Academic Policies

Academic Policy Table of Contents

The table of contents below contains links for navigating to specific policies. Those policies designated "UG" apply to undergraduates. Those with "GR" apply to graduate students. Where applicable, Oklahoma State Regents of Higher Education (OSRHE) Chapter 3 language is linked at the end of some policies. 

Admissions Requirements
(Undergraduate)

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First-Time Freshman: To be eligible for undergraduate admission at East Central University (ECU), the student must meet one of the following requirements. 

• Have a 2.7 overall high school GPA
• Have a 2.7 high school GPA in 15 units of core curricular courses
• Pass the GED or HiSET
• Score a 20 on the ACT or 1030 on the SAT
• Have completed at minimum two concurrent courses from an Oklahoma institution at the time of application. Must have earned at least a 2.0 cumulative college GPA in the concurrent courses.

Applicants who do not meet one of the above may still be granted admission through the alternative or adult admission process (contact ECU Admissions for more details).  

Transfer Student: Admission requires a minimum of 24 college credit hours previously earned with a minimum retention GPA of 2.0. Students with less than 24 prior hours earned at the college level will be reviewed utilizing the first-time freshman admission requirements. A high school or GED/HiSET transcript will be required. ACT or SAT scores are optional but can be used for admission consideration if supplied.

Concurrent Enrollment (High School Students): To be eligible the student must meet one of the following sets of requirements.

Option One

• Be enrolled as a high school junior or senior; AND
• Have an unweighted high school GPA of 3.00

Option Two

• ACT composite score of 20; OR
• GPA of 3.0 and class rank in top 50%; OR
• Pre-ACT composite score of 20

Only students with a minimum ACT score of 19 in science reasoning, mathematics and/or English may enroll for courses in these respective areas.

Fall/Spring Concurrent Enrollment Limit
For fall/spring semesters each concurrent student is limited to a maximum of 19 credit hours (high school and college combined). One high school course equals three semester credit hours of college work.

Summer Concurrent Enrollment Limit
Students otherwise eligible under these policies will be limited to nine college credit hours during summer terms.

Other Admissions Categories: Further information concerning admissions requirements can be obtained directly from the Office of Admissions.

Admissions Related Documents: Any documents the student provides during the admissions process become the property of ECU. These documents will not be returned to the student.

In-State/Out-of-State Tuition Status: As part of the admissions process, institutions are responsible for determining a student’s in-state/our-of-state status consistent with this policy. The burden of proof to establish in-state status shall be upon the student. Since residence or domicile is a matter of intent, each case will be judged on its own merit by the appropriate administrative official(s) consistent with this policy. Below is a list of factors that will be taken into consideration. 

1. Attendance at a postsecondary educational institution, albeit a continuous and long-term experience, does not establish in-state status. Therefore, a student neither gains nor loses in-state status solely by attendance.
   
2. Students attending an Oklahoma college or university may perform many objective acts, some of which are required by law (i.e. payment of taxes), and all of which are customarily done by some out-of-state students who do not intend to remain in Oklahoma after graduation, but are situational and necessary and/or voluntary (i.e. registering to vote, obtaining a driver's license). These acts and/or declarations alone are insufficient evidence of intent to remain in Oklahoma beyond the college experience.
   
3. An out-of-state student attending an Oklahoma college or university on more than a half-time basis is presumed to be in the state primarily for educational purposes.
4. An individual is not deemed to have acquired in-state status until he or she has been in the state for at least a year primarily as a permanent resident and not primarily as a student and has established domicile. Likewise, an individual classified as in-state shall not be reclassified as out-of-state until 12 months after leaving Oklahoma to live in another state.
5. Unless residency has been established in another state, an individual who resided in Oklahoma at the time of graduation from an Oklahoma high school and who has resided in the state with a parent or legal guardian for two years prior to graduation from high school, will be eligible for in-state status as allowed by this policy.
6. Each spouse in a family shall establish his or her own status on a separate basis. Exceptions include the following: when an out-of-state status individual marries a person with in-state status, the out-of-state individual may be considered in-state after documentation of the marriage and proof of domicile are satisfied without the 12-month domiciliary waiting period, and as provided in this policy.
7. Initial classification as out-of-state shall not prejudice the right of a person to be reclassified thereafter for following semesters or terms of enrollment as in-state provided that he or she establish domicile as defined in this policy. Institutions must establish procedures for students to appeal out-of-state status classification.
8. Institutions may, but are not required, to waive out-of-state tuition (also known as Nonresident Tuition Waiver) in accordance with current State Regents’ Tuition and Fees policy that allows any institution in the State System to waive a portion of the out-of-state tuition which amount shall not exceed the difference between out-of-state tuition and the amount paid by in-state students.
9. When a student transfers from one institution to another, the institution to which the student transfers is not bound by the in-state/out-of-state classification previously determined and may request documentation to verify the student’s in-state/out-of-state status.

Dependent & Independent Persons

1. The legal residence of a dependent person is the postsecondary student’s parents or the residence of the parent who has legal custody or the parent with whom the student habitually resides. If the student is under the care of those other than the parents, the legal residence is that of the student’s legal guardian.
2. In-state/out-of-state classifications of postsecondary students with extenuating circumstances (e.g., divorced parents with joint custody when one parent or legal guardian lives out-of-state and/or claimed as a dependent on a tax return, etc.) may be considered on a case-by-case basis. Guidance for administrative officers charged with classifying students will be provided in the Procedures Handbook.
3. A dependent person may establish independent person status through circumstances including, marriage, formal court action, abandonment by parents, etc. To qualify, a dependent person must have completely separated from the parental or guardian domicile and prove that the separation is complete and permanent. Additionally, the individual must provide evidence that they are responsible for their housing and living expenses. Mere absence from the parental or guardian domicile is not proof of its complete abandonment. If an applicant can provide adequate and satisfactory evidence of independent status and domicile, they may be granted in-state status.
4. If an independent person can provide evidence of coming to Oklahoma to establish domicile, the applicant may be granted in-state status at the next enrollment occurring after expiration of 12 months following establishment of domicile in Oklahoma.

Further information concerning various avenues to receive in-state tuition can be viewed within the full Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE) 2024-2025 policy – see links below. 

OSRHE Chapter 3.9.1-5 Admissions Standards
OSRHE Chapter 3.10 Concurrent Enrollment
OSRHE Chapter 3.18 In-State vs. Out-of-State Tuition Status

Note: Admissions policies for the School of Graduate Studies can be found in the Graduate School section of this catalog. 

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Academic Standing & Retention
(Undergraduate & Graduate)

Undergraduate: Academic Standing is based on a combination of term and graduate retention GPA calculations. Below are the various academic standing designations for undergraduate students at East Central University (ECU).

Academic Notice: Provides beginning freshmen with a grace period to acclimate themselves with the rigor of college course work. Students with zero to 29 credit hours earned and a 1.7  to 1.99 graduate retention GPA will be placed on academic notice. Students with 29 or fewer hours earned and a graduate retention GPA below 1.7 will be placed on academic probation. Students with 30 or more earned hours are not eligible for academic notice.

Academic Probation: Applies to any student who has earned 30 hours or more with a graduate retention GPA less than 2.00. Students with less than 30 hours earned and a graduate retention GPA below 1.7 will also be placed on probation.

Continued Probation: Applies to any student who after being placed on probation completes the following term/semester with at least a 2.00 term GPA (not including activity or performance courses). For students with less than 30 hours earned the term GPA requirement will be 1.7. The student placed on continued probation will return to good standing after raising the graduate retention GPA to 2.00 or higher. A student on continued probation who earns a term GPA below 2.00 for a subsequent term/semester will be placed on academic suspension.

First Academic Suspension: Students will be suspended for the first time when their graduation retention GPA drops below 2.00 for two terms/semesters. Students suspended for the first time have the option to either appeal for the opportunity to continue their education immediately, or not attend ECU during the following 16-week semester. Previously suspended students returning after the suspension period must apply for readmission through the Office of Admissions. Upon readmission the student will be placed on probation status.

• Suspension Appeal: Students who appeal their first suspension must understand they are not appealing the accuracy of the suspension, but rather are petitioning for the opportunity to continue their education immediately. At the end of each term/semester the registrar will email suspended students with instructions for the appeal process.

Each student submitting an appeal must meet with the suspension review committee. If an appeal is approved the suspension standing will remain on the transcript. The student will only be permitted to enroll in courses meeting degree requirements. The committee reserves the right to deny an appeal and require the suspended student to accept the suspension period of one 16-week semester. After spring semester, students who have their appeal granted but who are again suspended at the end of summer term, will have the notation “suspension continued” placed on their transcript. Another appeal will not be permitted and the student will be ineligible to enroll for the fall semester.

Suspension of Seniors: Students with 90 hours or more who are suspended for the first time may request a senior exception. The request should be submitted as an appeal in accordance with the statements above. If granted, the exception will permit the student to enroll in up to 15 hours during the following 16-week semester. Summer credit hour limits will be left to the appeal committee’s discretion. During the exception period the student must earn a term GPA of 2.00 or higher. The student will not return to good standing until his or her graduate retention GPA is raised to 2.00 or higher. The senior exception may only be used one time per student. 

Second/Subsequent Suspension: The second time a student is placed on academic suspension an appeal is not permitted. The student cannot be readmitted for one calendar year. Effective for the 2024-2025 academic year, the one year absence is the only academic requirement to return to ECU. Students returning after a second suspension must apply for readmission through the Office of Admissions. Returning students must also be in good financial standing with the university. 

President’s Honor Roll: This honor is only awarded after fall and spring semesters. Eligible students will have successfully completed a minimum of 12 hours during the semester (graded A, B or C), earned no grade lower than a “C,” and not have received an I-grade for any course. The required term GPA is 4.00. Students will have their names published on the ECU website unless a privacy flag has been placed on their record. Grade changes after final grades are due may only contribute toward the honor if occurring within one calendar week of the deadline for grade submission. In such cases a comment will be added to the student's ECU transcript notating the honor. The student's name will not be published to the website. Grade changes submitted at a later date will be applied toward GPA calculations, but cannot result in a student being added to the President's Honor Roll - no exceptions. 

Dean’s Honor Roll: This honor is only awarded during fall and spring semesters. Eligible students will have successfully completed a minimum of 12 hours during the semester (graded A, B or C), earned no grade lower than a “C,” and not have received an I-grade for any course. The required term GPA is 3.33. Students will have their names published on the ECU website unless a privacy flag has been placed on their record. Grade changes submitted after final grades are due may only contribute toward the honor if occurring within one calendar week of the deadline for grade submission. In such cases, a comment will be added to the student's ECU transcript notating the honor. The student's name will not be published to the website. Grade changes submitted at a later date will be applied toward GPA calculations, but cannot result in a student being added to the Dean's Honor Roll - no exceptions. 

OSRHE Chapter 3.9.6 Retention & Academic Standing Policy

Graduate: Academic Standing for the School of Graduate Studies is based on a combination of term and graduate retention GPA calculations. 

Academic Probation: Graduate students may be placed on academic probation for either of the following reasons.

1. Graduate Retention GPA Below 3.0: A student whose graduate retention GPA is less than 3.0 will be placed on academic probation. While on probation, a minimum 3.0 GPA must be earned during each subsequent term/semester. The student will be removed from probation after the graduate retention GPA raises above a 3.0. Failure to earn a term GPA of 3.0 or higher while on probation will result in academic suspension.

2. Third C-Grade or First D/F-Grade: Any student earning a third C-grade or one or more D or F-grades, will be placed at a minimum on academic probation. In certain graduate degree programs the student may be dismissed from ECU. The student will be removed from academic probation upon repeating the course and earning a suitable grade.

Academic Suspension: A graduate student on Academic Probation who has earned below a 3.0 semester or term GPA will be permitted one term of Academic Recovery. If during that term a student earns a semester or term GPA of 3.0 or higher, that student will continue on Academic Probation until the ECU Retention GPA is 3.0 or higher. If during the term of Academic Recovery, the student earns a semester or term GPA lower than 3.0, that student will be suspended from the graduate program.

A graduate student who is placed on Academic Suspension will not be permitted to enroll in classes and will not be eligible for reinstatement for a minimum of one semester. After a minimum of one semester of non-enrollment, a student may petition the School of Graduate Studies for reinstatement. A decision will be made after review by the program faculty and Graduate Committee.

A graduate student whose ECU retention GPA is less than 3.0 at the completion of an approved program may be permitted to register for a maximum of six (6) additional credit hours at ECU in courses approved by the student’s advisor and the Graduate Dean.  If, after completion of the additional credits, the GPA is still less than 3.0, the student will not be allowed to take additional graduate level work leading toward a graduate degree and will be dismissed from the graduate degree program. 

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Americans with Disabilities Statement
(Undergraduate & Graduate)

East Central University, in compliance with all applicable Federal and State laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, status as a veteran, or special disabled veteran in any of its policies, practices, or procedures.  This includes but is not limited to admission, employment, financial aid, and educational services.

East Central University is committed to providing equal access to University programs and services for all students.  Under university policy and federal and state laws, students with documented disabilities are entitled to reasonable accommodations.  If any member of the class has a documented disability requiring academic accommodations, he or she should report to the Office of Testing and Accessibility Services.  A student seeking reasonable accommodations originating from a documented disability must register with the Office of Testing and Accessibility Services so that said accommodations may be provided.

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Assessment Policy (Students)
(Undergraduate)

East Central University’s (ECU) assessment program is based upon the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education’s assessment policy requiring all state system colleges and universities to assess entry-level, mid-level, and major field student academic achievement and to assess student satisfaction. ECU’s policy addresses these four areas and is designed to assist faculty and students in promoting student success in achieving their academic goals and to aid the university in the improvement of teaching and learning.

Entry-Level Assessment: All students who enroll at East Central University as first-time entering freshmen and transfer students who enter the university with six or fewer semester credit hours attempted are required to participate in entry-level assessment.  In addition to complying with published ECU admission standards, participation in entry-level assessment may include other activities such as taking placement tests, completing student surveys, and contributing to other entry-level assessment-related activities.

Mid-Level (General Education) Assessment: All students who enroll at ECU as freshmen or transfer students without an associate of arts or associate of science degree are required to participate in mid-level assessment of General Education.  Participation in mid-level assessment may include such activities as taking assessment tests, participating in student orientation, developing portfolios, completing student surveys, and contributing to other mid-level assessment-related activities.

Assessment of the Major: During their junior and senior years, all students are required to participate in major field assessment.  Participation in major field assessment may include such activities as enrolling in capstone courses, taking assessment tests, developing portfolios, completing student surveys, and contributing to other assessment-related activities of one’s major.

Student Satisfaction Assessment: Using surveys, focus groups, and other assessment-related activities, assessment of student satisfaction encompasses two areas:  current student and alumni satisfaction with student services, such as housing, food services, financial aid, extra-curricular activities, library, bookstore, advising and counseling, etc.; and alumni satisfaction with overall quality of their education at ECU.

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Attendance Requirements
(Undergraduate & Graduate)

Attendance as it relates to grading is left up to the discretion of the course instructor. Makeup work, if permitted, is also left to the instructor’s discretion. All instructional faculty are required to notify students of relevant policies at the beginning of the term/semester. 

