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
A full-time graduate student is enrolled in 9 or more credit hours during the fall and spring semesters and in 6 or more credit hours during a summer semester. Graduate students may not register for more than twelve (12) credit hours in the Fall and Spring or 6 credit hours in the Summer semesters without approval from their academic advisor or department chair. 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 Withdrawal 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 Chair for the student’s track or the Graduate Division Director . Students transferring from other colleges who desire to substitute courses taken elsewhere for courses prescribed at the University should also consult their Department Chair or the Graduate Division Director.
Any deviations from the applicable published degree requirements must have the approval of the Department Chair or Division Director and the Office of the Registrar as appropriate. Contact the Office of the University Registrar with any questions.
Academic Standing
A student must remain in good academic standing in order to continue in his or her graduate program of study.
Good Standing: A graduate student who possesses a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above is considered to be in good standing at the University.
Academic Probation: A student whose cumulative GPA is below a 3.0 for the first time in the student’s academic career as a graduate student at the University will be placed on academic probation. The Graduate Division Director and Department in which the student is enrolled will determine any additional conditions that the student must meet for continued enrollment and will provide written notice to the student of those conditions.
Academic Dismissal: There are two different circumstances that result in an academic dismissal from the University. Only one needs to be met for academic dismissal and the student will be notified by the Office of the University Registrar.
- A student on academic probation whose cumulative and semester GPA is below a 3.0 will be automatically academically dismissed from the program and the University, or
- A student who earns more than one F while enrolled at the University as a graduate student, will be automatically academically dismissed from the program and the University.
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Readmission: If a student is academically dismissed, the student may apply for readmission to the University after a minimum of one calendar year has elapsed since the student was academically dismissed. To apply for readmission, a student must follow the graduate admission procedures as outlined in University regulations FPU-2.001 Admission to the University and Appeal Process-General and FPU-2.008 Graduate Admissions. Upon readmission, the course catalog in effect on the student’s date of readmission will apply.
For additional information see FPU-5.00744AP.
Adequate Progress
Graduate students earning a C- or below in any course for the graduate program do not get credit for that course. Program Core and Track Core courses where a minimum grade is not achieved must be retaken at the next earliest possible offering, assuming the student is in good standing. All other courses (e.g. electives) may receive course substitutions. In some instances, departments may opt to substitute Core Track courses.
Students should keep close track of their academic progress. Multiple grades below a B may result in academic probation and given the short time-frame of a graduate program make it impossible to graduate with the required minimum GPA per graduation requirements.
Grade Point Average Calculation
Florida Polytechnic University’s grading system includes the following grades:
Grading System
|
Grade
|
Definition
|
Quality Points
Per Credit Hour
|
|
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
|
0.00 |
| AU |
Audit
|
** |
|
CR
|
Credit only for Credit by Exam
|
**
|
|
I
|
Incomplete
|
**
|
|
NR
|
Grade Not Reported
|
**
|
|
S
|
Satisfactory*
|
**
|
| SR |
Satisfactory Research Progress or Completion |
** |
|
U
|
Unsatisfactory
|
**
|
| UR |
Unsatisfactory Research Progress |
** |
|
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 equal to a “C-” or lower. The S/U grades for courses are not used in GPA calculations.
** Grade not included when computing the GPA.
There is no official policy on the relation between the letter grade and the percentage grade. It is the responsibility of each faculty member to work within department guidelines to determine the equivalency and to notify his or her students on the syllabus. Faculty members must clearly note the grading policy on the course syllabus.
A grade of “NR” is temporarily added to the transcript by the Registrar’s Office when an instructor does not submit a grade for a student in a particular course by the deadline for submission in the semester the course was taken. The “NR” is not a grade and therefore is not included in the grade point average. When the instructor submits a grade change form to the Registrar’s Office, the “NR” notation is replaced.
Grades of “I” and “NR” that are converted to the earned grade and any grade change form completed may negatively affect financial aid.
A student who registers for a course but fails to attend or fails to meet the course requirements and does not officially withdraw from the course by the posted deadline will receive a grade of “F” in the course.
Grading Information Specifically for Graduate Students
The grades of “A” through “C,” and “SR” are passing grades. The grades of “B-,” “C+,” and “C” are considered passing for graduate students but indicate weak performance for a graduate student and may not be accepted for some programs.
The grades of “C-,” “D+,” “D,” “D-,” “F,” and “UR” are failing grades. All thesis/dissertation credits receive a grade of “SR” or “UR.” The grades “SR” and “UR” are used to indicate satisfactory progress or completion or unsatisfactory progress.
