Policies

General

Student Conduct and Due Process
Drug Free Awareness
Student Records
Technical and Student Email Requirements
Policy Disclaimer

Admissions

Requirements
Transfer Credit
Enrollment Options
Admissions Status Policy
Nondiscrimination Policy
Accommodation for Disabilities

Academic

Academic Course Load Policy
Course Completion Policy
Course Extension
Special Needs Extension
Academic Integrity
Plagiarism Policy
Final Examination Proctor Policy
Examination Procedures
Course Retake/Extra Credit Policies
Grade Appeal Policy
Non-Academic Appeals and Grievances
Academic Progress, Probation and Suspension
Inactive Status
Graduation Requirements
Graduation with Honors
Transcripts

Tuition

Tuition Refund Policy

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General

Student Conduct and Due Process
Students will receive written notice in the event that the university feels that the student’s conduct warrants disciplinary action and/or expulsion. Students may contest the university’s findings and conclusions, with a written challenge directed to the Grievance Committee. The Grievance Committee will review all written challenges within ten days of receipt. Soon thereafter you will be notified of the committee’s decision.

Within 15 days after receiving the decision of the Grievance Committee, students have the right to appeal the decision to the president of the CSU. Decisions rendered by the president are final.

Drug Free Awareness
The Drug Free Schools and Communities Act of 1989 (Public Law 101-226) requires institutions receiving federal financial assistance to implement and enforce drug prevention programs and policies.

As a matter of policy, CSU prohibits the manufacture and unlawful possession, use, or distribution of illicit drugs and alcohol by students and employees on its property and at any school activity. Any violation of this policy will result in appropriate disciplinary actions, up to and including expulsion (in the case of students) and termination (in the case of employees), even for a first offense. Where it is apparent that a violation of the law has occurred, the appropriate law enforcement authorities will be notified.

In certain cases, students or employees may be referred to counseling sources and/or substance abuse help centers. If such a referral is made, continued enrollment or employment will be subject to successful completion of any prescribed counseling or treatment program.

Student Records
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) affords a student certain rights with respect to their educational records. CSU acknowledges these rights and a student’s access to records as university policy.

The student has the right to:

Inspect and review her/his educational records within 45 days of the day the university Registrar receives a request for access.
Request the amendment of the educational record that the student believes is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA.
Provide written consent before CSU discloses personally identifiable information from the student’s educational records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
File a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education.

The school has the responsibility to:

Publish an annual notice describing the students’ rights.
Must specify which school officials with legitimate educational interest have access to student education records without student consent.
Provide notification of designated directory information – name, address, major, etc. (Student does have the right to refuse the release of directory information without their written consent).
Must maintain a record of each request (who and why) for access to and disclosure of personally identifiable information without written consent from the student unless the request was from the:

Student
School official with legitimate educational interest
Directory information only
Party seeking records due to a law enforcement subpoena with the criteria that subpoena not be disclosed

Requests by students to inspect, review, or amend must be submitted in writing and include the following:

Record the student wishes to inspect
Purpose of the disclosure
Records that may be disclosed
The party or class of parties to whom the disclosure may be made
Signature and date

Recently, the FERPA regulations have been amended to allow that request to be made electronically. In addition to the aforementioned information, the consent form must:

Identify and authenticate a particular person as the source of the electronic consent.
Indicate that person's approval of the information contained in the electronic consent.

For requests to amend, students must clearly identify the portion of the educational record the student is requesting be changed, and specify why the record should be changed. If the requested change is not approved, the student will be notified of the university decision, and the student’s right to a hearing. Students are informed of those instances where FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent in the catalogue information (electronically and in print).

There are some instances when consent is not required. Those parties to which personally identifiable information can be released without consent are:

School officials with legitimate educational interests
U.S. Comptroller General, U.S. Attorney General, U.S. Department of Education
State and local officials
Authorized organizations conducting educational research
Accrediting agencies
Alleged victim of a crime
Parent of a dependent student as defined by the IRS
Parent of a student under 21 regarding the violation of a law regarding alcohol or drug abuse

To Whose Record does the Act apply?
FERPA applies to the education records of persons who are, or have been, in attendance at Columbia Southern University, including students in continuing education programs sponsored by the university. FERPA does not apply to records of applicants who are denied admittance or, if accepted, do not attend Columbia Southern University.

To What Records Does the Act Apply?
The act applies to all education records maintained by Columbia Southern University, and all parties acting for Columbia Southern University, which are directly related to a student. Records containing a student's name, identification number, or other personally identifiable information, in whatever medium, are covered by FERPA unless identified in one of the act's excluded categories.

Enforcement and Penalties
The Registrar is responsible for university compliance with this policy. Responsibility for administering the act by the federal government has been assigned to the Family Policy Compliance Office within the United States Department of Education. This office reviews and investigates complaints and attempts to bring compliance through voluntary means.

Annual Notification Required
Columbia Southern University will provide an annual notification to currently enrolled students concerning their rights under FERPA.

