The Learning Differences and Neurodiversity (LDN) certificate is an online, post-baccalaureate professional development program for graduate credit, for educators and professionals who work with students with ADHD, autism, learning disabilities such as dyslexia, or executive function challenges. The program uniquely integrates current research findings with evidence-based practices, classroom strategies, and technologies. Courses offer the convenience of online learning as well as the opportunity to interact with an engaged cohort through video conferences and discussions.
Upon completion of the certificate program, students will be able to
- Use their knowledge of general and specialized supports to improve programs, supports, and services at the secondary and/or postsecondary levels.
- Facilitate the continuous improvement of education programs, supports, and services for neurodivergent students at the secondary and/or postsecondary levels.
- Conduct, evaluate, and use inquiry to guide professional practice.
- Provide leadership to formulate goals, set and meet high professional expectations, advocate for effective policies and evidence-based practices, and create positive and productive work environments.
- Use foundational knowledge of the field and program standards to inform practice and perform leadership responsibilities to promote the success of individuals who learn differently.
- Collaborate with stakeholders to improve programs, services, and outcomes for neurodiverse individuals.
To earn a certificate, five courses are required: LDN631 Understanding and Supporting Diverse Learners, a capstone course, and three other courses unique to each of the three specializations described below.
Specialization in Executive Function
An emphasis is placed on executive function skill training (e.g., time management, organization, initiation, working memory, cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control) to improve academic success for students who learn differently.
Required courses
- LDN631 Understanding and Supporting Diverse Learners
- LDN633 Academic Strategies and Executive Function Supports for Students with LD, ADHD, and Autism
- LDN638 Student Engagement, Self-Regulation, and Motivation
- LDN640 Leveraging Universal Design & Learning Technologies for Student Success
- LDN645 Capstone Project: Applying EF In Varying Educational Contexts
Specialization in Autism on Campus and Online
This track focuses on social and emotional differences and cognitive and academic challenges autistic students face. Drawing largely on supports and programs offered at Landmark College, each course focuses on understanding and supporting the needs of students in high school and post-secondary environments.
Required courses
- LDN631 Understanding and Supporting Diverse Learners
- LDN641 Academic and Cognitive Supports for Autistic Students
- LDN634 Social and Emotional Supports for Autistic Students
- LDN640 Leveraging Universal Design & Learning Technologies for Student Success
- LDN646 Capstone Project: Supporting Autistic Students on Campus and Online
Specialization in Postsecondary Disability Services
This specialization focuses on preparing early-career and mid-level disability services professionals to champion accessibility within higher education. Guided by AHEAD’s new Professional Competencies, these courses equip professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to cultivate access, equity, and inclusion in the postsecondary environment, with a particular focus on students with learning disabilities, ADHD, and/or autism.
Required courses
- LDN631 Understanding and Supporting Diverse Learners
- LDN636 Organization and Operation of Postsecondary Disability Services
- LDN642 Understanding Disability Documentation, Accommodations, and Legal Compliance
- LDN633 Academic Strategies and Executive Function Supports for Students with LD, ADHD, and Autism
- LDN647 Capstone Project: Applying Disability Services Knowledge
LDN631 Understanding and Supporting Diverse Learners
This course, designed for both beginners and veteran education professionals, starts with an understanding of neurodiversity, current research findings on learning and executive function, and changes in legal mandates; and expands to incorporate application of evidence-based practices such as universal design for learning and coaching-like approaches for addressing executive function difficulties among diverse learners.
LDN633 Academic Strategies and Executive Function Supports for Students with LD, ADHD and Autism
What strategies and supports have proven to be effective in promoting academic success for students with learning and executive function challenges? This course presents evidence-based, classroom-tested strategies, many developed at Landmark College, that help nontraditional learners thrive in academic settings. The first module reviews critical factors to consider when designing effective instruction: processing speed, working memory, executive skills, within the framework of Cognitive Load Theory. The second module describes the features of an EF-Friendly Classroom. Each subsequent module presents a process or strategic approach that addresses difficulties in the following areas: academic reading, academic writing, note-taking, studying and test preparation, and math. The course considers no-, low-, and high-technology approaches that belong in every educator’s instructional toolkit. As a culminating project, participants will synthesize course learning to create student profiles and learning plans.
