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Rules regarding the degree grading/record system at umbc
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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.