Registration

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Normally, all work for a masters degree is done at Springfield College. No more than six semester hours of graduate credit may be transferred from one or more other institutions toward the masters degree in programs requiring less than forty-eight semester hours of graduate credit. However, students who are enrolled in a masters degree program requiring a minimum of forty-eight semester hours of graduate credit may transfer nine semester hours of graduate credit toward the masters degree. Courses accepted for transfer credit must be completed during the five-year period of candidacy, have a grade of B or better, and be applicable to the individuals program of study pursued at Springfield College. Additionally, such courses must carry graduate credit at an accredited institution with a notation to that effect on the official transcript. No credit is granted for prior experiential learning.

Students who wish to begin graduate work as an undergraduate must file a written request and secure the approval of the dean of the School of Graduate Studies at the main campus in Springfield before registering for such study. Students interested in this option should contact their academic advisor for appropriate procedures. No request will be approved unless the students cumulative grade point average is 3.00 or better at the start of the semester during which the course or courses are to be taken. Students will be charged the undergraduate tuition rate for these courses. 

Graduate students who wish to take undergraduate coursework may do so, but will be charged the graduate tuition rate. These courses will not apply toward the students graduate degree. 

Upon meeting the following conditions, School of Human Services students are eligible to register for a class offered by the School of Graduate Studies through the course cross-registration process.

1. Prior approval of course cross-registration must be secured using the Springfield College Cross-Registration Form.
2. Students must fulfill course prerequisites, if any, prior to course crossregistration.
3. Graduate CORE requirements may not be met through course crossregistration.
4. Graduate students are eligible to cross-register for graduate courses or undergraduate prerequisites only.
5. Course cross-registration is limited to one course per semester, with a maximum course limit of three.
6. Course cross-registration is allowed only in those courses where space is available.
7. Course cross-registration is not allowed during traditional college Intersession and Summer Sessions (May term for the School of Human Services).
8. Tuition charge for a cross-registration course is based on the rate applicable to the individual’s degree program.

Students enrolled at one SHS campus may register for classes at another campus by completing the Temporary Student Assignment to Another Campus Form in consultation with their advisor and the admissions person at their home campus.

Students who attend a course for which they are not officially registered will not receive credit or grades for their work. The registration of all students is conducted under the direction of the registrar, according to the schedule of classes for the College year. The official registration records are compiled and administered in the Office of the Registrar. All full-time undergraduate and graduate students are registered at specific times and dates as listed in the official calendars. The registrar publishes, in advance of each registration, specific instructions regarding procedures. Students who fail to register by the registration deadline may be required to pay a late-registration fee. Courses with low enrollments are subject to cancellation. Not all courses listed in the course description section of the Catalogs are offered each semester.

Students are only permitted to add courses prior to the first class of each term. No class can be added after the first class has met. Students may not drop a course after the last day of the second month (Oct. 31, Feb. 28, June 30) of the term.

To add or drop a course(s), a Change of Schedule Form is used in consultation with the student’s academic advisor. If dropping all classes for a particular term, the student must consult with his/her advisor and complete a Leave of Absence Form. Contact the campus Student Services Office with questions and/or problems. Failure to attend classes does not constitute withdrawing or dropping a class.

Course Withdrawal

Students who withdraw from a course after the Drop-Add Deadline (the last day of the second month of the term) receive a grade of “W.” This grade appears on the students’ transcripts for the course.

Once registered for classes, students are responsible for the tuition incurred. To voluntarily withdraw from a course(s), students must report to the campus to begin the withdrawal process. In circumstances where in-person withdrawal is not feasible, the student may initiate withdrawal action by writing or telephoning the campus. Absence from classes does not constitute withdrawal from a course; students must submit official withdrawal forms.

The withdrawal process involves completing a withdrawal form, having it signed by the academic advisor, and submitting the form to the records coordinator at the local campus. If the student has benefited from federal financial aid, he/she must meet with the financial aid coordinator at the local campus. The student must also contact the business services coordinator to clear any outstanding charges or holds that may prevent continuation of the program at a later date or prevent the release of academic records.

A leave of absence may be granted to a student who has completed graded courses for at least one term. Students wishing to drop all classes and take a leave of absence for a term need the approval of their academic advisor and must complete a multi-part Leave of Absence Form. The Office of Financial Aid will notify all lenders that the student is not currently enrolled and repayment of all outstanding financial loans may commence.

If after one year a student has not re-enrolled, the student will be withdrawn from the College as of the date he/she terminated academic study. During this period, any outstanding balance on the students account will be pursued until collected. 

Students who do not plan to continue their academic studies with the School of Human Services must meet with the campus director for an exit interview, at which time the various steps of the withdrawal process will be reviewed. The purpose of the interview is for the student to have an opportunity to review options and bring closure to the experience at the School. At that time, an effective date will be determined. This date will be used in processing any possible refunds.

Students who are withdrawing from the school must return the Student Identification Card that was issued to them. Withdrawals will not be processed unless the Student Identification Card is returned. Withdrawing students must complete a multi-part Complete Withdrawal form. Please be sure to mail it by Certified Mail, return receipt requested to the instructional campus, or obtain a receipt if the Complete Withdrawal form is hand-delivered.

