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Academic Regulations || Course Load || Class Attendance || Undergraduate Excuses and Absences for University Events || Academic Standards || Grading System || Student Status || Confidentiality of Students Records || Students with Disabilities || Academic Records || Academic Appeal || Academic Honesty || Transcripts || Registration Procedures || Changes in Student Schedules || Withdrawal from Courses || Undeclared Student Status || Change of Major || Leave of Absence || Withdrawal from University || Academic Honors ||  Course Load A full-time student carries from 12-18 semester hours of credit in both fall and spring semesters. Credits in excess of 18 require the approval of the appropriate dean, who will base the decision on such factors as grades, distribution of courses, extracurricular activities, health and outside employment of the student. A maximum of six semester hours can be taken in a summer session.  Class Attendance Marywood University affirms all learning experiences that lead to responsible self-direction on the part of students. The purpose of attendance regulations is to support each student in sharing the exchange of ideas that occurs only within the classroom. Therefore Marywood encourages all students to attend class regularly and urges all professors to establish attendance and participation requirements for each course they teach. Course attendance requirements will be clearly specified and communicated to the students in the course outline. Abuses of attendance policies will be referred to the appropriate dean for final judgment.  Undergraduate Excused Absences for University Events In order to have a more holistic university experience, undergraduate students may have one hour, technically 50 minutes, of excused absence per credit of each course taken or one entire lab session to participate in important departmental or University sponsored events. This means students within specified guidelines should have an opportunity to make up missed exams given during their excused absences.   Academic Standards A student must attain a cumulative quality point average (QPA) of 2.00 to satisfy degree requirements. A minimum of 2.33 is required in one's major. Some major programs require a higher QPA. Individual program descriptions provide specific information. Good Standing - A student is in good standing when his/her cumulative quality point average is at least 2.00. Warning - Whenever the quality point average for a semester is less than 2.00, but the cumulative quality point average is 2.00 or better, the student will be warned. Probation - A student will be placed on probation if a QPA of 1.00 is not achieved in any given semester or whenever his/her quality point average falls below 2.00. Probation is temporary; it is, therefore, not included in the student's academic record. A first semester student's quality point average is the same as his or her cumulative quality point average. The consequences of being on probation include: academic dismissal after one semester on probation, if the student's QPA does not improve significantly; possible required reduction in credit load; ineligibility to participate in varsity athletics; ineligibility to hold office in Student Government; loss of financial aid. Repeated Probation - If a student's cumulative quality point average increases and, though still below 2.00, indicates possibility to attain the standards required for graduation, the student may be continued on probation for another semester. Dismissal - Upon recommendation of the Committee on Grades, Honors and Academic Standing, the appropriate dean will dismiss: a student who fails to improve her/his cumulative quality point average at the end of a semester or more on probation. a student whose cumulative quality point average increases, though still remaining below 2.00, if the student's academic record indicates little potential for attaining the academic standards required for graduation. (Academic dismissal is recorded on the student's academic record.) a student who has had previous but unconsecutive semesters on probation. a student who fails to achieve a 1.00 in any two semesters. students may also be dismissed for other academic reasons, such as academic dishonesty. Undergraduate Grading System The grading system adopted by the University is as follows: Quality Points A 4.00 Excellent A- 3.67 B+ 3.33 Good B 3.00 B- 2.67 C+ 2.33 Average C 2.00 C- 1.67 Poor, but passing D+ 1.33 D 1.00 F 0.00 Failing F* 0.00 Unofficial withdrawal; failure to resolve "I" or "X" grade I Incomplete Not figured in QPA W Withdrew officially WP Withdrew officially with passing grade WF Withdrew officially with failing grade X Temporary delay in reporting final grade S Satisfactory U Unsatisfactory AD Audit The standing "Incomplete" (I) is given to a student who has done satisfactory (C or better) work in a course but has not completed the course requirements because of illness or some other emergency situation. The student must submit to the course instructor a written request for the grade "I." (Forms are available at the Office of Academic Records.) A faculty member is not permitted to assign "Incomplete" unless the student has requested it and is eligible under the above conditions. An "Incomplete" in a course taken for credit must be resolved within one month after the opening of the following semester or the grade becomes a permanent "F*." The student is responsible for making satisfactory arrangements with the teacher for completion of course requirements. After an "Incomplete" has been changed to a failing grade, a student must retake the course concerned to obtain credit. The "X" indicates that credit for the semester work in the course is withheld pending completion of course requirements. Unlike the "I," the "X" is initiated by the faculty member or, in certain circumstances, the registrar. The student will be given an opportunity to complete the final examination or project provided there is a valid reason for the delay. Lack of academic effort does not constitute a valid reason. The "X" grade must be resolved in the same manner as an "I." The standing "Failure" (F or F*) indicates that the student has not obtained any credit for the semester's work. If it is a required course, it must be repeated. Any grade, including "F" and "F*," is retained on the student's record, but is removed from the computation of the QPA when a student retakes the same course at Marywood and earns a higher grade in the retake. However, a student may retake a course only once.  