To be considered full-time, a student must carry at least 12 and no more than 16 semester hours of credit during a regular term. In exceptional cases, a student may petition the Academic Dean to register for more than 16 semester hours of credit. Only with the written permission of his formation director may a student register for less than 12 credit hours in a semester.
The seminary operates on a semester hour system. One semester hour of credit is equal to 13 hours of classroom instruction during the term; two semester hours of credit require 26 hours of classroom instruction; three semester hours equate to 39 hours of classroom instruction, etc. In addition to this, the semester includes study days and final examination days. Intellectual formation is rigorous as are the other areas of formation. Although students are expected to spend an appropriate amount of time preparing for each class, they should speak to their academic and formation advisors if their academic workload outside of class exceeds two hours for each hour of instruction.
Courses designated as "seminars" tend to be more demanding than courses offered in traditional academic settings. The intensive nature of graduate level "seminars" and the requisite amount of outside reading and research required to prepare for each class increase the credit hour/preparation ratio; it is slightly higher for seminars than for regular academic courses. Similarly, to satisfy ecclesiastical degree program standards for contact hours in the B. Phil. Degree program, the credit hour instruction/preparation ratio is modified for course work related to this program.
Seminary classes are taught at the advanced undergraduate and graduate level. Reading requirements are identified in the course syllabus. There is no absolute norm regarding the quantity of reading required for an academic course. Students are required to have in their possession for personal use, both in and outside regularly scheduled classes, the required texts for each class.
Depending on the nature of the course and the discretion of the instructor, both a mid-term and a final examination, either written or oral, may be required.
The intense nature of the academic requirements of a seminar affords the instructor considerable latitude in assessing student performance. The instructor may elect to give regular examinations or to grade students on the basis of papers, assignments, research projects, class participation, etc. If the instructor in a seminar chooses to give a final examination, the final examination must be administered on the date and at the time scheduled by the Registrar of the Seminary.
General Norms: Term papers, research or reflection papers, and theses are to be written in accordance with accepted academic form and style. All papers are to be typed. St. John Vianney Theological Seminary follows the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th ed. The most recent editions of The Bedford Handbook by Diana Hacker and Kate L Turabian's A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses and Dissertations are also recommended as they include Chicago Manual of Style in concise format.
Written Assignments: An instructor may require written assignments. These papers may involve research. Papers demonstrate the student's ability to examine a topic, compile an appropriate bibliography, and carry out an acceptable investigation of the question at hand. All written assignments should meet the standards for composition and grammar in accordance with the General Norms provided above.
Assistance with Writing Skills: The seminary offers assistance for students who need help in developing their writing skills. A faculty member may require that a student work with the writing tutor or students may sign up for tutoring, themselves. In addition, students may work on writing skills, independently, in the seminary's Language Lab using computer software available for this purpose.
The instructor will provide a syllabus to each seminarian on the first day of class. A current copy of all course syllabi is kept on file in the Office of the Academic Dean. The syllabus will contain the following information: (1) A brief description of the course and an outline of topics to be covered; (2) A list or required texts for the course; (3) A list of required reading and written assignments for the course, including a list of dates on which assignments are due; (4) A schedule of examinations; (5) A statement of the grading procedure to be used in the course, indicating what percentage of the final grade is based on papers, assignments, examinations, classroom participation, etc., and (6) A schedule of office hours during which the instructor is available for consultation and the process for making appointments should meetings outside of the instructor's normal office hours be necessary.