The annual notice will contain the following information:

The right of the student to inspect and review education records.
The right of a student to petition Columbia Southern University to amend or correct any part of the education record believed to be inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the privacy rights of the student.
The right of the student to control the disclosure of personally identifiable information contained in the student's educational records, except as otherwise authorized by law.
The right of any person to file a complaint with the Family Policy and Regulations Office, US Department of Education, Washington DC, 20202, if Columbia Southern University violates this law.
The right of the student to obtain a copy of this policy.

Technical and Student Email Requirements
Curriculum at CSU is delivered completely online allowing students access to their course material any time from any where. As a result, it is required of all students to have computer and internet access, along with a valid email address. The course syllabus, study guide, and examinations are all provided within the online course.

Policy Disclaimer
At CSU, we are committed to ensuring that our students are kept informed of the latest principles, theories, and applications pertaining to their studies. However, CSU reserves the right to make changes as deemed appropriate in our course offerings, curricula, academic policies, and other rules and regulations affecting students without prior notification.

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Admissions

Requirements

Undergraduate Programs - High School Diploma or GED
Graduate Programs - Accredited Bachelor’s Degree
Doctoral Program – Accredited Master’s of Business Administration Degree and two years of professional experience post baccalaureate

Computer Access
CSU students must have access to the Internet and an e-mail account in order to complete a program of study at CSU. If personal Internet service is unavailable, you are encouraged to contact local libraries, schools, or a public business to locate access to the Internet. Microsoft Word and Adobe Reader are also required. Other Microsoft Office products may be required for information technology courses such as ITC 3001. Click here to download Adobe Reader for free.

International Students
International Students who are citizens of a country where English is not the primary language are required to submit one of the following prior to admission:

An official copy of TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
A minimum of 500 in the paper-based version, 173 in the computer-based version, or 61 in the internet-based version of the TOEFL is required for admission.

International English Language Testing System Exam (IELTS)
A minimum of 61 in the internet-based test or a Band 5 or higher is required.

TOEFL and IELTS scores are not required from:

International students who have completed two years of study in which English was the language of instruction, or
International students whose English language transcripts have been accepted by institutions domiciled in the U.S. and Canada.
Written proof of successfully completing (2.0 GPA or higher) at least 30 academic credits of college/university level courses that are transferable and that were taught completely in English.
Written proof of attaining the C Level English certificate issued by the Government of Vietnam.

Transcripts not in U.S. equivalency must be translated through a National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) approved translating service. Please visit www.naces.org for more information.

Transfer Credit

CSU allows maximum transfer credit for your prior academic credits, training experience and relevant professional licenses and certifications. Up to 75 percent of undergraduate courses and 50 percent of graduate courses can be transferred into your degree program. Students are allowed to transfer in 15 percent of coursework into the DBA program.

Academic Credit
CSU accepts transfer academic credit from institutions accredited by agencies recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and/or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). For prior undergraduate academic credit to be eligible for transfer grades earned must be a “C” or higher. However, a maximum of three courses in which a “D” was earned may be considered during the admission process. “D’s” are not accepted as transfer credit for English Composition I, II or their equivalent. For prior academic credit to be eligible for transfer at the master’s degree level, grades earned must be a “B” or higher. However, a maximum of one course in which a “C” was earned may be considered for acceptance.

Professional Licenses, Certificates, and Training Programs
CSU uses guidelines established by the American Council on Education (ACE) to determine if certain training programs, certificates, professional licenses, and/or military training warrant awarding academic credit. The following ACE publications are used.

The National Guide to Education Credit for Training Programs
For 30 years, this guide has been a trusted source of information on thousands of educational courses offered by business, labor unions, schools, training suppliers, professional and voluntary associations, and government agencies. These courses provide academic credit to students for learning acquired at leading organizations. Each entry in the comprehensive National Guide provides: course title; location of all sites where the course is offered; length in hours, days, or weeks; period during which the credit recommendation applies; purpose for which the credit was designed; learning outcomes; teaching methods, materials, and major subject areas covered; and college credit recommendations offered in four categories (by level of degrees) and expressed in semester hours and subject area(s) in which credit is applicable.

Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Forces
This three-volume set of guidebooks is the standard reference tool used by most U.S. colleges and universities to award academic credit for military learning. Contains more than 8,000 courses offered by the U.S. armed services and defense department between January 1990 and the present. The Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Forces is updated every two years. Every six months, ACE publishes a Handbook to the Guide.

The National Guide to Education Credit for Training Programs, the Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Forces, and the Handbook are available at most public libraries. The Guide (Armed Forces) and the Handbook are usually available at military education services offices.
Transfer Credit by Examination

CSU accepts credit by examination from the following:

The College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education (DANTES)

Experiential Learning
CSU recognizes that you may have gained knowledge and skills through various work/life experiences and independent learning that may be equivalent to one of our courses. To receive college credit for experiential learning, it must be properly documented in a Prior Learning Portfolio. For guidelines regarding the Prior Learning Portfolio and experiential learning, please visit the student services section of our website.

