Academic Affairs

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Dean Myers
Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs
1200 University Street, Unit 9501
Spearfish SD 57799-9501
605-642-6262

Welcome To Black Hills State University

The educational experience at Black Hills State University is designed to be intellectually stimulating and socially challenging while preparing students for productive roles in society. We strive to prepare students to be contributors in their chosen fields, to live full and satisfying personal lives, and to be constructive citizens. Black Hills State University offers a pathway for students seeking more fulfilling lifestyles.

Educational quality begins in the classroom with a highly qualified faculty delivering a modern curriculum utilizing instructional technologies designed for personal and professional development. The faculty and staff at this university care about individual students, their academic growth and their social development.

Black Hills State University is particularly proud of its tradition as a friendly campus where students are recognized, nurtured, and valued both individually and collectively. We want students to succeed on campus and ultimately in their professional careers. We believe educated people will find increased personal satisfaction and greater success in their professional lives. We strive to create a culture of lifelong learning in our graduates. Students who work hard, exercise intellectual curiosity, and engage in co-curricular activities will be successful.

The university is here to help you achieve your goals. A university education will enrich your life in many ways.

The Black Hills State University academic catalog is updated annually by the Registrar’s Office in cooperation with the academic colleges. Any student registering for the first time at Black Hills State University will use the current version of the university catalog to plan an academic program. http://www.BHSU.edu

Please note that the university reserves the right to change graduation or other academic requirements where changes are necessary to comply with Board of Regents policy directives, to meet external demands relating to accountability or accreditation standards, to reflect curriculum changes or substitutions or to implement evolving discipline requirements in major fields.

Any student registering for the first time at Black Hills State University will use the current version of the university catalog to plan an academic program. Any student who continues through an uninterrupted academic program has two options.

If a student interrupts their academic program for two semesters or more, the student must use the catalog that is current during the time of re-enrollment. The student may complete the baccalaureate program with this catalog or select the second option in the above paragraph.

The information contained in this catalog is the most accurate available at the time of publication. It is ultimately the student’s responsibility to stay abreast of dates, current regulations, curricula, and the status of specific programs being offered. Further, the university reserves the right, as approved by the Board of Regents, to modify requirements, curricula offerings, and charges, and to add, alter, or delete courses and programs through appropriate procedures. While reasonable efforts will be made to publicize such changes, a student is encouraged to seek current information from appropriate offices.

Black Hills State University operates on a fall, spring, and summer term. Fall and spring are on a semester basis. The summer term begins the Monday following the spring semester and ends the first part of August and consists of three 4-week blocks. A semester shall consist of a minimum of fifteen weeks. The number of class days in a given semester shall be inclusive of those days set aside for registration, assessment/performance testing and final examinations but exclusive of holidays and days set aside for new student orientation.

Each institution shall operate a fall, spring, and summer term. Fall and spring shall be operated on a semester basis. Summer term begins the day after spring semester ends and continues the day before fall semester begins.

A semester shall consist of a minimum of fifteen weeks. The number of class days in a given semester shall be inclusive of those days set aside for registration, assessment/performance testing and final examinations but exclusive of holidays and days set aside for new student orientation. New student orientation may be concurrent with or prior to registration.

Academic guidelines require that all courses offered for credit must involve a minimum of fifteen contact hours over three instructional days for each credit hour awarded.

Correspondence - The correspondence program affords an opportunity for students unable to participate in on-campus or extension undergraduate courses to begin or continue their education through a home study, self-directed, and self-paced program. Courses offered by distance education should have equivalent standards, rigor, student outcomes, substance and assignments as courses offered by face-to-face means. Distance education courses may be scheduled on a semester basis and require that students complete learning experiences on a particular timeline (i.e. each week). Also, distance education courses may be offered asynchronously to allow students maximum flexibility in participation. Asynchronous courses may or may not necessarily be offered on a semester basis. The required length for a distance education course is determined by course expectations and scheduling. The student will conclude the course upon completion of course requirements. Typically, a one credit hour course lasting for a semester equates to forty-five hours of effort by the student.

The academic term for correspondence courses is defined as follows:

The Registrar’s Office upon registration and receipt of payment will mail course materials to the student. Textbooks for the courses may be purchased through the University Bookstore. Students using correspondence courses to calculate their financial aid eligibility must complete the course during the semester in which they registered.

A student’s registration may be canceled if:

If a student’s registration is canceled, there shall be no permanent transcript record for the semester. If a student initiates withdrawal or the home university has completed withdrawal procedures for administrative reasons, the statement “Withdrew”, and a withdrawal date, and a “W” grade for every course for which the student was registered for that term will be entered on the transcript. See also policy 2:6.

A student who is required to withdraw from the term or from a course after the final withdrawal date (see policy 2:6.8) due to illness or extenuating circumstances may petition the Vice President for Academic Affairs of the student’s home university for an exception to the final withdrawal date. If approved, the student’s withdrawal is processed and the final withdrawal date of the term is used as the official date of the student’s withdrawal.

The drop/add period is the time period during which students may adjust their academic schedule for the term without financial or academic consequences. The last day of the drop/add period for a course is designated as the census date for that course and is the official date for enrollment reporting. The end of the drop and add period for standard and non-standard courses offered in a semester shall be the date the first 10 percent of the term ends or the day following the first class meeting, whichever is later. When calculating ten percent of the term, breaks of five or more days are not included when counting the total number of days but Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays are. Student registrations can only be added to courses after the end of the drop and add period by approval of the instructor and academic college dean.

The census date is the official date for enrollment reporting for a course. The official date for enrollment reporting, or census date, for standard courses shall be the date the first ten percent of the term ends.

For any nonstandard course, the census date must be calculated for the course based on the number of calendar meeting days for the course. Refer to BOR policy 5:7 for information on refunds.

The Midterm date is determined by counting the number of class days from the beginning of a term and dividing by two and rounding up when the number of class days in a term is an odd number.

