Programs, Courses & Credits

In this section:

• Academic Definitions
• Rules for Attaining Multiple Credentials
• Modality Definitions

Academic Definitions

The following definitions are applicable to West Virginia University, WVU Potomac State College, and WVU Institute of Technology. 

Degree Designation

A degree, which is an award signifying a rank or level of educational attainment and which is conferred on students who have successfully completed a degree program. The degree is represented by the official degree designation, e.g. B.A. - Bachelor of Arts, B.S. - Bachelor of Science, A.A. - Associate of Arts, etc. The degree designation is noted on the student’s diploma and transcript.

Degree Program

A degree program is defined by the combination of its degree designation (e.g., Bachelor of Science) and a program title that represents the overarching content areas the program's major or majors covers (e.g., Chemistry). Degree programs are approved by the institution and the Board of Governors (BOG) and listed on the official inventory of degree programs. An associate’s degree program requires a minimum of 60 credits. A bachelor’s degree program requires a minimum of 120 credits.  A master’s degree program requires a minimum of 30 credits. For a doctoral degree, the minimum number of required graduate credits is set by the program. A degree program must include at least one major.

Major

A major is a field of study within an approved degree program with its own curriculum. Typically, an undergraduate baccalaureate major requires a minimum of 30 credits with the majority of credits at the upper-division level. WVU includes major(s) on the students' diplomas and transcripts.

Minor

Minors are only available at the undergraduate level. A baccalaureate minor is an area of study outside of the major that encourages students to pursue a secondary field. A minor comprises at least 15 credits, 9 of which must be upper-division level. Minors are noted on the transcript but not on students' diplomas.

Area of Emphasis

An area of emphasis (AoE) is a focused curriculum within an approved major. An area of emphasis adds a specialization within a major area of study. Undergraduate areas of emphasis comprise 12-18 credits, 9 of which must be upper-division level. Graduate areas of emphasis comprise 6-15 credits. If a course is used by all required Areas of Emphasis offered in a major, that course is part of the major's core requirements and cannot be included in the Areas of Emphasis. Areas of emphasis associated with certification or licensure requirements may exceed the credit limit. Areas of emphasis are noted on the transcript but not on the students' diplomas.

Track

A track serves the purpose of allowing students to select among different pathways to complete their major. Tracks are not included on the transcript or on the students' diplomas.

Undergraduate Certificate Program

An undergraduate certificate program is a specialized curriculum designed for students seeking expertise in a specific area for personal or career development. A certificate is awarded with or without an undergraduate degree and comprises 12 to 18 credits of course work, with a minimum of nine hours at the upper-division level (courses numbered 300 or above). Each certificate must have a minimum of 9 unique credit hours, distinct from any other academic credential. The certificate appears on the student's transcript and the institution issues an official certificate of completion. Students who are pursuing an undergraduate certificate without also being enrolled in a bachelor's degree program will not be eligible to receive Title IV federal financial aid.

Graduate Certificate Program

A graduate certificate program is a specialized curriculum designed for students who have previously earned a baccalaureate degree or who are enrolled in a WVU graduate or professional program and who are seeking a specific body of knowledge for personal/career development.  A graduate certificate program can be completed either independently or along with a degree program and comprises 12 to 21 credits.  See the Academic Certificate Policies page for credit limitations applicable to earning a certificate.  The certificate appears on the student's transcript and the institution issues an official certificate of completion.

Teacher Specialization

Teacher specialization is a state-approved curriculum that prepares students to meet teaching certification standards in a specialized content area and at a specific programmatic level. Teacher specializations may be a major, minor or area of emphasis. Teacher specializations are added to a student's transcript only at the time of graduation.

Bachelor's to Juris Doctor (JD)

Students accepted into an approved 3+3 Program will start the JD at the beginning of what would have been their fourth year of undergraduate studies. By coordinating the plan of study for both degrees via the 3+3 Program, students who successfully complete the program obtain both their bachelor's and JD degrees in 181 credit hours and six years, instead of the 211 credit hours and seven years that a student normally must complete to receive both degrees.

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Rules for Attaining Multiple Credentials

Undergraduate Multiple Curricula

Multiple curricula refers to the completion of minors, areas of emphasis, or majors in addition to the primary major. If these areas of study are related, some of the credit hours must be unique to each major or minor.