Academic credit awarded for experiential learning cannot exceed the following:

Associate Degree Programs

15 credit hours of CSU general education and/or business/criminal justice courses

Bachelor Degree Programs

15 credit hours of general education coursework
15 credit hours of CSU core and/or concentration courses

Master Degree Programs

9 credit hours of CSU major and/or concentration courses

DBA Programs

DBA students cannot receive college credit for experiential learning

CSU follows the guidelines suggested by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) to determine credit for Experiential Learning,

The university policy for the awarding of academic credit on the basis of Experiential Learning is outlined below:

Academic credit can be awarded only for the measurable learning outcomes, not the experience alone.
Academic credit can only be awarded for college level learning.
Academic credit can only be awarded when the student demonstrates to the University that the prior learning acquired had an appropriate balance of theory and practical application.
Appropriate professional faculty or the Academic Dean makes decisions regarding the awarding of academic credit for experiential learning.
Academic credit will only be awarded for transfer credit and learning when it is deemed to be the equivalent to one of CSU's course offerings.

Credits awarded for experiential learning appear as PA (Portfolio Assessment) on transcripts. Letter grades are not assigned. Following enrollment and prior to graduation, you must complete your Prior Learning Portfolio. If denied, you will be required to complete those course(s) before graduating.

Enrollment Options

The CSU Admissions Department is available to guide you through the process of enrolling and registering for courses. We offer two convenient enrollment systems – the Per-Course/Open Enrollment System and Term Enrollment System.

Per-Course/Open Enrollment System (10 Week Courses)

The CSU Per-Course Enrollment System allows students to begin a course at any time. There are no predetermined semester or session dates. Students may take one course after another or multiple courses simultaneously.

Courses are designed in an independent study model and are 10-weeks in length. This system is very flexible and is recommended for all students who are not required to use term enrollment.

Term Enrollment System (8 Week Courses)

Students using Federal Financial Aid or VA Benefits must use the Term Enrollment System. Courses must be completed within 8-weeks, have set start and end dates, and are cohort based. All students in the course will start the course together and proceed through the course on the same timeline.

The CSU Term Enrollment System is divided into two tracks – Schedule A and Schedule B. Schedule B. Schedule B starts approximately four weeks after Schedule A, allowing students to begin their degree program almost any month of the year. Students should refer to the Academic Calendar for term start dates, drop dates, end dates and registration periods. Courses available for these terms can be found on the term course schedule (pdf).

Students must submit discussion board postings and other assignments by the weekly due date. You can enroll in one or multiple courses during each eight week term. Please note that there are several differences between Term Enrollment System and Per-Course Enrollment System policies.

Temporary Status Enrollment (Per-Course Enrollment System Only)

Students who wish to begin enrolling in courses immediately after submitting their Application for Admission may do so under “Temporary” Admissions Status and while “Temporary,” may complete up to 13 undergraduate credit hours or 7 graduate credit hours. Once all transcripts are received and evaluated, an Application Evaluation Report will be issued and the student’s status changed. For more information about temporary status, view the admission status page.

Admissions Status Policy

Students may enroll at CSU under one of the following:

Temporary – Application submitted but has not been approved and evaluated for transfer credit.
Conditional – Application approved and transfer credit evaluated based on copies of transcripts.
Accepted – Application approved, transfer credit evaluated, and all required official transcripts on file (required for students to use VA Benefits or Federal Student Aid).

Students who wish to begin enrolling in courses immediately after submitting their application may do so under “Temporary” Admissions Status and while “Temporary,” may complete up to 13 undergraduate credit hours or 7 graduate credit hours. Once all transcripts are received and evaluated, an Application Evaluation Report will be issued and the student’s status changed. If the evaluation has been completed using copies of official transcripts, “Conditional” status will be granted. Once all official transcripts are received, the status will be changed to “Accepted.”

When enrolling in courses while on “Temporary” status, the student is responsible to select courses that he/she will not transfer to CSU and that will fulfill the requirements of his/her selected program of study. Information on CSU program course requirements can be found on the CSU Web site. For assistance on course selection, students may contact the CSU Admissions Department at 800-977-8449 or admissions@columbiasouthern.edu.

Before enrolling under “Temporary” status, the student should make certain he/she meets the CSU Admissions Requirements of a High School Diploma or GED for Undergraduate Programs and an accredited Bachelor Degree for Graduate Program. CSU only accepts transfer academic credit from institutions accredited by agencies that are recognized by the United States Secretary of Education and/or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or, for non-U.S. institutions, an accepted foreign equivalent that is listed in the International Handbook of Universities.

A CSU transcript cannot be issued while a student is on “Temporary” status. A CSU transcript may be issued for students on “Conditional” status but will not list transfer credit. A CSU transcript may be issued for students on “Accepted” status listing all institutional credit.

Course Recommendations for Students on Temporary Status
As stated in the Admissions Status Policy, the student is responsible for selecting courses he/she will not transfer to CSU. Because the Transfer Credit Evaluation has not been completed for students on Temporary status, CSU cannot provide academic advising. However, the following general recommendations are provided on the basis of the following:

The student only enrolls in courses he/she is certain will not be transferred to CSU.
The student only enrolls in courses he/she is certain meet the requirements of the selected program.

