Grading System
Grades will be reported in the following manner:

*Grade not included when computing the GPA.

Student teaching, practica, and special courses are graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory (“S/U”) basis. Other courses may be taken by undergraduates under a pass/fail (“P/F”) option.

In computation of the required grade point average (GPA) for retention and conferral of a degree, the total number of quality points (grade points times course semester hours) is divided by the total number of semester hours for which letter grades are received (see the Grading System for grade points). All regulations tied to a specific grade average should be interpreted to mean the numerical average associated with that specific grade. Hence, the required “C average or better” is interpreted as “2.0 average or better.”

Course work completed in any student classification (including non-degree) will be included in the undergraduate or graduate GPA, determined by the level of the course.

CHANGE OF GRADES
Students graduating from UWF having earned a letter grade of “F, D, D+, C-, C, C+, B-, B, B+, A-, or A” may not have a grade changed for a course which was taken and completed prior to graduation.

GRADE FORGIVENESS POLICY
Grade forgiveness is restricted to undergraduate degree seeking students in undergraduate courses.

A completed “Grade Forgiveness Request” form must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar no later than the last day of classes of the semester in which the course is repeated. Forms are available from the Office of the Registrar.

Once a bachelor’s degree has been awarded by UWF, a student may not repeat a course and be forgiven the original grade in a course taken prior to graduation.

Beginning freshmen students are allowed two opportunities for grade forgiveness during their undergraduate program. Transfer students are permitted one forgiveness. Grade forgiveness is limited to courses (4 semester hours or less) numbered 1000-4999, in which grades are recorded on an “A-F” scale, including a “WF.” Students who are admitted and enroll their first semester as a first-time college freshman are considered beginning freshman. Contact the Office of Admissions for information on status.

If a course has been taken more than one time prior to the application for forgiveness, forgiveness can be used to replace only the most recently awarded grade.

A student may not exercise grade forgiveness by repeating at UWF a course which was initially taken elsewhere, nor may a course taken at UWF be repeated at another institution for forgiveness by UWF.

The grade forgiveness policy is not retroactive. To apply the grade forgiveness policy for all students, the second attempt at the course must have been taken subsequent to the Fall Semester 1986. For the second option for grade forgiveness for beginning freshman students, the second attempt must be the Fall Semester 1996 or later.

Grade forgiveness awarded for repeated courses will not retroactively alter any previous academic action. For example, a probation or disqualification status will not be removed from the records of the semester in which the student originally took the course.
Under unusual circumstances, a different but similar course may be used if the substitute course is approved by the student’s college dean.

If a student withdraws from a course repeated under the grade forgiveness policy, the attempt will count as an allowable attempt. However, the original grade will not be replaced with the “W” or “WF” received in the repeat attempt.

All grades will remain on the student’s official transcript. The original course grade will be annotated to indicate that the course has subsequently been repeated, and the repeat course grade will be annotated with the transcript containing explanations the course was repeated. The original grade will not be computed in the GPA or course hours included in hours earned except in a case in which the student withdraws from the repeated course or takes an incomplete grade.

If it is determined that the student is ineligible for the grade forgiveness policy, neither a refund of fees nor automatic withdrawal from the course will be made.

A student who has earned a letter grade “A-F” by proficiency exam may not repeat the course under the grade forgiveness policy.

The grade forgiveness option may not be exercised to remove a grade awarded in a case of academic misconduct.

G.I. Bill students and others receiving Veterans Administration educational benefits are advised that the forgiveness of any grade other than an unsatisfactory grade must be reported to the V.A. and may result in the retroactive reduction of benefits for the semester for which the forgiven grade was originally assigned. An unsatisfactory grade may be forgiven without similar consequences. Notify the Office of Veterans Services when utilizing the forgiveness option.

A. A. DEGREE FORGIVENESS POLICY
Students who previously attended UWF, whether as degree-seeking or non-degree who subsequently earn an associate of arts degree at another Florida public institution, have the following options:

1. All credit earned at UWF prior to earning the A.A. at another Florida public institution will be excluded from the number of hours earned towards a baccalaureate degree and from all calculations of the UWF GPA. The official academic record will reflect 60 semester hours of credit and completion of the General Studies and Gordon Rule requirements in accordance with the State Articulation Agreement. The UWF GPA will include only those courses completed from this point forward, and the student will be in good academic standing.
2. Credit, status, and GPA earned at UWF remain the same. The transferable credit will be added to the total number of hours applicable to a baccalaureate degree and the A.A. degree will be posted. The student record will reflect completion of the General Studies and Gordon Rule requirements.

