Academic Regulations

This section summarizes important information related to academic work at Longwood University. Students must be familiar with the information in this section. It is the responsibility of each student to be certain that academic requirements necessary for graduation are completely fulfilled. The catalog for the year in which a student enters Longwood University governs program and graduation requirements. Students are governed by the academic policies and regulations in the current University catalog.

Catalogs are in effect for a five-year period.  For more information, please refer to the Time Limit policy.

Student Responsibility

It is the responsibility of students to inform themselves of, and to observe, all regulations and procedures required by the university. In no case will a regulation be waived or an exception granted because students plead ignorance of the regulation or assert that they were not informed of the regulation by an advisor or other authority. Students should be especially familiar with the academic regulations, the requirements for the degree they plan to complete, and when courses are offered by working with their advisor. It is the responsibility of each student to be certain that the academic requirements necessary for graduation are completely fulfilled. Departments reserve the right to determine which graduate courses will be offered in any semester or summer session and should be consulted concerning available courses. Program Directors may substitute major course requirements where appropriate. The schedule of classes is produced online each semester by the Office of the Registrar.

Academic Advising

Longwood’s advising program provides informed academic counseling that makes effective use of the assessment, career planning, student development, and software resources available. Although course selection is important, advisors are prepared to assist advisees on such matters as the following:

• Examining post degree career opportunities;
• Understanding their personal abilities, interests, and career goals;
• Developing an educational program that enhances and fulfills these goals;
• Providing information about college and departmental policies, procedures, and resources;
• Reviewing opportunities for academic involvement through internships, research with graduate faculty, participating in professional organizations, and acceptance to honorary societies; and,
• Evaluating their progress toward their educational goals.

Newly admitted students are assigned a program advisor. The assignment of the advisor generally is not changed unless the student changes his/her degree program. Prior to registration, students are encouraged to consult with their academic advisor regarding course selection and sequence, career goals, and relevant academic policies. Although the academic advisor assists students with curriculum decisions and options, the student bears full responsibility for meeting graduation requirements.

Enrollment

Definition of Semester, Session, and Term

Semester: full fall and full spring: The full amount of time available from the earliest start date to the latest end date of classes in fall and spring, during the academic year. Typically fall semester begins in late August and ends in early December. Spring semester begins in early January and ends in late April or early May.

Session: Instructional periods offered outside of the academic year spanning the earliest start date to latest end date of classes. This includes intersession and summer session. Most graduate programs require coursework during the summer session for timely completion.

Intersession: a period of instruction held between the last date of fall classes and the first date of spring classes over part of December and January.
Summer Session: a period of instruction held between the last date of spring classes and first date of fall classes over part of May, June, July and part of August.

Term: Any period of instructional time within a semester or session, that is less than the full semester or session (also referred to as parts of term and includes the MBA’s 7 week terms, the 8 week professional studies terms, and SPED 5 week terms).

Any student who has been admitted to a graduate program at Longwood University will continuously enroll in credit bearing courses each semester/session unless a Leave of Absence from study is requested and approved.  Any semester/session in which the student is supervised by or consults with faculty concerning graduate work on thesis, professional portfolio, or field experience requires enrollment.

Students enroll in courses by registering through myLongwood each semester/session.  Registration in a course is a commitment to participate in that course and pay all tuition and fees associated with it. Students enrolled in the MBA program will be restricted to 7 credits per 7-week session.  Exceptions may only be approved by the MBA Program Director. Students can change their semester/session schedules by adding or dropping courses during the short add/drop period that takes place at the beginning of each term.  Changes in schedules at this time do not involve grades or loss of tuition and fees, though adding classes will increase tuition and fees.  Changes during add/drop may affect financial aid.  After the add/drop period, once courses are underway, students can only withdraw from a course until the midpoint of the semester/session. Withdrawal does incur tuition and fees and the course shows on the student’s transcript as a W (withdrawal) instead of a grade.  Withdrawing from a course or courses may affect financial aid. Please refer to the academic calendar for add, drop and withdrawal dates.

A student may also decide to stop attending a graduate program completely and withdraw from the university.  This is a different process than withdrawing from a course as it removes the student from the myLongwood system as an active student.  Changes to a student’s schedule at any time could affect financial aid.

Registration Procedures

All graduate degree and professional endorsement seeking graduate students are expected to register by myLongwood during one of the opportunities provided during the academic year:

• Registration: normally opens in October/November for the following spring semester or in March/April for the following fall semester and limited to currently enrolled, degree and professional endorsement seeking-students.
• Summer Registration: normally opens in March with students required to register by the Registration Deadline for the session in which the course is listed.
• Final Registration: the day immediately preceding the first day of classes each semester.

