Academic Regulations and Policies

Office of Academics

Main Office: Campus Center, CC-420
Phone: (414) 277-7190

The regulations and policies of MSOE include only those that are necessary to the proper organization and operation of the university. MSOE reserves the right to change the rules governing admission, tuition and the granting of degrees, or any other regulation affecting its students. Such changes shall take effect whenever the administration deems it necessary. MSOE also reserves the right to exclude, at any time, students whose conduct or standing is regarded as undesirable.

Policy on Student Integrity

As an institution of higher learning, MSOE is committed above all to the educational development of its students as responsible and principled human beings. As such, MSOE is accountable to all whom it serves and by whom it is scrutinized. The university has a priority interest in promoting personal integrity and in ensuring the authenticity of its graduates’ credentials.

The university is similarly mindful that the professions, business and industry are concerned with ethical behavior no less than the professional practice of their members and employees. Therefore, MSOE students preparing for professional careers and leadership roles that are founded on responsibility and trust, must observe and be guided by the highest standards of personal integrity both in and out of the classroom. The expectations of the university with respect to academic and classroom integrity are reflected in, but not limited to, the following guidelines:

1. Each student must recognize that even a poorly developed piece of work that represents his or her best efforts is far more worthwhile than the most outstanding piece of work taken from someone else.
2. Assignments prepared outside of class must include appropriate documentation of all borrowed ideas and expressions. The absence of such documentation constitutes “plagiarism,” which is the knowing or negligent use of the ideas, expressions or work of another with intent to pass such materials off as one’s own. It is an act of plagiarism if a student purchases a paper or submits a paper, computer program, or drawing claiming it to be his/hers when he/she did not write it.
3. Each student should consistently prepare for examinations so as to reduce temptation toward dishonesty.
4. A student may not share examination answers with others for the purpose of cheating, nor should he or she, intentionally or through carelessness, give them an opportunity to obtain the same.
5. Academic dishonesty or cheating includes the act of obtaining or attempting to obtain credit for academic work through the use of any dishonest, deceptive or fraudulent means. Cheating at MSOE includes but is not limited to:
   • Copying, in part or in whole, from another’s test or homework assignments, worksheets, lab reports, essays, summaries, quizzes, etc.
   • Copying examinations and quizzes, in whole or in part, unless approved by the instructor.
   • Submitting work previously graded in another course unless this has been approved by the course instructor or by departmental policy.
   • Submitting work simultaneously presented in two courses, unless this has been approved by both course instructors or by the department policies of both departments.
   • Communicating electronically (unless approved by the instructor) during examinations with the intent to seek or provide answers.
   • Attempting to present as the student’s own work, materials or papers purchased or downloaded from the Internet.
   • Any other act committed that defrauds or misrepresents, including aiding or abetting in any of the actions defined above.
   • Claiming credit for a group project or paper when the individual student made little or no contribution to the group’s product.
   • Accessing reference documents during a computerized exam or quiz unless approved by the course instructor.
6. A student of integrity will not support, encourage or protect others who are involved in academic dishonesty in any way, and will furthermore attempt to dissuade another student from engaging in dishonest acts.

Consequence

A student who in any ways acts dishonestly in class assignments or examinations or who submits a plagiarized or unoriginal work to an instructor shall be subject to sanctions up to and including an “F” grade for the assignment, examination and/or the course at the discretion of the instructor. The numerical value of the “F” will be assigned by the instructor. If the instructor assigns an “F” for the course, the student will not be allowed to drop the course. If the instructor assigns an “F” for academic dishonesty, the student has the right to appeal following established procedures. Upon recommendation of the instructor or at his or her initiation, the vice president of academics may decide that repeated or extremely serious acts of dishonesty may be grounds for more severe disciplinary action up to and including expulsion.

Actions or behaviors that are connected with instances of academic dishonesty, and which in and of themselves, violate the MSOE Student Conduct Code, may subject a student to further sanctions provided by the Code, above and beyond any academic sanctions imposed.

Academic Dishonesty Procedure and Appeals Process

The student will be notified by the faculty member either within three academic working days of the faculty member’s awareness of the problem or at the next class session attended by the student. The faculty member will notify the student using the form designed for notification. A copy of this notice will be sent to the chair of the academic department or school and the vice president of academics. The vice president of academics will retain all such reports in a permanent file.

The procedure outlined in steps 1-7 will be used if a student wishes to appeal a faculty member’s judgment that academic dishonesty has occurred. 

