Academic Rules

This is the official version of the academic rules of Syracuse University effective for the 2017-2018 academic year. The general rules contained in this section also apply to graduate students.  Additional rules specific to graduate students appear in the Graduate Course Catalog in the section titled Academic Rules and Regulations for the Graduate School.  Both undergraduate and graduate students will find that their individual school/college/department has additional rules that apply. In the case of graduate students, these rules may be more restrictive than the general University rule.

Additional Sources for Information

There are a number of other sources for information and rules that are important for students. They include, but are not limited to, the following:

Syracuse University Policies
Financial Aid
Student Handbook
SU Abroad
Tuition, Fees & Related Policies

Academic Standards

1.0 Academic Integrity

Syracuse University’s Academic Integrity Policy and procedures are administered by the Center for Learning and Student Success (CLASS) in the Division of Academic Affairs in collaboration with the schools and colleges. (See supplemental policy and procedures for the College of Law).

2.0 Attendance in Classes

Attendance in classes is expected in all courses at Syracuse University. Students are expected to arrive on campus in time to attend the first meeting of all classes for which they are registered.  Students who do not attend classes starting with the first scheduled meeting may be academically withdrawn as not making progress toward degree by failure to attend. Instructors set course-specific policies for absences from scheduled class meetings in their syllabi. Students should also review the university’s religious observance policy and make the required arrangements at the beginning of each semester.

3.0 Academic Renewal

Undergraduate students who are returning after an absence of seven years and are readmitted or admitted (for previously non-matriculated students) to Syracuse University with a cumulative GPA of less than 2.0 may apply for academic renewal.  Academic renewal removes previously taken classes from calculation, allowing the student a fresh start of his/her academic career.  Before applying for academic renewal, the student should discuss academic consequences with an advisor in his/her school/college and discuss the process of academic renewal with a financial aid counselor if receiving or planning to apply for financial aid. 

During the first semester of re-admission or admission, a student must complete a contract with his/her school/college no later than the midterm date of that semester, as published in the academic calendar.  Schools/colleges review main campus students’ academic renewal requests at the end of the first semester. Unless otherwise noted in the table below, a minimum semester GPA of 2.5 is required for a full-time course load with no I, F, NA, P, V, WD, or missing grades. University College students must complete 12 credits within two years (four consecutive fall and spring semesters) and must have attained a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5, with no I, F, NA, P, V, WD, or missing grades.  

If the student is approved for academic renewal all classes taken during the semester prior to the readmission will be flagged wit the code “ar” and removed from the calculation in the cumultative credits and grade point average.  If a previously taken class has a passing grade that can be used toward the degree program it may be brought in as transfer credit from the SU Undergraduate Record.  If a student does not meet his/her school/college requirements for academic renewal at the time of review, the student may not petition again.

School/College Rules

4.0 Student Academic Work

Student work prepared for University courses in any media may be used for educational purposes, if the course syllabus makes clear that such use may occur. A student may grant permission to have his/her work used in this manner by registering for, and by continuing to be enrolled in, courses where such use of student work is announced in the course syllabus.

After the student has completed such courses, any further use of the student’s work will meet one of the following conditions: the work will be rendered anonymous by removing all of the student’s personal identification; or written permission from the student will be secured.

As a generally accepted practice, dissertations, graduate theses or research projects, honors theses, or other capstone projects submitted in partial fulfillment of degree requirements are placed in the library, University Archives, or department for public reference.

5.0 Research Involving Human or Animal Subjects

Syracuse University’s Office of Research Integrity and Protections supports the institution in ensuring the University’s solid commitment to compliance with all applicable regulations and accreditation standards.

The Office of Research Integrity and Protections provides assistance to faculty, staff and students who are working with animals or humans in research and provides administrative support for the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).  The policies for course related student projects may be found at http://orip.syr.edu/human-research/policy-for-student-projects/policy-for-student-projects.html  and http://orip.syr.edu/animal-research/Policies-and-Regulations/policies-and-regulations.html

Academic Record

6.0 Transcript

Syracuse University maintains a permanent academic transcript showing complete course and grade-earned information for every student, matriculated or non-matriculated, who takes coursework through any Syracuse University program. The transcript may not be modified or selectively deleted for any reason, including ignorance of deadlines or academic rules. Once a degree is conferred, the transcript may not be changed except for subsequently discovered fraud or academic dishonesty, assessments that more accurately represent academic work completed prior to degree certification, or to correct administrative error. In extreme cases, such changes may include the rescinding of a degree.

Transcripts of courses taken and degrees received at Syracuse University are maintained by the Office of the Registrar in accordance with the policies of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers. Official transcripts show the entire record of all coursework, both undergraduate and graduate, matriculated and non-matriculated. Undergraduate and graduate transcript records print separately, but are issued together for students with more than one Syracuse University academic career. Coursework is displayed chronologically within each career record, with one GPA calculation for the career. However, within that distinction the transcript is not degree-specific: i.e., it does not designate courses that apply to multiple specific degree programs at the same level. Such information may only be obtained from the student’s school/college for undergraduate degrees; the academic department for graduate programs; or the College of Law for law degrees.

All courses taken at Syracuse University Abroad centers are listed on students’ transcripts. Credit hours and grades are computed in the GPA in the same manner as any other Syracuse University courses. Courses taken through SU Abroad at foreign institutions and approved for Syracuse University credit are listed on students’ transcripts with credit hours and grades computed in the GPA in the same manner as any other Syracuse University course.

Syracuse University does not maintain a transcript record of Syracuse University courses taken by The State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) students. For ESF students, ESF is the college of record. ESF courses taken by matriculated Syracuse University students appear on the Syracuse University transcript and calculate in the same way as Syracuse University courses, except for graduate students admitted to concurrent master’s degree programs.

Syracuse University cannot provide copies of transcripts it has received from other institutions to third parties.  Students must request transcripts from the originating institution.

Syracuse University reserves the right to withhold copies of transcripts of students who have unfulfilled financial obligations to the University or by request of the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities.

Access to transcripts and other student records is protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

7.0 Courses

Course Numbering System
The present system of numbering courses prescribes that all courses use three digits to indicate the course level and/or type of course, and a three-letter subject to indicate the department or college as follows:

8.0 Credit

The unit of credit at Syracuse University is the semester hour. Each semester hour represents one class period of 50 minutes per week for 15 weeks, or the equivalent. Laboratory or field courses require a minimum of two or three class periods a week for each credit hour.

Certain options for credit that may apply toward a student’s degree and certificate program include: transfer credit, experiential learning, external exams, and restricted graduate credit.  Students should confer with their academic advisors for a complete overview of credit requirements needed to fulfill their degree or certificate requirements.

