Academic Program
Covenant students are expected to be familiar with the content and the requirements of the academic program in which they are enrolled.
The academic program is foundational to the entire educational enterprise and has been a trademark of Covenant. It is the College’s goal that students characterize and respond to reality from a biblical perspective. In order to make such a biblically based groundwork explicit and operative, the faculty has developed an unusual approach to the curriculum consisting of four basic parts:
- Biblical Knowledge
- Interdisciplinary Perspectives
- Equipment for Inquiry
- Major Specialization
The presumption is that a carefully designed curriculum can significantly augment the effect of an individual teacher in a particular course.
Biblical Knowledge
If students are to have a biblical world and life view, they must have a working knowledge of the Bible-how to read it, interpret it, and apply it-with full consideration of the knowledge that has been gained over the centuries. Six credit hours are devoted to the study of the Bible and six hours to the study of doctrine.
Interdisciplinary Perspectives
A genuinely biblical world and life view is not simply learned one way and is not limited in perspective, but takes into account the similarities and differences of various peoples and cultures. The curriculum, therefore, includes a series of interdisciplinary courses designed to provide common learning experiences for all students, an emphasis on the unity of knowledge, a global rather than provincial perspective, a focus not only on the past and the present, but on the future, and an experiential learning component.
Equipment for Inquiry
Students should be progressively gaining greater ability to orient their lives by perspectives based on scriptural revelation and to apply their biblical and other perspective to all areas of inquiry. To do this, they must acquire and refine skills as learners. Two sets of courses are designed to achieve this end: courses in the basics of English writing and speech, foreign language, mathematics and physical training; and courses in the basics of the natural creation.
Major Specialization
Covenant seeks to provide a liberal arts education that includes not only the broad and inclusive core curriculum but areas of greater specialization as well. Every student pursuing a baccalaureate degree must meet the requirements of a single major. In each course and major field of study, faculty members must keep in mind the overall goal of developing a biblical world and life view. As the student’s attention is directed toward a particular discipline, broad principles must become more specific. Integrated thinking means that two or more bodies of knowledge are brought together. Evidence that the student and the College have attained these goals occurs when the senior prepares a major thesis or project which, as stated above, explores and analyzes a problem in the student’s major field in light of Christian philosophy. Such a curriculum is not very common and makes a significant impact on the student.
Participation in Commencement Exercises
Students who have completed all of the requirements for graduation will be eligible to participate in Commencement exercises. If a candidate is on track to complete all degree requirements and registered for all classes to complete degree requirements in the spring semester, and an unexpected event during the spring term results in the candidate lacking one required course, the candidate may request permission to participate in Commencement though not actually graduating. Requests must be submitted in writing to the Office of Records, to be considered by the Vice President for Academic Affairs. This last requirement may not be the Capstone Project.
Graduate School of Education
Master of Arts in Teaching Degree
Students interested in becoming a certified teacher are offered numerous pathways to pursue that through the Master of Arts in Teaching program, a fifth year 34-hour graduate degree. These are the 3 common options:
1. A student completes an undergraduate degree in one of the following 16 majors along with 3 prerequisite Education undergraduate courses. Grade levels of certification (Pre-kindergarten through 12 grade or grades 6-12) are noted for each field:
- Art (P-12)
- Biblical Studies (6-12; ACSI only)
- Biology (6-12)
- Chemistry (6-12)
- Computer Science (P-12)
- Drama/Theatre (P-12)
- Economics (6-12)
- Education Studies (Middle Grades, 4-8)
- English (6-12)
- French (P-12)
- History (6-12)
- Mathematics (6-12)
- Music (P-12)
- Physics (6-12)
- Political Science (6-12)
- Spanish (P-12)
2. A student with a B.A. that includes 21 or more credit hours in one of the 16 fields listed above is also eligible to apply to the MAT to pursue secondary teacher certification (for example, an Interdisciplinary Studies or Education Studies major). See the catalog sections for each major listed above for further MAT information and recommended courses.
