2023-2024 Academic Catalog

Academic Information

Course requirements for all degree, endorsement, and certificate programs are outlined in the Program section of this catalog.

Credit, Transfer Credit, Course Substitutions, Course Waivers

Concordia University Chicago is proudly accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The College of Education is also accredited by the prestigious Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). CUC also holds a number of program-specific accreditations, such as NASM. Typically, credits transfer to other accredited institutions, yet it is the receiving institution’s decision to accept and apply another university’s credits according to its policies. Students are responsible for contacting the receiving institution about their transfer credit policies.

Concordia University Chicago operates on a semester system. The Academic Year consists of three 16-week semesters (Summer, Fall, and Spring) with Summer acting as a header to the Academic Year. Summer semester courses typically run from early May through late August, Fall semester courses typically run from late August through mid-December, and Spring semester courses typically run from mid-January through early May. Various terms shorter in length than the semester are offered.

Transfer Credit

Concordia University Chicago reserves the right to determine the number, age, content and type of transfer credits accepted toward the student’s degree or program. After the completion of 12 semester hours of coursework at CUC, no more than 50 percent of combined transfer credit and previously-applied CUC credit may be applied to a program. Application to have transfer of credits apply to a graduate program must be made by the student through the advisor. These credits must be approved for a degree program by the appropriate program coordinator, division chair and the Registrar. Only courses taken within the past eight years of the student's program start term with a grade of “B” or higher from a regionally accredited institution of higher education will be considered for transfer credit. Only graduate work beyond the student's initial master's degree, satisfactorily completed at other regionally accredited institution(s), may be accepted toward doctoral degree programs upon approval of the student’s GPS advisor, division chair and the Registrar.  

A CUC student’s cumulative GPA is calculated solely on courses taken at CUC; transfer coursework is accepted as credit. Courses taken on a Pass/Fail basis will not be accepted for transfer credit*.

Workshop credit taken outside of Concordia University Chicago will not be accepted for transfer credit. Workshop credit earned at Concordia-Chicago will count toward program requirements, where applicable. Joint Services Transcripts will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and will only be applied if it fulfills academic requirements for the student's program.

Students pursuing any licensure, endorsements, or certificates are required to complete a minimum of 50 percent of the semester hours of required coursework specifically selected to meet state requirements at Concordia University Chicago. Once coursework has been specified, it cannot be changed without the approval of the appropriate program coordinator, division chair, and the Registrar.

*The only exceptions to this rule are specifically-approved transfer credit from CU-Portland: EDAD-650 (applied to CUC EDL-6951 or EDL-6952) or EDAD-652 (applied to CUC EDL-7894, EDL-7895 or EDL-7896).

Course Substitutions and Course Waivers

Occasionally, a student may find that he/she has taken a course as part of another graduate degree program that is essentially the same as a required course in his/her current Concordia-Chicago degree plan. It may be possible to waive that specific course requirement, but it will be necessary to substitute another graduate-level course for the same number of credits for the one that is waived. Application for a course substitution must be made by a student through the graduate advisor. The waiver must be approved by the appropriate program coordinator, division chair, and the Registrar.

Grades, Incomplete Grades, Repeats

Graduate students are required to earn an average of three quality points for every credit hour required in his/her program toward graduation. A final grade of D+, D , D-, F, AU, AW, NP, NR or W in any graduate-level course cannot be applied toward a graduate program and will not be used in a final degree audit.  

All attempted graduate credit will be included to calculate the student’s cumulative GPA. Final program audit requirements include a minimum of 3.0 CGPA in all attempted graduate-level coursework. If a Concordia-Chicago course is repeated, the highest grade will be used in calculating the grade-point average.  All attempts to repeat the course will remain on the student's record and transcript.

The unit of credit is the semester hour. Normally one semester hour of credit is awarded on the basis of one 50-minute class session per week equivalent. The outside preparation required is approximately twice the time of instruction. 

