Academic Rules

This is the official version of the general academic rules of Syracuse University (SU) effective for the 2014-2015 academic year. The rules are presented alphabetically by topic, reflecting distinctions between undergraduate and graduate rules as appropriate. Both undergraduate and graduate students will find that their individual school/college/department has additional rules that apply. In the case of graduate students, these rules may be more restrictive than the general University rule.

Additional Sources for Information

There are a number of other sources for information and rules that are important for students. They include, but are not limited to, the following:

Financial Aid Home
Student Handbook
SU Abroad
Tuition, Fees & Related Policies

Also see school, college, and academic department materials and websites.

Academic Integrity

At Syracuse University, academic integrity is expected of every community member in all endeavors. Academic integrity includes a commitment to the values of honesty, trustworthiness, fairness, and respect. These values are essential to the overall success of an academic society. In addition, each member of the university community has a right to expect the highest standards of academic integrity from all other community members. An individual’s academic dishonesty threatens and undermines the central mission of the University. It is unfair to other community members who do not cheat, because it devalues efforts to learn, to teach, and to conduct research. Academic dishonesty interferes with moral and intellectual development, and poisons the atmosphere of open and trusting intellectual discourse. Syracuse University’s academic integrity policy and procedures are administered by the Academic Integrity Office in the Division of Academic Affairs, and all schools and colleges (see supplemental policy and procedures for the College of Law).

Academic Integrity Expectations

Academic integrity is violated by any dishonest act which is committed in an academic context including, but not limited to the following:

Use of Sources Plagiarism is the use of someone else’s language, ideas, information, or original material without acknowledging the source. Examples of plagiarism:

1. Paper is downloaded from an Internet source and/or obtained from a paper mill.
2. Paper contains part or all of the writings of another person (including another student), copied without citation.
3. Paper contains passages that were cut and pasted from an Internet source, without citation.

While students are responsible for knowing how to quote from, paraphrase, and cite sources correctly, the ability to apply that information in all writing situations is an advanced literacy skill acquired over time through repeated practice. When a student has attempted to acknowledge sources but has not done so fully or completely, the instructor may determine that the issue is misuse of sources or bad writing, rather than plagiarism. Factors that may be relevant to the determination between misuse of sources and plagiarism include prior academic integrity education at Syracuse University, and the program level of the student.

Course Work and Research

1. The use or attempted use of unauthorized aids in examinations or other academic exercises submitted for evaluation;
2. Fabrication, falsification, or misrepresentation of data, results, sources for papers or reports; in clinical practice, as in reporting experiments, measurements, statistical analyses, tests, or other studies never performed; manipulating or altering data or other manifestations of research to achieve a desired result; selective reporting, including the deliberate suppression of conflicting or unwanted data;
3. Copying from another student’s work;
4. Actions that destroy or alter the work of another student;
5. Unauthorized cooperation in completing assignments or examinations;
6. Submission of the same written work in more than one course without prior written approval from both instructors.

Communications

1. Violating the confidentiality of an academic integrity investigation, resolution, or documentation;
2. Making a false report of academic dishonesty;
3. Dishonesty in requests for make-up exams, for extensions of deadlines for submitting papers, or in any other matter relating to a course.

Representations and Materials Misuse

1. Falsification of records, reports, or documents associated with the educational process;
2. Misrepresentation of one’s own or another’s identity for academic purposes;
3. Misrepresentation of material facts or circumstances in relation to examinations, papers, or other academic activities;
4. Sale of papers, essays, or research for fraudulent use;
5. Alteration or falsification of University records;
6. Unauthorized use of University academic facilities or equipment, including computer accounts and files;
7. Unauthorized recording, sale, purchase, or use of academic lectures, academic computer software, or other instructional materials;
8. Expropriation or abuse of ideas and preliminary data obtained during the process of editorial or peer review of work submitted to journals, or in proposals for funding by agency panels or by internal University committees;
9. Expropriation and/or inappropriate dissemination of personally-identifying human subject data;
10. Unauthorized removal, mutilation, or deliberate concealment of materials in University libraries, media, laboratories, or academic resource centers.

Course-Specific Expectations

1. The instructor of record is responsible for determining and communicating course-specific academic integrity expectations. Instructors of record are responsible for stating, in writing, course-specific expectations, particularly those regarding use of sources and collaboration.
2. Students are responsible for consulting their instructors for any clarification needed on academic integrity standards, including those set forth in this policy and those that are course-specific.
3. Collusion is assisting or attempting to assist another in an act of academic dishonesty. Collusion is distinct from collaborative learning, which may be a valuable component of scholarly development. Acceptable levels of collaboration vary in different courses, and students are expected to consult with their instructor if they are uncertain whether their cooperative activities are acceptable.

Transcript Notation

When an “F” grade for course failure is imposed for an academic integrity violation, the grade on the transcript will be marked with the notation “(X).” The failing grade is counted toward the GPA. If the “(X)” notation is applied for a first violation, it will be removed only upon the student’s completion of an educational program and full compliance with all consequences associated with the violation. After the “(X)” notation is removed, the student may petition to flag the failing grade. If the “(X)” is applied for a subsequent violation, the notation will be permanently retained on the transcript.

Academic integrity violations that do not involve course work may also be noted on a student’s transcript. Such violations appear on the transcript as “Academic Integrity Sanction” with the date the sanction was imposed. If the sanction is applied for a first violation, it will be removed only upon the student’s completion of an educational program and full compliance with all consequences associated with the violation. If the sanction is a applied for a subsequent violation, it will be permanently retained on the transcript.

Academic Renewal

Undergraduate Students

Undergraduates who are readmitted or admitted (for previously non-matriculated students) to SU with a cumulative GPA of less than 2.0 may apply for academic renewal, if returning after an absence of seven years (14 full fall and spring semesters). Before applying for academic renewal:

• discuss academic consequences with an advisor in your school/college
• if you are receiving or plan to apply for financial aid, discuss the process of academic renewal with a financial aid counselor

During the first semester of your re-admission or admission, complete a contract with your school/college no later than the midterm date of that semester, as published in the academic calendar

• Schools/colleges will review main campus students’ academic renewal requests at the end of the first semester. Unless otherwise noted in the table below, a minimum semester GPA of 2.5 is required for a full-time course load with no I, F, NA, P, V, WD, or missing grades.
• University College students must complete 12 credits within two years (four consecutive fall and spring semesters) and must have attained a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5, with no I, F, NA, P, V, WD, or missing grades.

There will be no selective review of only certain courses for flagging. If you do not meet your school’s/college’s requirements for academic renewal at the time of review, you may not petition again.

School/College Rules

Academic Renewal and the Transcript

If academic renewal is approved, your GPA will be reset to 0.00, and the GPA calculation will resume with the courses you take after readmission or admission. The courses you took before academic renewal will still appear on your transcript, but will be flagged (see Flagging) to remove them from all credit and grade calculations. The notation “(ar)” will reflect that flagging was done under the academic renewal policy. Your prior coursework will be evaluated in the same manner as transfer credit. Only prior coursework with a grade of C or higher (no C-, D, or F grades) that can be applied toward your degree program will be accepted as a block of credits from your prior record. Grades in these courses will not calculate toward your GPA. If you subsequently transfer to another SU school/college, prior coursework will be re-evaluated.

If you elect academic renewal, then to be considered for University honors at graduation you must complete 60 credits of SU letter-graded courses that can be calculated in your GPA.

Academic Standing

Minimum GPA to Continue Graduate Work

Graduate Students

Graduate students must earn at least a 2.8 cumulative GPA in the first 30 credits of graduate study at Syracuse University. The academic unit may cancel matriculation if this requirement is not met.

Class Standing

Undergraduate Students

Class standing is determined by the number of SU-earned credits, plus credits accepted for transfer credit and other types of external credit, e.g., AP examination. Class standing is calculated as follows:

Academic Probation

Any student who has a cumulative GPA of less than 2.0 and for whom a more serious action is not appropriate may be placed on probation. You may also be placed on probation if your semester GPA falls below 2.0, or if you fail to meet other criteria for good academic standing as established by your school/college. Each school/college reviews its students’ records and determines the appropriate probation actions to be applied from the categories listed below. School/college offices can provide more detailed information about academic policies. If you are under any academic probation your financial aid may be impacted.

Schools/colleges send probation letters that explain the reason for the action, such as low cumulative GPA or number of Incompletes, and specify the conditions under which good academic standing can be regained.

The probation categories are described below and include College Probation; Probation, One-Semester Trial; and Academic Suspension. Schools/colleges may:

• apply any one of the categories at any time, depending on school/college policy and individual student records; categories are not necessarily applied sequentially
• apply an action more than once to the same student

College Probation

This action applies to a student who has a cumulative average above 2.0, but who fails to meet other school/college criteria for good standing. These criteria include the following:

School/College Rules

Probation, One-Semester Trial

If your school/college determines that you have serious deficiencies in progress toward your degree requirements, usually including a cumulative GPA below 2.0, the school/college may impose a one-semester trial specifying that certain requirements be met by  the end of the term. Failing to meet these requirements may result in suspension. Each school/college’s standards are available at the school/college undergraduate office.

