Academic Information (2011-2012)

Mid-Atlantic Christian University exists to impact the world by transforming ordinary people into extraordinary Christian leaders.  The University’s academic program is the primary means used to accomplish this mission. This is in keeping with the biblical principle that followers of Christ are to grow in knowledge (2 Peter 1:5-6) and prepare their minds for action (1 Peter 1:13). 

Academic Advising and Registration

Student responsibility. Although the academic advisor will provide counsel, each student is responsible for the proper completion of his or her academic program. Each student is therefore responsible for knowing the academic policies of the University, for maintaining good academic standing, and for meeting all graduation requirements.  MACU reserves the right to amend, delete, or modify any requirements with notice.  It is the student’s responsibility to be current with degree requirements. Students are encouraged to register for courses each semester according to the suggested course sequence for their chosen program of study.  The following list outlines student responsibilities in the advising process.

• Read the University catalog and the Student Handbook and comply with all policies, procedures, and requirements.
• Obtain a class schedule each semester and review possible course options prior to appointments with advisors.
• Contact advisors in a timely fashion for pre-registration advising or other necessary appointments.
• Know and follow all University requirements for obtaining a degree.  Some of these are placement testing, general studies, major/minor, departmental, Bible, and Christian Service.
• Obtain, complete (including obtaining required signatures), and submit all forms needed for registration, course changes, graduation, and related matters, according to the deadlines set by the Registrar’s Office.
• Contact advisors immediately with concerns about academic progress in particular classes or progress toward degree.
• Be actively responsible for their University experience.

Early registration. Each semester, during a designated period (see the Academic Calendar for early registration dates), continuing students are expected to register for the following semester. Each student must meet with his or her academic advisor before registering. The advisor will counsel the student and sign the form to approve the proposed schedule. Students in more than one professional program must meet with the advisor of each program.

Registration is not complete until final registration when all fees have been paid and all registration materials are properly completed and submitted to the Registrar’s Office. Continuing students who fail to complete early registration at the assigned time may register by final registration day specified on the Academic Calendar for the additional late registration fee.  Any change in registration must be completed with the Registrar’s Office by the end of drop/add. 

New students, after being notified of acceptance to MACU, will officially declare a program of study.  After the declaration has been made the student will be assigned to an advisor to work with them during the course of his or her academic career at MACU.  Prior to registering for courses the new student should complete all competency and placement testing.  The test results will be forwarded to the advisor and the advisor will initiate contact with the new student to set a course schedule for the first semester.

Final registration. At the beginning of each semester students either confirm the course schedule that they submitted earlier or they register for the courses they wish to take. At this time, students will also complete transactions with the Finance and Student Life offices (see Finances).

The University reserves the right to cancel any registration in specific courses for which the student is ineligible. The registration of a student who is ineligible to attend the University is subject to immediate cancellation.  The University also reserves the right to cancel the registration of a student whose attendance at the University, in the opinion of the appropriate administrative officials, would not be mutually beneficial to that person and to the University. 

Audit. Those wishing to take a course for personal enrichment but not for credit may enroll as audit students. Audit students attend classes but are not required to complete assignments or take tests. An auditor will receive transcript recognition if he or she attends 70% of the class sessions; otherwise the transcript will record a withdrawn notation (W).

The grade for an audit course is AU. The audit hours do not count toward full-time status and are not added in the total credit hours completed for graduation.

Students may not change a course from audit to credit after the first two weeks of the semester. Students may not change a course from credit to audit after the first two weeks of the semester. 

Changing program of study. After a student has declared a program of study, he or she may change to another program by completing the Change of Program of Study Request Form. This form can be obtained from the Academic Affairs office.  Students are granted one Change of Program of Study Request Form at no cost; subsequent changes will result in a fee (see current Schedule of Tuition and Fees).

Students making such a change will be responsible for meeting the degree and other requirements shown in the catalog in effect at the time of the change.  This may result in a change of anticipated graduation.

Second degrees. A person who has earned the bachelor of science degree from Mid-Atlantic Christian University may convert the degree to the bachelor of arts degree by successfully completing an additional 12 hours of a biblical or modern language.  Persons who do this will surrender their bachelor of science degree and be awarded the bachelor of arts. 

