The AUK general requirements and rules have been discussed and adopted by the AUK Curriculum Committee and approved by the AUK Academic Senate. The aim of this section is to provide students with the information concerning their responsibilities and general graduation requirements. If any questions concerning this issue arise you should turn to your adviser or the AUK Registrar's Office (New Building, Room 101) or the AUK website: http://www.auk.kg

HONOR CODE

AUK strives to create a physical and intellectual environment in which you have the freedom to grow, are challenged to realize your full potential, and are guided with insight and understanding toward preparation for your roles in your profession and in your community.

This Standard of Conduct has been developed so that you will know what the University expects of you and, in turn, what you can expect from the University. It is an attempt to balance individual needs with the needs of the University without limiting individual freedom of choice. At the same time, freedom of choice implies acceptance of full responsibility for one's actions. Thus, in choosing to attend AUK, you choose to conform to this standard of behavior which has been designed for the common good of the institution and all of its constituencies, including larger Bishkek community.

1. I will Respect All Students, Faculty, and Staff, as well as Our Surrounding Community and Neighborhood.

Behaviors that are inconsistent with this standard include, but are not limited to, the following:

a. Threatening the health, safety or welfare of oneself or another

b. Harassing, intimidating or verbally abusing others

c. Disturbing the peace and/or creating undue noise

d. Disrupting the lawful and orderly activities of others; disruptive or disrespectful behavior in any University facility, classroom, laboratory or the surrounding neighborhood

e. Failing to comply with directions of University officials or their representatives in carrying out their duties

2. I will Respect the Academic Mission and Integrity of the Institution.

Behaviors that are inconsistent with this standard include, but are not limited to, the following:

a. Plagiarizing the intellectual or artistic work of another without appropriate acknowledgment

b. Attempting to deceive a faculty member in preparation of papers, reports, theses and other written or oral exercises, or participating with another in attempting to deceive a faculty member

c. Cheating on exams or tests by giving, receiving or using unauthorized help

d. Gaining access or attempting to gain access to quiz, test, or examination materials prior to or in a context other than their distribution by the instructor

e. Falsifying academic records or giving false information to be entered on an academic record

f. Tampering with administrative records or giving false information to be used in an administrative capacity

g. Tampering with or copying software illegally or copying others' computer programs

h. Stealing cash or merchandise, falsifying time cards or otherwise defrauding an employer during an internship or field experience.

i. Engaging in disruptive behavior that interferes with the learning of others.

3. I will Respect and Comply with Kyrgyzstan Laws.

a. Compliance with University regulations does not in any way exempt students from adhering to public statutes. In fact, violation of these laws represents a violation of AUK regulations, regardless of whether prosecution ensues.

4. I will Respect the Physical Facilities of the Institution.

Behaviors that are inconsistent with this standard include, but are not limited to, the following:

a. Vandalizing University or community property

b. Trespassing in unauthorized areas

c. Creating a fire, safety, or health hazard

d. Duplicating keys or developing other ways to gain access to restricted areas, information, or goods

e. Theft or unauthorized acquisition, removal or use of property including computer hardware and/or software.

This Standard of Conduct applies to all members of the University community.

ATTENDANCE

Attendance at all classes is expected at AUK. In case of multiple absences without reasonable excuses, a student may not be granted permission to take an examination and will be given the grade of "X".

REGISTRATION

Registration for the following semester will be conducted within the time-limit stipulated by the Academic Calendar. Prior to registration students should meet their advisers and fill out Study Cards. Then they may register for the following semester in a timely fashion. If a student fails to hand in his/her Study Card in time, a 200-som fine will be imposed on such student.

REGISTRATION FOR FRESHMEN

A few days prior to the beginning of the academic year, the freshman "Orientation Week" (for first-year students) will be conducted at AUK. Freshmen students should register during the Orientation Week.

AUK students shall be fully responsible for:

m Completing the curriculum and requirements following the rules of the study process which are described in this Catalog

m A timely registration for the following semester

Students have the right to:

Inspect their transcripts for clerical errors

CLASSIFICATION

AUK students are classified in accordance with the criteria given below:

Freshmen 0-35 credits

Sophomores 36-71 credits

Juniors 72-107 credits

Seniors 108-144 credits

For freshmen and sophomores 1 credit means 1 hour in class and 2 hours of independent work.

