Academic Standing

University Policies: Academic Standing

Decisions involving academic warning, probation, suspension, dismissal and readmission are made by each academic unit. These decisions are based on the university’s undergraduate grade point average (UGPA) and the program grade point average (PGPA). The unit notifies students after the end of each semester if their status changes. Notifications of such academic actions are officially made through the student's university email account.

Undergraduate students are in good standing when they have a cumulative UGPA of at least 2.00 and a cumulative PGPA greater than the program requirement. Each unit determines their own program requirements.

Academic Warning, Academic Probation, and Academic Suspension

After the first 12 degree-applicable semester hours at the University, students who have either a cumulative UGPA below 2.00, or a cumulative PGPA below the program requirement, will be placed on academic warning. Such students will be notified and strongly encouraged to seek assistance from their advising center.

In any semester subsequent to an academic warning, students whose cumulative UGPA falls below 2.00, or cumulative PGPA falls below the program requirement, will be placed on academic probation for the next semester of enrollment. Academic probation is considered a serious warning that students are making unsatisfactory progress toward completion of the academic requirements for a particular degree program. Students on academic probation may be ineligible to hold office in campus organizations, to go out on co-op, internship, or clinical assignments, or to represent the school or the University in any official capacity.

Students on academic probation shall be removed from that standing at the end of the first subsequent semester in which they achieve a cumulative UGPA of at least 2.00 and a cumulative PGPA greater than the program requirement. Such students will return to good standing. Students on academic probation shall be placed on academic suspension at the end of the first subsequent semester in which their semester UGPA falls below 2.00, or semester PGPA falls below the program requirement.

Students on academic suspension are not permitted to enroll for at least one program semester and must withdraw from any courses for the semester in which the suspension is applied. During this period, individuals should seriously reexamine their previous accomplishments in terms of their chosen career objectives and seek help to improve their academic performance.

Readmission/Reinstatement

After one semester, students who believe that a reasonable opportunity for future successful performance exists may petition the unit’s committee for re-admittance. The petition must be received no later than published deadline in their unit. Students who are granted reinstatement will be readmitted on academic probation. Readmission of suspended students is not guaranteed.

Students will not be reinstated more than twice; the third suspension is an academic dismissal. Students academically dismissed can only return through special permission from the enrollment unit.

Students who are suspended or dismissed are eligible to apply for admission to another unit and may be admitted if they meet minimum unit admission standards. Students admitted to another unit may not enroll in any courses in the unit from which they were dismissed, with the exception of courses needed to complete general education or other degree requirements offered only by the unit from which they were dismissed.

Unit-Specific Policies

On This Page

College of Arts and Sciences
College of Business
College of Education and Human Development
Kent School of Social Work and Family Science
School of Music
School of Nursing
Speed School of Engineering

In addition to the university-wide policies regarding Academic Standing, students may be subject to the unit-specific requirements listed below.

College of Arts and Sciences

Warning, Probation, Suspension, and Readmission
Students on Academic Warning are limited to enrollment for 13 credit hours in a fall or spring semester and 10 credit hours for the summer terms.

The enrollment of students on Academic Probation will continue to be limited to a maximum of 13 semester hours in a fall or spring semester and 10 credit hours for the summer terms. Students on probation also may be subject to specified course registration requirements, or other actions deemed appropriate by the College. Students who are admitted to the College conditionally who have a grade point average below 2.0 at the end of their first semester of enrollment at the University of Louisville will be placed on Academic Probation.

Students on Academic Suspension and will be required to sit out at least one semester: students suspended after a fall semester must sit out the following spring semester; students suspended after a spring semester must sit out the following summer and fall semesters; and students suspended after a summer semester must sit out the following fall semester. Students must sit out at least one calendar year after any subsequent suspension.

College of Business

Warning, Probation, Suspension, Dismissal, and Readmission

College of Business students on academic warning or probation are subject to load limitations (see the Course Load section of this catalog) or other actions deemed appropriate by the COB. The records of students on Academic Probation will be evaluated at the end of the probationary semester with one of the following outcomes:

Students whose GPA for the probationary semester is 2.5 or above, but whose University GPA remains below 2.0 will be retained on Probation.
Students whose University GPA is still below 2.0 and who earned a semester grade point average below 2.5 will be placed on Academic Suspension and will be suspended from the COB. Suspended students are withdrawn from all 300- and 400-level COB courses.
Readmission of suspended students into the COB is not guaranteed.

For readmission, students must submit a written petition addressed to the College of Business Undergraduate Studies Committee and an academic plan form.

College of Education and Human Development

Academic Warning, Probation, Suspension, Dismissal and Readmission

CEHD students on Academic Warning may enroll in no more than 14 hours in a semester (10 hours during the summer).

CEHD students on Academic Probation will continue to be limited to enroll in no more than 14 semester hours in a semester (10 hours during the summer). Students on Academic Probation must earn a 2.5 grade point average in the academic probation semester to continue on Academic Probation.