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Bachelor's Degree Graduation Requirements
(Undergraduate)

Graduation requirements for a bachelor’s degree consist of four parts. All four parts must be taken into consideration when determining a student’s progress toward degree completion.

• General Education Requirements
• Program (major/minor) Requirements
• Requirements Specific to Various Bachelor’s Degrees
• Other Institutional & State Requirements

Enrolled students may view their progress toward degree completion at any time in Colleague Self-Service under the Progress Tab. Prior to becoming eligible to submit a formal graduation application, any and all clarification concerning progress to degree should be sought with a student’s academic advisor. The ECU Records Office does not complete degree audits prior to the formal graduation application process. For information concerning when it is appropriate to submit a formal graduation application, please see the relevant academic catalog policy. 

General Education

General Education Philosophy: East Central University (ECU) embodies its commitment to the values of a liberal arts education through its general education requirement, which is designed to assist students in attaining the knowledge, skills, and attitudes recognized by the University as fundamental to every educated person’s understanding of and response to the world. A liberal arts education contributes to the development of informed, responsible citizens, capable of promoting and maintaining a free society, and it provides individuals a foundation for making those ethical, logical, technological, and ecological decisions requisite to effective participation in such a society.

General Education Mission Statement: As part of liberal arts education that inducts students into an intellectual community in preparation for and enhancement to disciplinary majors, the General Education Program at East Central University provides students the integrated and thorough foundation needed to reflect critically on information to understand and acknowledge the diversity of life and cultures, to see the relationships among concepts, and to appreciate the interrelatedness of academic areas.

Prior Associate Degrees & General Education: Please see the Transfer Credit Policy section of this catalog.

General Education Requirements: Students should consult with an academic advisor when deciding which general education courses to enroll in. Many majors require that a student select a particular course to fulfill a specific general education sub-requirement. Students must complete at least one course that meets each of the following five student learning outcomes.

• Communication (C): Students communicate effectively in a variety of situations.
  

Over the course of the general education program, students will learn to communicate in a variety of ways. This includes both written and spoken communication, but also involves communicating using different technologies and learning to mix text, data, graphs, and images. To make their communication effective, students will learn how to select language appropriate to their audience, purpose, and context. Students will also learn how to actively listen so they can understand the diverse perspectives of others and participate in a civil discourse.

• Critical Thinking (CT): Students explore issues and ideas before formulating an opinion, solving a problem or drawing a conclusion.

Over the course of the general education program, students will build the habit of critical thinking. Students will learn to analyze and evaluate data and evidence, interpret and develop ideas, and combine that information into a coherent whole. Critical thinking is vital to all areas of life; thus, students will learn to apply critical thinking skills not only in an academic setting, but also beyond the campus to personal or global issues.

• Information Literacy (IL): Students consume and produce information of any form effectively and ethically.

Over the course of the general education program, students will learn how to find, use, and share information. Information comes in many forms, such as text, numbers, images, or sound, and many of those forms are rapidly changing. Students will learn to adapt to emerging technologies and responsibly participate in this ever-changing information ecosystem, abiding by ethical or legal restrictions on the use of information.

• Intercultural Knowledge & Competence (IKC): Student recognize the complexity of identity, culture and heritage.

Over the course of the general education program, students will develop an understanding of how identity, heritage, and culture shape the world. Beyond mere awareness or appreciation, intercultural knowledge and competence supports meaningful interaction in a variety of cultural contexts as students seek out multiple perspectives with openness, empathy, and respect.

• Global Citizenship (GC): Students recognize the complexity of global systems and their roles within them.

Over the course of the general education program, students will develop awareness of their intersecting roles and responsibilities at local, state, national, tribal, and global levels. Students will critically analyze natural, physical, social, cultural, economic, and political systems. Students will have the tools to take informed and responsible action, supported by respectful collaboration, to address local and global challenges.

The bold headings below indicate sub-requirement of general education. Courses listed under each are those eligible to meet the requirement. The credit hours for each individual course are reflected by the last digit in each course number. A minimum of 40 hours must be earned to satisfy the 2024-2025 general education requirements.

First Year Experience (1 hour)
UNIV 1001 Tiger Connect (C)
*Tiger Connect must be completed in the beginning of a freshman’s first semester of enrollment at ECU.

Writing Communication (6 hours)
ENG 1113 Freshman Composition I (C)
ENG 1213 Freshman Composition II (IL); OR
HNRS 2313 Enduring Questions: Perspectives from Rhetoric and Research (IL; Honors Only)

*Waiver Policy for ENG 1113:  Students pursuing a bachelor’s degree are required to complete six credit hours of English composition. New, incoming freshmen at ECU will always be required to complete ENG 1113 prior to either ENG 1213 or HNRS 2313. In the event a student transfers to ECU having previously completed a course deemed equivalent to either ENG 1213 or HNRS 2313, but without having completed a course equivalent to ENG 1113, the requirement of completing ENG 1113 may be waived with approval of the College Dean for the student’s major program of study.

Mathematical Statistical Reasoning (3 hours)
MATH 1223 Introduction to Probability and Statistics (CT); OR
MATH 1413 Survey of Mathematics (CT); OR
MATH 1513 College Algebra (CT); OR
MATH 1613 Functions and Modeling (CT)

*College Algebra or Introduction to Probability and statistics should not be selected unless required by your major. Mathematics courses numbered 1413 or higher, other than “teachers” or “methods” courses, will meet the general education requirement in mathematics.

Civic Consciousness (6 hours)
PS 1113 United States Government (CT); AND
HIST 2483 United States History Survey to 1877 (CT); OR
HIST 2493 United States History Survey Since 1877 (CT)

Nature & Science (7-8 hours): Courses must be from two different disciplines. At least one course must include a lab.
BIOL 1114 General Biology (+ Lab) (CT)
BIOL 1214 General Botany (+ Lab) (C)
BIOL 1314 General Zoology (+ Lab) (IL)
BIOL 2103 Horticulture (IKC)
BIO 3143 Ethnobotany (IL)
CHEM 1114 General Chemistry I (+ Lab) (CT)
CHEM 1324 Chemical Principles (CT)
EHS 1114 Introduction to Environmental Science (+ Lab) (GC)
EHS 2613 Occupational Health and Safety (C)
GEOG 1214 Earth Science (+ Lab) (GC)
PHSCI 1114 General Physical Science (+ Lab) (CT)
PHYS 1114 General Physics (+ Lab) (CT)
PHYS 1314 Astronomy (+ Lab) (CT)

Cultural and Aesthetic Awareness (6 hours)
ANTH 2523 Native Peoples of North America (IKC)
ART 2243 Art History Survey I (IKC)
ART 2273 Survey of Multicultural Art (IKC)
HIST 1113 Foundations of Western Civilization (IKC)
HIST 1123 Modern Western Civilization (CT)
HIST 3053 History of the 21^st Century (CT)
HIST 2613 Explorations in World History and Culture (IKC)
HIST 3063 Ancient Civilizations (IKC)
HIST 3333 Vistas in World History (IKC)
HIST 4573 American Leaders to 1865 (CT)
HIST 4593 American Leaders since 1865 (CT)
HNRS 1213 Enduring Questions: Perspectives from the Humanities (Honors Only) (IKC)
HNRS 1313 Enduring Questions: Global Perspectives (Honors Only) (GC)
HUM 2113 General Humanities I (IKC)
HUM 2123 General Humanities II (GC)
HUM 2313 Multicultural American Literature (IKC)
HUM 2323 Global Literature (IKC)
HUM 2413 Responding to Literature (CT)
HUM 2633 World Religion and Thought (GC)
HUM 2713 Language and Culture (C)
HUM 2813 Interpreting Film (IL)
MUS 2433 World Music (IKC)
MUS 2533 Music in Life (CT)
MUS 3633 Music History through Bach (CT)
MUS 3643 Music History since Bach (CT)
NAS 1113 Introduction to Native American Studies (GC)
NAS 2113 Chickasaw Humanities I: Comparing Cultures (IKC)
PHIL 2003 Being, Knowledge, Doing: Introduction to Philosophy (CT)
PHIL 2013 Faith, Freedom & Fate: Introduction to Philosophy of Religion (C)
PHIL 2023 Self, Society & Justice: Introduction to Social Philosophy and Ethics (GC)
PHIL 2033 Truth, Goodness and Beauty: Introduction to the Philosophy of Art (IL)

Exploration and Personal Enrichment (3hrs)
ANTH 2713 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (IKC)
ART 3303 Motion Graphics (C)
ASLHR 2613 American Sign Language I (IKC)
BUS 1113 Foundations of Business (C)
GIS 2253 Initial Concepts in GIS (C) 
CHI 1113 Chickasaw I (C)
CMPSC 1113 Computer Programming I (C)
CMPSC 1513 Computer Literacy (IL)
COMM 1113 Fundamentals of Human Communication (C)
EDUC 2402 Survey of the Exceptional Child (GC)
ENG 3183 Technical and Professional Writing (C)
ENTR 3103 Introduction to Entrepreneurship (CT)
FIN 1113 Financial Literacy (CT)
FREN 1113 Elementary French I (C)
FREN 1223 Elementary French II (C)
GEOG 1113 Elements of Human Geography (IKC)
GEOG 2513 World Regional Geography (GC)
HNRS 2213 Enduring Questions from the Perspective of the Sciences (Honors Only) (C)
KIN 2122 Choices in Wellness (CT)
KIN 2183 Basic Nutrition (CT)
MCOM 1733 Introduction to Mass Media (C)
MCOM 2733 Writing for Media I (C)
MCOM 2753 Introduction to Audio Production (C)
MCOM 3053 Social Media Management (C)
MIS 1903 Computer Business Applications (C)
PS 2113 Introduction to Political Science (GC)
PSYCH General Psychology (IL)
RUSS 1113 Elementary Russian I (C)
RUSS 1223 Elementary Russian II (C)
SOC 1113 Introduction to Sociology (IKC)
SOC 2113 Social Problems (GC)
SOC 3003 Native American Sociology (IKC)
SPAN 1113 Elementary Spanish I (C)
SPAN 1223 Elementary Spanish II (GC)
THEA 2333 Theatre in Life (IKC)

General Education Electives (7-8 hours)
Additional courses from the above list may be taken, as needed, to meet the minimum 40-hour requirement.

2024-2025 General Education Check Sheet

Program Requirements (Majors and Minors)

Program requirements can be found within the respective academic college section of this catalog. Students may also view degree check sheets by catalog year on the ECU website. Enrolled students can view their declared program as well as other degree requirements within Colleague Self-Service. Listed below are a few important things to keep in mind concerning program requirements.

• Some major programs require students to complete a minor, but others do not. For those programs that do require a minor, the requirements will be waived if the student is pursuing a double major (i.e., completing two major programs of study).
• When earning a major and minor program each must be from a different academic discipline – unless the student is pursuing a specific major program that permits otherwise.
• Some major programs may require students to select their minor from a limited set of options.
• A major program of study will require completion of at least 30 credit hours within the subject area. Some major programs will require additional subject relevant hours.

Requirements Specific to Various Bachelor’s Degrees

The following bachelor’s degrees are awarded by ECU. Each major program of study will fall under one of the following types of bachelor’s degrees. Each type of bachelor's degree listed comes with its own requirement for liberal arts and science courses. 

• Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
• Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
• Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.)
• Bachelor of Social Work (B.S.W.)
• Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S. ED)

Note: Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education classifies B.F.A., B.S.W., and B.S. ED under the category of Bachelor of Specialty.

Bachelor of Arts: At least 80 semester credit hours must be from liberal arts and science courses.

Bachelor of Science: At least 55 semester credit hours must be from liberal arts and science courses.

Bachelor of Specialty (B.F.A., B.S.W. and B.S. ED): At least 40 semester credit hours must be from liberal arts and science courses.

Other Institutional & State Graduation Requirements

Overall Minimum Credit Hours: At least 120 credit hours are required. Some programs may require additional hours, which will be noted in the same catalog section as the major/minor requirements. The following will not count toward the minimum 120 hours.

• Zero Credit Courses
• Zero Level Courses (Developmental/Remediation)
• Non-Degree Bearing Courses (transcribed as “not applicable to degree”)

Kinesiology (KIN) activity course credits may not count toward the minimum 120 hours. However, for programs requiring 124 hours, a maximum of four KIN activity credits are allowed.

Residency Hours: Listed below are the requirements concerning the minimum number of credit hours a student must earn from ECU before being awarded a bachelor’s degree. 

• A student must earn a minimum of 30 credit hours from ECU, and at least 12 of those 30 hours must be upper division (3000 or 4000 level). 
• At least 15 of the last 30 hours earned before graduation must be earned from ECU; OR
• At least 50% of credit hours required by the major must be earned from ECU.
• At least nine upper division hours within the major and three upper division hours within the minor must be earned from ECU.

Upper Division Credit Hours (3000 or 4000 level): Below are the requirements concerning the minimum number of upper division credit hours

• At least 40 upper division credit hours are required for a bachelor’s degree.
• At least 15 upper division credit hours are required within the major program of study.
• At least nine upper division credit hours within the major program of study must be earned from ECU.
• At least three upper division credit hours are required within the minor. These three hours must be earned from ECU.
• Credit transferred from another institution will be classified at the level (lower/upper division) at which it was originally earned.

Correspondence Credits: Students returning to finish their degree after many years may have correspondence credits on their transcript. A maximum of 31 hours of correspondence work may count toward a bachelor’s degree. Modern online courses are not considered correspondence courses.

Double Dipping: When a single course is used to satisfy more than one graduation requirement it is commonly referred to as “double dipping.” Below are the rules governing how courses can be utilized in this way.

• Double dipping between general education and major program requirements is limited to 12 hours for some but not all academic programs. Students should consult with their major program advisor to determine if this rule applies to their course of study.
• Double dipping may occur between general education and minor requirements without limit, but only so long as other rules in this list are not violated.
• No single course may count toward all three – general education, major and minor.
• No single course may count toward two majors, excluding related work courses.
• No course may count toward both the major and minor, excluding related work courses.

Note: Courses designated as related work will be identified within each academic programs's section of this catalog. 

Double Majors: A student “double majors” when completing two major programs of study while earning a single bachelor's degree. For example, earning a Bachelor of Arts with majors in art and music.

• Students who declare a double major are not required to declare a minor.
• No course may count toward both majors, excluding related work courses.
• If a student completes two major programs, each of which on its own would fall under a different type of bachelor's degree, then the degree type awarded will correspond to the first of the two majors declared by the student. Students in this instance also have the option to complete two separate bachelor's degrees - please see policy below for more details including increased credit hour requirement. 

Earning Two Degrees: The following rules are applicable to students with the intention of earning two bachelor’s degrees from ECU.

• Two Degrees Simultaneously: A student who meets the requirements for two majors may apply for two separate degrees if at least 154 credit hours have been earned.
• After Earning a Prior Bachelor’s: At least 150 hours (total) must be earned before the second degree can be awarded, excluding graduate level credit. All requirements for the second degree (including general education, major and minor) must be fulfilled in accordance with the catalog year current at the time the student declared his/her intent to complete the second degree. See catalog year policy for further information. Courses that counted toward the major for the first bachelor’s degree may not be applied toward the major for the second bachelor’s degree, excluding related work courses.