3. A student interested in middle grades certification (grades 4-8) must earn 15 or more credit hours in one of these areas: Language Arts (English), math, Social Studies (History) or science, and complete the other requirements for the Education Studies degree. Please contact the Education Studies Advisor, Dr. Amy Bagby, in Brock Hall 306 for more information (amy.bagby@covenant.edu).
For additional information, contact:
lindsey.fain@covenant.edu
706.419.1406
grad.covenant.edu
Graduation Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees
Students are personally responsible to plan their programs to meet graduation requirements. When a student declares a major or minor program, the default catalog term will be the term the student entered Covenant. If there have been significant changes in the core or program requirements since entering Covenant, the term the student declares the major will be used if the degree is conferred within ten years. After ten years, the then-current catalog degree requirements will need to be fulfilled. See the section for each major for specific graduation major requirements.
Undergraduate Degree Programs
Art
Biblical and Theological Studies
Biology
Business
Chemistry
Community Development
Computer Science
Economics
Education Studies
Elementary Education
English
French
History
Interdisciplinary Studies
International Studies
Mathematics
Music
Natural Science - Pre-Engineering
Philosophy
Physics
Political Science
Psychology
Sociology
Spanish
Sport Management
The Bachelor of Arts Degree
Upon recommendation of the faculty and approval by the Board of Trustees, the degree of Bachelor of Arts is conferred upon students who have met the following requirements for graduation:
- A minimum of 126 credit hours
- An institutional grade point average of 2.00 or better
- The fulfillment of all BA core curriculum requirements
- At least 25 hours in upper-division courses
- Compliance with all requirements in the major field, or major and minor fields
- No grades below “C-” in the major, minor, concentration, or certification.
- A residence of one year and the completion of the last 32 hours at Covenant, with the exception that students in residence for three semesters or more may complete nine of the last 32 hours at other approved colleges
- The payment of all bills, the return of all equipment and library books, and the completion of all chapel and Mark 10:45 requirements.
- For some majors, completion of the Major Field Tests and other assessments of institutional effectiveness
Core Curriculum for Bachelor of Arts Degrees
Biblical and Theological Foundations
Mathematics
MAT 122 or above, AP Calculus or CLEP credit for College Algebra or above, or exemption is permitted for students assigned a math placement level of 3, 4, or 5. 3 hours.
Exploratory Stewardship of Opportunities
See the Core, Diversity, and Distribution Requirements section for descriptions of requirements and lists of courses. Courses from a major department cannot fulfill both a major requirement and a distribution requirement.
- Diversity Requirement 3 hour(s).
- Fine Arts Distribution Requirement 3 hour(s).
- Humanities Distribution Requirement 3 hour(s).
- Natural Science Lab Distribution Requirement 4 hour(s).
- Social Science Distribution Requirement 3 hour(s).
Total BA Core Curriculum Requirements: 58 hours
Core, Diversity, and Distribution Requirements For Baccalaureate Degrees
Core Requirements
The core curriculum is based on the faculty’s belief that a liberal arts education should be broad and inclusive, introducing students to ideas and values of continuing concern and providing them with historical and spiritual perspectives on the complex problems of our society. The core curriculum is also designed to provide Covenant students with common learning experiences, to emphasize the God-ordained unity of knowledge, to provide a global rather than a provincial emphasis in learning, to focus students’ attention not only on the past and the present but also on the future, and to develop students’ capacities to learn not only through ratiocination but experientially. Crucial to the success of the core curriculum is the pervasiveness of a biblical perspective in every course.
All students who are candidates for a baccalaureate degree are required to take courses or demonstrate competency in each area of the core curriculum. Exceptions to these requirements are listed in the sections of the catalog describing particular majors. Normally, one semester of the two course sequence of Christian Doctrine I, II and Cultural Heritage of the West I, II are required to be completed at Covenant. If a core requirement is fulfilled by demonstrating proficiency, no credit hours are awarded. These hours will be replaced with elective hours applied toward the minimum of 126 hours needed to graduate. Some programs will require more than 126 hours.
