SECTION 5
ACADEMIC INFORMATION

 

1. Academic Advising
2. Center for Student Services
3. Academic Appeals
4. Academic Honors
5. Academic Standing
6. Advanced Placement
7. Auditing a Course
8. Catalog Selection
9. Class Attendance
10. Cooperative Education
11. Course Load
12. Credit by Examination and CLEP
13. Grades & Grading
14. Grade-Point Average
15. Graduation Requirements
16. International Education & Travel
17. Mid-Term Grades
18. Repeating Classes (D/F Repeat Rule)
19. Riverhawk Resource and Tutoring Center
20. Withdrawal from Courses
21. Transfer of credit from another institution
22. Transfer to WVU Morgantown

 


1. ACADEMIC ADVISING

Quality academic advising is an important component of achieving educational success in college. Advisors can help students along their entire academic journey. Services provided by advisors include:


At West Virginia University at Parkersburg, all students are required to see an advisor. The College has a
two-step advising process:

  1. Students with 30 or less college credits:
    All students admitted to West Virginia University at Parkersburg who have 30 or less earned college credits are initially assigned to an advisor housed in the Professional Advising Center (PAC). The PAC is staffed by five
    full-time professional advisors who assist students in scheduling and registering for classes. PAC advisors also serve as a source of reference for general questions and can refer students to specific campus services when necessitated. PAC advisors are available each weekday by walk-in or appointment. Students remain with their
    PAC advisor until they successfully complete 30 or more credits.

  2. Students with more than 30 college credits:
    After a student attains 30 college credits, it is beneficial for them to be seen by an advisor who actually
    resides in the academic division of their major. These advisors are knowledgeable about their career fields,
    special requirements of the career, and other information that a generalist advisor might not have available.
    Students will be transferred to an academic division advisor at the 30 credit mark.

2. CENTER FOR STUDENT SERVICES

The Center for Student Services houses the Records Office, the Financial Aid Office, and the Admissions Office.


3. ACADEMIC APPEALS

Academic Appeals may be instituted by any regularly enrolled student for any of the following:

Students have the responsibility for reviewing and following the Appeal Procedures outlined in the Student Handbook. Appeals are initiated by first notifying the office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Timing of Appeals.


4. ACADEMIC HONORS

Students who maintain high grade-point averages during any semester are identified for academic honors,
as follows:

Cumulative GPA     Honor Designation
3.50-3.74                Cum Laude
3.75-3.99                Magna Cum Laude
4.00                        Summa Cum Laude


5. ACADEMIC STANDING

Good Academic Standing. To be in good academic standing, a student must maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative grade-point average for all work undertaken. Transfer students must meet the same academic requirements.


Appeal of Academic Suspension:


6. ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAMINATION

West Virginia University at Parkersburg recognizes the examinations of the College Board Advanced Placement Program. WVU Parkersburg’s code is 5932 for scores to be forwarded to. Please contact the Records Office, located in the Center for Students Services for more information.


7. AUDITING A COURSE

Persons wishing to audit a course must complete registration procedures at the Records Office and designate “audit” on their registration forms. Persons auditing courses must complete the same work as regular students but no grades or credit are awarded for an audited course.


8. CATALOG SELECTION

Students are assigned to a catalog based on their year of admission and are required to complete their degree under those program requirements.


9. CLASS ATTENDANCE

10. COOPERATIVE EDUCATION

Working under the supervision of college faculty and employers, eligible students earn college credit while working at jobs that are related to their college majors and career goals.

Students must meet the following criteria to be eligible to participate in the cooperative education program.


11. COURSE LOAD

CREDIT-BY-EXAMINATION AND CLEP

Regularly enrolled students may apply to receive credit-by-examination in certain courses offered by the College. Credit-by-examination is available by either of two processes: taking the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams, which are prepared by the College Board, or taking in-house tests prepared by faculty of the College. Contact your division to determine if they conduct credit-by-exam for your desired course.