U.S. History & U.S. Government: All students graduating with a bachelor’s degree of any type must have completed at least six semester hours of college credit in U.S. History and U.S. Government. Courses satisfying this requirement must be primarily focused on a general overview of U.S. History and U.S. Government. The primary focus must be clear from the wording in the course title and description. Other history courses may not be substituted toward the requirement.

Computer Literacy Requirement (CLR): The CLR may be fulfilled with any of the following options:

• Option 1: Successful completion of one general education course in computer literacy.
• Option 2: Successful completion of a sequence of courses within a program of study (major) which a department and school or college dean designate to fulfill this requirement.
• Option 3: Successful completion of a degree program in which use of a computer is integral to the program (e.g., major in Computer Science).
• Option 4: Successful completion of an associate of arts or science degree at a two-year college in which the computer skills requirement was met (this option may not be used to reduce or remove any ECU program requirements). The associate’s degree must have been awarded from a regionally accredited institution of higher learning in Oklahoma. Applied associate degrees do not qualify.

Note: This policy applies to first-time beginning freshmen admitted to the university in the fall of 1998 and thereafter.

Grade Point Average (GPA) Requirements: The following minimum GPA values are required for a bachelor’s degree.

• A minimum GPA of 2.00 is required across all transcripted work including courses earned at ECU as well as any prior institutions.
• A minimum GPA of 2.00 is required inclusive of all courses completed at ECU.
• A minimum GPA of 2.00 is required for courses counting toward the major program of study. Specific majors may require a higher minimum GPA.
• A minimum GPA of 2.00 is required for courses counting toward the minor program of study.
• Per Oklahoma Regents Policy, GPA calculations shall not include physical activity courses. All physical activity courses transcribed at ECU are graded pass/fail.

Maximum Military Science Credits: A maximum of 24 Military Science credit hours may be applied toward a bachelor’s degree.

Individual Study Course Credits: A maximum of nine credit hours of Individual Study credits may be applied toward a bachelor's degree. 

OSRHE Chapter 3.15 Undergraduate Degree Requirements
OSRHE Chapter 3.14 Granting of Degrees & Other Awards

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Catalog Changes
(Undergraduate & Graduate)

In an effort to ensure accuracy, East Central University (ECU) reserves the right to make changes to curricula, degree requirements, course offerings, program descriptions, and all policy regulations within the academic catalog at any time. The most up-to-date version of the catalog will be posted to the ECU website.

OSRHE Chapter 3.4 Academic Curricular Additions & Changes

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Catalog Year Policy
(Undergraduate & Graduate)

Purpose: The following language is intended to answer questions concerning which catalog year (i.e., degree requirements) a student will be held accountable to when applying for graduation (undergraduate (UG) and graduate (GR) levels) at East Central University (ECU).

What is continuous enrollment? (UG & GR)
A student is considered continuously enrolled if a transcribed grade exists for at least one credit hour, semester to semester, excluding summer, without a break of more than one calendar year.

When is catalog year assigned? (UG & GR)
A student’s catalog year is initially assigned upon first enrolling at ECU. The statements below outline circumstances under which a student’s catalog year is subject to change.

How will concurrent enrollment during high school impact catalog year? (UG Only)
Students attending ECU under a concurrent enrollment program prior to graduating high school, will have their catalog year updated to the current year if later admitted as a post-high school undergraduate. The change to catalog year will take place in the Admissions Office during the readmit process.

Can the catalog year for my general education requirements be changed? (UG Only)
The catalog year for general education requirements will always match the catalog year for your primary major. For students with more than one major course of study, the primary major will be the one the student has been pursuing for the longest period of time. It is not possible for a student to change the catalog year for general education requirements only. Such a change will always impact the catalog year for the primary major.

I am only pursuing one major. If I change that major, will my catalog year change as well? (UG & GR)
Continuously enrolled students who change their major, and who are only pursuing one major, will not have their catalog year changed unless they request to have the catalog year moved forward to a more recent catalog, or if the catalog year assigned to the previous major is not available for the new major. Importantly, changing the catalog year for the primary major will also impact general education requirements.

If I declare a second major, which catalog year will I be assigned? (UG & GR)
Continuously enrolled students who declare a secondary major will retain the same catalog year as currently assigned to the primary major – unless that student specifically requests a more recent catalog year for the secondary major, or if the catalog year assigned to the primary major is not available for the secondary major. Primary and secondary major programs of study are not required to follow the same catalog year.

How are catalog years assigned for a minor program? (UG only)
The assigned catalog year for a minor is not required to match the catalog year for any major program of study. When a minor is declared, the most up-to-date catalog year available at that time will be assigned to the minor.

Other institutional graduation requirements outside general education, major and minor (UG & GR)
The requirements will match the catalog year assigned to the primary major.

If I fall out of continuous enrollment, for how long may I keep my assigned catalog year?
Completed General Education Before Leaving ECU: If all general education requirements were fulfilled prior to the student falling out of continuous enrollment, then for a period of 3 years the student may REQUEST to return and finish his/her degree according to the catalog years assigned to all declared programs (majors and minors) when last attending. The request should take place AFTER being readmitted to ECU, and may be submitted via a paper form obtained from the Records office. The request must be submitted within six months of being readmitted.

Incomplete General Education Before Leaving ECU: If all general education requirements were not fulfilled prior to the student falling out of continuous enrollment, then after one calendar year all assigned catalog years will be reset to the most recent year. Students who were granted a Leave of Absence (LOA) prior to falling out of continuous enrollment may be allowed more time before having their catalog year reset – this will be subject to the terms of the LOA granted to the student. If the LOA permits additional time before resetting the catalog year, then AFTER being readmitted to ECU, the student must REQUEST to have his/her catalog year changed to what it was prior to falling out of continuous enrollment. The request may be submitted via a paper form obtained from the Records Office. The request must be submitted within six months of being readmitted.

Students with an Approved Graduation Application on File: If before falling out of continuous enrollment a student applied for graduation and had his/her application approved by the Records Office, then that student may REQUEST to return to ECU and complete the degree – according to the terms of the existing graduation application – for a period not to exceed 3 years. The request will be submitted via a paper form obtained from the Records Office. The request must be submitted within six months of being readmitted. This applies to all graduation requirements including general education, major, minor and any other institutional requirements, but is subject to the relevant programs and required courses still being available at ECU. After 3 years the application will no longer be valid. For students who return after 3 years, all current catalog year requirements at that time will apply toward graduation.

What if changes to program requirements are implemented while I am continuously enrolled at ECU?
If curriculum changes take place for the general education program, major program and/or minor program, students enrolled at the time will retain their assigned catalog year – unless a request is made to move to the new catalog year requirements. All policies outlined above will still apply.

Licensure Programs, OSRHE Policies and Catalog Year
For degree programs leading to licensure, the application of catalog year stated herein will apply except when current licensure requirements require otherwise. Academic policies are often guided by the requirements of professional licensing agencies. For students who fall out of continuous enrollment, the application of catalog year could also be impacted by policies governed by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE) current at the time of readmission to ECU.

How do I update my degree requirements to the more recent catalog year?
Students must complete the form titled Request to Move Catalog Year Forward, which can be obtained either directly from the Records Office or from the office’s web page. Importantly, this is different from the Degree Change form, which is used to change a student’s major or declare a secondary major/minor. If after declaring a major or minor the student wishes to move the catalog year forward, the Request to Move Catalog Year Forward form must be completed.

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Classification by Credits & Level 
(Undergraduate & Graduate)

Students are classified as follows based on the number of credit hours earned and the level of enrolled courses.
Freshman (FR) = zero (0) to 29 credit hours earned
Sophomore (SO) = 30 to 59 credit hours earned
Junior (JR) = 60 to 89 credit hours earned
Senior (SR) = 90 or more credit hours earned
Senior Enrolled in Graduate Courses (S+) = An undergraduate student with 90 or more credit hours earned who has been gratned permission by the Dean of Graduate Studies to enroll in 5000 level courses. 
Special Student-Not Reg Admit (SP) = An undergraduate student amitted under the non-degree seeking status. 
Graduate Student (GR) = Having previously earned a bachelor's degree, the student has been admitted to one of ECU's graduate programs. 
Special Graduate-Not Reg Admit (SG) = A student provisionally admitted to the School of Graduate Studies, permitted to enroll in a limited number of 5000 level courses, but considered as non-degree seeking. 

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Commencement Participation
(Undergraduate & Graduate)

Commencement (i.e., graduation) is held twice a year (December and May). Students completing their degree requirements in fall will participate in the December ceremony. Students completing their degree requirements in spring will participating in the May ceremony. Students completing their degree requirements during the summer will also participate in the May ceremony. Graduation fees are subject to ECU’s fee structure at the time a student plans to completes his or her degree.

Delayed Commencement Participation: Students completing a degree in the summer may not delay their participation at commencement until December. Only deployed active-duty U.S. Military members may delay their commencement participation. 

Embassy Letters for Family Visitation: The Records Office does not write letters to the U.S. Embassy concerning a student's intent to graduate. ECU has confirmed that the U.S. Embassy does not take such letters into consideration when issuing visas. Students who would like family members from outside the United States to attend commencement are encouraged to be proactive and begin making arrangements early. 

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Course Identification
(Undergraduate & Graduate)

Subject Prefix: The course prefix (e.g., BIOL) indicates the academic department offering the course.

Course Numbering System: The first digit in a course number reflects the class level. The last digit in a course number reflects the credit hours. For example, ENG 2243 is a sophomore level course offered by the English Department for three credit hours. BIOL-4123 is a senior level course offered by the Biology Department for three credit hours.

0000 – Below Freshman Level Course
1000 – Freshman Level Course
2000 – Sophomore Level Course
3000 – Junior Level Course
4000 – Senior Level Course
5000 – Masters Level Course
6000 – Doctorate Level Course
7000 – Doctorate Level Course

Some academic departments may place a letter before the course number, which indicates additional content information beyond the course prefix (e.g., HIST-A4993; seminar topic in America history).

Courses numbers including the first three digits 499 (undergraduate) or 599 (graduate) are Individual Study courses (see policy below).

Individual Study (I.S.) Course: I.S. courses permit an academic department to offer subject content not matching an existing course in the East Central University (ECU) catalog. Only nine credit hours of I.S. courses may count toward graduation at the undergraduate level. All I.S. courses must be approved by the college dean. Students interested in an I.S. course should speak with the academic department offering the relevant subject matter. All I.S. course requests must reach the Records Office (i.e., all prior Etrieve approvals obtained) by the last day to add courses for the term/semester in which the course is to be offered. Late course requests will not be accepted. 

Taught-By-Arrangement (TBA) Course: TBA courses are to be used only under special circumstances that warrant offering an existing East Central University course to a single student. All TBA courses must be approved by the college dean. Students interested in a TBA course should speak with the academic department offering the relevant subject matter. All TBA course requests must reach the Records Office (i.e., all prior Etrieve approvals obtained) by the last day to add courses for the term/semester in which the course is to be offered. Late course requests will not be accepted. TBA courses are not intended as a mechanism for offering regularly scheduled courses that were cancelled due to low enrollment. 

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Course Late Adds, Drops & Withdrawals
(Undergraduate & Graduate)

Deadlines for adding late, dropping and withdrawing from courses are available within the academic calendar. All enrolled students have a responsibility to familiarize themselves with important dates. East Central University (ECU) is not responsible for a student’s failure to be knowledgeable of, and abide by, these deadlines. When a student registers for a course, ECU is no longer able to offer that seat to another paying student. A debt to ECU is also a debt to the State of Oklahoma. Students who fail to drop their courses by the deadline, and/or who fail to follow the correct drop process, will be required to pay all monies owed to ECU.

Terminology:

Late Add: After the last day to add courses and no later than the last day to drop courses (see academic calendar), students may complete a late add card and submit it to the Records Office. The card will be obtained from and submitted to the Records Office. Late add cards will require a signature from the course instructor, the college dean and the financial aid office. Athletes and international students will also be required to obtain a signature from their certifying officials.

Course Drop: A course drop may take place between the time a student registers for the course and the last day to drop as stated on the academic calendar. The last day to drop will also be the last day to receive a refund for tuition and fees. Some charges may be prorated depending upon services utilized prior to the drop date. Courses may be dropped online in Colleague Self-Service through the last day to drop. Alternatively, students may complete a paper drop card or a drop/withdrawal form on Etrieve. 

Course Withdrawal: A course withdrawal may take place between the day after the last day to drop and the last day for a withdrawal as stated on the academic calendar. Courses may be withdrawn from by submitting a drop/withdrawal form in Etrieve. A refund will not be issued for withdrawn courses. The grade of "W" will be posted to the transcript at the end of term for any withdrawn courses. 

Administrative Withdrawal: Students may not request an administrative withdrawal. This type of withdrawal takes place when either the course instructor or university administration determine a student must be unenrolled. A refund will not be issued for administratively withdrawn courses. The grade of "AW" will be posted to the transcript at the end of term. The deadline for instructional faculty to request an administrative withdrawal is the same as the deadline for students to request a withdrawal each academic term/semester. 

Never-Attended or “No-Show:” Faculty members have a period of time at the beginning of each term/semester, ending on or about the last day for course drops, when they can report students who never attended class. Only those students who are reported as never-attending for all their classes will be administratively dropped. If applicable, courses will be dropped for all parts of term, including any 2nd 8-Week courses that have not yet begun. Faculty will have an opportunity to report twice a semester - at the beginning of 16-Week and 1st 8-Week courses, and again after the start of 2nd 8-Week courses. 

Students should never depend on this process to have their courses dropped. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure their enrollment is accurate – not ECU’s. Students who fail to ensure their courses are dropped by the deadline will not receive an exception when claiming they should have been reported as never-attending. 

Medical Withdrawal: Students withdrawing for medical reasons prior to the last day to withdraw need not follow a special process. Completing the drop/withdrawal form in Etrieve will result in a withdrawal with W-grades. On the Etrieve form the student should select “medical” as their reason for withdrawing. These students may also wish to review the leave of absence policy.

Late Medical Withdrawal: Students who experience a medical related extenuating circumstance after the last day to withdraw may request a late medical withdrawal. The appropriate form may be found on the Records Office web page. The form may also be obtained directly from the Records Office. For currently enrolled students, any email communications sent to the Records Office must come from the student's own ecok.edu account.

Late Medical Withdrawal Policy: A late medical withdrawal may only be requested for the term/semester during which the medical circumstances occurred. Relevant medical documentation from a pertinent and licensed health care professional will be required. The above-mentioned request form must be submitted to the Records Office within one calendar year after the term/semester ends. Qualified medical events apply only to the student (not the student’s family members or friends). The Records Office will coordinate with the Office of Academic Affairs to have the request reviewed. The final decision will be communicated to the student directly from Academic Affairs. If approved, relevant courses will be assigned a GPA neutral grade of “W.”

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Course Load Maximums & Overload
(Undergraduate & Graduate)

This policy outlines the maximum workload for students during a term/semester. It is expected that a full-time college student will spend, at a minimum, an amount of time each week in class attendance and study outside of class approaching 40-hours per week. Students who wish to pursue an overload of course credits should only expect to be granted permission if they have previously demonstrated superior academic achievement.

Undergraduate Students: Below are the maximum credit hours a student may register for without obtaining special permission from the college dean. The appropriate college dean will be the one overseeing the student’s major program of study.