In addition to the official course offerings schedule available on the Office of the Registrar, the College of Graduate and Professional Studies can be contacted for more details.

Full-Time/Part-Time Status

For academic and financial aid purposes, a graduate-level student must be registered for at least six (6) credit hours per semester to be considered full-time. Graduate-level students registered for fewer than 6 credit hours per semester are considered part-time for academic purposes.  To be eligible for financial aid a student must be registered for a minimum of three (3) credits per semester. Full-time status for state financial aid is nine (9) credit hours per term. See the Expenses and Financial Policy  section of the catalog.  

Course Numbers

The graduate courses listed in this catalog are numbered between 500 and 699. Courses numbered from 500 to 599 are for graduate students and advanced undergraduates; course numbered 600 to 699 are for graduate students only.

Class Attendance

It is the university’s policy that students are expected to attend all classes. Failure to attend class regularly impairs academic performance and is disruptive to the educational process for others. This is especially true when absences cause interruptions for clarification of material previously covered, failure to assume assigned responsibilities for class presentations, or failure to adjust to changes in assigned material or due dates.

It is the responsibility of all faculty to give students a copy of their attendance policy in their course syllabi.

• Instructors may assign a grade of “0” or “F” on work missed because of unexcused absences.
• Instructors have the right to lower a student’s course grade by no more than one letter grade, if the student misses 10 percent of the scheduled class meeting times for unexcused absences.
• Instructors have the right to assign a course grade of “F” when the student has missed a total (excused and unexcused) of 25 percent of the scheduled class meeting times.

Students must assume full responsibility for any loss incurred because of absence, whether excused or unexcused.  Faculty should permit students to make up work when the absence is excused. Excused absences are those resulting from the student’s participation in military service, from a college-sponsored activity, from recognizable emergencies, or from serious illness. Faculty may require documentation for excused absences in their attendance policy. University Health will provide documentation of needed absence in very limited cases: only for those students who are sent home by University Health (ex. Communicable disease). The Dean of Students may also provide documentation for students unable to attend class due to psychological emergencies.

Classes on the university campus are considered open unless university officials send notification by text, email, or web. If the university campus is closed, or if faculty cannot safely reach campus due to inclement weather, faculty should communicate with their students about how the course schedule will change.

Faculty may offer alternate instructional opportunities, such as asynchronous class meetings, discussion boards, videos, readings, etc. in place of a missed class period.  Faculty should be flexible and reasonable in assigning weather-related makeup work: poor road conditions, lack of electricity, disrupted access to the Internet, and canceled bus routes may impede students’ ability to complete assignments. Faculty should also consider that students may have scheduling conflicts following the weather event.  Students taking classes, doing internships, or participating in other university activities off-campus should contact their faculty advisors for instructions on whether to continue those activities when the university campus is closed.

Final Examinations/Statement of Purpose

The overarching purpose of final examinations at Longwood University is to facilitate learning in a manner consistent with the pedagogy of each course, and in a way that is appropriate to the subject matter of each course. The evaluation of learning is considered to be an integral part of the educational experience for all students and the constructive use of valid evaluation measures, including examinations, papers, and presentations, not only provides assessments of learning outcomes, it also becomes part of the learning process itself.

Final Examination Policies

1. The final examination schedule shall be published with the schedule of classes for each semester. During regular semesters, four (4) two and one-half-hour examinations are scheduled each day. For courses held during the summer or any other non-traditional block of time, examinations are held during the regularly scheduled class period on the last day of each term. One reading day will precede the examination period, except for courses held during the summer or any other non-traditional block of time. No assignments shall be due on a reading day.
2. Faculty members must require that a final culminating assignment (e.g., exam, term paper, oral presentation, project report) be conducted or due during the final examination period established for the course. The final culminating assignment for a course shall be due by, and no earlier than, the end of the examination period published by the Registrar. Exceptions must be approved by the Dean of the appropriate College.
3. Students must be informed of the nature and timing of the final culminating assignment at the beginning of the semester via the syllabus. Final culminating assignments (other than exams given during the exam period) must be distributed to students at least one week before the final exam period so that students can coordinate them with preparation for other examinations. This policy does not apply to summer or any other courses offered in a non-traditional block of time.
4. When students have in excess of two exams per day they may request that exams be rescheduled. The student should make the request prior to the last week of the semester.
5. For final culminating assignments conducted face-to-face during the scheduled final exam time, the instructor or a qualified proxy should be available during the examination period to hand out materials, collect materials, and make necessary explanations.
6. Examination and semester grades are confidential and must not be posted.

