Apr 26, 2024  
2021-2022 Undergraduate Academic Catalog and Student Handbook 
    
2021-2022 Undergraduate Academic Catalog and Student Handbook [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Academic Information



Attendance

Students are expected to attend all of their scheduled University classes and to satisfy all academic objectives as defined by the instructor. The effect of unexcused absences upon a student’s grade is to be determined by the instructor; however, the University reserves the right to deal, at any time, with individual cases of non-attendance. It is the student’s responsibility to give the instructor notice prior to any anticipated absence and for arranging to make up work missed due to a valid, excused class absence, such as: illness, family emergencies, military obligation, court-imposed legal obligations, or participation in University-approved activities. After an unanticipated absence and within a reasonable period of time, ordinarily by the next scheduled class meeting, it is the student’s responsibility for arranging to make up work missed. For more information see FPU-5.0010AP.

Course Load

Undergraduate

A full-time undergraduate student is enrolled in 12 or more credit hours per semester. A part-time undergraduate student is enrolled in fewer than 12 credit hours per semester. The typical full-time undergraduate course load is 12 to 18 credit hours each semester. Students should take between 30 and 33 hours annually to graduate in four years. In the Fall and Spring semesters, the maximum number of credit hours in which an undergraduate may enroll is 18. During the Summer semester, the maximum number of credit hours allowed during a six-week term is 9, and the maximum number of credit hours allowed during a 12-week term is 15. The total of combined summer sessions cannot exceed 15 hours. Semester overload permission from the undergraduate student’s academic advisor is required to enroll for more than the maximum allowable hours. For additional information see FPU-5.0088AP.

Adding/Dropping a Course

Adding a course: Students may add courses or change sections of courses during the registration period and the drop/add period, as published in the Academic Calendar. Classes may be added during the registration period by accessing the registration tab in the student portal.

Dropping a course: Courses may be dropped during the registration and drop/add period, as published in the Academic Calendar through the student portal. Courses dropped during this period will not appear on the student’s academic record.  Withdrawing from individual courses after the drop/add period must be processed through the Office of the Registrar. These courses will remain on the academic record and are assigned a grade of W. A grade of W is not calculated in the student’s grade point average (GPA), but is counted in attempted credits.

Non-attendance in one or all courses or dropping all courses does not officially constitute formal withdrawal from the University. Refer to the Registration and Enrollment  section for information and procedures. A student is financially liable for all courses in which he or she is registered at the end of the drop/add period.

For additional information on course drop/add see FPU-5.0101AP.

Course Substitutions

Only under unavoidable and exceptional circumstances will substitution for or exemption from the prescribed curricula be permitted. If it becomes necessary to request deviation from the prescribed course of study, the student should consult their Department or Division Chair of the student’s major. Students transferring from other colleges who desire to substitute courses taken elsewhere for courses prescribed at the University should also consult their Department or Division Chair.

Any deviations from the applicable published degree requirements must have the approval of the Department or Division Chair and the Office of the Registrar as appropriate.  Contact the Office of the Registrar with any questions.

Change of Major (Undergraduate)

All undergraduate students desiring to change their major should consult with their academic advisor to have an informed discussion and understand the implications of the change. Some major changes may also require a change of catalog year. Making changes to your program may impact your expected term of graduation and could result in additional Excess Credit Hour fees. There are two windows during the academic year when major changes will be considered: these are fall and spring advising and registration periods. Students are encouraged to make a decision as to their major by second-semester freshman year.

To request a change in your program, complete the Program of Study Change form and collect all required signatures before submitting to the Office of the Registrar.

For additional information on change of major, see FPU-5.0091AP.

Academic Standing

Undergraduate Academic Standing

All students must demonstrate satisfactory academic progress for retention and continued enrollment at Florida Polytechnic University. Satisfactory academic progress includes, but is not limited to, successful completion of program requirements and positive continuous progression towards degree completion. The University reserves the right not to retain students who do not demonstrate satisfactory academic progress.

Academic standing is assessed at the end of fall and spring semesters. Summer semesters will reflect the prior spring (or prior fall if no prior spring enrollment) academic standing for system processing purposes only. Academic standing is included in a student’s academic record and on transcripts.