LDN634 Social and Emotional Supports for Autistic Students
This course will highlight the social emotional issues faced by autistic students in secondary and post-secondary educational settings. After a general overview of autism, including an exploration of the medical and neurodiversity models, this course will examine developmental challenges faced by autistic adolescents and young adults. The course will address programs and strategies that foster student success, including insights from Landmark College professionals working with autistic students. Specific topics covered include co-occurring conditions, identity, social-emotional support, transitions to adulthood, camouflaging, and issues specific to girls and young women. Course participants will explore practical applications of the theoretical constructs and models in autism to their own educational environments. This course will also explore contemporary issues, including the move to online learning and work.
LDN636: Organization and Operation of Postsecondary Disability Services
The field of Postsecondary Disability Services is a critical component of ensuring access for many students with disabilities. Disability services professionals come to the field with a variety of educational backgrounds (e.g., higher education and student affairs, special education, vocational rehabilitation, psychology, etc.) and experiences that they use to work with and for students with disabilities. Although varied backgrounds are a strength of the profession, professionals also require a solid understanding of the disability services profession itself. This course will provide new and experienced disability services professionals with a solid understanding of the profession, its history, and its function, as well as an in-depth understanding of the unique and varied students whom disability services professionals serve. Particular attention will be paid to the diversity of disability services programs and students. Enrolled students will develop action plans and tools for developing disability services offices that meet legal guidelines and enhance access, equity, and inclusion of postsecondary students with disabilities. Although this course has an emphasis on services for students with learning disabilities, ADHD, and autism; other disability types and topics relevant to all disability types will be discussed.
LDN638 Student Engagement, Self-Regulation, and Motivation
One of the most perplexing challenges educators face is to know how to effectively motivate students. Relatedly, how do we promote self-directed learning in our students? In this course, we will use the broad construct of self-regulation as a framework for addressing these questions in diverse learners, including students with a learning disability, executive function (EF) challenges, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or autism. Participants in the course will examine a range of strategies and systems to support, actualize, and sustain student engagement. Specific topics covered include: employing active learning as a motivational tool, encouraging growth mindsets and persistence, developing meta-cognition and self-advocacy, and promoting overall student wellness (including nutrition, sleep, exercise, and stress reduction).
LDN640 Leveraging Universal Design and Learning Technologies for Student Success
How can we offer students learning opportunities that are not “one-size-fits-all”? This course explores how to leverage Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to create flexible, engaging, and effective eLearning solutions-whether through online, face-to-face, or blended instruction. Designed for technologically savvy and not-so-savvy educators, the course “walks-the-talk” and immerses participants in novel learning approaches as both the medium and the message. As a project-oriented course, participants choose an eLearning technology to explore and evaluate from the perspectives of diverse learners-and diverse educators-and share their findings using that technology. This course employs and models innovative, UDL-based eLearning approaches to maximize participants’ opportunity to master the learning objectives:
- Varied Technologies: Instructors deploy a wide variety of common and emerging eLearning techniques and technologies throughout the course.
- Active Digital Participation: Participants learn and demonstrate use of eLearning technologies as part of their assignment.
- Persona Embodiment: Each participant identifies a distinct “persona” representing a particular set of disabilities, challenges, learning characteristics, and/or skills, and participate in synchronous and asynchronous discussion from the perspective of this persona.
LDN641 Academic and Cognitive Supports for Autistic Students
While most people are aware that autistic students experience interpersonal and social/emotional challenges, high school and college can also put a sharp focus on the unique academic and cognitive difficulties even an academically strong autistic student can encounter. There are increased demands for abstraction, perspective-taking, problem-solving, writing, and group work, for example. How do we ensure that individuals with autism have the academic skills to be able to attend and find success in high school and college environments? This course will address this question by providing an overview of evidence-based strategies to help students develop academic skills (i.e., reading, writing, mathematics) and the facilitators of those skills (i.e., learning/study strategies including time management, self-determination/self-advocacy, and independence). The course opens with a general overview of the challenges faced by individuals with autism as they move from high school to college including a discussion of the differences in the legal protections in these environments. Next, strategies for supporting students with autism in general education settings and providing them with individualized academic instruction will be discussed. Additional topics include fostering independence, developing learning/study strategies, promotion self-determination/advocacy, assessing college readiness, and leveraging technology to support autistic individuals during their secondary education experiences.
