ACADEMIC PROCEDURES AND POLICIES

The Greensburg campus makes its educational resources available to students year-round by operating on a three‑term rather than a two-term academic calendar. The approximate beginning and ending dates for the three terms are:

Fall Term	late August through mid‑December
Spring Term	January through late April
Summer Term & Sessions	May through early August

Students may attend two, two and one‑half, or three terms a year. If they register for a full load (i.e., 15 credits) of classes during all three terms each year, they may earn their bachelor’s degree in two and two‑thirds years rather than the usual four. A greater variety and number of classes will be available during the fall and spring terms than during the summer term. The summer term provides students with the opportunity to supplement their course work or to make up any academic deficiencies.

Freshmen admitted for the fall term are required to attend one of the Summer Orientation and Registration (SOAR) sessions held during the summer preceding enrollment. During SOAR, students become familiar with the campus and the academic programs, take placement exams (see Math and English Placement below), and register for fall courses.

Almost all students will take a writing and mathematics course during their first semester. Students will be assigned to a course level that is appropriate to their backgrounds and abilities in writing and mathematics. The placement for writing courses will be based on SAT verbal scores, and placement for mathematics courses will be based on the score earned on the mathematics placement test.

Full‑time students admitted for the fall term are required to take the mathematics placement exam during the Summer Orientation and Registration session they attend. Part‑time students and full‑time students admitted for the spring or summer terms take the math placement examinations during one of the scheduled external studies testing times.

Upon acceptance to the University, full‑time students are assigned an academic advisor from the Advising Center who will help them select courses and programs that are consistent with their objectives and qualifications. About the time students achieve junior standing (i.e., when they have earned 60 credits) they are expected to declare the program of studies or major they wish to pursue. At this time, students will be assigned to a faculty advisor who either teaches in the student’s field of interest or specializes as an advisor in that area. Students are required to meet with their advisors during the enrollment period for each term, but advisors are available throughout the term for conferences with students. Students are urged to meet with their advisors frequently to discuss problems as well as career plans. Part‑time students are advised by the professional staff advisors in the Office of Academic Affairs. Appointments for day or evening advising and/or enrollment conferences may be scheduled by calling the Advising Center.

During the enrollment period in the fall and spring terms, students select and enroll in their courses for the upcoming terms. Enrollment for the spring term typically occurs during November and for summer term and the following fall term during March. All full-time students are expected to meet with an advisor who will assist them in selecting appropriate courses. Students must have their course selections approved by their assigned advisors in order to complete the enrollment process. Part-time students are encouraged to consult an academic advisor.

Students are ultimately responsible for the successful planning and implementation of their academic program. This responsibility includes satisfying prerequisites for chosen courses, taking the appropriate courses to meet general education and major requirements, and abiding by the guidelines and policies of the University and the Greensburg campus. Students are expected to be generally familiar with the contents of this publication, as well as with the updates provided on the Web or through information sheets. Students should be aware of basic degree and major requirements, information about the registration process, and the rules governing changes in registration, etc. Students should maintain a personal file containing information about their academic progress and current registration. Students are also responsible for making appointments with their advisors during the registration period for each semester.

UPG’s Office of Student Services offers additional counseling services that include personal counseling, group counseling, and career counseling. Personal counseling is provided to assist students who have problems or concerns in areas such as parental and peer relationships, emotional or social conflicts, marital issues, academic difficulties, etc. Group counseling is provided to address specific issues including stress management and eating disorders. Community resources are also used when appropriate. On‑campus services also include career counseling with individual assessment of aptitudes, interests, and work values and collaborative placement activities with the Pittsburgh campus. 

Credit by Examination

Students may earn credits toward graduation not only by taking and successfully finishing courses, but also by taking special examinations. Three types of special examinations are used at UPG: Challenge Examinations, the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), and the Advancement Placement (AP) program of The College Board.

1. In Challenge Examinations, students take a test for a specific course offered by the Greensburg campus. Each test for credit by examination must be arranged with the department teaching the course for which credit is desired. Departments set their own policies as to the specific courses for which students may request challenge examinations, the time and type of the examination, and the number of courses among those required for the major for which credit may be earned by examination. 
   