Ineligible to Continue

If your school/college sets specific conditions for continuing registration, this action may be applied to cancel early registration and/or prevent participation in registration for new coursework until the requirements are met. It may also apply in situations where full-time status is no longer allowed, but part-time status is permitted. A student who is ineligible to continue may have a GPA either above or below 2.0.

Academic Suspension

Academically suspended students are officially withdrawn from the University. Students face academic suspension for failing to meet the conditions established by any previous probation action or for seriously departing from standards required for good standing. GPA may be either above or below 2.0 at the time of suspension. If a suspension action is taken, the school/college will send a letter:

• specifying the reason for the action
• explaining appeal procedures

The next semester’s registration will be cancelled or prevented, and future semester registrations won’t be allowed unless:

• you have successfully appealed your suspension; or
• you have been accepted to a new school/college as an internal transfer; or
• you have been readmitted to the school/college that suspended you (See Leave of Absence, Withdrawal, and Readmission).

Advanced Credit Examinations

Advanced Credit (AC) examinations provide matriculated students the opportunity to be tested on, and to receive credit for, knowledge and skills already achieved that would be covered by regular SU courses. You must petition the appropriate academic department for approval to take an AC exam; the department is under no obligation to approve the request. The exams are administered and graded by faculty. Each Advanced Credit exam carries a fee, at an amount published each year in Tuition, Fees, and Related Policies. For undergraduates, your school/college may accept a maximum of 30 semester hours from a combination of SU Advanced Credit exams and any other credit (e.g., AP exams, experiential learning). Advanced Credit exams

• must be associated with SU course subjects and numbers
• are not appropriate for all courses, such as Selected Topics and those that require a Proposal for Independent Study
• may not be applied to the residency requirement (see Residency Requirement)
• may not be taken in a course for which credit was already earned
• are not considered as retaken courses for flagging purposes [see Flagging (Removing courses from calculation toward the degree and GPA)]
• will be removed from the official transcript if an equivalent course is subsequently taken at SU and passed
• are recorded on the transcript by credit hours and grade, and contribute to total credit hours earned and cumulative degree GPA

Graduate Students

Graduate students who wish to obtain credit toward advanced degrees for knowledge in a field essential to their programs of study but acquired by means that preclude formal transfer to SU may petition for an Advanced Credit examination in a course or courses covering the relevant area of study. The petition requesting an Advanced Credit examination must state the basis for the belief that the student has attained competence at the graduate level in the specified academic area and be accompanied by a statement from the student’s department supporting the petition and accepting responsibility for preparing and administering the examination. The minimum passing grade for a graduate AC Exam is B.

Undergraduate Students

Approval of your academic advisor, the appropriate department chair, and your home school/college is required in order to take an Advanced Credit examination. You must earn a grade of C or higher to pass the exam. AC exams count toward the 30 semester hours maximum credits that will be accepted from a combination of AC exams, experiential learning, extra-institutional credit, and external examination programs toward your total number of credits required for graduation.

Attendance in Classes

Attendance in classes is expected in all courses at SU. Class attendance requirements and policies concerning nonattendance are established by the instructor(s) of each class.

Competency and Proficiency Examinations

Advanced standing, exemption, or placement examinations may be given by certain departments, e.g., mathematics; English; and languages, literatures, and linguistics, to determine where students should be placed in a certain sequence of courses.

No credit is given for these examinations, and no requirements are waived by successfully completing placement or advanced standing examinations. You may, however, be excused from prerequisite courses on the basis of these examinations.

Consortium Agreements

SU has formal consortia arrangements through SU Abroad, the Consortium for Culture and Medicine, and the Graduate Scholar Exchange Program. Except for these, SU does not allow students to enroll at other institutions under an individual consortium arrangement, nor does it award financial aid to students who choose to enroll at other institutions, e.g., while on a leave of absence.

If you are a matriculated SU student who wants to study abroad through a program not directly administered or sponsored by SU Abroad, contact the SU Abroad office at least three months before the start of the program to request consideration for a consortium agreement, which is required if you want to have the classes you take abroad count toward your degree program and continue to receive financial aid during your overseas program.

If approved for a consortium agreement, credit earned through such programs is generally treated as SU credit. Your school/college and/or department will determine acceptable courses and how they will be applied.

Courses

Course Numbering System

Refer to the Guide to Reading Course Descriptions  section of the course catalog for further explanation.

Credit

The unit of credit at SU is the semester hour. Each semester hour represents one class period of 50 minutes per week for 15 weeks, or the equivalent. Laboratory or field courses require a minimum of two or three class periods a week for each credit hour.

This section of the Academic Rules describes certain options for credit that may apply toward some students’ degree and certificate programs. Transfer credit, experiential learning, external exams, and restricted graduate credit are among the examples described below. See the Course Catalog and confer with your academic advisor for a complete overview of credit requirements needed to fulfill your degree or certificate requirements.

Restricted Graduate Credit

Restricted graduate credit is credit earned at the graduate level by students who aren’t matriculated in a graduate program. Restricted credit must be converted to graduate credit in order to be included in a graduate degree or certificate program. All coursework taken as a non-matriculated student automatically calculates toward the graduate GPA unless a petition to flag the courses is submitted to and approved by the Graduate School, after matriculation in a degree or certificate program.

Conversion to Graduate Credit

You may apply to have up to 12 credits of restricted graduate credit converted to graduate credit if you meet all of the following conditions:

• you become matriculated in a graduate degree or certificate program
• your overall average in all SU graduate work is at least 2.8
• you earned a B or better in each course
• your courses are part of a degree or certificate program approved by your department
• you have completed your coursework within the time limit allowed for the degree

Restricted graduate credit earned during the term in which you become matriculated in the Graduate School is converted automatically to graduate credit.

School/College Rules

Counting Credits Towards Multiple Degrees and/or Programs

NYSED limits the counting of credits toward multiple degrees and/or programs to protect the academic integrity of each degree and/or program. When a student is counting credits towards multiple degrees and/or programs, in the same or closely related field(s) and the coursework makes up an integral part of the degrees and/or programs, the following restrictions apply:

1. In no instance shall course credit be counted more than twice in satisfaction of the requirements for multiple degrees and/or programs.
2. In order to earn two or more distinct degrees and/or programs (including Certificates of Advanced Study (C.A.S), you must earn a minimum of 80 percent of the combined total of SU credits normally required for each of the degrees. However, in cases where the C.A.S. curriculum is embedded within another degree program, credit from the C.A.S. may be counted in its entirety for the C.A.S. and other degree.
3. Two 12-credit C.A.S.s may not be awarded for less than 21 credits.
4. Two 30-credit Master’s degrees will not be awarded for fewer than 51 credits, nor will three 30-credit Master’s degrees be awarded for fewer than 75 credits.
5. You must be admitted to the degree program in each of the awarding academic units.

Note: These restrictions do not apply to joint/dual programs with the College of Law or the Master of Philosophy degrees.

SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and SU concurrent study: SU and SUNY ESF have agreements that encourage concurrent master’s study in environmental science and forestry with SU degree work in public communications, law, management, public administration, and certain education programs. Other SU fields may also qualify. Contact your school/college, the Graduate School and SUNY ESF for specific requirements and procedures regarding concurrent degree work and counting of credits.

Undergraduate and Graduate Coursework

Undergraduate Students

If you are an undergraduate (matriculated or non-matriculated) who would like to take graduate-level courses at SU that would apply toward a future SU graduate degree or certificate program, you must petition to register for these courses. Such courses will earn “restricted graduate credit” until you register as a matriculated SU graduate student.

After you matriculate, and with approval of a petition, the graduate credits earned while an undergraduate will be transferred into your graduate record, subject to the conversion to graduate credit rules, as a block of credit hours. These credits will not be applied toward the SU undergraduate degree. They will be flagged on the undergraduate section of the transcript and removed from calculations there. Under no circumstances will grades earned in these flagged courses calculate in either the undergraduate or graduate GPA.

No credit that is applied to the undergraduate degree may be applied also to the graduate degree, unless such double-counting falls under the explicit articulation of a combined bachelor’s and master’s degree program that has been approved by and registered with NYSED.

Calculation of Credit Hours

The following calculate toward cumulative credit and grade totals on your academic transcript:

• letter grades and Incompletes
• a course in which a “Pass (P)” was earned is included in total earned credits but not grade point calculations

Calculations made by schools/colleges to determine progress toward degree requirements may exclude courses appearing on your transcript that are not applicable to the specific degree program. As noted under the flagging rules, courses may be removed from calculation under certain circumstances.

Undergraduate Students

With the approval of your home school/college, you may apply as free elective credit up to six credit hours of college-level remedial and developmental courses (numbered 000-099) in which a passing grade was earned toward your degree requirements.

Flagging (Removing Courses from GPA, Credit and Degree Calculation)

When certain requirements are met, courses may be “flagged,” which excludes them from GPA and semester and cumulative credit hour totals. The flag symbol is noted on the official transcript. Flagging a course may affect financial aid eligibility e.g., flagging a course in which a passing grade was earned may alter the calculation of satisfactory progress. For additional information, see your financial aid counselor.

Once your degree has been awarded, you may not request to flag courses taken before the degree date.

