Academic Procedures

Transferring Credit

Transferring Credit while a Lindenwood Student

A student at Lindenwood who wishes to take courses at another college or university while pursuing a degree at Lindenwood must first obtain permission for the transfer of these courses from the student’s academic advisor, the dean of the college in which that course resides, and the registrar. A Prior Approval form may be obtained from the Office of Academic Services. Credits accepted in transfer do not affect the student’s grade-point average at Lindenwood University.

Transferring Credit from U.S. Institutions

New students wishing to transfer credit from a regionally accredited university should submit official transcripts from each university attended to the Office of University Admissions. Evaluation of transfer credit will be made by Academic Services. For the evaluation of credit, official transcripts must be sent directly from the U.S. institution to Lindenwood University.

For more information regarding the transfer of credit go to Admission, Application, and Fees and Financial Assistance .

Transferring Credit from International Institutions

Students with transfer credit from an international institution must submit official transcripts from the international university attended to University Admissions by uploading with their application or emailing InternationalAdmissions@lindenwood.edu. The transcripts must be in their original language and must be accompanied by a certified English translation, provided by the student. 

Applicants should contact ECE at www.ece.org or WES at http://www.wes.org for more information about how to get transcripts evaluated. Students should list Lindenwood University as the recipient of the transcript evaluation. WES will also provide a copy of the evaluation directly to the applicant. The applicant should keep this copy.

Note: Evaluations or translations of transcripts from companies other than WES are not accepted by the university and will not be considered.

The transcript translation documents will not be returned to the student. The transcript and the translation will become part of the student’s official file at Lindenwood University. If the applicant intends to transfer credits into an undergraduate program, the applicant will incur the cost for the evaluation. For further information regarding the transfer of international credit, please contact international@lindenwood.edu.

For more information regarding the transfer of credit go to Admission, Application, and Fees and Financial Assistance .

Academic Renewal

Academic Renewal allows returning students to remove previous course work from calculation of their GPA after an extended absence. A returning student seeking to resume a program of study or begin a new program of study after a prolonged absence is eligible for Academic Renewal under the following conditions:

• The student must have been absent from the Lindenwood University system for at least three consecutive academic years.
• The student must not have obtained a degree at Lindenwood or any other institution of higher education in the years between taking leave from Lindenwood and applying for academic renewal.
• The student must declare a major or program of study.
• The student must be enrolled in and complete at least one academic term at full-time status, earning a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.5 or graduate GPA of 3.5 before applying for Academic Renewal.

In addition to the conditions outlined above regarding student eligibility, Academic Renewal is subject to the following conditions:

• Academic Renewal can only be applied once.
• Academic Renewal can only be applied to academic terms completed prior to the student’s leave of absence.
• Academic Renewal can only be applied to courses taken at Lindenwood University.
• For undergraduate students, up to three terms can be selected for Academic Renewal; for graduate students, up to two terms can be selected.
• Once implemented, the Academic Renewal cannot be removed.
• Students approved for Academic Renewal are subject to the degree requirements listed in the catalog that is active at the time they are reinstated.
• No course from a term selected to be removed from GPA calculation can be used to satisfy an academic requirement (e.g., toward graduation, prerequisites, or certifications).
• All courses from terms will be removed from calculation of the student’s GPA regardless of the grades earned. However, these courses will not be entirely erased. All courses taken by the student will still appear on their transcript. A note will appear on the student’s transcript for each redacted term.
• A student may not apply for Academic Renewal in their final semester.

Students considering applying for Academic Renewal must inform an academic advisor of their intent to do so. The advisor will consult with the student regarding which academic terms to remove from calculation of the student’s GPA. The student should submit a petition for Academic Renewal to the Office of Academic Services signed by the student’s academic advisor and college dean. The student will be notified of a decision within 30 days of submission of the petition.

Notes: (1) Applying for Academic Renewal can affect a student’s eligibility for financial aid. Students are encouraged to contact the Office of Student Financial Services SFS@lindenwood.edu before applying for Academic Renewal.

(2) Students on the GI Bill® should contact the VA certifying official before applying for Academic Renewal.

