Adult and Continuing Education

Leadership Education for the Adult Professional (LEAP) Program

Director:

Dawn Turner, D. Mgt.

Major(s):

Business Administration (B.S.)
Church Leadership (B.S.)
General Psychology (B.S.)
General Studies (B.S.) Information Technology (B.S.)

Purpose

The LEAP program aims to provide a flexible and affordable educational pathway for working adults, enabling them to complete their degrees without disrupting their lives. By offering online classes and maximizing previously earned credits, the program makes returning to college a feasible and rewarding experience.

Application for Admission

All inquiries and applicants must apply online at: https://my.oakwood.edu/ICS/Admissions/

Contact Information:

Oakwood University
Office of Adult and Continuing Education
LEAP Adult Degree Completion Program
Cunningham Hall First Floor
7000 Adventist Boulevard
Huntsville, AL 35896
E-mail: leap@oakwood.edu 
Telephone: 256-726-7098

LEAP Admission Standards

General Information

Oakwood University welcomes applicants regardless of race, color, nationality, ethnicity, sex, or physical challenges. Students who meet the academic requirements and character expectations of the university and are willing to adjust to and to be comfortable within its religious, social, and cultural atmosphere may be admitted subject to program space and availability.

LEAP Admission Standards

To be admitted into the LEAP degree completion program, students must:

1. Complete a minimum of 30 semester hours from a regionally accredited college/post- secondary institution (70 semester hours for General Studies program). For Information Technology, students must have 10 hours of IT-related coursework or one year's experience

   working in an IT-related field within the last three years.

2. Be at least 22 years old or earned an associate’s degree.

3. Have a GPA of 2.00 or better on a 4.00 scale on prior academic work.

4. Have high school diploma/equivalent and official transcripts sent from all regionally accredited colleges and universities previously attended.

NOTE: Unless otherwise noted, all undergraduate policies, located in the undergraduate studies section, are also applicable to the Adult and Continuing Education students.

Admission Categories

Admission to a LEAP degree completion program is based on academic preparation and potential. Applicants who meet the admission requirements may be accepted under one of three categories.

• Regular Admission
  Regular admission status is granted to degree-seeking students meeting all admission criteria, including program-specified requirements.

• Provisional Admission
  Provisional admission status may be granted to an applicant whose GPA does not meet the minimum academic requirements. Under provisional admission, students may take a maximum of 12 undergraduate hours and must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.00. Regular admission status may be granted once this requirement is met; students not meeting the GPA requirement are not eligible to take additional classes.

• Non-degree Admission
  Non-degree admission status may be granted to applicants who meet the academic requirements, but who are not pursuing a degree or who have not fully completed the admissions process (see Admissions Requirements). International students on student visas are not eligible for non-degree status.
  Under non-degree admission, students may take a maximum of 12 undergraduate hours and maintain a minimum GPA of 3.00. Non-degree admission does not guarantee acceptance into a degree program. Non-degree students who decide to pursue a degree must still meet all admission requirements.

  Applicants who are not pursuing a degree may be granted non-degree status upon submitting these items to the Office of Adult and Continuing Education:

  • Non-degree Application form.

  • Non-refundable application fee.

  • Official transcript, with facts supporting completion of 30 semester hours

Transfer Policy

Students wishing to transfer to Oakwood University from another college or university must follow the same application procedures as other new students (see Admissions Requirements). Transfer students must also submit official transcripts from all colleges and/or universities attended.

Official transcripts must be sent directly from the issuing institution to Oakwood University. Specific transfer policies may apply for individual LEAP degree completion programs. The degree program coordinator will evaluate all requests for transfer credit and make the final determination about the courses and credits that will be accepted.

LEAP Financial Policies

Schedule of Charges

Academic Year 2025-2027 [SUBJECT TO CHANGE]

TUITION/Per credit hour $378

Remittance

Personal checks are not accepted. Please make all payments using one of the following methods: bank drafts, cashier’s checks, certified personal checks, traveler’s checks, money orders, American Express, Visa, or MasterCard. Ensure the student’s I.D. number is included on all payments to ensure proper credit.