Undergraduate and graduate students who drop a course, or withdraw from the system, shall receive a grade of “W” if that action occurs anytime between the day after the census day for that course and the day that corresponds with the completion of 70% of the class days for that course. Likewise, a student who withdraws from the system during that time period also shall receive grades of “W” for all the courses in which he/she is registered. (Exception: a student who completely withdraws from the Regental system from the first day of a class(es) until the census date of the class(es) will also have a pseudo course of WD 101 (Undergraduate) or WD 801 (graduate) with a “W” grade entered on their transcript.) (Refer to policy 5:7.2)

For standard classes, the last day to receive a grade of “W” is determined by calculating 70% of the class meeting days in the term, counting from the first day of classes in the term and rounding up if the calculation produces a fractional value greater than or equal to 0.5.

For any nonstandard course, the last day to receive a grade of “W” is based on the number of class meeting days for the course, using the method described above.

A notation of the date of withdrawal will be included on the student’s transcript if he/she withdraws from the system. (Refer to policy 5:7.2) Students may not drop a course or withdraw from the system after the time period specified above. (Refer to policy 5:7.2)

Undergraduate and graduate students may choose the Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grade option within the Drop and Add Period (Prior to Census Date) as specified in 2:6.5.

Undergraduate and graduate students may choose to audit a class within the Drop and Add Period (Prior to Census Date) as specified in 2:6.5.

Instructors will submit a deficient academic progress report for undergraduate students no later than five working days after the midterm date for Fall and Spring terms. Deficient academic progress reports will be made available to undergraduate students no later than eight working days after the midterm date for Fall and Spring terms via WebAdvisor.

Instructors will submit (via WebAdvisor) all grades no later than three working days after the last day of final examinations for the term. Grades of NR (not reported) will be recorded by the Registrar’s Office for students whose instructor has missed this deadline.

Faculty will enter grades via WebAdvisor no later than the third working day following the last day of finals. The Registrar’s Office at each university will verify grades no later than eight working days after the last day of final examinations for the term.

The Registrar’s Office (Woodburn 104) must be notified if a student decides to completely withdraw from school. The notification will be in writing, by fax, or in person. The student’s withdrawal date is the date the student began the withdrawal process or officially notified BHSU of intent to withdraw by contacting the Registrar’s Office.

For students who fail to officially withdraw, the institution may administratively withdraw the student. The withdrawal date for an administrative withdrawal will be determined at the University’s option to be:

A student is considered withdrawn during a term if classes have begun and:

A student who is required to withdraw from the term or from a course after the final withdrawal date (BOR policy 2:6.8) due to illness or extenuating circumstances may petition the Vice President for Academic Affairs (of the student’s primary institution) for an exception to the final withdrawal date.

Unit of Credit is the measure of work done in carrying for one semester a subject of one class meeting a week or its equivalent. Each class meeting is accompanied by two hours of preparation. When the work is done in the classroom or laboratory and little or no outside preparation is required, the amount of time scheduled in class or laboratory is increased. Two or more hours may be required for one hour of credit in such cases.

Credits in Residence: A credit in residence within the Board of Regents system is a course offered by any of the degree-granting Regental institutions at any approved sites using any approved method of delivery.

Institutional Credit: An institutional credit is a credit offered by the degree granting institution and includes credits that are part of a formal collaborative agreement between that institution and another Regental institution.

Validated Credit: credit earned for college level courses by validation methods such as credit by exam, CLEP, AP, portfolio, etc. within the Regental system will not be considered “credits in residence”.

Effective Spring 2000, entering students must show evidence of their level of academic preparation prior to their enrollment into their initial mathematics, English, and reading courses. All entering students seeking an associate or baccalaureate degree must provide valid Enhanced ACT scores (within the last five years) or must take the ACT COMPASS examination in the areas of writing skills, mathematics, and reading. All non-degree seeking students enrolling in English and mathematics courses must provide Enhanced ACT scores or must take the ACT COMPASS examination in the areas of writing skills and mathematics.

Students enrolled prior to spring 2000 that have already been placed into their initial mathematics and English coursework, and transfer students who have completed equivalent general education coursework in English and mathematics are exempt from this requirement.

Students transferring within the Regental system will be allowed to transfer their placement test scores and continue their sequence of courses in English and/or mathematics.

Each institution shall give students prior notice that it will provide reasonable accommodations for test takers in keeping with institutional practices implementing the South Dakota Human Relations Act of 1972, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (refer to Board Policy 1:19).

Pre-general education courses include ENGL 033, MATH 021, MATH 101 and READ 041.

Completion of Pre-General Education Courses - Students placed in pre-general education courses must enroll in and complete the courses within the first 30 credit hours attempted.

If a student does not complete the pre-general education course(s) within the first 30 credit hours attempted, a registration hold is placed on the student’s record. During the next 12 credit hours attempted, the student must enroll in and complete the pre-general education course(s).

If the pre-general education course(s) is not completed within the first 42 credit hours attempted, the only course(s) in which a student may enroll is the pre-general education course(s); and the student’s status is changed from degree seeking to non-degree seeking.

Students transferring from non-Regental institutions must enroll in pre-general education courses during the first semester of attendance. These students may enroll in other courses concurrently with the pre-general education courses. If the student does not complete the pre-general education courses during the first semester of attendance, the only course(s) in which a student may enroll is the pre-general education course(s); and the student’s status is changed from degree seeking to non-degree seeking. If the student is required to complete more than one pre-general education course in math, the student must complete one course the first semester and must enroll in the second pre-general education course in math during the second semester. The student may enroll in other courses the second semester concurrently with the second pre-general education course in math. If the student does not complete the second pre-general education course in math during the second semester of attendance, the only course(s) in which a student may enroll is the pre-general education course(s); and the student’s status is changed from degree seeking to non-degree seeking. The Vice President for Academic Affairs may grant an exception.

Credit Hours and Grades - Credit hours for the pre-general education courses are included in the total number of credit hours attempted, however they are NOT included in the total number of hours completed. The grades assigned for courses numbered less than 100 will be RS (Remedial Satisfactory) and RU (Remedial Unsatisfactory).

Placement through ACT : standardized test scores determine placement in English Composition courses. For students with valid ACT scores, the scale used for placement is:

Placement through COMPASS : All students who do not have ACT scores or who have ACT scores older than five years must take the COMPASS Writing Placement Exam. Students should be directed to the Center for Academic Success to take this exam. The scale used to determine placement with this exam is listed below:

Challenging Placement - Students who place into English 031, 032 or 033 but feel their ACT English Sub-score or their COMPASS Writing Exam score does not reflect their writing ability may challenge the placement by taking the COMPASS Writing Exam ONCE (in the case of those with an ACT score) or TWICE (in the case of those with a COMPASS score.)