Grade Quality Points

Grade Quality Points
A 4.00
A- 3.67
B+ 3.33
B 3.00
B- 2.67
C+ 2.33
C 2.00
C- 1.67
D+ 1.33
D 1.00
D- 0.67
F (Fail) 0.00
P (Pass) 0.00
AU (Audit) 0.00
AW (Academic Withdrawal) 0.00
I (Incomplete) 0.00
NG (Not Graded) 0.00
NP (No Pass) 0.00
NR (Not Reported) 0.00
S (Satisfactory) 0.00
U (Unsatisfactory) 0.00
W (Withdrawal) 0.00
 

A grade of B or higher shall be equated with Pass for students graded on the Pass/Fail option. 

The Incomplete (I) Grade

An Incomplete (I) grade is a temporary grade requested by the student and approved by the instructor to postpone course work due to extenuating circumstances (e.g. illness, death in the family). An agreement must be made between the student and the instructor outlining the remaining work needed to complete the course by submitting the signed Incomplete Grade Authorization Form to the Registrar’s Office. This signed form and related documentation must be received by the Office of the Registrar by the appropriate deadline below.  Incomplete submissions, late submissions, or submissions for students who do not meet the criteria (good standing in the course and experienced/experiencing extenuating circumstances) will not be processed.  Students must resolve the incomplete grade within six (6) weeks from the date the course ends. Upon completion, the instructor will change the “I” to the appropriate letter grade by submitting the Change of Grade form to the Office of the Registrar. If the student fails to complete the course work, or a Change of Grade form is not submitted, a grade of “F” is recorded. While rare, permission for additional time beyond the six-week deadline may be granted only with the approval of the instructor and the Registrar and must be requested prior to the extension deadline. Whether or not the student is enrolled during the following term has no effect upon this completion date. In the event that the original instructor is no longer available to grade the work, the Division Chair, where applicable, or the Dean will identify the faculty member who will resolve the incomplete. The form is here: Incomplete Authorization form

Incomplete Grade Submission Deadlines

Semester/Session Incomplete Request Deadline
5-Week Friday of Week 4
8-Week Friday of Week 7
11-Week Friday of Week 10
16-Week Friday of Week 15

Students must contact the Office of Financial Aid once the grade change has been processed in order to re-evaluate their SAP status for the semester they did not meet SAP. The Director of Financial Aid will review and make any necessary changes to the SAP status. 

Course Repeat

Students are allowed to repeat a course to fulfill degree requirements with certain exceptions. If a Concordia University Chicago course is repeated, the highest grade will be used to calculate the cumulative grade point average. The course must be an allowed repeatable course or a grade improvement is required in order to meet the degree program minimum requirements. A grade of ‘P’ would not be considered a repeatable course. Any student receiving Federal or State financial aid will have additional restrictions based on regulations established by the Department of Education, Illinois Student Assistance Commission and Department of Veterans Affairs.

If receiving financial aid, a student may repeat a course for which a passing grade (ex. F or W) was not previously earned regardless of the number of times. This will be factored into the student's attempted hours versus earned hours (see SAP policy for completion rate). If repeating a course with a passing grade (D- or higher), a student will be allowed to retake the course one additional time. This will apply whether or not financial aid was received for the first passed course. On the third attempt of retaking a passed course, the student will be required to pay out of pocket. For specific questions, please contact the Office of Financial Aid at financial.aid@cuchicago.edu or 708-209-3113.

If receiving military educational benefits, a student may retake the course one additional time. If a third attempt is needed, the student may be responsible for the amount already paid in a previous semester.  A debt letter will be sent directly to the student from the Department of Veterans Affairs. For specific questions related to military educational benefits, please contact the Veterans Certifying Official in the Office of Financial Aid at 708-209-3113.

Change of Grade and Grade Appeal

Final grades are considered final and may not be changed by submitting additional work, assignments, exams, discussion posts, and/or extra credit after the end of course. All work must be submitted by the last day of the term unless the student has been approved for an incomplete request.

A student may request a review of a course grade. All final grade changes and grade change appeals must be resolved within eight weeks after final grades are due and must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar. Grade change requests submitted after the eight week deadline will not be processed by the Office of the Registrar. Students may appeal a course grade for a substantial, unreasonable, or unannounced departure from the syllabus, rubrics, course outcomes, and/or assignments. The Grade Appeal Process and Form is found in CUConnect. If needed, the names of division chairs and deans are found on the current organization chart in CUConnect.