To be considered a full-time AUK student one should have 18 credits per semester.

AUK full-time students may register 17- 19 credits per semester.

A first-year student is expected to:

m Meet his/her adviser and Program Head;

m Receive his/her Schedule of Classes which is available in the Program's Office;

m To receive a list of required courses and check the completion of requirements in required courses every semester;

m Define his/her proficiency in the English, Russian and Kyrgyz languages, and in mathematics after meeting the Head of the respective program and/or appropriate placement tests;

m Register for the following semester and pay their tuition fee;

m A student may submit an application for a second major upon the completion of the first year of study only.

A sophomore is expected to:

m Check the completion of the previous academic year's requirements;

m Check if all the prerequisite requirements for courses to be taken this year have been met;

m Meet his/her adviser and define the plan of action for the following year;

m Register for the following semester and pay his/her tuition fee;

m By the end of the second year sophomores may declare their minors.

A junior is expected to:

m Meet his/her adviser and define a plan of action for the following year;

m Check the completion of the previous academic year's requirements;

m Check if all the prerequisite requirements for courses to be taken have been met during the prior semester;

m Check the completion of requirements of the major; if you are registered for a minor, check the graduation requirements of the minor;

m Register for the following semester and pay their tuition fee.

A senior is expected to:

m Check the completion of requirements of the major; if you are registered for the minor, check the requirements of the minor;

m Have the Program Head sign your checklist of required courses in the major;

m Register for the following semester and pay their tuition fee;

m Become acquainted with the regulations on state examinations and methods of senior thesis defense which are available in the Major Program Office;

m If you plan to write a senior thesis, you should sign a contract with both your Program Head and the Supervisor of your senior thesis.

TRANSCRIPT

Your transcript is available at the Registrar's Office (New Building, Room 101). Transcripts may assume three forms: Official, Nonofficial, and Semester.

A typical transcript includes the following information:

m A list of courses taken by the student for the whole period of study in the University;

m All grades received for classes;

m Number of points earned for one semester;

m Total number of points earned for the whole period of study;

m GPA for each semester and cumulative GPA for the whole period of study.

An official transcript differs from a nonofficial transcript in that it is printed on paper specifically designated for this purpose and sealed.

When a student has completed registration, he or she may obtain a list of the courses for which he/she is registered from the office-manager of his/her department.

All unofficial transcripts are free but official transcripts cost 25 soms, which is payable to the Accounting Office.

Transcripts are given to students only. The Registrar's Office may give a transcript to a third person if there is a student's authorization to do so. The authorization must be in the form of a letter and contain the following information: student name, birth date, dates the student attended the University and the student's signature.

PROPOSED GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

• To earn a Bachelor degree from AUK a student should earn 144 credits of which no less than 42 credits are derived from general education courses:
• Mathematics (Level 1) 3 credits
• Computer Science 3 credits
• Natural Sciences
  (Ecology, Geophysics, or
• History & Philosophy
  of Science) 3 credits
• Critical Skills 3 credits
• Research Methods 3 credits
  English Composition 6 credits
  (3 credits with the focus on literature)
• Kyrgyz History & Culture 3 credits
• Russian or
  Kyrgyz Language 6 credits
• Social Sciences &
  Humanities 12 credits:
• m 3 credits of Philosophy, Religious Studies, or Literature, outside the major
• m 6 credits of Psychology, Sociology, Political Studies, Economics, Law, Ethnology, outside the major
• m an additional 3 credits in classes above, outside the major)

Total 42 credits.

In addition to humanities and social science courses from which you may choose, this year AUK offers the following general education courses:

Code ID

• Computer science COM 101 00401
• Critical skills CTL 105 01050
• Kyrgyz History KET 105 00411
• Kyrgyz Culture KET 101 01199
• Kyrg. Low
• Pre-Intermediate KYR 110 00348
• Kyrg. Pre-Intermediate
• level KYR 210 00347
• Russian RUS 220 01140
• Russian RUS 221 01229
• English Composition I ENG 214 00126
• English Composition II ENG 314 00052
• Mathematics for
• humanitarian MAT 116 00088
• Mathematics for
• social science MAT113 00391
• Mathematics for
• BA and ECO MAT111 00606

You can find the course descriptions of the courses listed above in the sections: Software Engineering program, Kyrgyz Ethnology, Russian Language, Service.

