This page lays out the Avalon Center policies on instruction, including grades and registration, withdrawal, academic honesty, and non-discrimination. Please read through these policies carefully and refer to them often. Students and instructors will be held responsible for understanding these policies.
Quick Links to Policies in this Document
- Statement on Non-Discrimination
- Courses and Modules
- Grading and Assessment
- Withdrawal from Courses
- Auditing Courses
- Grade Point Averages
- Repeated Courses
- Reporting of Grades
- Final Examinations
- Academic Honesty
- Academic Freedom
- Policy on Intolerance, Hateful Speech, and Proper Decorum
- Academic Advising
- Registration
- Student Course Load
- Classification of Students
- Time Limits on Program Completion
- Probation, Suspention, and Expulsion
- Withdrawal from Avalon
- Temporary Withdrawal
- Expiration of Admitted Status
- Readmission
- Credit Hours and Competency: The Meaning of Academic Credit at Avalon
- Credit by Examination
- Transfer of Academic Credit
- Credit for Experience and Non-Academic Work
- Advanced Standing
- Class Size
Statement on Non-Discrimination
The Avalon Center for Druidic Studies admits students of any race, color, national origin, religion, ethnic origin, gender, and sexuality to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, ethnic origin, gender, or sexuality in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
Courses and Modules
At Avalon Center, each course is divided into modules of 5 units. A single 5-unit module may be considered equivelent to the amount of work required in five weeks of the typical college-level course. A two-module course permits students to enroll in the first module of a course and receive credit for it at their own pace. Units are not tied to specific weeks in online classes, so that the student may take as much time as needed on each unit.
Students may enroll in a module at any time on the Moodle system. Once enrolled, each student can work at his or her own pace and is permitted up to one year from the time of enrollment to complete the work for that module. After that time has expired, if the work is not complete, a grade of zero or N will be recorded and the course must be re-taken. The student may not enroll in the second module of a course until he or she has completed module one. Students will be mailed a signed certificate of completion for each module in which they achieve a satisfactory grade.
Study programs are laid out in terms of modules rather than credits, giving students flexibility in choosing electives. For required courses in a study program, the student must complete all the modules of that course to receive program credit for the course. For example, if a student in the Awenydd Program receives a passing grade for module one of PHIL 101 but does not pass module two of the course, the course requirement will not be satisfied for the purposes of the study program and graduation even though a certificate will be awarded for the completion of the first module.
Courses may consist of one or more modules. The typical course, equivalent to a ten-week college course, consists of two modules, each with five units. Each course has a three-digit number in the catalog. A fourth digit in the course number indicates the module of the course (e.g., PHIL 1011 and PHIL 1012).
Grading and Assessment
Instructors at Avalon Center are given authority to require grades in one of the grading options or to leave the choice to the discretion of the student. Some instructors may prefer to only give evaluations on the P/N system. Furthermore, instructors may decide for themselves if they will give grades on assignments in their course or only assign a grade at the end of the course. In general, it is the policy of ACDS to place greater emphasis on the written evaluations of assignments or courses, rather than on grades as such.
Grading Options. The regular grading option is the four grade-point scale in which numerical grades are interpreted as follows:
| 4 |
Superb and outstanding work |
| 3 |
Excellent - engaging, original, and well-written |
| 2 |
Satisfactory work, meeting the basic requirements of the assignment or course |
| 1 |
Worthy of some credit, but flawed; needs revision or needs to re-take the course. |
| 0 |
No credit |
In assignments that are graded according to objective criteria or points the following percentages are given as guidelines to instructors.
| 4 |
90-100% Superb |
| 3 |
80-89% Excellent |
| 2 |
70-79% Satisfactory |
| 1 |
40-69% Worthy |
| 0 |
0-39% No Credit |
Instructors may submit numerical grades rounded to the nearest half grade point. That is, grades of 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, or 4.0 are permitted and will be recorded on the student's academic record and included in the student's Grade Point Average (GPA).
Pass/No Credit Grading Option. Students may elect to take 25% of their program in the alternate P/N grading option in which P stands for Pass and N stands for No Credit. The grade of P is equivalent to a 2 or better. Courses taken under the P/N system are not included in the student's GPA. To register under this option, the student must submit a Change of Grading Option Form prior to the 4th week of the quarter, unless it is the instructor's policy to only use this system. (See Forms)
Passing Grades. To count a course toward a study program, students must earn a passing grade, which is defined as a grade of P or a numerical grade of 2 or above. Although they will be recorded on a student's Academic Record and included in the student's Grade Average, grades of zero, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 are not satisfactory grades and courses in which a student earns such grades will have to be retaken to count toward a study program or to receive a certificate of completion for the module or course.