Registration Policies and Procedures

Course Load

A full-time graduate student course load at CUC is defined as being enrolled in six (6) or more credit hours per semester. Half-time graduate student course load is three (3) to five (5) credit hours per semester. Less than half-time status is defined as any credit value less than three (3) credits per semester. The standard graduate student load at CUC is six (6) to nine (9) credit hours per semester. Graduate students who wish to enroll in more than nine (9) credit hours per semester must seek approval from their program’s division chair via their Graduate Program Specialist (GPS).

CUC’s course load is aligned with the U.S. Department of Education’s financial aid standards for the awarding of full-time and half/part-time financial aid. Veteran’s Benefits, military aid, state aid and institutional aid are also aligned to these standards to determine eligibility for financial aid.

Prerequisites

A prerequisite is a requirement that students must successfully complete prior to taking a course. Please note that not every course has a prerequisite – prerequisite information is found in the catalog course description. With student success being the focus at CUC, if a student has not yet completed the prerequisite, they will be required to meet the minimum prerequisite at the time of registration based on the current catalog.  Students who completed the prerequisite requirement prior to the standardization will not have to retake the prerequisite if they previously earned a lower eligible grade or score than currently required.  

Students are responsible for checking prequisites prior to course registration.  Students who fail to meet the course prerequisite will be administratively dropped from the course.

In order to keep programs and coursework relevant and current, the College of Health, Science & Technology at Concordia University Chicago has implemented a "6-Year Rule," which allows a student to utilize completed prerequisite course credits towards subsequent coursework for up to six years after a course is successfully completed. Courses falling outside of the 6-year timeframe must be repeated unless successfully appealed to the Assistant Dean of the College of Health, Science & Technology. If the expired course no longer exists in the program’s current curriculum, the student must take the designated replacement course to satisfy the prerequisite requirement. The 6-Year Rule applies to all College of Health, Science & Technology coursework and programs of study. Transfer credits from courses taken externally are subject to the same rules based on the date the credits were posted to a student’s transcript.

Course Audits

Registration for course audits should occur at or before final registration deadline. Students may change from credit to audit or audit to credit up to and including the 20th day of classes in a 16-week term and the 10th day of classes in an 8-week term by submitting an add/drop form to the Office of the Registrar. A grade of audit (AU) will be assigned at the completion of the course. Students should be aware that audited courses are not eligible for financial aid. 

Auditors are welcome in many classes at Concordia-Chicago, except the MUSA courses. However the exact terms of participation in class activities will be determined upon agreement with the instructor of the course. Depending on the discipline and the type of the course (e.g., lecture; seminar; studio courses in art, music or theater; physical education courses; lab; independent/directed study; service learning, etc.), participation may be limited at the discretion of the instructor. Likewise, students cannot expect to be given a grade and feedback on assignments (e.g., papers, tests, homework, labs, etc.) or to receive individual assistance from the instructor outside of class. Exams and papers assigned to students taking the course for credit do not apply to audit students; all other expectations are the same. A grade of audit (AU) will be assigned at the completion of the course. Graduate students are not allowed to take regular undergraduate courses as audit, with the exception of music courses.

Course Add/Drop Policy

Once the term has started, courses can be added to or dropped from a student schedule only during the first five days of the term.  All registration documentation must be accompanied by a student's official signature or must be done electronically via the student portal. Non-registered students may not participate in the course after the first week of the course.

Graduate students who have not connected in Blackboard with their course/instructor within the first ten (10) business days of the term, and cannot be reached by their GPS advisor or who do not respond to their GPS advisor regarding their course participation status within the first ten (10) business days of the term, will be administratively dropped from the course. See the Administrative Drop section for more information.

NOTE: Failure to attend class after the 100% refund period does not constitute an automatic withdrawal from the course. Graduate students MUST drop courses via their GPS advisor after the 100% refund period. Failure to drop a course will result in no refund and a grade of "F" on the student's transcript after the 100% refund period.

Dropping a Course

The following procedures are to be used in the event of withdrawal from a class. All withdrawals must be completed in writing, with the student’s signature. The Course Add/Drop form must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Admission and Student Services. Unauthorized withdrawals from a course or the University, i.e. failure to attend class, will result in the grade of “F.”

