Registration Information

Registration Procedures

Prior to the beginning of each semester, the Registrar’s Office will post online the schedule of classes and registration information. These documents will contain the instructions for registering and the list of course offerings for the upcoming semester. Students may print a copy of these documents from the LCU website.

The university offers currently enrolled students an opportunity to schedule classes for the upcoming fall or spring semester during preregistration. By participating in preregistration, students can possibly avoid problems of closed classes that are typical of regular registration. New students or students who do not preregister may register for classes at the regularly scheduled registration period just prior to the beginning of semester classes.

After classes begin, students may register for classes during the late registration period. Late registration usually continues for one week into the semester. Students registering during this period must pay the late registration fee. During the summer terms, late registration lasts for two days.

Date, times, and instructions for preregistration, registration and late registration are included in the schedule of classes and registration information. Students of junior or senior standing are required to have declared a major in the Registrar’s Office prior to registration.

Dropping and Adding Courses

During the late registration period, students may alter their schedule by adding or dropping courses. Students’ schedules become official at the end of this period and no additional changes are allowed.

From the end of the late registration period through the 14th week of the semester, students may withdraw from classes. See the section on Grading System  for an explanation of the grades that may be received upon withdrawing from a course. Consult the official calendar for the deadlines for withdrawing with these grades. Deadlines for the summer terms are also noted in the calendar.

After the 14th week of the semester, a student may not withdraw from a course except with the permission of the vice president for academic affairs. Such permission is only granted in extraordinary circumstances.

A student may not use the drop process to avoid an “F” that is given for violations of the Code of Academic Integrity, serious misconduct as specified in departmental documents, or an FA (Failure due to absences).

Prior Approval for Transfer Courses

Students enrolled at Louisiana Christian University are expected to complete their coursework in residence. Once students have enrolled at Louisiana Christian University, they may not transfer a course from any other senior or community/junior college except under extraordinary circumstances and by special permission of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Exceptions to this policy are considered only on a case-by-case basis. Louisiana Christian University will accept transfer credit only from regionally accredited institutions or from a recognized accrediting agency.

Students enrolled at LCU who have been granted an appeal from the VPAA to earn credits at another college must obtain advanced written approval from the appropriate dean/chair/program coordinator and dean of the department/college of each course requested, and the University Registrar. Before enrolling in the course, the student must present the approved appeal from the VPAA and the course description from the institution from which the course will be taken and request a Transfer Credit Prior Approval Form from the Registrar’s Office. The approved appeal and the course description must be attached to the Prior Approval Form and must be first submitted to the student’s primary advisor for a signature approval. Student-athletes must also get signature approval from the supervising coach. The form with the attached documents must be submitted to the Transfer Credit Evaluator in the Registrar’s Office for final signature approval. Only after this form has been completed with all the required signatures and has been filed in the Registrar’s Office does the student have permission to take the course for transfer credit. Louisiana Christian University reserves the right not to accept courses for which permission has not been granted. The student must be in good standing at LCU before permission will be granted to take a course elsewhere during any term.

Resignation from the College

Students wishing to withdraw from all classes must officially resign from the college. Resignation forms are available from the registrar’s office. Students who do not officially resign may receive failing grades in all classes.

No withdrawal is official unless it is made through the Office of Academic Affairs, the Registrar’s Office, the Financial Aid Office and the Business Office. The resignation process will be complete once the resignation form is presented to and signed by the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Refunds will be calculated as of the date the resignation process began as noted on the resignation form. Enrollment at Louisiana Christian University represents a contractual commitment by the student to fulfill all financial obligations (including repayment of financial aid) to the university regardless of when the student may cease to be enrolled.

Students resigning by the end of the late registration period will have no courses or grades listed on the transcript. Students resigning after the end of the late registration period through the ninth week of the semester, will receive a grade of “W” for each course. Students resigning after the ninth week through the 14th week of the semester, will receive a “WP” for courses in which they are passing and a “WF” for courses in which they are failing. Students may not resign after the 14th week of the semester.

