Academic Policies
Explore our academic policies at JoyBcs. Find detailed information on grading, attendance, academic integrity, course withdrawals, and more. Stay informed and succeed in your educational journey.
Policy 1: Admissions
All admissions will be considered done after receiving full fees and with complete documentation (educational documents). If a student does not provide all concerned documents within the given timeframe (as per the date finalized by the college or Institute), the institute holds the right to cancel the admission of the student then and there. Also, the institute’s service charges will not be refundable but the fees will be refundable as per the college guidelines.
Policy 2: Student Progression
Student progression on Student programme and Student final award are not guaranteed and are dependent upon student’s examination performance.
Policy 3: GPA
GPA stands for grade point average. This is a reflection of the student’s academic achievement at school. The GPA is updated after each term’s grades are finalized and reported. A low GPA can lead to academic probation and can jeopardize continuity in school.
Policy 4: Internships
Students are required to take internships seriously. An internship is a short-term job, usually for the summer or a semester, that students takes to get experience in their field of interest. Internships may be paid or unpaid; sometimes students can earn course credit for them. In some academic programs, an internship may be required to graduate.
Policy 5: Academic Integrity
Academic integrity – if you are found to have submitted work that is not your own, serious consequences may result, including exclusion from future assessments for awards of the College.
Policy 6: Mature Entry
- A “mature student” is anyone who applies to study at 19 years old or over and does not have a high school diploma or GED. Adults, too, can apply to attend Joy Bible College and Seminary as mature students and their applications are evaluated differently from applicants straight from high school or have other certifications.
- All Mature Entry Students shall be on probation period for three months before they’re allowed to proceed. If Mature Students prove to the faculty members that they’re able to take the coursework without difficulty, they will be given a go ahead to complete their program of choice and if not able to proceed they’ll be awarded a certificate of attendance and not an academic credential.
- “Mature Entry Students” who have life experience at work as parents, church administrators, church elders, independent learning, and the skills they have developed – even if they don’t have qualifications amongst others. We consider the experience as part of the academic credentials. Alongside them we shall also require two referees either from work place, church or organization. The admission team may from time to time require further requirements.
Policy 7: Transcripts
Academic transcripts are confidential official documentation of the students’ records of academic performance. Subject to a fee, students may request a copy of their transcripts from the registrar’s office. Transcript orders shall be delivered electronically. No transcripts will be issued with an incomplete or partial record of a student’s program-to-date. No transcript will be released if the student owes the college any financial balance.
Policy 8: Course Deferment
- Compassionate or compelling circumstances such as those beyond the control of the student and which have an impact on the student’s course progress or well-being. These include, but are not limited to: serious illness or injury, where a medical certificate states that the student was unable to attend classes; or
- Bereavement of close family members such as parents or grandparents (where possible a death certificate should be provided);
- Major political upheaval or natural disaster in the home country requiring displacement and this has impacted the student’s studies. It may also be traumatic stress which includes witnessing or being involved in a serious accident; or being the victim of a serious crime, and this has an impact on the student (these cases should be supported by police or psychologists’ reports).
Policy 9: Transfer Credit Evaluation
- Transfer credit is not given for life experience, continuing education units, and for courses taken at non-regionally accredited institutions. Credits from international institutions will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
- Joybcs academic department reserves the right to decide on Transferrable Credits from student’s attended college(s)/university(ies). If Joybcs has questions as to whether the content of prior coursework is equivalent to the course for which the transfer credit is sought, the student will be required to provide additional information regarding the course, such as course description and/or course syllabi.
- Undergraduates: More than 50% of semester units earned by another institution may not be accepted as transfer credits toward the degree program. Courses completed more than five (5) years prior to the date of admission may not be transferable unless the student demonstrates proficiency in the subject matter, or shows documented evidence that they have been and remain in a profession directly relevant to these courses.
- Graduate level: Transfer credit may be considered for our Master of Arts programs on a case-by-case basis. MA students should contact their program director in additional to submitting an application credit transfer. Up to 50% of a previous Master’s degree can be transferred into a Joybcs Master’s program. Not more than 75% of semester units earned at the graduate level earned by another institution may not be accepted as transfer credits toward the Master’s Degree program.
- Doctorate level: More than 6-semester units at the graduate level earned at another institution may not be accepted as transfer credits toward the Doctoral degree program. It is possible to transfer up to eight hours of doctoral elective credit from an accredited school for work done before beginning the Doctorate program. The student must submit an official transcript and a syllabus for each course to be transferred. In addition, the following conditions:
- The course(s) must be doctoral level, completed with a grade of 3.0 and above, and not applied to another earned degree.
- The course(s) must be less than 10 years old.
- The course(s) must relate to the participant’s Doctorate program major. This is assessed in conversation with the Doctorate Director.
- An additional 3-5 page paper may be necessary to show relevance to the participant’s ministry issue.