Course Add/Drop Period

Students may make schedule adjustments (adds and/or drops) for face-to-face, off-campus, online, and hybrid courses. 

• until 5:00 p.m. on the sixth day of classes for fall and spring full semester courses.
• until 5:00 p.m. on the third business day after the officially stipulated begin date in an abbreviated term, intersession or summer session courses of at least three weeks.
• until 5:00 p.m. of the officially stipulated begin date for any courses which are less than three weeks in duration. If the first meeting time of such a course is after 3 p.m., then a student has until noon of the business day following the officially stipulated begin date to add/drop the course.

Tuition is not paid for courses dropped within this time period, but financial aid may be affected. Appropriate dates for the last day to add and/or drop without academic or financial penalty are included in the official academic calendar, and on the Office of the Registrar website under the Quick Links menu.

All registration and add/drop transactions must be processed through appropriate procedures by the deadline to become effective.

Withdrawal from Individual Courses

Students may use the Course Withdrawal form to withdraw from individual courses with a grade of W until the end of the 50th day of full semester scheduled courses or, for courses held in non-traditional time frames including all terms and summer session, until the mid-point of the course. After that date, withdrawals from individual courses are not permitted. A student who needs to withdraw for medical reasons from the University or from a course after the deadlines cited above must complete a Retroactive Withdrawal Request by the last course day.  In addition, a letter must be sent by a physician, detailing the nature of the illness, and recommending withdrawal for medical reasons.

In other extenuating circumstances not related to academic performance, the Dean may grant a withdrawal if a written request from the student is received by the last class day. If the Dean approves the request, it will be forwarded to the Registrar and the documentation added to the student’s file.  Affected grade(s) for that semester will appear as W on the student’s transcript. The Graduate College will notify the student’s advisor of any grade changes.

Appropriate dates for the last day to withdraw without academic penalty are included in the official academic calendar, and on the Office of the Registrar website under the Quick Links menu. Withdrawal from the course does not remove tuition and fees and may affect financial aid awards.

Withdrawal from the University

Current Longwood students who are not planning on continuing their enrollment with Longwood University are required to formally withdraw from the University by completing the University Withdrawal form. 

Students must officially withdraw from the University (drop all registered credits within the appropriate add/drop period) by completing the University Withdrawal form. The withdrawal form must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar during the add/drop period specified in the academic calendar to prevent the assessment of tuition and fee charges.

Please note that the following actions will not substitute for a formal withdrawal (or course cancellation) and will not be considered justification for elimination or reduction of charges:

1. Failure to submit payment for a course after registering.
2. Failure to officially drop a course for any reason, including an account hold.
3. Failure to attend class, log into Canvas, and/or complete coursework after registering.
4. Requesting release of official (or unofficial) transcripts.
5. Failure to apply for, receive, or accept financial aid and/or other third party tuition/fee assistance.
6. Voluntary or enforced cancellation of financial aid.

The deadline to withdraw without academic penalty should not be confused with any deadline to withdraw and receive a full or partial refund of charges. Please see the “Expenses and Financial Policy ” section of this catalog for information related to refunds and charge adjustments. This applies to both course withdrawal and program withdrawal.

Deferment and Leave of Absence

Students are required to enroll in at least one course in the semester or term they are admitted and then each semester or term following admission including the summer session. If a student is unable to meet that requirement, there are two ways to postpone coursework without losing continuing student status and being withdrawn from the University. The first is deferment which happens before applicants or newly admitted students have taken their first course. The second is leave of absence which happens after an admitted student has begun their coursework.  

Deferring Admission or Application

A deferment is required if an applicant has not completed their application documentation or a newly admitted student decides not to enroll in coursework in the term they were admitted to their graduate program.​  Deferments enable students who have not started their coursework, and need to delay that start, to remain in good standing.  In-progress applicants and newly admitted students can defer their application or admission term up to one academic year.  To request a term change or deferment, the Start Term Change Request form must be completed by the end of the add/drop period for the original application or admission term. Term changes may be limited to two per application/new student within the one academic year period from their original selection. Applicants and new students who do not submit the Term Change Request form by the end of the add/drop period for the start term they have selected will be withdrawn and will be required to reapply for future consideration.

