Orientation, Registration and Credit Options

New Student Orientation

All entering undergraduate students are required to participate in New Student Orientation. This orientation is designed to connect, prepare, and allow for a deeper understanding of IWU.

Entrance Examinations

New students may take an academic placement examination called the COMPASS if they do not have the required minimum ACT or SAT scores to waive the reading and math competencies. Some majors may require the math COMPASS for placement into the correct sequence of a math course. Students should inquire in the Residential Academic Services office for more information.

Registration Procedures for New and Returning Students

New Student Registration (NSR) occurs in the spring and summer for fall enrollment and by individual appointment for spring enrollment. Once new students are notified by the Admissions Office of their acceptance to Indiana Wesleyan University, the Admission's Office will send information about registration procedures and the appropriate time to come to the campus for advisement in the selection of courses and registration.

Returning students may register for the fall semester and summer sessions in the spring and summer. Registration for the spring semester and May term occurs in the fall. All students are expected to complete their registration during the time set by the Director of Residential Academic Services for advanced registration or at the specific time established for this purpose in the current calendar. Detailed instructions for registration will be provided on MyIWU portal at https://myiwu.indwes.edu/RAS. Arrangements for financial payment, in accord with one of the approved plans for university charges, must be made in advance or at the time of registration. All students must be registered by the first day of classes in any term.

Academic Advising - CAS and Pre-licensure Nursing

Every student is personally responsible to meet all requirements, including but not limited to stated competencies, grade-point indexes, specified courses, total numbers of credits in each stated area of study, and total number of credits for the degree program identified in the catalog at the time of enrollment.

A faculty advisor is assigned to each student, is available at registration periods for advisement on program requirements, and is required to approve the student’s registration. Each student has access to their academic record and degree/major requirements via the Internet and portal.

Schedule Changes and Withdrawals

Drop/Add

The student’s choice of classes, once made and filed, is expected to be permanent. The last date to add a course shall be the Friday after the first day of classes for fall and spring terms. The last date to drop a course is the second Friday after the start of classes for the fall and spring terms. For students enrolled in the graduate counseling program, the last date to add or drop a course is the second Friday after the first day of the term.

For May term and Summer I (S1) and II (S2) sessions, the last date to add or drop a course is the second day of classes. For Summer Term (S1T) the last day to add a class is the end of the first week. The last day to drop a class for the Summer Term (S1T) is the end of the second week of classes. Any desired change in audit registrations follow the same deadlines as previously identified. All drop/add requests made thereafter require a General Academic Petition and approval from the course professor(s).

Withdrawing from Classes

Up until the tenth week of the semester (5/7 or 71% of semester classes), students may withdraw from a course with a grade of “W.” This should be done only after consultation with academic advisors, the Residential Academic Services office, and the Financial Aid Office, as reduction of course load below 12 credits may affect eligibility for athletics, scholarships, or financial aid. After the tenth week of the semester, students may not withdraw from classes without total withdrawal from the university.

Withdrawing from the University

A student desiring to voluntarily withdraw from all classes at the university must obtain a Total Withdrawal form available at the Residential Academic Services office and online at https://myiwu.indwes.edu/RAS/Forms. This form must be completed and filed with the Residential Academic Services office before the student leaves campus. No refunds will be made by the Student Account Services, CAS, until the Director of RAS certifies that the withdrawal procedure has been completed. A student failing to complete proper withdrawal remains a student and will be charged as such and receive a grade at the end of the semester. Students in university housing who fail to check out of their rooms properly will be subject to an administrative charge. Failing work at time of official withdrawal after the tenth week of the semester may be counted as "F" in grade-point average.

Any student who is dismissed from the College of Arts and Sciences by Student Development will be administratively withdrawn from all classes.

Academic Administrative Withdrawal Policy - CAS

If a student registers for a course but does not attend any class sessions of that course by the last day to drop classes, the registration may be cancelled by the CAS Academic Dean or designee and/or the Director of Residential Academic Services or designee.