The following requirements refer to the total 144 credits program of study:

m No more than 51.0 credits of introductory (100-level) courses may be counted towards the graduation total of 144 credits. This includes General Education, Departmental Requirements, Minors and Electives

m A minimum of 30.0 credits outside the English language classes must be taught in English

m A maximum of 9.0 credits in physical culture and musical performance may be counted towards the graduation total of 144 credits

m A minimum of 3.0 credits must be in courses focusing on the USA, and an additional 3.0 credits must be in courses focusing on the US or Western countries.

 

Complexity level	Year of study
01-99	Non-credit course,preparatary program
100-199	1
200-299	1-2
300-399	3-4
400-499	4
500-599	4, Master degree
600	Master degree

COURSE NUMBERING SYSTEM

The following course numbering system has been introduced in the American University in Kyrgyzstan:

GRADING SYSTEM

The following grades are used as the basis of the AUK grading system:

 

	GRADE	GRADES POINTS
A	Excellent	4.00
A-	Excellent	3.67
B+	Good	3.33
B	Good	3.0
B-	Good	2.68
C+	Average	2.33
C	Average	2.0
C-	Average	1.67
D+	Poor	1.33
D	Poor	1.0
D-	Poor	0.67
F	Failure	0.0
W	Student withdrew from course without penalty	Not used in computation of GPA
X	Student dropped from course by instructor	Not used in computation of GPA
I	Incomplete	Not used in computation of GPA
P	Passed for degree  credit, only on a passfail basis	Not used in computation of GPA
AU	Audit	Not used in computation of GPA
Quality Points	Sum of numerical grade times the number of credit the course is worth

GRADING EXPLANATION

1. I (Incomplete) indicates that a student has not completed the requirements of the course due to extenuating circumstances such as an illness or a family emergency. These reasons should be reported to the Department and the Registrar's Office. The grade "incomplete" is given by a professor personally, and in this case a contract between a student and a professor is concluded (a contract form is available at the Registrar's Office) in which this grade is substantiated and what should be done by a student to complete course requirements is outlined. If a student fails to complete the required work by the end of the sixth week of the following semester, excluding the summer semester, he or she will automatically receive "F". A student may graduate from the University with the grade "Incomplete" on his/her transcript if he or she receives it during the last semester of the senior year in an elective course outside the major, provided he or she has enough credits to graduate without that course being included.

2. P (Pass) allows a student to get only credit-hours but it does not give him/her additional quality points. P may be given only for elective courses.

3. F (Fail) A student who received F must repeat the same course again if it is a required course. If a students receives the grade of F for a second time he/she will not be issued a Kyrgyz state diploma.

4. W (Withdrawal) Confirms the student's refusal to continue studying this course. This grade can be given by a professor only within the terms established by the AUK Academic Calendar. A student signs the form designed by the Registrar's Office and should repeat this course if it is a required course.

5. X (Unsatisfactory) An unsatisfactory grade which indicates that a student has been dismissed from the course by the professor. An established form is signed by the student and the professor. A student should repeat this course if it is a required one. All professors must include on their syllabi the conditions under which they will give students an X grade, such as three or more unexcused absences.

6. AU (Audit) A student may choose, if the professor agrees to take the course for audit, a course for audit and to receive AU. This grade does not give additional quality points nor does it influence the GPA. The student does not do the written work in the class and the professor therefore does not have to grade any work for that student.

AUDIT REGULATIONS

1. General Regulations

1.1. Everybody may be permitted to audit any course provided that the permission to do so has been granted by the department and instructor concerned.
1.2 Registered students may be permitted to audit up to 6.0 credits in a session.

1.3 Both required and elective courses may be audited.

2. Registration

2.1 The degree of an auditor's participation in the course is at the discretion of the instructor. Expectations of auditors must be consistent throughout the course, and submitted to auditors and the department in written form (syllabus) before the end of the add/drop period.