For courses which are not of normal semester length, the department will specify the last day to withdraw with a “W” (approximately 60% of the course length) and the last day to withdraw with a “WP” or “WF” (approximately 90% of the course length.)

A student may not use the resignation process to avoid an “F” that is given for violations of the Code of Academic Integrity, serious misconduct as specified in departmental documents or an FA (Failure due to Absences). Additional information on the financial effects of resigning can be found in the Financial Aid section of the catalog.

Directed Individual Study (DIS)

When a particular course required in the curriculum of a junior or senior cannot be scheduled as a regular class prior to his expected graduation, a student may apply for permission to take the course by Directed Individual Study (DIS). Forms for this purpose are available in the registrar’s office. It must be a 300 or 400 level course. A student may not repeat a course by DIS that was failed when taken as a regular class. This class can not be taken Pass/Fail. The student must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00. DIS courses are designated with an “X” on the course schedule (ex. HI 323 X). A student pursuing a degree cannot receive credit for more than 12 hours of DIS courses.

All DIS courses require the development of a syllabus outlining course work appropriate for the degree being sought (Associates, Baccalaureate, or Masters). Faculty members are to work with students in developing the syllabus in such a way as to justify the credit hours awarded. Prior to approval, the application for DIS and the syllabus must be submitted to the Academic Affairs Office. Credits awarded for DIS must be in proportion to the work required for the class. The Vice President for Academic Affairs/Provost has the right to return proposals seen as needing more development in order to justify credit hours. The current DIS document is available in the Registrar’s Office.

To register for a Directed Individual Study course, a student must submit the completed DIS form with the proper signatures and syllabus to the VPAA Office no later than the first full day of classes each semester. Any forms received in the office of the VPAA after that day will not be processed for that semester.

Guidelines for Faculty:

1. Only Juniors and Seniors may be allowed to take courses by DIS.
2. Unless the course is taught by DIS only, it must be a 300- or 400-level course. Graduate students may DIS a course at the 500- or 600-level.
3. A student may not repeat a course by DIS that was failed when taken as a regular class.
4. A student who takes a course by DIS must have a minimum GPA of 2.00.
5. A maximum of 12 hours in DIS courses may be counted toward a degree.
6. The student must demonstrate a clear need for the course by DIS.
7. A course syllabus must be submitted with the DIS Application form. The syllabus must require an appropriate amount of coursework for the hours earned through the DIS.
8. The Academic Affairs Office reserves the right to refer back to the faculty member identified on the form as “teacher” any DIS proposal not deemed by the VPAA/Provost to require an appropriate amount of work as described in the policy paragraph and item 7 above. Appeals of adverse decisions may be forwarded to the Academic Council for discussion at the next meeting.
9. The completed DIS form and syllabus must be submitted to the office of the VPAA/Provost no later than the first full day of classes, as indicated in the University Catalog.

Online Courses

LCU students in 100% online programs are limited to 15 hours per semester. LCU residential and traditional students who are enrolled in face-to-face classes are limited to six (6) hours of online credit (two 3-hour courses) per semester with approval from their academic advisor. Traditional students on academic probation are prohibited from enrolling in online courses until they successfully pass the Study Skills 101 course. Additionally, students who have failed a course at LCU or another institution may not enroll in an online section of that course. If a student has an extenuating circumstance, he/she may submit a written appeal to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Provost/VPAA’s decision will be final.

During the summer sessions, all student may enroll in online courses. If a course is offered online through LCU, a student may not take the course at another institution and transfer it to LCU.

LockDown Browser with Monitor

Exam Proctoring

LCU utilizes LockDown Browser with Monitor for online exams. In addition, on-campus classes may also require LockDown Browser for in-class exams. While there is no cost to you to use the software, you are required to have a webcam, which may be built into your computer or may be an external camera. Use a Mac or PC computer; Chromebooks and iPads are not currently supported. Watch this short video to get a basic understanding of LockDown Browser and the Monitor webcam feature.
Download and install LockDown Browser to your Mac or PC computer from this link:

• https://download.respondus.com/lockdown/download.php?id=408144629

Instructions for using LockDown Browser and Monitor can be found in the student quick start guide. For additional resources, visit the Respondus Tools webpage.