Several rules must be observed:

  1. Application forms for credit-by-examination must be completed and fees paid before the
    examinations may be given.

  2. A student may attempt to take credit-by-examination in any individual course only once.**

  3. Students may not attempt credit-by-examination in courses for which they are already registered.

    Additionally, students may not attempt credit-by-examination in courses which they have already completed and for which they have grades on their transcripts.

  4. In-house examinations are to be prepared by the department faculty responsible for teaching the course that is to be tested. The Division Chair shall attest that the examination to be used is appropriate to the course and is not one that has been used previously for in-class examination sessions.

  5. CLEP exams are prepared by the College Board. The CLEP tests listed in this catalog have been approved for credit by College Division Chairs.

  6. Persons meeting specified score requirements on either CLEP or In-house exams will then have credit applied to their transcripts.

**CLEP examinations may be retaken if unsuccessful on the first try; however, a six-month period must pass before attempting to retake the test.

Transferability of Credit-by-Exam:
Students intending to transfer to another institution should contact the transfer school to determine whether or not the particular examination credit will be accepted.

Procedures for taking an In-House Examination:


Department Exam Administered by WVU Parkersburg

                                                                

Course No. :
  
Title:

Credits:

ASTR 106Intro. to Astronomy4
BIOL 107/108 Anatomy and Physiology 1 & 28
BIOL 200/201Microbiology & Lab4
BIOL 211Zoology: Animals as Organisms4
BIOL 212Botany: Plants as Organisms  4
BIOL 171  Nutrition and Health 3
BTEC 115Beginning Keyboarding3
BTEC 116Intermediate Keyboarding3
BTEC 235Microsoft Word for Windows3
BTEC 253Medical Terminology3**
BTEC 270Intro to Web Page Design3**
BTEC 275Advanced Microcomputer Applications for Business4
CHEM 111Intro. to General Chemistry4
CHEM 112Intro to Organic & Biological Chemistry4
CHEM 233/235
OR 234/236
 Organic Chemistry 1 & 2

8

CIT 101PC Management and MaintenancE4
CIT 105Network Fundamentals5
CIT 106Routers & Routing Fundamentals (Cisco)5
CIT 114Windows Operating System3
CIT 112Server Configuration & Administration3
CIT 205 Intermediate Routing & Switching (Cisco)5
CIT 206WAN Theory & Design5
CIT 211Network Infrastructure3
CIT 305Advanced Routing (Cisco)5
CIT 306Remote Access (Cisco)5
CIT 330Directory Services infrastructure (MCSE)3
CIT 405Multi-Layer Switched Networks (Cisco)5
CIT 430Network Security Design (MCSE)3
CS 101Introduction to PC Applications4
GBUS 117Business Mathematics3
GEOL 103/104Historical Geology4
PHYS 101/102Intro. to Physics 1 & 28
PHYS 111/112General Physics 1 & 28
PSCI 111Intro to Physical Science4
PSCI 112Intro to Earth Science4
WELDINGAll Welding Courses1-3

 

*Other exams may be available, please contact the Division Office for information.

**In-house examinations open on a requested basis. Students who challenge any BTEC software package class not listed should discuss with Division Chair and arrange with a BTEC instructor to obtain credit-by-exam through BTEC 299.

Note: Word Processing courses periodically offered in the Business Technology studies area are open to in-house examinations on a selected basis.   

 

                                                                          Procedures for taking a CLEP Test:
1. Contact the Tutoring Center to determine CLEP tests available.
2. Complete the registration process on-line, prior to making an appointment with the Tutoring Center.
3. Pay the appropriate fees*:
• CLEP fee to the College Board at the time of registration for an exam.*
• There will be a testing fee payable to WVU Parkersburg Business Office before testing.
• Sit for the examination during the appointed time and date.
College-Level Examination Program
Courses Available For Credit By Examination

WVU at Parkersburg
Course No. :
CLEP Title:

Passing Score:

Credit:

