Advising
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I Read My Schedule?
The best way to explain the different items on a schedule is to look at an example.
Example: The top of the schedule will list your name, Carthage ID number, Degree: BA or BS – Bachelors degree, Advisor- current academic advisor, and Major 1,2,3 and minor 1,2- if the information is incorrect, disregard it.
The bottom half of the schedule lists your classes and other important information.
Here is an example:
PSYC – 150 -1 Intro to Psychology C 4.00 M-W-F 1:15pm 2:20pm DSC Josh Robinson 9/2/08 12/10/08 112
PSYC- Stands for Psychology – the area of study
150- is the Course number
1 – is the section, there could be several sections to a
specific course
Intro to Psychology – is the course title which is
connected to the course number
C- status is current- currently enrolled
4.00 – the credit hours, this specific class is worth 4 credits
M-W-F – stands for the days of the week that the course
will meet. M- Monday, T-Tuesday, W-Wednesday, R- Thursday and F- Friday
1:15pm – is the class start time
2:20pm – is the class end time
DSC – is the abbreviation of a building on the Carthage College campus , example DSC- David Straz Center
Josh Robinson – is the name of the professor teaching the course, if you receive a “Staff” in place of a professor’s name, it means a professor has not been assigned yet.
9/2/08- is the date class starts
12/10/08- is the date of the last class
112 – is the classroom number
What if I am an Athlete with Afternoon Classes?
Practices are typically between 4pm and 6pm during the
week. Some teams choose to practice earlier or later
depending on facility availability (contact your coach for
specifics). Students that are "in season" have priority
over students that would be in the non-traditional part of
their season.
Students during their "in-season" semesters should attempt
to avoid MWF 345-450 courses or TR 305-445 classes
throughout the week. An occasional lab or night course is
extremely possible and those athletes communicate with
their coaches to accomodate missed practice times for
class. These situations are not out of the ordinary and
students should not be concerned about a lab or night class
interfering with practice.
Students that are spring sport athletes that have
non-traditional seasons in the fall cannot be assured of
not having some class conflicts. Fall seasons for spring
sports are short seasons and are not priority in terms of
registering for courses that may fall in the afternoon
timeslot. Students in these situations may attempt to have
their schedule adjusted, but there is no guarantee a change
can be made. Coaches are aware of this situation and will
work with the athletes to accommodate.
Why is my schedule different than the classes that I
requested during advance registration?
Advising office takes all factors into consideration when
registering students for classes. These factors may
include: abilities, majors, class availability, and
athletics. Advisors will identify major appropriate or
similar courses to the originally requested ones.
Ultimately, all courses will count towards the 138 credits
needed to graduate from Carthage College.
What if my major is not correct on my schedule?
We would tell you not to worry. The major listed on your schedule is obtained from your application during the application process. Many freshman change their major 2 or 3 times throughout their first year. Typically, we will have students declare their major after their first semester or year.
What is Heritage?
The Heritage Studies Program consists of a two-course
sequence taken by all entering students at Carthage. The
goal of the Heritage Studies Program is to introduce
students to a true liberal arts education.
Using the seminar approach to learning, the Heritage
sequence is taught collaboratively by faculty from academic
departments across disciplines. Each Heritage seminar is an
encounter with dynamic cultural legacies. As a community
of learners, students will be reconstructing and critiquing
these legacies.
Heritage is not contained within a prescribed set of
sanctioned books or artifacts to be transmitted from
teacher to student. Rather, the texts chosen for each
Heritage seminar represent outstanding works of literature,
social and political philosophy, science, film, or music
and serve as the beginning of meaningful intellectual
inquiry. Through selected texts, students can focus on the
process of rigorous thinking, questioning, and imagining
that ultimately leads to authentic self-discoveries and
self-expression. Thus, in each Heritage seminar, students
will be called upon to read critically, discuss intensely,
write engagingly, and articulate their insights in
presentations, essays, and structured discussions. Serious
commitment to the goals of each Heritage seminar provides
students with a level of competency in areas that will aid
them in all other course work at Carthage and in their
future careers. Please consult the Heritage Studies Website
for further information about the program and its goals and
objectives at http://www.carthage.edu/dept/heritage
What are the general education requirements for graduation?
A. Heritage Studies (freshman year)
Heritage I: Issues in Community: Citizenship and Justice 4
credits
Heritage II: Issues in Cultural Interaction 4 credits
B. Religion
Understandings of Religion 100 4 credits
One additional approved course 4 credits
Neither required religion course can be used to satisfy any
distribution requirement.