To be eligible for this policy, the student must transfer directly from the A.A. degree granting institution to UWF. All adjusted courses will remain on the transcript but they will not be calculated into the UWF GPA.

GRADES OF INCOMPLETE
An incomplete (“I”) grade signifies that all course requirements have not been met. If circumstances exist beyond the control of the student, as determined by the instructor, the following applies:

1. The instructor may assign a grade of “I,” provided the student has satisfactorily completed at least 70 percent of the course requirements and the student has a grade of at least C– or S (satisfactory) in coursework up to that point in time. Students who receive an involuntary call to active military duty should consult with their instructors.
2. The “I” becomes an “F” at the end of the next academic semester unless the grade is changed by the instructor to a letter grade (“A”-”F”). The student is responsible for submitting a written request to the department for a grade change or extension prior to the end of the last instructional day of the semester. Extensions may only be approved for extenuating circumstances and only for a maximum of 12 months.
3. Students receiving grades of incomplete should NOT reregister for courses in which an “I” has been assigned.
4. When assigning an incomplete grade (“I”), instructors should complete a “Report on Assignment of Incomplete Grade.” This will assist students in understanding the requirements for completing a course, and it will provide necessary information in the event the instructor is not available to monitor the completion of the requirements.
5. An “I” grade will be converted to a “F” grade upon graduation if no other grade is submitted. Students may not graduate with an outstanding “I” grade.
6. Graduated students having an “I,” which was converted to an automatic “F” or other incomplete grade for a course may have the grade changed to a letter grade within one year after receiving a degree. To change the grade, the student must complete the required work and the course instructor must submit the appropriate grade change form via the chairperson and the dean. For the purposes of honors designation, this grade change which replaces an incomplete grade subsequent to a student’s receiving a degree will not change the student’s baccalaureate honors associated with the degree. The student’s transcript will be annotated to show that the course requirements were completed after graduation.

REPEATED COURSES
A student may receive credit for a course only once regardless of how many times it is taken in transfer or at UWF. All attempts at UWF count in the GPA unless grade forgiveness is used (see Grade Forgiveness Policy).

GRADE APPEAL
Students should consult the Student Planner and Handbook for information regarding the grade appeal process. Grade appeals for courses cross-listed with another department within another college will be heard through the college housing the department, regardless of the departmental affiliation of the faculty member teaching the course.

Academic Standing
UNDERGRADUATE
Good Academic Standing
Students are considered in good academic standing if they are currently enrolled or eligible to re-enroll at UWF.

Academic Probation
The intent of academic probation is to serve notice formally that a student may not be making satisfactory progress. It gives the students further opportunity to demonstrate their ability to meet academic expectations.

Students whose cumulative grade point average (GPA) for University of West Florida course work is below the minimum listed will be placed on academic probation by the student’s college. Calculation of the GPA is described in the grading system section of this Catalog.

UWF cumulative GPA
Total UWF GPA hours for academic probation

A department or college may specify additional academic standards and students are responsible for observing these regulations.

Students on probation may apply for a change of major, however, approval is granted by the chairperson of the prospective department. Students should contact the chairperson for guidance.

Academic Suspension
Normally students are not placed on academic suspension without first being placed on probation for at least one semester.

The decision to suspend a student for academic reasons is made by the college. Notification to the student and the Office of the Registrar is the responsibility of the student’s college.

Students under academic suspension may not enroll as a degree-seeking or non-degree student at any UWF campus or center.

Students suspended from UWF who subsequently receive an A.A. degree from a Florida public community/junior college or State university may be readmitted to UWF upon application for readmission, with earned credit accepted in accordance with University policies (see section on A.A. Degree Forgiveness Policy).

Reinstatement
Students placed on academic suspension may request reinstatement after being away from the University one semester. The request for reinstatement must be directed to the college dean suspending the student at least two weeks in advance of the first day of classes of the semester for which reinstatement is requested. In addition, students not attending UWF the previous three semesters must file an application for readmission with the Office of Admissions.

Students reinstated from suspension may apply for a change of major. Approval is granted by the chairperson of the prospective department.