• Maximum 20 credit hours for 16-week fall and spring semesters
• Maximum 10 credit hours for 8-week summer sessions

Students who wish to exceed the limits above must contact the college dean directly. If the dean approves, he/she will email the registrar with the additional course/s. The approval will be recorded in the student’s permanent record. Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE) does set the following maximum beyond which the college dean cannot approve an exception. ECU does not permit students under any circumstances to exceed the OSRHE maximums.

• Maximum of 24 credit hours during a 16-Week semester (fall/spring).
• Maximum of 12 credit hours during an 8-Week term (summer session).

The limits listed above do not apply to academic credit awarded on the basis of advanced standing exams. Based on an individual student’s academic program and/or performance, ECU retains the right to further limit academic load below the limits listed in this policy. 

OSRHE Chapter 3.13 Undergraduate Course Load & Overload

Graduate Students: Below are the maximum credit hours a student may register for without obtaining special permission from the Dean of Graduate Studies. Students who wish to exceed these limits must contact the dean directly. OSRHE does not set its own maximums for graduate level enrollment. 

• Maximum 12 credit hours for 16-week fall and spring semesters
• Maximum 9 credit hours for 8-week summer sessions

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Course Load Non-Degree Seeking
(Undergraduate & Graduate)

Students attending East Central University (ECU) post high school graduation, and who do not intend to earn a degree, are limited to the following number of overall hours prior to applying for full admission to the university.

• Undergraduate Enrollment: 9hrs
  • Students will be assigned program code SPEC.STU.UNDG.
• Graduate Enrollment: 12hrs
  • Students will be assigned program code SPEC.STU.GRAD. 
  • Students wishing to continue attending graduate courses after earning a master's degree, without pursuing a second graduate degree, should consult the Office of Graduate Studies. 

Immediate Return After Bachelor's Degree: Students may continue attending undergraduate courses immediately after earning a bachelor's degree, without the intent to pursue a second bachelor's, and not be readmitted via the Office of Admissions. Prior to the first day of classes for the semester (fall/spring) immediately following the award of a bachelor's degree, the student must complete an Etrieve form titled Immediate Readmit after Graduation for Continued UG Enrollment.

• Enrollment will be limited to a maximum of two 16-week semesters.
  • Students will be assigned program code SPEC.STU.POSTBAC. When assigned, the program will be set to end two semesters from the start date. 

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Course Load Recommendations
(Undergraduate & Graduate)

Undergraduate Students: Students aspiring to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in four years should plan to complete 15-16 credit hours during each 16-week semester. A student who enrolls in less should plan to complete summer courses in order to graduate in four years.

Graduate Students: Students aspiring to graduate with a master’s degree in two years should consult with their program advisor. Depending upon the required curriculum the recommended credit load may vary. For maximum course load credit hours, please see the relevant policy above. 

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Curriculum Changes
(Undergraduate & Graduate)

New curriculum changes approved by East Central University’s (ECU) Curricular Committee will not be implemented until the following catalog year. Those changes requiring approval from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE) may not be applied to the course schedule until such approval is obtained and documented in the Records Office. 

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Degree Awarding & Diploma Timeline 
(Undergraduate & Graduate)

How soon will my degree be awarded? 
East Central University (ECU) is committed to working through the process of awarding degrees as quickly as possible. However, it is a process and it does take time. Degrees are not awarded the day of commencement. ECU's academic faculty are not required to submit final semester/term grades until the Tuesday after commencement. From that day, the State of Oklahoma allows ECU ten (10) business days to awarded degrees and post a degree statement to the transcript. ECU does not prioritize students during the awarding process under any circumstances - no exceptions. Graduating students are expected to plan ahead with the expectation that their transcript will not reflect an awarded degree until 10 business days after final grades are due. At the end of fall semester the 10 business days will extend beyond the Christmas break. 

When will I receive my diploma?
Diplomas will not be printed, mailed or made available for pick-up until after all degrees are awarded and transcripts updated with degree statements. The process of creating and proofing diplomas does take time. ECU is committed to ensuring diplomas are accurate. Graduating students who opt to pick their diploma up in person from the Records Office, will receive an email notification when the diploma is ready. Graduates who opt to have their diploma mailed should understand that ECU is not responsible for the shipping time incurred by the U.S. Postal Service. Overnight and other expedited shipping methods are not available. 

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Degree & Program Declarations
(Undergraduate & Graduate)

Students will select their desired degree (e.g., Bachelor of Science) and program (e.g., Mathematics) upon being admitted to East Central University. After being admitted, students may change their degree and/or program by completing the appropriate electronic form in Etrieve. Any student considering a change in degree or program is encouraged to consult with an academic advisor before submitting the Etrieve form. Only those academic programs leading to an awarded credential will be formally assigned to a student as a major course of study.

Effective Fall 2023, students are no longer able to have pre-professional designations (e.g., pre-medical) assigned to them as a program of study - because such designations do not by themselves lead to an awarded credential (e.g., bachelor's degree). Students who identify as pre-professional should consult with their major program advisor concerning opportunities to engage in extra-curricular activities appropriate for thier desired career path. 

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English Proficiency
Requirement for Faculty
(Undergraduate & Graduate)

Instructors at East Central University are required to meet minimum English Proficiency standards.  The Oklahoma State Legislature requires all public schools to establish and abide by a set of standards.  East Central University’s policy is printed in the Faculty Handbook.  If a student feels a complaint should be filed in reference to an instructor’s English Proficiency, he or she may do so in the Office of the President of the University.

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Enrollment Status
(Undergraduate & Graduate)

A student’s status is based on the number of enrolled credit hours (hrs) for a given term/semester.

Undergraduate Students

• 16-Week Fall & Spring Semesters
  • Full-Time is 12hrs or more
  • Three-Quarters Time is 9-11hrs
  • Half-Time is 6-8hrs
  • Less than Half-Time is 1hr – 5hr
    
    
• 8-Week Summer Term
  • Full-Time is 6hrs or more
  • Half-Time is 3-5hrs
  • Less than Half-Time is 1-2

Note: Three-Quarter time is not calculated during summer terms.

Graduate Students: Graduate enrollment does not include three-quarter time.

• 16-Week Fall & Spring Semesters
  • Full-Time is 9hrs or more
  • Half-Time is 5-8hrs
  • Less than Half-Time is 1-4hrs
    
    
• 8-Week Summer Term
  • Full-Time is 5hrs or more
  • Half-Time is 3-4hrs
    
  • Less than Half-Time is 1-2hrs

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FERPA Act of 1974
(Undergraduate & Graduate)

The Family Education Rights & Privacy Active of 1974 (FERPA) is a federal law that governs the access to educational information and records by public entities. Students are encouraged to carefully review relevant pages on the East Central University (ECU) website outlining key elements of FERPA legislation and campus related policies.

Consent to Release: Students have the right to inform ECU of their consent for education related records to be released to specific individuals. Consent cannot be given for an organization, but only for a specific individual. The release form can be submitted via Etrieve and is titled FERPA Student Information Release Authorization. Below are important facts a student should be aware of before submitting a consent to release.

• The release may be revoked by the student at any time.
• The release will require the student to assign a alphanumeric PIN, which ECU will ask for before releasing any information to the intended party. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure that the relevant person has the PIN when requesting information.
• When consenting to release information, the student may choose any or all of the following.
  
  • Academic Information
    • Each authorization is only valid for one year from the date submitted.

• • Financial Aid or Billing Information
    • Each authorization is valid until revoked by the student.

Privacy Flag: FERPA does permit release without consent under certain circumstances. The most common is what FERPA refers to as requests for directory information (see ECU website for a list of what is considered directory information). Directory Information for enrolled students may be requested by a variety of public entities for a variety of reasons. Students who request a privacy flag will not have their information included within directory information requests. Importantly, even with a privacy flag in place, FERPA permits ECU to release information under very limited circumstances (e.g., safety emergencies). Students who would like to request a privacy flag should stop by the Records Office, or email the office at registrar@ecok.edu including their full name (first/last), date of birth, and ECU student ID number. Email communication must take place via an ecok.edu email address.

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Grading Policy
(Undergraduate & Graduate)

Grading System: The following grades and respective definitions will be used for East Central University (ECU) transcript notations.

Incomplete (I) Grade: An incomplete grade may be used at the instructor’s discretion to indicate that additional work is necessary to complete a course. An incomplete grade is not a substitute for a failing grade. An I-grade is GPA Neutral. I-grades count in attempted hours but not earned hours. Students who are failing a course at the end of the term/semester are not eligible for an I-grade. To be eligible for an I-grade the student must have already completed 70% of the required coursework at a satisfactory level (i.e., C-grade or above).

The maximum timeframe to complete remaining assignments for an I-grade is one calendar year. However, the course instructor may set an earlier deadline. If all remaining coursework is not completed by the deadline, the faculty member will assign an appropriate grade based on completed work. After one calendar year, if a grade change has not been submitted, 2024 Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE) policy requires that the I-grade remain permanently on the transcript. 

Audit (AU) Grade: Audit enrollment status is intended for students who are not interested in receiving a grade, but are only attending the course for content knowledge. An AU-grade is GPA neutral. AU-grades do not count in attempted or earned hours.

Graded vs. Audit Enrollment Changes: The deadline to change from audit status to grade status is the last day to add courses for the term/semester. Students requesting this change must first meet appropriate institutional admission standards. The deadline to change from credit to audit is the same as the last day to withdraw from a course with a W-grade.

Withdrawal (W) Grade: Withdrawals begin after the course drop period. Students should view the academic calendar for specific dates. Student initiated withdrawals will result in a W-grade on the transcript. W-grades will not show on the ECU transcript until the end of the term/semester. W-grades are GPA neutral. W-grades will count in attempted but not earned hours. The deadline to receive a W-grade for each term/semester is posted to the academic calendar. After the deadline all enrolled students will receive a final grade appropriate to their enrollment. Students who wish to withdraw from courses are required to complete the drop/withdrawal form in Etrieve.

Administrative Withdrawal (AW) Grade: Administrative withdrawals occur when either the course instructor or ECU administration determine the student must be removed from a course. Refunds will not be granted for tuition and fees. Students may not request an administrative withdrawal. The AW-grade is GPA neutral. AW-grades will count in attempted but not earned hours.

Pass (P) or No-Pass (NP): This grading option is available only in courses for which academic faculty have deemed it appropriate. Both the P-grade and NP-grade are GPA neutral, and will be included in the calculation of attempted and earned hours.

• P-Grade: Signifies that the student did meet the minimum course requirements and that credit was earned.
• NP-Grade: Signifies that the student failed to meet the minimum course requirements and that credit was not earned.

Not Reported (NR): ECU reserves the right to assign a NR-grade if circumstances make it impossible for the course instructor to submit a final grade. As instructional faculty are required to submit their grades promptly at the end of each term/semester, NR-grades are rare occurrences. The NR-grade is GPA Neutral and will count in attempted but not earned hours. 

Dissertation in Progress (X): The X-grade signifies that an enrolled course section devoted to dissertation work remains in progress after the original term/semester has ended. The X-grade is GPA neutral and will count in attempted but not earned hours.

Grade Point Averages: ECU transcripts will include the following grade point averages.

• Term GPA: The calculation includes only courses enrolled for a specific term/semester. The calculation will not include GPA neutral grades.
• Graduate Retention GPA: The GPA includes grades from transfer courses and ECU courses. The calculation does not include activity courses or forgiven work. The calculation will not include GPA neutral grades
• Cumulative GPA: The GPA includes grades for all course work including transfer, ECU, activity courses and forgiven work. The calculation will not include GPA neutral grades.
• ECU Retention GPA: The GPA includes only grades from courses completed at ECU. The calculation does not include activity courses or forgiven work. The GPA will not include GPA neutral grades.

Calculating GPA: Below are the steps for calculating GPA. Calculations are rounded to the nearest one-hundredth. For example, 1.594 would be rounded to 1.59. 1.595 would be rounded to 1.60.

• Step 1: Individually, for each course to be included in the calculation, multiply the grade points by the credit hours earned.
• Step 2: Add together the value for each course obtained in Step 1.
• Step 3: The total value obtained in Step 2 is to be divided by the overall number of attempted hours across the courses included within the calculation.

Example:

Crse. = Course
CrHrs. = Credit Hours for Course (Attempted Hours)
Grd. = Final Grade Assigned
Grd. Pts. = Point Value for Final Grade
ErnHrs. = Hours Earned for Course

GPA Neutral Grades: Below are grades assigned by ECU that are not included within GPA calculations.

I = Incomplete
AU = Audit
W = Withdrawal
AW = Administrative Withdrawal
P = Pass
NP = No-Pass
NR = Not Reported
X = Dissertation in Progress

Academic Forgiveness: These policies are intended to help students recover from past academic problems so as to not indefinitely jeopardize academic standing. ECU offers three forms of academic forgiveness (repeated courses, academic reprieve and academic renewal) – see below for details.

Repeated Courses (Academic Forgiveness): ECU aims to implement the new OSRHE course repeat policies by Fall 2026. The policies below are those in effect at the curent time. 

(UG) Course Not Intended to Be Taken Multiple Times: This applies to most of the courses a student will complete at ECU. For each course it is intended students will only need to complete it one time. However, students who experience difficulty in the course may choose to repeat it. In such a case, the following rules apply. Any reference to GPA refers to all such calculations appropriate for the course.

When the first course attempt is graded “D” or “F”

• For a maximum of four separate courses UP TO 18 credit hours (i.e., 18 hours does not include multiple attempts of the same course), only the second attempt for each course will count in GPA.
  • First attempt points and divisor removed
  • Second attempt points and divisor applied
  • First attempt earned hours remain
  • Second attempt earned hours do not apply
  • All earned grades remain visible on the transcript.
  • If a D-grade is replaced with an F-grade, then everything from the first attempt is lost (i.e., earned credits, points and divisor). Note: This statement is correct for courses repeated Fall 2021 or later. Prior to Fall 2021, the first D-grade held the hours even if the 2^nd attempt was graded “F.”

• For the third and further attempts of a single course still within the 4 course up to 18-hour limit. 
  • The third and any further attempts falling within the 18 hours will be applied the same as the second attempt – see explanation above.

• Exceeding the four-course up to 18hr limit. Beyond four courses,  or if 18 hours is reached with less than four courses, for each additional course a student repeats, the following will apply.
  • 1^st attempt everything is applied (i.e., earned hours, full points, full divisor credits).
  • 2^nd attempt and beyond
    • Only full points and full divisor hours are counting for all graded attempts.
    • Earned hours will not be applied so long as first attempt was not graded “F.”

When the first course attempt is graded “A,” “B” or “C”

• For the first course attempt full credit will be given.
  • Earned Hours
  • All Points
  • All Divisor Credits

• For the second and all further attempts, the following will apply.
  • Earned hours will not count as these have already been applied toward the first attempt.
  • All points and divisor credits will be applied.

When the course is graded “P” or “NP”

Note: The “P” and “NP” grades are GPA neutral, which means the only “credit” received is earned hours.

• If first and second attempts are graded “P”
  • For the first attempt earned hours are applied.
  • For the second attempt earned hours are not applied.

• If first attempt is graded “P” and second is “NP”
  • For first attempt the earned hours will be removed.
  • For second attempt nothing will be applied.

