Academic Unit

Academic Honesty Policy

General

Students who attend Ensign College should seek to be totally honest in all their dealings. They should complete their own work and be evaluated based upon that work. They avoid academic dishonesty and misconduct in all its forms, including but not limited to, plagiarism, fabrication or falsification, cheating, improper use of Generative AI tools, and other academic misconduct.

Plagiarism

Intentional plagiarism is the deliberate act of representing the words, ideas, or data of another as one’s own without providing proper attribution to the original author through quotation, reference, or footnote.

Inadvertent plagiarism involves the inappropriate, but non-deliberate, use of another’s words, ideas, or data without proper attribution. Although not a violation of the Honor Code, it is a form of academic misconduct for which an instructor can impose appropriate academic sanctions. Students who are in doubt as to whether they are providing proper attribution have the responsibility to consult with their instructor and obtain guidance. Instructors should take a developmental and educational approach in assisting students who have engaged in inadvertent plagiarism.

Plagiarism may occur with respect to unpublished as well as published material. Examples include:

• Direct Plagiarism: the verbatim copying of an original source without acknowledging the source.
• Paraphrased Plagiarism: the paraphrasing of ideas from another without attribution, causing a reader to mistake these ideas for the writer’s own.
• Plagiarism Mosaic: the borrowing of words, ideas, or data from an original source and blending this original material with one’s own writing, without acknowledging the source.
• Insufficient Acknowledgment: the partial or incomplete attribution of words, ideas, or data from an original source.

Fabrication/Falsification

Fabrication or falsification occurs when a student invents or distorts the origin or content of information used as authority. Examples include:

• Citing a source that does not exist.
• Citing information from a source that is not included in the source for which credit is given.
• Citing a source for a secondary proposition that it does not support.
• Citing a bibliography source when it was neither consulted nor cited in the body of the paper.
• Intentionally distorting the meaning or applicability of data.
• Inventing data or statistical results to support conclusions.

Cheating

A student cheats when he or she attempts to give the appearance of a level of knowledge or skill that has not been obtained. Examples include:

• Copying from another person’s work during an examination or while completing an assignment.
• Allowing someone to copy work that is not his or her own during an examination or while completing an assignment.
• Using unauthorized materials during an examination or while completing an assignment.
• Collaborating on an examination or assignment without authorization.
• Taking an examination or completing an assignment for another, or permitting another to take an examination or to complete an assignment that is not his or her own.

Improper Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools

• Generative AI is a broad term for a suite of tools that utilize artificial intelligence algorithms to create novel content. Generative AI (e.g., Chat GPT, etc.) can be a powerful tool to assist students in their schoolwork (e.g., idea generation, information gathering, etc.). However, the use of Generative AI tools must not violate the essential learning outcomes of an assignment or course. Students with questions regarding the appropriate use of these tools should seek approval from their instructors prior to their use. Any use of Generative AI to complete assignments should be clearly identified and cited.

Other Academic Misconduct

Other academic misconduct includes other academically dishonest, deceitful, or inappropriate acts which are intentionally committed. Examples include:

• Inappropriately providing or receiving information or academic work so as to gain unfair advantage over others.
• Planning with another to commit any act of academic dishonesty.
• Attempting to gain an unfair academic advantage for oneself or another by bribery or by any act of offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting anything of value to another for such purpose.
• Changing or altering grades or other official educational records.
• Obtaining or providing to another a test or answers to a test that has not been administered.
• Breaking and entering into a building or office for the purpose of obtaining unauthorized materials.
• Continuing work on an examination or assignment after the allocated time has elapsed.
• Submitting the same work for more than one class without disclosure and approval.
• Getting equal credit on group assignments when equal work was not done.
• Using, uploading, downloading, or purchasing online resources derived from material pertaining to an Ensign College course without the written permission of the professor (e.g., Quizlet, Course Hero, Chegg, etc.).