Springfield College will maintain student confidentiality rights and protect access to information as provided by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, also known as the Buckley Amendment. Except as provided by law, information from a students records will not be released without the prior written consent of the student. This legislation also provides numerous exceptions whereby the College may release information without prior notice and/or consent of the student, including, but not limited to, the following:

1. Directory information may be provided unless a student has filed a written request to withhold this information. Students, whether they reside on or off campus, must advise the Office of Residence Life in writing no later than September 15 of each academic year if they wish to restrict the release of this information.

Springfield College considers the following information as directory information: name; campus mailbox; campus phone number; enrollment status; dates of attendance at the College; major; semester hours earned; degrees earned; honors received.

2. Information may be shared with and by Springfield College faculty and staff who have a legitimate educational interest in the student.

In addition, any requests that come from officials of other institutions to which the student might be applying for transfer; government agencies and officials who provide proper identification; officers of the court; financial aid personnel to support a students application for aid; as well as appropriate parties in health or safety emergencies will have access to information in the students records. Students may also be asked to sign a written waiver granting permission for the release of information from the school records.

Students retain the right to review the contents of their educational records. In order to do so, a formal written request must be made through the Office of the Registrar. In such cases, a meeting will be established within 45 days of the request to permit the student to review materials. A photocopy charge may be assessed if the student wishes to have copies made of materials in the file. Springfield College will comply with a written request initiated by the student to supply information in his/her behalf. Such requests must be signed and dated and include the specific records or information to be disclosed, the purpose for the disclosure, and the individual(s) to whom the information should be released.

Details concerning the Buckley Amendment are available at the Office of the Dean of Students and the Office of the Registrar and at each instructional campus.

Students may obtain unofficial copies of their academic transcripts for the duration of study at Springfield College. Applications for these transcripts are made in writing to the Office of the Registrar.

A $6 fee is charged for transcripts requested to be officially sent to a third party. Official transcript requests must include the name and address of the official to whom the information is to be mailed, along with a students signature as permission to release a record.

Official transcripts, bearing the College seal, are sent by the registrar directly to the receiver and may not be transmitted by the applicant. Ordinarily, transcript requests will be processed and mailed within ten days of the written request.

Currently enrolled students; non-enrolled students; students who have been separated, dismissed, suspended, expelled, disciplined, withdrawn or were on a leave of absence may not obtain an official transcript, access to registration for courses, and/or a diploma if their accounts are not paid in full, as and when due.

Babson Library is Springfield Colleges library, serving the students, faculty and staff of Springfield College and all of its campuses. The library collection mirrors the curriculum and is especially strong in the areas of social services, education, psychology, health, physical education, recreation and sports. The library is staffed by professionals who assist in the use of library resources as well as provide library instruction and interlibrary loan and electronic reserve services. The library is a member of the Cooperating Libraries of Greater Springfield, the Western Massachusetts Regional Library System, NELINET, and the Massachusetts Library and Information Network, all of which provide greater access to resources for students.

The collection is housed in the Babson Library building on the main campus in Springfield, Massachusetts, which also includes spacious reading areas, lounges, and individual and group study areas. Students can make use of various library services, such as the Reference Desk and the Circulation/Reserves Desk. The building also houses an open computer lab and several electronic classrooms run by the Information and Technology Services Department. All campuses have terminals through which students can connect to the College network and the library network.

Babson Librarys home page is at www.springfieldcollege.edu/library. From here students can access the librarys catalog and its many databases. The catalog and databases are available on all campuses and most are also available from off-campus. Other Web pages provide information about library services and policies and allow students to request help from the reference librarians or to submit interlibrary loan requests. There is a special section, Distance Services, written specifically for students who take classes at campuses other than the main campus.

Each SHS campus has a student support structure that serves as a resource to provide students with support, advocacy, information and academic skills. The resources and support offered include assistance with writing assignments, time management, study skills, research projects and areas related to personal development and academic progress. Faculty and staff at various campuses also offer free workshops periodically to help students with skills such as resume writing and career planning. Students in need of professional counseling may be referred to a list of community resources that have been identified by the College.

The Career Center assists students and alumni in making career and life-planning decisions. A career development specialist serves as a liaison for SHS campuses. The specialist is responsible for coordinating services and programs focused on helping individuals become well-informed job applicants who are skilled and confident in presenting their credentials to employers. Resources and networking opportunities are available to assist students to identify and secure full-time professional employment. Job search skills can be sharpened by scheduling videotaped practice inter-views, having resumes and cover letters critiqued via fax or e-mail and by using the Career Center library resources and the Internet. Students who register with the Career Center can establish a permanent reference file and easy access to the weekly job listing bulletin and Job Hotline. The Career center is open some Saturdays and evenings to more easily accommodate calls from SHS students at remote campuses. The center also accepts telephone appointments. Graduates are surveyed each year, and the placement results are published. While the Center will assist students and alumni with career services, it does not guarantee placement. The Career Center is located at the main campus in Springfield, Massachusetts. Students can contact the office at 413-748-3222.

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