 |
 |
 |
 |
GENERAL ACADEMIC INFORMATION
|
ADMISSION PHILOSOPHYAs a private institution, Amberton University restricts admission. Admission to Amberton University is a privilege, not a right. Admission is granted only when, in the judgment of University officials, the applicant can benefit from the University’s educational program. As an upper-division (junior/senior level) and graduate institution uniquely designed for working adults, the University does not accept applicants who seek or need the social environment provided at traditional campuses. Except under special circumstances or programs, the University will not allow the enrollment of a minor or an individual who has failed to prove his or her academic ability and potential by attending another accredited college/university. In dealing with working adults who have been away from the academic environment for years, the University has learned through research that admission tests have little value in predicting academic success. Past academic performance (which is measurable), self-discipline (which cannot be measured by the institution at the time of entry), and work/social constraints (which are beyond the control of both the institution and the applicant) are three major factors that will contribute to the student's academic performance. The University will measure the first factor, insist upon the second, and allow the judgment of the applicant to prevail concerning the third.
FACULTYThe faculty of Amberton University is composed of two complementary groups of talented professionals. A cadre of full-time professional educators provides balance and continuity. A corps of adjunct faculty serving on specific temporary appointments adds academic breadth and specialized expertise. All Amberton University faculty authorized to teach are selected because of their academic credentials, professional experience, and personal character. The professors at Amberton University must also be practicing professionals in their field of study. Instructors at Amberton University are considered uniquely qualified not only to render objective and subjective judgment on the academic performance of students but also upon the student’s personal character. Both factors, intelligence and character, will be considered in awarding the student a grade or degree from Amberton University. Outside the classroom, Amberton University faculty may be reached by phone, fax, e-mail, or face-to-face. See the current Schedule of Classes for e-mail addresses and office and fax phone numbers. Phone numbers and e-mail addresses are also detailed in the course syllabi via the Amberton web site (www.amberton.edu). All faculty will be in their offices and available to students before classes.
COLLEGE YEARAmberton University offers four academic sessions per year. Each session is ten (10) weeks long. Classes may be offered each night Monday through Friday, half-day and all-day on Saturday, and on Sunday afternoons. Distance learning options are also available. Summer Session -- June, July, August The four-session calendar does not change the academic value awarded to a course. Three (3) hours of academic credit are given for each course. The same amount of information and instruction are provided in each course, just in a tighter package. The obvious advantage of the four-session calendar is time. The schedule allows a student to fulfill all academic requirements for a course in ten weeks and decreases the length of time required to finish a degree. Two weeks between each session plus additional holidays allow adequate vacation. (Example: The Winter Session includes a two-week vacation for Christmas and New Year's holidays.) The calendar also allows a student four options per year instead of the traditional three. Adult students who have many obligations and demands on their time will find that the four-session calendar allows greater flexibility in meeting their academic needs. Amberton University recognizes that many adult students are unable to attend classes during the week. The weekend option is designed to accommodate these students. Weekend offerings may include half-day and all-day classes on Saturday and afternoon classes on Sunday. For students who cannot attend on-campus, Amberton offers distance-learning options through a variety of degree programs and classes. Distance-learning courses are clearly identified in each session’s Schedule of Classes. All progressive universities now offer classes through creative scheduling concepts. Amberton University is proud of the fact that it is the first university in the metroplex to replace the old, traditional schedule with an innovative calendar.
SEMESTER HOURThe semester hour is the basic unit of academic credit. A three-semester hour course will require 80-120 hours of intense work on the part of the student.
COURSE SYLLABIPrior to the beginning of registration for a session, the University makes all course syllabi for the session available through the University's web site(www.amberton.edu). A student should NOT register for a course until he/she has carefully read the course syllabus. Minimally, a course syllabus identifies: (1) course prerequisites, (2) texts and materials required for the course, (3) the course outline, (4) assignments and grading criteria, (5) remote access technologies to be employed, when appropriate, (6) methods for contacting the instructor outside class, and (7) research resources available.
COURSE COMPETENCIESAmberton University provides its students an opportunity to review course content in more detail than provided by most institutions. In addition to the expected course description, the faculty has developed competency statements for each course offered by the University. These statements enable students to evaluate, in depth, the content and competency level of each course. In addition to the course-specific competency statements, the following general competencies have been identified that are applicable to all course offerings. Upon completion of a course, the Amberton University student is expected to be competent in:
The Undergraduate and the Graduate course competencies are located in the respective degree level sections of this catalog.
STUDENT CLASS ATTENDANCE AND WORKStudents are expected to attend regularly all courses in which they are enrolled for credit and to meet all requirements of the class in order to receive a grade. All examinations of the course are to be taken. Final examinations are given the last week of the session. Examinations are never given in advance, except by authorization of the Vice President for Academic Services. Papers submitted to meet course requirements are expected to be the students' own work. Information drawn from whatever source is to be attributed specifically to the respective source. Students should use a recognized form of citation. Students who submit work either not their own or without clear attribution to original sources are guilty of plagiarism and will be subject to disciplinary action. Students are also subject to disciplinary action if they make use of the services of a term paper company. Students may not submit the same paper in substance in two or more classes without prior written permission of the instructors involved. CREDIT BY EXAMINATION AND LIFE-LEARNING EXPERIENCESAmberton University is receptive to the idea of awarding academic credit for learning acquired through noncollegiate experiences. By definition, noncollegiate experiences will be considered as learning that has resulted from experiences occurring while the individual was not enrolled in an educational institution for academic credit. Noncollegiate learning may be considered for transfer if such work is documented and submitted by means of the portfolio. By definition, the portfolio is a concise and explicit document that clearly identifies noncollegiate learning that merits academic credit. The awarding of academic credit for noncollegiate learning is restricted to verifiable learning. Students interested in the submission of a portfolio should review the Handbook for Preparing A Portfolio for the Academic Assessment of Learning Experiences, which is available on the Amberton University web site. The awarding of portfolio credit is restricted to undergraduate credit and to disciplines offered by the University. The following guidelines govern all noncollegiate learning that is awarded credit by Amberton University:
Individuals interested in submitting noncollegiate learning for possible transfer credit via the portfolio should direct their inquiries to the Vice President for Academic Services.