Procedures for Handling Academic Misconduct

Instructors are responsible to establish and communicate to students their expectations of behavior with respect to academic honesty and conduct in the course. The instructor will be responsible to investigate any incident of academic dishonesty or misconduct, determine the circumstances, and take appropriate action. Examples of appropriate action include but are not limited to the following:

• Reprimanding the student verbally or in writing in a private setting.
• Requiring work affected by the academic dishonesty to be redone.
• Administering a lower or failing grade on the affected assignment, test, or course.
• Forfeiting their eligibility to drop or withdraw from a course even if the drop or withdraw deadlines have not passed.

Refer student to the Honor Code Office. The Honor Code Office will complete an independent investigation and take appropriate action. If the incident involves violation of a public law, e.g., breaking and entering into an office or stealing an examination, the act should be reported to College Security.

Students who know of or suspect another student has violated this policy should report their concern to their teacher or the Honor Code Office.

Both suspected and proven violations of the Academic Honesty Policy should be reported to the Honor Code Office, detailing the name, incident, and action taken. If the occurrence is sufficiently egregious, or if a pattern of dishonesty or misconduct is discovered, the Honor Code Office may take additional action, based upon the nature of the violation. If a student disagrees with the determination or action and is unable to resolve the matter to the mutual satisfaction of the student and the instructor, he or she may have it reviewed through the college’s grievance process ( See Student Academic Grievance Policy ).

 

Academic Renewal Policy

Under certain circumstances, Ensign College allows students with a cumulative GPA below 2.5, who have not graduated, to petition for academic renewal. If approved, academic renewal disregards previous poor academic work at Ensign College from the student’s academic record.

Academic renewal may be applied to individual courses, across multiple semesters, once during an academic career, and may not be reversed.

To petition for academic renewal, a student must meet with an advisor and meet the following conditions:

1. Demonstrate academic progress by satisfying one of the following two requirements: 

a. During the period of time since the most recent semester in which coursework to be renewed was completed: 
i. a minimum of one year must have elapsed,
ii. the student must have earned a total of 9 credits, and
iii. the student must have an average GPA of 2.5 for the credits taken during this period.

b. The student must have met all degree requirements other than the minimum cumulative GPA requirement.

2. The semester(s) in which courses to be considered for academic renewal were taken must have a GPA below 2.5.

3. The course(s) to be renewed must have a grade of C- or lower.

If academic renewal is approved, the permanent academic record is annotated to indicate that the impacted course grades shall not be applied toward graduation requirements or GPA calculation. However, all work remains on the record to ensure a true and accurate academic history.

Students should be aware that this is an Ensign College policy and other institutions (e.g., graduate schools) are not obligated to honor it.

Academic Standing

Students are required to achieve a 2.0 or higher cumulative GPA to graduate with an Ensign College degree or certificate and to maintain good academic standing. Students' academic standing is determined and adjusted at the end of each semester with the following categories: Good, Warning, Probation, and Suspension.

• Good: A student is considered to be in good academic standing any time their cumulative GPA is 2.0 or higher.
• Warning: A student is placed on warning after the first semester their cumulative GPA falls below 2.0. Students placed on academic warning are encouraged to meet with the Student Success team to develop an improvement plan.
• Probation: A student is placed on academic probation after the second consecutive semester their cumulative GPA falls below 2.0. Students placed on probation are required to meet with the Student Success team to establish or revise an improvement plan. A registration hold will be placed on the student's account until they meet with the Student Success team. Students are required to meet with their Student Success Advisor before registering for each semester until their cumulative GPA meets or exceeds 2.0. 
• Suspension: A student will be suspended after the third consecutive semester their cumulative GPA falls below 2.0. Students on suspension will be required to sit out for one semester and must complete additional requirements outlined by the Student Success team to be considered for readmission. Students returning after suspension do so on a probationary status and must maintain a 2.0 term GPA every semester thereafter to continue at the College.
• Academic Dismissal: Students who return after being academically suspended and fail to achieve a 2.0 term GPA will be academically dismissed. Students who have been academically dismissed may re-apply to attend Ensign College no earlier than two years from the date of their dismissal. In addition to submitting an application, a student in this situation will also need to submit an appeal to the Academic Standards Committee to be considered for readmission. Students should connect with a Student Success Advisor in the Student Success Center to pursue this process. 