   Students may not take credit examinations for material presupposed as prerequisites for admission. If students have mastered, during their high school careers, material that is traditionally covered in a college course and that is not required for college admission, they are allowed to attempt to obtain credit by examination for it, provided that the course is one for which the department accepts credit by examination. Credit by examination cannot be obtained, however, for a college‑level course for which credit has already been awarded, nor can it be used to alter a grade already received. Credit may not be earned by examination in lower‑level sequence courses when the student has already obtained credit for a higher‑level course in the sequence. Students are not permitted to audit courses without registering and then apply for credit by examination.
   
   Students wishing to earn credit by examination should consult the department in which the course is given and then obtain the requisite form from the Office of the Registrar. There is a fee for the examination—whether or not credits are earned.
   
   
2. The purpose of the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) is to enable those individuals who have attained college-level education in nontraditional ways to assess their achievement and use the test results in seeking college advanced placement credits in a selected program of study.
   
   The University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, cognizant of the diversified backgrounds of its student population, uses the general examinations of CLEP as a means of evaluating adult candidates for advanced placement after admission to the University. The general examinations consist of five areas: English composition, humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and mathematics.
   
   
3. Students who participated in the Advanced Placement (AP) program of The College Board may request college credit by asking the Educational Testing Service to forward their AP scores to the UPG Office of Admissions. For students enrolled in UPG majors, credits based on AP tests will be awarded as shown in the table below. Awards for other majors, such as engineering, may be somewhat different.

 

University External Studies Program

The University External Studies Program (UESP) exists for people who cannot attend class every week due to job requirements, family responsibilities, or transportation constraints. Students study at home at their own pace, using specially prepared instructional materials. Each course requires the student to attend three workshops during a term. Workshops are typically held on Saturday mornings or afternoons on either the Greensburg or Pittsburgh campuses. Courses taken in UESP carry the same credit as those at the Greensburg campus; they are taught by regular University faculty. Various support mechanisms have been developed to provide for additional instructor contact and for course‑related communication to students via mail and telephone as well as e-mail and course Web sites. Admission requirements are identical to those of UPG.

Transfer of Credits for Courses Taken at Other Schools

Students with good academic standing may enroll for a summer or special session at another institution as a way of advancing or supplementing their academic programs. Pre-approval from the Advising Center is required. Students should provide their academic advisor with a proposal specifying courses to be taken and academic objectives to be met along with a bulletin from the school offering the courses that contains descriptions for the proposed courses. Proposals for study at other schools should be forwarded to the Advising Center for action.

To be eligible for transfer, courses taken at other schools must

1. be offered by an accredited institution,
2. be substantially the same as courses regularly offered at the Greensburg campus or at other liberal arts and science colleges, and
3. not be a repetition of any course taken previously.

The option of taking courses at other institutions is available only to students with fewer than 30 advanced standing credits when they were admitted to UPG. There are also limitations on the number of courses students may take at other institutions. Students may enroll at other institutions for no more than two summer or special sessions and take no more than two courses per session. In addition, upper‑class students may not take courses at two-year schools. Students who take summer courses at other schools are expected to enroll as full-time students for the following fall and spring semesters at UPG and to complete their last 30 credits in residence at UPG.

Requests for certification of a student's enrollment are processed by the Office of the Registrar. The student’s signature is required as a condition to the release of certification of enrollment information. Telephoned requests cannot be honored.

Normally students are expected to attend classes. There is no University rule regarding attendance, but individual faculty members may set rules for their courses.

One essential condition of an open and progressive university community is personal integrity. This requires honesty in all academic work. Students who cheat, plagiarize, or otherwise take improper advantage of the work of others are subject to a variety of penalties. They may be failed on the particular piece of work in question or in the course in which dishonest work is submitted. A second offense may mean suspension or permanent dismissal from the University. Students should consult the Student Handbook and the University of Pittsburgh Guidelines on Academic Integrity for additional information.

Students who need to drop one or more courses may do so by using the Student Self Service Enrollment process. After the deadline established for the term or session, a student can no longer drop a course, but may process a Monitored Withdrawal (see Withdrawing from Courses below).

Students who decide not to attend the University may drop all of the courses for which they are registered during the add/drop period with no financial liability. Students who make this decision after the add/drop period must process a resignation through the Office of the Registrar (see Resignation or Termination of Registration below).

After the end of the add/drop period and until the end of the ninth week of the fall and spring terms (or the published deadlines for the various sessions of the summer term), a student may withdraw from any course and receive the grade of W. W grades have no effect on the student's QPA and the credits do not count toward graduation. A student wishing to withdraw from a course should obtain a Monitored Withdrawal Request form from the Office of the Registrar or from the Advising Center and obtain the course instructor's signature. Signed Monitored Withdrawal Requests should be returned to the Office of the Registrar.

