Academic Policies

In accordance with the Drew University Bylaws, academic policies are promulgated by the College faculty. No additions, modifications, or deletions can be made to the content of this page without a vote of the College faculty. 

Academic Accommodations

Academic Accommodations are handled through the Office of Academic Services.

Academic Advising

Information about Academic Advising is available through the Office of Academic Services.

Academic Honors

Dean’s List

A student whose semester grade point average is at least 3.6 on a registration of 12 or more credit hours, with no outstanding incompletes or grades not reported, is eligible for Dean’s List.

Phi Beta Kappa

Phi Beta Kappa was installed at Drew in the spring of 1980. The Drew chapter, Gamma of New Jersey, elects a limited number of seniors and occasionally exceptional juniors on the basis of scholarly achievement in the liberal arts and good character. Those who are awarded this high distinction are inducted into the society at a ceremony each spring, and are listed in the Commencement program. Eligibility for Phi Beta Kappa includes completion of one 4-credit course in mathematics (or the equivalent from a designated list of alternative courses) and demonstration of foreign language competency through the intermediate level.

Latin Honors

Latin honors, based on the cumulative grade point average, at the time of graduation, are awarded in three levels: cum laude (3.60–3.74), magna cum laude (3.75–3.89), and summa cum laude (3.90 and higher). A student must complete at least 48 credits of study at Drew and have received no more than one grade of F or the equivalent to be eligible for graduation with Latin honors.

Specialized Honors in the Major

Specialized Honors may be awarded in only one major field or area. The diploma shall carry the designation “With honors in (a specific major field or area).”

The requirements for specialized honors shall be:

a) Cumulative Grade Point Averages: An overall cumulative average of 3.4 or higher and a cumulative average of 3.5 in the courses included in the major or area.

b) Residency: Completion of honors work during the student’s last two semesters at Drew.

c) Invitation: In the spring of the junior year, the Dean and the Director of the Specialized Honors Thesis shall invite qualified juniors to apply to work toward honors during the senior year. A student who does not meet the GPA requirement for honors may, with the strong support of the major department or program, petition to begin honors work. However, if the petition is granted the student must, by graduation, have met the GPA requirement for honors in the major to be awarded.

d) Application: Using the honors application form, a candidate for Specialized Honors must present to the Honors Advisory Committee the subject of his or her proposed thesis approved by an adviser in his or her major. This proposed topic shall be subject to reasonable change if the candidate and his or her adviser deem it necessary as the work progresses.

e) Fall Honors Thesis Colloquium: Honors candidates must participate in the Fall Honors Thesis Colloquium, the purpose of which is to bring young scholars together and to encourage the development of theses of high quality. The Honors Thesis Colloquium shall be administered by the Director of the thesis program.

f) A thesis voted, at the completion of the defense, by the thesis committee as “worthy of honors.”

i. A final draft of the thesis shall be due to all members of the Committee toward the end of the spring semester. The thesis shall be read by all members of the candidate’s thesis committee. Committee members shall take into account substance, documentation, organization, and style. If a thesis is unsatisfactory in any one of these areas, it may be rejected on that ground alone. The thesis shall be expected either to give fresh statement to a subject of intellectual importance upon which there is room for difference of opinion, or to report an investigation of some magnitude and difficulty and to explain the significance of the findings to general knowledge in the area of the investigation. It should demonstrate the student’s intellectual comprehension of the subject of the thesis and mastery of writing skills appropriate to the discipline.

ii. The thesis in its final form shall conform to the requirements of a style manual appropriate to the field of research. A PDF copy of the thesis must be uploaded to the library. The PDF shall be accompanied by a 200-500 word abstract of the thesis. Once the thesis has been submitted, advisers will indicate to the library that the thesis is approved, and notify the student and the Director of the Specialized Honors Thesis. Requirements for specialized honors in the major have not been met until this final step is completed.

g) Honors Thesis Defense: The conduct of the honors defense required of candidates for honors shall be the responsibility of the thesis adviser. Requirements for the defense include the following:

i. Scheduling of the defense: The defense shall occur between the date on which theses are due and the date on which the final copies must be submitted to the Library for honors to be awarded. The defense must be scheduled no sooner than one week after the date on which a final draft of the thesis is received by the Committee. The honors candidate is responsible for scheduling the defense at a time convenient to all members of the Committee. The defense date shall be announced publicly to the University community.

ii. Composition of the Thesis Committee: The Thesis Committee shall consist of three members: the adviser and two additional members selected by the student in consultation with the adviser, one of whom must be from a different department or program without regard to division. Honors candidates must submit to the Honors Advisory Committee the names and signatures of the three members they have selected on a form also signed by the program director or chair of the department in the area in which specialized honors will be awarded; this form must be submitted by the fourth week of the first semester. Students who have any concerns about their thesis committee are able to seek the assistance of the Director of the Thesis Program, who can intervene on their behalf in the Thesis Committee discussions. Students will be informed of this resource on the Specialized Honors website and in informational meetings at the beginning of the Fall semester. Students also retain the right to appeal Thesis Committee decisions to the Committee on Academic Standing.

iii. Length of the defense: The defense shall be approximately one hour in duration unless, in the judgment of the Committee, more time is desirable, in which event the defense may be extended. Defenses shall be open to members of the faculty and to students in the College and, with the permission of the chair, to guests of the candidate. At the conclusion of the defense, all who are not members of the faculty shall leave the place of examination.

iv. Successful defense: Two of the three members of the Committee must vote the thesis “worthy of honors” for honors to be awarded.

h) Lack of Completion: Honors candidates who do not complete their work or who fail to meet the GPA requirement for honors to be awarded may, with the approval of the adviser, petition the Committee on Academic Standing to receive independent study credit for the honors work. The amount of credit awarded shall be determined by the adviser.

For information on the Specialized Honor Program, consult the program page.

Academic Integrity

Categories of Academic Dishonesty

The standards of academic integrity apply to information that is presented orally, in writing, or via the computer, in any format ranging from the most informal comment to a computer program or a formal research paper. These standards apply to source material gathered from other people, from written texts, from computer programs, from the Internet, or from any other location.

• Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the act of appropriating or imitating the language, ideas, or thoughts of another and presenting them as ones own or without proper acknowledgment. This includes submitting a paper or part of a paper written by another person as ones own, whether that material was stolen, purchased, or shared freely. It also includes submitting a paper containing insufficient citation or misuse of source material. The unacknowledged inclusion of language, ideas, or thoughts taken from “study guides,” such as Cliff’s Notes is also a form of plagiarism (Even when acknowledged, such study guides are too rudimentary to be appropriate secondary sources for a college paper).
• Duplicate Submission: Submitting one work in identical or similar form to fulfill more than one requirement without prior approval of the relevant faculty members is a breach of academic integrity. This includes using a paper for more than one course or submitting material previously used to meet another requirement.
• Cheating on Examinations: Cheating on examinations by copying material from another person or source or by gaining any advance knowledge of the content or topic of an examination without the permission of the instructor is another breach of academic integrity. These standards apply to take-home examinations as well. Failure to follow these guidelines, and guidelines developed by instructors, constitutes academic dishonesty.
• False Citation: Listing an author, title, or page reference as the source for obtained material, when the material actually came from another source or from another location within that source, is a breach of academic integrity. This includes attributing fabricated material to a real or fictitious source.
• Unintentional Plagiarism: Unintentional plagiarism is also a breach of academic integrity. Unintentional plagiarism, also known as patch writing, frequently occurs when students depend too heavily on textual material to make a point rather than making the point themselves and using the text to support it. In such cases, students cite the sources they have used, but do not correctly paraphrase the source material. They often also fail to indicate where paraphrased source material begins and ends. Unintentional plagiarism can also result from excessive collaboration when students fail to give adequate credit to others with whom they have worked. In all cases, unintentional plagiarism leaves the reader unsure of whose ideas are being presented, or leads them to assume that the words and ideas of others are those of the author.

Instructors shall report alleged cases of violations of the Academic Integrity Policy to the Dean of Arts and Sciences or designee from the Dean’s or Provost’s Office. Students should help to maintain the standards of the college by reporting to the instructor any violations of the policy they observe in their classes.

The usual response to an allegation that the Academic Integrity Policy has been violated is for the Dean or designee to convene an Academic Integrity Committee as described below. When the allegation is the first one made against a student, and the alleged offense seems minor or even unintentional, an Alternative Resolution Procedure may be attempted. This procedure applies only when the student, the instructor, and the Dean or designee agree that it is appropriate, and all of the steps described below under Alternative Resolution Procedure must be completed for the matter to be resolved without a full hearing by an Academic Integrity Committee.

Academic Integrity Committee

The Dean or designee from the Dean’s or Provost’s Office convenes and chairs an Academic Integrity Committee made up of two faculty members and one student from the CLA Judicial Board, and the accused student’s academic adviser or another faculty member of the accused student’s choosing.

a) When any member of the Committee believes that he or she should not hear a case because of a possible conflict of interest, that member should recuse him or herself. The accused student may request that a specific faculty member or student not be asked to hear the case; this request will be honored. In either case, the Committee will be reconvened using other members from the appropriate pool of those serving on the CLA Judicial Board.

b) The accused student may request, and will be granted, up to a week to prepare his or her response before being called before the Committee. In the first stage of the hearing, both the faculty member bringing the charge and the accused student will be present, and each will make an oral statement to the Committee and answer any questions. At this stage, either may ask to address the Committee without the others being present, and will be granted the right to do so.

c) The accused student and the accusing faculty member will be asked to wait outside the room while the Committee discusses the case; either may be called back into the room to answer questions. At the end of their deliberations on the case, the Dean or designee, the two faculty members and the CLA Judicial Board student will vote on the matter, while the adviser will have a voice but no vote.

d) A decision of guilt or innocence will be based on a preponderance of the evidence in the case; however, other factors, such as any prior accusations or any mitigating circumstances, may be taken into account in the determination of penalty.

e) In all cases, both the accused student and the faculty member bringing the charge may appeal the decision as described below.

f) All documents relating to the case will be placed on file in the Office of the Provost, where they will remain until the student’s file is destroyed one year after the student graduates.

Alternative Resolution Procedure

If the student, the instructor and the Dean or designee from the Dean’s or Provost’s Office agree that it is appropriate, they may elect to resolve the matter without a full hearing before an Academic Integrity Committee. At the conclusion of this alternative resolution procedure, the following will be placed on file in the Office of the Provost: documentation of the violation, the student’s admission of responsibility, and the steps taken to resolve the matter. It will remain there at least until the student graduates, and will be used as evidence of a first offense in the student is accused of another breach of academic integrity. 

a) The student admits misusing sources and violating the Academic Integrity Policy and agrees to correct the work in a manner satisfactory to the course instructor.

b) The student completes and signs a form that describes the violation and the corrective measures to be undertaken and includes a promise that the problem will not occur again.

c) The instructor completes and signs a form that describes the incident and certifies that it has been resolved satisfactorily. That form, together with all documentary material from the case, will be placed on file in the Office of the Provost, where it will remain until the student’s file is destroyed one year after the student graduates.

d) If the student is later found to have committed another violation of the standards of academic integrity, the documentary material on file from any prior invocation of the Alternative Resolution Procedure will be used as evidence of a first offense in the penalty phase of the hearing and the penalty will be more severe than it would be for a first offense.

Penalties

The individual merits of each case are weighed by the Academic Integrity Committee, which determines the penalty accordingly. The Committee considers the purpose of the hearing and the resolution and penalty to be educational; resolutions reached through the Alternative Procedure and penalties determined by the Academic Integrity Committee are designed with that in mind.

First Offense: The maximum penalty is suspension from the CLA. Other penalties may include, but are not limited to, denial of some or all honors conferred by the college, and loss of credit for the assignment or for the course. Documentation of previous violations of academic integrity will form part of the record in subsequent cases and appeals.

