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.

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. Students must observe the rules established by a faculty member for a particular course.
3. 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.
4. Each student should consistently prepare for examinations so as to reduce temptation toward dishonesty.
5. 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.
6. 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.
   • Violating discipline specific health, safety or ethical requirements to gain any unfair advantage in lab(s) or clinical assignments
   • 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 an exam or quiz unless approved by the course instructor.
7. 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.

A student who acts without integrity in an academic setting shall be subject to sanctions. Sanctions are at the discretion of the instructor and may take one of many forms. Example sanctions include written reprimand, penalty on an assignment or exam, or “F” grade for the assignment, exam or course. If the instructor assigns an “F” for the course, the student will not be allowed to drop the course. If the student believes the sanction was unwarranted, they have the right to appeal following established procedures. All breaches of academic integrity will be reported to the vice president of academics using the required form. 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. Such cases will be referred to the dean of students per section 18 of the MSOE Student Conduct Code.

Process for Adjudicating Isolated Breaches of Academic Integrity

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 “Breach of Academic Integrity Reporting Form”. The student will have three academic working days to communicate to the faculty member any disagreement of information reported in the notification. The faculty member may elect to make modifications to the form, or retract it, in response to this communication. The final version of the form 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 file and may refer egregious behavior or repeated reports involving the same student to the dean of students as described in the Student Conduct Code. Any referral will only occur after the completion of the appeal process described in this section.

The following procedure will be used if a student wishes to appeal a faculty member’s judgment that academic integrity was breached. Filing appeals in accordance with these provisions shall not suspend the sanction declared in the case by the faculty member. The student will remain in class during the entire appeal process.

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 the reasons countering the faculty member’s determination that the student acted without integrity
2. The academic chair will have three academic working days in which to review the appeal. The purpose of the academic chair’s review is to determine if sufficient evidence exists that the student did not act with integrity. The chairperson must inform the student and faculty member of his/her judgment within those three academic working days. If the academic chair finds in favor of the student, the sanction and the Breach of Academic Integrity Reporting Form filed with the vice president of academics will be retracted, unless an additional appeal is made by the faculty member.
3. The student or faculty member may further appeal, in writing to the vice president of academics, the decision of the academic chair.  This appeal must occur within three academic working days.
4. The vice president of academics has the final say in determining if a student did not act with integrity. To aid in this process, the vice president of academics may elect to convene an academic review board to hear the appeal. If so, the academic review board will consider the written appeal and shall allow both the student and faculty member to appear in person before the committee. The academic review board is expected to provide an opinion to the vice president of academics within three academic working days from the commencement of its proceedings. If the final determination is that academic integrity was not breached, all forms will be retracted.
5. The student may bring a representative to any meeting established under this procedure. The faculty member may also have representation at any meeting.

Process for Adjudicating Egregious or Repeated Breaches of Academic Integrity

Upon receipt of report of egregious or repeated notifications for breaches of academic integrity that are upheld throughout the appeal process, the vice president of academics may elect to refer students to the dean of students for action under section 18 of the Student Conduct Code. 

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. 

Research with Human Participants

MSOE’s Institutional Review Board (MSOE IRB) is an administrative body established to protect the rights and well-being of human subjects recruited to participate in research activities.  MSOE IRB has jurisdiction over human subject research activities conducted at MSOE, human subject research activities conducted by MSOE employees, students, or agents at any location, and human subject research activities that use MSOE resources.   All students, staff, and faculty at MSOE planning to conduct research involving human participants must submit an IRB protocol application package for review by MSOE IRB including proof of relevant training certification.  Investigators must obtain written approval from MSOE IRB before human subject recruitment and research may begin.

In accordance with regulatory standards, MSOE IRB is comprised of qualified board members that include at least one non-scientist and one community representative.   MSOE’s Vice President of Academics serves as the Institutional Official for MSOE IRB.  Human subject researchers (e.g. investigators) at MSOE comply with requirements set forth in the code of Federal Regulations known as the “Common Rule” as well as Wisconsin State laws and MSOE policies.  Federally funded multi-site studies requiring single IRB (sIRB) review involve coordinated local oversight by and advanced planning with the MSOE IRB office. In any study, if investigators intend to recruit study participants from locations outside of the United States, the primary investigator (PI) must first secure written approval from MSOE IRB prior to contacting research officials in other countries.  