A person who has earned a four-year baccalaureate degree from MACU and then works toward completing requirements for a second degree or second professional program must earn at least thirty-two additional hours above the initial degree requirements. 

As a rule, the University will not grant a second associate degree to a student because of the similarities in requirements for these degrees. A student may complete a second area of professional studies but will receive only one associate degree and will participate in one Commencement service. Each professional area will be listed on the student’s transcript. The University will not grant an associate degree to a student who already has a baccalaureate degree in the same field of study.

Schedule Change and Withdrawal

Schedule change and Course Withdrawal. A student may change his schedule during the first two weeks of the regular semester (first day of class for a week intensive) by submitting a Student Transaction Form to the Registrar. The form must be signed by the student’s academic advisor(s) and course instructor in order to add or drop a course even if the student never attended a meeting of the course. Tuition for courses dropped within the first two weeks (or first day for intensive courses) is refundable; fees are not refundable. There is a $15.00 change fee assessed per transaction form submitted.

No course may be added after the second week of the semester.

To withdraw from a course after the second week of the regular semester (or after the first day for an intensive course), a student may submit a Student Transaction Form to the Registrar. The form must be signed by the student’s academic advisor(s) and course instructor. A grade of W will be entered on the student’s academic record. There is a $15.00 change fee assessed per transaction form submitted. There is no tuition refund for course withdrawal.

Students may not withdraw from any course after the tenth week of the semester (or after the third day for an intensive course), except for medical reasons, serious family emergency, or other extenuating circumstances as determined by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Students should seek guidance from the financial aid office prior to withdrawing from any courses. Withdrawing may affect eligibility for federal student aid in subsequent semesters. (Withdrawal from courses impacts course completion ratios per semester – the required 75% course completion rate each semester to maintain federal aid eligibility).

If a student continues in school but stops attending a course without completing the formal withdrawal process listed above at the time of withdrawal or receiving permission from the VPAA, he or she will receive a grade of F. There is no tuition refund.

A student who withdrawals from all courses is considered withdrawn from the University and must follow procedures for “Withdrawal from the University.”

Withdrawal from the University.  To officially withdraw from the University, a student must complete the following:

(1) Registrar’s University Withdrawal Form,

(2) Exit interview and Room Vacating Form (for resident students) with the Vice President for Enrollment Services,

(3) Exit interview with the Financial Aid administrator (for students having received federal funds), and

(4) Exit interview with the Finance Office. (See additional information in the Finances section.)

Students who fail to formally withdraw from the University by completing the above process are not eligible for refunds of tuition, deposits, or room and board.  The student’s transcript will also reflect a grade of F for each course, rather than a grade of W.

Course and program cancellation. If fewer than five students register for an elective course, the course may be canceled. If fewer than four students register for a required course and none are in the final year of their program, the course may be canceled. Mid-Atlantic Christian University reserves the right to make changes in the roster of courses offered each semester, programs of study and disclaims liability for errors in this catalog and related materials.

Military leave policy. The University will make exceptions to the stated refund and course completion policies for students who are called to active military duty during a semester. Students should contact the Registrar’s Office immediately upon receiving notice to report for military duty.

Academic Standing and Progress

Semester hours. A semester hour of credit represents one hour of classroom instruction per week for one semester. Courses that include student practice during classroom hours will meet more than one hour per week for each semester hour of credit; courses that include field experience hours may meet less than one hour per week for each semester hour of credit. Courses of private instruction meet one half hour per week and carry a private instruction fee.

Academic load. A student is classified as full-time if he or she is enrolled for 12 or more semester hours for credit. A student is classified as half-time if enrolled in 6 to 8 hours for credit, three-quarter time if enrolled in 9 to 11 hours. A student in good academic standing may enroll for up to 18 semester hours. A student in good academic standing may enroll for more than 18 hours only with permission from his or her academic advisor, the Registrar, and/or the VPAA.

Students admitted provisionally and those on probation may not enroll for more than 13 and 15 hours, respectively (see the information under those headings elsewhere in this section).

Classification. Students are grouped in classes at the beginning of each semester and maintain this classification throughout the semester as shown below.

Institutional credit hours. Institutional credit hours are counted for such purposes as determining eligibility for housing and financial aid, but not as credit toward graduation. They are not counted in the student’s grade point average.

