Fees and Expenses

Accreditation

Covenant College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, 404.679.4500) to award associate, bachelor, and masters degrees.

Advisors

All individuals admitted to the Graduate School of Education are assigned an academic advisor. Students are encouraged to contact their advisor with questions about their program of study.

Auditing

Because the effectiveness of the program is directly related to active participation of students in all assignments, no auditing of courses is permitted in any graduate program.

Conduct, Discipline Procedures and Appeals

The following general regulations regarding student conduct apply to Graduate School of Education students.

1. Smoking and possession and use of alcohol and drugs are not permitted on campus.
   
2. Scripture specifically describes practices which are morally wrong, and are therefore unacceptable for all students while enrolled at Covenant College. Among these practices are drunkenness, adultery, and fornication (defined as cohabitation and/or premarital sexual relationships of a heterosexual or homosexual nature), stealing, slanderous talk, gossip, profanity, lying, cheating, and possession of obscene or pornographic materials.
   
3. Plagiarism involves quoting, paraphrasing, or in other ways using sources without proper acknowledgment. See extended statement regarding plagiarism in this catalog.

Violation of any of the regulations regarding conduct will be considered as grounds for discipline which could result in immediate dismissal.

Students accused of infractions are given notice either in writing or in a disciplinary information meeting so that the alleged misconduct is clearly understood. The student’s case is heard and decided by the Dean of Education.

The student may choose to appeal the decision to the Vice President for Academic Affairs, who may modify the decision of the Dean. Such an appeal must be submitted within two working days after the Dean’s decision. If the student wishes, the case may be further appealed to the President of the college. This appeal must be submitted within two working days after the decision by the Vice President.

The Graduate Council hears appeals from students regarding academic matters.

Credit Hour Definition

Consistent with industry best practices, Covenant has established a credit hour to be the amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalency that reasonably approximates:

1. Not less than one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours out of class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time..
   
2. One credit hour will be awarded for no less than every two hours of other academic activities as established by the instruction including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours.

Faculty and Personnel

Faculty

Jack E. Beckman, Associate Professor of Education (2004), Ph.D. and M.Phil., University of Cambridge; M.Ed., Covenant College; B.S., Georgia State University.

William Davis, Professor of Philosophy (1997), Ph.D. and M.A., University of Notre Dame; M.A., Westminster Theological Seminary; B.A., Covenant College.

Sarah E. Donaldson, Assistant Professor of Education (2012), Ph.D. and M.Ed., University of Georgia; B.A., Covenant College.

James L. Drexler, Dean of Education and Social Sciences (2004) and Coordinator of the Educational Leadership Specialization, Ph.D., Saint Louis University; M.Ed., University of Missouri; M.Div., Covenant Theological Seminary; B.A., Covenant College.

Kevin J. Eames, Associate Professor of Psychology and Director of Institutional Effectiveness (2003), Ph.D. and M.S., Georgia State University; B.A., Florida State University.

John (Jack) E. Fennema, Professor of Education Emeritus (1999), Ed.D., University of Georgia; M.A., Reformed Theological Seminary; M.Ed., Florida Atlantic University; B.A., Calvin College.

Jay D. Green, Professor of History (1998), Ph.D., Kent State University; M.A., Trinity Evangelical Divinity School; B.A., Taylor University.

Daphne W. Haddad, Professor of Education (1996), Ph.D., University of South Carolina; M.Ed., Converse College; M.A. and B.A., Birmingham University, Birmingham, England.

Phillip B. Horton, Professor of Education (1998) and Director of Master of Arts in Teaching Program, Ph.D., Florida State University; M.S.T., Middle Tennessee State University; B.A., Bryan College.

Stephen R. Kaufmann, Professor of Education (1982), Ph.D. and M.A., University of Iowa; B.A., Covenant College.

Barrett L. Mosbacker, Headmaster Briarwood Christian School (2006), Ed.D., University of North Carolina; M.Ed., Covenant College; B.A., Cedarville College.

Rebecca E. Pennington, Associate Professor of Education (2002) and Coordinator of the Integrated Curriculum and Instruction Specialization, Ed.D., University of Tennessee at Chattanooga; M.Ed. and B.A., Covenant College.

Bruce R. Young, Associate Professor of Education (2004), Ed.D., University of San Francisco; M.Ed., Holy Names University; B.A., Covenant College.

Personnel

Rebecca J. Dodson, Assistant Professor of Education (1975) and Associate Dean of Education, M.S., Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville; B.A., Covenant College.

Financial Aid

To be considered for financial assistance an individual must be accepted and registered in the Graduate School of Education for a minimum of six semester hours. Eligibility for assistance is established through financial aid applications submitted annually to the Financial Aid Office at Covenant College. With the exception of the Church Partnership Grant, financial assistance is based on financial need. Covenant College uses the standard federal calculations to determine financial need.