Courses listed below are suggested first courses for students to take. However, statements number one and number two above should be considered prior to enrolling in the courses. Any of the courses listed below may be taken if you are certain they will meet your program needs.

General Education (Please note the different suggestions for military and non-military students.)

Military
HY 1120 American History II
HY 1020 Western Civilization II
AST 2200 Exploration in Astronomy
ES 1010 Earth Science I
HY 1010 Western Civilization I
HY 1110 American History I

Note: The active military student almost always transfers in credit fulfilling the requirements of Humanities/Communications/Fine Arts. Therefore, students should not take courses in the Social/Behavioral Science area because they often transfer in Principles of Management and an additional social science course from their ACE transcript.

Non-Military
Social and Behavioral Science

PS 1010 American Government
PSY 1010 General Psychology
SOC 1010 Introduction to Sociology
SOC 2010 Survey of Global Societies and Cultural Geography

Humanities/ Fine Arts/Communications
CS 1010 Computer Essentials
MUS 1010 Introduction to Music Appreciation
CM 1010 Business Communications
AR 1010 Art Appreciation
SP 1010 Speech

History
HY 1120 American History II
HY 1020 Western Civilization II
HY 1010 Western Civilization I
HY 1110 American History

Natural Science
AST 2200 Exploration in Astronomy
ES 1010 Earth Science I

Major Courses

B.S. Business
BBA 2010 Introduction to Business
BBA 3651 Leadership (not recommend for military because the majority transfer this in with ACE transcript)
BBA 3201 Principles of Marketing

B.S. Criminal Justice
BBA 3651 Leadership (not recommend for military because the majority transfer this in with ACE transcript)
BCJ 3601 Criminal Law
BCJ 4101 Police and Community Relations

B.S. Environmental Management
BEM 3101 Environmental Science
BEM 3501 Air Quality
BEM 3201 Environmental Assessment

B.S. Fire Science
BFS 3251 Introduction to Fire Protection
BFS 3601 Fire Prevention Organization and Management
BFS 3501 Advanced Fire Administration

B.S. Health Care Administration
BBA 3201 Principles of Marketing
BHA 3002 Healthcare Management
BHA 3801 Critical Issues in Healthcare

B.S. in Hospitality and Tourism
BHM 3010 Introduction to Hospitality
BHM 3020 Introduction to Tourism
BHM 3951 Destination Marketing and Geography

B.S. Human Resource Management
BBA 2551 Intercultural Management
BBA 3651 Leadership (not recommend for military because the majority transfer this in with ACE transcript)
BHR 4601 Staffing Organizations

B.S. Information Technology
ITC 3001 Personal Computer Fundamentals
BBA 3331 E-Commerce
BBA 3551 Information Systems Management

B.S. Marketing
BBA 3201 Principles of Marketing
BBA 3602 Principles of Management (not recommend for military because the majority transfer this in with ACE transcript)
MAR 2251 Internet Marketing Principles

B.S. Occupational Safety and Health
BOS 3125 Hazardous Materials Management
BOS 3401 Construction Safety
BOS 3001 Fundamentals of Occupational Safety and Health

B.S. Psychology
PSY 2010 Abnormal Psychology
PSY 3019 History and Systems of Psychology
PSY 3010 Theories of Personality

MBA
MHR 6451 Human Resource Management
MBA 5501 Advanced Marketing
BA 6001 Organizational Research and Theory

M.S. Criminal Justice
MCJ 5135 Theory of Crime and Criminology
MCJ 5078 Computer Applications for CJ Administration
MCJ 5390 Critical Analysis of CJ Administration

M.S. Occupational Safety and Health
MOS 5101 Safety and Accident Prevention
MOS 5201 Safety Engineering
MHR 6551 Training and Development

Nondiscrimination Policy
CSU provides equal educational opportunity and does not discriminate with respect to race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, physical handicap, age, marital status, sex or status such as a disabled veteran.

Accommodation for Disabilities
It is the policy of CSU to provide reasonable accommodation for persons defined as disabled under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and all other local and state requirements dealing with students who have recognized disabilities.

A request for reasonable accommodation will be granted provided that the following criteria are met:

The request for reasonable accommodation is based on individual needs.
The request does not require a financial burden on CSU that is beyond what is viewed as customary and reasonable.
The request does not compromise the basic requirements of the course.

The Students Services Department serves the special needs of students with permanent disabilities. It is the student’s responsibility to identify the disability to a faculty and/or staff member and provide the appropriate documentation from a qualified medical or licensed professional in requesting specific accommodations for services. New students should submit this documentation at least ten days prior to taking their first class at CSU.

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Academic

Academic Course Load Policy
At CSU, students are allowed to progress as quickly through their program of study as they are able, but within defined parameters. Owing to personal and professional obligations, the majority of CSU students take seven to ten weeks to complete a course. However, there are some students who may wish to progress through their program of study at a faster, but unacceptable, pace.