Flagging Courses That Have Been Retaken

To qualify for flagging, both the original and subsequent course must be taken at SU and have the same course subject and number. A school/college may prohibit you from flagging a lower level course after you have completed with a passing grade a higher level course in the same subject.

If a course is no longer offered under the same subject and/or number, you may petition the school/college in advance to retake the course most nearly equivalent in content and level. Certification by the academic department that the course is a close equivalent–not just a substitution for the degree requirement–is required.

Except as noted in TABLE A, only the credits and grade received in the second course will count.

• Both the original course and the retaken course remain on your transcript.
• A course is repeatable if it may be retaken and counted more than once toward fulfillment of degree requirements. You may not flag courses designated as repeatable, since course content is different each time the course is offered. Exceptions:
  • Selected Topics courses (with numbers ending in “00”) may be flagged if they have exactly the same title
  • Proposal for Independent Study courses may be flagged when the course subject, number, description, and requirements are the same
• Advanced Credit exams or courses that merely substitute for a degree requirement are not considered to be retaken courses for flagging purposes.

Graduate Students

You may petition your academic unit and the Graduate School to flag the following:

• undergraduate or remedial courses that are not part of your graduate program, such as English as a Second Language
• courses taken while non-matriculated
• when officially changing degree programs, courses that don’t apply to your new degree program under certain conditions. Contact your department for further information.
• when retaking a course in which you earned a grade of C+, C, C- or F, with the approval of your academic unit and the Graduate School. Graduate courses may retaken only once. (Note that unless flagging is requested, both the original course and the retaken course will be included in calculations.)

Undergraduate Students

Courses that have been retaken will be flagged according to the following rules.

TABLE A Retaken Courses and Flagging Rules

Flagging Courses When Changing School/College or Program

Undergraduate Students

If you are admitted through intra-university transfer into a different SU school/college, you may petition to flag courses you already completed that can’t be included in your new program. You must first meet minimum criteria for admission to the new school/college or program, and can only petition your new school/college to flag courses after admission. If you change programs within your school/college, in rare instances when the new program requires preparation distinctly different from that of the former program, you may petition to have courses flagged that can’t be applied toward your new program. Simply changing majors does not qualify for flagging.

Arts and Sciences: Only D and F grades in non-Arts and Sciences courses that were required for the previous program may be flagged at the student’s request. A, B, C, and I grades in such courses cannot be flagged.

Education and Management: If you transfer into either of these schools and elect to flag courses that do not apply toward your new program, then you must flag all courses that don’t apply.

Flagging Graduate-Level Courses Taken as an Undergraduate

If you petition to take graduate-level courses that will not apply to your undergraduate degree, you may also petition to flag those courses so that they don’t count toward your undergraduate record. If the courses are subsequently accepted as restricted graduate credit toward a graduate program at SU, then they will automatically be flagged on the undergraduate transcript. In that case, credits earned in the courses will count toward the graduate degree requirements, but the grades will calculate in neither the undergraduate nor the graduate GPA.

Flagging Courses Under Academic Renewal Policy

See Academic Renewal

Transfer Credit

In compliance with NYSED regulations, SU only awards transfer credit for courses that are an integral part of an SU degree program, as determined by the appropriate SU academic unit.

Graduate Students

At the graduate level, schools/colleges and departments may assess and accept credit

• earned at another regionally accredited graduate school in the United States or at an institution equivalently recognized in another country;
• earned in a course in which the grade earned was at least a B. Coursework completed on a pass/fail basis is not eligible for transfer, unless approved by both the academic unit chair and the dean of the Graduate School; and
• that is an integral part of the degree program.

Transfer credit should be evaluated and posted no later than the end of the semester preceding the semester in which coursework for the degree will be completed. All coursework applied toward a degree must comply with all time limitations.

A maximum of 30 percent of credits counted toward a master’s degree at SU may be transferred from another institution provided that the credits are an integral part of the degree program. Transfer credit can comprise no more than 50 percent of the doctoral coursework. This rule does not apply to dual degree programs and to degree programs that are offered jointly with another university.

Certificate Programs

A maximum of three credits from a combination of transfer and/or external examinations/extra-institutional and experiential learning will be accepted toward a C.A.S. Exceptions may be granted by petition to the dean of the Graduate School.

School/College Rules

Undergraduate Students

Generally, schools/colleges may consider accepting transfer credit from:

• institutions recognized by
  • regional accrediting commissions
  • national accrediting bodies
  • professional organizations that accredit free-standing professional schools and programs within multipurpose institutions*
  • institutions that are recognized candidates for accreditation
• recognized foreign tertiary-level institutions, chartered and authorized by their national governments, generally through the Ministry of Education
• a formal transfer articulation agreement

* For students enrolled in an accredited program at a non-accredited institution, only courses within the discipline that is accredited will be considered for transfer credit. General education and other courses from the institution will not be considered.

However, not all schools/colleges accept credit from all of these sources.

SU grants transfer credit based on course content, the quality of your performance, and applicability to your program. Transfer credit is evaluated only for the degree or certificate program to which you’re admitted, and may change if you move into a different SU program. A re-evaluation of transfer credit may also affect your financial aid, especially if your class standing alters. If all of your previous work isn’t accepted for transfer, you may enter SU at a different class level than you had attained at your prior institution. A maximum of 90 credits of transfer credit or a combination of transfer credit and any other credit (e.g., AP exams, experiential learning) will be accepted.

If you plan to take courses at another institution that will transfer back into your SU degree, obtain your home school/college’s approval before enrolling. If you take courses at a two-year college

• before junior standing (54 credits), you may take approved coursework during a summer session or while on leave of absence.
• after attaining junior standing, the only courses that will be approved will be those that fulfill lower-division requirements or free electives.
• a maximum of 66 credits from a combination of credit from a two-year college and any other credit (e.g., AP exams, experiential learning) will be accepted.

School/College Rules

How Transfer Credit Applies Toward Your Degree

All SU transfer credit is measured in semester hours. If your prior institution used a different credit hour system, credits accepted for transfer are converted to semester hours, e.g., credit from institutions on the quarter-hour system is converted to semester hours using the formula of one quarter-hour equals 2/3 semester hour. Grades don’t transfer and do not affect your SU cumulative GPA. If you subsequently take a course at SU for which you had previously received transfer credit, the transfer credit will be removed.

Additional Transfer Credit Rules

• Grades of C- or below will not be accepted.
• “Pass” grades must be certified to be at a C level or higher. Pass grades will normally be accepted only as elective credit.
• Second undergraduate degrees carry additional restrictions; contact your school/college for details.
• Arts and Sciences students are not given transfer credit until their cumulative average is 2.0 or higher.
• For students on academic probation in Public Communications and Visual and Performing Arts, transfer credit will not be given until the cumulative GPA is 2.0 or higher.
• If you were previously matriculated at SUNY ESF, then subsequently matriculated at SU, coursework taken while an ESF student, including SU courses, is treated and evaluated as transfer credit from ESF. Such SU courses do not appear or calculate on the Syracuse University transcript, except as they are included in a block of transfer credits, i.e., total credit hours accepted from SUNY ESF.

Credit for Extra-Institutional and Experiential Learning, and External Examination Programs

Following University rules and program requirements, SU schools/colleges and graduate departments may award credit for various external examinations and other types of extra-institutional and experiential learning. Such credit is evaluated only for the degree or certificate program to which you are admitted, and may change if you move into a different SU program. Credit is evaluated using the guidelines of the American Council on Education and the Council for Advancement of Experiential Learning, as well as our own institutional assessment. See TABLES B, C, and D below for a listing of undergraduate-level exams that may qualify. For examinations or subject areas not covered in the listing below, contact your school/college or appropriate department to determine whether credit may be considered or if you are a candidate for an Advanced Credit Examination. Also contact your school/college to discuss other types of non-institutional experience, such as the military, business, or government, which may qualify for credit.

Undergraduate credit may also be awarded for some matriculation examinations and post-secondary educational experiences offered in other countries. Decisions about awarding such credit are made by the student’s school/college during the admissions process.

Portfolio Review

Credit may be granted for studio work applicable toward professional degrees in the College of Visual and Performing Arts and the School of Architecture upon departmental evaluation of the portfolio.

Undergraduate Students

• A maximum of 30 credits from any combination of extra-institutional and experiential learning, external examinations, and SU Advanced Credit exams may be accepted.
• A maximum of 66 credits from a combination of credit from a two-year college and any other credit (e.g., AP exams, experiential learning) will be accepted.
• If you subsequently take a course at SU for which credit was awarded for extra-institutional, experiential learning, or external examination programs, that credit will be removed.

External Examinations

Undergraduate Students

College Board Advanced Placement (AP) and College Level Examination Program (CLEP) Your home school/college uses the rules in effect at the time you matriculate at SU in order to evaluate and accept degree-program credit for AP and CLEP exams. The academic unit with principal responsibility for the examination subject recommends the minimum score for credit and SU course equivalency; however, your home school/college may have higher score requirements and/or different qualifications, both for awarding credit and meeting degree requirements.