8.1 Advanced Credit Examinations

Advanced Credit Examinations provide matriculated students the opportunity to be tested on, and to receive credit for, knowledge and skills already achieved that would be covered by regular Syracuse University courses. A student must discuss the request with the appropriate academic department for approval to take an Advanced Credit Exam.  The department is under no obligation to approve the request. Approval by the student’s academic advisor, appropriate department chair, and home school/college is required in order to take an Advanced Credit Examination. The student must earn a grade of C or higher to pass the exam. Advanced Credit Exams count toward the 30 semester hours maximum credits that will be accepted from a combination of Advanced Credit Exams, experiential learning, extra-institutional credit, and external examination programs toward the total number of credits required for graduation.

The exams are administered and graded by faculty. Each Advanced Credit exam carries a fee, at an amount published each year in “Tuition, Fees, and Related Policies.” For undergraduates, the student’s school/college may accept a maximum of 30 semester hours from a combination of Syracuse University advanced credit exams and any other credit (e.g., AP exams, experiential learning). Advanced Credit Exams

• must be associated with Syracuse University course subjects and numbers
• are not appropriate for all courses, such as Selected Topics and those that require a Proposal for Independent Study;
• may not be applied to the residency requirement;
• may not be taken in a course for which credit was already earned;
• are not considered as retaken courses for flagging purposes
• will be removed from the official transcript if an equivalent course is subsequently taken at Syracuse University and passed;
• are recorded on the transcript by credit hours and grade, and contribute to total credit hours earned and cumulative degree GPA; and
• a maximum of 66 credits from a combination of credit from a two-year college and any other credit (e.g., AP exams, experiential learning) will be accepted.

8.1.3 Credit for Extra-Institutional and Experiential Learning, and External Examination Programs

Following University rules and program requirements, Syracuse University schools/colleges and graduate departments may award credit for various external examinations and other types of extra-institutional and experiential learning. Such credit is evaluated only for the degree or certificate program to which the student is admitted, and may change if the student moves into a different Syracuse University program. Credit is evaluated using the guidelines of the American Council on Education and the Council for Advancement of Experiential Learning, as well as institutional assessment. See TABLES A, B, and C below for a listing of undergraduate-level exams that may qualify. For examinations or subject areas not covered in the listing below, the student should contact his/her school/college or appropriate department to determine whether credit may be considered or if the student is a candidate for an Advanced Credit Examination. A student should also contact his/her school/college to discuss other types of non-institutional experience, such as the military, business, or government, which may qualify for credit.

Undergraduate credit may also be awarded for some matriculation examinations and post-secondary educational experiences offered in other countries. Decisions about awarding such credit are made by the student’s school/college during the admissions process.

8.1.4 Portfolio Review

Credit may be granted for studio work applicable toward professional degrees in the College of Visual and Performing Arts and the School of Architecture upon departmental evaluation of the portfolio.

8.1.5 External Examinations

College Board Advanced Placement (AP) and College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
The student’s home school/college uses the rules in effect at the time the student matriculates at Syracuse University in order to evaluate and accept degree-program credit for AP and CLEP exams. The academic unit with principal responsibility for the examination subject recommends the minimum score for credit and Syracuse University course equivalency; however, the student’s  home school/college may have higher score requirements and/or different qualifications, both for awarding credit and meeting degree requirements.

TABLE A College Board Advanced Placement Examinations

TABLE B CLEP Examination Credit

International Baccalaureate (IB) Credit for Higher Level IB examinations completed with a grade of 5 or higher will be awarded as indicated in Table C. No credit will be awarded for IB Standard Level exams or additional requirements.

TABLE C International Baccalaureate Credit

8.2 Undergraduate and Graduate Coursework

Undergraduate (matriculated or non-matriculated) students who would like to take graduate-level courses at Syracuse University that would apply toward a future Syracuse University graduate degree or certificate program, must petition to register for these courses. Such courses will earn “restricted graduate credit” until the student registers as a matriculated Syracuse University graduate student.

After the student matriculates, and with an approval of a petition, the graduate credits earned while an undergraduate will be transferred into the graduate record, subject to the conversion to graduate credit rules, as a block of credit hours. These credits will not be applied toward the Syracuse University undergraduate degree. They will be flagged on the undergraduate section of the transcript and removed from calculations there. Under no circumstances will grades earned in these flagged courses calculate in either the undergraduate or graduate GPA.

A graduate course taken by an undergraduate is recorded on the undergraduate section of the transcript, and the course counts toward overall undergraduate credit and GPA calculations. However, a graduate-level course neither fulfills undergraduate degree requirements (unless it has specifically been approved for that purpose, either as part of the degree program’s requirements or by petition prior to registration), nor does it count toward calculations for certification, e.g., for University honors.

No credit that is applied to the undergraduate degree may be applied also to the graduate degree, unless such double-counting falls under the explicit articulation of a combined bachelor’s and master’s degree program that has been approved by and registered with NYSED. Credit applied to an undergraduate major or minor may only be shared with one other major or minor.  Credit may not be triple counted. 

8.2.1 Calculation of Credit Hours

The following calculate toward cumulative credit and grade totals on the student’s academic transcript: letter grades and Incompletes; and A course in which a “Pass (P)” was earned is included in total earned credits but not grade point calculations.

Calculations made by schools/colleges to determine progress toward degree requirements may exclude courses appearing on the student’s transcript that are not applicable to the specific degree program. As noted under the flagging rules, courses may be removed from calculation under certain circumstances.

With the approval of the student’s home school/college, the student may apply as free elective credit up to six credit hours of college-level remedial and developmental courses (numbered 000-099) in which a passing grade was earned toward degree requirements.

8.2.2 Retaking Courses

Some programs require the retaking of courses in which unsatisfactory grades (as defined by the program) were earned. Retaking courses may also be prohibited under certain circumstances. 

• Language courses:  A course cannot be retaken once you have successfully completed a higher level course in the same language.
• Mathematics courses:  A course cannot be retaken once you have completed a higher level course in the same mathematics curriculum sequence with a grade of C or better.

Table D describes other rules for undergraduates who want to retake courses. Also see “Flagging Courses That Have Been Retaken“  Note that retaken courses may not count toward eligibility and satisfactory progress requirements for certain types of financial aid awards.

8.2.3 Flagging (Removing Courses from GPA, Credit and Degree Calculation)

When certain requirements are met, courses may be “flagged,” which excludes them from GPA and semester and cumulative credit hour totals. The flag symbol is noted on the official transcript. Flagging a course may affect financial aid eligibility e.g., flagging a course in which a passing grade was earned may alter the calculation of satisfactory progress. For additional information, students should see their financial aid counselor. 

Once a student’s degree has been awarded, the student may not request to flag courses taken before the degree date.

8.2.4 Flagging Courses That Have Been Retaken

To qualify for flagging, both the original and subsequent course must be taken at Syracuse University and have the same course subject and number.  International courses offered through SU Abroad may qualify for flagging even though their titles and numbers may not be identical to the courses retaken on main campus.  To qualify, the relevant academic department must determine that the international courses are comparable to the ones retaken on main campus.  A school/college may prohibit the student from flagging a lower level course after the student has completed a higher level course in the same subject with a passing grade.