The purpose of IRB oversight is to ensure adequacy of the research plan, to minimize risks, and to maximize benefits for human subjects who participate in research activities.  If the investigator is a student, the research must be performed under supervision of an MSOE faculty or staff member who, by their signature, assumes responsibility for the conduct of the research with respect to proper safeguards of the rights of human subjects (participants). 

MSOE IRB approval is required before human subject research is undertaken by students for classroom work, independent study, senior design, nursing professional practice projects, surveys, master’s degree theses, or any purpose not specifically listed.  This includes research with human subjects (participants) conducted for non-academic purposes, as well.  Data collection by students or faculty/staff for assessment purposes only does not need MSOE IRB approval.  Proposals for research projects conducted as classroom activities need to be submitted to the MSOE IRB if the intention is to share results of the project in a public forum or through publication.  Class projects in which results will only be presented to students enrolled in the course and instructor(s) assigned to the course do not need IRB approval.  It is the instructor’s responsibility to ensure that there are minimal risks for both the student researchers and their participants.  If the instructor assumes that the project could lead to further presentation of results, either through publication or public forum, those projects will need to be reviewed by the IRB prior to the activity. Results of classroom activities cannot be presented outside of the classroom without IRB approval; retroactive IRB approval is never granted. For further information, please see the IRB Guidelines at https://libguides.msoe.edu/irb.

Registrar’s Office

Main Office: Campus Center, CC-377
Phone: (414) 277-7215
Website: https://www.msoe.edu/academics/departments/registrar/

Student Responsibility

Students at MSOE are aided in their academic pursuits by various individuals and groups including faculty, academic advisors, support 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.

Class Standing

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

Credit Hour Definition

For each academic credit hour, a minimum of one contact hour (50 minutes of instructional time) spent in class each week is expected for lecture-based courses, or a minimum of two contact hours spent each week in the laboratory or clinical component of a course. Instructional time is regular, substantive, and direct student-faculty interaction in the delivery of course materials, whether in person or online.

For each academic credit hour, a typical undergraduate student is expected to spend two clock hours outside of class preparing for and studying for the class. Outside of class activities are required learning activities completed outside of instructional time, such as homework and reading. Time spent outside of class for a typical graduate student is expected to exceed two clock hours per credit hour. For courses featuring alternative delivery modalities (e.g. hybrid, online, accelerated), the academic department or school maintains parity tables that document how expected class contact time is accounted for in the alternative method.

Course parity is the requirement that while courses may be delivered with different methods or modalities, they must maintain the same quality as measured through instructional time and outside-of-class activities such as preparatory reading and homework.  If courses are offered in different modalities, such as in-person, online, hybrid, or accelerated, they must have the same learning outcomes, the same or similar expectations for time spent in class and out of class to meet the designated credit level for the course. Non-traditional credit-bearing experiences, such as independent studies or practica, must require the same total amount of learning time to be awarded the designated credit amount, although it may be distributed differently.

Regardless of delivery format, every for-credit course includes direct faculty-student interaction by a qualified instructor, and faculty are expected to prepare activities that meet the designated credit hours for the course. These expectations are expressed through learning outcomes, which provide consistency across modalities and instructors.

Attendance

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 are required to report students who never attend class to the Registrar’s Office. MSOE cannot charge tuition and release financial aid to students if they did not attend class.

Faculty have the option of developing a policy concerning grade reduction for excessive absence from class. Any policy of this nature must be communicated in the syllabus. Faculty must report any students who never attended class to the Registrar’s Office by Friday of the second week of the term. Faculty should use the Early Alert system to report students who have stopped attending class. The Financial Aid Office may contact the faculty for the last attendance date for those students, so they can correctly process the return of financial aid. Faculty should record an approximate date of last attendance in their records. 