All students who are candidates for a baccalaureate degree are required to complete an Intercultural Experience. All Intercultural Experiences must be pre-approved by a faculty member of the Intercultural Competencies Committee.
Normally the core foreign language and the core natural science lab requirements must be completed with in-person foreign language instruction and in-person science laboratory component instruction. When extraordinary circumstances arise that make in-person instruction impossible, the Core Oversight Committee may approve the acceptance of online courses to fulfill core natural science laboratory and foreign language course requirements. Students will follow the normal procedure to request approval for a course through the Letter of Good Standing/Transient Student Request Form with the Office of Records noting the circumstance and why they would be unable to take this course in a future term warranting approval of the course.
One component of this broad liberal arts core curriculum is the skill of public speaking. Most departments offer a ‘Speech Intensive’ or “S” course that satisfies this component. Many departments have designated their Capstone Project as the “S” course, which means this will come at the end of a student’s studies at Covenant. Below is a summary definition of what qualifies a course as an “S” course.
“S” course definition: A course in which students are required to make a prepared and organized oral presentation (minimum 12 minutes) to a class of peers and faculty. Instruction about form, content, and assessment will precede the oral presentation, and rubric-based evaluation of content, form, and delivery will follow it. In addition to whole-class instruction, there will be some level of mentoring interaction between professors and individual students.
With each list of major requirements, majors have designated the “S” course for the major or indicated an alternate course which will satisfy this component.
Another core component is writing skills that are grounded in our “W” courses, also taught within our majors as defined below.
“W” course definition: A course in which the conventions of formal writing in the discipline are taught, including adherence to a style manual or other disciplinary parameters. A major writing assignment will incorporate pre-writing instruction about form, content, and assessment, and subsequent rubric-based assessment will address both content and form. In addition to whole-class instruction, there will be some level of mentoring interaction between professors and individual students. The Capstone may not count as a “W” course.
Diversity (DIV) Courses
Diversity courses will explore one or more of the following: genders, ethnicities, races, religions, social classes, disabilities, or cultures other than Anglo-American and white majority European as their primary subject matter. A DIV course offered by a student’s major department may fulfill both the DIV and a major requirement. A DIV course may not fulfill the DIV and another distribution requirement below. A diversity course code (DIV) will appear with the course description. Students who successfully complete this requirement will demonstrate the ability to:
* Identify the role of races, genders, ethnicities, religions, social classes, disabilities, or cultures in shaping human knowledge and cultural production.
* Empathize with perspectives other than their own.
* Connect course knowledge to broader concerns for, and commitment to, the physical and spiritual worth and welfare of all image bearers.
Diversity Approved Courses:
Global Awareness (GA) Courses
Global Awareness (GA) courses seek to accentuate the multilevel interconnectedness of countries and cultures across the globe by carefully examining current events that illustrate the importance and clarify the dynamics relating these connections. A GA course offered by a student’s major department may fulfill both the GA and a major requirement. A GA course may not fulfill both the GA and any other distribution requirement (listed below). A Global Awareness course code (GA) will be associated with all courses that fulfill this requirement. Students who successfully complete this requirement will demonstrate the ability to:
* Identify significant contemporary issues influencing societies in more than one country.
* Recognize the complexity of contemporary global issues in their causes and effects.
* Think carefully about the implications of an interconnected world for faithful living.
Global Awareness Approved Courses
Distribution Requirements
Distribution requirements allow a student to select courses of interest to gain exposure to a variety of disciplines contributing to the broad liberal arts emphasis. Below are the four distribution requirements with the courses that can satisfy these components. Normally, courses from a student’s major department may not fulfill a core distribution requirement. Courses fulfilling a core distribution requirement may also apply toward a second major or minor requirement. See the section below, Courses Satisfying Multiple Requirements, regarding scenarios when a core distribution requirement may also apply toward a major program requirement. A distribution course code (i.e. FAR, HUM, LAB, SSC) also appears with the course description.