LDN642 Understanding Disability Documentation, Accommodations, and Legal Compliance
This course provides a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of disability documentation and the accommodation decision-making process by disability service providers in a higher education setting. Participants will learn about the history and current trends in documentation guidelines, how to read/interpret documentation, and current best practices regarding various types of documentation and their role in the accommodation decision process. This course will also introduce students to commonly utilized test instruments in the LD and ADHD diagnostic process, as well as provide the opportunity to practice basic interpreting of common psychoeducational evaluation tools. Participants will be exposed to realistic accommodation scenarios, and ultimately walk away more confident in both their own practices related to documentation review as well as their accommodation decision making and implementation at the post-secondary level. This course is specifically designed for early career disability resource professionals and/or for professionals with a short-term goal of securing employment in the disability services field; students will be expected to apply covered concepts specifically to a post-secondary educational setting.
LDN645 Capstone Project: Applying Executive Function in Various Educational Contexts
The capstone course promotes the synthesis and integration of learning gained in the previous four certificate courses and provides opportunity for learners to apply what they have learned in their own educational contexts. Participants select an area of investigation that is relevant to their current vocational needs and professional interest in order to create a capstone project. The capstone course offers options for personalizing the learning experience by selecting experiences, readings, and modes of expression that best suit participants’ goals and learning profile. Capstone students have gone on to:
- Design websites for their schools
- Restructure procedures and policies for incoming students with disabilities
- Publish their work in peer-reviewed journals
LDN646 Capstone Project: Supporting Autistic Students on Campus and Online
This capstone course promotes the synthesis and integration of knowledge acquisition and learning experiences gained in the previous four courses, and provides an opportunity for students to apply what they have learned to their own educational context. Students select an area of investigation that is relevant to their current vocational needs and professional interests in order to create a capstone project. Whenever possible, projects are designed to be implemented at a student’s current academic institution. Such experiences provide both immediate feedback and an opportunity for the student to refine theoretical understandings and practical applications. The capstone course offers options for personalizing the learning experience by selecting topics, readings, and modes of expression that best match students’ goals and learning needs. Student designs their own capstone experience from a menu of options, guided by the instructor.
LDN647 Capstone Project: Applying Disability Services Knowledge
This capstone course promotes the synthesis and integration of knowledge acquisition and learning experiences gained in the previous four courses and provides an opportunity for students to apply what they have learned to their own educational context. Students select an area of investigation that is relevant to their current vocational needs and professional interests in order to create a capstone project. Whenever possible, projects are designed to be implemented at a student’s current academic institution. Such experiences provide both immediate feedback and an opportunity for the student to refine theoretical understandings and practical applications. The capstone course offers options for personalizing the learning experience by selecting topics, readings, and modes of expression that best match students’ goals and learning needs. Students design their own capstone experience from a menu of options, guided by the instructor.
The post-baccalaureate certificate is a fully online post-baccalaureate certificate program. Opportunities for engagement are offered both synchronously and asynchronously. Students enrolled at Landmark College are expected to be engaged productively and consistently in the academic program. Specific expectations for academic engagement are defined in the course syllabus. Patterns of academic engagement include:
- Logging into the learning management system hosting the course on a weekly basis
- Evidence of sustained activity on the course site
- Attending online synchronous sessions consistently and regularly to meet course expectations
- Completing assignments in all courses
- Active communication with the faculty member.
Students who fail to meet minimum standards of academic engagement risk failing the course.
As an academic community, Landmark College strives to instill and foster intellectual honesty and integrity. Effective evaluation of student work can occur only in an environment in which intellectual honesty is respected. Violation of this policy includes any kind of misconduct, such as misrepresentation, cheating, or plagiarism, that violates the trust between students, faculty, and staff. Each student is responsible for ensuring that work submitted is original and has been submitted by the person enrolled in the course. Ignorance of what constitutes academic dishonesty, such as plagiarism, or of Landmark College rules, is not a mitigating circumstance.