Accelerating course completion beyond what is academically sound defeats the purpose of study, because little is comprehended and even less is retained. In addition, it is most likely that admissions counselors and prospective employers will unfavorably view transcripts that reflect “breakneck” speed of program completion.

To address this issue, CSU has an Academic Load policy. The policy that is outlined below restricts students from setting a pace that is viewed as academically unsound.

Per-Course Enrollment (10-Week Courses)
CSU Per-Course Enrollment allows students to begin a course at any time. Students may take one course after another or multiple courses simultaneously. The Dean of Students must approve all requests to take more than nine credit hours (3 courses) in any 10-week period. Students who request to take more than nine credit hours (3 courses) in any 10-week period must have a minimum GPA of 3.0. The maximum course load allowed is twelve credit hours within a 10-week period. Course load limits remain in place even if a student completes their course load before the end of the 10-week period. No single course may be completed in less than a three-week period. (Note: Students who take seven credit hours or more in any 10-week period are deemed to be full time students.)

Examples
Example 1: A student desires to take twelve credit hours (4 courses simultaneously) and obtains permission to do so from the Dean of Students. The student begins all four courses on December 1st. The 10-week period ends February 9th. The student completes all four courses by the 8th week. The student has taken the maximum course load and therefore must wait two weeks until the 10-week period ends on February 9th before beginning any additional courses.

Example 2: A student does not seek approval for the maximum load of 12 hours and therefore may take up to 9 hours (3 courses) within a ten-week period. The student decides he/she does not wish to take more than two courses simultaneously and registers for six hours (two courses). The courses begin on December 1st. The 10-week period ends February 9th. The student completes the two courses by the 8th week. The student has two weeks remaining in the 10-week period in which 9 hours may not be exceeded. The student has two choices. (1) He/she may wait until the 10th week ends on February 9th and begin two or three courses simultaneously; (2) He/she may begin one course immediately on the 8th week and begin one or two additional courses after February 9th.

Example 3: The student desires to focus on one course at a time and complete each course quickly. Per the policy, the student does not seek approval to take twelve hours in a 10-week period and is therefore limited to a course load of nine credit hours. The policy also states that the minimum time a student may complete a single course is three weeks.

Therefore, at a minimum the student should spread his/her assignment submissions over a three-week period. A final grade for the course will not be issued before the 3rd course week ends. The student may begin the 2nd and 3rd course at any time because the student has not reached the 9-hour limit for a 10-week period. If the student begins a new course on the 3rd week of the first course and again on the 6th week, the student has reached the nine-hour limit on the 6th week. If each course is completed in three weeks, the 3rd course would be completed approximately on the 9th week. The student must wait until after the 10th week of the first course before beginning an additional course.

Term Enrollment (8-week terms)
The Dean of Students must approve all course loads over seven credit hours. Students requesting course loads over seven hours must have a minimum GPA of 3.0. The maximum course load allowed is nine credit hours (3 courses). A student may seek approval to take courses in overlapping terms. If approval is granted, the course load during the overlapping period must comply with this policy even though the courses are in different terms. Course load limits remain in place even if all course assignments are submitted before the end of the term. Course Grade Reports will be issued at the end of the term. Note: A full-time load in an 8-week term is 6 hours or greater (2 courses).
Students may not be enrolled in more than two terms at any given time. This means that all coursework from the previous term must be completed and submitted even if on course extension, before enrollment in the third term will be processed.

Term Enrollment Explanation:
With the Term system, there are set start and end dates for each term. A Term is approximately eight weeks in length. Within a term, students may register for up to seven credit hours without seeking approval from the Dean of Students. Students normally enroll in Terms consecutively within either Schedule A or Schedule B. However, if warranted and approved, a student may take a course in an overlapping Term. For example, a student takes one course in Term 1A and starts a 2nd course one month later in Term 1B. These Terms will overlap for approximately 30 days. Students may not enroll in overlapping terms in an effort to exceed the maximum course load. Because the Terms overlap, they will be considered as one Term in regards to the course load. The example student would only be allowed to take one course in Term 1B because he/she is already enrolled in a course in Term 1A. Because Terms have set end dates, the final course grade will not be issued until the end of the Term.

Course Completion Policy
When a student’s course end date or course extension date ends all course assignments not completed will be assigned a grade of zero. The student’s grade will then be calculated on the weighted scores earned on all course assignments. For example, if a student completes an assignment with a score of 100 on all but one course assignment worth 25 points, a grade of zero would be posted for the 25 point assignment and the student would earn a course grade of 75. The student is encouraged to complete all the assignments in the course. The student is also encouraged not to allow a course grade to post without all assignments being completed. CSU strongly recommends that the student request a course extension before the course end date and complete all remaining assignments during the extension period. The student is reminded that if a student’s GPA falls below a 2.00 for undergraduates or 3.00 for graduates the student will be placed on probation and possible suspension if the GPA is not raised.

