Auditing Capstone Courses

[Andrew Lee]

Has other satellites considered allowing students to audit Capstone courses? If so, what limitations do you have and what minimums do you require of the students?

I have been going back and forth on this subject. I would rather not allow students audit a Capstone course in order to keep the high standard of excellence in our capstone courses. However, I have increasingly been asked about auditing classes from students who have the desire to be trained, but simply don't have the time to fit in a course.

If we were to allow audits for capstone courses, below are the guidelines that I have been pondering. I would appreciate any thoughts, concerns, pros, cons, suggestions, advice, etc.. from any other site who have also considered or are currently auditing courses.

*Students must fill out student application and meet application requirements (pastor's application, involved in ministry, etc..).

*Students must purchase student workbook for course.

*Students are limited to taking only 2 classes as an audit per every 12 months.

*In case of limited class sizes, a student taking a course for credit would be given a higher priority over a student who wishes to take the course as an audit.

*A student taking a class as an audit can switch to taking the course for full credit as long as it's done before the first assignments are due. Assignments must still be turned in on that day (no extension would be given for those students).

*A student taking the course for full credit cannot switch to audit status once the first class has started.

*Students must obtain approval from site coordinator in order to audit a class.

*Audited courses would not count towards any certificate or diploma programs.

[Lorna Rasmussen]

Great thinking on class audits. We have allowed student's to audit classes at TUMI national as well, for the very reasons you are encountering. Your requirements are right in line with ours with two exceptions:

1-We require all auditing students to pay the same amount (tuition and fees) that non auditing students pay (including the workbook purchase) but do not require that they purchase the additional required reading textbooks. The rationale behind this is that it is important that students pay for the training they receive to value it more, whether they audit or not, this training is seminary level and we absolutely treat it that way. Our tuition and fees are low (as I'm sure yours are), so if a student wants to audit, tuition and fees are not a problem (no seminary will allow you to sit in a class and not pay for it, even in audit status). If a student wants to audit a course, it should be for the reason you stated in your note -- they do not have time to do the work associated with the class.

2-We have not limited how many audited courses they take, but of course, you are free to do whatever you determine important at your satellite. Typically if students are paying for the course, they are more interested in taking it for credit.

All of your other points are stated clearly and we agree with them wholeheartedly! Excellent thinking and writeup Andrew!

Lorna

[Frank Schultz]

Good words on audit. However, I am more compelled to over the course for one credit reducing the work load. We should strongly encourage the them to take the class for credit. Most have the greatest fear of the exegetical paper. I have put together our TUMI-NJ Academic Catalog that allows a person to take the Capstone courses for one or two credits and Foundation classes for one two or three credits. A person taking the class for one credit does everything but the ministry project and exegetical paper. I am defining the grading scale for this one credit course and will keep reading assignment at maybe 15% of the grade. If a person comes to class and participates they should be able to take the quizzes. Memorizing scripture is just good discipline and needs to be encouraged.

I must say, I would let someone audit the class the first time if they just wanted to experience the curriculum and agree with all the conditions above. However, after the first audit they would need to take class for at least one credit.

Just my musings.
Frank