An Academic Program Contract (APC) is an agreement between the student and the academic department that outlines the courses and requirements the student must successfully complete to earn the major/minor.
When a student declares a major/minor, an APC is completed, signed by student and department chair, an advisor is assigned, and the APC is forwarded to the Office of the Registrar.
When a student prepares to apply for graduation, the APC is finalized and forwarded to the Office of the Registrar.
An APC is required for every major/minor a student wishes to receive upon degree completion. APCs are handled through the curriculum-management function through the academic department.
A final APC has the signature of the department chair in the "Graduation Clearance" box, and documents any waivers or substitutions approved by the department chair. Final APCs are submitted to the Student Services Center.
The signature of the department chair in the "Graduation Clearance" box signifies that upon the completion of the listed courses and requirements on the APC, the student is eligible for the major/minor.
If a student gets approval to substitute a course not listed on the APC or approval to waive a course on the APC, it must be documented on the final APC that the department chair approved the change. To document the change, the department chair must initial the change, in addition to signing in the "Graduation Clearance" box.
Click here for information on the Curriculum Advising and Program Planning (CAPP) report and the Junior Review.
A printed emergency roster is provided to faculty for each course being taught after the census date of each term/semester. This roster is used to take attendance in case of an emergency or for an emergency drill. Emergency rosters are replaced for only those classes affected by a specific drill.
Class rosters can be accessed online through Banner Web. The following instructions detail how to access the rosters for any class.
The choices for selection in the legend at the bottom of the screen are: Term Selection, CRN selection, Detail Class List, Mid Term Grades, Final Grades, Faculty Detail Schedule, Detail Waitlist, Summary Waitlist.
When finished, scroll back to top and click on "Exit."
Note: If not the instructor of record, a faculty member may still view any other class roster by clicking on "Term Selection" and choosing the desired term from the Faculty Services menu.
Then choose "CRN Selection" from the Faculty Services menu and click on "Enter Section Identifier (CRN) Directly" at the bottom of the "Select CRN" screen.
Enter the desired CRN and submit your entry. Once done, all class list options will use this term and CRN combination.
To select another combination, follow the steps above to change to a different term and CRN. If the CRN is not known, please use the Interactive Class Schedule application to look up the desired class. This application always displays for the current term or terms for which registration is open.
For any questions, contact Susan Johnson by phone 253.535.8628 or email at johnsosj@plu.edu.
It is vital that the university is aware of any student who is not enrolled at PLU at the beginning, middle, or at the end of the term. Faculty members should report to the Office of the Registrar any student who is not in attendance.
Please report students who have never attended, stopped attending, and anyone who is not currently on a class roster to Susan Johnson at johnsosj@plu.edu. Students will be contacted so PLU can determine if the student plans to withdraw or if there is another problem.
It is most helpful when contacting the Office of the Registrar about attendance to have the student's name, ID# and dates of attendance (if applicable). Please e-mail to provide a record for the student's file: e-mail: johnsosj@plu.edu
The General Education Program at PLU has seven components totaling 48 semester hours.
The areas are: (a) Embracing the Life of the Mind: First Year Experience, (b) Engaging Arts and Performance,(c) Interpreting Living traditions for a Humane Future, (d) Exploring Nature and Number, (e) Investigating Human Behavior, Culture, and Institutions, (f) Encountering Perspectives on Diversity, and (g) Producing and Presenting Culminating Scholarship: Senior Seminar/Project. To view the General Education Program, click here.
The Academic Advising Office or a faculty advisor will assist a student in completing the General Education Program Elements. Once a major is declared, the faculty advisor in that department will continue to assist a student in pursuit of the degree.
Both of these perspectives are required to fulfill the Encountering Perspectives on Diversity General Program element. Classes that qualify for cross cultural and alternative perspective are listed in the catalog. The title of a course will either reflect an "A" for Alternative Perspective or a "C" for Cross-Cultural Perspective in the class schedule.
Alternative Perspective courses create an awareness and understanding of diversity in the United States, directly addressing issues such as ethnicity, gender, disability, racism, or poverty.
Cross-Cultural Perspective courses enhance cross-cultural understandings through examination of other cultures.
To view the Encountering Perspectives on Diversity area of the General Education Program, click here.
Double dipping refers only to the Encountering Perspectives on Diversity component of the General Education Program.
