Academic Policies
  

ENROLLMENT STATUS
Students are admitted to the College by the Office of Admissions. A student is attending full-time if registered for four, five or six courses in any semester. In order to complete degree requirements in the usual four years, students must enroll in an average of five courses each semester.

If a student registers for one or two courses (or, due to academic reasons and with approval from the student’s academic advisor and the Director of Academic Services, for three courses), the student is attending part-time. Part-time attendees may not reside on campus, may not compete in intramural, club or varsity sports, do not have access to activities funded through the comprehensive fee for students registered full time, do not have access to Health or Counseling Services, and do not have access to the Sally Blair Ames Sports Complex. The College reserves the right to limit course enrollment to space available for part-time students, if necessary.

NON-DEGREE ENROLLMENT
Non-degree students may take courses for which they have sufficient preparation and background with the approval of the Office of Academic Services. Non-degree students are subject to the same academic regulations as other students. Non-degree students who wish to apply for degree status must do so through the Admissions Office. If admitted, a maximum of ten courses taken at Stonehill College as a non-degree student may be applied toward completion of a degree program. The academic status and continued enrollment of non-degree students are reviewed at the conclusion of each academic term.

GOOD ACADEMIC STANDING
In order to be in Good Academic Standing, a student must have a cumulative grade-point average of 2.0 or above. A student whose cumulative grade-point average falls below 2.0 is subject to academic separation or dismissal in accordance with College policy (see “Academic Warning, Probation, Separation and Dismissal” for more detailed information).

CLASS RATING OF STUDENTS
The Vice President for Academic Affairs has charge of the rating, academic standing, and graduation of students. Students are classified as Sophomores if they have completed 10 courses; as Juniors if they have completed 20 courses; as Seniors if they have completed 30 courses. Students who are no more than 2 courses short of the required number are classified with the higher class.

REGISTRATION
The academic year is divided into two semesters of approximately fifteen weeks each. The Registrar’s Office is responsible for conducting registration for classes and for all credit programs. Information concerning registration procedures and course offerings is provided to all students prior to the beginning of each semester. The dates of Registration are designated in the Academic Calendar. The College reserves the right to cancel any course announced in the catalog if the number of students is not large enough to justify offering it.

LATE REGISTRATION FEE
A fee of $50 ($10 for part-time enrollment), not credited to tuition, is charged to those students who do not complete registration during the dates designated in the Academic Calendar.

PRE-REGISTRATION
All students who wish to attend Stonehill College in the following semester should pre-register for courses during the dates designated in the Academic Calendar. Information concerning pre-registration procedures and course offerings is provided to all students in October and March by the Registrar’s Office. A fee of $40, not credited to tuition, is charged to full-time students who fail to pre-register for courses during the dates designated in the Academic Calendar. The Schedule of Courses and the Course Enrollment Figures are updated regularly on the Registrar’s homepage at: http://www.stonehill.edu/registrar. 

Due to the lower tuition charged for part-time enrollment, the College reserves the right to limit enrollment in classes to space available for part-time students. Course plans of students attending part-time will have at least a three-year time horizon. The Office of Academic Services and the Registrar will attempt to schedule sufficient instructional capacity to match the plans of part-time students. Students attending part-time should pre-register at the same time as other students in order to maximize their chances of enrolling in a desired class. Remaining seats will be available after pre-registration on a space available basis.

SELECTION OF A MAJOR CONCENTRATION
Degree candidates must declare, and be accepted in, a major field of study prior to enrollment in their last 15 courses. Failure to do so will render the student ineligible for registration.

DOUBLE MAJOR
Students may enroll in two majors, subject to the approval of the student’s academic advisor and the Director of Academic Services. This option must be requested in writing prior to enrollment in the student’s final 10 courses. In some cases students may need to enroll in more than 40 courses in order to satisfy the requirements of the College and both majors; in these cases, any additional costs for tuition and fees resulting from the student’s decision to seek a second major will be borne by the student. Students who satisfactorily complete two majors will receive one degree from the College, with this exception: If a student satisfactorily completes the requirements for two majors, whether before or after the student’s official graduation, a second degree will be awarded if the second major is in a division (A.B., B.S., or B.S.B.A.) that is different from the first major. The student will be given the option of selecting which degree will be granted at Commencement. Double minors are not allowed.