1. The student will have three academic working days after delivery of the written notification to initiate an appeal to the chairperson of the academic department or school in which the faculty member serves. The student will be deemed to have waived his/her right to appeal unless he/she files the appeal with the academic chair within these three academic working days. The statement of appeal must specify each denial of the faculty member’s decision and the substance of the contentions upon which the student intends to rely in his/her appeal. Filing notices of appeal in accordance with these provisions shall not suspend the operations of the sanction previously declared in the case by the faculty member. The student will remain in class during the entire appeal process.
2. The academic chair will have three academic working days in which to review the appeal. The sole purpose of the academic chair’s review is to determine if sufficient evidence exists that the student was cheating. The chairperson must inform the student and faculty member of his/her judgment within those three academic working days.
3. The student or faculty member may further appeal to the vice president of academics within three academic working days.
4. The vice president of academics shall convene an academic review board to hear the student’s appeal within a reasonable time (if possible, within three academic working days of the appeal). The academic review board shall be made up of two academic chairs selected by the vice president of academics, and one faculty member selected by the vice president of academics and agreed upon by the person initiating the appeal. The vice president of academics will be a nonvoting chairperson. The faculty member assigning the penalty and his/her academic chairperson may not be on the board.
5. The sole purpose of the academic review board is to determine if sufficient evidence exists that the student was cheating. The academic review board shall render its decision after all sufficient evidence has been presented, but in a time period not to exceed three academic working days from the commencement of its proceedings. The decision of the academic review board in appeal cases is final and cannot be further appealed under procedures established herein.
6. All appeals established by this procedure must be in writing.
7. The student may bring a representative to any meeting established under this procedure. The faculty member may also have representation at any meeting.

Student Complaint Policy and Procedures

The Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE) seeks to respond to, and to resolve in a timely manner, all complaints by currently enrolled students. A complaint is a written expression of dissatisfaction or formal allegation against the university, its units, its employees (including faculty and staff), and/or its students. The process to appeal an assigned grade for a course is outlined later in the section titled “Grade Appeals”.

Currently enrolled students who have a complaint first should try to work out the problem by discussing it in a factual and professional manner with those persons most involved with the issue. Many complaints can be resolved when a student makes an effort to honestly communicate his/her frustrations or concerns. If a student has a complaint related to a specific course in which he or she is enrolled, the student should first consult with the instructor of the course. If necessary, the instructor will consult the academic chair responsible for the course regarding guidance on how to best resolve the student’s concern. For all other campus complaints (academic and non-academic) that the student cannot resolve informally with the parties involved, the student should follow the Student Complaint Process . The process includes the instructions, timelines and official complaint form.

Types of Complaints EXCLUDED from this Reporting Procedure
Student complaints concerning sexual harassment and sexual misconduct are excluded from this student complaint reporting procedure. Instead, the student complaint procedure concerning sexual harassment and sexual misconduct is addressed in the MSOE Sexual Misconduct Policy. Students who are victims of sexual misconduct have the right to report the incident in a confidential manner. For more information concerning sexual harassment and sexual misconduct, or for details on how to report sexual harassment or a sexual misconduct incident in a confidential manner, please refer to the MSOE Sexual Misconduct Policy. Students who wish to file an official report with MSOE concerning an incident involving sexual harassment or sexual misconduct should report directly to the MSOE Title IX Coordinator, Kip Kussman (414) 277-7225, kussman@msoe.edu or to the MSOE Title IX Deputy Coordinator Gary Shimek (414) 277-7181, shimek@msoe.edu. 

Applied Research

Main Office: Allen-Bradley Hall of Science, S-149

Phone: (414) 277-7195
Fax: (414) 277-7470
Website: www.msoe.edu/atc

Research with Human Participants

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) is an administrative body established to protect the rights and well being of human subjects recruited to participate in research activities. MSOE complies with requirements set forth in Title 45, Part 46 of the code of Federal Regulations (45 CFR 46), known as the “Common Rule,” as well as Wisconsin State laws and MSOE policies.

All students, staff and faculty at MSOE planning to conduct research involving human subjects must submit an IRB protocol application for review and obtain approval from the MSOE IRB. Review and approval must be completed before human subjects are recruited and research begins. The mission of the IRB is to protect the rights and welfare of human subjects who participate in research. If the investigator is a student, the research must be performed under the supervision of an MSOE faculty or staff member who by his or her signature assumes responsibility for the conduct of the research with respect to the proper safeguards of the rights of human subjects.

Research is defined (45 CFR 46.102(d)) as “a systematic investigation, including methodology, development, testing and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge.” This definition includes formal investigations from which the results will be publicly disseminated, pilot projects, exploratory research, educational research and research undertaken by students for purposes of classroom work, independent study, senior design, nursing professional practice projects, surveys, master degree theses and includes research with human subjects conducted for non-academic purposes.

