Academic Information

Accreditation

Baker College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, located at 230 S. LaSalle St., Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL, 60604-1411; (800) 621-7440; info@hlcommission.org.

*Specialized Program Accreditation are noted with Specific Program Information and on the Website.

Baker College has long been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as an institution of higher education and has been granted the legal authority to operate as a not-for-profit educational corporation by the state of Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. The College is empowered to grant certificates and associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees. It is also approved for veterans’ benefits.

External peer review is the primary means of assuring and improving the quality of higher education institutions and programs in the United States. This recognition is accomplished through program accreditation, approval, or certification.

Baker College is recognized as an institution of higher education by the U.S. Secretary of Education, U.S. Department of Education.

The Academic Year

The Baker College Academic Calendar consists of three semesters including fall, spring, and summer. The fall and spring semesters are 16 weeks, and the summer semester is 12 weeks. Most courses delivered on-ground and virtually have a 16-week schedule, while most online courses are scheduled during the first 8-week session, or the second 8-week session of the semester (summer sessions are 6 weeks in duration). Students may enroll in most academic programs at the beginning of any semester, however, some programs require students to enroll at the beginning of the fall semester if they wish to register for a full-time course load.

Advising

Academic advising is provided either virtually or in person. You can contact your Academic Advisor for an appointment. Advisors contact students primarily via their Baker College email account. If you have any questions or need assistance contacting your advisor, OneStop is available to assist you.

Registration

You can register during the scheduled registration time either via the MyBaker portal or through an Academic Advisor. For you to register for more than 18 credits in one semester, you must receive approval from your Academic Advisor.

Drop/Add Period

You may add and/or drop a course that is eight weeks or longer to your schedule up to the end of week one. You may not add a course of less than eight weeks’ duration after the first session for that course has met. Any requests for late registration must be approved through your Academic Advisor.

Classification of Students

Undergraduate

Full-Time Student: registered for 12 semester hours or more
Three-Quarter-Time Student: registered for 9-11 semester hours
Half-Time Student: registered for 6-8 semester hours
Less Than Half-Time Student: registered for 1-5 semester hours

Graduate

Full-Time Student: registered for 9 semester hours or more
Three-Quarter-Time Student: registered for 7-8 semester hours
Half-Time Student: registered for 5-6 semester hours
Less Than Half-Time Student: registered for 1-4 semester hours

Class Status

Undergraduate

The following table defines the number of credit hours that must be completed to qualify for class designations:

*In addition to the number of credit hours, the student must be currently enrolled in a program that constitutes the appropriate class level. For example, to be considered a junior, the student must be enrolled in a bachelor degree program and have already completed at least 60 credits.

Course Numbering

Credit Hour Definitions

16-Week Courses

One semester credit hour equals one hour of direct instruction plus two hours of outside-of-class work per week over 15 weeks, totaling 45 hours of student time.

8-Week Courses

One 8-week session credit hour equals two hours of direct instruction plus four hours of outside-of-class work per week over 8 weeks, totaling 48 hours of student time.

For additional information regarding credit hour definitions, please visit the Baker College website.

Condensed Courses

Condensed courses offered by the college adhere to the same credit hour requirements as traditional semester-length courses. Each credit hour represents an equivalent amount of instructional time and student workload, ensuring that learning outcomes are met regardless of the course format or duration. Condensed courses may utilize intensive scheduling, alternative delivery methods, and additional independent study to fulfill these standards.

Credit courses are normally expected to include approximately 100 minutes of out-of-class student work (or the reasonable equivalent) per credit hour per week during a fifteen-week semester; with reasonably equivalent amounts of out-of-class work for shorter sessions.

Hybrid Courses

Hybrid courses combine asynchronous online and traditional in-person classroom instruction. With a hybrid course, the in-person contact hours are reduced from the baseline credit hour definition while the asynchronous online engagement is increased as appropriate to the instructional context. Because online and hybrid courses must meet the same credit-hour requirement as physical face-to-face courses, faculty must demonstrate active engagement in online teaching through structured synchronous and/or asynchronous interactions with students.

Grades

It is your responsibility meet the specific outcomes of each course, as defined and provided by the instructor in the course syllabus. You must also meet the general overall requirements for graduation, which include the following:

• A minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA*,
• Total program credit hours, and
• General education credits.

*Some programs may have program-specific GPA requirements.

If you believe that your performance is not on track to meet these requirements, you should make an appointment to see your instructor or Academic Advisor.

Grades are computed at the end of each course and are available at my.baker.edu.

Student grade reports list the courses, the grade for each course, the GPA for the semester, and your cumulative GPA.

Grade Definitions

A = Outstanding Achievement

The student demonstrates exceptional mastery of the content. An “A” is an exceptional grade indicating distinctly superior performance. The student demonstrates unusually sharp insight regarding the content and every aspect of performance is exemplary.