If a course is no longer offered under the same subject and/or number, the student must petition the school/college in advance to retake the course that is a close equivalent in content and level.  Certification by the academic department that the course is a close equivalent–not just a substitution for the degree requirement–is required.

Except as noted in TABLE D, only the credits and grade received in the second course will count.

• Both the original course and the retaken course remain on the student’s official transcript.
• A course is repeatable if it may be retaken and counted more than once toward fulfillment of degree requirements.  A student may not flag courses designated as repeatable, since course content is different each time the course is offered. The following are exceptions:
  • Selected Topics courses (with numbers ending in “00”) may be flagged if they have exactly the same title
  • Proposal for Independent Study courses may be flagged when the course subject, number, description, and requirements are the same
• Advanced Credit exams or courses that merely substitute for a degree requirement are not considered to be retaken courses for flagging purposes.

Courses that have been retaken will be flagged according to the following school/college rules.

TABLE D Retaken Courses and Flagging Rules

8.2.5 Flagging Courses When Changing School/College or Program

If a student is admitted through intra-university transfer into a different Syracuse University school/college, the student may petition to flag courses he/she has already completed that cannot be included in the student’s new program. The student must first meet minimum criteria for admission to the new school/college or program, and can only petition the new school/college to flag courses after admission. If the student changes a program within his/her school/college, in rare instances when the new program requires preparation distinctly different from that of the former program, the student may petition to have courses flagged that cannot be applied toward the new program. Simply changing majors does not qualify for flagging.

Arts and Sciences:  Only D and F grades in non-Arts and Sciences courses that were required for the previous program may be flagged at the student’s request. A, B, C, and I grades in such courses cannot be flagged.

Education and Management:  If the student transfers into either of these schools and elect to flag courses that do not apply toward the new program, then the student must flag all courses that do apply.

8.2.6 Flagging Graduate-Level Courses Taken as an Undergraduate

If a student petitions to take graduate-level courses that will not apply to his/her undergraduate degree, the student must also petition to flag those courses so that they don’t count toward his/her undergraduate record. This flagging must be accomplished prior to the certification of the undergraduate degree.  These restricted graduate credits must be flagged before they can be applied to count toward the graduate degree requirements.  The grades will calculate in neither the undergraduate nor the graduate GPA.

8.3 Transfer Credit

In compliance with NYSED regulations, Syracuse University only awards transfer credit for courses that are an integral part of a Syracuse University degree program, as determined by the appropriate Syracuse University academic unit. 

Generally, schools/colleges may consider accepting transfer credit from:

• institutions recognized by
  • regional accrediting commissions
  • national accrediting bodies
  • professional organizations that accredit free-standing professional schools and programs within multipurpose institutions^*
  • institutions that are recognized candidates for accreditation
• recognized foreign tertiary-level institutions, chartered and authorized by their national governments, generally through the Ministry of Education
• a formal transfer articulation agreement 

^* For students enrolled in an accredited program at a non-accredited institution, only courses within the discipline that is accredited will be considered for transfer credit. General education and other courses from the institution will not be considered. 

Syracuse University grants transfer credit based on course content, the quality of the student’s performance, and applicability to the program. Transfer credit is evaluated only for the degree or certificate program to which the student is admitted, and will be re-evaluated and may change if the student moves into a different Syracuse University program. A re-evaluation of transfer credit may also affect the student’s financial aid, especially if the student’s class standing alters. If all of the student’s previous work isn’t accepted for transfer, the student may enter Syracuse University at a different class level than the student had attained at his or her prior institution. A maximum of 90 credits of transfer credit or a combination of transfer credit and any other credit (e.g., AP exams, experiential learning) will be accepted. 

Transfer credit will not be grated for undergraduate students taking courses abroad during the academic year while on a leave of absence. If Syracuse University undergraduate students wish to go abroad during the academic year on a program not affiliated with SU Abroad and receive credit, there is a special petitioning process available to them.

If a student plans to take courses at another institution that will transfer back into his or her Syracuse University degree, the student must obtain his or her home school/college’s approval before enrolling.

If a student takes courses at a two-year college before junior standing, the student may take approved coursework during a summer session or while on leave of absence.  After attaining junior standing, the only courses that will be approved will be those that fulfill lower-division requirements or free electives; a maximumof 66 credits from a combination of credit from a two-year college and any other credit (e.g. AP exams, experiential learning) will be accepted.

School/College Rules

8.3.1 How Transfer Credit Applies Toward a Student’s Degree

Syracuse University transfer credit is measured in semester hours. If a student’s prior institution used a different credit hour system, credits accepted for transfer are converted to semester hours, e.g., credit from institutions on the quarter-hour system is converted to semester hours using the formula of one quarter-hour equals 2/3 semester hour. Grades do not transfer and do not affect your Syracuse University cumulative GPA. If a student subsequently takes a course at Syracuse University for which the student had previously received transfer credit, the transfer credit will be removed. 

Additional transfer credit rules are:

• grades of C- or below will not be accepted;
• “Pass” grades must be certified to be at a C level or higher and will normally be accepted only as elective credit;
• second undergraduate degrees carry additional restrictions; students should contact school/college for details;
• Arts and Sciences students are not given transfer credit until their cumulative average is 2.0 or higher;
• for students on academic probation in Public Communications and Visual and Performing Arts, transfer credit will not be given until the cumulative GPA is 2.0 or higher;
• if a student was previously matriculated at SUNY ESF, then subsequently matriculated at Syracuse University, coursework taken while an ESF student, including Syracuse University courses, is treated and evaluated as transfer credit from ESF.  Such Syracuse University courses do not appear or calculate into the Syracuse University transcript, except as they are included in a block of transfer credits, i.e., total credit hours accepted from SUNY ESF.

8.4 Grades

TABLE E Letter Grades

¹Grades of D and D- may not be assigned to graduate students.
² Available only for Law students in LAW courses.

TABLE F Grading Symbols 

8.4.1 Grades and Grading Symbols - Additional Information

Undergraduate students may have the option to elect a letter grade in a pass/fail-graded course. When permissible, students must select that option by the grading option deadline, and may not rescind the selection after the deadline.

I (Incomplete)

A student may request an Incomplete if the student has exceptional circumstances that prevent him or her from fulfilling all course requirements on time. A student will need the instructor’s approval, and will need to have completed enough course content to have a grade assigned based on the work to date. An Incomplete is not available if the student has not completed enough work on which to base a grade.  If the student takes a leave of absence or is withdrawn from the University, the student cannot receive Incompletes for courses in which the student was registered.

An Incomplete calculates as an F in the student’s GPA. The instructor calculates a grade for the student based on work completed to date, counting unsubmitted work as zero.
 