Good standing. Students whose cumulative grade point average (GPA) is 2.00 or above are in good standing academically. No degree or certificate will be awarded to a student whose cumulative GPA is below 2.00.

Academic Warning. Students whose cumulative GPA is between 1.75 and 2.00 at the end of their first semester are placed on Academic Warning. Students on Academic Warning may not enroll for more that 15 hours and are required to enroll in the Study Skills Seminar. (Students admitted provisionally, however, must earn a 1.75 GPA at the end of their first semester or be placed on Academic Suspension.)

Academic Probation. Students with 1-29 hours must have a cumulative GPA of 1.75 or they will be placed on academic probation. Students with 30 or more hours must reach and maintain a 2.0 cumulative grade point average. Failure to do so will result in academic probation. When a student who is on probation achieves a semester GPA of 2.0, he or she may register for another semester of course work. A student will remain on Academic Probation until his or her cumulative GPA is 2.0 or better.

Student enrolled in the Bachelor of Theology degree program must have a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or they will be placed on academic probation. When a student who is on probation achieves a semester GPA of 2.50, he or she may register for another semester of course work. A student will remain on Academic Probation until his or her cumulative GPA is 2.50 or better.

Notice of Academic Probation will be indicated on the student's transcript. Students on Academic Probation may not:

1. Enroll for more than 15 hours
2. Participate in intercollegiate athletics
3. Serve on a University recruitment team (may be waived by VPAA on a case-by-case basis)

(Student admitted provisionally, however, must earn a cumulative GPA of 2.00 at the end of their second semester or be placed on Academic Suspension.)

Transferring students who were on academic probation or suspension at the previous college last attended, or who had a cumulative GPA below 2.00, will be admitted on Academic Probation. Those students whose last prior attendance was more than five years ago will be considered by the Application Review Committee on a case by case basis.

• Students on Academic Probation will automatically be placed on Financial Aid probation.
• To determine satisfactory progress, all hours will be used those transferred and those taken at Mid-Atlantic Christian University.

For more information on transfer students, see the Admissions and the Finances sections of the catalog.

Academic Suspension. Students on Academic Probation who fail to achieve a semester GPA of 2.0 are placed on Academic Suspension. Notice of Academic Suspension will be indicated on the student's transcript.  Students who are academically suspended must take courses at another institution (6 credit hours minimum) and earn a 2.0 GPA before they can apply for readmission.  Students on Academic Suspension may apply for readmission after one semester.  Students who are placed on Academic Suspension for a second time may be considered for readmission only after three years from the date of the second suspension.

Provisional Admission. First-time freshmen whose records do not conform to admissions guidelines may be admitted provisionally if the Application Review Committee is satisfied they exhibit potential for success. Provisional students:

• May enroll for up to 13 hours, and must include:
  • Study Skills Seminar
  • Any additional Basic Studies called for by the student's competency testing scores
• May NOT participate in intercollegiate athletics
• May NOT serve on a University recruitment team (may be waived by the VPAA on a case-by-case basis)
• Whose GPA at the end of their first semester is 1.75 or above will be permitted to enroll for a second provisional semester. If their GPA is below 1.75, however, they will be suspended.
• Whose GPA at the end of their second semester is cumulative 2.00 will be in good standing. If their cumulative GPA is below 2.00, however, they will be suspended.

For information on transfer students, see the Admissions and the Finances sections of the catalog.

Academic Standing and Finances.

• Federal Financial Aid eligibility is contingent upon satisfactor academic progress (see the section on Finances in this catalog).
• Certain scholarships awarded by the University or the Mid-Atlantic Christian University Foundation have academic stipulations (contact the Financial Aid Office for details).
• Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) benefits are contingent upon satisfactory academic progress toward completion of the program of study and upon maintaining good academic standing.
  • The University will not retain any person receiving DVA benefits if:
    • After being placed on academic probation, the student does not earn a 2.0 in the subsequent semester.
    • After being admitted provisionally, the student does not have a GPA of 1.75 for the first semester and cumulative 2.00 for the second. 
  • Either of the above circumstances results in interruption of DVA benefits for unsatisfactory progress.  At the end of each semester, the University Registrar decertifies any suspended student who is receiving benefits. A student may be recertified for DVA benefits if he or she regains good standing after one semester.
  • The total hours transferred into a student's program of study at the University are used to measure satisfactory progress for degree completion and to determine good academic standing.

