2. Academic Progress

This module provides information concerning undergraduate student academic progress. Every university requires students to maintain a certain semester and/or cumulative grade point average (GPA) to be in “good academic standing.’   The terminology and requirements for students who fall below or perform above this standard vary from university to university, so it is important to become familiar with UAF’s academic standing requirements since they may differ from other institutions. Academic  advisors  will learn how to identify students who are not in good academic standing and the resources available to assist them.   In addition, academic advisors will also be able  to identify students who are eligible for academic honors and discover ways to enhance the academic experience of these high achieving students.

Academic Standards

Good Standing = cumulative and most recent semester gpa is 2.0 or higher.

Academic Honors Dean’s List = semester gpa of 3.5 — 3.89 (excluding summer) and must be a full-time student with at least 12 UAF, UAA, or UAS credits of letter grades.

Academic Honors Chancellor’s List = semester gpa of 3.9 — 4.0 (excluding summer) and must be a full-time student with at least 12 UAF, UAA, or UAS credits of letter grades.

Students in non-degree status are not eligible for academic honors.

 Probation = cumulative and/or semester gpa of less than 2.0 (including summer).   Once on probation, the student is limited to enrolling in 13 credits maximum for the semester.

Academic Disqualification = cumulative and semester gpa below 2.0 for two consecutive semesters (excluding summer). The student is removed from their degree program and placed into non-degree disqualified (NODQ) status. The student is limited to enrolling in 10 credits maximum for the semester.

UAF Grading System

UAF grades used to calculate the grade point average (gpa) range from A+ to F. Consult the UAF Catalog for a comprehensive list of all grading options and how to compute the gpa. Each grade is associated with grade points per credit:

Grade/Grade Points Grade/GradePoints Grade/GradePoints
A+   4.0* A   4.0 A-   3.7
B+   3.3 B   3.0 B-   2.7
C+   2.3 C   2.0 C-   2.7**
D+   1.3 D   1.0 D-   0.7***
F   0.0****

*   an A+ has the same grade points as an “A’ grade, but will show up as an A+ on the student’s transcript

**   this is the minimum grade for baccalaureate Core, major, minor, or degree requirements (i.e., BA, BS, AAS); or as a prerequisite for another course

***   this is the minimum “passing grade’ to earn credit for a course, but will not meet major, baccalaureate Core, or prerequisite minimums

****  the grade points are calculated in the student’s gpa, but no credit is given for the course

Students who retake a course will have both courses show up on the transcript, but only the latest grade will be included for gpa calculation (whether a higher grade or lower grade) and credits for the course may only be earned once. The included grade will have an “I’ listed to the right side of the repeated grade on the transcript. The excluded grade will have an “E’ listed on the right side of the original grade on the transcript. However, all included and excluded grades are calculated for academic honors.

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Students do not receive grade points, but do receive credit for the following grades:

P   (Pass) equivalent of C- work or better and must be used for the entire class. If the student does not meet the Pass requirement, a grade of F will be given.

CR (Credit) equivalent of C- work or better for elective courses only. If the student does not meet the Credit requirement, the course will not be recorded on the transcript.

Transfer credits from University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA), University of Alaska Southeast (UAS), or outside the University of Alaska (UA) system; credit by exam; credit for prior learning; advanced placement (AP) credit; and CLEP credit appear on the student’s transcript, but no grade is given or calculated.

Students do not receive grade points or credit for the following grades:

AU   (Audit) enrolled in a course for information purposes only. If the student does not complete the course a W will be posted on the transcript.

DF   (Deferred) used for courses that require more than one semester to complete

I (incomplete) temporary grade wherein the student has performed at a C- level or higher but could not complete the course due to circumstances beyond the student’s control that occur during the last three weeks of the semester. The instructor must set a deadline up to one year maximum for the student to complete the grade and outline what coursework must be completed by the student by the deadline. If the student completes the course by the deadline the instructor changes the grade to a letter grade. If the student does not complete the course, the grade will change to an F.

NB   (No Basis) grade is used when there is not enough information for the instructor to evaluate student progress or attendance primarily for compressed classes that run for a few days only. This is a permanent grade that cannot be changed.

NS (Not Submitted) grade is a temporary grade to indicate the instructor has not submitted a grade for the student on UAOnline.

NG (Non-Graded) grade is for lab sections or continuing education credits that are not graded.

W (Wthdrawn) grade is given when a student or instructor withdraws the student from the course after the first two weeks of the semester.

Study Load

Full-Time = 12+ credits per semester

Half-Time = 6 credits per semester

Part-Time – <12 credits per semester

Maximum Number of Credits per semester = 18

Overload approval of more than 18 credits requires a 3.0 cumulative gpa or higher and approval from the student’s academic advisor on the Add/Drop Form. The academic advisor must specify the number of overload credits approved.

UAA and UAS course credits count towards study load. Audited and year-long correspondence courses do not count towards study load.

In order to Stay on Track and complete a certificate program in one year, an associate’s degree in two years, and a bachelor’s degree In four years, students need to complete at least 30 semester credits per year.

Class Standing

Class standing is based on the total number of credits earned by a student. Students in non-degree status do not have a class standing regardless of the student’s number of credits.

Class Standing Credits
Freshman 0 – 29
Sophomore 30 – 59
Junior 60 – 89
Senior 90+

 

 

Background Materials

Where Do You Go For Help?
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Handouts

See materials at: Module 2: Background Materials
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