AU (Audit)

A student may audit courses with instructor approval. A student must submit the audit option by the grading option deadline, and cannot rescind the option after the deadline. Audited courses are non-credit, do not meet any degree requirements, and are not counted toward enrollment status. Instructors may record a grading symbol of NA instead of AU if the student never attends the class. The student may have limited access to Syracuse University library resources if he or she is auditing a class and is not registered for any credit classes for the term. Courses that require a Proposal for Independent Study, studio art or applied music courses offered by the College of Visual and Performing Arts cannot be audited.  Additionally, these types of courses taken through SU Abroad cannot be audited: Signature Seminars and courses required for an SU Abroad program (exceptions may be made for graduate students) and courses taken through partner universities abroad.

NA (Did not attend)

An NA is applied when a student either never attends the course (on campus or online), and has not submitted any coursework or assignments.

P/F (Pass/Fail)

Credit is earned for courses with a P, but not with an F.

An undergraduate student may have the option to elect a pass/fail grade for some course and may elect a letter grade in a pass/fail course when permissible. The student must select this option by the grading option deadline, and may not rescind the selection after the deadline. 

School/college-specific pass/fail rules are listed in the table below. Some additional points are:

• if a student selects a pass/fail option, grades of A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, and D are converted to P. No grade other than P or F will be posted on the student’s record;
• if the student chooses to major in a field in which he/she previously took a course as pass/fail, the student’s home school/college and the chair of the department in which the student took the course will determine whether and upon what terms the course can be used to satisfy departmental requirements;
• SU Abroad students are limited to one pass/fail course each semester;
• no more than 24 credit hours of courses taken pass/fail may be applied toward an undergraduate degree.

School/College Rules

RM (Remedial)

RM courses count toward credit hours carried in a particular semester, and are included in the total credits earned, but, do not count toward credit hours earned for the degree program except by petition.

WD (Withdrew)

After the academic drop deadline, and until the withdrawal deadline for the term, a student may withdraw from a course and have a grading symbol of WD recorded on his/her transcript.

8.4.2 Reporting Grades/Grading Symbols

Instructors are required to submit grades or appropriate grading symbols for all students in their courses. If a student has not completed all course requirements by the time the instructor must report final grades, then the grade is determined based on work completed to date, counting work not submitted work as zero, unless the student has made prior arrangements to receive an Incomplete.

8.4.3 Missing Grades

Missing grades do not calculate toward the GPA. A student may graduate with missing grades.  After a degree has been certified, a missing grade may be recorded only if the student’s home school/college determines that the student completed all coursework, and only the evaluation and grade submission occurred after that date.  Recording of a missing grade after a degree has been certified is subject to the approval of the University Registrar.

8.4.4 Changing Grades

An instructor may elect to submit a grade change after the grade has already been reported. Grade changes must be submitted to the department chair, the dean of the student’s home school/college, and the Office of the Registrar. Any or all of those offices may require an explanation of the change, and may require that additional information or forms be provided. All changes involving grading symbols must adhere to University policies and procedures. The Office of the Registrar has final authority to approve changes that involve grading symbols. After a degree has been certified, a grade change may be recorded only if the student’s home school/college determines that the student has completed all coursework, and only the evaluation and grade change submission occurred after that date.  Recording of a grade change after a degree has been certified is subject to the approval of the University Registrar.

Grades may also be changed in the following circumstances:

• HEOP or SSSP students who receive grades of D or F during the Summer Start program will have these grades recorded as WD on the transcript; by petition a grade of C- may be changed to a WD.

8.4.5 Removal of Incomplete

Incomplete (I) grades may be removed prior to graduation in one of two ways:

• completion of the outstanding work specified on the Request for Incomplete Grade form by the agreed-upon date; or

• if a student fails to complete the work specified in the Request for Incomplete Grade form, the Office of the Registrar will post the letter grade indicated by the instructor, subject to any previous grading option that had been selected

A student may not register for a course a second time for the purpose of removing an Incomplete grade, an instructor may require the student to repeat certain elements of a course in order to remove the Incomplete.

Incompletes and Graduation
A student may not graduate with outstanding Incompletes.  If the student has earned the required number of credits and met all degree requirements without the incomplete class, and if the student’s cumulative average equals or exceeds the minimum requirements of the school/college, the school/college will certify the completed degree and any outstanding Incompletes will be changed to the default grade prior to posting the degree.

If the class with the outstanding Incomplete is required for the student’s degree his/her expected graduation date will be moved to the degree date following the due date for completing the Incomplete and the student’s record will be reviewed for degree completion at that time.

After the student’s degree has been certified, a grade may replace an Incomplete only when the student’s school/college determines that the student has completed all coursework before the degree award date, with only the evaluation and grade submission occurring after that date. Recording of the grade change from I to earned grade after a degree has been certified is subject to the approval of the University Registrar.

8.4.6 Grade Appeals

Normal Practice for Course Grade Appeals  The following set of general statements represents normal practice at Syracuse University* for a student seeking resolution to a grievance of a course grade.

1. The assignment of grades at Syracuse University is the responsibility of the faculty; once assigned by a member of the faculty, a grade cannot be changed without his or her consent, except by due process as detailed below. In cases where the instructor of record is not a member of the faculty, the faculty member charged with oversight of that instructor is ultimately responsible for the assignment of grades.
2. A course grade is based upon the instructor’s professional assessment of the academic quality of the student’s performance on a body of work. Such assessments are non-negotiable, and disputes about them do not constitute valid grounds for an appeal. Valid grounds can arise, e.g., when an instructor fails to provide or implement uniform and consistent standards, or bases an assessment on criteria other than academic performance.*
3. Unless there are issues of a personal nature, the appeal process for a grade dispute begins with the instructor of record. Failure to comply with this may be grounds for denial of subsequent appeals. Any appeal beyond the instructor of record must be initiated in writing to the department chair before the last day of classes of the academic year semester immediately following the one in which the aggrieved grade was received by the Registrar. This written appeal should describe the basis for the grievance, the informal steps taken to resolve the dispute, and the remedies sought.
4. If satisfaction is not obtained at this or any subsequent level, the appeal always moves to the next level of authority. The levels in succession are: the instructor of record, faculty member in charge of the course, the department chair of the faculty member, (Center Director for courses offered through SU Abroad Centers), the dean of the department chair, (Dean of the relevant college under which the course is offered for courses offered through SU Abroad Centers).
5. At each level of appeal, a fair and thorough hearing of all views is sought before a decision is made. This may, but need not, require a face-to-face meeting of the parties directly involved in the dispute. A decision may be reached if both student and instructor agree. If such a decision cannot be reached, a panel designed by the college for this purpose shall hear the case. Details of the operation and manner of selection of this panel may vary by school or college**, but shall conform to the following guidelines:
   a. The panel shall have a quorum of at least three.
   b. All voting members of the panel shall be tenured faculty.
   c. No member of the panel shall hear a case who has been involved in a previous stage of the appeal.
   d. Membership of the panel shall be fixed and made public in a given academic year, though replacements may be made in the event of resignations.
   e. Membership of the panel shall be approved by the faculty of the school or college, or by a representative group of the faculty, in each academic year.
   f. The Senate Committee on Instruction shall approve the manner of selection and charge of a school or college’s panel before its first case. The committee shall also approve any subsequent changes in the manner of selection or charge of each college or school’s panel. The panel may, at its discretion, meet with the aggrieved parties either separately or together. The decision of this panel, either to deny the student’s original appeal or to authorize the Registrar to change the grade, shall be final. The panel shall inform both the student and the instructor of its decision in writing. The panel shall also summarize the case and its outcome in a written report to the Senate Committee on Instruction. Said committee may include summary statistics on grade disputes in its final report to the Senate.
6. The only grounds for any further appeal shall be irregularities in the above procedures.
7. In such cases, either party may appeal the final decision of the faculty panel to the Senate Committee on Instruction. The Senate Committee on Instruction may either deny the appeal or insist that the procedure begin anew at the point the irregularity occurred.
8. All stages of the appeal process shall be kept confidential to the maximum extent possible, consistent with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

