Educational Programs

The curriculum at Moravian College is conducted on the 4-4 plan. The academic year consists of fall and spring terms of approximately 15 weeks, during each of which the student normally carries four course units of study. If conversion to semester hours is required, each full course unit may be assigned a value of four semester hours of credit.

Glossary

Some of the words and phrases used in this catalog may be unfamiliar. The following definitions are provided to help students comprehend the material contained in this document. Any questions concerning the content of this catalog or of any other College publication should be directed to the Office of the Provost.

Academic year, a period running approximately from late August through May, including fall term and spring term.

Accredited, approved by an accrediting agency acceptable to Moravian College.

Activity course, a non-credit half-semester course in physical education.

Certification, teacher, public-school teacher certification for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and those states having reciprocity agreements with Pennsylvania.

Course, an organized series of lessons focused on a particular subject.

Course unit, a measure of academic credit equivalent to four semester hours of credit. Full-time students normally enroll in four course units (16 credit hours) in a single fall or spring term. Three units (12 credit hours) are the minimum to be considered a full-time student. Full unit courses generally meet for 50 hours during a normal fall or spring term, and require at least 8 hours of work per week outside class (including but not limited to reading, research, music practice time, field reports, writing assignments, journals, etc.). Hours in and out of class may vary based on disciplinary differences. See the institution’s credit hour policy for more information.

Cross-listed course, a course that fulfills requirements in more than one discipline or subject area and is listed under both. Students register using the discipline listing relevant to their requirements.

Elective, a course chosen for a student's program of study that is not required for the major or minor or in fulfillment of the requirements of Learning in Common. In certain majors or in certain categories of liberal education, a student may choose a restricted elective from a limited array of courses that satisfy a requirement or may choose a general elective from among all courses offered in a discipline.

First-year student, a student enrolled in college for the first time.

Freshman, a student who has completed fewer than 6.75 course units, regardless of the number of years enrolled.

GPA, quality-point average

GPA, term, the average of quality points for all course units scheduled in a given term.

GPA, cumulative, the average of quality points for all course units scheduled to date.

GPA, major, the average of quality points for all course units taken in the major department, numbered 110-199, 210-299, and 310-401, both required and elective.

Half-course unit, a measure of academic credit equivalent to two semester hours of credit.

Junior, a student who has completed 14.75-22.74 course units.

Overload, any course unit or fraction of a course unit scheduled beyond the maximum full-time load of four and one-half course units during a single term.

Quality points, numerical points assigned to letter grades, e.g., A = 4, A– = 3.67, etc. A complete list is given in the section on academic regulations.

Scheduled course, any course which appears on the student's transcript, including any course from which the student has withdrawn with a grade of W or WF.

Senior, a student who has completed 22.75 or more course units.

Sophomore, a student who has completed 6.75-14.74 course units.

Student, day-session, a student enrolled largely for daytime study. Requires admittance through the Admissions Office.

Student, Comenius Center, a student admitted through the Comenius Center for Continuing, Professional, and Graduate Studies, enrolled largely for evening study; subject to different requirements and fees from those for a day-session student.

Student, full-time, a student enrolled in three or more course units during a term.

Student, part-time, a student enrolled in fewer than three course units during a term.

Summer sessions, periods of three, four, or six weeks in May, June, July, and August, during which a student can earn academic credit in intensive courses.

Term, fall or spring, a period of approximately 15 weeks, during which students take courses and earn academic credit.

Writing-intensive indicates a course in which at least half the grade comes from informal and exploratory writing assignments, for a minimum of 25 pages of writing. A writing-intensive course in the major is a graduation requirement for all Moravian degree candidates.

Credit Hour Policy

Moravian College: Policy and Practice Related to the Credit Hour Provisions in the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008

The Policy

Moravian College uses a course unit system intended to emphasize the mastery of subject matter, in contrast to the semester credit hour system, which measures achievement in terms of class time.  A unit of instruction includes a combination of lecture, discussion, recitation, group and individual projects, and studio/laboratory work.  Moravian College undergraduate courses vary in the number of scheduled meeting hours, often based on disciplinary differences.  Courses scheduled for three hours of classroom/other instruction per week also include additional instructional activity, e.g. discussion sessions, workshops, attendance at lectures and performances, service learning, final examinations, fieldwork, etc.

Graduate-level courses in the Comenius Center and Moravian Theological Seminary use credit-hours, and the contact hours per week equates directly with the number of credit hours assigned to the course (3 contact hours = 3 credit hours). 

The Practice:

1. Over the semester, course activities for a full-unit undergraduate course will include:
   • At least 50 hours of classroom activities and/or labs for 15 weeks (including final exams) AND At least 124 additional hours of course work (approximately 8 hours/week) OUTSIDE of regular class meetings, including: preparation for classes in the form of assigned reading and writing; and/or problem solving homework exercises; and/or conducting research; and/or additional academic activities listed below*.

-OR-

2. Over the semester, course activities for a full-unit undergraduate course will include:
   • At least 36 hours of classroom activities and/or labs (i.e. 3 hours/week for 14 weeks, excluding exams or presentations during final exam week), AND
   • At least 14 hours of additional classroom activities or academic activities such as those listed below*, AND
   • At least 124 additional hours of course work (approximately 8 hours/week) OUTSIDE of regular class meetings, including: preparation for classes in the form of assigned reading and writing; and/or problem solving homework exercises; and/or conducting research; and/or additional academic activities listed below*.

-OR-

3. (for full-unit Independent Studies, Honors Projects, Internships)
   Over the semester, the successful student will complete at least 140 hours of course work, the nature of which will be determined by the student and the instructor/supervisor.  Such work will include a combination of the following:
   • Meeting with the instructor (including labs, and/or studios, and/or lectures, and/or conferences, and/or rehearsals, and/or coaching sessions etc.);
   • Honor thesis reviews, presentations and defenses;
   • Agreed upon reading and writing;
   • Problem solving homework exercises;
   • Conducting research;
   • Editing and revision of written work;
   • Rehearsals, and/or performances;
   • Private practice time (for ensembles and private lessons);
   • Field trips;
   • Attending required performances or talks.

N.B. Meeting times and out-of-class expectations will be adjusted accordingly for half-unit and quarter-unit courses.

*Examples of Additional Academic Activities:

1. service learning
2. field work or clinical hours
3. attendance at concerts, dramatic performances, poetry readings, lectures
4. viewing of films outside of class time
5. attendance at departmental colloquia
6. supervised problem solving sessions, e.g., supplemental instruction meetings
7. weekly group tutoring sessions or study/review sessions organized by the course instructor
8. writing conferences with faculty or a Writing Center tutor
9. advising sessions related to First-Year Seminar
10. participation in outside of class experiments
11. conducting science labs or experiments outside of class
12. group project meetings and/or group work outside of class
13. attendance at departmental student research presentations
14. participation in local or regional conferences
15. participation in community projects
16. field trips
17. organizing campus events as part of course requirements
18. library instruction outside of class
19. participation in electronic discussion boards, chat rooms, blogs, wikis, or other online assignments
20. participation in weekly conversation sessions in foreign languages outside of class time, including participation at meetings of the Spanish, French or German Clubs
21. participation in weekly discipline-based organizations or clubs, such as History Club or Tri-Beta
22. individual meetings with the instructor