Semester Description

Sitting Bull College operates on a semester basis, which is a term averaging fifteen (15) weeks of instruction and one (1) week for final exams for a total of sixteen (16) weeks. A Summer Session is approximately six (6) weeks in length and the classes offered during the summer session vary. (See the Academic Calendar for starting and ending semester dates).

Course

A course is a unit of instruction in a subject area offered during the fall, spring or summer semesters.

Numbering

(099) Pre-college Level Courses

These course numbers indicate developmental, pre-college level classes. These courses are not transferable to other post-secondary institutions.

(100-299) Lower and Intermediate Division Courses

Courses numbered from 100-199 generally indicate introductory courses that survey an entire academic discipline and/or introduce students to the fundamental nature of a discipline’s method of inquiry. Such courses are often appropriate for fulfilling general education requirements.

Courses numbered 200-299 indicate courses that generally assume previous introduction to the discipline studied. Courses at this level provide basic understanding of material and provide students with the background necessary for more advanced study and/or entry into certain occupations.

(300-399) Upper Division Courses

These course numbers indicate upper division undergraduate courses that require prerequisites or that are of sufficient complexity or difficulty that they require a broader educational background and maturity to perform at optimal levels. Courses at this level require an advanced and rigorous level of study.

(400-499) Upper Division Advanced Courses

These numbers indicate advanced upper division undergraduate courses. These courses require previous, extensive study in the area or academic ability normally acquired during six full-time semesters of college work. Such courses may require students to work far more independently.

(500-699) Graduate-Level Courses

These courses are exclusively for graduate students, primarily for students working toward the master's degree.

Prerequisites

Courses with prerequisites require prior course work, which must be completed satisfactorily. In some course’s students must seek the approval of the instructor or academic advisor before they can enroll in specific classes. Courses that require prerequisites are designated in the course description.

Curriculum

Curriculum is a combination of courses required to complete a program of study leading to a certificate or degree. All programs of study require general education and core requirements.

Elective

An elective is a course opening in the designated curriculum, which can be filled, by a course of the student's choice.

Auditing a Course

Students who wish to audit courses at SBC must apply for and receive the permission of the Vice President of Operations or Dean of Academics. A student may not request such permission until after the regular registration period as regular enrollees have a priority in filing the class.

The following conditions apply:

1. Only lecture type course may be audited. Audits will not be permitted in classes requiring special equipment (example: computers). Audits will be allowed in the Language, Arts, and Sciences.
2. No academic credit will be granted.
3. Student must follow SBC’s registration process.
4. The student may not switch from the audit to regular registration or vice versa after the last day to add a class.
5. The audit registration will appear on the student’s transcript.
6. Students will be required to pay for the cost of the book, the registration fee, lab fees, and one-half of the tuition rates.

Credit Hour Description

A credit is the unit used in computing the amount of work required for a course. Credits given for the course are listed after the course title in the course description. Sitting Bull College has various educational delivery methods for course offerings. The education methods include face-to- face lecture and laboratory, accelerated, hybrid, distance learning (internet and IVN), personalized system of instruction, and independent study. All course delivery methods require the same academic equivalency.

Face-to-Face Course Instruction

In a lecture course, one (1) semester hour of credit represents one (1) contact hour per week for one (1) semester; in a laboratory course, one (1) semester hour of credit represents two (2) contact hours per week; and internships and practicum courses, one (1) semester hour of credit represents three (3) hours of practical work experience per week for one (1) semester. In addition, a minimum of two hours of additional outside work is recommended for students (such as reading, research, or completion of homework) each week for everyone credit hour of lecture.

Some practicum hours are defined by certification requirements and are so noted in the degree plan. Laboratory courses are identified in the course description.

Accelerated Courses Instruction

Accelerated courses are offered in various formats but require a minimum of half the hours of regular instruction. Therefore, for a regular three credit course that would meet 45 hours in an accelerated mode requires a minimum of 22.5 hours of instruction. The amount of classroom time and outside work for an accelerated course must be equivalent to the total hours required in and out of the classroom for a face-to-face course.

Hybrid Course Instruction

Hybrid courses are offered through face-to-face and distance learning. A hybrid course requires a minimum of one credit hour of regular instruction per week and the remaining instruction is completed through distance learning. In addition, the amount of outside work for the student should be the same as a regular face-to-face to course.

