University of Virginia

Undergraduate Record 1996-1997

Chapter 6: College of Arts and Sciences

General Information

The College of Arts and Sciences offers an education in the liberal arts leading to the degrees Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, and Bachelor of Science in Physics. The requirements for these degrees introduce students to a broad spectrum of knowledge and are intended to allow them to develop the skills and habits of learning, disciplined thinking, and articulate expression. Students are offered considerable latitude in, and responsibility for, shaping their own programs of study.

A degree program must be completed in four academic years and, under certain conditions, can be completed in three. The first two years are intended to be spent in developing the knowledge and skills associated with a broad range of basic academic disciplines, including natural science, history and social science, the humanities, foreign language, English composition, mathematics and fine arts. In the third and fourth years, students are expected to continue at a more advanced level in several of these fields and to concentrate in one of them (the major subject). Twelve or more transfer credits awarded in a single semester for work at another institution will constitute one of the eight semesters allotted for full-time registration in the College.

The minimum residence requirement for a degree is two academic years. The last year of candidacy must be spent in this University, and courses offered in the major for the degree must be completed in residence unless written exception is made by the Dean of the College in consultation with the department or interdepartmental program concerned.

For graduation from the College the candidate must have satisfied the area requirements given below and a plan of major study. In addition, the candidate must have passed and offer for a degree a minimum of 120 credits of approved courses, of which at least 96 must be passed on a graded (A-B-C-D) basis. Among the 120 credits must be at least 102 College or College-equivalent credits. A candidate must have made a grade-point average of at least 2.0 on all graded courses taken in the College or elsewhere in the University and offered for a degree. A student who has received a baccalaureate degree cannot submit any courses offered for that degree toward another degree in the University. Students are subject to the area requirements in effect during the academic year when they first enter the University. Students are subject to the requirements for the major in effect during the semester in which they declare the major.

Address

The College of Arts and Sciences
Garrett Hall
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA 22903
(804) 924-3351
Art and Sciences World Wide Web site

1996-1997 College of Arts and Sciences Calendar

Fall Semester 1996
August 21-August 30Fall semester registration
August 24-25Orientation for new students
August 26-28Advising
August 28Classes begin
September 11Last day to drop a course
September 13Last day to add a new course; change to or from credit/no credit; elect AU (audit) option
October 5-8Reading holiday
October 23Last day to withdraw from a course
October 25Fall convocation and parents' weekend
November 4-15Advising, selection of spring courses
November 27-December 1Thanksgiving recess
December 2Last day to request change in examination schedule
December 6Classes end
December 7-8Reading days
December 9-16Course examinations
Spring Semester 1997
January 8-17Spring semester registration
January 13Deadline for completing authorized Incompletes from fall semester
January 15Classes begin
January 29Last day to drop a course
January 31Last day to add a new course; chang to or from credit/no credit; elect AU (audit) option
March 8-16Spring recess
March 12Last day to withdraw from a course
March 31 - April 11Advising, selection of fall courses
April 25Last day to request change in examination schedule
April 29Classes end
April 30 - May 1Reading days
May 2-9Course examinations
May 18Final exercises
June 6Deadline for completing authorized Incompletes from spring semester

Students' Records

Compliance with College Regulations  Students are held responsible for selecting their courses in accordance with the course restrictions and policies printed here, in the First-Year Handbook, and in advising material distributed by Departments. Only after the approval of the Dean's Office has been obtained in the form of a petition should a student enroll in a course which does not comply with the College's regulations.

Requests for Exceptions to the Rules and Appeals   Students who believe there is a valid reason for asking for an exception to any of the rules may file a petition to the Dean of the College. In most cases the recommendation of a course instructor or advisor is required on the petition before it is filed. An unfavorable response from the Dean may be appealed to the Committee on Faculty Rules. The College has established procedures to deal with requests for exceptions to rules in cases involving psychological issues. College students should contact the Dean's Office for information about such procedures.

