Undergraduate Student FAQ
If you are having difficulty accessing BlackBoard, please click here.
If you need to access Blackboard for the first time, follow the directions below.
- Navigate to http://bb2.hputx.edu
- Click on "User Login"
- Enter Username: "Firstname.Lastname" (ex. John.Smith)
- Enter Password: "MMDDYYYY" If you were born January-September, omit the leading zero. (ex. 1221985 if you were born on January 22, 1985)
- Once you have successfully logged in, be sure to change your password and update your profile with a current e-mail address. To change your password and update your profile, click on the "Personal Information" link under the "Tools" menu.
To add a class, contact SCS to schedule an appointment with your advisor. Your advisor will help you complete the necessary forms for adding a course. Your signature is required to approve any course addition. Your student account will be adjusted, and you will need to make new arrangements with the Financial Director.
To drop a class before the first scheduled class meeting, contact SCS to schedule an appointment with your advisor. Your advisor will help you complete the forms for dropping a course. Your signature is required to approve the course drop. Your student account will be adjusted, as will any payment arrangements you have made with the Financial Director. Before the course begins, no drop fee is incurred, and tuition may be reimbursed.
To drop a class after the first scheduled class meeting, first take into account the drop fee, the loss of work already completed in the course, and the loss of tuition for the course. Contact both your advisor and professor to explore options for completing the course. If you decide to drop a course already in progress, your advisor will help you complete the necessary forms. Signatures from both student and instructor are required to approve a course drop. After a course begins, a drop fee of $20 per course is incurred, and tuition may not be reimbursed.
How do I allow someone to access my student records and information?
The federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) prohibits SCS from releasing any student information, personal or academic, to anyone other than the student. In order to release records and information to a second party, the student must complete and submit a Student Educational Records and Information Release form. Please note that this form only authorizes SCS (not HPU) to release your information. This form must be renewed each semester.
Once a course is completed, you may check your official grade on HPU's web site. To check grades, follow the steps below
First, access Campus Connect by visiting HPU's web site and clicking on "Student Log In" within the Campus Connect section (or simply click here for a direct link):
Next, enter your Student ID and PIN numbers. Your username is your social security number (numbers only, no dashes). Your PIN is your birth date, formatted as MMDDYYYY. For example, a student with a SSN of 123-45-6789 who was born on January 23rd, 1987 would enter "123456789" and "01231987" for the Student ID and PIN numbers:
When you are logged in, click "View Grades" under the Registration Tab. Please note that here you can also access additional information, such as your current degree plan, schedule, and unofficial transcript.
Finally, choose the semester you wish to view:
How do I find books/articles online?
This tutorial will describe the basic steps to finding books and articles online. For additional assistance, please contact the SCS Librarian.
Students have access to two primary resources for finding books and articles online: the local SCS Library search engine and the HPU EBSCO search engine. The SCS Library search engine will search holdings in the SCS Library. The HPU EBSCO search engine will search a broad range of resources that are available online or through interlibrary loan.
First, visit the SCS Library home at library.stscs.org and click on the icon for the SCS Library Online Database:
On the main search page, you can enter search keywords in the appropriate fields. When you are finished entering search keywords, click the "Search" button:
Search results will be displayed on the following page.
- To scroll through search results, use the "Prev" and "Next" buttons.
- You can use the "Call Number" information to retrieve sources from the SCS Library. Items may be checked out at the library front desk.
- To begin a new search, click the "Search" link.
To access EBSCO, you will need a valid HPU Student ID card. On the back of the card is a thirteen-digit number required for accessing library services off HPU's main campus.
First, visit the SCS Library home at library.stscs.org and click on the icon for the Howard Payne University Library Online:
The HPU Library main page will open in a new window. Click "Online Journals" under the Quick Links menu:
Next click on the database resource you wish to search. The "ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials" is useful for research in areas such as theology, biblical studies, church history, etc. You can add additional databases later.
After selecting a database, you will be asked to enter your HPU identification number. This number is located on the back of your HPU ID Card. When you have finished entering the number, click "Submit."
When you have successfully entered your HPU ID number, you will be taken to the main search page. Here you can add additional databases by clicking on the "Choose Databases" link:
You may add any database you wish to include in your search by checking the box next to the database.
Useful databases for religious studies include
- New Testament Abstracts
- Old Testament Abstracts
- ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
- Religion and Philosophy Collection
When you are finished adding databases, click "OK" to return to the main search page. Here you can enter search keywords and set additional search parameters. When you are finished entering search information, click "Search."
When you click the search button, you will be taken to the results page. From here you can perform a wide range of tasks to refine and preserve your search results. For example:
- To see additional information about a specific source, click on the source title (e.g., "Genesis 2:1-3").
- If the full text of the source is available online, click on the appropriate full-text link (e.g., "PDF Full Text").
- To save information on a specific resource for later viewing, click the "Add to Folder " link.
If you have added items to your search folder for later viewing, a "Folder has items" box will appear in the right-hand column. Click the "Folder View " link to view all sources saved for later viewing.
When you click the Folder View link, you will be taken to a page where you can print, email, save, export, or delete resources:
For further assistance, please contact the SCS Librarian.
How do I find my class schedule?
Once your registration is finalized, you may view your current class schedule on HPU's web site. To check grades, follow the steps below
First, access Campus Connect by visiting HPU's web site and clicking on "Student Log In" within the Campus Connect section (or simply click here for a direct link):
Next, enter your Student ID and PIN numbers. Your username is your social security number (numbers only, no dashes). Your PIN is your birth date, formatted as MMDDYYYY. For example, a student with a SSN of 123-45-6789 who was born on January 23rd, 1987 would enter "123456789" and "01231987" for the Student ID and PIN numbers:
When you are logged in, click "View Schedule " under the Registration Tab. Please note that here you can also access additional information, such as your current degree plan, grades, and unofficial transcript.
Finally, choose the semester you wish to view:
An important goal for SCS is find the best price for student textbooks. Because of this imperative, the means of acquiring textbooks may vary on an individual basis.
In many cases, textbooks will be ordered at a discount from publishers and sold to students at cost. These books can be purchased at SCS during normal business hours, usually one or two weeks before classes begin. SCS will notify all registered students when textbooks become available.
In some cases, the most economical option for purchasing textbooks is online. In these cases, SCS does not order textbooks, and SCS provides students with ordering information and assistance. An excellent online search engine for used books is Addall.
If you register late for a class after textbooks have been ordered, you may need to order the textbooks individually. SCS will provide ordering information and assistance. An excellent online search engine for used books is Addall.
If you have any questions regarding textbooks, please contact the SCS Librarian.
How do I make tuition payments?
To make tuition payments, contact the SCS Financial Director. Payments can be made in person at SCS during normal business hours, over the telephone, or by mail. SCS accepts cash, checks, money orders, Mastercard, Visa, American Express and Discover. Please make checks payable to South Texas School of Christian Studies.
How do I register for classes?
To register for classes, contact SCS to schedule an appointment with your advisor. In order to provide the best assistance to students, an advisement appointment is necessary to complete registration.
Before your appointment, review the current course offerings and complete any necessary financial aid applications:
At your advising appointment, your advisor will review your degree plan with you, consider the progress you have made and plan to make, and address any questions you may have. After confirming which classes you intend to take, your advisor will help you complete the necessary registration forms.
The final step in the advisement appointment is a consultation with the Financial Director, in order to establish a payment plan for your student account. The Financial Director will also provide information and assistance for scholarships and financial aid, and apply any financial aid to your student account.
Your registration is finalized after you have paid one third of your student account. Your registration must be finalized in order to have your textbooks ordered and your name added to the class roster. Please note that your student account must have a zero balance before you may register for courses.
To make a payment to your student account, please contact the SCS Financial Director.
How do I request a transcript?
To request a transcript from Del Mar Community College, click here.
To request a transcript from Texas A & M University in Corpus Christi, click here.
To request an official transcript from Howard Payne University, complete and submit a Transcript Request Form according to the directions on the form. Official transcripts from HPU are $5 per copy.
You can access your unofficial transcript at any time for free by following the steps below.
First, access Campus Connect by visiting HPU's web site and clicking on "Student Log In" within the Campus Connect section (or simply click here for a direct link):
Next, enter your Student ID and PIN numbers. Your username is your social security number (numbers only, no dashes). Your PIN is your birth date, formatted as MMDDYYYY. For example, a student with a SSN of 123-45-6789 who was born on January 23rd, 1987 would enter "123456789" and "01231987" for the Student ID and PIN numbers:
When you are logged in, click "Unofficial Transcript " under the Registration Tab. Please note that here you can also access additional information, such as your current degree plan, schedule, and grades.
To print the transcript, click the printer icon.
I'm graduating. What do I need to do?
The first step is to complete and submit the Notification of Intent to Graduate form. It is important that you complete this form as soon as possible so that SCS can plan for your graduation and address any potential issues.
The second step is to contact your advisor and verify that your degree plan is complete.
Next you will need to complete and submit the "Graduation Application and Diploma, Cap, and Gown Order" form and the "New Alumni Information" form. If you did not receive these two forms when you registered for your final semester of classes, please contact SCS to request them. When you have completed these forms, you can return them to SCS. Please submit these forms as soon as possible, particularly if you plan to attend HPU's commencement in Brownwood.
HPU requires a $60 graduation fee for all graduates that covers the diploma, cap, and gown. You may contact HPU directly to pay with a credit card (325.649.8011), or you may bring a check to SCS (payable to HPU).
If you cannot attend HPU's commencement in Brownwood, you must email Dr. Tew, Vice President of Academic Affairs. In the email, be sure to 1) request to be excused from commencement and explain why you cannot attend (travel distance, for example); and 2) provide an address to which your diploma should be mailed.
Finally, if you are completing general education courses at another institution during your final semester, and if the final transcripts from that institution will not be available one week prior to graduation, then you must submit a signed letter/memo from each professor, on official letterhead for the professor's institution, to HPU. The letter/memo must include:
- Student's name and social security number
- Course number, title, and amount of credit hours
- Estimated final grade for the course
The letter may be faxed to the HPU Registrar (325.649.8011) or returned to SCS.
SCS also hosts a graduation celebration on the SCS campus each spring semester for all graduates. For more information, contact SCS.
My question isn't here, where can I find help?
If you do not find the help you are looking for here, please contact us so that we may further assist you. So that we may improve the student help area, your feedback is greatly appreciated.