Leave of Absence

Students in graduate programs sometimes experience situations requiring them to temporarily stop taking coursework for a term(s) (e.g. health, family emergency, change in parental status, military service, financial hardship, personal, or academic reasons). Terms include fall, spring and summer.  Admitted graduate students who need to take a term(s) break from their course work are required to take a leave of absence to remain in good standing with the University. A leave of absence may be requested by filling out the Leave of Absence Form prior to the add/drop date in the applicable term as published in the University calendar. 

Except for extenuating circumstances requiring approval from the Dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies, time spent in leave of absence status will be included in all time limits pertaining to the student’s degree program.  Students in leave of absence are only entitled to use University resources normally available to the public or alumni, are not guaranteed requests for faculty time, and may not receive any assistantships or financial aid. A student on leave of absence is reported to the National Student Loan Data System as not enrolled, thus initiating the grace or repayment period for previously borrowed student loans.

Students in leave of absence maintain access to their Longwood accounts, including email and the library.

A leave of absence may be up to three, consecutive terms in length (terms include fall, spring and summer).  A student who does not return after a three-term leave of absence may be required to reapply and pay the application fee. Students who take an unapproved break in registration by failing to complete the Leave of Absence Form will relinquish their graduate standing. Students who wish to be reinstated will be required to re-apply to the program and pay the application fee. Reinstatement is not automatic in such instances and will depend on a full review by the applicable Program Director.

Reinstatement after Temporary Leave for Veterans

Veteran students shall be entitled to readmission to the University following the student’s release or return from military service, which shall provide that a student is entitled to reinstatement without having to requalify for admission if:

• The student returns to the University after a cumulative absence of not more than five years.
• The student provides notice of intent to return to the institution not later than three (3) years after the completion of the period of service.

Veteran students may be readmitted into the same program of study in which he or she had been enrolled prior to withdrawal if the applicable catalog will be in effect at the time of re-enrollment.  Graduate catalogs are in effect for a five-year period.  If the applicable catalog has expired, the student will work with an academic advisor to find a more current catalog that will work best with the student’s original program.

Veteran students who must defer enrollment due to military service may be allowed to defer his or her enrollment in the program based on catalog and program eligibility.

Grading 

Grades

A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 on a 4-point scale is required to remain in the graduate program and for graduation.

The quality of work completed by a student is recognized by the assignment of points to various grades. Under the 4.0 system, all grades on courses will be permanently retained in computing a student’s grade point average.  A student can determine their grade point average with two steps.  First, a student should multiply the quality points earned in each course by the credit hours for each course and then add them to get the total quality points. The student’s grade point average is the total quality points earned divided by the total number of credits assigned to the courses in which the student has been enrolled. A student’s grade point average is based only on work taken at Longwood University.

Passing grades for graduate students are A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C and C-.

The grades of AU, I, P, NP, and W are not calculated in the grade point average.

Audit

Class size permitting and with department approval, a student may register for a course on an audit basis. Auditing a course means that a student enrolls in a course, but does not receive academic credit. A student who registers for audit may be subject to other course requirements at the discretion of the instructor. Audit students are charged the regular rate of tuition and fees, and an audit course is counted as part of the student’s semester load. (For purposes of enrollment certification for VA benefits or other programs requiring “for credit” enrollment, audit courses will not count toward the minimum number of credits required for full-time status.)

The Office of the Registrar must be notified by the end of the Drop/Add period for a change in registration status from “audit” to “credit” or from “credit” to “audit” to occur. A course taken for audit cannot be changed to credit at a later date, nor can a course taken for credit be changed at a later date to audit.

Pass/Not Pass

The Pass/Not Pass grading option will be used in all thesis research, professional portfolio, and comprehensive examination courses and will not be used in calculating the grade point average. The Pass/Not Pass grading option may be used in all practicum, internships, externships, residencies and field/clinical experiences if so designated by the program and will not be used in calculating the grade point average. Each course will have a minimum number of hours with a “Pass” grade required and only those hours with a grade of “P” will meet requirements for completion.

Incomplete Grades

The grade of “I” indicates that because of illness or for good reason, the work of the semester has not been completed. 

• The awarding of a grade of “I” requires an understanding between the instructor and student as to when and how the course will be completed.
• A graduate student with six or more hours of incompletes will not be allowed to enroll in any additional graduate courses. 
• An “I” becomes an “F” unless the work is completed and the instructor assigns a course grade by the times indicated below. 
  • Fall semester: two weeks prior to end of spring graduate classes 
  • Spring semester:  first day of fall graduate classes
  • Summer sessions:  two weeks prior to end of fall graduate classes

An extension of the time limit is possible, but must be requested through the Incomplete Extension Form, prior to the expiration date stated above, and approved by the instructor and the Dean of the College of Graduate & Professional Studies.