TABLE B College Board Advanced Placement Examinations

*Beginning with students admitted in fall 2015, the minimum score required for credit for Comparative Government and Politics and U.S. Government and Politics will change from a score of 3 to a score of 4.

**Beginning with students admitted in fall 2015, the minimum score required for credit for English Language and Composition will change from a score of 3 to a score of 4.

***Beginning with students admitted in fall 2015 there will be only 3 credits of MTC/HOM 125 awarded for non-music majors. Music majors please check with your advisors at the Setnor School of Music.

† Exam offered in Puerto Rico only.

TABLE C CLEP Examination Credit

International Baccalaureate (IB) Credit for Higher Level IB examinations completed with a grade of 5 or higher will be awarded as indicated in Table D. No credit will be awarded for IB Standard Level exams or additional requirements.

TABLE D International Baccalaureate Credit

Degree and Certificate Programs

Degrees

The types of degrees conferred, the minimum number of credit hours required for each degree, and the list of approved programs of study can be found in the Academic Offerings  section of the course catalog.

TABLE E Degree Types

Graduate Degree and Certificate Programs

Graduate Degree Programs

Master’s Degrees

Program of Study
A matriculated student who is studying for the master’s degree must satisfactorily complete a program of study of not less than 30 credits that is approved by the academic unit and filed with the Graduate Degree Certification Office.

Time to Degree
You must meet all requirements for the master’s degree within seven years from the time you register for the first course to be used in your master’s degree program. If you do not meet this requirement, you may petition your school/college for reinstatement of credits that were completed outside the seven-year timeframe.

Comprehensive Examinations
Your school/college will determine the nature of any comprehensive examination or examinations that apply toward your master’s degree. Such exams may or may not be directly related to the content of particular courses you have taken.

Oral Examination
An oral examination committee consists of four voting members that include a chairperson, thesis or area of study advisor, and other specialists in your subject area. The school/college will conduct the examination in the manner it considers most effective; contact your department and school/college for specific procedures and guidelines. The committee chair will preside over the exam and ensure that department/school/college and Graduate School/Graduate Degree Certification Office regulations and declared policies are followed.

Your oral examination committee will prepare a report that reflects one of the following statuses: pass; pass with minor revisions (generally editorial); pass with major revisions (substantive); not pass. You are entitled to an explanation from the committee concerning the results of the examination.

Doctoral Degrees

Requirements for the doctoral degree emphasize mastery of a field of knowledge, familiarity with allied areas, facility in the use of research techniques, and responsibility for the advancement of knowledge. The degree is given in recognition of high attainments in your chosen field, as shown by the completion of specified courses and by the production of a dissertation demonstrating the ability to carry out independent investigation that advances knowledge in the field.

Program of Study
Each academic unit determines, consistent with its approved and registered curriculum, the number of coursework credits and the number of dissertation credits that will constitute your program of study, including that portion of the work for the master’s that will form an integral part of the doctoral program. Minor courses included in the program of study should support the total program, rather than be restricted to academic unit boundaries.

Qualifying Examinations
You must pass a qualifying examination no later than the end of the term prior to the term in which you expect to complete doctoral. degree requirements. The qualifying exam will be set by your academic unit, and may be in oral or written form, or both. You must demonstrate acceptable competence in any required languages or research tools as designated by your program before being admitted to the qualifying exam. If the results of this examination are unsatisfactory, you may be granted a second exam after completing a semester of additional study.

Advancement to Candidacy/Time to degree
You will be admitted to candidacy when you have completed all requirements for the degree except for the dissertation and the final oral exam. The maximum time allowed to reach candidacy status is seven years from the term you matriculated into the doctoral program. Your academic unit must notify the Graduate Degree Certification Office when you have reached this status before the end of the term in which the status is effective. The maximum time for completion of a doctoral degree is five years from the end of the semester in which you are admitted to candidacy.

Exceeding Time to Degree Requirements
If you have exceeded the seven-year limit for achieving ABD status, you must register for GRD 991, which requires a minimum of one credit hour per semester, each fall and spring semester until you achieve ABD status. If you fail to register for GRD 991, for a given term, you will be withdrawn from your program.

If you have exceeded the degree completion limit of five years after achieving ABD status, you must register fro GRD 991, which requires a minimum of one credit hour per semester, each fall and spring semester until the completion of your doctoral degree. If you fail to register for GRD 991, for a given term, you will be withdrawn from your program.

Dissertation advisor
A faculty member from your department or program will be identified as your dissertation advisor. The dissertation advisor should be an SU tenured or tenure-track faculty member in the program of study of your dissertation. In exceptional cases, where faculty emeriti or others with outstanding qualifications in your area of research will direct the dissertation, a member of the SU faculty from your academic unit must jointly oversee the preparation of your dissertation.

Oral Examination

The oral examination committee:
The academic unit appoints a six-member oral examination committee, including a chair, at the recommendation of your dissertation advisor, and with the concurrence of the Graduate School.

The committee chair:

• should have an affinity for the field in which the dissertation was written;
• represents the Dean of the Graduate School;
• typically will be an SU tenured or tenure-track faculty member from outside the department or program in which the dissertation was written; and
• alternatively, may be either a faculty emeritus or College of Law faculty member.

Your dissertation advisor will be a committee member. Other committee members should be tenured or tenure-track SU faculty members. One external member can be included, based on subject-matter expertise; however, this committee member can’t be a personal acquaintance. You must petition to include more than one external committee member.

The oral examination:
Prior to the exam, the Graduate Degree Certification Office must verify that you’ve been admitted to candidacy, and that all supporting documentation has been filed. Your dissertation advisor and academic unit will determine the scheduling of the exam with the approval of the Graduate Degree Certification Office. Each school/college is free to conduct oral exams in the manner considered to be most effective.

The chair of the oral examination committee has several responsibilities:

• Represent the Dean of the Graduate School.
• Preside over the exam and ensure that academic unit and Graduate School policies and regulations are followed.
• Advise the committee as to general exam and questioning procedures.
• Participate in the questioning of the candidate.
• Vote on the outcome, and secure the committee’s vote.
• Submit a written report to the Dean of the Graduate School that includes:
  • the result of the vote, with signatures of approval and appropriate comments;
  • comments on the quality of the examination; and
  • recommendations for any procedural improvements.

Further oral exam considerations:

• Exam time and place are publicly announced; graduate students and faculty are encouraged to attend and participate, but will not be allowed to vote.
• If a committee member must be absent from the oral defense:
  • that committee member must submit questions and/or comments in writing to the chair in advance; and
  • the Graduate School must approve any committee substitutions after the exam has been scheduled, or if more than one committee member will be absent.

Voting and results:

• Voting will be held in executive session of the committee.
• All committee members, including the chair, vote equally.
• In order to pass the exam, a majority of the committee must vote favorably; members may make their approval conditional on changes to the dissertation.
• The committee’s report will recommend one of the following outcomes:
  • pass
  • pass with minor revisions (generally editorial)
  • pass with major revisions (substantive)
  • not pass

You are entitled to an explanation from the committee concerning the outcome of the defense.

Graduate Certificate Programs

Certificates of Advanced Study (C.A.S.) (excluding programs registered as preparing individuals for a teaching certificate, educational leadership certificate, or a professional license issue by the State Education Department): A matriculated student who is studying for a C.A.S. must satisfactorily complete a program of study of not less than 12 credits that is approved by the academic unit and filed with the Graduate Degree Certification Office. C.A.S. programs may be part of an existing degree program or a stand-alone program of study.

Eligibility requirement
To be awarded a C.A.S., a student must be matriculated in the certificate program for at least one semester. Matriculation may not be backdated.

Undergraduate Degree and Certificate Programs

Undergraduate Degree Programs

Within the bachelor’s degree there are four types of degree programs available to undergraduate students at SU: single degree programs, single degree programs with double majors, single degree programs with dual majors, and combined degree programs. Generally, students must complete a prescribed course of study and minimum number of credit hours to complete a degree program.

TABLE F Undergraduate Degree Programs

 TABLE G Single Degree Programs with Dual Majors

* Students pursuing a B.S. degree in Arts and Sciences must petition the department offering the major to be formally accepted as candidates.

Second Undergraduate Degrees

If you previously earned a bachelor’s degree at SU or another institution, you may or may not be admissible to a second undergraduate degree program, depending on the disciplinary and professional “proximity” of the completed and proposed programs. NYSED has ruled that “the conferral of two bachelor’s or associate degrees should be reserved as a means of recognizing that a candidate has competencies in two essentially different areas: when a second degree, as opposed to one degree with a double major, is academically justifiable and when the second degree requires one-fourth additional work (i.e., 30 credit hours for a 120-credit hour degree).”

The University registrar, in consultation with the associate provost for academic programs and appropriate academic advisors, will decide whether admission to a second undergraduate degree program is in accord with NYSED’s criteria. If you earned a B.A. degree you will not be admitted to a second B.A. degree program that falls within the same SU school/college (or comparable school/college, if the first degree was earned elsewhere), due to the significant overlap of degree requirements. Approval for admission to a second B.S. degree program requires a significant difference in overall degree requirements between the two degree programs. Students who meet these criteria must also meet all admissions requirements of the program to which they apply. Students whose first degree was earned at Syracuse University must file an Application for Readmission, available from the admitting school/college office. Students with first degrees from other institutions follow the normal admission application procedure.

