Students will receive an Academic Alert from their instructors during the seventh week of the semester when their grade falls below a “C”. The purpose of the Academic Alert is to inform the student of a potential problem while there is sufficient time in the semester to correct the deficiency. The Academic Alert is a signal to the student to meet with the instructor to discuss the problem and plan a strategy to ensure the student’s success in the class. The student’s advisor may be brought in to help.

Two semesters of instruction are offered each year. The fall and spring semesters are each 15 weeks in duration.

Summer sessions are two three week periods following spring semester in which as many as 6 hours may be taken.

When a student’s cumulative or semester GPA falls below a 2.0, the student will be placed on financial aid probation. Financial aid will continue through the probationary period. When a student’s cumulative or semester GPA falls below a 2.0 for a second consecutive semester, the student will be placed on financial aid suspension. Financial aid will not be awarded while the student is on financial aid suspension. The student may be allowed up to two semesters in which to remove the probationary status. If the student is allowed two semesters on academic probation, financial aid may continue during the first semester. If the probationary status is allowed to continue into a second semester, financial aid will cease. A second semester of academic probation is predicated upon the student making significant progress to raise his or her semester and cumulative GPA.

A student may be dismissed academically from Southwestern for the following reasons:

1. A semester GPA below a 1.0
2. A cumulative GPA below 2.0 after a period of academic probation
3. Unsatisfactory progress in the curriculum according to the Progress in Curriculum chart.

Southwestern College offers Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, and an Associate of Arts degree, as well as a Certificate in Bible.

BACHELOR DEGREES

Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees are offered in seven majors: Christian Ministries, Biblical Studies, Elementary and Secondary Education, Music Education, Music Ministry, Business Administration, and Behavioral Studies. The primary difference between the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degree is that the Bachelor of Arts requires two years of study in one foreign language.

ASSOCIATE DEGREE

An Associate degree is a two-year degree designed for students who desire to complete two years of college in the context of a Christian worldview. An Associate degree consists primarily of basic courses all college students must take, but they are taught from a distinctly Christian perspective and commitment. In addition, the degree includes Bible and theology courses that are foundational to a Christian education. An Associate degree is a starting point for a student who is seeking God’s will but is presently unclear about the direction God is leading.

CERTIFICATE IN BIBLE

The Certificate in Bible is a one-year, non-degree program designed to provide a concentrated exposure to college-level Bible and theology. It is especially appropriate for the person who desires to acquire a basic education in Bible without completing a college degree.

Students should follow their programs of study as closely as possible and be aware of prerequisites for certain courses. (See the notations regarding prerequisites following the course listings.)

Audited courses do not earn a grade. Students do not receive credit toward graduation for an audited course, nor do audited courses fulfill program requirements.

CHANGING AUDIT COURSES TO CREDIT COURSES

Auditing students may change from audit to credit at any time during the semester provided the Registrar’s Office is notified. A student must also have the instructor’s approval, fulfill all course requirements, and make an appropriate tuition adjustment with the Business Office.

CHANGING CREDIT COURSES TO AUDIT COURSES

Students wishing to change to audit must do so prior to the end of the third week. Either change must be accomplished on the Change of Schedule (available in the Registrar’s Office); changes are considered official as of the date the completed form is filed with the Registrar’s Office.

MINISTRY FIELD PRACTICUM

Christian Ministry Field Practicum is an internship course taken for credit, as opposed to a Christian Service assignment that is non-credit. This practicum may be used to fulfill a Christian Service requirement, but a Christian Service assignment will only serve as a practicum if it meets all the criteria required by the college’s Christian Ministry Field Practicum Guidelines (available from the Registrar’s Office) and the student registers for it as a course for credit. All practicums and internships must be approved prior to registration. No credit will be given after the fact.

CHRISTIAN SERVICE ASSIGNMENT

All students taking nine hours or more a semester must have a Christian Service assignment approved by the Director of Christian Service. Seven semesters of completed Christian Service assignments are required and entered on the student’s transcript. See Christian Service Manual for more information on policies and procedures.

The College Catalog specifies each student’s program of study and the academic regulations under which the student operates in effect at the time of enrollment. However, a student may choose to graduate under the requirements of the current Catalog.

Students seeking certification to teach in Arizona must meet the requirements in effect at the time of their graduation regardless of the requirements listed in the Catalog at the time of their original enrollment.

Any student who must reapply for admission will be admitted under the Catalog current at the time of readmittance.

A full-time enrolled student at Southwestern may be concurrently enrolled at another college or university under the following conditions.

1. Enrollment at another institution is limited to one course per semester.
2. An Academic Petition Form, asking for approval to enroll in another institution, must be endorsed by the student’s advisor and be approved by the Academic Standards Committee before the student registers for an off-campus course.