Human subjects are defined (45 CFR 46.102(f)) as “a living individual about whom an investigator conducting research obtains data through intervention or interaction with the individual or the collection of identifiable private information.” Intervention includes both physical procedures by which data is gathered (for example, blood pressure readings, exercising, equipment design, etc.) and manipulations of the subject or the subject’s environment (heat, light, temperature, etc.) Interaction includes communication or interpersonal contact between the investigator and subject (interviews, focus groups, surveys, etc). Private information includes information (academic, financial, medical records, etc.) about behavior that occurs in a context in which the subject can reasonably expect that no recording is taking place or information the subject has provided for a specific purpose can reasonably expect will not be made public.

IRB protocol packets are available from the IRB administrator. Contact the IRB administrator at irb@msoe.edu for more information or assistance in writing a protocol.

Registrar’s Office

Main Office: Campus Center, CC-365
Phone: (414) 277-7215
Website: http://www.msoe.edu/campus-life/student-resources/registrars-office/

Student Responsibility

Students at MSOE are aided in their academic pursuits by various individuals and groups including faculty, academic advisors, program directors and the Registrar’s Office staff. However, each student is ultimately responsible for knowing and complying with MSOE’s academic policies, procedures and deadlines. Each student is responsible for meeting all course, credit and grade point average requirements for graduation with his or her chosen degree.

Furthermore, the majority of communication from MSOE to students, along with interaction with various procedures, occurs electronically.  Students are responsible for regularly checking their MSOE assigned accounts, for responding to official communication as specified, and for resolving any access issues with MSOE’s Information Technology Department.  

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

MSOE is in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, the purpose of which is to let the student know what educational records are kept by the university, to give the student the right to inspect such records and to ask for correction if necessary, and to control the release of such information to those who are not involved in the educational process. Under the Privacy Act, certain directory information can be made available to anyone who requests it unless the student specifically asks, in writing, that this not be done. The following is information that MSOE considers to be directory information: name, address, telephone number, email address, program, grade level, dates of attendance, enrollment status (full-time, part-time, withdrawn, not enrolled), degrees and honors received, participation in officially recognized sports and activities, previously attended institutions, class schedule, photographic, video, or electronic images, and program and promotion materials for university-related activities such as athletics, extra-curricular activities and academic competitions.

Grade Level

Undergraduate students are classified by the number of credits earned as follows:

Credit Hour Definition

MSOE defines an academic credit hour as a minimum of one hour spent in class each week for lecture-based courses, or as a minimum of two hours spent each week in the laboratory or clinical component of a course.

For each academic credit hour, MSOE further expects that a typical undergraduate student will spend two hours outside of class preparing for and studying for the class. Time spent outside of class for a typical graduate student is expected to exceed two hours per credit hour.

For courses featuring alternative delivery methods (e.g. blended Internet), parity tables are maintained that document how expected class contact time is accounted for in the alternative method. Parity tables are developed by and available from the academic department or school offering the course.

Attendance Policy

MSOE expects all students to attend regularly and promptly all lectures, laboratories and other sessions of courses for which they are registered. It is the student’s responsibility to add and drop classes from his or her academic schedule.

Faculty have the option of developing a policy concerning grade reduction or dropping students for excessive absence from class. Any policy of this nature must be announced to the students during the first week of class and must be made available in writing upon request. A student dropped under such a policy must obtain written permission from the instructor to re-enter the class. The instructor must inform the Registrar’s Office if any student is readmitted to class.

Laboratory and examination attendance is mandatory. In the event of an excused absence, arrangements shall be made with the instructor in advance for makeup.

Excused absences for field trips or other university-sponsored activities require one week advanced written notice with the approval of the vice president of academics.

Academic Accommodations for Student Health Concerns

In commitment to the teaching and learning mission of MSOE, its faculty and staff will provide reasonable academic accommodations for students who become temporarily disabled due to mental and physical health concerns (inclusive of injury and concussion).  Each student’s medical diagnosis must be properly documented and reported to the Director of the Raider Center for Academic Success or the Coordinator of Accesibility Services.

Final Exam Policy

A final examination is required in every credit course except in courses designated by the various departments, and that exam will be administered in the two-hour block designated. The type of examination should be in agreement with that specified in the departmental course outline and announced to the class near the beginning of the quarter. Undergraduate final examinations may not count for more than 40 percent of the final grade.

The final examination period will be Monday-Friday of the eleventh week during the Fall, Winter and Spring Quarters. Day class exams will be held between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Night class exams will be held on a day the class usually meets between 5:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. at a time somewhat similar to the time the class usually meets. In the case of graduate courses that meet one evening per week, the final exam will be held on the same day as the class meets and will start at the same time as the class starts. Exams for classes meeting only on Saturday will be held on Saturday of the eleventh week. Exams for summer classes will be scheduled by the teacher. If an unavoidable conflict exists, the student will contact all teachers for resolution of the conflict. The chairpersons of the academic departments or schools will ultimately resolve conflicts. If a student has more than two final examinations scheduled on one day, the student is encouraged to petition individual teachers to see if an accomodation can be made. All written, in-class final examinations should follow the examination schedule available on the Registrar’s Office website.