While emphasizing that it is each student’s responsibility to balance academic coursework and extra-curricular endeavors, MSOE administration and faculty recognize the commitment of students to MSOE-sanctioned extra-curricular activities and seek to facilitate their participation in intercollegiate events and military service. MSOE-sanctioned extra-curricular endeavors include varsity athletic competitions, academic conferences, intercollegiate competitions, and military service. The student affected will personally notify his/her instructor no less than two (2) weeks in advance of any class or laboratory session that may be missed, and the student will request arrangements for making up missed academic work.  Some events are scheduled without two weeks advanced notice, such as rescheduled events for weather and final tournaments, however, students will do their best to provide two-week notice for the possibility of these events and continue to keep their instructors informed of changes. For academic work (e.g. quizzes, tests, presentations, labs, clinicals, etc.), an instructor will give the student a comparable alternate assignment or require the student to complete the work at an alternate time and/or date. If the instructor considers it unfeasible to grant a student’s request for accommodation, the rationale for denial must be communicated in writing to the student in question and the faculty member’s academic chair within 48 hours. If the extra-curricular activity is an athletic competition, the rationale must also be communicated with the Faculty Athletic Representative. If military service causes the missed academic work, the rationale for denial must also be communicated with the Dean of Students. The Department Chair will then communicate to the aforementioned parties his/her decision on whether the student is entitled to the requested accommodation. Following the Department Chair’s decision, students or instructors may send appeals to the Vice President of Academics for decision.

Student Accessibility and Accommodations

MSOE is committed to making its curriculum academically accessible to students with documented disabilities (physical or learning), chronic health conditions, and mental health conditions, as well as to students who become temporarily disabled due to mental and physical health concerns (inclusive of injury and concussion), in line with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Accommodations can be made for qualified individuals and are designed to create equal educational access for students without compromising the essential elements of our curriculum. Eligibility for accommodations is done on an individual basis determined by student need. Students are required to submit verification documentation prior to receiving accommodations through Student Accessibility Services.

Final Exams

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 through 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 accommodation 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.  If a student never attends a class on his or her schedule, the class will be deleted from the student’s record and the enrollment status will be adjusted accordingly.

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.

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 have authority to set application deadlines and any appeals are to be decided by academic chairs.
2. 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.
3. Student applicants must meet program-specific curriculum requirements (e.g. prerequisite courses) to participate in the planned activities abroad.
4. 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).
5. A course grade of “C” or better is required for a study abroad course to be considered for transfer credit.
6. Study abroad activities may be limited or suspended due to global events that may impact the safety of students, faculty, and staff.

Transfer Credit

Transfer credit is credit given for coursework from another university that is approved as satisfying the course objectives and competencies of a course requirement in the student’s program.

• Students transferring to MSOE will establish an MSOE grade point average after their first term of attendance. A student’s previous college grade point average will not be transferable.
• A course grade of “C” or better is required to be considered for transfer.
• Transfer credit is considered provisional until the students’ subsequent MSOE coursework confirms that they are sufficiently prepared for subsequent courses. 
• MSOE will only consider coursework from regionally accredited institutions for transfer evaluation. For coursework completed outside of the United States, only transfer credit from institutions accredited by the Ministry of Education of that state/country or its equivalent will be considered for transfer evaluation. Regional accreditation and/or accreditation from the Ministry of Education of the institution does not ensure the coursework will transfer to MSOE.
• All past academic work is evaluated based on the courses that appear in the most recent MSOE catalog and align with the individual’s program.
• Exceptions may be made for coursework in programs where MSOE has specific articulated agreements.
• Transfer credit may be granted for course work completed during military service or work experience that is of a content and rigor appropriate for higher education.  Military service or work experience alone are not transferrable. Students with completed course work may be eligible to obtain credit by exam (see policy below) or by evaluation (see policy below).
• All transfer credit must comply with MSOE’s Residency Requirements policy.
• Credit Equivalency:The transferred course does not need to have equal or greater credit value; however, per HLC, the institution must have “a process for ensuring that all courses transferred and applied toward degree requirements demonstrate equivalence with its own courses required for that degree or are equivalent rigor.” Some courses may have age limitations and are not transferrable.
• The decision for specific course transfer is determined by the chairperson or designee from the department or school that offers or is most closely aligned with the course.

Credit by Examination

Credit by Examination is available upon recommendation of the appropriate academic chairperson or his/her designee. The student must have completed approximately 80 percent of the course material in a learning environment, 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. Credits earned by exam are not considered credits earned in residence at MSOE.

