ACADEMIC PROCEDURE
Academic Year: KHTS follows the quarter system. The academic year is divided into three 12 week terms: Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters.
Class Attendance: Regularity and punctuality in class attendance are required. No student may take an examination or receive credit in a course if a student has been absent for 3 times in the class without leave in a quarter. The Academic Dean will consider requests for permission to be absent based on emergency or medical conditions. Absences from classes and persistent late entry to classrooms are factors which may be taken into consideration in determining final grades.
- Coming late to class without permission will be marked absent.
- Student leaving the classroom without permission of the teacher will be marked absent.
- Student unable to attend a class will have to file an application to the Academic Dean before such an occurrence. Absences from class, if sick or for any other emergency situation must be informed through the Class Representative or Prefect and to both the class instructor/facilitator and the Academic Dean.
- Students should abstain from doing other assignments apart from work assigned by the instructor in the class. Students caught in such act will be dealt with severe disciplinary action.
- Unless on medical ground, failing to return on the arrival day of a new academic year or re-opening of the seminary after a break/vacation, will result in a disciplinary fine of 300 baht. In case of unavoidable case like sickness, lost in the family, inform Academic Dean ahead of time.
Academic Practices that are unacceptable: Students are expected to practice uncompromised integrity in all academic affairs. The following are recognized as unacceptable forms of academic behavior:
- Submitting a paper written by another person as if it were your own will result in serious academic discipline which may include a straight fail in the subject to expulsion from the seminary.
- Ideas, words, phrases, or sentences taken directly from another source/person, if not acknowledged in its proper form through quotation marks, footnotes, or other acceptable practices and technical formats, shall be considered as plagiarism. Plagiarism is an act of literary theft whereby the work of another person is represented as the writer’s/presenter’s own. If such practice is observed the student will receive a straight fail in the subject and will lead to expulsion.
- A developed term paper and other assignments copied from an earlier submission or presentation in another subject by the student will amount to a straight fail and the student will not be permitted to repeat the course but carry an FD (Failed with Discipline) in their transcript.
- Cheating of any sort in assignments, quizzes, exams and so forth will result in immediate action. Action will include a stern warning, a fail in the subject, or expulsion.
- Late submission of class assignments without prior approval of the course facilitator/instructor will result in grade reduction by a third. Other necessary action will be taken by the facilitator/instructor.
Incomplete: A course is counted as an F in the compilation of the grade point average (GPA) until the student’s work is completed and submitted. Incompletes are granted only when a student can demonstrate sufficient cause for not completing the course work on time. Acceptable reasons are limited to illness, family crisis and other significant hindrances. Approval must be obtained from both the Instructor and the Dean prior to the last day of the class. Incompletes are due 15 days after the end of the term. Thereafter, an incomplete becomes an F and will be counted as an F in the compilation of the grade point average (GPA). This is not to be confused with a straight fail in the subject, where the student is permitted to retake the course when offered. An incomplete turning to F is part of academic discipline and therefore, in order to retake the course the student will need a special permission from the Dean.
Detention: Students who fail in three subjects (courses) in one academic year and whose cumulative GPA falls below C will not be promoted and therefore, be required to repeat another year (in the same class). If no improvement is seen on the part of the student he/she will be asked to withdraw his/her study from KHTS. No petition to continue shall be entertained. In such a case, transcript will be issued with “FAILED AND WITHDRAWN” marked on the transcript. Students with such record shall not be considered alumni of KHTS and no transfer nor recommendation letter to other institution be issued by the institution.
Failed & Withdrawn: Students who fail in four or more subjects (courses) as repeater and whose cumulative GPA fall below C will not be allowed to continue his/her study in KHTS.
Special Consideration: M.Div. first year students who otherwise pass in all subjects but whose cumulative GPA stands below C will be given the option to accept a one-year theological study or repeat the first year. If a student cannot improve his/her GPA to C+ and above in the following year he/she shall be given a one-year theological studies certificate and leave the seminary. This certificate should not be considered as graduating from KHTS. Students with such record will not be considered alumni of KHTS and therefore, no recommendation for transfer to other institution shall be issued by the authority.
Academic Probation:
- A student is placed in academic probation for his/her poor performance in studies. If a student remains in this status for more than three consecutive terms, unless there are extenuating circumstances the student shall be dismissed from studies at KHTS.
- A student is also placed in academic probation when he/she receives any disciplinary action from the faculty. The academic probation in this case serves as a warning to the student. If the student fails to conduct himself/herself as specified during the probation period, he/she shall be terminated from the seminary without any further considerations.