Requirements for multiple curricula include:

• Each baccalaureate major must have a minimum of 50% unique credit hours. Students pursuing a second bachelor’s degree after the conferral of a first bachelor’s degree must complete a minimum of 30 additional credits.
• Each associate major must have 15 unique credit hours.
• A maximum of 6 credits may be shared between multiple areas of emphasis.
• Each minor must have a minimum of 9 unique credit hours distinct from any other academic credential.

Graduate Multiple Curricula

Graduate and professional students may simultaneously or sequentially pursue more than one degree or major (although no more than one PhD degree), one or more certificates in addition to degrees or majors, or more than one area of emphasis within their major(s) according to rules specified below and elsewhere in the Graduate/Professional Catalog. Applicability of courses and credits to degree, major, certificate, or area of emphasis requirements is the decision of the program offering the curriculum. Individual course credits may be applied to no more than two degrees, majors, or certificates.

Students pursuing multiple curricula are urged to consult with their advisor(s) to ensure adherence to credit sharing limitations.

Credit Sharing Limitations for Graduate Degrees and Majors

No more than a total of 12 of the credits required for a graduate degree (other than PhD degrees, which are not dependent on credit accumulation) can be:

• earned prior to admission to the degree program,
• earned prior to graduation with another WVU degree,
• earned at another institute, OR
• simultaneously applied to other degree programs or certificates (e.g., while enrolled in the degree program).

Students who simultaneously earn credits toward two or more WVU degrees must, in most cases, graduate with all degrees in the same term to ensure that all credits, including up to 12 credits shared by the degrees, can be applied. Once a student is awarded a graduate degree, only 12 credits earned to that point in time can be applied to a subsequent degree or major. 

Exceptions: Doctoral programs that require or allow students to earn a master's degree in the same discipline may count the courses earned in the master's degree program toward the doctoral program without credit limitations.  In addition, some approved dual degree programs are allowed to share more than 12 credits.

Credit Sharing Limitations for Graduate Certificates

See Academic Certificate Polices for credit limitations applicable to earning a certificate. See Credit Sharing Limitations for Graduate Degrees and Majors for limitations on applying credits earned as part of a completed certificate to a graduate degree or major. 

Credit Sharing Limitations for Areas of Emphasis 
Normally, students may share a maximum of 3 credits between areas of emphasis with the same major. 

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Modality Definitions

Contingent upon the needs of the unit, faculty/instructors must consult with their respective departmental chairs/college to select the most appropriate instructional delivery modality for their specific course section(s) as noted below. Distance Education Courses are credit-bearing courses in which 50% or more of the course is delivered through distance learning technologies.

All courses should be taught in the modality indicated in the schedule of courses at the time of student registration. In the case of instructor illness or other emergency a course may shift to online instruction with the approval of the appropriate Dean.

Course Delivery Options

• Asynchronous Online: (100% online + asynchronous only) 100% of class sessions are delivered via distance education technologies. There are no campus visits or visits to designated sites. No synchronous events, including lectures, examinations, etc. can be required, as all students must have the same access to key components of the course. If synchronous events are offered, they must be optional and for enrichment purposes only (guest speakers, office hours, etc.), the core benefits of which must also be offered in an asynchronous format. Cannot be self-paced. Substantive instructor-initiated interaction is present.

      Examinations in undergraduate courses are administered fully online asynchronously.

• Synchronous Online: (100% online + synchronous events) 100% of class sessions are delivered via distance education technologies. There are no campus visits or visits to designated sites. May have both synchronous and asynchronous elements. Synchronous learning events may be required throughout the course. Cannot be self-paced. Substantive instructor-initiated interaction is present.

      Examinations in undergraduate courses are fully online, either synchronously (at the regularly scheduled class time) or asynchronously.

• Arranged Low Residency Online: (75-99% online*) At least 75% of class sessions are delivered via distance education technologies. This type of course may require students to travel to attend an orientation, take exams, or participate in other on-site experiences. May have both synchronous and asynchronous elements. Substantive instructor-initiated interaction is present.

      Examinations in undergraduate courses can be offered online or face-to-face.