B = Commendable Achievement

The student demonstrates above average mastery of the content. A “B” is an above average grade indicating achievement of a high order. The student has exceeded the stated requirements. The student demonstrates commendable insight regarding the content and overall performance is above average.

C = Acceptable Achievement

The student demonstrates average mastery of the content. A “C” is an average grade indicating that a student has performed satisfactorily in all aspects of the work. The student has adequately met the stated requirements. The student demonstrates acceptable insight regarding the content and overall performance is average.

D = Marginal Achievement

The student demonstrates below average mastery of the content. A “D” is a below average grade indicating that a student has marginally met the stated requirements. The student demonstrates minimal insight regarding the content and overall performance is marginal.

F = Failing

The student demonstrates little or no mastery of the content. An “F” is a failing grade indicating that a student has not met the stated requirements. The student demonstrates insufficient insight regarding the content and overall performance is not worthy of credit.

The cumulative GPA is calculated by determining the quality points for each course completed (grade points multiplied by credit hours; e.g. an “A” or 4.0 grade in a 3-semester-hour course yields 12 quality points). All quality points earned are divided by the total credit hours attempted for all semesters at Baker College.

Auditing a Course

An audit grade is given when you enroll in a course for which neither a grade nor credit(s) will be awarded. You are permitted to attend the class but are not required to submit assignments or take examinations. The tuition for auditing a course is $100.00. Additional fees may be associated with some courses. Audit status must be declared at the time of registration and confirmed with the instructor on the first day of class. Audit enrollments are based on class size availability. Not all courses are available for audit.

Incomplete Grade Policy (Excluding Work, Clinical, or Field Experience Courses)

An instructor may agree to issue an Incomplete (I) grade for a course if all of the following conditions are met:

1. You request the Incomplete (I) grade before the end of the course.
2. You have completed 80 percent of the total coursework and have a chance of a passing grade in the course.
3. You are unable to complete the course requirements within the regular time frame due to significant, extenuating circumstances. Documentation may be required.
4. You and your instructor will have a documented agreement that clearly states the requirements to be completed and the due date for the completion of each requirement. The due date may not exceed the last day of the following semester.

If the coursework is not completed by the agreed upon due date, the final course grade will be based on the work that was completed by the end of the semester in which the course was taken.

Incomplete Grade Policy for Work, Clinical, or Field Experience Courses

An instructor may agree to issue an Incomplete (I) grade for a work or field experience course if any of the following conditions are met:

1. The coordinator* of the work or field experience informs the instructor that an Incomplete (I) grade should be assigned when a work or field experience site becomes unavailable.
2. The experience coordinator informs the instructor that an Incomplete (I) grade should be assigned because you are unable to complete the required hours within the time frame of the registered course.
3. You have completed 80% of the total coursework and have a chance of earning a passing grade.
4. You and your instructor must sign a contract that clearly states the requirements to be completed and the due date for completion of each requirement. The due date may not exceed the last day of the following semester.

If the coursework is not completed by the agreed upon due date, the final course grade will be based on the work that was completed by the end of the semester in which the course was taken.

*The coordinator can be any of the following: (1) the instructor teaching the course, (2) the academic fieldwork coordinator, (3) the clinical coordinator, (4) the practicum coordinator, or (5) Career Services staff.

Grade Changes Policy

A grade change cannot be processed after the completion of the following semester or after you have been cleared for graduation. For more information about grade changes, see Grade Appeal Process under Academic Policies.

Undergraduate and Graduate Honors

The President’s List

Students who earn a 4.0 GPA during a semester in which 6 credit hours or more were completed will be placed on the President’s List.

The Dean’s List

Students who earn a 3.5 to 3.99 GPA during a semester in which 6 credit hours or more were completed will be placed on the Dean’s List.

Academic Standing - Undergraduate

Academic Standing - Graduate

Academic Amnesty: Fresh Start Program

Academic Amnesty is available to undergraduate students in poor academic standing who have not attended Baker College for at least four years and allows them to resume their college education with a clean record. (See the Academic Standing section in this Handbook.)

If you are approved for amnesty all previous grades will be excluded from computation of your GPA. Courses passed with a C or better will count as a credit grade for program requirements and graduation. All courses and grades will remain on your transcript with a notation of Academic Amnesty on the transcript. Academic Amnesty can be used only once. Requests must be made upon re-entry. Approval for Academic Amnesty must be received prior to the start of the semester in which you return. Once you are granted Academic Amnesty, your permanent record cannot be changed.

Academic Amnesty will not supersede the Baker College Satisfactory Academic Progress Rules for receiving federal and state financial aid funds, which are based on cumulative grades, hours attempted, and hours completed. If you are in violation of the Satisfactory Academic Progress Rules for financial aid and wish to establish eligibility for those funds, an appeal for reinstatement must be submitted to Financial Services.

Program Changes

If you are considering a program change, you must request a change through your Academic Advisor.

Program Name Change/Curriculum Update

If Baker College changes the official name of a program, with no curriculum or content change, students will be transitioned to the new program name.