No classes will be held during the exam week. Voluntary (optional) class review sessions may be held. If local or national emergencies prevent the university from being open on one or more days of exam week, the exams on those days will be cancelled. Individual faculty members may give an exam if a student requests it. The exam would be given at a time arranged by the faculty member but within the next quarter, and a change of grade submitted.

Enrollment Status

A student’s quarterly enrollment status is established at the close of business on Friday of the first week of the quarter. There are some circumstances where a student must maintain full-time status throughout the term (for example, athletic eligibility, international student visa status, insurance verification).  An undergraduate student taking 12 or more credits is considered a full-time student. Students registered for less than 12 credits will have their veteran’s benefits and financial aid award reduced.

Financial aid recipients must meet criteria outlined in the “Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy for Financial Aid Recipients ” section of this catalog to remain eligible for financial aid.

Policy on Study Abroad

Students wishing to engage in study abroad under programs arranged by MSOE are subject to the following:

1. Student applicants may not be on probation at the time of application or at the end of the quarter prior to scheduled departure. Departments should have authority to set application deadlines and any appeals are to be decided by department chairs.
2. Student applicants must obtain a letter from a licensed health physician or nurse practitioner which indicates the student is fit for study abroad.
3. Student applicants must sign a statement of understanding that, during their period of study abroad, they remain bound by the policies and regulations set forth in the MSOE Student Conduct Code.
4. Student applicants must meet program-specific curriculum requirements (e.g. prerequisite courses) to participate in the planned activities abroad.
5. Academic departments have authority to set program-specific minimum academic requirements (e.g., meet minimum cum GPA or major GPA levels, complete an interview process).

Credit by Examination

Credit by Examination is available upon recommendation of the chairperson of the appropriate academic department or school. The student must have completed approximately 80 percent of the course material in a classroom setting, or 60 percent of the course material plus have appropriate work experience in the same content area. Exams are not given on the basis of work experience alone. An exam can be taken only once. Students must take the exam within one year of initial enrollment at MSOE. Credits earned by exam are not considered credits earned in residence at MSOE.

Typically, students who meet the following criteria are not eligible for Credit by Examination unless the student has taken additional course work or has had additional work experience that relates to the course content:

• The student has dropped or failed the class at MSOE.
• The student has earned a non-transferable grade less than a “C” in an equivalent course at another university.
• The student earned a score less than what MSOE accepts on an Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate exam.

Procedures for requesting advanced credit:

• The student must contact the chair of the appropriate academic department or school to determine if the student has sufficient background to be eligible for an exam of this nature. If possible, the student should provide any available documentation of course work completed in this content area to the chairperson at this time (transcripts, course description, syllabi, etc).
• The student fills out a Credit by Examination form (also available from the Registrar’s Office) and the academic chairperson signs the form indicating approval.
• The chairperson is responsible for selecting the instructor who will administer the exam.
• The instructor should review the course outline and the general content of the examination with the student in advance of the examination date.
• The non-refundable exam fee must be paid to the Student Accounts Office prior to taking the examination. The Student Accounts Office will then sign the appropriate section of the form indicating that the fee has been paid.
• Once the exam is completed, the instructor will complete the form with the appropriate grade and submit it to the department chairperson within seven days after student takes the exam. The final grade must be 77 or above for credit to be awarded.
• The chairperson will complete the form and forward it to the registrar for processing.

Students may also participate in the Advanced Placement Program (AP) or College Level Examination Program (CLEP) sponsored by the College Board or the International Baccalaureate Program (IB). Incoming students should call the Enrollment Management Department to see which courses would qualify for advanced placement at MSOE and what scores are required to receive credit.

Academic Advising

All new students must meet with their assigned advisor during their first term to ensure that they understand the curriculum and future scheduling procedures. All new students are provided with a program outline. The program outline specifically cites requirements for all required courses and the exact credit breakdown related to electives. In subsequent quarters, the advisors work with the students to ensure that students make satisfactory progress without violating prerequisites.

Prerequisite Policy

The student is responsible for ensuring that he or she has successfully completed all prerequisites before taking a course. If any prerequisites have not been successfully completed by the start of the course, the student is required to drop the course. Students in violation of this prerequisite policy are subject to removal from the course. The student will be allowed to continue in the course only if a prerequisite waiver is approved by the chair of the appropriate academic department or school. Prerequisites are listed in the Course Descriptions  section of this catalog.

Adding/Dropping Courses and Changing Sections

If a change of schedule is necessary, this may be done in the Registrar’s Office before 4:30 p.m. on Friday of the first week of classes. Students may neither add a course nor change sections after 4:30 p.m. on Friday of the first week. This policy must also be followed by students who want to change from credit to audit status or from audit to credit status.