If a student, due to lack of attendance, cannot achieve passing grades in their courses, with or without applicable campus support and/or reasonable accommodation(s), the CARE Team, the Center for Student Success, and/or the Academic Standing Subcommittee of the Enrollment Management Committee may recommend to the CAS Academic Dean or designee and/or the Director of Residential Academic Services that the student be administratively withdrawn from the institution during the Academic Semester and will receive a "W" in all classes. Students should be aware that this action (administrative withdrawal) may have an impact on financial aid, enrollment issues related to verification for insurance, athletic competition, and access to some IWU facilities.

Intent to Depart

Students who intend to depart from the university for the subsequent semester(s) should complete the Notification of Student Intent to Depart form. Students should inform the Residential Academic Services office by completing and filing this form available at: https://myiwu.indwes.edu/RAS/Forms.

Leave of Absence

Full-time degree seeking students may request a Leave of Absence (LOA) in certain circumstances to preserve their current catalog rights and possibly provide positive implications for financial obligations such as loan repayment, and health and car insurance.

Types of Leave of Absence:

Medical Leave of Absence - LOA petition must be accompanied by a statement from a medical care provider verifying the need for the LOA.
Personal Leave of Absence - petition must include a plan for addressing personal or family issues that lead to the successful completion of the student's academic program.
Planned Educational Leave of Absence - petition must include plans for enriching educational goals that lead to the successful completion of the student's academic program. These plans can include participation in non IWU-supported study abroad experiences, no IWU-supported internships, or short term missions or service programs.

Leave of Absence petitions are available in the Residential Academic Services office and must be completed and approved before the "drop" deadline for the term in which the LOA is requested. Medical and certain unplanned for LOA requests may be considered retroactively or after the "drop" deadline based on the individual circumstances. LOA appeals must be filed and approved by the Dean of the school in which the student's major is under before the end of the term for which the LOA is requested.

A Leave of Absence will not be approved for students who are subject to academic dismissal or student conduct dismissal.

Students who do not return to Indiana Wesleyan University by the end of their approved LOA will be considered to have withdrawn from IWU at the end of their last term of regular enrollment.

International students should work with the international student coordinator in the Admissions Office when contemplating a planned LOA as there are Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services regulations regarding the status of international students.

In order to maintain catalog rights under the LOA petition, students must receive prior approval from the Residential Academic Services office for coursework taken at other institutions for transfer to IWU. Failure to do so could result in failure of the coursework to transfer, or loss of current catalog rights.

Students on LOA may not participate in or be registered for any IWU coursework during the LOA time period including incomplete courses, independent learning contracts, and online courses.

Student work positions, divisional stipends, and leadership positions are not guaranteed upon return and must be reapplied for.

It is unlikely that there will be any financial aid benefit for the student who takes LOA. All questions regarding financial aid must be discussed with the student's financial aid counselor.

Students should consult with Student Account Services, CAS and the Financial Aid Office to discuss any financial ramifications of a LOA.

Returning from a Leave of Absence:

A student may choose to return from a LOA earlier than planned but must return on the first day of classes for the semester. When students return from a LOA, either on time or early, they may request reinstatement through the Admissions Office by completing the re-enrollment form before the first day of new term. Students must notify the Residential Academic Services office of their intent to return before the end of the term previous to the expected date of return. Undergraduate students who are on Academic or Citizenship Probation status when they take a LOA will return with the same status.

Study Abroad students who use a LOA to attend unaffiliated programs should be aware that there is no guarantee of academic credit at IWU and must apply for such under transfer policy guidelines.

Military Leave of Absence

The Higher Education Opportunity Act enacted on August 13, 2008, states that a university may not deny admission or readmission to a service member for reasons relating to that service. The service member qualifies if the school is given notice of absence for service, the cumulative length of absence does not exceed five years, and the student gives notice of his or her intent to return.