- A first offense of this policy will result in a consequence at the discretion of the faculty member. The maximum penalty for a first offense of this policy is a failing grade for the course in which the infraction occurs. Faculty must report the infraction to the Registrar.
- In cases of a repeated offense, suspension or expulsion from Landmark College may be imposed at the discretion of the Senior Director of the Institute for Research and Training, or the Vice President for Educational Research and Innovation. No opportunity may be granted to make up or otherwise fulfill the requirements of the unit of work involved. A student suspended from Landmark College may not transfer to Landmark College any course credits earned at other institutions during the period of suspension.
- A student placed on suspension or expulsion can appeal the ruling in writing to the Chief Academic Officer (CAO; the Vice President of Academic Affairs) within one calendar week of notification of suspension. The appeal should consist of a letter of intention, outlining why the student’s appeal should be considered, and an academic plan for success that the student intends to abide by if the appeal is granted.
Instructor procedures if a suspected infraction occurs:
- The instructor communicates with the student within five days via email or telephone.
- The instructor determines if an infraction occurred.
- Depending on circumstances (as assessed by the faculty member), the penalty imposed could be any of:
- Resubmission of the assignment complying with accepted conditions
- Failure of the assignment
- Failure of the course.
- The instructor notifies the Senior Director of the Institute for Research and Training and the Registrar of the infraction and includes a description of the infraction.
- All documented cases of violation of the academic honesty policy will be kept on file in the student’s registrar’s file.
- If this is a second offense, the Senior Director of the Institute for Research and Training consults with the CAO on the appropriate consequence for the student.
Graduate academic standing refers to achieving coursework expectations applicable to earning the post-baccalaureate certificate. Students must meet program policy expectations and maintain a minimum grade of 3.0 (B, 80 percent) in courses to stay in good academic standing.
Landmark College awards three graduate credits per course for a course grade of 80% or greater. No credit is awarded for a lower grade. A student failing to receive a grade sufficient for graduate credit (B, 80 percent) for a course in the post-baccalaureate certificate program will be permitted to take additional courses other than capstones but will not be eligible to earn the certificate unless they retake that course and earn an 80 percent or greater in the retaken course and each of the other courses required for the certificate.
Landmark College fully supports and recognizes the standards set forth in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and similar state laws (“applicable law”), which are designed to eliminate discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities.
Covered disabilities may include physical or mental impairments that substantially limit one or more of a student’s major life activities, and which require modifications to the facilities, programs, or services of the College. The College is committed to making its resources and its facilities accessible as required by applicable law. The College cannot make accommodations that are unduly burdensome or that fundamentally alter the nature of the College’s programs.
Pursuant to this goal, we seek to make our courses accessible to all students with disabilities. We are guided not only by legal compliance, but also by the framework of Universal Design, which posits proactive steps to create inclusive learning environments in online courses.
The College strives to make all learning experiences as accessible as possible. If a student anticipates or experiences academic barriers due to a disability, including mental health or chronic or temporary medical conditions, and would like to request reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), they should complete the Accommodation Request Form and documentation should be submitted as far in advance of the period for which the accommodations are requested as possible. The College may not be able to arrange for accommodations that are not requested in a timely manner. At its discretion, the College may allow for temporary accommodations while awaiting documentation or the execution of the full Accommodations Policy requirements. Some accommodations take more time than others, so requests for accommodations should be made as early as possible. All personal information is handled as strictly confidential.
For more information on the accommodation procedures and processes, please see the College’s Request for Accommodations policy page.
The following summarizes the College’s general polices on computer, network, and email use:
- Computing and networking resources at Landmark College are provided for academic and administrative purposes in support of the College mission.
- Users must respect the rights of other users, respect the integrity of the systems and related physical resources, and observe all relevant laws, regulations, and contractual obligations.
- All messages created, sent, or retrieved over the internet or the College’s systems, including its mail system, are the property of the College. The College reserves the right to inspect files or email and take appropriate action without notification if there is reasonable belief that there has been intentional or inadvertent disruption to the College’s network or other shared resources or if there is suspected violation of College policies or applicable laws.
- Misuse of computing, networking, or information resources may result in the loss of computing and/or network access and/or prosecuted under applicable statutes.
- The College reserves the right to limit or restrict access to the internet or to its network-based information technology resources on the basis of institutional priorities, bandwidth constraints, or College policies.
