Full-Time Accelerated Pace
The School of Accelerated Degree Programs' academic year consists of 12-week terms with 13 cluster meetings per term. Students enroll in one cluster per term, earning nine credit hours in most degree programs. New students may be admitted at the beginning of each term, and they may pursue a full-time academic program by attending all four terms during the year.
In this manner, students make rapid progress toward degree completion while still fulfilling professional and personal responsibilities. Students are not permitted to take more than one cluster per quarter. The accelerated format employing clusters is based on the assumption that highly motivated students are entirely focused on the content of their clusters during the quarter.
The one cluster limit maximizes the likelihood of a quality effort resulting in a quality learning experience. Limiting a student’s course load is intended to protect the academic integrity of the program and its degree offerings. Students are permitted to take one three-credit-hour course in the same quarter in which they are enrolled in a cluster. Normally, a maximum of 12 credit hours per quarter is allowed. In rare situations, a student is permitted to take additional coursework in the day semester program. In this instance, a student is permitted to take a combined (day semester and evening quarter) total of twenty four (24) hours. Students wishing to take hours in excess of 12 semester hours are required to complete a “Petition for Policy Exemption.”
The Cluster
Central to the theory and practice of adult education is the ideal of the synthesis of knowledge. The School of Accelerated Degree Programs seeks to achieve this goal through the construction of the cluster. Clusters are comprised of a faculty member and approximately 12 to 14 students who meet for four hours weekly during an evening or weekend. Each student is enrolled in three related subject areas, called cluster groups that are, in many cases, integrated into one seminar. Students pursuing a bachelor of science degree must enroll in a one hour lab in conjunction with the science cluster. The cluster provides students with an opportunity to explore basic subject areas beyond the confines of a single discipline.
These cluster group meetings provide a collegial environment in which students present their work and share their learning. A major objective of this format is the development of knowledge synthesis, so quarter students can expect their learning to be measured in a variety of ways: written and oral presentation, class discussion, research papers, group projects, and traditional testing. However, as is true of most higher-education programs, in the School of Accelerated Degree Programs it is up to each professor to determine how students are to be assessed and graded; therefore, tests and quizzes may be used to supplement papers and presentations as assessments of student mastery.
The cluster follows the quarter schedule and meets one evening a week for four hours, integrating related courses of study. Three semester hours of credit are awarded for successful completion of each course in the cluster for a total of nine semester hours per cluster. Students pursuing a bachelor of science degree must enroll in a one hour lab in conjunction with the science cluster for a total of ten semester hours. The cluster begins with a first assignment, which is available on PC Common. This assignment is due on the first day (evening) of class. Subsequent homework assignments are delineated in the syllabus, and, due to the accelerated nature of the quarter program, it is expected that a student will spend, at a minimum, twenty hours per week working on these out-of-class homework assignments. This time commitment may vary, however, depending upon the student’s level of expertise in a given cluster. A student in a management cluster, for example, who has worked several years in a middle management position, and who has completed a variety of corporate sponsored management courses, may, in fact, spend less time working on assignments for this cluster.
Due to the accelerated nature of the cluster (program), the rewriting of papers or the assigning of extra credit homework to improve a grade, or grades, is not permitted.
Cluster Cancellation Policy
Decisions regarding cluster cancellation due to weather conditions come from the Campus Provost who notifies students and faculty via Rave alerts, television and radio announcements, Lionmail, and website notices. The decision is made after reviewing weather reports and traffic conditions and after consultation with location directors via the Campus School Dean of Accelerated Degree Programs. Only the Campus Provost has the authority to cancel clusters due to weather conditions. The only exception to this policy is an emergency, and, in this case, the Campus School Dean of Accelerated Degree Programs must be notified when a cluster is cancelled. In addition, all cancel led clusters must be rescheduled and made up sometime during the term.