Second Offense: The maximum penalty is expulsion from the CLA.

Appeals Process

a) Decisions of the Academic Integrity Committee may be appealed only if new evidence has been found, or if the original hearing overlooked specific evidence or committed procedural errors.

b) The Dean’s Council is the final appeals board for cases of violations of the academic integrity policy. The appeal, whether sought by the faculty member who brought the charge or by the accused student, must be submitted in writing. On the basis of the written appeal, the Council may decide to hear the case or to uphold the original decision if no new evidence has been presented, if no evidence has been shown to have been overlooked, and/or if no procedural errors have been shown to have occurred. Whatever its decision, the Council must provide reasons in writing to both parties. If the Council agrees to hear the case, it has the right to reverse the decision of an earlier hearing.

c) Only the five faculty members of the Dean’s Council will vote on such appeals. The Dean or designee from the Dean’s or Provost’s Office will remain in attendance during such hearings, and will have a voice but no vote.

d) When any member of the Council believes he or she should not hear the matter under appeal because of a possible conflict of interest, that member may be excused. In this event, the Dean or designee will appoint a temporary faculty replacement.

e) During the hearing of the appeal, the faculty member who brought the original charge will provide information and answer questions. The student may be accompanied and advised by a member of the faculty of his or her choice and will also provide information and answer questions.

f) Decisions will be based on a preponderance of the evidence and will be provided in writing to both parties. 

Auditing Courses

Students who wish to attend courses as auditors may do so if the course is so designated or with permission of the instructor. Students must register to audit a course, and auditors must register before the end of the drop/add period. Audited courses will appear on a student’s transcript as a zero-credit course with a grade of AU. At the beginning of the semester, the course instructor determines the requirements for auditing, including the attendance policy and whether course assignments and exams must be completed. Instructors are not obligated to grade course assignments or involve auditors in regular classroom activities (e.g., discussion, small-group work). Tuition and course fees, such as lab and studio fees, may apply. Continuing education students and community members who wish to audit courses should refer to the Community Education Audit (CEA) Program website for community auditor policies.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy

Policy Summary

Regularly enrolled college-classified students are expected to maintain full-time registration in the College (12 credits or more per semester).  Students carrying full-time registration averaging 16 credits per semester will normally complete the degree in four academic years (8 semesters); in no case may a full-time student expect to spend more than five years (10 semesters) earning the degree unless an exception to this rule is granted by the Committee on Academic Standing.  Additionally, federal regulations require that Drew University establish minimum standards of academic progress for students receiving financial aid.  

In order to remain enrolled, as well as receive federal, state, or institutional financial aid, including Title IV and Higher Education Act (HEA) funds, at Drew University, students must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward their degree objective.   These requirements apply to part-time as well as full-time students for all semesters of enrollment within an academic year, including those semesters for which no financial aid was granted.  The Office of Academic Services and the Office of Financial Assistance conduct a review of SAP at the conclusion of each academic term once grades are posted in the university system.  

Academic Year Progression by Class

• 0 - 26 credits: First Year Freshman

• 27 - 55 credits: Second Year Sophomore

• 56 - 91 credits: Third Year Junior

• 92+ credits: Fourth Year Senior

Requirements

There are three areas that are evaluated at the end of each semester: number of credit hours passed, cumulative grade point average, and maximum time frame for degree completion.  Accepted transfer hours are counted as both attempted and completed hours.
 

Both the qualitative (grade-based) and quantitative (time-related) requirements must be met, regardless of full-time or part-time attendance.
 

Incompletes

At the time of evaluation, Incompletes (grades of “I”) do not affect a student’s cumulative GPA for SAP, but count as credit hours attempted both Pace and Maximum time frame (see below). Students with grades of Incomplete which become new letter grades prior to or during a subsequent period of enrollment must contact the Office of Financial Assistance for further evaluation.
 

Withdrawals

The grade “W” received for a withdrawal after the add/drop period ends in the term does not affect a student’s cumulative GPA for SAP, but counts as credit hours attempted towards Pace and Maximum time frame.
 

Course Repetition

Students are allowed to repeat a course and have it count toward enrollment for financial aid eligibility only once, unless it is a course that customarily can be repeated for credit. Each attempt at the course, however, will count towards a student’s Pace, and all other attempts with lower grades will count as unsuccessful credit hours attempted.
 

1. Minimum Cumulative GPA earned at Drew University

2. Minimum Annual Pace

A student must successfully complete at least 12 credits in each semester in which they are enrolled full-time, and at least 6 credits in each semester in which they are enrolled half-time. 

In addition, full-time students must complete 24 credits by the end of the first year, 48 credits by the end of the second year, 72 credits by the end of the third year, 100 credits by the end of the fourth year, and a degree by the end of the fifth year.  A year consists of a fall and spring term.

3. Maximum Time Frame

A student may attempt no more than 150% of the credit hours required by her/his degree program.

Explanation of SAP (Satisfactory Academic Progress) Status Codes

Good Standing

A student who meets all of the standards for Satisfactory Academic Progress when progress is reviewed will be in Good Academic Standing and can continue to be enrolled and receive financial aid.
 

Good Standing ——–> Warning

Warning ——————> Probation

Students previously in Good Standing will be placed on Warning and students previously on Warning will be placed on Probation for any of the following reasons:

• A fall or spring semester term grade point average which falls below grade point average, as reflected in chart above;
• A cumulative grade point average, or a grade point average in all majors, at the end of the fall or spring term below the minimum standards described in the table above. 
• A failure to satisfactorily complete credits according to minimum standards for Pace: 24 credits by the end of the first year, 48 credits by the end of the second year, 72 credits by the end of the third year, 100 credits by the end of the fourth year, and a degree by the end of the fifth year. A year consists of a fall and spring term.
• A withdrawal from all classes in a fall or spring semester.