• Correspondence: (100% online) Course content and exams are usually delivered via distance education technologies. Interaction between the instructor and the student is limited, is not regular, or is not substantive, or is primarily initiated by the student. Can be self-paced. 

      Examinations in undergraduate courses are administered fully online asynchronously.

• Hybrid: (50-74% online*) At least 50% but less than 75% of instruction is delivered via distance education technologies, but some visits to a classroom or designated instructional site are required. The instructor decides which portions of the class are offered in person vs. online.

      Examinations in undergraduate courses may be administered face-to-face or online at the discretion of the instructor.

• HyFlex: All core class content is available both face-to-face and online. Students can choose to attend on campus, online, or move back and forth between the two based on their preference.  May have both synchronous and asynchronous online elements. 

      Examinations in undergraduate courses must be made available to students online, but a face-to-face option
      may also be offered at the discretion of the instructor.

• Traditional/ On-Campus: (less than 50% online*) The majority of instruction is provided in a face-to-face classroom setting and physical attendance is expected.  However, students may be expected to regularly supplement their learning through the use of distance learning technology.

      Examinations in undergraduate courses are available either synchronously and in-person at the regularly scheduled class time or asynchronously online.

*Percentage is provided as a general guideline and is not intended to be a precise measurement.

Distance and Extended Education Program Definitions

https://online.wvu.edu/

At WVU, Distance Programs are categorized in one of the following three ways:

• Fully Online – (100% distant) – No residency requirement - All required credit- bearing and any non-credit bearing courses and activities are conducted at a distance with NO required campus attendance and/or visits to designated locations. Optional campus visits and/or visits to designated locations are permissible.

• Low residency (75-99% distant) – Limited residency requirement - A majority of the credit-bearing and non-credit bearing courses and activities are either entirely online or mostly online. Some credit- or non-credit-bearing activities may require campus visits and/or visits to designated locations. Example activities could be program orientations or cohort-based site visits.

• Blended (50-74% distant) - Extensive residency requirement – At least 50% of the credit-bearing and non-credit bearing courses or activities are delivered entirely online. The remaining credit-bearing courses may be offered as face-to-face, partially at a distance, or as distance delivery courses.

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In this section:

• Degree Programs
• Honors Programs

Degree Programs

The Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree/transfer program is designed to parallel the first two years of a liberal arts education at a four-year college. Credits earned usually can be transferred to West Virginia University or another four-year school granting the baccalaureate degree. The degree encourages students to:

• explore, discover and develop their special aptitudes and interests and to reach beyond their own perceived limitations;
• acquire the knowledge, critical thinking, problem solving, communication, teamwork, ethical, and social skills needed to support their immediate educational goals, as well as life-long learning in a world characterized by change;
• nurture social responsibility and receptive attitudes compatible with citizenship within a global society.

The Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree/career and technical program offers students the opportunity to gain the technical and occupational skills needed for employment. Some four-year colleges accept a portion of A.A.S. degree credits as part of a bachelor’s degree. The degree encourages students to:

• explore, discover and develop their special aptitudes and interests and to reach beyond their own perceived limitations;
• acquire the knowledge, critical thinking, problem solving, communication, teamwork, ethical, and social skills needed to support their immediate educational goals, as well as life-long learning in a world characterized by change;
• nurture social responsibility and receptive attitudes compatible with citizenship within a global society;
• acquire and develop skills necessary to enter the workforce.

Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.S.)

This baccalaureate completion degree allows students holding an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree to earn a bachelor’s degree upon completion of a prescribed curriculum of 60 credits. Emphases are currently offered in Business Management, Computer Information Systems, Criminal Justice, and Sustainable Agriculture Entrepreneurship (SAGE). The degree encourages students to:

• explore, discover and develop their special aptitudes and interests and to reach beyond their own perceived limitations;
• acquire the knowledge, critical thinking, problem solving, communication, teamwork, ethical, and social skills needed to support their immediate educational goals, as well as life-long learning in a world characterized by change;
• nurture social responsibility and receptive attitudes compatible with citizenship within a global society;
• acquire skills necessary to enter the workforce;
• experience leadership;
• experience opportunities for defining relationships between the student’s degree program and post- baccalaureate goals;
• apply acquired skills and knowledge in a capstone experience involving a simulated business (Business Management) or in discipline-related research (Criminal Justice).

