Academic Catalog :: Requirements & Policies - Academic

CLEP Tests
CLEP is an acronym for the College Level Examination Program which gives students the opportunity to show that they have the knowledge necessary to gain course credit without actually taking the course. Students who believe that they already possess knowledge comparable to that expected in certain courses because of their work experience, independent study or study in non-accredited institutions might receive credit based on scores of examinations in the CLEP program. CLEP Subject Examinations are designated for earned credit in specific courses; therefore, students should obtain the exact title of the Subject Examination and test time from the Testing Coordinator.

Portfolio Assessments
Occasionally, students may possess college level mastery of subjects for which there are no appropriate CLEP examinations. Students may seek credit for any course taught at Springfield College by taking a challenge examination without formally taking the course, or by submitting a formal portfolio for assessment. Requests for Challenge Examinations or Portfolio Assessments are subject to the approval of the Dean of Academic Affairs. For more information, contact the Dean of Academic Affairs.

SCI Designed Test
In special circumstances, the Dean of Academic Affairs may give approval for a student to be awarded credit by taking an examination designed by a Springfield College faculty member. The specific designed test may be taken only once for a given course and cannot be taken for a course below a level at which the student already has received academic credit.

Credit by Examination
Students seeking credit by examination must be enrolled at the College for a minimum of six semester hours. Credit by examination counts for graduation and is recorded as CR (credit) but is not included in the G.P.A. nor used to determine full-time status. Students may apply up to 30 semester hours of credit earned by examination toward graduation from the College.

College Entrance — Advanced Placement Examinations (AP)
The College grants both advanced standing and college credit to incoming students based on the results of the College Entrance Examination Board Advanced Placement Examinations (AP). Applicants who seek advanced placement based on the AP should have the examination results sent to the Office of the Registrar during the summer before enrollment.

Credit generally is granted for a score of 3 or above on AP examinations in the following areas: Art History, Biology, Calculus, Chemistry, Economics, English, French, History, Physics , Political Science, or Spanish.

Independent Study
With the approval of the Dean of Academic Affairs, a student may earn one to four credits in an independent study course. This course may be advanced work in an area previously studied or in a subject not normally offered but needed by an individual for future studies. The student should be aware that an independent study course is billed at an additional cost above and beyond a student’s packaged tuition rate and charged at the per credit hour rate of tuition and may not be covered by financial aid. All Independent Study Contracts must be initiated by the student. Independent studies are numbered 199.

An Independent Study Contract could be created if the following criteria are met:

The student must have a cumulative G.P.A. of at least 3.0 or approval of the Dean of Academics;
The request for the Independent Study Contract must be completed before the last day to add a class per semester; and
A working syllabus must be attached to the Independent Study Contract.

Individualized Study
An Individualized Study can be created for an existing course taken in a term when the course is not on the schedule. The student should be aware that an individualized study course is billed at an additional cost above and beyond a student’s packaged tuition rate and charged at the per credit hour rate of tuition and may not be covered by financial aid. All Individualized Study Contracts must be initiated by the student. An Individualized Study Contract could be created if the following criteria are met:

The course is not already being offered during the current semester;
The course can only be used to meet graduation requirements during a student’s final semester;
The student must have a cumulative G.P.A. of at least 3.0 or approval of the Dean of Academic Affairs; and
The request for the Individualized Study Contract must be completed before the last day to add a class per semester; and
A working syllabus must be attached to the Individualized Study Contract.

Internship
With the approval of the Dean of Academic Affairs, a student may earn one to three credits each semester in an internship course. The student should be aware that an internship course is billed at the same rate per credit hour as any other course and is included in the student’s normal load. All Internship Contracts must be initiated by the student. In order for an Internship Contract to be created, the following criteria must be met:

The student must have a cumulative G.P.A. of at least 3.0 or approval of the Dean of Academic Affairs;
The request for the Internship Contract must be completed before the last day to add a class per semester; and
A working internship agreement must be included with the request.