A student may drop a course and receive a grade of “W” after the first week and before 6 p.m. on Monday of the eighth week of classes. Drop forms are available in the Registrar’s Office. These must be completed, properly signed and received by the Registrar’s Office before the deadline for dropping courses.

During the summer term, the deadline to drop individual classes is the Friday of the week before the final exam at 4:30 pm. If there is no final exam scheduled, the deadline is the Friday of the week before the final class meeting.

All students are responsible for their academic schedule. Students should not rely on instructors to drop them for non-attendance.  Faculty are not required to drop students who stop attending class.

Withdrawal from All Classes

Students who wish to drop all classes must complete a withdrawal form which is available in the Registrar’s Office. This must be done before 4:30 p.m. Friday of the 10^th week of classes. 

During the summer term, the deadline to withdraw from all classes is the Friday of the week before the final exam. If there is no final exam scheduled, the deadline is the Friday of the week before the final class meeting at 4:30 pm.

Tuition refunds will be based on the date of official withdrawal, NOT on the date of last class attendance. The official withdrawal date is the date that the completed form is received by the Registrar’s Office. Should a student fail to meet the withdrawal deadline, he/she will be responsible for tuition for all scheduled classes and will receive final grades in all of them. If a student is receiving financial aid, it is strongly recommended that he or she contact the Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing so that they can explain any financial consequences associated with the withdrawal.

If a student plans to complete the current quarter but not return in a future quarter, he/she should fill out a “Notification of Intent Not to Return” form which is available in the Registrar’s Office.

Auditing Courses

An audit is intended to provide students with an opportunity to review subject matter they have previously studied or to participate in courses to obtain information of interest to them. Since an audit does not carry any credits, auditing of noncredit courses such as seminars and short courses is not permitted.

A student wanting to audit a course must have the proper prerequisites for the course. Permission to audit a course must be granted through the student’s program director or advisor. Students may not enroll for subsequent courses for credit based upon audited prerequisite subjects. Auditors may not use audited courses as a means for obtaining credit for any course or to satisfy any degree requirement.

Students may change from audit to credit status or credit to audit status only until Friday of the first week of classes; fees will be adjusted accordingly. The cost to audit a course is three-fourths the regular tuition of the course for students registering for 0 to 11 credits. If a student’s total credits including the audit are in the full time range (12-19 credits), there is no additional charge.

Directed Study

In the unusual event that an undergraduate student is unable to schedule a specific course required for graduation, the student may be eligible to register for a Directed Study. Directed Study provides one-on-one instruction with an MSOE faculty member. Generally, permission for such registration is granted only if the course is required in the student’s program and if the student is within 16 credits of graduation. Some courses due to their nature may not be eligible for Directed Study. Rare exceptions can be made for students whose lack of pre-requisites would significantly delay them in their program of study. Appropriate forms are available, and permission must be obtained from the chairperson of the academic department or school under which the course is taught.

Independent Study

An independent study gives a student the opportunity to pursue a specialized topic not covered in regularly scheduled course work. The student works closely with a faculty advisor on a project. The student must complete the appropriate Independent Study Form, available from the program director, and present it at the time of registration for the course.

Re-admission Policy for Undergraduate Students

Students admitted to an undergraduate degree program who have not registered for a course at MSOE in the last two years must apply for readmission through the Enrollment Management Department.

The student must submit:

• A completed admission application to the admission office (the fee will be waived).
• A transcript of all course work completed since the last time he/she applied.
• A personal statement clearly outlining their educational objectives.

All newly re-admitted students must meet with an academic advisor prior to registering for classes and are responsible for completing the program of study that is current at the time of their re-admittance. The program director, in conjunction with the department chairperson, will reevaluate the student’s transcript to determine which, if any, courses previously taken may be applied to the current program of study. Students seeking re-admission are not guaranteed entry into their original academic degree program.

Students who have an academic status of “suspended” must successfully appeal their status to the Student Advancement Committee before being readmitted.

Re-admission of Service Members Policy

The Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) of 2008 requires that students who left MSOE to serve in the uniformed services be readmitted into the same program with the same standing they had when they left. MSOE allows for special readmission of these students, with the following provisions:

1. Student’s lapse in attendance was due to active duty in the uniformed services, including the National Guard or Reserve, for more than 30 days.
2. The student must submit documentation that their absence was due to participation in the uniformed services. (Examples of such documentation include a copy of the student’s orders, a DD214, or a signed and dated statement from the student’s commanding officer.)
3. The cumulative length of all absences from MSOE for participation in the uniformed services does not exceed five years.
4. The student will be admitted to the same academic program, with the same academic standing, that he or she was in at the time the absence began. If the exact program is no longer offered, the student will be placed into a program that is most similar to that program, unless the student requests or agrees to admission to a different program.
5. The student’s ability to be readmitted under the terms of the HEOA terminates upon any of the following events:
   a. Being separated from the armed forces with a dishonorable discharge.
   b. Being dismissed as permitted under section 1161(a) of title 10, United States Code.
   c. Being dropped from the rolls pursuant to section 1161(b) of title 10, United States Code.