- It is not acceptable for faculty, staff, and students to:
- Use a login name and password assigned to someone else.
- Use excessive network bandwidth.
- Violate copyright laws and their fair use provisions through inappropriate reproduction and/or distribution of copyrighted music, especially MP3 files, movies, computer software, images, etc.
- Use applications that hinder or interfere with the use of the network by others.
- Use the campus network to gain unauthorized access to any computer systems.
- Attempt to circumvent data protection schemes or uncover security loopholes.
- Associate an unapproved domain name with a Landmark College-owned IP address.
- Knowingly or carelessly perform an act that will interfere with the normal operation of computers, terminals, peripherals, or networks.
- Use electronic mail or other communications of the College network to harass or threaten others or to display or send sexually explicit or sexually harassing images or text or messages that may be reasonably construed as harassment, nor may it be used for any communications that contain ethnic slurs, racial epithets, or anything that may be reasonably construed as disparagement of others based on race, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, or religious or political beliefs.
- Send unauthorized broadcast messages to all or part of the Landmark College community.
It is the intent of Landmark College that all members of the College community adhere to the provisions of the United States Copyright Law (Title 17, United States Code, Sect. 101, et seq). Members of the College community who willfully disregard the copyright policy do so at their own risk and assume all liability. For the Landmark College policy on the copyrightable works created by the College’s faculty and staff while engaged in College-associated activities, please visit the Landmark College Copyright Policy in the employee handbook.
Classroom Recording Policy
Federal laws, including the 1973 Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, require institutions of higher education to provide reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. Permission to make recordings of lectures and class discussions, including synchronous “talk time” sessions, is a reasonable accommodation for many students with language-based learning disabilities, attention disorders, communication disorders, and significant difficulties with executive functions.
For the purposes of private academic study and review, Landmark College students may record synchronous sessions using analog or digital technology, including audio, video, still photos, and other forms of capture technology as they become available.
Faculty may record their own class lectures and discussions to serve various purposes at the discretion of the faculty member. These purposes include academic research (with Institutional Review Board approval), professional development, and digitization of course content for access through course websites and other formats.
Students are required to inform faculty before recording class lectures and discussions for such personal, academic study, and review. Post-baccalaureate synchronous sessions are typically recorded. Students may have access to recordings and course materials during the course and for up to two weeks after the course concludes.
Students and professors making classroom recordings are responsible for keeping sensitive and personal materials private. Students and professors may not publish, quote, or share classroom recordings in publicly accessible locations, and in real or digital (e.g., networked or online) environments, without the expressed consent of the individuals being recorded or affected by the recordings. Any violation of these requirements will be viewed by the College as a serious violation of the College’s rules, and will result in College discipline and other remedies as appropriate. Students who wish to make recordings in class will be required to sign an acknowledgment that they understand and will comply with these requirements.
All course materials (lectures, discussions, handouts, examinations, web materials) and the general, intellectual contents of each course at Landmark College are protected under federal copyright laws. However, some notable exceptions apply and are described below under the Fair Use Policy. The content of instructional module, or any recording of a class session or discussion is protected under federal copyright law and may not be published, quoted, or shared without the consent of the faculty member. Students unsure about which materials may be reproduced and used without restriction should query their instructors.
The College’s Policy on Academic Freedom will prevail in all applications of the Recording Policy. Course recordings created under the policy cannot be used by students for purposes other than as a tool to support personal study and review of course material for test preparation and similar, academic uses related to the course.
Fair-Use Policy for Post-Baccalaureate Instructional Materials
Landmark College post-baccalaureate courses are designed for professionals working with neurodiverse students and those who learn differently. If properly utilized by course and program students working in their professional capacities, these course materials may be helpful in assisting such individuals. Therefore, these course materials specifically are not copyrighted. Instead, citation is required crediting Landmark College with originating these materials.
Add
Students are allowed to add a course through the first week of the start date. Students are responsible for completing the work already in progress in courses added during this period.
Drop
Post-baccalaureate certificate students are allowed to drop courses without any record on their transcripts prior to the end of the first instructional week of the eight-week term. A 50 percent refund is available during this first week only.
