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Registration Procedures
Prior to registering for a term, all students in a degree program are encouraged to meet with their advisors to determine the most appropriate courses for that term and complete the registration form. The advisor must sign the form. Completed forms should be returned to the Seminary office.
There is a designated “pre-registration” period each semester. The two-week period in the Fall covers registration for the next January and Spring terms. The period in the Spring covers Summer and Fall terms. Active students are expected to register during the pre-registration periods.
Registration requests are honored if at all possible. If it is determined that adjustments need to be made in a request, the student and advisor will be contacted. Provided the request is received during the pre-registration period, priority will be given first to degree-seeking students, persons graduating and then in the order of submission of the request. Students will be provided with a final schedule.
Course Changes—Adding and Dropping
To request a change in registration prior to the start of classes, a written request should be submitted to the Seminary office. An advisor’s signature is required to drop/add courses after the start of classes. If the advisor is not available, the student should contact the administrative assistant. Courses dropped by the deadline will not appear on the student’s grade report or permanent record. Reimbursements of tuition can be received through the add/drop date located on the seminary calendar. veterans and other eligible persons receiving VA education benefits will be refunded tuition and other charges on a pro-rated basis as outlined by federal regulations. Refunds will be mailed within 40 days after submitting the appropriate drop/add form. Advising System
Upon enrolling in Baptist Seminary of Kentucky, each degree seeking student will be assigned an advisor who will remain a permanent advisor for the remainder of the program. Students may request a change in advisors after completion of 12 hours of study. Students should request permission of the professor prior to requesting he/she serve as advisor.
Course Loads
The Master of Divinity degree is designed so that it can be completed in three years. In order to do this, the student must accumulate an average of 30 semester hours per academic year.
The normal academic load is 24 hours for the year. Students are considered to be full-time if they are enrolled in 20 hours of coursework per academic year; however, the student cannot graduate in three years at this rate.
In determining a reasonable course load, students must consider their ministry placement and other obligations and responsibilities, such as family, health, employment, etc. Some church positions take more time than others and students must strive to achieve a reasonable balance between church work, academic life, family life, and community life.
Transfer of Credit
Transfer credits are considered on a case-by-case basis. Only courses with a grade of at least a “B” or its equivalent from an accredited graduate institution are transferable. Grades earned for credits transferred are not included in calculation of a student’s grade point average. Courses for which a previous degree has been granted are not transferable. The majority of credits for the Master of Divinity degree must be earned at Baptist Seminary of Kentucky.
Auditing Courses
Baptist Seminary of Kentucky encourages and welcomes persons who wish to audit courses. No papers or examinations will be required or graded. Audit fees are $50 per hour of classroom instruction. For example, if a class meets three hours each week, the audit fee is $150 for the semester.
Grading System and Quality Points
The method and manner of evaluation for course grades is left to the discretion of the professor as outlined in the course syllabus. A student may take an examination or submit an assigned project at a time other than the scheduled one only under extenuating circumstances and with permission from the professor.
Cumulative grade point averages are computed on a quality point system. The interpretation of the letter grade and their quality point value is as follows:
Quality Pts. Per Credit Hr.
A Exceptional mastery of the course 4.0 100%-93%
B+ More than required mastery of course essentials 3.5 92%-89%
B Required mastery of course essentials 3.0 88%-82%
C+ Slightly more that course essentials 2.5 81%-78%
C Course essentials 2.0 77%-70%
D Minimal comprehension of course essentials 1.0 69%-65%
F Inadequate comprehension of course essentials 0 Below 65%
IC Incomplete
AU Audit
W Withdrawal
Tutorials
Tutorials are a type of study in which students work independently under the necessary and sufficient guidance of a supervising instructor. Tutorials may be taken in any area of the curriculum, but normally are undertaken only in areas not offered, or not offered on a regular basis, in the regular curriculum. To be eligible to enroll for a tutorial, students should have a grade point average of at least 3.0 and should have completed at least 20 semester hours toward the seminary degree.
A student wishing to engage in a tutorial should consult with a BSK core faculty member or approved supervisor to plan the project. Students are encouraged to be active in the development of tutorial courses in areas of their special interest. Learning objectives for a tutorial course should be comparable in scope to learning objectives for a course of the same number of semester hours taught in a regular classroom setting. The professor and student should prepare a Tutorial Application form and syllabus to be submitted to the Academic Dean for approval. Upon approval, the student will be allowed to register for the tutorial in a regular academic term.
Tutorials have the same registration dates and tuition costs as other classes and must be completed by the end of the term for which they are registered. Normally students may register for no more than 18 hours of tutorial work towards a degree. Exceptions to any of the above guidelines need to be approved by the Academic Dean.
Final Examinations
Final examinations are conducted near the end of each term during the regular class time. Students must take exams at the scheduled time unless they have obtained prior permission from the instructor. In no case will a final exam be given prior to its scheduled time. Exams may be “made up” only after the scheduled time. In many cases this will result in the student receiving a grade of IC for the course for that semester, and the regulations regarding “Incomplete” course grades will apply.
Grade Distribution
Course grades will be mailed to students within approximately three weeks after the end of the term.
Incomplete Courses
A grade of “Incomplete” (“IC”) will be assigned if, due to exceptional circumstances and with the prior approval of the course instructor, a student is not able to complete the required course work during the semester. The seminary recognizes the pressures that students often face, and faculty members are committed to helping students succeed. The seminary must ask, however, that students be diligent in communicating the need for additional time and in completing assignments in a timely manner when additional time is given.