Students who entered PLU prior to Fall 2009 with fewer than 60 semester hours are permitted to double dip one time between the Diversity element and other General Education Program areas. An example would be MUSIC 120, which could satisfy the Art, Music, and Theatre (AR) element and the Cross-Cultural (C) Perspective.
Students who entered PLU as of Fall 2009 with fewer than 60 semester hours are permitted to double dip two times between the Diversity element and other General Education Program areas.
Students who entered PLU with 60 or more semester hours are not permitted to double dip and must complete one Encountering Perspectives Diversity Course at PLU.
All students must complete PHED 100 and three other physical education activity courses.
Students who enter PLU with fewer than 20 semester hours must take a 4-hour course in the J-Term of their freshman year.
Students who enter PLU with 20 or more semester hours are not required to complete a J-Term course.
The College of Arts and Sciences requirement applies to all students who will earn Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts in Physical Education, or Bachelor of Science in Physical Education degrees at PLU. To view further information on the College of Arts and Sciences requirement, click here.
Students are required to meet either Option I, II or III of the College of Arts and Sciences requirement.
Candidates for the B.A. in English, B.A. in Education with a secondary teaching major in English, B.A. in Global Studies or for election to the Arete Society must meet Option I.
Candidates for a B.A. in History or Music must meet the Option I or II.
Students should refer to the PLU catalog for further information on Option I, II, and III.
A PLU ID card is required to verify a student's identity before any information is provided from the Office of the Registrar. The student ID number is used as an identifier along with the student's picture.
Students, faculty and staff will use their assigned PLU Student ID Number and the Personal Identification Number (PIN) to access Banner Web to check on their personal information.
The PIN is the six-digit personal identification number used to enter Banner Web. After several failed attempts to access Banner Web, the PIN becomes disabled. If the PIN is disabled, an error message stating "Banner Self-Service Access Disabled" appears. Follow the directions shown with the error message.
If you have been locked out of banner because of a disabled PIN, the following instructions are provided to reset your Banner Self-Service PIN
It is the student's responsibility to inform the Student Services Center of any changes to personal information. The type of changes include billing and mailing addresses or name changes.
Occasionally non-IHON classes are approved to substitute for an IHON requirement. A student must complete the IHON Alternate Course Form, obtain the necessary signature(s) and return the form to the Student Services Center for processing. Click here for form.
After the form is received, the course will then be added to the student's CAPP report
Students who wish to transfer from the International Honors (IHON) Program to the General Education Program must complete the gray area on the Request for Credit Transfer Form. Once the form has been completed, an appointment with the chair of International Honors Program must be requested for equivalency information and approval. Once approved, the signed, completed form must be brought to the Student Services Center for processing.
The student's CAPP report is then changed to reflect the new program.
To receive credit by examination, students must complete the Credit By Examination Registration Form Signatures are required from the respective department dean or chair plus the instructor for the course. The student must arrange the examination time with the instructor of the course. The completed form must be returned to the Office of the Registrar by the add/drop deadline for the appropriate term.
Students who with to earn credit through the Credit By Examination process are charged the following (in addition to tuition if hours above the tuition block pricing):
1 credit: $300
2 credits: $500
3 credits: $700
4 credits: $900
Requests for exceptions (waivers or substitutions) to academic requirements are processed through the Office of the Registrar. The approval officials are different for each type of exception. The Exception to Academic Requirements Form provides instructions as to which signatures are required for each exception. After a student obtains the required signatures, the form must be turned into the Student Services Center. The Office of the Registrar will send a copy of the completed form back to the student via e-mail to indicate whether or not the request was approved.
To check the status of an exemption request, students should contact Kevin Berg at bergka@plu.edu or Beth Crippen at crippeba@plu.edu or call 253.535.7331.
To request a waiver or substitution of a graduate school requirement, the student must complete the Graduate School Petition Waiver Form. The form must be signed by the instructor or advisor, concentration coordinator and program dean. Final approval for any waiver or substitution is through the dean of graduate studies.