       The following conditions apply to students on Warning or Probation

• A student cannot enroll in more than 17 credits without the approval of the Academic Standing Committee.
• A student who at the end of a fall or spring semester has satisfactorily completed at least 12 credits, earned a term grade point average of at least 2.0, and met the minimum credit and grade point levels described above will be returned to Good Standing. A student on Warning who at the end of a fall or spring semester has not returned to Good Standing will be placed on Probation or, in exceptional cases, may be placed on Required Withdrawal (exceptional cases include students with  disciplinary sanctions, two consecutive semesters of full withdrawal, or irrecoverable cumulative GPA).

A student on Warning is eligible to receive financial aid for one payment period.
 

Probation

A student who  is allowed to enroll on Probation, will not be eligible to receive financial aid until they submit an appeal and that appeal is approved by the Offices of Academic Services and Financial Assistance.  The SAP Appeal Form must be submitted to the Office of Academic Services.  The student may submit documentation that supports his/her appeal from medical professionals, counselors, or other third party professionals (nonfamily members) who understand the details of the situation. The student should also include an explanation of what has changed in his/her situation that will allow him/her to demonstrate satisfactory academic progress at the next evaluation.  If it is not possible for the student to achieve the minimum standards of progress by the next evaluation, the student, with the assistance of the Office of Academic Services, must develop an academic plan that outlines what the student must do to achieve Satisfactory Academic Progress.  

If the student’s appeal is approved, the student will be placed on a Financial Aid Probation status for that term.  This Probation status is for one term only.  At the conclusion of the probationary term the student’s record will be reviewed to determine whether the student has achieved SAP or, in the cases where a plan was required, has followed the requirements of the plan.  

A student, who after a semester on Probation, has not returned to Good Standing and/or fulfilled the conditions of their academic plan will not be eligible for Title IV or HEA program funds and will be placed on Required Withdrawal.  Under exceptional circumstances only, such as the death of a close relative or an injury or illness to the student, a student on Required Withdrawal may appeal to be re-admitted for the next term and have financial aid reinstated by submitting the Satisfactory Academic Progress appeal to the Office of Academic Services by the deadline indicated on the notification of Required Withdrawal. The appeal must contain information regarding why the student failed to make satisfactory academic progress and what is changed in the student’s situation that would allow the student to make satisfactory academic progress going forward. The Academic Standing Committee reviews each readmission appeal received. If the appeal is approved, the student will be reinstated and placed on Probation. 

Such re-admissions are granted only in unusual cases, and in no cases may a student be readmitted twice.

Attendance

Students are responsible for class attendance and for the prompt and regular performance of all assigned work. 

Course Ending

The instructor may announce a date when a course will close and all work is due. If no such announcement is made, the final examination closes a course; or, if there is no final examination, the course closes on the last class day of the semester. Grades are based on the work a student has submitted by the date the course closes.

Grade Point Average

Only work completed at Drew is included in the computation of the average. Grade points are assigned as follows to each credit hour attempted on a graded basis:

No other grades are included in the computation of the average. The grade point average (GPA) is determined by dividing the total grade points earned from grades on the A to F scale by the total number of credit hours attempted.

Calculating Major and Minor GPA Policy

Major GPA calculations include all courses specifically identified in the CLA Catalog as being eligible for the Major regardless of whether the course is being used to satisfy a Major requirement. It also includes those courses that carry the subject code associated with the major. Minor GPA calculations will include only those courses being used to complete the program of study.

Grade Appeal Policy

The purpose of these guidelines is to provide a mechanism, within the framework of existing University policies and regulations, for the review and consideration of grade disputes.

Grade Appeals

Students have the right to appeal course grades. Drew University’s grade appeal policy is intended to present a process that is fair to both students and faculty. Student must be able to show that the grade in dispute was incorrect or inappropriately awarded. For purposes of this policy, a student must demonstrate that:

a. A demonstrable error was made in the calculation of the grade,

b. The assignment of a final course grade was apparently made on a basis other than the policies described on the course syllabus, or

c. The instructor did not assign or remove an Incomplete or initiate a grade change as agreed upon with the student in writing.

Procedure:

In general, grade appeals proceed according to the following route: 1) the student attempts to resolve the appeal informally with the instructor; 2) if there is no resolution of the dispute with the instructor, the student can file a formal written appeal with the department or program chair; 3) if the instructor and the chair are the same, or if the chair denies the appeal, the student can present his or her appeal in writing to the Associate Dean for Curriculum. When the department chair and instructor are the same individual or a student has cause to first bring the complaint to the Associate Dean for Curriculum, the Dean of the College will serve as the final arbiter on an appeal.

An appeal of a fall semester grade can be initiated no later than January 31st following the semester in which the grade was awarded. An appeal of a spring semester grade can be initiated no later than June 30th following the semester in which the grade was awarded. An appeal of a summer term grade can be initiated no later than August 31st following the semester in which the grade was awarded. Graduating seniors must initiate a grade appeal within three weeks of graduation.

All involved parties should keep the proceedings confidential at all times.

All complainants have the right to a maximum of one appeal related to an incident.

If the appeal is based on student health or personal issues, the student must first contact the Associate Dean for Academic Services who will affirm the validity of such issues with the department chair.

This policy is not applicable to allegations of violations of academic integrity.

Matters involving claims of sexual harassment or misconduct will be handled under the Sexual Harassment and Misconduct Policy and Procedures. 

1. Student-Instructor Contact: Students are expected to first contact their instructor in person or by email. Written records of all communications should be maintained. Students may request, and faculty should provide for review, graded exams (faculty may, however, restrict circulation of an exam), papers, or other submissions used for assessment. If the student has discussed the concern with the instructor and no resolution has been reached, the student may file a formal appeal with the instructor’s department chair. If the instructor and department chair are the same, or the student has demonstrable cause, the student can take the case directly to the Associate Dean for Curriculum.