Students with an ACT score of twenty-eight (28) and above may challenge placement into ENGL 101 by taking the E-write Compass Exam to place into ENGL 201. Students who are placed in ENGL 201 are still required to take a total of six (6) hours of English for the general education requirement. ENGL 401 can be used as their second University writing course, or students may opt to CLEP the ENGL 101 to satisfy those hours prior to taking ENGL 201.

A student may demonstrate proficiency in an academic area by taking a special (college) examination. If a sufficiently high score is achieved, the student will receive University credit for a specific course without enrolling in the usual manner. The appropriate College Dean shall determine whether a student qualifies to take the examination and what constitutes proficiency on that examination. Students are not eligible for credit by special examination in courses for which they have previously received college credit. Special examination grades are recorded on a pass-fail basis and are not used in computing grade point averages.

Black Hills State University employs two basic testing procedures to grant credit for learning that occurs outside of the classroom; the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) Subject Examination, and Credit by Special Examination Program. These programs make it possible for an individual to earn college or university credits based on individual learning experiences or to aid in employment opportunities.

The CLEP Subject Examination is a widely accepted national testing program designed to assess student competencies in a number of subject areas. Students are limited to 32 semester hours earned by CLEP Special Examination, correspondence, military service schools, and extension courses from other colleges or universities. Academic credit awarded through CLEP will be applied to Black Hills State University degree requirements. Grades are not assigned for credit earned. If credit is to be applied to a program of study at Black Hills State University, the student is required to get written approval from the dean of the college in which the subject is offered, prior to testing. For information about the CLEP examination, call the Center for Academic Success, at 605-642-6259. Refer to the South Dakota Board of Regents web site for approved courses and exams. www.sdbor.edu and search for CLEP Exams.

Because CLEP examinations are not available for certain undergraduate courses, the Credit by Special Examination Program has been developed. This option affords the student the opportunity to receive credit for courses taught at Black Hills State University. To pursue this option, the student must make arrangements with the dean of the college in which the class is offered. If the exam is successfully completed, the student will receive credit for the course. NOTICE: Special Exam credits will NOT transfer outside of the Regental system.

Course credit for Principles of Accounting will not be awarded to students entering the system with qualifying scores after June 2012. Course credit for Trigonometry will not be awarded to students entering the system with qualifying scores after June 2011.

In accordance with the South Dakota Board of Regents and university policy, Black Hills State University encourages high school students to take advantage of the opportunities available to them through the Advanced Placement Program offered through College Board.

Students who complete Advanced Placement courses in their high schools and take the examination offered by College Board may be eligible to receive college credit at BHSU. Not only does this offer students the opportunity to take a more challenging high school class that helps prepare them for college, but it may also give them college credit at a reduced cost if they achieve a minimum score on the Advanced Placement exam. To get college credit, students must have an official transcript sent from College Board directly to the Enrollment Services at BHSU. Students who achieve the minimum scores listed below will be given credit for the appropriate class provided they enroll at BHSU and we have an official transcript.

*Retroactive credits for FREN 101, 102, & 201 may be earned if 310 is completed with a grade of “C” or above.

**Retroactive credits for GER 101, 102, & 201 may be earned if 311 and 312 passed with a grade of “C” or above.

***Retroactive credits for SPAN 101, 102, & 201 may be earned if 311 and 312 passed with a grade of “C” or above.

Originally developed for military personnel, the DANTES program has been open to all college students since 1983. Developed by The Chauncey Group International LTD., a subsidiary of the Educational Testing Services (ETS), the program provides an opportunity for students to receive college credit for learning acquired outside the traditional college classroom. Colleges and universities throughout the United States administer the exams year-round. The exams are primarily multiple-choice exams and were developed by ETS using the same basic procedures they use for achievement test development. The DSST differ from CLEP in that the DSST may be given on demand, are semester oriented, do not have time limits, and include areas not covered by CLEP.

Minimum Scores Acceptable for Granting College Credit within the South Dakota Public University System