The following are faculty-approved PLU grading options which are calculated into the grade point average (GPA):
| A (4.00) | C (2.00) |
| A- (3.67) | C- (1.67) |
| B+ (3.33) | D+ (1.33) |
| B (3.00) | D (1.00) |
| B- (2.67) | D- (0.67) |
| C+ (2.33) | E (0.00) failing grade |
The following grade options are not used in calculation of the grade point average. No grade points are earned under these designations:
| Pass/Fail: P or F (only for courses set up with this option) |
| Incomplete: I |
| In Progress: IP (only for certain courses) |
| Audit: AU |
Pass(P) and Fail (F) are grades for courses which have either been designated as Pass/Fail courses by the department or a student has chosen to designate a course for pass/fail by filling out the Pass/Fail option.
Faculty submit regular letter grades for students who completed and turned in the pass/fail form. The computer automatically converts the assigned grade to a pass or fail.
Grades are submitted via Banner Web by instructors by 5:00 p.m. on the fifth working day after the end of the specific term. To enter grades from home, the faculty member must use Internet Explorer. Enter grades as follows:
Students may view grades through Banner Web. Grades may be viewed approximately 24 hours after faculty submit grades. The deadline for faculty posting grades is available under the Deadlines and Important Dates section of the Office of the Registrar website.
To access Banner Web to view grades, do the following:
If any grades are not posted or are incorrect, contact the faculty member directly.
Faculty may not change a grade once it has been recorded in the Registrar's records unless an error was made in assigning the original grade. The error must be reported to the Registrar by the end of the following term after which it was entered (by the spring grade submission deadline for fall and J-term, and by the fall grade deadline for spring and summer).
Any grade change requested after the designated date must be approved by the respective department chair and dean. The Grade Change Policy does not apply to "I" or "IP" grades, which are subject to separate policies.
Grade changes may not be done through Banner Web. To change a course grade, faculty may either email Susan Johnson at johnsosj@plu.edu for a change or visit the Office of the Registrar and fill out a Change of Grade Report form.
End-of-term grades are entered into Banner Web by each faculty member. The grades are then processed by the Office of the Registrar.
Study abroad grades are processed by the Office of the Registrar when they are received from the Wang Center for Global Education. Study abroad grades for courses taught by non-PLU faculty are listed as pass or fail (P/F) with the actual letter grade recorded as well (for example, PA-, PC+, or FE).
Pass or fail grades are not calculated in the PLU grade point average (GPA).
Grades of A through C- are regarded as passing and grades D+ through E as failing.
The Pass/Fail form may be obtained at the Student Services Center or by clicking here for download. The completed form must be returned to the Student Services Center by the deadline noted on the Office of the Registrar's Deadlines and Important Dates.
Each student is limited to eight semester hours for the pass/fail option and only one course may be taken pass/fail in fulfillment of the General Education Program or for the College of Arts and Sciences requirement.
The pass/fail option may not be applied to a course taken for fulfillment of a major or minor program. An exception to this is allowed for one course in the major or minor if it was taken before the major or minor was declared.
The pass/fail option is limited to undergraduate students only.
No. The "P" or "F" grade is not calculated in the PLU grade point average (GPA). However, the hours will be counted toward total credits.
To change an incomplete grade, the faculty member submits a Change of Grade report to the Office of Registrar in Admin 104 or emails the Record Services and Catalog Coordinator, Susan Johnson at johnsosj@plu.edu.
The incomplete grade is granted by the faculty member only for extraordinary circumstances beyond the student's control. A student must consult with his/her faculty member to see if it is possible to be granted an incomplete grade. If the faculty member determines the incomplete is justified, an Incomplete Contract Form may be completed, signed by both the faculty member and the student, and returned to the Office of the Registrar. The "I" grade is submitted with the faculty member's regular grades.
To receive credit, the student must complete all required classwork and a passing grade must be reported from the faculty member. An incomplete does not entitle a student to attend the class again without re-enrollment and payment of tuition.
Incomplete grades from spring or summer terms are due six weeks into the following fall semester. Fall and J-Term incomplete grades are due six weeks into the following spring semester. Instructors may assign an alternate, shorter deadline.
The "I" in front of any grade designates that an incomplete has been converted to a grade. The "I" remains on the student transcript. It will show as "IA" for an incomplete converted to an A grade. The "IPA" designates that an incomplete has converted to a pass (P) grade.
A student should directly contact the instructor of the class which shows a grade not posted or in error.