Distant Learning Instruction

SBC currently offers methods of instruction through distant learning, which includes the following methods:

Interactive Video Network (IVN)

This method of delivery is an alternative to the regular classroom instruction methods. This two way interactive communication system uses cameras and microphones at one site. Participants at other sites can watch and listen to an instructor or presenter on a television monitor.

Internet Courses

This method of delivery is an alternative to the regular classroom instruction methods.

Requirements for distance learning courses are just as stringent as attending regular classes.

Independent Study Policy

A student at Sitting Bull College may need to take a course independently in order to satisfy graduation requirements in the student’s major. An Independent Study course offers a student the opportunity to make an in-depth study of a topic in the student’s regular curriculum but at a time not offered by the college. (Please note that any class requiring a lab and/or hands-on activities, and any education methods course cannot be taken as an independent study course.)

No more than three (3) credit hours from an independent study may be earned in any one semester, and no more than nine (9) credit hours of independent study credit may count toward satisfying the minimum requirements for a degree at Sitting Bull College¹.

The student assumes the major responsibility for conducting the independent study with the guidance of the program advisor and faculty of record. All independent studies are expected to include the same course requirements as the regular face-to-face course. While there is no official independent study class meeting time, regular class meetings may be scheduled to facilitate faculty-student conferences and reporting. Use of email communication is encouraged.

Sitting Bull College reserves the right to deny independent study for any course to any student at any time.

Procedures

1. A student wishing to enroll in independent study should begin by completing the Independent Study Application Form at least one week before the first day of class for the semester. The student should confer with the Program Advisor for justification for the Independent Study course.
2. The student must meet the following requirements before taking an Independent Study course:
   1. The student needs to be making satisfactory progress in the student’s degree plan and have a 2.00 cumulative GPA at the time of requested independent study course;
   2. The student must have completed 12 credits of college with a minimum GPA of 2.00 or above;
   3. The application must present a convincing rationale for the intended independent study and must provide evidence of a genuine desire to work independently.
3. The student should then submit the Application Form to the approved faculty of record to agree to the Independent Study.
4. If the faculty of record agrees to the Independent Study course, the student will then submit the approved application form to the Dean of Academics for final approval. Copies of the application should be kept by the student, the program advisor, and the faculty of record.
5. The assigned faculty of record will layout the required coursework, necessary meeting times, and the timeline to the student. Communication may be in person, by phone, or electronic means.
6. To register, the student should complete regular registration materials for the course.

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Students may request a waiver of the maximum credit policy from the Dean of Academics. Waivers will be granted only with support from the student's advisor.

Continuing Education Units

The College offers Continuing Education Units (CEU's) to improve professional development. These are units offered through a workshop format. Ten (10) contact hours equal one (1) CEU. Each student enrolled in a learning experience will receive a CEU certificate, indicating the number of CEU's awarded. A student may request a CEU transcript from SBC. CEUs may not be used to fulfill a degree requirement and cannot be converted to college credit(s).

Cancellation of Courses/Classes

The Vice President of Operations or the Dean of Academics reserves the right to cancel any course for which there is not sufficient student enrollment.

The Vice President of Operations reserves the right to cancel classes due to inclement weather or for college participation in activities. In the event that class, classes, or activities are cancelled, SBC will utilize the alert system to notify students.

Student Credit Load

The maximum student credit load per semester is 18 credit hours. The College does not encourage students to take over the 18 credit hours; however, it is possible if a student petitions to do so. The student, with the assistance of their advisor, will complete the petition to overload form and give to the Registrar, who will refer it to the Admissions Committee for approval. First semester students will not be eligible for petition of an overload unless they are transferring in with a satisfactory transcript (cumulative GPA of 2.00 or higher). Enrollment of over 18 credits will result in additional tuition costs, see page 28 College Fees Structure.

A student enrolling on academic probation will not be allowed to take over 18 credit hours.

PSYC 100 First Year Learning Experience

All two-year degree-seeking students will be required to take PSYC 100 First Year Learning Experience as either a one or three credit course.

Students who must take the three-credit course:

• All new students.
• Returning/transfer students who have been out of school for seven years or more and have not earned a degree from SBC.

Students who must take the one credit course:

• Any transfer student who has taken a comparable course for at least one (1) credit.

Students who have earned a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher learning will not be required to take a PSYC 100 First Year Learning Experience course.