2.2 Attendance as an auditor will appear on a student transcript as "AU". This grade will not be considered as meeting admission, prerequisite or course requirements for any University credit program. This grade will not affect the student's GPA and repetition of the course will not be required.

2.3 An instructor may drop a student from an audit should the student fail to meet the expectations. In this case the course will not appear on the student's transcript.

2.4 Students may not change the course status they registered for after the completion of the Add/Drop period.

2.5 Students may withdraw from an audit any time. Students who voluntarily withdraw from such a course will not receive the grade of "AU". In this case the course will not appear on the student's transcript.

2.6 Auditors will not be counted towards minimum class size calculations.

COURSE REPETITION
(IN CASE OF "F")

1. A student may repeat any course once. Under exceptional circumstances a student may take the course for a third time provided he/she has been granted the VPAA permission.

The most recent grade received is used in GPA calculation.

2. Should a student fail a required course twice he/she will be expelled from the program.

The student has the right to transfer to another program under which the course failed twice is not a required one. Transfer procedures will be carried out in full compliance with the regulations on transfer within AUK.

3. Should a student fail a general education course twice he/she will be expelled from the University.

4. The student who failed an elective course
has the right to repeat it or complete an acceptable substitute. Substitutes must be approved by the department head and VPAA.
Should the student fail one and the same elective course twice he/she will not be awarded a Kyrgyz state diploma.

DISMISSAL

1. A student may be dismissed from AUK for the reasons described below:

m if he/she violates the AUK Code of Honor;

m for poor academic performance: see "Regulations on Course repletion on a case of F", "Academic Probation";

m For lost connection for one semester

m For failure to fulfill financial obligations to the University, confirmed by the Admissions and Financial Aid Office;

m A student whose cumulative GPA falls below 1.75 should be dismissed. Exception will be made for freshmen.

Other exceptions can be made in special circumstances if a student has been granted the VPAA permission.

2. Dismissal for academic reasons should be completed within a month after the exam period.

3. If dismissed, the student shall be issued an academic certificate in accordance with the format approved by the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Kyrgyz Republic

4. If a student wants to appeal the decision on his dismissal, the request should be submitted within 10 days after the official notification on dismissal.

5. Dismissal Procedure:

m After having finally analysed students' transcripts the Registrar's Office submits a report to the VPAA on the dismissal of students whose GPA is below 1.75.

m Program heads will be distributed copies of this report. If a program head has a different opinion about any student included into the report he/she should submit a report to the VPAA within a week.

m Upon the approval of the report by the VPAA the Registrar's Office issues an order on dismissal. The order on dismissal of students due to academic reasons must be drawn up within one month after the completion of the exam period.

m Students must be familiarized with the order by the relevant program heads within two weeks of the following semester.

READMISSION

1.Both domestic and international students may be readmitted provided all the AUK academic standards and requirements are met.

2. Readmission issues shall be considered by the program head and approved by the VPAA.

3. Readmission application should be submitted together with the student's academic certificate and official transcript.

4. The year of study shall be defined by the Program Head on the basis of the transcript analysis.

5. Readmission procedures should be completed within the first two weeks of the academic term.

6. If readmitted, a student has to conclude a new contract.

PROBATION

1. A student, who's GPA for any given semester is below 2.0, either overall or within her/his department, shall be placed on academic probation. If, in the probationary semester, a student again fails to achieve a GPA higher than 2.0, either overall or within his/her department, she/he may be suspended from the University for a minimum of one semester.

2. During the student's probationary semester she/he will not be permitted to take more than 18 credits.

3. She/he will not be allowed to participate in any University-sponsored extra-curricular activities (academic or sports competitions, etc.).

4. She/he will not be permitted to audit any courses.

TRANSFER WITHIN AUK

1. Academically qualified students may transfer from one AUK program to another. Specific requirements should be discussed in advance with the respective department head.

2. The number of transfers is not limited. The student shall be responsible for completing all the requirements of the curriculum.

3. A student has no automatic right to transfer back to his/her previous program. Requests to transfer back into the original program must be approved by the department head.