ADDING OR DROPPING A COURSEThe adding or dropping of a course during the session is a major change to the student's academic records and should be done only after careful consideration. To be considered official, the class change must be in writing and signed by the student requesting the change; no change is accepted verbally. The official date of the change is the date the written notice is formally received by the University, NOT the postmarked date or the date stated in the notice. The University's record concerning a class change is indisputable, unless the student can provide reliable evidence of an earlier receipt date. An official class change may be submitted by completing a Request for a Change of Schedule form or by written notice containing the student's name, signature, I.D. number, and course(s) to be changed. The notice may be faxed, mailed, or hand delivered to the University. Refer to “University Technologies” for fax information. If the exact add/drop date is critical to the student, it is recommended the student send the change by registered mail. Confirmation of a class change will be mailed to the student within three (3) working days of receiving the official notice. The student is encouraged to keep this confirmation, as it represents official evidence the add/drop was received. In the event a change confirmation is not received by the student within three working days, the student is to contact the Business Services Office. When submitting a class drop prior to the last day to drop with a refund or the last day to drop with a W, it is the student's responsibility to confirm the class change was received.
WITHDRAWAL FROM THE UNIVERSITYA withdrawal from the University is a complete official severance for the session. Merely ceasing to attend class(es) does not constitute an official withdrawal. To be considered official, the withdrawal must be in writing and signed by the student requesting the withdrawal; no withdrawal is accepted verbally. The written notice submitted by the student must contain the student’s name, signature, I.D. number, and course(s) to be dropped. The notice may be faxed, mailed, or hand delivered to the University. The official date of the withdrawal is the date the written notice is formally received by the University, NOT the postmarked date or the date sent in the notice. The University’s record concerning a withdrawal is indisputable, unless the student can provide reliable evidence of an earlier receipt date. If the exact withdrawal date is critical to the student, it is recommended that the student send the withdrawal by registered mail. The student has thirty (30) days following the close of a session to provide evidence for any grade disputes concerning withdrawals. All admission and academic records of the student are the property of Amberton University and will remain on file for three years. A former student who withdrew in good standing will be allowed automatic readmission for a period of three years. After three years, the student must reapply for admission to Amberton University. WITHDRAWAL FROM A CLASS DURING THE SESSIONA student who officially withdraws from a class during the first week of the session will be entitled to a full refund of tuition. A student who withdraws from a class after the first week will be credited on a refund schedule that is based on the beginning date of the session and continues for five consecutive weeks. Late registration and/or class absences are not considered exceptions to the refund policy. Refer to the Schedule of Classes for the exact refund policy. To be considered official, the class withdrawal must be in writing and signed by the student requesting the withdrawal; no withdrawal is accepted verbally. The written notice submitted by the student must contain the student’s name, signature, I.D. number, and course(s) to be dropped. The notice may be faxed, mailed, or hand delivered to the University. The official date of the withdrawal is the date the written notice is formally received by the University, NOT the postmarked date or the date sent in the notice. The University’s record concerning a withdrawal is indisputable, unless the student can provide reliable evidence of an earlier receipt date. If the exact withdrawal date is critical to the student, it is recommended that the student send the withdrawal by registered mail. Confirmation of a class withdrawal will be mailed to the student
within three working days of receiving the official notice. In the event a
withdrawal confirmation
is not received by the student within three working days, the student is to
contact the University’s Business Services Office. In the event a refund results
in a credit balance on the student’s account, the credit balance will remain
on file until the student notifies the Business Services Office, in writing,
of its disposition. Refunds originating from a credit card payment may be credited
only to the credit card account. RECORDKEEPING FOR WITHDRAWALSAn approved withdrawal from a class during the session will be noted on the student’s transcript by a W (noting withdrawal) in the grade field of the course enrolled. A withdrawal is not counted when reporting hours completed or grade point average.
THE RECORDING OF ACADEMIC GRADESAt the conclusion of each session, the faculty’s reports of students’ grades are recorded on each student’s transcript and a copy is mailed to the student for reporting and verification. For a repeated course, the grade of record will be the most current grade reported. Grades received for courses at Amberton University always take precedence over any transfer course grades. In addition, courses will not be accepted in transfer if the equivalent courses have been attempted at Amberton University. Should a student believe that a grade error is recorded on his/her transcript, the error must be reported within thirty days. After thirty days, the grade of record is indisputable.
TIME LIMIT FOR COMPLETING A DEGREEDegree programs are continually updated as new knowledge and social development dictate. To receive the most current and relevant degree, the faculty advises the student to graduate under the standards of the most current catalog. However, the student will be allowed to graduate by meeting the requirements for the degree in force at the time of initial enrollment, provided all degree requirements are completed within two (2) years. Should a student fail to graduate within two years of initial enrollment, he/she can graduate only by meeting the degree requirements of the currently enforced University catalog.
UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE CONCURRENT ENROLLMENTAmberton University students who lack one course to meet undergraduate degree requirements may be permitted to concurrently enroll in one undergraduate course and one graduate course. This permission may be granted if the student: (1) has at least a 2.75 grade point average, (2) has been approved for graduation in the session in which the graduate course will be taken, and (3) has requested and received written approval from the Vice President for Academic Services.
|