Indiana Wesleyan University complies with this act with the following:

Academic:

Students are not required to reapply and are not charged a readmission fee upon return.
Students are reenrolled at the same academic status (program enrollment status, number of completed credit hours, academic standing) before deployment. Students may return under the catalog that was in effect before deployment. Students may find differences in their programs or the catalog if the programs are no longer offered, or changes have occurred due to external accrediting bodies, licensing board or other external agencies.
Leave time does not count toward the total time required to earn the degree.
Students will be promptly reenrolled in the next class or classes in a program, will qualify for priority/early registration, and may not be denied re-enrollment in a class based on class size.

Financial: Students are required to complete a Military Leave of Absence Request. When the request is approved, students' accounts will be adjusted as necessary.

Financial Aid: Indiana Wesleyan University is committed to assisting military students in navigating the impact that active duty will have on financial aid. It is important that each student have conversations with the Financial Aid office to ensure proper paperwork and processes are covered as it relates to a leave of absence.

Students with federal financial aid, federal loan obligations, or military tuition assistance must contact their lenders and/or the military education office to ascertain their loan repayment status or repayment of tuition assistance during the leave of absence.

Transfer of Credit Policy

To earn a degree from IWU, undergraduate students must take the last 30 semester hours of course credit needed to fulfill degree requirements at IWU. Students pursuing transfer course options toward the end of their college career should seek assistance from Residential Academic Services to ensure they are in compliance with this policy.

Credit is granted for work with a satisfactory grade (“C” or above), in a 100 level or higher course, taken at an approved college or university that are accredited by a regional accrediting body or the Association for Biblical Higher Education (formerly the Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges). If there is no applicable course at IWU or within the student's major, the credits may be applied as elective credit.

Credit hours accepted in transfer are recorded, as part of the student's official academic record. All graded qualified coursework transferred and transcripted are used solely in the calculation of the honors GPA. Quarter credits are converted to semester credits using the two-thirds conversion ratio. The university registrar is responsible to approve the transferability of all credits.

Indiana Wesleyan University accepts official transcripts from the American Council on Education (ACE) located in Washington, D.C. ACE evaluates and provides credit recommendations for educational offerings for a significant number of corporate universities and other extra-institutional learning providers.

Credit through examination (CLEP, DSST, AP, institutional examinations) or assessed learning is not accepted in transfer from another institution's transcript. Credit through examination is awarded through Indiana Wesleyan University with official test scores from an official testing center. Credit from nontraditional learning by life experience is awarded through the IWU's assessed learning process.

Transcripts from foreign institutions - may need to be sent to an outside agency for evaluation and determination of transferable credits, degrees, and GPA. If this outside review is necessary, students are responsible for the initiation of this evaluation and for any fees incurred during the process. Applications for this service are available to the student through the university.

Credit Options

Classroom Study

The most common way to earn credit in the College of Arts and Sciences/School of Nursing is by registering in the semester programs of the university, attending classes under the instruction of a university professor, submitting the required work, and passing the required examinations.

Online

The College of Arts and Sciences offers online course options for undergraduate students during May and Summer Sessions. Students should talk to their advisor and check the Schedule of Classes for those terms for details.

Transfer

Students who have attended other regionally accredited colleges or universities may transfer credit toward their education at IWU. Transcripts of all other university work must be submitted directly to the Indiana Wesleyan University Residential Academic Services office from the office of the registrar at the college or university previously attended. Transcripts delivered by hand or received from another party are not official and cannot be used for purposes of transfer work.

Credit taken by correspondence from a regionally accredited institution may be applied toward a degree at Indiana Wesleyan University, for a maximum of 12 semester hours accepted.

Credits from unaccredited schools, colleges and universities and from schools/colleges/universities not accredited by recognized accredited agencies–such as proprietary business schools, vocational/technical schools, or other single purpose institutions may be assessed individually for possible credit. The number of credits transferable from such institutions will be limited to two years (62 semester hours).