A minimum of 30 credits for a second undergraduate degree must be Syracuse University credit, as defined under the Residency Requirement. Transfer and other credit may be accepted only if the second degree requires more than 25 percent additional credits, and such credit is applied in excess of the 25 percent additional credits.

At the time of matriculation in the second undergraduate degree, any courses previously taken as a non-matriculated student at SU will be entered on the undergraduate record, if they do not already appear there. This coursework will calculate toward credit hour and grade point totals on the undergraduate record.

The official Syracuse University transcript record for students with a prior SU undergraduate degree is cumulative, i.e., courses and grades for all undergraduate work, regardless of the degree program to which they apply, appear on one transcript with cumulative totals. The home school/college for the second undergraduate degree manually maintains and monitors the record of work related to the second degree. Calculations for satisfactory academic performance, honors, etc., are derived from the school/college or departmental records and may not be reflected on the official transcript.

TABLE H Combined Undergraduate/Graduate Degree Programs

Undergraduate Certificate Programs

A matriculated student who is studying for a certificate must satisfactorily complete a program of study of not less than 12 credits that is approved by the academic unit and by NYSED.

Degree Certification

School/college officials certify to the Registrar’s Office that degree and certificate requirements have been completed. This process generally takes four to six weeks after degree requirements have been completed. Degrees are awarded for the official date following the completion of degree requirements; the degree award dates fall in May, June or July, August, and December. Only courses that are an integral part of your degree program will be credited toward graduation requirements, in compliance with NYSED requirements.

The University Senate recommends to the SU Board of Trustees the listing of candidates who will meet all requirements for degrees and certificates of advance study by the appropriate commencement date each year.

Note: Participating in convocation and commencement ceremonies doesn’t imply that degree requirements have been completed.

You must file a diploma request through MySlice (myslice.syr.edu) no later than the beginning of your last semester of study.

Diplomas and Certificates

Diplomas are ordered after program completion has been certified by schools/colleges and posted by the Registrar’s Office. You will receive your diploma/certificate four to six weeks after the certification/posting process has been completed. SU reserves the right to withhold diplomas/certificates from students who are financially delinquent, or at the request of the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities.

Undergraduate diplomas:

• display the degree title;
• display University honors and “Renée Crown University Honors,” when awarded;
• do not list major or minor; and
• are signed by the chancellor and the dean(s) of the student’s school(s)/college(s).

Graduate diplomas:

• display the degree title;
• list major, except when already included in the degree title, e.g., Master of Social Work; and
• are signed by the chancellor, the dean of the Graduate School, and the dean(s) of the student’s school(s)/college(s).

Certificates of Advanced Study:

• display the certificate title (i.e., Certificate of Advanced Study);
• list the area of study; and
• are signed by the chancellor, the dean of the Graduate School, and the dean(s) of the school(s)/college(s) that award the C.A.S.

Grades

Grading System

TABLE I Letter Grades

¹ Grades of D and D- may not be assigned to graduate students.
² Available only for Law students in LAW courses.

TABLE J Grading Symbols

Grades and Grading Symbols - Additional Information

Letter Grades

Undergraduate Students

You may have the option to elect a letter grade in a pass/fail-graded course. When permissible, you must select that option by the grading option deadline, and you may not rescind the selection after the deadline.

I (Incomplete)

You may request an Incomplete if you have exceptional circumstances that prevent you from fulfilling all course requirements on time. You will need your instructor’s approval, and will need to have completed enough course content to have a grade assigned based on your work to date. An Incomplete is not available if you have not completed enough work on which to base a grade. Check with the appropriate instructor about deferred exams and any other requirements. If you take a leave of absence or are withdrawn from the University, you can’t receive Incompletes for courses in which you were registered. Complete a “Request for Incomplete Grade” form, which is an agreement between you and your instructor that specifies the reasons, conditions, and time limit for removing the Incomplete from your record. An Incomplete will calculate as an F in your GPA. As a function of the agreement, your instructor will calculate a grade for you based on work completed to date, counting unsubmitted work as zero. This is the grade you will receive if a “Removal of Incomplete Grade” form is not submitted to the Registrar’s Office by the appropriate deadline.

AU (Audit)

You may audit courses with instructor approval. You must select the audit option by the grading option deadline, and cannot rescind the selection after the deadline. Audited courses are non-credit, do not meet any degree requirements, and aren’t counted toward enrollment status. Instructors may record a grading symbol of NA instead of AU if you don’t meet stated academic or attendance requirements. You will have limited access to SU library resources if you are auditing a class and are not registered for any credit classes for the term. Courses that require a Proposal for Independent Study, studio art or applied music courses offered by the College of Visual and Performing Arts, and University College BPS and LGL courses can’t be audited.

NA (Did Not Attend nd Did Not Withdraw )

An NA is applied when a student either never attends the course, or when participation ended so early in the term that there is no basis for evaluation and the student fails to drop or withdraw. If enough work is completed to establish an evaluation, a course grade will be calculated on the basis of work submitted. Unsubmitted work will be counted as zero. If you receive an NA for a course, you will no longer have the option of petitioning for an Incomplete or a letter grade.

P/F (Pass/Fail)

Credit is earned for courses with a P, but not with an F.

Note: Graduate students may only receive pass/fail grades for courses designated as pass/fail.

Undergraduate Students

You may have the option to elect a pass/fail grade for some courses. You must select this option by the grading option deadline, and you may not rescind the selection after the deadline.

School/college-specific pass/fail rules are listed in the table below. Some additional points:

• If you select a pass/fail option, grades of A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, and D are converted to P. No grade other than P or F will be reported by the Registrar’s Office.
• If you choose to major in a field in which you previously took a course as pass/fail, your home school/college and the chair of the department in which you took the course will determine whether and upon what terms the course can be used to satisfy departmental requirements.
• SU Abroad students are limited to one pass/fail course each semester.
• No more than 24 credit hours of courses taken pass/fail may be applied toward an undergraduate degree.

School/College Rules

RM (Remedial)

RM courses count toward credit hours carried in a particular semester, but not toward credit hours earned for the degree.

WD (Withdrew)

After the academic drop deadline, and until the withdrawal deadline for the term, you may withdraw from a course and have a grading symbol of WD recorded on your transcript.

Reporting Grades/Grading Symbols

Instructors are required to submit grades or appropriate grading symbols for all students in their courses. If a student has not completed all course requirements by the time the instructor must report final grades, then the grade is determined based on work completed to date, counting unsubmitted work as zero, unless the student has made prior arrangements to receive an Incomplete.

Missing Grades

Missing grades do not calculate toward the GPA. You may graduate with missing grades. After a degree has been certified, a missing grade may be recorded only if your home school/college determines that you completed all coursework before the degree award date, and only the evaluation and grade submission occurred after that date. Recording of a missing grade after a degree has been certified is subject to the approval of the University Registrar.

Changing Grades

An instructor may elect to submit a grade change after the grade has already been reported. Grade changes must be reported to the department chair, the dean of the student’s home school/college, and the Registrar’s Office. Any or all of those offices may require an explanation of the change, and may require that additional information or forms be provided. All changes involving grading symbols must adhere to University policies and procedures. The Registrar’s Office has final authority to approve changes that involve grading symbols. After a degree has been certified, a grade change may be recorded only if your home school/college determines that you completed all coursework before the degree award date, and only the evaluation and grade change submission occurred after that date. Recording of a grade change after a degree has been certified is subject to the approval of the University Registrar.

Grades may also be changed in the following circumstances:

• HEOP or SSSP students who receive grades of D or F during the Summer Start program will have these grades recorded as WD on the transcript; by petition a grade of C- may be changed to a WD.
• Engineering and Computer Science students in the Summer Start program may petition to have grades of C- or lower changed to WD.

Removal of Incomplete

Incomplete (I) grades may be removed prior to graduation in one of two ways:

• complete the outstanding work specified on the Request for Incomplete Grade form by the agreed-upon date; or
• if you fail to complete the work specified in the Request for Incomplete Grade form, the Registrar’s Office will post the letter grade indicated by the “If not completed…” statement, subject to any previous grading option that had been selected

Although you may not register for a course a second time for the purpose of removing an Incomplete grade, an instructor may require you to repeat certain elements of a course in order to remove the Incomplete.

Incompletes and Graduation

You may graduate with outstanding Incompletes, if you’ve earned the required number of credits and met all degree requirements, and if your cumulative average equals or exceeds the minimum requirements for your school/college, with the Incompletes calculated as Fs.

After your degree has been certified, a grade may replace an Incomplete only when your home school/college determines that you completed all coursework before the degree award date, with only the evaluation and grade submission occurring after that date. Recording of the grade change from I to earned grade after a degree has been certified is subject to the approval of the University Registrar.

Grade Appeals

Normal Practice for Course Grade Appeals The following set of general statements represents normal practice at SU* for a student seeking resolution to a grievance of a course grade.

