The University's faculty and administration place a high value on the academic accomplishment of its students. The University's academic reputation and its stature in the community of universities are tied inextricably to the scholastic achievement of its students. The University's rich and extensive resources provide a foundation of support for the realization of this goal. The University's scholarly and dedicated faculty strive to challenge students' intellectual development and their achievement of excellence.

The university community believes that students' efforts in the attainment of high levels of scholarship deserve appropriate recognition. The university community officially acknowledges their achievement throughout the academic year.

If this page of information does not have the information you are looking for, more information is available in the Undergraduate Catalog.

CLASSIFICATION OF STUDENTS

Undergraduate students are classified according to the number of semester hours completed:

Classification questions should be directed to the Academic Records and Summer School Office, 107 Old Main, 724-738-2010.

Only full-time students are permitted to reside on campus, be considered for most financial aid, and participate in many clubs and extracurricular activities, including intercollegiate athletics. Students must carry a minimum course load of twelve (12) credits per semester to be classified as full-time students.

COURSE LEVELS

The following course numbering system is used:

With approval of the dean, juniors and seniors having a 2.5 cumulative quality point average may enroll in 500 numbered courses for undergraduate credit. Undergraduate students are not permitted to register in courses numbered 600 and above. Post-Baccalaureate students may take 500-level courses, and with permission of the dean of graduate studies, 600-level courses.

Upper Division Hours:

All degrees require a minimum of 48 credit hours of upper division courses; 39 credits at 300 level or higher; 9 credit hours can be any course that requires a 3-credit prerequisite. Students with fewer than 45 credit hours (Soph II) can enroll in a 300-level course or higher with permission from the instructor. Students must complete at least 24 hours of upper division courses at SRU. Students must complete at least half of the major (15 hrs. minimum) in upper division courses.

ACADEMIC CREDIT

There are a variety of methods by which a student can earn credist toward an undergraduate degree from the university in addition to successfully completed courses in residence on the campus.

Non-Traditional Credit

        Credit by Examination

                Under certain conditions, it is possible for students to take courses by examination in a subject field. Cost per credit for the exam is $50.00. An exam for a three-credit course would cost $150.00. A grade of "P" or "NC" will be recorded on a student's record. Student may take Credit by Examination only once per course. Specific information is available from the specific academic department, the office of the respective dean, and the Office of Academic Records and Summer School.

        College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

                CLEP credit is awarded for completing successfully one or more written examinations. It is available for a variety of courses and a student may earn a maximum of 45 credits through any combination of CLEP, Advanced Placement, or other forms of credit by examination.

NOTE: A student may not earn any of their final 36 hours of credit through any form of credit by exam.

The heart of CLEP is a series of examinations that allows a student to show his/her knowledge in a wide range of subject areas. CLEP is a national program of credit-by-examination that offers a student the opportuni ty to obtain recognition for college-level achievement. A student's personal reading, on-the-job experience, adult school or correspondence courses, television or taped courses may have prepared a student to earn college credit. Wherever or however the student has learned, he or she can take CLEP tests.

There are five (5) general examinations and 30 specific subject examinations to choose from. The general exams are in English Composition, Humanities, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences and History. These exams test the knowledge a student has accumulated in these broad areas of study. These tests are at the level of courses a student would take in his/her first year or second year of college study. The 30 subject area tests let the student demonstrate the specific knowedge and skills he or she has gained through job experience outside course work, or through specialized independent reading. These examinations require a higher degree of specialized knowledge and training.

CLEP can help an adult who is returning to college, a student already enrolled in college, or a high school senior, earn college credits. CLEP can especially help adult students build self-confidence, gain admission to college, or save time and money.

General Guidelines

Slippery Rock Univesity will accept CLEP test scores as a basis for granting credit under the following regulations:

• No credit for an examination will be awarded to a student who has:
  • taken an examination previously within the last six months;
  • earned equivalent credit through regular course work, credit by another examination, or their institutional process, such as military credit;
  • earned credit previously in a course or by an examination more advanced than the level represented by the examination in question
• Some Notes on CLEP:
  • The College Entrance Examination Board will send test scores directly to the student or to the Office of Academic Records and Summer School at the student's request.
  • Transcript entries for CLEP tests successfully passed will indicate credits earned with a grade mark of "P" without quality point accumulations.
  • A student may earn a maximum of 45 credits through the CLEP, and all other forms of credit by exam. This means that a student may not take CLEP as any of the last 36 hours of credit for a bachelor's degree at SRU.
  • Equivalence to SRU courses will be determined by the Office of Academic Records and Summer School

        Credit for Military Science

                Slippery Rock University awards credit for military service and military schooling. Credit is NOT awarded solely for the completion of basic training or for Military Occupational Specialties (MOS). To receive credit for military service, a student must submit a DD214 or other official military record documenting a minimum of 1 year of continuous active duty. Students meeting this requirement will be awarded 3 credits of free electives and will also have the university's basic competency physical education requirement (2 credits) waived. (Students should submit their DD214 and all applicable military educational records to the director of Academic Records and Summer School, Room 107, Old Main.)

