Academic Information

Types of Degrees

The University offers programs of study leading to the following degrees: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Education, Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Music Education, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Musical Arts, Bachelor of Professional Accountancy, Master of Arts in Intercultural Studies, Master of Arts in Christian Studies, Master of Business Administration, Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy.

The choice of area of concentration or major determines the degree granted. Bachelor of Science degrees are awarded those with a divisional concentration in natural science or a departmental concentration in biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, or computer science. Students who complete degrees in the School of Nursing receive the Bachelor of Science degree. Students in elementary education, early childhood education, special education, or secondary education programs, regardless of the area of specialization, receive the Bachelor of Science in Education degree.

The Bachelor of Business Administration degree is awarded to School of Business in all Business majors excluding Computer Science and Accounting.

The Bachelor of Arts degree is awarded for all other divisional or departmental concentrations or majors in the Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Division of Language and Literature as well as all majors in the Herschel H Hobbs School of Theology and Ministry. Areas of Concentration offered by the Warren M. Angell School of Visual and Performing Arts in art, fine arts, graphic design, communications studies, journalism and mass communication, theatre, and worship studies receive the Bachelor of Arts degree. A Bachelor of Fine Arts degree is awarded those with an area of concentration in studio art.

Areas of concentration within the Division of Music, including vocal performance, piano performance, worship studies, music education, music composition, and musical arts, receive the Bachelor of Music degree.

Degree Requirements

Minimum requirements for the baccalaureate degree are 120 semester hours of course work. All students complete a program of Common Core and Supportive Core courses, and courses in an area of concentration, or major and minor courses, to bring the degree program to the minimum of 120 hours; some professional programs require more than this total number of hours. A minimum of 30 hours must be junior or senior level (courses numbered 3000- 4999).

Second Degree

A second degree may be earned upon the completion of at least 30 additional semester hours, bringing the total to a minimum of 150 semester hours. Students earning a second degree must complete a minimum of six semester hours selected from the following: BIBL 1013 Introduction to Christian Scripture   and  BIBL 1023 Christian Theology and Ethics . University residence requirements must be met for the second degree. (See the University residence requirements of this catalog). All courses applied to the second degree must be approved by the appropriate dean.

Double majors are distinct from second degrees. Double majors are both in the same degree type (e.g. two BA degrees), whereas second degrees are different types of degrees from the first degree earned (e.g. a BA and a BS). Double majors must complete the Common Core, the Supportive Core for their first major, and all major degree requirements for both majors.  If at least one major is an area of concentration, then 12 hours of course requirements may overlap, including core requirements from their first major satisfying course requirements for their second major.  If neither major is an area of concentration, then 6 hours of course requirements may overlap, including core requirements from their first major satisfying course requirements for their second major.

Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science

General requirements for the B.A. and B.S. degrees are summarized in the academic catalog programs of study and online at www.okbu.edu. Reference should also be made to the departmental course listings for special recommendations concerning choice of general education courses for particular supportive core and area of concentration or major/minor; in some cases (e.g. nursing, the sciences, mathematics, psychology, health, physical education and recreation) substitutions for general education courses may be required. The computer science concentration is summarized in the information on the School of Business.

Bachelor of Science in Education

General requirements for the B.S. in Ed. are summarized in the academic catalog programs of study and online at www.okbu.edu with certain exceptions noted in the footnotes. Reference should be made to the departmental course listings for special recommendations concerning choices to be made in the supportive core and in the area of concentration. Requirements for admission to the Teacher Education program are listed in the section on Teacher Education (see the Teacher Education section of this catalog).

Bachelor of Business Administration

Special requirements for the B.B.A. degree are summarized in the School of Business.

Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Music Education, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Musical Arts

Special requirements for B.M., B.M.E., B.F.A., and B.M.A. degrees are described in the School of Visual and Performing Arts.

Degree Components

Common Core

The Common Core consists of general education courses which are designed to develop the essential skills needed for all learning, provide a common core of knowledge for the intellectual life of the University, and set a context of meaning and value for the student’s specialized study in the area of concentration or major field. Such learning is considered to be of primary importance as the University attempts “to offer a broad-based, liberal arts education and specialized professional training in mutually supportive roles.”

The common educational experience gives all students at the University a valuable means of intellectual discourse and serves as a reference point for advanced study in all departments. These courses stress the interrelation of all knowledge and show how various fields of study inform one another, thus building for students a core of durable knowledge as they progress in their college careers.

Wellness and Lifelong Fitness

The Wellness and Lifelong Fitness program of physical education activities is intended to encourage a physical well-being conducive to better study and a more enjoyable college life; to develop lifelong skills and resources for leisure; to establish attitudes conducive to a planned program of physical recreation beyond the college years; and to promote the concept of wellbeing as basic to a happy and productive life. One course is required, PHED 1001 - The Wellness Lifestyle ; but it is hoped that students will continue to participate in intramural activities throughout their college careers. No general exemptions from the program will be allowed; persons with physical limitations will be served through special accommodations as necessary.

Supportive Core

Students must also complete a Supportive Core, which will vary in content according to the degree chosen. The Supportive Core consists of a minimum of 6 hours chosen to strengthen the Common Core but also to provide flexibility to serve specific needs of the various degrees.The remaining options will be from the following disciplines: anthropology, communication, economics, mathematics at the level of MATH 1033  or above, philosophy, political science, psychology, science and sociology. The other courses in the Supportive Core are chosen to support the specialized courses in a degree program. For a list of courses required in the Supportive Cores, see the descriptions under Degree Programs.

Students majoring in music will complete Foundation Courses which consist of music courses that support the specialized courses in the major. For a list of courses required in the Foundation Courses, see the descriptions under Degree Programs.

Area of Concentration/Major, Minor

Each student must complete an area of concentration of a minimum of 40 hours or a major of at least 30 hours and a minimum of 15 hours in a minor. A minimum of nine hours must be distinctive to the minor. If a student chooses to pursue a 30-hour major, a minor is required. Each department has established minimum requirements for departmental and divisional concentrations and for majors/minors as are indicated in the departmental sections in the following pages. An area of concentration consists of courses chosen primarily from a single department, division or school with three or more supportive courses selected from a related area. A departmental major consists of courses primarily in the departmental offerings with a minor chosen from another department either in the same or another school/division as that of the departmental major.