The Office of the Registrar will notify students the week after grades are officially posted notifying them of their current academic standing. Students may also view their academic standing in MyEnsign.

Attendance and Absence from Class

Students are responsible for class attendance. No absences, whether approved by the College for participation in College-sponsored activities or necessitated by sickness or other personal emergencies, are “excused” in the sense that the student is relieved from classwork assigned during the absence. To ensure continuity, students must make up missed work. In most cases, repeated absences will result in a lower grade or failure. The Institute of Religion Department has a 75% minimum attendance requirement regardless of the reason.

Children on Campus

Children may not attend class, be present in computer labs, or be left unattended in College areas. If students bring children to the College (other than to conduct short business matters), they will be asked to leave.

Classroom Protocol

Students are expected to attend class regularly, complete assignments by due dates, come to class prepared to participate actively and constructively, and display a professional attitude. Research has proven that students adhering to these guidelines earn significantly better grades and persist to graduation.

Computer Crime

Any person who knowingly and without permission accesses or attempts to access any campus computer, computer system, computer program, or network without prior authorization is committing computer fraud.

Copyright Policy

All students are expected to make a good faith effort to respect the rights of copyright owners by the exercise of the following principles:

• Most materials (regardless of form, format, or notice) are copyrighted. Copyrighted materials may include print publications, works of art, photographs, music, sound recordings, and video recordings. If students cannot determine that a particular work is not copyrighted, they should assume that it is.
• Permission may be required for reproducing, distributing, modifying, displaying, and performing all copyrighted works. If permission is required and granted, follow all of grantor’s instructions. If permission is denied, do not use the materials. Permission may not be required if the use falls within certain exceptions under the law. For example:
  • Some uses may be permitted under the “fair use” doctrine (codified in 17 U.S.C. SS107) in certain circumstances and for specific purposes if the weighing of several factors favors a reasoned conclusion for fair use. To act in “good faith” an individual should consider the fair use factors to determine if the intended use is fair use. These factors include (i) the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes, (ii) the nature of the copyrighted work, (iii) the amount and substantiality of the portion taken in relation to the copyrighted material as a whole; and (iv) the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted material.
  • Educators and students may perform or display (not copy) a copyrighted work in the course of face-to-face teaching at a non-profit educational institution in a classroom or other place normally devoted to instruction (codified in 17 U.S.C. SS 110).
• Ultimate responsibility for obtaining permission(s) and/or determining exceptions rests with the individual. Students should be honest and show respect for others, especially in decisions and choices requiring subjective judgments, as is often the case in copyright decisions.

Students are reminded that unauthorized copying and distribution of copyrighted materials, including unauthorized peer-to-peer file sharing, may incur civil and/or criminal liabilities. Activities such as uploading or downloading unauthorized copies of text, movies, games, computer software, and music (or any other material protected by copyright) may also incur serious personal consequences such as terminating all College computer privileges or affecting student’ status at the College.

Copyright Infringement and Repeat Infringers Policy

Ensign College respects the valid intellectual property rights of third parties and requires all users of College computer systems or servers (including but not limited to computer networks, online, internet, web, and related services) to comply with local, federal, and international laws, including copyright laws. Users of the College’s computer systems or servers may not store or disseminate material of any type or in any format (including but not limited to music, movies, television shows, software, photographs, video productions, or any other material protected by copyright, trademark, and/or patent law that can be conveyed electronically) on the College’s systems or servers in any manner that constitutes an infringement of third-party intellectual property rights, including rights granted under the U.S. Copyright Laws. 

The College reserves the right to conduct inquiries to determine whether the activities of any user or account holder of the College’s computer systems or servers appear to be infringing. The Designated Agent, in consultation with the College Office of Information Technology and the Office of the General Counsel at Brigham Young University, may investigate claims and notifications of copyright infringement. If Ensign College determines that any users have infringed the copyrights of others, such users, subscribers, and/or account holders will be contacted and appropriate action will be taken. Ensign College will follow College policies and procedures for an administrative review and determination of appropriate sanctions.

