University Regulations:

Students are responsible for knowing the University's regulations and procedures. Before changes appear in the catalog students may learn of them through the student newspaper, a bulletin board, direct mailing, or other appropriate means. Changes become effective whenever the proper authorities so determine. (See also “Baccalaureate Degree: Requirements.”) Advisers, department chairs, deans, and others will explain requirements, but each student is responsible for fulfilling them. In no case will a regulation be waived or an exception be granted because a student pleads ignorance of the regulation.

For the special rules and regulations pertaining to graduate study, see “Graduate Programs.”

Classification

The student is classified according to the year of study at the beginning of each term or summer session with revisions made as necessary at the end of each term or summer session. Classification is based upon the number of credits earned as a full-time or part-time student.

Freshman      A student with less than 30 term hours of credit,
Sophomore    A student with at least 30 and less than 60 term hours of credit,
Junior            A student with at least 60 and less than 90 term hours of credit,
Senior            A student with at least 90 term hours of credit.

The student may also be classified as full-time or part-time or as an auditor.

Full‑Time Students
Undergraduate students enrolled for 12 or more hours of resident credit in a regular term or 6 or more hours of resident credit in a summer session are considered full‑time. For “financial aid recipients” full-time undergraduate status is defined as 12 or more hours in summer, fall or spring terms. For full‑time graduate students see “Graduate Programs.”

Candidates for graduation may opt to be classified as full‑time in the term or summer session when scheduled to complete degree requirements, even though the number of hours scheduled is less than ordinarily required for the classification. In no case will this option exempt students from a college's residence requirement.

Part-Time Students
Students who do not meet the full-time qualification are classified as part-time. Part-time students are subject to all University rules concerning registration, attendance, scholarship, and conduct. For “financial aid recipients” half-time undergraduate status is defined as 6-11 hours for summer, fall, or spring terms.

Auditors
Students who do not want credit may enroll in courses as auditors. Auditors are not required to complete written or reading assignments or to take examinations. However, they are expected to attend classes and are assigned grades of AU or W at the end of the term, depending on whether they have met the instructor's attendance requirements. Auditors are also required to pay full resident fees and are responsible for confirming their audit status with the Admissions and Records Office. Audited courses appear on the students' permanent records. Auditing a course does not prevent students from later taking it for credit; however, they may not take departmental credit examinations in courses previously audited.

Changes from audit to credit must be made by the last day to add courses for credit; credit‑to‑audit changes may be made through the 30th class day. (See “Academic Calendar.”)

Official Registration

The appearance of students' names on the class roster is evidence that they are registered in a class. No student may remain in a class unless the instructor has received this evidence.

In unusual circumstances students may register after the final date shown on the Academic Calendar but only with the approval of their dean.

Concurrent Registration
With the dean's prior written approval, students may receive credit at LSUS for work taken concurrently at another college or university, normally when the courses at the other institution are not readily available here.

With appropriate approval, students taking 12 non-developmental hours each term, including summer, and in good standing may take one course each term at Southern University/Shreveport‑Bossier City (SUSBO) for no additional fees, with appropriate approval. Additional information may be obtained from the Admissions and Records Office.

Identification Cards
Student identification cards are issued at the following rates:

  1. Original Card‑-there is no charge for the original (first) card.
  2. Replacement Card‑-There is a fee for the replacement (subsequent) card.

The ID card is the property of LSUS and must be returned when a student graduates, resigns, or does not re-enroll. A card cannot be loaned to another person for any reason. Fraudulent use of an ID card results in disciplinary action.

Schedule Changes

Adding Courses
Classes may be added for credit in accordance with dates indicated on the Academic Calendar. In some instances approval may be required to enroll in a class.

Dropping Courses
Any course may be dropped in accordance with the dates indicated on the Academic Calendar. No record is maintained of courses dropped during the first three weeks of the term (the first seven days of a seven‑week summer session). During the next seven weeks, a W (withdrawal) is assigned for courses dropped. See the Academic Calendar for the summer split‑term schedule. During the final five weeks, no withdrawal is permitted except as authorized by the student's dean in unusual circumstances. In such a case, a W will be assigned for the coursework.