1. The assignment of grades at SU is the responsibility of the faculty; once assigned by a member of the faculty, a grade cannot be changed without his or her consent, except by due process as detailed below. In cases where the instructor of record is not a member of the faculty, the faculty member charged with oversight of that instructor is ultimately responsible for the assignment of grades.
2. A course grade is based upon the instructor’s professional assessment of the academic quality of the student’s performance on a body of work. Such assessments are non-negotiable, and disputes about them do not constitute valid grounds for an appeal. Valid grounds can arise, e.g., when an instructor fails to provide or implement uniform and consistent standards, or bases an assessment on criteria other than academic performance.*
3. Unless there are issues of a personal nature, the appeal process for a grade dispute begins with the instructor of record. Failure to comply with this may be grounds for denial of subsequent appeals. Any appeal beyond the instructor of record must be initiated in writing to the department chair before the last day of classes of the academic year semester immediately following the one in which the aggrieved grade was received by the Registrar. This written appeal should describe the basis for the grievance, the informal steps taken to resolve the dispute, and the remedies sought.
4. If satisfaction is not obtained at this or any subsequent level, the appeal always moves to the next level of authority. The levels in succession are: the instructor of record, faculty member in charge of the course, the department chair of the faculty member, the dean of the department chair.
5. At each level of appeal, a fair and thorough hearing of all views is sought before a decision is made. This may, but need not, require a face-to-face meeting of the parties directly involved in the dispute. A decision may be reached if both student and instructor agree. If such a decision cannot be reached, a panel designed by the college for this purpose shall hear the case. Details of the operation and manner of selection of this panel may vary by school or college**, but shall conform to the following guidelines:
   1. The panel shall have a quorum of at least three.
   2. All voting members of the panel shall be tenured faculty.
   3. No member of the panel shall hear a case who has been involved in a previous stage of the appeal.
   4. Membership of the panel shall be fixed and made public in a given academic year, though replacements may be made in the event of resignations.
   5. Membership of the panel shall be approved by the faculty of the school or college, or by a representative group of the faculty, in each academic year.
   6. The Senate Committee on Instruction shall approve the manner of selection and charge of a school or college’s panel before its first case. The committee shall also approve any subsequent changes in the manner of selection or charge of each college or school’s panel. The panel may, at its discretion, meet with the aggrieved parties either separately or together. The decision of this panel, either to deny the student’s original appeal or to authorize the Registrar to change the grade, shall be final. The panel shall inform both the student and the instructor of its decision in writing. The panel shall also summarize the case and its outcome in a written report to the Senate Committee on Instruction. Said committee may include summary statistics on grade disputes in its final report to the Senate.
6. The only grounds for any further appeal shall be irregularities in the above procedures.
7. In such cases, either party may appeal the final decision of the faculty panel to the Senate Committee on Instruction. The Senate Committee on Instruction may either deny the appeal or insist that the procedure begin anew at the point the irregularity occurred.
8. All stages of the appeal process shall be kept confidential to the maximum extent possible, consistent with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

* For further guidance, consult the bylaws of the individual school or college.
** These procedures do not apply for students in the College of Law.

Grade Point Average

SU grade point average (GPA) is calculated by taking the number of grade points earned and dividing by the number of credit hours carried toward the GPA. Various GPAs, e.g. cumulative GPA and semester GPAs are calculated and used for a variety of purposes. Schools/colleges can advise about GPA calculations used to determine satisfactory progress, etc. See TABLE I and TABLE J for grade and grade symbol listings and their associated grade point calculations. Missing grades are not counted in GPA calculation. GPA average is calculated to three decimal places. GPA is not rounded.

Graduation

Undergraduate students must earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in order to be awarded an SU degree. Graduate students must earn a minimum average of 3.0 for work comprising the program for the degree or certificate and a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.8.

Honors

The University recognizes exceptional undergraduate achievement through various honors. Certain honors are imprinted on transcripts and diplomas after degree certification.

Dean’s List

Undergraduate Students

Full-time students are eligible for the dean’s list of their home school/college at the end of each semester.

University Scholars

The Syracuse University Scholars Selection Committee selects eight to 12 seniors each year as University Scholars.

Renee Crown University Honors Program

“Renée Crown University Honors” will be noted on your diploma and transcript if you complete the requirements of the Honors Program.

University Honors

You will receive your degree with University honors if your cumulative GPA meets the following standard:

GPA Requirement

Cumulative GPA requirements for honors must be equal to or greater than those noted above; no rounding up is permitted. A minimum of 60 credit hours taken at SU is required for honors. Generally, physical education courses and ROTC credit are not included in calculating honors. Check with your school/college dean’s office to determine how your GPA will be determined.

School/College Rules

Departmental Distinction

Students earn distinction in particular programs of study by meeting the specific criteria for distinction in that major. Departmental or program distinction recognizes exceptional achievement that exceeds normal expectations for graduates within the program. his will be noted on the transcript after the degree has been awarded.

Internal Transfer

Graduate Students

Graduate students may change their degree program if the transfer is approved by the new program. Graduate students wishing to initiate any kind of change in degree program, whether transferring between programs or undertaking concurrent graduate degree programs, must consult their funding sources as to the effect the proposed change may have on their eligibility for continued funding.

Intra-University Transfer

Undergraduate Students

Students transferring to other schools/colleges within the University (intra-University transfer) must meet the admission requirements of the new school/college that were in effect at the time of matriculation into the University. Submit internal transfer requests well before the start of the next semester to allow adequate review/processing time. Check with the appropriate school/college undergraduate office, as intra-University transfer deadline dates vary. Until your IUT is approved, you may not be able to register for courses in the new program. See TABLE K for school/college-specific information.

The new school/college of enrollment will re-evaluate all SU, transfer, and other credit you have received. If you were previously matriculated at SUNY ESF and took SU courses during that time, your school/college, at its discretion, may include those SU courses in manual calculations for determination of intra-University transfer eligibility.

Full-time students transferring to University College may register for up to 11 credit hours during the first semester after the transfer. Students registered in a main campus school/college during the spring semester may not transfer to University College for the purpose of summer study.

TABLE K Intra-University Transfer Standards

Leave of Absence, Withdrawal and Readmission

If you leave the University before completing your degree requirements, you must file for an official leave of absence, whether or not you intend to return to SU. If you register but then leave without notifying the University, you will continue to incur tuition, room, board, and other charges. On your transcript, course registrations will remain and any grades or grading symbols submitted by your instructors will appear. If you don’t register at all, the notation “Discontinuation – non-attendance” will appear on your transcript. Discontinued students must follow formal readmission procedures.

Leave of Absence

Undergraduates initiate the leave of absence process through their school/college undergraduate office. Graduate students file an Official Leave of Absence/Withdrawal form through their academic department. A leave of absence is not available to a student who has a pending disciplinary action.

Medical Leaves of Absence

Students leaving the University for medical and/or psychological reasons must go through the Office of Student Assistance, 306 Steele Hall, and obtain approval of Health Services and/or the Counseling Center for a medical leave to take effect. If extraordinary circumstances exist, you may apply to the appropriate department/school/college for retroactive approval of a medical leave of absence. This application must be made within 60 days of your last date of class attendance.

Military Leaves of Absence

Undergraduates being activated by the military should initiate a leave of absence procedure through the home school/college undergraduate office; graduate students should contact their academic department. The dean’s office or academic department will advise about options to drop courses, take class standing grades, or take Incompletes, as well as the academic implications of these options.

Withdrawal

SU will officially withdraw students who are suspended for academic or disciplinary reasons; the suspending school/college or the Division of Student Affairs will initiate the withdrawal. A student who chooses to leave the University rather than participate in the judicial or academic integrity review process will be classified as having been withdrawn for disciplinary reasons. The University may also withdraw students for medical reasons or for academic integrity violations. Officially withdrawn students lose matriculation status; however, matriculation may be reinstated if all requirements for readmission are met (see Readmission/Termination of Leave of Absence).

Enforced Medical Withdrawal An enforced medical withdrawal may be imposed in response to behavior that has its basis in a psychological or other medical condition including, but not limited to, situations in which a student fails to attend and participate actively in an appropriate assessment, educational program, or other intervention; and situations in which student behavior poses a significant health or safety risk to the student or others. The senior vice president and dean of student affairs, or one or more of her/his designees will make the determination that an enforced medical withdrawal should occur, consistent with the process enumerated in the University Judicial System Handbook.

Academic and Financial Implications of Leaves and Withdrawals
For academic and financial purposes, the effective date is either the date the Official Withdrawal/Leave of Absence form is approved by the undergraduate home school/college or the graduate student’s department, or the day after the end of the current semester, whichever is later.

You can’t receive Incomplete grades for courses in which you were enrolled if you take a leave of absence or are withdrawn; only grades of WD or F can be recorded on your transcript. If you register for a future semester and subsequently take a leave of absence or are withdrawn, then your registration for that semester will be canceled.

Transcript Notation and Effective Date
Leaves of absence and withdrawals will be noted by effective date on the transcript. The transcript notation for leaves of absence is “Leave of Absence– Student Initiated,” and for withdrawals, “Withdrawal– University Initiated.” The transcript will be marked with “violation of academic integrity policy” when an established violation results in suspension or expulsion. This designation will be permanently retained on the transcript.