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 passing the course but has not completed all the required work due to exceptional circumstances that exist beyond the control of the student. An “I” grade cannot be assigned to a course if the student fails to attend the course, drops the course after the drop/add period, or withdraws from the University. A student who registers for a course but fails to meet the course requirements will receive an “F” grade in that course unless the student has officially dropped the course.
In order to be eligible for an “I” grade assignment in a course, the student must have completed a sufficient amount of graded work as defined by the instructor (usually > 70%). An “I” grade is not to be used to allow students to complete extra work to raise the grade earned. The “I” grade indicates a grade deferral in the event of extenuating circumstances and must be changed to a final evaluative grade within a specified time frame, not to exceed six months from the ending date of the semester during which the student was enrolled and prior to the student’s 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 designates 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.
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.
Graduate Program Graduation Requirements
All work used to meet degree requirements, including coursework and the successful defense of a thesis, if applicable, must be completed within the six-year period immediately prior to degree conferral. An approved leave of absence does not increase or alter the time limits for degree completion.
In order to be awarded a Graduate degree, a student must meet all of the following requirements:
- Satisfactory completion of the applicable program degree requirements and established curriculum in the student’s chosen program;
- Satisfactory completion of 30 credit hours of approved coursework with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better;
- Earn at least two-thirds of the credits applied towards the graduate degree through the University;
- Completion of any pre-requisites or deficiencies as identified by the Faculty Advisor and/or Department Chair; and
- Submission of a completed application to graduate by the deadline indicated in the Academic Calendar.
For more information see FPU-5 .0096AP .
Residency Requirement for Graduation
A graduate student must complete at least eighteen (18) credits at Florida Polytechnic University to earn a master’s degree.
Leave of Absence from the Graduate Program
Following FPU-5.0106AP, a graduate student may apply for a leave of absence through the end of the drop/add period as noted of the Academic Calendar of the semester in which the student wishes to begin a leave of absence. A leave of absence may be granted for up to three consecutive semesters, not counting summer semesters. A student must be in Good Academic Standing to be eligible for a leave of absence. A student enrolled under conditional status is not eligible for a leave of absence.
A leave of absence will generally be granted in cases involving personal hardship or family need. Academic standing is not considered a valid reason for granting a leave of absence. A student granted a leave of absence retains his/her enrolled student status. However, an approved leave of absence does not increase or alter the time limits for degree completion.
Academic Integrity
This regulation provides the processes to be followed when a student is alleged to have violated the Academic Integrity regulation and indicates the potential consequences and sanctions when a student is found responsible for such violation.
The University is an academic community. Its fundamental purpose is the pursuit of knowledge. Essential to the fundamental purpose of the University is the commitment to the principles of truth and academic honesty. Accordingly, the Academic Integrity regulation is designed to ensure that the principle of academic honesty is upheld. While all members of the University share this responsibility, special responsibility for upholding the principle of academic honesty lies with the students. In order to maintain the integrity of the academic process, all students must commit to the highest ethical standards in completion of all academic pursuits and endeavors. The faculty share with the administration the responsibility for educating students about the importance and principles of academic integrity. Violations of academic integrity diminish the value of your degree.
Please see FPU-5.005 Academic Integrity regulation to read it in its entirety.
Sanctioning Guidelines for Academic Integrity
Application of sanctioning guidelines lie with the purview of the faculty. Faculty consider a range of factors when it comes to issuing sanctions including the severity of the infraction, the conditions surrounding the student and/or their infraction, as well as the level of the student: a freshman and a graduate student ought to be held to different standards, for example.
The following definitions and guidelines were originally developed by Behrend College and adapted by Penn State. These guidelines are based on the assumption that it is the student’s first offense, which is the assumption that all faculty should make when assigning a sanction. As explained in the policy, should this it be found that this is in fact not a first infraction, additional or more severe sanctions may be applied by the the Academic Integrity Hearing Committee.
Levels of Offense
- MINOR OFFENSES: In general, minor offenses involve errors in judgment without a clear intent by the student to violate academic integrity.
- MODERATE OFFENSES: In general, moderate offenses are unpremeditated dishonest acts that directly affect only one student.
- MAJOR OFFENSES: In general, major offenses are premeditated dishonest acts or dishonest acts that directly affect the grade of other students.
Sanctioning Guidelines are detailed in the Undergraduate Catalog and Student Handbook (student handbook section). Note that while these guidelines provide a common standard for assessing penalty to violations, in the cases of violations at the graduate level, the consequences are far more severe and may lead to expulsion.
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