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215 │COLUMBIA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY 2018-2019 │ACADEMIC POLICY
Students will not be accepted as candidates for a degree who affirm error in Scripture or who believe in the ultimate salvation
of all people.
Applying for a Degree
: Although advisors assist students in planning their courses of study, it is the student’s responsibility
to ensure that all requirements for graduation have been met. CIU has three graduation dates per year on which diplomas
and certificates are issued: one at the end of the Summer term, one at the end of Fall semester, and one at the end of
Spring semester. Students planning to receive a degree or certificate at any of these graduations are required to submit to
the Office of the University Registrar a completed application for graduation and pay a non-refundable graduation fee by
the deadline specified. If a student fails to complete all requirements by the date set, the degree or certificate will not be
issued. A new application to graduate must be filed and another graduation fee must be paid by the deadline for the new
term of expected graduation.
Undergraduate-level:
Scholastic Honors: Students graduating from undergraduate four-year programs will receive diplomas with scholastic
honors according to the following:
Summa cum laude (highest honor) for a GPA of 3.85 or above
Magna cum laude (high honor) for a GPA from 3.71 to 3.84
Cum laude (with honor) for a GPA from 3.5 to 3.7
Transfer students must have completed at least 48 semester hours at CIU to be eligible for scholastic honors. Grades from
a student’s last semester in the student’s degree program are not included in the determination of scholastic honors.
Delta Epsilon Chi Honor Society:
The undergraduate faculty has established a chapter of Delta Epsilon Chi, the Honor
Society of the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE). No more than 7 percent of the graduating class for any
given year may be nominated to this group by the faculty. ABHE minimum criteria for nomination by the faculty include a
cumulative GPA of 3.3 or above, positive demonstration of Christian character, and clear exhibition of leadership ability
following a biblical model.
Grievance Procedures (Academic)
See the “Academic Grievance Procedure” located in the Student Life section of this catalog.
Internships
The purpose of internships is to provide supervised experience in ministry in line with the student’s vocational objectives
(see specific programs for internship details). Such an experience allows the student to engage in professional activities
while receiving feedback and supervision from an experienced mentor. All internships have as their principle component –
the practice of ministry. Internships promote personal growth as the intern integrates the academic and the experiential with
the student as an individual. Internships are planned around specific objectives. Supervision of students before, during,
and after the internship is common to all internships, along with evaluation from a variety of sources. CIU personnel work
along with field personnel to ensure that students receive maximum benefit from their internships.
Ministry Skills Development (Undergraduate Program)
Christian Service Learning (CSL)
: All undergraduate students are required to register for CSL for three semesters during
their freshman and sophomore years. To this end, the focus of the first two years of a student’s bachelor degree program
emphasizes biblical studies, general education courses, and CSL opportunities. The goal in these three semesters of CSL
is to encourage students to build service-oriented relationships within the local church, and at least 80 clock hours of
Christian service is required.
Practical Skill Development
: All undergraduate students during their third and fourth years are required to complete at least
three semester hours of practical skill development. Each program will determine the requirements within the professional
programs and students should consult with their academic advisors to plan appropriate practical skill development
requirements within a professional major or minor. At least 50 clock hours of practical skill development are required for
each semester hour of credit. Programs may require students to complete multiple credit practicum and internship
experiences built upon prerequisite character, knowledge, and skill requirements as determined and approved by their
advisors and/or program directors. Professional programs may waive field experience requirements, provided the student
demonstrates proficiency of the necessary knowledge, dispositions, and competencies within a practical skill development
program.
Plagiarism
To plagiarize is to present someone else's work as your own. This occurs when sources are not cited properly and can
involve words, lines of thought and ideas. In short, plagiarism occurs when information that can be considered the intellectual
property of someone else is used without acknowledging the original source properly.