GRADUATE (MASTERS AND SPECIALISTS)
Good Academic Standing
Students are considered to be in good academic standing if they are currently enrolled and eligible to re-enroll at UWF.

Academic Probation
Graduate students may be placed on probation by the academic department at the completion of the semester during which the cumulative GPA falls below 3.0. A grade of “S” (satisfactory) is not considered in the evaluation of academic standing. Written notification will be mailed by the department to the student.

Graduate students on probation are required to attain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 upon attempting or completing a total of up to 10 additional semester hours of graduate work, following the date which the student was placed on academic probation. Students not achieving this requirement may be suspended from the program. The academic department has the prerogative to continue a student on probation as determined by the student’s individual circumstances.

With the approval of the prospective department chairperson and college dean, a student on probation in a graduate program may apply for admission to another graduate program provided requirements for admission to that program are met. Applications must be processed through the Office of Admissions.

Academic Suspension
Graduate students not achieving a cumulative 3.0 GPA within the period designated may be suspended from the program. Written notification will be mailed by the department to the student.

With the approval of the prospective department chairperson and college dean, a student suspended from a graduate program may apply for admission to another graduate program provided requirements for admission to that program are met. Applications must be processed through the Office of Admissions.

Reinstatement
Students suspended from a graduate program may petition for reinstatement after the lapse of one academic semester during which the students are not enrolled at UWF. Written evidence of eligibility must be submitted to the college dean.

Graduate students on suspension may submit a written appeal to the college dean who may refer the matter to the college Academic Standards Committee. Students not attending UWF the previous three semesters must file an application for readmission with the Office of Admissions.

DOCTORATE
Good Academic Standing
Students are considered to be in good academic standing if they are currently enrolled and eligible to re-enroll at UWF.

Academic Probation
A student’s degree program GPA must be at least 3.25 (on a 4.0 scale) for all courses taken at UWF. No grades of “C+” in the major courses and no grade of “D” may be counted toward the Doctor of Education degree. A grade of “S” (satisfactory) is not considered in the evaluation of academic standing. Students who do not maintain a 3.25 GPA are placed on academic probation. Specialization areas may have additional requirements regarding acceptable letter grades for major courses that are counted toward the Ed.D. degree.

Graduate students on probation are required to attain a cumulative GPA of 3.25 upon attempting or completing a total of up to 10 additional semester hours of graduate work, following the date which the student was placed on academic probation. Students not achieving this requirement may be suspended from the program. The academic department has the prerogative to continue a student on probation as determined by the student’s individual circumstances.

Academic Suspension
Students who do not achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.25 within the period designated may be suspended from the program. Students should consult the College of Professional Studies Graduate Office for requirements for the Preliminary Examination and continued enrollment in the program.

Reinstatement
Students suspended from a graduate program may petition for reinstatement after one academic semester during which the students are not registered at UWF. Written evidence of eligibility must be submitted to the college dean. Students on suspension may submit a written appeal to the college dean who may refer the matter to the College Academic Standards Committee. Students who are suspended must submit an appeal within the 12 month or three semester period following notification of suspension. Students who do not submit an appeal within the 12 month period must reapply to the program through the Office of Admissions. Readmitted students are responsible for the degree requirements in effect at the time of reapplication.

NON-DEGREE STUDENTS
Non-degree students are subject to the same academic standards and review procedures as students admitted to undergraduate and graduate degree programs (see probation/suspension, based on the level of the courses).

Majors
CHANGE OF MAJOR OR AREA OF SPECIALIZATION
Undergraduate students (including lower-division students) must complete a “Major/Minor Change Request” form to enter a different major or second undergraduate degree program. Program approval is determined by the appropriate department chairperson. Students who change majors have a choice of meeting the major degree requirements of the Catalog in effect at the time of change of major or at graduation. Students should be aware of admission requirements for limited access programs. Students on probation and students returning from suspension may apply for a change of major. However, approval of the change of major is granted by the chairperson of the prospective department. Students should contact the chairperson for guidance.

Graduate students desiring new programs must complete new applications for graduate admissions. Contact the Office of Admissions for further information.

DOCTORAL PROGRAM
Faculty in individual specialization areas review, approve, or deny admission of students who apply to a selected area. A student is admitted into the Ed.D. program when a specialization area admits a student into the specialization. Students admitted and enrolled in course work in the Ed.D. program, choosing to change their specialization area, must reapply for admission to the Ed.D. program through the Office of Admissions. Students must complete requirements in effect at the time of admission.

