Dec 10, 2024  
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog & Student Handbook 
    
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog & Student Handbook

2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog & Student Handbook


Welcome to the Florida Poly Undergraduate Catalog and Student Handbook

The University’s undergraduate academic catalog is intended to be a source of clarity throughout your time at Florida Poly. The catalog provides information on your chosen degree program and concentrations, certificate opportunities, information on policies, standards, and other requirements. The Undergraduate Academic Catalog and the Undergraduate Student Handbook form the core documents that will help guide your path through Florida Poly. For specific questions about this catalog, contact the Office of the University Registrar.


University Mission Statement

Florida Polytechnic University’s mission is to serve students and industry through excellence in education, discovery and application of engineering and applied sciences.

University Vision Statement

Florida Poly will be a premier STEM university known for producing highly desirable graduates and new technology solutions.

 


University Notices

 Title IX & Sexual Misconduct

Florida Polytechnic University does not discriminate on the basis of sex in its educational programs and activities. Title IX of the Higher Educations Amendments of 1972, 20 USC 1681 et seq., a Federal civil rights law, prohibits such discrimination and sexual harassment, including sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking.

To be considered under the jurisdiction of Title IX, the alleged Sexual Harassment must have occurred to the person participating or attempting to participate in the University’s education program or activity within the United States.

  • Education program or activity includes locations, events, or circumstances over which the University has exercised substantial control over.
  • The University must have jurisdiction over the Respondent and the Complainant during the time of reporting, this includes both students and employees.

Even if an allegation falls outside of the Title IX jurisdiction, the University may move forward following the process outlined in University policy:

Reporting:

Any member of the University community may submit a report or by disclosing to a university employee (Faculty, Staff, Resident Assistants, and University Police).  Any member of the University community may seek guidance, resources, or file a complaint, in accordance with this policy, by contacting:

Michelle Disson

Title IX Coordinator

4700 Research Way, Lakeland, FL 33805

titleixcoordinator@floridapoly.edu

863-874-8484

http://floridapoly.edu/report

Confidential Employees:

Employees, vendors, and contractors working in Counseling Services, medical services, and the University Ombudsperson.  These resources do not have to report any disclosure of sexual misconduct to the Title IX Coordinator.

Non-Discrimination/Equal Opportunity

The University shall not unlawfully discriminate in offering access to any educational programs or activities or in conducting its employment practices on the basis of race, color, national origin, marital status, sex, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or veteran status (each hereinafter referred to as a “protected class”) or any other legally protected class or basis under applicable federal and/or state laws. The purpose of this regulation is to provide the University’s expectations to maintain and foster an inclusive and welcoming environment in which diversity is valued and opportunity is equalized. This regulation provides guidelines and information regarding conduct that constitutes unlawful discrimination or harassment; reporting responsibilities; and requirements for filing a complaint of discrimination or harassment with the University. All complaints of discrimination or harassment filed with the University will be handled in accordance with applicable University grievance and disciplinary procedures.

Please see FPU-1.004 Non-Discrimination/Equal Opportunity policy to read in its entirety.

 


About this Catalog

The policies, regulations, and requirements published in this catalog are for informational purposes and are subject to continual review and amendment to serve the needs of the University’s students, faculty, and staff. The University reserves the right to change policies, regulations, and requirements at any time. The ultimate responsibility for knowing University policies, regulations, and requirements rests with the applicant, student, or employee. For the latest up-to-date information please refer to the University website or contact the appropriate office. This catalog is not a contract, either expressed or implied, between any applicant, student, or employee and Florida Polytechnic University.

Catalog Year

When a student enters the University, the academic catalog in effect at that time represents an agreement between the institution and the student that so long as they continue at the University and adequately progress, the University will continue to offer the degree program the student has chosen to complete. Broadly, this includes the basic plan of study, but it is customary that changes to that plan will occur, course substitutions may be made, concentrations may be added or removed, and other exceptions as allowable will result. Even degree names may change. In such cases, students will have the option of moving to the new catalog and degree name or staying with the previous degree name, noting that program content may change in either case, to no loss of credit to the student. Should the University or its Board of Trustees decide at any time during that student’s tenure at the institution that it will no longer offer a program, a reasonable teach-out program will be developed and communicated with students.

Prerequisites

Prerequisites (courses that must be taken before advancing in the curriculum) do not follow a catalog. So, while a catalog establishes the expectation that a program will continue to be offered, it does not dictate that the plan of study will be offered in exactly the same way or that courses will be delivered in the same way every year. This means that if it is determined that a prerequisite is required for a course that was not previously required, then all new offerings of that course will carry the new prerequisite requirement. In some circumstances, exceptions may be made. The prerequisite change is not arbitrary nor is it done lightly, but is a decision prompted by the program faculty who have studied student success and propose the change through an established university process for review and consideration before being approved. Such changes are made to ensure that the content of the course can be delivered at a level that meets expectations for accreditation, transfer to other institutions, and disciplinary and professional standards. When a course’s prerequisites change, the content of the course changes to presume that students entering the course will have the skills and knowledge circumscribed by the prerequisite. Institutions must have the ability to make these changes otherwise such things as continuous improvement or quality enhancement will never occur.

Courses and Modality (Distributed Learning)

In an effort to ensure a high-quality educational experience and accomplished graduates, Florida Poly Academic Affairs and faculty carefully consider the delivery modality for each course. In-person delivery is strongly preferred, and class content is created by the professors for in-person learning. In-person learning fosters greater learning and retention in our highly technical curriculum. The majority of our courses are designed to require key in-person engagements. While we do offer the occasional online course, it is done so with an explicit design for that modality that meets the requirements of credit hour, content development, course design and quality standards in compliance with Florida and other professional standards.

Courses and their approved modality are listed in the student information system course schedule. Any student request for an adjustment to course delivery, or modality chosen by the University is not reasonable and fundamentally alters the course. 

4-Years and Out (the Plan of Study)

Florida Polytechnic University is committed to graduating students in four years. All of our undergraduate degree programs are capped at 120 credits, which, if credits are passed successfully according to the published plan of study will ensure a student graduates in four years.

When a student chooses a major, that student is agreeing to follow the plan of study outlined by the program and published in this catalog. In the event a student falls off of that plan due to personal or academic issues, the student should work closely with the Success Center and, their department’s academic advisor and “get back on track.” In the event of programmatic changes or difficulties with scheduled offerings, academic departments work with the University Registrar and with students to ensure that appropriate and sufficient substitutions or exceptions are made to maintain progress to completion in four years.

 


Note: The policies, regulations, and requirements published in this catalog are for informational purposes and are subject to continual review and amendment in order to serve the needs of the University’s students, faculty, and staff. The University reserves the right to change policies, regulations, and requirements at any time. The ultimate responsibility for knowing University policies, regulations, and requirements rests with the applicant, student or employee. For the latest up-to-date information please refer to the University website or contact the appropriate office. This catalog is not a contract, either expressed or implied, between any applicant, student, or employee and Florida Polytechnic University.

 

He and She / His and Hers

We have tried our best to limit the use of gendered pronouns but you may still encounter a few places in the catalog where we failed. We hope that you can forgive us and not let this distract you from the important information we wish to communicate with you. It is not our intention to have a “he” vs. “she” exchange, but rather an “us” exchange.


Vol.11 (Effective Fall 2024)