Accuracy of Students' Records   Students are responsible for verifying the accuracy of their academic records by the drop deadline and each time thereafter that they make a change in their schedule. Students who fail to do so are subject to various penalities as determined by the dean. Changes to the transcript are permitted only during the current and immediately following semester. Transcripts may be requested, upon payment of a nominal fee, from the Office of the Registrar in Carruthers Hall. PACE reports are mailed once a semester by the Registrar, and grade reports are mailed to students at the end of each semester. Errors must be reported to the Dean's Office within the stated deadlines. After one semester has lapsed the student's record is considered permanent.

Academic Information

The new curriculum applies to all incoming first-year students who registered for the fall of 1994 or subsequent semesters. The new curriculum requirements will not, however, apply to students who transfer to the College of Arts and Sciences until the fall of 1995. In the fall of 1995, the new curriculum requirements will apply to all students who enter as first-years or who transfer as second-year students. Students who transfer to the College as third-year students in the fall of 1995 or earlier will not be governed by the new curriculum requirements. Students not governed by the new curriculum requirements will be subject to the former curriculum requirements published in earlier Records.   The new curriculum requirements will apply to all students who enter the College in the fall of 1996 and thereafter. The Dean of the College will determine the year level of all new transfer students and will inform them before matriculation.

Intra-University Transfers  -- Students who register as first years in any School of the University in the fall 1994 semester or thereafter are subject to the new curriculum in the event they transfer into the College.

Lists of courses meeting the Second Writing Requirement, Historical Studies and Non-Western Studies Requirements are available in Garrett Hall, the annually revised First-Year Handbook,   and other advising information distributed by the College of Arts and Sciences.

Following matriculation all area requirements must be completed at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. AP credits from secondary school and transfer credits before enrollment for the first time may count as area requirements. SAT II Writing test scores cited in this section are the ones in use until the new, recentered scores began in April, 1995.

Simultaneous Counting of Courses and Cross-listed Courses

One course (including cross-listed courses such as AAS 101 and HIAF 203) may simultaneously meet no more than two Area Requirements; it may also satisfy the Second Writing Requirement. Courses taken to fulfill the Second Writing Requirement and the Area Requirements, with the exception of foreign language courses through the 202 level, may be counted toward a first or second major or toward a minor.

Competency Requirements

Composition  -- 3 Credits, or exemption
ENWR 101  is required during the first year unless exempted; this course is graded A, B, C, or NC (no credit). A grade of NC indicates that the course must be repeated until a passing grade is achieved. Students may be exempted upon recommendation or a score of at least 720 on the SAT II Writing Test.

Second Writing Requirement  -- typically a 3 Credit course. Students must complete in any Department in the College an additional course whose written work meets the criteria for this requirement. The course may carry one or more credits. There are no exceptions to the Second Writing Requirement. Courses elected under this heading may also be counted toward completion of other segments of the area requirements, as well as toward a major or minor. A course offered for the second writing requirement must carry a grade of C- or better and must be taken in the College. The second writing requirement must be completed by the end of the sixth semester, with the necessary form filed by the same deadline in the Office of the Dean.

Foreign Language  -- 0-14 Credits, (through the 202 level; 201 for B.S. in Chemistry) or exemption, depending on previous work. Place in a language sequence is by SAT II Subject Test score and departmental recommendation. Students are exempt who scored 660 or above on an SAT II Subject Test in French; scored 650 or above on an SAT II Subject Test in German, Itqalian, Latin, or Spanish; scored 640 or above on an SAT II Subject Test in Chinese or Japanese; scored 560 or above on an Sat Ii Subject Test in Hebrew. Students are obliged to follow the Deaprtment's recommendations in the completion of the foreign language requirement. Once placement occurs, the foreign language requirement is fulfilled by the completion of each course in sequence (no skipping). Credit for introductory language courses is disallowed if it duplicates foreign language credits offered for admission to the College.

