Undergraduate Catalog 2017-2018 > Courses and Programs

Courses and Programs

Course Numbering

Courses at Lindenwood are numbered sequentially.

• 01000-09999: Preparatory coursework, with credit hours not counting toward the cumulative total number of credit hours required to earn a bachelor’s degree
• 10000-19999: Introductory courses open to all students, normally not having prerequisites
• 20000-29999: Specialized courses open to all students
• 30000-39999: Advanced courses having prerequisites
• 40000-49999: Senior level courses having prerequisites
• 50000-79999: Master’s, Thesis, EdS, or EdD courses
• 80000-99999: Doctoral level courses and graduate workshops

Course Offering Frequency

The schedule of course offerings is dependent on student enrollment and availability of qualified instructors. The university reserves the right to cancel any course when enrollment is below minimum requirements or a qualified instructor is not available.

Course Types

Special Topics Courses

Special topics courses, listed alphabetically according to department prefix (indicated here by “XXX”), are followed by a course number, as follows: XXX 09000-09999, XXX 19000-19999, XXX 29000-29999, XXX 39000-39999, XXX 49000-49999, XXX 59000-59999, XXX 69000-69999. These courses are offered to cover special topics within a school or department. Special topics courses may be worth one to six credit hours and may be repeated, in some cases. Departments may designate specific course numbers for special topics courses if the courses meet general education or major requirements.

Distance Learning Courses

A distance learning course is one in which 100 percent of the course instruction is provided through video conferencing.  Class meets at a regularly scheduled day and time each week with the professor and classmates through a video conference classroom.

Independent Study

An independent study is an innovative, nonstandard class involving independent research/study on the part of the student under the guidance of an instructor. The contact time requirement for an independent study is one documented contact hour every two weeks. It is strongly recommended that undergraduate students who are granted independent studies have at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA. Graduate students should have at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA to qualify for an independent study course. Independent study courses cannot be used to meet an undergraduate general education requirement.

To enroll in an independent study course, the Independent Study Proposal form must be completed, signed, and returned to the Office of Academic Services no later than the third week of the term in which the work is to be done. An Add/Drop/Enrollment form and a one- to two- page course outline prepared by the student after consultation with the instructor must be attached.

Tutorial

A tutorial is a class listed in the catalog taught to a student on an individual basis. The content of the course is the same as the material taught in the regular class. The contact time requirement for a tutorial is one documented contact hour per week during which the subject matter will be discussed and student progress evaluated. Only instructors who have previously taught the class in the regular session will be approved to teach a tutorial unless permission is granted by the dean (St. Charles campus) or campus provost (Belleville). Only students with a true need will be considered for a tutorial, and it is up to the academic school/division, instructor, and campus provost (Belleville only) whether to grant a tutorial. It is strongly recommended that undergraduate students who are granted tutorials have at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA. Graduate students should have at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA to qualify for a tutorial course.

To enroll in a tutorial course, the tutorial proposal form must be completed, signed, and returned to the Office of Academic Services no later than the third week of the term in which the work is to be done. An add/drop/enrollment form and a syllabus must be attached.

Hybrid Courses

A hybrid course is a method of instruction in which the predominance (more than 50 percent) of the course is taught using a learning management system platform. Time in the classroom is reduced but not eliminated.

Semi-Hybrid Courses

A semi-hybrid course is a method of instruction in which 50 percent or less of the course is taught using a learning management system platform. Time in the classroom is reduced but not eliminated.

Online Courses

In an online course, 100 percent of course instruction is delivered using an online learning management system platform. No time spent in a physical classroom. In some cases, students may meet for an introductory and/or summary meeting; however, these meetings are not mandatory.

Students enrolled in online classes will be expected to participate in the class academically. Attendance for this method of instruction is defined as submitting an academic assignment, taking an exam, participating in an online discussion about academic matters, or initiating contact with a faculty member to ask a question about the academic subject studied in the course. Simply logging into an online class without active participation does not constitute academic attendance.

Semester undergraduate students are limited to taking two online classes per semester, except for those students enrolled in the Early Access MBA program or any program offered entirely online.

Student Requirements for Online and Hybrid Courses

Minimum Hardware

• Computer with 2.58 GHZ or higher processor speed and at least two GB RAM.
• High-speed Internet connection (six Mbps or higher).
• Webcam or camera on a mobile device.

Minimum Software

• Microsoft Office 2010 or higher.
• The latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader or Preview to open and view .pdf documents.
• The latest version of Java.

Attendance

Student attendance in an online or hybrid course must be confirmed via submission of the Course Ethics Agreement & Attendance Confirmation Survey—a required component of Lindenwood’s comprehensive student authentication policy.

Student Authentication and Video Content

Lindenwood takes academic integrity very seriously; therefore, compliance with Lindenwood’s Student Authentication Policy is a condition of enrollment in all online and hybrid courses. As per the Higher Education Opportunity Act (Public Law 110–315), student authentication is defined as “processes to establish that the student who registers for a distance education course or program is the same student who participates in and completes the program and receives the academic credit.”