Course Extension
Any student not completing his/her course in the ten week time frame allotted will have the option to request an extension from the university. The university must receive this request within one week of the end of the original ten week period. The extension will provide an additional 30 days in which the student will be allowed to complete the course. For each course that a thirty day extension is requested there will be $50 fee. A maximum of two thirty day extensions are allowed for each course. Students who do not complete the course on which the extension was granted within the extension period requested will receive an “I/F” (Incomplete/F) for this course. In such instances, the course must be taken over again in its entirety and the student is required to pay full tuition of the course.

Special Needs Extension

A Special Needs Extension may be approved for up to 120-days from the original end date. It is reserved for those students who encounter unusual circumstances that prevent them from completing a course within a standard 60-Day Course Extension. The following are required for Special Needs Extension approval:

The student must be able to complete the course within a maximum of 120 days from the course end date. No additional time may be given past this timeframe.
The student must be making progress in the course. If no progress has been made, the student must justify the lack of progress.
The student's circumstance must involve an unusual or critical circumstance such as Military deployment, TDY/TAD, PCS, major surgery, natural disaster, family emergency, death of an immediate family member, or job relocation.
The student must submit official documentation that substantiates the circumstance and dates that the student will be affected, as well as a written plan for completion of the course. Requests that are received without support documentation and specific goal dates will not be considered.
The online Special Needs Extension form must be completed and submitted prior to the course end date or the end of a standard extension. Also, the form should be submitted prior to or at the outset of the unusual or critical circumstance.

To request a Special Needs Extension, the student must complete and submit the Special Needs Extension Request Form found at the bottom of this page. This form includes the reason for the extension and the student’s plan for completion. Please note that approval is not automatic. The Special Needs Extension Committee will review and decide on the approval of each request. Students will be notified normally within five (5) business days of receipt of request and supporting documentation.

Term students are eligible for the Special Needs Extension, however it will be for a maximum of 60 days from the original course end date, according to CSU's agreement with the Alabama State Approving Agency. Term students can not extend their course any longer than 60 days for any reason.

If approved, the maximum length of the Special Needs Extension will be 120 days from the original course end date. If the unusual circumstance does not allow the completion of the course within 120 days, the student should submit a request to the Special Needs Committee requesting permission to withdraw. The approval or denial to withdraw will be made by the committee. The textbook must be returned before a grade of "W" will be posted to the student's record. Please remember that the withdrawal request must be made before the original end date of a course. Only one Special Needs Extension may be granted for each course.

Students who do not complete the course within the extension period requested will receive a course grade calculated on the weighted scores of all completed course assignments. All assignments left undone will be assigned a grade of zero. If the calculated grade is an "F", the course must be taken over in its entirety and the student will be required to pay the current tuition rates for the course.

If you have additional questions before submitting your request, please contact Carmen Daniel in Student Services at 800.977.8449, ext. 184, or by email: carmen.daniel@columbiasouthern.edu.

To Request a Special Needs Extension, click on the link below and complete the form. The form and supporting documentation may be faxed to Student Services at 251-224-0550 or mailed to Columbia Southern University, Attn: Special Needs Extension Committee, PO Box 3110, Orange Beach, AL 36561. The student may also scan and email the form and documentation to: carmen.daniel@columbiasouthern.edu.

Please remember, request forms that are received without supporting documentation, including submission goal dates, will not be considered.

Download the Special Needs Extension Request (MS Word format)

Academic Integrity
Cheating or other forms of deception is cause for dismissal. Examples of cheating include the following:

Utilizing another student’s answers during an exam
Using unauthorized materials during an exam
Having someone take your exam for you
Using unauthorized test materials
Disseminating exams to others
Plagiarism
Falsifying information

Other causes for dismissal from Columbia Southern University include:

Failure to pay tuition or fees due
Failure to abide by University Rules and Regulations

Plagiarism Policy
Plagiarism is using someone else’s words or ideas and representing them as your own without giving due credit to your source of information. This includes copying word-for-word from a book, magazine, newspaper, website, or any other sources without giving credit to that source. If you incorporate another author’s writings into your paper, you must include this text in quotation marks, if directly quoted, and cite your source(s). Provide citations when using the ideas of other authors, even if those ideas are paraphrased or summarized in your own words.

Intentional plagiarism is deliberate cheating and includes, but is not limited to:

Downloading a free research paper or purchasing a paper online.
Buying a paper from a commercial paper mill.
Faking a citation.
Submitting a paper written by someone else.
Copying an entire article or a paper from any source.
Resubmitting a paper that you have submitted for another course.

Unintentional plagiarism can occur when a writer commits the following acts:

Copying and pasting to recreate a paper from several courses without citing them.
Copying or paraphrasing sentences or paragraphs from sources without using proper citations.

Plagiarism, whether intentional or unintentional, remains a very serious academic offense.