Typically, students who meet the below 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 earned a non-transferable grade less than a C in an equivalent course at another university
• The student has dropped or failed the class at MSOE

Credit by Examination Procedure

1. The student must contact the academic chairperson in the area in which he or she would like to take an examination to determine if the student has sufficient background to be eligible for an exam of this nature. The student must provide any available documentation of course work completed in this content area to the chairperson at this time (transcripts, course description, syllabi, etc.).
2. The chairperson is responsible for selecting the instructor who will administer the exam.
3. The instructor should review the course outline and the general content of the examination with the student in advance of the examination date.
4. 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 approval form indicating that the fee has been paid.
5. Once the exam is completed, the instructor will complete the Credit by Examination form with the appropriate grade and submit it to the chairperson within seven days after student takes the exam. The final grade must be 77 or above for credit to be awarded.
6. The academic chair 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 can review options and required scores for MSOE credit at https://www.msoe.edu/admissions-aid/undergraduate-admissions/incoming-credits/ and can call the Enrollment Management Department with any follow-up questions.

Credit by Evaluation

While most external credit is granted via transfer credit or credit by exam, there are a small number of circumstances that are best evaluated by some other type of evaluation.  Credit by Evaluation is available upon recommendation of the appropriate academic chairperson. The student must have completed approximately 80 percent of the course material in a learning environment, or 60 percent of the course material plus have appropriate work experience in the same content area. Credit is not evaluated on the basis of work experience alone. Credits earned by evaluation are not considered credits earned in residence at MSOE.

Students who meet the below criteria are not eligible for Credit by Evaluation:

• 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.

Credit by Evaluation Procedures

1. The student must contact the academic chairperson in the area in which he or she would like work evaluated to determine if the student has sufficient background for pursuing credit by evaluation.  The student should provide any available documentation of course work completed in this content area to the chairperson at this time (transcripts, certificates, syllabi, course descriptions, etc.)
2. The chairperson is responsible for selecting the instructor who will evaluate the work and the method that will be used for evaluation.  The instructor will submit an evaluation rubric and grading scale for approval by the chairperson.  The evaluation rubric will clearly demonstrate how the course learning outcomes will be evaluated.
3. The instructor should review the course learning outcomes and the expectations of the evaluation with the student.
4. The non-refundable fee must be paid to the Student Accounts Office prior to the evaluation. The Student Accounts Office will then sign the appropriate section of the approval form indicating that the fee has been paid.
5. Once the evaluation is completed, the instructor will complete the Credit by Evaluation form with the appropriate grade.  The completed form, the completed evaluation rubric, the grading scale used for the rubric, and any other evaluation documentation should be submitted to the chairperson within seven days of the evaluation.   A minimum grade of C (or equivalent) is required to earn credit.
6. The academic chair will complete the form and forward it to the registrar for processing.

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.

Registration Deadline–Adding Classes/Changing Sections

The deadline to register for classes is Friday of the first week of the term at 4:30 pm. Students may neither add a course nor change sections after 4:30 p.m. on Friday of the first week. Prior to the registration deadline, a student may drop a course from their schedule with no financial consequence and no record of the drop on their transcript. 

The registration deadline is also the deadline for students who want to change from credit to audit status or from audit to credit status.

Dropping Individual Classes

The deadline for students to drop individual classes from their schedule, or for faculty to drop students from their class, is Monday of the 8^th week of the term at 6:00 pm. 

Any course dropped after Friday of the first week of the term at 4:30 p.m. will show on the student transcript with a grade of W (withdrawal).  Students must submit a Dropping a Class form to the Registrar’s Office to officially drop a course.

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.

Withdrawal from All Classes

Students who wish to drop all classes must complete a Withdrawal From all Classes and/or Intent Not to Return 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 “Withdrawal From all Classes and/or Intent Not to Return” form which is available in the Registrar’s Office.

A student who withdraws from all classes for any two consecutive terms will have a hold placed on his or her account. The student will need to submit a written explanation of the circumstances that led to the withdrawals and will also need to meet with a committee to discuss his/her readiness to return to classes. The committee will determine whether the student is allowed to register or must take additional time off from school.

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.