SOC 120 Transitions - Graduation & Beyond

All two-year degree-seeking students will be required to take SOC 120 Transitions-Graduation & Beyond in their sophomore year (preferably their graduation semester). This course provides tools for the students as they seek jobs and work to enhance their skills and careers.

Exemption: All two-year degree-seeking students who have earned 30 or more credits and completed First Year Learning or similar course, Composition I, Composition II, and either MATH 102 Intermediate Algebra or MATH 103 College Algebra are not required to take this course.

Transfer Credits

Students who have attended college elsewhere must notify Sitting Bull College of all previous enrollments.  Students are required to have all official transcripts sent to the Registrar.

Transfer credits of “C”, or better will be accepted if they apply to the student’s degree plan. Students must contact their Advisor for specific information about what core credits may be transferred and how these credits fulfill any degree requirements.

Students who transfer from an accredited institution of higher learning and are short credits in a particular general education or core requirement course will require the following:

• If they are less than one credit short, they will not be required to repeat the general education or core requirement course.
• If they are more than one credit short the student will be required to repeat the course.
• If a student has taken courses such as ENGL 110 and ENGL 120 and is short from the six (6) hour requirements of Composition at Sitting Bull College, they can combine the credits for 110 and will only need to repeat 120.

Transfer students must earn a minimum of fifteen (15) credits at SBC prior to graduation for an Associate degree, (30) credits for a Bachelor’s degree, and (24) credits for a Master’s degree.

MILITARY TRANSFER CREDITS

Sitting Bull College may award credit for certain Military Training Programs based on these limits and regulations:

• Students must be currently accepted into a degree seeking, certificate, or diploma program to be awarded military training credits.
• A student must be enrolled in any SBC course during the term for which the request is made in order for military training credits to be posted to the official SBC transcript.
• Students should be aware that military training credits may not transfer to other colleges. Students are urged to check the intended transfer institution for current transfer information.  SBC is not responsible for transferability of military training credits.

Student will not be granted military training credit for courses:

• In which they have previously challenged OR
• In which they are currently enrolled OR
• In which they were previously enrolled (regardless of grade earned) OR
• In which they have earned transfer credit from any accredited institution OR
• In which they were enrolled but dropped with record on an official transcript

Military training credits do not have letter grades assigned, thus, will not be used to compute a student’s grade point average.

Military credits, once recorded on a student’s SBC transcript, become a permanent part of the academic record. 

The number of credits awarded by Sitting Bull College shall be based on the following:

• The credit awarded for similar course(s) offered at Sitting Bull College

The student must provide official, verifiable documentation of successful completion of a military training program (Joint Service Transcript including USMAP Apprenticeship, if applicable).These records must show dates of attendance/completion, site of training, course of program title and training identification numbers, and designation of military branch.

Credits Not Accepted into SBC Degree Programs

The College will not accept credits into core requirements of a degree plan that are seven years old or older. This includes credits from Sitting Bull College and/or accredited institutions of higher learning. Exceptions will be made in the Associate of Arts degree programs of General Studies and Native American Studies, or with approval of advisor and/or Vice President of Operations or Dean of Academics.

Repeating Courses

Students have the option to repeat a course, but for courses, in which the student received a D or better, the cost for the course will only be covered once under financial aid and the student will be required to pay on their own if repeated three or more times. Repeated courses will be noted on a student’s academic transcript and only the higher of the grades will be used to compute the grade point average. However, repeating a course more than once will result in the removal of only one previous grade from the GPA computation.

Attendance

Students are expected to attend classes regularly. The instructor will announce attendance requirements for each class and has final authority in excusing students from classes. Faculty are required to take weekly attendance for all methods of instructional delivery.

The student alone assumes responsibility for all absences and must make arrangements with his/her instructor to make-up work. Conflicts about excused and unexcused absence must be resolved between the student and instructor. Permission to make-up the work is at the discretion of the individual instructor.

Sitting Bull College’s records management system for attendance will refer students taking courses in all methods of delivery with excess absences to an SBC Counselor.