Written Performance Evaluations. At Avalon emphasis is placed upon detailed written evaluation provided by the instructor of each course and by the student's academic advisor. Instructors are required to submit a brief written assessment of student work in addition to the grade notation. These written assessments are included on the student's permanent record and will be sent when transcripts are requested.
Withdrawal from Courses
If for any reason a student wishes to withdraw from a course after it has begun, the student may unenroll from their profile on Moodle or by contacting the instructor or webmaster and requesting to be unenrolled. Any refund due will be prorated based upon when unenrollment occurs or is requested. Students must write to the Bursar to request a refund.
Withdrawals will be recorded on the student's permanent record as a grade of W. If the student does not send a request, but simply stops doing the work, he or she will receive a grade of zero or N for the course instead of a W notation.
Requests to change enrollment status to W must be submitted to the Dean before the one-year time limit expires. After that date, students may petition the Dean to change their enrollment status to W only with good reason (see "Petition" under Forms). Students are entitled to a partial refund of their tuition if they withdraw during the first two weeks after enrolling (See "Withdrawing from Classes and Refunds" on the Tuition page of the web site).
Auditing Courses
To audit a course, a student must register on Moodle and then write to the Dean to request status as a guest. Visitors must also seek the approval of the instructor. The cost of auditing a course may be found in the section on Tuition and Fees in this web site. Auditors can choose to do the written work for a course or not, but will receive no grades. An entry of V (for Visitor) will be made on the student's permanent record for auditing a course. Auditing a course does not preclude taking the same course for credit at a later time. Auditors or other visitors to a course should not have access to the examinations. If a student who is enrolled for credit decides to change his or her enrollment status to V the request must be submitted to the Dean no later than the end of the fourth week after enrollment for a tuition adjustment to be made. Changes to V status after that time will not include a partial refund. Changes without a refund are permitted until the end of the sixth week of the quarter of enrollment. (See Forms)
Grade Point Averages
At a school operating on the traditional quarter-credit or semester-credit system a grade point average (GPA) is calculated by the Registrar's Office and is used as a simple representation of a student's academic progress. Because Avalon Center tracks only modules completed and does not assign "credits" to those modules, each student's permanent record will include a simple average of the grades received in each module completed. Grades for modules taken on the P/N grading option, or modules with a notation of W (Withdrawn) or V (Visitor) will not figure in the average. Grades for courses transferred to Avalon from other institutions are also not included in the Grade Average.
Repeated Courses
A course in which a grade of 0.0, 1.0, 1.5 or N has been received must be repeated to receive program credit and a course module certificate of completion. Courses in which higher grades have been earned may also be repeated for credit and a grade, or may be audited. All courses taken each term and grades earned, including W and N, will be recorded on the student's academic record. For repeated courses, the highest grade earned is the one counted toward graduation and included in the grade average. A student may repeat a course as many times as he or she likes, paying the required tuition for each attempt.
Reporting of Grades
Instructors report grades to the Dean's Office when a student has completed all the work for a module. Written evaluations will be recorded on the grade report form along with the numerical grade or other notation and placed on the student's academic record. Copies of the student's permanent record will be sent to the student at the end of each term.
Final Examinations
Final Examinations for face-to-face courses are scheduled by instructors for each course. In online courses they are submitted whenever the student wishes, within the one year time limit for each module. Instructors design any examinations in their courses. Term papers or final projects may be substituted for a final exam, at the instructor's discretion. Students may negotiate exemptions or changes in schedule with instructors whenever circumstances warrant such considerations. When given online, examinations are conducted on the honor system and are considered to be "open book." Students are bound by honor to do their own work and not to represent the work of others as their own.
Academic Honesty
Avalon Center expects academic honesty from all students and faculty. Academic honesty requires the accurate portrayal of authorship and contribution to research, writing, and examinations. It requires that individuals cite their sources for information, make clear when they are drawing upon their own inner experiences and Awen, and make clear the historical facts regarding traditional knowledge and practices. Plagiarism and the representation of another person's ideas as one's own are violations of this policy and may result in suspension, expulsion, or dismissal.