In accordance with the Digital Millennial Copyright Act and other applicable law, Ensign College may terminate, in appropriate circumstances, access to College computer systems, electronic networks and/or services provided to any user or account holder who is a repeat infringer.  Appropriate circumstances may exist where:

1. a user of College computer systems or networks or account holder has been found by a court of competent jurisdiction to have infringed the copyrights of a third-party on multiple occasions, i.e., a repeat infringer;
2. the College has received multiple valid, effective, and uncontested notifications alleging that a user or account holder of the College’s systems or networks has committed copyright infringement using the College’s systems or networks; or
3. a user has engaged in flagrant abuse of access to the Internet using the College’s systems or networks (e.g., willful commercial piracy or malicious attempts to destroy the value of copyright works).

Further, where the College has actual knowledge that any material residing on a system or network controlled by the College at the direction of a user is infringing, the College shall act expeditiously to remove or disable access to the material.

Users violating the College's copyright and infringement policies may be subject to the full measure of disciplinary action up to and including warnings, suspension, and termination of College status and/or employment where applicable. The College expressly reserves the right to terminate or suspend the user’s or account holder’s computer and network access if the College, in its sole judgment, believes that circumstances relating to infringement of third-party intellectual property rights warrant such action. These policies are in addition to and do not affect or modify any other rights the College may have under law or contract.

Course Numbering Guide

Below 100	Pre-college Level Courses
100 and 200	Courses primarily for freshmen and sophomores
300 and 400	Courses primarily for juniors and seniors

In some cases due to program pacing and course depth, 300 and 400 level courses may constitute requirements of associate level degrees.

Disruptive Behavior

Ensign College provides a wholesome academic, cultural, social, and spiritual environment for students. Disruptive behavior is behavior that significantly interferes with the educational process, the educational environment (including housing); or the administrative functions of the College. The determination of whether conduct rises to the level of disruptive behavior is determined on an individual case-by-case basis with reference to the relevant facts and circumstances. Disruptive behavior may include, but is not limited to intimidating, threatening, harassing, or violent behavior; abuse of administrative processes; abuse of College or individual resources; disregard or non-compliance with established policies and procedures or medical advice; or the probable likelihood of engaging in conduct or actions that may endanger the health, safety or welfare of any individual. Disruptive behavior may also include physical acts, oral or written statements, gestures, or expressions that communicate direct or indirect threats of harm or disruption. Disruptive behaviors and actions are inconsistent with the values of Ensign College. 

Electronic Devices in the Classroom

The Ensign College Learning Pattern envisions students and faculty who come to class prepared and classrooms equipped to enhance learning.  The classroom should be a safe, non-distracting place—a place where everyone demonstrates mutual respect.

To promote such an environment, the College asks that electronic devices be used to enhance learning and not to become a distraction.  These devices include laptop computers, smartphones and all other electronic devices.

Instructors may—for the sake of achieving special learning objectives, or to meet individual student needs—authorize the use of specific electronic devices in their classrooms.  With each student required to have a laptop, each classroom can become a computer lab, increasing the capability of the classroom.

Laptops can be used in powerful ways to enhance learning.  Students could be asked to search for information regarding a particular topic, take short in-class exams or surveys, and access library databases and other online content.

Faculty will determine the appropriate use of electronic devices in their classrooms.  If a student is using an electronic device without the teacher’s approval or in ways not conducive to learning, the teacher will ask the student to put away such devices.

Email as an Official Method of Communication

Official College messages to all students will be sent through Ensign College email.  Students are responsible for information received through their Ensign College email account.  Students are expected to regularly check their email accounts for official information.  This policy is to ensure that important Ensign College communication is received in a timely and consistent manner.

Students are responsible for all information sent to them through email.  The student’s email address is their (NetID@Ensign.edu) and password.

Off-Campus: go to mail.Ensign.edu, enter your Church of Jesus Christ Account credentials and click login.