Area Requirements

Natural Science and Mathematics  -- 12 Credits
A student must pass twelve hours of natural science and/or mathematics courses (exception MATH 100 and MATH 103) from at least two departments. Students are strongly encouraged to include courses in mathematics, the physical sciences, and the biological sciences. These courses may be chosen from the departments of Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Sciences, Mathematics, Physics and Statistics. Courses taken for this requirement may count also toward one other area requirement.

Social Sciences  -- 6 Credits
A student must pass a minimum of two courses (three or more credits each) from the departments of Anthropology, Economics, Government and Foreign Affairs (except GFPT), Psychology, and Sociology, or from the programs in African-American and African Studies (AAS), Linguistics (200-level or above), and Women's Studies (WMST). Some foreign language courses taught under ANTH do not fulfill this requirement, nor do literature courses under AAS. Courses taken for this requirement may count also toward one other area requirement.

Humanities  -- 6 Credits
A student must pass a minimum of one course (three or more credits each) from two of the following three groups of departments and programs:

Literature  -- Classics, Comparative Literature, English (except ENWR 100 and 101), and foreign literature (Asian and Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures, French, German, Slavic Languages and Literatures, and Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese courses in translation and all courses above the 202 level).

Fine Arts  -- Art (and Art History), Drama, Music, and Architectural History courses AR H100, AR H 101, AR H102, AR H 150, and AR H 203.

Moral, Philosophical, and Religious Perspectives  -- GFPT, Philosophy, and Religious Studies. Courses taken for this requirement may count also toward one other area requirement.

Historical Studies  -- 3 Credits
A student must pass a minimum of one course (of at least three credits) from the Department of History or a course from another department that is substantially historical, as recognized by the Faculty. Courses taken for this requirement may count also toward one other area requirement.

Non-Western Perspectives
A student must pass a minimum of one course (of at least three credits), from any department, among those recognized by the Faculty as dealing substantively with a culture other than the Western cultural heritage, including minority sub-cultures in the West. Courses taken for this requirement may count also toward one other area requirement.

Note  Liberal Arts Seminars (LASE), University Seminars (USEM 170, 171), University Topics (UTOP), and other courses numbered 170 and 171 may not be counted toward the area requirements. Seminars numbered 170 and 171 may be counted as electives. No course counted toward these degree requirements may be taken under the Credit/No Credit option.

Major Subject

Students must enroll in a major program offered by one of the departments or interdepartmental programs no later than four semesters before graduation and must present to the Dean of the College, as part of a plan of study, a program requiring no fewer than 18 nor more than 30 credits in the major subject, approved by an official advisor. The major program may require up to 12 credits in related courses.

Students may major in two subjects, in which case the application for a degree must be approved by both departments or interdepartmental programs. Students who double major must submit at least 18 credits in each major that are not duplicated in the other major. There is no triple major.

The credit/no credit option may not be elected for the courses offered in the major program. Beyond the courses required for the major, however, a student may register for other courses in their major field on a credit/no credit basis.

Courses taken during a student's first and second years may count toward the major program with the permission of the department or interdepartmental program concerned. Courses applied toward the major may not be transferred from another institution to the University except with special permission of the Department. Courses (other than foreign language through 202) may count simultaneously toward fulfillment of a second major. Students beyond the second year must remain in Good Standing as a major or have their enrollment in the College cancelled.

The following major programs are offered:

Afro-American and African Studies
American Studies
Anthropology
Archaeology
Art History
Art Studio
Asian Studies
Astronomy
Astronomy-Physics
Biology
Chemistry, B.A. or B.S.
Classics
Cognitive Science
Comparative Literature
Drama
Economics
English
Environmental Sciences
Foreign Affairs
French
German
Government
History
Interdisciplinary Major
Italian
Latin American Studies
Linguistics
Mathematics
Medieval Studies
Middle Eastern Studies
Music
Philosophy
Physics
Political and Social Thought
Psychology
Religious Studies
Russian Studies
Slavic Languages and Literatures
Sociology
Spanish
Women's Studies
Interdepartmental Major   A number of degree programs are administered by committees rather than by departments. These include Afro-American and African Studies, American Studies, Archaeology, Asian Studies, Cognitive Science, Comparative Literature, Latin-American Studies, Linguistics, Medieval Studies, Middle Eastern Studies, Political and Social Thought, Russian Studies, and Women's Studies.

