the academic program / sample course offerings / the faculty / academic policies

The academic program is an essential part of Deep Springs. The following regulations are intended to ensure the integrity of the academic program. Any student or professor who wishes to deviate from these policies must ask the Curriculum Committee in writing for permission to do so. CurCom must then submit its recommendation to the president for final approval.

Academic Schedule and Course Credits
Maintaining the Deep Springs ranch and farm operation year round requires an academic schedule that covers the entire year. The academic year is currently 2-4-4-2. (It was 2-2-4-4 through the 1994-95 year.) Each term consists of seven weeks, and two terms comprise one semester, with a one- or two-week break in between.

Summer Session (Term I): July - August
Fall Semester (Terms II and III): September - December
Spring Semester (Terms IV and V): January - April
Interim Term (Term VI): May - June

Each academic credit represents three quarters of an hour of class work and three hours of outside work per week for a semester. A typical full-time course, which will meet for three hours per week (usually two 90-minute seminars), is therefore worth two credits per term, four per semester.

Professors should design their courses so that students can do the assigned work carefully and well in the amount of time for which they are receiving credit. For a four-credit course (2 credits for one term or four credits for one semester) that means 3 hours in class and 12 hours of work outside of class per week (up to a suggested maximum of 240 pages of reading or 12 pages of writing). For a five-credit course (typically a one semester foreign language or lab science course) that means 3 and 3/4 hours per week in class OR equivalent lab work plus 15 hours of work outside class. A six-credit course would require 4 and 1/2 hours per week in class and 18 hours of homework per week (up to a suggested maximum of 360 pages reading or 18 pages of writing).

Professors are free to design courses for any number of credits. Credit value must be designated in advance. It cannot be adjusted in any way once a course has begun.

Semester language courses are usually worth five credits and designed to cover a year’s worth of material at a comparable institution.

Semester courses with a lab component are usually worth five credits and require an additional four hours of lab work per week.

Studio Art classes usually include equal amounts of class and studio time. One credit typically represents two hours of class work and two hours studio work.

Private musical study with a sponsor is usually awarded one pass/fail credit per term. Students interested in a more intensive study should propose an independent study according to the guidelines below.

The policies above regarding academic credit are guidelines. Professors have final authority over the design of their courses. Professors are, however, always encouraged to design courses in dialogue with their students and the Curriculum Committee.

A student’s academic transcript will record the courses he has taken, the grades he has received, and the number of credits he has earned while at Deep Springs. The Dean is responsible for ensuring that the Deep Springs credit system and academic transcripts are fully understood by the appropriate officials at institutions to which Deep Springs students seek transfer.

Academic Load
Students are required to take between eight and fifteen credits, approximately two or three full-time courses per term (excluding public speaking and audits). Students wishing to take more or fewer than the required number of courses must ask the Curriculum Committee in writing for permission to do so, and the recommendation of the committee must be approved by the president.

Students are encouraged to balance their academic load with their other labor and student government commitments; they are also encouraged to reserve some free time in their schedules. Overloads are a privilege and will not be granted lightly. The burden is on the student to persuade the Curriculum Committee that even with the overload he can excel in all his courses and fulfill his responsibilities in the labor program and student government.

Students should keep in mind that their transcript will be matched against the transfer requirements of the schools to which they intend to transfer.

Course List
Each professor is required to submit to the Dean a finalized course list for each class by the end of the fourth week of the term/semester. This course list should enumerate the number of credits and the grade option (grade, pass/fail, audit) for each enrolled student. The Dean will then compile a master course list and make it available to the Student Body by the beginning of the fifth week of the term/semester. It is then each student’s responsibility to verify the information.

Add/Drop
A student may add a course only with the permission of his professor, and only before 6:00 P.M. Friday of the second week of the term/semester. A student may drop a course before 6:00 P.M. Friday of the fourth week of the term/semester.

