Academic Advisors

Change of Major

Students wishing to change their major designation must begin the process with their academic advisor.

The change of major form is available online and in the Registrar’s Office. Upon changing majors, the catalog requirements will reflect the catalog in effect at the time of the major change.

Double Majors

Students who are earning two majors may use a requirement in one major as an elective in the second major. No more than two courses may be used in this manner.

Honors Program

The Honors Program at Newman University is designed to help high-achieving students meet their full academic potential through a variety of enhanced educational and co-curricular opportunities. The program challenges students both inside and outside the classroom to stimulate their intellectual growth and become part of a community that values and enjoys academic pursuits. It also allows each student to pursue his or her own interests within an atmosphere that encourages participants to transform society.

The Honors Program includes:

Special seminars in students’ freshman and senior years designed to sharpen critical-thinking skills and explore new ways of looking at the world.

• Dedicated honors classes of regular catalog courses.
• The chance to tailor regular catalog courses for honors credit.
• The opportunity to get to know professors personally and work with them on a one-on-one basis.
• Recognition for Honors Program achievements reflected on Newman transcript.
• The option of participating in an on-campus living/learning community.

Criteria to apply for the Honors Program

High school seniors must have a cumulative GPA of 3.7 or above and a composite ACT score of 25 or above. Transfer students must have a college GPA of at least 3.75.

Honors Program Requirements:

For incoming freshmen or students joining the program as Newman students:

HNRS 1103 - Freshman Honors Seminar
HNRS 4203 - Senior Honors Thesis (2 semesters)
Honors Electives: 18 credit hours composed of any combination of courses listed in the “honors program” section of the catalog, courses identified as honors courses by individual departments and honors options. At least 9 of these hours must be earned in classes outside the school or division in which the student receives his/her major.

For transfer students entering Newman with 15-45 hours completed:

HNRS 1103 - Freshman Honors Seminar
HNRS 4203 - Senior Honors Thesis (2 semesters)
Honors Electives: 15 credit hours composed of any combination of courses lited in the “honors program” section of teh catalog, courses identified as honors courses by individual departments, and honors options. At least 9 of these hours must be earned in classes outside the school or division in which the student receives his/her major.

For transfer students entering Newman with over 45 hours completed:

HNRS 4203 - Senior Honors Thesis (2 semesters)
Honors Electives: 15 credit hours composed of any combination of courses listed in the “honors program” section of the catalog, courses identified as honors courses by individual departments, and honors options. At least 9 of these hours must be earned in classes outside the school or division in which the student receives his/her major.

First time freshmen entering Newman with more than 30 credits of college coursework (for example, AP credit, concurrent coursework, etc.), must fulfill the requirements for transfer students entering with 14-45 hours completed as laid out above.

Honors Program graduates will be recognized as such with a notation on their transcript, on their diploma, and in the graduation program.

Number of Majors and Minors

A student may earn more than one major. However, should a student elect to pursue more than one major, he/she must assume the responsibility for any extra courses which may be needed to fulfill the requirements for the additional major. Furthermore, a student may not obtain more than two majors in any one school or more than a total of three minors.

Service Option

Newman University seeks to create opportunities for students to serve their community and to learn from these experiences through integration with course work.

A student may obtain an additional hour of credit in any course of two or more credit hours by satisfying the following conditions: 1) obtaining the permission of the instructor of the course; 2) obtaining the permission of the service learning coordinator; 3) Working with the service learning coordinator to find an approved service opportunity and volunteering 30 hours of service in a social service agency; 4) meeting periodically throughout the semester with the service learning coordinator.

A student may sign up for only one service option per semester. A maximum of six hours of credit will be given to a student for graduation using the service option. The student may not use the service option if enrolled in another course which requires a service component.

Study Abroad Opportunities

Students are encouraged to participate in overseas study and exchange programs, which contribute to individual and intercultural development. Financial aid may be available for these programs. Contact Newman’s financial aid office for specific information. Newman offers study abroad opportunities in Europe, Great Britain, and Latin America. The following is a list of study abroad opportunities:

ENGLAND ABROAD-Explore the history and culture of Britain during a three-week stay in England (Late Spring).

EUROPE BY RAIL-Combine a study of European cultures and history visiting several European countries over the course of a three-week trip.

LATIN AMERICA-Explore the history, language, and culture of Latin America during travel to various countries in Latin America. (Summer)

NEWMAN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE BIRMINGHAM-Newman University students may engage in a semester exchange with Newman University College Birmingham in England. (NUC Birmingham is an independent institution separate from Newman University in Wichita.)

Testing Program

The testing program at Newman University is designed to meet student and institutional needs.

English and Mathematics Placement Examinations

Students new to Newman who have not completed College Writing 1 and 2 are required to take an English placement examination prior to registration for classes. Students who have not completed College Algebra or Math for the Liberal Arts or a higher level math course are required to go through a math placement process in order to help students and advisors in their selection of an appropriate mathematics course. Math Placement Instructions:

• An ACT score in mathematics (or SAT equivalency) can be used for math placement if the student has taken the ACT within the last 5 years.
• A student must take the Newman Math Placement Exam (in a monitored setting) if within the past 5 years the student has no Math ACT score and no college mathematics credit.
• Any student may opt to take the Newman Math Placement Exam (in a monitored setting). For example, a student may wish to take the Newman Math Placement Exam if the student has a Math ACT score that appears to place the student in a lower course than expected.
• Advisors and students should be aware that regardless of the Math ACT or Newman’s Math Placement score, some mathematics courses require prerequisite high school or college mathematics coursework.

