Registration

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Undergraduate students enrolled in, or enrolling into, the School of Human Services are required to complete a minimum of 48 credit hours at Springfield College in order to fulfill the residency requirement. The remaining number of credit hours required to complete the undergraduate degree may be completed at the College or transferred in from other institutions. The State of South Carolina limits the number of transfer credits from a 2-year college to 64.

Courses submitted for transfer credit are reviewed and approved by the Office of the Registrar. Those courses completed 10 or more years before the student’s matriculation at Springfield College may be subject to further review by appropriate academic faculty prior to final approval.

In order to be accepted as transfer credit, courses must be:

1. Completed at a regionally accredited institution of higher education. (Regional accrediting bodies are NEASC, MSACS, NCACS, NWASC, SACS and WASC.)
2. Graded as a C- or better. Grades of P (pass) will only be accepted if there is documentation that the P is equivalent to a C- or better.

In addition, a course accepted for transfer credit must satisfy one of the following conditions:

1. It must be equivalent to a course needed to fulfill an All-College Requirement.
2. It must be approved by the registrar for use as elective credit, and it must be needed to fulfill degree requirements, based on the students major. Courses used for elective credit need not be equivalent to Springfield College courses.

A course catalog, course description or course syllabus may be needed to appropriately assess the course.

Springfield College does not grant transfer credit for the following work completed at or assessed by other colleges: college-based credit by exam, correspondence courses and portfolio assessment.

Credits for CLEP, DANTES and AP courses are assessed consistent with relevant College policy. Credit for armed services experience or employer training programs is assessed by the registrar based on American Council on Education (ACE) and Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) guidelines. Original documentation related to such coursework must be presented.

Courses accepted for transfer credit will be listed on the students transcript with a designation of TR, the number of semester hours awarded, the name of the institution where the course was taken, and the number and title of the equivalent Springfield College course. If there is no direct equivalent, it will be designated as an elective with the most closely associated academic program prefix. Grades received for transfer courses are not indicated on the Springfield College transcript, and the grades and related quality points are not calculated in the semester or cumulative grade point averages. However, transfer credits awarded do contribute toward students totals of cumulative earned and attempted hours. For incoming transfer students in majors that do not specifically require physical education activity courses (other than to complete the All-College Requirements), .5 semester hours of required activity courses will be waived for every 15 semester hours of accepted transfer credit. The waiver does not carry credit and does not reduce the minimum semester hours required for graduation.

Currently enrolled students wishing to transfer credits to the College should submit the completed Transfer Credit Approval Form to the SHS campus director for approval, prior to taking courses at another institution. This form is available at each campus. Requests for approval may also be submitted via fax or e-mail, if necessary. A course catalog, official course description or course syllabus may be needed to appropriately assess the course.

Courses intended to fulfill electives or All-College Requirements require approval of the registrar, and in some cases the SHS campus director in consultation with the registrar.

If the approved transfer course is a repeat of a previously taken course, and it has now been passed with a C- or better, credit will be awarded. The original grade for the course will remain on the record, but the grade is removed from the calculation of the cumulative grade point average. The new grade is not recorded and will not otherwise impact the grade point average.

State Regulations Regarding Transfer Credits

South CarolinaNot more than sixty-four credit hours (approximately one-half) of a baccalaureate program maybe transferred from a two-year (Level I accredited) institution.

Transferability of credits is at the discretion of the accepting institution. It is the students responsibility to confirm whether or not Springfield College credits will be accepted by another college.

Springfield College School of Human Services has established Transfer Articulation Agreements with several two-year colleges to facilitate a smooth transfer and transition of qualified undergraduates into the baccalaureate degree program. Copies of applicable articulation agreements are available at each campus.

The partnership between Springfield College and the YMCA dates back to the earliest days of the Colleges history. For over one hundred years, Springfield has provided the educational foundation for many of the Y movements greatest leaders. Today, the partnership between the Y and Springfield College continues to grow and flourish through expanding academic opportunities. Academic credit is available through Springfield College for many of the training courses, management modules and certification programs offered by the YMCA of the USA. Descriptions of these modules are included in this catalog.

Students who receive credit for their YMCA training will have those credits applied to the 48-credit residency requirement. To apply for academic credit, students must complete a separate SHS/YMCA Course Application Form, complete a post-course assignment and provide an additional fee for each course. Further information and application packets are available through the Springfield College Office of YMCA Relations, 413-748-3914 or 800-727-0004, ext. 3914.

Students who wish to begin graduate work at Springfield College while still an undergraduate must file a written request and secure the approval from the Office of Graduate Studies at the main campus in Springfield before registering for such study. No request will be approved unless the students cumulative grade point average is 3.00 or better at the start of the term during which the course or courses are to be taken. Students interested in this option should contact their academic advisors. Students will be charged the undergraduate tuition rate for these courses. Undergraduate students who take advantage of this opportunity to take graduate courses while still an undergraduate should understand that doing so does not connote acceptance into the graduate program. To be admitted into the graduate program, students must complete the graduate application process and satisfy all admissions requirements.

Upon meeting the following conditions, School of Human Services students are eligible to register for a class offered by the traditional undergraduate schools 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 cross-registration.
3. Undergraduate students are eligible to cross-register for undergraduate courses only.
4. Course cross-registration is limited to one course per term, with a maximum course limit of three.
5. Course cross-registration is allowed only in those courses where space is available.
6. Course cross-registration is not allowed during Intersession and Summer Sessions (May term for the School of Human Services).
7. 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 wishing to be readmitted must retake and pay for courses with incomplete grades.

Students who do not plan to continue their academic studies with the School of Human Services must meet with the campus director or designee 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 mate-rials. A photocopy charge may be assessed if the student wishes to have copies made of materials in his/her 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.

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 $4$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 Office of 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.

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