Pass/Fail
Students wishing to take a course pass/fail must obtain permission from their professor by the end of the fourth week of the course. Pass/fail courses will appear on transcripts with the grade P or F, a passing grade being awarded when a grade of C- or better has been earned. Students should remember that institutions to which they may wish to transfer may not grant academic credit for courses taken pass/fail at Deep Springs.

Audit
Students wishing to audit a course must obtain permission from their professor. The terms of the audit, including coursework, class participation, and whether the audit is to be recorded on the student's transcript, must be agreed upon by the end of the fourth week. The professor may restrict or revoke auditing status at his/her discretion.

Withdrawal
A student may withdraw from a class anytime between the end of the drop period and the beginning of the eighth week of the class (there are no withdrawals for seven week classes). The withdrawal is student-initiated and allows a student to remove himself from a class after it is too late to drop. Unlike a drop, a withdrawal is recorded on the transcript with a "W" for the course grade.

Completion and Evaluation of a Course
The college requires all work to be turned in by the final day of the term/semester in which it is assigned. During the last week of term, each faculty member will schedule at least twenty minutes of class time for the completion of course evaluations. If a student is unable to complete the assigned work, he must fill out an incomplete form (see adjoining). This form must be signed by the professor involved and submitted to the Dean by the last day of the term/semester. Failure to do so will result in the calculation of a final grade based only on work that has been submitted before the end of the term/semester. The student must complete his work by the new due date stated in the form. Extensions beyond this new due date will be granted by the Dean only in case of illness, family crisis, or other extraordinary circumstance. If at any time a student carries more than one incomplete, he will be placed on academic probation.

Students With Learning Disabilities
Applicants and students who have a learning disability, and faculty and staff who work with learning disabled students, should refer to Appendix E of the Handbook for background information and guidance.

Deep Springs should have a professional psychologist who is available to advise us regarding students suspected (but not previously diagnosed) to have learning disabilities.

Accommodations which faculty make for learning disabled students are intended not to provide students with a competitive edge (i.e., “to give them a break”), but rather to remove competitive disadvantage and to ensure that students perform as best as they can.

Students with learning disabilities must 1) provide documentation of their learning disabilities and recommendations for accommodations from a psychologist specializing in learning disabilities, 2) disclose his learning disabilities to his instructors with as much advance notice as possible (always before the start of the course), 3) determine, in consultation with his teachers, specific and reasonable accommodations, and 4) set realistic academic goals, particularly regarding courseload.

Faculty teaching students with learning disabilities must be prepared to 1) work with the student to determine reasonable accommodations, 2) be clear regarding expectations, particularly regarding learning objectives and assessment, 3) provide a complete syllabus, including reading list, as soon as possible (always in advance of the start of the course).

Students with learning disabilities and their teachers should consult with the Dean to resolve conflicts. Students and teachers should carefully document accommodations agreements. Any unresolved conflicts may be contested by the student through the Academic Appeals Committee.

Grading Policy
Deep Springs is committed to an extremely rigorous assessment system. The Deep Springs academic program is of the caliber of the honors programs at the best universities; therefore, our grading is designed to distinguish between work that is competent, above average and truly outstanding. All academic work at Deep Springs will be graded according to the following stringent standards:

Grading Scale
A = 4.00
A- = 3.66
B+ = 3.33
B = 3.00
B-= 2.66
C+ = 2.33
C = 2.00
C-= 1.66
F = 0.00
Note: C- is the lowest passing grade at Deep Springs.

The A Range Grade
Academic work in the A range will demonstrate to a high degree such qualities as originality, knowledge, relevance and clarity of expression. Individual criteria for excellence will vary depending on the field, the particular subject and professorial discretion, but in all cases the A grade will be reserved for assignments which show clear mastery of the topic or subject at hand.