Repeating Courses

The Repeated Course Policy allows a graduate student three course repeats for which the original grade is excluded and the most recent grade earned, even if it is lower, is included in GPA calculation. This means a graduate student can retake the same course three times, or retake three different courses, or any other combination but only the last enrollment of any individual course will count in earned hours. After three course repeats have been used, if a student should repeat additional courses, both the original and the new grade will be included in grade point average calculations.  

Only graduate coursework taken at Longwood University can be used in the repeat grade calculation. Transfer credits do not replace an earned grade. The repeat policy does not apply to courses which have an alternate repeat policy stated in the course description. Retaking a class can extend the time it takes for the student to graduate. Students do not earn additional cumulative credit (and may lose cumulative credit) when they retake a course. It is the student’s responsibility to consult with Financial Aid about how this policy will affect their status.

All enrollments and grades appear on the transcripts regardless of repeat status. Grades for repeated courses after the fourth repeat are designated on the transcript with an ‘Average,’ in the repeat column of the transcript, to signify the grade is calculated in the grade point average.

Academic Warning and Dismissal Policy & Appeals

The College of Graduate and Professional Studies reviews the cumulative grade point average (GPA) of all graduate level students and will identify those students whose cumulative GPA has fallen below 3.0 after a minimum of six graduate credit hours. The cumulative GPA is checked after each semester, summer session, or term (depending on the program). Students whose cumulative GPA falls below 3.0 will be sent a letter advising them that they have been placed on academic warning and have until the end of the next semester, summer session, or term in which they are enrolled in graduate classes at Longwood to raise their cumulative GPA to a 3.0 or higher.

Failure to raise the cumulative GPA to a 3.0 or higher will result in the student’s dismissal. Academic dismissal means required withdrawal from the institution for a minimum of one calendar year from the term, semester, or session of dismissal. Reapplication will be required for the student to return to Longwood.

Non-degree graduate and professional studies students are expected to meet and maintain the same academic standards as degree-seeking and professional endorsement students.

Appeals for exceptions to the required one year minimum withdrawal period may be presented to the Graduate Faculty Petitions Committee. A student may only appeal this policy to Graduate Faculty Petitions Committee once. To submit an appeal, please use the Appeals Form. Regardless of the appeal decision, notice of dismissal is placed on the student’s academic record.  If an appeal is granted, the student does not need to reapply.

Upon dismissal, all access to Longwood technology service resources is terminated. These systems include portfolios, personal web pages, and Canvas. Time spent in dismissal status will be included in all time limits pertaining to the student’s degree program.

Grade Appeals

The faculty of Longwood University is unequivocally committed to the principle that evaluation of student work and assignment of grades is a responsibility and a prerogative to be exercised solely by the individual instructor.

Should a student believe the final course grade received was unfairly awarded, the student has the right to appeal. Students should be aware of the fact that the appeal procedure may result in a grade being raised, lowered, or remaining unchanged. The student must initiate the appeal in writing by February 1 (for grades awarded in the fall semester or intersession) or by September 15 (for grades awarded in the spring semester or in summer). The appeal uses the following procedure:

1. The student discusses the grade with the instructor. The student will provide evidence about why she or he believes the grade was inaccurately awarded.
2. If, after the discussion, the student is still unsatisfied, the student may submit a grade appeal through the Graduate Appeal form. This appeal should outline the reasons why the student believes the grade was incorrect and include relevant documentation (e.g., grades material, syllabi, etc.) in support of the grade change. The appeal begins with the department chair, who will notify the faculty member within five business days of the appeal, and the faculty member will have five business days from notification to supply to the Chair a written response to the student’s appeal.
3. The Chair must decide within five business days of receiving the faculty member’s written response whether or not the student’s case merits further investigation, then the Chair appoints an ad hoc committee composed of three tenured members of faculty in the department (other than the faculty member involved). If the committee cannot be filled from within the department, the Chair may as a department chair in a related discipline for recommendations to fill out the committee.
4. If the Chair decides that the student’s case does not merit further investigation, the student may appeal this decision to the appropriate Dean, supplying the same supporting materials as presented to the Chair.  If, after discussion with the Chair, the Dean also decides the case does not merit further investigation, the appeal is closed. If the Dean decides that the student has a case that merits further investigation, the Dean may appoint an ad hoc committee of the same composition as described above to investigate the student’s case.
5. The committee reviews the case, asking for additional information as necessary through the person who appointed the committee. The committee will report its decision in a letter signed by all three members and addressed to the Chair with a copy to the appropriate Dean, the faculty member, the student, and the Office of the Registrar, who will record the grade. The review must be completed so that the grade will be final by the end of the eighth full week of classes.