Full Semester Course Policies:  

  • During the first two (2) weeks of the term, a graduate student may withdraw from a course for a 100% refund by submitting a Course Add/Drop form to the Office of Graduate Admission and Student Services. The course will not appear on the student’s transcript. 
  • By the Friday of the third week, a graduate student may withdraw from a course for a 67% refund. The course will not appear on the student’s transcript.
  • From the fourth week through the Friday of the tenth week, a graduate student may withdraw from a course for no refund. A grade of “W” will be recorded on the student’s transcript. 
  • After the tenth week of the semester, a “W” will be granted only for extraordinary circumstances approved by the Dean of Students. Unauthorized withdrawals from a course or the University, i.e. failure to attend class, will result in the grade of “F.”

Eight-Week Courses:

  • During the first two (2) weeks of the term, a graduate student may withdraw from a course for a 100% refund by submitting a Course Add/Drop form to the Office of Graduate Admission and Student Services. The course will not appear on the student’s transcript.
  • By the Friday of the third week, a graduate student may withdraw from a course for a 67% refund. The course will not appear on the student’s transcript.
  • By the Friday of the fifth week, a graduate student may withdraw from a course for no refund. A grade of “W” will be recorded on the student’s transcript. 
  • After the fifth week, a “W” will be granted only for extraordinary circumstances approved by the Dean of Students.  Unauthorized withdrawals from a course or the University, i.e. failure to attend class, will result in the grade of “F".

Please see the Academic Calendar for other graduate term policies.

Directed Study and Independent Study

Directed Study: Under special circumstances, directed studies are available to non-guest students in order to complete a degree or endorsement program when a course is not available. Approval by the appropriate department chair and the dean is required.

Independent Study: Independent Study courses are designed to provide students with the opportunity to pursue a specific interest above and beyond the department curriculum offerings. The independent study is available for full-time CUC students only.  Courses in the curriculum may not be taken by independent study, nor can an independent study duplicate the content of an established course. Grading procedures and policies concerning incompletes also apply to independent study courses. Graduate students are subject to the following limitation: a maximum of two, three-semester-hour independent study courses in a 30-hour master’s program.

The Independent Study Application form is available through the student's GPS advisor or in CUConnect. Specific proposal information is included on the form. The proposal and form are to be turned in to the student’s GPS advisor one semester prior to the beginning of the semester of enrollment. Once approved by the GPS advisor, the application is to be presented to the department chair, along with the proposal, for his/her approval and signature.

Leave of Absence, Withdrawal, Administrative Drop, Administrative Withdrawal

Leave of Absence

A leave of absence is a temporary postponement of studies at the university with the intention of resuming within 180 days. A student currently enrolled at Concordia University Chicago, and who plans to return within 180 days, must request an official leave of absence. The student must submit the University Withdrawal/Leave of Absence form to his/her Graduate Program Specialist (GPS). Only under extraordinary circumstances, as approved by the Office of the Registrar, may the leave of absence status be extended. A student on leave of absence does not need to apply for readmission to the university, but must contact his/her academic advisor to resume studies. A student who is absent for more than 180 days will be administratively withdrawn from the university for non-attendance.  International students requesting a leave of absence (which is different from Annual Leave) should contact the Center for International Student Services at CISS@cuchicago.edu.

Leave of Absence Policy for Military Educational Benefits Recipients

Leave of Absences due to deployment are handled by the Office of the Dean of Students. Students should contact the Office of the Dean of Students to discuss the best option available based on timing of deployment within the semester.

University Withdrawal

University withdrawal is intended for students who wish to permanently discontinue their studies or for those who wish to suspend their academic progress for more than 180 days. Please note that financial assistance, readmission and program progression may be impacted. Graduate students who desire to withdraw from the University are to consult with their Graduate Program Specialist (GPS) and submit the University Withdrawal/Leave of Absence form. Withdrawal is not official until specific responsibilities have been met. Failure to follow this procedure may result in a grade of F rather than a grade of W. 

Students who do not maintain continuous enrollment at Concordia University Chicago from semester to semester will be withdrawn from the University as of their last semester of attendance, unless the student is eligible and files for Leave of Absence status.

Withdrawal Policy for Military Educational Benefits Recipients

Degree-seeking students who desire to withdraw from the University due to deployment are to consult with the Office of the Dean of Students and fill out the University Withdrawal/Leave of Absence form. Withdrawal is not official until specific responsibilities have been met. Failure to follow this procedure may result in a grade of F rather than a grade of W. 