Interdisciplinary Major   A student desiring to concentrate in an area for which there is no departmental or interdepartmental major program may apply to the Chair for acceptance in the Interdisciplinary Major Program. Such a plan of study must include at least 30 credits of courses, in addition to a 6-credit thesis, and be approved by three faculty sponsors, who will serve as the student's major committee. Details are available in Garrett Hall.

Distinguished Major   Students who show exceptional promise in their major field of study may be eligible for admission to the Distinguished Majors Program within their department. The Distinguished Major consists of at least twelve credits of advanced work and a thesis, special project, experiment, or exhibit based on at least six credits of supervised research, advanced laboratory work, or advanced study, as determined by the department. Successful completion of the program with a University cumulative GPA of at least 3.40 will qualify a student for graduation with Distinction, High Distinction, or Highest Distinction.

Teacher Education   Students in the College may also apply to the five-year Education Program sponsored jointly with the Curry School of Education, which leads to the simultaneous receipt of both a B.A. degree from the College and a Master's in Teaching degree from the School of Education. Students will also be certified to teach on the elementary or secondary levels. Students wishing to pursue careers as teachers will major in an academic discipline in the College and simultaneously begin professional courses leading to teacher certification.

Students may select a major in any area of the College and combine it with a teaching specialization in one of the following areas:

Students wishing to pursue programs leading to teacher certification should contact the Office of Admissions in the Curry School of Education, 104 Ruffner Hall, (924-0740). Additional information is also listed in this Record under the Curry School of Education. Students in the B.A./M.T. program are responsible for confirming each semester their compliance with both College and Education School certification requirements. In particular, students in the B.A./M.T. program must carefully plan their courses from the start so as to earn no fewer than 102 College or College-equivalent credits.

Minor Subject

Students may choose, in addition to a major, a minor concentration in a second subject. Not all departments and interdepartmental programs offer a minor.

Students intending to minor must complete the appropriate forms in the department no later than the ADD period of their next to last semester in the College, normally the seventh semester. A minor consists of no fewer than 15 or more than 24 credits of graded work in a program or studies approved by the sponsoring department. Students may not declare two minors, but they may declare two majors and a minor. As with the major, courses taken credit/no credit may not be included in the minor program. Echols Scholars declaring "no major" may not declare a minor. Courses used to meet area requirements in the College and the Second Writing Requirement may simultaneously be offered in fulfillment of a minor, except that foreign language courses through level 202 may not be included as part of a minor.

The School of Architecture offers a minor in Architecture, Architectural History and a minor in City Planning and Preservation which are open to students in the College. The courses required for these two minors are exempt from the limitations on electives stated in the paragraph below (Electives) only if requirements for the minor are completed. Requirements for these minors are described in Chapter 7: School of Architecture.

The School of Engineering offers a minor in Computer Science for College students consisting of 18 credits, of which two courses must be at or above CS 308. Additional details are available at the Department of Computer Science World Wide Web site.

