Undergraduate Evening Studies (UES)
Since 1957, Furman University has provided the opportunity for working adults in Upstate South Carolina to receive an undergraduate education, entirely through courses offered during the evening, from one of the premier liberal arts universities in the nation. Undergraduate Evening Studies (UES) offers a Furman education at a competitive tuition rate and greatly abbreviated fee structure with financial aid available to qualified students. Convenient class times and locations are scheduled with the busy working adult in mind. Whether students are starting or continuing their education, UES provides many services to assist students with accomplishing their educational and professional goals.
UES Admission
Students may enter at the beginning of any term. Students pursuing enrollment on a part or full-time basis, planning to declare a major field of study with the intention of obtaining an undergraduate degree while fulfilling the requirements of satisfactory academic progress are considered degree-seeking students, while individuals not seeking an award or degree of any type from Furman will be classified as non-degree students. Financial aid is not available to non-degree students.
Candidates for admission to Undergraduate Evening Studies should be prepared for a rigorous academic experience. Typically, students must meet the following criteria for admission:
- A 2.50 cumulative GPA from a regionally- accredited institution in all previous coursework
- For students with no previous college experience, no less than a combined score of 18 on the ACT or a combined reading and mathematics score of 900 on the SAT.
Students seeking admission must submit:
- Undergraduate Evening Studies admission application and $35 application fee,
- official transcripts at all previous higher education institutions attended,
- TOEFL scores if the applicant’s native language is not English,
- a current résumé, and
- a statement of purpose, which will serve as a writing sample, consisting of three paragraphs: describing why he or she wishes to attend Furman University and post-graduate plans
Students with no previous college experience must also submit:
- valid standardized college entrance exam scores (ACT or SAT) and
- official high school transcripts or general equivalency diploma (GED) certificate
All candidates for admission must also interview with the Director of Undergraduate Evening Studies
Admission Status Categories
Full Admit:
Students who satisfy all admission criteria and have submitted all application materials.
Provisional Admit:
- Students who meet the admission criteria, but have not yet provided all application materials.
or
- Students who do not meet the grade point average (GPA) or standardized test score criteria, but who demonstrate potential for success at Furman. Students admitted via this provision are required to successfully complete six consecutive courses as recommended by their advisor, with a GPA of no less than 2.50 and meet at least once per term with their advisor to discuss academic progress.
The university reserves the right to deny admission to any applicant who, in the judgment of university officials, may not benefit from Furman’s educational program or whose presence or conduct may be detrimental to that program. In its admissions policies and procedures, Furman University will deny admission to no student because of race, color, ethnic origin, sex or creed. A candidate for undergraduate admission should make initial contact with Undergraduate Evening Studies, Furman University, 3300 Poinsett Highway, Greenville, SC 29613-1507, 864-294-2155, no later than six weeks prior to the start of the term in which the student wishes to begin.
UES Financial Aid
To encourage adult students in their efforts to obtain a college degree, Furman has established tuition rates in Undergraduate Evening Studies (UES) that are less than 50 percent of the tuition charged in our traditional undergraduate day program. UES students seeking financial aid must file the FAFSA each year by June 30th as well as the UES Financial Aid Application. The period covered is fall, spring and summer term of the upcoming academic year. Additional financial aid possibilities include:
Federal Pell Grant
Students who need financial assistance and are enrolled for six or more hours may qualify for a Pell Grant. Students must reapply for this grant each academic year via the FAFSA.
South Carolina Tuition Grant
Students who are South Carolina residents and earn at least 24 credits during the academic year with at least 12 credits in both the fall and spring semesters may be eligible for a South Carolina Tuition Grant. Submit the FAFSA by June 30th to apply.
Federal Direct Student Loan
Students who intend to enroll on a half-time basis (at least six credits per semester) are eligible to borrow for tuition, books and educational expenses through the federal Direct Loan program. To be considered for financial aid, students must submit the FAFSA and the UES Financial Aid Application annually. For students receiving direct loans, entrance counseling (EC) and signing of the master promissory note (MPN) must be completed online at studentloans.gov during the first semester of accepting such funds. The EC and MPN process is a one-time-only requirement that does not need to be repeated annually.