Check LockDown Browser and Webcam Setup

It is important to test LockDown Browser and the webcam before you use the application in a graded test. Follow these steps to check your technology.

• Launch LockDown Browser, log into Canvas and select the course.
• Complete the required steps of the Startup Sequence for the practice exam.
• Click on Begin Exam.
• Upon completing and submitting the practice quiz, exit LockDown Browser.

Test-Taking Guidelines

• Follow all specific test procedures and instructions provided.
• Ensure you are in a location where you will not be interrupted.
• Turn off all other devices (e.g., tablets, phones, second computers).
• Clear your desk of all external materials - books, papers, and other devices or distractions.
• Before starting the test, know how much time is available to complete all questions, and that you have allotted sufficient time to complete it in one sitting.
• LockDown Browser will prevent you from accessing other websites or applications during the test. You will be unable to exit the test until all questions are completed and submitted unless otherwise allowed by the instructor.

Webcam Video Tips

You should take into consideration the following information to produce a good webcam video.

• Avoid wearing hats or caps.
• Ensure your computer is on a firm surface (a desk or table). Do not have the computer on your lap, a bed, or other surface where the device (or you) are likely to move.
• If using a built-in webcam, avoid tilting the screen after the webcam setup is complete.
• Take the exam in a well-lit room and avoid backlighting, such as sitting with your back to a window.

Security and Privacy Information

Respondus LockDown Browser is a secure browser downloaded and installed on individual computers. It prevents users from accessing other websites and applications on the same device during a Canvas test. Security and privacy information is listed below, with additional details available online.

• No personal data or information is exchanged or stored within the browser or by the vendor.
• LockDown Browser has no other function than to be used as a browser in conjunction with tests that require it.
• No existing browsers or programs are deleted or altered on the end user’s computer.
• Installed on LCU lab computers and most computer carts.

Respondus Monitor useds a number of methods to limit access to video sessions and associated data. Security and privacy information is below, with additional details available online.

• Respondus Monitor uses industry standard SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) or TLS (Transport Layer Security) encryption to transfer information.
• Student identifiable information - name, grade, course name, and photos of identification cards - can only be accessed through Canvas.
• Only users with instructor credentials for enrolled courses (e.g., Instructors, teaching assistants, LMS administrators) are able to view video sessions in conjunction with the student identifiable information.
• Video URLs are one-time use and will not function if copied.
• Respondus uses independent, third-party security firms to review Monitor architecture and test for vulnerabilities and exploits.

Repeating Courses

Note: This policy does not apply to repeatable courses such as special topic courses.

Students may repeat courses but will receive credit only once toward fulfillment of requirements for a degree. A student may have the prior grade removed from the cumulative GPA in the following circumstances:

Courses in which the student earned a grade of D, F, FA or WF may be repeated and have the prior grade removed from the cumulative GPA. However, the University limits the number of times students may attempt a credit-earning course to three, and limits the number of times students may attempt a remedial, add-on-credit course to two. For students accepted into the Bridge Program, the attempts to earn a passing grade in the remedial courses must be consecutive. Please see Bridge Program for further details. 

A student may have the prior grade removed from the cumulative GPA in the following circumstances:

Courses in which the student earned a grade of D, F, FA, W, WP, or WF may be repeated and have the prior grade removed from the cumulative GPA. Courses repeated under this policy must be repeated at Louisiana Christian University.

If a course is repeated at Louisiana Christian University that was originally taken at another college, the student must notify the Registrar’s office and complete a Repeat Form. This must be done at the time of registration or not later than the last day of late registration.

If the course being repeated was originally taken at Louisiana Christian University, a Repeat Form is not necessary. The grade received when repeated will automatically be recorded and the previous grade will be removed from the cumulative GPA. The prior grade will be removed from computation of the cumulative GPA, but the course name and original grade will remain on the transcript.