Electives

The remaining courses needed to make up the 120 credits required for the degree may be elected from courses offered in the College for which a student is eligible. A degree program may also include up to 18 credits of professional courses offered in other schools of the University. It is desirable to reserve such courses for the last two years. Liberal arts courses offered in such subjects as computer science or architectural history in the Schools of Engineering and Applied Science and Architecture do not count as professional courses, although courses offered by the departments of Air, Military, and Naval Science do, and only 12 credits from these departments may be included in the 120 credits offered for a degree. Up to eight credits of music performance courses may count toward the B.A. degree, but they may not count toward the Humanities area requirement. Up to two credits of Personal Skills (PLSK) courses may count toward the B.A. degree. PLSK credits count as credits taken outside of the College. Students who complete approved minor programs outside the College may, once they have completed the program, count these credits as inside the College. For approval by the Committee on Special Programs, such minors must have a primarily liberal arts focus and be consistent with the academic objectives and standards of the College. They are supervised by committees that combine members from the College and the other schools involved. At present, the following minor programs are approved: the minor in planning (School of Architecture) and the minor in architectural history (School of Architecture).

Bachelor of Science

The requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and the Bachelor of Science in Physics are included under those departments in the listing of courses.

Bachelor of Arts with Honors

The purpose of the baccalaureate degree with honors is to enable students of special ability and interest to pursue in their third and fourth years a course of independent study under the guidance of a department faculty and the supervision of the Committee on Special Programs. Honors students devote their time primarily to their chosen subjects for two years, during which they read independently in that field and participate in tutorials and seminars conducted by their departmental tutors. Honors programs vary slightly from department to department, but candidates in all departments are evaluated finally by visiting examiners from other colleges and universities. Depending on this evaluation, they may receive degrees with Honors, High Honors, Highest Honors as the only grades for two years of work. It is also possible to be recommended for no degree or for an ordinary Bachelor of Arts degree. The most visible Honors programs are those offered by the Department of Government and Foreign Affairs and the Department of Philosophy. Other departments which have accepted candidates for this degree are Anthropology, Music, and Psychology. Further information may be obtained from those departments and from the chairman of the Committee on Special Programs.

Intra University Courses

For students offering the minimum 120 credits for the B.A. or B.S., at least 102 must be College (or College-equivalent) courses, thus no more than 18 credits from other Schools of the University may apply. By faculty approval, these courses are considered College-equivalent and may be applied to the area requirement in Humanities/Fine Arts: AR H 100; AR H101; AR H 102; AR H 150; and AR H203.

These courses may not  count as area requirements, but are considered to be College-equivalent: ARCH101; ARCH102; ARCH232; AR H courses (other than those noted above); COMM 320; CS courses; EDES 545; EDES 548; EDES 564; EDHS450; ENGR207; L AR 312; L AR 313; MS201; TCC 300; TCC 310; and PLAN courses under 500, only if the Minor in Planning is completed.

Students in the Special Education part of the B.A./M.T. program are permitted to count these additional six credits of Education School courses as College-equivalent: EDIS302 (or EDIS 500) and one of EDIS 510; EDIS 511; EDIS 512; or EDIS 515.

These courses are considered non-College, counting among the 18 credits that may apply to the B.A. or B.S.: EDHS (other than 450 noted above and 341, 344, 350, and 351; see below); Physical Education (PHYE and EDHS341, 344, 350, and 351, two credits maximum); LASE; USEM; UTOP; PLSK (2 credits maximum); and ROTC (12 credits maximum).

Courses Taken at Other Institutions

Students who wish to take academic courses at another institution after matriculation at the University must have the prior written permission of the Dean and the undergraduate advisor or chair of the department which offers corresponding work at the University. Permission is not granted unless students have at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average (2.5 for courses taken abroad). After matriculation at the University, students may not fulfill College area requirements with transfer coursework, the only exception being a foreign language course taught in the target country. Prior departmental approval in the form of a petition to the Dean's Office is required.

Subject to the above, work completed elsewhere with a grade of "C" or better is transferred in credits only. The courses thus completed reduce the number of credits and grade points that must be earned at the University for a degree. For example, students earning 10 credits at another institution are required to earn only 110 credits at the University (instead of 120) and 220 grade points. Please note that the credits transfer to the University, but the letter grades do not appear on the University's official records. Students will receive no more than the number of credits earned at the host institution.