DIVISION TRANSFERS
Students originally accepted in a given division (Liberal Arts, Science, or Business Administration) who wish to transfer to another division must file an application with the Registrar’s Office.

ADDING/DROPPING COURSES
In April and December students receive a schedule of the courses for which they pre-registered. Students may add or drop courses from the time they receive their schedule through the date listed in the Academic Calendar as the last day for Add/Drop.

AUDITING COURSES
Students may enroll in courses on an “Audit” basis, for no academic credit, with the approval of the Registrar. The fee for auditing a course is one-half the tuition fee. The audit is recorded on the student’s academic record as “AU”, but no grade or credits are indicated. An auditor is not required to attend all classes, nor to take examinations; also, the Instructor is not required to grade any papers or examinations submitted by an auditor.

ENROLLING IN SIX COURSES
Students, after consulting with their faculty advisor, may petition to take a sixth course without charge by completing the Sixth Course Authorization Form available in the Office of Academic Services. The course can be applied toward the 40-course graduation requirement. The following policies are in effect with regard to the sixth course:
a) The Director of Academic Services and the faculty advisor grant approval for a sixth course.
b) First year students are not eligible to take a sixth course.
c) Students must have a minimum semester or cumulative grade point average of 3.3 in the semester prior to enrolling in the sixth course.
d) The Director of Academic Services may approve exceptions to the above policies in the case of extenuating circumstances, such as graduating seniors, required pre-requisites, reasonable plans for acceleration, etc.
e) Registration for a sixth course will take place within the first seven calendar days of instruction of each semester.

POLICY ON ATTENDANCE AND WITHDRAWAL
Class Attendance
Students are expected to be regular and prompt in their class attendance. In case of absence, students are responsible for all class work, assignments, and examinations.

Any student who misses an examination (other than the Final Examination), a quiz, or any required classroom activity to which a grade is assigned, must consult the instructor as soon as possible regarding the opportunity to make up the work missed. In such cases, it is the instructor who determines whether or not the absence was legitimate; if it was, and if the student has consulted the instructor as soon as possible, the instructor must give a make-up examination or quiz, or provide the student with an equivalent basis for evaluation. If the absence is deemed not to have been legitimate, the instructor has the option to decide whether or not to provide an opportunity to make up the work.

If, due to prolonged illness or any other reason, a student misses three consecutive weeks of classes, the instructor has the right to decide whether or not the student will be permitted to make up the work missed.

Any student who is unable, because of religious beliefs, to attend classes or to participate in any examination, study, or work requirement on a particular day shall be excused from any such examination or study or work requirement, and shall be provided with an opportunity to make up such examination, study, or work requirement which may have been missed because of such absence on any particular day provided, however, that such makeup examination or work shall not create an unreasonable burden. No fees of any kind shall be charged for making available to the student such opportunity. No adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to any student because of these provisions.

If the instructor does not arrive within ten minutes of the beginning of a class period, the class is dismissed, unless otherwise notified.

Course Withdrawal
Students are expected to complete any course, required or elective, for which they are enrolled. It is only for serious reasons that course withdrawal should be considered. Prior to withdrawal, students are strongly urged to consult with their instructor, advisor, and/or the Office of Academic Services, to review the academic consequences of withdrawal. Students are also urged to consult with the Office of Student Aid and Finance; withdrawals may have significant impact upon a student’s current or subsequent eligibility for financial aid and/or billed charges.

Students may withdraw from individual courses until approximately two weeks after mid-semester, as indicated in the Academic Calendar. Requests for course withdrawal after the deadline will be considered only for serious reason such as prolonged illness. To withdraw, students must receive approval from the Office of Academic Services. Authorized withdrawal from a course will be indicated on the student’s permanent academic record. Unauthorized withdrawal results in a failing grade in the course.

