Alternative Credit Programs

Belmont International Studies Abroad

Through a wide variety of Studies Abroad Programs, Belmont offers students the opportunity to broaden and deepen their education while earning credit hours toward their degrees. These programs, which range in duration from two weeks to a full year, can be taken for core, major, and/or elective credit at the undergraduate and graduate level. Hours earned in these programs are not affected by transfer and off-campus credit hour restrictions. All such Belmont Study Abroad qualify for financial aid for eligible students; scholarship money is also available for a limited number of students yearly. See Belmont's International Study Abroad page for more details.

Administered by the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business, Belmont University offers students the opportunity to broaden their education while earning credit hours toward graduation.  Juniors and seniors may apply for the Belmont East or West programs through which students gain exposure to internship opportunities in the New York and Los Angeles areas respectively.  Each year, students are selected on a competitive basis to attend Belmont East and/or Belmont West.  Students enroll in a full course load and an internship.  Belmont East or West programs are open to all Belmont University students who meet the requirements of his/her respective program.

Honors Program

The Honors Program at Belmont University was created to provide an enrichment opportunity for students who have potential for superior academic performance, and who seek added challenge and breadth in their studies. The program is designed to allow students to advance as fast as their ability permits, and yet to encourage in their study a range and depth of learning in keeping with the faculty’s expectations of excellence for Honors students.

Students are offered a creative curriculum, flexibility and individualization in the formation of their degree plans, the collegiality of like-minded and equally dedicated peers, and academic and personal support from a private tutor, who is also a distinguished honors faculty member.

Participation in the Honors Program supplements, but does not replace, a baccalaureate major. The Honors Program has an alternative General Education Curriculum core which substitutes for the regular B.A.; B.B.A; B.F.A.; B.M.; B.S.; B.S.N.; or B.S.W. General Education core shown elsewhere in the catalog.

The Honors Program is administered by the Honors Council composed of one Honors faculty member from each of the university’s colleges, the Director of the Honors Program, and one student representative from each Honors Program class.

Washington Center Program

Belmont University affiliates with The Washington Center, a Washington, D.C. organization that provides academic and intern programs to students across the United States. Participants spend a semester in our nation’s capital working with governmental agencies, corporations, the media, or other uniquely Washington organizations for academic credits. Intern possibilities exist for students from generally any academic background. While in the program, participants perform intern responsibilities and attend seminars/lectures taught or presented by representatives of major governmental agencies, interest groups, media, and corporations.

To be considered for participation in this program, a student must possess a grade point average of at least 2.5 and junior or senior standing. All applications must be approved by the department granting credits and the university’s campus liaison. Each department decides whether it wishes to participate in the program and also determines the amount and type of credit it will grant. Any student attending these internships shall be considered a full-time Belmont student and will be responsible for tuition charges accordingly. However, since program fees are paid by the university, the total cost of the program to students may be comparable to a normal semester as a Belmont resident.

Students who successfully complete the fall or spring semester internship programs shall receive twelve (12) hours or credit from Belmont University. Students who complete the summer term shall be granted nine (9) hours of credit. Departments who participate in the program shall be responsible for determining how many of these hours may apply toward a major or minor in that particular program. Hours above this number up to the nine or twelve hours shall be granted as PSC 2010 which will count only as general elective hours. Major/minor hours shall be evaluated by the specific department’s representative. PSC 2010 hours will be evaluated by the campus liaison. All hours will be evaluated on a “Pass/Fail” basis, unless the department pre-approves an alternative method. PSC 2010 hours will always be granted “Pass/Fail.” A “Pass” grade shall require an evaluation of “C” (70%) or above.

For additional information concerning the program, contact the Department of Political Science.

Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

Belmont may grant Continuing Education Units (CEUs) to individuals participating in a continuing education program who make application for such credit prior to enrolling in the course and is approved by the department in conjunction with the Office of the Registrar. One CEU may be awarded for each 10 hours of participation. CEUs are typically not offered as an option in normal (catalog based) courses, which also means that the CEUs are not part of official university records or are recorded on a Belmont transcript. Departments may elect to award a certificate of completion in CEUs for student records at the time of completion.

University credit may be received by registering for a Special Studies course in the academic discipline. These are regular credit bearing university courses. The approval of the dean of their major area and the dean of the school offering the course is required.