1. Academic courses will be transferred as meeting graduation requirements if the courses parallel the scope and depth requirements for the degree or if the courses meet electives required for the degree. Credit will not be given for duplication of courses.
2. United States Regional Accrediting Associations - North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges, New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
3. Undergraduate transfer academic courses received from United States colleges and universities accredited by United States regional accrediting associations
   1. All undergraduate transfer courses and all transfer grades (whether the grades are passing or not passing) must be recorded and an equivalency specified by the Regental university, calculated into grade point averages according to the Regental grade scheme, and recorded on the student’s academic transcript.
   2. Remedial courses (as identified on the sending institution’s transcript) received in transfer are recorded, transcripted, and assigned an equivalency at the receiving university but do not calculate into grade point averages.
   3. Transfer grades not existing in the Regental grading scheme will be equated to the Regental grading system. (Refer to BOR 2:10, Use of Grade Point Averages).
   4. In any subsequent evaluation, equivalencies for system common courses and system general education courses will not be changed. Equivalencies for unique courses may be changed. In subsequent evaluations, grades previously recorded cannot be changed.
   5. The university-specific degree requirements determine if the courses transferred are applicable to the student’s degree program at that university and if they meet the minimum grade criteria.
   6. Orientation, Life Experience, General Educational Development Tests, and high school level courses are not recorded in Colleague as transfer credit nor are they granted equivalent credit.
      1. High school courses for which students received college credit will not be entered as transfer credit, or given equivalent credit, unless validated by an Advanced Placement or CLEP score that meets Board of Regents guidelines for acceptance of credit or the college credit is granted by a university with which the Board has a dual credit agreement. This requirement is effective for high school courses taken after Spring term 2002.
4. Undergraduate transfer technical courses received from United States colleges and universities accredited by United States regional accrediting associations
   1. University discretion is permitted in acceptance of courses. Courses considered for transfer are subject to all BOR policies and any conditions for validation that may be prescribed by the accepting institution.
   2. When the courses are accepted for transfer, equivalent courses are recorded on the transcript but the grade earned at the technical institute is not recorded or calculated into the grade point averages.
   3. In any subsequent evaluation, equivalencies for system common courses and system general education courses will not be changed. Equivalencies for unique courses may be changed, re-evaluated, or inactivated. Additional equivalencies may be added and evaluated.
   4. The university-specific degree requirements determine if the courses transferred are applicable to the student’s degree program at that university and if they meet the minimum grade criteria.
5. Graduate transfer courses received from United States colleges and universities accredited by a United States regional accrediting association
   1. All graduate transfer courses and transfer grades judged to be acceptable by the evaluating university, are recorded and evaluated by the Regental university, calculated into grade point averages according to the Regental grade scheme, and recorded on the student’s academic transcript.
   2. If transfer credits are judged acceptable; these courses will be recorded, and equivalencies granted, using the following guidelines:
      1. If there are specific equivalent graduate courses at the university evaluating the credit, these specific courses should be used when granting equivalencies.
      2. If there are no equivalent graduate courses at the university evaluating the credit, these courses will be recorded, and equivalencies granted, using the following guidelines:
         1. If the academic discipline is available at the university evaluating the credit, but there is no discipline equivalent course, use the discipline prefix and the appropriate course level (700 for masters programs and 800 for doctoral programs).
         2. If the academic discipline in not available at the university evaluating the credit, use the GEN prefix and the appropriate course level (700 for masters programs and 800 for doctoral programs).
   3. Transfer grades not existing in the Regental grading scheme will be equated to the Regental grading system.
   4. In subsequent evaluation, all equivalencies may be re-evaluated, inactivated, or changed. Additional equivalencies may be added and evaluated. In subsequent evaluations, grades previously recorded cannot be changed.
   5. The university-specific plan of study requirements determine if the courses transferred are applicable to the student’s degree program at that university and if they meet the minimum grade criteria.
6. Transfer Courses Received from Accredited Postsecondary Technical Institutes
   1. An academic course is defined as a course that is equivalent to a Regental general education requirement at the 100 or 200 level.
   2. A technical course is defined as a non-academic course that meets the technical program requirements for a diploma, certificate, or Associate of Applied Science degree.
   3. South Dakota Technical Institutes
      1. Transfer of academic courses from South Dakota postsecondary technical institutes is governed by BOR policies 2:25, 2:26, 2:27, 2:28, and 2:31.
         1. Transfer grades not existing in the Regental grading scheme will be equated to the Regental grading system.
         2. In any subsequent evaluation, equivalencies for system common courses and system general education courses will not be changed. Equivalencies for unique courses may be changed.
      2. Academic courses taken under articulation agreements in effect between July 1, 1999 and June 30, 2005 will be transferred according to those agreements.
      3. Effective Fall 2005, transfer of technical course credit hours from South Dakota postsecondary technical institutes only occurs as part of a program to program articulation agreement approved by the Board of Regents and South Dakota Board of Education.
         1. The transfer of technical course credit hours occurs as a block of credit hours upon completion of requirements for the university articulated program.
         2. The CR grade is used for the block of technical course credit hours.
   4. Other Technical Institutes
      1. University discretion is permitted in acceptance of academic courses. Academic courses considered for transfer are subject to all BOR policies and any conditions for validation that may be prescribed by the accepting institution.
         1. When the academic courses are accepted for transfer, equivalent courses are recorded on the transcript.
         2. In any subsequent evaluation, equivalencies for system common courses and system general education courses will not be changed. Equivalencies for unique courses may be changed, re-evaluated, or inactivated. Additional equivalencies may be added and evaluated.
         3. The university-specific degree requirements determine if the academic courses transferred are applicable to the student’s degree program at that university and if they meet the minimum grade criteria.
      2. Transfer of technical course credit hours from non South Dakota postsecondary technical institutes only occurs as part of a program to program articulation agreement approved by the Board of Regents.
         1. The transfer of technical course credit hours occurs as a block of credit hours upon completion of requirements for the university articulated program.
         2. The CR grade is used for the block of technical course credit hours.
7. Undergraduate and graduate credits received from United States colleges or universities which are not accredited by a United States regional accrediting association, and undergraduate and graduate credits received from United States colleges or universities which are not accredited by a United States regional accrediting association but are accredited by a national specialized accrediting agency recognized by the US Department of Education.
   1. University discretion is permitted in acceptance of courses. Courses considered for transfer are subject to all BOR policies and any conditions for validation that may be prescribed by the accepting institution.
   2. When the courses are accepted for transfer, equivalent courses are recorded on the transcript but the grade earned at the non-accredited institution is not recorded or calculated into the grade point averages.
   3. In any subsequent evaluation, equivalencies for system common courses and system general education courses will not be changed. Equivalencies for unique courses may be changed, re-evaluated, or inactivated. Additional equivalencies may be added and evaluated.
   4. The university-specific degree requirements determine if the courses transferred are applicable to the student’s degree program at that university and if they meet the minimum grade criteria.
8. Courses submitted in transfer from postsecondary technical institutes that are not accredited by a United States regional accrediting agency will not be accepted.
9. Undergraduate and Graduate Courses from Postsecondary Institutions outside the United States
   1. Courses considered for transfer are subject to all BOR policies and any conditions for validation that may be prescribed by the accepting institution.
   2. When the courses are accepted for transfer, equivalent courses are recorded on the transcript but the grade earned at the sending institution is not recorded or calculated into the grade point averages.
   3. In any subsequent evaluation, equivalencies for system common courses and system general education courses will not be changed. Equivalencies for unique courses may be changed, re-evaluated, or inactivated. Additional equivalencies may be added and evaluated.
   4. The university-specific degree requirements determine if the courses transferred are applicable to the student’s degree program at that university and if they meet the minimum grade criteria.
10. Credit Received Through Validation Methods
    1. Credit earned through validation methods other than nationally recognized examinations is limited to a maximum of 32 hours of credit for baccalaureate degrees and 16 hours of credit for associate degrees.
       1. Validation of Military credit is limited to an additional 32 hours of credit for baccalaureate degrees and an additional 16 hours of credit for associate degrees.
    2. Credit for college level courses granted through nationally recognized examinations such as CLEP, AP, DANTES, etc., will be evaluated and accepted for transfer if equivalent to Regental courses and the scores are consistent with Regental policies.
       1. If credit received through validation is applied as elective credit, it may only be applied at the 100 or 200 level.
       2. Credit received through validation may apply to System General Education Requirements and Institutional Graduation Requirements.
       3. Credit received through validation may not apply to globalization and writing intensive requirements.
    3. When validation credits are accepted, equivalent courses are recorded on the transcript but are not calculated into the grade point averages.
    4. In any subsequent evaluation, equivalencies for system common courses and system general education courses will not be changed. Equivalencies for unique courses may be changed, re-evaluated, or inactivated. Additional equivalencies may be added and evaluated.
    5. The university-specific degree requirements determine if the validation credits accepted also are applicable to the student’s degree program at that university.
11. When a course has been repeated for credit, all attempts will be entered on the transcript but the last grade earned will be used in the calculation of the grade point averages.
12. Total transfer credit for work at a junior, community college (2 year), and/or two-year technical college may not exceed one-half of the hours required for completion of the baccalaureate degree at the accepting institution. Students who have completed more than the acceptable semester hours of junior, community or technical college work may apply completed transferable courses to specific course requirements and thereby may not be required to repeat the courses. The semester hours of credit for those additional courses may not be applied toward the minimum credit hours required for the degree.
13. System general education requirements successfully completed at the sending South Dakota Regental institution will be accepted towards meeting these requirements at the accepting South Dakota Regental institution. In any subsequent evaluation of any transfer or noncourse work, equivalencies for system common courses and system general education courses will not be changed.
14. Evaluations of courses will be made by the appropriate institutional officials at the time of admission by comparing descriptions, content, and level of courses completed with those at the accepting institution.
15. Each institution will develop and maintain a procedure for the appeal of transfer credit decisions.
16. A Regental internal transfer process occurs when an undergraduate course is used on a converted credit basis to meet graduate plan of study requirements at Regental universities or when graduate credit is used on a converted or actual credit basis to meet undergraduate degree requirements for a Regental accelerated program. Refer to BOR policy 2:8.3.A and 2:8.3.B.

