Responsibility of Students
It is the responsibility of students to understand the academic standards of the College and the degree requirements of the program in which they are enrolled. Assistance in interpreting the requirements is available from advisors, deans, the registrar and the associate provost.
Registration
Students are expected to register in advance of the published registration dates to ensure their enrollment in preferred courses. In March, the office of the registrar produces course schedules for the next academic year, and returning students may register in courses for the upcoming academic year fall and spring semesters and the May term. Just prior to opening the schedule for registration for the next academic year, registration will open for the current May and summer terms. New freshmen and transfer students select courses during the spring and summer orientations. During the fall semester, students register and make changes to the upcoming spring semester.
Students are expected to confirm their enrollment and make necessary course changes in the period devoted to registration at the beginning of each semester. Failure to confirm enrollment at the proper time will result in the assessment of a late registration fee. The College accepts no responsibility for holding seats in courses or room reservations or providing living accommodations for students who fail to confirm their enrollment by the day designated for that purpose.
By permission of the student's advisor and the registrar, one may make adjustments in his or her program of studies during the drop/add period at the beginning of the semester. When a course is dropped after the drop/add period, and before the withdrawal deadline stated in the academic calendar, a grade of W will be shown on the permanent record. If the withdrawal occurs after the withdrawal deadline, a grade of F will be shown on the permanent record.
Class Attendance
Regular class attendance is expected of all students and attendance records are kept. Specific policies regarding the number of absences allowed in particular courses are determined by instructors; however, if a student is absent for an entire week without credible explanation or has what the instructor considers excessive absences overall (whether or not they are consecutive), he or she will be reported to the associate dean for academic affairs who will determine the circumstances of the absences and, after consulting with the instructor, make a recommendation as to whether the student should be permitted to continue in the course. If the student is not permitted to continue and the student is withdrawn prior to the withdrawal deadline stated in the academic calendar, a grade of W will be shown on the permanent record. If the withdrawal occurs after the withdrawal deadline, a grade of F will be shown on the permanent record.
If a student, through excessive absences or otherwise, demonstrates minimal academic motivation, or an attitude inconsistent with reasonable expectations of a member of an academic community, the student will be subject to administrative disciplinary review, which may result in suspension or expulsion.
Absences that occur because of College activities approved by the provost and vice president for academic affairs will be reported in advance to the registrar by the instructor or staff member sponsoring the activity, and the registrar will notify instructors of the students involved. The student is responsible for all work missed when absent from class. Students should discuss absences with their professors before the absence occurs. The faculty member's attendance policy determines the impact of absences on a student's grade in the course.
Classification of Students
A student who has earned 25 credits or less is classified a freshman; 26 to 59 credits, a sophomore; 60 to 89 credits a junior; and 90 credits or more, a senior. A student who is carrying fewer than 12 credits in a semester is classified as a part-time student.
The Basis of Credit
A credit is equivalent to one semester hour. A three-credit course meets 150 minutes per week for the semester. A two-hour or three-hour laboratory or studio per week for the semester receives one credit. Students are expected to complete a minimum of two hours of work outside of class for each semester hour of credit.
Grade Point Average and Grading System
A grade is assigned at mid-semester and at the end of the semester in each subject for which a student is officially registered. Only the grades assigned at the end of the semester are recorded on the permanent record. The following grading system is used:
| Grade | Quality Points | |
|---|---|---|
| A | Superior Achievement | 4.0 |
| A- | 3.7 | |
| B+ | 3.3 | |
| B | Above Average Achievement | 3.0 |
| B- | 2.7 | |
| C+ | 2.3 | |
| C | Average Achievement | 2.0 |
| C- | 1.7 | |
| D+ | 1.3 | |
| D | Fair/Below Average Achievement | 1.0 |
| D- | 0.7 | |
| F | Unsatisfactory Achievement | 0.0 |
Grades of W, F, S and U receive no quality points.