Withdrawal
Students who voluntarily choose to leave the course after the first week of the course will not be eligible for a refund. The grade of W will be posted on the student’s transcript.
Leave of Absence
Service members or reservists ordered to deploy unexpectedly or called up for service-related responsibilities will be allowed to withdraw from a course, with course costs deferred to a later term. These leaves of absence are granted by the Senior Director of the Institute for Research and Training, who will notify the instructor and the Registrar.
Students who need to temporarily suspend completion of required assignments and synchronous interactions for a short period of time for urgent matters may be allowed to return to their classes at the discretion of the instructor with approval from the Senior Director of the Institute for Research and Training, provided they are in good academic standing, and the absence does not prohibit them from successful completion of the course goals and objectives. The period of time allowed by this policy is generally not more than one week. For purposes of this policy, these brief departures from course engagement will not be considered leaves of absence.
Extensions
Extensions beyond the end of the term are granted only in unusual cases for which the student has a documented illness or accommodation, or is unable to complete the course due to documented circumstances beyond the control of the student. In such cases, an extension will be granted only if the student has completed a substantial proportion of the coursework for the class in which the extension is requested. A two-week extension may be granted for all courses. The deadline for late work to be submitted can therefore be no later than 14 days past the date that final grades are due to the Registrar as indicated on the Landmark College academic calendar.
Extensions must be approved by both the instructor and the Senior Director of the Institute for Research and Training and be on file with the Registrar’s office by the final grade due date for the term. Landmark College does not provide a grade of IN or incomplete.
Students may appeal to the Senior Director of the Institute for Research and Training to contract for an additional extension to complete the capstone project only. Students seeking this extension must complete and submit a capstone extension form to the Registrar by the final grade due date for the term.
Auditing Courses
Post-baccalaureate certificate courses may be audited. The same tuition costs apply, however, and no credit can be earned and completion of the course cannot be counted toward completion of the certificate. The decision to audit or to earn credit must be made within the add period for the course.
Credit Hours
Landmark College assigns graduate credit hours to post-baccalaureate courses according to what is considered a minimum and reasonable amount of academic time that students need in order to prepare for and achieve intended learning outcomes at the post-baccalaureate level. Each graduate course requires 144 hours (48 hours per credit). Total time on direct instruction and independent student work is 18 hours/week. Courses are delivered in five eight-week terms.
Each course in the program, except the capstone course, consists of 6-8 learning modules, each representing a focused topic of study within the course and area of specialization. On average, each module corresponds to one week of learning activities, with each new module becoming accessible to students each week on the Canvas course site.
Landmark College has a rolling admissions process for the certificate courses. Students apply once whether they plan to take individual courses or an entire certificate program. Application and course enrollment deadlines fall approximately three weeks before the course start date. Once accepted, students enroll in post-baccalaureate coursework on a course-by-course basis. Courses may be taken in any sequence, except for the capstone. All course grades must meet or exceed the 80 percent grade criterion to gain credit or count toward the certificate. Students whose grade is below 80 percent in a course may retake the course if they seek to earn course credit and/or pursue a certificate.
In order to monitor enrollments and plan for future enrollments, accepted post-baccalaureate students are asked to notify the Institute for Research and Training to indicate which specialization they intend to pursue, or if they plan to only complete a single course. After acceptance as a post-baccalaureate student, students may opt to change their intentions by notifying the Institute for Research and Training after completion of a course. Students who have expressed an intention to pursue a certificate may, at any time, discontinue further coursework and still receive credit for each completed course.
A minimum grade of B, or 80 percent, is required in each course to be eligible for the post-baccalaureate certificate from Landmark College. Fifteen credits are required to complete the certificate. Three graduate credits are earned per course. All credits must be earned through Landmark College.
Students may only enroll in the final capstone course when they have successfully completed 12 credits unique to their declared specialization in the certificate program. Only students seeking the certificate can enroll in a Capstone course.
A student’s certificate completion is recorded by Landmark College when all credits and requirements are complete. Post-baccalaureate certificate graduates will be recognized at one of the two graduation ceremonies (December and May) held at the Landmark College campus. The post-baccalaureate certificate credential will be mailed by the Registrar’s Office to the address on file for the student.
