Progress toward Undergraduate Degree

Progress Toward Undergraduate Degree

REG 02.05.3

Academic Policies and Regulations
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Authority: Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor

History: First Issued: April 15, 2002.

Contact Info: Dean, Undergraduate Academic Programs (919-515-3037)

1. Introduction

This regulation applies to all NC State undergraduate degree-seeking students who entered either as first-time freshmen or transfers beginning Fall semester 2002. All NC State students admitted as undergraduate degree seeking students prior to this date are not affected by this regulation until Fall 2006. Beginning in Fall 2006 all NC State undergraduate students regardless of date of entry are subject to the regulation.

The objective of this regulation is to encourage timely matriculation into degree programs and reasonable progress toward graduation. Therefore, at the end of each Spring semester all degree-seeking students will be monitored for satisfactory progress toward undergraduate degree completion. Students who enroll for the first time during a Spring semester will not be reviewed until the end of the following Spring semester. [Unless specified otherwise the term semester in this regulation refers only to Fall and Spring semesters and does not include summer sessions]. The records of students not meeting minimum university requirements for satisfactory progress (see sections 1 - 4) will be flagged and notification will be sent to the student and to relevant academic college(s)/department(s), that a progress review resulting in a final determination of satisfactory or unsatisfactory academic progress must be made at the department level.

If it is determined in the progress review that a student has failed to make satisfactory progress toward undergraduate degree completion, the student will be placed on "Progress Warning" status for one semester (see section 5). Failure to reinstate satisfactory progress status during the semester on progress warning will result in loss of status as a degree-seeking student.

A student wishing to appeal sanctions imposed as a result of failure to meet satisfactory academic progress requirements must do so to the Academic Associate Dean in the student's college of enrollment.

2. University Level Requirements

Upon admission as a degree-seeking student, a NC State undergraduate student is expected to make satisfactory progress in a planned and deliberate way toward graduation. This expectation of satisfactory progress translates into the following University minimum requirements:

2.1. Development and registering of a Plan of Study that serves as a planning tool for completing degree requirements for the major(s) in which the student is matriculated, or in the case of the student enrolled in the First Year College (and other undeclared or undesignated programs), expects to matriculate, or transfer. The Plan of Study can include plans for tailoring the academic experience. Therefore, a student's intent to pursue multiple majors, minors, cooperative education, study abroad, and other specialized academic opportunities should be reflected in the registered Plan of Study.

2.2. Enrollment in course work consistent with the student's Plan of Study.

2.3. Continuous full-time enrollment (a minimum of 12 credit hours) during consecutive semesters (i.e., Fall, Spring) until graduation, and successful completion of at least 24 credit hours of NC State or transferable course work each academic year, unless otherwise justified by an approved Plan of Study.

2.4. Matriculation into a degree program by the beginning of classes in the first semester that the student has junior status (i.e. 60 credit hours earned - criteria established in Classification of Undergraduate Degree Students regulation).

3. College Level Requirements

3.1. Matriculation requirements and capacity for additional student enrollment for all academic programs are published prior to the fall semester advising period in the immediately preceding academic year. The Provost must approve all changes in requirements by the beginning of the fall semester at least one year prior to their implementation.

3.2. College level requirements for matriculation are hyperlinked to college titles below along with application deadlines and requirements for matriculation and intra-campus transfer

4. Pre Enrollment

4.1. Most students, including those enrolling in undesignated or undeclared programs within colleges, are pre-registered in English, mathematics and science courses based on established placement criteria. The published eight-semester curriculum outline for the major in which the student is matriculated or intends to matriculate serves as the initial Plan of Study when the student registers for courses during New Student Orientation.

4.2. In order to maintain maximum transferability into academic programs, students entering through the First Year College are pre-registered in the most rigorous English, mathematics, and science courses for which they meet placement criteria. The plan of study is developed in collaboration with the student's academic adviser and modified as the student makes decisions based on interests, educational goals, matriculation requirements, and availability/capacity of majors.

5. Requirements by Classification or Category

5.1. Freshman - (0-29 credit hours earned)

In order to meet the requirements for satisfactory progress toward degree completion, a full-time undergraduate degree-seeking student, classified as a freshman must

5.1.1. by the end of the first year of enrollment, have on file a registered Plan of Study that serves as a planning tool for completing degree requirements for the major(s) in which the student is matriculated or expects to matriculate, or transfer, and

5.1.2. successfully earn at least 24 credit hours of NC State or transferable course work that is included in the approved Plan of Study each academic year.