Students failing to meet the minimum required score on the Placement Exam will be required to enroll in a lower level remediation course.

CLEP (College Level Examination Program)

CLEP offers credit for introductory college-level subjects. More than 25 different exams are offered through this program sponsored by the College Board. Credit achieved through CLEP exams is considered transfer credit and is assigned no letter grade. An official CLEP transcript must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office for evaluation. The Academic and Student Support Services Office at Newman administers CLEP exams by appointment.

DANTES Examination

DANTES offers college credit for over 35 subjects in the areas of social science, business, humanities, physical science and applied technology and is sponsored by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Credit achieved through DANTES is considered transfer credit and is assigned no letter grade. An official DANTES transcript must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office for evaluation.

International Baccalaureate

International Baccalaureate is a comprehensive program of study for high school students which culminates in examinations for the international Baccalaureate diploma. Newman University will grant up to 30 hours of credit to students with scores of 4, 5, 6, or 7.

Proficiency Examination Program (PEP)

This American College Testing program has been endorsed for credit award by the faculty. Check with the appropriate division chairperson if you are desirous of credit through a PEP examination.

Credit by Departmental Examination

Credit may be obtained by successfully completing end-of-course examinations designed and administered by Newman University faculty. Students wishing to obtain credit in this manner should check with the appropriate faculty member. Forms for validation of this credit may be obtained in the Academic and Student Support Services Office. Credit by Departmental Examination is considered experiential learning credit and is subject to the same policies and guidelines listed for experiential learning credit in this catalog.

Exceptions/Appeals Process

1. Academic Deans or the Academic Exceptions Committee review student requests for an exception to any academic policy or published deadline. The exceptions requests are reviewed and students are notified in writing of the decision. Students are responsible for submitting a complete exception request; incomplete exception requests will not be considered. Students should contact the Academic Affairs Office or their faculty advisor if they have any questions regarding the committee’s procedures.
   Exception Request Forms are submitted to the respective dean of the school that grants the credit.
   
   Exceptions by their very nature are unique. Individual circumstances are distinct to each exception request. Decisions are therefore unique to each situation and should not be considered a precedent. Decisions of the Deans and/or Exceptions Committee are final and are not appealable. A processing fee may be assessed to those students whose exceptions incur significant administrative costs.
   
   Academic Deans may authorize the following exceptions:
   1. for courses taught in their school (both full-time faculty and adjuncts):
      1. Late adds
      2. Late drops/withdrawals within the semester of enrollment
      3. Changing from enrolled for credit to audit or audit to credit
      4. Extension of deadlines for incompletes
      5. Extension of the deadline for grade appeals
      6. NSP late adds, drops and withdrawals will be reviewed by the Dean of Arts and Sciences
      7. Graduate Program only: Exceptions to maximum hours transferrable compliant with applicable accreditation standards
   2. Ordinarily, students will meet first with the instructor and then with the Division Chair before the Dean will rule on the exception.
   3. Deans should recuse themselves in cases where a conflict of interest exists.
   4. Exception requests filed with the Dean must use the official form, submitted to the Dean’s administrative assistant. The student must collect all appropriate signatures before the Dean may consider the request (in extraordinary cases the Dean may choose to act before one or more of these signatures are collected).
   5. The Dean will respond to all requests for exception in writing.
   6. Exception decisions must be forwarded to the appropriate offices (advisor, Registrar, Student Accounts, etc.).
   7. A copy of all exception request forms and ruling letters must be stored in the electronic exception archive.
   8. If the Dean’s position is temporarily vacant, the Chair of the Exceptions Committee will have authority to decide on exceptions for that Dean’s school.
2. Late Applications to graduate will comply with the late applications policy.
3. The Academic Exceptions Committee has authority to decide all other exception requests.
   1. The Academic Exceptions Committee will decide requests including but not limited to:
   2. NSP exceptions concerning course equivalency and substitutions
   3. Dismissals/suspensions/probations from programs
   4. Academic Probation/Suspension from the University
   5. Procedural appeals of Student Affairs probation, suspension or other disciplinary processes
      1. Concerning exception requests for dismissals/suspensions from programs, the committee will review appeals based on published criteria in the University Catalog.
      2. Exception requests filed with the Academic Exceptions Committee must use the official form, submitted to the administrative assistant of the student’s school. The student must collect all appropriate signatures before the Academic Exceptions Committee may consider the request (in extraordinary cases the Academic Exceptions Committee may choose to act before one or more of these signatures are collected).
      3. The Chair of the Academic Exceptions Committee will respond to all requests for exception in writing.
      4. Exception decisions must be forwarded to the appropriate offices (advisor, Registrar, Student Accounts, etc.).
      5. A copy of all exception request forms and ruling letters must be stored in the electronic exception archive.
4. Concerning exceptions requests for dismissals/suspensions from programs, the committee will review appeals based on published criteria in the Catalog.
5. The Exceptions Committee will consist of:
   1. Assistant Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences (Chair)
   2. NSP Committee Chairperson, or his/her designee. This member must come from a Baccalaureate Program.
   3. Three faculty members at large, elected by Faculty Senate. One each from a Baccalaureate program, an Associate program and a Graduate program
   4. Dean of Students (non-voting)
   5. Registrar (non-voting)
   6. Representative of the business office (nonvoting), appointed by the CFO.