LEAP students are required to pay 100 percent of tuition and fees at the time of registration. However, a minimum payment of 80 percent of tuition and fees is accepted if an approved payment plan is in place.

Return of Funds Policy

Refund and repayment requirements apply when a student who is the recipient of financial assistance (financial aid/scholarships) makes changes in course load, withdraws, drops out, takes an unapproved leave of absence, fails to return from an approved leave of absence, or is expelled. Scholarships are charged back at the same rate that tuition is refunded.

Repayment of Title IV Federal Financial Aid is based on the U.S. Department of Education’s Return of Title IV Funds Policy. If a recipient of Title IV aid (ex. Stafford loans, etc.) withdraws during a payment period (or a period of enrollment), the institution must calculate the amount of Title IV loan assistance the student earned as of the withdrawal date. The unearned portion must be returned to the Title IV programs in accordance with Federal Regulations. In certain instances, the student may also be required to return Title IV funds to the Department of Education in addition to that which the school is required to return [CFR 668.22]. If withdrawal occurs after the specified sixty percent (60%) point of the semester calendar, no adjustment to the initial Title IV award will be made.

The effective date for refund or repayment of financial assistance is determined by the date the student notifies Oakwood University and completes a withdrawal form. If the student fails to officially withdraw or appropriately notify Oakwood University, the last recorded date of class attendance by the student, documented by Oakwood University, will be the effective date.

Students receiving financial aid should consult with the Financial Aid Office concerning the possible effect of withdrawal or change in course load on awards received. Any remaining balance on the account must be paid at the time of withdrawal or dismissal.

Financial Aid

Students applying for the Federal Financial Aid Program (known as Title IV) must comply with the following procedures in a timely manner. A student’s noncompliance may result in the loss of potential benefits and will result in a protracted and negative institutional registration experience if the student needs the federal resources to assist in his or her educational expenses.

The following procedures are strongly advised:

1. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). After the FAFSA has been processed, a Student Aid Report (SAR) will be emailed to you. Once you receive your SAR, check it for accuracy of information. The Oakwood University Financial Aid Office (FAO) will electronically retrieve it; however, Oakwood University must be listed as one of the schools of attendance for us to retrieve it.

2. Students applying for scholarships through Oakwood University must submit all required documentation by the specified deadline dates.

3. An entrance interview must be completed online at www.studentloans.gov by all first- time loan borrowers before loan proceeds can be applied to the student’s account.

Financial Aid Policies

Satisfactory Academic Progress for Semesters, Terms, and Sessions (Summer).

Federal regulations require the university to establish reasonable standards for measuring academic progress. The university must monitor participants in student financial aid programs to ensure that those academic standards are met, and that students make real progress toward completing their degrees. The policy must contain a qualitative component, a quantitative component, and an overall timeframe component. A student must maintain satisfactory academic progress regardless of whether the student was a previous recipient of financial aid or not.

Qualitative Component

The university’s current academic standards are the qualitative standards for this policy. This policy articulation also recognizes the cumulative grade point average as the sole numeric measure.

LEAP students must maintain a cumulative 2.00 GPA by the end of 12 attempted credit hours to continue to receive federal financial aid.

Quantitative Component

Once at least 30 semester hours have been attempted, a student’s cumulative hours passed must be at least 67% of the cumulative hours attempted. For example, a student enrolling in 15 hours per term for two semesters would be required to pass 20 of those hours to retain financial aid benefits. A student enrolling in 6 hours per term for 5 semesters would also be required to pass at least 20 hours. This component will be evaluated at the time of each application. For example, a student who has attempted 60 semester hours must have earned at least a “C” in 40 of the hours attempted.