Papers, essays and oral presentations in the A range will:

In such fields as mathematics and science, A range labs will demonstrate:

Creative and artistic work in the A range will demonstrate:

The B Range Grade
Criteria for academic work in the B range will also vary according to subject and professorial discretion, but generally this work will represent informative answers to the question or problem posed. In general, B work will approach but not entirely meet the standards specified above for A work. Knowledge of the subject displayed by B work will be substantial rather than exhaustive, and will demonstrate some degree of originality, knowledge, relevance, or clarity of expression. Specifically, papers, essays and oral presentations will exhibit clarity of exposition and logical organization. Mathematical and scientific work in the B range will be clear but not necessarily as comprehensive, accurate or precise as work which meets the standards for the A grade. Creative work in the B range will also show some creativity, style and understanding of media, but will not meet the high standards required for the A grade.

The C Range Grade
Again, criteria for academic work in the C range will vary according to subject and professorial discretion, but generally this work will represent competent answers to the question(s) posed. C range work will be essentially complete, comprehensible and orderly. Such work may exhibit important gaps in the student's knowledge of the subject; for example, the logic of the main argument may be significantly deficient, the expression of that argument or other response to the assigned topic or exercise may be unclear or obscure, or its conclusions may be left unexplored. C range work will consist mainly of efforts to present an exposition rather than an exploration of problems, or will present merely an account of secondary literature on the subject. C work in mathematics and the sciences will fall short in the areas of comprehensiveness, accuracy, and precision; C work in the creative arts will typically be marred by a lack of creativity, style or an understanding of the medium.

The F Grade
The F grade indicates that minimal standards have not been met.

Directed Studies
A directed study is an individualized course offered by a professor at student request. It differs from an independent study in that it is primarily the instructor rather than the student who designs the course, and there is often more than one student involved in it. Directed studies cover topics which are not included among the normal course offerings of the College, but which are (a) within the professor's area of competence and (b) meet standards associated with other accepted courses in the Deep Springs Curriculum.

A directed study should introduce a student to a specific body of knowledge, a set of texts on a particular theme, or a well-defined artistic medium. It should aim to give the student an overview of the major questions, problems, techniques, and/or debates associated with the area of study, and to give the student an opportunity to explore these issues in papers, laboratory work, or through other suitable projects. The amount of work required in a directed study should be comparable to a normal course carrying the same number of credits. The professor should meet regularly with the student(s) throughout the term/semester--at least once per week is the norm.

If a professor is willing to supervise a directed study, he or she should, in consultation with the student, devise a syllabus and decide on the method of assessment the directed study would involve and the number of credits it would carry. Directed Study proposals must be submitted to and approved by the Curriculum Committee. It will be the student's responsibility to devise and submit an appropriate course description for his transcript.

Independent Studies
An independent study is a well-defined academic project undertaken by a student with the supervision of a professor. It differs from Directed Study in that the student (rather than a professor) is responsible for designing the course and does more of the coursework on his own. An independent study should be on a subject (a) which falls broadly within the supervising professor's area of competence and (b) meet standards associated with other accepted courses in the Deep Springs Curriculum.

Students who wish to pursue an independent study should formulate a clear goal and a timetable for the work they plan to complete, whether it is a long research paper, a significant artistic project, a scientific lab, or some analogous project. In considering an independent study proposal, professors should seek to ascertain if the student has the requisite background for undertaking the proposed work. Once an independent study is approved, the supervising professor should meet with student(s) on a regular basis throughout the term/semester.

Independent study proposals must be submitted to and approved by the Curriculum Committee. It will be the student's responsibility to devise and submit an appropriate course description for his transcript.

Directed and Independent Studies (Application Procedures and General Information)
Students wishing to undertake directed or independent studies with long-term or returning short-term professors should submit proposals to prospective sponsors by Monday of Week Five of the preceding term, so that professors have time to consider and prioritize their commitments. The Curriculum Committee will hear these proposals during Week Six of the term preceding the proposed study.

Students wishing to undertake directed or independent studies with short-term professors teaching at Deep Springs for the first time should submit proposals to prospective sponsors by Wednesday of Week One of the intended term of the study, so that professors have enough time to consider and prioritize their commitments. The Curriculum Committee will hear these proposals during Week Two of the term of the proposed study. If their study is approved, students are required to make up for the work missed during the time prior to approval.