Exceptions to College Academic or Graduation Policy

Students wishing to appeal any Ensign College academic policy must submit the Exception to Academic Policy form found on the Ensign College website. Situations may include dropping classes or withdrawing from school after published deadlines. Students wishing to request an exception to their graduation requirements must submit the Exception to Graduation Requirements form (students must contact their Student Success Advisor to start this process). All petitions must be submitted within 90 calendar days from the last day of the semester for which the student is requesting the exception to academic policy. The petition process is meant to accommodate students with extenuating circumstances or emergencies beyond their control that may impact their academic records. Only Ensign College academic policies can be appealed; federal guidelines and/or requirements cannot be appealed through this committee.

Experiential Learning

Purpose 

Finding a good job is a key reason that students, parents, and the public value higher education. Gallup research shows that graduates who had a relevant job or internship experience while in school were more than twice as likely to acquire a good job immediately after graduation than their peers who did not complete an internship or have relevant job experience (see Busteed and Auter, “Why Colleges Should Make Internships a Requirement,” 2017). Experiential learning, which includes internships, gives Ensign College students opportunities to apply lessons learned in the classroom, develop professional skills in a real-world, and interact with a faculty member through associated academic coursework. In addition, experiential learning opportunities expand a student’s professional network.  

Definition 

Experiential learning occurs when a student participates in a structured experience in a real-world work environment, or a simulated environment that approximates a real-world work environment. Students participating in an experiential learning experience are immersed in the everyday work of their chosen profession or discipline. The experience includes both real-world application of skills but also academic coursework and reflection. The experiential learning opportunities at Ensign College include supervision and mentoring of a professional or practitioner in the field of study.

Experiential Learning Requirement 

To graduate from Ensign College, degree-seeking students are required to complete at least one experiential learning course or medical practicum related to a certificate or degree studied at Ensign College.  

A student earning an associate degree is required to complete one experiential learning course internship or medical practicum. A student earning a bachelor’s degree is required to complete at least one Experiential Learning course. A student earning only a certificate is not required to complete an internship unless specified as a certificate requirement.

Ensign College Experiential Learning experiences must meet these standards:

1. Relates directly to a student’s certificate or degree program. 
2. Provides the student with supervised practical application of previously studied theory. 
3. Focuses on real-world projects and problems
4. Is administered through enrollment in an academic experiential learning course. 

Ideally, experiential learning experiences will expand a student’s professional network and business relationships.  

College-Wide Capabilities (CWC) 

An Experiential Learning experience at Ensign College should include further development of the College-Wide Capabilities that are related to skills that employers are seeking in good candidates, namely:  
1. Teamwork and Leadership  
2. Communication  
3. Technical Skills  
4. Problem Solving  
5. Professionalism 

Time Commitment - Minimum Hours and Weeks 

A minimum of 70 hours of total work in the internship experience is required, with a minimum of 10 hours of work per week for 7 weeks in a row. Other scheduling arrangements are acceptable if the minimum requirement is met (for example, a student may complete 40 hours of work per week for 14 weeks).  

Most internship providers expect interns to work 20-40 hours per week for at least one semester.

Students must enroll for a minimum of 1 credit hour and may elect to enroll in up to 3 credits. Only 1 credit hour is required, even if total work hours for the internship exceed 70 hours. Work hour requirements by credit hour are as follows:  
1 credit = a minimum of 70 work hours during the semester  
2 credits = a minimum of 140 work hours during the semester  
3 credits = a minimum of 210 hours during the semester  

Students wishing to enroll for 2 or 3 credit hours must submit their request in the Internship Class Application Form. If the student is applying for more than 1 credit, their application must specify the number of hours they will complete during their internships according to the formula above. 

Experiential Learning Preparation and Resources 

Students are encouraged to work with Career and Internship Services at least one or two semesters before they need an Experiential Learning course. Career and Internship Service staff are actively looking for and posting Experiential Learning opportunities on our social media platform, Ensign Connect; and are happy to assist students in their search for an internship opportunity. However, the student is ultimately responsible for finding and securing an Experiential Learning opportunity internship that matches their interest and skills and the college-wide outcomes.

Experiential Learning for International Students 

International students are limited to 20 hours per week unless they are on an official break/vacation semester. Please consult the International Student Office for details.  

All international students pursuing an internship must coordinate with the International Student Office and the Career and Internship Services before accepting job offers or starting to work off-campus.  