        Transfer Credits

                The student who has registered for courses at any post-secondary level institution, regardless of time enrolled, is classified as a transfer student. An official evaluation is provided when a student accepts an offer of admission.

Grades for coursework completed at other institutions do not affect the Slippery Rock University QPA. Only courses in which grades of "C-" and higher are earned will be transferred unless the student has earned an Associate Degree from a Pennsylvania public/community/technical college in which case "Ds" earned as part of the Associate Degree will be transferred.

For further information, please see http://www.sru.edu/pages/11629.asp .

        Transient Student Status

                Slippery Rock University students who plan to take courses at another institution must receive written permission from their respective advisors and chairpersons of their major department prior to enrollment. Students must complete a Transient Clearance Form. These forms are available in the Office of Academic Records and Summer School, the Academic Advisement Center, and the student's Dean's Office and on the following web site: http://www.sru.edu/pages/768.asp.

Approval for taking courses at another institution is contingent upon meeting the following requirements:

1. An official description of the course(s) to be taken must accompany the Transient Clearance Form when presented for approval.
2. A course(s) in which a grade(s) of D, F, NC or W was/were earned at SRU may not be repeated at another institution.
3. The final 36 hours of credit prior to graduation may not be earned as a transient student.
4. Transfer credit will be awarded for courses in which grades of "C-" or better are earned. All grades lower than "C-" (i.e., D+, D, D-) will not be accepted.
5. Grades earned at other schools will not be used to recompute a student's SRU QPA.
6. Students suspended from the university must receive their Dean's permission to be a transient student.
7. Correspondence courses and credit by exam are not acceptable in transfer if taken as a transient student.

NOTE: No credit will be awarded until the student requests an official transcript be sent from the transient institution to:

Office of Academic Records and Summer School
107 Old Main Building
Slippery Rock University
Slippery Rock, PA 16057

        Repeat of Courses

                Students may improve quality pont averages (QPA) by repeating courses at Slippery Rock University. Only the most recent grade earned is used in the calculation of QPA even if the earlier grade was higher, although all grades will appear on the transcript.

Courses in which grades of "D," "F," "W," and "NC" were earned at SRU may not be repeated at another institution for transfer to SRU. Students who repeat a course must do so using the same grading system under which they originally took the course. For example, a student who originally took a course graded "A-F" may not repeat the course on a "P/NC" or audit basis. Students may not repeat a course by using the Credit by Examination program if they originally took the course on a graded "A-F," "P/NC," or audit basis.

Students wishing to improve their QPA are strongly encouraged to consider this option (see section on Deficiency Point Calculations).

**Repeating a course may affect the student's financial aid. The student should check with the Financial Aid Office if he/she is receiving any assistance from grants or loans.

College Writing and Public Speaking are the only courses that students may not drop, unless they are withdrawing from the university.

Basic Competency course requirements must be completed by the end of the sophomore year for students to attain upper division status.

        Pass/No Credit Grading System

                Students may schedule a maximum of twelve (12) semester hours of pass/no credit after the freshman year.

• Courses must be designated at the time of registration and cannot be changed after the second week of the semester.
• Courses completed under the pass/no credit system can be used only as free electives. Pass-no credit is not synonymous with audit. In pass-no credit, all course requirements must be met.
• Students can take only one (1) pass/no credit course per semester. Courses offered only on a pass-no credit basis by some departments are not included in the 12 semester hour limitation.
• Courses taken pass/no credit are not used to compute the quality point average (QPA). Credit for such courses is counted toward meeting total graduation requirements, if the course is passed.
• A grade of "P" (pass) or "NC" (no credit) will be recorded on the transcript.
• Pass/No Credit courses may not be used to satisfy major, minor, intensive writing, the BA modern language, and the University's Liberal Studies Program requirements.

CLASS ATTENDANCE

Slippery Rock University does not have a university-wide class attendance policy. The university believes that class attendance, preparation and participation are integral components to student success. Therefore, the faculty and administration strongly encourage students to attend every class session, to spend at least 2 hours in review and preparation for each class, and to participate fully in all aspects of the class.