* For further guidance, consult the bylaws of the individual school or college.
** These procedures do not apply for students in the College of Law.

8.5 Registration

Students must initially register for the classes in which they wish to enroll prior to the beginning of each session or the student will incur a late registration fee.  Prior to registration, students should plan their program with their academic advisors.  Students may make changes to their registration after the semester begins, by adding, dropping, or withdrawing from classes in accordance with published deadlines. Courses with nontraditional start and/or end dates have different deadlines than full-semester courses. While the student normally initiates registration and subsequent changes, the student’s school(s)/college(s) of enrollment may also initiate such actions.

Instructors also have the option to administratively drop students who do not attend the first week of classes (up to and including the add deadline, except Maymester and Winterlude).

Registration may be prevented for financial, academic or by other University administrative offices including the Health Center, Bursar’s Office, Student’s Rights and Responsibilities, Academic Integrity and Judicial Affairs.

No other University persons or units may make substantive changes to an undergraduate student’s schedule of classes without first securing the formal permission of the student’s home school/college.

Students must be officially registered in order to attend classes. Students may not attend, audit, be evaluated or otherwise participate in courses without being officially enrolled. An instructor may not allow a student to attend classes and/or submit work unless the student is on the official class list or unless the student is attending with the instructor’s approval for the purpose of making up an Incomplete.

New students register just before the term begins. Returning students are eligible to register for the next semester during the registration period at the end of fall and spring semesters. Students on SU Abroad Programs register through SU Abroad following special registration procedures.  Part-time students register through University College or, for the School of Education’s Extended Campus courses, through Extended Campus. Adding of courses or entire registrations after the late registration and add deadline may be done by petition only.

SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry and SUNY Upstate Medical University Courses: Because of the University’s relationship with SUNY ESF and SUNY UMU, a student may take courses at those institutions with the approval of the student’s Syracuse University school/college/academic department, subject to availability and fulfillment of any specific requirements. Conversely, SUNY ESF and SUNY UMU students who meet course requirements may take Syracuse University courses, subject to availability and in accordance with the rules and approval of their home institution.

Maximum Course Load (Fall and Spring)

Full-time undergraduate students typically register for 12-19 credits per semester. Students in good standing in the Renée Crown University Honors Program may register for more than 19 credits without approval of their home school/college. Other students may petition their home school/college to register for more than 19 credits. Undergraduates registering for more than 19 credit hours will be assessed the appropriate extra tuition charges, unless they qualify for an overload rate exception.

Summer Registration

University College coordinates main campus summer registration for returning and visiting students. Students on SU Abroad Programs register through SU Abroad following special registration procedures.  Matriculated Syracuse University students in good academic standing, as well as visiting and non-matriculated students, are eligible to register for summer sessions. Undergraduate students who were full-time during the spring semester and who intend to register as full-time during the fall semester may not transfer to part-time continuing education status for the summer.

Maximum Course Load (Summer)

Undergraduates may register for a maximum of 7 credits in a six-week session (with Maymester and Summer Session I considered as one session for this purpose), and a maximum of 14 credits in any summer.  Students may petition their home school/college to register for additional credits in a session or for summer.

8.5.1 Changes to Registration

No student at any time may withdraw from courses to the point of becoming a part-time student (i.e. registered for 11 or fewer credits) without the permission of the College’s Dean.  No student will be allowed to withdraw from a course in which they have been charged with an Academic Integrity violation.

Dropping or withdrawing from a required course may impact a student’s degree progress if the course is a pre-requisite.

International students are not allowed to drop and/or withdraw from classes if any of these actions bring their registration to lower than 12 credits, as they must keep a full-time status while studying in the U.S.

8.6 Consortium Agreements

Syracuse University has formal consortia arrangements through SU Abroad, the Consortium for Culture and Medicine, and the Graduate Scholar Exchange Program. Except for these, Syracuse University does not allow students to enroll at other institutions under an individual consortium arrangement, nor does it award financial aid to students who choose to enroll at other institutions, e.g., while on a leave of absence.

If approved for a consortium agreement, credit earned through such programs is treated as Syracuse University credit. The student’s school/college and/or department will determine acceptable courses and how they will be applied.

Academic Status

9.0 Class Standing

Class standing is determined by the number of Syracuse University earned credits, plus credits accepted for transfer credit and other types of external credit, e.g., AP examination. Class standing is calculated as follows:

10.0 Grade Point Average

The Syracuse University grade point average (GPA) is calculated by taking the number of grade points earned and dividing by the number of credit hours carried toward the GPA. Various GPAs, e.g. cumulative GPA and semester GPA are calculated and used for a variety of purposes.  Schools/colleges can advise about GPA calculations used to determine satisfactory progress, etc.  See TABLES E and F for grade and grade symbol listings and their associated grade point calculations. Missing grades are not counted in GPA calculation. GPA average is calculated to three decimal places.  GPA is not rounded.

Undergraduate students must earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.000 in order to be awarded a Syracuse University degree. Graduate students must earn a minimum average of 3.000 for work comprising the program for the degree or certificate and a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.800.

11.0 Honors

The University recognizes exceptional undergraduate achievement through various honors. Certain honors are imprinted on transcripts and diplomas after degree certification.

Departmental Distinction
Students earn distinction in particular programs of study by meeting the specific criteria for distinction in that major. Departmental or program distinction recognizes exceptional achievement that exceeds normal expectations for graduates within the program. This will be noted on the transcript after the degree has been awarded.

University Scholars
The Syracuse University Scholars Selection Committee selects eight to 12 seniors each year as University Scholars.

Renée Crown University Honors Program
Renée Crown University Honors will be noted on the student’s diploma and transcript if he/she completes the requirements of the Honors Program.