All Landmark College students, both undergraduate and post-baccalaureate, have the same rights with respect to education records. An outline of these rights is available through the undergraduate section of this catalog. For full information on FERPA, go to https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/reg/ferpa/index.html.
Students receive performance feedback on an assignment-by-assignment basis through Landmark College’s learning management system, Canvas. Instructors are required to submit final grades to the Registrar via the Self-Service interface within seven days of the close of the course. The grade submitted to Self-Service is the final grade of record regardless of what is listed in any other learning management system. Instructors may ask the Registrar to change a grade without a formal process up until the point that grades are closed for that term as determined and communicated by the Registrar. The final academic grade is accessible to students through the Landmark College student information system Self-Service.
A grade point average is not calculated for the purposes of academic standing in the post-baccalaureate certificate program. Each course grade and credits may be eligible for transfer to other institutions at the discretion of the other college. Landmark College post-baccalaureate programs adhere to the following grading system:
| Letter Grade |
Grade Scale |
Definition |
| A |
95 - 100 |
Superior performance in all requirements of the course |
| A- |
90 - 94 |
Excellent |
| B+ |
85 - 89 |
Very good; high level of achievement in some phases of the course |
| B |
80 - 84 |
Fair; basic understanding of subject has been demonstrated |
| C |
75 - 79 |
Minimal mastery but not sufficient to award credit, cannot be applied toward earning the certificate |
| F |
0 - 74 |
Failure |
Other Grades
EX (Extension) - Issued by the instructor with prior approval of the Senior Director of the Institute for Research and Training to indicate that the student is continuing to work on course requirements beyond the end of the semester without penalty in final grade, consistent with the policy as outlined under the Extension Policy.
W - Withdrawn from course.
EX or W - No credit earned.
Appeal of Final Grades
A student may appeal a final grade in a course under any of the following specific conditions:
- The student may submit an appeal based on a claim that the instructor of the course failed to adhere to the stated grading policy of the course as the policy appears in the course syllabus.
- The student may submit an appeal based on a claim that the instructor of the course was discriminatory in failing to apply documented criteria for grading that appears in the course syllabus when determining the student’s final grade.
- The student may submit an appeal based on a claim that the instructor of the course erred in the calculation or reporting of the grade and has not taken steps to rectify the mistake in a timely manner.
Any student wishing to appeal a final grade should first discuss the grade with the instructor. If the instructor agrees, a change of grade form must be submitted to the Registrar (see policy below). If the student is unable to resolve the grievance over a final course grade through consultation with the instructor, the student may submit a written request for review of the course grade, stating the reasons for the review request, to the Senior Director of the Institute for Research and Training no later than the end of the second week of the next post-baccalaureate term. For the purposes of grade appeals, the Senior Director of the Institute for Research and Training acts as the designee of the CAO, and therefore the decision on the appeal of a final course grade by the Senior Director of the Institute for Research and Training is final and cannot be appealed.
Change of Grade Process
Instructors are required to submit final grades to the Registrar within seven days of the course closing. The grade submitted to the Registrar is the final grade of record regardless of what is listed in any other course management system (e.g., Canvas). Instructors may ask the Registrar to change a grade without a formal process up until the point that grades are closed for that term as determined and communicated by the Registrar.
All grades, except extension (EX), are final when grades are closed. However, the correction of a clerical or procedural error may be allowed with permission of the Senior Director of the Institute for Research and Training or CAO through a form provided by the Registrar’s Office. No change of grade may be made on the basis of reassessment of the quality of a student’s work or the submission of additional work. Instructor requests to change a grade must be submitted to the Senior Director of the Institute for Research and Training with sufficient time to ensure that the final decision about the change of grade request can be submitted to the Registrar before the end of the next post-baccalaureate eight-week term.
If a grade is changed, the Registrar notifies the student(s) affected by the change.
Students are expected to engage in appropriate network etiquette (netiquette) - that is, the etiquette of cyberspace. Etiquette is defined as “the forms required by good breeding or prescribed by authority to be required in social or official life.” (Netiquette the Core Rules). In other words, netiquette is a set of rules for behaving properly online. The following netiquette rules will apply to the online courses in the program:
Rule 1: Remember the human
Rule 2: Adhere to the same standards of behavior online that you follow in real life
Rule 3: Know where you are in cyberspace
Rule 4: Respect other people’s time and bandwidth
Rule 5: Make yourself look good online
Rule 6: Share expert knowledge
Rule 7: Help keep flame wars under control
Rule 8: Respect other people’s privacy
Rule 9: Don’t abuse your power
Rule 10: Be forgiving of other people’s mistakes
Landmark College students have the right to expect the following:
- Rules, regulations, student rights, and responsibilities are applied equitably to all students.