Fine Arts (FAR) Distribution Courses
Explore varied elements of human artistic inquiry and/or expression. Students who successfully complete this requirement will have demonstrated the ability to:
* Engage various elements of human creative process as found in the visual, musical or theatrical arts.
* Appreciate the products of human creativity in the visual, musical or theatrical arts.
* Think biblically about the process and products of human creativity in the visual, musical or theatrical arts.
Fine Arts Distribution Requirement Approved Courses:
Humanities (HUM) Distribution Courses
Explore varied elements of human culture, thought, and/or literary expression. Students who successfully complete this requirement will have demonstrated the ability to:
* Engage various elements of human thought, literary expression and cultural development.
* Recognize the interplay between human thought, literary expression and cultural development.
* Think biblically about the process and products of human thought, literary expression and cultural development.
Humanities Distribution Requirement Approved Courses:
Natural Science Lab (LAB) Distribution Courses
Explore elements of scientific investigation and content, including hands-on laboratory experiences, in one or more of the natural sciences. Students who successfully complete this requirement will have demonstrated the ability to:
* Engage various elements of scientific exploration in physical or biological sciences.
* Appreciate the products of scientific study in physical or biological sciences.
* Think biblically about the process and products of scientific endeavor in physical or biological sciences.
Natural Science Lab Distribution Requirement Approved Courses:
Social Science (SSC) Distribution Courses
Explore human behavior at the individual, group, and structural levels, as well as the interplay of these factors. Courses will make use of social and/or behavioral science methods, both quantitative and qualitative. Students who successfully complete this requirement will have demonstrated the ability to:
* Engage various elements of the exploration of human social interactions, institutions and behaviors.
* Appreciate the products of the study of human social interactions, institutions and behaviors.
* Think biblically about the process and products of the study of human social interactions, institutions and behaviors.
Social Science Distribution Requirement Approved Courses:
Courses Satisfying Multiple Requirements:
To encourage breadth in the overall academic programs, normally courses with a prefix from a student’s major department may not fulfill a core distribution requirement. For example, a history major may not use an HIS or POL prefix course from the History, Politics and International Studies Department to fulfill a core distribution requirement. Also, a course fulfilling an Interdisciplinary Studies major requirement may not fulfill a core distribution requirement.
There are some scenarios where a course could fulfill two requirements. Courses fulfilling a core distribution requirement may also apply toward a second major or minor requirement. A course required for a major program with a prefix outside of the major department, may be used to fulfill a major and a core distribution requirement. For example, a Business major requires ECO 202 Principles of Microeconomics, which is offered by the Economics and Community Development Department. ECO 202 may fulfill the core social science distribution requirement as well as the business major requirement. A core diversity (DIV) course offered by a student’s major department may fulfill both the DIV and a major requirement.
Major and Minor Program Requirements
Covenant seeks to provide a liberal arts education that includes not only the broad and inclusive core curriculum but areas of greater specialization as well. Every student pursuing a baccalaureate degree must meet the core and program requirements for at least one major. Many majors, especially in the natural sciences and education call for careful planning as early as the freshman year in order to assure fulfillment of all prerequisites and program requirements in a four year period. The same is true for a student who desires to pursue multiple majors and/or minors. A student with extensive transfer hours must complete at least 12 hours of a major and at least 6 hours of a minor or concentration from Covenant.
When a student declares a major or minor program, the default catalog term will be the term the student entered Covenant. If there have been significant changes in the core or program requirements since entering Covenant, the term the student declares the major will be used. Academic departments establish program requirements and retain the right to make appropriate substitutions. To add or drop a major or minor, a student must complete the Change of Academic Program/Advisor Form accessible through the student’s online account.
A student may choose to pursue a second major and/or minors with their elective hours. With variations in the number of hours required for each major program, and with each student potentially transferring or being exempted from program requirements, the number of general electives required may vary for each student to reach a minimum of 126 hours required for the BA degree.