The grade point average (GPA) is computed by dividing the quality points achieved by the number of credits attempted at Bridgewater College. All credits for which a student enrolls are counted as credits attempted except those credits for which a grade of W or S is received. A student may repeat course work in which he or she has received a grade of C-, D+, D, D-or F. In the case of repeated work, the highest grade is used in computing the student's GPA; however, both grades will remain on the student's permanent record.
Work accepted for transfer to Bridgewater College is recorded as credits earned. Credits attempted and quality points achieved are not transferred. Hence, a student's GPA, both cumulative and in the student's major, is only dependent upon work attempted at Bridgewater.
All College approved study abroad credits are received on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis. However, a student may petition the provost and vice president for academic affairs to include all grades earned for cumulative GPA calculations.
I—Incomplete Achievement
This grade may be given when a student has been unable to complete the course or has been absent from the final examination because of illness or an emergency situation that is beyond the student's control. The time and conditions for the removal of an I must be approved by the registrar when it is assigned, but the due date can be no later than the sixth week of the following semester. In determining the grade point average, credits with a grade of I are not counted as credits attempted.
W—Withdrawn
This grade indicates withdrawal from a course in which the student was officially registered. In order to receive it, the withdrawal must have the approval of the instructor of the course, the student's academic advisor and the registrar before the withdrawal deadline (refer to the academic calendar). A grade of W may be assigned from the last day of the initial drop/ add period until the last day of the 10th week of the full semester, the second week of May Term, during the third week of Summer Session 1 and 2, and the fifth week of Summer Session 3. Following these deadlines, the option of withdrawing will no longer be available. In determining the GPA, credits with a grade of W are not counted as credits attempted.
Course withdrawals count against completion rates for SAP calculations, which a student must maintain a 67% completion rate to be eligible for federal financial aid.
F—Unsatisfactory achievement (carries no credit)
S—Satisfactory achievement
U—Unsatisfactory achievement (carries no credit)
AUD—Audit (carries no credit)
For field internships and student teaching, grades of S or U are assigned. Courses carrying grades of S or U do not contribute to credits attempted or grade points achieved, nor do they figure in the GPA, but appropriate credits earned are credited to the student's permanent record.
For students wishing to audit a course, a grade of AUD is assigned. A grade of AUD does not contribute to credits attempted, credits earned or grade points achieved. The AUD grade does not figure in the GPA.
Auditing a Course
BC students may choose to take a course(s) without earning credit for it. This is called “auditing” and requires the student to complete an Audit Request form with the Registrar’s Office.
An audited course(s) does not meet College requirements and carries no credit toward graduation. All courses a student intends to audit should be included in the Student Planning portion of Self-Service so that, when approved, the Registrar’s Office can add the course to the student’s schedule without delay. Auditing a course(s) is dependent upon open seats and/or instructor permission. Except for music ensembles, an audited course cannot be added until the add/drop period of the semester in which it is to be taken.
NOTE: Audited courses are counted in the total credit hours a student takes each semester. If auditing a course(s) result in a student taking over 17 credits in a semester, an Overload Application is required to be completed, approved, and submitted to the Registrar’s Office for processing. Students are charged a fee for auditing a course(s) if it results in an overload of greater than 17 credits in a semester. The only exception to auditing fees are such as music ensemble courses such as: MUS-441, MUS-442, MUS-443, MUS-444, and MUS-449. Because music ensemble rosters are provided to the Registrar’s Office by supervising faculty, the Overload Application form is not required for students auditing music ensembles.
Please see the Financial Information part of the catalog for more information about tuition and fees as it relates to audited courses.
Grade Reports
Midterm and final semester grades are recorded, and a report is made electronically to each student.
Minimum Scholarship Standards
Every student who is permitted to enroll at Bridgewater College is expected to make continuous progress toward his or her educational objective. At the end of each semester a careful evaluation of the achievement of each student is made, and a student whose quality of performance is below the minimum scholarship standards as outlined below will either be placed on academic probation or academic suspension. The Council on Education is responsible for advising the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs of these standards and for hearing appeals concerning them.