- Protection against discrimination.
- Landmark College follows all the applicable laws which may prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, age, religion, disability, ancestry, place of birth, race, color, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational, admissions, financial aid, and employment policies and programs. Students, in turn, are expected to uphold Landmark College’s nondiscriminatory policies.
- Students at Landmark College have the right to interact in an environment conducive to learning, where reasonable accommodations and services are provided, and issues of health, safety, and civility are addressed. At the same time, they share responsibility for creating and maintaining such an environment.
- Students at Landmark College have the right to take reasoned exception to the materials or views offered in any course of study and to reserve judgment about matters of opinion, but they are responsible for fulfilling the obligations of any course in which they are enrolled.
- Students at Landmark College have the right to protection against prejudiced or capricious academic evaluation. At the same time, they are responsible for maintaining standards of academic performance established for each course in which they are enrolled.
- Students at Landmark College have the right to protection against improper disclosure. Access to students’ academic records will not be allowed to unauthorized persons on campus, or to any person or agency off campus without the expressed written consent of the student involved, except where permitted or required by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. Additionally, students who are or who have been at Landmark College have the right to inspect and review records maintained by Landmark College which contain information directly pertinent to them, in accordance with the same Privacy Act.
- Students at Landmark College have the right to express their views, individually and collectively, on issues of institutional policy and on matters of general interest to the student body.
- Students at Landmark College have the same rights to the freedom of speech, peaceful assembly, and petition enjoyed by all United States citizens. As members of the Landmark College community, they are also subject to Landmark College’s rules and regulations. While Landmark College recognizes the personal and intellectual development that may attend students’ exercise of their rights on or off campus or through Landmark College online portals, students must exercise these rights within the limits of their obligations to the Landmark College community.
- Students at Landmark College have the right to know the standards of conduct expected of them. In addition to the standards that common sense requires of all adults, the standards of behavior which Landmark College considers essential to its educational mission in the online environment that supports the post-baccalaureate program are outlined in the post-baccalaureate section of the college catalog.
- Landmark College is committed to maintaining a campus and online community environment where students are not subjected to bigotry, harassment, or discrimination on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, disability, age, or other characteristics as protected by applicable law. Such harassment is against College policy and may be illegal under state and federal laws and regulations. Policies and grievance procedures regarding anti-hazing, anti-harassment, and specific policies regarding sexual harassment and sexual misconduct are overseen by the Vice President for Student Affairs. When violations of College policy or any behavior that violates the College’s Standards of Conduct occur, the College will use the following criteria to determine the appropriate level of sanction:
- The extent to which the behavior has affected the ability of other members of the community to pursue their own academic and personal goals
- The extent to which the behavior has affected the reputation of the College or the ability of the College to effectively pursue its mission
- The extent to which the safety or well-being of any individual has been placed in jeopardy
- The extent to which standards of civil behavior have been violated
- The extent to which the behavior has violated local, state, or federal law.
While engagement in the academic program is not an explicit factor in the determination of a sanction, the College may consider the documented level of commitment the student has made to their academic program in making a final determination. Similarly, a student’s honesty and cooperation with College staff throughout an incident may also be considered in a determination of final sanction. Students who do not follow the structures and requirements of any sanctions issued by the College may be subject to further disciplinary action.
Transcripts contain records of courses taken, grades, and credit received. Course description material and other information may be requested in addition to the transcript. It is the policy of Landmark College that its official transcripts, bearing the College seal and the Registrar’s signature, may be released only upon written request of students or alumni.
Landmark College has authorized the National Student Clearinghouse to process transcript orders via the internet. Students may order transcripts with any major credit card. The credit card will only be charged after an order has been completed.
Transcripts may be withheld by order of appropriate College officials, if some financial or other obligation to Landmark College remains unmet.
|