• Students must have the proper prerequisites for the course.
• Students may not enroll for subsequent courses for credit based upon audited prerequisite subjects.
• Students may not use audited courses to satisfy any degree requirements.
• Students may not audit non-credit courses.
• Registration priority for courses is given to credit-seeking students, so availability is not guaranteed.
• Permission to audit a course must be granted through the department chair over the course.
• Students must register for an audit by the registration deadline, and it will appear on the transcript.
• Students cannot change from audit to credit, or credit to audit, after the registration deadline.
• The cost to audit a course is three-fourths the regular tuition of the course for students registering for 0 - 11 credits.  If a student’s total credits including the credits for the audited course are between 12-19, there is no additional charge. If the student is enrolled in more than 19 credits and a portion of those credits are taken as audit, the student should contact the Student Accounts Office to determine additional tuition charges.

Directed Study

Directed Study provides the opportunity to receive one-on-one course instruction with an MSOE faculty member. Appropriate forms are available, and permission must be obtained from the chairperson of the academic department or school under which the course is taught.

• Generally, permission for such registration is granted only if a student is unable to schedule a specific course that is required for graduation and the student is within 16 credits of graduation.
• Some courses, due to their nature, are not eligible for Directed Study.
• The department chair will determine whether there is a compelling need to run a course as a directed study and, if so, whether there are enough resources available to do so.
• Directed Study classes must be scheduled in the normal quarter schedule.
• Completed forms must be submitted by the registration deadline, and coursework must be complete when the term ends.
• Directed Study classes may be dropped in accordance with the published drop deadline for the term.

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.

Changing Programs

During their studies, students may determine that their original program choice is not a fit and may choose to switch to another program. To change programs, students must complete the Undergraduate Change of Program Request form available from the Registrar’s Office.

Those who change programs may optionally exclude (“pound out”) courses from their original program that do not count toward their new program, which prevents those grades and credits from being calculated into their GPAs.

• Excluding courses are all or nothing; that is, students choosing to exclude courses must exclude all unused courses from the old program. The new program director or chair determines which classes are excluded. Students who elect to exclude courses will also lose the credits, which may affect their class standing.
• If a student-athlete meets eligibility requirements for both GPA and progress towards graduation prior to changing majors and the “pounding out” process, the excluded credits may be used for eligibility processing. This creates a three-quarter grace period to meet the eligibility standards of 12 credits per full-time quarter.
• If a student-athlete does not meet the GPA standard for eligibility prior to “pounding out,” the remaining credits are used to establish their eligibility with regards to progressing towards graduation.

Readmission of 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.

All newly re-admitted students are responsible for completing the program of study that is current at the time of their re-admittance. Students seeking readmission are not guaranteed entry into their original academic degree program.

For students who plan to transfer in their final course(s) for graduation, these courses must be submitted for transfer within two years of the student’s last registered term at MSOE. If the student attempts to transfer in credits after two years, the student will be evaluated against the current curriculum track for that program to determine graduation requirements.

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

Readmission of Service Members 

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.

Students who are expected to leave for active duty service should contact the Registrar’s Office as well as the School Certifying Official to ensure all required items are taken care of prior to deployment (laptop hand-in, document submission, etc.). 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.

Undergraduate/Graduate Courses (500/5000-level Courses)

Course numbers starting with “5” are generally open to both undergraduate and graduate students. Students enrolled in the 5xxx section will have different requirements and grading from students enrolled in the 4xxx section.

Undergraduate/graduate courses have a double designation. Students taking them for graduate credit register under the 500-level designation. Those taking them for undergraduate credit, including graduate students fulfilling prerequisite requirements, register under a 400-level designation.

Undergraduates who meet the grade point requirements for graduate study may enroll in 500-level courses and receive graduate credit, so long as they have not already taken the equivalent undergraduate course. Students must obtain the approval of the program director or the chair of the department or school that offers the course.

Undergraduate Students Taking a Graduate Course

The following provisions do not apply to students in approved undergraduate/graduate dual degree programs. Current MSOE undergraduate students may take graduate-level courses for one of two reasons: for the course to count toward the student’s undergraduate degree to fulfill elective requirements, or to reserve the graduate credit for future use toward a graduate degree. An undergraduate student must have achieved senior standing (completion of 136 credits) and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 before taking any graduate course. Program directors are required to inform the registrar of students taking graduate courses under this policy. A student may not apply the credits from any course to both the undergraduate and graduate degrees unless the course is part of an approved curriculum. 