Return of Federal Financial Aid
In accordance with federal regulations, Financial Aid recalculates federal aid eligibility for students who withdraw from Furman prior to completing 60% of the term. The recalculation is based on the percent of earned aid for the term (completed calendar days divided by calendar days in the term). The student should contact the Student Business Center to pay the balance due to the university. Federal financial aid includes Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Direct Loans, Perkins Loans and Plus Loans. A student’s withdrawal date is defined as the date the student began the withdrawal process, the student’s last date of recorded attendance, or the midpoint of the term for a student who exits without notifying the university.
Return Policy for Non-Federal Funds
The institutional refund policy will be applied to all other aid received by the student unless Financial Aid is instructed to do otherwise by the donor or sponsor of the award to the student. For further information, students can contact Financial Aid at 864-294-2204, financial.aid@furman.edu.
Continuing Education Scholarships
Students may apply for a limited number of awards each semester based upon scholastic ability and financial need. Scholarships currently available exclusively to Undergraduate Evening Studies students include:
- Jack Dickey Scholarship (juniors and seniors)
- Grace Hill Scholarship
- Hazel Long Smith Scholarship
UES scholarships are issued on a semester to semester basis. Applications must be submitted no later than four weeks prior to the semester in which the students wishes to be considered for award eligibility.
UES Tuition and Fees
Tuition is expected in full at the time a student registers. Students with outstanding balances of any amount at mid-term may be restricted from registration for future terms and from ordering official transcripts. Balances at the end of a semester will be referred to a collection agency.
Tuition Payment with Company Reimbursement
Students reimbursed through their employer must pay the full amount of tuition and submit for reimbursement after grades are posted. Instructions for direct billing to an employer must be submitted to UES at registration. Employer checks or vouchers should be made payable to Furman University. If employers require enrollment certification, please visit the Registrar to complete an Enrollment Certification request. Additional verification, such as account balance, financial aid, and final grade information are accessible through the MyFurman portal.
Fees
The tuition rate is established on an annual basis and published on the UES website. Courses registered on an audit basis are charged at 50% of the standard per credit tuition rate. Payment must accompany all registrations. Methods of payment include cash, check, MasterCard, VISA, Discover, American Express, employer vouchers, or approved financial aid.
A one-time enrollment deposit of $150 is required after acceptance to reserve a student’s place in the program. When the program is complete, this deposit is refunded to the graduate. The deposit is forfeited if a student becomes inactive (more than three semesters without a registration) or otherwise fails to complete the course of study. A late registration fee of $100 is assessed for all registrations after the posted registration deadline for each semester.
Satisfactory Academic Progress for Students Using Title IV Federal Financial Aid
Institutions participating in Title IV federal financial aid programs are required by the United States Department of Education to establish institutional policies that define satisfactory academic progress. All students who receive federal financial aid at the university are required to maintain satisfactory progress toward completion of their program of study. A student is considered to be making satisfactory academic progress if he or she is seeking a degree, remains in good standing and completes all requirements for the award of a degree in no more than 12 semesters registered on a full-time basis or no more than 24 semesters registered on a part-time basis.
Transfer students are not awarded financial aid until they are unconditionally accepted into the program.
B.L.A. Degree Requirements
Courses are offered leading to the award of the Bachelor of Liberal Arts (B.L.A.) degree with majors in accounting, business administration and information technology. All candidates for the B.L.A. degree must be competent in reading with comprehension, communicating effectively through their speech and in writing, and solving problems which require fundamental critical and analytical skills. Students seeking the B.L.A. must also:
- Successfully complete at least 125 credits, with at least 64 of these credits earned at Furman including the final 28 credits,
- successfully complete 15 or more credits toward a major field of study in Furman courses,
- maintain a grade point average of at least 2.00 in all course work completed through Furman and in their major field of study,
- complete all general education requirements , and
- submit an application for graduation to the Registrar’s Office.
To be eligible for graduation honors , at least 60 credits must be completed at Furman.
B.L.A. Fields of Study
UES Pre-Professional Tracks
Pre-CPA Track
The Pre-CPA track is a sequence of courses based on an individual student needs for the purpose of sitting for the CPA (Certified Public Accountant) examination or for licensure or both. Credit evaluations are completed at the students request and a plan for course completion is mapped out based on what the student has already completed and what they will need to satisfy South Carolina Board of Accountancy requirements.