College Withdrawal
Students wishing to withdraw from the College must report to the Office of Academic Services to complete the withdrawal form and exit interview. Student I.D.’s must be returned at this time. For resident students, room keys must be returned to the Residence Life Office. Students who withdraw from the College after the last official date of classes are considered to have completed the courses for which they were enrolled on the last class day of that semester. In those cases where the specific last date of class attendance must be determined, the student’s faculty are contacted in order to establish such date.

READMISSION TO COLLEGE
Students who previously attended Stonehill College but withdrew prior to completing their program must apply to the Office of Academic Services for readmission. This process may be initiated any time after March 15, but should be completed by July 1 - for the Fall Semester - or any time after October 15, but should be completed by December 1-for the Spring Semester.

EXAMINATIONS
Final examinations are ordinarily held in all courses at the end of each semester. Such examinations may be omitted with the approval of the appropriate Department Chairperson. In addition, other examinations, both written and oral, are given at the discretion of the instructor.

Only for extremely urgent and compelling reasons, such as illness, or death in the immediate family, may a final examination be taken out of regular schedule. The Office of Academic Services must be notified in all such cases, and before the time of examination if possible. If approved, the examination is to be taken at a time set by the Office of Academic Services.

The value of the final examination is determined by the instructor. If a student misses the examination without sufficient reason, a grade of F is given for this part of the course requirements. The semester grade is then determined in the same way as for students who took the examination. The Final Examination Schedule can be viewed on the Registrar’s homepage: http://www.stonehill.edu/registrar.

GRADING SYSTEM
Undergraduate:
Depending upon the course, faculty members employ different means of evaluation. Since there are numerous variations in faculty policies and requirements, faculty members normally declare their grading criteria explicitly, considering mastery of course material, analytical skills, critical oral and written expression skills, originality, and creativity. The quality of work in a course is indicated by the following grades:

Grades of "I", "W'', and "P'' are not assigned grade-points and are not included in the computing of the grade-point average. 

Incomplete or "I" Grades
The grade of “I’’ can be submitted by the instructor only after permission has been secured from the Office of the Dean of Faculty. It will be given to the student only when the failure to complete the work of the course is due to some serious reason such as prolonged illness. When students receive Incomplete grades, they are granted a period of 30 days, beginning from the last day of final exams, to complete the course work. Failure to complete the course work during this period results in a grade of “F.’

Withdrawal or "W" Grades
The grade of “W’’ is given only if a student has received official permission to withdraw from an individual course or from the entire semester’s program by the Office of Academic Services.

Pass or "P" Grades 
The grade of "P'' is given to students who successfully complete a course in which they have exercised the Pass-Fail option, as explained below. 

Grade Point Average
The Semester grade-point average is based on all courses taken in that semester, including failures. It is calculated by (1) multiplying credits for each course by quality points assigned to each grade earned; (2) totaling points earned for all courses; and (3) dividing total points by the number of credits attempted. Cumulative grade-point average is calculated in the above manner for all courses taken at Stonehill College, including failures. Grades earned in courses accepted in transfer, or in courses approved to be taken at other colleges, are not calculated in either the semester or the cumulative grade-point average.

Graduate:

             (Graduate courses cannot be taken pass-fail.)

Grade Re-evaluation and Dispute Process
Only the instructor of a course can give a grade in that course or change a grade given. Any question on the part of the student concerning the correctness of a grade should be raised first with the instructor. If the instructor cannot be reached, contact the Dean of Faculty’s Office for assistance. If, after contacting the instructor, a student does not believe the grade to be equitable, a Grade Re-evaluation request should be filed in the Dean of Faculty’s Office. Such a request must be made before the middle of the semester following the one in which the grade was given. If, after receiving the explanation of the instructor, the student still feels that the grade is unjust, he or she may appeal to the Academic Appeals Board within 2 weeks. Appeals should be filed in the Dean of Faculty’s Office.