Financial aid information is included with the registration packet. Financial aid grants may not be used to fund tuition deposits.

Returning students who have previously received federal student loans must register within 90 days from the last end term date to remain in deferment status.

Federal aid will be earned on a prorated basis up to 60% of the term of attendance.

Grades

Grades in the Graduate School of Education have the following meaning. Professors may modify standard letter grades with a plus or minus with the exception of A+.

Specified Dates:

• Incomplete received in MAT summer term must be completed by August 15
• Incomplete received in MAT fall term must be completed by January 3
• Incomplete received in MAT spring term must be completed by May 18
• Incomplete received in MED term must be completed by April 1

Students may not register for additional coursework with more than one incomplete course grade. An Incomplete Grade Request Form must be discussed and agreed to by student and instructor prior to the conclusion of the term in order for an incomplete course grade to be granted. Forms are available from the office of the Graduate School of Education.

Grade Point Average

Grade point averages are computed on a 4.0 scale; an A is assigned the value of 4.0, a B is assigned 3.0, a C is assigned 2.0, and a D is assigned 1.0. Only one course with the grade of C will be applied to graduation requirements. If a course is repeated, the most recent grade is used in computing the grade point average. No grade below B is accepted by transfer. A minimum grade point average of 3.0 is required for continuation in the program and for completion of the graduate degree.

Grievance Policy

Academic Grievances

Students wishing to file grievances on academic issues should submit written appeals to the Dean of the Graduate School of Education following attempts to resolve the problem with the faculty member. Academic grievances concerning a faculty member should be directed initially to that faculty member, then to the Dean of Education.

General Grievances

All general grievances, not of an academic nature, should be written and directed to the Dean of Education. Procedure for reporting grievances:

1. All student grievances must be submitted in writing to the proper college official.
2. The college official will then review the complaint and decide whether the complaint merits official action.
3. The appropriate official will then provide the student with a response to the complaint once a decision is made.
4. The student may appeal the decision in writing; appeals must be submitted within forty-eight hours to the Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Graduate Council.

Library Services

The Anna Emma Kresge Memorial Library represents the critical center of the academic enterprise at Covenant College. The Library exists to facilitate and promote learning through its physical facilities, dynamic collections, and services performed by professional and skilled support staff. It plays a significant role in fulfilling the mission of the College by providing bibliographic instruction, appropriate resources in a variety of media formats, personalized reference assistance, and information literacy competency training using a biblical frame of reference from within the Reformed tradition.

The Kresge Memorial Library seats about 250 on two floors. The first floor contains a variety of seating and furnishings that encourages engagement with library staff, faculty, and other students. Reading tables, individual study carrels, soft seating, and a coffee lounge offer a warm, inviting environment. Current print periodicals and the entire book collection are housed on this main level. The second floor is a quiet study area housing carrels, semi-private group study rooms, a campus art gallery, the Writing Center, a seminar classroom, and a room for receptions and other special events. The Library’s audio-visual collection is stored on the second floor, along with the College Archives, back issues of print periodicals, and the microform collection. The Library provides public computers appropriately equipped for research purposes and wireless access to the campus network as well as Wi-Fi connectivity.

Current print and multi-media collections exceed 100,000 volumes. In addition, the Library owns over 90,000 electronic books, offers access to more than 10,000 electronic full-text journals, magazines and newspapers (many with back files to the 19th century), and subscribes to nearly 175 electronic research databases covering all  academic disciplines. Many of these resources are available through GALILEO, Georgia’s “Virtual Library.” Covenant College students may access GALILEO and most other electronic subscription resources from off-campus with appropriate user authentication. Discovery of almost all Library resources is available through a single interface, WorldCat® Local, that provides increased exposure to materials held locally and worldwide.

Graduate students may use WorldCat® Local to check item availability and shelf location in addition to managing their own accounts. The Library will ship circulating items from its collections to graduate students and pay postage costs. Graduate students are responsible for returning checked-out items (including return shipping costs) in a  timely manner. Through its membership in OCLC, the world’s largest provider  of bibliographic services, the Library networks with over 18,000 other institutions worldwide to provide interlibrary loan access and document delivery service to over 100 million library items. Graduate students may contact Library staff to initiate interlibrary loan requests.

The Library’s website, http://library.covenant.edu provides more detailed information on policies, collections, and services.

Plagiarism

As is clear from the definition of plagiarism below, Covenant College includes under the more narrow term “plagiarism” most, if not all, academic misbehavior usually designated by the word “cheating”- that is, the giving or receiving of illegitimate assistance, especially under circumstances when not collaboration but one’s own individual  work is expected and when a student presents material as his or her own individual work. Plagiarism is inconsistent with good scholarship.

