The College of Professional and Continuing Education is open to and welcomes anyone who wishes to further their education. Courses can be taken without formally enrolling in a degree program. If you should decide to enroll in a degree program (matriculate) you will need to fill out the Application for Undergraduate Admissions (fee of $35.00), submit proof of high school graduation, and have official transcripts from all institutions of higher education that you have attended sent to the COPACE office. [See Matriculation and Transfer Credit Policy]

COPACE is strongly committed to academic advising as an important component of our educational programs. Undergraduate academic advising is available during both day and evening hours. We recommend that you call to schedule an appointment at least one week prior to the date you are requesting. The course requirement worksheet that you were given when you matriculated, should be updated every semester. This sheet is used to assist you in keeping track of both the courses needed to complete your degree as well as fulfillment of distribution requirements. You can update this worksheet by filling in the courses you have taken and successfully completed. The course categories left on your sheet are your remaining requirements and you should select your next course from that list.

When calling the COPACE office with a question regarding your academic program, please have your course requirement sheet in front of you. If you have a question, don't hesitate to call the office 508-793-7217.

In 1947 this National Evening Honor Society was founded to recognize those "dedicated adult students who, while adroitly coping with their lives, achieve and maintain high scholastic standards." At the annual Commencement Brunch, COPACE inducts ten students who have met the selection criteria. The selection procedures is as follows: "a standard is determined regarding total number of units completed in COPACE and GPA. The standard is progressively increased until approximately ten students fall within the highest standard. The computer- generated list of students, number of units completed at COPACE, and respective GPAs is inclusive through the fall semester, although the honor is given at the end of the spring semester."

Each faculty member establishes the attendance policy for his/her course.

Certain courses at COPACE can be audited. The cost is one-half tuition per course. Courses that are audited are not awarded credit and receive a grade of “AU” on the transcript. The following courses can not be audited: computer science, mathematics, studio art courses, and writing courses.

The Barnes & Noble bookstore, located at 918 Main Street, carries textbooks for all Clark University classes as well as "Clark Clothes", school supplies, magazines, newspapers and snack food. Be sure to have the course number and instructor's name with you when you purchase books for a class. We recommend that you attend class at least once before you purchase your books.

COPACE students are welcome to use the facilities and resources available at the Clark University Career Services Office. This office is located on the second and third floors of Alumni House (122 Woodland St.). Career Services office hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; the library is open from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. There are many excellent guides available in local bookstores that you may find helpful. We recommend : 100 Best Jobs for the 1990's and Beyond by Carol Kleman, Bridges to Success (Finding Jobs and Changing Careers) by Margaret Faughnan Austin and Harriet Mason Vines, What Do You Want To Be Now That You're All Grown Up? by Anna Mae Walsh Burke, and of course the classic What Color Is Your Parachute? by Richard Bolles.

Clark University enjoys the protection of campus police around the clock. Their office is located in the lower floor of Bullock Hall. They may be contacted for Escort Services between buildings on campus and between buildings and the parking lot. Use any of the "yellow phones" for a direct line or call 508-793-7575 from any other campus phone.

Occasionally a degree program may undergo a review and changes in the requirements for the degree may occur. It is COPACE policy to allow the student to continue under the old requirements or switch to the new requirements.

Clark Family Benefit recipients are typically permitted two courses per semester at full remission. For more specific information check with the Human Resources Office at 508-793-7294.

Announcements of class cancellations are made on numerous local radio stations. The announcement will be made by 3 p.m. You should listen for it on one of the stations listed below rather than call the COPACE office. WORC, WBZ, WVBF, WFTQ, WARE, WSRS, WFGL, WPRO, WNEB, WKOX, WTAG, WSRO, and WAAF or online at www.Bostonchannel.com.

The College of Professional and Continuing Education has an established code of general conduct. Students who are interested are welcome to stop by the office to view a copy.

Clark University offers extensive computer facilities and support for faculty, staff and students. The University's Information Technology Services is located in the basement of Carlson Hall. Also in Carlson Hall is the Help Desk 508-793-7745 which provides computing support as well as educational services. Stop by or call if you have a computing question or problem.

IBMs and Macintosh are available in Jonas Clark Hall, Room 101 and the third floor of the Goddard Library. Each computer facility is staffed by student consultants to assist users.