Students who fail on the third attempt to pass a course will be placed on academic suspension for at least one semester. Students on academic suspension will not receive credit from any college (including LCU), and any credit earned while on suspension from any college (including LCU) will not be accepted toward a degree.

The U. S. Department of Education has published regulations that impact students who repeat courses. These regulations are part of a series called Program Integrity Rules.

Students may receive federal financial aid funding for only one repetition of a previously passed course. There is an exception for courses that require repeats (see examples below). Students taking a required repeat of a course should work with the Student Financial Aid Office to ensure those credits are counted appropriately for financial aid eligibility. Please note that the student may need to provide documentation from his/her advisor regarding the requirement to repeat.

Examples of repeated coursework that may, or may not, count for financial aid eligibility are as follows:

1. Allowable: Repeated coursework may be included if the student received an unsatisfactory or failing grade.
2. Allowable: Repeated coursework may be included if a student needs to meet an academic standard for a particular previously passed course, such as a minimum grade. Example: Student received a D in a course that requires a minimum grade of C for his/her major.
3. Allowable: Student is enrolled in 15 credit hours that includes 3 credits repeating a previously passed course. Because the student is enrolled in a minimum of 12 credits that are not repeats, the student’s financial aid eligibility is not impacted by the repeat.
4. Not permissible: Student receives a D in a course that does not have a minimum grade requirement for the major and decides to repeat the course to improve his/her GPA. the student may repeat this passed course one time, but if the student wants to repeat it a second time, the second repeat would not count for financial aid eligibility. In this example, the student is enrolled in 12 credits, including the three-credit second repeat, so only nine credits will count for financial aid.

All repeated courses do affect financial aid satisfactory academic progress (SAP) calculations. A repeated course along with the original attempt must be counted as attempted credits.

Auditing Courses

Any regular course in the curriculum may be audited by a student upon payment of the required audit fee and upon a space available basis. The course will appear on the student’s transcript with the designation “AU.” Art and music studies courses and physical education activity courses may be audited with permission of the instructor upon payment of regular tuition and fees.

Auditing a course involves attending class but receiving neither a grade nor academic credit for the course. Auditing is allowed only when space is available in the class. Professors do not have to permit auditors. Professors are not expected to evaluate any work an auditor might do.

Students who wish to audit a course enroll in the course as an audit. If the student attends at least 75% of the class sessions, a grade entry “AU” with zero credits will appear on the official transcript. A student enrolled for an audit who fails to attend at least 75% of the class sessions may be withdrawn from the course with a “W” as soon as the professor reports the non-attendance to the Registrar’s Office.

The deadline for adding a course as an audit is the same as that for adding courses for credit.

For the purpose of auditing, there are two types of courses: 1) Lecture or seminar courses, in which auditing primarily involves “sitting in” on the course; and 2) personal attention from the professor (e.g., activity and studio courses in art, mustic, physical education and recreation, or laboratory courses in the sciences and computer science). When there is uncertainty about which category a course fits, it will be resolved at the discretion of the professor.

For the first type of courses, there is an audit fee per credit hour. If the audit is dropped after the last day to drop and add published on the academic calendar, no refund will be made.

When courses of the second type are audited, the student must pay full tuition and any applicable course fees. However, a full-time student will be charged extra tuition only if taking the course for credit would place the student above 18 semester hours. If the audit is dropped, refunds will be given in the same way they are given for courses taken for credit.

Audited courses do not count as “attempted hours”, and thus have no effect on whether or not a student is eligible for financial aid, athletics and other activities with similar requirements.

When it is expected that a course might fill with students taking the course for credit, the Registrar’s Office will defer enrolling students as auditors until the first week of the course.