Should the appeal involve a grade assigned by a department chair, the Dean of the appropriate College will also assume the role normally assigned to the Chair. Should the appeal involve a grade assigned by a Dean, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs shall assume the roles normally assigned to the Chair and Dean.

Academic Forgiveness

Academic Forgiveness is designed to allow Longwood University graduate students who did not remain in good academic standing, and have been separated from Longwood for one calendar year, an opportunity to have all grades earned prior to their readmission removed from their Grade Point Average.  With Academic Forgiveness, NO grades will carry over, even if they were satisfactory, and all Longwood credits earned prior to readmission will be forfeited. To be considered for Academic Forgiveness, the student should start by submitting an Academic Forgiveness Request Form to be approved by the Graduate Dean.  If approved, the student is eligible to apply to a graduate program.  If accepted to the program, then as a condition of admission the student must maintain at least a 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA) during the duration of semester(s), session(s), and/or term(s) needed to enroll in their first 6 credits. All credits will be included in the GPA calculation until the GPA condition is met.

Academic Forgiveness will be applied after successful completion of this GPA condition. Failure to meet this GPA condition results in dismissal and no Academic Forgiveness for previously earned grades. 

Academic Forgiveness can only be applied once.  This Academic Forgiveness policy is specific to Longwood University and may not be recognized by other institutions.  It is the student’s responsibility to consult with Financial Aid about how this policy will affect their status.

Course Credits

Course Substitutions

A maximum of two courses can be considered for substitution. NOTE: Another course may not be substituted for a course that a student has failed that is required in his/her program.

The student should discuss substitutions with the advisor. The advisor will then complete the Graduate Substitution Form. After approval from the graduate program director, the College of Graduate and Professional Studies will inform the Registrar, advisor, and student of the approved substitution.

Longwood Professional Studies Courses

A maximum of six (6) graduate credit hours taken through professional studies at Longwood University (coded with a P in the subject code) may apply to the graduate degree.  These credits count toward the total substitution credits; a program director can approve these courses either to be used as program electives or to fulfill a program requirement.​

Independent Study Policy

Independent study under exceptional circumstances may occasionally be offered for University credit to those students wishing to pursue areas not addressed by the regularly scheduled offerings of graduate courses. Independent study may only be offered at the discretion of the individual faculty member and is dependent upon the availability of departmental resources. In order to pursue an independent study, the student must contact a graduate faculty member and get his/her approval to supervise the student’s work. A description of the proposed study and/or syllabus should be forwarded to the Department Chair to be attached to the Course Creation Form. Both faculty and student should sign the proposed study and/or syllabus, indicating their approval.

Students must enroll for the independent study in compliance with the academic deadlines published in the academic calendar for the semester in which the study is to be completed. Students may take a maximum of three credit hours of independent study during one semester and a maximum of six credit hours of independent study during their graduate studies at Longwood University.

Non-degree Coursework

No more than nine hours of Longwood graduate coursework taken as a non-degree student may be counted towards a degree program or professional endorsement.  Graduate program directors may request an exception through the graduate dean to count up to twelve hours provided at least 4 of those 12 hours were taken on main campus or online.  To avoid delays in program coursework sequences, all application materials should be received before the completion of six hours as a non-degree student.

Time Limit

The work for a graduate degree or professional endorsement is to be completed within five years from the semester of admission to the graduate program. If extenuating circumstances prohibit a student from completing their degree requirements within this time period, an extension may be considered. To request an extension of the time limit, the student must submit the Graduate Appeal form. The request will be reviewed by the Graduate Faculty Petitions Committee, and must specify the amount of time needed and the reason(s) an extension is necessary. The student and advisor will receive notification of the Graduate Faculty Petitions Committee’s decision.

Undergraduate Students taking Graduate-Level coursework

A senior at Longwood University may take up to six (6) hours of graduate credit that may be counted towards the graduate degree and electives in the undergraduate degree. Such credit may be earned only in 500-level courses and, if it meets course requirements for the degree, may be counted toward a master’s degree. The senior must have an overall GPA that meets the minimum GPA required for admission to the graduate program which offers the course and must receive permission from the department chair of their major and then the Dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies. Seniors must request permission using this form. In any case where an undergraduate student is registered for a 500-level course that is to be applied to a graduate degree, the Dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies must notify the Office of the Registrar of this designation.