Overall Timeframe

Federal regulations require that we track the academic progress of financial aid recipients from the first date of enrollment at Oakwood University, whether financial aid was received. Credits transferred from all other credit sources will be considered as attempted and completed credits in the evaluation of the completion rate standards.

Students are no longer eligible to receive Title IV federal financial aid after attempting 150 percent of the published academic program hours. Students whose attempted credits, including transfer credits, exceed the 150 percent timeframe for any reason will be placed on Financial Aid Denied status. No financial aid will be disbursed for the student unless the student has made an appeal to the Financial Aid Appeals Committee and the appeal is granted.

Transfer, Summer, Consortium and Transient Hours

Students transferring to the university are assumed to be maintaining reasonable academic progress. All hours transferred from prior or concurrent attendance at other schools will be considered in establishing the class standing for grade requirements and are integral in determining the overall z allowed for financial aid eligibility. GPAs from other Universities will not factor into your cumulative GPA at Oakwood University.

Grades

Courses with non-assigned grades, including withdrawals are considered in determination of the percentage of hours completed toward the degree. Refer to the Grading System section of the University Bulletin for the regulations concerning the effect on cumulative hours earned and 

cumulative hours attempted. Acceptable grades are A, B, C, P. Unacceptable grades are D, F, I, W, NC, FA, AU, DG, U. All these grades are considered in evaluating the qualitative, quantitative and overall time frame components.

Attendance Policy for Federal Financial Aid Recipients

Regular class attendance is required for students receiving Federal Student Aid. Students must begin attendance in all courses to qualify for financial aid. Students reported for non-attendance in any or all courses could be required to repay a portion or all aid received for that semester.

At the end of each semester, students who have failed to earn credit for any courses are reviewed and aid must be recalculated based on their last date of attendance. After recalculation, students who failed to earn any credit may be required to repay a portion of aid received for that semester.

Financial Census Date Policy

In accordance with federal regulations, Financial Aid will recalculate federal, state, and institutional student aid awards based on enrollment status as of the Financial Aid Census Date, which is typically the end of the 14th day of class for both Fall and Spring semesters for traditional students and the end of the 14th day of each module for Adult Continuing Education Programs. (The Census Date for Summer enrollment will vary based on the length of the course(s) taken.) All federal, state and institutional aid will be based upon the Census Date enrollment status.

Loss of Aid Eligibility

According to federal regulations, a student is not allowed to receive further aid from Title IV if he or she does not meet the university’s standards of satisfactory progress. Students who become ineligible to receive further federal aid will be notified at the address listed on the most recent Student Aid Report (SAR) obtained by the Office of Financial Aid, or a more recent one, if provided by the student prior to the last day of the semester. Students receive first notice of grades and are held responsible to monitor the cumulative grade point average. All other notices are a courtesy of the university.

Financial Aid Appeals

1. Students may submit an appeal for funding to the Financial Aid Office.

2. Students with approved appeals may be placed on “probation” with the Financial Aid

   Office for “one payment period”.

3. During a probation period, students will continue to receive financial aid.

Acceptable Conditions to File an Appeal

• Death of a family member

• Student’s own serious illness

• Serious illness or injury of a family member

• Approved medical withdrawal

• Extreme change in financial or legal circumstances

• Compulsory military duty

The following procedure has been established for those who lose federal Title IV eligibility due to failure to maintain satisfactory academic progress. The procedure must be followed precisely and without exception. Failure to adhere to the procedure as prescribed may result in an automatic denial. NO PERSONAL APPEARANCES WILL BE GRANTED before the Financial Aid Appeals Committee. (Note: This appeal is for determining the eligibility for Federal Financial Aid.)

• You must apply for appeal with an accompanying letter, indicating the reason(s) why you failed to complete the necessary hours, or attain the required GPA during the prior academic period.

• You must submit legitimate documentation supporting your claim or rationale (i.e., CURRENT physician/counselor’s statement outlining ailment, clergy statement, family death certificate, obituaries, court documents). Furthermore, you MUST outline the plan for improving your academic performance.