• If first attempt is graded “NP” and second is “P”
  • For the first attempt nothing will be applied.
  • For the second attempt the earned hours will be applied.

(UG) Courses That Are Intended to Be Taken Multiple Times: Some academic programs included courses that are designed to be completed multiple times – not to replace a prior grade, but for each grade to count and influence GPA. When a limit exists on the number of times a student is expected to complete the course, any further attempts will count toward points and divisor values (i.e., GPA Calculations), but no additional earned hours will be applied. In these circumstances, at no point is grade forgiveness applied for prior attempts.

(GR) Graduate Level Course Repeats: The original grade remains visible on the transcript, but all prior attempts are considered forgiven. The earned hours and all GPA points are removed for prior attempts. There are no limits set at the institution level for how many times a graduate course can be repeated. However, academic departments may set their own limits for individual courses. 

Academic Reprieve (Academic Forgiveness): Academic Reprieve allows a student who has experienced extraordinary circumstances to have no more than two semesters of course work removed from GPA calculations. Academic reprieve may be requested for either one semester or two consecutive semesters only. If a student requests reprieve for two semesters, ECU reserves the right to only grant one semester. If the reprieve is awarded all courses will remain on the ECU transcript, but will not be calculated in the relevant GPAs. Course work with a passing grade during the reprieve semester may still be used to demonstrate subject matter competency. However, the course work may not be used to fulfill credit hour requirements toward graduation. 

Reprieve Eligibility Requirement: Before requesting academic reprieve the student must have earned a GPA of 2.0 or higher with no grade lower than a “C” in all regularly graded course work (a minimum of 12 credit hours) excluding activity or performance courses.

Academic Renewal (Academic Forgiveness): Academic renewal allows a student who has experienced extraordinary circumstances in the past, and who has been out of higher education for a number of years, to recover without penalty and have a fresh start. If granted, all courses and grades prior to the renewal date will remain on the ECU transcript, but will be excluded from GPA calculations. Neither the course content nor credit hours may be used to fulfill graduation requirements.

Renewal Eligibility Requirements: At least three years must have elapsed between the last semester being renewed and the renewal request. At the discretion of the Chief Academic Officer, a shorter period of time may be permitted. Prior to requesting the renewal, the student must have earned a GPA of 2.0 or higher with no grade lower than a "C" in all regularly graded course work (a minimum of 12 credit hours) excluding activity or performance courses. 

Mid-Semester Grade Policy: Mid-Semester grades are required for all undergraduate courses scheduled during 16-week semesters. Instructional faculty are required to submit their grades either via Colleague Self-Service or Blackboard. The deadline to submit mid-semester grades will be set each semester by the registrar.

Final Grade Submission Policy: Instructional faculty are required to submit final grades for all courses at the end of each term/semester. Below are policies applicable to the entry of final grades.

• Last Day of Attendance: Faculty are required to enter Last Day of Attendance (LDA) for all grades of F, NP, I, AW and W. LDA is not to be entered for other grades.
• Students That Never Attended: Faculty are required to report these students at the beginning of each term/semester. Importantly, only students reported for all their enrolled courses will be dropped. At the end of term/semester, if a student reported as non-attending remains on the roster, then a F-grade must be entered. Because the never attended flag is already present, an LDA is not required.
• Student Reported as Never Attended but Began Later in Term/Semester: The appropriate final grade will be whatever the student earned. Requirements for reporting LDA are the same as stated above. In this case the course instructor will be required to uncheck the never attended flag before entering a final grade. 

Note: Further instructions concerning the use of Colleague Self-Service and Blackboard are provided to faculty prior to final grade submission. The registrar provides these instructions via email.

Grade Appeal: The University believes students should be given the opportunity to meet with instructors and department chairman to resolve issues concerning assigned grades.  Student grade appeals are not intended to interfere with the instructor’s right to determine the evaluation process and to perform that evaluation.  Evaluation of student academic performance is the professional responsibility of instructors. However, in rare situations, students may believe that the final course grade awarded was inconsistent with stated evaluation expectations. The grade change process must be initiated no later than the first day of September for spring and summer courses, and no later than the first day of February for fall courses. A student appealing a grade must provide written justification that includes clear and convincing evidence that one or more of the following conditions occurred:

• An error was made in calculating the grade;
• Standards used to determine the grade were not consistent with university policies; or
• The Instructor departed substantially from his or her own written standards without notifying students of the change.

A final course grade appeal should be initiated only after the student has discussed the disputed grade with the instructor of the course. Students may contact instructors any time after grades have been submitted to attempt to resolve the issue. Because instructors may not be available outside semester (fall/spring) class days, the formal appeal process will begin after the start of the following semester (fall/spring). If the instructor is available and the student and instructor reach an agreement that includes a grade change, the instructor will complete the grade change form and submit it to the Records Office. 

If an agreement cannot be reached, the student may proceed with the contested grade appeal procedure.  The suggested timeline can be found at the end of this policy. If the contested grade prevents enrollment, the student may request the appeal process be expedited by contacting the department chair. If the chair and instructor are available and in agreement, the department chair may make an exception to the listed deadlines and agree to begin the appeal process before the start of the following semester. Although the process may be completed in fewer days, the sequence and time-frame for each step will be adhered to if needed.

Additional Notes Regarding the Appeal Process

• All communications will be via University email.
• If the student does not respond to their University email from an ECU administrator by the deadline or attend a scheduled meeting, the appeal process is concluded and the grade remains unchanged.
• The student must submit the grade appeal form (obtain online on Registrar's forms page). 
• If the instructor is no longer employed by the University, the student should contact the department chair to resolve the issue.
• If the department chair is also the course instructor, the dean of the College/School assumes the responsibilities of the department chair.
• The student may bring a support person to any meeting(s)/hearing(s) regarding the grade appeal, but the support person may not participate.
• As this is an institutional appeal, no legal counsel may be present.
• For undergraduate grade appeals, the appropriate office is Academic Affairs. For graduate appeals, the appropriate office is the Graduate School.
• For undergraduate grade appeals the appropriate official who reviews the appeal information is the Provost. For graduate grade appeals the appropriate official who reviews the appeal information is the Graduate Dean.

Appeal Procedure: The student must first contact and attempt to resolve the matter with the instructor. If an error was made in calculating the grade, for example, this may be resolved without the need for a formal appeal. The student may contact the instructor in person or via phone, but must follow-up via University email no later than the first day of September for spring and summer courses, and no later than the first day of February for fall courses. The student must give the instructor 10 days to respond. If the student cannot resolve the disputed grade with the instructor, the student must submit the following to the department chair:

• Contested Grade Appeal Form (obtain online on Registrar's forms page).
• A detailed, written justification for the grade appeal that identifies which of the three conditions listed above occurred, and
• a copy of the email to the instructor of the course.

The department chair must determine if the student has provided evidence that one or more of the three conditions warranting an appeal may have occurred.

• If necessary, the chair may send the appeal back to the student stating that such evidence is not provided, and thus, cannot proceed as is. It is incumbent upon the student to provide evidence that one or more of the three conditions has occurred in order for the appeal to proceed. NOTE: If the second submission does not include sufficient evidence, the appeals process concludes and the grade remains unchanged.
• Upon receipt of the form and acceptable written justification, the department chair forwards a copy to the    instructor and schedules a meeting with the student and the instructor. The instructor may file a written rebuttal with the department chair prior to the formal meeting with the student, department chair and instructor.

The department chair’s role in this meeting is to actively pursue a resolution.

• If the issue is resolved, the student, instructor and department chair sign off on the appeal form, and the chair submits the appeal form to the appropriate office. If the resolution includes a grade change, the instructor completes the uncontested grade change form and submits it to the Records Office. The appeals process is concluded.
• If no resolution can be reached, the department chair writes a letter that summarizes the details of the meeting, clearly states their position, and sends the letter, the grade appeal form, the student’s written justification to the college dean.

The dean will review all documents relating to the appeal and schedule a meeting with the student, the instructor, and the department chair.

• If the issue is resolved, the student, instructor, department chair, and dean sign off on the appeal form, and the dean submits the form to the appropriate office. If the resolution includes a grade change, the instructor completes the        uncontested grade change form and submits it to the Records Office. The appeals process is                          
• If the appeal cannot be resolved, the dean will forward the appeal and all supporting documents, including a summary of the meeting as well as their position on the appeal to the administrator of the Grade Appeal Committee if it is an undergraduate issue and to the graduate dean if it is a graduate issue.

For Undergraduate Courses
The administrator on the Grade Appeal Committee will be responsible for distributing    the grade appeal materials to the committee members and    will call for a volunteer to chair the committee.

For Graduate Courses
The graduate dean will establish a Grade Appeal Subcommittee consisting of five (5) members of the    standing Graduate Committee, select a Grade Appeal Subcommittee Chair, and distribute the grade appeal materials to the committee members. The Grade Appeal Committee chair will schedule the grade appeal hearing(s), conduct the hearing(s), and will submit the commit tee’s decision to the appropriate office within thirty (30) calendar days from the date of receipt of the appeal documents. For the student to prevail, the student’s evidence weighed against the instructor’s evidence must demonstrate that the instructor failed to meet one or more of the three conditions above in a clear and convincing manner. Upon receipt of the committee’s decision, the appropriate official will notify the student, instructor, department chair and dean of the committee’s decision within five (5) class days from the receipt of the appeal decision from the committee. 

As a final level of appeal, the student or the instructor may submit a written request for a procedural review to the appropriate office.  The official’s review will relate to procedural matters only. The request must be submitted within five (5) class days of notification of the decision. The official has ten (10) days to review and respond to the student and/or instructor. The decision of the official is final.

Responsibilities of Involved Parties: For each person/position involved in the appeal process, the following responsibilities apply.

Student Responsibilities

1. Contact the instructor via University email. The student may also contact the instructor by phone or in person, but for the purposes of the grade appeal process, the email date will be used to deter mine if the student met the stated deadline.
2. If there is no resolution, send the Grade Appeal form, the written justification, a copy of the contact email, and any other supporting documentation to the instructor’s department chair.
3. Submit additional evidence for the appeal if requested by the chair or Grade Appeal Committee.
4. Respond to all University emails from ECU administrators.
5. Attend all requested meetings (with instructor/chair; instructor/chair/dean; Grade Appeal Committee) deemed necessary.
6. Meet all deadlines listed in the policy.

Course Instructor Responsibilities

1. Respond to the student when contacted.
2. If any interaction with the student results in a grade change, submit the Uncontested Grade Change form to the Office of Ad missions and Records.
3. Respond to the grade appeal with a rebuttal if desired.
4. Respond to request for information from the chair, dean, and/or Grade Appeal Committee.
5. Attend all requested meetings (with student/chair; student/chair/dean; Grade Appeal Committee) deemed necessary.

Department Chair Responsibilities

1. Determine if the appeal includes sufficient evidence that one or more of the three conditions may have occurred.
   1. If not, return to the student for additional information. If second submission is not acceptable, notify the student that the appeals process has concluded.
   2. If so, forward the documents to the instructor and schedule a meeting with the student and the instructor.

2. Meet with the student and instructor to actively pursue a resolution.
   1. If resolved, have all parties sign the grade appeal form and submit to the appropriate office.
   2. If no resolution can be reached, write a letter which summarizes the meeting and forward all documents to the dean of the contested course.

3. Meet with the student, instructor, and dean deemed necessary.

Dean Responsibilities

1. Schedule a meeting with the student, the instructor and the department chair.
2. Actively seek a resolution
3. If resolved, have all parties sign the grade appeal form and submit to the appropriate office.
4. If no resolution can be reached, write a letter which summarizes the outcome of the meeting and forward all documents to the graduate dean.

Grade Appeal Administrator Responsibilities

1. Distribute the grade appeal materials to the committee members.
2. Call for a volunteer to chair the committee.
3. Meet all deadlines listed in the policy

Graduate Dean Responsibilities

1. Select a Grade Appeal Subcommittee and assign a chair
2. Distribute all appeal documents to the subcommittee chair.
3. Notify the student of the Subcommittee’s decision. A copy of the letter should be sent to the instructor, chair, and dean.
4. If the student or instructor appeals on procedural grounds, review and notify the student or instructor of the graduate dean’s decision.
5. Meet all deadlines listed in the policy.

Grade Appeal Committee Chair Responsibilities

1. Schedule a Grade Appeal Committee meeting after all members have had an opportunity to review the materials. Identify questions that need to be addressed. Request any additional material (s) that may be needed.
2. Set the hearing date(s), reserve a room, contact and invite the student, the instructor, and any relevant witnesses.
3. The course instructor is not required to attend the hearing(s), and they cannot be present while the student is presenting their case to the Grade Appeal Committee. However, the instructor is welcome to present their position regarding the matter (if they choose) 
   • If no resolution can be reached, the department chair writes a letter that summarizes the details of the meeting, clearly states their position, and sends the letter, the Grade Appeal form, the student’s written justification for appeal, after the student has presented their case to the Grade Appeal Committee.
4. Record all testimony (but not the deliberations).
5. Write a summary letter with committee recommendation to the appropriate official. Include an attachment that lists all evidence that was examined as well as the official Grade Appeal. For the student to prevail, the student’s evidence weighed against the instructor’s evidence must demonstrate that the instructor failed to meet one or more of the three conditions above in a clear and convincing manner.
6. Meet all deadlines listed in the policy.

Grade Appeal Committee Member Responsibility

1. Review all documentation of the grade appeal.
2. Attend all meetings and hearings.
3. After reviewing all of the evidence, deliberate and decide regarding the appeal. For the student to prevail, the student’s evidence weighed against the instructor’s evidence must demonstrate that the instructor failed to meet one or more of the three conditions above in a clear and convincing manner.
4. Meet all deadlines listed in the policy.

Provost Responsibilities

1. Notify the student of the committee’s decision. A copy of the letter should be sent to the instructor, chair, and dean.
2. If the student or instructor appeals on procedural grounds, review and notify the student or instructor of the provost’s decision.
3. Meet all deadlines listed in the policy.

Suggested Deadlines for Fall/Spring Semesters: To allow sufficient time for the grade appeal process, the following deadlines will be enforced.

Grade Changes (Uncontested): An uncontested grade change occurs when both the student and course instructor agree the change is needed. In these cases, the course instructor should submit an uncontested grade change form in Etrieve.

OSRHE Chapter 3.12 Grading Policy

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Graduation Application Process
(Undergraduate & Graduate)

Students planning to graduate must file an electronic degree application by the dates announced at the start of each term/semester. The announcement of dates will come in an email from the registrar. Failure to submit a graduation application by the deadline could result in a student’s name being omitted from the commencement program, and/or a delay in graduation of one term/semester. Students qualifying for two degrees during the same semester must make two separate applications. Students receiving two majors but one degree need only apply once. Depending upon the time of year when the application is submitted, students should expect to wait 2-4 weeks for confirmation that their application has been accepted. The application for graduation may be found in Colleague Self-Service. 

Undergraduate: Graduation applications will only be accepted after a student has earned 90 credit hours and has registered for their final semester of courses. 

Graduate: The deadlines for application submission will be the same as for undergraduates. Failure to graduate for any reason necessitates reapplication. 