An overview of Lindenwood’s Authentication Policy is provided below. The specific methods of student authentication incorporated into a particular course can be found in its syllabus.

1. Administration of all courses through Lindenwood’s official learning management system (Canvas), which requires secure login and pass code information.
2. Confirmation of attendance and agreement to follow the institutional Ethics Agreement.
3. Submission of an introductory video at the onset of the course.
4. Incorporation of authentication measures in conjunction with all final exams or other significant evaluative activities. Instructors also incorporate authentic measures throughout online and hybrid courses, including but not limited to live or video proctoring, keystroke biometric technology, video assignments, video conferencing, or extensive writing assignments.
5. Completion of the institutional student authentication survey at the conclusion of the course.

Using a webcam or camera on a mobile device to record and submit video content within the secure Canvas Learning Management System is required in all online and hybrid courses at Lindenwood. Instructors may also ask students enrolled in online or hybrid courses to record and post video content in a class discussion board or participate in a recorded class videoconference. Students with a reasonable need or hardship that prevents or prohibits them from any of these video requirements may appeal, in writing, to their instructor, who will submit appeals for review and resolution to the Office of Student and Academic Support Services (SC) or the Academic Success Center (BV).

Students who enroll in online or hybrid courses must also have a current photo, confirmed by a valid form of identification, within Lindenwood’s student information system. Students who refuse to complete initial authentication requirements by the end of the add period or who reject or refuse to complete the Ethics Agreement will be dropped from the course. Students who refuse to complete subsequent authentication requirements will be withdrawn from and charged for the course and subject to other financial consequences if the change moves them from full-time to part-time status. Authentication costs are disclosed prior to enrollment via fees included in course schedules.

Internships

Internships are available in many areas of study and provide the opportunity for students to obtain academic credit through an out-of-classroom work experience. Academic schools’/divisions’ standards vary by program. Students interested in applying for internships should contact their faculty advisor for additional information. Internships are billed at the current tuition rate per credit hour. Internships are graded on a pass/fail basis.

Standards vary by program. Internships earn between one and three credit hours. Some degree programs may necessitate additional field work and written documentation. Students, however, must meet the minimum standards set forth in this policy to be awarded credit for the internship.

Consortium Programs

Lindenwood University belongs to a consortium of colleges and universities in the Greater St. Louis area. The consortium includes Fontbonne University, Maryville University, Missouri Baptist University, and Webster University. Full-time traditional undergraduate Lindenwood students may enroll in courses offered at colleges and universities in the consortium and count those hours as part of their Lindenwood degree programs. Students must be enrolled full-time at Lindenwood University during the same term of enrollment at colleges and universities in the consortium. No additional tuition cost is involved for combined enrollments between 12 and 18 hours. Lab fees will be charged at the host university.

Study Abroad

Lindenwood University recognizes the value that studying abroad brings to a student’s education and encourages students to take advantage of study abroad opportunities. The student has the following study abroad options:

• Faculty-led courses for short-term study abroad, such as courses offered during Spring Break or the summer sessions.
• One of the established Lindenwood semester abroad programs.
• An established program supervised by another American college or university, with academic credits being transferred back to Lindenwood.
• Independent study (either under the direction of a member of the Lindenwood faculty or by a host institution) that has been recognized by the sponsoring member of the Lindenwood faculty. A student who embarks on such study must send his or her transcript through World Education Services (WES) for evaluation before the credits can be accepted by Lindenwood.

The student must meet the following requirements to be eligible for a study abroad program:

• Be in good academic, social, and financial standing with Lindenwood University.
• Either have facility in the spoken language of the host country or be planning to study the language as a part of the approved study abroad coursework, if this is required for the program.
• Meet course- or program-specific prerequisites.

All responsibility for travel, finances, application for admission to a foreign institution (where applicable), and the making of any other necessary arrangements rests with the student. For some programs, a student’s enrollment in a program of study abroad is considered enrollment at the home institution for the purposes of applying for assistance under the Title IV programs. Students should consult the director of financial aid for additional information. Any student planning to take a course from any institution other than Lindenwood should complete a Prior Approval form before leaving. This will guarantee that the credit will be accepted by Lindenwood.

Any study abroad coursework must be approved by the department at Lindenwood that will recommend credit. The academic advisor will help the student make appropriate course choices. Final approval of the program and the credit to be granted after completion of the study abroad period rests with the dean of academic services, who acts on the recommendation of the director of the program. Questions about student study abroad opportunities may be directed to the director of study abroad.

Note: In order to participate in study abroad programs, students must be degree-seeking students at Lindenwood University. Specific programs may have additional requirements. Deadlines for application vary according to the program, and it is the responsibility of the student to be informed as to those deadlines.

ROTC Cross-Enrollment

For information regarding ROTC cross-enrollment and simultaneous membership, see U.S. Air Force ROTC, (AES) Aerospace Studies in the course descriptions section of this catalog.