Leaves and Transfers to other Schools
- A student who expects to drop out of KHTS permanently, or who expects to transfer to another institution, should notify the Academic Dean in writing. In no case will there be a refund of admission fees.
- A student who intends to leave the seminary temporarily due to health reasons and expects to return to studies at KBHTS should petition the Academic Dean before leaving for permission to return to studies. This temporary termination of studies is granted to a student only on medical grounds, and therefore, the petition should be substantiated by a certification from a medical doctor.
- Since reinstatement is expected after a quarter there will be no refund of fees. Student in this category should have all the outstanding fees paid before taking such a leave.
- If a student medical leave exceeds two quarters, upon his/her return he/she should produce a fitness certificate to continue study from a medical practitioner.
Transcript: A transcript will be issued to all students free of charge for the first time. A fee of Baht 200 will be realized towards request for subsequent issue of original transcripts. If, however, a student’s record of transcript is to be mailed by post or sent electronically (scanned copy, email) directly to an individual or an institution, a request letter along with Baht 700 has to be submitted to the Academic Office. Only then the record will be released.
Deficiency: A student whose cumulative GPA falls below C+ will have to attend one more extra quarter for the degree to be awarded. This arrangement is made with the Academic Dean.
Continuation fee: This applies to students who for some reasons have not finished part of the requirements, though have been permitted to go through the commencement exercise. In this case, no diploma is given and the students will have to pay a continuation registration fee of Baht 5000 annually until the requirement is submitted and diploma granted. However, after one year if the student still does not complete the requirement(s) he/she will have to pay normal admissions and registration fees and all other fees applicable. After the work is finished, the diploma will be granted only after the dues are cleared.
Duration of Studies: M.Div. in KHTS is a three years residential study program. Students who for one reason or another cannot finish his/her study within the stipulated period should petition to the Academic Dean for extension. Under normal circumstances six months extension can be granted. Any extension beyond that will be done upon the evaluation of the student’s performance by the faculty. In any case, it should be noted that under no circumstances the duration of study for M.Div. shall exceed six years from the year of enrolment.
Senior Comprehensive Evaluation and Project Writing: A student in the third year shall submit a project writing to the KHTS faculty. The faculty will evaluate the student basing on his/her ability of reflecting a balanced integration of the biblical, theological, and historical knowledge, relating it to ministry.
Guidelines and evaluation procedures stated below will be followed:
- Students are expected to begin their writings as they enter into their final years.
- The dateline of final submission of the papers and oral defense will be notified through KHTS yearly calendar.
- Each student will be assigned an advisor who will supervise and monitor the progress of the student.
- Student’s maturity and readiness for ministry.
- Adequacy of the student’s academic preparation.
- Faculty assessment of the student’s strengths for ministry.
- Faculty assessment for the student’s weakness/limitations for ministry.
In case the student accepts the option to repeat a one year academic study, the Academic Dean in consultation with the Academic Committee decides the courses and work to be done. In such a matter the academic work may be fully/partially related to the improvement of the skills and standard of the student in doing independent research.
Bible Content Exam: The purpose of this exam is to enhance the student’s knowledge of the Bible. Every student is expected to thoroughly read the whole Bible as he/she finishes his/her studies at KHTS. The exam will be conducted every quarter and the respective teachers will notify the books at the onset of every quarter. Exams will be conducted as follows: Genesis to Psalms (First Year), Proverbs to Malachi (Second Year), and Matthew to Revelation (Third Year). This exam will be purely based on the content of the Bible. Those who score 40% and above will be considered passed. Those who scored below 40% will have to retake the exam in consultation with the Academic Dean.
Junior over-all Evaluation: Admission to KHTS is based on the standard specified in the admission requirements as stated in the Admission Policy. However, it is the policy of the seminary that at the end of the Winter Quarter of the first academic year all students (juniors) go through an over-all evaluation. The evaluation covers areas such as academic, spiritual, social and other areas that pertain to seminary life as stated in this handbook. The Principal and the Dean in consultation with the faculty will seat with the students individually and convey the evaluation result to the students.
Students are evaluated as follows:
- If the student fails to demonstrate a graduate level standard in his/her academic performance he/she will be asked to withdraw from the seminary or else be detained and repeat the course. If no improvement is seen in the student’s academic performance in the first two quarters of the probationary year, the students will be asked to withdraw from the seminary.
- If the student demonstrates an inconsistent life style that is not in keeping with the seminary code of conduct both spiritual and social, the student will be asked to leave the seminary.