Grading System

Lindenwood University operates under the 4.0 grading system. The grade point average is computed by dividing the total number of quality points earned by the total number of semester hours attempted. An A carries four quality points; thus, a course worth three semester hours in which a student earned an A would merit a total of 12 quality points. A grade of B carries three quality points; a grade of C carries two quality points; and a grade of D carries one quality point. A grade of F or AF (attendance failure) carries no quality points and no credit. Only grades earned at Lindenwood are used in computing the GPA.

A grade of A represents work of outstanding quality; it indicates that the student has shown initiative, skill, and thoroughness and has displayed originality in thinking. A grade of B is awarded for work of high quality, well above average. The grade of C indicates average work and satisfactory completion of course requirements. The grade of D indicates minimally satisfactory completion of course requirements. A grade of F or AF indicates unsatisfactory coursework, and no credit is given.

Note: Honors courses will indicate in the course title that the student completed the course for honors credit and/or the student will receive an AH, which equals a grade of A with Honors.

Attendance Failure (AF)

A student is given this grade if they stop attending a particular class prior to the published deadline to receive a grade of W but does not withdraw from the course. The grade of AF is treated as a grade of F in the calculation of the student’s grade point average.

Audit (AU)

A student may enroll in any lecture course as an auditor. Students are not permitted to audit skill courses such as studio or laboratory courses involving extensive supervision by an instructor. Auditors will be expected to attend all classes. No credit may be earned or later claimed by a student who audits a course. A student has one week into a regular term and two class meetings into a summer session to make a change in registration to audit a class or to take it for credit. The audit fee is 50% of the posted tuition for a course.

Incomplete (I)

A grade of I (incomplete) is given at the end of a term only for incomplete coursework due to exceptional circumstances beyond the student’s control, such as an extended illness, hospitalization, or death of a close relative requiring absence from class for a significant period. When assigning an incomplete grade, the professor should consider whether the student is capable of successfully completing the course. Incompletes should be offered only toward the end of the term for students who were progressing satisfactorily in the class before the exceptional circumstances arose.

A grade of I (incomplete) must be resolved prior to the end of the subsequent term; otherwise, the incomplete will be converted to an F. Any request to extend the time needed to resolve the grade of incomplete must be submitted to the Office of Academic Services no later than two weeks before the date the grade is due. Requests will then be sent to the appropriate college dean and the assistant provost to be considered for approval.

No Grade (N)

An administrative grade of N is assigned by the registrar when final course grades have not been submitted prior to making grades accessible to students. Under normal circumstances, the N grade will be cleared within two weeks after the end of the term. Faculty members are not authorized to submit a grade of N.

Pass/Fail (P/F)

Some academic activities such as practica, internships, residencies and thesis projects are graded on the basis of pass/fail. In these cases, the grade of P denotes successful completion of the assigned requirements for the aforementioned academic activity courses.

Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U)

A grade of S indicates that a student completed satisfactory work in an academic activity. This grade does not have points associated with the course and will not be included in computation of the grade point average. A grade of U indicates that a student completed unsatisfactory work in an academic activity. This grade does not have points associated with the course and will not be included in computation of the grade point average.

Withdrawal (W)

A grade of W indicates that the student withdrew from a class with no effect to the student’s GPA. To withdraw from a course with a grade of W, students must complete, sign, and submit a withdrawal form before the last day to withdraw with a W, with the signature of the academic advisor. The deadline to withdraw is set at the two-thirds mark of the term.

The only circumstance in which the student will not be charged for a course is if the student never attends a class session. If the student attends one class session or more, the student will be charged a determined percentage of the course’s tuition cost. The percentage applied to the student’s account depends on how many classes the student attends and the withdrawal date. For further information, please contact either the Student Financial Services or the Office of Academic Services.

Note: A student who is a first responder may elect to withdraw from a course with a grade of W at any time during the term if documentation is provided verifying that the student’s first responder duties were the cause of absences exceeding the number of allowable excused absences. This policy applies to academic withdrawal only.

Administrative Withdrawal

When it is in the best interest of a student or of Lindenwood University for a student to withdraw, a student may be given a W and put on administrative hold. This action of administrative withdrawal results in removal of all credits associated with the affected classes and places the student on administrative suspension. Before re-enrolling at the University, the student on administrative suspension must write a letter of appeal to the associate vice president, Student Affairs at studentaffairs@lindenwood.edu. An administrative withdrawal does not affect the student’s grade point average.