Carrying a normal course load in college is considered to be a full-time responsibility. A normal student course load is 15 hours. Students planning to take 15 or more hours should limit their work- load (see Student Life Handbook).
A student must petition the Academic Standards Committee in order to carry an academic load of more than 18 hours, unless the overload is due to lab, choir, or an applied music credit.

Southwestern College is on the semester credit hour system. One semester credit hour represents the equivalent of at least one class period of 50 minutes per week for a semester of 15 weeks.

Southwestern College generally accepts credit from colleges and universities that are accredited by regional accrediting associations and the Association for Biblical Higher Education.
A maximum of 30 semester hours of credit by examination and correspondence, including not more than 12 hours by correspondence, will be accepted toward degree programs at Southwestern.

TRANSFER CREDIT

A maximum of 9 semester hours of elective credit in technical courses may be accepted toward a degree.
A Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services is used in the evaluation of work submitted as a result of service in the armed services. Credit will be granted only for work in the general education area. No technical credit will be accepted, and all work accepted will be considered lower division.
The college will recognize a maximum of 64 semester hours of college credit earned at regionally accredited junior colleges. However, note the minimum residency requirements listed under “Requirements for Graduation.”
Credit earned at institutions that are not accredited will be evaluated on a course-by-course basis. Credit will be granted only with the concurrence of the chair of the degree program to which the credit is to be assigned and only after the student has earned 12 semester hours in residence at Southwestern College with a grade of “C” or above in all courses attempted. All such accepted credit will be considered lower division.
After a student has earned a total of 64 semester hours, the college will not accept any credit from non-accredited institutions, or from educational experiences in the armed services.
The college does not recognize credit for “life experiences.”
The college reserves the right to require a student to validate by testing any credit presented for acceptance. Courses taken in other accredited institutions with a grade of “C” or above may be accepted for transfer credit, provided they are comparable to courses in the student’s program at Southwestern. Credit earned at accredited institutions, more than 9 years previously, will be accepted only with degree program concurrence.

COLLEGE LEVEL EXAMINATION PROGRAM (CLEP) CREDIT

Southwestern College is pleased to offer to its enrolled students, the opportunity to receive college credit for successfully taking selected computerized tests in the CLEP program. The tests must be for courses required for a degree program offered at Southwestern and the following restrictions apply. Students may take a maximum of thirty (30) hours through CLEP. Students must receive a score of 50 or better on the CLEP exam to receive credit. If the student fails to pass the test, he or she must wait six months before retaking the same exam.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT

High school graduates who scored 4 to 5 on the Advanced Placement Examinations of the College Entrance Examination Board are given credit for the corresponding college courses. Students who scored a 3 may be given advanced placement or credit, subject to approval of the Academic Dean. No advanced placement is given for scores of 1 or 2.

Changes to a student's class schedule should be made within the first three weeks of the semester and must be requested in writing on a Change of Schedule (available in the Registrar's Office). All changes must be approved by the student's advisor. After this period, withdrawals follow the withdrawal policy.

Enrollment Verification Form (pdf)

ENROLLED STUDENT

Any student who applies and is admitted to Southwestern College is considered to be an enrolled student. These students are expected to be pursuing a degree or diploma program. Full or part-time students may be considered enrolled students.

FULL-TIME STUDENT

A student who is enrolled for at least 12 semester credit hours is considered full time. All financial aid recipients (including veterans) must carry at least twelve hours to receive full benefits.

PART-TIME STUDENT

A student who is enrolled in 9-11 semester credit hours is considered part time and is eligible to participate in extracurricular activities (excluding athletics for which a student must have 12 hours). A student who is enrolled in fewer than nine hours is not eligible to hold an elected office in a student organization.

SPECIAL STUDENTS

Students who wish to enroll for certain courses without pursuing a degree or certificate are considered to be special students. They are limited to 6 class hours per semester as special students. A student desiring an official transcript of work done as a special student will be required to provide the college with an official high school transcript, G.E.D., or other college transcript and will pay a transcript fee of $5.00. A student meeting the regular admission requirements may later petition to enter a degree program.

All entering students and graduating seniors are required to take these examinations.

Any student wishing to take a major scheduled exam at another time (either early or late) must request such authorization from the professor.

Southwestern College, in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, will maintain all student records in accordance with the provisions of the Act as amended. The information contained in the student’s permanent educational record will be made available to the student but not to others without the student’s written approval. The only exceptions are official members of the college staff who have a legitimate, professional need for access to the materials.

FERPA form (pdf)

Southwestern College grades on a 4.0 academic grading system. Students are expected to maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average during their college career to be in good standing and making satisfactory progress. A student’s academic status will be checked at the end of each semester.