Grade changes will result in a recalculation of the GPA and a review of the current semester’s academic standing. This includes a change of incomplete and non-reported grades. A change to academic standing will only occur for the current term and one semester prior to the current term.

Students on probation are encouraged to enroll in summer courses to improve their GPA and their academic progress. Doing so also contributes to satisfying the summer enrollment requirement. Students entering the summer term on probation remain on probation for the subsequent term regardless of summer performance. (E.g. if you raise your GPA above 2.0 over the summer, you will remain on probation in the fall; similarly, if you do not raise your GPA above a 2.0 or your summer GPA is less than a 2.0, you will remain on probation in the fall.) 

Students are allowed to apply as a transient student to facilitate transfer approval, but acceptance is at the host institution’s discretion.

Academic standing of probation or suspension may limit your involvement in running or holding institutional office or committee leadership positions, and participation in a commencement ceremony, any university-sponsored clubs, organizations, meetings, or activities.

Good Standing: An undergraduate student who possesses a cumulative and semester GPA of 2.00 or above is considered to be in good standing at the University.

Academic Probation: A student at Florida Polytechnic University shall be placed on academic probation if his/her fall or spring semester or cumulative GPA at the end of any fall or spring semester is less than a 2.0. The student will not be allowed to register in more than 12.0 hours without the approval of an advisor in any subsequent semester until reinstated to good standing.

A student on academic probation shall be removed from that standing and placed on good standing at the end of the first subsequent fall or spring semester in which the student achieves a semester and cumulative GPA equal to or greater than 2.0.

Academic Suspension: A student on academic probation who withdraws from all courses in the immediate subsequent semester shall be placed on academic suspension. Mitigating withdrawals will be considered on an individual basis.

A student on academic probation shall be academically suspended from the University when the student’s semester and cumulative GPA are less than a 2.0.

Readmission: A student who is academically suspended from the University for the first time is not eligible to enroll for at least one fall or spring semester. A student who is academically suspended for the second time is not eligible to enroll for at least one year. A third academic suspension is considered terminal and cannot be appealed. The student may not reapply to Florida Polytechnic University.

A student suspended a first or second time by this rule must apply to the Registrar’s Office where the student’s case will be heard by a Readmissions Committee. Readmission is not guaranteed and the committee’s decision is final. Any student who gains readmission is readmitted on probation and is subject to stipulations in effect as a condition of readmission.

For additional information see FPU-5.0074AP.

Grade Point Average Calculation

Florida Polytechnic University’s grading system includes the following grades:

Grading System

Grade

Definition

Quality Points Per Semester

A

Outstanding

4.00

A-

 

3.67

B+

 

3.33

B

Above Average

3.00

B-

 

2.67

C+

 

2.33

C

Average

2.00

C-

 

1.67

D+

Below Average

1.33

D

 

1.00

D-

 

0.67

F

Failure

0.00

FF

Failure from academic integrity violation (eff. su 2021)

0.00

AU

Course Audit

**

CR

Credit only for Credit by Exam

**

I

Incomplete

**

NR

Grade Not Reported

**

S

Satisfactory*

**

SR

Satisfactory Research Progress or Completion (eff. su 2021)

**

U

Unsatisfactory*

**

UR

Unsatisfactory Research Progress (eff. su 2021)

**

W

Withdrawal without academic penalty

**
WM

Withdrawal - Mitigating Circumstances

**
X

Non-gradable

**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* The “S” grade is equivalent to a “C” or higher and the “U” grade is equivalent to a “C-” or lower. The S/U grades for courses are not used in GPA calculations.

** Grades not included when calculating GPA.

It is the option of the division, department or instructor to use all, some, or none of the plus/minus grades in assigning student grades in a course, as long as the grading system is communicated to students via the course syllabi at the beginning of the course. Numerical ranges corresponding to letter grades are established for each course according to the professional judgment of the instructor. There is no official policy on the relation between the letter grade and the percentage grade. Each faculty member may determine the equivalency and must notify his or her students. Faculty members must clearly note the grading policy on the course syllabus.

Some divisions, departments, and programs have established minimum grade requirements. In these instances, for example, C- does not satisfy the requirement of a minimum grade of C. Only courses with a grade of C or better will be considered for transfer.