PASS-FAIL OPTION
To encourage students to broaden their intellectual interest, the College permits juniors or seniors to employ a Pass-Fail Option in one course each semester. The student who passes such a course will receive a grade of “P’’ with no grade-points figured in the cumulative average. The student who fails such a course will receive a grade of “F’’ which is counted the same as any other failure. The Pass-Fail Option can be used only in a course which is a free elective and which is taken in a Department other than the student’s major or minor Department. For example, Majors or Minors in Business Administration may not take a course Pass-Fail if it has a designation of BA. Students must fill out a Pass-Fail form in the Registrar’s Office during the first two weeks of the semester in order to exercise the Pass-Fail Option.

In addition to the above, any student, except a foreign language major or minor, who has previously completed the Foreign Language requirement may elect the Pass-Fail Option in one or two additional Foreign Language courses, even if this exceeds the maximum number of Pass-Fail courses allowed.

REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION
It is the personal responsibility of the student to assure that all academic requirements in the General Education, Major, and Minor Programs are satisfactorily completed.

The requirements for the degrees of Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration are the following:
    a) satisfactory completion of all course requirements, including General Education courses and major courses;
    b) a cumulative grade-point average of 2.0 or above;
    c) satisfactory completion of 40 three or four credit courses, at least 20 of which must be taken at Stonehill;
    d) attendance at the College for at least two years, one of which is normally the senior year;
    e) payment of all financial obligations to the College.

Diplomas are withheld if all such obligations have not been satisfied prior to the time of graduation.

A student who fails to achieve the 2.0 average at the end of the senior year may be granted one additional semester to achieve it.

Degrees ordinarily are conferred by the College at the public Commencement Exercises. Candidates for degrees are to be present at these exercises unless explicitly excused by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

ACADEMIC WARNING, PROBATION, SEPARATION AND DISMISSAL
Students not only are to pass their courses, but also must maintain an acceptable grade-point average. Academic status is determined at the end of each semester during the academic year.

The minimum cumulative Grade Point Average for Good Standing is 2.0. Students who fail to meet these standards are subject to the following regulations regarding academic status.

Academic Warning
Students with a cumulative grade point average below 2.15 may be placed on Academic Warning and may be required to take the WR 141 College Writing/Learning Lab.

Academic Probation
Academic Probation is a warning of severe academic danger. At the end of their initial semester as first-year or transfer students, a GPA below 1.75 will result in Academic Probation. After the initial semester, students with a semester or cumulative grade point average below a 2.0 will be placed on Academic Probation. Students placed on probation may be required to take a reduced course load (4 courses) and/or may be required to take WR 141 College Writing/Learning Lab. In addition, they may be prohibited from participation in extracurricular activities. Academic Probation may be removed following successful completion of summer school/intersession courses, taken at Stonehill immediately after the semester in which the probation is incurred, if the student’s GPA reaches the appropriate standard. Probation remains in effect until a cumulative Grade Point Average at or above a 2.0 has been attained.

Academic Separation
Students will be separated for the following:
1. Earning a combination of 3 “F”s in any one semester or 4 “F”s in two successive semesters.
2. Qualifying for Academic Probation for the second successive semester, or for 3 non-consecutive semesters.

Appeal Procedures following Academic Separation
Students separated from the College by reason of academic deficiency have the right to appeal the decision to the Academic Review Board. Requests for such an appeal must be made in writing to the Office of Academic Services within a time frame noted in the letter of separation. Failure to appeal within the time stated will, under all but the most extraordinary circumstances, disallow such appeal. If a student’s appeal is denied, at least one full semester must elapse before applying for readmission. The right to appeal is restricted to two separations. A second separation results in permanent dismissal from the College.

Period of Separation
During the period of separation, a student may choose to take courses at another accredited institution. If so, those courses should be pre-approved by the Office of Academic Services. Only grades of “C” or better will be transferable. (A course whose grade corresponds at Stonehill to a “C-” will not transfer). However, those grades do not enter the student’s cumulative grade point average.

Readmission to the College Following Separation
After having been separated for at least one semester, students may apply for readmission to the College. To do so, the student should send his or her request in writing or by e-mail to the Office of Academic Services. Upon receipt of this letter, a Petition for Readmission form will be sent to the student. This process may be initiated any time after Mar. 15, but should be completed by July 1 - for the Fall Semester - or anytime after October 15, but should be completed by December 1 - for the Spring Semester.

