Policies and Procedures
 

The policies listed in this section pertain to students in the bachelor’s degree-completion program. Many university-wide policies in this catalog also pertain to bachelor’s students; students are responsible for knowing those policies as well.

 

Admission Policies
General Education
To gain a B.S. degree from Walden University, the undergraduate student must complete a minimum of 179–181 quarter credits, including 90 credits in general education and elective courses and 89–91 credits in courses at the upper-division level (3000–4000).

 

Students in the B.S. program must satisfy the general education requirements of Walden University shown below. A transcript evaluation, prior learning evaluation, examination credit, and Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges or American Council on Education credit review will be completed by an enrollment advisor, and a determination will be made for both the general education and elective areas and the upper-division (major) area.

 

 

Associate of Arts/Associate of Science/Associate of Applied Science Degree	90 quarter credits
Or   Arts and Sciences Communication (min. 9 cr., one course must be a college composition course) Humanities (min. 9 cr.) Social/Behavioral Sciences (min. 9 cr.) Math/Science (min. 9 cr.) Other Arts and Sciences   Electives	60 quarter credits      and         30 quarter credits
Total	90 quarter credits

 

Transfer of Credit
Students are responsible for reviewing and understanding credit-transfer limits, standards, criteria, and procedures before applying for transfer of credits. A minimum of 90 quarter credits of lower-division (1000–2000) general education and elective courses must be transferred. The maximum amount allowed for transfer into the upper-division major is 45 quarter credits.

 

To be considered for acceptance in transfer from a U.S. institution, credits must follow these guidelines:

1. Credit was earned at a grade of C or better (2.0 on a 4.0 scale) from a U.S. institution accredited by a regional, professional/specialized, or national accrediting organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), or from a non-U.S. institution, in a discipline or field related to the program/concentration for which application is made. Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE) must evaluate coursework awarded from a non-U.S. institution as equivalent to coursework awarded by a U.S. institution.
2. Credit was arrayed within general education and elective requirements of undergraduate studies, as shown in the table above.
3. No pre-freshman or remedial credit will be accepted for transfer (below 1000 level).
4. Credit will not be awarded twice for the same learning..
5. Students who want to transfer competency-based or experiential learning credits from another regionally accredited institution must submit the following:
   • Official transcripts indicating a grade of C or better.
   • Written narrative detailing the competency-based credits.
6. Prior learning credit is designated on the official Walden transcript with a PLC designation.
7. Credit must be earned in courses where the content meets the general education and elective requirements listed above, or is equivalent to the content of corresponding Walden University courses.

Prior Learning Credit
Students admitted to the B.S. program may apply “prior learning” credit toward the 90-credit general education and elective requirements and up to a maximum of 45 additional credits within the major area.

1. The prior learning credit policy is strictly followed:
   • The university is a member of DANTES and will provide information to students allowing them to explore the option of credit by examination (CLEP/DANTES).
   • Retaking an examination may occur only one time per subject.
   • A 6-month waiting period must be completed before retaking an examination.
   • Credits earned by examination will be officially awarded after a student has successfully completed a minimum of 8 hours with Walden.
   • Walden will accept essay or non-essay versions of the CLEP English Composition Exam.
   • Although CLEP policies may vary by program, Walden will typically award credit for one course for one CLEP exam taken.
   • The fee for challenging a course through credit by examination is paid upon application for the examination and is non-refundable.
2. Walden University is a designated 4-year Servicemember Opportunity College (SOC) institution providing opportunities for men and women in the military service to complete educational programs by means of various modes of instruction. Transfer of such military service education programs will be in keeping with SOC guidelines.
3. The American Council on Education (ACE) has developed an approval process for offering applicable elective study in place of traditional coursework. These are the maximum amounts of transferable ACE credit allowed:
   • 21 approved credits for lower-division-level work (1000–2000).
   • 27 approved credits for upper-division-level work (3000–4000).
4. For the purpose of converting semester credits to quarter credits, the following formula may be used:
   X semester credits multiplied by 1.5 = X quarter credits
   (e.g., 30 semester credits multiplied by 1.5 = 45 quarter credits)

Conditional Admission
Applicants anticipating beginning the B.S. program with an incomplete application file may be approved for conditional admission upon the recommendation of the dean or the dean’s designee. Conditional admission is for one quarter only and enables students to register for courses. The missing information must be received by the end of the first term of enrollment; until the information is received, a hold prevents the student from registering for classes beyond the first term. Failure to submit the appropriate documentation by this deadline may cause the student to be administratively withdrawn from the university. Walden cannot process student loans or disburse funds until it is in receipt of all official transcript(s) or international evaluations.