2:5 SOURCE: SDCL 13-49.1; BOR, April 1989; BOR, April 1992; BOR, June 1997; BOR, March 1998; BOR, August 1999, March 2001; BOR, May 2001; BOR, January 2002; BOR, March 2002; BOR, June 2002; BOR, August 2002; BOR, December 2002: BOR, May 2003, BOR, August 2003; BOR, December 2003; BOR, October 2004; BOR, June 2005; BOR, August 2005.

Technical Institute courses are designed to prepare students to enter the workforce for careers requiring less than a baccalaureate degree. Acceptance of these courses for credit at the South Dakota public universities is strictly the function of the receiving institution. Students who wish to transfer credits to a South Dakota public university for programs other than the Bachelor of Applied Technical Science degree should contact the Admissions Office of that desired university for an evaluation of their program objectives and technical institute transcript. An individual evaluation of course credits will be made by the receiving public university in accordance with institutional and Board of Regents policy.

To complete the 128-semester hour graduation requirement in four academic years, a student must average sixteen semester hours per semester. To make normal progress the full-time undergraduate student must complete a minimum of twelve semester hours each semester, maintaining at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average. (*Applicable upon accumulating more than six semester hours.)

The undergraduate student taking a partial load must complete a proportionate number of credit hours, maintaining at least a 2.0 grade point average. For example, the student taking a half-time load must have completed six semester hours with a grade point of 2.0 in order to make normal progress.

If students wish to register for courses which require placement exams, or prerequisite courses, registration will be granted based on a record of proper course sequence and/or successful completion of required placement exams.

Veterans Regulations - Normal Progress - Students who receive educational benefits from the Veterans Administration must maintain satisfactory academic progress in order to continue in the program. The Veterans Affairs Office, Woodburn 106B, will help you determine your status and assist in resolving the following concerns:

- Planning to attend BHSU
- Adding, dropping, or withdrawing from any course
- Total withdrawal from the University
- Change of major
- Change of mailing address
- Placement on academic probation or suspension
- A change in marital status
- A change in the number of dependents

In general, enrollment in a class implies the responsibility for attending each class session. However, the attendance policy for a specific class is at the discretion of the faculty member teaching that class and will be outlined in the course syllabus. Students will be allowed to make up graded work if an absence is due to participation in university-sponsored activities, provided prior notification of the impending absence has been given to the instructor.

The University reserves the right to cancel any semester class in which the enrollment is not ten or more. The University also reserves the right to cancel any summer class for which the number of students enrolled does not meet the minimum as determined by institution officials. Enrollment requirements for summer will vary.

The SD Board of Regents adopted the Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP) as the Regental Proficiency Examination. The CAAP is designed to test foundational college skills at or near the end of the first two years of college. As the Regental Proficiency Examination, the following four components of the CAAP examination are used: Writing Skills, Mathematics, Reading, and Science Reasoning.

To be eligible to receive an associate or baccalaureate degree from a Regental university, satisfactory performance on the proficiency examination is required.

Enrolled students who have already earned a baccalaureate degree are exempt from this requirement if the following conditions are met: 1) the institution awarding the degree is accredited by a United States Department of Education recognized accrediting organization; and 2) the degree required the completion of a minimum of 18 credit hours of general education requirements including the requirements specified in Board Policy 2:7.3

Criteria for Test Eligibility - Students are required to sit for the Proficiency Examination during the first semester in which they become eligible according to the criteria outlined below.

Associate Degree-Seeking Students

- Degree-seeking student registered for credit
- Completion of 32 passed credit hours at or above the 100 level

Baccalaureate Degree-Seeking Students

- Degree-seeking student registered for credit
- Completion of 48 passed credit hours at or above the 100 level

Transfer Students

- are eligible for testing as soon as they meet criteria associated with the level of degree they are seeking.

Students who have taken the CAAP exam prior to being selected to sit for the Regental Proficiency Examination, or who sat for the CAAP exam at another accredited non-Regental institution, may use their scores from those test administrations, in whole or in part, as a substitute for sitting for the Regental Proficiency Examination if those scores meet the Minimum Performance Standards and if they were achieved no more than 3 years prior to the semester in which the student would be required to sit for the CAAP exam. Transfer students with eligible transfer scores are responsible for providing official verification of the previous scores immediately after receiving notification of the requirement to test.