In the event a student is readmitted, there is no guarantee of either housing on campus or financial aid. Inquiries about on-campus housing and/or financial aid should be directed to those specific offices.

ACADEMIC HONESTY
Stonehill College has an uncompromising commitment to academic honesty. Without a climate of intellectual and moral integrity, no college flourishes or even functions. Any violation of this principle, no matter how small, threatens the unrestricted exchange of knowledge.

All members of the College community have the responsibility to be familiar with, to support, and to abide by the College’s policy on academic honesty. This responsibility includes reporting known or suspected violations of this policy to the appropriate faculty member or to the Dean of Faculty’s Office.

Academic dishonesty includes but is not limited to the following actions:
    a) presenting another’s work as if it were one’s own
    b) failing to acknowledge or document a source even if the action is unintended (i.e., plagiarism);
    c) giving or receiving, or attempting to give or receive, unauthorized assistance or information in an assignment or examination;
    d) fabricating data;
    e) submitting the same assignment in two or more courses without prior permission of the respective instructors; or
     f) having another person write a paper or sit for an examination.

Procedures
Inquiry: When a faculty member discovers evidence of academic dishonesty, the faculty member meets privately with the student, presents the student with the evidence (without accusation) and asks for an explanation. If the incident occurs at the end of a term and the student is unavailable, a grade of Incomplete will be issued until the matter can be discussed with the student.

Penalty: If the faculty member believes that the student’s action is not a violation of the academic honesty policy, i.e., that the student acted unintentionally or as a result of lack of understanding, the matter will be treated as a grading issue, a requirement to rewrite and resubmit the assignment, and/or the requirement that the student schedule an appointment with Writing Center personnel for assistance on proper procedure. Since there was no violation of policy, the Dean of Faculty is not notified.

If the faculty member believes that the student violated the academic honesty policy, the faculty member reports the incident to the Dean of Faculty and imposes one of the following penalties, depending on the nature and severity of the infraction: (1) reduction or loss of credit for the assignment, or (2) failure in the course. For a serious infraction of the policy, the faculty member may recommend to the Academic Review Board that the student be separated from the College. As soon as possible, but within two weeks of a faculty member’s determination that a student has violated the Academic Honesty Policy, the faculty member informs the student of the determination, of the charge, and the penalty imposed.

Report of Offense: The report includes (1) date and nature of the exercise; (2) evidence and method of determination; (3) penalty imposed; and (4) copies of all relevant documents. The Dean of Faculty then informs the student that his or her name has been entered in a confidential list of students who have violated the Academic Honesty Policy. The student receives a copy of the report submitted by the faculty member and may submit comments to the Dean of Faculty. This record is kept confidential and is destroyed upon graduation.

Repeated Offenses: If a student is reported a second time for violating the policy, the Dean of Faculty notifies the Academic Review Board. The Board normally separates the student from the College for a minimum of two semesters. This separation is entered on the student’s Permanent Academic Record (“Academic Separation: Violation of the Academic Code”).

If a student who was separated for an infraction of the Academic Honesty Policy and later readmitted again violates the Policy, the Academic Review Board permanently dismisses that student from the College. This dismissal is entered on the student’s Permanent Academic Record. (“Academic Dismissal: Violation of the Academic Code”).

The penalties of the Academic Review Board become effective at the time of the Board’s decision.

Appeals: Students may appeal to the Academic Appeals Board any penalty imposed for infraction of the Academic Honesty Policy within ten days of the imposition of the penalty. If an appeal is successful, all records of that charge are destroyed.

GRADE REPORTS
Students may access their grades on-line at the end of each semester on HillNet. Students may request that the Registrar’s Office mail them a copy if they do not have internet access at home.

Upon written request of the student, the Registrar’s Office will send a copy of the grades to the student’s parents.

DEAN’S LIST
To qualify for the Dean’s List, students must have a semester grade-point average of 3.50 or better and must have completed successfully all courses for which they were registered. Students withdrawing from courses or receiving “I” grades do not qualify. Part-time students are not eligible for this honor.