Academic Certificates
Our certificates are interdisciplinary programs organized by a program coordinator and a committee of participating faculty for Covenant degree seeking students. These certificates are granted by Covenant College, not an external certifying agency. While they do not guarantee the specific type of certification that an employer might require, they provide an academic path that will better prepare students to work or pursue further study in the designated area. Courses that count toward a certificate program can also be used to satisfy other curricular requirements. To count toward a certificate program, a course must be completed with a letter grade of C- or better. Below are brief descriptions of our certificate programs, and more detailed information and program requirements are included in the Academic Certificate Programs section of the Undergraduate Catalog. We currently offer the following certificates:
Arts Administration
The certificate program combines artistic ability and organizational leadership within a framework of stewardship, intercultural sensitivity, and arts advocacy. Covenant desires to equip students to lead both non-profit and for-profit arts organizations in a variety of capacities. Contact the program coordinator: Dr. David Tahere
Entrepreneurship
The Entrepreneurship Certificate is designed to prepare students to launch a for-profit business enterprise. This includes product/service design, brand strategy, developing a full business plan, and pursuing investment capital. Field experience and interaction with the startup/venture capital community is required. Contact the program coordinator: Leda Goodman.
Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability
Covenant’s certificate in stewardship and sustainability develops and recognizes students pursuing vocations in the environmental sector. The certificate program helps students articulate the biblical basis for creation care, and provides opportunities to apply coursework in the form of environmental projects serving the community. Contact the program coordinator: Dr. Joelle Laing.
Journalism and Society
The Journalism and Society Certificate provides students with a foundational knowledge of journalism, civic institutions, and issues in multimedia communication within a biblical framework to equip them to serve their communities as able, godly journalists. Contact the program coordinator: Dr. Sarah Huffines.
Medical Ethics Consultation
Medical treatment decisions are increasingly complicated. Making biblically sound choices requires familiarity with ethical principles, medical terminology, current hospital practices, and legal requirements. The Certificate in Medical Ethics Consultation prepares students to assist individuals and groups (including hospital Ethics Committees) facing difficult medical decisions in a biblically thoughtful way. Contact the program coordinator: Dr. Bill Davis.
Neuroscience
Understanding the correlations between neural mechanisms and behavior is an increasingly important area of contemporary scientific research and medicine. The Certificate in Neuroscience allows students to explore biological, psychological, and chemical approaches to understand the nervous system as a biological basis of behavior. Contact the program coordinator: Dr. Richard Nelson.
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
The Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) prepares students who desire to teach English to non-native English speakers. Students explore the fields of Education, Linguistics, English, and Foreign Languages to better understand how languages work and how to effectively teach a foreign or second language. Contact the program coordinator: Dr. Brianne Stambaugh.
Guided Capstone
Every student at Covenant creates a polished body of scholarly and/or creative work, referred to as the Capstone. The Capstone is the culmination of a rigorous and guided program of reflection, skills-training, and research designed to develop students’ capacities for both disciplinary competence and faith-learning integration. The Capstone constitutes a demonstration of faithful learning and prime evidence of student readiness to move into successive arenas of work or further schooling.
During the first two years, classes in Covenant’s Core Curriculum and foundational studies in major fields develop in students biblical and theological foundations along with key skills in writing, communication, and critical analysis. With significant guidance from faculty, the final two years are spent digging deeper into major content areas, honing discipline-specific research methods, refining discipline-specific communication skills, deepening theological insight and application, and, ultimately, developing and completing a Capstone project.