Final Examination Proctor Policy

Final examinations are to be administered to students by an approved proctor on a date that is mutually convenient. The student is responsible for selecting a qualified proctor that must be approved by the university. A list of acceptable proctors is provided in the Examination Proctor Policy. Proctors must submit a signed Proctor Agreement to CSU for approval before being allowed to proctor an exam. Students may have up to three approved proctors on file. Proctors are to verify the student’s identity, remain in proximity while the student takes the exam, assures that the four hour exam time limit is strictly adhered to, and assures that only the course text and a calculator are allowed during the exam. Proctor forms can be found at http://www.columbiasouthern.edu/student_center/downloads/proctorpolicies.doc

Examination Procedures

Students must provide the desired proctor with the Final Examination Proctor Policy and CSU Proctor Agreement. The proctor will complete and submit the agreement to CSU. Students and proctors may assume the proctor is approved unless otherwise notified by CSU.
Students should allow time for the proctor to return the agreement to CSU and for processing before submitting the first/next Request to Take Proctored Final Examination.
Once an approved proctor(s) is listed on the student’s record, the student only needs to submit the Request to Take Proctored Final Examination Form in which the pre-approved proctor is listed. CSU will process the request and send online final exam instructions to the identified pre-approved proctor.

Course Retake/Extra Credit Policies

Graduate Courses
The graduate course in which a grade below “C” is received must be repeated at CSU. In cases where a student repeats a course, the hours attempted are counted once, and the lowest grade is deleted as credit cannot be given twice for the same course. If a student needs to repeat a course, please contact Student Services for instructions.

Undergraduate courses
Undergraduate students must earn a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or higher on a 4.0 scale. Students earning a grade of “D” or below may wish to request an extra credit assignment. However, the student must have completed all assignments in the course to be eligible to request an extra credit assignment. A maximum of 10 points may be earned though extra credit. This option is available only to those students who have completed all of the assignments and that no academic dishonesty has occurred. Students must contact Student Services to request an extra credit assignment. An extra credit assignment fee of $50 is required.

Students earning a “D” or below in a course also have the option of repeating the course. If a course is repeated, the hours attempted are counted once and the lowest grade is deleted as credit cannot be given twice for the same course.

Extra credit assignments are only available at the undergraduate level. Extra credit assignments must be requested no later than 45 days after the course completion date. The extra credit assignment must be completed no later than 60 days after the course completion date.

Once they have received the Extra Credit Application Form, Student Services will notify the course professor and request that they approve an extra credit assignment. The course professor can decide to or not to allow the student to complete an extra credit assignment. If the professor agrees to allow a student to complete an extra credit assignment, the professor is responsible for determining the nature of the extra credit assignment and the number of points (maximum of 10) to be awarded.

The following procedures must be followed when an extra credit assignment is approved by the professor.

The student must contact student services and request an Extra Credit Application Form.
The Extra Credit Application Form must be completed and submitted along with the $50 fee to the Academics Department. The form may be faxed to 251-968-2493 or emailed to shawn@columbiasouthern.edu. The form can be downloaded here.
The professor is contacted and informed that an Extra Credit Application Form has been received, and that the fee has been paid.
The professor is to then contact the student and copy student services about the requirements and deadline for completion of work to receive the extra credit.
Generally, the assignment will be short writing assignments.
The student’s due date is three weeks from the date the approval is given by the professor and received by student services.
The student then submits the work to student services, and the work is forwarded to the professor.
The professor then evaluates the work and submits the evaluation with the amount of extra credit earned to student services.
Student services then informs the student as to the outcome of the extra credit assignment.
If the work is not submitted to student services within the deadline period, no extra credit will be awarded.

The student must contact Student Services to request an Extra Credit Application Form.

Grade Appeal Policy
Students who believe that a grading discrepancy has occurred should follow the procedures listed below.

Direct your grade challenge to your course professor via email.
Include in this written correspondence the course name and number, the exam (unit or final), and the full text of the question or questions at issue, the page number and text that you feel supports your answer.
Forward a copy of this email to Student Services. students@columbiasouthern.edu
To allow the CSU faculty to effectively process an exam challenge, CSU requires that the exam challenge (grade challenge) be submitted within 14 days of the grade report date.
Allow 5-7 business days for a reply.

All grades must be challenged within fourteen days from the date CSU posts the grade.

Non-Academic Appeals and Grievances
From time to time students may have questions concerning administrative policies or operations. Generally there are logical explanations for situations and usually most questions can be resolved in an informal manner through discussion with the individual or office involved. In instances where a student raises a question about a policy or decision, the affected staff member will respond. If it is not possible to resolve a matter through discussion, a student may appeal for further consideration by voicing the concern to the Dean of Students. The student must present his/her appeal in writing to the Grievance Committee. Should a student not be satisfied with the action taken by the Grievance Committee, the student may appeal the decision to the CSU President. This policy is designed in accordance with the SPRE (State Postsecondary Review Entity) Guidelines and is intended to ensure that the student is given fair and equitable consideration in any matter that may arise.

Academic Progress, Probation, and Suspension
Students are required to have minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 in undergraduate programs and a 3.00 in graduate programs. Academic standards of performance have been established to ensure satisfactory progress toward a degree. These performance standards form a basis for the following academic classifications.