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree program is a 122-credit program designed to prepare students for practice as a registered professional nurse.  All courses are completed on the Potomac State (Keyser) campus.  The BSN program outcomes are:

• CRITICAL THINKING:  Employ scholarly inquiry and evidence-based reasoning and creativity in the process of assessment, interpretation, analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and inference as a basis for professional nursing practice.
• NURSING INTERVENTIONS:  Ensure quality care by applying theory, evidence-based clinical judgment and decision-making, and patient care technology in the delivery of safe and skilled nursing therapeutics with individuals, families, communities, and populations across the health-illness continuum.
• PROFESSIONAL ROLE:  Demonstrate knowledge, attitudes, professional values, personal qualities, and behaviors consistent with the nursing roles of health care designer and coordinator, organization and system leader, and advocate for consumers and the nursing profession.
• CARING:  Provide empathetic, culturally sensitive, and compassionate care for individuals, families, communities, and populations that upholds moral, legal, and ethical humanistic principles.
• COMMUNICATION:  Integrate therapeutic, interpersonal, intraprofessional, interprofessional, and informatics communication processes in professional nursing practice. 

Regents Bachelor of Arts Degree (RBA)

The Regents Bachelor of Arts (RBA) degree is an innovative baccalaureate designed to be a foundational bachelor’s degree for adult students. It makes use of flexible methods of degree completion including the use of prior learning as credit. The RBA is designed to provide a broad set of core competencies that support general education while allowing students to develop skills and knowledge for the next step in their career, education, or life. Through the guidance of their academic advisor, RBA students design a curriculum that meets their current and future academic and life needs.

The Regents Bachelor of Arts (RBA) degree program will;

• provide ability to communicate effectively in various contexts;
• build on past life experiences for a well-rounded curriculum of knowledge;
• promote development of core competencies;
• demonstrate connections between general education courses and career goals;
• provide a flexible path to an undergraduate degree;
• serve as a foundation to graduation education.

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Honors Programs

There are two honors programs available at Potomac State College. The AA/AAS Honors Program is for students completing and Associate of Arts (AA) or Associate of Applied Arts (AAS) degree. The AA/AAS Honors Program involves completing honors courses while obtaining an AA or AAS degree. The BAS Honors Program is for students completing a Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) degree. The two programs are separate, and students can complete either one of the programs or both. Students do not have to complete or be in the AA/AAS Honors Program to be eligible for the BAS Honors Program. Enrollment in the Honors Program is by invitation only.

To be declared an Honors Scholar obtaining an Associate’s Degree, students must complete a minimum of five honors courses (at least 13 honors credit hours), including an Honors Orientation course, and obtain at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA and 3.5 honors credit GPA. To be declared an Honors Scholar obtaining a Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) Degree, students must complete two honors contract courses of 300 or 400 level courses, an honors project, 30 hours of community services and obtain at least a 3.2 GPA.

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In this section:

• Abbreviations Used in Course Listings
• Schedule Type Definitions
• Course Number Guide
• Common Course Numbers and Descriptions
• Independent and Directed Study Classes
• Finals and Last Week of Classes

Abbreviations Used in Course Listings

Abbreviations Used in Course Listings

Abbreviation	Description
HR	credit hours per course
Lec	lecture period
Rec	recitation period
Lab	laboratory period
GLAB	graded lab
WEB	web-based course
CONC	concurrent - listed with PR meaning the course may be completed at the same time as enrollment in the course for which it is listed
PR	prerequisite - course must be completed in a term prior to enrollment in the course for which it is listed
Coreq	co-requisite - courses must be taken in the same term
Consent	consent of instructor required
CR	credit but no grade