The Capstone project itself can take a number of different forms, including but not limited to laboratory research, recital performances, artistic exhibits, and oral or written presentations. In some fields, the Capstone project will be encompassed in a single product. In others, a portfolio of products will be appropriate. In either case, the Capstone will demonstrate both disciplinary expertise and integration of the major field with Christian faith. Specifically, the Capstone is designed to:
- Ground students in biblical perspectives and equip them to apply these perspectives to the content, methods, and significance of the chosen capstone project, both implicitly and explicitly
- Cultivate curiosity about the world in all its diversity by developing central concepts and structures necessary for faithful learning and living
- Develop students who write with skill and clarity
- Develop students who communicate orally with skill and clarity
All students are required to submit a copy of their Capstone project in a single pdf format to the digital Covenant Capstone archive (https://www.covenant.edu/academics/capstone) for public or internal posting. The public option allows anyone with a Covenant username and password to access the Capstone project. The internal option allows only Covenant faculty, staff, and Board of Trustees members approved by the Vice President for Academic Affairs to have access to the document. Double majors will submit pdf copies of their Capstone project under both disciplines.
Planning for Completion of Major Work
Majors in natural sciences, education and music programs call for careful planning as early as the freshman year in order to assure fulfillment of all requirements and prerequisites. Be sure to see the specific requirements under the appropriate departments. Students planning to have a double major must begin careful planning of their courses in the freshman year in order to avoid later schedule conflicts.
Institutional Assessment
In order to maintain high academic standards and assess how well Covenant College is achieving its mission, the College regularly conducts institutional assessments with students. This not only assists us in determining strengths and deficits in the academic program, but also satisfies accreditation requirements. Early in the fall semester, entering freshmen participate in a series of assessments, including a general measure of academic performance like the E-Proficiency Profile published by Territorium, a Bible and Theology exam, and a Reformed Distinctives Inventory. Juniors retake the general measure of academic performance in their spring semester during a regularly scheduled Assessment Day. Some seniors will participate in taking the Major Field tests published by ETS or the Area Concentration Achievement Test published by PACAT. Juniors retake the Bible and Theology exam, and seniors retake the Reformed Distinctives Inventory. Other assessments may be assigned to some or all students at all class levels. Most of these assignments will take place on Assessment Day in the spring semester. Participation in assigned assessments is mandatory. Failure to keep assigned assessment appointments will result in holds on transcripts, freezes on accounts, and even delay in graduation. Assessment assignments are coordinated through the Institutional Research and Effectiveness office.
Summer Course Offerings
A limited number of courses are offered during the summer months. A three-week May Term session is offered immediately following Commencement where students may take a maximum of 4 credit hours with no more than two standard classroom courses meeting throughout the three weeks. Professors might also choose to teach a May Term course off campus, in collaboration with the Global Education office, in various global cities. These offerings are announced in September of the year prior. These offerings provide the opportunity for students to make up deficiencies, enjoy international travel as a group, earn extra credit or take required hours in order to lighten their loads during the regular semesters. Students may also earn credit by working as interns with a variety of organizations locally or in your hometown. Students from other colleges are also welcome to apply as special students for any summer courses.
Independent Study
Required core or major courses, either not offered in a given semester or involving a subject not typically offered at Covenant, may be arranged on an independent basis. Such situations may arise when a student receives a low grade in a major or required course, a student changed majors or transfers to Covenant late in his or her college career.
- Such an arrangement must be authorized by the Coordinator of Instruction and the Registrar, and this authorization will ordinarily be granted only when a student needs a course that will not be offered before his or her expected date of graduation. An Independent Study Agreement may be requested from the Office of Records if a course is being considered.
- For an independent study in the major on a subject not otherwise offered at Covenant, the student must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or above. The student must submit to the supervising faculty member an outline and bibliography for the program he or she wishes to study.
- The tuition rate for the respective term will be assessed unless otherwise approved by the Coordinator of Instruction and the Registrar.
- For Independent Study Courses, at least 3 face-to-face meetings must occur between student and instructor for instruction and administration of exams.
Summer independent study courses will run from the first Monday after spring commencement through August 5 or the first Monday after August 5 if that date is on a weekend. All work for the course must be submitted by the last date of the term, to the instructor, or the Office of Records if the instructor is not available. Final grades for a summer term independent study are to be posted one week before the first day of fall semester classes.