Music courses within the Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Music Education degrees comprise the Area of Concentration. Music Courses within the Bachelor of Musical Arts degree comprise the Major. Foundation Courses and Music Courses within all music degrees and music minors require a minimum grade of “C” unless otherwise noted under each degree as shown in the College of Fine Arts.

Interdisciplinary Area of Concentration

Students in colleges other than Nursing may request permission of their Academic Dean to construct an interdisciplinary area of concentration, consisting of at least six courses from three departments or nine courses from two departments. It is understood that the purpose of constructing such a degree program is to obtain better and more appropriate education for a given career or calling than could be acquired by following an established department program. The value of such a program should be weighed carefully against the loss in depth of preparation in one discipline.

Those desiring such a concentration are required to complete an application form, available from the office of the Academic Dean. Completion of the application will require

1. preparation of a written rationale for the course of study,
2. the advice and approval of a faculty advisor from each department represented in the concentration,
3. approval of the Academic Dean of the school/division offering the degree. For further information, consult the office of the Academic Dean, and
4. a degree check with the Degree Counselor.

Teacher Education

One of the major functions of the University is teacher education. Through the teacher education program, the student may complete requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Education or Bachelor of Music Education and at the same time complete requirements for an Oklahoma Teaching Certificate.

If a student expects to complete a teacher education program at the University in the typical four years, he/she must file an application for admission to the program typically during the sophomore year. Admission is based on approval by the Teacher Education Committee.

Admission to the Teacher Education Program is based upon the approval of the Teacher Education Committee. The criteria for approval are: (Teacher Education)

1. Successful completion of 36 semester hours.
2. Completion of an application for teacher education to be submitted by the end of the third week of classes typically during the sophomore year. (A transfer student of junior standing or above, an OBU graduate, or a graduate of another college who seeks teacher certification at OBU must file an application for admission to the program at the time he/she enters the University.)
3. A minimum grade point average of 2.50.
4. Completion of the English composition courses (ENGL 1153  and ENGL 1163 ) with grades of at least C. Should a student make an unsatisfactory grade in these courses he/she must repeat the course and earn a grade of at least C.
5. Video statement
6. An academic record that clearly indicates the person’s commitment to the academic aspects of teaching.
7. An interview showing evidence of personal traits that suggest potential for working with youth, with parents, and with the other constituencies of a teacher.
8. A passing score on the Oklahoma General Education Test (OGET), a minimum score of 22 ACT including a writing score, or a minimum score of 1120 SAT including the following scores on the essay section: five (5) on Reading, four (4) on Analysis, and five (5) on Writing.
9. Recommendations from the faculty advisor and two professors who know the student.

Each admission will be based on a professional assessment of the candidate on all of the above criteria.

Admission to the second phase of teacher preparation - Student Teaching - is also based on the approval of the Teacher Education Committee.

The criteria for admission to Student Teaching are:

1. Admission to Teacher Education Program.
2. Attainment of junior standing or above.
3. Completion of an application for student teaching. (This application must be submitted prior to the end of the third week of classes of the semester preceding the semester in which the student teaching is to be completed.)
4. Attainment of a grade point average of 3.0 in the major.
5. Maintenance of an overall grade point average of 2.50.
6. Recommendations from three professors who know the student, including an instructor in the student’s major area plus a current or recent OBU instructor and a recommendation from the faculty advisor in the form of a disposition assessment.

Special Notes

Candidates for an Oklahoma Teaching License must pass the Oklahoma General Education Test (OGET) or receive the minimum ACT or SAT score required for teacher education, Oklahoma Subject Area Test (OSAT), and Praxis® Performance Assessment for Teachers (PPAT).  Application must be made to the State Department of Education and have the approval of the Director of Teacher Education.

Requirements for Teacher Education are subject to changes caused by legislative enactment, State Department of Education rules, Office of Educational Quality and Accountability rules, and/ or State Board of Education regulations.

More detailed information concerning the requirements for admission to Teacher Education can be found in the current Teacher Education Handbook.

Degree Check

Undergraduate students must complete, during the fall semester of his/her junior year, a degree check application which certifies the courses that the student has completed and the courses he/she must complete to fulfill all degree requirements. Students electronically request a degree check application on OBU website located under the Academics/Academic Center at okbu.edu/academics/academic-center/degree-and-graduation-check-application.html

The degree check must be signed by the student and the faculty advisor. All changes in the official degree program approved on the degree audit sheet must be agreed upon by the student and his advisor and must be approved by their Division Chair or Academic Dean.

At the time of the degree check, a student must certify that he has furnished to OBU official transcripts of all post-secondary work attempted. All additional transfer work must fulfill deficiencies indicated on the degree audit sheet and should be approved by the advisor and dean before the student seeks enrollment in the courses he wishes to transfer.

Online, Nontraditional and Graduate Education students must apply for a degree check from their respective Division Chair at least six months prior to the anticipated graduation date to certify completion of courses toward the degree, as well as anticipated completion of all remaining requirements. This may include certification by the Registrar of official transcripts from other accredited post-secondary institutions, if transfer credit is being applied to the degree. The degree check must be approved by the student and the Division Chair.