Unsuccessful Graduation/Application Resubmission: Five business days after final grades are posted for a student's anticipated last semester/term at ECU, if unsatisfied graduation requirements remain, the student will be required to submit a new graduation application for the next degree awarding cycle. This includes cases involving transfer transcripts not yet received by ECU. Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education requires ECU to awarded degrees no later than 10 business days after a semester/term ends. To be compliant with this policy, graduating students must submit all required graduation materials to the Records Office no later than five business days after final grades post to the ECU transcript. 

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Graduating Honors
(Undergraduate)

A bachelor’s degree candidate may receive the following honors. To be eligible, the grade point average (GPA) values listed below must apply to the graduate retention GPA as well as the East Central University (ECU) GPA . All GPA values are rounded to the nearest one-hundredth.

• Academic Achievement (3.50 – 3.79)
• High Academic Achievement (3.80 – 3.99)
• Highest Academic Achievement (4.00)

Honors Program: Honors students who complete the Honors Program will receive appropriate recognition at commencement and an honors designation on their transcript as well as diploma. In addition, Honors Program graduates with exceptional GPAs will receive the following achievement status:

• University Honors with Academic Achievement (3.50 – 3.79)
• University Honors with High Academic Achievement (3.80 – 3.99)
• University Honors with Highest Academic Achievement (4.0)

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International Study Abroad
(Undergraduate)

East Central University (ECU) allows students to incorporate an international learning experience into their bachelor’s degree with the Study Abroad Program. Student’s interested in the program should contact the School of Business to begin the process. Working with the program coordinator, students will determine and plan for the following:

• Travel Destination
• International University Orientation
• Course Selection
• Confirmation of ECU’s Application of Credits Earned Toward Degree
• Travel to International Destination
• Living Arrangements while Abroad
• Financial Aid and Plans for Expenses while Abroad.

It is important that students know before leaving the United States how their international credits will be applied toward one of ECU’s bachelor’s degrees. Students who plan to study abroad should proactively seek this information, and do so before purchasing travel tickets or confirming housing plans. Failure to be familiar with the following could result in a student’s graduation being delayed.

Foreign vs. United States (U.S.) Credit Hours: Credit hour standards often differ significantly among nations. For example, four hours of credit from many European colleges will be worth two hours of credit within the U.S. Students have a responsibility to know how many U.S. credit hours their international courses will be worth before traveling abroad.

Pre-Travel Credit Evaluation & ECU Credit Registration: Before purchasing a plant ticket, and no later than once month prior to leaving the United States, students must submit the following information to the Registrar. The Registrar will verify the student's study abroad status with the School of Business. 

• List of courses to be completed at the foreign institution including foreign credit hours assigned to each course
• The foreign institution's grading scheme
• Number of weeks within the academic term courses are to be completed
• Credit value of each course according to ECTS or CATS standards; OR
• Weekly in class contact hours for each course, plus any weekly out of class work hours
  

Note: All information above must be provided with supporting documentation. All supporting documentation, be it web links or PDF files, must
clearly have originated from the foreign institution. 

While participating in the study abroad program, students will be enrolled both at ECU and the foreign instiution. After receiving the items listed above, the ECU Registrar will enroll the student for a number of credit hours at ECU matching the U.S. credit hour equivalency for the courses to be completed while abroad. Those credit hours registered through ECU prior to traveling abroad will be from a combination of the following (see UNIV courses below). Each student will be responsible for enrolling him/herself at the foreign institution. 

• UNIV 3711 International Study Abroad 1 Credit
  
• UNIV 3712 International Study Abroad 2 Credits
• UNIV 3713 International Study Abroad 3 Credits
• UNIV 3714 International Study Abroad 4 Credits
• UNIV 3715 International Study Abroad 5 Credits

Navigating the process will require each student to work with the Study Abroad Coordinator, as well as the intended foreign institution, in order to proactively determine the courses to be completed. Leaving the U.S. without first knowing the courses to be completed while abroad is NOT an option. Students will not be approved for the study abroad experience without ECU first becoming aware of the courses to be completed at the foreign institution. Students who complete this process at the last minute are likely to have their study abroad experience delayed significantly. 

If, after arriving at the foreign institution, a student realizes that the courses originally planned must change, an email must be sent to registrar@ecok.edu immediately with an explanation of why, as well as all required supporting documentation for the new courses. Failure to follow these instructions is likely to result in the award of fewer U.S. credit hours than originally expected. Students who are awarded fewer than expected U.S. credits due to a failure to follow instructions, will not be awarded a refund at ECU. 

Official International Transcript Submission to ECU: Students traveling abroad must submit an official transcript from the international institution. The official transcript must be received by one of the following methods.

• (Preferred) Email: The official transcript may be emailed directly to the ECU Registrar (registrar@ecok.edu). The email must come directly from the foreign institution. The address from which the email is sent will be verified. ECU employees may not submit the transcript on behalf of the student.
• Postage Mail: The official transcript may be mailed directly to the ECU Registrar (see address below). If mailed, it should be expected this will take time. Depending upon the country of origin and the logistics of international shipping, it could be 4-8 weeks before the transcript is received and the ECU transcript updated.

Official International Transcript Required Contents: The standards for transcribing academic credit will differ among nations. ECU will do its best to work with any foreign transcript so long as we can verify it as official. However, the time required to evaluate a foreign transcript will depend on the information contained therein.

Required Information

• Course identifying Information (e.g., subject, number and title for each course).
• Grade awarded for each course
• Credit hours awarded for each course (i.e., credits awarded by the foreign institution under their credit system)

If the ECU Registrar did not have the opportunity to determine the U.S. credit hours conversion prior to the student studying abroad, the following additional information must be included within the transcript. It will be the student's responsibility to make proper arrangements for official documentation from the international institution. 

• Credit value of each course according to ECTS or CATS standards; OR
• Weekly in-class contact hours for each course, plus any weekly out-of-class work hours.

Recommended Information

• Transcript Key
• English Translation

Grades on ECU Transcript for International Coursework: At the end of each academic term a student studies abroad, the UNIV credit hours will be graded as I-incomplete. Upon receipt of the official international transcript, the UNIV grades will be changed to NR-no grade reported. Those courses completed while abroad will then be added to the ECU transcript along with the grade earned along with corresponding grade point values. If the international transcript is not received by ECU within one calendar year, the I-grades will remain on the record permanently (see Oklahoma State Regents Policy for Higher Education policy concerning I-grades). After one year the foreign coursework may not be added to the ECU transcript. 

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Leave of Absence - Non-Military
(Undergraduate & Graduate)

The Leave of Absence (LOA) policy provides students an option to delay their education due to extenuating life circumstances without having their catalog year (i.e., degree requirements) change after a calendar year of non-attendance. The LOA will allow the student’s original catalog year to be retained for a period not to exceed 24 months. Students who do not intend to remain unenrolled for more than one calendar year need not request a LOA. To request an LOA, students should complete a request form, which can be found on the Records Office web page.

Eligibility for LOA: Students may be eligible for a LOA for either of the following reasons. The LOA provisions will be the same in either case.

• Medical Leave of Absence: Student may consider a medical LOA if they are experiencing a medical situation that hinders their ability to successfully complete coursework.
  
• Personal Leave of Absence: Students may consider a personal LOA for family reasons, planned internship or educational experience not offered through East Central University (ECU), or other reasons that require a student to be away from school for a limited period of time exceeding one calendar year.

Eligibility also requires the following:

• The student must be enrolled at full-time status at the time the LOA is requested.
• The student must not be subject to any academic or student conduct violations.

Students requesting a LOA must acknowledge all of the following when submitting their request.

• Neither the request for a LOA nor the granting of it will result in enrolled courses for future terms/semester being automatically dropped. The student is responsible for dropping any future courses he/she may have registered for. Failure to do so will not serve as justification for ECU to cancel the student’s account balance at a later date.
• The LOA does not guarantee any accommodations concerning federal financial aid. Students should consult the Office of Financial Aid prior to requesting a LOA.
• If a LOA is granted, it is the student’s responsibility to notify residence life and any other office/organization on campus that they have association with.

Returning from a LOA: Turn return from a LOA students should first complete the readmission process via ECU’s Admissions Office. After being readmitted, the returning student should submit to the Records Office a signed Readmit Student Request to Maintain Prior Catalog Year Form, which can be obtained on the Records Office web page. The form may be submitted to the Records Office in person, or via email (registrar@ecok.edu) – but only if sent from the student's ECU email address. The form must be received by the Records Office within six months of the student being readmitted. Students who decide to return early – within one calendar year of leaving the university – need not be readmitted, nor do they need to submit the catalog year form.

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Leave of Absence - Military
(Undergraduate & Graduate)

Pursuant to Title 70 O.S., § 3248, State System institutions shall grant a leave of absence, which shall not exceed a cumulative five (5) years, to a student who is a member of the active uniformed military services of the United States and called to active duty. The student shall be eligible to:

• Withdraw from any or all courses for the period of active duty service without penalty to admission status or GPA and without loss of institutional financial aid (for refund of tuition and fees refer to Budget and Fiscal policy 4.18.4.I); OR
• Receive an “I” for any or all courses for the period of active duty status irrespective of the student’s grade at the time the “I” is awarded; provided, however, that the student has completed a minimum of fifty percent (50%) of all coursework prior to being called to active duty and the student completes all courses upon return from active duty. The student’s admission status and GPA shall not be penalized and the student shall not experience loss of institutional financial aid.

Notification of Military Service: The student (or an appropriate officer of the armed forces or official of the Department of Defense) must give oral or written notice of such service to the school as far in advance as is reasonable under the circumstances. This notice does not have to indicate whether the student intends to return to the school and may not be subject to any rule of timeliness. (Timeliness must be determined by the facts in each case.) Alternatively, at the time of readmission, the student may submit an attestation of military service that necessitated his absence from school. No notice is required if precluded by military necessity, such as service in operations that are classified or would be compromised by such notice.

Notification of Intent to Return to School: The student must also give oral or written notice of his/her intent to return to the school within three years after the completion of the period of service. A student who is hospitalized or convalescing due to an illness or injury incurred or aggravated during the performance of service must notify the school within two years after the end of the period needed for recovery from the illnes or injury. A student who fails to apply for readmission within these periods does not automatically forfeit eligibility for readmission but is subject to the school's established leave of absence policy and general practices. 

OSRHE Chapter 3.12.2B Military Leave of Absence Policy

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Official Communication Policy
(Undergraduate & Graduate)

Upon admission all East Central University (ECU) students are assigned an email account. That email address, along with mail sent via the US Postal Service and campus mail, are the official channels by which ECU communicates with students. Students who have attended ECU within the past calendar year, and who wish to communicate with the university by email, must use their assigned ECU address. The University will not communicate via third party email addresses if the student should have access to an ECU account.

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Registering/Enrolling in Courses
(Undergraduate & Graduate)

East Central University (ECU) academic advisors are available to assist students with course selection and registration. Ultimately however, each student is responsible for the accuracy of his/her own course schedule. Furthermore, each student is responsible for being familiar with the following before registering for courses.

• Know the important calendar dates for registration, including the last day to add, drop and withdraw.
  
• Each student should confirm his/her ability to pay for courses and services. Students must be aware that monies owed constitute not only a debt to East Central University (ECU), but also to the State of Oklahoma. When a student registers for a course it prevents ECU from offering that course to another paying student. Students that register for courses, but who do not drop by the appropriate deadline, will be required to pay all monies owed to ECU.
• The requirement to accept a registration agreement and acknowledgment of financial responsibilities in Colleague Student Self-Service prior to registration.
• Students should know which advisors have been assigned to them, and if multiple advisors have been assigned, the purpose of each.
• Each student should be familiar with the degree requirements for his/her academic program. Only with knowledge of the degree requirements can students know they are registered for the correct courses. 

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Registration Restrictions
(Undergraduate & Graduate)

For a variety of reasons East Central University (ECU) may prevent a student from registering for further courses until certain actions are taken. Below is a list of all such restrictions currently utilized by ECU. Also shown is the exact message a student will see if attempting to register in Colleague Self-Service (CSS) while one of the following restrictions is active. Importantly, these restrictions will prevent a student from registering for any course. The list below does not include restrictions that may be applicable for specific courses.

Bursar Restriction: Students with a large outstanding account balance will be prevented from registering. Please see the Bursar’s website for specific information on the maximum amount permitted before registration is blocked.

CSS: Registration Hold: Unpaid Bill (bursaroffice2@ecok.edu or ext. 5227)

Academic Suspension: Students placed on academic suspension will be blocked from further registration until such time as the suspension is lifted. Please see academic standing policies for further details.

CSS: Registration Hold: Academic Suspension (see catalog policy)

Non-Degree Seeking Student Exceeds Credit Limit: Non-Degree seeing students who exceed their allowed number of earned credit hours prior to full admission will be blocked from further course registration. To continue their education at ECU these students must seek full admission. Please see the non-degree seeking student credit limit policy for further details.

CSS: Registration Hold: Non-Degree Seeking (must apply for full admission)

Deficiency Course Requirement (UG Only): Students admitted to ECU who are required to complete a remedial/deficiency course will be blocked from online registration. To register, these students must meet with a professional academic advisor in the Academic Success Center.

CSS: Registration Hold: Basic Skills Course Incomplete (contact advisor in ASC)

International Student Restriction: At the discretion of the Director of International Students and Programs, international students may be blocked from further registration if requirements for reporting and certification are not met.

CSS: Registration Hold: International Documents Missing (intlstu@ecok.edu)

Immunization: Students will be blocked from further registration if documentation has not been submitted verifying compliance with Oklahoma’s immunization requirements.

CSS: Registration Hold: Immunization Required (healthservices@ecok.edu)

Behavioral Conduct & Safety: At the discretion of the Office of Admissions and the division of Student Development, registration may be prevented due to health and safety related concerns. 

CSS: Registration Hold: Dean of Students Approval Needed

Registration Agreement: Prior to enrolling in courses for each academic term/semester all students are required to accept a registration agreement in Colleague Self-Service. The agreement outlines student responsibilities including the requirement pay their bill. Online registration will not be available until the agreement has been accepted.

CSS: To Accept Your Registration Agreement (link will be provided to access agreement).

Advising Clearance (UG Only): Students are required to obtain registration clearance from their academic advisor prior to enrolling in classes online. Students will be blocked from online registration until clearance has been granted.

CSS: Registration Hold: Contact Advisor for Clearance to Enroll

New Student (UG Only): New students are required to meet with a professional advisor in the Academic Success Center prior to enrolling in courses. Some exceptions may apply.

CSS: Registration Hold: New Student (contact asc@ecok.edu  or ext. 5236).

Concurrent Enrollment (UG Only): High School students enrolled part-time at ECU are not permitted to register online. These students will be registered by the Academic Success Center based on documentation submitted during the concurrent enrollment process. For further information about concurrent enrollment, students and parents should contact the Office of Admissions.

CSS: Registration Hold: Enrollment Form Needed (asc@ecok.edu or ext. 5236).

UNIV-1001 Enrollment Required (UG Only): First-Time freshmen are required to register for UNIV-1001 during their first semester.

CSS: Must Enroll in UNIV-1001 to Complete Enrollment

Missing ACT Documentation (UG Only): New students will not be permitted to register until all test documentation has been submitted.