Pre-CMA Track
The Pre-CMA track is a sequence of courses based on individual student need for the purpose of preparing for the CMA (Certified Management Accountant) examination.
Pre-MBA Track
The Pre-MBA track is a sequence of courses based on an individual student needs for the purpose of gaining admission into the professional business school of their choice. Courses in accounting, business, economics, marketing and management as well as ethics, the humanities, mathematics and computer science are included. Course requirements are individual to each student and master’s program requirements.
UES Academic Advising
Every student is assigned an academic advisor with whom the student meets regularly to plan a program based on interests, aptitudes, and educational goals. The student has the final responsibility for making decisions about his or her academic program and for ensuring that degree requirements are satisfied. The role of the advisor is to offer informed advice about course selections, provide information about co- curricular and extracurricular educational opportunities and to refer the student to campus support services as appropriate.
Accessibility Services
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Furman is committed to providing students equal access to university programs and facilities regardless of disability. Information about university procedures related to accommodations under ADA may be obtained from the Student Office of Accessibility Resources. Tutoring and other student services are offered through Academic Assistance, 864-294-2110.
UES Enrollment
Enrollment Status
Most courses offered through UES if successfully completed yield 3 credits. Full-time students must be registered for a minimum of 12 credits each semester. Students registered for at least 6 credits in a semester are eligible for financial aid. Students may not be enrolled at Furman and another college or university during the same term.
Academic Calendar
The academic year is comprised of two 16-week semesters in the fall (August through December) the spring (January through May) and a 8-week summer session (June through August). Consult calendar.furman.edu for more specifics or check out important dates for UES on the program web site.
Drop or Withdrawal from Courses
Students may drop a course with no designation on the permanent academic record during the drop-add period each term. The drop-add period includes the first 15 percent of class days each term. However, no course adds are permitted without explicit permission of the department and/or instructor once 5 percent of class days have elapsed. Course withdrawals occurring after the end of the drop-add period, but prior to the conclusion of 70 percent of class days for a given term will be designated as a withdrawal (W) in the student record.
Students should consult with their academic advisor(s) before exiting any course (drop or withdrawal) in which class meetings have already occurred. Students must also ensure that the instructor of the course has been informed of their departure during this time period. Students withdrawing from all courses in a given term, but who intend to return during the next semester, are designated as “term withdrawals”.
A student may not withdraw from any course after the stated deadline has passed without special permission from the Director of Undergraduate Evening Studies. Permission will ordinarily not be granted except for reasons of acute illness, injury or other emergencies that necessitate extended absence from class and/or prohibit the student from completing course requirements.
Time frames and amounts of pro-ration for tuition refunds are based on the percentage of the term elapsed. Full tuition refunds are available only prior to the first day of the term.
| amount of term elapsed |
fall or spring semester translation |
pro-rated refund amount |
| less than 5% of class days |
During the first 4 class days |
90% |
| at least 5%, but no more than 15% of class days |
Between the 5th and 11th class days |
75% |
| at least 15%, but no more than 25% of class days |
Between the 12th and 17th class days |
50% |
| at least 25%, but no more than 30% of class days |
Between the 18th and 22nd class days |
25% |
| greater than 30% of class days |
After the 22nd class day |
none |
UES Class Attendance
Regular attendance in courses is necessary for effective learning. Students who know they will have conflicts due to business trips or other circumstances should notify the instructor directly and well in advance of these absences. The instructor sets the attendance requirement for each course. The following guidelines should be considered in effect unless otherwise stated: students absent more than 25 percent of the class meetings may be issued a failing (F) final grade unless the absences were due to providential reasons, in which cases a withdrawal (W) grade may be assigned in consultation with the Director of Undergraduate Evening Studies.
UES Examinations
All courses will conduct a final examination at the conclusion of each term. Final examinations will be conducted on the last regularly scheduled evening of the course. Students are expected to complete examinations at the officially scheduled time.
Make-Up Exam Policy
Continuing Education staff support faculty when students need a space to complete a make-up exam. Continuing Education staff will only proctor and provide a location for a make-up exam for two weeks after the date of the original exam, unless an extenuating circumstance (family emergency, personal medical emergency, death in the family) warrants otherwise. Students are responsible for scheduling a day and time to take their make-up exam with Continuing Education and notifying their instructor. Students not attending a re-scheduled exam with Continuing Education must coordinate the make-up with the faculty member directly. Faculty members are responsible for emailing any make-up exam to Continuing Education with detailed directions for proctoring the exam and providing pertinent instructions for the student.