Any student or member of the faculty accused of dishonesty is entitled to a hearing by the Dean, and may request a hearing before the Faculty Senate or the Board of Governors. Instructors are requested to report any evidence of cheating in course work. (See also the Grievance Procedure section of the Staff Handbook and the Student Handbook).
Academic Freedom
Avalon Center is committed to upholding and preserving principles of academic freedom. These principles reflect the Center's fundamental mission, which is to create knowledge and to disseminate it to its students and to society at large. The principles of academic freedom guarantee freedom of inquiry, research, teaching, expression, and publication, within the limits of civil law.
Avalon Center also seeks to foster in its students independence of mind, and this purpose cannot be achieved unless students and faculty are free within the classroom to express the widest range of viewpoints within the standards of scholarly inquiry and professional ethics. Academic freedom requires that teaching and scholarship be assessed only by reference to professional standards as determined by the faculty as a body.
The competence of the faculty to apply these standards of assessment is recognized by the Board of Governors in the system of shared governance between the Administration and the Faculty Senate.
Policy on Intolerance, Hateful Speech and Proper Decorum
The only limitations placed upon freedom of expression at Avalon are in cases of religious intolerance, racism, sexism, anti-Semitism, or other forms of hateful speech. Students are expected to refrain from judging others on grounds of beliefs. Harassment of any kind will not be tolerated at the Avalon Center and will be met with strict warnings. Similarly, students who indulge in snide remarks, temper tantrums, or shouting matches in class may expect to be asked to leave until they can exhibit proper decorum.
For the purposes of this policy, "speech" is defined to include writing. This includes the display of offensive slogans on clothing or in avatar images used on the message board or classroom forums.
Repeated violation of these policies after a warning has been given may result in further disciplinary action including probation, suspension, or expulsion (see below).
Academic Advising
Through a nurturing academic advising system, the Center assists students in making wise choices in their programs of study. Each student will be assigned an academic adviser upon admission to the Center. The student may, in subsequent terms select another faculty member to serve as adviser by sending a written request to the Dean's Office. Students must obtain the consent of their new adviser before the change becomes official.
Registration
Students are required to register for courses during Registration Week of each quarter. In the case of online courses, students may register at any time during the first two weeks of the quarter, bearing in mind that they are still bound by the refund schedule shown under "Tuition" on this web site. Students are responsible for accurate registration. Credit can be given only in those courses for which a student is properly registered. A student is also held responsible for every course for which he or she registers unless he or she officially cancels registration within the stated deadlines explained below.
The payment of tuition through the Center's Moodle system constitutes registration for the course. Registration is not official until tuition has been paid.
Student Course Load
A full-time student normally enrolls in 2-4 modules at one time. A student may not enroll in more than 6 modules simultaneously without the permission of the Dean. A course load of at least 2 modules is required to be considered a full-time student.
Classification of Students
Students at Avalon are classified according to program, not according to years. A student is either an Awenydd student, a Bardic Student, an Ovate Student, or an Ollamh Student until they have completed their respective program. Avalon students not engaged in pursuing one of the study programs are classified as Continuing Education Students.
Time Limits on Program Completion
There are no time limits on completion of a student's study program. Students are encouraged to work at their own pace.
Probation, Suspension, and Expulsion
The Center evaluates the academic performance of every program student in order to offer support and services to those students who are not making satisfactory academic progress. The academic record of every student enrolled in a study program is reviewed as needed by the Academic Standing Committee of the Faculty. Students are considered to be in good standing as long as they are making timely progress on their courses. After the Academic Standing Committee has reached its decision, a student's academic standing will be reconsidered by the Committee only in cases of suspension or expulsion for which there has been a change to the student's academic record. Probationary status is never a part of a student's permanent record.
Academic probation is intended as an indication to a student that he or she is not making the expected progress toward the completion of an Avalon study program. Every effort is made to provide counseling to students who are placed on academic probation.
As a result of the Academic Standing Committee's review of student records, a student may be placed on probation as listed below. In addition to the specific performance indicated, the Committee also takes into consideration a student's cumulative grade point average and any prior probationary status in determining the appropriate action.
Probation and academic standing are not applied to occasional students taking courses for their own continuing education who are not pursuing a study program.