Dropping and adding courses after the first week of school starts result in some additional charges. The refund on any course(s) you drop will be calculated according to the official refund policy in effect when you drop the course: 100% during the first five days of class; 60% for the 6 through 10th day of class; 40% for the 11 through 18th day of class. (Prorated for Summer.) You will be charged 100% of the cost of any class you add, so you will not be able to make an “even exchange” when you drop and add after the 100% refund ends.

Changing Sections
Section changes may be made utilizing the drop/add process if openings exist in the class section desired. Such changes must be made by the final date for adding courses for credit as indicated on the Academic Calendar. In unusual and extenuating circumstances a student may be permitted to change sections after this date upon approval of the appropriate dean.

Curriculum Changes
A curriculum (major) change is made by obtaining the approval of the appropriate college dean. If the change involves transfer to another college, the approval of both deans concerned must be obtained.

Resigning from the University
A student may resign at any time before the final date for resigning (See the “Academic Calendar”). A grade of F is recorded for a student who leaves the University after this date. Students may resign by dropping all of their courses via COMPASS (compass.lsus.edu).

No record is maintained of courses carried when a student resigns during the first 15 class days of the term (the first 7 days of a seven week summer session). During the next seven weeks (the next 16 class days for a summer session), a W (withdrawal) is assigned for coursework when a student resigns. During the final five weeks (the final 12 class days for a summer session), no resignation is permitted, except as authorized by the student's dean in unusual circumstances. In such cases, a W is assigned for the coursework. Time allowances for the summer split‑session are prorated.

If a student has been charged with a violation of the Student Code of Conduct, he or she may not withdraw from any class related to the charge; register for additional classes or for subsequent terms or terms; receive official grade reports; request official copies of his or her academic record or enrollment verification; or graduate until all disciplinary proceedings are completed.

Credits and Term Hours
The value of each course of instruction and the amount of work required for graduation are stated as term hours.

Maximum and Minimum Academic Load

Fall and Spring Terms:
The minimum full‑time load is 12 term hours. A full time student’s normal schedule ranges between 12 and 19 hours. With the dean’s approval, a student who has maintained an average of 3.0 may register for more than 19 term hours; however, the maximum load is 21 hours.

A student whose record shows inadequate preparation for college work (placement in one or more Developmental Education courses) may not register for more than 15 hours; 12 hours would be preferable.

A student on scholastic probation may take no more than 12 hours in a term (6 hours in a summer).

Summer Term:
A student enrolled during the summer sessions may register for a maximum of 12 term hours of credit. Six non-developmental term hours is the minimum full‑time load for Sessions 1A and 1B. Students enrolled in Session 1 only may take only 9 hours.

A student on scholastic probation may take no more than 6 hours in a summer.

Credit by Examination

A student with superior ability and preparation or a student who has already obtained a fundamental knowledge of subjects offered at the University and who demonstrates competence through a series of tests may be granted credit for basic and advanced courses and go on to higher levels of learning. These examinations are graded on a pass‑no credit basis. Grades of P are entered on the student's record but are not used in computing grade point averages. LSUS uses the following examinations for determining credit:

The American College Testing Program (ACT)
Students receive three hours credit for English 105 if they do the following:
(1)   submit a score of 24 on the English test and a total of 51 on the combined English and Composite scores on the Enhanced ACT battery to the Office of Admissions Records, and
(2)   achieve an acceptable level of proficiency on a written examination administered by the English Department.

The departmental advanced standing examination is given at designated times during the academic year.

The ACT examination is given five times a year‑‑October, December, February, April, and June‑‑at test centers on college campuses and in high schools. ACT must receive applications for tests approximately one month in advance of the test date.

Detailed information and application forms may be obtained from high school counselors from the University's Counseling Center or from the American College Testing Program, P.O. Box 808, Iowa City, Iowa 52243, or visit their website at www.ACT.org.

