2011-2012 Academic catalog
Academic information
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At the end of each semester, a student on academic probation is considered by the Office of the Registrar to determine future academic status. A student who remains below the minimum GPA required for graduation from his/ her program for two consecutive terms is normally discontinued from the seminary; after three consecutive terms of academic probationary status, the student must be discontinued from the seminary. A student who makes a grade point average in a given semester which is below the minimum for graduation (if allowed to continue in seminary), may be required to take a reduced load during the following semester.
Registration Students must register within the specified time as assigned by the Registrar and do so on their Asbury Information System registration page. If registration assistance is needed, a written registration request from the student is required. Registration clearance from the student’s academic advisor or Advanced Research Program faculty mentor is required each semester. Arrangements for financial payment must be made by the term payment due date. Additional fees are assessed for late registration and late payment.
Registration changes Prior to the add/drop deadline for a term, students may drop and add courses without penalty on the Asbury Information System. After the add/drop deadline, the Office of the Registrar must be notified in writing for any registration change. Any course dropped after the sixth week of the semester will receive a grade of “F.” Lack of attendance does not constitute a dropped course. Please contact the Office of the Registrar to drop a course after the add/drop deadline. A fee will be assessed for late changes. (See also the Financial Information section for the refund schedule. Note particularly that the refund schedule applies only to full withdrawal. There is no refund for individual courses dropped beyond the change of registration period.)
Student handbook A student handbook, available through Student Services and on oneATS, provides information regarding academic and community life matters. Each student is responsible to become thoroughly acquainted with this publication, reading the handbook carefully and using it for reference purposes. Th.M. and Ph.D. students, in addition to the Asbury Seminary student handbook, should refer to the Advanced Research Programs student handbook for specific degree related matters.
Thesis option (M.A. and M.Div.) Students in the M.Div. and M.A. programs having a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.00/4.00 can elect to write a thesis. Application for M.Div. or M.A. theses shall be made no later than the semester before the final semester of study. The thesis serves as the culminating project for one’s degree program. As such, the M.Div. thesis should be marked by its integrative quality, drawing together research and insight across the M.Div. curriculum, while the M.A. thesis should be more focused, grounded in the discipline in which the M.A. is to be awarded. All theses should demonstrate: the student’s mastery of the field of study as well as contribute to that field; the student’s competence for independent inquiry, critical engagement with primary and secondary sources, and scholarly creativity; and the student’s capacity to engage in the form(s) of research appropriate to the nature of the research project, and to organize a problem in acceptable academic form. The topic proposal must be approved by the Dean of the School of Biblical Interpretation or the Dean of the School of Theology and Formation. For application details, contact the office of the Dean of the School of Biblical Interpretation or the office of the Dean of the School of Theology and Formation.
Transcripts An official transcript of a student’s record is released only at the written request of the student to the Registrar’s Office and only when all accounts with the seminary are paid, except as may be otherwise required by law. Students may view their academic records and print unofficial grade reports on oneATS. Requests for official transcripts must be made in writing (no fax, phone or email) and include an original signature. The transcript request form is available on oneATS and at asburyseminary.edu.