Graduation Requirements for Undergraduate Students

All candidates for University degrees will be expected to meet the following requirements:

1. Completion of an approved degree program. A grade point average of 2.00 is required for all courses attempted. No more than 18 semester hours may be completed with a grade of D on a degree program. A grade point average of 2.00 is required in the area of concentration, the major, the minor, and in supportive courses. No D’s will be accepted in the area of concentration and the supportive courses or in courses comprising majors and minors. Supportive courses are defined as prerequisites to major and minor courses. Students who have not corrected all irregularities in their degree programs by the beginning of their final term will not be permitted to become candidates during that term.
2. Completion of at least 31 semester hours at the University out of the last 60 semester hours required for the degree. A minimum of 33% of hours completed toward the area of concentration or toward a major and a minimum of six hours toward the minor must be completed in residence. A maximum of 12 semester hours of work transferred from another accredited institution of higher education may be applied toward graduation during the senior year. Pre-medical and preengineering students who have completed in residence at the University three years (at least 100 semester hours) including all general education courses and some work on the area of concentration may complete the concentration by transferring courses from the first year of professional study. A transcript which indicates satisfactory completion of courses totaling 32 semester hours from an institution recognized by an accreditation agency approved by the State of Oklahoma or federal agencies of education must be submitted prior to the Commencement in which the baccalaureate degree is to be conferred.
3. Students enrolled in traditional OBU degree programs may take no more than four credit hours in an OBU undergraduate online degree program per each fall and spring semester. Exceptions to this policy must be granted by the Academic Dean.
4. Maintenance of acceptable standards of ethical conduct as a student and as a member of the professional or disciplinary area of academic preparation. The University reserves the right to withhold or deny the award of a degree to any student who, although having completed the academic requirements, has evidenced deficits in character or conduct which prohibit the University from conscientiously certifying him/her to the public as competent to exercise independent judgment in his/her area of academic preparation.
5. Satisfaction of the requirements for chapel attendance as stated under General Regulations in Student Life section.
6. Completion of all special examinations required for the degree. Certain departments require satisfactory scores on a comprehensive examination administered within the department.
7. Completion of any special departmental requirements such as the recital attendance and participation regulations within the School of  Visual and Performing Art, the requirements for exhibits of student work by the Department of Art, or the performance requirement of the Department of Communication Arts.
8. Fulfillment of all financial obligations to the University.
9. Approval of the faculty. The University faculty takes formal action on all candidates for baccalaureate degrees.

Although participation in Commencement is not a requirement for graduation, students are encouraged to participate in one of the two Commencement exercises during the academic year. In order to participate in Commencement, a student must have completed all degree requirements or must be taking courses that will complete all degree requirements by the end of the semester of graduation. Prior to Commencement, a student unable to participate in Commencement, must notify the degree counselor to allow for his/her degree be conferred in absentia. The reason for the request should be outlined in the letter. OBU will consider a request from an undergraduate student to participate in commencement without appearing on the graduation list for that commencement under a specific set of circumstances outlined in detail through the Petition to Participate in Commencement process found here.

When maintenance of sound educational policy or fulfillment of state or accrediting agency policy dictates changes in degree requirements during a student’s progress toward a degree, the University will work with each student to determine which requirements shall be implemented. Students should be warned that in those cases where graduation requirements are not completed in six calendar years, the likelihood of such changes requiring additional course work is increased.

Graduation Requirements for Graduate Students

1. Completion of required coursework,
   1. For the MBA program:
      • Successful completion of the 33 credit hours
      • Including the MBA Capstone project.
   2. For the MFT program:
      • Successful completion of the 45 credit hours
      • Successful completion of the clinical practicum (500 face-to-face therapy hours),
      • And completion of the formal case presentation project.
   3. For the MA in CS and MA in ICS, completion of 36 hours.
2. Cumulative grade point average of 3.0 in all OBU Graduate and Professional Studies coursework.
3. Fulfillment of all financial obligations to the University.
4. Payment of graduation fee.
5. Approval by the College of Graduate and Professional Studies Council minus student membership

Graduation Application

The Application for Graduation form should be completed by February 15 prior to May graduation and October 1 prior to December graduation. Commencement ceremonies, held on the OBU main campus, offer an opportunity to celebrate achievements with family and friends. All degree candidates are strongly encouraged to participate in commencement ceremonies.  Undergraduate candidates must complete all credit hours to participate in commencement ceremonies including chapel requirements.  Graduate candidates with six or fewer credit hours remaining may participate in commencement ceremonies.

Scholastic Standards

The unit of instruction is the semester hour. Courses are offered for one to ten semester hours of credit. Instruction for most courses involves an equivalent number of periods each week to the semester hours of course credit during the fall and spring semesters, which are approximately 16 weeks in duration. Courses which require laboratory work or practice time for development of proficiencies will usually require additional meetings each week. A normal load during spring and fall terms is considered to be 12-16 hours; in the January term and the four-week summer terms, a normal load is three to six hours. Students on academic probation should limit enrollment in a fall or spring semester to no more than 12-13 semester hours in order to allow more study time for each course to raise the grade point average and avoid academic suspension from the University. Students must have a 2.50 grade point average and obtain the permission of their division chair for enrollment in 18 or more semester hours in the spring and fall terms. In all courses, a minimum of two hours of study time should be scheduled in preparation for each hour in class.

Grades

All grades are filed in the Academic Center as a part of the permanent record of the student. Successful completion of any course depends on fulfilling the specific requirements of the course as dictated by the instructor at the level of competency which he/ she requires. Maintenance of acceptable standards of ethical conduct as a student is also required for successful course completion. The grades and quality points given are in descending order of excellence:

A (4.00), B (3.00), C (2.00), D (1.00)

*IP (0.0) - Work in Progress. Granted in special circumstances for those courses which take more than one semester to complete such as Cooperative Education courses, in some instances, and/or 4999 courses taken to fulfill honors study requirements. In special instances, permission for this grade may be granted by the dean of the college in which the course is taken. The grade is granted for one calendar year; a shorter time period may be specified by the instructor.

F (0.0) - Failing FX (0.0) - Failure because of excessive absences.

*I (0.0) - Incomplete. A neutral mark, the I is given at the discretion of an instructor when, for a legitimate reason, a student is not able to complete course requirements within a given semester. Typical instances might be absence from a final examination because of illness or inability to complete a term project because of extenuating circumstances. A contract signed by the instructor and by the student must accompany this grade to indicate the nature of the work to be completed. An I may not be used as an alternative to a grade of F. An Incomplete Grade must be made up before the seventh week of the next fall or spring semester whether or not the student is subsequently enrolled at OBU. If the grade is not made up by the deadline, it will be changed to a failing grade (F) on the transcript.

*Audit - No credit and no grade will be recorded. The instructor may require that the student complete all class assignments. Application to audit a course must be made at the time of enrollment. Tuition for an audited course is the same as enrollment for credit.