Dismissal. The Student Handbook describes several situations that might lead to the discipline or dismissal of a student for a variety of reasons. While such situations are typically addressed by the Vice President for Enrollment Services and/or the Disciplinary Committee, situations involving primarily an academic concern may be addressed instead by the Vice President for Academic Affairs and/or others he may delegate.

Situations of a primarily academic nature that might lead to discipline or dismissal include, but are not limited to, plagiarism, violating attendance policies, violating academic probation, disrupting classroom decorum, etc. Discipline may be invoked by a faculty member or the Vice President for Academic Affairs and may involve any of the following: apology and change of behavior, redoing of an assignment, compensatory work, reduced grade, failure of assignment or course, dismissal from class, or other appropriate action. The VPAA may also dismiss a student from the University for academic reasons. A student may appeal a faculty disciplinary action to the VPAA or appeal directly to the President a disciplinary or dismissal by the VPAA. Any student who is dismissed from the University while a grading period is in progress will be withdrawn from courses and assigned a "W" on their academic transcript.

Grades and Examinations

Grades are only symbolic of that which lies behind them—knowledge gained and retained in a usable form. They are tools for measuring whether the amount of knowledge is adequate for successful completion of a course and for achievement of a college degree. Grades at Mid-Atlantic Christian University are recorded using the following scale.

Au Audit; no credit
*I Work Incomplete
NP Not Passing (Basic Studies)
P Passing (Basic Studies)
R Course repeated
S Satisfactory (counts toward earned hours)
U Unsatisfactory (counts toward earned hours)
W Withdrawl

*See “Deadline for submission of work” below.

Recording of grades. The University maintains records of progress on all students. Mid-semester grades are reported to students on the basis of work completed by Friday of mid-semester week. Mid-semester grades are indications of progress; they are not recorded on the student’s official transcript. Semester grade reports are issued to students at the end of each semester. Semester grade reports are also sent to the parents or guardians of unmarried students under the age of 23; each academic year students complete a grade-release form. Semester grades are recorded on permanent transcripts and are furnished to students on request.

Disputes about grades must be resolved by the end of the next semester. Grades that are not contested before that time are final. Disputes concerning a course grade are resolved through conferences between the student and the faculty member who assigned the grade. If still dissatisfied, students may appeal in writing to the chairperson of the department, who will conduct an investigation. If the instructor of the course also is the department chairperson, the Vice President for Academic Affairs will handle grade appeals.

Grades for credit transferred from recognized collegiate institutions are considered part of the student’s grade point average.

Grade forgiveness. If a student receives a grade of D or F in a course at Mid-Atlantic Christian University, he or she may repeat the course for credit. The highest grade earned will be used in any grade point computation. The both grades earned in the course will appear on the transcript, with an indication that the course has been repeated. There is no limit to the number of times a student may repeat a course. Veterans should consult with the Registrar or their D.V.A. representative regarding the latest regulation relative to repeating a course.

Computing a GPA. A student’s grade point average (GPA) for a semester may be computed by:
1. Multiplying the semester hours for each course by the grade point equivalent for the letter grade earned in that course to determine the grade points and
2. Dividing the grade points for the semester by the hours attempted.

For example:

23.333 grade points / 8 semester hours = 2.917 Semester GPA

A student’s cumulative GPA may be computed by dividing the total grade points for all semesters by the total semester hours attempted.

Deadline for submission of work. No work may be made up or turned in for any course after the Friday preceding final examinations. Exceptions may be granted for a major illness or emergency during the week preceding examinations. See the Registrar's office or the instructor of the course for an Incomplete Form. In that event, the teacher submits a grade of “I” and an alternate grade based on the work completed. This alternate grade will be recorded if the work is not made up within two weeks after examination week.

Unpaid accounts and examinations. Students who have an unpaid University account or outstanding library charges may not take final examinations, or have final grades posted to their official transcript. Such students must receive clearance from the Finance Office before taking examinations. A student’s failure to clear his or her account will result in the student receiving Incompletes (I) for all courses (see Deadline for submission of work).