After the deadline for withdrawal, a student may withdraw from individual courses only in exceptional and extenuating circumstances and with the permission of the vice president for academic affairs. Petitions for late withdrawals should be submitted to the Advising Center.

Students who wish to withdraw from all of their courses after the add/drop period should follow the procedures for Resignation or Termination of Registration below.

After the end of the add/drop period, students who decide not to attend the University must resign from all courses through the Office of the Registrar. The deadline for resignation during the fall or spring term is the date on which 60 percent of the fall or spring term has been completed. The deadline for resignation or termination of registration is the last date for which students can expect any reduction in the tuition and fees they owe. After the deadline, students will be responsible for all tuition and fees assessed for the term. Summer term resignations are handled on a case-by-case basis because students may be registered for courses in different sessions.

An official resignation occurs when a student notifies the Office of the Registrar of his/her intent to terminate registration for all classes. The effective date of resignation is determined by one of the following: (1) the date of in‑person contact with the Office of the Registrar, (2) the date of the postmark on the letter of intent to resign (or the date of receipt if no postmark exists), or (3) the date of telephone notification to the Office of the Registrar. R grades are assigned for all courses for which registration is terminated between the end of the add/drop period and the resignation deadline.

After the deadline for termination of registration or resignation, students may apply to the vice president for academic affairs for permission to withdraw from each of their classes. Petitions for late withdrawals should be submitted the the Advisory Center.

Permission will be granted only in exceptional and extenuating circumstances. If permission is granted, students will receive W grades for all classes, but will still be responsible for all tuition and fee charges.

Failing to attend the classes for which a student is registered or failing to notify the appropriate administrative offices of nonattendance is not considered an official resignation. Students who fail to follow proper procedures for termination of their registration are responsible for all tuition and fees assessed for the term or session.

Students may register for courses with different grading options that include letter grades, pass for credit, and audit. Numeric values are assigned to letters for the purposes of computing quality point averages (QPA) and grade point averages (GPA). Other grade reporting codes are used to identify courses in which work is incomplete or courses from which a student has withdrawn or resigned. Definitions and details on grading options, grade reporting codes, and grade and quality point averages are provided in the following sections.

 

A+	=	4
A	=	4	Superior attainment
A–	=	3.75
B+	=	3.25
B	=	3	Meritorious attainment
B–	=	2.75
C+	=	2.25
C	=	2	Adequate attainment
C–	=	1.75
D+	=	1.25
D	=	1	Minimal attainment
D–	=	0.75
F	=	0	Failure

Auditing Classes (N Grades)

Any course offered by the Greensburg campus may be audited by any student who has been admitted to UPG. Audited courses appear on the transcript with a grade of N, but no credit is earned. Regular tuition rates apply to audited classes.

Satisfactory/No Credit Grading Option (S or NC Grades)

Some courses may be taken on a pass-for‑credit basis. A student enrolled in a course on a pass‑for‑credit basis receives either a grade of S or NC. An S grade is approximately equivalent to a letter grade of C or better and means that the student will receive credit for the course. An NC grade means that the student will not receive credit for the course. S and NC grades are not included in the calculation of the QPA. No more than 12 credits with S grades may be counted toward graduation. Students must declare their decision to choose the pass-for-credit grading basis by the deadline published in the Schedule of Classes.

Incomplete Grade (G Grades)

When students are prevented by circumstances beyond their control from completing a course and it is too late to withdraw, an instructor may assign a G grade. The G grade option should only be available when the student has been attending a course and has been making regular progress. There should be some compact, clearly defined package of work (e.g., a final examination or a term paper) to be done to complete the work of the course. The instructor has discretion to decide if a G grade is appropriate and is under no compulsion to grant a G grade for substantially incomplete work. If a significant part of the work is incomplete and the student has not officially withdrawn, the appropriate grade is an F.

A G grade must be replaced by a final grade during the student's next term in residence or within one year in the case of students who are not in attendance the following term; otherwise, the privilege of completing it is withdrawn and the credits are lost. An uncompleted G grade remains on the transcript but does not count in calculating the QPA. The student must arrange with the instructor for the completion of a G grade. Only the instructor who gave the G grade can change it; if he/she becomes unavailable by leaving the University, the credits may be lost.