Undergraduate Students Taking a Graduate Course for Undergraduate Credit

Current MSOE undergraduate students who wish to take a graduate course for undergraduate credit will not have to formally apply to the graduate program to take the graduate course. However, before taking the course, the undergraduate student must receive permission from the chair of the academic department or school to ensure the course will fulfill undergraduate degree requirements and from the graduate course program director to ensure the student is qualified to take the course. Each program director is to decide which, if any, courses within their program may be taken by undergraduate students for undergraduate credit. These courses shall have “Open to undergraduate students with permission of course program director” added to the list of prerequisites in the catalog and the quarterly schedule of classes.

Undergraduate Students Taking a Graduate Course for Graduate Credit

Current MSOE undergraduate students with senior status and a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 who wish to take a graduate course and reserve it for graduate credit must get the approval of the program director whose curriculum encompasses the course before taking any graduate courses. An undergraduate student may not reserve more than nine graduate credits. These nine credits are not to be applied toward the limit of transferring nine credits into a graduate program. These reserved credits are subject to evaluation upon admission to a graduate program but will not count toward the transfer credit limit of that program. 

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.

In the event of a significant disruption of academic activities, as declared by the Vice President of Academics, a temporary, alternative pass/no pass grading scale may be employed. The use of the alternative grading scale must be authorized by the Council for Academic Planning and communicated by the Vice President of Academics. When in effect, the alternative grading scale must be consistently applied university wide.

• “Pass” is defined as the equivalent of a C grade or higher, as C is defined in the standard undergraduate grading scale.
• “Low Pass” is defined as the equivalent of a CD or D grade, as they are defined in the standard undergraduate grading scale.
• “No Pass” is defined as the equivalent of an F grade, as F is defined in the standard undergraduate grading scale.

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 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. The letter grade preceding the asterisk is calculated into the student’s GPA. 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.  program page for additional policies.

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

Actuarial Science: all MA and AC courses, and all required BA courses

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

Bachelor of Business Administration: all required BA and MS courses; all concentration electives

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

BioMolecular Engineering: all EB courses

Civil Engineering: all required AE, CM and CV courses 200/2000 - 400/4000 level; technical electives do not count into the major GPA

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

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

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

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

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

Industrial Engineering: all IE courses

Mechanical Engineering: all ME courses

Nursing: all required NU courses

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

User Experience:  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 the Curricular Information section on the Nursing, B.S. program page.  

Grade Replacement for Lübeck Study-abroad Program

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

MSOE University Honors Scholars Program Progression

For a student to continue in the honors program the following conditions must be met:

• Students must successfully complete the required honors courses in the academic year they are assigned (e.g. all freshmen level courses - GS 1010H , GS 1020H , and GS 1030H  - must be completed during the student’s first year)
• The student must earn a cumulative GPA of 3.2 at the end of each academic year
• Remain in good academic standing each term

Students will be assessed for their eligibility to continue in the honors program at the end of each academic year.  Students who do not meet the above requirements will be removed from the program and its associated privileges, including but not limited to, the living/learning community housing.

If a student does not earn a GPA of 3.2 in a given quarter, they must meet with the honors program director or designee during week 1 of the subsequent quarter to ensure they are on pace to meet year end program requirements.

Students whose active military duty, prolonged illness, or extenuating circumstances require them to withdraw from classes may appeal to stay in the MSOE University Scholars Honors Program. A written appeal must be received by the program director by 4:30 p.m. central time on the first day of the quarter the student wishes to resume participation in the program. 

If a student is placed on probation, the MSOE University Scholars Honors program director will be notified. The program director will meet with the student, their advisor, the assistant dean of students, and/or academic chair to determine if the student should remain in the program.

Students placed on suspension will be immediately removed from the honors program.

Academic Standing

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

• The cumulative grade point average and
• The cumulative major grade point average.

Academic standing is processed after the fall, winter, and spring quarters as indicated below.

Academic Probation and Suspension

After the fall and winter quarters, students with a cumulative GPA or major GPA below 2.00 will be placed on academic probation.  Students who are on probation are expected to meet with their academic advisor within the first 4 weeks of the subsequent term to develop a plan for improvement.  Most freshmen and sophomore students on academic probation will be required to participate in a one-credit class called Foundations of Student Success. 