The following minimum grade point standards apply:
1.4 End of the first semester
1.6 End of the second semester
1.7 End of the third semester
1.8 End of the fourth semester
1.9 End of the fifth semester
2.0 End of the sixth semester and all subsequent semesters
For students who have transferred to Bridgewater, this timeline refers to the total semesters a student has been enrolled at an institution of higher education.
While on academic probation, counseling by the deans and a student's portfolio or academic advisor may result in curtailment of co-curricular activities. The academic probation status is recorded on the student's academic transcript.
Academic Renewal Policy
Academic Renewal is a policy that allows first-year students who decide to change their major field of study, to either withdraw from up to two courses after the withdrawal deadline has passed in a current term, or to receive a retroactive W grade for up to two courses, taken during the first year, in which the students received a grade of D or F. Students may apply for Academic Renewal no later than the end of the fall semester of the sophomore year.
The policy is intended to serve the first-year student who, because of a change in major field of study (or change in direction in the case of students who have yet to declare a major), no longer needs the course or courses in question to fulfill graduation requirements. The policy does not apply to courses that are required for general education or other programs the student is still pursuing.
Upon completion of the application process (which begins in the office of the associate dean for academic affairs), a student would receive a W grade for the course or courses so designated. However, any student who utilizes the Academic Renewal Policy will not be eligible for the Dean's List that term, regardless of the resulting grade point average. Grades of F assigned by the Honor Council cannot be subject to this policy.
Overload Policy
As of the fall of 2024, students are permitted to enroll in a maximum of 17 credit hours without paying an overload fee. Normally only students on the Dean's List may apply to the appropriate dean for permission to enroll in an overload. Students who are permitted to enroll for an overload must pay the overload fee.
May Term and Summer Session Registration Policy
Returning students may register for a maximum of 4 credits during any May term.
Returning students who wish to take summer may register for a maximum 12 credits during the entirety of the summer semesters. Otherwise, students can take a maximum of 8 credits concurrently during a single summer semester.
Bridgewater operates one eight-week and two four-week undergraduate summer sessions to enable returning students to accelerate completion of their degree requirements, to enable students who have fallen behind in their work to catch up in their programs, and to enable area teachers who need credits in academic and professional subjects for the renewal of their certificates to secure them. A student may enroll for a maximum of 4 credit hours in each of the summer sessions (Summer I, II, and III) OR a total of 8 concurrent credit hours over the course of the eight-week session (Summer III). To enroll for more than the maximum, a student must receive written permission from the appropriate dean. An integral part of the total college program, the summer sessions offer standard courses for undergraduate programs, most of which are taught in the regular sessions as well.
Additionally, 10-week courses for graduate programs are offered, some of which are only offered during the summer session(s).
Transfer Credit Policy
Students wishing to transfer credits to Bridgewater College must complete the Permission to Take Courses for Transfer Credit Form and submit it to the registrar for approval. Courses to be considered for transfer must be completed at a regionally/nationally accredited college or university. Transfer credit will be awarded for approved courses received on an official transcript in which the student earns a grade of C or higher. Transferred courses are recorded as credits earned and will not change a student's grade point average at Bridgewater College.
Pending prior approval of the registrar as indicated on the Permission to Take Courses for Transfer Credit Form, students are permitted to take courses at another college/university while also enrolled at Bridgewater for the same semester. However, the total number of credits taken at Bridgewater and the other institution(s) must not exceed 17 credits in a fall or spring semester; must not exceed 4 credits during the May term; must not exceed 12 credits during the entirety of the summer semesters (taking one course in each summer session); OR must not exceed 8 credits during the ten-week summer semester.
Once senior level students have 33 credits required to complete a degree at Bridgewater, they are only permitted to transfer to Bridgewater 3 credits from another college or university, and then only- if previously approved by the registrar via a Permission to Take Courses for Transfer Credit Form.