Academic Standards
Academic standards are determined at the end of each semester within the academic year. All enrolled students are subject to the following regulations:

I: Minimum Earned Credits for Normal Progress Toward Degree Completion;
II: Minimum GPA for Good Standing;
III: Probation; and
IV: Dismissal.

Good Standing
Students in good academic standing have achieved the minimum cumulative grade point average required for class standing. Students who fall below the minimum earned hours for normal progress toward degree completion are notified of credit deficiencies by the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies.

Academic Probation
Academic probation is a warning of severe academic danger. Students placed on probation are prohibited from enrolling in extra courses and from participating in extracurricular activities without the explicit permission of the dean of undergraduate studies. Probation remains in effect until the appropriate cumulative grade point average has been attained by successful completion of courses taken through Providence College (either in day, evening, summer, or winter-session courses). Placement on academic probation becomes part of the student’s official record and is reflected on the student’s official transcript.

Academic Dismissal
Students are dismissed from the College for academic deficiency under one or more of the following circumstances:

1. The student’s cumulative grade point average is below the relevant standard on the Academic Standards Chart.

2. Within two consecutive semesters, the student has earned the grade of “F” and/or “NF” in three courses; however, first-semester freshmen and first-semester transfer students are exempted from this restriction.

Academic Standards

*required to graduate

Student s who receive financial aid must comply with federal standards. The above may not reflect those standards.

3. The student has been placed on academic probation for two successive semesters. An academic dismissal becomes part of the student’s official record and is reflected on the student’s official transcript.

Procedures Following Academic Dismissal

Appeals of Dismissals
A student dismissed from the College by reason of academic deficiency has the right to a hearing before the Committee on Academic Status to appeal his or her dismissal if the student believes the dismissal is improper. A request for an appeal, which should include the specific reasons why the dismissal is unwarranted, must be made in writing to the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies within the timeframe noted in the letter of dismissal. Failure to appeal within the timeframe stated will, under all but the most extraordinary circumstances, disallow such appeal. If a student appeals the dismissal decision, and the committee grants the appeal, the student will be permitted to return immediately to the College as a full-time, enrolled student; however, certain conditions may be imposed. If a student appeals the dismissal decision and the committee does not grant the appeal, the dismissal decision is final. In this case, the committee will consider the student’s petition for reinstatement.

Petition for Reinstatement
A student dismissed from the College by reason of academic deficiency has the right to file a petition for reinstatement. A petition for reinstatement, which should include the specific reasons why the petition has merit, must be filed in writing to the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies within the timeframe noted in the letter of dismissal; otherwise, the cumulative gpa petition will not be heard absent extraordinary circumstances. On a petition for reinstatement, the Committee on Academic Status may, at its discretion, allow a student who has been dismissed to be reinstated in the day school immediately, either in good standing or on probation, as appropriate. Alternatively, the committee may choose to reconsider the petition for reinstatement if and when the student provides evidence of specified academic achievement through course work either in the School of Continuing Education (“SCE”) or at another institution. It may allow a student to be reinstated on academic probation as long as the student is making reasonable progress toward his/her degree. “Reasonable progress” is defined as maintaining a 2.25 GPA/12 credits each semester as monitored by the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies until the student has achieved good academic standing. If the Committee on Academic Status requires course work at another institution, or at Providence College’s SCE, these courses may be considered for replacement of failed or withdrawn courses, but they may not count toward one of the semesters required for graduation. The right to petition for reinstatement is limited to two academic dismissals. Students incurring a second dismissal must attend another institution, or Providence College’s SCE, for at least one semester before petitioning for reinstatement. A petition for reinstatement may not follow a third dismissal.

