The School of Accelerated Degree Programs Policies

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 course work through directed independent research. Upon enrolling in the school, each student is assigned an academic 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 academic 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, and single courses in either the classroom and/or online format. Occasionally, ADP offers single courses with a day semester program department prefix which may be taken in the quarter program format in lieu of a course with a quarter program department prefix (prefix beginning with “I”). New students are admitted at the beginning of each term, and 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.

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.

Cluster Attendance Policy

Instructors may accommodate a single absence per quarter without a grade reduction by assigning additional work at their discretion. Two absences will result in a grade drop in a single course or in one, two, or all three of the courses in a cluster, depending on the instructor’s judgment. A student who has missed three cluster meetings and does not request to withdraw from the course or cluster before the Withdrawal deadline will receive failing grades in the course or cluster (see Attendance Failure vs. Failure Grades). The first class and the thirteenth class meetings (arranged by the instructor) are both considered part of the scheduled coursework and attendance will be counted accordingly. Any tardy arrival or early departure from class will be calculated as a partial absence with multiple instances calculated as a combined total.

Online Attendance Policy

Attendance in an online course is based on submission of one or more academic activities, such as discussion board participation, quiz, exam, paper, or other graded assignment. Logging into a course, submitting the institutional ethics agreement, or submitting an introductory video does not constitute academic attendance.

Excused Absence Policy for Students Engaged in LU Authorized Events

Lindenwood University allows students engaged in official sports contests, arts events, approved field trips, approved conferences, etc., to be excused from class for university-sponsored events in which those students are officially representing the university. Students are required to communicate personally with their professors regarding their anticipated absences and to make arrangements for missed work in advance of their university-authorized absences. When make-up work is pertinent, students who have provided their professors with advance notice should be afforded the opportunity to complete that work or an educationally equivalent and substitutable activity at a time and place mutually agreed upon by the student and the instructor.

Note: Students enrolled in classes with extremely compressed meeting schedules will not be excused from class attendance, even for a university-authorized event if participation in the event would cause the student to miss a significant portion of the scheduled meeting time. Students who enroll in such a class and find that they must be absent will be advised to withdraw from the class.

Excused Absence Policy for Students Engaged in Military Duties

Lindenwood University allows students participating in required Military duties to be excused from class. Military duties covered under this policy include but are not limited to military deployment, required annual military training, ROTC activities and civilian deployments in support of federal operations. For Service members holding Reserve and National Guard status, weekend duty (drill) requirements should not interfere with normal school schedules. However, if a situation arises that requires absence from class due to duty/drill requirements, this absence can also be excused if the required absence is verified by the Commanding Officer or other affiliated Guard leader.

Students should notify instructors of all absences for Military duty prior to the absence. Instructors may request documentation/verification of the Military duty and require that the absence be verified by the Office of Veteran Affairs. If an exigent circumstance arises, where notification is not possible prior to the absence, the student should contact the instructor and/or university as soon as possible to present documentation of the reason for the absence as well as the reason for late notification. When make-up work is pertinent, students who have provided their professors with notice should be afforded the opportunity to complete assigned work. Alternatively, students can be assigned an educationally equivalent substitutable activity at a time and place mutually agreed upon by the student and the instructor.

No adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to any student with excused absences for official university activities or Military Duties.

Note: Students enrolled in classes with extremely compressed meeting schedules will not be excused from class attendance if participation in the activity would cause the student to miss a significant portion of the scheduled meeting time. Students who enroll in such a class and find that they must be absent will be advised to withdraw from the class.

Textbook Policy

All students must have their textbooks by the first class meeting. Students also have the responsibility of making sure they purchase the correct textbooks for each 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 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 course department prefix and course id and be prepared to use a credit card to order books at least two weeks before the beginning of the term and have them shipped directly to their home address if they do not live in close proximity to either the St. Charles campus or the Belleville campus. Students taking classes on the Belleville campus should select the Belleville Campus on the Barnes and Noble textbook webpage to order to textbooks from the Barnes and Noble Bookstore on the Belleville campus.

The Capstone Course

The capstone course is required for students (except those in the traditional day programs) 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 areas 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.

Student Code of Conduct

The School of Accelerated Degree Programs is 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.

1. 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.
2. Appropriate language is expected. Language chosen to belittle another person or group or that could be considered hate speech will not be tolerated.
3. In order to respect students’ privacy, individual grades will only be discussed before class, during breaks, or after class, at the discretion of the professor.
4. All students are to be in the class on time and to stay for the entire class period.
5. Cell phones and pagers should be set to silent mode during class except for emergency services personnel on call. Text messaging distracts from learning and therefore is not permitted during class.
6. Tobacco use is prohibited on campus and in all campus buildings. Tobacco includes, but is not limited to, cigarettes, cigars, pipes, water pipes (hookah), electronic cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, snuff, chewing tobacco and any non-FDA approved nicotine delivery device.
7. 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.
8. A hostile environment is not conducive to learning, and students who violate this code of conduct will be referred to the dean of the School of Accelerated Degree Programs, dean of students and/or the provost and may be removed from the cluster and possibly from the university.