C. Modern Languages 0-8 credits
Two modern languages courses in the same language unless
the student fulfills the proficiency requirement
established by the College.
D. Mathematics 4 credits
Successful completion of one mathematics course.
E. Exercise and Sport Science
Concepts of Physical Fitness 1 credit
One Lifetime/Fitness activity 1 credit
A student who participates on an athletic team for an
entire season can fulfill the one lifetime/fitness activity
requirement (1 credit).
The Director of Athletics submits a list of athletic team
participants to the Registrar at the end of each term.
These students must still take the required EXSS 001 –
Concepts of Physical Fitness (1 credit).
F. Carthage Symposium
All students will complete one Carthage Symposium,
typically taken during the sophomore or junior year. One
goal of the College is for our graduates to be able to make
connections between disciplines. The
Carthage Symposium requirement can be satisfied by either
one course (4 credits) or a set of two linked courses
(usually 8 credits) that provide an interdisciplinary
learning experience. These offerings are team-taught by two
instructors from different departments, most frequently
from different academic divisions. All Symposia are
completed within one academic term. The Carthage Symposium
creates a community of learners among the students and two
faculty.
G. Senior Thesis
As part of their major, all students will complete a Senior
Thesis. This can be in form of a written thesis, laboratory
research, music recital, art exhibit, or other significant
and integrative experience appropriate to
their major. Students graduating with more than one major
must complete a Senior Thesis for each major or one
integrative Senior Thesis approved by each major department
or program. Students must check with the department chair
for specific details in regard to completion of the Senior
Thesis.
H. Distribution Requirements
Fine Arts (FAR) 4 credits
Humanities (HUM) 4 credits
Natural Science (SCI) (One course must be a lab) 8 credits
Social Science (SOC) 4 credits
Students who major in a discipline in any of these
divisions will be exempt from the requirement in that
division.
I. Writing Intensive Course
All students are required to take a total of four courses
(four credit hours each) that are designated Writing
Intensive (WI). The first two of these courses are Heritage
I and Heritage II. Of the remaining two courses, one must
be in the academic major of the students choice, while the
other course can be any WI course in the curriculum.
How is a student assigned to an advisor?
Freshman students are assigned a first year advisor from
the advising center. Students are assigned an advisor
based on their interests in a major(s). Students without a
specific interest in a major are assigned a first year
advisor, as well.
Seniors, juniors, and sophomores who have declared a major
are advised by a faculty member in that major. First-year
students have the opportunity to move to a faculty advisor
over the course of their first year at Carthage.
When and how do I register for a major?
Many students will declare a major by end of their freshman
year. Students should declare a major before the end of
their sophomore year. Students that do not declare by the
end of the sophomore year may not be able to graduate in a
four year span,
You can declare a major or minor at anytime. A change of
major/minor form may be obtained from the registrar’s
office or the Advising Center. The student will fill out
the form, sign it and drop off the completed form to the
registrar’s office.
How many credits will a full-time student need to take each
semester?
Full-time students may register for 12 – 17 credits during
the 14-week terms. While students can register for 12
credits, a student planning to graduate in four years will
want to take 16 credits each semester. Students in good
academic standing may register for up to 18 credits. There
is an additional charge for registration in excess of 17
credits. Students wishing to register for more than 18
credits must obtain approval for the overload from the
Subcommittee for Academic Review and Recommendation no
later than the last day to add a regular course.
What is January term (J-term)?
The January Term offers students a variety of opportunities
not always available during spring and fall terms.
On-campus courses include those especially created for
J-Term as well as regular-term courses, some of which may
satisfy Distribution Requirement credit. Students register
for one course only, allowing them to concentrate study in
one subject. All students must enroll in J-Term during
their freshman year and in at least one additional year.
J-Term also provides off-campus opportunities, such as
travel to other parts of the country and abroad, as well as
"hands-on" experience through field placement internships.
Students also may propose an independent study project
under the direction of a faculty member. The J-Term catalog
lists specific field placement courses that are available.
In addition to these courses, students may propose their
own specially-arranged placements through the Career
Center.
Students must consult with their academic advisors to
select their J-Term course. Students taking an on-campus
course and living in residence halls pay no additional room
and board for the J-Term. This is limited to full-time
residential students registered for either the Fall or
Spring Terms. Some J-Term courses require an additional
fee to cover cost of travel and other course activities;
payment of these non-refundable fees is due at
registration.
J-Term information is available on the Carthage web site
during the Fall Term and provides full details on the
various courses, independent study courses, and divisional
field placements that are available.