Challenge Tests

Sitting Bull College will permit students to demonstrate college level competency by completing the challenge examination to establish college credit for the following courses:

Challenge Tests

Course	Type of Challenge Exam	Credits
ENGL 110	Argumentative Essay with Sources (scored on a rubric)	3
CSCI 101	Exam	3
NAS 101	Exam	3
NAS 105	Exam	3

Limits and Regulations for the Challenge Exam(s):

1. Students must enroll for either course during the registration process and will be required to pay the per credit hour tuition rate.
2. The test will be administered and scored within the first week of classes the student enrolled. If the student earns the minimum required score on the challenge test, they will receive credit for the course and will not be required to attend the class. If the student does not receive the minimum required score on the challenge test they will be required to attend and participate in the regular class.
3. A student will only be allowed to take the challenge test once.
4. Credit hours successfully challenged may not be included in total credits when determining eligibility for federal financial aid. Example: Student enrolls in 12 credit hours which includes a 3 credit hour language class which the student successfully challenges. The student’s Pell grant eligibility shall be based on 9 credits instead of 12 credits.

Conducting Research at Sitting Bull College

As an institution of higher education that intends to conduct and/or sponsor research, Sitting Bull College recognizes the importance of research in the generation of new knowledge. Such research is often sponsored by a federal department or agency. Title 45 Code of Federal Regulations Part 46 (45 CFR 46) Protection of Human Subjects specifies federal regulations for the conduct of research involving human subjects.

Sitting Bull College recognizes the importance of having in place a set of principles and guidelines that govern the institution, its faculty, and staff, in the discharge of its responsibilities for protecting the rights and welfare of human subjects taking part in research conducted at, or sponsored by the institution, regardless of the source of funding [Federal Policy §__.103(b)(1)].

The federal regulations and the history of research involving American Indian people serve as compelling reasons that human subjects must be protected in the conduct of research. Language and cultural differences caused misunderstanding about the intent and content of the research in which Native people were engaged. In sometimes intimidating situations, subjects were not informed, nor were they given the opportunity to decline participation. Sacred knowledge, objects, and sites were all too often violated in the name of research and the generation of new knowledge about indigenous peoples and their cultures. While Sitting Bull College must and will demonstrate research compliance, it is also committed to the protection of the citizens of Standing Rock so as not to repeat the history that took advantage of them. Therefore, research at, or sponsored by, Sitting Bull College will be well-designed and properly executed according to the following principles, policy, and guidelines.

Statement of Principles

The ethical principles that govern acceptable conduct of research involving human subjects at or sponsored by Sitting Bull College are found in The Belmont Report. The ethical principles are:

• Respect for persons
• Beneficence
• Justice

Respect for persons involves recognition of the personal dignity and autonomy of individuals, and special protection of those persons with diminished autonomy. This principle underlies the need to obtain informed consent.

Beneficence entails an obligation to protect persons from harm by maximizing anticipated benefits and minimizing possible risks of harm. This principle underlies the need to engage in a risk/benefit analysis and to minimize risks.

Justice requires that the benefits and burdens of research be distributed fairly. This principle requires that subjects be fairly selected.

Research Policy

Research at or sponsored by Sitting Bull College will be well designed and properly executed. All researchers will abide by ethical principles of respect for persons, beneficence, and justice. All researchers will respect the culture of the residents of the Standing Rock Reservation when designing and carrying out proposed research. All researchers will follow the guidelines and procedures for protection of human subjects outlined by SBC and carried out by the Institutional Review Board (IRB). Data collection cannot begin without IRB approval. Research results will be shared with Sitting Bull College.

IRB Review and Approval Procedures

Sitting Bull College requires that all research projects and particularly those involving human subjects be approved by the Sitting Bull College IRB. The IRB meets quarterly during the academic year and as needed during the summer.

Any employee, adjunct faculty member, or student, who on behalf of SBC conducts research using human subjects, must receive IRB approval prior to any data collection. The necessary forms for approval must be submitted to the IRB before a research proposal is submitted to a sponsor for funding. Faculty, adjunct faculty, or staff who wish to undertake research involving human subjects as part of their duties, and students who wish to conduct research as part of class requirements shall be subject to the same rules regarding IRB submission of their research proposal. Adjunct faculty and students must have a full-time faculty member as a co-principal investigator (PI).

Applicant Responsibility

1. Obtain application packet and Institutional Review Board Guidebook from the Office of the Academic Dean or online at www.sittingbull.edu.
2. Complete PI training at http://ohsr.od.nih.gov/cbt/nonNIHpeople.html.
3. Determine type of IRB review application to be used (see section on Types of IRB Review).
4. Complete the appropriate IRB review application. Any required parts of the protocol such as an informed consent form or an interview instrument must be attached to the application.
5. Submit the complete application, with attachments, to the IRB Chair for review; indicate what will happen with the research results.
6. Secure IRB approval before data collection can begin.