Basic Studies. Some students are required to take Basic Studies courses to improve their academic skills in certain areas (see the Admissions section of this catalog). Basic Studies courses carry institutional credit, which counts for such purposes as determining eligibility for housing and financial aid, but not as semester-hour credit toward graduation. They are not counted in the student’s grade point average (GPA).

A student may retake any or all of the competency tests one time. See Admissions section for more information.

Dishonesty. Dishonesty is both a sin and a violation of the rules of Mid-Atlantic Christian University. A student suspected or accused of academic dishonesty will be approached by his or her teacher; if a student is judged guilty of dishonesty, he or she will be warned that a second offense will result in suspension or dismissal from the University. Any work on which it is judged that the student was dishonest will be nullified; this may result in failure of the course. The teacher will inform the Vice President for Academic Affairs; the VPAA will notify the University faculty.

Dishonesty includes misrepresenting the truth about completion of assignments, cheating on any form of assignment, plagiarism, or in any way passing off the work of others as your own or permitting another student to pass off your work as his own.

A student judged guilty of academic dishonesty is not, in that same academic year, eligible for the honor of marshal, valedictorian, or salutatorian.

Graduation Requirements

A student who meets the following criteria is qualified for graduation:

Moral

1. The Office of Student Life must certify that the student’s Christian character and conduct have been maintained at a high level.

Academic

2. The student must satisfactorily complete the prescribed studies in his or her chosen curricular program.
3. The student must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.00 (2.50 for B.Th. degree).
4. The student must document an adequate final grade in all correspondence or distance courses by April 1 of the semester of graduation and pay the correspondence fee by the published deadline. The fee is non-refundable and non-transferrable.
5. The student must take at least 25% of the degree or certificate coursework at Mid- Atlantic Christian University.
6. The student must file an “Intent to Graduate” for degree or certificate and pay the required graduation fee by the published deadline.
7. The student graduating in May will participate in the Commencement Services.
8. The student must complete the Christian Service requirements specified by the Student Life Office.
9. The student must complete, during the semester of his or her graduation, the Bible content test of the Commission on Accreditation of the Association for Biblical Higher Education. (The test is administered twice in an academic year: first week of school in August; last week of school in May. Students should arrange to test during one of these weeks.) 
10. All baccalaureate students must complete, during their senior year, the Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP) published by the American College Testing (ACT) Program. (The test is administered twice in an academic year: first week of school in August; last week of school in May. Students should arrange to test during one of these weeks.)

Chapel

11. All baccalaureate students must complete two units of leadership participation in chapel. All associate students must complete one unit of leadership participation in chapel.

Financial

12. The student must meet all financial obligations with the Finance Office and library.
13. If he or she has received federal financial aid, the student must complete an exit interview with the Financial Aid Office.
14. Failure to graduate due to incomplete degree requirements or for missing a deadline for completing degree requirements will not entitle the student to a refund of fees.

Prospective graduates who are not enrolled at MACU during their final semester but have outstanding coursework must receive approval from the Vice President for Academic Affairs to take courses at another institution to complete their degree requirements and provide in writing their plan for completing the outstanding coursework.

Graduating in absentia. All students graduating in May are expected to participate in the baccalaureate and commencement service unless a prior request to graduate in absentia has been approved. Students desiring to graduate in absentia must apply in writing to the Registrar no later than January 31. Requests submitted after January 31 will be charged a $25 late fee (if granted). Students who fail to attend either service without permission will be charged the $25 late in absentia fee and have their diploma withheld until paid.

Academic Honors

Dean’s List. All full-time students (12 or more credit hours) whose semester GPA is 3.50 or above are included on the Dean’s List, issued each semester.

Marshals. The two eligible juniors with the highest and second-highest cumulative GPA at midterm in the spring will be the head and second marshals for the Baccalaureate and Commencement services. A student must have completed at least 60 hours at Mid-Atlantic Christian University and have a reasonable hope of graduating the following year to be eligible. Averages will be figured on all of the student’s hours, both Mid-Atlantic Christian University and transfer, which are being counted toward graduation.

Graduation honors. Academic honors for baccalaureate and associate graduates are based on a student’s cumulative GPA as shown below. Averages will include all work that is counted toward graduation. Students who already have a baccalaureate degree and complete only the TESOL program will not be eligible for graduation honors.