Deficiency Grades Each semester is divided into two quarters. At the end of the first quarter, faculty submit grades for students whose work at that point is deficient in the "D+," "D," "F" or "U" range. The purpose of these grades is to help students avoid failure or unsatisfactory grades by informing them of the need to improve the quality of their work before final course grades are issued. Deficiency grades are NOT calculated into a student's QPA. Student Status Classified Students Students who have applied to and have been formally admitted by the Office of Admissions of the University to pursue a degree program are classified as follows: First year students- 0-29 credits completed Sophomores - 30-59 credits completed Juniors - 60-89 credits completed Seniors - 90 or more credits completed The status of matriculating students is indicated by the name associated with the number of credits earned. Unclassified Students Unclassified students may be taking courses for personal enrichment, transfer credit and other non-degree purposes or in special educational programs offered through the University. Also designated as unclassified are students who are admitted under special conditions. The status of these students is indicated by the code UN (Unclassified) rather than according to the number of credits earned. Confidentiality of Student Records Marywood University intends to comply fully with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as amended. This act was designated to protect the privacy of educational records, to establish the right of students to inspect and review their education records and to provide guidelines for the correction of inaccurate or misleading data through informal and formal hearings. A policy statement explains in detail the procedures used by Marywood for compliance with the provisions of the act. Copies of the policy statement can be found in the Office of the Registrar and the Offices of the Deans.  Students with Disabilities Marywood University will provide an accommodation to students with documented disabilities provided the accommodation does not pose an undue hardship on the University. A student may request accommodation by submitting documentation either to the Admissions Office or to the coordinator of disability services. For more information, please refer to the Directory for Students with Disabilities.  Academic Records A student who believes that an error has been made in assignment of a grade must initiate immediate contact with the instructor of the course; any changes made by the faculty member must be made within 90 days of the end of the semester for which the grade was assigned, or in case of the resolution of an "I" or "X" grade, within 90 days of the filing of that grade. The student is responsible for reporting in writing to the Office of Academic Records any other error on the academic record within 30 days after a grade or other academic record report is issued to the student. Marywood University will not be liable for unreported errors on student records.  Academic Appeal Students with sufficient cause to file an academic appeal should initiate the process according to the procedures established for such action. Academic Appeals procedures are available from all department offices and in the Offices of the Deans or the Coordinator of Retention. Grade appeals must be made within 90 days of the end of the semester in which the grade was assigned.  Academic Honesty The Marywood University community functions best when its members treat one another with honesty, fairness and trust. The entire community, students and faculty alike, recognizes the necessity and accepts the responsibility for academic honesty. Students must realize that deception for individual gain is an offense against the entire community.   Violations of Academic Honesty Cheating and plagiarism are behaviors destructive of the learning process and of the ethical standards expected of all students. Cheating is defined as (but not limited to) the following: having unauthorized material during an examination; copying from another student or permitting copying by another student in a testing situation; completing assignments for other students (e.g. exam, paper, laboratory or computer report); submitting out-of-class work for an in-class assignment without faculty knowledge; changing grades; unauthorized retention of exams; unauthorized submission of the same paper in two different classes; inventing data, unless a class exercise, or falsifying an account of data collection; unauthorized tampering with electronic record; violating privacy rights on computer software. Plagiarism is defined as the offering as one's own work the words, ideas, existing imagery, or arguments of another person without appropriate attribution by quotation, reference or footnote. This includes information obtained from any source including the Internet. Additional examples