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Schedule Type Definitions

• Lectures are taught by faculty, can be taught in small or large sections and through various pedagogical strategies. Typical lecture courses award 3 credit hours and thus meet either three times a week for 50 minutes or twice a week for 75 minutes with twice that amount of time expected for weekly homework.
• Laboratory courses provide students with experience in manipulating specialized instrumentation, chemicals, other required physical materials, or occur at specific sites.  Laboratories are typically attached to a lecture, both of which must be completed at the same time. Typical laboratories meet once a week for two hours.  Laboratories may be taught by teaching assistants under the direct supervision of a faculty member.  Labs may award credit in which case students will receive a separate grade.  When labs do not award separate credit from the lecture, they are calculated as part of the lecture course’s grade.
• Studios are taught by faculty, can be taught in small or large sections and have a lecture component that is taught through various pedagogical strategies. Like laboratories, these also provide students with experience in manipulating specialized equipment, other required physical materials, or occur at specific sites. Typical studio courses award 3 credit hours and meet multiple times each week but, like laboratories, may meet for more time than 150 minutes a week. Total meeting time plus expected weekly homework should not exceed 450 total minutes of combined time, excepting programs otherwise directed by their accrediting body.
• Recitations accompany large lecture courses and are composed of smaller groups of students from those lecture courses. Recitations award no credit though lectures may require participation in a recitation and use that as part of the lecture course’s grade. Recitations meet once a week for 50 minutes but are not directly attached to a particular lecture section. Recitations may be taught by teaching assistants.
• Practicum: Experiential credits to be earned in a supervised setting by an appropriately licensed or credentialed professional or a faculty member typically involving interactions with clients. The practicum experiences are mapped to the program learning goals.  On campus practicum will follow the appropriate scheduling guidelines, depending the length and timing of the experience.  Off campus courses will meet on a schedule that reflects the professional setting and may include requirements for specific on-site hours based on the program’s accreditation requirements or programmatic learning outcomes.
• Clinical: Experiential credits to be earned in a supervised clinical setting by an appropriately licensed or credentialed professional, typically involving interactions with patients/clients. The clinical experiences are mapped to the program learning goals.  Typically, clinical courses will meet on a schedule that reflects the working environment of clinical setting and may include requirements for specific on-site hours based on the program’s accreditation requirements or programmatic learning outcomes.

Course Number Guide

For convenience, each course of study is designated by the name of the department in which it is given and by the number of that course. The plan for numbering courses is as follows:

Courses 100 Freshman/Underclassmen: Intended primarily for freshmen, although upper-division students may take them if needed to complete degree requirements.

Courses 200 Sophomore/Underclassmen: Intended primarily for sophomores. These courses may have 100 or 200-level prerequisites.

Courses 300 Juniors/Upperclassmen: Intended primarily for juniors. These courses may have extensive prerequisites or be limited to specific majors.

Courses 400 Seniors/Upperclassmen: Intended primarily for seniors and selected graduate students. These courses are typically limited to advanced undergraduates within a particular major or degree program and selected graduate students.

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Undergraduate Common Course Numbers & Descriptions

199. Orientation to [subject/field]. 1-2  Hr. Orientation to degree programs and requirements, departmental resources, curriculum options, student responsibilities, and opportunities.

293. Special Topics. 1-6 Hr. PR: Consent. Investigation of topics not covered in regularly scheduled courses.

298. Honors. 1-3 Hr. PR: Students in Honors Program and consent by the honors director. Independent reading, study, or research.

393. Special Topics. 1-6 Hr. PR: Consent. Investigation of topics not covered in regularly scheduled courses.

490. Teaching Practicum. 1-3 Hr. PR: Consent. Teaching practice such as a tutor or assistant.

491. Professional Field Experience. 1-18 Hr. PR: Consent. (May be repeated up to a maximum of 18 hours.) Prearranged experiential learning program to be planned, supervised, and evaluated for credit by faculty and field supervisors. Involves temporary placement with public or private enterprise for professional competence development.

492. Directed Study. 1-3 Hr. Directed study, reading, and/or research.

493. Special Topics. 1-6 Hr. PR: Consent. Investigation of topics not covered in regularly scheduled courses.

494. Seminar. 1-3 Hr. PR: Consent. Presentation and discussion of topics of mutual concern to students and faculty.

495. Independent Study. 1-6 Hr. Faculty-supervised study of topics not available through regular course offerings.

496. Senior Thesis. 1-3 Hr. PR: Consent.

497. Research. 1-6 Hr. Independent research projects.

498. Honors, 1-3 Hr. PR: Students in Honors Program with consent by the honors director. Independent reading, study, or research.