You are responsible for initiating any requests for refund, including those that result from medical leaves. See TABLE L and Tuition, Fees and Related Policies for the complete statement of SU’s policy and requirements for refunds for withdrawals and leaves of absence.

TABLE L Academic and Financial Effects of Dropping or Withdrawing From a Course, Leaves of Absence, and Withdrawal from the University

¹ Federal regulations governing refunds and adjustments to federal financial aid, and adjustments to institutional scholarships and grants require careful review. Please see the current Tuition, Fees & Related Policies for details.
² Classes completed before the effective date of the leave of absence or withdrawal may be graded.
³ University College students should consult the Part-Time Studies Course Schedule for interim dates and deadlines.

Readmission

If you plan to re-enroll at SU, you must apply for readmission. Approval of your readmission may be affected by any of the following conditions:

• Your school/college and program must have available space to accommodate your inclusion.
• You may need to satisfy new requirements in your academic program or even change your major, depending upon curricular changes that may have occurred during your absence. Your school/college and/or department will determine the available options.
• You must meet all outstanding SU financial obligations.
• If your leave/withdrawal was conditional, you must resolve the appropriate issues and obtain readmission approval from the academic unit or office that authorized or required your leave/withdrawal.

If you left the University without requesting an official Leave of Absence, you must follow formal readmission procedures as set by your school/college.

After you’re readmitted, you may register for the upcoming semester during the regular registration period, during the schedule adjustment period prior to the start of the semester, or on the registration day for new students at the beginning of the new semester.

Undergraduate Students
If you are applying for readmission following an academic withdrawal:

• Arts and Sciences, Education, Public Communications, Sport and Human Dynamics, and Visual and Performing Arts students are eligible to apply for readmission after one academic year from the date of an academic withdrawal. In addition, some Sport and Human Dynamics students may be eligible for fast-track readmission (see the college’s policies).
• Other schools/colleges allow readmission applications after one calendar year from the date of an academic withdrawal.
• Your school/college may place you on academic probation for the first semester after you are readmitted.

If you are readmitted to SU, you will regain your matriculation status, unless you are readmitted to University College as a special student.

Special Student Status After an academic dismissal, with home school/college and University College approval, you may apply for readmission and transfer to University College as a special student. Special students are limited to a maximum registration of six credit hours in the first semester at University College. You may apply for readmission and transfer to a main campus school/college after earning a minimum of 12-15 credits with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0.

Arts and Sciences students must obtain permission from Arts and Sciences before applying for special student status through University College. This process requires an interview and a contract.

Majors

Undergraduate Students

A major program consists of a minimum number of credit hours of junior- and senior-level courses in a formally approved program of study. The purpose of the major is to provide depth of knowledge and competence in a subject area of special interest. You must declare a major and complete all requirements of the major in order to earn an SU degree.

Each school/college determines the courses, number of credit hours, and other requirements for its major programs of study. You must apply for and be accepted into a major by the beginning of your junior year. If you don’t officially declare a major by the start of the registration period at the end of the first semester of your junior year, you will be prevented from registering for the next term.

In the following schools/colleges the indication of intended major on the application for admission and/or intra-University transfer is unofficial.

TABLE M Double Majors (In Single Degree Programs)

Minors

Undergraduate Students

Minors provide a systematic opportunity to focus on an area of interest. Minors may be required as part of a degree program, or they may be selected voluntarily. Because of limited space in high-demand courses, admission to some minors may be restricted. The proportion of liberal arts and sciences courses required for the degree must be maintained, and minors that are too closely related to your major will not be approved. Minors require a minimum of 18 credit hours, 12 of which must be in 300- to 400-level coursework.

School/College Rules

The department or school/college offering the minor determines the requirements, and any exception to the minor requirements must be granted by petition through the sponsoring unit.

Once your school/college has certified completion of both your degree and your minor, the minor will appear on the transcript.

Registration

You must be officially registered in order to attend classes. You may not attend, audit, be evaluated or otherwise participate in courses without being officially enrolled. An instructor may not allow you to attend classes and/or submit work unless your name appears on the official class list or unless you are attending with the instructor’s approval for the purpose of making up an Incomplete. Registration may be prevented for financial, academic, or other reasons.

You must register for classes in the semester in which you begin work for those classes. You may not attend a class without officially registering, and then register for the class as if it were taken in a subsequent term, either for financial reasons or for scheduling convenience. Advisors and faculty should not advise such actions, and students are held to the policy even if such advice or permission is given. If you do not register appropriately and grades are later reported for recording on your transcript, you’ll be dropped from the later course registration and retroactively registered in the term during which you actually took the course. The Bursar’s Office will adjust tuition and fees to those in effect at that time.

The same rule also applies to internships taken for credit, independent study, experience credit, etc.: You must register during the semester or summer session in which work begins. Retroactive registration is not permitted for such work done without faculty oversight.

Before you register, you will need to clear all holds. If outstanding bills are not paid by Aug. 1 for fall semester, and by Dec. 15 for spring semester, your early registration for the next semester may be canceled and you will be unable to re-register until the semester begins. Your current semester’s registration may be canceled if you have not met the University’s immunization requirements.

New students register just before the term begins. Returning students are eligible to register for the next semester during the registration period at the end of fall and spring semesters. Part-time students register through University College or, for the School of Education’s Extended Campus courses, through Extended Campus. Adding of courses or entire registrations after the late registration and add deadline may be done by petition only.

SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and SUNY Upstate Medical University Courses: Because of the University’s relationship with SUNY ESF and SUNY UMU, you may take courses at those institutions with the approval of your SU school/college/academic department, subject to availability and fulfillment of any specific requirements. Conversely, SUNY ESF and SUNY UMU students who meet course requirements may take SU courses, subject to availability and in accordance with the rules and approval of their home institution.

Maximum Course Load (Fall and Spring)

Graduate Students

The maximum course load for graduate students is 15 credits each semester. In some part-time programs the maximum course load may be lower. Registration for additional credits requires a petition and approval of your academic department.

Undergraduate Students

Full-time undergraduate students typically register for 12-19 credits per semester. Students in good standing in the Renée Crown University Honors Program may register for more than 19 credits without approval of their home school/college. Other students may petition their home school/college to register for more than 19 credits. Undergraduates registering for more than 19 credit hours will be assessed the appropriate extra tuition charges, unless they qualify for an overload rate exception.

Summer Registration

University College coordinates all summer registration for returning and visiting students. Matriculated SU students in good academic standing, as well as visiting and non-matriculated students, are eligible to register for summer sessions. Undergraduate students who were full-time during the spring semester and who intend to register as full-time during the fall semester may not transfer to part-time continuing education status for the summer.

Maximum Course Load (Summer)

Graduate Students

Graduate students may register for a maximum of 6 credits in a six-week session (with Maymester and Summer Session I considered as one session for this purpose), and a maximum of 12 credits in any summer. In some full-time programs the maximum course load may be higher and in some part-time programs the maximum course load may be lower. Registration for credits above the maximum set by your program requires a petition and approval of your academic department.

Undergraduate Students

Undergraduates may register for a maximum of 7 credits in a six-week session (with Maymester and Summer Session I considered as one session for this purpose), and a maximum of 14 credits in any summer. Students may petition their home school/college to register for additional credits in a session or for summer.

Graduate Students Taking Undergraduate-Level Courses

Prior to registration, graduate students may petition to register for an undergraduate-level course, with the exception of PED courses, which do not require a petition. An undergraduate course taken by a graduate student appears on the graduate section of the transcript with a notation to indicate the course is undergraduate-level and, unless flagged to remove it from calculation, the course counts toward overall credit and GPA calculations on the transcript. However, an undergraduate-level course does not fulfill graduate degree requirements.

Undergraduates Taking Graduate-Level Courses

Registration for a graduate-level course is subject to a variety of restrictions, depending upon how the course is intended to apply toward your undergraduate or graduate degree requirements. Taking a graduate course as restricted graduate credit, with the intention of later applying it toward a graduate degree or certificate program, requires prior approval.

A graduate course taken by an undergraduate appears on the undergraduate section of the transcript with a notation to indicate the course is graduate level, and the course counts toward overall undergraduate credit and GPA calculations. However, a graduate-level course neither fulfills undergraduate degree requirements (unless it has specifically been approved for that purpose, either as part of the degree program’s requirements or by petition prior to registration), nor does it count toward calculations for certification, e.g., for University honors.

Changes To Registration

You may make changes to your registration after the semester begins, adding, dropping, or withdrawing from classes in accordance with published deadlines. Courses with nontraditional start and/or end dates have different deadlines than full-semester courses. While the student normally initiates registration and subsequent changes, the student’s school(s)/college(s) of enrollment may also initiate such actions. Instructors also have the option to administratively drop students who do not attend the first week of classes (up to and including the add deadline). The administrative drop option for instructors is not available in Maymester.

The Health Center or the Bursar’s Office may cancel your registration. No other University persons or units may make substantive changes to an undergraduate student’s schedule of classes without first securing the formal permission of your home school/college.