How does AP credit work?
Advanced Placement Examinations, consisting of both
objective and free response sections, are administered by
the
college board to students who have completed college-level
Advanced Placement courses in high school. A score of
1 through 5 is assigned by a group of evaluators based on
the score for the objective section and review of the free
response questions. Carthage awards credit in most subject
areas in recognition of scores 3 through 5. Students
looking for AP credit in Psychology or Physics will need a
score of 4 or 5 on the AP exam. Entering students who wish
credit for Advanced Placement must submit official results
to the Registrar's Office. All advanced placement courses
are subject to departmental review of scores and/or booklet
before credits are awarded. A maximum of 32 credit hours of
alternative credit may be counted towards graduation.
When are the registration and other important academic
dates?
The academic calendar is available on the Carthage College
website. The website address for the academic calendar is
www.carthage.edu/academics/calendar
What is the modern language placement test?
Students that have studied a modern language and plan to
continue their studies in that language can take a
placement test in that specific language. Departmental
faculty evaluates the test and recommends an appropriate
class level. Students completing the course in which they
were placed with at least a grade of “C” will be awarded
credit for the preceding courses in normal language
sequence, to a maximum of 12 credits.
Placement tests are administered at each Advance
Registration event or may be taken at the Advising Center.
What is the add/drop policy?
A student may not add or drop a course after registration
day without the knowledge of his or her advisor and the
instructor. Add-drop forms must be filed with the
Registrar's Office. The Registrar may authorize permissible
changes falling within the academic rules of the College.
The Subcommittee for Academic Review and Recommendation
must approve changes involving departure from the rules.
No student is permitted to add or drop a course after the
deadline. Any course changes after that date must be made
with the permission of the Subcommittee for Academic Review
and Recommendation. If students receive permission to drop
a course after the deadline, they may, at the discretion of
the subcommittee, receive a "W" in the course, which will
remain on the permanent record. Discontinuing a course
without valid withdrawal results in a grade of "F."
How many credits in a major and minor?
Credits for a major can range from 36 to 56
Credits for a minor can range from 20 to 24
How many credits are needed to graduate?
138 credits are needed to graduate and the last 32 credits
need to be taken at Carthage
Explain midterm grades at Carthage?
At the midpoint (7th week) of each term, all faculty
members are asked by the Dean of the College to submit
midterm low-grade reports for all students doing "D" or "F"
work. Reports are distributed through the Registrar's
Office to the students and their advisors. If a student
receives two or more reports, the student's parents also
will be informed unless the student is financially
independent. Financially independent students must bring
proof of their independence to the Office of Student
Financial Planning at the beginning of the academic year.
Students who have not shown proof of their independence are
assumed to be financially dependent on their parents.
Explain the grading system.
The College maintains progress records that are furnished
to students on a regular basis. At the completion of a
course, each student is assigned a letter symbol: "A,"
"A-," "B+," "B," "B-," "C+," "C," "C-," "D+," "D," "D-,"
"S" and "P" for passing grades; "I" for incomplete, which
is given only in special cases of illness or some other
uncontrollable factor; "W" for official withdrawal; "U" for
unsatisfactory; and "F" for failure or unofficial
withdrawal. A student who has
received an "I" must finish the incomplete work within the
first four weeks of the following regular 14-week term, or
the grade will be recorded as an "F." The student may file
a petition for an extension within the first two weeks of
the following regular term. Letter grades convert into the
following point system for determining cumulative grade
point average i.e.: an "A" is worth four points per credit.
.
Repeating Courses:
Only courses with a grade of "C-" or lower may be repeated.
When a course is repeated, the earlier grade remains on the
student's permanent record as an "R" and will appear on all
transcripts. Only the last enrollment and grade will be
used in computing the cumulative grade point average.
Explain the summer class structure.
The Summer Program meets the needs of day and evening
students. There are three sessions during the summer: one
session of all-day classes for two weeks; one session of
daytime classes for eight weeks; and one session of evening
classes for eight weeks. Summer classes are open to high
school students, college students from other institutions,
Carthage students, teachers, and other professionals. In
addition, Adult Education, upon written request from a
school, church, business, or agency, create credit courses
on- or off-campus if a sufficient number of students is
guaranteed. Contact the Adult Education Office for further
information and specific procedures.
What is the process for transfer/correspondence credits?
A student enrolled at Carthage who wishes to apply transfer
or correspondence courses taken elsewhere to Carthage must
secure advance approval from the involved department
chairperson and the Registrar by the end of term prior to
enrollment in the course.