CSS: Registration Hold: Missing ACT Documentation (contact Admissions Office)

Missing Official Transcripts: New transfer students must submit official transcripts from all institutions/universities previously attended. If documents have not been submitted, or if only unofficial documents have been received, online registration will be unavailable until all required documents are turned in.

CSS: Registration Hold: Missing Official Transcript (registrar@ecok.edu)

Academic Integrity: At the discretion of the Office of Academic Affairs, students may be prevented from further registration due to academic integrity violations.

CSS: Registration Hold: Academic Integrity (academic_affairs@ecok.edu)

Oklahoma Residency Verification Required: At the discretion of the Office of Admissions, new students may be prevented from registering if it is determined that additional documentation is required for the purpose of validating residency status. 

CSS: Must Verify Residency Status (contact admissions office)

Student Information Validation Required: At the discretion of the registrar, students may be blocked from registration if critical information within their record needs to be validated or is missing. For example, if enrollment reports to the National Student Clearinghouse fine a matching social security number at another school under a different student’s name. If this restriction is placed on a student’s record an email will be immediately sent to their ecok.edu address. The restriction will be removed as soon as the requested documents have been provided.

CSS: Registration Hold: Student Data Validation Required (registrar@ecok.edu)

Graduate Courses: By default, graduate level courses will be reserved for students admitted to the graduate school. Undergraduate students seeking to enroll in graduate courses must seek permission from the Dean of the Graduate School. It is recommended that students consult with their academic advisor prior to contacting the dean.  

CSS: Ineligible for Graduate Coursework (contact Graduate School)

Course Overload Limits: When enrolling in courses online, any student who attempts to exceed a course load limit will receive an error message. Please see the credit load policies in this catalog for further information.

CSS: College Dean Approval Required to Enroll in Additional Credit Hours

Student Assigned Registration Limits: ECU reserves the right to limit credit hours for specific students to an extent most appropriate for their academic success. For example, when appealing academic suspension it is not uncommon for such a limit to be a condition of readmission.

CSS: Not Permitted to Enroll in Additional Credit Hours.

Bachelor Degree Required for Graduate Enrollment: At the discretion of the Graduate School Dean, a student may be permitted to enroll in graduate courses prior to confirmation that their bachelor’s degree has been awarded. In these cases, a specific number of allowed credit hours will be set. Students who attempt to exceed that limit will be prevented from registering online.

CSS: Must Complete Bachelor’s Degree to Continue Graduate Course Enrollment

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Remediation Policy
(Undergraduates)

The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSHRE) wants to ensure students are prepared to succeed academically in college. Therefore, per OSHRE policy, students admitted to ECU who did not satisfactorily complete the high school core curriculum or make the required scores on the ACT or SAT must enhance their college readiness through a process called remediation.  Remediation can include courses, supplemental instruction, tutoring, and/or other steps to improve college readiness and the chances of success in college coursework. The remediation process is not credit-bearing and may not be used toward meeting degree requirements.

ECU also provides corequisite support to assist students who need remediation to complete college-level courses. Corequisite models allow students to enroll in a college-level, credit-bearing course while receiving additional academic support they may need to succeed in it.

Students who have below a 19 on the ACT in any subject area (or below a 510 in either of the SAT subject areas) will need remediation.  

If a student needs remediation, the student can take the ACCUPLACER test through the Academic Success Center upon admission. Every ECU student can take the ACCUPLACER one time for free, and one additional time (after a 30-day waiting period from the first test date) for a $15 retest fee, which is paid to the ECU Bursar. Each student is allowed a maximum of two testing sessions, as students who are not able to pass the ACCUPLACER test within two testing sessions would likely benefit most from completing a corequisite or remedial course. Because of the limit of two testing sessions, students are encouraged to take all the tests they need remediation for during each session. Since the ACCUPLACER platform offers multiple varieties of tests, only ACCUPLACER exams administered through ECU are considered for course placement.

A student must score a 245 on the English ACCUPLACER at ECU to remediate in English and a 250 on the reading ACCUPLACER to remediate a reading deficiency. To remediate in the subject of science, a student must score a 235 on the math portion of the ACCUPLACER and a 230 on the reading portion. Math can be fully remediated with an ACCUPLACER score of 250, or a student who scores above a 237 but below a 250 can enroll in an entry-level course along with a co-requisite course.

Students who need remediation must complete the required remedial courses, or earn a passing score on the ACCUPLACER test, within 24 credit hours of enrollment at ECU. If a student does not remediate within 24 credit hours of enrollment, an appeal must be submitted to explain the circumstances which led to the remediation not being complete. All appeals will be reviewed, but approval is not guaranteed. If an appeal is granted, it will be on the contingency that the student completes remediation during the following semester. A second appeal cannot be approved.

Other Information
- All academic remediation/defiencies will be waived for LPN Nursing pathway students due to their prior work experience. 
- Concurrent students are not eligible to take non-credit bearing courses.

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Student Responsibility Statement
(Undergraduate & Graduate)

All students attending East Central University (ECU) are responsible for knowing and abiding by, all policies and deadlines concerning their enrollment, coursework, conduct, and financial obligations. ECU makes every effort to ensure all such information is available to students, but it is expected that students will try to become familiar with such information. ECU is not responsible for any academic and/or financial consequences resulting from a student’s lack of familiarity with relevant policies.

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Transcripts (ECU Clubs & Organizations)
(Undergraduate & Graduate)

If a member of an ECU club or other organization with eligibility requirements, it is the student's responsibility to provide their transcript to that club or organization for eligibility purposes. If an unofficial transcript is required, the student should download a copy online from Colleague Self-Service. If an official transcript is required, each student will be responsible for submitting an official transcript request. The Records Office will not issue transcripts in bulk for ECU clubs or organizations. An exception to this policy will not be made because the club or organization advisor has a signed consent to release. 

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Transfer Credit Policies
(Undergraduate & Graduate)

Unless designated Undergraduate (UG) or Graduate (GR), the policies below apply to both the UG and GR levels. Those policies applicable to only UG or GR are identified accordingly. 

Official Transcript Requirement: In all cases, official transcripts from the originating institution will be required prior to transfer credit evaluation and transcription to the East Central University (ECU) transcript. Official transcripts will also be required for credit by examination credentials – the only exception being if scores are sent electronically and directly to ECU from the testing organization.

Transfer Documents Become ECU Property: All documents submitted to East Central University (ECU) pertaining to prior coursework become the property of ECU. In accordance with FERPA guidelines, students may review all documents retained within their permanent record. However, official documents, nor copies of the same, will be provided back to the student. This policy applies to both domestic and international students.

Transfer Courses from Regionally Accredited Institutions (UG): Courses from colleges and universities accredited by HLC or another regional accreditor will be accepted and transcribed to the East Central University transcript. Importantly, this does not mean all such credit hours will count toward a bachelor’s degree. For limits on transfer hours please see the relevant policy below.

Transfer Courses from Nationally Accredited Institutions (UG): By default, credits from such institutions are not transferrable to East Central University (ECU). Students may however request via Etrieve to have specific courses evaluated by academic faculty – approved courses will be accepted and transcribed at ECU. 

Transfer Courses from Non-Accredited Institutions (UG): By default, credits from such institutions are not transferrable to East Central University (ECU). This includes institutions that may be accredited by an agency/association limited in scope to a specific state, but not recognized regionally or nationally. Students may however request via Etrieve to have specific courses evaluated by academic faculty – approved courses will be accepted and transcribed at ECU. 

Note: Sophia Learning and Straighterline courses are not accepted at ECU. The process mentioned above for faculty approval does not apply to courses completed through these organizations. This note may also be found applicable to other unaccredited organizations as the descretion of ECU Academic Affairs. Any unaccredited organization claiming to be "ACE recommended" will fall into this category. 

Transfer Courses & Accreditation Concerning Graduate Programs (GR): The School of Graduate Studies may accept the transfer of credit earned at other colleges and universities accredited for master's or higher-level study by the Higher Learning Commission or a comparable national accrediting association. A minimum of 21 credit hours applied to a graduate degree must be earned from ECU. Policy concerning grade requirements for graduate transfer courses can be found below. 

Transfer Courses from Technical Schools/Colleges (UG): In compliance with OSRHE Chapter 3.6, transfer credit will be accepted from Oklahoma technology centers that ECU has a cooperative agreement with. Transfer credits will not be accepted from other technology schools/colleges within or outside Oklahoma. 

In-Progress Courses: Official transcripts with in-progress courses will be accepted. Those courses with final grades will be evaluated and transcribed to the East Central University (ECU) transcript per the policies contained herein. The student will be permitted to enroll at ECU for one academic term/semester before being require to submit a final complete transcript. Students who do not submit a complete and final transcript will be prohibited from further course registration at ECU.

Transfer Course Grades (UG): East Central University will transcribe all grades from the official transcript. This includes F, I and W-grades.

Transfer Course Grades (GR): East Central University (ECU) will transcribe all grades from the official transcript. However, which prior grades are deemed transferable toward completion of the graduate program will be left to the discretion of the Graduate School and the academic department overseeing the program of study. Some graduate programs may opt not to accept any transfer work. For those graduate programs that do permit transfer work, each student will be required to complete a minimum of 21 ECU credit hours toward their degree. No grade lower than "B" will be accepted for transfer credit. All transfer hours must be appropriate to the particular program in which the student is enrolled, as determined by the graduate degree program. The Dean of the School of Graduate Studies gives final approval for all transfer work

Physical Activity Transfer Courses (UG): For compliance with Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE) policy requirements, all physical activity transfer courses will be transcribed at ECU with a grade of pass (P) or no-pass (NP).

Transfer Course Credit Hours: Credits awarded at East Central University (ECU) for transfer courses will always reflect the credit value awarded by the originating institution. The also applies when the transfer course has been assigned an “equivalency” with an ECU Course.

Quarter System Transfer Credits: Transfer credits from quarter system institutions will be divided by 1.5 to determine the appropriate number of semester credit hours.

International Transfer Courses: When originating from institutions outside the borders of the United States, students are encouraged to obtain formal evaluations from an agency such as World Education Services (WES), and submit the results to East Central University (ECU) along with an official copy of the official transcript. Students without WES or alternative appropriate documentation will be required to meet with their academic advisor to determine which specific courses might benefit the student, and submit an Etrieve request to have those courses evaluated by academic faculty. Courses approved for transfer will be transcribed to the ECU transcript.

Prior Associate’s Degree & Bachelor’s General Education (UG): Transfer students who have completed an Associate’s of Art (A.A.) or Associate’s of Science (A.S.) from an Oklahoma regionally accredited institution, will be considered to have fulfilled all the general education requirements for a bachelor’s degree. This policy is not applicable to Applied Associate Degrees. Importantly, some East Central University programs require specific courses be completed toward general education. For these programs, students with a prior A.A. or A.S. degree may need to take additional courses from the general education curriculum. Students should review the general education and major program requirements sections of this catalog for further information.

Transfer Courses & Multi-Discipline General Education Requirements (UG): For those general education requirements requiring courses from more than on academic discipline, transfer courses will apply toward such requirements based on the subject prefix of corresponding East Central University (ECU) equivalent courses. For all transfer courses with an ECU course equivalency, course substitutions may not be used as an alternative means of applying credits toward general education requirements.

Example: A transfer course originally completed under a Chemistry prefix (CHEM), but given credit at ECU as the equivalent of a Biology Course (BIOL), would be count as a Biology course if used to fulfill a multi-discipline general education requirement. This application of credit toward degree cannot be altered by a course substitution.

Maximum Transfer Credits Toward Bachelor’s Degree (UG): Although East Central University (ECU) does not limit the number of transfer credit hours that can be transcribed to the ECU transcript, a minimum of 30 credit hours must be earned from ECU. Therefore, for a 120-hour bachelor’s degree, a maximum of 90 transfer credit hours may apply toward graduation. Furthermore, at least 60 credit hours, excluding physical activity courses, must be earned from a baccalaureate degree awarding institution (i.e., from a four-year school).

Summary of Transfer Hour Limits Toward Bachelor’s

• Maximum 90 overall transfer credit hours
• Of the 90-hours allowed, a maximum of 60 credit hours can come from a two-year school.

For bachelor’s programs requiring 124 hours, the maximum transfer hours allowed is 94, and the maximum from a two-year school is 64.

Transfer Course Level (Lower/Upper Division; UG): Transfer credits will be classified at the level (lower/upper) at which they were originally earned. If a lower division course from a four-year institution is granted equivalency with an East Central University (ECU) course taught at the upper division level, the course credits will not count toward the minimum upper division hours required for a bachelor’s degree. The credits may however satisfy any major/minor content requirements that the ECU course would otherwise be applied toward. The exception would be if the major/minor program specifically states that the requirement must be satisfied by upper division credit hours. Lower division credit hours earned from a two-year school are never permitted to count toward credit hour requirements or major/minor content requirements that ECU intends to be satisfied by upper division courses.

GPA Calculations & Transfer Credits: Transfer credits will be calculated into the Grad-Retention and Overall Cumulative GPA values.

Continuing Education Work: Transfer work transcribed with the label "Continuing Education" will not be recorded (i.e., transcribed) at ECU. ECU's policy on continuing education coursework dates back to pre-2017. 

Credit for Prior Learning (CLP): East Central University (ECU) permits students to receive the following types of prior learning credit:

• College Board’s College-Level Examination Program (CLEP; subject exams only)
• College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) Exams
• ECU Advanced Standing/Subject Examination Exams
• DANTES Exams (subject exams only)
• International Baccalaureate (IB) Exams 
• American Council on Education (ACE) Transcripts
• Joint Services Transcript (JST; Based on ACE recommendations)
• Council on Law Enforcement Education & Training (CLEET) – see sbelow for more information
• Challenge Portfolios (based on CAEL and LRC guidelines) – see below for more information
• OSDE Non-Traditional Teacher Certification Boot Camp – see below for more information
• Practical Nursing (LPN) License Holders (Bachelor's of Nursing Applicants Only) - see below for more information

The following are forms of CLP not accepted by ECU at this time.

• Industry Credentials & Certifications (NOCTI)
• National College Credit Recommendation Services (NCCRS)
• Sophia Learning
• Straighterline

When applicable, credit awarded for prior learning (i.e., number of semester hours and level) shall not exceed HLC and ACE recommendations. Examination scores used to validate prior learning must meet or exceed the minimum recommended by ACE for national examinations. Credits for all modes of prior learning will not be transcribed to the ECU transcript until after the student has successfully completed (i.e., at a C-grade or above) at least 12 degree bearing credit hours from ECU. All credit awarded for prior learning will be transcribed with a P-grade (Passed). Credits awarded shall be transcribed with the subject prefix, number and title of the relevant ECU course. Credits awarded will include a notation on the Ecu transcript indicating the mode of CLP.

Unless previously accepted and transcribed at another Oklahoma regionally accredited institution, an original copy of the credit by examination transcript must be submitted to ECU. CLP previously transcribed at another Oklahoma regionally accredited institution, shall, in accordance with Oklahoma State Regents policy, be considered transferrable on the same basis as if the credit had been earned through regular study. Thus, in this circumstance, credit will be transcribed to the ECU transcript prior to earning 12hrs of degree bearing credit from ECU.