Children in the Classroom

Sitting Bull College has established a daycare facility for use by students. For safety and liability issues, students should not bring their children to classes and should make use of the daycare facility. A student who constantly brings their children to classes will be in violation of SBC’s policies and will be referred to the Vice President of Operations or Dean of Academics to resolve the issue.

Grading

The evaluation of a student's work is based upon a system of grade reports and is issued at the end of each term.

Grading

Grade	Standard Interpretation	Points
A	High degree of excellence	4
B	Above Average	3
C	Average	2
D	Completion of minimum requirement	1
F	Failure to satisfactorily complete	0
P	Passed	0
W	Withdrawal done by the student prior to the deadline	0
MW	Military Withdrawal	0
I	Incomplete	0
WIP	Work in Progress	0
S/U	Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory	0

Pass (P) grade may be given for workshops, internships, practicums and military credit.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

A student’s scholastic standing of Grand Point Average (GPA) is obtained by the total number of grade points earned for the semester divided by the total number of semester hours attempted for the semester.

Grade Point Average

Example Course	Grades	Credits	Honor Points	Points Earned
English I	B	3	3	9
Algebra	A	4	4	16
Language	A	4	4	16
Psychology	B	3	3	9
Total		14		50

Semester GPA: 50/14=3.57

The cumulative or total grade point averages are obtained by the same method using overall semester hours attempted and overall honor points earned. Grades of (P), (W), (I) are disregarded when figuring grade point averages.

Incomplete Grade

A grade of “I” (Incomplete) will only be issued in emergency circumstances which are approved by the Dean of Academics. A student must have met the following requirements to be considered for an incomplete:

• The student must have valid documentation to be considered for an incomplete.
• The student must have completed at least (75%) of the assigned coursework.
• The student must be passing the course.
• The student must have over 75% attendance in the course.

The student and instructor must complete an “Incomplete Grade Report Form” indicating the course work to be completed; the deadline date for completion; and the grade assigned if the student does not complete the work as indicated. Students will have three weeks from the end of the semester to complete the course work unless the instructor indicates an earlier date. If the course work is not finished, the grade will be changed from an “I” to the grade the instructor indicated on the “Incomplete Grade Report Form”.

No credits are earned for this course unless the Incomplete Grade is changed to a passing grade. Students receiving an "I" are not eligible for the Honor Roll or Graduation and may lose their eligibility for Financial Aid.

Withdrawal Policy

Change of schedule forms may be obtained from either of the Counselors and must be completed within the date allowed to withdraw from classes. The student must sign the form provided by the Counselor. If the student is unable to personally come to Main Campus, then he/she must provide a signed notice of intent via fax or pdf¹ that states the reason for withdrawing and includes the name(s) of the class or classes from which the student will withdraw and have it delivered before the allowed date to withdraw or, if mailed, to have it postmarked no later than the date allowed to withdraw from classes. Upon obtaining a signature from a student or letter of intent, the Counselor will forward the original withdraw form to the Registrar’s office. The student’s instructor(s), advisor, and Jenzabar Database Manager will be notified of the student drop.

¹

Faxes will be accepted with the student’s signature and information clearly written. An email message without a pdf attached will not be considered an authentic signature. Signatures will be compared with the student’s signature on the admissions application on file.

Any tuition refund or credit will be determined by the date of the change of schedule form.

A student who withdraws from all their courses will not meet minimum academic standards and will be placed on academic warning, academic probation, or academic suspension. (See Academic Probation and Academic Suspension for more information.)

If a course is completed before the last date to withdraw from classes, the student will not be allowed to withdraw from this course (i.e. First Aid).

Midterm Grades

Mid-term grades are reported during the Fall and Spring semesters and are mailed to all students by the Registrar. Incomplete grades are not allowed at mid-term. Midterm grades are used to assist students in determining their academic progress. They are not recorded grades and therefore a grade appeal cannot be filed. Midterm grade reports can be viewed and printed by the student through MySBC.

Mid-term grades are not reported during the Summer term or for accelerated courses. Instructors will notify one of the counselors of any student(s) who are failing. The counselor will then contact the student(s).