Consequences of Failure to Test - Students failing to sit for the Regent Proficiency Examination as scheduled will be denied subsequent registration at all Regental Institutions. Students who have been denied registration due to failure to sit for the Regental Proficiency Examination may apply for readmission after two academic terms (fall, spring, or summer). If readmitted, they must sit for the examination during the next administration. Failure to do so will result in immediate administrative withdrawal.

Retesting - Students failing to achieve the minimum proficiency level on one or more of the components will be allowed the opportunity to retest. Students failing to test satisfactorily in the fall must retest no later than the following fall’s administration, and students failing in the spring must retest no later than the following spring’s administration. In the interim students may continue to enroll in courses.

When first sitting for the examination, students must take the examination as a whole. When retesting, however students will take only those components on which a satisfactory score was not achieved. Students who must retest on one or more components may retake each one up to two times within the time frame allowed as outlined above. All retests must be taken during the regularly scheduled test administration periods in the fall and spring.

Unsatisfactory Performance of Retesting - Students failing to achieve the minimum satisfactory proficiency level on their final retest opportunity will be denied subsequent registration at all Regental institutions. Application for readmission will be contingent upon satisfactory performance on the Regental Proficiency Examination or an earned baccalaureate degree from another regionally accredited institution. Students may arrange for retesting during any subsequent administration of the examination and may apply to retest at any Regental institution. Students who perform satisfactorily on the retest will be allowed to register for the next academic term. Students may appeal to an institutional review panel for certification of proficiency using alternate methods.

Full-time and part-time status is critical to the processes of registration, financial aid, residential life, federal and state enrollment reporting, and student activities. Overload status is determined to not allow a student to register in more than a reasonable load unless special approval is given after an analysis of the student’s past academic record. 

The maximum number of credit hours for which a student may enroll is eighteen hours per semester or seven hours per four week summer session.

A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.7 for all previous college work is required for those students wishing to petition the College Deans for an overload of courses.

Sixteen hours per semester or six hours per four week summer session is recommended for all students in good academic standing.

It is recommended that a student on academic probation limit their registration to fourteen hours per semester and five hours each four week summer session. Limits lower than this, may be recommended by the Academic Standards Committee.

Undergraduate Grades

Undergraduate Grades will be assigned to the undergraduate academic level and to all courses and sections with course numbers ranging from 001 to 499. Plus and minus grades are not used.

Midterm Grades

Instructors will submit a deficient academic progress report for undergraduate students no later than three working days after the mid-term date for Fall and Spring terms. Deficient academic progress reports will be made available (via WebAdvisor) to undergraduate students no later than eight working days after the mid-term date for Fall and Spring terms.

Final Grades

Final grades will not be mailed; student’s may get their final grades from WebAdvisor using their id and password information. Final grades are posted to WebAdvisor by faculty and are due on the third day following the last day of final exams. Students may obtain an official transcript from the Registrar’s Office for a fee of $5.00. This request must be requested in writing with the student’s signature. An unofficial transcript may be requested in person at no charge.

Each university must have in place a practice for determining and recording the Last Date of Academic Activity, whenever reporting a final grade of F, U, or RU.

W = Withdrawal - A “W” grade will be given to a student if they drop a course, or withdraw from the system, from the day after census date (10% of instruction) until 70% of the class days have been held.

NR = Not Recorded by Instructor - This grade is entered by the Registrar’s Office when a grade is not issued by the instructor, within the grading deadline specified, for a course for which the student has officially registered and paid.

S or U = Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory - This grade may be granted only when the entire course requires the S/U grade and if the student has elected the S/U option on or prior to the census date of the term.

AU = Auditing Courses - Registration as an auditor is enrollment for information instruction only. Regular attendance at class or classes is customary without other participation and without credit. The cost to audit a course is the established Board of Regents approved tuition and fee rate. Registration for audit may be limited by space or permission of the instructor. The decision to audit a course must be made prior to the census date of the semester and is irreversible after census. Forms to audit a course are available in the Registrar’s Office.

Courses audited by graduate and undergraduate students will be recorded on the academic transcript. A transcript notation of “AU” will be given in each course audited. Audited courses are counted in the calculation of overloads. Audit courses are not counted in calculating undergraduate or graduate full-time student status or for the purposes of financial aid or athletic eligibility. Audit courses cannot be used as a basis for testing out of a course for a letter grade or as prerequisites.

DEF = Deficient - is used for midterm deficient academic progress report. This grade will not calculate into any grade point averages nor will it appear on the academic transcript.

CR = Credit - may be granted only for non course credit that is not related to an examination or to equating transfer grades to the BOR grading system. This grade is not used for any Regental university course.

IP = In Progress - an in progress grade may be granted only when all of the following conditions apply:

I = Incomplete - An incomplete grade may be granted only when all of the following conditions apply:

EX = Credit by Exam - may be granted only for non course credit validation obtained through a validation process. This grade is not used for any Regental university course.

NG = No Grade - A grade of NG will be used only with those course sections that are designated as Tracking/Program Sustaining (Q) and those that are assigned the code for Master’s Research Problems/Projects Sustaining, Thesis Sustaining, or Dissertation Sustaining (U).

RI, RS, RU = Remedial grades may be granted only for courses numbered 001 to 099.

The following grade point averages are calculated each academic term (Fall, Spring, Summer):

Institutional GPA - based on credits earned at a specific Regental university, is utilized to determine if degree requirements have been met and to determine Honors Designation at Graduation.

System Term GPA - based on credits earned at any of the six Regental universities within a given academic term, is utilized to determine minimum progression status.

Transfer GPA - based on credits earned and officially transferred from an accredited college or university outside the Regental system. When a letter grade that normally calculates into the grade point average exists for a non-academic course (e.g., credit earned via examination), it will be included in the transfer GPA.

Cumulative GPA - based on all credits earned by the student (transfer credit plus system credit), is utilized to determine minimum progression status and to determine if degree requirements have been met.

When a course has been repeated for credit, all attempts will be entered on the transcript but the last grade earned will be used in the calculation of the Cumulative grade point average (See also 2:5.11).

Minimum progression standards and related actions are based on the student’s cumulative grade point average and system term grade point average.