Study Abroad

Students in the College may select an accredited foreign university for a term's or year's study. A minimum GPAof 2.5 and prior permission from the International Studies Office in Minor Hall are necessary to have credits transferred to the University of Virginia from a foreign institution.

Academic Advising

Academic advising for College undergraduates is the responsibility of the Dean of the College, the assistant deans, and the faculty of the departments within the College. Detailed information about the academic policies and programs of the College is contained in the First-Year Handbook  (sent to students the summer before they enter) and the Transfer Student Handbook  (sent to all incoming transfer students).

Each department and interdepartmental program has a faculty member who is charged with organizing undergraduate advising in its major. These are usually designated Directors of Undergraduate Studies or Undergraduate Chairs and are thoroughly informed about every course offered for undergraduates in that field. Mid-way through each semester, the departments and interdepartmental programs in the College issue a complete description of courses to be offered in the following semester. These are available separately in the departmental offices and as bound volumes in the Dean's Office and in Clemons Library.

In order to provide every entering student with individual academic counselling, the College has developed the Association System. The student body of the College is partitioned into ten "associations" representing first-year residences. Each association has an Association Dean, several Faculty Associates, and a Graduate Advisor who lives in the first-year dormitory. The Faculty Associates serve as academic advisors to first- and second-year students. The Association Dean and the Graduate Advisor assist in matching students with their Faculty Associates and have a general responsibility for the intellectual life of the Association.

These academic advisory services are coordinated with the residence-life system, in which selected upper-class students reside in the dormitory as Resident Assistants and help first-year students with their adjustment to the University. The Graduate Advisor and the Association Dean are the principal links between academic advising and the more general concerns of residence life.

Students pursuing Teacher Education and the combined programs with the Curry School of Education will have two advisors, one from their College major, and one from the parallel teacher education program in the Curry School. Though B.A. students are primarily responsible for the following rules and policies of the College, there are additional regulations regarding the teacher education program (similar to the rules for any major). Students should therefore consult both advisors before making any decisions regarding academic programs or course selections.

Pre-Law Advising   A Law School Advisory program is offered by the Office of Career Planning and Placement in Garrett Hall. Qualified students from the University of Virginia School of Law have been designated pre-law advisors. Available to all University students who are considering the study of law, their services are designed to provide first- and second-year students with sound advice on the admission practices and procedures of law schools throughout the country.

Pre-Medical Advising   While there is no prescribed pre-medical curriculum at the University of Virginia, students planning to apply to medical or dental school should bear in mind the following while planning their undergraduate programs.

  1. Virtually all medical schools require one-year courses with laboratory in chemistry, biology, organic chemistry, and physics. Some schools list requirements also in English and calculus.
  2. Prospective medical students should major in the subject that interests them most. It makes no difference to medical schools what the college major is. However, non-science majors should elect one or two advanced science courses during their third year, preferably biology or chemistry, and science majors should elect advanced courses in the humanities and social sciences, in order to demonstrate to admission committees the broad education in liberal arts that is essential to the practice of medicine.
An information meeting for entering pre-medical and pre-dental students is held each September during the orientation period. Assistant Dean Thomas L. Pearce is the advisor.

Foreign Study Advising   Both foreign languages and international studies are especially strong academic programs in the College. Many opportunities exist, some of them unique to this University, for studying abroad. About ten percent of the students graduating from the College offer some credit from study abroad toward their degrees. Plans for foreign study should be made well in advance, normally during the first semester of the second year. Students contemplating foreign study should consult an advisor in the Office of International Studies in Minor Hall. A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5 is required to receive credits from studying abroad.

Incomplete

The grade of "IN" becomes an "F" after the end of the examination period unless an extension of time has been recommended by the course instructor and approved (special form) by the Association Dean. An approved grade of "IN'" will not convert to "F" until four weeks after the end of the examination period. The Faculty has adopted a policy that students, unless authorized by the Office of the Dean, must complete all course work before taking the final examination. Instructors are not authorized to extend the time for completion of course work without the Dean's approval. Forms for securing extensions are available in Garrett Hall.