Students are expected to attend every class session of all courses for which they are registered. Individual class attendance requirements and enforcement rests with the individual professor.

Attendance may be required for approved classes or field trips held outside the regular class schedule, if such activites are advertised as requirements in the course description in the catalog and/or course syllabus.

Professors are required to inform their students of attendance requirements and of the circumstances and/or conditions under which an absence will be considered excused. A professor normally makes some provisions for absences occasioned by illness, by authorized activities for the university, and for recognized religious holidays.

FINAL SEMESTER EXAMINATIONS

At the termination of each semester or term, a final examination period is scheduled. All professors must meet each class during this scheduled examination period. It is the prerogative of the faculty member to give a final exam. If a final exam is given, it is to be administered according to the time as indicated in the examination schedule. If no exam is given, the class will meet during the scheduled examination time.

All final examinations are administered during the time stipulated in the examination schedule, which is printed in the Master Class Schedule of course offerings.

PLAGIARISM AND CHEATING

Academic dishonesty is considered a major violation of the University Code of Conduct. It is out of character and unacceptable in a community of students and scholars.

Plagiarism is the use of a direct quotation from the published work or oral presentation of another, and even the paraphrasing of another's concepts and ideas, especially when the violators' intent is to convince some third party that the work or thought was original (without citing the source). It is submitting the work of another as one's own. Cheating is a general word encompassing all manner of attempts to receive a prize or a favorable rating or grade using dishonest means such as copying papers or test answers, having another person take an exam, or complete a laboratory exercise, and the like.

Students charged with academic dishonesty may be dealt with by either the Coordinator of Student Standards or the course professor. The professor who chooses to handle the matter personally so informs the department chairperson of the problem and its resolution. The department chair forwards the information to the appropriate dean, who then informs the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. If the instructor decides to refer the matter to the Office of Student Standards, the Director of Student Life will begin institutional action by beginning an investigation into the matter. If there is sufficient cause, the student will be notified of the charges being brought against them under the Code of Conduct. The student may then face judicial action which may include a university hearing board.

1. All academic work including, but not limited to, papers, computer programs, assignments and tests must consist of the student's own work.
2. Students are expected to learn and practice proper techniques for accurately citing resource material.
3. Students are expected to be honest in all academic work, refraining from all forms of cheating.
4. Students are expected to function as students, including, but not limited to, attending class regularly and completing all assignments and examinations.

GRADE CHANGE

Once a grade has been posted, it can only be changed by the professor who originally awarded the grade. Grade changes must be done on a grade change card and must be approved by the professor and the chairperson of the department in which the course was offered, and the academic dean of the college in which the course was offered. The academic dean is not required to sign undergraduate grade changes if the student is having his/her grade changed from an incomplete. Grade changes from time periods prior to one semester preceding the date of request must be accompanied by memoranda of justification from both instructor and department chairperson. This information is submitted to the appropriate dean for action.

SCHEDULE ADJUSTMENTS

The number of credit hours students may carry in a given semester is determined by their cumulative quality point average (QPA).

If the cumulative quality point average is less than 2.0 studetns are limited to amaximum of 16 semester hours, including any courses to be repeated.

If the cumulative quality pont average is betwen 2.0 and 2.49, a maximum credit hour lod of 18 is permitted.

If the cumulative quality point average is 2.5 or higher, the student is permitted to register for a maximum 21 semester hours. An additional fee is charged for each credit hour in excess of 18.

Dropping and/or Adding Courses

DURING THE REGISTRATION PERIOD AND BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT SEMESTER:

Once a student has registered for the next semester, the student can continue to make schedule adjustments.

• If a course is open during the registration period, the advisor's signature is recommended, but not required, to add the course.
• If a course is closed during the registration period, the instructor's signature is required to add the course. The advisor's signature is recommended, but not required. The instructor should sign the card first, then the advisor.
• The advisor's signature is recommended, but not required, to drop an open or closed course.

NOTE: "Dropped" courses are not recorded on a student's record. Students permitted to "drop" or "add" courses after the first week of classes must receive their Dean's signature and will be assessed a $15.00 late fee per transaction.

Policy -- Late Drops, Adds, and Withdrawal

Students may continue to drop and add courses through the fifth day of classes without paying the late fee or receiving their Dean's permission. Courses dropped during the first week of the semester are not recorded on the students' permanent records unless the students withdraw from all of their courses, in which case grades of "W" are awarded.

Courses that are dropped during the second through tenth weeks of a semester are recorded on a student's permanent record with a "W" grade. After the tenth week deadline, students may not withdraw from courses and must be graded.