Longwood Policy on Student Records and Annual Notification

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records and requires the establishment of policies to safeguard student records and data. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education; Longwood student records policies comply fully with FERPA.

FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are “eligible students.” All students at Longwood University regardless of dependency are protected by FERPA.

The accumulation, processing, and maintenance of student data by the institution is limited to that information, including grades, which is necessary and relevant to the purposes of the university. Personal data of students will be used only for the purpose for which it is collected.

Student data, whenever possible, shall be collected directly from the student; every effort will be made to ensure its accuracy and security. It shall be the express responsibility of the student to notify the Office of the Registrar of any changes in status. Any student who initially or subsequently refuses to supply accurate and complete personal information, as is legally allowed, may jeopardize his/her current student status. Falsification of records with the intent to give untrue information is a violation of the Longwood Honor Code.

Longwood University designates the following categories of student information as public or “Directory Information.” Such information MAY be disclosed by the institution at its discretion. Directory information may include: the student’s name, photograph, major field of study, classification, participation in officially-recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, and dates of field experience. A student may inform the Office of the Registrar in writing that all directory information may not be released without prior written consent. A student who desires to restrict directory information from the public must complete the Student Data Restriction form (available in the Office of the Registrar).

Schools may disclose, without consent, “directory” information as listed above. However, Longwood will notify eligible students about directory information and allow a reasonable amount of time to request that the school not disclose directory information about them. Longwood will notify eligible students via email each October of their rights under FERPA.

Generally, Longwood must have written permission from a student in order to release any information from a student’s education record. However, FERPA allows Longwood to disclose those records, without consent, to the following parties or under the following conditions:

1. School officials with legitimate educational interest;
2. Other schools to which a student is transferring;
3. Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes;
4. Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student;
5. Organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the school;
6. Accrediting organizations;
7. To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena;
8. Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies; and
9. State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific State law.

Under FERPA, Longwood is not required to provide prior notification to a student when responding to a Federal grand jury subpoena or other law enforcement subpoena, which specifies that the student not be informed of the existence of the subpoena.

Eligible students are permitted to inspect and review educational records of which the student is the sole subject. Longwood policy regarding the inspection and disclosure of educational records is in compliance with the federal statute. To obtain a copy of the Family Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (Section 438) or a copy of the University’s policy on student records, contact the Office of the Registrar, Longwood, 201 High Street, Farmville, VA 23909.

Student access to all personal records shall be permitted within 45 days of a written request, during normal office hours. Students may also obtain copies of most parts of their records for a nominal fee. All records shall be available and in a form comprehensible to the student, except for:

1. Medical records which, upon written authorization, shall be submitted to a psychologist or physician designated by the student.
2. Confidential financial statements and records of parents as excluded by law.
3. Third-party confidential recommendations when such access has been waived by the student. Where a waiver has been given, parents, as well as students, are excluded from viewing such confidential information.

During normal office hours, Longwood shall provide an opportunity for a student with proper identification to challenge information believed to be inaccurate, incomplete, inappropriate or misleading. This can be done either in person or by mail. All personal data challenged by a student shall be investigated by the Vice President over the area where the data is being challenged. Completion of an investigation shall result in the following actions:

1. If Longwood concurs with the challenge, the student’s records shall be amended or purged as appropriate; all previous record recipients shall be so notified by the institution.
2. If the investigation fails to resolve the dispute, the student shall be permitted to file a statement of not more than 200 words setting forth the student’s position. Copies of the statement will be supplied, at the student’s expense, to previous and subsequent recipients of the record in question.
3. If a student wishes to make an appeal of the decision, the student may do so in writing to the President of Longwood University.
4. The names, dates of access, and purposes of all persons or agencies other than appropriate Longwood personnel given access to a student’s personal records shall be recorded and maintained. Student records are retained by the institution for at least one year after completion of work at the institution. Permanent academic records from which transcripts are derived are maintained indefinitely. A student may request and receive information concerning the record of access to official Longwood records filed under the student’s name.

Inquiries concerning student records should be directed to the following departments. When applicable, schedules of fees for copies of these records are available from that office.