11.1 University Honors

Student will receive their degree with University honors if their cumulative GPA meets the following standard:      

GPA Requirement

The cumulative GPA for University honors must be equal to or greater than those noted above; no rounding up is permitted. A minimum of 60 credit hours taken at Syracuse University is required for University honors. Generally, physical education courses and ROTC credit are not included in calculating honors. Students should check with their school/college Dean’s office to determine how their GPA will be determined.

School/College Rules

11.2 Dean’s List

Undergraduate full-time students are eligible for the Dean’s list of their home school/college at the end of each semester.

12.0 Student Status

12.1 Enrolled Students

A student is considered enrolled at the University until one or more of the following occurs:  (1) the student graduates; (2) the student takes a leave of absence; (3) the student is withdrawn from the University for academic, medical or disciplinary reasons; (4) the student fails to register; or (5) the student’s registration is cancelled by the University.

Matriculated Students

A matriculated student is defined as one who has applied for, been formally admitted to, and has registered for one or more courses in the degree or certificate-granting program to which he/she has been admitted. Matriculation occurs on the first day of the term for which the student has been admitted.  A student must be matriculated to receive a degree or certificate from the University.  Students who take an official leave of absence maintain matriculation status.

Non-matriculated Students

A non-matriculated student is someone who registers for and attends Syracuse University classes without being admitted to a Syracuse University degree or certificate granting program.  Taking courses through University College does not imply matriculation. A student must be formally admitted to a Syracuse University degree or certificate program in order to become matriculated. Non-matriculated students are held to the same academic standards as matriculated students.

Students who are withdrawn from the University become non-matriculated. Upon readmission, matriculation status is regained.

Undergraduates who are academically dismissed from a school/college and accepted into University College as “special students” are considered non-matriculated.

12.2 Full-time and Part-time Status

The University’s certification of a student’s status is based solely on the criteria stated in this rule.  Students who meet Syracuse University’s requirements for full-time or part-time status may not meet requirements for such status as defined by other agencies or institutions. Conversely, students who do not meet Syracuse University’s requirements for full-or part-time status may be considered full-time or part-time by other agencies. Student status is not the criterion for determining tuition charges for a specific term.  Please refer to (Tuition, Fees, and Related Policies) for the specific academic year.

Full-time (Fall, Spring, and Summer)
Undergraduates are full time if registered for 12 or more credits during any semester. Registration for 6 credits in a six-week summer session confers full-time status for the session.

Part-time (Fall, Spring, and Summer)
Undergraduates enrolled for fewer than 12 credit hours are considered to be part time.
Exception: Engineering and Computer Science Students registered in the Cooperative Education program for zero hours in semesters when they are on work assignments are considered to be full time.

The number of credit hours carried by part-time students may affect eligibility for University housing and financial aid. For purposes of financial aid, students registered for 9-11 credit hours are considered three-quarter time: students registered for 6-8 credit hours are considered half-time students; students registered for 0-5 credit hours are considered less than half time.

Academic Actions

13.0 Intra-University Transfer (IUT)

Students transferring to other schools/colleges within the University (Intra-University Transfer) must meet the admission requirements of the new school/college that were in effect at the time of matriculation into the University. The IUT application must be received before the financial drop deadline of the current term.  Any IUT received after the financial drop deadline will take effect the next semester.  Schools/colleges have the ability to set their own internal deadlines for processing and approval in order to meet this deadline.  Until an IUT is approved, students may not be able to register for courses in the new program.  See Table G for school/college specific information.  The new school/college of enrollment will re-evaluate all Syracuse University, transfer and other credit that the student has received.

If a student previously transferred from SUNY ESF to Syracuse University and took Syracuse University courses while at ESF, the student’s school/college, at its discretion, may include those Syracuse University courses in manual calculations for determination of Intra-University transfer eligibility.

Matriculated undergraduate students may not undertake Intra-University transfer to University College from another school or college at Syracuse University.  Full-time students who register on the main campus for a University College course are charged Syracuse University rates.

No student may transfer from main campus to University College to enroll in a non-credit course.  Full-time students on the main campus must register separately at University College for these courses and pay the non-credit tuition in full.

Undergraduate students may not transfer to University College part-time status for the summer.

TABLE G Intra-University Transfer Standards

14.0 Academic Probation

Any student who has a cumulative GPA of less than 2.0 and for whom a more serious action is not appropriate may be placed on probation. A student may also be placed on probation if his/her semester GPA falls below 2.0, or if the student fails to meet other criteria for good academic standing as established by the school/college. Each school/college reviews their students’ records and determines the appropriate probation actions to be applied from the categories listed below. School/college offices can provide more detailed information about academic policies. Academic probation may impact a student’s financial aid.

The probation categories are described below and include College Probation; Probation, One-Semester Trial; and Academic Suspension. Schools/colleges may:

• apply any one of the categories at any time, depending on school/college policy and individual student records; categories are not necessarily applied sequentially
• apply an action more than once to the same student

College Probation

This action applies to a student who has a cumulative average above 2.0, but who fails to meet other school/college criteria for good standing. These criteria include the following:

School/College Rules

Probation, One-semester Trial

If the school/college determines that the student has serious deficiencies in progress toward  degree requirements, usually including a cumulative GPA below 2.0, the school/college may impose a one-semester trial specifying that certain requirements be met by the end of the term. Failing to meet these requirements may result in suspension. Each school/college’s standards are available at the school/college undergraduate office.

Ineligible to Continue

If the student’s school/college sets specific conditions for continuing enrollment, this action may be applied to cancel early registration and/or prevent participation in registration for new coursework until the requirements are met. It may also apply in situations where full-time status is no longer allowed, but part-time status is permitted. A student who is ineligible to continue may have a GPA either above or below 2.0.

14.1 Academic Suspension

Academically suspended students are officially withdrawn from the University. Students face academic suspension for failing to meet the conditions established by any previous probation action or for seriously departing from standards required for good standing. The GPA may be either above or below 2.0 at the time of suspension. If a suspension action is taken, the school/college will send a letter specifying the reason for the action; and explaining appeal procedures.  The next semester’s registration will be cancelled or prevented, and future semester registrations will not be allowed unless the student has successfully appealed suspension; or has been accepted to a new school/college as an internal transfer; or has been readmitted to the school/college that suspended him/her.  (See “Leave of Absence, Withdrawal, and Readmission”).

15.0 Leave of Absence, Withdrawal and Readmission

If a student leaves the University before completing his/her degree requirements, the student must file for an official leave of absence, whether or not the student intends to return to Syracuse University. Syracuse University undergraduate students who take a leave of absence to study abroad for an academic year semester on a program not affiliated or approved by Syracuse University will not receive transfer credit.    If the student registers but then leaves without notifying the University, the student will continue to incur tuition, room, board, and other charges. Course registrations will remain and any grades submitted by the student’s instructors will be recorded on the student’s transcript.  For students who do not register at all, the notation “Discontinuation – non-attendance” will also be recorded on their transcript.  Discontinued students must follow formal readmission procedures.

