit.

The International Baccalaureate - Students who have completed the full diploma and have scores of five or above on all of the higher level examinations will be granted 32 credit hours; specific courses will be based on the examinations taken. Students who complete the full diploma but earn less than a score of five on all of the higher level examinations will be granted eight credits for each higher level examination completed with a grade of five or higher and four credits for a satisfactory or higher completion of the Theory of Knowledge requirement. Students who have completed the certificate will be granted credit based on the examinations taken. Standard level examinations will not be considered. The American College Testing Proficiency

The American College Testing Proficiency Examination Program (ACT PEP) - A score equivalent to a grade of “B” or above is required.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP) - A score equivalent to a grade of “B” or above is required.

Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) - A score equivalent to a grade of "B" or above is required.

Student Records

The policy regarding student educational records is designed to protect the privacy of students against unwarranted intrusions and is consistent with Section 43B of the General Education Provision Act (commonly known as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended). The details of the College policy on student records and the procedures for gaining access to student records are contained in the current issue of the Student Handbook which is available in the library, online, and in the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs.

Registration

During the registration period, students select their courses for the next semester and register their course selections in the Office of the Registrar. Course selection is made in consultation with the student’s faculty advisor in order to insure that the course schedule is consistent with College requirements and student goals. After the registration period, any change in the student’s course schedule must be approved by both the faculty advisor and Office of the Registrar. Students may not receive credit for courses in which they are not formally registered.

During the first five days of classes, students may drop any course without any record of such enrollment appearing on their permanent record, and they may add any course that is not closed. The permanent record will reflect the student’s registration as of the conclusion of the drop/add period. Students wishing to withdraw from a course between the fifth day and the 9th week of classes must process a course withdrawal form in the Office of the Registrar. Withdrawal grades are not computed in the grade point average. Students may not withdraw from courses after the 9th week of a semester and the comparable period during the May and summer terms. Students who stop attending a course (or courses) but do not withdraw will receive a grade(s) of “F.”

In zero semester hour and two semester hour (1/2 unit) courses meeting only during the last half of any semester, students may drop/add for a period of five days, effective with the mid-term date shown on the academic calendar. Withdrawal from zero-credit and half-semester courses with a withdrawal grade may occur within 4-1/2 weeks of the beginning of the course. It is understood that the period of time at the beginning of the semester will be identical, for example, a period of five days as indicated above.

Cross Registration

A special opportunity exists in the Williamsport area for students to take courses at the Pennsylvania College of Technology. Students may enroll for less than a full-time course load at the Pennsylvania College of Technology while remaining enrolled in courses at Lycoming.

Students must be enrolled full-time in a degree program and have earned no more than 93 semester hours. Cross registration is available for the Fall and Spring Semesters, and Summer I and II. It is not available for May Term.

NON-DEGREE Students

Students who do not wish to pursue a degree at Lycoming College may, if space permits, register for credit or audit courses on either a part-time or full-time basis. Students who register for less than 12 semester hours are considered to be enrolled part-time; students who register for 12 or more semester hours are considered to be enrolled full-time and must pay the $200 contingency fee.

Anyone wishing to register as a non-degree student must fill out an application form in the Admissions Office, pay a one-time application fee, and pay the tuition rate in effect at the time of each enrollment. After a non-degree student has attempted four unit courses (16 semester hours), the student must either matriculate or obtain permission from the Dean of the College to continue study on a non-degree basis.

All non-degree students are subject to the general laws and regulations of the College as stated in the College Catalog and the Student Handbook. The College reserves the right to deny permission to register for individuals who do not meet the standards of the College.

Students who wish to change from a non-degree to a degree status must apply for admission as a degree candidate and satisfy all conditions for admission and registration in effect at that time.

Auditors

Any person may audit courses at Lycoming at one-fourth tuition per course. Members of the Lycoming College Scholar Program may audit a fifth unit course per semester at no additional charge. Laboratory and other special fees must be paid in full. Examinations, papers, and other evaluation devices are not required of auditors, but individual arrangements may be made to complete such exercises with consent of the instructor. The option to audit a course must be declared by the end of the drop/add period. Forms are available in the Registrar's Office.

Attendance

The academic program at Lycoming is based upon the assumption that there is value in class attendance for all students. Individual instructors have the prerogative of establishing reasonable absence regulations in any course. The student is responsible for learning and observing these regulations.

Withdrawal from the College

A student who wishes to withdraw from the College during the semester should contact the Assistant Dean for Freshmen or the Assistant Dean for Sophomores. College personnel will explain the procedure to ensure that the student’s financial and academic records are properly closed.

A student who decides to discontinue study at the College as of the conclusion of the current semester must provide the Registrar with written notification of such plans in order to receive a refund of the contingency deposit. See page 14 for details.

Grading System

The evaluation of student performance in courses is indicated by the use of traditional letter symbols. These symbols and their definitions are as follows:

A EXCELLENT - Signifies superior achievement through mastery of content or skills and demonstration of creative and independent thinking.

B GOOD - Signifies better-than-average achievement wherein the student reveals insight and understanding.

C SATISFACTORY - Signifies satisfactory achievement wherein the student’s work has been of average quality and quantity. The student has demonstrated basic competence in the subject area and may enroll in additional course work.

D PASSING -  Signifies unsatisfactory achievement wherein the student met only the minimum requirements for passing the course and should not continue in the subject area without departmental advice.

F FAILING — Signifies that the student has not met the minimum requirements for passing the course.

I INCOMPLETE WORK — Assigned in accordance with the restrictions of established academic policy.

R A REPEATED COURSE — Students shall have the option of repeating courses for which they already have received a passing grade in addition to those which they have failed. Credit is received only once for the course. The most recent course grade will count toward the GPA.

P PASSING WORK, NO GRADE ASSIGNED — Converted from traditional grade of A through D-.