Withdrawal/Resignation (W or R Grades)

W grades are given when a student officially withdraws from a course. After the end of the add/drop period, and until the end of the ninth week of the fall and spring terms (or the published deadlines for the various sessions of the summer term), a student may withdraw from any course by filling out a Monitored Withdrawal form. Instructors’ signatures are required. After the withdrawal deadline, students must obtain the permission of the vice president for academic affairs to withdraw from a course. Students do not receive credit for courses in which W grades are given.

When students resign from all courses through the Office of Student Accounts, they receive the grade of R in each course. Students do not receive credit for courses in which R grades are given.

All courses taken for credit on the letter-grade system, except repeated courses and transfer credits, are included in the computation of the official GPA, which is determined in the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Inclusion on the Dean’s List, honors at graduation, and placement on probation depend directly on this GPA.

At the end of each term or session, the University posts student grades online. Students may access their grade reports through the my.pitt.edu portal page. This report shows the total credits earned, the grade earned in each course taken during the period covered by the grade report, as well as the associated grade points earned.

First-year students and students on academic probation also receive midterm grade reports.

Official transcripts of a student's academic record are available upon written request by that student to the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, Office of the Registrar, Millstein Library, 1150 Mt. Pleasant Road, Greensburg, PA 15601. The student's signature is required as a condition of the release of academic transcripts. Telephoned requests cannot be honored. A fee of $3 is assessed for each copy. An active student may request an unofficial copy of a transcript once each term without charge. Transcripts are withheld if the student has an outstanding financial obligation to the University.

This honor list is published at the end of the fall and spring terms. This list includes the names of all students who earned a minimum term GPA of 3.25 with no grade less than C– and who took a minimum of 12 credits per term for a letter grade if full-time, or six credits per term for a letter grade if part-time.

In recognition of the transitional nature of the first year at the University, the Swanson School of Engineering permits a new freshman student to repeat required courses of the freshman year in which D or F grades were received. These courses must be repeated within one academic year following the original registration. Original credits and grade points from these courses will not be used in the calculation of the student's cumulative grade point average. This applies only to freshman courses taken during the first calendar year of attendance as a new freshman student. This does not apply to transfer students.

With the exception noted above, a student's GPA will be determined by dividing the total number of grade points by the total number of credits that were assigned A–F letter grades.

Full-time students are expected to earn at least 12 credits with a 2.00 GPA in each fall and spring term in which they are enrolled at UPG. They are required to maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.00. Students who fail to achieve the minimum cumulative GPA requirement are placed on probation. All student records are checked in May of each year to determine which students are having academic difficulty. Students who lack the minimum GPA requirements for good academic standing receive a letter describing their probationary status.

The academic progress of students on probation is monitored on a term-by-term basis. Students  on probation are required to earn 12 credits and a 2.00 GPA during each fall and spring terms for which they are registered. They may continue on probation as long as they satisfy the 12 credit and 2.00 term GPA requirements until their cumulative GPA exceeds the 2.00 standard. Students on probation who fail to earn 12 credits and a 2.00 GPA during a term are subject to suspension for one year or dismissal from the University.

At the discretion of the vice president for academic affairs, more stringent requirements for probation or suspension may be imposed. Again at the discretion of the vice president for academic affairs, students having academic difficulty may be given permission to enroll in the summer or to enroll on a part-time basis as they work to improve their academic records.

Part-time students who have earned a minimum of 18 credits and whose cumulative grade point average falls below 2.00 at the end of any term will be placed on probation. Students who are placed on probation may not carry more than two courses a term until they have regained good academic standing.

Students placed on probation who fail to regain good academic standing by the time they have completed an additional 18 credits of course work are subject to suspension.

Students who have been suspended may apply for reinstatement after the suspension period. A formal application should be submitted to the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs at least a month prior to the beginning of the term in which the student plans to enroll. Students seeking reinstatement who have been away more than 12 months must pay an application fee. Favorable action can be expected if the student provides evidence that he/she can pursue an academic program with some prospects for success. Because registration conferences are usually held from the ninth to the 12th week of the preceding term, applications should be received within that period so that the advisor can help in planning the program and in registering the student. The student’s status, upon reinstatement, will be that attained at the end of his/her last term in residence or at the beginning of the term during which resignation took place. However, students who have been away from the University for one or more years may be subject to the requirements in force at the time of their reinstatement, rather than at the time of their departure. Applicants will be notified by letter of the action taken on their requests.

