Page 37 - 2017-2018 Academic Catalog

range from failure on the assignment to failure in the class, as determined by the instructor and the VPAA. For a second offense, the student may face academic suspension from the college.
Academic Freedom
As an academic community, Providence Christian College is committed to the wholehearted pursuit of genuine Christian scholarship and teaching. Students and faculty are free to explore, investigate, and engage all of creation in pursuit of truth. Academic freedom at Providence, however, is shaped by its confessional commitment.
The confessional basis of Providence Christian College serves as the foundation of academic endeavors, a point of orientation that guides fruitful exploration as well as setting boundaries. Providence builds on Anselm of Canterbury’s definition of theology as “faith seeking understanding” by applying it to all aspects of study. The context for interpreting knowledge from any source is the biblical worldview, and the ultimate standard for determining the validity of truth claims is the teaching of the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. The confessional statements that constitute the doctrinal standards of the college do not claim to exhaust the truth that God has revealed concerning himself, his relationship to humanity and his creation. Debate, vigorous exchange of ideas and careful analysis should be encouraged, recognizing that all conclusions should be subject to examination and correction in the light of the written word of God. The free pursuit of academic inquiry at Providence Christian College takes place within a Christian community. The confessional commitments of the college create a distinct kind of academic community in which there is freedom to pursue Christian scholarship and express Christian convictions in the classroom that is not found in most American institutions of higher education.
Advising
When a student is admitted to Providence Christian College, an initial adviser is appointed to provide the student with intensive, holistic advising for academic, social and spiritual development during their first two semesters at Providence. Once a student declares an area of study (normally at the end of the student’s second semester), he/she then is assigned to or chooses a faculty adviser in a chosen concentration. This adviser is appointed to provide the student assistance in developing a program of study, to monitor progress toward completion of that program, and to guide the student into a vocational calling. During registration periods, the advisers help select courses that meet the goals of the student’s program. Changes in faculty advisers are made through the Registrar’s Office. Students are encouraged to get to know their advisers and confer with them on a regular basis.
Class Schedule
Providence operates on a schedule, with classes beginning on Monday evening and ending on Friday afternoon, which provides the College with great opportunities to enhance a college education through offering Avodah Experiences (see page 54 of the catalog for more information). Three-credit classes generally meet in 75-minute blocks twice a week. A number of three-credit afternoon and evening classes meet in 150-minute blocks, once per week. Four-credit courses meet additional hours each week.
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