At the end of each spring term, any student with a cumulative GPA or cumulative major GPA below 2.00 is subject to suspension and their record will be reviewed to determine whether they will be allowed to continue in the next academic year.  If after that review, it is determined that the student is allowed to continue, he or she will be allowed to return in the next academic year with a status of academic probation.  If after that review, the academic suspension is upheld, the student has the opportunity to meet with committee members to appeal the decision in person.  Students are only allowed one personal appeal with the committee.  A student who is allowed to continue after the personal appeal process may be reviewed and suspended after any subsequent term in which they are enrolled if sufficient academic progress has not been made.  Decisions of the committee are final.

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.

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, are in good academic standing, 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 must satisfy all course requirements in the prescribed curriculum for their academic program.

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.”

Residency Requirements: 

• A minimum of 40 percent of the total bachelor’s degree credits must be earned in residence.
• A minimum of 45 upper-division, in-major credits must be earned in residence. In-major credits are those which count toward the student’s major GPA.
• The capstone experience must be completed in residence.
• Approved residency exceptions may be made for specific study abroad programs or written/contractual agreements with other institutions.
• 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 optionally earn a minor  in one or more areas by satisfactory completion of all the requirements stipulated for each minor. A minor is to be regarded as a field of expertise/specialization and not necessarily an additional mastery of course load. Students must declare their pursuit of a minor in the Registrar’s Office

• 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.
• Of the total number of credits required for an academic minor, no more than 50% may be transferred in from another college or university.
• A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.000 is required in courses counted toward the minor.
• The minor must be achieved prior to the award of a student’s bachelor’s degree.
• Independent studies may not be used for consideration toward the awarding of a minor.
• Of the total number of credits required for an academic minor, the student must complete at least three credits that are unique to the minor requirements and are not required for the student’s major field of study.
• Minors may only be granted in a discipline other than a student’s major.
• Courses waived and credits granted by MSOE due to students having achieved acceptable levels in AP/IB/CLEP courses may count toward the minor.
• There will be no limits on the number of minors a student may receive.
• There will be no substitutions for the requirements of a minor without the appropriate minor coordinator or academic chair’s written approval.
• Minors earned will appear on the student’s transcript, but not diploma.
• All requirements for the minor must be met by the time the student’s bachelor’s degree is conferred.
• A minor requires a minimum of 24-32 credits in courses specified or defined by the department offering the minor.

Undergraduate Double-major Candidates

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 must declare their double major with the Registrar’s Office after obtaining approval from both their primary degree and their second major program directors. During the approval process, the 40 required credits for the second degree must be documented. Re-admission to the university will be required for students away from MSOE longer than two years. 

Certificates

A student wishing to complete a certificate does so by satisfactory completion of all the requirements stipulated for each certificate. Students must declare their pursuit of a certificate in the Registrar’s Office using the Certificate Completion form. This form must be submitted within one calendar year of completion of final course required for the certificate.

• Credits and courses required for a certificate may double count toward meeting MSOE degree requirements; however, a course may count toward no more than one certificate and one degree.
• All course requirements for the certificate must be completed in residence.
• A minimum grade point average of 2.00 is required for the course work that is counted toward the certificate.
• Students may not earn a certificate and degree in the same area of specialization.
• There is no limit on the number of certificates a student may earn.
• Of the total number of credits required for the certificate, at least THREE credits must be taken beyond credits required for the particular student’s major field of study.
• There is a maximum of three years from initial enrollment in a certificate course to complete all certificate requirements, if enrolled in certificate program only.
• If the certificate is earned concurrently with enrollment in a degree program, the time limit shall be the same as the degree program.
• No courses shall be specifically designed exclusively to accommodate a certificate-additional courses that can be used as elective in regular programs may be designed to facilitate a certificate.
• Efforts will be made to run sufficient courses for a certificate over a four-year period. There is no guarantee that courses for a certificate will be conveniently scheduled.
• There will be no substitutions for the course requirements of a certificate without the appropriate department chair’s written approval.

Graduation Procedures

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 audit before the end of the first week of the term in which the student plans to graduate and notify the student by email if additional courses are required. Students must be scheduled to complete all degree requirements in the term in which they participate in the commencement ceremony. 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 ceremony. Any other exception to this policy requiring completion of all degree requirements prior to participation in a commencement ceremony must be requested in writing and approved by the vice president of academics. 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 the ceremony, but the receipt of the diploma may be delayed.