Students on Academic Probation whose cumulative grade point average is below 2.25 and who earn a semester grade point average below 2.5 will be placed on Academic Suspension and will be required to sit out from the CEHD at least one semester. The student may apply to another unit. Students suspended after a spring semester must sit out the following summer and fall semesters.

Students who are suspended the third time from the College of Education and Human Development are academically dismissed. A student who has been dismissed from the College of Education and Human Development may apply for readmission after one full year.

Readmission of suspended or dismissed students is not guaranteed. Conditions of readmission will be up to the discretion of the College of Education Standards and Admissions Committee.

Kent School of Social Work and Family Science

Lower Division: A cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above is required to remain in Good Standing. If a student’s cumulative GPA falls below 2.5, then the student will be given a warning and will be required to meet with the BSW Advising Team for planning and oversight. If in the following semester the student’s cumulative GPA remains less than a 2.5, the student will be placed on probation and an academic review will be required. A cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above in the following semester will be required to return to Good Standing.

Students will be placed on suspension following probation if the cumulative GPA remains below 2.5. Students must sit out at least one semester excluding summer when suspended. The student may apply to another unit. Students will not be reinstated more than twice; the third suspension is an academic dismissal. Students academically dismissed can only return through special permission from the enrollment unit.

Upper Division: If a student gets a failing grade in an upper division social work foundation/core course they will need to meet with their BSW Advisor. A failing grade in an upper division social work foundation/core course will result in an academic review. Students may also be referred for an academic review if they are in jeopardy of dismissal from the program for any other reason (e.g., professional performance).

A cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above is required to remain in Good Standing. If a student's cumulative GPA falls below 2.5, then the student will be given a warning and will be required to meet with the BSW Advising Team for planning and oversight. If in the following semester the student's cumulative GPA remains less than a 2.5, the student will be placed on probation. A cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above in the following semester will be required to return to Good Standing.

Students will be placed on suspension following probation if cumulative GPA remains below 2.5 for three consecutive semesters. Students must sit out at least one semester excluding summer when suspended. Students may apply to another unit. Students will not be reinstated more than twice; the third suspension is an academic dismissal. Students academically dismissed can only return through special permission from the enrollment unit.

Academic and Professional Standards Review Committee is intended to ensure that the context surrounding the incidents that lead to the academic review are well understood before any recommendations are made.

The BSW Program will notify students at the end of each semester if academic reviews are needed. Any faculty person may recommend a review for any students who appear to have engaged in inappropriate conduct in violation of the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics, or the Code of Students Rights and Responsibilities.

School of Music

The School of Music follows university-wide policies, except that students are in good standing when they have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5.

Undergraduate students on Academic Probation are:

limited to fourteen (14) semester hours,
may have specified course registration requirements, and
may require intrusive advising interventions as deemed appropriate by their enrollment unit.

A student on probation whose cumulative grade point average is still below 2.5 and who earned a semester grade point average below 2.5 may petition for continuation of probation. The petition describing the student's plan of action to return to good standing must be submitted to the Associate Dean of the School of Music.

Students who are conditionally admitted enter the university on Academic Warning and are limited during their first semester to a fourteen-hour credit load. Their admission letter will indicate whether they have one or two semesters to achieve academic good standing. A one-semester conditional period will require students to achieve no less than a 2.5 cumulative GPA by the end of the first semester, or they will be suspended from the School of Music. A two-semester conditional period will require students to achieve no less than a 2.5 cumulative GPA at the end of the first semester, or they will be placed on Academic Probation. If they do not achieve academic good standing by the end of the first year (i.e., end of the second semester) they will be suspended from the School of Music.

School of Nursing

Lower Division Progression
For Lower Division Traditional BSN program students, the School of Nursing follows university-wide policies, except that students are in good standing when they have a minimum university cumulative grade point average of 2.8.

Pathophysiology and Pharmacology
Students in the Traditional BSN Program must satisfactorily complete NURS 338 Lifespan Pathophysiology and NURS 395 Nursing Pharmacotherapeutics with a grade of C or better in order to progress to the upper division clinical cohort. If students do not satisfactorily complete both NURS 338 and NURS 395 they must retake them to be eligible to reapply to upper division to compete for an upper division clinical space.

Failure to satisfactorily complete both courses results in dismissal from the program.

Students enrolled in the Traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing program must earn a grade of "C" or above in the courses (or their equivalents) listed below. These courses may be repeated one time. Students who do not pass the course on a second attempt will be dismissed from the nursing program.