15.1 Leave of Absence

Undergraduates initiate the leave of absence process through their school/college undergraduate office. Graduate students file an Official Leave of Absence/Withdrawal form through their academic department. A leave of absence is not available to a student who has a pending disciplinary action.

Medical Leaves of Absence
Students leaving the University for medical and/or psychological reasons must go through the Office of Student Assistance, and obtain approval of Health Services and/or the Counseling Center for a medical leave to take effect. If extraordinary circumstances exist, the student may apply to the appropriate department/school/college for retroactive approval of a medical leave of absence. This application must be made within 60 days of the student’s last date of class attendance.

Military Leaves of Absence
Undergraduates being activated by the military should initiate a leave of absence procedure through their home school/college undergraduate office; graduate students should contact their academic department. The dean’s office or academic department will advise about options to drop courses, take class standing grades, or take Incompletes, as well as the academic implications of these options.

15.2 Withdrawal

Syracuse University will officially withdraw students who are suspended for academic or disciplinary reasons; the suspending school/college or the Division of Enrollment and the Student Experience will initiate the withdrawal. A student who chooses to leave the University rather than participate in the judicial or academic integrity review process will be classified as having been withdrawn for disciplinary reasons.  The University may also withdraw students for medical reasons, failing to attend classes, or for academic integrity violations. Officially withdrawn students lose matriculation status; however, matriculation may be reinstated if all requirements for readmission are met.

Enforced Medical Withdrawal   An enforced medical withdrawal may be imposed in situations such as, but not limited to, when a student fails to attend and participate actively in an appropriate assessment, educational program, or other intervention; and situations in which student behavior poses a significant health or safety risk to the student or others. The Senior Vice President of Enrollment and the Student Experience, or one or more of her/his designees will make the determination with appropriate professional consultation.

Academic and Financial Implications of Leaves and Withdrawals   For academic and financial purposes, the effective date is either the date the Official Withdrawal/Leave of Absence form is approved by the undergraduate home school/college or the graduate student’s department, or the day after the end of the current semester, whichever is later.

A student cannot receive Incomplete grades for courses in which he/she was enrolled if the student takes a leave of absence or is withdrawn before the end of the semester; only grades of WD or F can be recorded on the student’s transcript. If a student registers for a future semester and subsequently take a leave of absence or are withdrawn, then the student’s registration for that semester will be canceled.   

Transcript Notation and Effective Date   Leaves of absence and withdrawals will be noted by effective date on the transcript. The transcript notation for leaves of absence is “Leave of Absence– Student Initiated,” for students who intend to return and “Student Initiated Withdrawal - Not Returning”, for those who do not intend to return, and for withdrawals, “Withdrawal–University Initiated.” The transcript notation “Violation of Academic Integrity Policy” is permanently retained when an established violation results in expulsion and remains for the duration of a suspension. The transcript notation of “Academic Integrity Probation” lasts the length of the probation (either 6 or 12 months OR until graduation if that occurs sooner) when an established violation results in probation.  

The student is responsible for initiating any requests for refunds, including those that result from medical leaves. See TABLE H and Tuition, Fees and Related Policies for the complete statement of SU’s policy and requirements for refunds for withdrawals and leaves of absence.

TABLE H Academic and Financial Effects of Dropping or Withdrawing from a Course, Leave of Absence, and Withdrawal from the University

 ¹ Federal regulations governing refunds and adjustments to federal financial aid, and adjustments to institutional scholarships and grants require careful review. Please see the current Tuition, Fees & Related Policies for details.
 ² Classes completed before the effective date of the leave of absence or withdrawal may be graded.
 ³ Once you are registered you can view the financial deadlines for your class(es) by going to MySlice>Student Services.  Once you are registered you can view the academic deadlines for your class(es) by going to MySlice>Student Services>View My Class Schedule and clicking on the symbol under the “deadlines” heading.

15.3 Readmission

Students who plan to re-enroll at Syracuse University, must apply for readmission. Approval of the student’s readmission may be affected by any of the following conditions:

• the school/college and program must have available space to accommodate the readmission;
• the student may need to satisfy new requirements in his/her academic program or even change his/her major, depending upon curricular changes that may have occurred during his/her absence.  The school/college and/or department will determine the available options.
• the student must meet all outstanding Syracuse University financial obligations.

To be eligible for financial aid the student must meet Satisfactory Academic Progress standards and should contact the Financial Aid office.

If the student’s leave/withdrawal was conditional, the student must resolve the appropriate issues and obtain readmission approval from the academic unit or office that authorized or required the leave/withdrawal.

If the student left the University without requesting an official Leave of Absence, the student must follow formal readmission procedures as set by the student’s school/college.

Readmission is effective the first day of the approved semester.

After the readmission has been approved and processed, the student may register for the readmit semester during the regular registration period, the schedule adjustment period prior to the start of the readmit semester, or on the registration day for new students at the beginning of the readmit semester.

If the student is applying for readmission following an academic withdrawal:

• Arts and Sciences, Education, Public Communications, Sport and Human Dynamics, and Visual and Performing Arts students are eligible to apply for readmission after one academic year from the date of an academic withdrawal.  In addition, some Sport and Human Dynamics students may be eligible for fast-track readmission (see the college’s policies).
• Other schools/colleges allow readmission applications after one calendar year from the date of an academic withdrawal.
• The student’s school/college may place the student on academic probation for the first semester after the student is readmitted.

Students readmitted to Syracuse University will regain matriculation status, unless they are readmitted to University College as a special student.

Special Student Status:  After an academic dismissal, with home school/college and University College approval, the student may apply for readmission and transfer to University College as a special student. Special students are limited to a maximum registration of six credit hours in the first semester at University College. The student may apply for readmission and transfer to a main campus school/college after earning a minimum of 12-15 credits with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0.

Arts and Sciences and iSchool students must obtain permission from these colleges before applying for special student status through University College. This process requires an interview and a contract.

Degree and Certificate Programs

16.0 Degrees

All students must complete a minimum number of credit hours at Syracuse University in courses offered through NYSED registered programs in order to be granted a Syracuse University degree. Undergraduate students must take at least 30 credit hours of coursework at Syracuse University to qualify for the degree; in most cases more than 30 credits will be required in order to fulfill degree requirements. Work necessary to complete a major must be completed at Syracuse University unless a waiver is granted by the appropriate major department.

Syracuse University courses taken while a student is matriculated at SUNY ESF do count toward the residency requirement. ESF courses taken while a student is matriculated either at SUNY ESF or at Syracuse University do not count toward the Syracuse University residency requirement.

University College candidates for associate’s degrees, Bachelor of Liberal Studies degrees, or Bachelor of Professional Studies degrees must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours of Syracuse University coursework while enrolled as a part-time student at University College. Credits earned at Syracuse University while enrolled as a full-time student do not count toward this requirement.