Off-Campus Studies
Since Covenant’s aim is to motivate and enable its young men and women to make an impact on the world for Christ, it takes the entire world for its classroom. Covenant’s faculty does not recognize geographical restrictions on learning but provides several off-campus opportunities designed to reinforce that which takes place in the classroom through the test of experience.
Experiential learning is an integral ingredient of Covenant’s comprehensive, Christ-centered, liberal arts curriculum. Experiential learning is defined as “learning by doing, learning outside the traditional classroom environment involving activity that is meaningful and real, as well as contributes to the academic, spiritual, and personal growth of each student, and for which academic credit is awarded.”
Students are required to be in good academic and social standing and be enrolled for one year at Covenant before being permitted to participate in an off-campus studies program. Please see the Off-Campus Studies section of the Financial Aid Handbook regarding eligibility and use of financial aid resources for off-campus studies. Normally, institutional resources will only be applied toward the off-campus programs that are offered by Covenant, the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU), and institutions with which Covenant has a contractual agreement.
A maximum of 18 semester hours of credit from off-campus study courses may be applied to a degree from Covenant. Credits and grades earned from all external programs will be considered transfer credits requiring a “C-” or better letter grade to be applied toward a Covenant degree. All grades will appear on our transcript and will be included in the calculation of the transfer GPA. The institutional and transfer GPA will be combined to determine an overall GPA.
Students may earn college credit through a variety of programs administered by the Office of Global Education. Some of these programs can be used to fulfill the requirements of the Intercultural Experience (COR 337 ) with the pre-approval of a faculty member of the Intercultural Competencies Committee.
Approved Off-Campus Studies Programs
Students may study off-campus while remaining enrolled as full time students at Covenant by participating in approved consortial and contractual agreement programs. Billing is coordinated through Covenant, and students remain eligible for one semester of financial aid at the following levels: 100% of normal external aid (federal, state and/or outside sources) and 50% of normal institutional aid. If a study abroad program is required for a student’s major (Spanish, French, and International Studies), students who have attained junior status will be eligible for 100% of both normal external aid and normal institutional aid. Normal institutional aid is any aid awarded by Covenant, including endowed and restricted funds. No student employment is offered while students are studying abroad. In addition to these fees owed to Covenant, students may be responsible for additional application fees payable to the host institution, travel expenses not included in the program, personal expenses, and additional food expenses.
Approved Off-Campus Studies Programs through Consortial Agreements
For consortial programs, all coursework will be entered on Covenant’s transcript just as one of our institutional courses with credit being awarded for all passed courses (greater than “F”). Current approved programs include student programs offered by the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) and courses offered by the Au Sable Institute.
Student Programs of The Council for Christian Colleges and Universities: www.cccuglobaled.org
The CCCU Student Programs provide excellent opportunities for studying abroad in various locations throughout the world. International “Culture-Crossing Programs” include the Middle East Studies Program, and Scholarship and Christianity in Oxford. Other CCCU programs, such as the LA Film Studies program, though not a part of the consortial agreement, are also available as approved off-campus studies.
The Au Sable Institute: www.ausable.org
The mission of Au Sable Institute is to inspire and educate people to serve, protect and restore God’s Earth. To accomplish this mission, Au Sable offers college courses in environmental stewardship and conservation science, along with opportunities for research experience. Students may also gain teaching experience in environmental education through Au Sable’s Environmental Education Internship Program described at http://ausable.org/k12programs/
Approved Off-Campus Studies Programs through Contractual Agreements
For contractual programs, all coursework will be entered on Covenant’s transcript with transfer credit being awarded only for courses completed with a letter grade of “C-” or better. Billing is coordinated through Covenant. Current approved contractual programs can be found here:
https://www.covenant.edu/academics/undergrad/global_ed/study_abroad/programs
Individually Contracted Intercultural Experiences
Students may also individually design and negotiate the specific details of a particular Intercultural Experience to complete the requirements of the Intercultural Experience. COR 337 learning contract available from the Intercultural Competencies Committee. Zero to one credit hour may be awarded for one intercultural experience. More information can be found here:
https://www.covenant.edu/academics/undergrad/global_ed/study_abroad/forms
Practicums and Internships
Students may design, contract, and participate in a broad range of hands-on, off-campus, practical learning activities in settings related to their occupational or academic goals outside the normal classroom setting. The objectives for a practicum are negotiated and approved prior to undertaking the experience and should involve activity that is meaningful and real and in which the student has the assistance of other persons (faculty, professional personnel, etc.) in maximizing the learning experience. Practicums may be taken by any student regardless of academic major. See your faculty advisor, the Center for Calling and Career, or the Director of Global Education for more information. Some of these practicums and internships can be used for Intercultural Experiences COR 337 with the pre-approval of a faculty member of the Intercultural Competencies Committee.