*W - Neutral grade given for withdrawals after the second week and before the 10th week of the semester. Withdrawals are normally not allowed beyond the ninth week. Withdrawals are normally not permitted after ten academic days of the January term, after eleven academic days of a four-week summer term, or after 21 academic days of the eight-week summer term.

*S - Satisfactory. This grade is given for noncredit seminars, for certain activity courses, and for courses by juniors and seniors under the pass/fail option.

*U - Unsatisfactory. This grade is given for noncredit seminars, for certain activity courses, and for courses by juniors and seniors under the pass/fail option.

*Not included in computation of grade point average.

Grade Averages

Grade averages are computed by dividing the total number of semester hours attempted for an A, B, C, D, or F grade into the total number of quality points earned. Courses taken on a pass/fail basis (i.e. with grades of S or U) and incomplete grades are not considered in computation of grade averages.

When a course is repeated, only the grade from the last attempt is computed in the GPA. This policy applies to courses taken and repeated at OBU, courses taken and repeated at other institutions, and courses taken at other institutions and repeated by taking equivalent courses at OBU. All grades remain on the transcript with repeated courses marked. The following exceptions apply to the above policy:

If a course taken at OBU is repeated at another institution, both grades will be calculated in the GPA.

If a course is taken with the normal grading procedure (A, B, C, D, F), it cannot be repeated with the pass/fail option.

Pass/Fail Option

Juniors and seniors may enroll in a maximum of 12 semester hours on a pass/fail basis. Any 2000, 3000, or 4000 level course outside the academic discipline chosen for emphasis in the area of concentration or major and minor may be taken on a pass/fail basis. Courses taken to fulfill Common Core may not be taken on this basis, however. Application to take a course for pass/fail must be made at enrollment time; otherwise, a letter grade will be given.

Academic Probation, Suspension

Students are expected to maintain a 2.00 grade average, which is the minimum required of candidates for University degrees. When the OBU grade point average or the cumulative grade average is below the following minima, the student is placed on academic probation: 1-29 semester hours attempted, 1.75; 30-59 semester hours attempted, 1.90; 60 or more semester hours attempted, 2.00. Both the average of grades earned at Oklahoma Baptist University and an overall average including any transfer work must meet the above minima.

Failure to reach the above minima for two consecutive semesters will result in the suspension of the student from the University. Students under academic suspension normally may apply to the Provost for reinstatement. Reinstatement of the student is not automatic but depends on the quality of evidence submitted to the Provost to justify belief that normal progress may be made toward satisfaction of degree requirements. Reinstated students must pass all courses attempted for each succeeding semester or a second suspension will result.

Students admitted conditionally may be placed on suspension if the work offered during the first semester at Oklahoma Baptist University is not of sufficient quality to allow normal progress toward a degree.

Students who have attempted the number of semester hours required for the degree but have not reached a 2.00 average are required to satisfy quality point deficiencies through enrollment in courses of senior college level (i.e. courses numbered 3000 or above).

Grade Reports

Students are responsible for accessing grades through Self Service Banner.

Class Standing

Students who have earned fewer than 30 semester hours are classified as freshmen; 30-59 semester hours, sophomores; 60-89 semester hours, juniors; 90 semester hours and over, seniors.

Change of Course

Changes to a student’s schedule may be made in the Academic Center or online at the current student resource page: www.okbu.edu/current-students at Self Service Banner [Online Registration]. Online changes in Self Service Banner may be made through the 100% Withdrawal Credit period found (see Financial Information). Online Registration requires a pin number obtained from your advisor. Changes made in the Academic Center require a signature from your advisor on a registration card. The effective date of a course change, enrollment, or withdrawal is the date the procedure is completed in the Academic Center.

Adding a Course

1. No course may be added to a student’s schedule after the first week of class during the spring and fall semesters.
2. No course may be added to a student’s schedule after the first week of the eight-week term.
3. No course may be added to a student’s schedule after three days of the four-week term.
4. No course may be added to a student’s schedule after two days of the Winter term.

A grade of ‘W’ for any class that is dropped from a student’s schedule after a specified date for each semester or term is considered a withdrawal, otherwise the class is considered dropped from the student’s schedule and no grade will appear on the student’s transcript.

Withdrawal/Dropping a Course

1. A grade of ‘W’ is given for withdrawals after the second week of class and before the 10th week during the spring and fall semesters. Withdrawals are normally not allowed beyond the ninth week.
2. A grade of ‘W’ is given for withdrawals after the first week of class and before the 5th week during any eight-week course. Withdrawals are normally not allowed beyond the fifth week.
3. A grade of ‘W’ is given for withdrawals after three days of class  and before the 3rd week during any four-week course. Withdrawals are normally not allowed beyond the second week.
4. A grade of ‘W’ is given for withdrawals after two days of class and before eleven days during any Winter course. Withdrawals are normally not allowed beyond the first week. 
5. Please refer to Dropping a Course or Withdrawing from the University After the Deadline under Financial Information section.

Arranged Courses

Any regular course described in the Academic Catalog which is taken by arrangement (i.e., at a time or in a manner differing from the scheduled offering) must be approved by the division chair administering the course. This rule does not apply to courses indicated as arranged courses on the class schedule. A fee will be assessed for taking a course by arrangement (see Financial Information ).

Independent Study Courses

Independent study courses are designed to cover, either in breadth or depth, material not already contained in a regular catalog course in that department. Independent study courses are available in most academic departments of the University. Application for independent study under the course number 2999 or 4999 should be made at least one week prior to the anticipated date of registration. Proposal forms are available from the Academic Center or on the OBU website and are to be submitted to the student’s division chair. The following general regulations apply:

1. A student requesting credit in a 2999 course should have completed a minimum of 24 hours with at least a B grade average. A student requesting credit in a 4999 course should have completed most of the required courses for a concentration, major, or minor, be classified as a junior or senior, and have at least a B average in the subject area. A student with incomplete course work (indicated by grades of I or E on the transcript) will not be approved.
2. One 2999 course may be taken in a field of study and only two 2999 courses may be taken in a degree program. One 4999 course may be taken in a major, one in a minor, or two in an area of concentration.
3. Credit for a 4999 course will be three semester hours unless specific exception is made in the approved proposal.
4. Students engaged in honors study may request one 4999 course for the work done in the program by completing the 4999 proposal form, having it approved, and registering in the course. This course is included in the limits outlined in (2).
5. A student will not be registered in a 4999 course until the registrar has received the approved proposal form from the student’s academic division chair.