HONORS AT GRADUATION
Honors at graduation are awarded to recipients of undergraduate degrees for the following cumulative grade-point averages based on a minimum of 20 courses taken at Stonehill:
    Cum Laude: 3.50
    Magna Cum Laude: 3.70
    Summa Cum Laude: 3.90

STUDY AT OTHER SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES
A student registered at Stonehill College who wishes to take any course at an international college first must submit an on-line application for admission to International Programs available on the Stonehill College Webpage: http://www.stonehill.edu/international/.
Students who are approved for the Study Abroad Program by the Director of International Programs must then obtain pre-approval for all academic courses they are planning to take at the international educational institution. Students will receive and must complete the Study Abroad Course Approval Form during the semester before they leave to be eligible to transfer credit back to Stonehill College. Students must have all courses in fulfillment of their major and/or minor requirements and departmental electives approved by the chairperson of the appropriate department. A member of the Academic Services Office must approve general education requirements and free electives.

Only courses passed with a grade equivalent to the Stonehill grade of “C” or higher are accepted for credit transfer. An earned grade of “C-” will not transfer. Transfer grades are not recorded on the Stonehill transcript and are not included in the computation of the cumulative grade point average. Credits earned abroad must be transferred to Stonehill College as soon after the semester abroad as possible. It is the responsibility of the student to request that an official transcript be sent directly to the Academic Services Office at Stonehill College. The Academic Services Office in consultation with the appropriate academic departments makes the final determination of the applicability of courses in transfer to a major or minor sequence, as well as to fulfillment of General Education requirements.

Upper-level courses to be credited toward completion of a student’s major sequence normally shall be taken at Stonehill College. A number of courses may be accepted in transfer and credited toward completion of a minor sequence, provided that such courses conform to one of the established minor concentrations. Final determination of the applicability of courses in transfer to a major or minor sequence, as well as to fulfillment of General Education requirements, is made by the Office of Academic Services in consultation with the appropriate academic Departments.

No credits for correspondence or extension work are accepted by Stonehill College toward any degree. By way of exception to this regulation, the College accepts credit for courses taken under the supervision of the Armed Forces Institute, provided: (a) courses meet college standards; (b) they fit into the program for the degree the student is seeking; (c) the student shows satisfactory knowledge of the subject matter of the course in an examination given by the College.

Second semester seniors generally are not allowed to enroll in courses elsewhere during the spring semester.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT
The College participates in the Advanced Placement program administered by the College Entrance Examination Board. Each academic department establishes criteria for awarding placement and credit. Placement and credit awards are as follows:

Students who have taken part in the Advanced Placement program during high school may request advanced credit. To receive credit, students must request that an official transcript be sent to the Office of Academic Services. Transcript requests should be made to: AP Exams, P.O. Box 6671, Princeton, NJ 08541-6671

As noted above, generally a score of 4 or higher is accepted for transfer as major or elective credit. Within the General Education curriculum, advanced placement credit cannot be applied toward the Western Heritage Core curriculum. In addition, students who are granted Stonehill College credit for Advanced Placement tests are not allowed to enroll in introductory courses in the same area(s) in which credit has been granted. All Advanced Placement Credits are approved by the Office of Academic Services.

COLLEGE LEVEL EXAMINATION PROGRAM (CLEP)
Credit and/or exemption for some college-level courses may be earned through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) of the College Entrance Examination Board. Recent high school graduates, as well as those who have acquired knowledge in ways other than through traditional formal classroom attendance, may benefit from these tests. The maximum number of credits that students can earn by CLEP examinations is 30. Credits are approved by the Office of Academic Services for scores of 50 or higher. 

INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE (IB) CREDIT POLICY
Stonehill recognizes the level of academic achievement represented by the successful completion of coursework in the International Baccalaureate Program. Stonehill will award 6-8 credits (2 courses) of transfer credit for each Higher Level (HL) exam with a score of 5, 6, or 7. Credit will not be given for Standard Level examinations. Students who have taken both AP and IB examinations in the same subject area do not receive credit for both.