To learn more and receive help with your internship, please visit the Career & Internship Services website: https://www.ensign.edu/internships

GPA Requirements for Extracurricular Activities

Students must maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA to represent the school in extracurricular activities.

Grievance Policy and Procedures

There may be an occasion when a student may feel his or her work has been evaluated unfairly or inadequately by an instructor.  In this situation, the resolution is best accomplished when the student first pursues the matter formally and directly with the course instructor involved.

 

Ensign College courses: 

1. The Instructor.

   1. The student must initiate the grievance with the instructor within 30 calendar days from the last day of the semester in which the alleged unfair or inadequate evaluation took place.  If the student brings the grievance to the attention of the instructor and it is not resolved to the student’s satisfaction, or if the student feels strongly the instructor will not deal with grievance fairly, or if the instructor is no longer at the College, the student can choose to take the matter to the Program Chair.
      If the student does not communicate with the instructor, within 30 days, the grievance process cannot advance. At this point, the student has lost their right to appeal any further.
2. Program Chair.
   1. The student would need to then submit in writing their grievance to the Program Chair no later than 30 calendar days from the last day of the semester in which the alleged unfairness or inadequate evaluation took place.  The Program Chair will consider the grievance, review the matter with the instructor and the student, and notify the student and the instructor of the decision in writing within 30 calendar days after the original grievance was submitted.  The Program Chair will also communicate the decision to the Dean of Applied Sciences or the Dean of General Education.
      It is the student’s responsibility to show compelling evidence of the grievance.  The student should be prepared to show academic work, grading rubrics, instructor comments or any other artifacts that strengthen their case. Coming unprepared to a grievance meeting will most likely result in a delay in the process.
3. Dean of Applied Sciences or Dean of General Education & Review Committee.
   1. In the event the student is dissatisfied with the decision by the Program Chair, the student can make an appeal to the Dean of Applied Sciences for program-specific classes or the Dean of General Education for general education classes.  The appeal should be submitted in writing no later than 30 calendar days after the date of the Program Chair’s letter of decision.  The written appeal should include documentation and details of the grievance.  The instructor and the Program Chair will also be asked to submit individual written statements on the grievance submitted.

The Dean will work with a review committee that includes the Director of Curriculum and other Ensign College ad hoc members as deemed necessary to review the appeal. The total number of committee members will be an odd number for voting purposes. They will also interview the instructor and the student.  The decision of the committee (its majority vote) will be made within 30 calendar days after the appeal is submitted and will be final and not subject to an appeal.  The student and the instructor will be notified in writing within 10 calendar days of the committee decision.

Honor Code Grievance https://www.ensign.edu/investigation-and-administrative-review

Students taking BYU-Idaho Online courses through course sharing: https://www.byui.edu/office-of-compliance/complaints

Laptops at Ensign College

To further increase the quality of the student experience, Ensign College has a laptop initiative where all students are required to have a laptop for classes and coursework.

The initiative is designed to provide better access to network resources and online learning opportunities.  In some cases, these resources may entirely or partially replace the need for textbooks.

A laptop improves learning and enhances collaboration; improves class preparation, research, homework and study; and facilitates better organization, planning and scheduling.
Students need to purchase laptops able to run current Microsoft applications, access Wi-Fi and have enough battery life to meet class schedules.

Some programs may require student laptops with additional capabilities.  Check with the specific program office for further information (i.e., the Information Technology and Interior Design programs).

If students have financial needs regarding the purchase of a laptop, they should contact the Student Financial Aid Office.

Laptop Minimum Hardware and Software Requirements

Students need to ensure their laptop meets the minimum requirements outlined below:

• Academic programs may have additional requirements or standards associated with a course or specific major.  Contact the specific program for additional information.
• Mobile devices including an iPad or iPhone, Android phones, and other tablets do not meet the minimum requirements needed for a productive educational experience at Ensign College.

Hardware
Is the student’s computer too old?
Ensign College recommends students use a laptop that is less than 3 years old.  