• Students with non-mitigating circumstances (e.g. return to school after extended leave, change of major etc.) are required to document what has changed in their situation that will now enable them to meet SAP requirements.

• Students who did not meet the Maximum Timeframe SAP requirement are required to meet with their academic advisors to complete the SAP Appeal “Maximum Timeframe Form”.

• Students who successfully appeal will be placed on Financial Aid probation for one semester and must agree to an academic progress plan by the semester’s academic progress plan deadline.

• For all appeals, students may attach other supporting documents that further validates their situation.

• The review time for appeals may take a minimum of 4-6 weeks.

• Students awaiting a response are responsible for paying their tuition and will receive the appeal determination by mail or email.

• All applications for appeal must be submitted to https://oakwood.studentsfrms.com (formerly VerifyMyFAFSA) by May 7th for Summer sessions, July 1st for Fall Semester and by December 15 for Spring Semester.

• The Financial Aid Appeals Committee will meet as needed.

Reinstatement

Students who lose eligibility for Title IV because of failure to maintain reasonable progress towards a degree may reapply. No reapplication will be considered until the student clears the deficiency or attains the minimum grade point average.

Verification of Enrollment

Students who require enrollment verification for student loan deferment purposes must contact the Registrar’s Office.

Transfer Students Eligibility for Aid

Transfer students are eligible for federal aid during their first semester of attendance at the university. Refer to the Satisfactory Academic Progress brochure obtainable from the Office of Financial Aid or the Enrollment Management Office.

Entrance/Exit Interview

First-time borrowers at Oakwood University must complete an entrance interview online at www.studentloans.gov before receiving any loan proceeds. This federally mandated requirement is to ensure that the students have received loan counseling and understand their responsibilities as borrowers. An exit interview is required of all students who have received loan proceeds during their matriculation at Oakwood and is completed online prior to graduation or termination of enrollment.

Other Available Funds

Federal Unsubsidized Direct Stafford Loan:

A loan that a student may borrow, regardless of need, but will have to pay all interest charges.

Veterans Benefits

Oakwood University’s LEAP program is qualified to offer education to veterans under the provisions of the Veterans Readjustment Act of 1966. To receive educational benefits, enrolled students must present the Certificate of Eligibility to the University’s School Certifying Official (SCO) in the Office of Student Financial Services.

LEAP Academic Policies

Credit

The unit of credit is the semester hour.

Study Load

A class load of 9-12 credit hours is considered full-time and 8 or fewer credit hours is considered part-time.

Permanent Student Records

The student’s permanent academic record is the transcript. The transcript contains biographical, geographical, and academic information regarding courses taken and grades earned. This information is taken from application for acceptance forms, registration forms, teachers’ grade sheets, drop/add forms, and teachers’ change-of-grade forms.

Retention and Disposal of Student Records

The retention and disposal of student records is in accordance with the recommendations of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, as published in the guide entitled Retention of Records: A Guide for Retention and Disposal of Student Records.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

Oakwood University complies with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). A student’s record is regarded as confidential, and release of this information is regulated by the FERPA Act. Students have the right to inspect their records at any time. Parents of a student termed “dependent” for income tax purposes are entitled to receive information relating to the student’s educational records upon request. A copy of the act is on file in the Records Office.

Transcripts

The Registrar’s Office releases an official or unofficial transcript of a student’s work at Oakwood upon the student’s request. Students may request an official transcript online or by mail. The instructions and fees for each can be found online at www.oakwood.edu/recordsunder Transcript Request Information. Official transcripts will be sent directly to the recipient indicated on the student’s request.

Requests for unofficial transcripts must be made directly to the Registrar’s Office by mail or in person. The fee for an unofficial transcript is $2, payable by cashier’s check or money order. Current students may obtain their unofficial transcript may be accessed through the MyOakwood portal as follows: Student >>Academic Information>>Unofficial Transcript>>View Transcript.