To start the readmission process, service members must complete an admissions application and contact MSOE’s Admissions Office as well as MSOE’s Veterans Certifying Official.

Grading System (Undergraduate)

Students receive letter grades in each course for which they register. Grades and their grade point equivalents are awarded on the following scale:

Grade point averages (GPAs) are computed by dividing the number of grade points earned by the number of credit hours attempted. For undergraduate students, a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00 and a minimum cumulative major GPA of 2.00 is required for graduation.

Grade Changes 

Grade changes must be processed by the end of the quarter following the term when the grade was earned. If an extenuating circumstance exists, the student may appeal the one quarter deadline to the chairperson of the department or school that offers the course.

There are two exceptions to this policy: 

• An exception is granted for capstone courses that record grades of NR until all of the grades are recorded in the final quarter of the project. For capstone projects, all NR grades must be converted to final grades at the end of the academic year of the project.
• An exception is granted for graduate capstone project courses in which a grade of Project in Progress (PIP) is recorded.  If the PIP grade is not changed within one calendar year from being first recorded, the PIP grade will resolve to a grade of Unsatisfactory (U).  The program director can prevent the conversion to the U grade if the project advisor verifies that the student is still making suitable progress on the project.

No grade changes will be processed after a student’s degree is conferred. After a student’s degree is conferred, the transcript is considered a finalized historical document and cannot be changed. 

Incomplete Grades

A letter grade followed by an asterisk is a temporary grade indicating incomplete work. It is the responsibility of the student to make arrangements with the instructor to have the work completed; these arrangements must be initiated within the first two weeks of the following quarter (not including the Summer Quarter). The student must submit the required work to complete the course within the time deadline set by the instructor, but this may not be later than the end of the same quarter. If the student has not completed all work for the course after this period of time, the asterisk will be dropped and the letter grade preceding the asterisk will become the permanent grade. The letter grade preceding the asterisk is calculated into the student’s GPA. The letter preceding the asterisk represents the grade the student will earn if no additional work is completed. The letter grade can go up if additional work is completed, but it cannot go down.  No grade changes will be processed after a student’s degree is conferred.

An incomplete grade is given at the discretion of the instructor. Incomplete grades are reserved for situations in which a student has done satisfactory work in a course until near the end of the term but because of extenuating circumstances, the course could not be completed.

Grade Appeals

A student may appeal a final grade he or she believes was given unfairly or in error. The student should first contact the instructor assigning the grade and explain why they believe the grade to be in error. If the appeal to the instructor does not lead to resolution, the student may formally appeal the grade in writing to the chairperson of the department or school in which the course is being offered. If the appeal to the academic chair does not resolve the issue, a final written appeal may be directed to the vice president of academics. Any grade change appeal must be in process by the official end of the term following the term in which the grade was earned; if the course is a prerequisite to a next term course and the initial grade submitted was a failing grade, the process must be completed by Friday of the first week of the term.

Not Reported (NR) Grade

For specific project-oriented courses (senior design for example), student grade reports may reflect a grade designation “NR” each quarter until final course requirements are satisfied, at which time all previously reported “NR” grades will be converted to final course grades. Students receiving those grades should be aware that, unlike an incomplete grade, the “NR” grade is not computed in any quarter’s GPA until a replacement grade is recorded.

Major Grade Point Average

The major GPA is designed to show a student’s proficiency in his/her specific degree program. Major GPA is calculated after nine credits have been earned in applicable courses. A major GPA of 2.00 or higher is required for graduation. Nursing students only: A grade of “C” or better is required in all NU courses. See “Nursing, B.S. ” section for additional policies.

Courses used in calculating the major GPA in each program are as follows:

Actuarial Science: all MA, and required MS courses

Architectural Engineering: all AE, CM and CV courses 200/2000 - 400/4000 level, plus EE 201 . 

Biomedical Engineering: all BE, EE and ME courses and all technical electives

BioMolecular Engineering: all EB courses

Business Management: all required BA and MS courses; all concentration electives

Civil Engineering: all AE, CM and CVE courses 200/2000 - 500/5000 level

Computer Engineering: all required EECS Department courses; all program electives

Construction Management: all AE, CM and CV courses 200/2000 - 400/4000 level, plus EE201

Electrical Engineering: all required EECS courses and all technical elective courses 

Electrical Engineering Technology: all ET courses

Engineering: all EE, GE, IE, ME required courses, and all technical electives

Industrial Engineering: all IE courses

International Business: all required BA and MS courses; all concentration electives

Management Information Systems: all required BA and MS courses; all concentration electives

Mechanical Engineering: all ME courses

Mechanical Engineering Technology: all required ET, FP and MT courses at the 300 and 400 level; all technical electives

Nursing: all required NU courses

Operations Research: all MA, required IE and required MS courses

Software Engineering: all required EECS Department courses; all program electives

Technical Communication (B.A. and B.S. degrees): all required EN and TC courses excluding EN 131 , EN 132  and EN 241  or GS 1001 , GS 1002 , and GS 1003 . 