5.2. Sophomore - (30-59 credit hours earned)

In order to meet the requirements for satisfactory progress toward degree completion, a full-time undergraduate degree-seeking student, classified as a sophomore must:

5.2.1. maintain on file a registered Plan of Study that serves as a planning tool for completing degree requirements for the major(s) in which the student is matriculated or expects to matriculate, or transfer, and

5.2.2. successfully earn at least 24 credit hours of NC State or transferable course work that is included in the approved Plan of Study each academic year.

5.3. Junior - (60-91 credit hours earned)

In order to meet the requirements for satisfactory progress toward degree completion, a full-time undergraduate degree-seeking student, classified as a junior must

5.3.1. matriculate into degree-granting academic program(s), and

5.3.2. maintain on file a registered Plan of Study that serves as a planning tool for completing degree requirements for the major(s) in which the student is matriculated, and

5.3.3. successfully earn at least 24 credit hours of NC State or transferable course work that is included in the approved Plan of Study each academic year.

5.4. Senior - (92 or more credit hours earned)

In order to meet the requirements for satisfactory progress toward degree completion, a full-time undergraduate degree-seeking student, classified as a senior must

5.4.1. maintain enrollment in degree-granting academic program(s), and

5.4.2. maintain on file a registered Plan of Study that serves as a planning tool for completing degree requirements for the major in which the student is matriculated, and

5.4.3. successfully earn at least 24 credit hours of NC State or transferable course work that is included in the approved Plan of Study each academic year, unless fewer credit hours are required to complete all degree requirements.

5.5. Declared Part-time Student

In order to meet the requirements for satisfactory progress toward undergraduate degree completion, a declared part-time student must

5.5.1. have on file with the student's academic adviser and take courses based on a registered Plan of Study that indicates a clear intent to pursue completion of a degree at NC State as a part-time student, and

5.5.2. matriculate or transfer into a degree-granting program by the beginning of classes in the first semester the student is classified as a junior.

5.6. Students in Undeclared Programs - (Requirements same as above by student's classification).

5.7. Transfer Students

A transfer student must meet with an academic adviser and have in place a registered Plan of Study prior to the first day of classes during the student's initial semester of enrollment as a degree-seeking student at NC State. After that point, the rules for automatic satisfactory progress requirements are provided in sections 5.1 to 5.4.

6. Failure to Make Satisfactory Progress

The records of students not meeting minimum university requirements for satisfactory progress (see sections 1 - 4) will be flagged and notification will be sent to the student and to relevant academic college(s)/department(s), that a progress review resulting in a final determination of satisfactory or unsatisfactory academic progress must be made at the department/program level.

work with an adviser to develop and implement a specific plan of action that restores "satisfactory progress" status in the current major, or
matriculate or transfer into an alternative major that has capacity and for which the student meets matriculation or intra-campus transfer requirements.

Failure to return to satisfactory progress status by the beginning of the next semester will result in a change in the student's enrollment status as defined in section 7.1 below.

7. Enrollment Status Change

7.1. A student who fails to meet the requirements for satisfactory progress toward a degree after one semester on Progress Warning status will not be permitted to enroll further as an undergraduate degree-seeking student. Students removed from degree seeking status must, through the readmission process, apply for admission into a degree program that has capacity and for which the student meets the matriculation or intra-campus transfer requirements in effect at that time.

7.2. A student who wishes to continue to take course work after being removed from degree seeking status may do so through the NC State Lifelong Education program - [New category for enrollment will need to be established].

7.2.1. student taking courses under the newly created category for enrollment will be permitted to enroll in a maximum of two courses plus a Physical Education course in any semester or summer session until such time as the student qualifies for matriculation or intra-campus transfer into a major that has capacity to accept students and from which the student plans to graduate.

7.2.2. A student registered in the new category for enrollment will be a Lifelong Education student and subject to the same limitations as all other Lifelong Education students for purposes of registration priority, financial aid, on-campus housing, parking, eligibility for participation on inter-collegiate athletic teams, etc.

8. Exceptions

8.1. The following situations will result in a student's being exempted from the 24 credit hour per academic year requirement only in the year that they occur:

8.1.1. Receipt of a late or retroactive withdrawal for a semester.

8.1.2. Service as a military reservist called to active duty.

8.1.3. Other unanticipated leave of absence granted by the dean's office of the college in which the student is enrolled.

The other progress toward degree completion requirements will continue to apply unless specifically waived by the dean in the student's college of enrollment. All exceptions must be documented in the student's approved Plan of Study.

8.2. A student who drops below full-time status after the tenth day of scheduled classes in any semester is not exempted from the provisions of this regulation.

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