The grades of D, while considered passing for undergraduate students, may not be acceptable for some courses (see program requirements). Refer to course descriptions and the prerequisites to determine what grade a prerequisite course requires.

Earned credit hours are not assigned in courses with grades of F, FF, AU, I, IP, NR, W, and WM (see definitions). A grade of NR is posted for grades not reported by the instructor.

An NR grade will be converted to an F at the end of the following semester. Students finding this in error should file a grade appeal. This conversion may affect financial aid. For additional information see FPU-5.0071AP.

Incomplete Grade

A student may be temporarily assigned an incomplete (“I”) course grade, with the written approval of the course instructor, if the student is in good standing in the course as determined by the instructor but has not completed all the required coursework. An “I” grade cannot be assigned to a course if the student fails to attend the course, withdraws from the course after the drop/add period, or withdraws from the University.

An “I” grade is not to be used to allow students to complete extra work to raise the grade earned. The incomplete grade must be changed to a final evaluative grade within one (1) month from the ending date of the semester during which the student was enrolled in the course and prior to the student’s graduation. Instructors may specify a longer make-up time on the Incomplete Grade Agreement Form, not to exceed six (6) months from the ending date of the semester during which the student was enrolled in the course and prior to the student’s anticipated graduation.

A student may not re-enroll in the same course to make up an “I” grade, nor may the student enroll in any courses that designate the course for which the student is assigned an “I” grade as a prerequisite.

It is the student’s responsibility for making arrangements with the course instructor for timely completion of the missing academic work. Once the student completes the required work, the instructor will evaluate the work and complete a Grade Change Form. The instructor must submit the Grade Change Form to the Office of the University Registrar for approval and processing.

Once an “I” grade is converted to a final evaluative grade, that course grade may not be subject to further adjustment nor may it be converted back to an “I” grade. Exceptions due to University error may be approved by the Provost (or his/her designee) with supporting justification attached to a Grade Change Form.

Requesting an Incomplete Grade:

1. The student must contact the instructor of the course prior to final grades being due, as noted on the academic calendar, to inform the instructor of the exceptional circumstances that justify requesting an “I” grade. The decision to assign an “I” grade is at the sole discretion of the course instructor.

2. If the instructor agrees to temporarily assign the student an “I” grade for the course, the student and instructor shall complete the Incomplete Grade Agreement Form. The form will set the expectations for course completion and should include the following information:

  • Document the exceptional circumstances
  • Specify the academic work the student is missing
  • State the deadline for completion of that work
  • The grade that will be assigned if the work is not submitted on or before the deadline.

3. Once completed, the form must be signed by both the student and the instructor and submitted to the Office of the University Registrar prior to the semester deadline for reporting final grades.

For additional information see FPU-5.00712AP.

Grade Forgiveness

Grade Forgiveness is the repetition of a course for the sake of improving upon an earlier unsatisfactory performance in which the repeat course grade replaces the original course grade in the calculation of the student’s grade point average (GPA). However, the original grade is not removed from a student’s academic history and will show on the transcript. The Grade Forgiveness Policy is a method by which undergraduate and non-degree students may repeat a limited number of courses, provided the initial grade earned for the designated course is less than a “C”, to improve their grade point average (GPA).

Undergraduate degree and non-degree students may be eligible for a grade forgiveness upon meeting the following requirements:

  • Grade Forgiveness may only be granted for courses taken and repeated at Florida Polytechnic University.
  • Original course grade of C- (C- minus) or lower has been recorded on the individual’s academic record.
  • The repeated grade must be higher than the recorded original course grade.
  • It is advisable for a student to complete and submit the Grade Forgiveness Request form at the time of registration into the course for which the student is pursuing forgiveness. This may prevent academic standing or financial aid issues. If a student withdraws or does not receive a grade higher than the previous grade, the form will not be processed and does not count towards the limit.
  • Grade Forgiveness is limited to two (2) courses (a single time per course) during a student’s undergraduate career, except for a student’s first semester at Florida Poly in which a third Grade Forgiveness may be allocated if the student exercises all three Grade Forgiveness options after completion of the first semester immediately following their initial semester at Florida Poly. 
  • First semester students who exercise a second and/or third Grade Forgiveness option will have no further Grade Forgiveness options available while they are students at Florida Polytechnic University.
  • Only 1000-4000 level courses are considered eligible for Grade Forgiveness.
  • All course grades will remain on the student’s academic transcript. Grade Forgiveness granted courses will be appropriately designated by an official comment on the student’s transcript.
  • Courses in which a student has an open or pending academic integrity case or has received an academic integrity penalty are not eligible for grade forgiveness.
  • The student should discuss their eligibility for Grade Forgiveness with the Academic Success Center or the Registrar’s Office. Applications for Grade Forgiveness can be obtained from the Academic Success Center or the Office of the Registrar.
  • The university reserves the right to “auto-apply” a grade forgiveness where in the best interests of the student. The Registrar will inform all students for whom an auto-apply is used. Students may reject the application of the forgiveness within one (1) week (7 days) of notification.