Absence Regulations

Regular attendance in classes is a vital part of the educational process. At the University of Virginia each student is expected to accept the responsibility of attending classes regularly and promptly. Instructors are encouraged to state their policy on attendance to their classes; they may refer to the Dean any student whose attendance record they consider unsatisfactory.

The Dean of the College has assured the Faculty that he or she will follow their request to confer with students who are absent from classes too often and, when necessary, impose academic discipline upon these students, either when recommended by instructors or deemed necessary by his or her office. Absences traditionally excused are those that occur because of hospitalization, serious illness, death in a student's family, important religious holidays, or authorized University activities (field trips, University-sponsored athletic events, or the like). The instructor is not obligated to allow students to make up missed work; it is the instructor's decision, not the Dean's, whether students can be allowed such a privilege. Neither the department of Student Health nor the Dean's Office issues excuses for class absence or for missed quizzes. Only when students are unable to contact instructors themselves (e.g., debilitating illness, leaving town suddenly for family emergencies, protracted absences) do the Association Deans send notification to instructors; otherwise it is the student's responsibility to consult directly with the instructor regarding absence from class. Excuses for absences from final examinations must come only from the Office of the Dean.

Accommodation

The College of Arts and Sciences provides appropriate accommodation and modification of degree requirements for students with learning disabilities established prior to matriculation upon presentation of diagnostic data comparable to those supplied by the University's Learning Needs and Evaluation Center.

The Echols Scholars

About 150 academically talented entering students are invited to join the Echols Scholars Program at the time of their admission to the University. The Program combines a stimulating residential environment for first-year students with special academic advising and enhanced freedom from course requirements during all four years. Echols Scholars are exempt from the foreign language, second writing, area, and major requirements, but they must complete 120 credits with a grade point average of 2.0. In addition, they are not exempt from policies concerning courses taken outside of the College. Assistant Dean Charles Vandersee is the director of the Echols Scholars Program.

Repeated Courses

Two essentially different courses offered under the same course number may both be counted for degree credit upon the written recommendation of the director of undergraduate studies in the department concerned. Two essentially identical courses, whether under the same course number or not, may not both be counted for degree credit. If a course is passed and repeated, only the first grade received will enter in the computation of grade-point average, and count toward the 120 credits required for graduation, although the repeated course and grade will appear on the student's transcript. If a course is failed and then repeated, both courses and grades appear on the transcript and are computed in the GPA. In the case of transfer credit, if a course taken elsewhere and transferred to the University is repeated and passed at the University, only the credit awarded for the transferred course will count toward the 120 credits required for graduation. The course repeated at the University will appear on the student's transcript, but neither will the grade enter in computation for the grade-point average nor will the credits count toward the 120 required for graduation. In regard to AP courses repeated at the University, the AP credits will be disallowed. Such courses taken here will be posted with these credits counting toward graduation and the grades included in the computation of the GPA.

Discontinuation of a Course

See Changes in Class Schedules (Add/Drop/Withdrawal in Chapter 5). Students who enroll in a course, decide to discontinue that course, and fail to revise their list of current courses by calling ISIS within the well publicized deadlines become subject, after one written notice, to penalities determined by the dean.

Degree Applications

To receive a degree students must comply with the well publicized procedures administered by the College Registrar, whose office is in Garrett Hall 102.

In general the deadlines for graduation in May fall in November. For graduation in August the deadlines are in April, and for graduation in January the deadlines are in September. Students who miss a deadline may apply for the subsequent graduation and must register for the semester in which it occurs.

Graduate Opportunities and Fellowships

Information about Rhodes and Marshall Scholarships, Mellon Fellowships, and a variety of other valuable post-graduate opportunities may be obtained from Assistant Dean William Wilson, Garrett Hall. Each department also keeps announcements of more specialized graduate opportunities. These should be investigated early in the student's fourth year, at the latest.