Religious Observances, Policy On

SU recognizes the diverse faith traditions represented among its campus community and supports the rights of faculty, staff, and students to observe according to these traditions. Students are asked to consider that it is more difficult to arrange appropriate accommodations in some kinds of courses, e.g., those that have certain kinds of laboratories or a significant experiential learning component, so students should consider their need for accommodation for religious observances as they plan their schedule each semester. Students should recall that not every course is offered every academic year and that the catalog indicates how frequently each course is offered.

Faculty are asked to make appropriate accommodation for students’ observance needs by providing an opportunity to make up any examination, study, or work requirement that is missed because of an absence due to a religious observance, provided the instructor has been notified no later than the end of the second week of classes. No fees will be charged to the student for the costs incurred by the University for such make-up work. If a faculty member is unwilling or unable to make an appropriate accommodation, the student should consult his or her academic dean.

Research Involving Human or Animal Subjects

Students are required to submit copies of any research proposal that involves human subjects to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) for review. No research or teaching using live vertebrate animals may be undertaken until the protocol is approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).

Residency Requirement

All students must complete a minimum number of credit hours at SU in courses offered through duly registered graduate programs order to be granted a Syracuse University degree. Advanced Credit (AC) exams may not be applied toward the residency requirement.

Graduate Students

Master’s degree candidates must take at least 70 percent of credit hours for the degree while at SU. See Calculation of Credit Hours Toward Degree Requirements for school/college-specific exceptions.

Doctoral students must take at least 50 percent of coursework, exclusive of dissertation, in courses offered through an SU-registered graduate degree program. Experiential learning credit and professional experience courses don’t count toward the residency requirement.

Undergraduate Students

You must take at least 30 credit hours of coursework at SU to qualify for the degree; in most cases more than 30 credits will be required in order to fulfill degree requirements. Work necessary to complete a major must be completed at SU unless a waiver is granted by the appropriate major department. SU courses taken while a student is matriculated at SUNY ESF do count toward the residency requirement. ESF courses taken while a student is matriculated either at SUNY ESF or at SU do not count toward the SU residency requirement.

University College Candidates for associate’s degrees, bachelor of liberal studies degrees, or bachelor of professional studies degrees must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours of SU coursework while enrolled as part-time students at University College. Credits earned at SU while enrolled as a full-time student do not count toward this requirement.

Retaking Courses

Some programs require the retaking of courses in which unsatisfactory grades (as defined by the program) were earned. Retaking courses may also be prohibited under certain circumstances.

• Language courses A course cannot be retaken once you have successfully completed a higher level course in the same language.
• Mathematics courses A course cannot be retaken once you have completed a higher level course in the same mathematics curriculum sequence with a grade of C or better.

Table A describes other rules for undergraduates who want to retake courses. Also see Flagging Courses That Have Been Retaken. Note that retaken courses may not count toward eligibility and satisfactory progress requirements for certain types of financial aid awards.

Graduate Students

You may retake a course in which you earned a grade of C+, C, C- or F, with the approval of your academic unit and the Graduate School. Graduate courses may be retaken only once. A retaken course replaces the original course on your degree program of study, but both the original course and the retaken course will appear on your transcript and both courses will calculate, unless the original course is flagged.

Student Academic Work

Student work prepared for University courses in any media may be used for educational purposes, if the course syllabus makes clear that such use may occur. You grant permission to have your work used in this manner by registering for, and by continuing to be enrolled in, courses where such use of student work is announced in the course syllabus.

After you have completed such courses, any further use of your work will meet one of the following conditions:

• the work will be rendered anonymous by removing all of your personal identification, or
• your written permission will be secured.

As a generally accepted practice, dissertations, graduate theses or research projects, honors theses, or other capstone projects submitted in partial fulfillment of degree requirements are placed in the library, University Archives, or department for public reference.

Student Status

Enrolled Students

A student is considered enrolled at the University until one or more of the following occurs: (1) the student graduates; (2) the student takes a leave of absence; (3) the student is withdrawn from the University for academic, medical or disciplinary reasons; (4) the student fails to register; or (5) the student’s registration is cancelled by the University.

Matriculated Students

A matriculated student is defined as one who has applied for, been formally admitted to, and has registered for one or more courses in the degree or certificate-granting program to which he/she has been admitted. You must be matriculated to receive a degree or certificate from the University. Students who take an official leave of absence maintain matriculation status.

Non-Matriculated Students

Non-matriculated students are held to the same academic standards as matriculated students.

A non-matriculated graduate student is one who has earned a bachelor’s degree at SU or elsewhere, but has not been formally admitted to a degree or C.A.S. program at SU. This status applies whether registering for graduate or undergraduate courses.

A non-matriculated undergraduate student is one who has neither earned a bachelor’s degree nor been formally admitted to the University.

• Undergraduates who are academically dismissed from a school/college and accepted into University College as “special students” are considered non-matriculated.
• Taking courses at University College does not imply matriculation, since you must be formally admitted to an SU degree program in order to become matriculated.
• Students who are withdrawn from the University become non-matriculated. Upon readmission, matriculation status is regained.

Full-Time and Part-Time Status

The University’s certification of a student’s status is based solely on the criteria stated in this rule. Students who meet SU’s requirements for full-time or part-time status may not meet requirements for such status as defined by other agencies or institutions. Conversely, students who do not meet the University’s requirements for full-or part-time status may be considered full-time or part-time by other agencies.

Graduate Students

Full-time

A graduate student is considered full time under any one of the following conditions:

• registered for full-time study (9 credits for fall, spring, or summer in a program approved by the student’s advisor)
• holding an appointment as a graduate assistant or fellow and registered for the semester (fall and spring only)
• registered for fewer than 9 credits but for at least 0 (zero) credits of thesis, dissertation, or degree in progress for the semester and engaged, at a level equivalent to full-time study in one or more of the following activities as certified by your program.
  • studying for preliminary, qualifying, or comprehensive exams
  • studying for a language or tool requirement
  • actively working on a thesis or dissertation
  • an internship

A law student is full-time if enrolled for 12 credits in a fall or spring semester. If matriculated in a joint/dual degree program that includes the J.D. degree, then the law requirement for full-time status takes precedence over the 9 credit criterion for full-time status as stated above.

*Syracuse University considers 9 credits per term to be full-time study for graduate study. The New York State Education Department, based on NYS Education Law and the Regulations of the Education Commissioner, define full-time study to be 12 credits per semester for educational requirements for state academic awards and loans.

Part-Time (Fall, Spring, and Summer)

Graduate students who do not meet the requirements for full-time status are considered part time.

Undergraduate Students

Full-time (Fall, Spring, and Summer)

Undergraduates are full time if registered for 12 or more credits during any semester. Registration for 6 credits in a six-week summer session confers full-time status for the session.

Part-time (Fall, Spring, and Summer)

Undergraduates enrolled for fewer than 12 credit hours are considered to be part time.
Exception: Engineering and Computer Science Students registered in the Cooperative Education program for zero hours in semesters when they are on work assignments are considered to be full time.

The number of credit hours carried by a part-time student may affect eligibility for University housing and financial aid. For purposes of financial aid, students registered for 9-11 credit hours are considered three-quarter time: students registered for 6-8 credit hours are considered half-time students; students registered for 0-5 credit hours are considered less than half time.

Transcript

SU maintains a permanent academic transcript showing complete course and grade-earned information for every student, matriculated or non-matriculated, who takes credit-bearing coursework through any SU program. The transcript may not be modified or selectively deleted for any reason, including ignorance of deadlines or academic rules. Once a degree is conferred, the transcript may not be changed except for subsequently discovered fraud or academic dishonesty, assessments that more accurately represent academic work completed prior to degree certification, or to correct administrative error. In extreme cases, such changes may include the rescinding of a degree.

Transcripts of courses taken and degrees received at SU are maintained by the Registrar’s Office in accordance with the policies of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers. Official transcripts show the entire record of all coursework, both undergraduate and graduate, matriculated and non-matriculated. Undergraduate and graduate transcript records print separately, but are issued and sent together for students with more than one SU academic career. Coursework is displayed chronologically within each career record, with one GPA calculation for the career. However, within that distinction the transcript is not degree-specific: i.e., it does not designate courses that apply to multiple specific degree programs at the same level. Such information may only be obtained from the student’s school/college for undergraduate degrees; the academic department for graduate programs; or the College of Law for law degrees.

All courses taken at SU Abroad centers are listed on students’ transcripts. Credit hours and grades are computed in the GPA in the same manner as any other Syracuse University courses. Courses taken through SU Abroad at foreign institutions may be listed on students’ transcripts with credit hours and grades computed in the GPA in the same manner as any other Syracuse University course, or as transfer credit, as determined by SU departmental review. SU does not maintain a transcript record of SU courses taken by SUNY ESF students. For ESF students, ESF is the college of record. ESF courses taken by matriculated SU students appear on the SU transcript and calculate in the same way as SU courses, except for graduate students admitted to concurrent master’s degree programs.

Syracuse University cannot provide copies of transcripts it has received from other institutions to third parties. Students must request transcripts from the originating institution.

Transcripts may be obtained from the Registrar’s Office. SU reserves the right to withhold copies of transcripts of students who have unfulfilled financial obligations to the University or by request of the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities.

Access to transcripts and other student records is protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. (See Student Rights Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act)