Students who do not maintain continuous enrollment at Concordia University Chicago from semester to semester will be withdrawn from the University as of their last semester of attendance, unless the student is eligible and files for Leave of Absence status.

Administrative Drop 

Students who fail to meet the course prerequisite will be administratively dropped from the course. Additionally, students who have not participated in their course within the first fourteen days of the term and cannot be reached by their academic advisor or do not respond to their academic advisor regarding non-participation will be administratively dropped from the course. Course participation is measured by the following:

  • physical presence in the classroom for face-to-face courses 
  • presence in the virtual classroom for online synchronous and hyflex courses 
  • submission of a discussion post, assignment, and/or exam in hybrid and online asynchronous courses.  

Students who are administratively dropped will not be charged tuition or course fees for the course nor will the course appear on their transcript. Students who are administratively dropped will not be readmitted into that course for the remainder of the term. Students who have had their degree/credential conferred are not eligible for an administrative drop. Questions regarding the implications of an administrative drop on financial aid can be directed to the Office of Financial Aid at Financial.Aid@CUChicago.edu or at 708-209-3113. 

Administrative Withdrawal

Students who initially participate in the course and then stop participating in the course for at least fourteen consecutive days and cannot be reached by their academic advisor will be administratively withdrawn from the course. Course participation is measured by the following: 

  • physical presence in the classroom for face-to-face courses 
  • presence in the virtual classroom for online synchronous and hyflex courses 
  • submission of a discussion post, assignment, and/or exam in hybrid and online asynchronous courses.  

Students who are administratively withdrawn will be assigned a grade of AW for the course on their permanent academic record, will not receive a refund of any kind, and shall not be readmitted into that course for the remainder of the term. If a student receiving an AW reenrolls in the course all attempts will appear on the student’s permanent academic record and will be counted toward the maximum timeframe for financial aid purposes. A grade of AW will be considered as coursework attempted but not completed. In addition, repeated courses are counted in the “hours attempted” calculation for financial aid purposes. Students will be considered to have earned all of their federal financial aid after the completion of sixty-seven percent of the payment period and overall completion rate. Administrative withdrawals will be processed during the term before final grades are posted. Students who have had their degree/credential conferred are not eligible for an administrative withdrawal.  

Students that have faced the following circumstances within the term are not eligible for an administrative withdrawal which may include, but are not limited to: 

  • Job/internship-related conflicts or challenges 
  • Travel issues/delays 
  • Incarceration. 

Questions regarding the implications of an administrative withdrawal on financial aid can be directed to the Office of Financial Aid at Financial.Aid@CUChicago.edu or at 708-209-3113. 

Physical or Financial Hardship Withdrawal Policy

If a student is unable to successfully complete their courses due to documented financial, physical, or mental health reasons, he/she may request a hardship withdrawal through the Dean of Students Office. Students may request a hardship withdrawal when the emergency or situation that they are experiencing makes it impossible for them to continue in the course(s) for which they are registered. Students experiencing a physical or financial hardship who wish to appeal tuition charges and/or fees are encouraged to complete a form through the Office of the Dean of Students. Supporting documentation related to the physical or financial hardship is required. More information can be found on the Concordia-Chicago website.

Program Procedures for All Graduate Students

Advisor

All students will be assigned a Graduate Program Specialist (GPS) advisor. Master of Church Music and Master of Arts in Music students will be assigned a music faculty advisor. It is strongly recommended that the student meet with his/her advisor before registering for courses to plan for appropriate coursework to be taken. It is important to make frequent contacts with the advisor, who will assist the student in an orderly progression from enrollment to graduation. The ultimate responsibility for compliance with academic requirements for graduation, selection of courses, prerequisites and class registration rests with the student.

Active Status and Time Limit for Degree Completion

A graduate student who has completed a course within a 180-day period is considered on active graduate status. A student who is absent for 181 days or more will be placed on withdrawal status due to non-attendance. Such students are required to report to the Office of Graduate Admission and Student Services and follow the Readmission process prior to registration for courses. The readmitted student will comply with current catalog requirements at the time of readmission and be assessed the current tuition rate of their program.

