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Elective
courses may be offered as full-time (all day),
half-time (mornings only or afternoons only), or in
extended blocks (Thursday afternoons for 5-week time
periods). Minimum course length is one week for full- or
half-time electives and one block for extended electives.
Courses usually range in length from one to four weeks, although
they can be longer.
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Credit hours
are determined by the length of the course. One credit hour
(1.0) is awarded for each week of full-time approved academic
activity. One-half credit hour (0.5) is awarded for each week
of half-time approved academic activity and for each block (5
weeks) of extended elective time.
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You may limit
the number of times you will offer a course as well as the
number of students you will take at one time. A schedule will
be sent to you in February on which you will be asked to
indicate when you will offer the course.
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If you want
students to contact you in advance of the course, please
indicate this in the Prerequisite Section of the Course
Application.
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It is important
that you clearly state your expectations of students in
your Course Description, Prerequisites, and Course Evaluation
Section(s).
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Students in or
near Springfield are to be released from all regular
electives on Thursday afternoons to enable them to
participate in extended electives. No activities should be
scheduled for this time. If your course cannot accommodate
students to be off on Thursday afternoon, please state this
specifically in your course description.
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Elective
courses begin on Mondays and end on Fridays, Saturdays, or
Sundays, at the discretion of the faculty. Holiday time falling
during elective courses is also granted at the discretion of the
faculty.
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Students are
expected to attend all scheduled course activities unless
specifically excused by course faculty. It is up to the
individual faculty whether or not to grant or excuse absences.
You may require students to make up any time missed &/or you may
deny or reduce course credit due to excessive absences.
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The primary
course faculty will receive the course rosters for each
section of the course at the beginning of the elective year. It
is the responsibility of this faculty to share the rosters with
co-faculty or staff that need the information. Updated rosters
are available at:
Student Schedules (password required—use your email name and
password to access schedules).
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Faculty are
expected to evaluate the performance of each student
enrolled in their elective course(s) in a timely fashion.
Students are graded “Pass, Fail, or Incomplete”. You will be
sent an evaluation form for each student during the last week of
the course. This form should be completed and returned to
Cherie Forsyth, Y3/4 Registrar, within six (6) weeks
after the end of the elective.
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Electives should be designed to enable students to complete
all coursework by the end of the course period (or the
Monday immediately following). Any elective that is started
must be completed. You may grant an “Incomplete” in order to
give a student additional time to complete required course work,
however, any elective not completed by the student’s date of
graduation will be recorded on the final transcript as
“Unsatisfactory,” and will remain on the student’s permanent
transcript.
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Students are
required to submit course evaluation forms for each elective
course they take. This feedback is compiled anonymously in the
Office of Education and Curriculum (OEC) and returned each year
to faculty, Elective Coordinators, and Department Chairs for use
in program evaluation and improvement. A compilation of the
feedback from all elective courses is on reserve at the
Circulation Desk in the Library, and is posted on the OEC website
for use by students and advisors in planning an individualized
elective program.