The University reserves the right to withhold all information concerning the record of any student who has unpaid accounts or other charges, or who is delinquent or in default status in the payment of student loans.

Official transcripts from other institutions which have been presented to Oakwood for admission and evaluation of credit become the property of the University and are not reissued or copied for release.

Registration

Registration includes advising, selection of courses, and payment of fees. Students are required to register on the designated registration dates. Information on registration is available at the registration site.

Late Registration

Students failing to register during the scheduled registration periods are assessed a late registration fee of $149. Class periods missed because of late registration are counted as absences from the class.

Undergraduate Grading Scale and Grade Point Values

The university grading system utilizes a four-point scale. The grade point values are as follows:

Grade Point Average

The grade point average (GPA) for the semester is computed by totaling quality points earned in all courses attempted and dividing by the quality hours attempted (GPA=QP/QHA). Credits are included in calculating the GPA for grades of F, FA and I. The symbols AU, NC, DG, IP, NR, W, and P/U are disregarded in computing the grade point average. The academic progress record allows for repeated courses without GPA penalty. However, the GPA used to determine the eligibility for financial aid includes all work attempted.

Academic Year for LEAP Programs

The academic year runs from:

• FALL Semester:

  • Term 1: First eight weeks of the semester

  • Term 2: Second eight weeks of the semester

• SPRING Semester: January to May

  • Term 1: First eight weeks of the semester

  • Term 2: Second eight weeks of the semester

• SUMMER Semester: May to July

Schedule of Classes

The University reserves the right to set limits on class size, when necessary, and to cancel any course offering for which there are fewer than six students. All courses in the LEAP Program are offered asynchronously

Drop/Add Process for LEAP Programs

If students want to drop a class or change a section, they must follow these procedures:

1. Complete a drop/add form from the Office of the Oakwood University Registrar portal and complete the Add/Drop Form If the course is dropped on or before the Last Day to Drop a Course, neither the course or the grade will appear on the transcript.

2. Any course that is dropped after the drop date will receive a W (Withdrawal) grade.

NOTE: Forgetting or failure to drop officially by the deadline will result in a final grade of FA (Failure due to absences).

If students want to add a class after having completed registration, they must follow one of these procedures:

1. Students may not add a course after the course has begun.

2. Add a course online by the first day of class before 5:30 p.m. or obtain a drop/add form from the Office of Adult and Continuing Education or under LEAP Forms in MyOakwood and submit it to the ACE office for appropriate signatures and fee (if required).

A charge of $10 is incurred for each change of schedule after a class has begun, except: when the change is made necessary by the class cancellation of a scheduled class.

Incomplete Work

Because of the compressed format of LEAP program courses, the policy for a grade of “I” (incomplete) varies from the traditional program. Students must adhere to these procedures:

1. Obtain and fill out a “Request and Authorization for Incomplete” from the Adult and Continuing Education Office.

2. Attach a physician’s statement to support medically relevant requests.

3. Obtain the required signatures.

4. Return the form to the Office of the Adult and Continuing Education at least five working days before the last class meeting end date.

An “I” may be changed to a regular grade when the class work is completed within the ap- proved deadline. Such a deadline might range from a few days to several weeks (at the discretion of the instructor), but no longer than eight (8) weeks after the end of the course, even when the student is not currently registered for classes. The “I” automatically converts to an “F” if not removed within the prescribed time. Should more time, because of further illness or unavoidable circumstances, be needed to remove the incomplete, the student may, before the deadline expires, request in writing an extension of time from the Director of Adult and Continuing Education.