Clark is a member of the Bitnet network of computers. We are able to reach numerous computer centers around the globe in seconds! You are encouraged to set up a domain account and explore the system - all you need is a Clark OneCard
How to activate your domain account?
1. Go to www.clarku.edu/activate
2. Select "activate account"
3. You will be asked for your last name and your Initial password. Your user name is your first initial and last name. Your Initial password is your onecard number. Your onecard number is the number that appears on your Clark University OneCard.
4. The next screen will ask you for a secure secret that you select for yourself as a memory prompt should you forget your password.
5. You will be asked to supply an email address for future notifications. If you do not wish to supply one just type NA In the next two blocks.
6. The next screen will warn you that your credentials are about to appear.
7. View your credentials and copy or print out as needed.
8. You are now able to access Blackboard and Goddard Library reference materials as well as all software available on the system for student use.
Please contact the Help Desk at 508-793-7745 if you have any problems.

The College of Professional and Continuing Education is located on the first floor of Jonas Clark Hall, Room 111. Regular office hours are Monday to Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It is a good idea to stop in periodically to see if there is any new information posted or a Clark Campus Update to pick up!

Mail boxes for faculty members are located in the COPACE office. If you need to reach your instructor you can leave a note in the appropriate mailbox.

At the time of matriculation, all students are given the course requirement worksheet for their particular major. It should be updated each semester in order to help you keep an accurate record of courses taken and those which must be completed.

If you keep your course requirement sheet updated, course selection can be a relatively easy process. You can do it on your own or in consultation with your adviser. You need 32 units to graduate. Each required course is on your worksheet. When you have completed a little less then half, you should begin working on classes in your major. When you are trying to select a class to meet the Humanities, Social Science or Math/Science categories refer to the "course options" list on the back of your sheet. Any course in the disciplines listed under Humanities would meet the Humanities requirements. This is also true of the list of disciplines under Social Science, Math, and Science. Interdisciplinary options often fulfill distributions requirements in more than one area; check the academic catalogue or see your adviser.

Courses are numbered at different levels. One hundred level courses are considered introductory - you should start at the one hundred level if you have never taken a class in that discipline before. Two hundred level classes are more advanced and your instructor will assume you have at least some basic background. Half of the courses in your major must be at the two hundred level. Courses at the three hundred level are generally considered graduate classes. Undergraduates are permitted to take these classes if they have the permission of the instructor, undergraduate director and graduate director. Occasionally there may be a reason to substitute a required course with a different but appropriate course. Approval for such substitutions are given, in writing, by your academic adviser and are put in the student’s file.

You may change majors at any point in your studies. We recommend that if you are contemplating a change of major you make an appointment to speak with your academic adviser to review the requirements of your new major and determine how many classes it will take for you to complete the program. Your academic adviser will then make sure your official record has been updated. When declaring a new major, you do not have to reapply for admission. However, you should be aware that to complete a new major you may have to take more then the required 32 units.

Matriculated COPACE students are permitted to take daytime courses at the COPACE tuition rate. This can be an excellent option for students with flexible daytime schedules. You can take four daytime courses during your academic career. You must be enrolled in at least one COPACE course while you are taking a class in the day division. Space is limited and priority is given to students with 16 or more units. Permission from the Associate Dean is required.

COPACE offers the Bachelor of Science and the Bachelor of Arts. Each degree requires 32 units to graduate. The B.S. is offered in Communications, Criminal Justice, Computer Science, Public Administration, Human Resource Development, Social Service, the Integrated BS/MSPC and BS/MPA Programs. The B.A. is offered in English and Comparative Literature, Environmental Studies, Humanities, International Studies, Psychology, Sciences, and Social Sciences.

Directed readings are an excellent opportunity for the student who has a strong interest in a particular area and would like to do extensive reading in that area and receive credit at the same time. The faculty member who has agreed to directly supervise the reading as well as the Associate Dean of COPACE must approve your topic. Students are limited to five directed readings/internships/ independent studies through out their course of study and may register for a directed reading only after completing 16 units.

Financial Assistance is available to COPACE students from Federal, State and private sources. COPACE also has a “Friends of COPACE Scholarship” to which students are encouraged to apply. Please contact Julie Parent regarding this scholarship at 508-793-7623.

On the first level of the Higgins University Center is The Bistro. Pizza, sandwiches, burgers, salad bar and beverages are available. The University cafeteria is open to COPACE students as well. Meals are offered at a fixed price and include Vegetarian and Kosher options.

Your grade/quality point average is very easy to calculate. Each letter grade is worth a certain number of points. (Example A=4.0) Count all your A, B, C etc. grades and multiply them by their numerical value. That number is then divided by the number of grades (units) you have earned. The answer is your GPA. When counting your units remember that units transferred to Clark and courses taken pass/no record do not count toward your GPA.

