Adult & Professional Studies

Brunswick c/o Brunswick Community College
50 College Road • Bolivia, NC 28422
910.520.6786 • brunswick@ncwu.edu

Goldsboro c/o Wayne Community College
3000 Wayne Memorial Drive • WLC Building, Office 247 • Goldsboro, NC 27534
919.988.9274 • goldsboro@ncwu.edu

Greenville c/o Pitt Community College
1986 Pitt Tech Drive • Winterville, NC 28590
252.493.7451 • greenville@ncwu.edu

Manteo c/o College of the Albemarle - Dare Co.
132 Russell Twiford Rd. • Manteo, NC 27954
252.473.2264 ext. 224 • manteo@ncwu.edu

New Bern c/o Craven Community College
800 College Ct. • New Bern, NC 28562
newbern@ncwu.edu

Raleigh-Durham
4426 S. Miami Blvd. • Durham, NC 27703
919.465.4777 • triangle@ncwu.edu

Rocky Mount - North Carolina Wesleyan University
3400 North Wesleyan Blvd. • Rocky Mount, NC 27804
252.985.5128 • rockymount@ncwu.edu

Washington c/o Beaufort County Community College
5337 US Highway 264 East • Building 3 • Washington, NC 27889
252.940.6386 • washington@ncwu.edu

Wilmington c/o Cape Fear Community College
4500 Blue Clay Road, Office 212 • Castle Hayne, NC 28429-6114
910.520.6786 • wilmington@ncwu.edu

Winston-Salem c/o Forsyth Technical Communtiy College
2100 Silas Creek Parkway, Strickland Building, Room 1330 • Winston-Salem, NC 27103
252.955.1879 • winston-salem@ncwu.edu

The Adult & Professional Studies Programs at North Carolina Wesleyan University

North Carolina Wesleyan University Adult Studies and Professional Program is a nonresidential baccalaureate and graduate degree program designed to meet the educational needs of adult students. This program allows mature adults to tailor their degree to meet personal, career and life goals. Students work at their own pace with the option of maintaining full-time or part-time course loads. Because mature adults are highly motivated and capable of selfdirected learning, students can take advantage of accelerated classes, as well as opportunities for earning credit through alternative options.

The Adult Studies and Professional Program provides a unique educational experience for adults students. With a philosophy rooted in the research of adult learning, this model emphasizes the following characteristics: quality, flexibility and distinctiveness.

• Quality in the Adult Studies and Professional Program focuses on the academic experience and rigor of the classroom through the avenues of interactive learning activities, the relevant curriculum and course learning outcomes. Faculty selection is based on academic credentials and real-life professional experiences. Quality in student services focuses on academic advising, as well as registration and financial processes that are geared to the needs of adult students.
• Flexibility in the Adult Studies and Professional Program focuses on class schedules tailored for working adults. The Adult Studies and Professional Program offers accelerated classes in a variety of session formats:
  • Accelerated (5 and 8 weeks)
  • Hybrid
  • Online
  • Evening
• Distinctiveness in the Adult Studies and Professional Program results from the combined efforts of administration, faculty and staff in providing an educational environment that takes into account the experience, maturity and motivation of the adult student. The University maintains high standards for academic learning and performance. Adult students enroll for a variety of reasons: (1) to advance current careers; (2) to receive the necessary education and credentials for new careers; (3) to accomplish personal goals; or (4) to fulfill commitments to lifelong learning or enrichment. For those students who have never attended college or have had to interrupt their education and wish to begin again, the Adult Studies and Professional Program offers a supportive learning environment, small classes and well-qualified faculty.

The Office of Adult & Professional Studies has the following regional campuses: Brunswick, Goldsboro, Greenville, Manteo, Raleigh-Durham, Rocky Mount, Washington, New Bern, Wilmington, and Winston-Salem. Classes at Wake Tech Community College are offered through our Raleigh-Durham office. Under the Office of Adult & Professional Studies, adult learners can enrich their personal and professional lives with accelerated bachelor degree programs, certificate programs and non-credit professional development opportunities. To learn more about these degree and certificate programs as well as professional development opportunities please visit our website at ncwc.edu/adult

Degrees Offered in Adult Studies

The University offers curriculums for adult students including certificate programs, undergraduate programs leading to the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Bachelor of Science (B.S.) and graduate programs in the following majors:

Not all majors are offered at all locations. Please contact your location of choice to see what majors and minors are offered.

Accelerated Courses Formats

Accelerated courses offer adult students a unique opportunity to complete a bachelor’s degree or graduate degree at North Carolina Wesleyan University in an intellectually demanding, condensed format. Courses are interactive and academically rigorous based on the assumption that adult students bring a wealth of experience and maturity to the classroom. Course content is oriented toward the application of content in the workplace and emphasizes the abilities and skills employers seek, such as collaboration, leadership, critical thinking and the abilities to communicate. The accelerated format is facilitated through participatory activities, group discussions, written exercises, projects and oral and written presentations.