User Experience and Communication Design:  all required UX and TC courses; all major electives

Midterm Progress Reports

Students desiring a midterm progress report may receive one from each instructor during the sixth week of the quarter. Forms for requesting this service are available in the Registrar’s Office. It is the responsibility of the student to submit requests to the instructor(s) during the fifth week of the term. The instructor(s) will return the completed form to the student in the sixth week of the term. No official record of the midterm grade is kept.

Repeating and Grade Replacing Courses

Anytime an undergraduate student repeats a class in which he or she initially earned a penalty grade, it is processed as a grade replacement.  This means that the initial grade will not count into the student’s grade point average once the course is completed the second time.  Penalty grades are defined as any final grade of CD, D or F. Grade-replaced grades will show on the transcript, but will not be averaged into the student’s grade point average. Courses in which a non-penalty grade was earned can be repeated, but they cannot be grade replaced. Courses must be retaken at MSOE to be eligible for grade replacement.

Nursing students only: Additional progression policies apply to all nursing students. See Curricular Information section on the Nursing, B.S. program page.  

Grade Replacement Policy for Study-abroad Programs

MSOE/Lübeck University of Applied Sciences study-abroad program participants only: Courses taken at MSOE cannot be used to grade replace any junior year Lübeck grades. All participating students are required to follow Lübeck policies regarding retaking/passing of exams and tests for Lübeck courses. All resulting Lübeck grades will be converted into MSOE grades. For all Lübeck courses MSOE students are always allowed to retake the equivalent MSOE course, if offered, but only without grade replacement.

Academic Standing

An undergraduate student is in good academic standing when all of the following are equal to or greater than 2.00:

• The term grade point average,
• The cumulative grade point average and
• The cumulative major grade point average. (Cumulative major GPA for the purposes of academic standing is always calculated after completion of 15 major credits.)

Academic standing is calculated after the fall, winter and spring quarters. Since summer is a non-standard term, we do not process academic standing after the summer term. 

When the cumulative, term or cumulative major grade point average falls below 2.00, a student is placed on probation. Probation is a warning status. Students are encouraged to take advantage of the academic support available to them.  It is recommended that students on academic probation meet with their academic advisors early in the term to discuss an appropriate credit load and develop a plan for improvement.  Traditional freshmen students who are on academic probation (after either fall or winter quarter) must participate in the Pathways to Academic Student Success (OR 1911 )  class as a condition of continuing as a student. Normally, a student is given one term to raise the cumulative or cumulative major average to 2.00 or above.  Any student on probation who does not meet the criteria for good standing the following term will be suspended. A student is also suspended if he or she fails the same class twice. Suspension status may be appealed in writing to the Student Advancement Committee. The committee may recommend continued probation, suspension or permanent dismissal from MSOE. Typically, suspension is for a period of two academic terms. Students who have been suspended must petition the Student Advancement Committee for lifting of the suspension during the two term suspension or for readmittance following the two term suspension.

All full- and part-time undergraduate students are eligible for active membership in student organizations. A student with less than a 2.00 cumulative GPA may not have officer-level responsibilities in any student organization or extracurricular activity, serve as a student representative on any institutional committee or represent the university as a member of any MSOE athletic team. It is the student’s responsibility to inform the organization of ineligibility and the organization’s responsibility to inform the Student Activities staff. In addition, academic eligibility will be reviewed periodically by the Student Activities staff for student organizations and is reviewed quarterly by the Registrar’s Office and the Athletic Department for the intercollegiate athletics.

Please note that there are separate financial aid warning and financial aid suspension policies.

Suspension Appeal Procedure - Student Advancement Committee

Purpose

The purpose of the Student Advancement Committee is to allow for appeals on the part of those students who are suspended for academic reasons.

Procedure

Students submit petitions in writing to the Registrar’s Office, addressed to the Student Advancement Committee. If, in the judgment of the committee members, the student is in a position to continue with a good probability of academic success, permission is granted to continue with a probationary status. The student’s academic progress will then be closely monitored on a term-to-term basis. If a student’s written appeal is denied, the student has the option of one personal appeal to the committee during his or her academic career at MSOE.