Point values of letter grade are: A+=4.3, A=4.0, A-=3.7, B+=3.3, B=3.0, B-=2.7, C+=2.3, C=2.0, C-=1.7, D+=1.3, D=1.0, F=0.

To have an official GPA on your transcript at graduation, you must have taken at least eight classes at COPACE.

When you register for a class you can take the class for either a letter grade or pass/no record. The first option means you will receive the letter grade you have earned in the class at the end of the semester. The second option, pass/no record, requires that you earn a C- or better in the class to "pass" and have a grade of "P" appear on your transcript. If you earn less then a C-, "no record" of that class will appear on your permanent transcript. There is no limit to the number of courses that can be taken with this option, however if you are planning on going on to graduate school you should not exercise this option with frequency. Courses taken in your major must be taken for a letter grade. The only exception would be if a professor is teaching a course in your major area on P/NR basis only.

Other possible grades a student may receive are "W", "WR", or "I". A grade of "W" on your transcript indicates that you withdrew from a course. However, one does not "withdraw" from a course by simply not attending! You must fill out a drop slip at the COPACE office or else you risk receiving an "F" for the course. There is a deadline for this option (check the CATALOGUE). "WR" is withdrawn with reason and requires the permission of the Associate Dean. An "I" grade is given to the student when she/he feels a need for additional time to complete the necessary course work. It is at the discretion of the Instructor to submit an "I" grade for a student. There is a schedule as to when an Incomplete must be completed. Please check the CATALOGUE for specifics, but it is generally one semester. If the work is not completed and a grade is not turned in, the "I" will automatically become an "F". If you need an extension, you must submit a Petition for Special Action to the Associate Dean. Be sure to also include a written statement from your instructor supporting the extension. Normally, it will take four to five weeks for you to receive your grades after a semester ends. If you would like your grade before that time you may give your Instructor a self-addressed, stamped envelope and ask him/her to forward your grade. You will receive official notification of your grade approximately five weeks after the semester is completed. Should you need an official copy of your grade earlier please sign the "early grade list" in the COPACE office. This option is used mostly for reimbursement reasons.

The College of Professional and Continuing Education offers the Master of Science in Professional Communication, Master of Public Administration, Master of Science in Information Technology and Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study. If you are interested in finding out more about these degrees stop by or call the COPACE office.

Prior to the formal Commencement ceremonies, COPACE graduates and their families are invited to a celebration brunch, which is guaranteed to be wonderful! As we approach May, you will receive "A Matter of a Degree" newsletter in the mail that lists all the activities for the weekend.

The first requirement is that you have finished all your class work and met all the requirements of your degree. If you are missing one or fewer units and have written and submitted a plan of completion to the Associate Dean, you may participate in the ceremony.

1. Matriculated degree candidate.

2. All distribution requirements (including your major) listed on the course requirement worksheet are completed.

3. Your total number of units is 32 (128 credits). This should include classes taken at Clark and those you transferred.

4. Your Grade Point Average must be at least a 2.0.

5. All financial obligations to the University are fulfilled.

6. You filled out and submitted the "Intention to Graduate" form with the COPACE registrar.

7. You have completed and filed with the COPACE registrar the "Graduation Form" which includes your name, address, cap and gown information etc.

The State of Massachusetts requires that all students who are registered for 75 percent or more of a full-time academic program must have a health insurance plan. At the time of registration, if you are registering for 3.0 or more units, you must either enroll in the health insurance plan provided by Clark University or sign a waiver (green card) that states you have a health plan. Failure to do so may cause your registration to be revoked.

Students receiving bachelor’s degrees through COPACE may be candidates for graduation honors if they meet the following criteria: a minimum of 16 units (64 semester hours credit) have been completed at Clark University and at least 75 percent of all courses taken at Clark have been completed for a letter grade. To graduate "cum laude" you must have a minimum of 3.5; for "magna cum laude" a minimum of 3.6 is required, and a minimum of 3.8 is required for the distinction of "summa cum laude". The university does reserve the right to review and reestablish minimum requirements for honors at any time. Those changes would go in to effect immediately (refer to the CATALOGUE for more details).

The Clark University OneCard Office distributes OneCards to all COPACE students. You will need your OneCard to check out books from the library and to access computers on campus.

The State of Massachusetts requires all students studying at institutions of higher education to be immunized. Specific requirements and the form proving verification of immunization is available in the COPACE office.

Please refer to the section on "grading."