499. Global Service Learning. 1-3 Hr. PR: Consent. Theory and practice of global service-learning. The main objective will be to pair the experiential aspects of meaningful and sustained service in the host community with work from the student’s anchor course by offering a methodological framework for cultural immersion and community service as well as adding to the content of the anchor course.

Independent Study Classes

Independent study classes are offered to students in order to provide opportunities for content exploration not typically offered via the normal course rotation.

Students interested in pursuing independent study should contact their academic advisers to determine if independent study is a viable option for them and to identify the process specific to their college and major.

Directed Study Classes

Directed study classes may occasionally be contracted when:

1. The student has achieved a GPA of 2.0 or higher,
2. The course requested for directed study is a requirement for graduation under the student's major, and

1. There is no possibility of taking the course by the expected graduation date, or
2. Unavoidable schedule conflict between required courses that are part of a sequence for which a real hardship would occur for the student to be able to complete their program within the expected time frame.

Students should consult with their academic advisers to see if directed study is a viable option for them. All requests for directed study classes require official approval.

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Finals and Last Week of Classes

• Examinations
• Final Examination Policy
• Multiple Examinations on the Same Day
• Evening Classes
• Two-Semester Courses
• Examinations
• Common Examinations
• Last Week of Classes and Preparation Days

Examinations

The modality of examinations in a course is dependent on the modality of the section of the course. Please refer to the appropriate section of the catalog for more details.

In undergraduate synchronous courses, whether delivered online or face-to-face, regular examinations take place during set class time, unless the course has been approved for common exams (see below), or in case of courses where a professional program requires a specific testing mode.

Regular Exams and Final Exams are held in the location of the regularly scheduled class meeting unless students are otherwise notified.

Final Examination Policy

The last week of each semester of the academic year is designated as finals week. Final examinations for the summer term are given on the last day of classes. The undergraduate final examination schedule for each academic term is determined by the Office of the University Registrar at the Morgantown location, the Office of Academic Affairs at the WVU Potomac State College, and the Office of the Registrar at WVU Institute of Technology. The final examination date and time for a class is determined by the class meeting time; except for online asynchronous courses, which do not have a set class time.. 

No change in time from the published official examination schedule is permitted without approval of the dean of the college or school and the Provost’s designee at the Morgantown location, Dean of Academic Affairs at the WVU Potomac State College, or the Campus Provost at WVU Institute of Technology. Face-to-face finals are held in the location of the regularly scheduled class meeting unless students are otherwise notified.

Except for evening and asynchronous online classes, no final examinations may be given before the examination period begins, and no change in time from that published in the official examination schedule is permitted without approval, excepting classes testing in the University Testing Center in Hodges Hall. An instructor with a compelling reason to change the time of an examination must obtain the approval of the dean of the college or school and the Provost’s designee at the Morgantown location, Dean of Academic Affairs at WVU Potomac State College location, or the Campus Provost at WVU Institute of Technology location.  The instructor must then announce the alternative examination procedure to the students via their official institutional email address. Final examinations delivered in the University Testing Center will be made available to students for a minimum of three consecutive days during finals week (the initial scheduled date plus two more consecutive days before or after that date). Students will schedule their own time to take these exams in the University Testing Center.

During regular terms, asynchronous final examinations made available before the beginning of finals week must also be available for a minimum of three consecutive days during finals week.

For all modes of delivery, no class-related activity, except for office hours, may be scheduled during the finals week.

Assignments given in place of a final exam or “take-home” final examinations, excluding projects or assignments that are intended to be completed across the entire semester, may not be due before the final examination date and time for that class. 

A student may address complaints related to the final examination procedures in a course to the dean of the college or school in which the course is offered.

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Multiple Examinations on the Same Day

If a student has more than three final examinations on a single day, they may contact one of their instructors to schedule a make-up examination.  If an arrangement cannot be made, the student should contact an associate dean’s office. 

If students have two final examinations scheduled during the same common examination time period, they must contact the departments administering the common examinations to make arrangements for a make-up examination.
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Evening Classes

Final examinations for evening classes (classes meeting at 6 p.m. or later, or classes meeting at 4 p.m. or later if the class meets once a week) are scheduled during the last week of class.  Final examinations for evening classes at WVU Institute of Technology occur during finals week and are on the undergraduate final examination schedule from the Office of the Registrar at WVU Institute of Technology.
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Two Semester Courses

In a course extending over two semesters with continuous subject matter, the second-semester final examination may include content from the first semester.
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Examinations

The modality of examinations in a course is dependent on the modality of the section of the course. Please refer to the appropriate section of the catalog for more details.