2. Role of the Department Chair: The appeal to the chair must state succinctly, accurately and completely the cause for the appeal. The student should include a syllabus, relevant course materials, and any correspondence (to and from the instructor) that supports the appeal. A record of the communication should be kept by both the student and the chair. The chair will review the submissions and will consult directly with the instructor. The chair will notify both the student and the instructor of the outcome as soon as possible but within a reasonable period of the submission of the complaint, explaining his/her decision to both instructor and student in person and/or in writing. Written records of all communications should be kept.

There are two possible outcomes:

(a) The chair rejects the appeal as unwarranted and the grade stands.

(b) The chair deems that the appeal is warranted and refers the grade appeal to the Academic Standing Committee to request that the grade be changed.

3. Appeal to the Associate Dean for Curriculum: Only with demonstrable cause (e.g., the chair and the instructor are the same person), can a student present the grade appeal directly to the Associate Dean for Curriculum. In this case, the decision of the Associate Dean for Curriculum can be appealed to the Dean of the College. Each student is guaranteed the right to one appeal per incident. Once the appeal has been decided by the Associate Dean for Curriculum or the Dean of the College, as the case may be, no further available appeal is available.

Information Release to Parents

Grades are made available to students via TreeHouse Self-Service. Students may also give parents access to grades via TreeHouse Self-Service.

To set up proxy access for your parents or guardian to view your grades in TreeHouse Self-Service:

1. Navigate to the TreeHouse Students Tab.

2. Select Parent/Guardian Proxy Access within the Help & Services box.

3. Follow the on-screen instructions to add new proxies and set up authorization to the desired information.

In addition to setting up on-line access to grades, you may also set up parent/guardian access for registration, billing, and financial aid information. Moreover, you will have the option to assign a “pass-phrase”. The pass-phrase can be used by your parent or guardian to verbally confirm their identity and authorization to your information when they are speaking with University offices on your behalf. A printable guide to proxy access is also available.

Grades

The grades awarded in the College are:

Every course is in the charge of one instructor, who is responsible for assigning grades.

The College does not issue official mid-semester grades, but individual instructors may send academic warning notices during the semester to students whose performance is less than satisfactory. 

With the approval of the Associate Dean for Academic Services, the mark “I” may be given at the end of a semester in cases of serious or chronic illness or urgent personal circumstances that, in the judgment of the Associate Dean for Academic Services, justify its use. When the Associate Dean permits a student to receive a mark of “I”, the Associate Dean and the instructor of the course determine the time and the conditions under which the mark may be removed. Work must be completed no later than six weeks after the close of the semester, unless a later date is approved by the Committee on Academic Standing. When a final grade for an Incomplete has not been submitted by the agreed-upon deadline, a grade of “F” will be recorded by the Registrar. 

Internship Credit

Internship credit may be earned through an internship project approved by the academic internship office in consultation with a faculty sponsor. Up to 8 internship credits may be applied toward credit for graduation. 

Leave of Absence/Voluntary Withdraw

Students may opt to take a temporary leave from the university for any number of reasons – family emergency, financial distress, illness, etc.  A student may leave for one or two semesters and return, or choose a different course of action.  Students are advised to discuss their plans with their academic adviser, the Associate Dean for Academic Services, and their financial aid counselor (as there may be potential financial implications).  To proceed, students must complete the leave-of-absence form, which is available through TreeHouse (Request a Leave of Absence or Voluntary Withdraw).  Once submitted, the form will be sent to the Associate Dean for Academic Services for approval.  Students are expected to submit a Leave of Absence request before the course withdrawal deadline published on Drew’s Academic Calendar.  If a student’s circumstances necessitate withdrawal from all courses after the withdrawal deadline, the student is expected to present documentation to the Associate Dean for Academic Services for review by the Academic Standing Committee.  Pending approval by the committee, the student will be placed on a Leave of Absence and subject to the Re-Entry Policy stated below.

Note that a Leave of Absence is valid until the start of the semester of return indicated by the student on the request form.  Students not re-entered after two full semesters on leave (see Re-entry policy below) will lose access to Drew email and will be withdrawn from the university.  The Office of Academic Services, can assist students seeking an extension to their leave.

Re-entry

Students on a leave of absence or a voluntary withdrawal who wish to return to Drew must submit a petition for re-entry to the Academic Standing Committee at least one month prior to the start of term for which they are seeking re-entry.  With regard to financial aid, students are advised to consult with the Office of Financial Assistance regarding deadlines and eligibility.

Re-entry to Drew is subject to approval by the Academic Standing Committee.  Students on leave must submit documentation in support of their re-entry according to the guidelines indicated on the Re-entry form.

Pass/Fail

A student with sophomore or higher standing who is carrying a full-time course of study may elect one course per semester on a Pass/Fail (P/F) basis, up to at most 20 credits, to be applied toward the degree. Courses applied to the major or minor and courses used to meet general education requirements may not be taken on a P/F basis unless the course has been designated as only carrying the P/F grade. Courses graded P carry full credit toward graduation but are not included in the computation of the cumulative GPA. Courses graded F do not carry credit toward graduation and are included in the computation of the cumulative GPA.

No course originally taken on a graded basis may be retaken under the P/F option, although a course originally taken on the P/F option and failed may be retaken on a graded basis. The P/F option is not available in courses that are taken off campus. Students indicate their desire to take a course P/F prior to or during the first two weeks of the semester.

Registration and Changes in Registration

Students register for courses at times announced by the Office of the Registrar. No student may register later than the end of the first week of classes. Students may add courses during the first week of classes and in the second week with the permission of the instructor. No course may be added after the end of the second week of classes. All original registrations and any later changes require the approval of the student’s adviser. Courses dropped between the end of the second week and the end of the ninth week of classes are graded “W”. Courses dropped after the ninth week are graded “F”. Students may petition the Academic Standing Committee for changes in registration that do not meet these regulations, but must document extraordinary circumstances. For policies regarding half semester or summer courses, please see the Academic Calendar. Information about registration can be found on the Registrar’s website. This includes details about registering for Honors Courses, Independent Studies, and Music Lessons.