Only under the most unusual circumstances will suspended part-time students be readmitted to the campus. Students who are readmitted after suspension may carry only those credits approved by the vice president for academic affairs. If such a student does not achieve a satisfactory record for his/her approved program of courses, he/she will be permanently dismissed without appeal.

Any courses that a student may take at another institution during a period of suspension will not be granted credit by the University after that student has been reinstated.

A student is active when admitted and enrolled in the term of admission. A student is considered to be enrolled only when officially registered with the registrar in accordance with established University policies. Once students have been admitted to and enrolled at UPG, they are eligible to continue as long as they maintain satisfactory academic standing and continue to register during the fall and spring terms until they have earned degrees.

Students become inactive when: (1) as new or readmitted students they do not enroll in the term of admission/readmission, (2) they have not enrolled for at least one credit during three consecutive terms, or (3) they have graduated. An inactive student is not permitted to use University facilities or to receive counseling or active supervision by a faculty member, advisor, or committee.

Students who do not enroll in the term of admission/readmission may defer admission or readmission for up to one year. Requests to defer admission should be addressed in writing to the Office of Admissions. Students who do not enroll within one year of their initial admission to UPG must reapply before registering for classes. Readmission is not automatic. The student must meet all current admission and degree requirements.

Once they have been admitted and enrolled, students are expected to maintain their active status with the University until they graduate. Students who are absent from the University for a year (i.e., do not enroll for at least one credit during three consecutive terms) must apply for and be granted reinstatement before they may resume their programs. Reinstatement requires formal application to the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs at least one month prior to the beginning of a term. If the reasons given in the reinstatement application clearly indicate that the student can resume his/her program with reasonable expectation of completion, and if the vice president for academic affairs has no other grounds for denying the request, favorable action can be expected. Applications for reinstatement should be submitted during the registration period (i.e., week seven to week 12) of the term preceding the term for which the student seeks reinstatement so that students may meet with an advisor for help in selecting courses and planning their programs. The student’s status upon reinstatement will be that which he/she attained at the end of his/her last term in residence or at the beginning of the term during which resignation took place. Applicants will be notified by letter of the action taken on their applications.

Students who interrupt their studies at UPG for one or more terms to attend another institution must apply for readmission to the University as a transfer student. This rule does not apply to students who, with the permission of the vice president for academic affairs, attend another institution as part of their academic programs. Please refer to the regulations for transfer admission. Readmission is not automatic. The student must meet all current admission and degree requirements.

All the credits required for a degree, whether earned in residence or transferred from another institution, must have been earned no more than 12 years prior to the date on which the degree is awarded. However, when given evidence that the previous courses still provide adequate preparation for courses yet to be taken and the courses yet to be taken represent a reasonable part of the total academic program, the vice president for academic affairs may waive this limitation. In such cases, the waiver is for a specific period during which the program must be completed.

Requirements

The Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree will be awarded upon the fulfillment of the following conditions:

1. Completion of 120–126 credits of university work in one of the prescribed curricula through completion of courses at the University, by advanced standing, or by examinations.
2. Application for the degree is made when the student has earned 90 credits.
3. The work of the senior year (the last 30 credits) is taken at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg.
4. A minimum overall grade point average of 2.00 is attained in courses taken at the University.
5. A minimum grade point average of 2.00 is attained in the major or area of concentration. (Some departments have more stringent requirements. Consult the program descriptions in this publications.)
6. All required courses have been completed satisfactorily.
7. The student is recommended for a degree by the duly constituted authority within the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg.

Applications

When students have earned 90 credits, they must file an application for graduation with the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Compliance with this deadline will enable the academic affair’s office to make a complete appraisal of the student’s record. Any deficiency disclosed by the evaluation should be corrected promptly by the student.

Honors

Those students in a graduating class who have attained an outstanding scholastic record may be graduated with honors. To qualify for honors, a student must have completed at least 60 letter-graded credits at the University of Pittsburgh and attained a cumulative GPA of 3.25 for cum laude, 3.50 for magna cum laude, and 3.75 for summa cum laude. The graduation honors for the purposes of the spring graduation ceremony are based on the records of students at the end of the fall semester. Graduation honors reported on the official diploma and recorded in the permanent record are based on the student’s complete record through the end of the final semester.