Upon receipt of an official transcript from institutions
accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and
Secondary Schools and similar regional associations,
appropriate value will be given for comparable courses or
areas taught at Carthage.
Courses at other institutions are counted as part of a
student's term load. Credit will only be transferred for
courses in
which a grade of "C-" or better is earned. Credit will not
be transferred from a junior college after a student has
accumulated 68 credits. College-level courses taken in high
school are credited on the same basis as other transfer
credits, provided that the courses have not been counted
for entrance requirements. The maximum total credits
allowed for specialized testing (CLEP) and correspondence
courses is 32. Transcripts from institutions outside of
the United States must be evaluated by Educational
Credential Evaluators, Inc.
How do you design your own major and minor?
The faculty has provided an opportunity for students with
special interests to design their own major/minor programs.
Specialized major/minor programs must consist of existing
courses; proposals should be thoughtfully prepared in
consultation with a faculty advisor and the department
chairperson whose course offerings will be included in the
major. A complete proposal must be submitted to the
Curriculum Planning Committee for approval before the
student has achieved senior standing.
What is the process to attain field placement and
internships?
The field placement and internship programs provide
students with meaningful work experiences that either
directly relate to their career objectives, or assist in
determining those objectives. The central feature of the
programs is the opportunity for significant interaction
between the students' work experiences and their academic
programs. The following policies shall govern field
placement and internships during the regular term:
1. The student may register for up to eight hours of field
placement or internship per term. He or she may count up to
12 hours of field placement or internship toward graduation
including J-Term field placement or internship credits but
excluding student teaching. Credits earned in departmental
offerings involving field work, such as Parish Service,
Field Work in Psychology, and Field Instruction and Methods
in Social Work, are to be included in these limits. Field
placement may not be substituted for student teaching.
2. Placements are open to juniors and seniors in good
standing who receive the consent of the supervising faculty
member and the appropriate department chairperson or
program director.
3. Attendance at a regularly held on-campus seminar
conducted by the instructor is expected.
4. A minimum of two hours of on-the-job activity shall be
spent per week for each credit.
5. The instructor will take into account the evaluations of
the on-the-job supervisor, grading placements on an "A" to
"F" scale.
Departments will have discretion in the determination of
prerequisites, whether or not field placement may be
counted toward the major, whether or not it is required for
the major, and how many hours is necessary. Departments
may establish guidelines in addition to these listed.
What is the Honors Program?
The Honors Program is an all-college honors program,
through which Carthage offers enhanced educational
opportunities to students with outstanding achievement and
promise. The Honors Program admits only approximately 10
percent of the class entering Carthage each year.
Generally, these students enter the Honors Program through
an honors section of Heritage I (HONR 103). However, we
also actively recruit highly talented and motivated
students who have completed at least 16 credits of balanced
course work (at Carthage and elsewhere). These students may
enter the Honors Program in the second term of their first
year or as sophomores. While it is rare for students to
complete the entire Honors curriculum when entering the
program after their sophomore year, interested students
should discuss their options with the Director of Honors.
Any qualified student may enroll in a particular Honors
course with the consent of the instructor. For more
information on the Honors Program go to their website:
http://www.carthage.edu/honors/
What is the support for students with disabilities?
Support will be arranged for students with documented
disabilities, attention disorders, and physical and
psychological disabilities, attention disorder and physical
and psychological disabilities. Students who do not have
current documentation or suspect they may have a learning
disability may arrange for evaluation services. Students
are responsible for contacting the Diane Schowalter,
learning specialist and providing current (within three
years) documentation. In compliance with Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990, Carthage is committed to
achieving equal educational opportunities and full
participation for people with disabilities. The Advising
Center is located on the lower level of South Hall.
Are double majors possible and can they be completed in
four years?
Typically, students are able to double major at Carthage
and graduate in four years. There are some factors that
will affect a student’s ability to graduate in four years.
These factors include: credit requirements for both
majors, if required classes will overlap in each major and
how well the student plans out each semester. Your advisor
can assist you in this process.
What happens at Advance Registrations?
During the advance registration, the student will learn
about the Carthage curriculum. The advising staff will
inform students about the general education requirement and
some of the specifics of the various majors. The staff
will assist students in choosing classes and alternatives
for fall registration. Students will be expected to
complete the modern language proficiency test. The test
will assist in properly placing students in modern language
classes. Students will have the opportunity to ask
questions about Carthage academics. Also, representatives
of the dean of student’s office and athletics provide
information about the student life at Carthage.