Maximum registration

First year students are strongly advised not to register for more than 16-18 credits during their first semester, and are generally advised not to register for upper-level courses. After the first semester, students may register for a maximum of 21 credits provided their cumulative GPA is at least 2.0. Approval of the Committee on Academic Standing is required for any registration in excess of 20 credit hours.

Reservation of Rights

The University reserves the right in its sole judgment to make changes of any nature in the University’s academic program, courses, schedule, or calendar whenever in its sole judgment it is deemed desirable to do so. The foregoing changes may include, without limitation, the elimination of colleges, schools, institutes, programs, departments, or courses, the modification of the content of any of the foregoing, the rescheduling of classes, with or without extending the enhanced academic term, the cancellation of scheduled classes, or other academic activities. If such changes are deemed desirable, the University may require or afford alternatives for scheduled classes or other academic notification of any such change as is reasonably practical under the circumstances.

Retaking Courses/Forgiveness Policy

Retaking a course

A student may retake a course in which he or she has earned a grade of D+, D, D- or F.  For courses retaken after a first grade of F, both the original F and the grade earned when the course is retaken are calculated in the GPA. Credits are awarded for the second course enrollment, assuming the student earns a passing grade.

For courses retaken after a first grade of D+, D or D-, both the original and the subsequent grade are calculated in the GPA, but credits for the course are only awarded once. Courses transferred from other institutions are not covered by this policy.

Requesting Forgiveness of an Earlier Grade 

EFFECTIVE FALL 2015

Students wishing to repeat a course in which they have earned a grade of D+, D, D- or F may receive permission for forgiveness of the earlier attempt only once.  In exceptional cases, students earning a C- who wish to retake a course with forgiveness may petition to the Academic Standing Committee for permission to do so. Although the earlier grade will still be listed on the transcript, it will be marked with an asterisk (*) indicating that the grade is not counted in the student’s GPA.  

Students will not be permitted forgiveness for a low or failing grade in a course in which they were found guilty of an Academic Integrity violation.  The Drew Seminar, Common Hour, College Seminar, and College Writing are not eligible for the forgiveness policy.  Students may not request to use the forgiveness policy when enrolling in a course at another institution.

The later grade will be the one counted in the GPA, even if the student earns a lower grade on the second attempt.  Each student is limited to a collective total of 12 forgiveness credits during their entire undergraduate career. Students may not invoke the forgiveness policy more than one time for any given course.  Withdrawing from a course after requesting forgiveness in that course will be considered a forgiveness for that course.

The forgiveness policy will not be applied automatically. Students must make a formal request for forgiveness through the Registrar’s Office as described below.  The request to retake a course under the forgiveness policy must be made at the time of registering to retake the course, and may not be requested retroactively after the Add/Drop period in the semester when the course is retaken.  To obtain approval to retake the course under the forgiveness policy, the student must complete the “Request to Repeat a Course with Forgiveness” form, which is available on the Registrar’s Office web-page. As noted above, the deadline for the filing of the form is the end of the Add/Drop period for the semester in which the course is repeated.  Approval to retake a course under the forgiveness policy is not automatic.  Students seeking to retake a course with forgiveness will not be officially enrolled in the course until the end of the registration period, to ensure that all students seeking to take the course for the first time have the opportunity to register.

Special Major

A student may develop a special major rather than elect one of the existing departmental or interdisciplinary majors. There must be a strong educational advantage for doing so, one that cannot be served through any of the traditional majors. Choosing options such as a double major or major/minor(s) is preferred to designing a special major.

Requirements

To submit a proposal for a special major, a student must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.1.

1. In developing a special major proposal, the student must work with a faculty member who agrees to serve as the major adviser. The proposal shall be reviewed by the Associate Dean, who will present it, if it is acceptable (i.e., if it meets the guidelines, is well written, and is without error in spelling or grammar), to the Committee on Academic Policy and Curriculum (CAPC) for evaluation and action.
2. If a student has or later declares a second major, no more than two courses from one major may count toward the other.

Guidelines

A special major proposal is expected to include:

1. A short descriptive title.
2. Significant academic work in at least three disciplines.
3. A minimum of 60 credits, no more than 12 of which may be at the introductory level.
4. A rationale for the proposal that explains its purpose, specifying how and why the proposed special major provides a learning experience not available in the pursuit of a traditional major and demonstrating creativity, intellectual integrity, and ability to synthesize.
5. An integrated, coherent, focused program of inquiry supported by a schedule of courses and/or programs that constitute the special major and a statement that justifies the selection of each course.
6. A statement of endorsement from the major adviser addressing the merits of the proposal and the student’s argument for the special major. It is the responsibility of the adviser to check the proposal for content, presentation, and adherence to these guidelines, prior to submission.
7. The form with the required signatures of faculty and administrators.

Any exception to these guidelines must be approved by CAPC following receipt of a petition submitted by the student and supported by the major adviser.

The final version of the proposal is to be submitted to the Associate Dean for Curriculum and Faculty Development. Submit both a hard copy with the signed cover form and an electronic copy of the proposal.

Due Dates

Special majors should normally be approved by the second semester of the sophomore year. They are to be submitted to CAPC no later than October 15 for a student declaring a major in the Fall semester and no later than March 15 for a student declaring a major in the Spring semester. Any exception to submitting a proposal later than the second semester of the sophomore year requires a petition to CAPC. Petitions will be evaluated on the basis of the strength of the proposal, the academic record of the student, and the educational merits of the case for exception.

Related Considerations

General education requirements must be met.

1. Special majors must be presented individually. Approval of a special major in one instance in no way implies approval of similar subsequent proposals.
2. Examples of well written proposals are available in the Office of the Associate Dean (BC 109).

Student-Designed Minors

A student-designed minor allows students to pursue a particular interest and explore an area not represented in the regular curriculum. In consultation with a faculty sponsor, students may design a minor of six courses (24 credits including no more than four credits at the introductory level) that is composed of courses focused on a particular topic, problem or theme. The faculty sponsor must approve the minor, which is then submitted for approval to the Associate Dean of Curriculum and Faculty Development. Student-Designed minors must be approved by the Committee on Academic Policy and Curriculum.