Students who believe they meet the necessary conditions to be assigned an incomplete should secure a “Request for Incomplete” form from the Baptist Seminary of Kentucky office and complete the form in consultation with the course instructor no later than the final week of the semester. The form should specify the student’s name and student identification number, the title and number of the course, the name of the course instructor, and a description of the specific assignments that will need to be completed. The instructor should sign the form and assign a provisional grade for the student on the basis of work currently completed. The incomplete grade will revert to this provisional grade if assignments are not completed to remove the incomplete within the prescribed time period. An instructor should assign a provisional grade of “F” if a student has not demonstrated learning appropriate for the assignment of a grade that indicates adequate completion of the learning objectives for the course.
Approval of the request for an incomplete grade is at the discretion of the course instructor. Upon approval, the instructor will submit the “Request for Incomplete” form with grade sheets at the end of the semester. All work must then be completed within one calendar year of the assignment of the “Incomplete” grade. At any time prior to the end of that year, the instructor may submit a grade based on completion of the work. If no new grade is submitted, the “IC” will be replaced with the provisional grade previously assigned by the instructor. If the student has not completed the work by the end of the first semester following assignment of more than one “Incomplete” grade, the student will be placed on academic probation and required to reduce course load to no more than 8 hours in the following semester.
Withdrawals
A student may withdraw from a course after the add/drop deadline and before the withdrawal deadline. The student must complete and submit a Course Change Request Form. A grade of “W” will be assigned, and it will appear on the student’s grade report and on the permanent record. Withdrawals are not used to compute grade point average. Any student who withdraws after the withdrawal deadline or who fails to complete and submit the Course Change Request will be assigned a letter grade of “F” for the course. Students withdrawing between the drop/add date and the withdrawal date will be refunded on a pro-rated basis. Any student withdrawing after the withdrawal deadline, outlinded on the Seminary academic calendar, will not receive a tuition refund. Refunds will be mailed within 40 days after submission of the appropriate withdrawal form. Withdraw Appeal Process If mitigating circumstances are the reason for withdrawing from the Seminary following the withdraw deadline, a student may appeal that decision with 14 days by letter to the Academic Dean detailing those circumstances. The student may request a tuition refund and/or a consideration of a W grade instead of the automatic F grade. the Academic Dean will have 14 days to review the appeal and notify the student of the school's decision regarding his/her refund and grade. Repeating a Course
If a student receives a grade of “D” or “F”, he or she may repeat the course once for credit and only at Baptist Seminary of Kentucky. A student may not take the course at another school and transfer the credit. Although all grades that a student earns appear on the student’s record, the grade received the last time the course is taken is the only grade that is calculated into the grade point average.
Academic Probation
A grade point average of 2.5 (C+) is considered the minimum for satisfactory progress toward the degree of Master of Divinity. A student whose average falls below 2.5 will be placed on academic probation. A student whose average falls below 2.0 in any semester must have a conference with the Academic Dean to discuss methods for improving course performance. The student will be placed on academic probation, be required to reduce course load to 8 hours per semester, and be reviewed regularly for improvement in progress toward the degree. If the student’s progress does not meet the 2.5 minimum standards in the following semester, he/she will be asked to withdraw from the Seminary. Academic Probation Appeal Process Upon notice of probation or termination, a student may appeal that decision within 14 days by letter to the Academic Dean, detailing circumstances causing the unsatisfactory grades or attendance and the measures that have been or will be taken to alleviate the problem. The Academic Dean will have 14 days to review the appeal and notify the student of the school's decision regarding his/her probation or termination. Resignation from Baptist Seminary of Kentucky
To resign officially from Baptist Seminary of Kentucky, a student must withdraw from all courses for which he/she is registered. A grade of “W” will be assigned if the student resigns before the withdrawal deadline. A student resigning after the deadline will receive a grade of “F” for all courses in which they were enrolled in the semester of resignation, except that in the extreme personal circumstances and with appropriate documentation, a grade of “W” may be granted. Students who do not formally change their schedule, withdraw from courses, or resign from the Seminary may be assigned a grade of “F.” Non-attendance does not constitute official schedule change, withdrawal or resignation.
Time Limits
The Master of Divinity degree has a time limit of six years for completion. If additional time is needed to complete a degree, the student must write a rationale for the request and a proposal for the completion of the degree. The student consults with his/her advisor and provides the written request to the Seminary office. The appropriate faculty committee reviews the request and a recommendation is made to the full faculty for action. Extensions may require additional course work.
Graduation Responsibilities
Students should plan ahead for the expenses of graduation. The Seminary arranges for provision of caps, gowns, hoods for graduates and the cost is included in the graduation fee. Each student will receive a statement from the Seminary office itemizing the amount due. Failure to pay outstanding financial obligations may prohibit graduation.
Transcript Requests
All academic records are held at the Registrar’s office at Georgetown College and a copy of the student’s academic record (TRANSCRIPT) may be obtained through that office at a cost of $5.00 per request Transcripts will include the entire record of a student’s academic history at Baptist Seminary of Kentucky. Requests for release of a transcript must be in writing and contain an original signature. Telephone requests will not be honored.
Current students must use the STUDENT INFORMATION REQUEST FORM. These forms are kept in the Seminary office for student’s convenience. Requests from students/former students with unmet financial obligations will not be honored until the obligation is met.
The transcript may be provided to the student/former student or mailed directly to a third party. The transcript will be provided along with a cover sheet. A copy of the cover sheet is attached to the request and maintained in the student’s file.
Please allow three work days for preparation of a transcript. Transcripts must be pre-paid. There will be no credit or invoicing.
Current students (those enrolled in a class in the last academic year) are not charged for transcripts for scholarship applications. Recent alumni (those who graduated in the last academic year) are not charged for transcripts. Transcripts for all other former students/ alumni/ae are $5 per copy.
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