Adding, Dropping, and Withdrawing from Courses

Adding Courses

Within the first week of a semester, a student may add or drop classes via the student portal without having to obtain the signature of a faculty member. Students may not add a course via the student portal after 5 p.m. on Friday of the first week of the term. Students may add a class during the second week of class only under extenuating circumstances and with signatures of the course professor, dean of the appropriate college, and the registrar. A Petition for Policy Exemption is required in addition to a drop/add/enrollment form to add a course after the deadline.

Dropping Courses during Week One

During the first week of a term, a student can drop classes through the student portal without requiring an advisor’s signature. Importantly, no W grade will be recorded on the student’s transcript for the dropped class; instead, it will be marked as “never attended”.

Withdrawing with a Grade of W

To withdraw from a course with a grade of W, students must complete, sign, and submit a withdrawal form before the last day to withdraw with a W, with the signature of the academic advisor. The deadline to withdraw is set at the two-thirds mark of the term.

Late Withdrawals

Late withdrawals will be approved only under extreme, documented circumstances. A late withdrawal requested due to a low grade in the class, lack of interest in the subject matter, a different learning style from that of the classroom professor, or a change of major/requirements will not be granted.

If a student believes that extraordinary circumstances require withdrawing from a class after the deadline, the student must complete the following steps:

• Write a letter fully specifying the reasons for the withdrawal.
• Gather supporting documentation (physical report, court documents, hospital documents, etc.).
• Meet with the academic advisor for a signature on a Petition for Late Withdrawal.
• Meet with the dean of the college for a signature on the petition.
• Submit the signed petition, along with the letter and documentation, to the associate provost or registrar.
• If approved for a late withdrawal, the student will receive a W.

Notes: (1) Students are not permitted to withdraw from a course to attend another course if the second course has already had two class meetings.

(2) A student who is a first responder may elect to withdraw from a course with a grade of W at any time during the semester if documentation is provided verifying that the student’s first responder duties were the cause of absences exceeding the number of allowable excused absences. This policy applies to academic withdrawal only.

(3) Calculation of the return of Title IV aid will be based on the last date of attendance for the term. This may result in a balance due to the university for which the student will be responsible.

(4) Petition for Late Withdrawal may be denied based on implications of the financial aid cycle.

Repeating a Course

An undergraduate student may repeat any course in which they earn a grade of C or lower. Only the highest grade earned will be used in the calculation of the grade point average. Repeating a course does not remove the previous grade from the transcript. Additional credit hours are not earned when a student repeats a course. A student’s eligibility for federal financial aid may be affected if they choose to repeat a course. The university is under no obligation to offer a course aside from its usual schedule to accommodate a student repeating the course.

Appealing Grades

Students who wish to appeal a final grade must first contact the course instructor. If the matter cannot be resolved through the instructor, the student may appeal in writing to the appropriate college dean. If resolution is not reached at that time, the student may appeal in writing to the provost. An Academic Grievance Committee may be convened to review a grade appeal before a recommendation is made to the provost for review.

Information concerning these procedures is available through the Provost’s Office. Notice of intent to file a grade appeal must be made in writing to the appropriate college dean or assistant provost within six weeks of receipt of the grade. Changes under this procedure will be made only during the term immediately following the term in which the disputed grade was given.

Lindenwood University shares information from students’ formal written complaints with the Higher Learning Commission as part of its normal accrediting process. This information is shared in such a manner as to shield all individual identities of complainants. No letters or documents revealing the identities of individual complainants will be shared without the express written permission of the complainants.

Leave of Absence (LOA)

Lindenwood University allows students to take a Leave Of Absence for one academic semester. The Leave of Absence involves a notification process that requires submission of the Leave of Absence form to the SASS office along with attached supporting documentation from qualified/appropriate sources. Individuals in a Leave of Absence status do not intend to make academic progress toward the completion of their degree. Students must be enrolled at least half-time for one term (6 credit hours for undergraduate and 3 credit hours for graduate) and complete at least one term successfully prior to applying for a Leave of Absence. Students must be in good academic standing and making satisfactory academic progress within the parameters set in the university catalog. Taking a leave of absence means you agree not to take classes at any other higher education institution during your leave. Reasons for a leave of absence include (but are not limited to):

• Medical issues (physical or mental)
• Family circumstances such as death, pregnancy, or parental leave
• Circumstances regarding someone you aren’t related to but are close to
• Financial concerns
• Military service

A leave of absence could have implications to your financial aid up to and including going into repayment if you have student loans. Students are encouraged to speak with their financial aid counselor to discuss Title IV implications as a result of an LOA.