Adult students are offered a number of course formats: 5-week, 8-week, hybrid and/or online. All courses are offered in an accelerated format. The course schedule for each campus will adequately describe the number of hours per week required for the course, as well as the total time commitment.

8-Week Seated Classes: Courses offered in this format are typically 8 weeks in length meeting one night each week from 6:00 p.m. -10:00 p.m. Students will complete 8 face-to-face classes and any additional assignments as required by the instructor.

Holiday Classes: Courses offered in this format have the same course requirements as those offered in the 8-week format. 

Hybrid Classes: Courses offered in the hybrid format have both a seated as well as an online component to satisfy the requisite class hours. Seated and online hours vary but typically meet as seated hours on alternating weeks.

Online Classes: Courses offered in the online format are only offered in the 8 week format and require significant work and interaction with the instructor and other students. Online courses at North Carolina Wesleyan University are specifically designed for working adults who live in North Carolina. Students access and complete online courses according to a schedule of assignments created by the instructor. Although the courses have a schedule of assignments, all students are not required to log onto the course at the same time.

Attendance

Attendance during week 1 of a course is mandatory. Students are required to physically attend a seated class. Student must post an introduction in the discussion forum in online classes. If a student is recorded as absent for the first class meeting, the student will be administratively removed from the course. An email will be sent to their NCWU student email address informing them of the administrative drop from the class. If the student wishes to stay in the class, they must be responsible and contact their academic advisor before the end of the drop/add period. The drop/add period ends on the second Tuesday of any term.

APS classes are accelerated classes offered in 8-week terms. This format requires any student attends every class session. Missing any class session adversely impacts the student’s learning and course performance. In the event of an absence, the student is required to notify the instructor ahead of time and follow the instructor’s course of action for dealing with the missed class time.

An instructor may fail any student who misses more than twenty-percent of a course (6 hours for an 8 week course, 4 hours for a 5 week course) after the drop period. Ultimately, it is the instructor’s decision to determine how to handle absences.

Students should be aware that failing to attend class may result in financial account change. Please refer to academic policies section of the catalog.

Students who are unable to attend due to medical reasons may be able to withdraw with a Medical Withdrawal. Students who request a medical withdraw may still be financially responsible for the tuition.

Adult Studies and Professional Program Faculty

Adult Studies classes are taught by NCWU full-time faculty or by academically qualified adjunct instructors. Instructors are practicing professionals with graduate degrees who are knowledgeable about current trends in their fields of expertise. Adult Studies faculty are also committed to facilitating an active learning environment where insightful discussions, shared learning and practical applications are standard components.

International Adult Program Students

International adult students can only be admitted and take courses in the Traditional Program at the Rocky Mount Campus.

Silver Scholars Program

The Silver Scholars Program enables senior citizens age 60 or older to enroll in courses tuition-free on a non-degree, space available basis. Seniors may enroll with “audit” status after the first day of class or during late registration for a maximum of 6 hours per semester. The program offers all credit courses taught by the University, including courses at all Adult Studies sites.

Seniors have the choice of doing homework, tests and/or outside assignments, with feedback at the discretion of the instructor. To enroll, seniors must complete a form available from the Rocky Mount Adult Studies Office, telephone 252.985.5128. There is a $50 enrollment fee per course.

How to Apply For Admission

An applicant seeking admission to NCWU’s Adult & Professional Studies must:

1. Complete and submit an online Adult & Professional Studies application. Prospective students may also complete an Adult & Professional Studies paper application and return it to the nearest Adult & Professional Studies campus.
2. Request that official transcripts from all previously attended postsecondary institutions be sent to the appropriate campus.
3. Provide an official high school transcript or official GED certification, if less than 12 semester hours of transferable post-secondary credit has been earned at the time of admission.
4. Military documents such as DD-214 and official copies of CLEP or DSST examination scores are not required for admission, but are required if the applicant wishes them evaluated for possible semester hour transfer credit.
5. Complete Background Check, Rocky Mount Campus Only.

The applicant is responsible for providing accurate and current information. If falsification, misrepresentation or omission occurs, admission may be revoked. Financial aid will not be recieved until all transcripts have been submitted.

Special Admission Information and Requirements

Visiting or Non-degree Students

Visiting or non-degree students are persons visiting from another degree-granting institution for purposes of taking a Wesleyan course for credit, fulfilling requirements at another institution, taking a course for teacher certification, for meeting CPA or graduate school prerequisites or for achieving personal learning goals. If at a later date the student wishes to pursue a degree offered by Wesleyan, the student must meet the criteria under the appropriate admission requirements category above. Admission requirements include:

Visiting Students

1. A completed application for admission
2. A letter of permission from the degree-granting institution

Non-degree Students

1. A completed application for admission
2. An official transcript which verifies graduation from high school or an official copy of passing scores on the GED or official college transcript. Note: College consortium students are exempt from this.