Credits earned from international institutions will be evaluated by Residential Academic Services given that the official transcripts are submitted and in English. However, should it be deemed necessary, an additional external evaluation by Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE) or a National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) member agency may be required. For more information about this organization, please visit their website (https://www.ece.org/) or (http://www.naces.org).

CLEP/DSST Examinations

Credit through examination (CLEP/DANTES/Advanced Placement) may only be awarded with official test scores from an official testing center and an Indiana Wesleyan University individual assessment. The maximum number of credits awarded shall be limited to a total of 40 semester hours for the baccalaureate degrees and 18 semester hours for the associate degrees, and ordinarily will not be applied to upper-division requirements in the major (junior and senior levels). It is the responsibility of the student to obtain approval from the appropriate division for the application of credits to the majors.

Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, AICE Cambridge

Many high schools offer Advanced Placement (AP) courses to students. These are evaluated as subequivalent to university freshman-level courses and appropriate credit will be given for grades of 3 or above.

Incoming freshmen who, prior to their enrollment at Indiana Wesleyan University, pass the AP Spanish Language Exam with a minimum score of 4 will receive credit for SPA-237 and SPA-238. Students who pass the AP Spanish Language Exam with a minimum score of 3 will be awarded credit for SPA-117 and SPA-118. AP credit for these courses will not meet intercultural competency.

Some high schools offer International Baccalaureate and/or AICE Cambridge courses and programs. Credit may be awarded for successful completion of some courses through the International Baccalaureate programs or AICE. Scores of 5 or higher are required for such credit to be accepted for IB and a passing score for AICE Cambridge based on a course by course evaluation. Credit may only be awarded with official scores and an IWU individual assessment.

Achievement Examinations

The College Level Examination Program (CLEP), the Proficiency Examination Program (PEP), and DANTES offer examinations of university-level achievement. CLEP examinations may be accepted for credit by the university upon admission and registration. Scores on selected examinations at a level of “C” or above will be acceptable for credit in appropriate areas. Examinations can be scheduled by The Center for Student Success after consulting with the director of records. A $25 per credit hour transcription fee will be assessed. Several CLEP examinations are recognized by the university for credit; however, the College of Arts and Sciences does not accept the College Composition CLEP test.

Assessment – Prior Learning/Portfolio

Credit from non-traditional learning by life experience may only be awarded with an Indiana Wesleyan University individual prior learning assessment. Credit will be determined through the assessment and approval process. Students with life experience education may have developed a body of information equivalent to university-level learning. This may be work experience, hours earned at non-accredited institutions, or other non-transcripted learning. After a student has been admitted into a major and has accumulated at least 12 classroom credits, assessment of such learning may be attempted. A maximum of 40 hours may be awarded through the Prior Learning/Portfolio option. Guidelines and fees information is available in the Residential Academic Services office.

Independent Learning Contract

The academic independent learning contract will be reserved for those special studies that a student desires to pursue that are not available through any of the courses in our catalog. Independent learning contracts are a privilege extended to degree-seeking junior and senior students. The student contracts with a faculty member, who then helps construct the syllabus and who meets with the student at least once a week to make sure they are staying on track. The student pays an extra fee ($100/credit).

Undergraduate students who have earned a 3.0 cumulative GPA, have met the university writing competency requirement, have completed all course prerequisites, and have earned a minimum of 60 credit hours may apply for independent learning. Undergraduate students on academic probation may not participate in independent learning. Students who wish to take an independent learning course should work closely with the professor of the course and Residential Academic Services to complete the specific paperwork and comply with the following:

No more than six credit hours may be earned by independent learning during the student's academic career at IWU.
No more than one independent learning course may be taken per semester.
Courses with a 180 number may not be taken by independent learning.
Students may not take an incomplete grade in an independent learning course.
Independent learning may not be used to repeat a failing course.

All coursework is expected to be completed by the end of the semester in which the course is attempted. If medical or other extenuating circumstances arise that prevent a student from completing all coursework in that semester, a professor may, at his or her discretion, award a grade of "I" (incomplete). See full incomplete policy for additional information at https://myiwu.indwes.edu/RAS/IncompleteGradePolicyandContract.

