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Home > Academic Deans > FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I take any course I want pass/fail?
You may take any course pass/fail (“Credit/No Credit”), as long as you are not taking the class to meet a requirement. The one exception to this: If you take a course CR/NC before you have declared your major and later want to use the for your major, you may do so. Students may take a total of 4 courses pass/fail during their time in college, and may take only one each semester. The philosophy of the pass/fail option is to allow students to explore new areas of study with less risk.
What is the academic administrative board and how do I submit a petition?
The academic administrative board (AAB) is a committee made up of the three academic deans, the dean of studies, three faculty members from the three divisions, and the registrar. The role of the Board is to hear requests for exceptions to College policy and to ensure that these decisions are equitable and in the best educational interest of the student. Many of the requirements included in faculty legislation are firm and cannot be altered (for instance the requirement of 128 credits for graduation). However, in some instances students may wish to request an exception to College policy (explaining that a deadline was missed due to illness, for example). In this case, the student would talk with her academic dean and then fill out the petition form and submit it online. The academic deans present the petitions to the AAB.
What is considered full-time coursework?
A schedule of 16 semester credits is considered a normal course load (also called “pace” for graduation because 8 semesters at this pace will get you to the required 128 credits). A schedule of 12 semester credits is considered “full-time” work for the purposes of federal standards of satisfactory progress toward the degree (for federal aid). A student who takes 2 consecutive semesters at 12 credits will receive a warning to watch her overall progress toward the degree. A student who earns only 8 credits in a semester will most likely be placed on academic probation by the Academic Administrative Board. Students should talk to their faculty advisor and academic dean about dropping classes or taking a reduced load.
What if I want to take a credit overload or three classes off campus?
Students who wish to take more than 20 credits (21 and up) must have approval from their advisor and dean. Students who wish to take more than 2 courses off campus at another of the 5 Colleges do not currently need approval from their home institution; however, some of the other institutions may have policies about an off-campus student taking more than 2 at their school. Students should check with the registrar’s office at the host college.
Are PE courses for academic credit?
No. 6 PE credits are required for graduation but will not count toward the 128 credits students need to graduate.
How do I know if a course meets the distribution requirement?
A course only meets a distribution requirement if the course description states that it does.
How do I declare my major?
Students are expected to declare their major during the second semester of their sophomore year. The idea is that you have already declared your intended major when you register for classes in April. This way you have major standing for those courses. Departments hold open houses in spring to meet interested students and talk about the major. You declare by completing the “major declaration form”, available at the Registrar’s Office and at your academic dean’s office.
Can I change my major after I declare it?
You can change your major at any time as long as you are working with the department of your intended major and you can fit the courses in.
What do I do if I need to leave campus suddenly due to a personal or family emergency?
Whenever possible, notify your professors and your academic dean. When necessary, your academic dean can help to notify your professors.
Is it possible to take a semester off?
Yes! The College supports leaves of absence for many reasons. There are various reasons it might be in a student’s best interest to consider some time away from her home college, including study abroad or at another institution, family issues, health issues, the desire to travel without receiving academic credit, or simply the need for a break. See the Know Before You Go Web site for more information.
What should I do if I’ve fallen very behind in my work for a class?
Students who are worried they are not doing well in a course should talk with the professor of the course, as well as with their advisor and academic dean. The professor may be able to assuage some of the worry—often students are doing better than they think—or may offer suggestions for catching up. The academic dean can help students think about the resources and options available to them: Should you withdraw from (drop) the course? Will your credits be ok if you do? Is something getting in the way of your success? Would the SAW center help? Would counseling be helpful?; Are you using your time well? The advisor can help the student think about all these issues, as well as helping the student think about the choices she’s making in course selection, her (intended) major, and her own intellectual and practical goals. The only WRONG thing to do is to ignore the course, fail it, and then wish you had talked to someone much earlier!
What should I do if I’m not sure if something is plagiarism?
Plagiarism is something students need to think about throughout their time in college: The new student may not be familiar with incorporating quotations from the work of others. The advanced student may have questions about what to do when she finds an article that says what she was already going to say! The international student may have studied in a different cultural context with a different set of rules regarding integrating the work of others in to one’s own scholarship. Because this is an ongoing process, it is important always to ask questions when you are unsure. The SAW Center is a great resource for these questions, as are your professors. And remember that any question you ask in class is likely to help other students, as well.
How do I change advisors?
If you have not yet declared a major, you would use a “Change of Advisor” form, available from the Registrar’s Office and the Academic Deans Office. If you are unsure about finding a new advisor, you would come to see your academic dean. If you are a major, work with your department to see how they would like you to make the change.
What should I do if I want to take a credit overload?
Currently, enrolling in more than 20 credits requires the approval of your advisor and your academic dean. There is an “Excess Credit Form” available from the Registrar’s Office and the Academic Deans’ Office. Your conversation with your advisor should happen first, then you should see your academic dean. Our concern is making sure students are building balanced schedules that will allow them to do the work they’d like to do in college: exploration with enough time to work in depth in some areas, and of course time to enjoy it all.
How can I make up credits?
We encourage students to think carefully about good ways to make up credits. Adding an extra credit or two during a semester for a few semesters is often a better approach than adding a lot of credit in one semester and then feeling overwhelmed. Students should also take January term and summer classes in to consideration.
What should I do if I my advisor is not here to clear me for registration?
First of all, don’t wait until the last minute to meet with your advisor! Your advisor likely has office hours in the week leading up to registration, so make sure you take advantage of those. Second, the departmental assistants are very important sources of information! Check with the administrative assistant in the department to see if your advisor can be reached. If you really are not able to find your advisor, see if you can contact him or her on email, then see an academic dean. Your academic dean cannot clear you for registration without your advisor’s approval. However, with an email from your advisor, we may be able to help facilitate.
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