Good Standing (active)
Academic probation
Academic suspension

Guidelines and procedures for placing students in the above classifications include:

Good Standing (Active)
To be a student in good standing, a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00 for undergraduates and 3.00 for graduates must be maintained.

Academic Probation
Upon the completion of a minimum of 12 credit hours, a student will automatically be placed on academic probation at anytime that his/her cumulative GPA drops below the required minimum. A student will remain on academic probation for 12 credit hours (four courses) unless the student brings the GPA up to the minimum requirement while taking any of these four courses. While on academic probation, a student will have to demonstrate satisfactory progress, and take a maximum of two courses at one time. A student will not be permitted to enroll in a fifth course after being placed on academic probation until completion of the fourth course and once the academic status is determined.

Satisfactory progress requires that a student either raise the cumulative GPA to an acceptable level, or that the student makes progress towards earning the acceptable GPA during the probationary period, as detailed below:

If after completing any of the four courses required for the probationary period, the student raises the cumulative GPA to 2.00 or higher for undergraduates and/or 3.00 or higher for graduates, the student will come off probation and be placed in Good Standing.

If the GPA for the probationary period is 2.5 or higher for undergraduates and/or 3.5 or higher for graduates, but the student does not raise the cumulative GPA to the minimum 2.00 or higher for undergraduates and/or 3.00 or higher for graduates, a new probation period will begin.

Academic Suspension
Should the probationary student fail to demonstrate satisfactory progress, he/she will be academically suspended for a period no less than 10 weeks. A student may request a reinstatement after the ten weeks suspension period has expired. If a second suspension occurs, the student must leave the university for at least six months before being re-instated. The request for reinstatement in this case cannot be made until the six-month suspension period has expired. If a third suspension occurs, the student must wait a minimum of one calendar year before requesting readmission.

Requests for readmission must be made to the Dean of Students no later than one month prior to the term in which the student desires to enroll. Readmission following academic suspension will be determined by the Readmission Committee (composed of the Provost, Program Department Chair, Dean of Students) and is not automatic.

Students who enroll in other colleges or universities while on academic suspension from CSU will not be readmitted to CSU until the cumulative grade point average from these other colleges and universities is 2.00 or higher for undergraduate or 3.00 or higher for graduate.

Inactive Status
Students who do not submit any coursework within a twelve month period will be considered inactive and any tuition being held by the university will be forfeited. Students desiring to return to their studies must be reevaluated and will be subject to any changed academic requirements, tuition increases, and policy changes in force at the time of reenrollment. The student will also be assessed a $25 reevaluation fee.

Graduation Requirements
A 2.00 GPA is required for undergraduate students, and a 3.00 GPA is required for graduate students to be eligible for graduation. A minimum of 15 credit hours or five courses must be completed through CSU to be eligible to graduate from an associate program. A minimum of 30 credit hours, or 10 courses, must be completed with CSU to be eligible to graduate from a bachelor program. Master degree program students must complete at least 50 percent of the courses that comprise the program, 18 credit hours or six courses. No grade below a “C” is acceptable for credit toward a graduate degree. The graduate course in which a grade below a “C” is received must be repeated at CSU. Both the original grade and the grade for the repeated course will be counted in calculating the cumulative GPA.

Note: Students who entered CSU prior to November, 2007 must have completed the one credit hour CSU Student Orientation course.

Graduation with Honors
In order for a student enrolled in a bachelor degree program to graduate Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, or Cum Laude honors, they must earn the following grade point average.

Summa Cum Laude	4.00
Magna Cum Laude	3.8-3.99
Cum Laude	3.5-3.79

Honors are based upon coursework completed at CSU. Honor graduates must have no grades lower than a “C”, and must not have repeated any course taken at CSU.

Honors are not awarded for graduate degree programs.

Transcripts
A transcript bearing the university seal and signature of the registrar is the official copy of your permanent academic record. A transcript will be provided to you at time of graduation. Additional transcripts may be obtained by written request to the university.

Requesting a Transcript
Once a student has completed the first three credit hour course and course tuition is paid, the student may request an official CSU transcript. A $10 transcript fee applies. A CSU transcript may be requested by using the Transcript Request Form. This form may be downloaded from the Student Center website here. Please allow 7 to 10 business days for processing.

The transcript will be sent as a sealed Official Transcript to the institution or person indicted on the Transcript Request Form. An Unofficial Transcript may be faxed if indicted on the request form. Please note, the $10.00 transcript processing fee still applies whether the transcript is issued as Official or Unofficial.

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Tuition

Tuition Refund Policy
If CSU is notified of cancellation within five calendar days of the day the enrollment agreement was signed/submitted, all money paid to CSU will be refunded. All students withdrawing after five calendar days will be charged a 20 percent registration fee. The remaining tuition will be refunded based on the course start date and the tuition percentage amounts listed below:

1st week 80%
2nd week 60%
3rd week 40%
4th week 20%
5th week 0%