Cluster Attendance Policy
The School of Accelerated Degree Programs is an accelerated program designed for motivated learners who take responsibility for their education. It is assumed that a student will not miss any classes. However, recognizing that students are working adults, one absence can be compensated for (at the instructor’s discretion) through additional assigned work. Two absences will result in a grade drop in one, two, or all three of the cluster courses, depending on the class format and the instructor’s judgment. Three absences are unacceptable as that represents one-fourth of the class periods. A student who has missed or will miss three cluster meetings will receive failing grades in the cluster. The first class (Saturday for graduate students and new undergraduate students and the first week of classes for returning undergraduate students) and the thirteenth class (arranged by the instructor) are both considered part of the scheduled coursework and attendance will be counted accordingly.
In addition, the attendance policy is structured so that it incorporates tardiness and early departure from class as part of overall attendance reporting. Students are expected to arrive for the beginning of class periods and remain until the instructor terminates the class meeting. Instructors will monitor and record the names of students who arrive late for class meetings or who leave class early. Tardy or early departure absences are cumulative and counted according to the program's absence reporting policy. Students who accumulate four hours of tardy or early departure penalties will be assessed one evening’s absence. This policy shall be strictly enforced and in no cases shall exceptions be allowed.
Cluster Textbook Policy
All students must have their textbooks by the first cluster meeting. Students also have the responsibility of making sure they purchase the correct textbooks for each cluster or class. This is especially true when students choose to purchase textbooks from sources other than the Book-X-Change, Lindenwood’s affiliated bookstore. It is the responsibility of the student to purchase the correct textbooks for the cluster in which he or she is enrolled. Lindenwood University will not accept responsibility for any textbooks that were not purchased from the Book-X-Change.
Textbook Ordering
Textbooks for all clusters in the School of Accelerated Degree Programs are available through the Book-X-Change, an online book source. To order texts, students should go to the Lindenwood University website and access the Book-X-Change through a direct link (LUTextbooks.com) to the company. Students will need to know the number of each course within the cluster and be prepared to use a credit card to order books. Students are strongly encouraged to order books at least two weeks before the beginning of the quarter and have them shipped directly to their home addresses.
Student Enrollment Process
Once students enroll in the School of Accelerated Degree Programs through the admissions department, a faculty advisor is assigned. Students are required to meet in person with their advisor for enrollment in their second cluster in the program, as well as for enrollment in their final cluster in the program, which serves as their exit interview. Undergraduate students are also required to meet with their advisor in person to take the math placement test. All students are also required to meet with their advisor in person to complete their Application for Degree. During the remainder of their time in the program, students have the option to either (1) meet in person with their advisor for enrollment, or (2) contact their advisor by email or by telephone for enrollment. This contact must occur each quarter during the student’s appropriate registration week according to academic rank. During this advisor contact time, the advisor discusses degree and enrollment options, and opens the student’s portal for online registration. Students will then register themselves for classes through their student portal. Once the initial enrollment is completed, the faculty advisor closes the student portal. If a student decides after the initial enrollment to make a schedule change or withdraw from classes, the student must contact the advisor again, who will open the student’s portal for the enrollment change. It is the responsibility of the student to schedule this contact time with the advisor and to complete the enrollment process each quarter.
Student Code of Conduct
The School of Accelerated Degree Programs is a program designed for the working adult. As such, it is assumed that classroom and campus behavior will reflect the professional demeanor that adults demonstrate in a work environment. The following guidelines are designed to remind students of appropriate behaviors expected in the classroom.
- Students are expected to give proper respect to faculty, staff members, and fellow students. Exchange of ideas is an integral component of learning, and participants must feel free to share ideas within the classroom setting.
- Appropriate language is expected. Language chosen to belittle another person or group or that could be considered hate speech will not be tolerated.
- In order to not misuse class time and to respect the privacy of class participants, individual grades will only be discussed before class, during breaks, or after class, at the discretion of the professor.
- All students are to be in the cluster on time and to stay for the entire cluster period.
- Cell phones and pagers should be set to silent mode during class except for emergency services personnel on call. Text messaging distracts from classroom activity and will not be tolerated.