For courses that meet fewer than 15 weeks, the deadline for withdrawing from the course is two-thirds of the way through the courses' beginning and ending dates. After the deadline, students may not withdraw from courses and must be graded.

Students may not drop or withdraw from basic competency courses once the semester begins with the exception of physical education/dance activity courses in the liberal studies program.

Students who are permitted to drop, add, or withdraw from courses after the deadlines stated above will not only have to secure their Dean's signature on their yellow drop/add or blue withdrawal cards, but will also have to pay a $15.00 late fee for each drop, add, or withdrawal transaction processed. Late Drop/Adds and Withdrawals will not be approved unless extenuating circumstances beyond the student's control prevented the student from processing the Drop/Add/WD on time.

THE DETERMINATION OF WHETHER OR NOT A CARD IS "LATE" WILL BE BASED UPON THE DAY THE CARD IS RECEIVED IN THE OFFICE OF ACADEMIC RECORDS AND SUMMER SCHOOL, NOT THE DATE THE CARD IS SIGNED AND DATED.

This means students who think they have registered for a class, but for whom no written record exists, will have to pay $15.00 if they are permitted to add the class after the first week of classes. Likewise, students whose names appear on a class roster and never attend the class in question, will be assessed a $15.00 late fee if the class is DROPPED from their schedules after the first week of classes. If students wish to receive the appropriate WITHDRAWAL grade (see deadlines), no fee will be assessed.

Student Withdrawal and Readmission

Withdrawal from the University

Students who withdraw from the University, for any reason, must complete an official withdrawal form. It is available in the Office of Academic Records and Summer School, and once the form is completed, it must be returned to that office.

Regular financial charges will be assessed until the withdrawal notice is received by the Office of Student Accounts.

Students desiring to withdraw for medical reasons must submit to the director of Academic Records and Summer School written proof from a physician or counselor that their withdrawal from the university was involuntary and based upon their recommendation. Medical withdrawal may also be granted if members of the students' immediate family (children, spouse, parents) are critically ill. Students are graded in accordance with the University's withdrawal grading policy regardless of the reason for the withdrawal.

Readmission to the University

Students who have withdrawn voluntarily or who have been suspended from the University and have not attended another institution must apply for readmission through their Dean's office.

Former Slippery Rock University students who have attended another institution and wish to resume studies at Slippery Rock University must apply for readmission through the Office of Admissions. All provisions for regular transfer admission must be satisfied, as outlined in the current university catalog.

Returning Students -- Students who withdraw from the University and return are responsible for meeting the Liberal Studies Program requirements and major program requirements that were in effect the term they are readmitted.

STATUS CHANGES

CHANGE OF NAME, ADDRESS, AND/OR PHONE NUMBER

All changes of name and/or home or local address, must be made on the appropriate change form, available in the Academic Records and Summer School Office only after submitting an official document or a notarized statement stating that a name change has occurred. It is important that the University be kept informed of students' current residences and statuses.

CHANGE OF ACADEMIC MAJOR

Forms to change academic majors may be obtained from the offices of the respective Dean, Academic Records and Summer School, Academic Advisement Office, or on this web site: http://www.sru.edu/pages/768.asp.

The student's academic files cannot be sent to the new department until the student completes this information form.

Students are reminded that they must meet the major academic requirements that are in effect at the time they declare a major.

ADDITIONAL ACADEMIC MAJOR AND/OR MINOR

Students desiring to earn a double major or to add an academic minor field of study should first seek advisement from the specific academic departments that would be involved. This takes place normally after the freshman year.

While only one degree will be granted to graduating student, both academic majors and/or minors will appear on the transcript. Double majors normally require more than the 120 semester hours minimum.

A minor is a set of courses that meets specific guidelines and is designed to allow a sub-major concentration in an academic discipline or in a specific area within a discipline. Unlike a specialization or a concentration, the minor is recorded on the student's transcript.

Students cannot major and minor in the same discipline/academic area. For example, they cannot major and minor in geography, but they can major in geography and minor in cartography.

Students wishing to declare a second major or minor, must complete the appropriate form which is available in the Office of Academic Records and Summer School or at this web site: http://www.sru.edu/pages/768.asp. Once a student has graduated, he/she may not add another major, minor or specialization to his/her undergraduate record.

ACCESS ON THE WEB

Students who need to locate up-to-date forms and policies can do so on-line at http:www.sru.edu/academicrecords. On this web page, students can access the following: RockTalk, the undergraduate catalog, graduate catalog, records policy, the Green and White Student Handbook, Academic Records personnel, finals schedule, master class schedule, how to request attendance/graduation verification, how to order/interpret DARS, how to order transcripts, summer information, Academic Records Forms, and the academic calendar.