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ACADEMIC POLICY AND INFORMATION
Birmingham-Southern College Catalog 2016-2017
14
ACADEMIC POLICY AND INFORMATION
Academic Calendar
The academic calendar is divided into two terms, a fall term beginning in late August and
concluding in December, and a spring term beginning in early February and concluding
in May. The month of January is an Exploration term during which students engage in an
academic project under the supervision of a faculty member. There is also a summer term
on campus, including regular coursework and undergraduate research. The academic
calendar, showing pertinent dates for the academic year, is posted on the College website.
Typically, courses in regular terms are scheduled for two or three days per week. Not all
courses conform to this schedule; the College recognizes that different kinds of learning
experiences may require different contexts for learning. Students should consult the class
schedule as they plan their courses each term. A “Common Hour,” when no classes are
held, is built into the schedule on Tuesdays and Thursdays for special programs,
speakers, and College community activities.
Classification of Students
Students who are candidates for a bachelor’s degree are classified as follows:
first-year
students
, if they have completed fewer than seven units;
sophomores
, if they have
completed at least seven but fewer than 15 units;
juniors
, if they have completed at least
15 but fewer than 23 units; and
seniors
, if they have completed at least 23 units but have
not completed all degree requirements. Transient students and special students are
classified as
not-candidate-for-degree
students.
COURSEWORK
Academic Load
The basic measure of academic credit at Birmingham-Southern College is a unit, which
reflects time spent both in the classroom and completing course-related assignments.
Enrollment in three units is the minimum required for full-time status during a regular
term. During the fall and spring, a full-time student’s normal load is four full-unit courses
or the equivalent. During the summer term, the normal full-time load is two full-unit
courses. During the Exploration term, the normal full-time load is a project credited as
one full-unit course.
Academic Overload
If a student has attained a minimum grade point average of 3.000 and obtained the written
permission of the student’s academic advisor, then the student may enroll in a maximum
of five units during the fall and spring terms, and a maximum of three units during the