Completion of fewer than 8 course credits represents freshman status;

Successful completion of 8-15 course credits represents sophomore status;

Successful completion of 16-23 course credits represents junior status;

Successful completion of 24 or more course credits represents senior status.

2. Class determination is made at the completion of the fall and spring semesters.

Please note that if a student fails to register at the prescribed time, the student may be allowed to register at late registration or during the Course Add/Drop period at the beginning of the semester.

To complete a major requirement, a minimum of five (5) course credits (20 semester hours) in the major department must be taken on campus.

To complete a minor requirement, a minimum of three (3) course credits (12 semester hours) in the minor department must be taken on campus.

2 The minimum academic load for each semester for full-time students is three (3) courses. The minimum program required for receipt of maximum educational benefit payment under the Veterans’ Readjustment Benefits Act of 1966 and for receipt of Social Security benefits as a dependent is three (3) courses per semester.

3. The maximum academic load for each semester for full-time students is five (5) courses. Students may take five courses only with the written consent of the advisor and the major department chair. Such courses include those taken in Continuing Education and at other institutions. Policies and guidelines for fifth course approval vary among departments. A fifth course may be added only during the semester Course Add/Drop period.

4. Matriculated students in the Division of Continuing Education (evening) part-time undergraduate program may, under certain circumstances, receive permission to take one or two courses in the Day Division. Approval for this part-time status must be obtained through the Office of the Registrar.

5. Full-time students may, under special circumstances, obtain permission to reduce their course loads to one or two courses. Full-time students obtain approval for part-time day status through the Office of the Registrar.

6. Courses may not be "split," that is, all classes in a given course must be taken by the student within the same section unless granted permission by the instructor.

7. A student may not register for two courses that meet at the same time.

2. Students may add or drop a quarter course (or change sections of a course) without penalty if they do so before the end of the fifth academic day (see semester calendar).

In the event that students add or drop any course or change a section of a course, they must obtain the appropriate form from the Office of the Registrar and return it to that office when completed.

If students desire to add or drop a course or change a section, they must obtain their advisor’s signature on the appropriate form, after determining with the advisor that this change will not adversely affect academic load requirements. In addition, they must obtain other appropriate signatures as indicated on the Course Add/Drop form.

2. Students wishing to withdraw from a course must either:

A. Submit a completed Course Add/Drop form to the Registrar's Office before the end of the Course Add/ Drop period (see semester calendar).

or

B. Submit a completed Course Withdrawal form to the Registrar's Office no later than the designated Course Withdrawal period deadline (see semester calendar).

3. Students are not officially withdrawn from courses until the appropriate forms have been completed and have been validated by the Registrar's Office. Note: Non-attendance does not constitute a withdrawal.

Students are not permitted to register for their junior year without having declared a major except in the case of new transfer students admitted to junior standing as undeclared. These students may delay their declaration of a major for one semester. In either case, extension of undeclared status requires written approval through the office of the Dean of Undergraduate Education. Students may not revert to undeclared status once they have reached junior standing.

If students desire to change majors or change from undeclared status to a major, these procedures must be followed:

1. They must obtain a Change of Major form from the Office of the Registrar.

3. If the change is granted, the chair of the department will assign a new advisor for the student.

4. Students then notify the former department chair and advisor of this change. (The department chair for Undeclared students is the Dean of Undergraduate Education). The former department chair's signature is required on the Change of Major form.

5. After meeting with all faculty concerned, students must return the Change of Major form to the Office of the Registrar. Failure to do so will result in the student being carried on registration rolls in the wrong major and not being allowed to register for the next semester in the new program.

6. A change of major must be completed by December 1 of any year to be effective for the spring semester or by May 1 of any year to be effective for the fall semester.

7. Entering transfer students are obliged to comply with all of the above-stated policies for a change of major.

AU = (Audit-no credit) A student may audit courses with the consent of the instructor. Such course enrollment will be officially reported on the student’s transcript pending approval by the instructor, but the student will not receive any credit. An auditor may not participate actively in course work. A special approval form for this status must be obtained from the Registrar's Office and returned completed by the end of the fifth academic day.

2. Only one (1) course may be taken on a pass/fail basis in any semester.

3. No course may be taken on a pass/fail basis if it is part of the twelve general education course requirements, or a major requirement including major-related, or if the course is within the major department.

4. A student may not choose the pass/fail option when repeating a course.

5. A student must declare whether a course is pass/fail by the last day of the Add/Drop period. The student taking a course on a pass/fail basis will notify the Registrar by the end of that day. Once this has been done, the student may not change status. A student is eligible for Dean’s List if one of four courses has "P/F status."

6. A pass grade grants the student course credit but does not count in computing the student’s QPA. A failed grade counts as a course attempted with zero points.

7. At the completion of the course when the grade is turned in by the instructor, the Registrar will convert the letter grade and record only "P" (pass) or "F" (fail) on the permanent record. The original letter grade is kept by the Registrar and may be released only with the written permission of the student.

8. Pass/fail will be interpreted in accordance with the present grading system. "E" will be fail and all other grades will be pass.