 

Occasionally, an applicant to the bachelor’s degree program will not meet the admission criteria. With the recommendation of the dean or the dean’s designee, such an applicant may be granted conditional admission for the following:

 

Not meeting the appropriate prerequisites for a given major at the bachelor’s level. Students may not have completed the prerequisite courses for that major. For example, a student with a previous major in English, now wanting to obtain a major in Business Administration will not have the prerequisite business courses. Students admitted conditionally, with the recommendation of the dean (or designee) may take up to three courses (15 cr.) of prerequisites concurrently with preapproved courses in the core, concentration, or elective areas. Those students seeking concurrent enrollment and conditional/probationary admission must consult with an academic advisor prior to enrollment and have an application for concurrent enrollment approved in writing by the dean (or designee).

 

Not having the required distribution of credits within the general education area. Students admitted conditionally with the recommendation of the dean (or designee) may take up to four courses (20 cr.) of lower-level credits concurrently with their upper-division coursework at Walden. Those students seeking concurrent enrollment and conditional/probationary admission must consult with an enrollment advisor prior to enrollment and have an application for concurrent enrollment approved in writing by the dean (or designee).

 

Note: These requirements may be modified based on articulation agreements formally negotiated with a regionally accredited community college.

 

Deferred Admission
Students may defer admission for up to two quarters with the written request for a deferred admission date.

 

Minimum Credits Earned at Walden University
Students must fulfill a minimum requirement of 45 upper-division credits through Walden University to receive a Walden B.S. degree. (Specific program requirements may vary and may be slightly more than 45 credits depending upon the concentration.) If students have received transfer credit for a course with duplicated learning in a required course, the academic advisor will recommend another course so students may meet the total number of required credits.

 

Academic Progress Standards
The academic progress standards for the bachelor’s program appear below. Students are advised that the satisfactory progress guidelines for continued receipt of financial aid are separate and discrete from these academic progress standards.

• Students must complete a minimum of three courses per year of enrollment.
• Students must maintain an overall undergraduate GPA of 2.0 in classes taken at the university.

Undergraduate Course Grading Scale

Letter Grade	Point Value	Definition Criteria
A	4.0	Student met all participation requirements; completed all assignments, group projects, and papers; met the evaluation criteria for the course as specified in the syllabus; and submitted superior quality work.
B	3.0	Above average. Student met all participation requirements; completed all assignments, group projects, and papers; met the evaluation criteria for the course as specified in the syllabus; and submitted satisfactory quality work.
C	2.0	Average. Student met all participation requirements; completed all assignments, group projects, and papers; met the evaluation criteria for the course as specified in the syllabus; and submitted satisfactory quality work.
D	1.0	Marginal.
F	0.0	Failure. Student did not meet the criteria for a passing grade.
S	N/A	Satisfactory. Student passed the course satisfactorily.
U	N/A	Unsatisfactory. Student did not meet the criteria for an S grade.
I	N/A	Incomplete. Student did not meet all participation requirements or complete all assignments at the 55% completion level. The student requested an Incomplete from the course instructor before the final withdrawal date of the quarter.
NC	N/A	No Credit. Administrative assignment only.
W	N/A	Withdrawal. Administrative assignment only.

 

Grade Point Average
Students in undergraduate programs must maintain a GPA of 2.0 or above to graduate. The registrar calculates grade point averages according to the point values stated in the grading scale. Grades of NC (No Credit) and W (Withdraw) are non-punitive and do not figure into the GPA; however, the designations of NC and W do appear on the transcript. A grade of S (Satisfactory) appears on the transcript, but is not calculated in the GPA. A grade of I (Incomplete) is not calculated in the GPA.

 

Course Participation Policy
Participation requirements in all bachelor’s-level courses are determined by the course instructor, who may ask for postings to the course’s online discussion board 2–5 days per week for attendance purposes. Because of the short length and intensive nature of the 6-week course, 4–5 days will be required in most courses with multiple responses in a single day being necessary for adequate participation in a significant proportion of the assignments.

 

Enrollment Standards
The university requires students to adhere to the appropriate enrollment criteria and standards as specified below.

 

Minimum Enrollment Requirement
Bachelor’s students must complete a minimum of 45 credits and four quarters with Walden to receive the Walden University B.S. degree. (Students must transfer a minimum of 90 undergraduate credits for admission into the program.)