To audit a course, permission must be granted from the faculty member. The faculty member must sign the audit column found on the add/drop form and the student must return the form to the Student Services Center by the established add deadline for that term.
Courses may be repeated two times (including withdrawals). If a student is repeating a course, registration must be completed by the Student Services Center. Some departments do not allow certain courses to be repeated. The course with the lowest grade will be excluded from the student's GPA, but will remain on the transcript.
A Dean's List (applicable to undergraduate level only) is created at the end of fall and spring semesters. To be eligible, a student must have attained a semester grade average of 3.50 with a minimum of twelve-graded semester hours.
A student may arrange for an independent study (IS) by filling out the pink Independent Study Card. The card must be signed by the instructor, chair or dean of the department, and turned into the Student Services Center no later than the add deadline for the term in which the independent study is to be completed.
The Independent Study Card may be downloaded here or found on the display rack outside the Student Services Center.
As defined in the Faculty Handbook, page 76, independent study work should be assigned to course numbers 491 and 591; and directed studies assigned to 291.
When an instructor agrees to offer an existing course available in the regular curriculum to a student on an individual basis, the 291/491/591 course numbers are not used. Instead, the pink card should denote the regular course number, title, and credits given for the independent study (IS). For example, a student wishes to take ENGL 239 as an independent study, the card should read: ENGL 239: IS: Environment and Culture, 4 credits.
To order a duplicate diploma complete the form and submit it along with payment to the Office of the Registrar. Click here to download the required Duplicate Diploma Request Form.
All students seeking a degree from Pacific Lutheran University must apply for graduation. The Graduation Application is found oneline. The online process must be completed by the deadline indicated on the Registrar's Web site.
Participation in a PLU commencement ceremony does not signify that a student has been awarded to a student or will be awarded a degree. Commencement is a celebration at PLU, participation in a ceremony does not indicate a student has graduated. In addition, regardless of when a student participates in commencement, degrees are awarded for the term when all requirements are completed.
Online Access: Once you have logged into Banner Web, click the Student Services & Financial Aid tab. Next, click on the link entitled, Registration. On the new page that opens, click on the link, Student Schedule by Day & Time. This will display your class schedule.
With the exception of first-year and transfer students (see description below), students register for their courses through Banner Web on their scheduled registration date. Students with less than 60 semester hours earned must meet with their academic advisor to receive their numeric passcode to register for courses on Banner Web.
First-year students (those who are beginning at PLU) and transfer students must meet with a counselor from the Academic Advising Office either in person or over the phone. Students will be notified of the dates at which they may call the office to make an appointment to register. As Banner Web is not yet available to these students until after they begin their first term at PLU, all registration activity is done through the Academic Advising Office. Students may reach the Academic Advising Office at 253.535.7459.
Online Access: Once a student is logged into Banner Web, enter the Student Services & Financial Aid section of the site. Then click on the link Registration.
Graduate students and priority groups (IHON, Study Away, and registered DSS students) register for courses on the first day of registration for the upcoming term(s). Next, registration times are assigned, in descending order, for other continuing students based on the number of completed semester hours. Registration times are available by logging into Banner Web, selecting Student Services & Financial Aid, selecting Registration, and finally selecting Check your Registration Status.
Some restrictions limit registration, such as medical holds, academic holds, financial holds, etc. A student can check holds on Banner Web. For a complete listing and description of holds, see the PLU catalog section on Tuition, Fees, and Payment Information. Students may visit the Student Services Center to learn more about how to clear a hold.
The Waitlist Form is available on the wall by the Student Services center or by download from the Office of the Registrar Documents & Forms section. A student may not waitlist a class through Banner Web. A completed paper copy of the waitlist form must be submitted to the Student Services Center for processing by the listed add/drop deadline for the specific term.
A $100 late registration fee for any registration change after the add/drop period date is charged to the student's account.
Students with a cumulative GPA below 3.00 are required to have the Fall/Spring Overload Form filled out and all required signatures obtained. The signed form should be brought to the Student Services Center for processing. Students with a 3.00 cumulative GPA or above do not need permission to register for 18 or more hours in a semester, but must come into the Student Services center to request their hour limit to be raised.
During the J-Term and Summer Sessions, a student must complete the J-Term/Summer Overload Form to take more than five semester hours in any one session.