UES Dean’s List
Students who enroll for six or more traditionally-graded (A-F) credits and achieve a grade point average of 3.40 or higher for that term are recognized on the Dean’s List. Students with outstanding temporary grades of any type, including incompletes, do not qualify for this recognition.
UES Honor Society
Furman’s chapter of Alpha Sigma Lambda, the only national honor society especially for non-traditional undergraduate students, is Gamma Theta (chartered in 1981). To be considered for membership, a student must have:
- a minimum of 24 credits at Furman
- a minimum grade-point average of 3.20
- at least 15 credits in liberal arts and sciences
- a rank in the top 20% of their class
UES Course Challenge
A student may receive credit for a course by demonstrating mastery of the course subject matter. To challenge a course, a student must have the approval of the faculty member who will test the student’s mastery of the subject matter, the chair of the department in which the course is offered, and Continuing Education. Once the student attempts the examination, the grade is posted on the student’s transcript, even if the grade is unsatisfactory.
UES Independent Study
At times it may be necessary or desirable for students to do independent study under the direction of a faculty member. The student is responsible for selecting a topic, and a faculty member is then secured by Continuing Education to direct the study. A written proposal will be approved by the faculty member directing the study, the department chair and Continuing Education prior to the first day of the semester in which the study is to be conducted.
UES Interruption in Attendance
Adult students frequently find that family, career or financial demands necessitate an interruption to their study. To facilitate ease of re-entry, Undergraduate Evening Studies students in good academic standing may seamlessly continue if their absence in registration is less than one calendar year. Students who have been out for three or more consecutive semesters must re-apply for admission with the application fee waived.
Students who return without readmission are obligated to complete requirements in effect when they originally entered. Readmitted students will adhere to degree requirements currently in effect upon readmission.
Leave of Absence
A request for a leave of absence can be granted by Continuing Education prior to the semester for which the absence is requested. A leave will normally not exceed one semester. Under no circumstances shall the leave extend beyond one calendar year. Financial aid requirements, registration deadlines, and all other university obligations are the same for students returning from a leave of absence as for all other students.
Earning the B.L.A. as a Second Degree
A student who has received a bachelor’s degree from another institution and wishes to pursue a second bachelor’s degree may seek the Bachelor of Liberal Arts. The student must complete at least 45 hours at Furman, satisfy all requirements for the B.L.A. and complete a second major field of study. A student who has received a bachelor’s degree from Furman may earn a second major on a post-baccalaureate basis, but cannot earn a second bachelor’s degree from the university.
UES Students Registering for Day Courses
The Associate Academic Dean may grant approval for a UES student to register for an undergraduate day course if conditions warrant. No student will be granted permission to exceed eight credits via this mechanism throughout their tenure as an undergraduate evening student.
Transition to B.A., B.M. or B.S. Degree Programs
Evening students who desire to transition to the undergraduate day programs of study at Furman must apply through Admission. The student’s academic record will be re-examined at that time due to the differences in the requirements between the B.L.A. and the Bachelor of Arts, Music or Science degrees.
UES Withdrawal from the University
Withdrawal from the university is facilitated through an exit interview in Continuing Education. The interview is required for all exiting students, whether they withdraw during a semester or after the semester has been completed. If a student withdraws from the university after the withdrawal deadline for courses in a given term, the student record will normally reflect a withdrawal (W) designation in those courses in which the student had passing grades at the date of withdrawal. A failing (F) grade will be recorded in those courses in which the student had failing grades at the date of withdrawal. Grade determinations for student withdrawals necessitated by serious illness, injury or similar emergencies will be made at the discretion of Continuing Education.
Inclement Weather Policy
In the event that inclement weather creates unsafe driving conditions, a decision will be made regarding the cancellation of classes by 2:00 p.m. If course meetings are cancelled, an email and/or IRIS alert will be sent to all faculty members and registered students regarding the cancellation. The notification will also be posted on the university website. If classes are cancelled on campus then all classes meeting at the University Center of Greenville are also cancelled, even if the University Center (864-250-1111) remains open.
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