SEAS Student Handbook 2020-2021

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Receive a D, F, UW, or unauthorized Incomplete in any first-year/sophomore
required courses
Receive a D, F, UW, or unauthorized Incomplete in any course required for the
major
Receive straight C’s in the core science courses (chemistry, calculus, physics)
or in required courses for their major
Not making significant progress towards the degree
• Continued Probation: Students who are already on probation and fail to meet the
minimum requirements as stated in their sanction letter.
• Strict Probation: Students who are already on probation, fail to meet the minimum
requirements as stated in their sanction letter, and are far below minimum
expectations. This action is typically made when there are signs of severe academic
difficulty.
• Suspension and Dismissal: Students who have been placed on academic probation
and who fail to be restored to good academic standing in the following semester
can be considered either for suspension or dismissal by the Undergraduate
Committee on Academic Standing. The decision to suspend or dismiss a student will
be made by the Committee on Academic Standing in the Berick Center for Student
Advising and the Dean’s Office in close consultation with the student’s
departmental adviser when the student has declared a major. In cases of
suspension, the student will be required to make up the deficiencies in their
academic record by taking appropriate courses at a four-year accredited
institution in North America. Students must be able to complete their degree
requirements in their eighth semester at Columbia after readmission. If this is not
achievable, then students should be considered for dismissal instead.
The courses that the student must take will be determined by the Undergraduate
Committee of Academic Standing and by the student’s departmental adviser when
the student has declared a major. All proposed courses will be reviewed by the
appropriate faculty who teach the equivalent classes at Columbia University. All
courses that are being taken to fulfill a major requirement or as a technical elective
must be approved by the student’s departmental adviser. Courses being taken to
count as a nontechnical elective or to count as general credit would only require the
approval of the Undergraduate Committee on Academic Standing. The existing
procedures for the approval of outside credit will be followed in these cases. Students
must receive a grade of B or better for the credit to be transferred.
The Office of Graduate Student Affairs monitors the academic progress of graduate
students in consultation with the departments. Students will be placed on Academic
Probation if their cumulative GPA is below 2.5 or the minimum GPA required by the
academic department, whichever is higher. A student who, at the end of any term,
has not attained the grade-point average required for the degree may be asked to
withdraw.
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