Academic Standing, Continuance and Graduation Policy
– May 16, 2013
Page 1 of 6
ACADEMIC STANDING, CONTINUANCE AND
GRADUATION POLICY
Policy Type:
Academic
Initially
Approved:
October 1, 1985
Policy
Sponsor:
Provost and Vice-
President,
Academic
Last
Revised:
May 16, 2013
Primary
Contact:
Registrar & AVP
Enrollment
Management
Review
Scheduled:
April 2018
Approver:
General Faculties Council
A.
SCOPE
The policies outlined below apply to all current Mount Royal students and relate to students'
eligibility to register in credit courses within a Mount Royal program, their eligibility to continue in
their program, and their eligibility to graduate from a program.
B.
POLICY STATEMENT
1.
PRINCIPLES
1.1
Mount Royal is committed to maintaining high academic standards, promoting
student success, and endeavouring to support students who have difficulty
meeting academic requirements.
1.2
In the event a student is unable to meet academic requirements, Mount Royal will
make all reasonable attempts to ensure that they are aware of potential
consequences and that information about available support services is available.
1.3
The responsibility for being familiar with and fulfilling program requirements rests
with the student.
1.4
Mount Royal commits to a fair and transparent process in determining academic
standing.
2.
ACADEMIC STANDING
The following sections describe the stages, conditions, and consequences for students
who do not meet the criteria of Good Standing.
2.1
Academic Warning
a.
A student will be placed on academic warning when they have:
i.
A minimum of nine (9) earned Credits; and
ii.
A Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) less than 2.00.
Academic Standing, Continuance and Graduation Policy
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b.
A student can remain on academic warning for two semesters within a
twelve-month period without consequence.
c.
After a student has remained two semesters on academic warning, one
of the following actions will be taken:
i.
When a student's Cumulative GPA exceeds 2.00, their academic
standing will revert to Good Standing; or
ii.
If a student demonstrates Significant Improvement in the most
recent semester with registration activity their academic standing
will remain at academic warning.
iii.
If a student fails to demonstrate significant improvement in the
most recent semester with registration activity their academic
standing will progress to academic probation.
2.2
Academic Probation
a.
A student will be placed on academic probation when they have
previously been on academic warning for a minimum of two (2)
semesters and continues to have a Cumulative GPA less than 2.00.
b.
A student can remain on academic probation for one semester within a
twelve-month period without consequence.
c.
After a student has remained one semester on academic probation, one
of the following actions will be taken:
i.
When a student's Cumulative GPA exceeds 2.00, their academic
standing will revert to Good Standing; or
ii.
If a student demonstrates Significant Improvement in the most
recent semester with registration activity their academic standing
will remain at academic probation.
iii.
If a student fails to demonstrate significant improvement in the
most recent semester with registration activity their academic
standing will progress to require to withdraw.
2.3
Required to Withdraw
a.
A student is required to withdraw from the institution for a minimum of
twelve months when:
i.
They have previously been on academic probation for a
minimum of one (1) semester; and
ii.
Continues to have a Cumulative GPA less than 2.00; and
iii.
Fails to demonstrate Significant Improvement in the most recent
semester with registration activity.
b.
A minimum of twelve (12) months must have elapsed before a student
can apply for readmission. A student is permitted to register for non-
credit classes during this period of absence.
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c.
Students who have been required to withdraw will not be eligible to
receive a Letter of Permission to take courses at another institution.
3.
CONTINUANCE IN A PROGRAM
3.1
A student who remains in Good Standing is eligible to continue in their program
of studies.
3.2
If a student has been removed from a program, they are eligible for readmission
to the same program according to the academic criteria in place at the time of
reapplication.
3.3
Limitations on Eligibility to Continue in a Program
a.
General Faculties Council must approve the criteria that permit a
department to remove a student from a program, academic standing
and/or eligibility to graduate notwithstanding.
b.
General Faculties Council must approve the criteria that make a student
ineligible to return to a program, academic admissibility notwithstanding.
c.
General Faculties Council must approve the designation of a specific
course or courses a department deems critical for continuance in a
program.
d.
A student cannot continue in a program if all graduation requirements for
that program have not been completed within eight (8) years of
admission into the program (baccalaureate/applied degree) or six (6)
years (diploma/certificate).
4.
ELIGIBILITY TO GRADUATE
4.1
Eligibility to graduate from a Mount Royal program requires that a student:
a.
Has been officially admitted into the program; and
b.
Has completed at least 25% of the graduation requirements as a student
within the program; and
c.
Has met all residency requirements; and
d.
Satisfies all program requirements specified in the curriculum at the time
of admission to the program or the current program; and
e.
Meets the requirements for Good Standing at the time the application to
graduate is evaluated.
f.
Exceptions to any of these conditions must be approved, in writing, by
the Dean of the program from which the student is applying to graduate.
4.2
A student may also be eligible to graduate when their Cumulative GPA is below
2.00 if both of the following conditions apply:
a.