Both of these options are available to matriculated students in their junior or senior year. They permit the student to do independent work, research or gain experience in a particular area while earning academic credit. Students must design their program of study with the faculty person who will be providing their supervision. The proposal (including bibliography) with signatures of the student and faculty member must be submitted to the Associate Dean of COPACE during the two weeks prior to the final registration date. The Associate Dean of COPACE must approve all independent study projects. Only one project is allowed each semester and five independent studies/internships/directed studies is the maximum allowed in a degree program. All necessary forms and internship guidelines are available in the COPACE office. [Please see the catalogue for more details]

Located behind the library, the Kneller athletic center is open to all Clark family. To obtain your membership you should either call or stop by the center. Kneller houses a pool, racquetball courts, squash courts, weight rooms, multipurpose courts and a dance studio. It is definitely worth investigating! Please refer to the catalogue for more details.

Clark University proudly maintains five libraries - the largest is the Robert Hutchings Goddard Library. With your Clark University OneCard, you can gain access to the 10 consortium libraries in our area. If you need further details on the libraries, please refer to the catalogue.

Your personal and professional goals should be your guide to selecting a major. You may select your major when you matriculate. At that time you are given all the requirements of your degree program on a "course requirement worksheet." All COPACE majors require eight courses of which half must be taken at the two hundred level. Courses for your major cannot be taken for the P/NR grade option.

Enrolling in a degree program is known as matriculation. If you are taking a course at COPACE and hope to eventually obtain a degree, we encourage you to matriculate into your desired degree program. To matriculate you must complete the application (available at the COPACE office) and submit it along with proof of high school graduation or equivalent and a $35.00 application fee to the COPACE office. Official transcripts from previous college level course work must be received before an application can be processed. Six to eight weeks after applying you will receive an acceptance letter and a course requirement worksheet for the program you have selected. This sheet will indicate all courses that have been accepted for transfer credit. If you have any questions regarding your worksheet or transfer credits please contact your academic adviser. [Refer to "transfer credit policy" section.]

If you would like to use the university parking lots while you are on campus, you must have a valid parking sticker. Stickers can be purchased through the the Campus Police Office (lower level Bullock Hall). If you are only on campus from 4:30 p.m.to 11 p.m. you may purchase the evening ticket.

Please refer to the section on grading.

"For every rule there is an exception." With this thought in mind, students who feel their situation is one of those exceptions to a rule (or policy), may file a petition for special action. Your petition should clearly state the circumstances regarding your situation and your requested resolution. The petition is submitted to the Associate Dean of COPACE and is reviewed by the Associate Dean and committee members. Petitions are available in the COPACE office.
You should receive a reply within two weeks.

Student papers and exams are returned to the COPACE office at the end of each semester by the instructor. You may come in and pick up your materials shortly after the end of each semester and before the halfway point of the following semester. If you wish to have your papers sent to you, make arrangements with your instructor to have her/him mail them to you; you must provide a self- addressed, stamped, envelope of adequate size. Papers are kept on file in the COPACE office for only one semester.

Clark University is a smoke free environment. Smoking is not allowed in any university building, including private offices and classrooms.

Students who are sixty years of age or older can take one COPACE course at a reduced rate. The first class each semester is $100.00, each additional course requires full tuition. The reduced rate is offered on a space available basis only. If you have additional questions please refer to the CATALOGUE or call the COPACE office.

At the beginning of each semester, your instructor will give you a syllabus outlining the requirements of the course. If you do not have one by the end of the second week, be sure to make the request of your faculty member.
Syllabi, from most prior semesters as well as those for the upcoming semesters are kept on file in the COPACE office. If you would like to see one before you register for a particular class, feel free to ask.

COPACE will accept for transfer credit only courses taken at an accredited college or university in which a grade of C or better was earned and is similar in context or theme to a course offered at Clark University. You can transfer the equivalent of 16 units (64 credits). You cannot transfer more then 4 courses in your major field. Transfer credits are evaluated when you matriculate. Once you matriculate you can not take a course at another college or university and transfer it into COPACE. CLEP exams count as transfer credits.

Clark University operates on the unit system. Each course (with few exceptions) is worth one unit. One unit is equal to four credits. A full time student takes four units a semester (16 credits). Clark requires 32 units (128 credits) to graduate or 128 credits. If you transfer in a three credit course, you will receive .75 units of credit. A three credit course, that is transferred to Clark and for which you receive .75 units will be considered a full course.