Certificate Students

Certificate programs afford an option for non-degree seeking students to obtain a certificate in an area of academic interest. Admissions requirements include:

1. A completed application for admission specifying the certificate of interest
2. 21 years of age or approved age waiver
3. A completed background check, Rocky Mount Campus Only.

Transcript Evaluation Service for Prospective Students at No Charge

As a service to prospective adult students, academic advisors will prepare an evaluation of transcripts from previously attended colleges and universities. An individualized degree completion worksheet will be prepared at no charge to the prospective student.

Academic credit satisfactorily completed in regionally accredited postsecondary institutions will be reviewed and considered for transfer credit, along with credit obtained through standardized testing programs, College Level Examination Program (CLEP), DSST and formal professional or military training as recognized by the American Council on Education.

Any academic course with a grade of “C-“or higher will be considered for transfer credit. Each transfer course is evaluated on the basis of compatibility with NCWU’s curriculum and the specific nature of the individual course being considered.

For more information about the transfer of course credit from other regionally accredited institutions, please refer to the Admissions  section in this catalog.

Academic Services

Academic Advising for All Newly Admitted Adult Students

All newly admitted students are expected to meet with an academic advisor to discuss transfer credits, potential for prior learning assessment through CLEP or DSST testing or course challenge and their advising worksheet. The advising worksheet is the “blueprint” which guides the student through the North Carolina Wesleyan University degree program to graduation by showing what requirements have been met and which remain to be satisfied. It is important for the student to understand the advising worksheet and to refer to it when registering for courses. If the student does not understand the advising worksheet or thinks it is in error, he or she should talk with an academic advisor.

Academic Advising

Full-time advisors are on staff at all Adult Studies campuses. Advisors assist students regarding issues of curriculum, majors and general university policy. Advisors also provide information on registration, prerequisites and graduation applications.

New Student Orientation

New student orientation is designed to acquaint adult students with the policies, procedures and services of each campus. New students will learn about services, financial aid, employer educational reimbursement, accelerated courses, library services available on-site and online, the online writing lab and other features of the program.

Library Services for the Adult Locations

The library serves the North Carolina Wesleyan University community at all campuses and site locations by providing user-friendly access to appropriate resources, effective instruction, and inviting learning environments. Library staff members are readily available in person, via email (reference@ncwc.edu), by appointment, via telephone, and online through our chat reference service, to help users at all campuses find and use information in all formats and to help them manage technology. The library provides a wide array of electronic information resources that are available any time of day or night online, via the library’s website. These include online databases that provide access to full-text articles in about 45,000 magazines, newspapers and journals; about 285,000 electronic books; and about 78,000 educational and documentary streaming videos accessible online. All these resources can be accessed from the library’s website (https://ncwc.edu/academics/library/). The library’s website also provides online research guides and tutorials to help students find and use information resources.

Honorary Society

Alpha Sigma Lambda

North Carolina Wesleyan University has a charter with Alpha Sigma Lambda honor society under the chapter Nu Zeta Sigma. Alpha Sigma Lambda honor society is for adult learners in higher education. At the Fall and Spring graduations we will hold an induction ceremony for those selected to join the honor society. Summer graduates will be included in the Fall selection. The selection criteria are listed below.

• Students must have earned a minimum of 50 semester hours with North Carolina Wesleyan University.
• Students must have completed 12 or more credits in the liberal arts/sciences. (This is completed through general education classes.)
• Students must rank in the top 20% of the graduating class.
• Students must also have earned a GPA of 3.5 or higher.

Students will be notified by the Adult & Professional Studies Staff one month before graduation if they meet the criteria to join Alpha Sigma Lambda.

Last Day to Withdraw with a Grade of “W”

Once a course has met the first time, a student may withdraw from a course with a grade of “W” up to a specific date that is prior to the midpoint date of that course. In the Adult Program the deadlines to withdraw with a “W” are as follows:

8-week courses, before the fourth class meeting
8-week (online) courses, before the end of the fourth week

Proper paperwork must be signed and submitted by the stated date. Students who withdraw after the official last day will receive an automatic grade of “WF” for the class. Students dropping or withdrawing from any class may be subject to financial charges. Refer to the section titled “Refund of Paid Tuition Policy .”

Adult & Professional Studies Readmission Policy

Students who previously attended Wesleyan and wish to return must apply for readmission. An Application for Readmission of Former Students can be completed on the Admissions tab of my.ncwc.edu. All students who withdraw from the institution (by completing a withdrawal form) or who have not been registered for two consecutive terms (four 8-week adult studies terms) must complete readmission procedures to register for the next semester. Students with a hold on their account will not be allowed to register until the reason for the hold has been cleared. Readmit students will be moved to the current catalog year.

Students who apply for readmission are required to submit official transcripts from any and all institutions that they attended during the time they were not enrolled with NCWU.