Academic Procedures
Students who wish to appeal a final grade must first contact the course instructor. If the matter cannot be resolved through the instructor, the student may appeal in writing to the appropriate school dean. If resolution is not reached at that time, the student may appeal in writing to the Associate Provost. An Academic Grievance Committee may be convened to hear a grade appeal before a recommendation is made to the president for review by the president or his designee.
Information concerning these procedures is available through the Associate Provost’s Office. Notice of intent to file a grade appeal must be made in writing to the appropriate school dean or Associate Provost within six weeks of receipt of the grade. Changes under this procedure will be made only during the term immediately following the term in which the disputed grade was given.
Lindenwood University shares information from students’ formal written complaints with the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools as part of its normal accrediting process. This information is shared in such a manner as to shield all individual identities of complainants. No letters or documents revealing the identities of individual complaints will be shared without the express written permission of the complainants.
To withdraw from a course with a W, students must complete and sign a withdrawal form before the last day to withdraw with a W, secure the signature of their academic advisor, and, if they have attended the course at least once, the signature of the instructor of the course. Students wishing to withdraw from a course after the deadline to withdraw with a W will receive either a grade of WP (withdraw passing) or WF (withdraw failing).
The deadline for WP/WF grades shall be a date for each term as set annually on the Academic Calendar at the two-thirds mark of the term. Neither grade will affect the student’s grade point average. (Students should also refer to the Withdrawal and Refund section of this catalog.) Late withdrawals will be approved only under extreme circumstances. Only extraordinary, documented reasons for withdrawing after the stated deadline will be honored. Requesting a late drop due to a low grade in the class, lack of interest in the subject matter, a different learning style from that of the classroom professor, or a change of major/requirements are not reasons that will be honored. If a student believes that extraordinary circumstances require withdrawing from a class after the deadline, the student must complete the following steps:
- Write a letter fully specifying the reasons for the withdrawal.
- Gather supporting documentation (physical report, court documents, hospital documents, etc.)
- Meet with the academic advisor to complete a Late Withdrawal form.
- Meet with the dean of the school for a signature on the form.
- Submit completed form and documentation to the Associate Provost.
If approved, the student will receive either a Withdraw Pass (WP) or a Withdraw Fail (WF), depending upon the grade at the time the student withdrew. If a student determines, after the term has ended, that a withdrawal from a class would have been the best option, he/she may request that the grade assigned be changed to a WP/WF by using the procedure described above.
A student wishing to transfer graduate credit to Lindenwood from an accredited college or university should request that official transcripts be sent directly to Lindenwood University’s Office of Graduate Admissions by the school(s) previously attended. An evaluation of transfer credit will be made by the appropriate school dean. Credit may be transferred from regionally accredited institutions only. A maximum of 9 semester hours of transfer credit is allowed for graduate students. Appeals of transfer credit evaluations should be submitted in writing to the Dean of Academic Services.
If transfer credit is requested from an international institution, students must submit their transcripts and their English translations to World Evaluation Services (WES) for evaluation. For more information regarding obtaining a WES transcript evaluation, please refer to the International Application Procedures section of this catalog or contact the Office of International Students and Scholars.
For policies regarding transfer credit into a specific graduate program or school, please refer to the section of this catalog that describes that program.
A student at Lindenwood who wishes to take courses at another college or university while pursuing a degree at Lindenwood must first obtain permission for the transfer of these courses from the academic advisor and the registrar. A Prior Approval form may be obtained for this purpose from the Registrar’s Office. Students may be allowed to take courses from other schools during terms in which the requested course is not offered at Lindenwood. Credits accepted in transfer do not affect the student’s grade point average at Lindenwood University.
Students are responsible for tracking their own academic progress and eligibility for graduation. Specifically, each student must track his/her own progress through a degree program by maintaining a checklist of all requirements. The academic advisor will confirm that all degree requirements have been met; however, the student is ultimately responsible for tracking his/her own progress through the program and meeting all requirements for graduation. Only the Provost and the Registrar have the authority to certify that all requirements for graduation have been fulfilled and post a notification of degree completion on a student’s transcript.
In addition to tracking their own progress through academic programs, students must submit an Application for Degree. The application must be signed by the student and the student’s academic advisor and be submitted to the Office of Academic Services. Failure to submit an application by the appropriate deadline may postpone the posting of the student’s degree.
The application deadlines are as follows:
Students graduating in Must apply by
March Dec 30 of previous year
May Dec 30 of previous year
June Dec 30 of previous year
August February 28 of the same year
September March 30 of the same year
October May 30 of the same year
December May 30 of the same year