Army ROTC Program
Covenant students may participate in the Army ROTC program at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC), enrolling for college credit and transferring those credits back to Covenant. The students will need to provide transportation to the UTC campus for course work.
The ROTC Military Science and Leadership Program is a deliberate, continuous, sequential, and progressive process, based on Army values, that develops Soldiers into competent and confident leaders. As the Army’s largest pre-commissioning source, ROTC lays the leadership foundation for thousands of cadets across hundreds of university campuses. ROTC is a leadership development program consisting of three interconnected components: (1) on-campus component, (2) off-campus component, and (3) Leadership Development Program (LDP). By design, the three components dovetail for seamless, progressive, and sequential leader development. The Military Science Department offers courses in general military subjects which may be applicable to any student regardless of his or her career intentions. The overall objectives are:
- to provide general orientation courses open to all students in the basic course;
- to provide selected students for the advanced course an opportunity to seek a commission in the U.S. Army, the Army Reserve, the National Guard, Nurse Corps or Chaplain Corps;
- in conjunction with other college disciplines, to develop individual character and attributes essential to an officer.
The cost of the ROTC courses at UTC will be included in the full-time Covenant tuition if students are enrolled in 12-18 hours for the semester (Covenant and ROTC courses combined) for up to two semesters, and only for approved Military Science courses. If combined hours exceed 18 hours, an additional tuition charge will be assessed at the 19+ hourly tuition rate for every credit above 18, just as if the student was enrolled in more than 18 hours of courses exclusively at Covenant. The student will be responsible for any other costs associated with enrolling at UTC. For instructions to register for UTC classes, students must contact the Covenant Office of Records. More details of the program are available on the UTC website at: https://www.utc.edu/military-science/index.php.
Students will need to have a transcript sent to Covenant from UTC at the end of each semester to have the credits and the grades applied to the Covenant College record. Uniforms are not issued to basic course students; textbooks for ROTC are provided. Issue items must be returned at the end of the school year or upon dis-enrollment from the ROTC program. Advanced course ROTC students sign a contract with the U.S. Government which requires them to complete the advanced course and accept a commission upon graduation. Students receive $100 each month while enrolled in the advanced course and approximately $500 for attending summer camp plus travel pay to and from summer camp.
The ROTC program is composed of two levels as listed below:
- Basic courses (Military Science I and II) are composed of the first four semesters of military science courses. No active duty commitment is required of students taking the basic course.
- Advanced courses (Military Science III and IV) are composed of the last four semesters of military science courses and a six-week summer camp at an army installation at the end of the junior year. The student successfully completing the advanced courses with a grade of “C” or better will, upon graduation, be commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army.
Contact the Office of Records with any additional questions. Course descriptions of all courses are available on the UTC website (www.utc.edu).
Catastrophic Event Policy
In the case of catastrophic events, the college will implement procedures in the Emergency Operations Plan, the Disaster Recovery Plan, and Virtual Server Disaster Recovery Plan. In the case of a catastrophic event that interrupts the regular delivery of distance instruction for more than a brief period of time, the college will either offer refunds of tuition or an alternative method of completing the courses for which students are registered. Since no program of the college is offered completely online, arrangements may include replacement of instruction with face-to-face instruction on the college campus.
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