4. In most cases a transfer student must
complete all entrance requirements stipulated by the Program into which he/she wishes to transfer. When exams are similar to those of the department from which the student is transferring, results of entrance requirements to his/her previous AUK program may be sufficient. Waiver of entrance requirements must be approved by the program head and the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

5. The year of study of a transfer student shall be defined by the Program Head on the basis of the transcript analysis.

6. All internal transfer procedures should be completed during the first two weeks of the term

7. A student who transfers internally while on probation will remain on probation for the period of time stipulated by the regulations on probation.

TRANSFER STUDENTS

1. AUK admits students in good standing from other recognized institutions around the world. Students wishing to transfer to the American University from another institution should apply to the admissions office for information.

2. A student, who wishes to transfer to AUK from another higher educational institution must submit an AUK application and a complete transcript of all academic work completed at the other institution(s). AUK's registrar's office will determine the amount credit granted for transfer.

3. Specific issues about the academic program at the American University should be addressed to the AUK program head.

4. A student who wishes to transfer to another higher educational institution from AUK should contact the institution to which he or she wishes to transfer in order to become familiar with that institution's transfer policies. Having submitted the transfer application to the rector of the university he is going to transfer to and having received his/her written approval, the student should approach the relevant program head and AUK VPAA. The registrar's office will furnish an official transcript upon the request of a student and payment of the required fee.

5. Transfer students will only be accepted to AUK during the first two weeks of each term

6. Courses with grades of C and higher will be transferred in case of a letter grade system.
Courses with grades of 4 and higher will be transferred in case of a numerical grade system.

7. The maximum account of transfer credit within the major should not exceed 15 credits.

8. To be graduated from AUK (to be awarded an AUK Bachelors degree) a student should earn the last 35 credits in AUK.

DOUBLE MAJOR

1. Double major requires the approval of both relevant department heads, and the Academic Vice-President

2. A student may submit an application for a second major upon the completion of the first year of study only. Entrance tests to be registered will be defined by the relevant program head.

3. A student is supposed to have earned 12 credits in the major he/she is applying for by the date of application. The credits exceeding the above amount will not be counted if the student applied for a second major. The courses to be counted will be defined by the program head.

4. Graduation with a double major requires the completion of the requirements of each major. A student will be responsible for the completion of the requirements of both majors, which may require a longer period of study.

5. Any courses that are included in the requirements for both majors may be counted for both.

6. In the case of similar required courses, a student may petition the relevant department chair to have one course count towards both majors.

MINORS IN AUK

1. General Provisions

In addition to a major AUK students can get a minor. AUK offers the below listed minors:

• American Studies
• British Studies
• Business Administration
• Economics
• French Studies
• German Studies
• International and Comparative Politics
• Interpreter (Spanish)
• Law
• Oriental Studies
• Psychology
• Software Engineering
• Sociology
• Translation and Interpretation (English)
• Teaching English as a Second Language
• More detailed information on minors can be found further in the Catalog

General criteria to get a Minor are as follows:

m the minimum number of credits to be
earned is 21;

m a minimal grade in a course to be considered for a minor should be "C";

m at least 60% of the courses must be from upper level courses.

2.Declaring Minors

Students whose GPA in the major is not lower than 2.5 should obtain permission from the Head of the Major Program and the Head of the Minor Program in order to declare a minor. Second year students should get a special form which is available in the office of the proposed minor, fill it out and hand it in to the Registrar's Office with the appropriate signatures not later than the registration period for the Fall Semester of the third year.

3.Attestation Procedure

Within the timeframe established by the Program, students should take a final complex examination. he Head of the Program in the Minor will grant permission to take the exam. The students will be informed about the forms and conditions of a final exam not later than 2 months prior to the exam.

4.Certification Procedure

Under the condition of a student's GPA being 2.5 and higher and upon the completion of the requirements for a minor and a successful passing of the final complex exam in the minor discipline he/she will be issued a special attachment to the Kyrgyz state diploma and a corresponding entry will be made to his/her American style diploma. .

FINAL STATE ATTESTATION OF AUK GRADUATES

1. Regulations on State Examinations, Diploma Works, and Grading Systems

1. A student who successfully completed all the requirements of a study program is permitted to take the final state attestation after successfully passing the state attestation and he/she is issued a diploma of higher education and has been conferred upon him/her the academic qualification of a bachelor's degree.