1. A student with a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or better is considered to be in good academic standing.
2. If a student’s cumulative grade point average falls below 2.0 in any academic term (i.e. fall, spring, summer), the student is placed on academic probation the following term.
3. While on academic probation, the student must earn a system term grade point average of 2.0 or better.
4. When a student on academic probation achieves a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or better, the student is returned to good academic standing.
5. A student on academic probation who fails to maintain a system term grade point average of 2.0 or better is placed on academic suspension for a minimum period of two academic terms.
6. Students on academic suspension will not be allowed to register for any coursework at any Regental university except when an appeal has been approved by the Regental university from which the student is pursuing a degree. An approved appeal granted by one Regental university will be honored by all Regental universities. Also refer to policy 2:3.3.G Probation/Suspension of Students.
7. Only Academic Suspension will be entered on the student’s transcript. Academic probation will be noted in the internal academic record only. Progression and graduation are contingent on satisfactory performance on the Proficiency Examination. Refer to policy 2:28.

The goal of academic amnesty is to respond to the academic needs of matured individuals as they develop newly identified potential. Through the application of academic amnesty, the student’s prior academic record can be excluded from current work under certain conditions. To be eligible, the student must:

1. be an undergraduate, full-time or part-time, degree-seeking student at one of the universities in the South Dakota Regental system.
2. not have been enrolled in any postsecondary institution for a minimum of three calendar years (9 consecutive terms including Fall, Spring, and Summer) prior to the most recent admission to the home institution. Exceptions may be granted in rare cases only by the Board of Regents Senior Administrator upon recommendation by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
3. have completed a minimum of 24 graded credit hours taken at any Regental university with a minimum grade point average of 2.0 for the 24 credit hours after the most recent admission to the home institution.
4. not have earned a baccalaureate degree from any university.
5. not have been granted any prior academic amnesty at any Regental university.
6. submit a formal Academic Amnesty Petition to their home university following the procedures established by that university.

Conditions:

1. Academic amnesty does not apply to individual courses. Academic amnesty may be requested for:
   1. all previous postsecondary education courses, or
   2. all previous postsecondary education courses at a specific postsecondary institution, or
   3. a specified time period not to exceed one academic year (Fall/Spring) completed at any postsecondary institution(s).
2. Academic amnesty, if granted, shall not be rescinded.
3. Courses for which academic amnesty is granted will:
   1. remain on the student’s permanent record.
   2. be recorded on the student’s undergraduate transcript with the original grade followed by an asterisk (*).
   3. not be included in the calculation of the student’s grade point average because no credit is given.
   4. not be used to satisfy any of the graduation requirements of the current degree program.
4. Academic amnesty decisions will be made by the student’s home institution, will be honored by all programs within the home institution, and will be honored by all other institutions within the South Dakota Regental system.
5. Universities outside of the South Dakota Regental system are not bound by the academic amnesty decisions made by the South Dakota Regental system.
6. Regental graduate programs and graduate professional schools may consider all previous undergraduate course work when making admission decisions.

Procedure:

Undergraduate, full-time students may be designated for the Dean’s List at the end of the fall and spring terms. The Dean’s List designation is determined by the home university and is based on a student’s total course registrations for academic credit for the term from any Regental university. The Dean’s List designation does not appear on the transcript. To be awarded Dean’s List designation, students must meet the following guidelines:

1. Students must have earned a minimum of 12 credit hours in courses numbered 100-699 during the term.
2. Students must achieve a System Term GPA of at least 3.50.
3. Students with F, I, U, RI, or RU grades are not eligible regardless of System Term GPA attained.

Undergraduate, part-time students taking fewer than 12 credits per term may be designated for Academic Recognition for Part-Time Students at the end of the fall and spring terms. The Academic Recognition for Part-Time Students designation is determined by the home university. The Academic Recognition for Part-Time Students designation does not appear on the transcript. To be awarded the Academic Recognition for Part-Time Students designation, students must meet the following guidelines:

1. Students must have completed at least 12 credit hours prior to the current semester at one or more Regental institutions.
2. The student must have earned at least 3 and up to 11 credit hours of 100-699 level courses during the term.
3. Students must achieve a System Term GPA of at least 3.50.
4. Students with F, I, U, RI, or RU grades are not eligible regardless of System Term GPA attained.

The institution granting the degree determines the Honors Designation for its graduates. Honors for “commencement participation” are determined at the end of the semester prior to graduation. Honors for “transcript entry” are determined at the end of the final semester.

Baccalaureate Degree
To earn an Honors Designation at graduation the undergraduate student must complete a minimum of 64 institutional credit hours and must meet both the following cumulative and institutional grade point averages:

Associate Degree
To earn an Honors Designation at graduation, an associate-level graduate must complete a minimum of 32 institutional credit hours and must meet both the following cumulative and institutional grade point averages:

Courses that are part of a formal collaborative agreement among Regental universities are considered to be earned from the institution granting the degree. (Also refer to BOR Policy 2:29.)

SOURCE: BOR, May 1996; BOR, December 1998; BOR, March 2002; BOR, June 2002; BOR, August 2002; BOR, October 2002, BOR, June 2003; BOR, October 2003; BOR, March 2004; BOR, May 2004; BOR, October 2004; BOR, March 2005; BOR, May 2005; BOR, June 2005; BOR, August 2005; BOR, October 2005; BOR, August 2006; BOR, October 2006.

This policy deals with how many times the student may register for a course. The retake policies approved by the BOR are:

SOURCE: BOR, April 1987; BOR, December 1993; BOR, December 2003.

Academic suspension is a serious action, which will cause interruption of the student’s academic career. If placed on academic suspension, courses for which the student has pre-registered will be canceled. Notification of academic suspension will be sent to each suspended student by letter. The suspension letter will be accompanied by information regarding appeal procedures and options. A suspended student who wishes to re-enroll at Black Hills State University must petition for admission through the Academic Standards Committee. When appropriate, the student’s dean will be asked to append his or her recommendation regarding readmission, and return the petition to the Academic Standards Committee.

