Resources

Classification of Students

• Full-Time Student: Degree-seeking students with 12 or more credit hours per semester.
• Part-Time Student: Degree-seeking students with less than 12 credit hours per semester.

Academic Definitions

• Credit Hour: A unit of academic work consisting of fifty (50) minutes of lecture, or two (2) or three (3) such periods of laboratory work per week, throughout the standard 15-week semester. In addition to the in-class work, the student is expected to spend two hours outside of class per credit hour.
• Major: A prescribed set of courses and other requirements recommended by the department and approved by the Community of Educators as a valid representation of the area of study. Satisfactory completion of this coursework leads to a degree in that area of study.
• Qualities Essential for Student Transformation (QuEST): Messiah’s general education program, progression through which students develop skills, abilities, and perspectives necessary to become collaborative agents in the contemporary workforce and society.
• Experiential Learning Initiative (ELI) Requirement: A common learning degree requirement in which students participate in approved ELI experiences in service-learning, off-campus programs, internships and practica, leadership, or research. Under the supervision of an ELI advisor, students will be able to articulate the tangible impact of their experience on their professional development and community contributions.
• Satisfactory Academic Progress: The completion of 24 or more credits per year while maintaining a cumulative grade point average of 1.8 while earning the first 23 credits, 1.9 for 24–56 credits, and 2.0 for 57 credits or more. Failure to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress can result in loss of scholarships and financial aid.
• Academic Warning: When a student’s semester GPA falls below 2.0, but the cumulative GPA is above a 2.0. Students receiving an academic warning should meet with an advisor to discuss strategies for improvement.
• Academic Probation: When a student’s cumulative GPA meets one of the following thresholds: Below 1.8 (First 23 credits), below 1.9 (24-56 credits), or below 2.0 (57+ credits). Students on academic probation are ineligible for extracurricular activities and can carry a maximum of 14 credits.
• Dean’s List: Students achieving a GPA of 3.6 or higher for 12 or more graded credits are placed on the Dean’s List at the end of each semester.

• Registrar’s Office: Campus office with custodial responsibility for student academic records from the initial semester of registration through graduation.
• Self-Service Banner: Internet site that allows Messiah students access to student records (holds, grades, and transcripts), course registration, their student account, and many other resources. Self-Service Banner can be accessed through FalconLink.
• Degree Works / Degree Audit: An online tool that communicates student degree requirements and helps monitor progress toward completion. Degree Works can be accessed through FalconLink or Banner. Students should check their audit on a regular basis to ensure they are on track for graduation.
• TheView: Found on the Self-Service Banner, TheView is a registration resource that allows students to search for courses for the upcoming semester.
• Holds: A block that prevents a student from registering for classes or obtaining transcripts. Common holds at Messiah include Primary Advisor Hold, Advisor Evaluation Hold, Unpaid Account Hold, and Engle Center Hold. To check for outstanding holds, click View Holds on the Student Records Menu of Banner.
• Pass/Fail Option: During a college career, students may take a maximum of four courses on a Pass/Fail (P/F) basis, with these conditions: 1) the courses cannot be used to meet a major, minor, or QuEST (Gen Ed) requirement. It must be a free elective. 2) The cutoff for Pass shall be C-.
• Auditing a Course: Students who wish to attend a course, but not receive College credit or a grade for their work, may audit the course. Students must attend classes on a regular basis but are not required to do the course work or take any tests in the course. When the course is completed, the audited course is noted on the student's transcript. An additional tuition charge will be added if a student's registration exceeds 18 credits. Courses taken as an audit cannot be included for Financial Aid purposes. For additional clarification, students should contact the Financial Aid Office. Course fees, if attached to a specific course, still apply.
• Add a Course: To include an additional course to your schedule. Adding a course after the first two weeks of class will result in a $25 fee. Students carrying more than 18 credits will be charged overload tuition.
• Drop a Course: To remove a course from your schedule during the first third of the academic term; the course will not appear on your academic transcript. Dropping a course after the first two weeks of class will result in a $25 fee. Students who drop below 12 credits are no longer considered full-time students and risk losing scholarships and financial aid
• Withdraw from a Course: To remove a course from your schedule during the second third of the academic term. A “W” will appear on your academic transcript. Withdrawing from a course will result in a $25 fee. Student-Athletes and Students with F-1 visas may not withdraw from a course if it drops them below 12 credits