Academic Probation. Students with an annual grade point average under 2.0 and/or at least two N grades may be placed on Academic Probation if the Academic Standing Committee sees reason to be concerned about their level of achievement. Students on probation will be evaluated by the Committee at the end of each quarter.
Strict Academic Probation. Students will be placed on Strict Academic Probation if they fail to improve their performance within two quarters of being placed on probation. The Committee will set criteria to be met in the following quarter. These criteria usually are that the student must earn a term grade point average of at least 2.0 and receive no notations of N or I (Incomplete). A student on strict academic probation is regarded as not making satisfactory academic progress and as such is ineligible to take part in any extra-curricular activities within the Center. Students given this standing by the Committee will have one quarter in which to meet the set academic criteria.
Suspension. A student will be suspended from the Center for failure to meet the criteria established for removal from Strict Academic Probation unless the Academic Standing Committee finds that this action would not be appropriate. The Committee may also suspend students from the Center without first placing them on probation if the student is found to be in violation of the Center's rules or the policy on academic honesty. Violent or disruptive behavior or severe and persistent insubordination may also be grounds for suspension.
Students who wish to return after a suspension must apply for readmission to the Center. In order for a student to be admitted, the Academic Standing Committee expects to see evidence that the student is ready to return and have a successful experience. Shortly after receiving a suspension letter, students are expected to work out a plan with the Dean for how they will provide this evidence of readiness to return.
Expulsion. A student may be expelled from the Center whenever, in the view of the Academic Standing Committee, his or her level of scholarship is so low as to make the completion of a program unlikely. In addition students may be expelled for repeated violations of Center rules and/or the policy on academic honesty, violent or disruptive behavior or flagrant and persistent disrespect towards others. Students who have been expelled from the Center may not apply for readmission.
Appeals of decisions of the Academic Standing Committee must be made in writing before the end of the following quarter after the judgment has been made. Appeals must be made to the Dean.
Withdrawal from Avalon
A student may request complete withdrawal from the Center at any point in a term. Students should make a formal request in writing to the Dean. The Bursar will refund any tuition due to the student according to the schedule found under "Tuition." Please note that no refunds are given after the fourth week of class has started.
Temporary Withdrawal
The Dean may grant a temporary withdrawal from the Center for a duration of up to one year to any student requesting to temporarily withdraw from the Center for personal reasons or for the purpose of attending another institution, entering military service, or fulfilling mandatory religious obligations. Students returning to Avalon after a temporary withdrawal may continue their program without applying for readmission.
Students who wish to only take occasional courses and are not pursuing a study program, do not need to apply for temporary withdrawal. Once admitted to Avalon, students may take time off and return at a later date by simply contacting the Dean to inform him or her of their desire to return. Students enrolled in a study program are expected to inform their advisor and the Dean if they must take time off. The purpose of this is to facilitate the Center's planning and projection of enrollments in study programs.
Credit Hours and Competency:
The Meaning of Academic Credit at Avalon
In higher education today there are two methods of assigning value to student work. One is the credit-hour system which attempts to indicate student work according to how many of hours they have spent in class in a given course of study. The number of contact hours for a given course will vary depending on whether the school operates on a quarter system or a semester system. The standard quarter is ten weeks and the standard semester is 15 or 16 weeks.
Credit hours have become a traditional standard of measurement and exchange among institutions of higher education. However, with the increasing growth of distributed learning, students may take many courses over the Internet or at different institutions. In distributed learning situations, students will engage with peers and professors for different amounts of time and to different ends. Rather than meeting for three one-hour class sessions each week with their professor and peers, students engaged in e-learning may spend more or less time as needed in the online classroom.
Avalon's curriculum is offered largely online and therefore the emphasis in our courses is not on "seat-time" but rather on demonstration of competency and work done. Thus, we speak in terms of course modules completed and units within those modules rather than in terms of "credits."
In an online learning course, the three hours of "contact" per week traditionally measured in college courses consist of such activities as:
- posting in and reading classroom discussion forums
- reading lectures or listening to audio lectures
- reading, viewing, or listening to other online resources
- communicating privately with the instructor through e-mail or online journals.
- receiving comments and feedback from instructors on assignments completed
In addition to these hours in the virtual classroom, students are expected to spend (for each unit) from three to six hours outside of class reading in their subject, conducting research, doing practical exercises, working on creative projects, and writing papers.