Final Grades

The instructor submits final grades at the end of the semester. The instructor must submit final grades for an accelerated course one week after the end of the course. Final grade reports can be viewed and printed by the student through MySBC.

Grade Appeal

Occasions arise when a student is convinced that a final course grade is in error. A course grade is considered final unless the student files an appropriate appeal. For the student who has reason to believe the grade issued is incorrect, the SBC Student Grievance Policy must be followed. See pages 79 for the policy and procedures to follow.

A student has up to three (3) weeks from the end of the semester from which the final grades were awarded to file a grade appeal. Unless an appeal has been made to the Dean of Academics within three weeks from the end of the semester, no grade changes will be made.

Final Exam Policy

Students are required to take their finals during the scheduled time. A makeup final will be granted when students are unable to take the regularly scheduled final for reasons beyond their control or by circumstances created by the College. If a make-up final is granted the student will receive an incomplete (I) grade. The procedures outlined in the Incomplete Grade section will be followed.

Scholastic Honors

Sitting Bull College acknowledges the importance of dedication, determination and discipline in academic endeavors. It awards deserving students who have distinguished themselves by their high scholastic achievement. In order for a student to be eligible, students must have been enrolled full time and have no incomplete grades.

President’s Honor List - Any full-time student who has achieved a 4.00 GPA is placed on the President's Honor List.

Vice President’s Honor List - Any full-time student who attains a 3.50-3.99 GPA for any one semester is placed on the Dean's Honor List.

Dean’s Honor List - Any full-time student who attains a GPA in the Range of 3.00-3.49 is placed on the Honor List.

A student who receives a final grade of a “D” or an “F” in a course(s) is not eligible for scholastic honors for the semester.

Academic Probation

At the end of the semester, students whose current grade point average falls below 2.00 will receive an academic probation statement on their grade report. The effect of the academic probation is to serve notice to students that the quality of their work is below an acceptable level and that continuation of unsatisfactory work during their next semester of enrollment will result in academic suspension. Students who receive an academic probation letter will be required to contact their advisor before registering for next semester.

Withdrawal from all Courses

• First occurrence student will be placed on academic warning.
• Withdrawal from all courses during next term of enrollment will cause the student to be placed on academic probation.
• Withdrawal from all courses following academic probation will cause the student to be placed on academic suspension.

Academic Suspension

• Any student on academic probation, who fails to achieve a 2.00 GPA at the end of their next semester of enrollment, will be placed on academic suspension for one semester (Suspension #1). A student will not be allowed to reenter from suspension during the summer semesters.
• Upon reentering, if the student fails to achieve a 2.00 GPA at the end of the semester, the student will be unable to reenter for two semesters (excluding summers) (Suspension #2).
• When returning after the second suspension the student must achieve a 2.00 GPA at the end of the semester or the student will be placed on the third suspension, which will result in the student being unable to reenter for six semesters (excluding summers) – three academic years.
• Any further suspensions beyond the third suspension will result in a student being unable to reenter for three academic years (six semesters, excluding summers).

Note: Summer semesters do not count towards the semesters of suspension. Suspended students are not eligible to take courses until they have completed their suspension.

Example (Suspension #1)

A student who is placed on suspension at the end of the fall semester will be required to sit out the spring and summer semesters before s/he can reapply for admissions. A student who is placed on academic suspension at the end of the spring semester will be required to sit out the summer session and fall session before s/he can reapply for admissions. The student will receive an academic suspension statement on his/her grade report.

Re-Admission

A student, who has been placed on suspension, will need the approval of the Admissions Committee for re-admission. A degree seeking student reentering after suspension will be allowed to enroll in up to 12 credit hours and will not be allowed to enroll on-line courses.

A student whom is on suspension from Sitting Bull College, but has successfully attended another institution does not have to petition for re-admissions if they can provide an official transcript, were in good academic standing in their last term of their attendance, and have a 2.00 cumulative grade point average or better from the last college they attended.

Exceptions

If an applicant for admission is not a current high school student, a graduate of an accredited high school or has not received a GED certificate, the applicant is eligible to enroll for one semester in up to eight credit hours with a course requirement of PSYC 100 First Year Learning Experience for three of the eight credits, providing they have successfully completed the following official GED tests – Language Reasoning, math, and either social studies or science. However, the applicant will be required to work with the GED Director on obtaining a GED by the end of the semester. Students are not eligible to enroll a second semester until proof of GED completion is submitted to the Registrar's office.