BIOL 101/102Biology506
CHEM 115/116Chemistry638
CS 101Introduction to PC Applications504
ECON 201Principles of Microeconomics503
ECON 202Principles of Macroeconomics503
ENGL 131/132Analy./Interp. of Literature506
ENGL 261/262English Literature506
ENGL 241/242American Literature506
FREN 101, 102College French-Level 1506
FREN 101, 102
& 203, 204
College French-Level 2

62

12

GERM 101, 102College German-Level 1506
GERM 101, 102
& 203, 204
College German-Level 2

63

12

HIST 101West. Civ. I: to 1648503
HIST 102West. Civ. II: 1648 to Present503
HIST 152Amer. History I: to 1865503
HIST 153Amer. History II: 1865 to Present303
MATH 120College Mathematics503
MATH 126College Algebra503
MATH 155 & 156Calculus I, II503
PSYC 101Introductory Psychology503
PSYC 241Human Growth and Development503
SOC 101Introductory Sociology503
SPAN 101, 102College Spanish-Level 1506
SPAN 101, 102
& 203, 204
College Spanish-Level 2

63

12

*Fees are set for CLEP yearly by The College Board and are subject to change.


13. GRADES AND GRADING

The following letter grades are used at WVU at Parkersburg. Numbers in parentheses indicate quality points accompanying grades.

A (4.0)      Student has met maximum obtainable course objectives
B (3.0)      Student has exceeded normal course objectives
C (2.0)      Student has met normal course objectives
D (1.0)      Student has met minimum course objectives
F (0.0)       Student has not met minimum course objectives
FIW (0.0)   Failure because of irregular withdrawal from class
I*              Incomplete. Must be changed to letter grade within six weeks after end of semester
IF              Grade given for any incomplete grade not removed after one semester unless a semester extension is given by                  the faculty member
W              Withdrawal before the designated withdrawal date each semester
CR             Credit for the class (does not affect grade-point average)
NC             No credit for the class (does not affect grade-point average)
X               Student has taken course for audit

*Incomplete is a temporary grade, given only when students have completed most of the course but are unable to conclude it because of illness or some other circumstance beyond normal control.


14. GRADE-POINT AVERAGE

Quality points are earned with each final course grade. Using the following formula, these are then averaged against the total number of credit hours that the student has completed. This is done on the following formula:
Final Course Grade Quality Points
A            4
B            3
C            2
D            1
F, FIW     0
W            N/A
To compute a grade-point average, the number of quality points for a single grade is multiplied by the number of credit hours given for completion of the course. The total number of quality points is then divided by the
total number of credit hours on record.


Example of Calculating GPA:
Courses Final Grade Semester Grade
Completed       Grade Points Hours Points       

Course             Final       Grade      Semester  Grade
Completed       Grade      Point       Hours       Points
ENGL 101           A             4            3                 12
BIOL 101            D             1            3                 3
BIOL 103            D             1            1                 1
HIST 101            B             3            3                 9
SOC 101             C             2            3                 6
MATH 126           W            0            0                 0
                                                      13               31

31 Grade Points divided by 13 Credit Hours = 2.38 GPA

Cumulative Grade-point average:
Students’ records will show, in addition to the GPA earned in any one semester, the Cumulative GPA. This includes all semesters or quarters of college work completed, both at WVU at Parkersburg, and at any other colleges that the student has attended.


15. GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

Students may be awarded diplomas or certificates at the end of any instructional term in May, August, or December. Students must apply for Certificates or Degrees in the OLSIS system early in the final term before they expect to graduate. Deadline dates and applications are published on the college’s website.

Students may have certificates or degrees posted on their transcript for no fee. Students should contact their advisors or check their MyDegree website to determine when they have met completion requirements. Students who wish to participate in graduation or receive a diploma will be required to pay a fee for those services.


In order to graduate from WVU Parkersburg, students must fulfill the following requirements:

Students are encouraged to check their My Degree academic maps, accessed through OLSIS, to ascertain when they have or are about to complete the requirements for their academic programs. Students in bachelor’s degree program should not wait until the end of their BA degree to apply for associate’s degrees which they already have earned.