Departments may have further restrictions; therefore, the student should discuss their eligibility for Grade Forgiveness with their academic advisor. Applications for Grade Forgiveness can be obtained from online or in the Office of the Registrar. For more information see FPU-5.0006AP.

Final Grades

Official grades are available only in the student portal. Canvas is not the official grade and may not match the actual final grade posted to a student’s academic record. The University does not mail final grade reports. Students may print unofficial copies.

Honors Recognition

Each semester the University takes the opportunity to recognize those degree seeking undergraduate students who have met certain high academic standards. Eligible undergraduate students who achieve the required grade point average for courses taken in the fall or spring semester will be placed on a President’s List or Provost’s List that is published after the end of each semester.

In order to be eligible for consideration for the lists, an undergraduate student must have been enrolled in and completed a minimum of 12 credit hours during the semester and have no incomplete grades for any courses taken during the semester.

  • An eligible undergraduate student whose grade point average is 3.90 to 4.00 for the semester will be placed on the President’s List.
  • An eligible undergraduate student whose grade point average is 3.50 to 3.89 will be placed on the Provost’s List.

Once a list is published, there will be no changes to the list based upon grade changes or the removal or change of incomplete grades.

For additional information see FPU-5.00741AP.

Graduation with Honors

Undergraduate students may graduate with honors upon meeting the following requirements at the end of the final semester for the baccalaureate degree:

  1. Completion of a minimum of 30 credits at Florida Polytechnic University
  2. Achieve a cumulative grade-point average as follows:

Summa Cum Laude: 3.90 and above

 Magna Cum Laude: 3.75 to 3.89

Cum Laude: 3.50 to 3.74

 These distinctions are recorded on the student’s permanent record and diploma.

For more information see FPU-5.0017AP.

Graduation Requirements, Baccalaureate

The following are minimum requirements for awarding the baccalaureate degree:

  1. Satisfactory completion of the applicable program degree requirements and established curriculum in the student’s chosen major;
  2. Satisfactory completion of a minimum of 120 semester hours with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 in all coursework attempted at Florida Polytechnic University. Departments may have requirements that exceed these minimums.
  3. Satisfy general education requirements (36 hours of required and elective coursework in prescribed areas; see General Education  section).
  4. Satisfactory completion of an additional six (6) credit hours designated as “writing intensive” (W) by the University.
  5. Satisfactory completion of a minimum of 48 hours of upper division coursework (courses numbered 3000 and above).
  6. At least 25% of the coursework required for the degree and thirty (30) of the last sixty (60) hours must be earned at Florida Polytechnic University.
  7. All students entering Florida Polytechnic University with fewer than sixty (60) semester hours of credit are required to earn at least nine (9) semester hours of credit prior to graduation by attendance during one or more Summer terms. The University may waive the application of this rule in cases of unusual hardship (See BOG 6.016 Summer Session Enrollment Regulation).
  8. Satisfy State of Florida foreign language admission requirement.
  9. Satisfy State of Florida Civic Literacy requirement (students initially entering a state college or university fall semester 2018 or thereafter).
  10. Apply for graduation by the deadline indicated in the Academic Calendar.

For more information see FPU-5.0094AP.

Residency Requirement for Graduation

At least twenty-five percent of coursework for the degree must be earned at Florida Polytechnic University. Thirty (30) of the last sixty (60) hours must be earned at Florida Polytechnic University to receive a baccalaureate degree from Florida Polytechnic University.