All of this work is important. Students at Avalon are awarded academic credit for the learning process as well as for the learning outcomes. Nevertheless, it is nearly impossible to accurately measure the amount of time a student spends studying and working with a particular course subject. The only aspect of learning that can be measured is the student's competency in the subject at the end of the course and the growth of the student's understanding throughout the quarter. Even these factors are difficult to assess objectively in some subjects, such as magical arts, divination, and practical druid philosophy.
Finally, it is not the intention of the Avalon Center to issue academic credit for religious practices as such. A student's relationship to the Shining Ones, the Ancestors, or the denizens of Faerie are subjective and personal experiences. If the student is an agnostic or atheist, then his or her relationship will be to concepts and images rather than "beings". The only aspect of these relationships and experiences that can be measured and assessed is competence in expressing one's personal subjective experiences in writing or other art forms. Students will never be graded at Avalon on whether or not they believe in ethereal beings, gods, goddesses, or other spirits, or adhere to particular beliefs.
Credit by Examination
Any full time Avalon student, pursuing a program certification, may receive credit for a course listed in the catalog by successful completion of an examination or other type of evaluation to be determined by the instructor. Credit and a grade will be certified to the Dean's Office by the instructor and endorsed by the Dean. Such credit may be granted only during a quarter in which the student is registered for at least six quarter credits. The grade received will be included in the student's GPA.
A student is limited to earning twelve quarter hours of credit by examination. The student will receive no instruction from a faculty member in obtaining credit by examination. No such credit will be granted for a course which the student has previously audited. The student is expected to demonstrate a competence comparable to, but not necessarily identical with, that attained by students receiving credit for the course in the usual manner.
Transfer of Academic Credit
Because Avalon's curriculum is specialized and directed to students who wish to learn Druidry, and because we do not use the traditional quarter or semester credit system, there are relatively few courses that can be considered for transfer from mainstream colleges and universities. Generally, liberal arts courses taken at regionally accredited undergraduate institutions, and comparable in content to Avalon courses may be considered to substitute for those courses. The grade earned in such courses must be at least a C (2.0) or equivalent Pass grade. In addition, the Dean will require that students who desire to transfer credits shall submit copies of the syllabus of each course and demonstrate competency in the subject matter.
Competency may be demonstrated in one of the following ways.
- By submitting copies of papers, journals, or other written work done for a course.
- By writing a substantial essay in the subject of the course set by the instructor of the corresponding course at Avalon Center.
- By passing an examination set by the instructor of the corresponding course at Avalon Center.
No more than the equivalent of one third of the modules required for a study program may be substituted from another institution. In the case of study with non-academic institutions that do not use credit-hour equivalents, the value of the course work will be assessed through demonstrated competency (for which, see the following section).
Credit for Experience and Non-Academic Work
Avalon Center is working to establish relationships with other organizations teaching in the Wiccan, Witchcraft, Druidic, and Neopagan traditions. If a student has done substantial work within a coven, a magical lodge, or druid grove and believes that taking particular required courses would be repetitive, the student is welcome to talk to the Dean about work that he or she has done.
Before an exemption from any requirements can be made, students will have to document their work in writing. This means providing detailed descriptions of the course content and the work they did in studying that content. As there are no general standards for competency across esoteric organizations and spiritual groups, each request will have to be reviewed by the Dean on a case-by-case basis.
In general, we can waive courses for work in study programs in the Order of Bards, Ovates, and Druids (OBOD), Ar nDraiocht Féin (ADF), and the Ancient Order of Druids in America (AODA). Other workshops or courses from recognized organizations may also be applicable. Students will, in all cases, have to provide documentation of the content of the program of study and letters from their teachers attesting to their competency and completion of the program.
In certain subjects, such as, for example, PHIL 108 The Wheel of the Year, substantial experience celebrating the festivals and researching their history may be sufficient to substitute for that course in a study program. In some cases, however, students may be asked to write a paper or take a comprehensive examination to fully demonstrate equivalence of learning. In all cases, documentation is the key.
Advanced Standing
Because it does not offer a regular four-year liberal arts curriculum, Avalon Center does not recognize the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests or College Board Advanced Placement examinations for advanced standing. Students who believe they can test-out of required classes may request credit by examination (see above).
Class Size
The Avalon Center works to keep class sizes small, but the online courses are effectively open for enrollment and are continued permanently. Students may continue to participate in the course until such time as they have completed it, or until their one-year time limit expires.
Last revised 4/24/2008