Class honors: valedictorian and salutatorian. The valedictorian and salutatorian of the graduating class will be the baccalaureate graduates (B.A. or B.S. only) with the highest and second-highest cumulative GPA at the end of their final semester, regardless of when they began their program or what class they have identified with socially. Averages include all work counted for graduation and at least 64 hours must be taken at Mid-Atlantic Christian University. These candidates will be notified of the honor immediately after midterm during the spring, although final confirmation cannot be given until semester grades are assigned. Students who already have a baccalaureate degree and complete only a certificate program will not be eligible for these honors.

Class Attendance

Attendance. Students are expected to attend every class session of the courses in which they are enrolled unless hindered by sickness, a family emergency, a school-sponsored activity, or some other extenuating circumstance. In such cases, it is the responsibility of the student to notify the instructor as soon as possible of the reason for the absence. If the absence is due to a school sponsored activity, the student must consult with the instructor before the absence to determine what arrangements for make up need to be made.

It is the responsibility of the instructor to make clear in the course syllabus, which is distributed at the beginning of the semester, the exact attendance requirements for that course. It is general institutional policy to allow no more than one absence for any personal reason per course credit hour (e.g. two absences in a two-hour course). Tardiness, arriving late or leaving early, may be factored into the counting of absences. Students who exceed this limit or violate any other attendance requirements outlined in the syllabus are subject to any of the following: failure of the course, lowering of the final grade in the course, or compensatory work in the course as assigned by the instructor. The final decision as to what, if any, action will be taken is up to the instructor, who may consult with the Vice President for Academic Affairs if so desired. Students or instructors who encounter difficulties implementing this attendance policy may make appeal to the Vice President for Academic Affairs for resolution.

School cuts. A student may have, in addition to personal absences, an equal number of school cuts.
A school cut is one necessitated by participation in one of the following:

• A service by request of the University
• An official field trip taken in connection with a course or program of study
• A trip as a member of a University athletic team
• Some major role in a church-related function

No absence will be considered a school cut unless the student files a completed request form 10 days in advance. (A teacher sponsoring an activity that necessitates a school cut is expected to give a list of involved students to all teachers, which relieves the student of his or her responsibility to notify each teacher.)

Excessive absences. A student who misses more than 25% of any course, regardless of the reason, will receive a grade of F in the course. (3 credit hour course = 12 hours; 2 credit hour course = 8 hours; 1 credit hour course = 4 hours)

Missing one week of an online/distance education course is equivalent to 6 hours.

Upon exceeding the maximum allowed absences, the instructor will notify the student and the University Registrar. The Registrar will immediately record a final course grade of F.

If the excessive absences are the result of special circumstances the student may write a letter to the Academic Cabinet requesting that the grade of F be changed to W. All requests for special consideration are to be made before final exam week begins.

If the Academic Cabinet grants the request for a W and such action causes a change in status for anyone who is DVA certified, the Registrar will notify the DVA immediately.

Late Enrollees.  The University recognizes that in rare circumstances a student may be hindered from starting a course or an academic term at the scheduled start date. The following guidelines are to be followed for students who start a course or an academic term late.

1. No student may be added to a course after the equivalent of 2 weeks beyond the official start date of the course. This date will be published in the Academic Calendar (Last Day for Drops/Adds).
2. The absences incurred between the official start date of the course and the enrollment of the student will not be counted against the student in regards to one's personal absences.
3. The absences incurred between the official start date of the course and the enrollment of the student will be counted toward the total maximum absences allowed.
4. Any assignments missed must be completed no later than 4 weeks beyond the official start date of the course.

Tests. Except for extenuating circumstances, a student who attends class may not be excused from a test even if he or she was absent the previous meeting.

A student who is absent one class day and misses a test may have until class time the next day the class meets to complete a makeup test. A student who is absent two class days may have until the second time the class meets. A student who is absent three to five days may have one week from the day he or she returns to class. For absences of over a week, the student may have a period as long as the absence itself. The student is responsible for contacting the instructor to arrange a makeup test.

Teacher tardiness. If a teacher is late for a class session, students need wait only 15 minutes for him or her to arrive.