When returning from a Leave of Absence, students can begin the reentry process with their advisor. Students returning after the leave of absence period has expired must be readmitted to the university by submitting a new application to the Office of University Admissions. Upon review of the new application, the admissions office will update the student’s profile in preparation for their return to Lindenwood. Students not enrolled for one calendar year and eligible to return to Lindenwood will do so under the current catalog of re-entry and will be directed to contact their advisors to enroll once the readmit process has been approved.

Readmission for Service Members

Students may be temporarily unable to attend classes or be required to suspend their studies in order to perform military service. Lindenwood University encourages such students to resume their education once a military service obligation has ended and adopts this policy to ensure the timely readmission of such students.

In accordance with federal regulations, 34 C.F.R. § 668.18 and the Department of Defense (DoD) Voluntary Education Partnership Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the university will promptly readmit servicemembers who seek readmission to a program that was interrupted due to a uniformed service obligation.

This policy shall apply to: (1) servicemembers who are unable to attend classes for more than 30 consecutive days; and (2) servicemembers who are unable to attend classes for less than 30 days when such an absence would result in a withdrawal from the university.

A student is eligible for readmission under this policy if, during an absence, the student performs uniformed service, voluntary or involuntary, in the Armed Forces, including the National Guard or Reserve, active duty, active duty for training or full-time National Guard (under federal authority). The cumulative length of all absences for uniformed service (service time only) must not exceed five years.

A student must provide oral or written notice of a uniformed service obligation to the Office of Veterans Affairs as far in advance as possible, unless precluded by military necessity. Such notice does not need to indicate when the student will return to the university.

The student must also give oral or written notice of his/her intent to return to Lindenwood University within three years after the completion of the period of service. Immediately upon the student’s return to school, the student must provide notice that he/she may be entitled to the tuition and enrollment benefits outlined in this policy. The returning student may be required to provide supporting documentation.

Notification under this section must be provided, by the student, to the Office of Veterans Affairs VAquestions@lindenwood.edu or (636) 627-2922.

A returning student readmitted to the same program must be charged the same tuition and fees in effect during the last academic year the student attended, unless veterans’ education benefits or other servicemember education benefits will pay the amount in excess. For a student admitted to a different program, and for subsequent academic years, the returning student may not be charged tuition and fees in excess of what other students in the program are charged.

A returning student will be permitted to reenroll in the next class(es) scheduled in the same academic program, unless the student requests a later date of reenrollment or agrees to a different program. A returning student will be readmitted into the same academic program the student was enrolled in prior to the military service obligation. If the exact program no longer exists, the student must be admitted to the program that is most similar, unless the student requests or agrees to admission to a different program. Returning students will be reenrolled with the same enrollment status, number of completed credit hours, and academic standing as the last academic year of attendance. If the student is returning to a cohort program, the university will coordinate with the student to determine an appropriate reentry date to ensure the student can successfully resume their studies.

If the university determines that a returning student is not prepared to resume the program or is unable to complete the program, the university must make reasonable efforts to enable the student to resume or complete the program at no additional cost to the student. If such efforts are unsuccessful or place an undue hardship on the university, the university is not required to readmit the student.

In accordance with federal regulations, returning students who receive a dishonorable or bad conduct discharge from the Armed Forces (including the National Guard and Reserves) are not eligible for readmission under this policy. However, servicemembers who receive dishonorable or bad conduct discharge may remain eligible for readmission even though they will not be entitled to the benefits outlined in this policy.

Students who have been away less than one calendar year may complete a Returning Student Form and work with the Office of Veterans Affairs and their Academic Advisor to enroll in courses. 

Students who have been away more than a calendar year will need to apply for re-admission to jumpstart the process and will work with the Office of Veterans Affairs and their Academic Advisor to complete a Catalog Revert Application if needed.

Please direct any questions about this policy to the Office of the Provost.

