ADULT EVENING UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS
ACADEMIC INFORMATION
Programs Offered
Southern Wesleyan University offers several options to working adults who may wish to complete an undergraduate degree in a format that fits their busy lifestyle. The following degree programs are offered in cohort-based, lock-step format on a year-round evening schedule. The degrees available at any given learning center may vary.
Associate of Science in Business
Associate of Arts in General Studies
Bachelor of Science in Management
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
Bachelor of Science in Human Services
Bachelor of Science in Education
Bachelor’s Step I and II and the Associate of Science Degree
The Southern Wesleyan University AGS program provides structured degree preparation programs (Bachelor's Step I and Bachelor's Step II) for students who do not have sufficient college credits to be admitted to a bachelor's degree-completion core program. Students may earn an Associate of Science degree by completing a total of 64 semester hours, including specified elements of Step I and Step II.
Step I is a lock-step program consisting of 29 semester credit hours of general education requirements. Step II consists of 34 semester credit hours, most of which are additional required courses for the associate's degree. Step II courses can also serve as elective credits for the bachelor's degree.
Generally, the Step II core will be provided on a rolling or cyclical basis.
In many cases, students with 30 to 59 hours of transfer credit will be advised to register for blocks of Step I or II courses to earn general education or elective hours to qualify for admission to a bachelor's degree completion core.
Associate Degree Graduation Requirements
The Associate of Science and the Associate of Arts degrees require a minimum of 64 semester hours of credit, including required general education course work, specified courses, and any remaining elective credits. Students who have no college credit can earn the associate’s degree by completing the Associate of Arts sequence or all the courses in Step I (general education requirements), Step II (required business and elective courses), and one additional elective credit to total 64 semester credits in the Associate of Science. A minimum of 16 credits of required course work in Step II must be earned under instruction of Southern Wesleyan University faculty to be awarded the Associate of Science degree. In each degree program, some courses must be taken at Southern Wesleyan University in order to count toward the degree.
The following are the graduation requirements at the Associate level:
1. Completion of 28 semester hours of credit in the following general education areas:
English Composition I 3
Additional English Composition or Speech 3
Literature (sophomore level or above) 3
Aesthetics (any Fine Arts) 3
Bible (Old Testament) 3
Bible (New Testament) 3
Christian Theology 3
Science with lab 3
History 3
Physical Education 1
(Completion of the courses required in the sequence meets general education requirements.)
2. Completion of the required courses in the sequence or their transferable equivalent.
3. Completion of 64 semester hours with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0.
4. Establishment of competency in computing, math, oral communication, and writing.
5. Satisfactory participation in all required divisional and university assessment activities.
6. Recommendation by the faculty and approval by the Trustees of Southern Wesleyan University.
7. Application for graduation: It is the student's responsibility to see that all requirements for graduation are met and that application for a diploma is made by the dates specified in the university calendar.
8. Payment of all tuition, fees, and other charges.
Bachelor of Science Graduation Requirements
A minimum of 32 credits of required course work must be earned under instruction of Southern Wesleyan University faculty to be awarded the Bachelor of Science degree. In each degree program, some courses must be taken at Southern Wesleyan University in order to count toward the degree.
1. The following general education requirements:
Freshman English Composition I 3 semester hours
Additional English Composition or Speech 3
Literature 3
Aesthetics (any Fine Arts) 3
Bible (Old Testament) 3
Bible (New Testament) 3
Christian Theology 3
Lab Science 3
History 3
Physical Education 1
28 semester hours
(Twelve additional general education hours are included in the core courses of each bachelor’s program.)
2. Completion of each course in the specified core with a minimum grade of 1.6.
3. Completion of 128 semester credits with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0.
4. Demonstration of competency in computing, math, oral communication, reading, and writing.
5. Satisfactory participation in all required divisional and university assessment activities.
6. Recommendation by the faculty and approval by the Trustees of Southern Wesleyan University.
7. Application for graduation: It is the student's responsibility to see that all requirements for graduation are met and that application for a diploma is made by the dates specified in the university calendar.
8. Payment of all tuition, fees, and other charges.
Study Groups
During the first course in each sequence, students must form study groups of three to five members. Each student must be a member of a study group. Weekly attendance is required and will be monitored. Non-attendance at study group meetings will be handled the same as non-attendance for in-class instruction. Specifically, students’ grades may be affected and/or students may be withdrawn from the class for absences as outlined by institutional attendance policy. The attendance and grading policy for the study group participation and the in-class participation parallel each other.