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CLEET – Council on Law Enforcement Education
Official transcripts must be submitted to ECU directly from CLEET. Students are not permitted to submit the document themselves. CLEET transcripts may be requested by visiting the licensee portal and opting for their transcript to be sent to an external organization. CLEET transcripts should be sent to registrar@ecok.edu. CLEET requires a 10-day minimum processing time.

• Oklahoma CLEET certification awarded 2015 or later (27 credit hours)
  • CRJS 2453 Police Function
  • CRJS 3423 Introduction to Law Enforcement
  • CRJS 4293 Police Administration
  • CRJS 4333 Criminal Investigation I
  • CRJS 4343 Criminal Investigation II
  • CRJS P4946 Internship-Cops
  • CRJS P4946 Internship-Cops
• The CLEET courses above will be credited to the ECU transcript with the following notations. 
  • CLEET 1   CLEET Certification 1                
    
  • CLEET 2   CLEET Training Course 2      
  • CLEET 3   CLEET Training Course 3
  • CLEET 4   CLEET Training Course 4
  • CLEET 5   CLEET Training Course 5
  • CLEET 6   CLEET Training Course 6
  • CLEET 7   CLEET Training Course 7
• Oklahoma CLEET certification awarded prior to 2015 (credit determined by academic department)
  • Due to changes in CLEET requirements, certifications awarded prior to 2015 will be worth fewer credit hours. The appropriate credit hours will be determined by ECU’s Department of Professional Programs & Human Services. Incoming Students should consult with that department. The Collegiate Officer Program Director will submit a recommendation for credit hours to the Registrar.
• Revoked or Suspended CLEET Certification
• College credits are awarded for having earned a certification – not for having an active certification. For this reason, a revoked or suspended certification status will not prevent students from being awarded college credit in accordance with the policies stated herein.

Challenge Portfolio
Challenge portfolios create opportunities for students to earn credit toward courses by portfolio. Portfolios may include documentation, expository essay, interview and/or skills demonstration. Undergraduates can challenge up to 15 credit hours and graduate students up to three hours. The decision to offer a challenge portfolio option is left to the discretion of each academic department and the respective college dean. Those departments allowing a student to challenge by portfolio should provide to their dean each of the following.

• A list of courses they would like the student to challenge.
• All eligibility requirements for each course. For example, does the student need to have two years’ worth of work or volunteer experience at a social service agency, etc.).
• All course level learning outcomes the student will need to master and rubrics for the same.
• The names of two faculty members who will assess the portfolio.

Students who would like to create a challenge portfolio must:

• Schedule a meeting with the college dean to determine if they meet eligibility requirements and discuss the challenge process.

At a minimum, each challenge portfolio must include:

• A title page with the student’s name, contact information, ECU ID number, major program, and the course to be challenged.
• A table of contents.
• An autobiographical statement (three to five pages, double spaced) that includes the student’s career goals and educational plan.
• A critical reflection of what the student has learned during the process of mastering the learning outcomes. The learning statement may be from one to four pages double spaced. It must explain, specifically, how the student believes he/she has met the learning outcomes and also indicate which level has achieved on the rubric.
• A resume (if learning outcomes were met at a place of employment)

Challenge portfolios must be professional written and formatted using APA or MLA style. Students will be assessed a fee for submitting the portfolio. Unsuccessful portfolios may be revised and resubmitted up to two times at a reduced fee. If a challenge is successful, the student will work with the academic department chair to attach the portfolio, along with the rubrics completed by faculty, to the Challenge Portfolio Etrieve form.

Teacher Certification Non-Traditional “Boot Camp” – Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE)
The Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) conducts a non-traditional route to certification program called “Boot Camp” in Special Education. Boot Camp includes 120 hours of instruction in the following required areas.

• Introduction to Special Education
• Individualized Education Plan/Special Education Legal & Ethical Issues (includes 30 hours of field experience)
• Behavioral Management
• Effective Teaching & Reading Strategies

The instructional and field experience hours required in Boot Camp correspond to the hourly requirements of a graduate course as three credit hours equal to 150 minutes per week/16 weeks of the year for a total of 2,400 minutes (40 hours). The OSDE requirement of 150 hours equals nine credit hours of East Central University Coursework. The following courses and descriptions are common content equivalents to the OSDE Boot Camp. Some Boot Camp programs may vary in content. With the college dean’s approval, alternative course equivalents may be awarded. The overall number of credit hours awarded will never exceed nine.

• EDUC 5093 Identification of and Strategies for Students with Behavior Disorders
• EDUC 5333 Legal Aspects of Special Education
• EDUC 5233 Survey of Teaching Reading

Determination of course equivalency will be the responsibility of the Director of Special Education and the Dean of the College of Education and Psychology. Students requesting equivalency verification will submit documentation to these individuals.

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Advanced Standing Examination (ASE) Credit 
ASE is a pathway by which students may petition for the opportunity to earn credit toward an East Central University (ECU) course by examination. Students with prior experience in a professional field of work, or who have earned credit at an unaccredited institution, may find ASE to be a valuable tool.

The courses eligible for ASE are left to the discretion of the relevant academic department and college dean. Students interested in earning credit via the ASE process should complete the request form in Etrieve. Credits earned via ASE will be charged at the current rate determined by ECU administration at the time the exam is administered. Below are further notes concerning the ASE process.

• ASE credit will not be considered as part of the regular study load for the semester or term in which the credit is recorded.
• No graduate level credit may be earned via ASE.
• ASE may not be earned toward courses not currently offered by ECU.
• A student is not eligible to receive ASE credit in any course unless he or she is eligible to enroll in that course.
• No student may earn ASE credit toward a course he or she already has credit.
• No student will be permitted to permitted to repeat an ASE.
• Prior to earning ASE credit, a student must have already successfully completed a minimum of 12 credit hours at ECU. Successful completion is determined by an ECU retention GPA of 2.00 or higher.
• Students must be enrolled in courses at ECU during the term an ASE is completed.
• Credits earned via ASE will not count toward ECU’s minimum requirement of 30 hours completed in residence for graduation.
• All course credit earned via ASE will be designated on the ECU transcript with a grade of “P.”
  

Practical Nursing (LPN) License Holders
This nursing pathway is available for applicants into Bachelor of Nursing program. The policies of this program are governed by the Memorandum of Understanding between the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education dated November 6, 2024. A copy of this MOU is kept by the ECU Registrar. Students must hold a currently valid and unencumbered LPN license to be eligible. Eligible students, upon submitting their transcript from a participating Oklahoma Technical College, will be awarded the following 22 credit hours. For more information, including a list of participating Oklahoma Technical Colleges, prospective students should contact the Nursing Department. 

Total: 22 hours of credit toward the BSN degree with the opportunity for an additional four (4) credit hours
BIOL 2184 Human Anatomy
NRSG 1142 Introduction to Professional Nursing
NRSG 2104 Foundations in Nursing
NRSG 2224 Physical Assessment
NRSG 3118 Med-Surg I

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International Baccalaureate (IB)
ECU only awards credit for IB courses complete at the Higher Level (HL) with a minimum score of four (4). Standard Level (SL) courses will not be accepted. Those IB courses listed below have been previously evaluated for ECU credit - the cooresponding ECU course is also listed. IB courses (HL only) not listed below will be evaluated by the ECU Registrar on a case by case basis. 

Non-Coursework Information from Original Transfer Transcript: Supplemental information outside what is mentioned in the above policies (e.g., academic standing comments from original transcript), will not be transcribed to the East Central University transcript.

Transfer Matrices: A matrix allows transfer students to search through guaranteed East Central University (ECU) course equivalencies for their originating institution. ECU current provides students access to the following matrices:

• Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE) Matrix
  • The OSRHE matrix applies only to Oklahoma public colleges in institutions of higher learning. ECU will always honor and equivalencies listed within the OSRHE matrix.

• ECU Institutional Matrix
  • The ECU institutional matrix is a complete archive of all past transfer course equivalencies (active and inactive) for institutions across the country and beyond.
  • Each course equivalency with in the matrix has a start and end date.
  • Active Equivalencies (currently available) will have a start date but no end date.
  • Inactive Equivalencies (not currently available) will have both a start and end date).

For transfer courses not included in either of the above matrices, evaluation of potential ECU course equivalencies will not be completed until an official transcript from the originating institution is received by ECU. Transfer transcript processing evaluation may take multiple months due to the consistently high volume of incoming transfer coursework.

OSRHE Chapter 3.11 UG Transfer & Articulation
OSRHE Chapter 3.16 Credit for Prior Learning

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Veterans Educational Benefits
(Undergraduate & Graduate)

East Central University (ECU) is approved for students who are eligible for a variety of Veterans Administration benefits.  The Office of Veterans Affairs will provide information, as well as assistance, in the proper filing of all forms for those who are eligible for educational benefits. Information is available concerning all G.I. Bills® which pertain to educational benefits.  Questions about other veteran’s benefits are encouraged and appropriate resources will be suggested for follow-up information.

Veterans are encouraged to use other services and programs which include counseling, advisement, job placement, outreach, recruitment, VA paid tutoring, and VA paid work-study.  The Veterans Administration Regional Office in Muskogee extends the use of a free call-in line (1-888-GIBILL1 or 1-888-442-4551) for all veterans who have questions pertaining to situations not expressly covered under benefits administered by the office at East Central University. East Central University is compliant with Section 702 of the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014, Veterans, Active Duty Military Personnel along with their dependents who are using either the MGIB, Chapter 30 or Post 9/11, Chapter 33 (or 33T for dependents) educational benefits will not be charged tuition and fees in excess of the resident rate for terms beginning after July 1, 2015 (December 31, 2015). East Central University is compliant with PL 116-315 Section 1005 and PL 117-68. East Central University is compliant with PL 115407 38 USC 3679(e)(1)(A).

GI Bill is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government Web site at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill

The Department of Veterans Affairs administers a variety of educational benefit programs. Many Veterans and active duty personnel can qualify for more than one education benefits program. Go to the GI Bill website for more information.

Students using VA Education benefits must provide all prior transcripts and training records for evaluation and review. This includes post-secondary and military transcripts. All transcripts must be provided before a student can be certified for VA benefits. ECU will evaluate these records, and when possible, grant appropriate credit for the previous education and/or training, shorten the length of the training program, and notify the student regarding the amount of credit being granted for previous training.

Chapter 30 - Montgomery GI Bill (Active Duty)
The MGIB program provided up to 36 months of education benefits. This benefit may be used for degree and certificate programs, flight training, apprenticeship/on-the-job training and correspondence courses. Generally, benefits are payable for 10 years following your release from active duty.

V.A. Web Resource – Chapter 30 Information

Chapter 31 – Veteran Readiness and Employment
The Vocational Rehabilitation program is for veterans who have service-connected disabilities and require further education to attain suitable, stable employment. This program may provide vocational and other training services and assistance including tutorial assistance, tuition assistance, tuition, books, fees, supplies, licensing fees and equipment and other training materials necessary.

V.A. Web Resource - Chapter 31 Information

Chapter 33 – (Post 9/11 GI Bill)
This program provides VA Educational Benefits to eligible veterans and service members who served at least 30 continuous days on active duty after September 10, 2001, and to certain qualifying dependents. Tuition and fees (based on a combination of length of service and  highest rate at a public institution in the state) are paid directly to the school; eligible students received a monthly housing allowance and books and supplies stipends. 

V.A. Web Resource – Chapter 33 Information
V.A. Web Resource – Transfer of Eligibility

Chapter 35 – Survivors and Dependents Education Assistance Program
If you are a child or spouse of a veteran or service member who has died, is captured or missing, or has disabilities, you may be able to get help paying for school through the DEA Program – also called Chapter 35. Chapter 35 benefits are available for up to 36 months. 

V.A. Web Resource – Chapter 35 Information

Chapter 1606 – Montgomery GI Bill© Selected Reserve
The Montgomery GI Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR) program offers up to 36 months of education and training benefits. If you are a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard Reserve, Army National Guard, or Air National Guard, you may be eligible for this benefit. Chapter 1606 are available for up to 36 months. 

V.A. Web Resource – Chapter 1606 Information

Veterans Affairs Office & School Certifying Official
The Veterans Affairs Office is the primary point of contact for veterans, active duty, reservists and National/Air Guard members and their dependents. The Veteran Affairs Office is located in Room 113 of the Administration Building. ECU’s School Certifying Official (SCO) is Patrick Hicks (phicks@ecok.edu; 580-559-5162).

Tuition Assistance (TA)
An educational benefit for active duty service members. Each branch of service has slightly different rules governing the benefit. The service members must pursue the benefit through their educational service office at their duty station to be approved. The approval must occur prior to enrolling for courses at ECU. 

If you are using TA to pay for your education and withdraw from a class after the drop deadline, but prior to completing 60 percent of the course, the Department of Defense (DOD) requires that ECU return any unearned TA funds to the department based on how much of the course you completed. The amount of unearned TA funds is calculated based on the date you withdrew. If you fail a course for non-attendance, you unofficial withdrew and the amount of unearned TA funds will be calculated from the date of your last participation in the course. Your TA eligibility is determined based on the following formula (see below). When completing ECU’s online drop/withdrawal form students will be required to self-identify as participating in the TA program.

• Days Completed Before Withdrawal/Last Participation
• Total Number of Days of the Course = Percent of TA Earned

16-Week Course Drop/Withdraw Submission

• By Course Drop Deadline = 100% Return to DOD
• During Weeks 3-4 = 75% Return to DOD
• During Weeks 5-8 = 50% Return to DOD
• During Week 9 = 40% Return to DOD (60% of course has been completed)
• During Weeks 10-16 = 0% Return to DOD

8-Week Course Drop/Withdraw Submission

• By Course Drop Deadline = 100% Return to DOD
• During Week 2 = 75% Return to DOD
• During Weeks 3-4 = 50% Return to DOD
• During Week 5 = 40% Return to DOD (60% of course has been completed)
• During Weeks 6-8 = 0% Return to DOD

Per Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education Chapter 4 policy (4.15.4, H-1), tuition and fee refunds resulting from schedule changes are to be issued to students in the full amount, and no refunds are available after the course drop deadline. Therefore, after the course drop deadline, the student will be responsible for paying to ECU the portion of TA funds returned to DOD. TA students who did not drop their courses by the deadline listed in the Academic Catalog may owe a portion of their tuition both to ECU and to their military branch.

ECU’s SCO can assist with the following:

• A. Education Chapter Benefits
• DOC Tuition Assistance (TA)
• Applying for or Transferring V.A. Benefits
• Ordering and Evaluating JST Transcripts
• Certifying Enrollments to the V.A.
• Amending Enrollments for Increase/Decrease in Hours During the Term
• Enrollment Questions and Planning
• Liaison with V.A. Concerning Pay and Tuition/Fee Issues
• Submitting tuition and fee rates to V.A.

Other Campus Resources for Veterans

• Title IV funding as it relates to T.A. and V.A. Benefits
• Degree plans for T.A. and VR&E (Chapter 31) Students
• Academic Counseling
• Student Support Services (SSS)
• Veterans Student Support Services (VSSS)

Statement on Admissions Recruitment Incentives & Tactics: ECU does not engage in the use of commissions, bonuses, or other incentive payment programs given to employers or contractors for the purpose of securing enrollments of service members. ECU also does not engage in high-pressure recruitment tactics. All individuals who receive communication have either already given consent with third-party vendors, or directly with ECU, and can opt out of any and all communication at any time. 

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