Policy added after publishing - July Addendum - 7/15/2024.**

Advanced Placement (AP Credit)

Lindenwood University accepts Advanced Placement (AP) credit earned in most areas of study. Students who take AP exams should request scores to be sent to the Office of Academic Services for an evaluation of credit. Credit will be awarded based on the score received (3-5) and approval of the academic college affected.

Earning Credits for Prior Learning and Experience

Earning Credit by Examination

Internal Examination

In addition to the standardized CLEP/DANTES exams described below, students may seek credit for (or waiver of) university coursework by means of taking and passing internally administered proficiency exams. Students should approach their respective departments to learn more about the proficiency exams that have been created for this purpose within their college. A student who passes an internally administered proficiency exam may (1) request to have the course waived, in which case no credit will be granted or (2) request credit for the exam and have the appropriate credit posted to the transcript for a fee of $100 per credit hour. In this case, the student’s cumulative grade point average is not affected because only credit (no grade) is recorded for a course completed in this manner.

External Examination (CLEP or DANTES)

Lindenwood University accepts College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) credit earned in several areas of study. Lindenwood students who take CLEP or DANTES exams should request official score reports be sent to the Office of Academic Services for an evaluation of credit. Credit will be awarded based on the current minimum score matrix available on the university’s Academic Services webpage and approval of the academic college affected.

Effective July 1, 2023, students no longer pay a per credit hour posting fee to receive credit for CLEP or DANTES exams completed on or after July 1, 2023.

Notes: (1) Students may not use CLEP and/or DANTES credit in the place of the following requirements or courses: student teaching, internships, studio courses, laboratory courses, or private music lessons.

(2) Students may not receive credit for courses they have previously audited or attended unofficially.

(3) CLEP and/or DANTES credit will not be awarded to non-native English speaking students who complete a CLEP exam in their native language.

(4) Lindenwood University does not currently administer College Board Examinations; the student must arrange to have test results sent directly to Lindenwood for evaluation.

(5) Students may only earn up to 27 credit hours of experiential learning from all sources. Credit earned from CLEP and/or DANTES examinations is included in the 27-credit hour experiential learning credit limit.

Missouri Seal of Biliteracy Policy

Students who have earned the Missouri Seal of Biliteracy may receive up to 12 hours of college credit. Six of the credits awarded through this process will be accepted as Foreign Language coursework within Lindenwood’s General Education curriculum (GE-HC: Foreign Language / Human Diversity).

The number of credits granted will be determined by the score attained and by the specific assessment used to confer the Seal at the granting school:

• STAMP4S Exam: With a score of at least Intermediate Mid in all test areas, 6 hours of credit; with a score of at least Intermediate High in all test areas, 9 hours of credit; with a score of at least Advanced Low in all test areas, 12 hours of credit.
• AAPPL Exam (ACTFL Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages): With a score of at least Intermediate 3 in all test areas: 6 hours of credit; with a score of at least Intermediate 4 or 5 in all test areas: 9 hours of credit; with a score of at least Advanced: 12 hours of credit.
• Other exams may be accepted dependent upon available subject matter expertise in the relevant language(s).

Transcription fees for credits awarded will be waived.

Note: Students who have earned the Missouri Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish and wish to continue their Spanish coursework at Lindenwood University must take the University’s Spanish placement test (online and at no cost to students) to determine at which level they will continue their Spanish language study.

Experiential Learning

For some students, professional experience or life experience may be accepted as university credit and be recorded as such onto the student’s Lindenwood transcript. Credit earned in this fashion is referred to as credit for experiential learning.

The following skills or experiences may be considered equivalent to university credit for purposes of receiving experiential learning credit:

• Professional skills acquired on the job.
• Participation in business seminars.
• Experience in community affairs.
• Professional training in particular fields.
• Non-credit-bearing coursework that contain academic content.

Notes: (1) Credit is awarded only for university-level knowledge and the learning gained from the experience. Experiential learning credit is not granted for non-university level learning, having completed routine professional tasks, having acquired outdated or forgotten knowledge, or for private experiences.

(2) Limits for experiential credits earned may be imposed on the acquisition of such credit for certain technical skills and specialties.

(3) Credit is not given for learning that duplicates a university course the student has already taken.