Southern Wesleyan University reserves the right to administratively reorganize study groups or request that study groups be restructured to comply with the university and government regulations.
Good Standing & Probation
In order to remain in good standing in the adult undergraduate programs, a student must maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher. If a student’s Southern Wesleyan University GPA falls below 2.0, that student is placed on academic probation. The student then has the next two consecutive courses to raise his or her SWU GPA to 2.0. If by the end of the second course the student has failed to achieve the required GPA, the student will be academically suspended.
An adult undergraduate student admitted conditionally based on an incoming GPA of less than 2.0 must maintain a 2.0 in both of the first two courses in the sequence in order to continue in the program. If conditions are not met, administrative withdrawal from the program will occur.
Academic Suspension
Academic suspension results if the terms of probation are not met (see above). Suspended students are not eligible for readmission for six months. After that period, a formal application for readmission must be submitted in accordance with the admissions procedures of Southern Wesleyan University. In addition, the applicant should explain the reason for the academic deficiencies, the manner in which the intervening time has been spent, and why the applicant should be considered for readmission.
If a student has received two sequential course grades of incomplete (I), two grades of 0.0, or a combination of one incomplete and one grade of 0.0 he or she will be administratively withdrawn (though not academically suspended). Arrangements must be made through the Academic Records Office to re-enter the program.
Further information
For pricing, class start, and general program information, call 1-800-264-5327. For financial aid, grade information, and specific class schedules, call 1-800-282-8798.
GRADUATE PROGRAMS ACADEMIC INFORMATION
The university offers the following graduate programs: Master of Business Administration, Master of Education and Master of Science in Management. All other graduate programs are offered at selected approved sites in South Carolina. They are all designed with the working adult in mind.
Transfer policy
For all programs except the M.Ed., a maximum of two three-semester hour graduate-level courses for a total of six semester hours may be transferred from other regionally accredited institutions provided that
· The grade for the transferred course is 3.0 (B) or greater.
· The course was completed within the previous five years.
· The program director judges the course to satisfy specified requirements in the graduate curriculum.
Up to twelve hours of elective credit can be accepted in the M. Ed. Program if the course work has been completed in the student’s area of certification and if no course was completed longer than five years prior to starting the SWU M.Ed. program.
Candidacy
Candidacy for the master's degree is achieved upon regular admission to the respective program.
Good Standing & Probation
For a graduate student to remain in good standing, he or she must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Students whose GPA falls below 3.0 will be placed on academic probation. If a GPA of 3.0 is not achieved at the end of the next two courses taken at SWU, the student will be academically suspended.
Any student in a master's program who receives grades lower than 2.7 for two courses (3.0 or lower in the M.Ed. Program) will meet with the assigned academic advisor and be placed on academic probation. If another course grade lower than 2.7 (3.0 in M.Ed.) is earned, the student will not be permitted to continue in the program. Appeals to action taken under this policy must be submitted to the graduate faculty for consideration.
A graduate student admitted conditionally based on an undergraduate GPA of less than 3.0 must achieve at least a 3.0 in each of his or her first two courses in order to continue in the program. If conditions are not met, administrative withdrawal from the program will occur.
Withdrawal from Courses
To accommodate legitimate personal or professional crises, a master’s student may be allowed to withdraw from a course, with a grade of WG. The withdrawal must occur before the last meeting of the course. No student may earn more than two grades of WG.
Residency Requirement
A student must attend classes on the Central campus of Southern Wesleyan University or at another approved site and complete at least eighty percent of the required hours of the curriculum in residency with Southern Wesleyan University (note exception for students in the M. Ed. Program who transfer in courses in their area of certification). (See transfer policy, above.)
General Graduation Requirements
Complete the specified curriculum with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on all work attempted) within a five-year period from initial enrollment in the program.
· Complete each core course with a grade of 2.0 or higher.
· Meet all specific program requirements.
· Pay all tuition, fees, and other charges.
Study Groups
During the first course in each sequence, students must form study groups of three to five members. Each student must be a member of a study group. Weekly attendance is required and will be monitored. Non-attendance at study group meetings will be handled the same as non-attendance for in-class instruction. Specifically, students’ grades may be affected and/or students may be withdrawn from the class for absences as outlined by institutional attendance policy. The attendance and grading policy for the study group participation and the in-class participation parallel each other.
Southern Wesleyan University reserves the right to administratively reorganize study groups or request that study groups be restructured to comply with the university and government regulations.