Dean’s List and Honors List

MSOE encourages excellence in academic achievement and, as a result, publishes the Dean’s List and Honors List each quarter. Students taking undergraduate courses who have earned at least 30 credits in residence at MSOE and have a cumulative GPA of 3.20 or higher are on the Dean’s List. Students on that list who have maintained a 3.70 or higher receive “high honors.” Students with a term GPA of 3.20 or higher, who are not on the Dean’s List, are on the Honors List.

Bachelor’s Degree Graduation Requirements

Authority for the granting of degrees by MSOE and making of exceptions to standard policies lies with the vice president of academics and the Executive Educational Council.  In all cases where ABET-accredited programs or other accreditations are in effect, care will be taken to ensure that all graduates meet or exceed the minimum accreditation criteria.

Bachelor’s degree recipients are expected to satisfy all courses prescribed in the curriculum for the particular area of study in which the degree is granted. The official graduation date will be the end of the quarter in which all graduation requirements have been met.

A cumulative GPA of 2.00 or higher and a major GPA of 2.00 or higher are required for graduation. Undergraduate students who graduate with a cumulative GPA of between 3.20 and 3.69 will graduate with “Honors.” Students who graduate with a cumulative GPA of 3.70 or above will graduate with “High Honors.”   Attendance and participation in formal university Commencement is required of all bachelor’s and master’s degree candidates as a prior condition for receipt of the official diploma.

Residency Requirements:  At least 40 percent of the total bachelor’s degree credits must be earned in residence at MSOE.  In addition, 45 of the last 90 quarter credits, including senior design or capstone course specified for the major, must be earned in residence.  MSOE Advanced Credit Examinations, Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and College Level Examination (CLEP) are not considered credits earned in residence.

Minors

A student who completes a bachelor’s degree at MSOE may also earn a minor in one or more areas by satisfactory completion of all the requirements stipulated for each minor. All requirements for the minor must be met by the time the student’s bachelor’s degree is conferred. Students should declare their pursuit of a minor in the Registrar’s Office and with their advisors. A minimum grade point average of 2.00 is required for the course work that is counted toward the minor.

At least 50 percent of credits required for the minor must be completed in residence at MSOE. Of the total number of credits required for an academic minor, no more than 50 percent may be transferred in from another college or university. Of the total number of credits required for an academic minor, at least THREE credits must be taken above and beyond the total credits required to earn the bachelor’s degree. Minors may only be granted in a discipline other than a student’s major.

Efforts will be made to run sufficient courses for a minor over a four-year period. There is no guarantee that courses for a minor will be conveniently scheduled. There will be no substitutions for the requirements of a minor without the appropriate department chair’s written approval. Subject to the approval of the Chairperson of the Department or school, directed studies may be used toward achieving a minor, but independent studies may not be used for consideration toward the awarding of a minor. Course credit granted by MSOE due to students having achieved acceptable levels in applicable AP/IB/CLEP courses will count toward the minor.

MSOE offers minors in the areas of chemistry, German studies, business management, marketing and entrepreneurship, mathematics, physics, psychology and technical communication. There is no limit on the number of minors a student may earn.

Undergraduate Double-major Candidates

MSOE offers several options for students to earn a second degree that complements their major area of study. Double-major options provide the opportunity for students to earn a second bachelor’s degree within five years. Dual-degree options allow students to earn a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree during a five year period of study. Student have until their junior year to enroll in a two-degree program, but they may begin earlier. If students decide to enroll after their junior year has begun, they may still do so, but late enrollment may extend completion of the program beyond five years.

To receive a second bachelor’s degree from MSOE, a student must meet all course requirements for both degrees.  In addition, a student must complete a minimum of 40 credits that are unique to the second degree. These credits must be over and above those that satisfied requirements for the first degree. Science and mathematics courses taken to fulfill basic second degree requirements will not count toward these 40 required credits. Students are encouraged to contact their program director for more details. 

Graduation Procedures

ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION IN A FORMAL UNIVERSITY COMMENCEMENT IS REQUIRED OF ALL BACHELOR’S AND MASTER’S DEGREE CANDIDATES AS A PRIOR CONDITION FOR RECEIPT OF THE OFFICIAL DIPLOMA.

Students must apply for graduation in the Registrar’s Office by the dates posted on the Registrar’s Office website. For those who submit a graduation application on time, the Registrar’s Office will do a graduation credit check before the end of the first week of the term in which the student plans to graduate and notify the student by mail if additional courses are required. Students must be scheduled to complete all degree requirements in the term in which they participate in the Commencement. An exception to this policy will be made for students intending to complete no more than two courses during the summer months; these students may participate in the Spring Commencement. Any other exception to this policy requiring completion of all degree requirements prior to participation in a Commencement must be requested in writing, and approved by the Registrar. Such a request must be based on unusual circumstances that would impose a significant and verifiable hardship on the student.

A student completing graduation requirements by the end of a term, but who has not applied for graduation by the application deadline, may be allowed to participate in Commencement, but the receipt of the diploma may be delayed.