A student who is in default on a federal loan or who owes a refund on federal aid is not considered in good standing for financial purposes.

A student not meeting the minimum cumulative grade point average noted above may be allowed to receive financial aid or scholarships for only one semester in an academic probation status, including probationary admissions. Students placed on academic probation will be allowed a maximum of one semester to meet satisfactory academic progress.

CREDIT GRADES

Certain courses do not earn semester hours credit and do not count in GPA computation but do fulfill requirements. These courses can earn either a grade of P (Pass) or NP (No Pass).

B   Far above average: unusually good work; student completes all course work. The quality of work shows thoroughness, careful organization, depth of understanding, and originality of thought to an above average degree. All written work is in clear, correct English.

C   Average: standard performance of acceptable college work; student completes all course work. The quality of work shows thoroughness, good organization, and understanding to an acceptable degree. Most of the course work is of average quality.

D   Poor: passing, but below standard; student completes most of the course work, but the quality is below average.

F   Failure: student does not complete the course work and/or produces careless, poor quality work, or does not withdraw properly. No credit awarded; counts against GPA.

I   Incomplete; student does not complete the course work due to illness or some other acceptable reason.

Certain courses do not earn semester hours credit and do not count in GPA computation but do fulfill requirements. These courses can earn either a grade of P (Pass) or NP (No Pass).

A student who feels that a grade has been unfairly awarded may appeal to the instructor. If not resolved, an appeal may be made to the Academic Standards Committee. Appeals for grade changes must be made within six weeks after grades have been officially released. Incomplete Grade

A candidate for graduation must fulfill the following requirements:

1. Evidence Christian character through stability and cooperation in accomplishing the objectives of the college.
2. Complete at least 21 semester hours in their major subject, 15 of which must be upper division hours (300 or 400), at Southwestern. Students are required to complete a total of 18 to 21 hours for a minor. Nine semester hours in their minor subject, three of which must be upper division, must be taken at SWC. Students pursuing majors that do not require a minor must take at least 30 semester hours in their major subject, 18 of which must be upper division, at Southwestern.
3. Take the Bible Content Exam and the Outcome Tests (these exams do not affect the student’s GPA but will be recorded on the transcript.)
4. Earn an overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 in all certificate and degree programs (except for the Education Program that requires an overall GPA of 2.5) and a GPA of 2.5 in the major courses in all bachelor degree programs.
5. Complete Christian Service with satisfactory performance.
6. Fulfill all requirements in the chosen field of study.
7. File an application for graduation through the Registrar’s Office before the end of October preceding the final semester of course work. A non-refundable graduation fee must be paid in the Business Office and the receipt for the fee must accompany the application for graduation.
8. Pay in full all outstanding accounts or make satisfactory arrangements with the Business Office
9. Receive approval for graduation from the Faculty and Board of Trustees.
   All students are required to complete satisfactorily all requirements prior to participation in Commencement exercises.

GRADUATION HONORS

Graduation honors are awarded to students who have met the following requirements in overall GPA:

3.40 cum laude
3.60 magna cum laude
3.80 summa cum laude

COMMENCEMENT EXERCISE

All graduates are required to attend Commencement. In cases of extreme hardship, a graduating senior may be excused and graduate in absentia, but only when written request is made to the Academic Dean and approval is given.

DEAN’S LIST

Full-time students with a GPA of 3.5 or more in the previous semester are placed on the Dean’s List.

WHO’S WHO AMONG STUDENTS IN AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES

Each year this honor recognizes exceptional juniors and seniors who have outstanding records of scholarship and service, both on and off campus, who show promise of future success and usefulness in society.

Should a student become medically incapacitated during the semester, the student may qualify for a Leave of Absence, pending approval of the Academic Standards Committee. All petitions must include a statement of incapacity by a physician. If granted, the Leave of Absence begins on the date the Academic Standard’s Committee approves the petition and continues for one calendar year.

Reading and Conference refers to a course taken outside of the regular class schedule by means of personal conferences with the instructor and directed self-study.

R & Cs are used exclusively in special cases where two required courses needed for impending graduation are in the same time slot. R & C courses are a last resort to resolve this conflict. Conflicts caused by a student’s personal work schedule, accelerated course load, or personal convenience are not acceptable reasons to request an R & C course.

Courses where classroom attendance and participation are at the very core of the course, such as science labs, foreign languages, and performance classes may not be taken as an R & C. A student must obtain an R & C petition from the Registrar’s Office, obtain the instructor’s approval, and submit it to the Academic Dean or Academic Standards Committee. No more than one R & C course may be taken per semester, and no more than 12 hours of R & C courses may be counted toward graduation.

A cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required to be eligible to request an R & C course. The student must pay a fee for an R & C course. An R & C course will be counted in the 12-18 hour tuition range. It will be billed separately.

Any exception to this policy must be approved by the Academic Dean.

R&C Petition

All persons attending Southwestern College must be registered for the classes they are attending. A student is not considered to be registered until the Business Office has confirmed that all financial arrangements have been completed. Only eligible students can register for classes. An eligible student is one who meets the college’s admission requirements or is taking courses as a special student.

Only eligible students may register for academic credit at Southwestern. An eligible student is either continuing from the previous semester or has been admitted (or readmitted) to the college.

REGISTRATION DATES

Dates of registration (and orientation for new students) are published in the Academic Calendar. Students wishing to attend Southwestern are expected to be present to register on the dates designated. Any student registering after the specified date will be charged a late registration fee. Students will not be permitted to register later than the end of the second week of the fall or spring semesters nor later than the second day of classes for summer sessions.

SCHEDULE OF CLASSES

The Fall 2007 Schedule of Classes (pdf) for each semester is published in the semester preceding and is available online or from the Registrar’s Office.

A student must make satisfactory academic progress in order to continue to receive financial aid. A student will not receive financial aid benefits when it becomes apparent that the student cannot complete a program of study in the maximum number of semesters for a full time student.

PROGRESS IN CURRICULUM

Students will be considered to be making unsatisfactory progress if it becomes impossible for them to complete their program in the number of semesters shown in the following chart.

PROGRAM OF FULL-TIME STUDY

• BS or BA of less than 135 semester hours 11 Semesters
• BS or BA of more than 135 semester hours 13 Semesters
• AA 6 Semesters
  
  These semesters will be divided up into the following increments:

First Year - Complete a minimum of 21 semester hours
Second Year - Complete a minimum of 45 semester hours
Third Year - Complete a minimum of 69 semester hours
Fourth Year - Complete a minimum of 93 semester hours
Fifth Year - Complete a minimum of 120 semester hours
Eleventh Semester - Complete remainder of degree program

The college will supply one copy each of the student’s academic transcript and placement folder free of charge upon written request from the student. Additional copies may be obtained from the office of the Registrar by written request accompanied by a fee of $5.00 per copy. The college does not keep placement folders that are more than ten years old.

All financial accounts must be paid in full or satisfactory arrangements made, before transcripts and placement folders will be released.

To request an official or unofficial transcript, download this form:
Download: Transcript request form
Install: Adobe Acrobat Reader
Completed forms can be mailed to the Registrar’s office;

1. By Mail:
   Attn: Registrar
   Southwestern College
   2625 E Cactus Rd
   Phoenix, AZ 85032
2. By Fax: 602-404-2159
3. By email with an attached signature:
   jcross@swcaz.edu or lambert@swcaz.edu
4. In Person:
   Southwestern College Administration
   2625 E Cactus Rd
   Phoenix, AZ 85032
   Offices are open Monday – Friday, 8:00am – 4:30pm

Policy for Release of Transcript:

1. A $5 fee is charged for each official or unofficial transcript. An additional $10.00 charge for each transcript for on demand or walk in request.
2. Transcripts or grades are not release until all outstanding accounts with SWC are paid
3. Transcripts will be processed only when accompanied by a signed release.
4. A Student in good standing can expect a minimum of 3-5 business days for processing a transcript. Students with an outstanding balance or who have recently completed coursework should expect additional delays.

To receive an official withdrawal from the college, one must follow these steps:

1. Discuss the circumstances with one’s advisor, Dean of Students, and the Registrar’s Office to be sure the consequences of this action are fully understood.
2. Obtain and complete a Withdrawal Slip(pdf) from the Registrar’s Office.
3. Obtain clearance from the Library.
4. Obtain final approval from the Business Office, and leave the completed form there.

An official withdrawal includes the payment of all financial obligations or the establishment of arrangements satisfactory to the Business Office. Failure to withdraw properly will result in the forfeiture of any refunds, and a grade of “F” will be awarded for each course in progress at the time of the unofficial withdrawal. If there are no outstanding financial obligations, a transcript of credits may be sent to another institution upon written request by the student. A student who withdraws two successive semesters must petition the Academic Standards Committee for readmission.

To withdraw officially from a course, download a Withdraw From A Course form or one can be obtained from the Registrar’s Office. Secure all required signatures. No course may be dropped after the 10th week of class.

Withdrawals are considered official as of the date the completed Change of Schedule is filed with the Registrar’s Office. Failure to follow these procedures will result in a grade of “F” and forfeiture of any refund.

WARNING: The College is required to notify the VA or other financial aid provider of any reduction of course load below that which had been initially reported. They are notified of the number of hours dropped, date of drop, and the student’s status after the reduction in course load.