Academic Credit for GO Center-Sponsored Activities

Students participating in travel/study experiences associated with a specific course are not required to seek special consideration for academic credit.

However, individual students desiring to earn credit while participating in GO Team experience through the university’s Avery T. Willis Center for Global Outreach must adhere to the following guidelines:

1. Sophomore standing or minimum of 30 credit hours completed;
2. GPA of at least 2.5;
3. A maximum of six (6) credit hours may be applied toward the major or minor; and,
4. Academic Chair’s permission is required.

The decision to facilitate an arranged course or a course by independent study is at the discretion of faculty in consultation with the academic chair.

The Milburn Center

Academic Advising

A faculty advisor is assigned to every student for the purpose of assisting the student with proper academic planning of his/her program. Faculty advisors are assigned by Academic Advising at the Milburn Center. Once an area of concentration or major is determined, a faculty member from the department of emphasis will be the advisor.

Students are advised that the final authority with respect to academic requirements is found in the official publications and regulations of the University. Any advice which students obtain inconsistent with those policies and regulations should be confirmed in writing by an academic officer responsible for administration of the pertinent degree or program area.

Student Success

OBU’s Student Success Center exists to nurture success in each student. The center’s staff are available for students of all majors, classifications and academic needs. The center assists with comprehension of course material as well as in the development of study, research, analytical, reading, writing and critical thinking skills.

Services include academic peer mentoring across the curriculum, broad-based writing support, and assistance in developing and strengthening general study strategies. Writing assistance and academic support are available in one-on-one, small-group, and large-group settings.

The center is on the third floor of the Mabee Learning Center. Special group study events are offered by the center throughout the academic year. For the center’s schedule, visit www.okbu.edu/success, or for more information, email student.success@okbu.edu.

Testing Center

The Testing Office administers the majority of non-classroom related tests at OBU and serves as a testing location for students with approved testing accomodations.The Testing Office is located in the Mabee Learning Center.

Withdrawal Procedures

OBU makes readily available upon request to enrolled and prospective students a refund policy with which the institution is required to comply for the return of unearned tuition and fees and other refundable portions of costs paid to the institution.

Unofficial Withdrawal

Students who stop attending classes during a semester will be considered as withdrawn students for federal aid purposes. The faculty members notify the Registrar when such an occurrence happens and the information is forwarded to the office of Student Financial Services to complete a return of Title IV refund calculation. Students who receive grades of all FX (failure due to non-attendance) may also be subject to a calculation if the last date of attendance was before the end of the semester. The office of the Registrar confirms the last date of class attendance with the professors of students who receive all FX grades and report that date to the office of Student Financial Services for use in the calculation.

Withdrawal Process

Students wishing to officially withdraw from the university during a semester must first visit with the Director of Student Success for an exit interview. The Director of Student Success will authorize the withdrawal and submit a withdrawal form electronically to the Academic Center and Student Financial Services. The student will be withdrawn from all courses which will automatically credit any tuition, fees, room and board refunds to the student’s account (see Withdrawal Refunds under Financial Information Section). Student Financial Services will determine the final status of their tuition account based on the refund policies above as well as the return of Title IV refund calculation for federal aid recipients. Student Financial Services will debit any federal, state or institutional funds for which the student has not earned based on the date of withdrawal and the refund calculation. The adjustments are made immediately to the student’s account and the student is directed to the Business Office to request any credit due to the student (or parent in case of PLUS loan credit) or to make payment arrangements for any amount due. Federal funds are then returned electronically using the Department of Education tools.

Refunds following Withdrawal

Once the withdrawal process is complete, if a credit exists on the student’s account and the credit is from scholarships, grants, work study earnings and student loans, the credit will be issues to the student. If the credit was caused by a parent PLUS loan, the credit up to the amount of the PLUS loan will be issued to the parent borrower of the PLUS loan.

Return of Title IV Refund Calculation following Withdrawal

The institution makes readily available upon request to enrolled and prospective students a summary of the requirements under §668.22 for the return of the Title IV grant or loan assistance. Students who formally withdraw by completing the withdrawal process or who stop attending classes are subject to a Return of Title IV calculation. Students who receive grades of all FX (failure due to nonattendance) may also be subject to a calculation if the last date of attendance was before the end of the semester. The office of the Registrar confirms the last date of class attendance with the professors of students who receive all FX grades and report that date to the office of Student Financial Services for use in the calculation. Students who have not earned at least 60% of their federal aid will owe federal funds back to the federal program(s).

If the result of the calculation is that the student earned less aid than they received (completed less than 60% of the semester), the refund to the federal programs will be as follows: Title IV grants such as Pell or Supplemental Education Opportunities Grant, then federal loans as mandated by the calculation. If the student received less federal aid than they earned, a post-withdrawal disbursement is due. Notification will be sent to the student/ borrower of all loan amounts and any grant amount amounts that will be directly disbursed. All postwithdrawal notifications will be sent within 30 days of the date OBU determined student withdrew. In the event, the student owes a grant overpayment, OBU will return the overpayment on behalf of the student and student will repay OBU. Therefore, it will not be necessary to report the overpayment to the Department of Education.

Absence from Chapel

Students are required to attend a total of 96 chapel programs to receive a bachelor’s degree. The number is prorated for students who attend fewer than eight fall/spring semesters. Credit for chapel attendance is given only for attending chapel. Absences are neither excused or unexcused. Doctor appointments, illnesses, school-related activities, and other reasons for failure to attend chapel do not reduce the total number required.

Chapel hardships will be considered when the student completes a hardship form in the Student Development Office in accordance with the student handbook.