Course List
Code	Title	Hours
ENGL 101	Introduction to College Writing - WC	3
ENGL 102	Intermediate College Writing - WC	3
BIOL 257	Introduction to Microbiology - S	3
BIOL 258	Introduction to Microbiology Laboratory - SL	1
BIOL 260	Human Anatomy & Physiology I	3
BIOL 261	Human Anatomy & Physiology II	3
BIOL 262	Human Anatomy & Physiology Lab	1
CHEM 105	Chemistry for Health Professionals - S	4
HSS 303	Human Nutrition	3
MATH 111	College Algebra - QR	3
NURS 338	Lifespan Pathophysiology	4
NURS 395	Nursing Pharmacotherapeutics	3

Upper Division Progression

RN-BSN students must maintain a minimum cumulative university GPA of 2.0.

Good standing in the Upper Division for the pre-licensure BSN program is a minimum cumulative U of L GPA 2.0 and minimum undergraduate cumulative GPA of 2.5.

Students admitted to the Upper Division of Nursing must earn a “C” or above in all nursing courses.

Students who earn less than a “C” in a nursing course are allowed to repeat the course up to one time before being placed on academic probation.

A student who wishes to repeat a nursing course should submit a Space Available form to the Office of Student Services, School of Nursing for approval. Once permission is granted, the student will be allowed to repeat the course on a space available basis.

A student will be placed on probation if they earn 2 nursing failures in nursing courses numbered 300 or above. This includes either of the following:

The student earns a grade below a C in any two nursing courses numbered 300 or above.
The student earns a grade below a C in a nursing course numbered 300 or above and earns below a C upon repeating the course.

Students who earn a grade below “C” in two nursing courses numbered 300 or above, or a second attempt at a nursing course will be placed on academic probation. The student will be required to complete a student success course.

Successful completion of the student success course with a grade of “C” or higher is required for students on probation prior to progressing to the next semester course sequencing.

Students may not enroll in the course in which they earned the second nursing failure unless one of the following criteria has been met:

The student successfully completes the student success course with a passing grade of “C” or higher.
The student is concurrently enrolled in the student success course.
1. Successful completion of the student success course with a passing grade of “C” or higher is required for students on probation prior to progress to the next semester course sequencing. Probationary status will be removed once students successfully complete the repeated nursing course and the student success course. Students may not progress to subsequent semester sequencing until the probation is removed.

If a student does not pass the student success course with a grade of “C” or higher, the student will incur a nursing failure for the student success course. If a student has a third nursing failure while on probation or after being on probationary status, the student will be subject to program dismissal. Prior to dismissal, the student will be directed to submit a petition to the School of Nursing BSN Academic Affairs Committee for review. The petition process will provide the student the opportunity to state their rationale for nursing failures prior to dismissal from the program.

If the petition is approved, the student will be permitted to repeat the course in which the third failure was accrued.
1. The student will be returned to probationary status and the policies for the student success course from above will once again apply
If the petition is denied, the committee will recommend program dismissal.

If dismissed from the program, the student has the right to file a petition to be reinstated into the program. If the petition is denied, dismissal from the program is permanent. Students who are dismissed by the School of Nursing are eligible to apply for admission to another unit and may be admitted if they meet minimum admission standards of that unit. Students who apply for admission to another unit may not enroll in any courses in the School of Nursing.

Speed School of Engineering

A program GPA is calculated by including only those courses used to satisfy degree requirements. Courses for which transfer credit has been awarded are not included in either GPA calculation.

Students have the responsibility to know their current status. The University routinely notifies students when their status changes, but such notification may not be possible before the beginning of the semester.

Good Standing

The Speed School of Engineering follows university-wide policies, except that students are in good standing when they have a minimum cumulative university GPA and PGPA of 2.25.

Academic Warning

Students on Academic Warning are limited to enrollment for 13 credit hours (7 credit hours during the Speed School summer term). A student placed on Academic Warning will have the following semester to raise the cumulative university GPA to at least 2.25. If that does not occur, the student will then be placed on Academic Probation.

Academic Probation

In any semester subsequent to that described in Academic Warning above, an undergraduate student who has less than a 2.25 cumulative university GPA will be placed on Academic Probation for the next semester in which the student enrolls. Students on Academic Probation are notified that their achievement is below expectations and are subject to course and/or credit hour limitations. During a semester on Academic Probation, no student may enroll in more than 13 credit hours (7 credit hours during the Speed School summer term). Students on Academic Probation will have their records evaluated at the end of the probationary semester with one of the following outcomes:

Students whose cumulative university GPA and semester GPA are both at or above 2.25 will be restored to good standing in the Speed School.
Students whose cumulative university GPA is still below 2.25 but who earned a semester GPA of at least 2.5 will be maintained on probation.
Students whose cumulative university GPA is still below 2.25, and who earned a semester GPA at or above 2.25 but below 2.5, may petition for continuation on probation. The petition describing the student’s plan of action to return to good standing must be submitted to the school’s Standards and Admissions Committee. Students who do not submit a petition will be placed on Academic Suspension.
Students whose cumulative university GPA and semester GPA are both below 2.25 will be placed on Academic Suspension and will be required to sit out at least one semester.