Credit for Prior Learning

Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) is granted upon the evaluation of accomplishments and competencies not ordinarily considered part of the traditional classroom experience. The policy is designed for the adult who has been accepted into the LEAP program, and paid the fee required for the CPL evaluation. Credit, however, only applies to electives. It is the student’s responsibility to prove to the satisfaction of the academic department that from experience he/she has developed competencies that are equivalent to classroom learning. Students should follow procedures outlined by the degree department which may include the following:

1. Meet with the academic advisor in the Office of Adult and Continuing Education.

2. Pay applicable fee ($50).

3. Work with the CPL coordinator, LEAP program manager, and academic advisor, to determine eligibility for earning credit for prior learning.

4. If eligible for CPL, submit documented evidence that will be used to verify the experiences identified. Work supervised by the CPL coordinator to complete the outlined requirements, etc.

The following evaluation formula will be used:

• Not more than 30 elective hours of the 120 credit hours required for graduation shall be earned through CPL experience.

• The charge for CPL credit is the same as the current tuition per credit hour charge.

Academic Bankruptcy Policy

The Adult and Continuing Education Academic Bankruptcy policy provides a second chance to adults, who, since their tenure at Oakwood, have proven through their subsequent work record and/or academic success that they can successfully matriculate through the program.

1. A LEAP applicant who was enrolled at Oakwood University five or more years ago, may petition the Academic Administration department to have a maximum of three complete semesters of coursework exempted from their Oakwood University grade point average calculation.

2. Students may not select individual courses; all work for each semester selected will be excluded from the GPA calculation.

3. A record of coursework taken, and the grades earned will remain on the transcript, but the quality point values will be removed from the cumulative quality point average. A notation on the transcript will indicate which courses have been bankrupted.

4. Implementation of academic bankruptcy at Oakwood University does not guarantee that other institutions will approve the action. This determination will be made by the representative transfer institution.

5. A student may request and be granted academic forgiveness only once over their academic lifetime at Oakwood University.

A successful petition for academic bankruptcy has no retroactive effect on any academic determinations made prior to bankruptcy, including but not limited to: academic probation, suspension, or dismissal; determinations of ineligibility to pursue application to upper division/professional phase of College programs; Dean’s List eligibility; financial aid eligibility; or tuition liability. A student with bankrupted course work is eligible for graduation and other honors which are based on cumulative GPA.

Tuition Amnesty Program

Oakwood University offers financial amnesty or ‘tuition forgiveness’ to former students who have not attended Oakwood University in the past five (5) years and wish to complete their Oak- wood degrees through the university’s LEAP degree completion program in the Office of Adult and Continuing Education.

To receive tuition amnesty, former Oakwood students must:

1. Enroll in and complete one of the Oakwood University’s Bachelor of Science degrees through the LEAP degree completion program in the Office of Adult and Continuing Education.

2. Keep their new Oakwood University LEAP tuition payments current.

3. Complete all graduation requirements before the debt is forgiven. The “old” balance will remain on the student’s account until the completion of all graduation requirements has been confirmed by the Oakwood University’s Registrar’s Office.

Oakwood University will not remove the past due tuition and fees owed on the student’s account until the student has fulfilled the requirements to receive forgiveness of debt (amnesty). As a result, the student may be ineligible to receive a refund.

When the graduation requirements are completed, former students will be awarded their Oakwood degrees in either Business Administration, General Psychology, General Studies, Church Leadership, Information Technology or any degree offered through the LEAP program on the applicable graduation conferment date, and at the same time, the former Oakwood University debt will be erased.

Class Absences

Attendance is required at all classes and by all online dates. Absences are counted from the first official day of classes by accessing the class through D2L (Desire to Learn) learning management system. Since LEAP classes are accelerated, two absences may, at the discretion of the instructor, result in a final grade of FA. It is the responsibility of students to keep themselves informed of the requirements of the instructor, to take all examinations at the time prescribed by the instructor, and to turn in all assignments when they are due.

NOTE: Unless otherwise noted, all undergraduate policies, located in the undergraduate studies section, are also applicable to Adult and Continuing Education students.

General Education Requirements for all Majors