Absence from Class

Students are expected to be faithful in class attendance. Persistent failure to attend class will be reported by instructors to the Registrar, and the student may be requested to withdraw from the University. When a student fails to attend class for any reason for as much as 25 percent of the total number of class meetings, the student may be given a grade of FX in the course regardless of the quality of his/her work. The grade of FX is computed in the GPA as an “F”. Other penalties for class absences may be assessed at the discretion of the instructor.

If a student offers illness or absence due to participation in an official University activity as an excuse for absence from class, the instructor may elect to require additional work to compensate for class absences. The illness or absence due to participation in an official University activity must be properly attested by a faculty sponsor or University officer (for an official University activity) or a physician, nurse, director of housing, or parent (for illness). The student is responsible for assuming the initiative to ensure that course work is not adversely affected by absence, for whatever cause.

Examinations

Examinations in courses must be taken at the regularly scheduled times. With the permission of the instructor, the student who misses a course examination may be allowed to take a make-up examination. No student will be excused from final examinations. When the student is unavoidably prevented from taking the final examination at the regularly scheduled time, he/she may take the examination after the scheduled date with the instructor’s permission. Students with three or more final examinations on the same day may petition the chair of the school/division which administers the course for possible rescheduling of one examination with permission of the instructor. The petition must be submitted at least one week before the beginning of final exams.

Limited Activities Period for Fall and Spring Semesters

During the fall and spring semesters, members of the University Community shall honor a limited activities period which will begin at 8:00 a.m. three class days prior to the beginning of the final examination period and will extend through the final examination period.

1. Faculty members shall not assign major papers or projects (papers or projects that account for more than 10% of the total points generated by a student in a course) to be due during this period.
2. Faculty members shall not require students to participate in out-of-class activities during this period (viewing a film, attending a lecture or a concert, etc.).
3. University organizations shall not sponsor social or educational events during this period.
4. Whenever possible, given scheduling considerations, athletic and School of Visual and Performing Arts events shall not be scheduled during this period.

Credit by Examination

A student may earn a maximum of 32 semester hours by examination through

1. locally prepared Advanced Standing Examinations,
2. College Level Examination Program’s Subject Examinations (CLEP),
3. CEEB Advanced Placement Examinations (AP), or
4. International Baccalaureate higher level examinations (IB).

Credit will be granted at the score level recommended by the American Council on Education or above, as recommended by the academic department granting the credit and approved by the administering division chair. Test administration will be open to current students as well as incoming freshmen and transfer students.

When recorded on the transcript, the credit is shown as by examination and a grade of S only is recorded. If the student’s score is not sufficient for credit, no entry will be made on the transcript. Credit by institutional challenge exams is accepted in transfer from any institution recognized by an accrediting agency approved by the State of Oklahoma or CHEA on the same basis as that school’s residence credit. However, when that credit was granted on the basis of an external examination such as CLEP, AP or IB, the student will be required to submit score reports, and proof of essays or oral examinations taken with the CLEP tests. Credit will be granted on the basis of OBU’s published minimum requirements. For transfer students, OBU will accept credit from accredited institutions that was granted on the basis of AP or IB Scores; provided however, that such credits shall not include those earned solely through concurrent enrollment. Credit granted by other institutions on the basis of CLEP general examinations, CEEB Achievement Examinations, and/or SAT/ACT scores, will be not accepted. The total credit by examination, including that accepted in transfer, shall not exceed 32 semester hours.

Students must register for credit by the OBU Advanced Standing Examination in the Academic Center, Thurmond Hall 201, prior to the exam and must sit for the exam at the appointed time.

Visit www.okbu.edu/admissions/credit-by-exam for more information.

College Board AP Exam

* Pending satisfactory completion of OBU Music Theory Placement Examination for music majors and minors.

CLEP Examination

OBU DOES NOT OFFER CREDIT FOR CLEP GENERAL EXAMS.

* Only one examination in each language; credit is awarded at level I or II according to score earned and performance on oral examination.

Credit may also be allowed on a case by case basis for exams on the dantes and regents credit by examination programs.

Contact the OBU Registrar for further information.

Leave of Absence Policy

Recognizing that students sometimes need to interrupt their enrollment at OBU for a semester or more but still wish to maintain their connection to the university, a Leave of Absence is available to three groups of students.

Study Abroad includes those students who are on an OBU foreign exchange program or are studying independently in a foreign post-secondary institution.

Time-Out students are those who interrupt their OBU program for a period of work, military service or because of family matters.

Other-Education students are those who choose to attend another U. S. post-secondary educational institution for one or more terms with the intent of transferring that work back to OBU to apply toward a degree here. An official transcript of all work attempted at another college or university must be provided to the OBU Registrar upon re-entry. 

Transcripts must be mailed directly from the issuing institution to OBU’s Registrar at academic.center@okbu.edu.

Students on an approved Leave of Absence will be maintained on the Academic Center’s mailing list to receive academic calendars each term, including upcoming enrollment dates. If the student returns to OBU within three semesters, the readmission process through the Admissions Office will not be required and the student will be allowed advance registration with his/her class, just as other on campus, continuing students.

Application for Leave of Absence forms are available on the OBU website.https://www.okbu.edu/academics/documents/leave-of-absence-application.pdf One copy of the approved form must be filed with the registrar in the Academic Center prior to departure from campus.

Pursuant to SB 1830: The Oklahoma Student Veteran Leave of Absence Act of 2014, Oklahoma Baptist University shall grant a Military Leave of Absence (MLOA) not to exceed a cumulative five years to a student who is a member of the active uninformed military services of the United States and is called to active duty. In summary, the act states that the student shall be eligible to: 1. Withdraw from and receive a refund for any or all classes for the period of active duty service without penalty to admission status or GPA and without loss of institutional financial aid; or 2. Receive an incomplete grade for any or all classes for the period of active duty status; provided that the student has completed a minimum of 50 percent of all class work prior to being called to active duty and the student completes all classes upon returning from active duty. The student’s admission status and GPA shall not be penalized, and the student shall experience no loss of institutional financial aid. To request a MLOA, contact the Office of the Registrar with a copy of your active duty orders.