1. Academic Records/Transcripts - Office of the Registrar, Brock Hall
2. Disciplinary Records - Office of Student Conduct and Integrity, Eason Hall
3. Financial Records - Office of Cashiering & Student Accounts, Eason Hall
4. Financial Aid Records - Office of Financial Aid, Brock Hall
5. Medical/Health Records - Student Health & Wellness Center, Health & Fitness Center
6. Mental Health Records- Counseling Center, Health & Fitness Center

To comply with the provisions of FERPA, Longwood University will not release education records or personally identifiable information contained therein without the student’s written consent. Individuals seeking access to student records should include a copy of the student’s written consent when requesting non-directory information.

Release of Transcripts

The Office of the Registrar releases transcripts at the request of the student, provided there are no student account holds. Students may choose to request an unofficial or an official copy of their transcript. All transcript ordering information can be found here on the Registrar’s webpage.

Official transcripts

• There is a cost of $10.00 per transcript (additional processing and delivery fees will apply).
• Longwood University uses an online ordering service for official transcripts and it is available to all Longwood Students, both current and former, through the Registrar’s website.

Unofficial transcripts

• Current students may attain their unofficial transcript instantly by signing on to myLongwood and clicking on “transcript” under their Academic Profile.
• Former students and alumni may request their unofficial transcript by accessing a request form through the Registrar’s website.
• Unofficial transcript requests submitted to the Office of the Registrar are typically produced within 5-7 business days. They may be faxed, mailed, or picked up.

All transcripts are processed in the order in which they are received.

Statement of General Transfer Policy

In general, graduate credits are accepted from institutions that are accredited by the appropriate institutional (formally regional) accreditation agency provided such credits carry a grade of “B” or better, are comparable to graduate courses offered at Longwood, and are no more than five years old. Internships and portfolio-based experiential credits are not accepted for transfer credit. A maximum of six (6) graduate credit hours may be transferred from another accredited institution and applied to a graduate program at Longwood.

Grades earned at other institutions will be recorded at Longwood University in terms of semester hours of credit earned and will reduce the number of credits required for graduation but will not be included in the calculation of the grade point average. The cumulative grade point average will be calculated only on work taken at Longwood.

Acceptance of Transfer Credits

If the student has completed graduate course work before admission, instructions for submitting those requests are included in the application process and should be requested when applying to the program. If the request is being made after the student has applied and been admitted to a program, the student must complete the Transfer Credit Approval Form. The Program Director will evaluate the course requested for transfer based on the official transcript and course description.  After approval from the graduate program director, the College of Graduate and Professional Studies will inform the Registrar, advisor, and student of the approved transfer.

Approval to Take Courses Outside the Institution

Current Longwood University graduate students who wish to transfer credits from a different institution to their Longwood graduate program should have the Transfer Credit Request form completed and approved PRIOR to enrollment in that course. If approval is not obtained prior to course enrollment, the program director reserves the right to deny the transfer credit request. The College of Graduate and Professional Studies will provide the student and the Registrar with an electronic Authorization for Transfer Credit form if the course is determined to be transferable by the Program Director. 

Upon completion of the course, the student must have an official transcript sent directly to the College of Graduate and Professional Studies for processing through the office of the Registrar.

Honor System for Graduate Programs

The academic and professional life of the University constitutes the main emphasis to which all other activities are secondary and contributory. It centers on the courses of instruction offered in the various departments of the University. The major part of this catalog is concerned with the factual details of the various graduate curricula.

Honor System for Graduate Programs

The Longwood University Honor System is comprised of the Honor Code, the Academic Pledge of Honor, the Honor Creed, and the Honor Code of Conduct Standards and Regulations. The three basic provisions of the Honor Code of Conduct, which strictly forbids lying, cheating, or stealing, represent the standards of integrity and moral responsibility that all students, and recognized student organizations are expected to exemplify. As one of the most respected traditions at Longwood University, the Honor System promotes an atmosphere of trust, where students are presumed honorable unless their actions prove them otherwise. The Twelve Points of Honor, the Honor Creed, the Honor Pledge and the Academic Pledge are available at http://www.longwood.edu/studentconduct/honor-code/. 

Specific information about Honor Code of Conduct Standards and Regulations, and Code of Conduct Standards and Regulations violations and hearing procedures is in the Student Handbook.

GI Bill® Beneficiaries Grievance Policy

The Virginia State Approving Agency (SAA) approves education and Virginia training programs. Our office investigates complaints of GI BILL ® beneficiaries. While most complaints should initially follow the school grievance policy, if the situation cannot be resolved at the school, the beneficiary should contact our office via email at saa@dvs.virginia.gov. 

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by the VA is available at the official U.S. government website at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.