of violations of Academic Honesty may include the provision of material to another person with knowledge of improper use, possessing another student's work without permission, selling or buying material for class assignments, changing another student's assignment, forging a signature on official academic documents and altering any official student record including grades. (Additional clarification regarding sanctions and guidelines is available at the appropriate Dean's Office.) Students are expected to abide by the EDUCOM policy on Software and Intellectual Rights as adopted by Marywood University which states in part: "misuse or abuse of equipment or software including plagiarism, theft or destruction of equipment or materials, invasion of privacy, obstruction of computer use by others, unauthorized access, violations of software copyrights, or use of facilities without payment may also be grounds for sanctions against the student." Transcripts A transcript is issued only upon the written request of the student. A transcript form (or letter) should be submitted for each transcript requested. Request forms are available at the Office of Academic Records and on the registrar's web page. An official transcript (one bearing the University seal) is sent directly to the school district, business, etc. indicated by the student. An unofficial student copy may be sent directly to a student upon request. A fee is charged for each transcript. Marywood University will not forward the transcript of any student who has a financial indebtedness to the University.  Registration Procedures Prior to a student's first semester at Marywood, a faculty or professional staff advisor assists the student in the preparation of his/her first schedule. Continuing students receive registration materials prior to each session and schedule an appointment with their academic advisors before registering online or at the Office of Academic Records. Changes in Student Schedules At the beginning of each semester there is a scheduled period during which a student may withdraw from courses and receive a refund. The student may be admitted to another course or change from audit to credit status during the first academic week of a semester. A student should consult with his/her academic advisor before adding or dropping a course. Schedule change forms are available at the Office of Academic Records, or the student can process the change on the web. Procedures and relevant dates are published by the registrar. Withdrawal from Courses Students may withdraw from full semester courses at any time during the semester up to three weeks after quarterly examinations as scheduled in the institutional calendar. The specific withdrawal deadline date is published each semester. A student who discontinues attendance in a course without officially withdrawing will receive an "F*" in that course. Undeclared Student Status Students admitted to Marywood University, who are undecided about their major field of study or who, at the time of admission to the university, do not meet the admission standards of the major desired will be categorized as undeclared. Undeclared status is not a major, and students cannot receive a degree in this category. It is advisable for students to declare a major early in their university experience. It is recommended that first year students declare a major by the completion of 32 credits or the end of their first year. It is recommended that transfer students declare a major by the completion of 16 Marywood credits. Postponing the declaration of a major can delay degree completion. In addition, financial aid can be affected if degree programs are not completed within an appropriate time frame. In order to declare one's major, a declaration of major form should be obtained from the Academic Records Office, completed and returned to that office. Change of Major Students are registered for the major printed on the student's schedule. Those who wish to change majors must complete the appropriate form, obtained at the Office of Academic Records. Students are required to obtain the signature of the chairperson(s) of the department(s) involved.  Leave of Absence Matriculating students who will not be registered for Marywood credit during a given semester (fall/spring) should apply for a leave of absence. This includes: students who officially withdraw from courses but plan to resume their education at Marywood within two years; students who obtain credit from another institution in conjunction with a Marywood program; students who for any other reason will not be registered at the University for a semester or more. Upon formal approval of the leave, a specific the termination date by which a student must either enroll again or request an extension is assigned. A leave of absence, including extensions, is not given for more than two years. A student who does not enroll by the end of the leave of absence is considered to have voluntarily withdrawn from the University. Forms for leave of absence are available online. Withdrawal from the University To withdraw from the University, a student must complete an official withdrawal form available online. Absence from class does not constitute notice of withdrawal. A student who discontinues attendance at classes without an official withdrawal will receive a grade of "F*" in all subjects concerned. A former student may request reactivation within two years after withdrawal. After two years it is necessary to reapply to the University at the Admissions Office. The catalog which is current at that time will apply and previously earned academic credits will be evaluated in light of their age and applicability to the current curriculum. Academic Honor Dean's List Twice a year the Dean's List