College Entrance Examination Board Tests
Application forms and information about the following programs can be secured from the Educational Testing Service, Box 1821, Princeton, New Jersey 08540:

Advanced Placement Program--The student who submits a score of four or five to the Admissions and Records Office is given credit in the appropriate course(s). A score of three is referred to the appropriate department of the University for a decision regarding credit. These examinations are given at high schools participating in the Advancement Placement Program of the College Entrance Examination Board.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP): Subject OR General Examinations
The student who submits scores earned on tests under either of these programs to the Admissions and Records Office will have the scores referred by that office to the appropriate department of the University for a decision regarding credits.

The Center of Business and Economic Research (CBER) administer computerized CLEP tests at LSUS in the Business and Education Building, BE 119. Currently the College of Business Administration and the College of Science at LSUS accept CLEP scores as credit in their respective programs provided passing grades are earned. For more information and to schedule an appointment, call the CBER at 797-5187. Additional information on the CLEP tests are available on the CBER web site: www.LSUS.edu/cber

In addition to the CLEP tests, the LSUS College of Business Administration also offers a Departmental Proficiency Exam for Information Systems and Computer Applications (ISDS 150). The fee for this exam is $10. Contact the Department of Management/Marketing for additional information: (318) 797-5017.

LSUS Departmental Examinations
A student who has been admitted to the University and is in good standing may initiate a departmental examination by obtaining permission of the dean of the student's college, the chair of the department offering the course, and the instructor. After such permission is granted and the non-refundable $10 fee is paid, the Admissions and Records Office issues an official permit. No one may give a departmental examination until the official permit has been received. No fee is required for an examination taken prior to midpoint of the first term in which the student is enrolled as a freshman. If an examination is taken while the student is not enrolled in the University, credit shall be granted only after registration for residence study.

Policies and regulations, which apply to departmental examinations, are as follows:

A student may take a departmental examination only once in any course.

  1. A student may not schedule a departmental examination in a course that was previously audited, withdrawn from (W), or in which an unsatisfactory grade (D, F, or NC) was received (except when the course was involved in a bankruptcy declaration).
  2. A student may not schedule a departmental examination in a course not taught at LSUS.
  3. A student may not schedule a departmental examination when LSUS is not officially in session.
  4. A student who is or was enrolled in a course during the current term or term and desires to take a departmental examination in that course must take the examination during the first 20 days of classes (the first 10 during a summer session).

Other Credits

Credit for Military Educational Experiences
Credit for formal service‑school courses is determined in accordance with the recommendations of the American Council on Education as published in the Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Armed Services. However, the University's policy is to award credit for lower- and upper‑level courses. The student desiring credit for such courses must submit official records of completion of the courses to the Admissions and Records Office after earning 12 term hours at LSUS. The student's dean will determine the extent to which the credit is applicable toward the degree.

Credit is also allowed for USAFI/DANTES correspondence courses. (See “Maximum Use of Credits: Examination, Military Correspondence, Extension.”)

Credit is not allowed for tests of the General Educational Development (GED) Testing Program, for USAFI/DANTES self‑teaching and group‑study courses, or for time spent on military duty.

Credits for Correspondence and Extension Courses
Undergraduate credit may be earned through correspondence or extension courses offered through the Division of Continuing Education and Independent Study at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge or through accredited extension divisions of other universities. Students who desire to use the credit in meeting degree requirements at LSUS must obtain in advance written permission of their dean.

Maximum Use of Credits: Examination,Military, Correspondence, Extension
Credits earned by examination, or by military correspondence, and extension courses cannot be used to reduce the University's minimum residence requirements. The following maximums apply to the use of such credits toward fulfilling degree requirements:

  1. No more than 62 credits from a combination of credits by examination, military educational experiences, correspondence courses, and extension courses.
  2. Of the 62 credits, no more than 32 credits from a combination of correspondence (including USAFI/DANTES courses), extension courses, and military educational experiences.
  3. Of the 62 credits, no more than 18 credits for the General Examinations of College-Level Examination
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Last Revised April 3, 2006