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 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 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. 

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.

Academic & Student Support Services

Runway Learning Center 

301 Sacred Heart Hall, 316.942.4291 ext. 2318

Runway Learning Center provides student support services and is committed to providing integrated services that empower students to realize and achieve their goals and to facilitate successful student academic, career and personal transitions. The Center is in room 301 of Sacred Heart Hall (Administration Building).

COMPUTERS/PRINTER: There are computers and printing available for student use. The computers contain software such as Microsoft Windows and Office.

ACADEMIC ADVISING: Personalized academic advising is provided through the Runway Learning Center to students who are exploring a major, conditionally admitted, on academic probation or dismissed from an academic program, or otherwise unsure about how to proceed with selecting or changing a major.

TUTORING: Free tutoring services are offered to Newman students seeking help with their studies. The students can connect with TutorMe, an online tutor platform, 24/7, 365 days a year for a single problem or for multiple tutoring sessions. Highly qualified tutors are available to assist in 300+ subject areas. Writing assistance is available through Tutorme.com. The online tutors are trained using the CRLA model (College Reading and Learning Association.)

TutorMe access is available through each Canvas course. Google Chrome will allow for the best service.

CAREER SERVICES: Counseling regarding career options, occupational interest testing and guidance in resume writing and interviewing skills is available. Online resume and interview assistance is available to on-and off-campus students. The Career Services staff also provides assistance to students in deciding on a major. A current library of career information, current job openings (Handshake), career planning courses are also available. All services are confidential and free of charge.

PERSONAL COUNSELING: Confidential personal counseling is available without charge for students who wish to engage in self-exploration or to discuss personal concerns. Arrangements for personal counseling are made through the Runway Learning Center, room 301 of Sacred Heart Hall. A self-help reference library and listing of referrals and other resources is also available.

PROJECT CARE: Faculty and staff who are concerned about any aspect of a student’s experiences or performance can submit the student’s name to Project Care. The Academic Intervention Specialist provides these students’ referrals to academic assistance and support services.

ADA ACCOMMODATIONS: Students requesting accommodations are responsible for initiating the Accommodations process and should make an appointment to visit the Disability Services Office by calling 316.942.4291 ext. 2319 or by emailing runwaylearningcenter@newmanu.edu.

TESTING SERVICES: Testing services are in room 301 of Sacred Heart Hall. To schedule an exam, go to the online scheduler (https://newmanu.mywconline.com) and create an appointment. Tests offered include Makeup exams, and Newman University Placement. Test preparation materials and registration bulletins are available for GRE, GRE subject exams, MCAT, GMAT, NCLEX, TOEFL, SAT, LSAT, DAT, PCAT, VETs, the Social Work Board Examination, OAT, and ACT.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT SERVICES: Students attending Newman University on a F-1 Visa are provided services that include but are not limited to providing guidance on maintaining F-1 Immigration Status, help for F-1 students wishing to apply for employment permissions, advice in navigating University policies and processes, and cultural adaptation assistance including domestic processes like getting a bank account. International students are responsible for maintaining their status, keeping up-to-date documentation on file with International Student Services, and abiding by all applicable Department of Homeland Security regulations and Newman University policies. Please note: International Student Services is not a legal service and does not supply legal immigration advice.

Exceptions/Appeals Process

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, via their Newman University email address, of the committee decision. Students are responsible for submitting a complete exception request; incomplete exception requests will not be considered. Students should contact their faculty advisor if they have any questions regarding the appeal procedures.

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 as precedent. Decisions of the Deans and/or Exceptions Committee are final and are not appealable. 

Academic Deans may authorize the following exceptions:

For courses taught in their school (both full-time faculty and adjuncts):

1. Graduate Program only: Exceptions to maximum hours transferable compliant with applicable accreditation standards
2. Extension of the deadline for grade appeals
3. Extension of deadlines for incompletes
4. Changing from 1) enrolled for credit-to-audit or 2) enrolled for audit- to-credit
5. Late adds, drops/withdrawals within the semester of enrollment

Furthermore:

1. Deans should recuse themselves in cases where a conflict of interest exists.
2. Exception decisions must be forwarded to the appropriate offices (advisor, Registrar, Student Accounts, etc.).
3. A copy of all exception request forms, and ruling letters must be stored in the electronic exception archive.
4. If the Dean’s position is temporarily vacant, the the Exceptions Committee will have authority to decide on exceptions for that Dean’s school.

The Academic Exceptions Committee will decide requests including but not limited to:

1. Course equivalency and substitutions
2. Academic Probation/Suspension from the University

Concerning exception requests for dismissals/suspensions from programs, students will follow the policy in the specific program handbook.

The Exceptions Committee will consist of a designated faculty member, the University Registrar and the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs.