Tabla de Contenido
Interamerican Adventist Theological Seminary
Institutional Attendance Policy
(as presented on page 25 of the Institutional Catalogue)
Courses are usually taught in modules (block style) or intensives. Therefore, it is important that the student attend every class. Being absent from 10 percent of the classes (4.5 clock hours) may disqualify a student from passing the courses. If the student is ill, he/she must make specific arrangements with the local Coordinator and with the professor to fulfill the requirements and the class work that he/she has missed.
Institutional Grading Policy
(as presented on page 18 of the institutional Catalogue)
The determination of a grade granted in any course belongs to the professor. Upon conclusion of each semester, the grades will be registered by the following symbols:
W – Withdrawal
It is applied when a student abandons the course within the limits of the dates as noted published in the Academic Calendar. This designation is also employed when the student who has previously enrolled for credits by reason of thesis or research and has obtained a deferred grade, subsequently decides not to finish the thesis or the research and chooses instead some other option for getting the degree. Other circumstances may exist as well in which the institution grants the withdrawal (W). “W” is employed to register the withdrawal made before the published date. Grade changes are made only in the case of computation error, and should not be done in any case after the period following that in which the course was taken. The professor must fill out the corresponding form, which must be signed by the Local Coordinator before handing it over to the Registrar’s Office.
F – Failure
When the student has been below C- for not having fulfilled the course requirements, he/she must repeat the course, especially if the course is required to obtain the degree. The student must pay for the course if he/she wants to take it before the next cycle.
DG – Deferred Grade
Courses for which a deferred grade may be assigned are those, which generally require more than an academic period to fulfill all of their requirements. Such courses are usually limited to those that constitute research, fieldwork, excursions, clinical experiences, theses, and DMin Projects. The professor may fix a period for the course or particular situation in which a DG may the suitable grade. A teacher may change a DG into a DN, meaning that the requirements of the course were not met and cannot be completed because the deadline has already passed. If the professor has not changed the DG to a DN after the deadline has passed, the Registrar will make all possible attempts for the Coordinator to contact him/her to effect the change. If these attempts are unsuccessful, the Registrar will communicate with the academic Vice-President to get authorization to change the DG into a DN.
DN – No Grade Possible
Once a DN is given, it cannot be altered to a fixed grade. It represents requirements that have not been completed and cannot be completed in that the time fixed for that completion has expired. The DN does not affect the GPA.
(S), (NS) – Satisfactory– Not Satisfactory
A satisfactory grade is the equivalent of at least a B- (2.67) for the master’s level or a B (3.00) for the doctoral level. Grade points are not assigned to S/NS material, and the grade S/NS does not affect the grade-point average. Certain courses or content, such as individual study or reading, independent investigation, research, workshops, seminars, work in the field or clinical practices may be graded following the S/NS pattern or the system in use. Theses and DMin Projects completed are always graded by S/NS. Grading patterns should not be mixed within a determined course in any evaluation period. To receive S, the student must produce work at a level not less than a B- (2.67) or B (3.00).
I – Incomplete
The “I” grade denotes a student’s uncompleted work, owing to illness or other unavoidable circumstances, and not due to negligence or inferior work. The “I” grade may be registered upon an agreement between the professor and the student before the last class involving that material, with both parties, filling out the Incomplete Contract form. An “I” which has not been removed upon completion of the specified time indicated in the contract, automatically becomes an F and it affects the GPA, as agreed upon regarding the contract. Unless IATS’ Academic Vice-president approves a written petition before the contract’s expiration date, indicating a renewed extension of the same. If upon commencement of the following session the “I” grades have not been removed, the academic course load must be reduced as follows: for one “I” there is no reduction; two “I”s, reduction of two courses of 2 to 3 credits in the academic course load; three “I”, reduction of three courses of 2 to 3 credits; more than three “I”s grades, the student must drop the program advancing until those grades are changed. Except for “DG” or “I”, grade change may only be made for errors by the professor. The Local Coordinator must approve the grade change form that states the reasons for a change in grades, and is signed by the teacher, within 90 days following the close of the session.