The Program GPA is above 2.00; and
Academic Standing, Continuance and Graduation Policy
– May 16, 2013
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b.
The student has demonstrated Significant Improvement in all semesters
after admission or readmission into a program.
4.3
A department can set a minimum GPA requirement for graduation that exceeds
the institutional norm (i.e., 2.00) upon approval of General Faculties Council.
4.4
Applied Degree Programs With a Diploma Exit Option
In Applied Degree programs with a diploma exit option, students must meet the
requirements for this option and declare their intention to graduate (without exit
from the program) prior to the relevant deadline indicated in the Academic
Schedule in the Mount Royal Calendar.
5.
RESIDENCY
5.1
Academic Residency Requirements
a.
Normally, 50% of the academic work completed toward the award of a
Mount Royal parchment must be completed by Mount Royal.
b.
At least 50% of the Directed Field Study requirement for an applied
degree must normally be completed as a student of Mount Royal.
5.2
Internal Transfer and Advanced Standing
a.
Students may apply a maximum of seventy-five percent (75%) of the
credits obtained under one Mount Royal credential towards the
graduation requirements of another credential at Mount Royal.
b.
The Dean of the Faculty from which a student wishes to graduate has
the authority to grant an exception to the limit on internal transfer.
c.
Normally, credits earned through an experiential learning course can
only receive transfer credit toward a similar type of course in a new
program.
d.
Regardless of the total number of credits earned through an experiential
learning course, a maximum of three (3) credits will be awarded transfer
credit for a non-experiential (i.e., academic) requirement.
6.
APPEALING A REQUIREMENT TO WITHDRAW
6.1
The only permissible grounds for appealing a requirement to withdraw will be as
follows:
a.
Medical reasons verified in writing by a physician. Documentation must
establish a clear and substantive link to their academic standing over the
period of time the credits were earned; or
b.
Severe emotional distress verified in writing by a certified mental health
professional. Documentation must establish a clear and substantive link
to their academic standing over the period of time the credits were
earned.
6.2
The Office of the Registrar is responsible for setting the administrative procedure
for appealing a requirement to withdraw decision. This procedure will include,
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but is not restricted to, specific application and response timelines, clear
requirements for "sufficient documentation," communication documents, and
requisite forms.
7.
POSTHUMOUS AWARDING OF CREDENTIALS
7.1
To be considered eligible for a posthumous credential, a student must:
a.
have completed approximately eighty percent (80%) of their program;
and
b.
be in Good Standing.
7.2
Normally, the student record must also show registration activity within the
previous twelve months.
7.3
The Office of the Registrar will advise the Dean for the student's program
whether or not the student meets the criterial stated above.
7.4
The Dean for the student's program (or designate) is responsible for contacting
the student's next of kin to determine what actions, if any, they wish to take.
7.5
In the absence of the next of kin's explicit consent, no action will be taken beyond
routine administrative record keeping.
7.6
A notation will appear on the academic transcript but not on the parchment (if
awarded).
C.
DEFINITIONS
(1)
Attempted
Credits:
include all courses with a standard letter grade as well as those with
administrative decisions (e.g., withdrawal, in progress, etc.) attached
to them
(2)
Credits:
are awarded when a student receives a standard letter grade for a
course (i.e., ‘A+’ through ‘F’). The numerical values assigned to the
standard letter grade form the basis of a Grade Point Average
calculation.
(3)
Good
Standing:
Normally, a student is considered to be in Good Standing when they
have: accumulated a minimum of nine (9) earned credits, and a
minimum cumulative Grade Point Average of 2.00.
(4)
Grade Point
Average (GPA)
is the standard measure of academic performance that uses an
arithmetical calculation based on the numerical value assigned to a
letter grade and number of earned credits.
Cumulative GPA is based on all courses a student has taken at
Mount Royal without any time restriction.
Semester GPA is based on the courses a student has taken at Mount
Royal in a given semester.
Program GPA is based on Mount Royal courses within the current
program that are specified as requirements at the time of admission
Academic Standing, Continuance and Graduation Policy
– May 16, 2013
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to a program.
(5)
Policy:
means the Academic Standing, Continuance and Graduation Policy
(6)
Significant
Improvement:
In the context of this Policy, means that a student has a semester
GPA of 2.20 or better based on all course grades in the semester
(minimum of two, three-credit courses).
(7)
University:
means Mount Royal University
D.
REVISION HISTORY
Date
(mm/dd/yyyy)
Description of
Change
Sections
Person who
Entered Revision
(Position Title)
Person who
Authorized
Revision
(Position Title)
10/01/1985
03/16/2013
Major Revisions
08/11/2017
Editorial
–
formatting, name
changes, gender
neutral language
Director, University
Secretariat
01/23/2020
Editorial
Template Update
Policy Specialist
University Secretary
02/11/2021
Editorial
Title Updates
University Secretary
University Secretary