Other Policies

Academic grievances. When students have a question or problem concerning a course, they are encouraged to go to the teacher of the course. If the student does not believe the teacher has responded adequately, or if there are matters the student believes he or she cannot discuss with the teacher, the student is encouraged to speak to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

If a grievance concerns the Vice President for Academic Affairs, or if the student feels that the vice president does not adequately address the concern, he may appeal to the president. The decision of the president is final.

Although the University believes the best policy is to discuss a grievance with the teacher involved, the student may write a letter stating the grievance. The letter must state the specific grievance, date, and time, and the letter must be signed. The addressee will respond to the student within five days of receiving the letter.

Conversion of non-degree work. A student admitted as a non-degree or special student who later wishes to change to certificate- or degree-seeking status must complete all admission and competency requirements required for that status. A student may convert into a certificate program up to six hours of appropriate credit earned at Mid-Atlantic Christian University or at another accredited college while in non-degree, non-certificate status. A student may convert into an associate degree program up to 12 hours, into a baccalaureate program up to 60 hours of appropriate credits earned while in a non-degree, non-certificate status.

Proficiency Exams.The College makes proficiency exams available for an increasing number of courses. Those exams are two types: 1) exams offered externally through The College Board’s CLEP (College Level Examination Program), and 2) courses offered externally through The College Board’s AP (Advanced Placement) program. Both of these options are described below.

The college will award credit for up to 30 semester hours of College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and Advanced Placement (AP) toward baccalaureate degrees and 15 semester hours toward an associate degree. Students with exceptional CLEP and/or AP scores may petition the Vice President for Academic Affairs to exceed the 30/15 hour limit.

Credit Awarded for CLEP Examinations:

• Credit from the tests may be used to fulfill specific courses, as part of a distribution/area/general requirement, or as free electives (without further specification) in the student’s degree program.
• The student must test at the end of the semester before he enrolls in courses for which the CLEP test (or equivalent course) is a pre-requisite.
• 1-12 semester hours of credit will be awarded per accepted score, as noted below.
• A grade of P (pass) will be assigned and the hours will not be used to calculate the student’s grade point average (GPA). The minimum accepted score for all examinations is 50, except as noted in the listing below.
• The work may not duplicate previous college work that has been successfully completed.
• The student pays no transfer fee to the University, but does pay applicable testing and grading fees.
• Students wishing to test out of a course through CLEP must do so before the end of the first semester of their senior year.

Examinations accepted for specific courses. All others may be used for electives, where relevant to the student’s program of study. [...] - Only receive credit if CLEP test was taken before enrollment at MACU.

Credit Awarded for AP Examinations:
The University will accept AP scores of 3, 4, and 5 as follows:

• Scores may be accepted in fulfillment of specific courses, as part of a distribution/area/general requirement, or as free electives in the student's degree program.
• The recommended number of semester hours will be awarded per accepted score if the student uses it as a free elective; if he uses it in lieu of a specific course, he will be awarded no more than the hours of the Mid Atlantic course. In no instance may credit hours for one examination be divided between a specific course and elective hours.
• There are no additional requirements for receiving credit.
• A grade of P (pass) will be assigned; the hours will not count in the student's GPA.
• The student pays no fee to Mid-Atlantic Christian University.

In 2010-11 the AP Examinations accepted by MACU included: 

Credit hours represent credit hours of the equivalent course(s) at Mid-Atlantic Christian University.

Correspondence/Distance Education

Courses completed through MACU:
No more than 49% of a degree or certificate program may be earned through MACU correspondence and distance education courses.

While a primary purpose of correspondence and distance education courses is to provide educational experience for non-resident students, resident students may need to enroll in such courses because of scheduling difficulties, program acceleration, or credits lost in transferring.

Before registering for an online distance education course a student must either: (1) pass the computer proficiency exam, (2) receive a passing grade in CS 131 Introduction to Computers or CS 135 Basic Computer Literacy, or (3) transfer credit in computers from another college or university. Under limited circumstances, as determined by the VPAA or Registrar, a student wishing to take an online distance education course may provide evidence of proficiency through alternate means.

Distance courses are not recommended for first time freshman. Eligibility for first time freshman to take distance courses will be determined by the VPAA.

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