Individualized Study
The School of Accelerated Degree Programs (ADP) is committed to the idea that people learn more effectively when their experience and goals converge. To this end, the university actively fosters the participation of students in the planning of their educational programs. Students are also expected to individualize their cluster group work through directed independent research. Upon enrolling in the school, each student is assigned a faculty advisor who helps the student plan and coordinate a program of study from entry through degree completion.
In addition to assisting students in the design of their programs of study, the faculty advisor acts as a mentor, provides a source of continuity to students’ ongoing academic experience, and evaluates the overall quality of their work. In regularly scheduled conferences, the faculty advisor monitors student progress by reviewing course work and by providing feedback on projects.
Full-Time Accelerated Pace
The School of Accelerated Degree Programs academic year consists of four 12-week terms with 13 cluster meetings per term. Students normally enroll in one cluster per quarter, earning nine credit hours in most degree programs. ADP also offers six credit hour clusters, single classroom and online courses. 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.
Student Enrollment Process
Once students enroll in the School of Accelerated Degree Programs through the admissions office, an academic 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. 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. The advisor may register the student or students may register themselves for classes through their student portal. Once the initial enrollment is completed, the academic 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.
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 construct of the cluster. Clusters are comprised of a faculty member and approximately 12 to 17 students who meet for four hours weekly during an evening or weekend. Each student is enrolled in a group of two or three related subject area courses, called a cluster, that are, in many cases, integrated into one seminar. Three semester hours of credit are awarded for successful completion of each course in the cluster for a total of six to ten semester hours per 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 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, each professor determines 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.
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 Limit Policy
Students are not permitted to take more than one nine-credit-hour 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 13 credit hours per quarter is allowed. In rare situations, a student is permitted to take additional coursework in the day semester program. In such an instance, a student is permitted to take a combined (day semester and evening quarter) total of twenty-four hours. Students wishing to take hours in excess of 13 semester hours are required to complete a Petition for Policy Exemption.
Thesis/Culminating Project Extensions
Registration for extensions on undergraduate thesis/culminating projects must be completed by the student each succeeding term after the initial enrollment for his/her thesis/culminating project. The fee charged will be $50 for each extension.
If the student fails to register for a term, he/she will no longer be considered a degree candidate. Should the student wish to resume the thesis/culminating project, he/she must pay the full tuition rate for the thesis/culminating project at the time of re-enrollment. In order to appeal that charge, the student must submit a written request to the assistant vice president of the business office including any evidence that would substantiate the appeal.
*Revised September 2017 (see addendum)
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, instructors may accommodate a single absence by assigning additional work at their discretion. 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 and who does not withdraw from the cluster before the withdrawal deadline will receive failing grades in the cluster. The first class 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 school’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 Barnes and Noble, Lindenwood’s affiliated bookstore. It is the responsibility of the student to purchase or rent the correct textbooks for the cluster in which the student is enrolled. Lindenwood University will not accept responsibility for any textbooks that were not purchased from Barnes and Noble.
Textbook Ordering
Textbooks for all clusters and courses are available through Barnes and Noble, Lindenwood’s affiliated bookstore. To order texts, students should go to the Lindenwood University website and access Barnes and Noble through a direct link to the company’s Lindenwood University account. 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 address if they do not live in close proximity to the St. Charles campus.
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. Undergraduate students are required to earn a grade of “C” or above to pass this course. Graduate students are required to earn a grade of "B" or above to pass this course.
Repeating a Course or Cluster
An undergraduate student who earned a grade of C or lower in any part(s) of a cluster may repeat the entire cluster. Only the highest grade(s) earned will be used in the calculation of the grade point average. Repeating a course does not remove the previous grade from the transcript. Additional credit hours are not earned when a student repeats a course or cluster. A student's eligibility for federal financial aid may be affected if they choose to repeat a course. The University is under no obligation to offer a course aside for its usual schedule to accommodate a student repeating a course.
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.
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, email, and website notices. The decision is made after reviewing weather reports and traffic conditions and after consultation with location directors via the campus dean of the School 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 dean of the School 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.
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
In cases in which the student needs one or two more credit hours to graduate, the academic advisor may approve a student to enroll in a one or two credit hour special topics independent study along with a course or cluster. A special topics syllabus will outline the course requirements that will include advanced level coursework. Special topics courses/numbers are listed in the catalog for each academic discipline.
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.