Covenant College considers plagiarism a moral matter as well as a legal matter. It does this on the assumption that the function of a Christian college is not only to impart knowledge but also to nurture moral character.

• Plagiarism is a deception–of the instructor, obviously, but no less of the student writer. Cheating hides individuals from the encounter with who they really are, what they really can do, or what they can be.
  
• Plagiarism is a theft–of the materials themselves, but no less of the right of the cheater’s fellow students to equal consideration, for in effect the plagiarized paper throws all other papers in competition with work that likely has already been judged superior.
  
• Plagiarism breeds a moral atmosphere which denies all students the dignity and freedom due them as human beings. Inevitably, one cheater throws the taint of suspicion upon all, the entire climate is poisoned, and mutual respect is endangered.
  
• Plagiarism perverts the values of humane education when the instructor is forced to give extraordinary attention to the integrity of the grade and can no longer assume the integrity of the student.
  
• Plagiarism is a sin, a violation of the Eighth Commandment. It is inimical to the values and ideals of a Christian educational institution.

According to the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (7th ed.; 2009; print; p. 52), plagiarism is:

Derived from the Latin word plagiarius (“kidnapper”), to plagiarize means “to commit literary theft” and to “present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing source” (Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary [11th ed.; 2003; print]). Plagiarism involves two kinds of wrongs. Using another person’s ideas, information, or expressions without acknowledging that person’s work constitutes intellectual theft. Passing off another person’s ideas, information, or expressions as your own to get a better grade or gain some other advantage constitutes fraud.

In its discussion of the nature of plagiarism, the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (7th ed.; 2009; print; p. 56) also notes three “less conspicuous forms of plagiarism,” including “the failure to give appropriate acknowledgment when repeating or paraphrasing another’s wording, when taking a particularly apt phrase, and when paraphrasing another’s argument or presenting another’s line of thinking.”

Examples of plagiarism include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Part or all of a written or spoken assignment copied from another person’s manuscript without proper documentation
  
• Part or all of an assignment copied or paraphrased from a source (books, journals, newspapers, magazines, digital resources, web sites, charts, graphs, music scores, sound recordings, video recordings) without proper documentation
  
• Presenting as original (or paraphrased) the sequence of ideas, arrangement of material, or pattern of thought contained in another person’s work
  
• Allowing a paper, in outline or finished form, to be copied and submitted as the work of another person
  
• Preparing an assignment for another student and allowing him/her to submit it as his/her own work
  
• Keeping a written or digital archive of documents with the intent that they be copied and submitted as the work of another person

A paraphrase is the rewording of another’s ideas or the summary of another’s work, and even if the wording is distinctly different from the original source, the original source should be cited. If a person copies a distinctive phrase or description using the same words and word-order of the original source, these should be enclosed in quotation marks, with an appropriate reference.

To avoid plagiarism, the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (7th ed.; 2009; print; p. 61) suggests:

• making a list of the writers and viewpoints you discovered in your research and using this list to double-check the presentation of material in your paper
  
• keeping the following three categories distinct in your notes: your ideas, your summaries of others’ materials, and exact wording you copy
  
• identifying the sources of all material you borrow-exact wording, paraphrases, ideas, arguments, and facts
  
• checking with your instructor when you are uncertain about your use of sources

For more information, see http://abacus.bates.edu/cbb

Penalties for Plagiarism

Covenant College assumes the honor and integrity of its students. If some should abuse this confidence, the college is prepared to act as follows:

• An instructor who finds proof of plagiarism will first of all discuss with the student the nature of the case, including its moral implications and its academic ramifications. Plagiarism normally results in a mark of zero for the plagiarized work. Instructors also have the right to fail the student in the course. They may, at their discretion, end the matter with their own action or pass the case on to their own department and/or to the department of the student’s major.
  
• Instructors should notify the Office of Academic Affairs and the Office of Institutional Research of particular instances of plagiarism.
  
• The department may report flagrant violations to the administration with the recommendation for expulsion.
  
• All parties have the right to appeal their case before the chief academic officer, and then the president. The president may choose not to hear the appeal.

Privacy Rights of Students

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their educational records.

These rights include:

• The right to inspect and review the student’s educational records within 45 days of the day Covenant receives a request for access. A student should submit to the Office of Records or other appropriate official, a written request that identifies the records the student wishes to inspect. The College official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.
  
• The right to request the amendment of the student’s educational records that the student believes are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA. A student who wishes to request Covenant to amend a record should write the appropriate official clearly identifying the part of the record the student wants changed, and specify why it should be changed. If Covenant decides not to amend the record as requested, Covenant will notify the student in writing of the decision and the student’s right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.

Covenant discloses education records without a student’s prior written consent under the FERPA exception for disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A Covenant official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an educational record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibilities. A Covenant official is a person employed by the College in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom Covenant has contracted as its agent to provide a service instead of using Covenant employees or officials (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks.