Students may request to receive up to 27 hours of credit for experiential learning, depending on the requirements of their degree programs. The total number of credit hours awarded for experiential learning may vary according to the time spent on particular activities and the nature of the learning experience.  Some national and state certifications and licensures may be eligible for more than 27 hours based on industry standards and levels of assessed learning.

Students may satisfy some of the requirements for their majors through experiential learning credit; however, a student must complete the greater of 18 credit hours or 40% of all coursework toward the major must be taken at Lindenwood University.

Note: Lindenwood cannot guarantee how any other university might interpret transfer credit earned from the Experiential Learning Credit program.

Experiential Learning Not Requiring a Portfolio

Students having the experience or credentials below may apply for experiential learning credit without submitting an additional portfolio of supporting documentation. (Any documentation that is required for the final approval of credit is listed along with each item below.) The application for university credit for the following credentials will be evaluated upon presentation of proof of the required certification or transcripts.

The American Council on Education (ACE): Lindenwood University accepts the recommendations for credit as set by (ACE). To earn experiential learning credit, the student must provide the ACE transcript or certificate verifying that the experience or training is or has been recognized by ACE.

• Certified legal assistant: Up to 24 hours of credit may be awarded. Copy of certificate required.
• Certified professional secretary in selected business and economic areas: Up to 14 hours of credit may be awarded. Copy of completion certificate required.
• Emergency Medical Technician (EMT-B): Up to nine credit hours may be awarded for the completion of training and certification for EMT. Student must present official current license.
• Information Technology Certifications: Up to 27 credit hours may be awarded for current certifications from ITIL, Cisco, Microsoft, CompTIA, EC Council, copy of certification or official transcript required.
• Life insurance license (completion or training) and certification for life insurance licensure: Up to three hours of credit may be awarded. Students may be eligible for an additional three credit hours in an area of specialization. Copy of license required.
• Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) or Radiologic Technician: Official transcript from accredited school of MLT or school of radiology and completion of an accredited course of medical laboratory science required.
• Nursing (RN-BSN Track): Thirty-two (32) credits will be granted to students entering the RN-BSN nursing degree track based on the candidate’s professional experience as a licensed registered nurse. Proof of current and unencumbered registered nurse licensure in the state of declared primary residency is required for admission to this track and before awarding credits. A $250 administrative fee is charged instead of a per-credit cost for experiential credit. All students in this track will be charged the fee regardless of how previous nursing education credit was obtained.
• Paramedicine: Forty-five (45) credits will be granted to students entering the paramedicine degree (experienced track) based on the candidate’s professional experience as a licensed paramedic. Proof of current national registry or state paramedic license is required for admission to this track, and prior to awarding credits. A $500 administrative fee is charge in lieu of a per credit charge for experiential credit. All students in this track will be charged the fee regardless of how previous paramedic education credit was obtained.
• Radiologic Technology: Up to sixty (60) credits may be granted with successful completion of the national license exam, becoming certified, and registered with the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (AART). Proof of licensure and registry are required before awarding credits. A $500 Radiologic Technology Credit Transfer Fee is charged instead of a per-credit cost for experiential credit.
• Real estate broker’s license: Up to three hours of credit may be awarded. Copy of license required.
• Real estate sales license: Up to three hours of credit may be awarded. Copy of license required.
• Respiratory Therapist (RT): Up to 12 hours of credit may be awarded for the completion of training and certification in respiratory therapy. Official transcript from accredited school of RT required.
• Up to 27 Lindenwood experiential credit hours may be awarded to undergraduate students who have completed a certified police officer training academy. After submitting police academy training certificates along with transcripts verifying contact hours, students will be awarded Lindenwood credit hours as follows:
• 200 - 499 Academy contact hours = 12 Lindenwood credit hours awarded
• 500 - 799 Academy contact hours = 15 Lindenwood credit hours awarded
• 800 - 899 Academy contact hours = 21 Lindenwood credit hours awarded
• 900 and above Academy contact hours = 27 Lindenwood credit hours awarded

Hours for In-Service training are not accepted, and experiential learning credit will only be applied as free electives and not toward any requirements for the Criminology and Criminal Justice (CCJ) program of study unless a given student has declared CCJ as the minor. For students who have graduated from an academy with 900 or more contact hours, a total of 15 credit hours may be applied toward the police academy emphasis area of the CCJ degree. The remaining credits will apply toward experiential learning free electives. Additionally, credits will not be applied retroactively, meaning students who complete a police academy training program, while enrolled, as a student at Lindenwood University, will not satisfy the experiential learning credit requirements. Experiential learning is reserved for those who have completed services and gained experience in the appropriate area. However, students may enroll in the St. Louis County and Municipal Police Academy partnership course and earn 15 credit hours of the police academy emphasis area of the CCJ degree, even if the student chooses to attend a separate accredited police academy, as described above for the emphasis area.