How much processing power (CPU) does the student’s computer need?
2.0 GHz dual-core processor or greater  (IT students will need at least a Quad Core processor) 

How much memory or RAM does the student’s computer need?
4GB RAM or greater (IT students will need 12 GB Ram minimum) 
Learn how to check RAM in a Windows computer. https://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000149.htm
Learn how to check RAM in a Mac. https://www.macinstruct.com/tutorials/see-how-much-ram-is-installed-in-your-mac/

How much available hard drive space should be on a student’s computer?
A minimum of 20GB of free space (IT students will need 500 GB Minimum) 

What should my monitor resolution be?
A monitor resolution of 1024x768 or greater

Do students need speakers, headphones or a microphone?
Ensign College recommends students have access to speakers, headphones, and a microphone.

Operating System

What operating system should students use?

Microsoft Windows

Windows 11 or higher (recommended)

Windows 10 (minimum)

Apple MacOSX
MacOSX 14 or higher (recommended)
MacOSX 12 (minimum)

Note: The College does not recommend Chromebook laptops for college use.

Internet
What should the student’s internet speed be?
We recommend 2Mbps or better. Test your current speed at http://www.speedtest.net/

Which internet browsers should students install on their computer?
Ensign College recommends students have at least two of the following items installed:

Windows
Google Chrome latest version
Mozilla Firefox latest version
Microsoft Edge latest version

Mac
Google Chrome latest version
Mozilla Firefox latest version
Safari latest version

Last Class Day

Students are expected to be on campus for all class sessions and should not schedule vacations or trips home prior to the conclusion of the class.

The last exam of a course must be taken as scheduled on the course syllabus.  Exceptions are at the discretion of individual instructors but are strongly discouraged and only made in rare circumstances.

Leave of Absence

A leave of absence allows students who have registered for and completed Ensign College credit to avoid reapplying to Ensign College after three semesters of nonattendance (see Discontinuation Policy). Students who submit a Leave of Absence request would not need to apply for readmission upon their return, maintain their scholarships, and would be eligible to continue their education in the same catalog year they started on. 

Eligibility Status
Students who have completed at least one semester at Ensign College are eligible to take a leave of absence for a mission (humanitarian service also applicable) or military deployment for a maximum of seven semesters. Students must have a current Ecclesiastical Endorsement and be free of all financial or academic holds upon submitting the request. 

Reasons Granted for Leave

Requests for a leave of absence may be granted for the following reasons:

• Military Leave
• Students must provide copies of their active-duty order or deployment order along with the Leave of Absence request.
• Missionary Service
• Students will submit their Mission Call letter and Leave of Absence request once they receive their call and before leaving.

Students who request a Leave of Absence will be able to return to the college while keeping their scholarships and financial aid while maintaining the same program requirements that they initially started on.  

General Policies and Procedures:
A Leave of Absence request must be submitted by the student to be granted a Leave of Absence from Ensign College. 
If a student plans to cancel or return earlier than initially requested, they will need to contact the Registration Office. If a student needs to extend their Leave of Absence, and the extension goes beyond the maximum of seven semesters, they will need to reapply for admission. Upon returning from leave, students must have a current Ecclesiastical Endorsement to be eligible for registration. 

Readiness Testing

English

Ensign College does not require readiness placement testing for the English department.

Ensign College has designed a method for placing students in English courses.  This method is called Directed Self-Placement.  Incoming students looking to enroll in English 101 or its equivalent courses (ENG 101SA/ENG 101SB) should follow the recommendations in the Directed Self-Placement guide and select the course best suited to their individual needs.  Directed Self-Placement supports the mission of our college to “develop trusted and capable disciples of Jesus Christ.”  We encourage all students to complete their English 101 requirement in their first year at Ensign College.

Math

Placement test scores, ACT/SAT scores, or a transcript showing college transfer credits are required to register for any math class above MAT 90.  Test scores or previous college credit will determine which course is appropriate.

An updated Ensign College readiness test is required if previous ACT, SAT, or placement test scores are more than 18 months old.

Students must complete placement testing or have approved transfer credits/AP scores before registering for a second semester at Ensign College. Those who have not met this requirement will be unable to register until a placement test is taken. More information regarding the Math Placement Exam can be found on our website at https://www.ensign.edu/ensign-college-testing.