is announced. The Dean's List is based on semester QPA. To merit Dean's List, a matriculating student must attain a quality point average of 4.00 to 3.50 on 12 or more graded credits. Part-time students may be considered upon accumulation of 12 or more graded credits. Any student designated as unclassified or with an "I," an "X" or "U" grade on her/his record is not eligible. Additionally students must have 12 credits of graded course work. (See also Honors Program, page 54.) Honors at Commencement General The degrees of Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Social Work, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Business Administration are awarded in three grades of honor: with distinction, Cum Laude (3.50 - 3.74 cumulative QPA) with high distinction, Magna Cum Laude (3.75 - 3.89 cumulative QPA) with highest distinction, Summa Cum Laude (3.90 - 4.00 cumulative QPA) These distinctions are awarded on the basis of the student's cumulative average in all subjects. For students attending Commencement in May, any and all honors are determined on grades from the preceding semester. Students entering with advanced standing from other colleges and universities are not eligible for these honors until they have completed at least 60 credits at Marywood University. Medals  Kappa Gamma Pi Medal for General Excellence Donated by Scranton Chapter of Kappa Gamma Pi Saint Luke Medal for Excellence in Art Founded by Miss Helen Leonard in memory of Miss Mary E. Barrett Anna and James Foley Medal for Excellence in Art Education Established by Sister Ave Maria Foley in honor of her mother, father and brother. Medal for Excellence in Biological Studies Founded in memory of Sister Maria Laurence Maher, I.H.M. by her family Thomas and Norah Clarke Medal for Excellence in Business Founded by the Clarke family in memory of their parents, Thomas and Norah Clarke Philip E. Mulry Medal for Excellence in Chemistry Founded by the Mulry family in memory of Philip E. Mulry, Sr. Lynett Medal for Academic Distinction in Communication Arts Founded by the late E.J. Lynett in memory of his wife, Ellen Ruddy Lynett Margaret T. Lunney Medal for Outstanding Performance in the Study of Communication Disorders Founded by Miss Dorothy R. McNulty in honor of her friend, Miss Lunney J. Harold Brislin Medal for Distinction in Creative Writing Founded by Gene Brislin, in memory of her husband, J. Harold Brislin, a Pulitzer Prize winner Edward Gayeski Medal For Excellence in Design Founded by Mrs. Alba Lori Gayeski, in memory of husband, Edward Gayeski Rosemary Carroll Kazimer Medal for Excellence in Elementary Education Founded by Dr. Mary Louise Keeney in honor of Mrs. Kazimer Sister Regina Barrett Medal For Excellence in Early Childhood Education Established in honor of Sister Regina Barrett, I.H.M. by Superintendent Patricia C. Leamy Dr. Wanda Persichetti Medal for Excellence in Foreign Language Study Founded by friends of Dr. Persichetti in her honor Shaffer Medal for Home Economics Founded by C. Normal Shaffer, LL.D., in memory of Sister Mary of the Sacred Heart Walsh, I.H.M. and Sister Margaret Mary Howley, I.H.M. Barrett Medal For Outstanding Service and Scholarship in the Field of Legal Studies and Criminal Justice Founded by Sigma Pi Mu in honor of Dr. John W. Barrett Tama Medal for Excellence in Mathematical Sciences Founded by Mrs. Margaret Mary Tama Hovell '63 and Dr. Judith Tama Page '70, in memory of their parents, John and Margaret Tama Sister M. Clare Kelley Medal for Excellence in Music Founded in memory of Sister M. Clare Kelley, I.H.M. by her former music students Sister M. Margarete Kelley Medal for Service Established by her sister, Mrs. William Kirby Nemotko Medal for Distinction in Nursing Founded by Mrs. Anthony J. Nemotko in memory of her husband, Anthony J. Mary Pace Medal for Excellence in Philosophy Founded by the Reverend William J. Pace in memory of his mother, Mary Pace Sister M. Charitas Loftus Medal for Excellence in Poetry Founded in memory of Sister M. Charitas Loftus by friends and alumnae Sister M. Sylvia Morgan Medal for Pre-Medical Studies Founded by Elizabeth King Young Arvad, M.D. Medal for Excellence in Psychology Founded by the Psychology Club in honor of Sister M. St. Mary Orr, I.H.M. and Sister M. Bernardina McAndrew, I.H.M. on the fortieth anniversary of the establishment of the Department of Psychology (1942-1982) Czachor Medal for Distinction in Religious Studies Founded by the Czachor family of Archbald, Pennsylvania Sister M. Immaculata Gillespie Medal for Excellence in the Secondary Education Program Founded by Elizabeth King Young Arvad, M.D. Jenkins-Colis Gilroy Medal for Excellence in Undergraduate Social Work Founded by BSW students in memory of Brian Jenkins, Class of 1979 and Patricia Colis Gilroy, Class of 1976 Jordan Medal for Excellence in the Social Science Founded by the Misses Jordan in memory of their brother, the Reverend Richard D. Jordan, J.C.L. Margaret Ruddy Dougherty Medal for Excellence in Special Education Founded by the estate of Margaret Ruddy Dougherty Medal for Excellence in Voice Founded in memory of Sister M. Davidica Kildea, I.H.M. by the Kildea family Dolores M. Ackourey Medal for Excellence in Leadership and Human Relations Founded by Mr. and Mrs. William P. Ackourey in memory of their daughter, Dolores Peace Medal Founded in memory of Sister M. Eva Connors, I.H.M. Medal for Distinction in Service Founded by Anna G. Kirby in memory of her sister, Sister M. Margarete Kelley, I.H.M. Judith Piznar Medal for Leadership and Service to Youth Founded by Robert and Catherine Piznar in memory of their daughter

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Last update: February 26, 2008
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