Additionally, students may pursue completion of studies through the additional types of courses as follows:

Alternative course offering are courses that are in the catalog, but that are not on the schedule because the course did not fill or was not planned for this semester. It might also be needed for a student who has two required courses that are both offered only at the same time. The student would need to present compelling justification for why they could not just wait and take the course at a later time. There would be no extra fee to the student.
Special topics course is often a new course that a department is running as a trial to determine demand. A course number of 396 in a specific subject code, titled Special Topics in that subject, is available for students to pursue with appropriate approvals.
Faculty/student research course. Every subject has a course number of 495 and a course title of Research in "specific subject". These are faculty/student cooperative research projects in which the faculty and student are working together.

Audit

A student who has been accepted into an Indiana Wesleyan University degree program or as an unclassified student may choose to audit specified courses as follows:

Audit registration is allowed on a space available basis. Undergraduate students may not register under this category until after the first day of class and must have the approval of the class instructor.
The current audit fee per credit hour must accompany the registration.
Auditing a course gives one the right to attend the course. No credit or letter grade is given. The course will be indicated as an "AU" on the student's IWU transcript.
The student auditing the course is not expected to participate in classroom or study group assignment or to complete homework, quizzes, or tests.
The faculty for the course is under no obligation to grade any work an auditing student chooses to submit or to give feedback on progress.
The materials required for the course are optional for auditing students.
The student must meet course prerequisites or be approved by the appropriate administrator of the specific college/school.
No change may be made from audit to credit, or credit to audit after registration closes.
Forms for admission to audit classes are available in the Admissions Office.

Global Engagement Office

Founded in 2012, the Global Engagement Office was established in an effort to enhance international and intercultural education on the residential campus of IWU. Grounded on the biblical foundation of the Great Commandment and the Great Commission, the Global Engagement Office seeks to embody IWU's mission and global vision by: (1) providing intercultural student services; (2) facilitating education abroad programs; (3) expanding the scope of our global influence through centers, institutes, and innovative initiatives; (4) enhancing intercultural academic development; and (5) supporting international student initiatives.

(1) Providing Intercultural Student Services

The Intercultural Student Services department exists to advocate for a culturally responsive and inclusive learning community on the residential campus which is reflected through our commitment to both international and domestic diversity. We do this by informing, inspiring, and inviting learning opportunities and effecting policy that promotes culturally responsive pedagogy and praxis, resulting in reconciliation (with God and with others) and transformational learning outcomes and living. Diversity, equity, justice, and inclusion are values that we embrace as we seek to become a more culturally responsive intercultural learning community. The framework for this work includes: curricular, co-curricular, advocacy, assessment, and institutional responsiveness.

(2) Facilitating Education Abroad Programs

The Education Abroad department exists to provide students with global learning opportunities that enrich their academic discipline and help prepare them to effectively engage with people in multicultural environments. Led by IWU faculty and staff, these education abroad opportunities include: travel classes; World Impact teams; summer/semester abroad programs; and international fieldtrips, internships, student teaching, and practicum experiences.

(3) Expanding the Scope of our Global Influence through Centers, Institutes, and Innovative Initiatives

Ideas need places where they can be cultivated and initiatives need places where they can grow. The Global Engagement Office seeks to be a catalyst for educational innovation on the residential campus and a space where students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of the institution can share ideas that are international and intercultural in scope and focus. Some of these ideas will develop and grow while others will not, but they will all be considered. Alfred Nobel once said, "If I have a thousand ideas and only one turns out to be good, I'm satisfied." Some of the ideas that have been developed and are growing on and off IWU's residential campus include: the Center for the Study of Human Trafficking; the High School Institute (i.e., pre-college enrollment and high school completion program); and the English Language Institute (i.e., Cultural Immersion Program, Bridge Program, and Semester @ IWU Program for international students).