All credit toward a degree, approval, certificate or endorsement must be completed within 8 academic years after registration for the first course counted toward the degree/program. A petition for time extension is to be addressed to the appropriate division chair and dean.

Capstone/Dissertation Experiences

Nearly all master-level students must complete a capstone experience as part of their degree requirements. Some graduate programs have course-embedded capstone experiences which, depending on the program, can include a recital, portfolio, research project, internship experience or practicum requirement. Students receive graduate credit while enrolled in the capstone course if all requirements have been successfully met.  See specific capstone requirements listed in the program section of this catalog.

Doctoral students complete a dissertation.  More information about the process is available in Blackboard's Collegial Cloud.

Satisfactory Progress/Academic Status/Academic Probation/Academic Dismissal

Satisfactory Progress

All students will be monitored for satisfactory progress at the following points: after nine (9) semester hours; after twenty-one (21) semester hours; before approval of the capstone experience and before graduation. Students are considered to be making satisfactory progress if the grade-point average is 3.0 or higher and all deficiencies have been removed. Students not making satisfactory progress will be placed on academic probation. Grades of D and F earned in graduate level coursework cannot be used in their final degree audit.

A graduate student is considered to be in Good Standing when the Concordia-Chicago Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) is at or above a 3.0 for all graduate work attempted. A final grade of D+, D , D-, F, AU, AW, NP, NR or W in any graduate level course cannot be applied toward any graduate program. A student who has attempted nine or more semester hours and falls below the 3.0 CGPA will be placed on one of the following probationary or dismissal statuses: Academic Probation, Academic Probation Continued or Academic Dismissal.

Academic Probation

A student in Good Standing who falls below a CGPA of 3.0 will be placed on Academic Probation. Under Academic Probation the student may continue to be enrolled for one additional semester. The student may continue enrollment after this probationary semester if:

  • The cumulative GPA is at or above 3.0, and therefore the student regains the status of Good Standing.
  • The term GPA is at or above 3.0 even though the CGPA remains under 3.0; such a student will be placed on Academic Probation Continued. A student on Academic Probation whose additional term GPA falls below 3.0 and who has a cumulative GPA below a 3.0 will be subject to Academic Dismissal. Academic Probation is based solely on GPA calculations. The only basis for appeal of this status is for calculation error and the appeal must be submitted in writing to the Registrar.

Academic Probation Continued

A student under Academic Probation whose probation semester results in a Term GPA at or above 3.0 but still has a CGPA below 3.0 will be placed on Academic Probation Continued. The student may continue enrollment after this probationary semester if:

  • The cumulative GPA is at or above 3.0, and therefore the student regains the status of Good Standing; or,
  • The term GPA is at or above a 3.0 even though the CGPA remains under a 3.0; such a student will remain on Academic Probation and be granted an additional probationary semester of enrollment. Academic Probation Continued is based solely on GPA calculations. The only basis for appeal of this status is for calculation error and the appeal must be submitted in writing to the Registrar.

Academic Dismissal

A student under the status of Academic Probation or Academic Probation Continued whose probation semester results in a term GPA below 3.0 and a CGPA below 3.0 will be placed on Academic Dismissal. Students placed on Academic Dismissal will not be allowed to continue enrollment and will be dropped from the graduate program. Furthermore, students who are academically dismissed are not eligible to reapply for admission as a Guest Graduate or in another program of study. Academic Dismissal is based on GPA calculations. Appeals to be reinstated under Academic Probation Continued must be submitted in writing to the appropriate dean.

Concordia University Portland (CUP) Teach-out 

In 2020, Concordia University Chicago was named as the official teach-out institution for two graduate degree programs from Concordia University Portland:  Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Doctor of Education (EdD). CUP students in good academic and financial standing are guaranteed admission to Concordia-Chicago, and receive a customized degree completion plan supporting each student’s goals and concentration selections. Concordia-Chicago will accept 100% of credits earned at, or accepted as transfer credit by, Concordia University Portland toward a related degree program. This option is available to all MBA and EdD students who have attended and earned credits toward their degree program at Concordia Portland within the last three (3) calendar years.  All admissions to Concordia-Chicago are subject to standard University requirements, policies and procedures.