All applications for independent or directed studies must include: Short and Long Course Descriptions (on the models provided), a Complete Syllabus, and a completed copy of the Independent Study and Directed Study Form (printed below).

When students ask a professor to sponsor an independent or directed study, they must inform him/her that professors are not obliged to teach such courses, that professors will not be evaluated negatively if they decline to teach them, and that professors are required to take a week to think over the request before they accept.

Incoming long-term professors need time to adapt to Deep Springs, and should not be asked to sponsor independent or directed studies during their first semester.

Composition Requirement
Since its founding, Deep Springs has placed great emphasis on developing effective communication skills.

Consequently, the only requirements in every student’s course of study are Composition and Public Speaking. All Deep Springs students are required to take Composition during the fall of their first year.

Public Speaking
All students are required to take Public Speaking (graded terms II-V) throughout their enrollment at Deep Springs. Public Speaking is held every week during term, usually on Tuesday nights. Student attendance at all these sessions is mandatory. The Student Body and Professor will work out the speech formats beforehand. It is generally expected that during the course of the year each student will be required to perform speeches of several types, e.g., debate, persuasive, ex tempore, and informative.

Course Selection
Course selection is made by the Curriculum Committee in consultation with the student body. By the beginning of the term/semester prior to the one in which a professor begins teaching, he or she will submit short narrative descriptions and booklists for a range of the courses he or she would like to teach during the year. The chair of the Curriculum Committee will then post the descriptions from all of the faculty and read them aloud at a specially designated course night. A vote among the student body will then be taken to determine student interest in each of the course proposals. While student interest and faculty preferences will always be important elements in the Curriculum Committee’s decision, the Committee may compromise one for the sake of the other.

Academic Probation
If a student under non-extenuating circumstances fails to perform academics satisfactorily, the Dean and Reinvitations Committee will take disciplinary action. Unsatisfactory academic performance is defined as carrying more than one incomplete at any time, or failing any class. The Dean will notify the student that he is under academic probation. Students in this position will be expected (in consultation with professors or the Dean) to adjust their academic load in a manner that will allow them to make up incompletes and improve their performance generally. If the student's academic performance continues to be unsatisfactory in the following term/semester, the Dean or the Curriculum Committee may recommend the case to the Reinvitations Committee and the President. R-com can recommend expulsion to the student body.

Academic Appeals Committee
The Academic Appeals Committee exists to resolve disputes regarding academic evaluation, either for a major component of a course or the overall grade itself. It will be constituted by five members: the Dean, a professor chosen by the faculty, and three students appointed by the Curriculum Committee. Any student with an academic complaint should direct a written appeal to the Curriculum Committee. Such a complaint must be submitted within three weeks after official notification of the grade in question. The Academic Appeals Committee will then hear argument from both sides to determine whether the academic evaluation being contested was arbitrary, capricious or inconsistent with previously announced criteria. The committee will then deliberate in private and present its decision. The hearing will be recorded and a copy kept in the dean's files. Either party may appeal the committee's conclusion to the president, whose decision will be binding.

Confidentiality
Since students have significant roles in admissions, registration, hiring, and evaluations, they are involved in sensitive operations normally performed by professionals at other colleges and universities. These operations require a high level of confidentiality. It is thus important that students in addition to faculty hold themselves to the same high level of ethical standards. The personal files of students, faculty and staff shall not be explored except for official purposes.

Academic Honesty
An implied code of honesty and reliability permeates all college and ranch operations at Deep Springs. All parties involved ought to be able to trust that others are maintaining this honesty. As a result, there is no explicit honor code; what such a code would reflect is each individual’s basic responsibility to the community in academics, labor and self-governance.

Academic dishonesty is an extremely serious offense. Such dishonesty, which includes plagiarism and cheating, is grounds for expulsion.

Last revised 11 April 2005