Student Course Load

If students register for 12 or more hours, they will be classified as a full-time student. If students register for less than 12 hours, they will be classified as a part-time students. Eighteen (18) hours is the maximum load per semester for freshmen. Sophomores, juniors, and seniors must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of at least 3.00 in order to apply to take loads of 19-21 hours. Written permission is required from the registrar, student’s advisor, and the chair of the division for all overload applications of 19-21 credit hours. Every course, including online courses (regardless of where they are taken), must be declared each semester and considered a part of the allowed course load. There can be no outstanding incomplete course work when making this request. Transfer students without a Louisiana Christian University GPA, but with an ACT score of 25, or its SAT equivalent, may apply for overload following the above guidelines. In no case may a student attempt more than 21 hours.

The maximum number of hours for the summer semester is 14. A student must have permission from the Vice President for Academic Affairs to register for 7 hours in one summer term or 14 in both summer terms.

Internship Policy

Louisiana Christian University encourages qualified students to gain practical experience and develop professional contacts through internship programs that augment their formal education and enhance their professional preparation.

Academic internships, teaching practicums, and preceptorships are examples of classes in which experience is the predominant teaching-learning mode and includes applied and practical experiences that link students’ academic study and professional preparation. This faculty-approved-and-facilitated experience occurs in organizations other than the academic departments offering the courses. These courses include significant involvement of students and faculty in planning, processing, and evaluating the learning that results from these experiences.

All such courses bridge theory and practice, purposefully connect an academic perspective to experience and are directly related to the student’s field of study and the learning objectives of the program. Internships require a syllabus with student learning objectives and other criteria that outline the requirements of the internship. Students who receive credit for internships must establish learning goals at the beginning of their internship and reflect on their learning through journals, papers and other academic work. Throughout their internship, students will receive guidance from the faculty internship sponsor. Students are required to complete an evaluation of their experience at the end of the semester.

• Qualifications: To be eligible to earn internship credit, students must be of junior or senior standing with a GPA of at least a 2.25 and remain in good standing free of disciplinary issues. Some programs require a higher GPA to enroll in an internship. Students should check with their advisors for program requirements. If a program requires an internship and the student does not meet the minimum GPA requirement, a student may submit a written appeal with a written recommendation from the program’s dean/chair to the Provost.
• Credit Hours: Internships will be eligible for up to 3 hours of academic credit per semester. For students entering the College in Fall 2017 or after, no more than six credits of internship (with the exception of student teaching or other program accreditation standards), and no more than 12 credits of any combination of internship, DIS, or independent study may be applied to the total graduation requirements.

The following stipulations also apply to students engaged in internship opportunities:

• Programs may create specific requirements for their internships, but no program may establish requirements contrary to University policy on internships. All internships, however, must adhere to the University policies governing internships.
• Student interns may be paid or unpaid depending on the employers and their employment requirements. However, part-time or full-time employment does not qualify as an internship. The job description must indicate the position is open to prospective internship applicants only.
• No academic credit will be awarded after-the-fact for work already completed.
• Students must register for internships prior to the start of work or prior to the published drop/add deadline for the semester the internship is to take place.
• Each school/division/department is responsible for maintaining data that will assure compliance with current academic standards, risk-management and audit policies.
• Internships must be supervised by both the faculty member assigned to the internship and a supervisor from the agency.
• A student’s internship site supervisor and faculty internship sponsor must be different people. The faculty sponsor cannot serve as the site supervisor.
• In addition to a syllabus, a written learning agreement or contract must be signed by the student, faculty member and on-site supervisor describing the rules and regulations, activities, learning processes, and evaluation methods used in the course.
• Internships should have a set number of minimum hours at the agency, business, or other approved site. All sites must be approved by the School Dean or Division Chair and the VPAA Office. Forms are housed in the Registrar’s Office.
• At least forty-five (45) student hours at the agency per hour per semester is expected.
• Students are required to log in hours for their internship that must be overseen by a supervisor from the agency. Students must sign in on a log sheet that must be signed by the supervisor. Students must submit a signed copy of the login sheet to the assigned faculty member.
• A minimum of 12 hours of contact with LCU faculty is required per course.

Any requests for exceptions to the policy must be approved in advance before the course is scheduled. All requests must be submitted in writing to the VPAA/Provost and supported with documentation that supports the requested exception.