SA/UN = (Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory) This grade is used only for student teaching experience. Additional details are available from the Education Department.

W = Withdrawal from a Course. Indicates withdrawal from a semester course in the third through the ninth week of the semester, or for a quarter course, no later than the end of the fourth full week of the quarter. See "Withdrawing from Courses" policy for details.

WX = Withdrawal from the College after the course Add/Drop period but before the end of the ninth week of the semester. The student has officially withdrawn from the College and no longer attends classes. See "Withdrawal from the College" policy for details.

IC = (Incomplete) This is a temporary grade with 0 (zero) quality point value which may be given to a student when the instructor is satisfied that circumstances beyond the student’s control other than absence from the final examination (see N above) prevented the student from completing the required work for the course. (An "IC" will not be given, however, unless 80 percent of the work has been completed.) Student indifference resulting in inability to get work in on time is not reason for giving an "IC". The "IC" will be changed to any other appropriate grade by the instructor if the course has been fully completed by the end of the first four weeks of the next semester if it is a semester course or by the end of the first two weeks of the next quarter if it is a quarter course. If the work is not completed within the given time, the "IC" will be changed to "E", unless an extension is granted by the Dean of Undergraduate Education when circumstances warrant.

2. The number of quality points that a student receives in a course is determined by the letter grade (see section on Grading System for explanation of quality points). The quality point average is computed by dividing the total number of quality points by the total number of course credits attempted at the College, by semester or cumulative total. The quality point average (QPA) for each semester and cumulative is presented in three digits, one before and two after the decimal point.

3. The determination of quality point average is made at the end of each session.

5. The only courses that may be repeated are courses in which a student receives a grade lower than a "C-" (1.7). All grades, including those earned in repeated courses, will remain on the academic transcript. Students must bear in mind that the same course has to be repeated and that only the most recent grade, whether higher or lower than the original grade earned, will be the grade calculated in the QPA. Continuing courses in which "E" grades have been received must be repeated successfully before the student may take advanced work except when departmental policy permits otherwise. Only grades in Framingham State College courses can be used to recalculate the QPA when repeating courses and students are reminded that only Framingham State College grades are used in determining the QPA. (See Quality Point Average, #1.)

6. Framingham State College Division of Continuing Education courses that are appropriate for Day Division degree completion are posted on Day Division students’ permanent records. In the case of suspended/dismissed students, such courses will be evaluated for posting at the time of readmission to the College. Courses that are academically inappropriate for Day Division programs are automatically inhibited and are not calculated in the QPA. Therefore, to receive credit for 600-level courses, students must obtain prior written approval from their major department chairs. (The Registrar's Office provides forms for this purpose.) Failure to do so will result in denial of course credit toward the degree, as 600-level courses are not applied to the baccalaureate degree.

4. Students who are absent from a final examination should contact the instructor to discuss the reason for the absence. At the discretion of the instructor, one copy of the final examination may be sent to the Dean of Undergraduate Education or designee. The exam will be administered on posted dates.

5. If a student is absent from the final examination, the student will be given a grade of "N" by the instructor. The "N" grade will be changed to any other grade by the instructor if the exam is made up no later than two weeks after the final day of the final examination period. Unless an exception is approved, failure to make up the exam during this time will result in a grade of "E".

6. Examinations and other graded course materials should be made available to students in a timely fashion. If retained by faculty, they should be kept until the end of the next academic semester and should be made available for the students’ review upon request.

1. Proper use of English is expected of students in all courses requiring oral and/or written work.

2. Instructors may evaluate students’ oral and written work on the basis of the proper use of English, as well as content.

3. Instructors will specify their policies for evaluating the proper use of English in course assignments.

4. Students showing major deficiencies in the use of English may be referred to CASA by the instructor.

Within the first month of the semester following the semester of the course in which the final grade is questioned, students will pursue their concerns on the informal level, as designated below. Every effort will be made to resolve the students’ concerns informally at Level I.

"Any student in an educational or vocational training institution, other than a religious or denominational educational or vocational training institution, who is unable, because of his religious beliefs, to attend classes or to participate in any examination, study or work requirement on a particular day, shall be excused from any such examination or study or work requirement, and shall be provided with an opportunity to make up such examination, study or work requirement which he may have missed because of such absence on any particular day; provided, however, that such makeup examination or work shall not create an unreasonable burden upon such school. No fees of any kind shall be charged by the institution for making available to the said student such opportunity. No adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to any student because of his availing himself of the provisions of this section." (General Laws, Chapter 151C, Section 2B).

Integrity is essential to academic life. Consequently, students who enroll at Framingham State College agree to maintain high standards of academic honesty and scholarly practice. They shall be responsible for familiarizing themselves with the published policies and procedures regarding academic honesty.

Faculty members shall, at their discretion, include in the course syllabus additional statements relating the definition of academic honesty to their courses. They shall administer hour tests and exams in such a manner as to provide the best possible situation for all students. Faculty shall proctor exams, or, if they feel it is suitable to schedule a non-proctored exam, shall designate in writing at the beginning of the examination:

1) where they shall be found during the period and 2) where the exam papers are to be turned in.