2020-2021 Graduate Catalog 
    
    Nov 21, 2024  
2020-2021 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Academic and Professional Life


 

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 Honor Code is one of Longwood’s proudest traditions. Established by the student body in 1910, for 100 plus years the student-elected Honor Board has protected the basic values of honor and academic integrity. The Honor Creed is prominently displayed in the University Library, and each classroom contains a copy of the Academic Honor Pledge.

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, groups, and 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. It also serves as a higher-order set of moral standards and principles for all members of the community to follow and take with them wherever their lives may lead. The following procedures apply to students involved in graduate study offered either on-campus, off-campus, or online.

The honor system requires that the student not only be responsible for his/her own behavior, but that he/she report any infraction of the Honor Code observed. The Honor Creed states “We shall not lie, cheat, or steal, nor tolerate those who do. It is therefore an Honor Code offense to lie, to cheat (including plagiarism), to steal, or to tolerate it in others in connection with class activities and other course requirements established by the instructor. All work so specified by the instructor should include the following pledge: “I have neither given nor received help on this work nor am I aware of any infraction of the Honor Code.” (signed)

Any person who has knowledge of a suspected violation of the Standards of Conduct should contact the Director of Honor & Judicial Programs with relevant details of the incident. The Director of Honor & Judicial Programs will make arrangements for the adjudication of the complaint. Additional information about the University’s adjudication procedures is available in the Handbook.

If a graduate student is convicted of an honor code violation, the minimum penalty shall be one year (12 months) of suspension. The student may apply for readmission after serving the suspension period and will be subject to all admission standards and degree requirements at the time of reapplication.

Honor Societies

Longwood University sponsors chapters in several national honor societies. Please contact the individual departments for more specific information.

Beta Gamma Sigma

Beta Gamma Sigma is the honor society serving business programs accredited by AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. Membership in Beta Gamma Sigma is the highest recognition a business student anywhere in the world can receive in a business program accredited by AACSB International. Beta Gamma Sigma has established 430 collegiate chapters in all 50 U.S. states and 11 countries at schools accredited by AACSB International. Additionally, 18 alumni chapters serve the needs of alumni members in major metropolitan areas. To qualify for membership, graduate students in business must be in the top 10 percent of their class.

Chi Sigma Iota

Chi Sigma Iota is the international honor society for students, professional counselors and counselor educators established at Ohio University in 1985. The mission is to promote scholarship, research, professionalism, leadership and excellence in counseling, and to recognize high attainment in the pursuit of academic and clinical excellence in the profession of counseling. Membership in the Longwood Phi chapter of Chi Sigma Iota, as specified in the Bylaws, is open to both students and graduates of counselor education programs. Students must have completed at least one semester of full-time graduate coursework in a counseling program, have earned a grade point average of 3.5 or better on a 4.0 system, and be recommended by the chapter. Faculty, alumni, and professionals are eligible for membership if they have met all of the above requirements. The primary identity of these persons shall be as professional counselors including evidence of a state or national credential as a professional counselor.

Kappa Delta Pi

Kappa Delta Pi is an international honor society in Education. It is open to graduate students who have at least a 3.70 overall graduate GPA and undergraduate students who have at least a 3.25 overall GPA and who meet the ideals of the society. Prospective members must also have a written recommendation from a professional educator.

Phi Delta Kappa

Phi Delta Kappa is an honorary organization for educators. Its purpose is to promote quality education, with particular emphasis on publicly supported education, as essential to the development and maintenance of a democratic way of life. To be considered for membership, a candidate must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution, have completed at least 15 semester hours of work in an accredited graduate program, and have a minimum of three years of professional education experience. For more information, contact the Dean of the College of Education and Human Services.

Phi Kappa Phi

The Longwood chapter of the National Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi was established at Longwood in February of 1972. Founded in 1897, the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi is the oldest and largest interdisciplinary honor society. It promotes the pursuit of academic excellence in all fields of higher education and recognizes outstanding achievement by students, faculty and others through election to membership and through various awards for distinguished achievement. Its motto is “Let the love of learning rule humanity,” and its mission statement emphasizes the community of scholars in service to others. Graduate students are eligible to be invited for induction with a minimum of 18 graduate hours completed at Longwood who are in the top 10% of the graduate class.

Pinnacle

Pinnacle is a national honor society for juniors, seniors and graduate students of non-traditional age. This organization recognizes both academic performance and out-of-class accomplishments. Those chosen for membership have distinguished themselves as outstanding students, campus and/or community leaders, and role models committed to the betterment of society. Nationally, Pinnacle was officially begun in April of 1989. The Longwood chapter received its charter in March 1994.

Campus Security

Two reports, by Virginia Commonwealth University and the FBI, ranked Longwood as one of the safest campuses in Virginia. An annually produced Campus Security Report is available at www.longwood.edu/police/. It contains campus crime statistics as well as university policies and procedures. A printed copy is available upon request.

The Longwood University Police Department includes the following sectors: Police Patrol Operations, Investigations, the Communications Center, Crime Prevention, Parking Services, and the Integrated Security Systems office. The administration and operation of the Longwood Police Department is executed to provide essential law enforcement, public safety, and related services to the campus community while utilizing the most up to date, efficient and effective methods available, maintaining established professional standards, and optimizing community support.