The student will be notified in writing of the decision of the Academic Standards Committee. The student will be denied registration privileges until an appeal is approved. Should the student’s petition be approved, the student will be permitted to reenroll under the terms of academic probation and will be required to follow an individualized plan which could include tutoring sessions, skill-based courses, repeated courses, limited enrollment or any other action the Academic Standards Committee stipulates. The decision of the Academic Standards Committee will be considered final in all matters concerning academic probation and suspension.

While the Academic Standards Committee governs readmission; the Center for Academic Success on the BHSU campus is available to provide assistance for students who wish to initiate appeals. Staff at he Center for Academic Success will be available to explain the procedures for appeal, counsel the student regarding their plans for returning to school, and organize contacts with other offices needed to answer the student’s specific questions.

Students under academic or disciplinary suspension at other institutions are not eligible to enroll at BHSU. Transfer students who fail to inform Black Hills State University of current academic or disciplinary suspension status are subject to immediate dismissal.

This policy governs academic disputes involving students. Such disputes most commonly arise as a result of student dissatisfaction with assigned grades, but students may also invoke the standards and procedures provided under this policy to challenge academic responses to instances involving alleged student academic misconduct or to challenge other decisions, justified on academic grounds, that affect their participation in or completion of university academic programs. Academic appeals must be brought within fifteen calendar days after the beginning of the academic term following the term in which the challenged action was taken. Academic appeals may be brought to challenge a grade or academic decision.

BHSU has established the following procedure to review grade appeals and/or allegations that an academic evaluation was tainted by prejudiced consideration of student opinions or conduct unrelated to academic standards. This process shall prohibit retaliation against persons who initiate appeals or who participate in the review of appeals. All parties will adhere to the provisions for confidentiality required in such a process.

Step 1: The student should first attempt to resolve the problem with the instructor involved.

Step 2: If the problem is not resolved by the action taken in Step 1, the student must present a written grievance at the lowest administrative level having authority to resolve the appeal (usually the department chair). The grievance must be filed within 10 working days of the date on which the incident, situation, or circumstance

occurred. The administrator upon receiving the grievance will investigate the matter in a thorough and appropriate manner and respond to the grievant within 10 working days.

Step 3 : If the grievance is not resolved at Step 2, the student may formally appeal to the administrator at the next level (usually the college dean). That administrator will conduct an appropriate and thorough investigation of the alleged incident, situation, or circumstance, and prepare a decision on the grievance within 15 working days of the date of receipt of the Step 3 grievance. The student may be notified in person or by certified mail regarding this decision.

Step 4 : If the grievance is not resolved at Step 3, the student may formally appeal to the BHSU Academic Standards Committee within 10 working days of the notification to the student as to the decision rendered in the previous step. The Committee will conduct an appropriate and thorough investigation of the alleged incident, situation, or circumstance and prepare a recommendation for the Vice President of Academic Affairs within 20 working days of the receipt of the Step 4 grievance. Within twenty days after the recommendation, the Vice President for Academic Affairs shall notify the grievant in person or by certified mail regarding his/her decision. Adopted by BHSU 6-7-2006; and Amended 7-27-06

*In addition to the BHSU cumulative GPA requirement, transfer students must have a BHSU and transfer combined GPA of 2.0 for nonteaching programs and 2.7 for teaching programs. **A “Course in Residence” is a course offered by the degree-granting Regental institution at any of its approved sites using any approved method of delivery. Courses that are part of a formal collaborative agreement among Regental institutions are considered to be in residence. All courses in the Regental system that have been determined to be common through Common Course Agreements will be considered to be courses in residence.

Students must apply for graduation in the Registrar’s Office by the following deadlines:

Black Hills State University officially graduates students at the end of fall, spring, and summer terms. The University holds a commencement in May and December. All graduates are expected to be present for commencement. Summer candidates are invited to participate in the May commencement preceding the completion of their work.

With the exception of summer graduates, students will not participate in the graduation ceremony unless all course work will be completed by the commencement date.

Graduates, who wish to graduate in absentia, must make written application and permission must be received from the Vice President for Academic Affairs at least one month prior to commencement.

Teaching Certificates - A degree granted by Black Hills State University does not in itself entitle the holder to teach in South Dakota or in any other state. Said degrees entitle the holder to apply for a teaching certificate in the office of professional teacher certification in the state in which they desire to teach. Applications for South Dakota certification are available in the Field Experience Office, Jonas 203.

Bachelor of Science in Education - This is a four-year program that prepares students to teach at the secondary, middle, or elementary school level based on the major selected. All education programs conform to the requirements of the State Department of Education, Board of Regents of South Dakota, National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, and North Central Association.

Bachelor of Arts - This is a four-year program in which students are required to demonstrate proficiency in a foreign language. Students are required to take a beginning I & II and intermediated I & II sequence with a minimum of twelve semester hours of a foreign language. This is a non-teaching program and emphasis is placed on the major/minor selected by the student. A Bachelor of Arts can only be awarded for the following majors: Mass Communications, Spanish, English, Composite English, Speech, Social Science, Composite Social Science, History, Sociology, Communication Arts, Arts, American Indian Studies, and Music.

Bachelor of Science - This is a four-year program designed for students who do not wish to teach. Emphasis is placed on the major/minor selected by the student. This is a nonteaching program.

Associate of Science/Associate of Arts - These are two-year programs with emphasis placed on the major selected by the student. These are nonteaching programs. Upon completion of thirty-two credit hours of enrollment, students enrolled in these programs must take and pas the Rising Junior Examination.

Pre-Professional - This program gives students the opportunity to prepare to enter professional colleges. Individual programs are arranged to meet the requirements of the college where the student expects to complete the work. The student expecting to meet the requirements of a given professional school should learn what those requirements are and select the courses that will meet them. Consult with the appropriate pre-professional advisor for academic counseling.

Second Degree Requirements - Students holding a bachelor’s degree from another regionally accredited institution may earn a second undergraduate degree from BHSU by completing the following requirements:

For more information, contact your college dean’s office or the Registrar’s Office.

Master of Science - Details relative to the master’s degree at Black Hills State University are found in the Graduate Bulletin which may be obtained from the Graduate Studies Director, Woodburn 217B.

Certification - Students who possess a baccalaureate degree may complete certification requirements without completing a second degree. Personnel in the Registrar’s Office or the College of Education can outline the specific courses required to complete certification in this manner.