Academic integrity is highly valued as Clark. Research, scholarship and teaching are possible only in an environment characterized by honesty and mutual trust. Academic integrity requires that your work be your own. Violations of academic integrity damages the intellectual climate of the University. There are specific sanctions imposed for such violations.

There are several ways in which academic integrity can be violated. These are broken down into the following categories:

1. Cheating usually occurs in the context of an examination and has three principal forms:
a. Unauthorized use of notes, text, or other aids during an exam.
b. Copying the work of another during an exam.
c. Sabotage of another student's work or record.

The University's general expectation is that all work submitted in any course will have been done specifically for that course during the time it is offered. Therefore, handing in the same paper for more than one course in the same semester or different semesters constitutes cheating unless the faculty members involved give their explicit permission.

2. Plagiarism refers to the presentation of someone else's work as one's own, without proper citation of references and sources. For example, if, in reading material for a paper on emotions, you encounter the following passage, "Common language testifies to a relationship between emotions or mood and temperament." (from Izard & Schwartz, 1986, p.43), all of the following would constitute plagiarism:
a. Including the sentence, or any significant phrase from that sentence in the body of your paper without citing Izard and Schwartz specifically.
b. Altering a few words in the sentence and including that in the body of your paper without citing Izard and Scwartz specifically (e.g. "Everyday language provides evidence of a relationship between emotions or mood").
c. Using the concept as if it were your own without giving credit to Izard and Schwartz (e.g. "The link between emotions and temperament can be demonstrated in our everyday speech"). Plagiarism also includes submitting someone else's work, whether or not previously published, as your own or submitting work obtained from a professional "term paper factory."

3.Unauthorized Collaboration: refers to instances when students, each claiming sole authorship, submit separate reports which are substantially similar to one another. While several students may have the same source material (as in group lab projects) the analysis, interpretation, and reporting of that data must be each student’s.

4. Alteration of Data: is the submission of data obtained by someone else or the submission of data not actually obtained in the performance of the experiment.

5. Participating in or facilitating dishonest activities:
a. Stealing examinations.
b. Forging grade reports or grade change forms.
c. Selling, loaning, or otherwise distributing materials for the purpose of cheating, plagiarism, or other academically dishonest acts.

1. All cases of suspected or confirmed academic dishonesty must be reported to the Associate Dean of COPACE quickly to insure a timely investigation. When a case of suspected dishonesty is reported to the Associate Dean, notification will be made to all parties involved. You will have ten days to respond to the charges.
In the case of a first offense, if the faculty member involved already met with you and imposed his/her own sanction (e.g. losing credit for the paper) and if the student accepts the charge, the COPACE Board on Academic Integrity will usually ratify the sanction and send a letter of the charges and sanctions to you, keeping a copy for their files. The COPACE Board on Academic Integrity will include the Associate Dean of COPACE, appropriate program director and a representative from COPACE's Curriculum/Advisory Committee.

2. If the suspected dishonesty occurs or is discovered during the period in which final grades must be submitted, you will be assigned a grade of NG (no grade) until the case is investigated and a decision made.

3. Unless an individual faculty member has made separate arrangements with you to lose credit for an exam or assignment only (and you are otherwise in good standing) all violations of academic integrity will have the following consequences for the course in question:
a. loss of credit for the course and/or
b. assignment of a standing grade of F
In addition, a letter concerning the action will be kept in the Associate Dean's confidential file. The COPACE Board will be allowed access to the file should a subsequent violation occur.

4. Dependent on your prior history of academic integrity, and/or the seriousness of the violation, the COPACE Board on Academic Integrity may take any action from placing a sealed letter in your file in the Associate Dean's office to placing you on academic probation, requiring you to withdraw from the University for a period of time, or expelling you.

Decisions regarding academic dishonesty may be appealed by you or the faculty member by writing to the COPACE Board on Academic Integrity within 10 days of notification of the breach of academic integrity. You have the right to request a hearing by the Board in order to present further information. If the appeal to the Board is unsuccessful, you may appeal in writing to the University's Provost within 10 days. Cases will only be reconsidered on grounds of procedural error or substantive new evidence. The decision will be delivered within 10 working days.

(The above section on Academic Integrity is taken from Clark University's Blue Book on Academic Advising)

COPACE requires the completion of two writing courses by all matriculated COPACE students. You may receive transfer credit for Introductory Composition but if you also took an upper level writing class you will receive only elective credit for the course. You must take Intermediate Composition at Clark. If you feel your writing skills are adequate and the class would be highly repetitious for you, you may request to have that class waived. To do so please check with your academic adviser for the proper procedure.
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