DEGREE-SEEKING TO NON-DEGREE STATUS
Once a student is granted undergraduate degree-seeking status, change to non-degree status is not permitted until the baccalaureate degree is earned.

DUAL MAJOR
To graduate with a dual major, students must declare a major in each department and/or college and be assigned an advisor in each discipline. Upon departmental acceptance, students must complete a “Dual Major” form available in the Office of the Registrar. When a dual major is requested, the Catalog year for both majors will be the current Catalog year. A dual major does not require a minimum number of hours beyond those necessary for completing each degree requirement. Requirements for both majors must be completed prior to the degree being awarded. After successful completion of all requirements for both majors, students will be awarded one degree (B.A. or B.S.) with both majors listed on the transcript. Students should contact the Office of the Registrar for eligible dual listed degree programs or for additional information.

Minors
A student may declare a minor by completing the “Major/Minor Change” form available in the Office of the Registrar. Students should consult the minor department for course requirements. Neither diplomas nor certificates are issued for completion of the minor. Upon completion of minor course work, students must submit a “Completion of Minor” form to the Office of the Registrar.

Students seeking a minor must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate major. Undergraduate students may qualify for a minor by meeting specific departmental and/or college requirements. Requirements for the minor will be those listed in the Catalog in effect at the time the minor is declared. A minimum of 12 semester hours of upper-division work must be completed in the minor, of which nine semester hours must be courses taken at UWF. Students must have a minimum GPA of 2.00 in all UWF courses used in the minor.

Certificate Programs
The University of West Florida offers certificates in several areas. These programs are listed under Degrees, Areas of Specialization, and Minors in the beginning of the Catalog. Requirements for Certificate Programs are determined by the academic department offering the certificate. Upon approval and notification from the academic department, awarding of a certificate is listed on the student transcript. Actual certificates may be provided by the academic department. Contact the academic department offering the certificate for more information.

Choice of Catalog
The Catalog year for an undergraduate student’s program (General Studies and major curriculum) will be the Catalog year in effect at the time of initial enrollment as a degree-seeking student. Those students who do not change their major and who maintain continuous enrollment in the University have the option of following the Catalog in effect at the time of initial enrollment as degree-seeking students or the Catalog in effect at the time of graduation.

Students holding the A.A. degree or certification of the completion of General Studies requirements from a Florida public junior/community college or University may elect to complete the degree requirements of UWF which were in effect at the time the student first entered the Florida public junior/community college university as a degree-seeking student. Students electing this option must be enrolled at UWF as a degree-seeking student within three years of the date of initial enrollment in the junior/community college or university. The transcript of the student granted this option must demonstrate that a four-year plan was made by the inclusion of the appropriate lower-division courses. Students should contact their major department for additional information regarding requirements for their degree program.

A combination of Catalogs may not be used to fulfill major degree requirements.

CHANGE OF MAJOR
Undergraduate students who change their majors after initial enrollment as degree-seeking students have the option of following the major degree program outlined in the Catalog in effect at the time of the change of major or the Catalog in effect at the time of graduation.

READMISSION
Students who do not maintain continuous enrollment and who are readmitted to the University after non-enrollment of three consecutive semesters have the option of following the degree program outlined in the Catalog in effect at the time of re-enrollment as degree-seeking students or the Catalog in effect at the time of graduation. Doctoral students must consult the College of Professional Studies Graduate Office for readmission information.

Common Program Prerequisites
Students entering most bachelor’s degree programs at any Florida public institution must successfully complete a set of lower division courses specified as “common prerequisites” for the selected program. The common lower division prerequisites for a given program are listed with other course requirements for that program.

Students are urged to consult their advisors early about choices of majors and to schedule General Studies and common prerequisites course work.

General Studies Requirements
All students (except for students holding an A.A. degree or certification of the completion of General Studies requirements from a Florida public university or junior/community college) entering UWF must complete the requirements specified under General Studies.

GENERAL STUDIES PROGRAM
The General Studies requirements are the basic studies that provide the students with a broad educational foundation and are essential requirements for all A.A. degree and baccalaureate degree programs. Courses may not be taken on the pass/fail basis. The General Studies requirements are specified in the distribution listed below.
 

* May be taken with or without lab.
** General Physics is non-calculus based and is usually recommended for non-science majors. University Physics is calculus based and is usually recommended for science majors.

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