(4) Enhancing Intercultural Academic Development

The Global Engagement Office seeks to enhance intercultural academic development on the residential campus through curricular and co-curricular efforts, including: workshops, seminars, and conferences; faculty/staff development opportunities; the "Intercultural Experience" general education requirement; and the Intercultural Effectiveness Scale (IES) online assessment.

(5) Supporting International Student Initiatives

As an emerging global Christian university, the IWU residential campus is increasingly becoming a place where international students desire to reside in order to pursue their academic goals. In an effort to support these students and initiatives, the Global Engagement Office collaborates with divisions, schools, offices, and student organizations on the residential campus in a number of ways - this collaboration includes: international student/faculty/staff recruitment and retention initiatives; international student advising; strategic partnership development with international schools; International Scholars in Residence Program; visiting scholars program; sponsoring and advising globally focused student organizations.

For more information on these services, please visit the Global Engagement Office in the Barnes Student Center.

Study Abroad Programs

The following are approved Semester Abroad Programs:
- IWU Zambia - School of Nursing (Choma, Zambia) - www.indwes.edu/Academics/School-of-Nursing
- American Studies Program (Washington, D.C.) - www.bestsemester.com/asp
- Australia Studies Center (Brisbane, Australia and New Zealand) - www.bestsemester.com/asc
- Au Sable Institute for Environmental Studies (Great Lakes and Pacific Rim) - www.ausable.org
- Azusa Pacific University (Los Angeles, CA) - www.apu.edu/laterm
- BCA Barcelona (Barcelona, Spain) - www.bcanet.org
- China Studies Program (Hong Kong, China) - www.bestsemester.com/csp
- Contemporary Music Center (Nashville, TN) - www.bestsemester.com/cmc
- Creation Care Study Program (Belize, Central America, New Zealand) - www.creationcsp.org
- Ecuador Semester - Taylor University (Cuenca, Ecuador) - www.taylor.edu
- Focus Leadership Institute (Colorado Springs, CO) - www.focusleadership.org
- Gordon College in Aix (Aix, Francr) - www.gordon.edu/inaix
- Gordon College in Orvieto (Orvieto, Italy) - www.gordon.edu/inorvieto
- Houghton in Tanzania (Tanzania, Africa) - www.houghton.edu
- Irish Studies Program - Taylor University (Greystones, Ireland) - www.taylor.edu
- L.A. Film Studies Center (Hollywood, CA) - www.bestsemester.com/lafsc
- Latin American Studies Program (San José, Costa Rica) - www.bestsemester.com/lasp
- Middle East Studies Program (Amman, Jordan) - www.bestsemester.com/mesp
- LCC International University (Klaipeda, Lithuania) - www.lcc.lt/study-abroad-lithuania
- Oxford Summer Programme (Oxford, England) - www.bestsemester.com/osp
- Scholar's Semester in Oxford (Oxford, England) - www.bestsemester.com/sso
- Trinity Christian College Semester in Spain (Sevilla, Spain) - www.semesterinspain.org
- Uganda Studies Program (Mukona, Uganda) - www.bestsemester.com/usp
- Washington Journalism Center (Washington, D.C.) - www.bestsemester.com/wjc
- India Studies Program (India, Coimbatore) - www.bestsemester.com/locations-and-programs/india

Cooperative Programs

Indiana Wesleyan University cooperates with various business, church, educational, and social agencies in the community and beyond to make special facilities available to enrich the programs offered to students.

Taylor University and Indiana Wesleyan University cooperate by allowing certain courses (a limit of one per fall or spring semester) to be available for full time students from both institutions. Although there is no extra charge for the courses in this exchange, the students are responsible for their own transportation between campuses and for payment of any fees beyond tuition. Students make take a total of four classes through this program. Please contact the Registrar's Office for details.

LeTourneau University and Indiana Wesleyan University participate in an articulation agreement guaranteeing that students who satisfactorily complete the stated requirements at IWU will be admitted as engineering students at LeTourneau University with academic credit for their IWU courses. For additional information see the School of Physical and Applied Sciences.

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