BCAcademicCatalog2016

STUDENT DEVELOPMENT

As a liberal arts institution, Bluefield College recognizes the need for balance between the classroom and the co-curricular experience. The college experience permeates all aspects of the College community to develop the total person. The student development program at Bluefield College is designed to be an integral part of the education process by supporting and strengthening the educational, social, spiritual, and physical experiences of the student. Traditional Program Orientation All new students entering Bluefield College participate in new student orientation. The academic year consists of two semesters; the fall semester begins in late August and ends in December, and the spring semester begins in January and ends in May. Fall and spring orientations take place before classes begin. Orientation is designed to acquaint new and transfer students with registration procedures, Bluefield College guidelines, college life, student activities and all additional services provided at BC. During orientation students will participate in informational hands-on sessions designed to help them transition into college life. Assessment testing will be offered for all incoming freshmen. The College strongly encourages students to study this Academic Catalog to understand all requirements of their specific degree program. Online Program Orientation At the beginning of the online educational journey, each student is enrolled in a virtual orientation that encompasses a holistic introduction to the Bluefield College online program and its requirements. As part of this initial step, each student is directed to useful administrative information, technical requirements, tutorials, and student support opportunities such as tutoring and library and textbook resources. The primary goal of this virtual orientation is to provide an introduction to the institution, campus departments, policies and procedures; ultimately, it prepares each student for the most success in his or her educational journey at Bluefield College. Students are encouraged to contact their admissions counselor should they have any questions or concerns regarding the information they receive in the orientation. Online students are enrolled in their first semester of courses at the same time they are enrolled in the virtual orientation. Traditional students must complete a version of the online program orientation as part of the approval process for enrolling in an online course. If any student, online or traditional, does not complete the orientation (including all assigned tasks) prior to the first day of the online term, he or she will be administratively withdrawn from all courses and will be contacted for reenrollment in the next term. While Bluefield College’s orientation structure is designed to assist students in understanding the College’s requirements, students are personally responsible for knowing, understanding, and applying all institutional requirements and for satisfying degree requirements prior to graduation. NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION AND ADVISING

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