tion , Biola devotes part of its general education require ment to specific and intensi ve training in th ose skills. Cul tural , technol ogica l, and other deve lopments may from time to time require changes in the li st of skills studied in our general education courses. II. Educati11g Whole Perso11s: Our ge nera l education courses seek to educate students as human beings rather than as pro spec ti ve members of pa rticular profess ions . This "whole person" approach to education is designed to help pre pare our students to succeed in their roles in the family, the church, and the larger soc iety of our culturally diverse world. It pays particula r atte nti on to th e spiritual formation and character development of students by faculty members who a re ope n and honest abo ut their own need for growth. To assist stude nts in their intellectual develop ment, the program inc ludes traditional education in the arts and sciences, supplemented hy contemporary explorations of important issues. As a C hristian unive rsity, Biola rests its primary understanding of what "whole persons" are and need on the hasi s of the central teachings of the Christi an faith. This unde rstanding guides every aspect of our gen e ral education program. III. U11derslr111di11g Our Chris1i1111 Herita[!:e: An essentia l e lement of Biola 's general education program is its require ment in biblical and th eo logical studies. This curricular emphasis is integra l to Biola 's instiwtional history, and it is foundational to a mawre understanding of our heritage as C hristi ans. Although the biblica l and theological courses may add ress any as pect of the C hristian he ritage ri ght up to contempora ry deve lopments. they are supplemented across the general education curriculum by other cou rses that give swdents further exposure to the broad range of Christian th ought and c ultura l contribution since the close of th e New Testament canon. IV. Becoming 1hi11J:i11g Chris1ia11s: The gene ral education program at Biola ai ms at assisting our students to deve lop an inte ll ectua ll y mawre understanding and practice of their C hri sti an faith . To accomplish this. th e program prov ides students with bibli ca ll y-informe d critical assessments of beliefs and practices prominent in th e contemporary wo rld. and it tra in s them to make their own Christi an assessments of these things. In every co urse the students a re chal lenged to put th e ir maturin g Christi an thinking to use m the conduct of their li ves. Biblical Studies and Theology Requirement Thirty units of biblica l studies and theology must be in c lude d in the program of each swd e nt. Eac h stude nt mu st t ake at least one co urse each semester until th e req uirement has been fulfilled . The following are req uired: Foundational Courses BBST 103 The Bible and Spiritual Formation 3 BBST !OS Foundations of Christi an Thought 3 BBST 109 Old Testament History and Literature 3 BBST I 10 New Testament History and Literature 3 Intermediate Courses BBST ZS I C hristian Thought I 3 BBST 2S4 C hristi an Thought II 3 BBST 306 Early C hristian History - Acts 3
ACADEMIC STANDARDS A minimum grade rwint average of ' 'C" (2. 00) is neces sa ry to grad uate . With the exception of hu si ness, educa tion, foreign language and nursing departments , a grade of "D" is accepted as a pass ing grade in a single course. How eve r "D" quality of work in gene ral is normal ly insufficie nt to all ow th e student to progress from level to level. Higher GPA minimums a re req uired hefore admission to teaching and nursing. Nursing students should see the department fo r GPA adm ission requirements. Students rece iving less than a "C" grade in any nur sin g course must repeat the cou rse to progress in nursing. Stud ents who transfer units from other institutions must maintain an average grade of "C" in a ll work compl e ted at Biola Uni ve rsity as require ment for grad uati on. All students must have a minimum of a "C" average (2.00) in their major field . Academic Probation Any student whose cumulative grade point average m Bio la Uni ve rsity falls helow "C" (2. 00) is placed on aca demic probation. Probation indi cates a period of trial and the student must achieve he tter th an a 2. 00 average th e suhsequent semester or face the possibility of being dis q ua lified . A stu d e nt is re stricted from pa rticipation in ex tracu rricul ar uni vers ity activities and the academic load will be limited during thi s period of probation to a maxi mum of 13 units each semeste r. Students on academ ic pro hation must participate in the Learning Skills Program. Academic Disqualification A student may he disqua lified at any time if his grades are be low a 1.00 GPA in one semester or if he has achi eved mini mum grades for two successive semesters. A student who is considered for disq ualificat ion may make written appeal to the Offi ce of the Registrar to be all owed to continue on strict probat ion as determined by th e Academic Standards Com mittee. A disqualified student may appl y for re-admission onl y after a full yea r has e lapsed. After one yea r, he may appl y for re-admission onl y if evidence is given which indi cates that chances for scholasti c success are good. A student wh o has been disqualified twice may not be re-admitted. For.full statement 011 satis.fact()/y academic progress, please see 1hr Academic a11d Behavioral Standards sectio11 ,if thr mtalog. GENERAL EDUCATION PROGRAM The genera l ed uca tion program at Biola is des igned to su pport th e university's distinctively Christi an mission by giving spec ifi c atte ntion to fo ur themes: ( I ) developing intellectual skill s, (2) educating whol e persons, (3) unde r sta nding our Chri sti an he ritage, and (4) becoming thinking C hri sti ans. All four themes presuppose the hallmarks of any ge nuine university ed ucati on which are honest inquiry afte r truth and the development of c reati vity. The knowl edge and skills ga ined from co urses in ge nera l education wi ll be further developed by the students in th e ir maj or fields of stud y and in their life long lea rning. Philosophy of General Education I. Developi11g Intellectual Sl:ills: Because all students need to strengthen and supplement the set of intellectual ski ll s they acq uired in their primary and secondary educa-
40 • Undergraduate Programs
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