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2012-2013 Undergraduate Programs
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determined and approved by their advisors and/or
program directors.
Students should consult with their program direc-
tors to plan appropriate practical skill develop-
ment requirements within a professional major or
minor. Each professional program has different
requirements. Professional programs may waive
field experience requirements provided the stu-
dent can demonstrate proficiency of the neces-
sary knowledge, dispositions and competencies
within a practical skill development program.
Requirements for Granting Credit
Academic credits granted by the faculty for edu-
cation independent of the prescribed courses
within this catalog require the following conditions
to be satisfied:
1. Documentation of the intended course number,
course title, term, year, educational outcomes,
learning activities and authorization by the pro-
fessor of record, the student’s academic advi-
sor, the Academic Dean’s Office and the Office
of the University Registrar is evidenced.
2. A minimum of 45 clock hours of defined
coursework and learning activities are required
for each semester hour of credit earned that is
relevant to accomplishing the course out-
comes.
3. Submission of a final grade by the professor of
record verifying that the course has been com-
pleted.
4. Any coursework provided through another
organization on behalf of CIU must be author-
ized by the faculty via an articulation agreement
defining the relationship and demonstrating fac-
ulty supervision of the educational experience.
5. Any coursework provided by an unaccredited
higher educational institution must have institu-
tional review by the academic dean to ensure
educational quality and upon satisfactory pres-
entation of documentation, as reviewed by the
registrar and academic dean, the university
may transfer credit at a two-thirds credit equiv-
alent.
6. Upon a formal faculty review and approval of
specific institutions, certain training organiza-
tions or schools may receive a “favored” rela-
tionship to CIU because of the quality of their
training and demonstrated consistency with the
mission of CIU. For training fully documented
by such institutions, credit may be granted
based on demonstrated competencies within
defined categories for lower-division courses
based on division or program faculty approval
(e.g., Old Testament Survey, New Testament
Survey, Introduction to Evangelism, etc.).
Faculty Directed Study (FDS)
Faculty Directed Study (FDS) furnishes a student
the opportunity to pursue, under the direction of a
faculty member, subjects of interest and relevance
to the student’s academic and vocational goals
that are not directly covered in a regular course.
FDS courses provide opportunities for independ-
ent learning to develop creativity of mind, to rein-
force the habit of initiative by providing situations
that call for it and to cultivate the capacity to con-
tinue students’ education throughout their lives.
Students who are eligible for FDS are normally
juniors and seniors with a minimum GPA of 3.00.
Students wishing to register for FDS must obtain
an FDS request form from the Academic Dean’s
Office and discuss the proposed study with their
advisors and the appropriate faculty member who
would direct the study. The faculty member
should make sure the form is completed properly,
including the course title, proposed requirements
and hours of credit. (Check the Course
Description section of the catalog for the appro-
priate course designation and number.) Once the
instructor has signed the form, it should be signed
by the student’s academic advisor and then deliv-
ered to the academic dean for final approval.
Students will be registered by the Office of the
University Registrar. A maximum of 12 semester
hours of a student’s program may be taken by
Faculty Directed Study. The regular grading sys-
tem is used for these courses. Courses available
through Independent Distance Learning may not
be taken as FDS.
Distance Learning Courses
CIU offers a limited number of distance education
courses for undergraduate students who cannot
attend classes in Columbia and those who need
greater flexibility in scheduling. All students taking
distance education courses have access to CIU’s
online community and distance library services.