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Frequently Asked Questions

Do graduate schools and employers accept narrative evaluations?

Yes. With over forty years of narrative evaluations for our students, we find that graduate schools and employers actually appreciate having more detail about students' performance in classes and regularly accept these transcripts.

Can Evaluations be “translated” into grades?

The majority of Johnston students who go on to professional schools and graduate programs do so without the translation of evaluations into grades. On the rare occasion when a school requires a letter grade, we provide that service by asking faculty (or the Director if the faculty isn’t available) to read their past evaluations and then provide a grade. We provide this service after a student graduates or if a student is transferring, and only after a formal request has been made to the Johnston registrar. We do not officially translate grades for students who are currently enrolled, although we can provide an unofficial G.P.A. for grants, military, insurance companies, or scholarships. A student who needs this kind of verification must first request a translation through the Registrar’s Office. The Director will then read evaluations to provide the necessary information.

Can Johnston students get Honors?

* Latin Honors: Because they lack the G.P.A. on which Latin honors are predicated, Johnston students do not qualify for them. This rule on Latin honors is long standing in Johnston where our commitment to individualized contract based education argues against honors that are based on competitive measures inherent to a graded assessment system. * Phi Beta Kappa: Because this type of Honors emphasizes the equal importance of breadth and excellence in the liberal arts, Johnston students are eligible to achieve it. * Department Honors: Each department decides if they want to allow Johnston students to compete for honors and this depends on their requirements for G.P.A. or course sequencing. Interested students should inquire directly to individual departments.

Can students opt out of the Cross-cultural component of a Johnston education?

In rare instances, students may have good reason for not accumulating cross-cultural experience and will make their case to the contract committee. If the committee agrees with the student’s case, the student must write an essay about cross-cultural learning that must be approved by the Director.

Do Johnston Students have to fulfill the Liberal Arts Foundation requirements?

No. As a program where students individualize their educational course of study, there are no official LAF requirements. However, in their Graduation Contracts, Johnston students are asked to address the liberal arts within an interdisciplinary context. For more information on this policy and philosophy, see the section on Graduation Contracts (page 9).

Are Johnston students subject to the same standards of Academic Dishonesty, Warning, Probation and Disqualification?

Yes. Cases of plagiarism or other academic dishonesty issues in Johnston are reported in accordance with University policy. Please do not write the case up in the evaluation until the situation is resolved and then be mindful that confidential academic actions do not belong in a public document.

What does on-complex mean?

The term refers to the Johnston buildings “Bekins” and “Holt”. Bachelor of Science and Art Majors: Students seeking to negotiate a graduation contract with a Bachelor of Science must have a science faculty member on their graduation committee. Similarly, those students with a concentration in art are expected to have someone from the Art Department on their committee. Music Emphasis: Johnston students who anticipate a serious emphasis in Music are asked to consult with a member of the School of Music.