CGPS Academic Catalog 2016-2017 –Point University (May 2016) i College of Graduate & Professional Studies ACADEMIC CATALOG 2016-2017 Effective May 9, 2016 – June 30, 2017 Education Sites WEST POINT BIRMINGHAM PEACHTREE CITY Main Campus Church of the Highlands— 800 Commerce Drive 507 W. 10th Street Greystone Campus Peachtree City, GA 30269 West Point, GA 31833 1710 Lee Branch Lane 678-593-3100 Birmingham, AL 35242 706-385-1000 404-670-8383 www.point.edu ATLANTA McDONOUGH SAVANNAH Lindbergh Center McDonough Christian Church Savannah Christian Church 2450 Piedmont Road NE, 2000 Jonesboro Road Adult Ministry Center Suite 200 McDonough, GA 30253 55 Al Henderson Blvd. Atlanta, GA 30324 404-852-4056 Savannah, GA 31419 404-761-8861 912-629-3855 CGPS Academic Catalog 2016-2017 –Point University (May 2016) ii Point University Academic Catalogs. This Academic Catalog presents the educational programs and policies of Point University’s College of Graduate & Professional Studies (CGPS). This College oversees Point’s non-traditional programs, including fully-online undergraduate programs, Access undergraduate programs for working adults, and graduate programs. For information on Point’s traditional residential undergraduate programs, see the academic catalog for Point’s University College. How to Interpret and Use These Catalogs. The academic catalogs serve as reference guides. Information contained in the catalogs is accurate as of the date of publication. As part of its quality control systems, Point University constantly reviews, assesses, and revises its educational programs and policies to meet changing world needs. Accordingly, the statements set forth in the catalogs are not to be construed as the basis of a contract between the student and the institution. Point reserves the right to change any policy, procedure, provision, student expense, course, degree program, and/or graduation requirement at any time through appropriate processes. Every effort will be made to publicize changes. The University further reserves the right to ask a student to withdraw at any time. While the University fully intends to offer all the programs and courses described in this catalog, it retains the right to alter programs and course offerings for the sake of improvement. In such cases, the faculty offers students reasonable substitutions or other accommodations if courses required under a given degree program are significantly altered or removed from the curriculum. Candidates enrolling in a degree program enter under the catalog requirements in effect at the time they begin the program. The University permits students to com- plete their degrees under the original catalog requirements as long as they maintain continuous enrollment and finish the degree within a reasonable timeframe. For details, see “Time Limits for Completing Degrees” in the section of this catalog devoted to “Academic Policies & Procedures.” Students are responsible for knowing and following the policies, procedures, and regulations presented in the Academic Catalog and A Covenant for a Christian Community (Point’s student handbook). It is also the student’s responsibility to stay informed about program revisions and to be aware of the University calendar, critical deadlines, and all University mail delivered to the student’s Point mailbox and/or email account. CGPS Academic Catalog 2016-2017 –Point University (May 2016) iii CONTENTS Title Page ......................................................................................................................... i Point University Academic Catalogs ............................................................................. ii How to Interpret and Use These Catalogs .................................................................... ii Contents ........................................................................................................................ iii A. GENERAL INFORMATION: POINT UNIVERSITY ........................ 1 1. History ..................................................................................................................... 1 2. Mission Statement ............................................................................................... 2 3. Goals ....................................................................................................................... 2 4. Vision ..................................................................................................................... 2 5. Church Identification ........................................................................................ 2 6. Doctrinal Position .............................................................................................. 2 7. Spiritual Formation at Point University ....................................................... 3 a. Spiritual Formation Goals ................................................................................. 3 b. A Covenant for Christian Community ............................................................... 4 8. One University, One Mission, Two Colleges ................................................. 4 9. One University, Many Sites ............................................................................... 5 a. MAIN CAMPUS: West Point, Georgia ............................................................... 5 b. Atlanta, Georgia .................................................................................................. 5 c. McDonough, Georgia .......................................................................................... 5 d. Peachtree City, Georgia ..................................................................................... 5 e. Savannah, Georgia .............................................................................................. 6 f. Birmingham, Alabama ....................................................................................... 6 10. Accreditation and Authorizations ................................................................... 6 a. SACSCOC Regional Accreditation ...................................................................... 6 b. NCATE, CAEP, and PSC Teacher Education Accreditation .............................. 6 c. State Authorizations and Student Complaint Process ....................................... 6 d. State Authorization for Online Learning ........................................................... 7 e. Federal Authorizations ...................................................................................... 8 11. Memberships ....................................................................................................... 8 12. Consumer Information ..................................................................................... 8 a. Published Information ....................................................................................... 8 b. Title IX ............................................................................................................... 8 c. Consumer Information ...................................................................................... 8 d. Institutional Policies .......................................................................................... 9 13. Nondiscrimination Policy ................................................................................. 9 14. Disability Support Services .............................................................................. 9 15. Policy on Student Privacy and Release of Information ............................. 9 16. Grievance Policies ............................................................................................ 10 B. INTRODUCTION TO ACADEMICS: POINT UNIVERSITY’S COLLEGE OF GRADUATE & PROFESSIONAL STUDIES .......... 11 1. Academic Organization ..................................................................................... 11 a. Senior Academic Administrators ...................................................................... 11 CGPS Academic Catalog 2016-2017 –Point University (May 2016) iv b. CGPS Academic Departments .......................................................................... 11 c. Academic Support Services ............................................................................... 11 d. CGPS Academic Council ....................................................................................12 2. Types of Degree Programs ...............................................................................12 a. Associate’s Degrees ............................................................................................ 13 b. Bachelor’s Degrees ............................................................................................. 13 c. Master’s Degrees ................................................................................................14 d. Doctor’s Degrees ................................................................................................ 15 e. Undergraduate versus Graduate Degrees ......................................................... 15 f. Lower versus Upper Division ............................................................................ 15 g. Arts versus Sciences .......................................................................................... 16 h. Majors and Minors ............................................................................................ 17 i. Concentrations ................................................................................................... 17