THE HIGH SCHOOL/COLLEGE DUAL ENROLLMENT POLICY
Stonehill College recognizes that some students may be offered the opportunity to enroll in college-level courses prior to their high school graduation. The College is willing to consider the acceptance of the academic credits earned in such courses. Ordinarily, the College will accept no more than three courses in transfer under this policy. Students who successfully complete dual enrollment courses at accredited institutions should submit an official transcript to the Office of Academic Services by July 1.

Courses are evaluated on an individual basis, according to the following criteria:

• Transfer credit is given for three-credit or four-credit courses in which the student has received the equivalent of a grade of C or better, and which are comparable to courses offered at Stonehill.
• If the course has been taught by a faculty member of an accredited college or university and satisfies degree requirements of the College, the course may be accepted by Stonehill.
• Final approval of all such courses will be made by the Office of Academic Services. Students who wish to obtain academic credit for any dual enrollment courses should plan to meet with Academic Services Advisors at the beginning of their first semester at Stonehill.

DOMESTIC INTERNSHIP POLICIES
The Stonehill College Internship Program is designed to encourage students to gain in-depth field experience in an area of their choice, usually related to their major or minor concentration. Internships are expected to complement and enhance theoretical studies by integrating experiential learning into the academic program. As such, the internship experience must be of educational benefit, and should involve participation in professional projects or activities.

Policy Statement

1. All internships must be approved by the Faculty Moderator and the Internship Coordinator in Career Services.
2. After processing and approval at the departmental level, the completed Internship Application Form must be submitted to the Internship Coordinator in the Kruse Center prior to the end of the Add/Drop period of the semester in which the internship will occur, seeking final approval for the internship.
3. Eight hours of internship experience per week are equivalent to three credits. However, each Academic Department is free to exceed this minimum, to satisfy the standards of the Department or the interning agency. Also, should an internship site not be capable of providing the student with eight hours per week, the Department will adjust for this by requiring additional academic responsibilities.
4. The Faculty Moderator has the authority to determine the grade for the internship based on departmental criteria. The following are suggested guidelines: 50% of the grade to be determined on the basis of the Site Supervisor’s evaluations, and 50% on appropriate criteria to be determined by the Faculty Moderator, such as a research paper, a professional journal, seminar attendance and participation, formal presentations, or a combination thereof.
5. Early in the internship period, the Faculty Moderator must make at least one site contact, either by telephone, email, or other appropriate means, or by conducting a site visit. In addition, the Moderator must meet at least three times with the student intern during the semester, and conduct an exit interview.
6. At the end of the internship, the student must submit an Internship Evaluation Form to the Faculty Moderator. The Moderator will forward copies of the evaluations, with comments if desired, to the Department Chairperson and the Internship Coordinator.
7. Some internships offer compensation from the agency, but many do not. The College does not bar such payments; however, when compensation is offered, the student must so indicate on the application form as well as the amount of compensation. Any such arrangement is strictly between the internship site and the student.

TRANSCRIPTS
In order to protect the students’ right to privacy, transcripts of their grades can be released by the Registrar’s Office only on the written request of the students. Transcript requests will not be accepted by telephone.

In accordance with the usual practice of colleges and universities, official transcripts are sent directly by the College, not transmitted by the student. A transcript is official when it bears the seal of the College and the signature of the Registrar. Students may request unofficial transcripts for personal use. Official transcripts will be issued only when all financial obligations to the College have been satisfied. Transcripts are normally issued within one day of receipt.

Requests for transcripts should be made in writing to the Registrar’s Office. There is no fee for transcripts. To obtain an on-line transcript request form, go to:

http://www.stonehill.edu/registrar

THE FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), also known as the Buckley Amendment, affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. The Act gives students the right to inspect and review their education records, the right to seek to amend their education records, and the right to have some control over the disclosure of information from their education records.
Each year at Registration all students are given a copy of Notification of Rights under FERPA. Additional copies and further information can be obtained from the Registrar’s Office or from the Registrar’s Office homepage at: http://www.stonehill.edu/registrar.