With the exception of introductory level courses that provide a foundation for multiple disciplines, no more than eight credits may be counted toward two majors or in both a major and a minor.

Student Education Records

Drew University students have the right to access, and the assurance of privacy for, their Drew educational records. These rights are in keeping with Public Law 93-380, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (also known as the Buckley Amendment), and University policy. The full text of Public Law 93-380 and a full statement of Drew University policy and procedures with respect to student education records are on file and may be consulted in the Offices of the Registrar and the Dean of Campus Life and Student Affairs, and in the Office of Financial Assistance. See the Drew University official FERPA policy. 

Transcripts of Record

Official transcripts may be obtained through the Registrar’s office.
 

Transfer Credit Policy

Courses transferred to Drew’s College of Liberal Arts from other institutions: 

Whether taken by a matriculated Drew student at another college or by a new student transferring to the College of Liberal Arts, credits will be transferred if the following criteria are met:

• The course must be listed on an official transcript from an institution that has been accredited by a body duly recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or be officially recognized by the appropriate government agency/ministry of education for foreign institutions.
• Transcripts from institutions outside of the U.S. must be evaluated by World Education Services.
• The course must be a course that would or could be offered at a liberal arts college.
• A grade of C- or better must have been earned in the course. Pass/fail courses are not eligible for transfer.
• The course must have been taken within the past 10 years. Courses that were taken more than 10 years prior to the request for transfer credit will require departmental approval for transfer.
• Transfer credits are not calculated in the GPA, credits earned in Drew’s exchange program with the College of St. Elizabeth or Fairleigh Dickinson University are not counted as transfer credit and so are calculated in the Drew GPA.
• Students may transfer up to 80 credits toward Drew’s Bachelor of Arts degree and must earn a minimum of 48 credits from Drew.

Transfer of credit from a U.S. military transcript

Veterans enrolling with a military transcript of college-level work will be granted credit at the discretion of the department according to the criteria enumerated by the American Council on Education for credit/course-type equivalencies (http://www.acenet.edu/news-room/Pages/Transcripts-for-Military-Personnel.aspx). A maximum of 16 ROTC credits may be transferred as elective credit toward the Bachelor of Arts degree.

Applicability of Transfer Credit to Majors and Minors

A student transferring credits toward a major or minor from another institution must complete at least 16 Drew credits at the intermediate- or upper-level to earn a major in that area. They must complete at least 8 intermediate- or upper-level Drew credits in order to earn a minor in that area.

Applicability of Transfer Credit to General Education Requirements

• Transferred courses are eligible to fill general education requirements in cases where they meet the learning objectives of a specific Drew requirement.
• The Drew Seminar (DSEM) is waived if a student transfers in two semesters of college writing from a community college or one semester from a four year college or university.
• If Drew transfers 2.5 credits or more for a course taken at another institution, that course may be used to satisfy one 4-credit Drew general education requirement.

Pre-Approved Credit Earned Elsewhere

• Enrolled Drew University Bachelor of Arts students must receive permission PRIOR to taking courses at another institution in order for the credits to transfer to Drew.
• Students planning to study away in the U.S. for a Fall or Spring semester or an entire academic year must also file a Pre-Approval for Credit Study Elsewhere form available online. 
  • Students must obtain the approval of their academic adviser and the appropriate department chair if they would like a course transferred for major or minor credit. After obtaining all necessary signatures, a student must submit the form to the registrar for final approval.    
• Only approved courses with a grade of “C-” or above will be accepted for transfer. Courses accepted for transfer will count as credit toward the Drew University degree and the grades will be recorded on the Drew transcript, but these grades will not be calculated in the grade-point average. 
• Official transcripts reflecting the final grade must be sent to Drew University Office of the Registrar within 4 weeks of course completion.

Transfer Policy for Students with an Associate Degree from a New Jersey Community College 

If a student has completed the Associate Degree in the State of New Jersey, they will be granted junior status (64 credits, including a minimum of 12 intermediate level credits) upon transfer to Drew. 

If a student has completed the Associate Degree in the State of New Jersey, they must complete the following general education requirements:

• 64 credits of which at least 48 must be earned at Drew University.
  • If a student has completed more than 64 transferable credits up to 80 transfer credits could be awarded
• 52 intermediate and upper level credits, of which at least 28 must be at the upper level;
• A major area of study;
• The equivalent of one four credit course in the following course categories:
  • Writing Intensive course (unless student has taken two equivalent courses in their Associate Degree);
  • Quantitative course (unless student has taken two equivalent courses in their Associate Degree);
  • Diversity course (unless student has taken two equivalent courses in their Associate Degree).
• Students are required to complete three semesters of foreign language between their Associate and Drew degrees. If they have not completed three semesters of language upon transfer to Drew, a placement test will determine the appropriate course level for completion of the remaining semester(s) at Drew.Students may also complete the language requirement for their Drew degree in one of the following ways:
  • if their application to Drew requires them to submit a TOEFL score;
  • by providing documentation to the Office of Academic Services that they attended school taught in a language other than English up through at least the 6th grade;
  • by demonstrating proficiency equal to Drew’s language requirement on a Drew placement test;
  • by demonstrating proficiency equal to Drew’s language requirement on a placement test administered through the Office of Academic Services in a language not offered at Drew;
  • by scoring 680 or higher on an appropriate SAT II exam;
  • by scoring a 4 or 5 on an appropriate Advanced Placement (AP) exam;
  • by scoring a 5 or higher in an appropriate IB language course (SL or HL).

NOTE: Off-campus experiences are an integral part of Drew’s General Education program and are core to the mission of the institution. This experience provides students with the opportunity to practice what they have learned outside the confines of the college campus.  Transfer students are highly encouraged to talk with their advisers about how to integrate such an experience(s) into their Drew program of study.  This might include an internship, a full-semester domestic or international off-campus program, a teaching or language practicum, a community-based learning course, an off-campus or immersive summer research experience, an international summer language program, a service learning program, or a community service project.