PLU awards credit for college-level courses that are equivalent to PLU courses or requirements. Vocational or technical courses, such as office technology, fashion, or career development, although valuable, are not considered transferable because there is no equivalent coursework at PLU. Equivalency Guides are found on the Office of the Registrar website.
PLU does not grant junior standing for any associate degree that is not recognized by the Direct Transfer Agreement (DTA). If a degree is not part of the Direct Transfer Agreement (Such as Associate of Applied Arts, Associate of Applied Science, Associate of Technical Arts, and Associate of General Studies), a student is not guaranteed junior standing at PLU. Associate degrees completed at a technical college or credits from any other institution without regional accreditation are granted recognition on a case-by-case basis.
Students who earn a DTA Associate of Arts degree from a community college in the State of Washington are guaranteed junior standing (60 semester hours) upon entrance to PLU. A final transcript is required which shows the AA degree has been awarded.
If the AA degree is from a community college outside of the State of Washington or if the degree is an Associate in Technical Arts from any community college, junior standing is not guaranteed.
A student must meet with a department faculty advisor to discuss what classes on the transcript will be accepted toward the declared major.
PLU awards a maximum of 64 semester hours for all work completed at a two-year college. For work completed at a four-year institution, the maximum is 96 semester hours. PLU will accept a maximum of 96 transferable semester hours in total, which could include a combination of credit hours completed at community colleges and four-year institutions.
Transfer credits count toward the university's requirements for graduation, but are not included in the semester hours used to determine the cumulative PLU grade point average (GPA) listed on the PLU transcript.
The minimum transfer grade PLU will accept is a C- or 1.5 quality grade points.
Transfer students entering PLU as juniors or seniors must take four semester hours from Christian Traditions (RC) unless presenting eight transfer semester hours of religion from another regionally-accredited college or university.
Global Religious Traditions (RG) courses will not fulfill the General Education Program element in religion if transferring into PLU with a junior or senior standing.
Transfer students entering PLU as juniors or seniors must take one Encountering Perspectives on Diversity course (four semester hours) at PLU.
College-level, academic courses completed with a grade of C- or better at other accredited colleges or universities will normally be accepted for graduation credit. To have the credit evaluated and added to a student's PLU record, an official transcript from the college or university you attended must be sent directly to PLU's Office of the Registrar. If a student is entering the senior year, an advisor must be consulted with before taking any courses elsewhere. For additional information, contact the Office of the Registrar.
No more than 30 semester hours may be counted toward graduation whether from the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or any other examinations.
Students should refer to the catalog Academic Policy section on Credit By Examination and Procedures and the Admission section on Evaluation of Credits under Other Educational Experiences.
See the 2011-12 catalog, page 113, to view information on Other Educational Experiences.
Students are entitled to withdraw honorably from the university if their record is satisfactory and all financial obligations are satisfied.
Student must complete and sign the "Notification of Student Withdrawal" form in the Student Services Center.
Partial tuition refunds may be available depending on when the student withdraws. Refer to Tuition and Fees section of the catalog for more information. Grades of "W" will appear on the student's transcript for the term.
A student may withdraw from a class with an instructor's signature after the drop deadline and before the withdraw deadline listed for each term under the Deadlines and Important Dates section of the Office of the Registrar's Web site.
Tuition is not refunded, a $100 late registration fee is charged and any additional tuition will be charged for adding any other classes. A grade of "W" is recorded on the student's academic transcript. Faculty cannot enter a "W" grade. Students who stop attending class and who do not withdraw will receive the grade earned.
If a student is enrolled in a class, has never attended or did not drop the course before the published deadline, the student must obtain the signature of the instructor on an add/drop form and will be charged a $100 late registration fee.
Add/drop forms are available at the Student Services Center or download here.
Students are required to notify PLU if they do not plan to return for the following term. Students are entitled to withdraw honorably from the university if their record is satisfactory and all financial obligations are satisfied. Students must complete and sign the "Notification of Student Withdrawal" form in the Student Services Center.
Students may also withdraw completely from the university for medical reasons. The student must complete a Medical Withdrawal Petition, provide written evidence from a physician and a personal explanation to the Vice President for Admission and Student Life.
This must be completed in a timely manner and in no case later than the last day of a class in any given term. If granted, the grade of "WM" will appear on the student's transcript. Physician clearance is required prior to re-enrollment.