Student Policies

Standard of Conduct

Personal Habits

Students are expected to live in accordance with the scriptural ideals of Life Christian University and to be a good testimony for Jesus Christ.
Students are expected to abstain from the use of all addictive substances. (Grace is extended to those who are recovering from addictions: we expect the life-transforming Word of God to help such students walk in victory.)
Students are expected to maintain behavior that is above reproach in relationships with the opposite sex, avoiding even the appearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22).

Academic Honesty

Academic honesty is expected from all students. Academic dishonesty, such as cheating on an exam or plagiarism (the intentional or unintentional presentation of another’s work as one’s own) will not be tolerated. Such an exam will receive an “F.” A paper with a plagiarized section will receive an “F.” In such cases, the student will be required to pay a $150 fine, retake the course (paying full tuition again) and redo the exam or rewrite the paper.

Students who repeatedly cheat or plagiarize will be dismissed.

Dress Code

Although a dress code for online students is not enforceable, LCU would like to remind students that as ministers of the Gospel, they will be representing the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Modesty, femininity, and good taste are the guiding principles of women’s dress. Being well-groomed, clean, neat, and tidy are the guiding principles of men’s dress.

Course Requirements

Students are expected to:

View/listen to all course lectures
Read all textbooks
Take all quizzes, tests, and exams
Submit all required research papers

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Master’s & Doctoral Students Special Requirements

To receive graduate credit for a course, master’s and doctoral students must complete:

All course requirements listed above
Submit a mandatory 6-page research paper
Complete 200-300 additional pages (minimum 500 pages total) of reading
If a course requires undergraduate students to submit a 6-page research paper, graduate students must submit a 12-page paper.
Graduate students writing a thesis or dissertation must submit a formal thesis/dissertation proposal to the Main Campus which must be approved in advance of any student work.
Guidelines for writing theses and dissertations are available online using the links below. Every thesis and dissertation must follow these guidelines. All dissertation work must be an original and thorough treatment of the subject area chosen and be of publishable quality.

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Course Completion

There is no deadline for the completion of a course and the submission of the exam for online students. Most online students find that an average of 4-6 weeks per course works well for almost any schedule. If a personal emergency prevents you from completing your course requirements, please call your Student Advisor. As a staff,we pray for our students every day, and we would be happy to pray for your specific needs as well.

Failing Grade

If a student fails a course, they will have to pay tuition again at 50% and retake the course. The failing grade will then be replaced by the student’s new grade.

Ministry Practicum

Ministry Practicum gives students a chance to put to use what they are learning in their classes while being a blessing to the Body of Christ.

Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors are required to serve a minimum of 72 hours during each 9-course program of study. Ministry Practicum hours must be
valid work sanctioned by the student’s local church, providing training for the student and helping the church. Ministry Practicum does not include student ministry independent of the local church. This service, verified by a church leader, earns the student 3 credit-hours. Ministry Practicum hours can be served as a volunteer in the ministry of helps (for example as a greeter, usher, Sunday School assistant, youth worker, nursery attendant, etc.) or as paid staff.

Seniors: during the final year of working toward a Bachelor’s degree, a percentage of the Ministry Practicum hours must be in a student’s area of specialization. For example, for a Bachelor of Theology, 50% of your MP hours (36 hours) must be for preaching or teaching in classes sanctioned by the local church. See the Ministry Practicum Form for details.

Master’s Students are required to serve in their local church and/or community for a minimum of 176 hours during their program of study. A percentage
of the Ministry Practicum hours must be in a student’s area of specialization. For example, for a Master of Theology, 50% of your MP hours (88 hours) must be for preaching or teaching in classes sanctioned by the local church. See the Ministry Practicum Form for details.

NOTE: Ministry Practicum credit will only be granted after a student has completed 9 courses at LCU within each program.

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Miscellaneous Fees

Students will not be allowed to receive official transcripts or participate in the Main Campus commencement exercise as long as outstanding fees have not been paid. All fees are non-refundable.

Application Fee

There is a $40 application fee.This fee covers both processing the application and assessing academic standing.

Cap & Gown Fee

Online students are invited to participate in the annual commencement ceremony at LCU Main Campus in Tampa, Florida. For students who want to participate, there is a $40 gown rental fee. See the Graduation Requirements page for full details.

Official Transcript Request Fee

Official transcripts are issued by the Office of the Registrar, provided the student’s account is paid in full. An LCU Transcript Request Form can be downloaded using the link below. One official transcript is provided free of charge at each graduation. Additional transcripts cost $10 each. Download a Transcript Request Form here.

Returned Check Fee

A student will be charged $25 for any check returned to LCU because of insufficient funds.