• Stockbroker’s license completion of training and certification for a stockbroker’s license (series 6 or 7): Up to six hours of credit may be awarded. Copy of completion certificate required.
• YMCA leadership development courses: Up to five credit hours may be awarded. Submission of YMCA transcript required.

Training courses offered by specific companies or corporations may also be awarded credit for experiential learning. For a list of these companies and eligible courses, check with the registrar or the experiential learning coordinator.

Students who wish to have experiential learning credit posted to their Lindenwood transcript must pay a fee of $100 per credit hour. Credit will not be applied to the transcript until the fees are paid.

The following organizations have agreements with the university that permit the application of experiential learning credit as follows:

• Military Service: Students seeking an experiential learning award for military experience, formal courses taken in the military or for proficiency in a military occupational specialty must provide official military records. Military credits are posted to a student’s transcript at no charge, based on the recommendations of the American Council of Education. For credit derived from military experience or from formal courses taken through the military, veterans should submit a DD Form 95, DD Form 214, Joint Services Transcripts, depending on the branch of the military, or a transcript of in-service training.

Experiential Learning Requiring a Portfolio

If the student does not have one of the professional credentials listed on these pages or does not have credit from a course that is specifically listed as being accepted for experiential learning credit, that student may be required to create a portfolio in order to earn University credit for the experience before that credit is posted to the student’s Lindenwood transcript.

The portfolio must validate the student’s experience by providing proof (by certificate, diploma, syllabi, letters of testimony, and/or samples of work accomplished) that such experience led to university-level knowledge. An essay describing the knowledge gained in the learning experience must accompany all other documentation provided.

The experiential learning coordinator will help the student develop a portfolio. The coordinator will identify potential experiences that may be posted to the student’s transcript as university credit and discuss the organization of the portfolio with the student.

Students wishing to receive experiential learning credit in their majors must apply for this credit before taking courses in their majors. Once the portfolio has been approved, the student will be charged a portfolio fee of $310, plus $100 per credit hour. Credit will not be applied to the transcript until payment is received. Financial aid may be applied to experiential learning, but the student must be enrolled in classes at the time the request for funding is made.

Earning Graduate Credit as an Undergraduate Student

With the approval of the dean of the appropriate college, traditional day undergraduate students may take up to 9 credit hours at the graduate level during their senior year at no additional charge. These hours will count toward a graduate degree if one is ultimately pursued but not toward the student’s undergraduate degree. Under this option, the student must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours at the undergraduate level for each semester that the student is taking graduate credit and have a minimum undergraduate 3.0 GPA. A maximum of six graduate credits may be earned per semester. Students in the early access program must maintain a 3.0 in all master’s credits.

Note: Some LU colleges may have additional requirements for admission to their Early Access programs. Please review the college-specific section of the catalog for more information.

Preparing for Graduation

Students are responsible for tracking their own academic progress and eligibility for graduation. Specifically, in order to track the progress through a degree, each student must maintain a checklist of all requirements, including major and minor requirements, general education requirements, free electives, number of courses completed at or above the 30000-level, and total number of credit hours completed. The academic advisor will confirm that all degree requirements have been met; however, ultimate responsibility for tracking the student’s progress through a program and assuring that all degree requirements for graduation are met lies with the student. Only the provost and the registrar have the authority to certify that all requirements for graduation have been fulfilled and post a notification of degree completion on a student’s transcript.

In addition to tracking their own progress through academic programs, students must submit an Application for Degree. This form is available in the student portal to submit online to the advisor. The application must be signed by the student and the student’s academic advisor and be submitted to the Office of Academic Services at academicservices@lindenwood.edu. Failure to submit an application by the appropriate deadline may postpone the posting of the student’s degree.

The recommended application deadlines are as follows: