Academic Standards and Administrative Requirements - University of Maryland, Baltimore County UMBC

20142015UndergraduateCatalogUniversityofMaryland,BaltimoreCounty

AcademicStandardsandAdministrativeRequirements

StudentResponsibilityApplicationforGraduationRegistrationGradesandAcademicRecordsGradingSystemAcademicHonors

AcademicStandingAcademicClemencyNonapplicableSemesterAcademicIntegrityatUMBC

UMBCsstandardsandrequirementsonacademicmattersaresubjecttochange.

TheacademicpoliciesfoundinthissectionareintendedtosupporttheprimarypurposeofauniversitytheacquisitionofknowledgebyestablishingstandardsofperformanceandacceptableconditionsforattendingUMBC.

Assuch,thesepoliciesrepresentthevaluesoftheuniversityasdevelopedovertimeandcustomarilyareenforcedvigorouslybyitsfacultyandstaff.Theuniformapplicationofpolicyaffordsequitabletreatmentofstudentsandfurther,byholdingthemtohighstandards,enhancesthestatureofUMBCanditsdegrees.

Accordingly,exceptionstopolicyaregrantedonlyinrareinstancesnotbecausetheuniversityisunfeelingtowardindividualneeds,butbecauseitcaresabouttheintegrityofitsacademicstandardsandbelievesthatbymaintainingthatintegrity,theuniversityultimatelyprovidesagreaterservicetotheentirecommunity.

StudentResponsibilityforMeetingRequirementsAsamatterofUMBCpolicyandprocedure,studentsareresponsibleforthemanagementoftheiracademiccareers.Theyareexpectedtofamiliarizethemselveswithresourcessuchastheundergraduatecatalog,thedegreeaudit,andtoremaininformedofallpublisheddegreerequirementsandacademiccalendardates.Failuretodosodoesnotprovideabasisforexceptionstoacademicrequirementsorpolicies.

Althoughstudentsreceiveguidancefromacademicandfacultyadvisors,studentsmustassumefullresponsibilityforcompletingpublisheddegreerequirements.Studentsarealsoexpectedtomaintaincommunicationwiththeuniversityaboutacademic,financial,andotheressentialmatters.Asemailistheuniversitysprimarymediumofofficialcommunicationwithstudents,studentsareresponsibleforreadingofficialmessagessenttotheirUMBCemailaddresses.StudentsarealsoexpectedtomaintaintheircurrentpostaladdressandtelephonenumberintheUMBCDirectory,sincecertainimportantmessageswillbesentviaU.S.mail.

AcademicIntegrityStandardsatUMBCIntegrityliesattheheartoftheacademicendeavor.TheUndergraduateStudentAcademicConductPolicy(Policy)definesandstrivestoensureacademicintegrityatUMBC.ThePolicydefinesstandardsforacademichonestyanddescribestheprocessforaddressingallegationsofundergraduatestudentacademicmisconduct.TheunderlyingphilosophyofthisPolicyisthatmembersoftheuniversitycommunityviewacademicintegrityasaseriousinstitutionalvalueandthatacademicmisconductincidentsshouldberesolvedbyfacultymembersandstudentsinacooperativemanner.

Somecasesofacademicmisconductmayseemmoreseriousthanothershowever,allinstancesofacademicmisconductasdescribedinthePolicyshouldbereportedtotheAcademicConductCommittee.Filingareport,evenwhentheoffensedoesnotappeartobeextensive,flagrant,repeated,orintentionallydeceitful,producestwoworthwhileresults:itcreatesarecordthatcanidentifyastudentwhosemisconductisrepeatedinmorethanonecourseorovermorethanonesemester,anditclarifiesthatUMBCtakesacademicmisconductseriously.

Tothatend,theUMBCFacultySenateadoptedthefollowingstatement,withtheexpectationthatitwouldbeincludedonthesyllabus

foreachundergraduatecourse:

Byenrollinginthiscourse,eachstudentassumestheresponsibilitiesofanactiveparticipantinUMBCsscholarlycommunityinwhicheveryonesacademicworkandbehaviorareheldtothehigheststandardsofhonesty.Cheating,fabrication,plagiarism,andhelpingotherstocommittheseactsareallformsofacademicdishonesty,andtheyarewrong.Academicmisconductcouldresultindisciplinaryactionthatmayinclude,butisnotlimitedto,suspensionordismissal.ToreadthefullStudentAcademicConductPolicy,consulttheUMBCPolicywebsiteavailableathttp://www.umbc.edu/policies/

RegistrationThescheduleofclassesandassociatedpolicyandproceduralinformationforeachtermaremadeavailableontheUMBCWebsite.

StudentsenrollinUMBCclassesonlineviatheuniversitysmyUMBCWebportal,aftermeetingwithanacademicadvisor.Studentsmaynotregisterforclassesinaregularsemester(FallorSpring)untiladvisinghastakenplace.

Studentsareresponsiblefortheirowncourseregistration.Thisincludesfollowingestablishedproceduresforenrollingincoursesforwhichtheywanttoreceivecredit,aswellasdroppingcoursesorwithdrawingfromcoursesortermstheydonotintendtocomplete.StudentsarestronglyencouragedtoreviewtheirscheduleviamyUMBCpriortothefirstdayofclassestoverifytheirenrollments,classmeetingtimes,androomlocations.StudentsalsoneedtorememberthatBlackboardaccessdoesnotequatetoofficialregistrationinthatcourse.Further,studentsmaynotparticipatein,andwillnotbeawardedcreditsorgradesfor,classesinwhichtheyarenotenrolled.

Studentresponsibilityforcourseregistrationincludesfollowingtheestablishedprerequisites,coursesequences,andotherenrollmentrequirements,whetherornotsuchrequirementsareenforcedbytheregistrationsystem.Inregisteringforclasses,studentsarealsoresponsibleforfollowingtheuniversityspolicieswithrespecttopass/failenrollment,courserepeats,andmaximumcourseload.

Unlessspecificallynotifiedotherwise,studentsarenotenrolledinanyclasswithouthavingcompletedtheregistrationtransactionthemselvesaccordingtotheestablishedprocedures.Studentsshouldbemindfulthatiftheyelecttobeplacedonwaitlistsforfullcoursesections,theresponsibilityforenrollmentinthecoursesisassumedatthetimethestudentisplacedonthewaitlist.Thisresponsibilityincludesassumingfinancialobligations.Astudentwhohasdecidednottoassumethatresponsibilitymayremovehisorhernamefromthewaitlistforacourse.

AstudentsfirstregistrationindegreeseekingstatuswilloccurduringorientationprecedingtheirfirstsemesteratUMBC.Forsubsequentsemesters,continuingstudentsmayregisterforthenextsemesterduringAdvanceRegistration(conductedonacreditearnedprioritybasis)orduringGeneralRegistration.LateRegistration,beginningonthefirstdayoftheterm,maybeassessedlatefeesaspublishedontheStudentBusinessServiceswebsite.

CourseLoad

UMBCconsidersstudentsenrolledfor12creditsormoreinafallorspringsemesterorsummertermtobefulltimestudentsFulltimestatusmaybedefineddifferentlybyoutsideagenciesandbysomefinancialaidprograms.

Toregisterformorethan19.5creditsinafallorspringsemester,morethan4.5creditsinawintersessionormorethan8creditsinoneofthetwosummersessions,studentsmusthavepriorwrittenapprovalfromtheiradvisorandtheOfficeforAcademicandPreprofessionalAdvising.

ClassificationofStudents

UMBCstudentsareclassifiedaccordingtothenumberofearnedcreditsasfollows:

Freshman029creditsSophomore3059creditsJunior6089creditsSenior90ormorecredits

UndergraduatesTakingGraduateCoursesforUndergraduateCredit

Subjecttorequirementsdeterminedbytheprogramofferingthecourse,undergraduatestudentsmayregisterintheundergraduate

collegeforgraduatelevelcourses(i.e.,thosenumberedfrom600to898,withtheexceptionof799)forundergraduatecredit.Astudentseekingthisoptionnormallywillbeinthesenioryearhaveearnedanaccumulatedgradepointaverageofatleast3.0havesuccessfullycompleted,withagradeofBorbetter,theprerequisiteandcorrelativecoursesandbeamajorintheappropriateoracloselyrelateddepartmentofferingthecourse

EnrollmentinagraduatelevelcoursedoesnotinanywayimplysubsequentdepartmentalorGraduateSchoolapprovalforcreditforagraduatedegreeatUMBC,exceptinrelationtoapprovedacceleratedbachelors/mastersprograms.

UndergraduatesTakingCoursesforGraduateCredit

UniversitySystemofMarylandundergraduatestudentswhohaveagradepointaverageofatleast3.0inthedisciplineinwhichthegraduatecourseistobetakenmayregisterintheundergraduatecollegeforcertain600levelandhighercourses,whichmaylaterbecountedforcredittowardagraduatedegreeatUMBC.Exceptinapprovedacceleratedbachelors/mastersprograms,thecreditsmustbeinadditiontothoserequiredforthestudentsundergraduatedegree.Creditsinthesenioryearexceedingthoserequiredforgraduationcannotbeusedforgraduatecreditwithoutpriorwrittenapprovaloftheappropriatefaculty.

ChangesinRegistration

Onceregisteredforaparticularsemester,studentsmayaddordropcoursesaccordingtotheAcademicCalendarpublishedontheRegistrarsOfficewebsite.Aftertheendofthescheduleadjustmentperiod,droppedcourseswillbereflectedonofficialtranscriptswithagradeofW.Studentswillreceivegradesforallcoursesnotdroppedbypublisheddeadlines.StudentswhofailtoattendclasswithouthavingdroppedthecoursewillreceiveagradeofFunlesstheyhaveofficiallywithdrawnfromtheuniversity.StudentsmustfollowallregistrationproceduresaspublishedontheRegistrarsOfficewebsiteeachsemester.

StudentswhohavebeenadministrativelyderegisteredfromUMBCorfromaspecificclasswillbenotifiedinwritingviaemailsenttotheirUMBCemailaddress.Deregistrationcanresultfromaclassbeingcancelledduetoinsufficientenrollment,academicordisciplinarysuspension,orotherreasons.

WithdrawalfromUMBC

StudentswishingtowithdrawfromallcoursesforwhichtheyhaveregisteredmustnotifytheRegistrarsOfficebyfilingasemesterwithdrawalnolaterthanthelastscheduleddayofclassespriortofinalexams.TheirtranscriptwillhaveanotationofWithdrawnforthatsemesteriftheirwithdrawaloccursafterclasseshavebegun,andaWwillappearonthetranscriptforeachcourse.Theeffectivedateofwithdrawal,forrefundandgradingpurposes,willbethedatethewithdrawalisreceivedintheRegistrarsOffice.

Whenwithdrawing,studentsshouldbecertaintofollowallprocedures:Failuretodosowillresultinthestudentremainingacademicallyandfinanciallyresponsibleforthecoursesinwhichheorsheisenrolled.FailuretoattendclassesdoesnotconstituteofficialwithdrawalandwillresultinFgradesforallcoursesandliabilityforallcharges.Stoppaymentonchecks,failuretopaythesemesterbill,orfailuretoattendclassesdoesnotconstituteofficialnotificationofwithdrawalandwillnotreleaseastudentfromfinancialoracademicliability.

AstudentwhowithdrawswillbeeligibleforAdvanceRegistrationforthenextterm.Ifnotenrollinginthenextterm,thestudentwillbeeligibleforGeneralRegistrationforthesubsequentterm.Ifnotenrollingfortwosemestersinarow,thestudentisrequiredtoapplyforreadmissionorreinstatementtotheUniversitythroughtheOfficeofAdmissionsandOrientation.

RetentionofRegistrationRecords

WhiletranscriptrecordsarepermanentlyheldbytheRegistrarsOffice,documentationpertainingtotheregistrationforeachsemesterisheldforaperiodoffiveyears.Ifanyquestionsshouldariseregardingdocumentationofenrollmentmorethanfiveyearsbeyondregistrationforacourse,itwillbethestudentsresponsibilitytoproduceproperdocumentationtosupportanyclaimforchangeinrecords.Studentsareurgedtoresolveanyquestionregardingacademicrecordsinatimelymanner.

GradesandAcademicRecordsGradingSystemForallcoursesinwhichastudentisenrolledattheendofthe10thweekofthesemester,thefollowinglettersymbolswillbepostedtothepermanentrecord:A,indicatessuperiorachievementB,goodperformanceC,adequateperformanceD,minimalacceptableachievementF,failureandI,incompletework.WindicatesacoursedroppedaftertheendoftheScheduleAdjustmentPeriod.NA(nonapplicable)denotesacoursethatdoesnotapplytoadegreeprogramanddoesnotenterintoGPA(gradepointaverage)calculations.

UMBCcalculatesgradepointaveragesbyassigningnumericalvaluestolettersymbols:

A=4qualitypointsB=3qualitypointsC=2qualitypointsD=1qualitypointF=0qualitypoints

ThesemestergradepointaverageisdeterminedbymultiplyingthecreditvalueofeachcoursebythenumericalequivalentofeachgradetoproduceaqualitypointtotalandthendividingtotalqualitypointsbytotalcredithoursattemptedincoursesthatareincludedintheGPA.Thesamemethodisusedtocomputecumulativegradepointaverages.

CoursesthatareincludedintheGPAcalculationare,ingeneral,coursestakeninresidenceatUMBCforacademiccreditandforwhichalettergradehasbeenearned.Followingthisprinciple,gradesfromstudyabroadcoursestakenundertheauspicesofUMBCandfromcoursestakenthroughinterinstitutionalenrollmentareincludedintheGPAcalculation.AlthoughcoursestakenonaPass/FailbasisareusuallyexcludedfromtheGPA,suchcoursesareincludedintheGPAifagradeofFailisearned.ExplicitlyexcludedfromtheGPAcalculationaregradesfromdevelopmentalcourses,zerocreditcourses,transfercourses,andcreditbyexam.AlsoexcludedfromtheGPAcalculationarecoursesforwhichaWorIgradeisdisplayedandcourseswithgradesmarkedexcludedornonapplicableduetooperationofthepoliciesoncourserepeats,academicclemency,andthenonapplicablesemester.

Pass/FailGradingOption

Whenstudentshavecompleted30ormorecreditsandareingoodacademicstandingatUMBC,theymayenrollforonepass/fail(P/F)coursepersemesterforatotalof12creditstowardgraduation.

Studentsmayelecttotakeanycourseonapass/failbasisexceptthoseexplicitlyexcludedbythedepartmentorthoseusedtofulfillgeneraleducationormajor/minor/certificaterequirements.StudentsmaydesignateacourseasP/FduringregistrationorchangeacoursetoorfromaP/FoptionwithinthepublishedtimeframeaslistedintheAcademicCalendar.

Thepass/failgradingoptiondescribedaboveisinadditiontoanycoursesthestudentmayhaveenrolledinthatareofferedonlyonapass/failbasis,suchasPhysicalEducation,certainresearchexperiencecourses,andinternshipcourses.

ApassgradeundertheP/FoptionindicatesachievementintherangeofA,B,C,orD.AgradeofPisnotcalculatedintheGPA,butagradeofFiscalculatedintothestudentsGPAinthesamemannerasallFgrades.

IncompleteGrades

AgradeofImaybesubmittedatthediscretionofthecourseinstructorunderexceptionalcircumstancesforcourseworkthatisqualitativelysatisfactorybut,forreasonsbeyondstudentscontrol,cannotbecompleted.Incomplete(I)gradesmaynotbeawardedunlessspecificallyrequestedbyastudent.Allworkmustbecompletedbeforeadatespecifiedbytheinstructor,whichwilltypicallynotbelaterthanthelastdayscheduledforfinalexaminationsduringthenextregularsemester.IfagradechangehasnotbeensubmittedbythedategradesaredueattheendoftheregularsemesterfollowingtheoneinwhichtheIwasissued,agradeofFwillbeawardedautomatically,unlesstheinstructorrequestsaonetime,onesemesterextensionoftheIgradetotheRegistrarsOffice.

Studentsshouldnotreregisterforthecourseinthesemesterduringwhichtheworkistobecompleted.Theoutstandingcourseworkmustbecompletedundertheguidanceoftheoriginalinstructorbythedatespecified,evenifthecourseisnotoffered,theinstructorisnotinresidence,orthestudentisnotenrolledintheuniversity.

IncompletecourseworkmustbecompletedorIgradeswillbeconvertedtoFgradesbeforedegreescanbeawarded.

GradeChanges

Onceacoursegradeisrecordedonthetranscript,agradechangemaybesubmittedbytheoriginalcourseinstructoronlyifthereisanexceptionalcircumstancethatisdocumented.

Gradechangessubmittedwithinoneyearfromtheoriginalgradepostingdeadlinerequireapprovalbytheoriginalcourseinstructorandthedepartmentchairperson.

Gradechangessubmittedmorethanoneyearafterthegradepostingdeadline,postdegree,orintheabsenceoftheoriginalcourseinstructorrequireadditionalapprovalbytheViceProvostandDeanofUndergraduateEducation.

InstitutionalCredit

PhysicalEducationcoursesandcoursesthataredevelopmentalinnaturecarryinstitutionalcreditonly.Thesecreditsareusedtodeterminesemestercreditloads(fulltime/parttime).DevelopmentalcreditsarenotcalculatedintothecumulativeGPAhowever,PhysicalEducationcreditsarecalculatedifanFgradeisearnedinthecourse.Institutionalcreditsarenotcountedtowardtheminimum120requiredforgraduation.

RepeatingCourses

Anycoursemayberepeated,butifagradeofA,B,C,D,orPalreadyhasbeenearnedforthatcourse,thesubsequentattemptdoesnotincreasethetotalcreditsearnedtowardthedegree.Creditsforrepeatedcourseswillonlybecountedoncetowardgraduationrequirements.Onlythehighestgradewillbeusedinthecomputationofthecumulativegradepointaveragehowever,allgradesearnedremainonthepermanentrecord.Somecoursesarerepeatableforadditionalcreditsasspecifiedinthecoursedescriptions.Intheseinstances,allcreditsandgradeswillbeappliedtothestudentsrecord.

UMBChasseverallimitationsthatapplytorepeatingcourses:Studentsmaynotregisterforacoursemorethantwotimes.Theyareconsideredregisteredforacourseiftheyareenrolledaftertheendofthescheduleadjustmentperiod.StudentsmaypetitiontheOfficeofUndergraduateEducationforathirdandfinalattemptofacoursetakenatUMBCoranotherinstitution.

Additionally,studentsmaynotrepeatacourseforahighergradeoncetheyhavesuccessfullycompletedanysubsequentcourseofahigherlevelinanacademicsequence(forexample,studentsmaynotretakeFREN101aftersuccessfullycompletingFREN102).

PermissiontorepeatacourseforasecondattemptatanotherinstitutionmayberequestedbyfilingaverificationoftransferabilityformintheRegistrarsOffice(recommendationbyastudentsfacultyadvisorisrequiredifthecourseisamajor/minor/certificaterequirement).Gradesintransferredcoursesdonotreplaceastudentsgradeinanypriorattemptsofthecourse.StudentsrepeatingaUMBCcourseatanotherinstitutionmustrequestthatthetransferredcoursebeacceptedasarepeat(withtheUMBCattemptdesignatedasnonapplicabletotheUMBCgradepointaverage)whichmayimpactthestudentscumulativeUMBCgradepointaverage.

AuditingCourses

Astudentwhowishestoshowthatheorshehasattendedacoursebutdoesnotseekacademiccredit,mayregisterinacourseasanauditor.ThenotationAUislistedforauditedcoursesforwhichnocreditsareattemptedorearned.

Auditedcoursescountaszerocredittowardallenrollmentcertifications,suchasfulltimeenrollment.Parttimestudentsmustpaytuitionandfeesforauditedcourses.Auditedcoursesdocounttowardmaximumenrollmentlimits.

CoursesmaybedesignatedtoorfromanauditoptionwithinthepublishedtimeframeaslistedintheAcademicCalendar.Whentheauditoptionisselected,thefacultyteachingtheauditedclassmaysetcertaincriteriawhichtheauditormustmeet,suchasclassattendance.

CreditsbyExamination

Degreeseekingundergraduatesmayestablishasmanyas60creditstowardthebachelorsdegreebyUMBCadministeredexaminationsorbytheCollegelevelExaminationProgram(CLEP),AdvancedPlacement(AP)ortheInternationalBaccalaureate(IB)examinations.OfficialscorereportsmustbesenttoUMBCfromtheCollegeBoard(orequivalentforIB).CreditsbyexaminationearnedthroughCLEP,APorIBmaybeusedtofulfillGeneralEducationRequirements,whenequivalenttoaUMBCgeneraleducationcourse.EachacademicdepartmentdetermineswhethercreditsearnedthroughCLEP,AP,orIBmaybeappliedtomajorrequirements.

CreditsearnedthroughCLEP,AP,andIBtestshavenoeffectonthecalculationoftheUMBCgradepointaverage,noraretheyappliedtotheminimumnumberofcreditsneededtoqualifyforhonorsatgraduation.DetailedinformationaboutUMBCpoliciesaboutacceptanceofCLEP,AP,andIBscoresforacademiccreditiscontainedinAppendixII.

UMBCadministeredexaminationsmaybeavailableonceastudenthascompletedatleast12UMBCcreditswithanaverageof2.0orbetter.StudentsmustearnagradeofCorhighertoestablishcreditbyexamination.P/FispermissiblewithinregulationsapplyingtoP/FcoursesatUMBC.GradesofDorFareposted,eventhoughnocreditisearned.Theseexamsmaynotbeusedtorepeatacoursenordotheyapplytowardgeneraleducationrequirements.

Creditbyexammaybeearnedforacoursebyobtainingapprovalfromtheheadofthedepartmentsponsoringthecourse.Acompletedrequestforcreditbyexaminationform,signedbythedepartmentchairperson,thenisforwardedtotheRegistrarsOfficeforprocessing.Afterpaymentofanonrefundablefeeof$5percredit,theexammaybeadministered.GradesthenareforwardedtotheRegistrarsOfficeforpostingonthestudentsofficialrecord.

Transcripts

InresponsetoastudentswrittenorelectronicrequestviamyUMBC,theRegistrarsOfficeissuesofficialtranscriptsofscholasticrecordsforstudentsandalumni.Transcriptrequestsshouldincludefullname,formernamewhereapplicable,address,datesofattendanceandthecompleteaddresstowhichthetranscriptistobesent.Incompliancewithfederalregulations,awrittenrequestmustbesignedbythestudent.

Requestsfortranscriptsshouldbemadeatleasttwoweeksbeforetheyactuallyareneeded.Transcriptsarenotfurnishedforanycurrentorformerstudentwhohasanoutstandingfinancialobligationtotheuniversity.

ConfidentialityofRecords

UMBCmaintainsrecordsofmattersrelevanttotheeducationalprocessofeachstudent.Theserecordscannotbedisclosedtoindividualsotherthanthestudentexceptbywrittenconsentofthestudent,bylegalorderorincarefullycircumscribedinstancesbasedontheUniversitySystemofMarylandsclearlydefinedpolicy,whichcomplieswiththefederalFamilyEducationalRightsandPrivacyActof1974.SeeAppendixIVforacopyofthispolicy.

StudentshavetherighttohavecertaininformationthatisconsidereddirectoryinformationwithheldfromthepublicbynotifyingtheRegistrarsOfficeinwritingatleastonceeachyearoftheirdesiretohavethisinformationwithheld.ContacttheRegistrarsOfficeforfurtherinformation.

AcademicHonors

GraduationHonors

Degreecandidateswhosecumulativegradepointaverageatthetimeofgraduationisbetween3.5and3.7499receivethedegreeCumLaudebetween3.75and3.9499,MagnaCumLaudebetween3.95and4.0,SummaCumLaude.Tobeeligibleforthesehonors,studentsmustcompleteatUMBCaminimumof45creditsthatareapplicabletowardsGPAcalculations.

PresidentsList

Ifstudentsearnasemestergradepointaverageof4.00orhigherforasemesterinwhichtheyareenrolledforatleast12hoursofgradedcredits(noP/F),theywillhavethenotationofPresidentsListpostedtothetranscriptforthatsemester.

DeansList

Ifstudentsearnasemestergradepointaverageof3.75orhigherforasemesterinwhichtheyareenrolledforatleast12hoursofgradedcredits(noP/F),theywillhavethenotationofDeansListpostedtothetranscriptforthatsemester.

SemesterHonors

Ifstudentsearnasemestergradepointaverageof3.5orhigherforasemesterinwhichtheyareenrolledforatleast12hoursofgradedcredits(noP/F),theywillhavethenotationSemesterAcademicHonorspostedtothetranscriptforthatsemester.

GeneralHonors

Duringtheirfreshmanandsophomoreyears,studentsadmittedtotheHonorsCollegeenrollinhonorscourses(typicallyatleastoneeachsemester)thathavelimitedenrollmentandprovideanopportunityforcloseinteractionwithdistinguishedmembersoftheteachingfaculty.DetailedrequirementsfortheHonorscurriculumcanbefoundontheHonorsCollegewebsite,www.umbc.edu/honors.

DepartmentalHonors

Advancedlevelhonorsworkisgenerallyundertakenbyjuniorsandseniorsinthedepartmentoftheirmajorfieldofstudy.Thosedepartmentsthatofferdepartmentalhonorsprogramsenrichthemajorbyprovidingspecialcoursesanduniqueopportunitiesforindependentstudyandresearchundertheguidanceofdepartmentalfaculty.Tograduatewithdepartmentalhonors,studentsmustcompleteatleastninecreditsindepartmentalhonorscourses,haveaGPAof3.5orhigherintheirmajor,andsatisfyanyotherrequirementsspecifiedbytheirmajordepartment.

AcademicStanding

AcademicStanding

MinimumStandardsforContinuedEnrollment

Allundergraduateswithacumulativegradepointaverage(GPA)of2.0oraboveareingoodacademicstandingandareacademicallyeligibletoreturnforsubsequentsemesters.

AcademicWarning

AstudentingoodacademicstandingwhosecurrentsemesterGPAfallsbelow2.0foranyfallorspringsemesterwillreceiveanacademicwarningandmayberequiredtoparticipateinadvising,tutoringoracademicskillsinterventionsdesignedtoimproveacademicperformance,aswellasapossiblelimitonthenumberofcredithoursattempted.Academicwarningisnotrecordedonthestudentsofficialrecord.

AcademicProbation

AstudentwhosecumulativeGPAfallsbelow2.0asoftheendofafallorspringsemesterwillbeplacedonacademicprobation.Astudentmaybeenrolledinclassesduringaprobationarysemester,butmayberequiredtoparticipateinintensiveadvising,academicskillscoursesorworkshops,andmayberequiredtolimitthenumberofcredithoursattempted.Academicprobationisrecordedonthestudentsofficialrecord.

AcademicSuspension

Followingtwoconsecutivesemestersonacademicprobation,astudentwhosecumulativeGPAandcurrentsemesterGPAarebothbelow2.0willbeacademicallysuspendedfromtheuniversityasofthestartofthenextregularsemester.

Astudentwhohasreceivedasuspensionnotificationmayattendtheupcomingsummerorwintersessionbutisineligibletobeenrolledforthenextfallorspringsemesteroranysubsequenttermunlessformallyreinstated.Academicsuspensionisrecordedonthestudentsofficialrecord.

IfthecumulativeGPAremainsbelow2.0butthecurrentsemesterGPAis2.0orhigher,suchastudentwillbeplacedonacademicprobationforanadditionalsemester.

ReinstatementafterSuspension

TheAcademicActionsandReinstatementCommitteereviewsallreinstatementapplications.CoursescompletedatotherinstitutionswhilethestudentwassuspendedfromUMBCwillbeconsideredfortransfercreditundertheusualrulesfortransfer.Generally,areinstatedstudentwillhavesubsequentlycompletedatleast12creditsofacademicworkatanotherinstitution,withaGPAofatleast2.5,orthestudentwillhavebeenabsentfromUMBCforasignificantperiodoftime.

AcademicDismissal

Afterastudenthasbeenreinstated,thefirstinstanceofacumulativeGPAoflessthan2.0atthecloseofafallorspringsemesterwillresultinacademicprobation.ThesecondconsecutivesemesterofacumulativeGPAlessthan2.0willresultindismissalfromtheuniversityifthestudentscurrentsemesterGPAwasalsobelow2.0.Ingeneral,astudentwhohasbeenacademicallydismissedwillnotbeconsideredforfuturereinstatement.IfthestudentscumulativeGPAisbelow2.0butthesemesterGPAis2.0orhigher,thestudentisplacedonacademicprobationforanadditionalsemester.

NonapplicableSemesterStudentsmayrequesttodeclareaparticularsinglesemester,inwhichatleastninecreditswereattempted,nonapplicabletotheirrecord.Toqualify,thestudentmusthaveearnedaminimumof90credits,atleast45ofwhichwereearnedatUMBC,andthequalityoftheworkforthespecifiedsemestermustbeclearlyoutoflinewiththerestofthestudentsrecord.Inordertobeconsideredforanonapplicablesemester,theGPAforthespecifiedsemestermusthavebeenlessthan1.5.Additionally,thestudentmustclearlyhavechangedthefocusoftheiracademicprogram.StudentsmaypetitiontheOfficeofUndergraduateEducationtobeconsideredforanonapplicablesemester,inwhichanemailofsupportfromthestudentsacademicadvisorwillalsoberequired.

Ifthepetitionisapproved,thesemesterwillbemarkedonthepermanentrecordasnonapplicable(NA),however,allgradesearnedwillstillappear.Creditsattempted,creditsearnedandqualitypointswillnotbeusedincalculatingthecumulativegradepointaverage.Toreceiveadegree,studentswillhavetorepeatanycoursesrequiredforgraduationthatweretakenduringthesemester

madenonapplicable.

AcademicClemencyStudentswhoarereadmittedorreinstatedafteralapseoffivecalendaryearsormoremaypetitiontheRegistrarsOfficeduringthefirstsemesterofreturntoUMBCtohaveupto16creditsoffailinggradesexcludedfromthecalculationoftheirUMBCgradepointaverage.Ifthepetitionisapproved,thespecifiedcourseswillbemarkedonthepermanentrecordasnonapplicable(NA),however,allgradesearnedwillstillappear.Coursesapprovedforexclusionfromgradepointaveragecalculationsmaynotbechangedthereafter,evenifthestudentchangeshisorhermajor.

ApplicationforGraduationStudentsmustfileaformalapplicationforgraduationwiththeRegistrarsOfficeduringtheirfinalsemester.ThedeadlineforapplyingforMaygraduationisFebruary15forAugustgraduation,June15andforDecembergraduation,September15.

UMBCcommencementceremoniesareheldinDecemberandMay.StudentswillbeeligibletoparticipateintheDecembercommencementceremonyiftheyhavebeengrantedanundergraduatedegreeforthepreviousAugustgraduationperiodoriftheyareenrolledforthefallsemesterinallcourseworkneededtofulfillabachelorsdegree.

StudentswillbeeligibletoparticipateintheMaycommencementceremonyiftheyhavesuccessfullycompletedallgraduationrequirementsorareenrolledforthespringsemesterwithallcourseworkneededtofulfillabachelorsdegree.

StudentsparticipatinginthecommencementceremonyaregraduationcandidatesactualdegreeswillnotbeawardeduntiltheRegistrarsOfficehascertifiedsuccessfulcompletionofallrequiredcourses.Basedonthatcertification,adegreecompletionnotationispostedtoeachstudentstranscriptanddiplomasaremailed.

Studentsshouldreviewtheirprogresstowardcompletionofgraduationrequirementsinconsultationwiththeiracademicadvisorsonaregularbasis.Whiledegreeauditreportsareforadvisingpurposesonlyandarenotofficialrecordsofacademichistoryorcompletionofdegreerequirements,studentsareencouragedtoreviewtheirdegreeaudittoassistinassessingcompletionofgeneral,universityandmajorspecificrequirements.Studentsshouldconsultwithanadvisorintheappropriateacademicdepartmentswithregardtothecompletionofprogramrequirements.