In synchronous courses, whether delivered online or face-to-face, regular examinations take place during the set class time, unless the course has been approved for common exams (see below), or in case of professional-level courses where a specific testing mode is required by an outside agency.

Regular Exams and Final Exams are held in the location of the regularly scheduled class meeting unless students are otherwise notified.

Common Examinations

Some face-to-face and hybrid multi-section courses use a common examination time, as indicated on the Schedule of Courses (Regular Exams) and on the Schedule of Final Exams.

Only approved courses (with days and times listed on the Schedule of Courses or listed on the final examination schedule) may use a common examination time. On the Morgantown location, common examinations may only be administered for courses in which the total course enrollment exceeds 500 students or there are more than 20 sections of the course.

Students will be notified of their assigned location for the common exam.

If a department wants a course to be considered for a common final examination, the unit will need to demonstrate that it is not possible to generate multiple equivalent exams from a test bank, or that, because of documented issues of academic dishonesty, a common examination is required to ensure the integrity of the test.  Common examinations are approved at the course level, so all sections of a course must follow the common examination schedule. Requests for a common final examination must be reviewed by the Academic Policy Committee, which will make a recommendation to the appropriate provost.

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Last Week of Classes and Preparation Days

When the calendar permits, a preparation day for finals will be added to the academic calendar.  Preparation days for finals are free days on which no papers are due, no quizzes or examinations are administered, and there are no class-related activities other than office hours.

In undergraduate courses of 16 weeks duration, no substantial examinations or quizzes may be given during the last week of classes preceding finals except for practical laboratory tests and make-up examinations.  An examination or quiz is considered substantial if it covers 20% percent or more of the course content, or represents more than 20% of the final grade. Exceptions to this policy must be approved by the dean of the college or school.  Additionally, as per Board of Governor’s Academic Rule 2.5, instructors who administer such assessments must provide meaningful feedback to students prior to the final examination for the course.
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In this section:

• Classification of Students
• Course Overload
• Credit Hour Definition
• Credit by Examination

Classification of Students

Students are classified as freshmen, sophomores, juniors, or seniors. These classifications are based upon the number of hours completed. The classifications are as follows:

Classification of Students

Classification	Hours
Freshman	1-29 Earned Credit Hours, Inclusive
Sophomore	30-59 Earned Credit Hours, Inclusive
Junior	60-89 Earned Credit Hours, Inclusive
Senior	90 or More Earned Hours

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Course Overload

Students may not enroll for more than 18 credit-hours of course work in a fall or spring semester or 14 credits in a summer semester without first receiving permission from the Dean of Academic Affairs.

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Credit Hour Definition

WVU Potomac State College courses offered for credit are based on semester hours. Semesters are fifteen weeks long plus one week for final exams. A single credit hour is equivalent to fifty minutes of guided instruction within the classroom. An hour of preparation, or related activity outside of the classroom, is equivalent to sixty minutes.

• Full semester lecture:  Fifty minutes (~one hour) of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of 120 minutes of out-of-class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester hour of credit. 
  • 1 credit over 15 weeks = (1 hour in class per week x15 weeks) + (2 hours of homework per week x 15 weeks) = 45 hours of coursework
  • 3 credits over 15 weeks = (3x15) + (6x15) = 135 hours of coursework
• Part Semester Courses:
  • Courses delivered in a part of term no shorter than 5 weeks long should require an equivalent amount of work
    • 3 credits over 8 weeks = (6 in class per week x 8 weeks) + (11 hours of homework per week x 8 weeks) = 136 hours of coursework
  • Courses delivered in a compressed format (typically 4 weeks or less) need not adhere to the definition above but, instead, demonstrate equivalent student outcomes via assessment.
• Full semester non-lecture courses: For other activities as established by an institution, including laboratory work, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours, where outside of class work is very limited, the calculation typically should still reflect the overall hours of coursework for the length of the semester
  • A lab that meets twice a week for 4 hours would have the following calculation:
    3 credits over 15 weeks = (8 hours in lab per week x 15 weeks) + (1 hour outside of class per week x 15 weeks) = 135 hours of coursework

Face-to-Face Classroom Learning

One credit hour is equivalent to one hour of guided instruction (fifty minute class) and a minimum of two hours of out -of-class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time such as during the summer sessions, which may vary in duration. One credit hour in other academic activities, as established by the institution, including laboratory work, internships, practicums, studio work, study abroad, experiential learning opportunities, online learning, and other academic work must include an equivalent amount of required work listed in the preceding paragraph and is outlined in more detail below.