The types of degrees conferred, the minimum number of credit hours required for each degree, and the list of approved programs of study can be found in the Academic Offerings section of the Syracuse University Course Catalogs.  Students usually follow the curriculum requirements in place at the time of their matriculation to the University.

TABLE I Degree Types

16.1 Undergraduate Degree and Certificate Programs

Within the bachelor’s degree there are four types of degree programs available to undergraduate students at Syracuse University: single degree programs, single degree programs with double majors, single degree programs with dual majors, and combined degree programs. Students must complete a prescribed course of study and minimum number of credit hours to complete a degree program.

TABLE J Undergraduate Degree Programs

TABLE K Single Degree Programs with Dual Majors       

* Students pursuing a B.S. degree in Arts and Sciences must petition the department offering the major to be formally accepted as candidates.
**Arts and Sciences/Education dual program is intended for students pursuing teacher certification.  Those wishing to pursue two majors not associated with teaching may continue as single degree program with double major.

16.2 Second Undergraduate Degrees

If you previously earned a bachelor’s degree at SU or another institution, you may or may not be admissible to a second undergraduate degree program, depending on the disciplinary and professional “proximity” of the completed and proposed programs. NYSED has ruled that “the conferral of two bachelor’s or associate degrees should be reserved as a means of recognizing that a candidate has competencies in two essentially different areas: when a second degree, as opposed to one degree with a double major, is academically justifiable and when the second degree requires one-fourth additional work (i.e., 30 credit hours for a 120-credit hour degree).”

The University registrar, in consultation with the associate provost for academic programs and appropriate academic advisors, will decide whether admission to a second undergraduate degree program is in accord with NYSED’s criteria. If you earned a B.A. degree you will not be admitted to a second B.A. degree program that falls within the same SU school/college (or comparable school/college, if the first degree was earned elsewhere), due to the significant overlap of degree requirements. Approval for admission to a second B.S. degree program requires a significant difference in overall degree requirements between the two degree programs. Students who meet these criteria must also meet all admissions requirements of the program to which they apply. Students whose first degree was earned at Syracuse University must file an Application for Readmission, available from the admitting school/college office. Students with first degrees from other institutions follow the normal admission application procedure.

A minimum of 30 credits for a second undergraduate degree must be Syracuse University credit, as defined under the Residency Requirement. Transfer and other credit may be accepted only if the second degree requires more than 25 percent additional credits, and such credit is applied in excess of the 25 percent additional credits.

At the time of matriculation in the second undergraduate degree, any courses previously taken as a non-matriculated student at SU will be entered on the undergraduate record, if they do not already appear there. This coursework will calculate toward credit hour and grade point totals on the undergraduate record.

The official Syracuse University transcript record for students with a prior SU undergraduate degree is cumulative, i.e., courses and grades for all undergraduate work, regardless of the degree program to which they apply, appear on one transcript with cumulative totals. The home school/college for the second undergraduate degree manually maintains and monitors the record of work related to the second degree. Calculations for satisfactory academic performance, honors, etc., are derived from the school/college or departmental records and may not be reflected on the official transcript.

TABLE L Combined Undergraduate/Graduate Degree Programs

16.3 Undergraduate Certificate Programs

A matriculated student who is studying for a certificate must satisfactorily complete a program of study of not less than 12 credits that is approved by the academic unit and by NYSED.

16.4 Degree Certification

All students must complete the minimum number of credits required for their degree or certificate.  Undergraduate students must have earned a cumulative GPA of 2.000 or better to qualify for graduation.  Graduate students must have earned a cumulative GPA of 2.800 overall, with 3.000 in their program requirements, to qualify for graduation.  The student’s school/college/graduate department may have additional degree specific requirements. School/college/graduate department officials provide certification to the Registrar’s Office that degree and certificate requirements have been met; this process generally takes four to six weeks after degree requirements have been satisfied. 

For the degree award date in May, students must apply for graduation in My Slice by March 1st.  For all other degree award dates (June, July, August and December), students must apply for graduation through My Slice no later than the beginning of their last semester of study.  Students must have all requirements for the degree or certificate program completed and submitted before the degree date for which they have indicated they will graduate.  If requirements are completed and/or submitted after the degree date, conferral of that degree or certificate will move to the next degree date. Degrees are not awarded retroactively. Degree award dates fall in May, June or July, August, and December.  Degree award dates are published on the Registrar’s Office website each academic year.  Schools and colleges may establish earlier deadlines. 

It is the student’s responsibility to know and fulfill all degree requirements for graduation. Participation in convocation and commencement ceremonies does not indicate that degree requirements have been completed. Students who are suspended, dismissed or on a leave of absence may not participate in convocation and commencement ceremonies.

16.5 Diplomas and Certificates

Students must file a diploma request through My Slice no later than the beginning of their last semester of study.  Failure to apply for the diploma may postpone the student’s graduation.

Diplomas are ordered after program completion has been certified by schools/colleges and posted by the Registrar’s Office. Students will receive their diplomas/certificates four to six weeks after the certification/posting process has been completed. Diplomas are issued once.  Diplomas can be reissued if lost or damaged.  Syracuse University reserves the right to withhold diplomas/certificates/official transcripts from students with unsatisfied financial obligations to the University, or at the request of the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities, or the Academic Integrity Office.

Undergraduate diplomas:

• display the degree title;
• display University honors and “Renée Crown University Honors,” when awarded;
• do not list major or minor; and
• are signed by the Chancellor and the Dean(s) of the student’s school(s)/college(s)

Undergraduate Certificates:

• display the certificate title;
• list the area of study; and
• are signed by the Chancellor and the Dean of the school/college that awards the certificate.

17.0 Majors

A major consists of a minimum number of credit hours of courses in a formally approved program of study. The purpose of the major is to provide depth of knowledge and competence in a subject area of special interest. A student must declare a major and complete all requirements of the major in order to earn a Syracuse University degree.

Each school/college determines the courses, number of credit hours, and other requirements for its majors. All students must apply for and be accepted into a major no later than the beginning of the semester in which they obtain junior standing.  Failure to do so will prevent registration for future semesters. 

For the following schools/colleges, the indication of intended major on the application for admission and/or intra-University transfer is unofficial.  All students in these schools/colleges must officially declare their major. 

TABLE M Double Majors (in Single Degree Programs)

18.0 Minors

Minors provide a systematic opportunity to focus on an area of interest. Minors may be required as part of a degree program, or they may be selected voluntarily. Because of limited space in high-demand courses, admission to some minors may be restricted.  The proportion of liberal arts and sciences courses required for the degree must be maintained, and minors that are too closely related to your major will not be approved. Minors require a minimum of 18 credit hours, 12 of which must be in 300- to 400-level coursework. No courses may be taken as pass/fail.

School/College Rules

The department or school/college offering the minor determines the requirements, and any exception to the minor requirements must be granted by petition by the minor department and approved by the home college.  Once the student’s school/college has certified completion of both the degree and minor, the minor will appear on the official transcript.