Academic Honesty
Students are expected to abide by the principles of academic integrity and to take full advantage of the College’s academic programs and activities in an honest manner. Specifically, students may not plagiarize, cheat, or collude. Plagiarism is defined as the act of taking the words, ideas, data, illustrative material, or statements of someone else, without full and proper acknowledgement, and presenting them as one’s own. Cheating is the use of improper means or subterfuge to gain credit or advantage. Forms of cheating include the use, attempted use, or improper possession of unauthorized aids in any examination or other academic exercise submitted for evaluation; the fabrication or falsification of data; and misrepresentation of academic or extracurricular credentials. It is also cheating to submit the same work for credit in more than one course, except as authorized in advance by the course instructor. Collusion is assisting or attempting to assist another student in an act of academic dishonesty. Acts of academic dishonesty are subject to an appropriate penalty. The grade of “F” may be assigned to students found guilty of such acts. The professor of the course in which the infraction occurred will inform the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies of the offense and the action taken. Serious cases or second offenses will be referred to the dean of judicial affairs for adjudication. Students who earn a failing grade as a result of academic dishonesty may file an appeal with the Academic Appeals Committee (which is charged with the review of any petitions of final grades). Egregious offenses or second offenses against academic honesty renders students liable to dismissal from the College. Please refer to the Student Handbook and/or contact the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies for more information.

Leave of Absence
In clearly established cases of health, finance, or other good cause necessitating a postponement of the normal academic program, a leave of absence may be granted or required through the dean of undergraduate studies for a period of from one to a maximum of four semesters. All students returning from a leave of absence must contact the dean of undergraduate studies by December 1 for reactivation for the spring semester and August 1 for reactivation for the fall semester.

All students returning from a medical leave of absence must submit a signed statement from a health care official certifying that the student is able to resume full-time attendance. This statement will be reviewed by the appropriate College official before readmission is granted. Normally, students on a leave of absence are not expected to be involved in course work that advances their academic status when they return to Providence College. Permission may be granted in individual cases by the dean of undergraduate studies for enrollment in specific courses.

Voluntary Withdrawal from College
Students who wish to voluntarily withdraw from the College are required to make proper notification in person or in writing to the dean of undergraduate studies. Students who voluntarily withdraw can do so only under the following conditions:

1. A previous discussion of withdrawal must occur with the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies, normally with the dean of undergraduate studies; and

2. The academic record must indicate the student is not eligible for academic, disciplinary, or financial dismissal.

Procedures for readmission may be obtained from the Office of Admission.

Interrupted Program of Study
If a student engaged in undergraduate study leaves the College for a significant period before completing the degree, courses will be counted toward the program of study only if the time period of interrupted study is less than 10 years. That is, the period between the last and present (or new) enrollment does not exceed 10 years. In special circumstances, courses completed more than 10 years previously may, at the discretion of the appropriate dean, be counted toward a degree, if, in the judgment of the dean, the College’s curricular requirements and the content of those courses have not undergone significant change during the period of interrupted study.  Courses completed 10 or more years previous to any current enrollment will not be counted in the student’s grade point average, unless the appropriate dean has made specific course exemptions from this policy. The transcript will indicate separate sets of courses, those completed 10 or more years previous to a new or continued enrollment and those rostered after the student’s return to the College.

Academic Amnesty
A student applying for readmission to Providence College after a leave of five or more years may present to the dean of undergraduate studies a petition for academic amnesty for academic work completed five or more years previous to the term of readmission. Academic amnesty, if allowed, will remove from any calculation of the student’s grade point average and from any calculation of courses or credits needed all work that was completed during the period for which academic amnesty has been granted. At the time of the application for readmission, the student must file an application for academic amnesty and must acknowledge in writing that, once academic amnesty has been granted, it will not be rescinded. Academic amnesty will not be on a course-by-course basis and will apply to all terms and therefore all courses and credits completed at Providence College during the period for which amnesty is granted.  Amnesty may not be granted on a selective term-by-term basis. The student must identify the term at which academic amnesty begins; the award of academic amnesty will then cover all course work undertaken from the beginning of the amnesty period to the time of application for readmission.