Graduation Requirements

1. Graduation application should be completed the semester of anticipated graduation.
2. Student must have achieved a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 within their degree plan. The Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education, and Secondary Science Education requires a minimum 2.75 cumulative grade point average. Master’s degrees require a minimum 3.00 cumulative grade point average.
3. The student must complete the following post assessment requirements:
   • Certificate: degree specific assessments
   • Associate of Applied Science: degree specific assessments, institutional outcomes survey, student services satisfaction survey
   • Associate of Arts; Associate of Science: degree specific assessments, CAAP test, institutional outcomes survey, student services satisfaction survey, Native American Studies General Knowledge Test
   • Bachelor of Science: Bachelor of Arts: degree specific assessments, institutional outcomes survey, student services satisfaction survey, Native American Studies General Knowledge Test
   • Master of Science: degree specific assessments
4. Transfer students must earn a minimum of fifteen (15) credits at SBC prior to graduation for an Associate degree, (30) credits for a Bachelor’s degree, and (24) credits for a Master’s degree.
5. The student must be enrolled at SBC during the final semester of graduation.
6. The student may not apply transfer graduate credit toward requirements for an associate or baccalaureate degree at SBC.
7. The student must complete payment of all fees and financial obligations to the College before diplomas and transcripts are released.
8. Graduation dates include: May, July, and December. The college only holds one commencement ceremony in May.

Scholastic Honors at Graduation

Students who complete all degree requirements for a Certificate, Associate, or Bachelor’s Program of Study may graduate with the following honors:

Summa Cum Laude

Representing a cumulative grade point average or 4.00 through 3.90.

Magna Cum Laude

Representing a cumulative grade point average of 3.89 through 3.75.

Cum Laude

Representing a cumulative grade point average of 3.74 through 3.50.

Dispersing of Diplomas

Diplomas will not be dispersed until 30 days after graduation; at the time of graduation, students will receive the diploma cover.

Participation in Sitting Bull College's Assessment Program

All new/returning and graduating students are required to participate in SBC’s assessment program. The assessment program consists of several pre and posttests, general departmental evaluations, job placement information, satisfaction surveys, and college and community activities. Several programs require the completion of an electronic portfolio, research project, or PowerPoint presentation as a graduation requirement. A student should consult their academic advisor on program assessment requirements for graduation.

Transcripts

Sitting Bull College has teamed-up www.Parchment.com to handle transcript requests electronically. Parchment is a transcript request service which securely links to the Sitting Bull College system to accept requests, payments, and then mails the transcript directly to you, making the process simpler, quicker, and more accessible. Telephone requests for transcripts will not be honored.

Transcript/Diploma Hold Policy

Sitting Bull College reserves the right to place a transcript and/or diploma hold on a student for one or more of the following reasons:

1. Past due financial obligations to any department, office, or unit of the college¹;
2. Need to obtain official documents such as high school or GED transcripts;
3. Need to fulfill graduation requirements;
4. As a result of judicial actions.
5. Computer or other equipment not returned.

In order to resolve, or clear a hold, a student must contact the college/department/office which placed the hold and correct the issue accordingly.

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Students who are enrolled at Sitting Bull College for the semester and have an outstanding bill may apply for scholarship opportunities. If the scholarship requires an official transcript, the Registrar may issue the transcript directly to the scholarship organization. In addition, the Registrar or Director of Financial Aid may send letters of enrollment and GPA information to funding sources directly for registered SBC students as requested.

Transferability

Credits earned at SBC are transferable to other colleges and universities. The student intending to transfer to a four-year institution should consult the catalog of that institution, since requirements vary. Regardless of the number of credits earned, the credits accepted for transfers toward a degree are determined solely by the institution to which the student transfers.

A student who plans to transfer to a four-year college or university should follow these four steps:

1. Obtain a current catalog of the institution to which he/she wishes to transfer and study the entrance requirements and suggestions for freshman and sophomore programs in the major field of interest.
2. Talk with a SBC Counselor or Academic Advisor about fulfilling these requirements.
3. Confer either by letter or by personal interview, with an admissions officer of the institution for further information about the curriculum and transfer regulations.
4. Check carefully a semester or two before transferring to be certain all requirements will be met and all regulations observed to the satisfaction of the four-year college or university.