- Smoking is prohibited in all campus buildings and is restricted to specific smoking areas outside of the buildings.
- With the exception of computer lab courses, food in the classroom is allowed only with permission of the instructor. Students are expected to dispose of any trash that they generate during class.
- A hostile environment is not conducive to learning, and students who violate this code of conduct will be referred to the Associate Dean of Academics and/or the Provost and may be removed from the cluster and possibly from the University.
Repeating a Course or Cluster
An undergraduate student who has received a D or an F in any part(s) of a cluster may repeat the entire cluster, except for the Communications Cluster, in which grades of C or better in all classes are required. The second set of grades will replace all three parts of the first set of grades. The new grades will be the only grades used in the calculations of the grade point average.
If a graduate student fails and retakes a course, the second grade does not replace the first grade; the two grades are averaged. For instance, if a student earns an F for a class and retakes the class, earning an A, the two grades would be the equivalent of two Cs and would affect the overall grade-point average as two Cs.
Failure to Complete Cluster Assignments
A grade of “I” (incomplete) is given at the end of a term only for failure to complete course work due to exceptional circumstances beyond the student’s control, such as an extended illness, hospitalization, or death of a close relative requiring absence from campus for more than a few days. When assigning an incomplete grade, the professor should consider whether the student is capable of successfully completing the course. Incompletes should be offered only toward the end of the term for students who are, at the time, successfully completing the coursework.
An “I” grade must be resolved prior to the end of the next term, semester, quarter, or 5-term program; otherwise, it automatically becomes an “F.” Any request to extend the time needed to complete an “I” must be submitted to the registrar no later than two weeks before the date the grade is due. Requests will then be sent to the dean of the School of Accelerated Degree Programs and vice president for academic affairs to be considered for approval.
Special Topics Courses/Numbers
Special topics courses/numbers, listed in the catalog, are designated for use as substitute classes for those who have taken, through transfer credit, one part of a nine-hour cluster. A special topics course may be taken only in conjunction with a cluster and is not used as a separate course or tutorial. Special topics numbered courses may not be used to extend the cluster for three extra hours beyond the nine-hour cluster; the student may not take a 12-hour cluster. In cases in which the student needs one more hour to graduate, the faculty advisor may allow the special topics course number to be used for one additional semester hour of credit (e.g. 10-semester-hour cluster).
The Capstone Course
The capstone course is required for students majoring in business administration, communications, criminal justice, health management, human resource management, and information technology. Students who take the capstone course must have completed all of their required core clusters in their areas of emphasis or enroll in the capstone course concurrently with the final core cluster. The course will emphasize the theories and concepts of the major from an academic viewpoint as well as their practical applications in the professional setting. The course requires a mastery of the concepts within the major and integrates academic studies with issues faced by practicing professionals in their area of employment. Consequently, students should expect midterm and final examinations, case analyses, and at least one major research paper during the term of enrollment. A grade of “C” or above is necessary to pass this course at the undergraduate level. Graduate students are required to earn a grade of "B" or above.
The Culminating Project
Some students may complete a culminating project. A Culminating Project is an integral part of the student’s program and is equivalent to an extended paper or honors thesis. Under the supervision of the Faculty Advisor, the student will design a culminating project and complete it during the last quarter of study. Students will enroll in the Culminating Project, at the same time that they register for their last coursework or cluster. Students who do not finish their project within their last term must register for a culminating project extension for each term that the project is not completed. The culminating project is an opportunity for a student to synthesize his or her major areas of study and to demonstrate mastery of basic written and oral skills and concepts.
The project may be a thesis, a demonstration, or a creative work. It may involve a combination of media. If the project is a film, video, computer program, etc., it must still include written analytical documentation. The culminating project carries one semester hour of academic credit.
A grade of “C” or above is necessary to pass the culminating project at the undergraduate level. Graduate students must earn a grade of "B" or above. The culminating project is NOT an option for students majoring in business administration, criminal justice, health management, human resource management, or information technology.