Course by Special Arrangement

A Course by Special Arrangement (CBSA) is a course that is a required part of an approved curriculum program but is being offered to a student during a term or at a time when circumstances prevent the course from being a part of the department’s regular class schedule. A CBSA will be approved only if it is within the last two semesters of a student’s pending graduation, and if the course meets a degree requirement that cannot be fulfilled by any other mechanism, including independent study. Prior to registration, students must file the CBSA Petition. This petition requires the signature/approval of the instructor, program chair, and dean. An independent study course cannot be a Course by Special Arrangement. Tuition and fees for CBSA courses are computed at the same rate as other regular on-campus courses.

Independent Study Course

Independent study courses, which are distinct from Course by Special Arrangement and special topics courses, are designed to provide an opportunity for a student to pursue a research/study interest not available through any of the courses offered in a program at EKU. To qualify to enroll in an independent study course, students must have a GPA of 2.5 or higher.

Independent study courses must be under the supervision/direction of a faculty member with appropriate qualifications for the course content and must be guided by an approved research or project plan. Independent study courses must follow the prescribed Independent Study protocol and be approved in advance of enrollment. The independent study course must be appropriately designated as such in the Catalog. Independent study courses should not be used as a mechanism to teach a course not offered in a given semester or as a substitution for program requirements, though they may, with appropriate approval, fulfill such requirements. Independent study courses are not intended to be a mechanism for enrolling in a course for which a student would otherwise be ineligible. Tuition and fees for independent study courses are computed at the same rate as other regular on-campus courses.

Service Learning

Courses that have been officially recognized as including service-learning within their curriculum are designated with the letter “S” following the course prefix and number. Service-learning is defined as:

An academic experiential educational method in which students participate in an organized service activity that meets identified community needs and reflects on the service activity in such a way as to:

• gain further understanding of course content,
• develop critical thinking skills, and
• develop an enhanced sense of civic responsibility

Students will be required to participate in at least 5 hours of community service per credit hour of course credit.

Special Topics Courses

Special topics courses are designed to offer the opportunity for students to study specialized areas within a discipline. These courses are created with normal class enrollment expectations. The topic of study is designated by the course section title, and may or may not vary with each offering. Students may repeat a special topics course (for the purpose of earning additional course credit) only if the specific course title is different with each subsequent enrollment.

Student Success Seminars

Every student seeking a baccalaureate degree or Associate of Arts Degree in General Studies must complete a 1-3 credit Student Success Seminar.

• Full time students must complete the Student Success Seminar during their first semester.
• Part time students are strongly encouraged to complete the Student Success Seminar during their first semester, and must complete it within their first 18 credits.
• Students who earn a grade of “W,” “F,” or “FN” in a Student Success Seminar must repeat the course the following term.
• Transfer students who have 30 or more transfer credits with normal grading upon admission to EKU may have this requirement waived. (Some majors require all students to take a Student Success Seminar, regardless of transfer status.)

Writing Intensive Courses

Every student seeking a first baccalaureate degree must successfully complete one writing intensive course following completion of General Education Element 1B. Writing intensive courses may be general education courses as well as major or supporting courses. Students who enter the University with a baccalaureate degree from a regionally-accredited university are exempt from the writing-intensive requirement.

Writing-intensive courses are designated with the suffix “W” following the course prefix and number (e.g., HUM 300W Humanity in the Postmodern Age). W and non-W versions of the same course (e.g., HUM 300W Humanity in the Postmodern Age and HUM 300 Humanity in the Postmodern Age) are considered equivalent for the purposes of satisfying course requirements for prerequisites, major courses, minor courses, and supporting courses. Credit will not be awarded for W and non-W versions of the same course. A previously-taken non-W version of a course will not be used to satisfy the writing intensive baccalaureate degree requirement.

Writing Intensive Courses Available

Writing intensive course options are listed on each student’s degree audit report. The writing intensive courses available each semester may be viewed via the online schedule by selecting all courses in the “Subject” box and writing intensive courses in the “Attribute” box.