Online Classroom Learning

One credit hour of online learning is equivalent to fifteen hours of direct instruction and thirty hours of student work. Direct instruction can occur via computer -assisted (modules), multi -media interaction, discussions, and/or completion of exams/quizzes/assessments as documented in the course syllabus and approved to meet best practices in online learning. Student work includes activities like readings and supplemental assignments. Students must fulfill these hours to complete the course requirements as set forth by the course instructor. Online courses developed from existing face -to-face instruction adhere to the defined learning outcomes and assessments of the original face -to-face format for the course.

Awarding Military Credit

West Virginia University awards college credit for military service listed on a student's Joint Services Transcript (JST). Veterans and current student service members may request credits be articulated in coordination with guidance from their academic advisor and the approval of the Dean of their academic college. Care will be taken to ensure that articulating JST credits is in the student's best academic interest. When approved, WVU will award equivalent course credit. Otherwise, elective credit at the lower (100 level) and upper (300 level) division may be awarded based on the American Council on Education (ACE) recommended credit totals for each ACE ID on a student's JST.

Experiential Learning

Experiential learning, includes opportunities associated with laboratory/lecture courses, undergraduate research (with or without laboratory), professional development internships, clinical experiences,and service learning. Three hours of experiential learning per week over a period of fifteen weeks receives one credit hour.  Students are required to document progress during the course and completion of the stated learning objectives for each experience. Experiential learning courses are expected to adhere to and follow the institutional policy for reporting midterm and final grades. All credit-bearing courses require a syllabus. 

Study Abroad

One credit hour is equivalent to fifteen hours of guided instruction and thirty hours of cultural, linguistic or other types of engagements as described by the syllabus and approved by the faculty, Division Chair, Dean, and President. Exceptions to this general rule would need to be justified and approved on an individual basis.

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Credit by Examination

After admission to WVU Potomac State College, students may elect to take examinations demonstrating competence in specific coursework. While PSC administered credit by examination and placement credit will be excluded from PSC residence credit, it does not interrupt the final fifteen credit hours in residence if earned during this period.

Guidelines

1. The student must be enrolled at Potomac State College during the semester that the credit is being sought.
2. The student must never have been enrolled in the class after the first week of the semester. Under unusual circumstances, this requirement may be waived by the Dean of Academic Affairs in consultation with the appropriate Division Chair.
3. No student may attempt institutional credit by examination more than once for the same course.
4. The student must demonstrate a background sufficient to warrant an exam.
5. The student must attempt institutional credit by examination prior to the last day to withdraw from a class.

Courses Not Eligible for Credit By Examination

Due to their particular purposes and content, some courses may not be eligible for credit by examination at Potomac State College. These include ENGL 101 and ENGL 102.

Procedure

1. The student must submit in writing to the appropriate Division Chair an explanation of how the competency was achieved. The Division Chair will determine if the student is eligible and whether the course is appropriate for institutional credit by examination. The Chair's decision can be appealed in writing within five working days to the Dean of Academic Affairs.
2. The Division Chair will procure an appropriate faculty member to develop, administer, and evaluate the exam. The Chair and the faculty member share responsibility for assuring the appropriate level of difficulty of the exam. In order to pass the exam, the student must show proficiency at a level comparable to that of a student receiving a grade of C in the course.
3. Upon successful completion, the student will receive credit for the course with no letter grade designated. Institutional credit will not affect the grade point average of the student.
4. A student who believes that a non-passing grade on the exam was due to capricious, arbitrary, or prejudiced academic evaluation or reflects discrimination based on race, color, creed, sex or national origin, may appeal the decision. The appeal will follow the same procedure as used for the appeal of a grade.

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