Undergraduate - Clarion University

pages i-viiiAcademic Information32 Clarion University of PennsylvaniaMaximum Credit Hour LoadThe normal credit-hour load for undergraduate studentsin good academic standing is 15 to 18 credit hours persemester, three to five credits per three-week summersession, six to seven credit hours per five-week summersession, and one class during winter intersession. Studentson academic probation may not attempt more than 12 to 15credit hours per semester.Students wishing to register for 19 to 21 credit hoursduring any one semester, or more than five credit hours for athree-week summer session or seven credit hours for a fiveweeksummer session or more than one class during winterintersession must have a cumulative QPA of 3.00 or betterand the written permission of the appropriate college dean.Students are required to pay for each credit over 18.All scholastic standards noted above are subject to changeby the university.ReadmissionStudents who are absent for one or more semesters andstudents who are returning after an absence following theirfirst academic suspension must apply for readmission inwriting to the Office of the Registrar. The deadline is oneweek before the beginning of classes. Students seekingreadmission following an academic suspension should readthe section on Academic Suspension (page 30). Studentsreadmitted after an absence of two or more years must meetall requirements of their respective degree program as of thedate of readmission.Repeat Grade PolicyStudents shall be permitted to repeat any and all coursesas often as they choose; however, once they have graduatedfrom the university, a course cannot be repeated for thepurpose of improving one’s cumulative undergraduate orgraduate quality-point average.The latest repeat grade shall be the counting grade in theQPA prior to graduation. The quality points, quality hours,and earned hours of the original grade received will besubtracted from the student’s cumulative statistics. Gradesearned at another institution cannot be used to replace gradespreviously earned at Clarion.WithdrawalsIndividual Course Withdrawal PolicyAn undergraduate student is permitted five individualcourse withdrawals at Clarion University. Exceptions maybe made for withdrawals due to documented extenuatingcircumstances with approval of the instructor, advisor, andcollege dean.All class withdrawals must be initiated by completinga class withdrawal form, which is signed by the student’sadvisor. The forms are available through the Office of theRegistrar. If a withdrawal is not made through the Officeof the Registrar, a failing grade will be recorded for theaffected course(s). Classes a student drops during the periodof drop/add will not appear on the student’s record. Coursewithdrawals between the end of the second and ninth weeksmay be made without penalty. After the beginning of the 10 thweek of a semester or the second half of a Summer Session,a course from which a student withdraws shall be finallyreported with a grade of E. Exceptions may be made forwithdrawals due to documented extenuating circumstancessuch as illness or some other unavoidable occurrence withapproval of the instructor, advisor, and college dean.Withdrawal From the UniversityStudents may withdraw from the university (all courses)through the last day of classes.If a withdrawal is not made through the Office of theRegistrar, a failing grade will be recorded for the affectedcourse(s).Any student who withdraws from the university eitherduring or at the end of a semester must notify the Office ofthe Registrar in writing of his or her intention to withdrawand the reason for withdrawal. The written notification isnecessary for completion of the student’s permanent record.Failure to comply with the regulation will constitute anunofficial withdrawal and may affect the student’s chancesof future readmission.University withdrawals, which are recorded with gradesof WX, are not included in the limit of five individual coursewithdrawals.See section on refunds under financial information.(Pages 37 and 41 for financial implications of withdrawal.)Graduation RequirementsGraduation from Clarion University with a baccalaureateor associate degree requires successful completion ofall specified major, degree, and university requirementsoutlined by the College of Arts and Sciences; the Collegeof Business Administration; the College of Education andHuman Services; the School of Nursing and Allied Health;or the Venango Campus.Undergraduate students must successfully complete aminimum of 120 credits with both a major and cumulativeQPA of at least 2.00 except where the requirements of aparticular program or college are higher.All credits, including transfer credits, must be approvedby the appropriate college dean or director and thedepartment chair of the academic area in which the degreeis to be granted.Unless exempt, candidates for baccalaureate andassociate degrees must successfully complete ENG 111 witha passing grade (education and nursing majors must earn agrade of C or better).All students are responsible for knowing the major,degree, and university requirements of their respectiveprograms. Students are advised to meet with their academicadvisor on a regular basis throughout their undergraduatecareer.