Independent Study

Students who wish to do independent study but not under the auspices of a specific department may enroll in Independent Study (INST) 393, 394. Permission to do independent study must be granted in advance by the Assistant Dean for Special Scholars after he or she receives a written proposal endorsed by a faculty member who has agreed to direct the project.

Special Students

Written requests for admission as a special student should be addressed to the Associate Dean for Academic Programs, Garrett Hall, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, and should be submitted by August 1 for admission for the fall semester. New special students are not accepted for the spring semester.

Admission as a special student does not imply or guarantee admission to a degree program in an undergraduate or graduate school of the University. Admission to undergraduate schools may be offered only by the Dean of Undergraduate Admission. Admission to graduate programs may be made only by Deans of Graduate Admission of each of the individual graduate schools. (Special Students in the Division of Continuing Education refer to Chapter 12.)

Division of Continuing Education

College students may take up to two courses each semester in the School of Continuing Education. Credit-bearing laboratories or discussions are not counted as separate courses. A total of 16 credits may be applied toward the B.A. from the College. Students who enroll in coursework at a Continuing Education regional center other than Charlottesville must submit to the College Registrar (Garrett Hall 101) a transfer of credit form to ensure that their grade points and credits are accurate.

Academic Standing

Good Standing   (For students entering in Fall l985 and thereafter. Students who entered before Fall 1985 should consult the Dean's Office for information concerning good standing.) Students are considered to be in good standing at the end of a semester if, in that semester, they have completed at least 12 credits of course work with at least a 1.80 semester average and have no more than one grade below C-. In order to enroll in a fifth semester, students are required to have passed at least 54 credits; and at least 84 credits to enroll in a seventh semester. Students who fall behind in the number of credits required will be obliged to make up their work in the summer session. To remain in Good Standing by the end of the fourth semester, students must be in a major or have received permission from the Dean's Office to defer the declaration for one semester.

Warning   Students who fail to remain in Good Standing will be placed on Academic Warning with a notation of the specific shortcoming(s) placed on their transcripts. Students on Warning are expected to meet with their Association Dean no later than the ADD period of the ensuing semester. They are strongly urged to devote more time to their academic work and are referred to academic support service. Students on Academic Warning who withdraw or take a leave of absence are eligible to return upon application, but do so on Academic Warning and are subject to suspension if they do not attain good standing.

Suspension  Students will be subject to suspension after two consecutive semesters on Warning. Students who fail to earn at least nine grade points in a semester are also subject to suspension. One full fall term and one full spring term must elapse before they may return to the College. Applications for readmission will be considered upon the presentation of evidence that the difficulties which led to suspension in the first place have been overcome. See Readmission, Chapter 5.

Appeals from Students in the College

Adds, Drops, and Course Enrollment Deadlines   Students appealing penalties attached to missed deadlines must see their Association Deans. Further appeals go to the Associate Dean for Academic Programs, Garrett Hall 203.

Grading and Classroom Issues   Students who desire to appeal a grade attempt first to resolve the issue with the instructor of the course. Absent a satisfactory outcome, the student consults with the faculty co-ordinator of the course, if appropriate, the Director of Undergraduate Studies and then the Chair of the Department. After this path has proven unsuccessful in the resolution of the matter, the student writes to the Associate Dean of the College for Academic Programs (Garrett Hall 203). The final level of appeal is to the Dean of the College.

College Policies and Rules   Students whose petitions for relief from College rules have been denied by the Association Deans may appeal to the Committee on Faculty Rules (c/o Associate Dean for Academic Programs, Garrett Hall 203). The Committee consists of faculty members who are not Association Deans. If the negative decision is upheld by the Committee on Faculty Rules, the student's route of appeal is to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (Steven Plog, Garrett Hall 203). The final level of appeal is to the Dean of the College. The Associate Dean for Academic Programs, who is in the line of appeals, does not vote in the periodic meetings held by the Association Deans to address the academic standing of students in the College.