Auditing Classes

A student who wishes to benefit from instruction in a course but desires no academic credit for it may apply for audit status in the Academic Center. Approved audit enrollment entitles the student to the privilege of sitting in the class, but may extend to full participation in class activities, examinations, homework, etc. with the permission of the instructor. Enrollment is done in the normal manner with an indication of audit status. Tuition and fees are the same as an enrollment for credit; the university sells instruction, not credit. All audit enrollments are on a space available basis and credit students have priority.

Petitions for changes from audit to credit or credit to audit must be submitted to the Academic Center no later than the end of the ninth week of classes for a fall or spring semester or the equivalent date of a J-Term or summer semester. Petitions for exception to this deadline must be made in writing with suitable supporting documentation (physician’s statement, faculty advisor’s statement, instructor’s statement, etc.) to the academic dean or division chair who administers the student’s major. Those who are not seeking a degree at OBU may petition the academic dean or division chair who administers the course. If the petition is approved, the academicdean or division chair will forward it to the registrar where the course grading/credit status will be changed accordingly.

Enrollment as an auditor is indicated on the student’s permanent academic record and is subject to the same posting regulations governing credit enrollment. For the student who meets the instructor’s expectations for class participation by an auditor, the grade of AU-S, Audit Satisfactory, with no credit, will be recorded at the end of the term. If expectations are not met, the instructor may report a final grade of AU-U, Audit Unsatisfactory.

An audited course is not included in the grade point average calculation. With the exception of physical education activities and art and music studio instruction, a course may be audited a maximum of two times.

After auditing a class, a student may not obtain credit by examination nor petition for retroactive credit for the course. A course taken for audit may count for credit only when the entire course and any laboratories/practica are satisfactorily repeated under a credit enrollment. An audited course is included in the calculation of tuition charges and student credit hour load limits. However, since it will not earn credit at the end of the term, an audited course does not count toward full-time status when the University is asked to certify a student for such purposes as financial aid, athletics and insurance.

Grade Appeals

In the case of a grade appeal, the student shall be considered to have an authentic grievance when he/ she can demonstrate his/her grade for a course has been adversely affected because a faculty member has:

1. made an error in the calculation of the grade or has made an error in reporting the grade to the registrar;
2. made an arbitrary, prejudiced or capricious evaluation of the student;
3. created and enforced course policy that is arbitrary, prejudiced and capricious;
4. failed to notify (or make a reasonable attempt to notify) the student of course requirements, policies, and/or penalties;
5. failed to notify (or make a reasonable attempt to notify) the student in a timely manner of failure to achieve educational objectives;
6. infringed upon the contractual rights of the student as delineated in the course syllabus, the Catalog, or other University policy documents;
7. violated the civil or human rights of the student as defined by law.

A grade appeal shall be initiated within ten (10) working days after the receipt of the grade or after the beginning of the next academic semester. This time period may be extended by the chief academic officer on petition from the student(s) involved.

In a grade appeal, the burden of proof is on the student.

Step One: Attempted Resolution

It is the responsibility of the student to carefully review all course requirements and policies at the beginning of each semester, to understand the grading system that will be employed, to determine whether any course requirements or policies will produce a hardship, and to negotiate, if it is possible to do so, a resolution to potential difficulties before such difficulties occur.

Students are advised to keep copies of all graded materials for a class until such time as a final grade for the class has been received and/or to keep their own records of grades received on each graded assignment.

Should a student receive a grade on an assignment or a final grade for the course that seems to the student to be unfair, and if he/she believes he/she has grounds for a grievance as defined above, he/ she shall employ the following procedure to seek resolution to the grievance.

1. The student shall first consult with the faculty member. Contact with the faculty member shall be initiated within ten (10) working days after the beginning of the following semester. If the faculty member is not available for consultation, the student may petition the chief academic officer for an extension of this period.
2. If this initial conference does not bring about a satisfactory result, the student may arrange a meeting with the division chair involved. This meeting must be held within five (5) working days of the consultation with the faculty member. The student will present to the division chair a written statement explaining the reason for the appeal. If the division chair is the instructor involved in the appeal, the student may request a conciliation with the academic dean of the school or division or with the chief academic officer. The division chair will discuss the appeal with the faculty member, the student, and the chair. Should such a meeting be called, it will be held within five (5) working days of the student’s request for a conference. The chairman and/or dean will seek to help the student and faculty member resolve the disagreement.
3. Should the department, division or school have an established grade appeal procedure, the student shall follow it before progressing to step two.
4. Should the conciliatory conference not yield a satisfactory result, the student should submit to the chief academic officer a request for a formal hearing.

Step Two: Formal Hearing

A written request for a formal hearing must be submitted by the student within ten (10) working days after the conciliation conference. The written request must be submitted to the chief academic officer. The petition must include detailed factual data and other information the petitioner deems pertinent to his/her case, including an account of the informal procedures and why the attempted resolution was unsatisfactory.

Within five (5) working days after receiving the student’s petition, an ad hoc hearing committee shall be formed. The chief academic officer shall select two faculty members upon the advice of the chairman of the Faculty Council. The dean of students shall select two students upon the advice from the officers of the Student Government Association. The ad hoc hearing committee will select an additional faculty member to be a nonvoting chairman. No person with a conflict of interest shall be selected.

The hearing shall be held within ten (10) working days of the selection of the ad hoc hearing committee at a time and place determined by the chief academic officer and communicated to all parties through his/ her office.

The hearing will be conducted in private and the parties will make no public statements about the case.

The ad hoc hearing will not be bound by strict rules of legal evidence. Serious efforts will be made to obtain the most reliable evidence. The decision will take the form of finding the fact, conclusions and a recommended disposition of the appeal. The findings of fact, conclusions, and recommended disposition must be based solely on the hearing records and pertinent University policies and procedures. The findings, conclusions and recommendations shall not be inconsistent with applicable provisions of local, state, and federal law.

Academic Distinctions

Honor Rolls

To qualify for the President’s Honor Roll, a student must have completed at least 12 semester hours in a given semester with a term grade point average of 3.70 and no grade lower than a B.

To qualify for the Dean’s Honor Roll, a student must have completed at least 12 semester hours in a given semester with a term grade point average of 3.40 and no grade lower than a C.