Covenant designates the following categories of student information as public or “directory information.” Such information may be disclosed by the institution for any purpose at its discretion:

Biographical: Name, address, telephone number, email address, photograph and video.
Enrollment: Dates of attendance, enrollment status, class, previous institution(s) attended, major field of study, awards, honors, degrees conferred (including dates).
Athletic: Past and present participation in officially recognized sports and activities, physical factors (height, weight of athletes), date and place of birth.

Currently enrolled students may withhold disclosure of directory information under FERPA by submitting a written request to withhold disclosure. Contact the Office of Records.

• The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the College to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-5901

Please direct any questions regarding privacy rights to the Office of Records at Records@covenant.edu or call 706.419.1134.

Technology Services

Technology available to Covenant graduate students consists of computer laboratories, e-mail, access to the internet, software, printers, and wireless capability. The standard computer software used at Covenant College is Microsoft Office. Graduate students are expected to be literate in the use of Word, PowerPoint, Excel, e-mail, and the Internet.

Wireless internet access is available throughout the college campus. It is based on the 802.11 g/n standard with WPA2 encryption. Any wireless card that supports that standard will work in the residence halls, library, and classroom buildings. To access the wireless network, personal computers will need to be equipped with the appropriate wireless card. Additional details are included in the registration packet.

E-mail is a primary means of communication while a student at Covenant College. Personal e-mail accounts are required of all graduate students to communicate with faculty, personnel, and fellow students. A student’s primary e-mail address is required upon admission and is on file with the graduate office. Upon acceptance into the Graduate School of Education, students are assigned a Covenant username, password and Banner ID, and a Covenant e-mail account. The Covenant e-mail account, rather than a primary personal account, is used for communication while enrolled at Covenant. The Covenant student Banner account is the vehicle used for posting e-bills, financial aid, and records information.

Transfer Credits

Graduate work completed at other regionally-accredited institutions may be accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the MAT or MED programs at Covenant College subject to the following conditions:

• Transfer credit will not be allowed for any course in which the grade received was lower than a B.
  
• No more than six hours of transfer graduate-level credit may be applied toward the MAT or MED degree.
  
• Any course transferred and applied toward the degree must have been taken within six years of the graduation date for the graduate degree.
  
• Transfer course work will be evaluated in terms of level, context, quality, comparability, and degree program relevance by the appropriate professor and the Dean of Education. Approval of any transfer credit must be granted prior to registration for the term. Transfer credit forms are included in the application packet and may be submitted as part of the application process.

Withdrawal Refund Policy

When a student formally withdraws from the college, leaves the college without notice, or does not return from an approved leave of absence, adjustments may result from the refund of expenses and the reduction of financial aid. The date of withdrawal is determined by written application or violation of the attendance policy. See Withdrawal or Suspension below.

The federal Title VI pro rata percentage will determine the refund or reduction based on the amount of time spent in academic attendance and has no relationship to the student’s incurred institutional charges. This pro rata percentage is used to determine the percentage adjustment at the time of withdrawal up through the completion of the 60 percent point in a term. After the 60 percent point, a student has earned 100 percent of the expenses and financial aid for the term. After the last day of late registration, no tuition will be refunded as a result of a load adjustment from dropping a course.

This refund policy is in compliance with the Federal Department of Education Title IV requirements. All financial aid reductions are calculated based on formulas published by and software received from the Department of Education.

Example: if a term is 100 days long and the student withdraws on the 20th day, 20 percent of the term has been completed resulting in an 80 percent reduction of the tuition and financial aid. If the student was billed for tuition of $10,000 and received financial aid of $6,000, the tuition would be reduced by $8,000 and financial aid reduced by $4,000. This will leave an $800 tuition charge that is still the responsibility of the student. Other charges will apply as stated in this section on refunds.

Withdrawal or Suspension–Involuntary

A student who is dismissed for disciplinary reasons will still receive a pro rata percentage reduction of financial aid consistent with federal regulation noted above. Tuition charges will be refunded at a rate of one half the financial aid pro rata percentage.

Example: Following the example under Withdrawal Refund Policy above, a student who is involuntarily withdrawn on the 10th day would receive an 80 percent pro rate reduction in financial aid, and a 40 percent refund of tuition (one half the financial aid percentage). Tuition charges would be refunded $4,000 and financial aid would still be reduced by $4,800. This will leave a $4,800 tuition charge that is still the responsibility of the student. Other charges will apply as stated in Withdrawal Refund Policy.

$10,000 Tuition Charges less $4,000 refund ($10,000 x .40) = $6,000 Adjusted Tuition Charge

$6,000 Financial Aid less $4,800 reduction ($6,000 x .80) = $1,200 Adjusted Available Aid

$4,800 Remaining Tuition Charge