Waiver or Substitution of Graduation Requirements: 
Students who wish to request a waiver of graduation requirements must make such request in writing to the Vice President for Academic Affairs well in advance of the term in which they desire to graduate. Requests for course substitutions should be made early in a student’s educational career and not wait until the semester of graduation to request them.


16. INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAVEL

West Virginia University at Parkersburg provides opportunities for students to expand their global knowledge.


17. MID-TERM GRADES

All students will be assigned a grade at mid-term (even if it is a passing grade). Students may view their mid-term grades in their OLSIS accounts. Mid-term grades are not part of a student’s transcript and are not computed in grade-point averages. Students with less than C grades should contact their instructors to determine viable methods to improve those grades.


18. REPEATING CLASSES (D/F REPEAT RULE)

Students who received a final grade of D or F in any course completed at this college may repeat that course and have the original grade of D or F replaced by the later grade earned, under the following conditions and restrictions:

Grade Forgiveness
Students may request the forgiveness of D and F grades previously earned. Forgiveness is not automatic, but must be initiated by the student and their academic advisor.


19. RIVERHAWK RESOURCE AND TUTORING CENTER

The Riverhawk Resource and Tutoring Center provides:

For services at JCC (Jackson County Center) contact Jackson County Center at http://www.wvup.edu/about/jackson-county-center or by phone at 304.372.6992. The website has many other resources available to students as well: tutoring.wvup.edu


20. WITHDRAWAL FROM COURSES

Before the semester begins, students withdrawing from an individual course or the College must access their OLSIS account. For each semester, once classes begin, students must contact and complete a withdraw form with their academic advisor, their financial aid counselor and if necessary the business office before they may withdraw from any class. The forms for this withdraw process will be available in the Center for Student Services, the Professional Advising Center, the Jackson County Center administrative office, and online.


21.TRANSFER OF CREDIT TO OTHER INSTITUTIONS

Transfer of credit to other state colleges and universities in West Virginia is established by state-wide policy. Up to 72 hours of credit and grades completed at two-year colleges will be transferable to any bachelor’s degree granting institution in the state system.

Students who have completed a two-year degree at WVU Parkersburg may expect to transfer to baccalaureate institutions in the state at junior-level status and should be able to graduate from the latter institution with the same number of total credit hours as will be required of that college’s generic students.

Students transferring to institutions outside West Virginia should encounter no problems in transfer because of the college’s accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission, a commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. However, student should always consult with an intended transfer school to make sure that their credits will transfer and that they will not lose a substantial amount of credits.

Core Coursework Transfer Agreement:
The West Virginia Community & Technical College System and WV Higher Education Policy Commission annually publish a “Core Coursework Transfer Agreement” that is designed to assure that students who transfer from one West Virginia college or university to another will receive credit for specified general studies courses at the receiving institutions.

Under that agreement, a student may transfer up to 32 credit hours of undergraduate coursework in the areas of English composition, communications and literature, mathematics, natural science and social science as general studies credits. The agreement establishes hours of coursework acceptable for transfer that will count toward fulfillment of general studies requirements.

Since coursework is generally transferable among state institutions in WV, a student could conceivably transfer more than 32 hours of general studies credit from one institution to another that are provided for in this agreement. The agreement is not designed to limit the number of credits that are transferred. Its purpose is to assure that students will be able to transfer credits in accordance with the terms of the agreement.


22. TRANSFER AGREEMENTS WITH WVU MORGANTOWN


For more information, please contact the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics division chair at 304.434.8226.


300 Campus Drive, Parkersburg, WV 26104-8647 | Voice: 304-424.8000 | Fax: 304-424.8315 | Toll-Free: 1-800-WVA-WVUP (WV/OH)
Accredited by The Higher Learning Commission
A member institution of the Community and Technical College System of West Virginia
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action institution