Part-time students qualify for the Bison Honor Roll if they complete six through 11 semester hours in a given semester with a term grade point average of 3.40 and no grade lower than a C.

No student who receives a grade of U will be eligible for listing on the honor rolls.

Degree Predicates

The minimum requirements for the scholarship honors awarded with B.A., B.S., B.S. Ed., B.B.A., B.P.A., B.M.E., B.F.A., B.M., and B.M.A. degrees are as follows:

Rite - 2.00 grade point average.

Cum Laude - 3.40 grade point average.

Magna Cum Laude - 3.70 grade point average; at least 60 semester hours completed at Oklahoma Baptist University.

With Distinction - Associate of Arts Degree with a 3.95 grade point average; at least 60 semester hours completed at Oklahoma Baptist University.

Summa Cum Laude - 3.95 grade point average; at least 90 semester hours completed at Oklahoma Baptist University.

The total grade point average, as well as the OBU average, must meet the minimum specified by each predicate.

Students who earn the distinction summa cum laude are awarded bachelor’s hoods to wear during Commencement ceremonies.  Students who earn the distinction of Magna Cum Laude and Cum Laude are notated in the commencement program.  

 Degrees with Honors

Qualifications

The Honors Program requires a minimum unweighted GPA of 3.5 to apply. While the program does not have a minimum test score required, the average ACT composite score for the last five entering classes has been 29 and the average SAT score has been 1350. A comparable average CLT score would be 91. 

Features of the Honors Program

In classes that alternate between group lectures and smaller seminars, Honors students read the works of the greatest intellectuals down through the ages-Plato, Aristotle, Homer, Virgil, Augustine, Dante, Shakespeare, Locke, Jefferson, Franklin and Dostoyevsky, to name just a few. We conceive of the Honors experience as an ongoing conversation about how humankind can pursue the good of the intellect through contemplation of truth, beauty, justice, redemption, sanctification and eternity.

Honors students also have the chance to explore the world by joining OBU faculty on a month-long, low-cost summer study abroad program. Previous trips have enabled students to explore England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and France. Upcoming trips could offer future Honors students the chance to travel to China, Peru, Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands, Greece or Italy. Students can earn anywhere from three to ten hours of OBU class credit while completing their study abroad capstone.

Whether on campus or abroad, Honors students also take colloquia, which are small, seminar-style classes on specialized topics. Colloquia allow students to take classes on subjects outside their chosen majors, broadening their horizons by investigating fascinating topics such as Musings on the Multiverse; Plagues, Pandemics, and Biowarfare; Theological Animation in Veggie Tales; or The Medieval Roots of The Lord of the Rings.

Many students complete their time in Honors by writing a thesis on a topic of their choice within their major. Guided by professors who are experts in their fields, students produce original and outstanding research and present it to professors, family and friends on campus the spring before they graduate. For more information on the features of the Honors Program curriculum and requirements, go to Honors Program.

Participation in the Honors Program prepares students for future success, making them outstanding candidates for graduate studies or prestigious careers in their chosen fields. But we do not want students to join simply for the tangible benefits. The real rewards of our program reside in the rich relationships with peers, faculty and ideas. And, prospective students, be warned: such relationships are likely to change your life.

OBU offers to outstanding, highly motivated students several enhancements to the regular curriculum. Among these are the OBU Honors Program and the Honors Thesis project.

The OBU Honors Program is a curricular program including a range of enhanced courses and experiences available to qualified students who elect to participate in them. Normally, students begin in this program in the first semester of the freshman year; its component parts are spread across the student’s years at OBU. For more specific information, see the Honors Program section on the OBU website.

Other undergraduate students who seek to benefit from independent study may petition the Honors Committee for approval of an Honors Thesis project. Petition should be made early in the second semester of the student’s junior year. A petitioner must present and maintain to graduation a composite grade average of 3.5 overall and in the major or area of concentration. The project, to be completed during the final three to four semesters at OBU, under the guidance of a faculty advisor, an outside reader, and the Honors Committee, should include an extensive advanced reading and critical analysis process and/or research process culminating in the writing and presentation of a bachelor’s thesis. Students completing this project may seek credit for one 4999 course in the department of emphasis, subject to the limits outlined in the Independent Study section of this catalog.

Students who complete requirements in the OBU Honors Program and students whose completed Honors Thesis projects are approved by the Honors Committee are afforded special recognition in Commencement exercises, on the final academic transcript, and on the diploma.

Course Numbering and Course Credit

Courses numbered 1000-1999 are open to all students; those numbered 2000-2999 are primarily for sophomores but may be taken by juniors and seniors; those numbered 3000-3999 are primarily for juniors but may be taken by seniors; those numbered 4000-4999 are primarily for seniors, those numbered 5000-6999 are primarily for graduate students.

The units digit (last digit) in the course number indicates the course credit. For example, MATH 1033  is a 3-credit course while CHEM 1105  is a 5-credit course. A course whose number ends in 9 is available for variable credit. Internships and practica generally fall under this category since students may register for varying amounts of credit, usually 1-6 hours. Student teaching, e.g., EDUC 4538 , which earns 10 hours of credits, has been assigned ‘8’ as the units digit.

Co-curricular Activities and Organizations

Co-curricular activities on the Oklahoma Baptist University campus include out-of-classroom activities, programs, and learning experiences that serve as an extension of the formal curriculum. The primary purpose of co-curricular activities is to complement what students are learning through the university curriculum and strengthen the students’ academic study. Participation in co-curricular activities does not yield academic credit and cannot yield financial compensation. Examples of co-curricular activities include groups with specific professional, vocational, and academic connections.

Oklahoma Baptist University recognizes the following list of activities/organizations as co-curricular. Additions to or deletions from the list must be approved through the Assessment Committee.

  Accounting Club

  Association of Family Service Professionals

 Business Forum

 Honor’s Council

  Mars Hill Student Apologetics Club

  Math Club (Delta Sigma Pi)

  National Association for Music Education

  Phi Alpha Theta (history)

  Philosophy Forum

  Pre-Allied Health Club

  Science Club

  Sigma Tau Delta (literary)

  Student Council for Exceptional Children

  Student Nurses Association

  Worship Studies Forum