2. Final State Attestation of AUK graduates can be conducted in the form of two or more exams in certain academic disciplines or in the form of a final complex (interdisciplinary) exam as well as preparation and defense of a senior thesis. The student is given the right to choose the theme of his/her graduation

qualification work or to suggest his/her own theme provided that there is defensible. The right to write a senior thesis is given to those students who achieved considerable success, on the basis of the decision of the chair of the graduate's department. Preparation and defense of senior thesis at AUK is done in the English language exclusive of the programs listed below for which English is a second foreign language, i.e. French Studies, German Studies, Kyrgyz Ethnology.

3. Evaluation criteria for any type of attestation included into the final state attestation (state exams, graduation qualification papers) are elaborated by the corresponding Chair, approved by the AUK Curriculum Committee and made available to the students who plan on graduation.

2. Final State Attestation in AUK

1. Forms and conditions of conducting attestation tests are made available to the students not less than 4 months prior to the attestation, and the conditions for taking a state exam in the English language (TOEFL), they are made known at the beginning of the academic year. Final state attestation of graduates is conducted in accordance with the Academic Calendar.

In considering the issue of granting permission to a student of the fourth year; to undergo state attestation Program Head should bear in mind that a student should earn not less than 144 credits points inclusive of all kinds of internships and his/her GPA should be not less than 2,0.

3.AUK Diplomas

Upon the completion of studies in any professional educational program and passing final state attestation, students are issued documents indicating the education received. Two types of diplomas are conferred upon AUK students: an American style diploma "Bachelor of Arts" and a Kyrgyz state diploma.

American-Style Diplomas

1. American style diplomas may be of four types: SUMMA CUM LAUDE, MAGNA CUM LAUDE, CUM LAUDE and without honors.

2. General criteria for getting an American-style Bachelor's diploma:

m a student should earn not less than 144 credits for the period of studies in the University inclusive of internships;

m a cumulative GPA for the whole period of studies should be not less than 2,0 ;

m a student should successfully pass a final state exam or defend his/her senior thesis;

m a student should pass his final state exam in English (TOEFL) with a score of 550 scores,
for French and German Studies, Kyrgyz Ethnology a score of 500;

m Compliance with the provisions of the AUK Disciplinary Code.

3. The criteria for American-style diplomas with distinction approved by the AUK Curriculum Committee in April 2000 are as follows:

A diploma of Bachelor of Arts of the 1st degree - SUMMA CUM LAUDE

m the cumulative GPA -minimum 3.8 ;

m a diploma work should be defended in the English language or in the Major language (German, French, Kyrgyz) with "A";

m state exams should be passed with excellent grades.

A diploma of Bachelor of Arts of the 2nd degree - MAGNA CUM LAUDE

m the cumulative GPA -minimum 3.5-3.79 ;

m a diploma work should be defended in the English language or in the Major language (German, French, Kyrgyz) with "A";

m state exams should be passed with excellent grades;

A diploma of Bachelor of Arts of the 3rd degree - CUM LAUDE

m the cumulative GPA -minimum 3.1-3.49 ;

m a diploma work should be defended in the English language or in the Major language (German, French, Kyrgyz) with "A";

m state exams should be passed with excellent grades.

Kyrgyz State Diplomas

1. The criteria for getting a Kyrgyz state Bachelor's diploma are very much the same as for getting an American-style diploma, i.e.:

m a student should earn not less than 144 credits for the period of studies in the University inclusive of all internships;

m his/her cumulative GPA for the whole period of studies should be not less than 2,0

m a successful passing of the final state attestation stipulated by the curriculum;

m a student should pass his final state exam in English (TOEFL) with a score of 550, for French and German Studies, Kyrgyz Ethnology with a score of 500.

2. The graduates who performed extremely well in mastering professional educational program and passed all state examinations with the grade "A" (excellent), and have 25% "Bs" and 75% "As" of the grades for exams are issued Kyrgyz state diplomas with honors. One should bear in mind that it is impossible to get a diploma with honors if you have grades lower than "B".