On-line course credit transfer

• Drew will accept in transfer no more than four on-line courses totaling no more than sixteen credit hours for courses that meet all requirements.
• A form for approval of eligible courses may be found on the Registrar’s website.

Advanced Standing

A maximum of 32 credits may be counted toward the 128 required for the Bachelor of Arts degree for credits resulting from satisfactory Advanced Placement Examinations, International Baccalaureate scores, or British A-Level Exams.

Advanced Placement Credit (AP) 

• Credit will be granted only for scores of 4 or 5 on Advanced Placement exams. On the Calculus BC exam a student who scores a 3 will receive 4 Drew credits. Further details of how AP credits are assigned are available online.
• AP credits cannot be applied to Breadth requirements in Drew’s General Education program.
• To Students need to have an official copy of their AP scores sent to the Registrar’s Office in order to have them transferred to Drew for credit. A student can contact the College Board to request that the scores be sent.

Credit for International Baccalaureate Courses

• Students with an IB Diploma have the potential to enter Drew with sophomore standing (a maximum of 32 credits will be awarded).
• Higher Level IB courses (HL) – Students with a score of 5 or above will be awarded 8 Drew credits up to a maximum of 32 credits.
• Standard Level IB courses (SL) – Students with a score of 5 or above will be awarded 4 Drew credits up to a maximum of 32 credits.

Visit our website for more information on International Baccalaureate Diploma and Courses.

A-level exams

• Students who earned a grade of A*, A, or B on a British Advanced Level (A-Level) exam will be granted 4 Drew credits, up to a maximum of 32 credits.
• Students who earned a grade of a C on a British Advanced Level exam in 2010 or before will be granted 4 Drew credits, grades of C thereafter will not earn Drew credit.
• Credit is awarded for successful scores on A-Level examinations only, not on O-Levels (ordinary level) or AS-level (Advanced Subsidiary) examinations.
• No credit may be granted for English language examinations or the general paper.
• Drew departments have the discretion to grant up to 8 credits per appropriate A-level score in cases where the content coverage of the A-level exam so warrants.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

• Credit and exemption are also granted for appropriate CLEP subject examinations on which satisfactory scores have been earned, and for the CLEP general examination in mathematics, the only CLEP general examination for which credit is awarded. Students taking CLEP examinations must include the optional essay portion for any examination for which it is offered.
• Students must earn a minimum score of 65 and take CLEP exams before completing 16 semester hours of college credit in order to receive credit. 

College-level courses taken prior to graduation from high school

• In order to receive credit for college-level courses taken prior to graduation from high school, students must complete the Request for College Credit Form and submit it to the Registrar’s office for a review of your credits. The form may be found online and must be approved in order for the student to receive credit.
• Note that in order to receive credit for college-level courses taken prior to graduation from high school, the course must be listed on an official transcript from an institution that has been accredited by a body duly recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
• The course must be comparable to those listed in the current Drew University College of Liberal Arts catalog.
• A grade of C- or better must have been earned in the course.
   

Credit Hour Policy

Drew University Credit Hour Policy

Drew University complies with federal (U.S. Department of Education), Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), and New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) regulations pertaining to degree requirements and credit hours.  Drew University’s undergraduate degree requires the successful completion of 128 semester credit hours. Graduate programs range from 18 to 84 credit hours depending on the degree and the standards. 
 

Drew University’s academic year is separated into fall and spring semesters, each running 15 weeks, a two to three-week January term, and two summer terms, each six weeks, with two embedded four-week sessions. The Theological School has a three-week January term, a twelve-week regular semester, and a range of hybrid and online course formats. 
 

Drew adheres to the Federal standard of a total of 45 learning hours for every 1-credit earned in a semester, regardless of the time frame or format of instruction.  A credit hour is the equivalent of one hour of classroom instruction (50 minutes) with an average of two hours of out of class work for each hour in class. For example, a 3-credit hour course requires a total of 135 hours of combined in and out of class work, while a 4-credit hour course requires a total of 180 hours. 
 

All course formats and schedules are monitored by the curriculum committees or academic dean’s office of each school to comply with the university’s credit hour policy. The credit hour calculation worksheet is completed for every Drew credit-bearing course or experience and are kept on-file in the appropriate Dean’s office. Existing courses are reviewed periodically by the curriculum committees or academic dean’s offices of each school to ensure that the workload is consistent with the credits to be earned. For accelerated and non-traditional course formats, faculty use the credit hour calculation worksheet to document how these courses meet the minimum semester credit hour requirement.  Credit hour calculation worksheets are also reviewed as data for departmental external reviews.

Policy on Undergraduate Students Enrolled in Graduate Courses

Upper-level undergraduate students may, with instructor permission, enroll in graduate-level courses.  The assignment of credit hours in these cases follows all aspects of Drew’s credit hour assignment policy.  In these cases, the increased level of difficulty of graduate work generally requires undergraduates to spend more time completing assignments and reading advanced texts.  As a result, undergraduates in these courses generally earn one more credit than graduate students therein.  

Policy on Graduate Students Enrolled in Undergraduate Courses

In limited cases, graduate students may take courses in the College of Liberal Arts and apply the credits toward graduate degree completion. The assignment of credit hours in these cases follows all aspects of Drew’s credit hour assignment policy. In recognition of the difference in level of undergraduate and graduate coursework and the amount of time that it should take a graduate student to complete work in an undergraduate course, graduate students earn only three credits for completing a four-credit undergraduate course. In addition, faculty teaching undergraduate courses in which graduate students enroll may replace some assignments to ensure appropriate rigor or enhance the graduate student’s professional and disciplinary goals. Such curriculum adjustments include alternative readings, research work, and performance or portfolio work. These curricular adjustments should not exceed the total hours appropriate to a three-credit graduate course.