Academic Policies & Standards

Academic Year

The academic year consists of three semesters: fall, spring, and summer. Fall and spring semesters are each made up of 15 weeks of class work and one week for final exams. The summer semester is 14 weeks in length; most classes are offered in one of two seven-week blocks. The time in classes is adjusted to equal the class time of fall and spring semesters, but there is no final exam period during summer.

Course Administration

UVU reserves the right to cancel any course at any time. Reasons for course cancellations include, but are not limited to, low enrollment in the course, space unavailability, instructor change, loss of instructor, and/or program changes. Students enrolled in the course will be contacted as soon as possible by the appropriate school or college when the university decides to cancel a course.

Class Periods/Credits

All credit hours are computed in semester hours. Three hours of work per week are, on average, expected to earn one semester credit hour; however, one credit hour may include any of the following combinations of work:

  1. One hour of lecture, plus a minimum of two hours of personal work outside of class, regardless of delivery mode (One hour of lecture is considered to be 50 minutes per week) ;
  2. Three hours in a laboratory, internships, practica, studio work, or other academic work, regardless of delivery mode, with additional outside work in preparation and documentation;
  3. Any other combination appropriate to a particular course as determined by the academic department.

All transfer courses taken on a quarter system will be converted to semester hours using a three to two credit ratio. For example, a three credit hour course from a quarter calendar institution transfers to UVU as two semester credits.

Full-time Student Status

Graduate

UVU considers graduate students registered for 9 credits or more per semester or summer to be full-time graduate students. A 9 credit hour minimum load is generally accepted by sponsoring agencies for certifying full-time status.

Undergraduate

UVU considers students registered for 12 credits or more per semester or summer to be full-time students. A 12 credit hour minimum load is generally accepted by sponsoring agencies for certifying full-time status. Financial aid recipients receiving full benefits and students on scholarships are required to carry a minimum of 12 credits per semester.

For students attending only the fall and spring semesters, 15 to 18 credits per semester is generally required to complete associate degree programs within two academic years or bachelors degrees within four academic years, assuming all prerequisites are satisfied (See individual major requirements for exceptions).

Credit Hour Loads in Excess of 20

Students who enroll in 21 or more credit hours in a semester must have approval from the deans of the appropriate schools and/or colleges.

Year Classifications & Credit Hours

Freshman: 0-29 credit hours
Sophomore: 30-59 credit hours
Junior: 60-89 credit hours
Senior: 90 or more credit hours

Grading Policies

Grades are determined by instructors, based upon measures determined by the instructor and department and may include: evaluation of responses, written exercises and examinations, performance exercises and examinations, classroom/laboratory contributions, mastery of pertinent skills, etc. The letter grade “A” is an exceptional grade indicating superior achievement; “B” is a grade indicating commendable mastery; “C” indicates satisfactory mastery and is considered an average grade; “D” indicates substandard progress and insufficient evidence of ability to succeed in sequential courses; “E” (failing) indicates inadequate mastery of pertinent skills or repeated absences from class; “UW” indicates unofficial withdrawal from class.

The following table indicates each grade variant and the equivalent grade points for that variation.

Letter grades and corresponding point values.

One credit of Equals grade points
A 4.0
A- 3.7
B+ 3.4
B 3.0
B- 2.7
C+ 2.4
C 2.0
C- 1.7
D+ 1.4
D 1.0
D- 0.7
E 0.0
UW 0.0

The following grades are not computed in the GPA:

Letter grades not computed in the GPA.

Letter Grade Grade Description
W Official Withdrawal
I Incomplete
AU Audit
CR Credit Granted
NC No Credit Granted
CEU Noncredit—Continuing Education Unit
T In Progress (Temporary Status)

The GPA is determined by dividing the total grade points earned (credit hours times grade in points above) by the number of semester hours attempted.

Students may view final grades electronically on the myUVU system after the end of the semester. All financial obligations to the Institution and “holds” on academic records must be resolved before college transcripts are issued.

Incomplete (I) Grades

Students are required to complete all courses for which they are registered by the end of the semester. In some cases, a student may be unable to complete all of the course work because of extenuating circumstances. The term “extenuating circumstances” includes:

  1. incapacitating illness which prevents a student from attending classes (usually more than five consecutive class days);
  2. a death in the immediate family;
  3. change in work schedule as required by employer; or
  4. other emergencies deemed acceptable by the instructor.

If circumstances are deemed appropriate, the student may petition the instructor for time beyond the end of the semester to finish the work. If the instructor agrees, an “I” grade will be given. An Incomplete Grade Form indicating work completed and work to be completed must be signed by the student, instructor, and the department chairperson, and turned into the Registrar’s Office at the end of the semester.

“I” grades should not be requested nor given for lack of completion of work because of procrastination or dissatisfaction with the grade earned. Per policy, students must be passing the course and have completed 70% or more of the course work in order to qualify for an incomplete.

Specific arrangements to remove an “I” grade must be made between the student and the instructor. In most circumstances, work to be completed should be finished in the first two or three weeks following the end of the semester in which the “I” was given. Failing to complete the “I” and replace it with the appropriate letter grade may negatively affect any financial aid.

Incomplete work cannot be completed by retaking the class. If such an option is preferred, the student must take the grade earned and then retake the class for a better grade. The grade for the later class will be calculated in the GPA. In all cases, the “I” grade must be made up within one year. If it is not, the “I” grade will change to an “E” on the transcript. “I” grades are not computed in the GPA.

Repeating a Course

No additional credit is allowed for repeating a course in which the initial grade was passing unless the course number for the course ends in the letter suffix “R” or “Z” (a course designed to be repeatable for credit). For other repeated courses, the highest grade earned will be used in the calculation of the GPA. Upon successful completion of the repeated course, the repeat is indicated on the student’s transcript (E=Exclude, I=Include). All work will remain on the records, ensuring a true and accurate academic history. (Note: Although not used in computing the UVU overall GPA for UVU purposes, many graduate programs, such as law or dental school, include ALL grades in calculating an overall GPA for admissions criteria.)

Courses are not accepted from other institutions for the purpose of posting a repeat of a course already taken at UVU.

Utah System of Higher Education policy requires that students shall be charged at the full cost of the instruction tuition for repeating a course more than once, unless the institution determines that the repetition is a result of illness, accident or other cause beyond the student’s control or unless the course is prescribed by the student’s program of study. This affects all courses beginning January of 2003.

Changing a Grade Other than an Incomplete

Policy

Any student who has reason to believe that a grade assigned in a specific course was not justified has the right to appeal that grade.

Procedure

Student Action—

Grades may be appealed within one year of issuance in the following manner:

First, the student shall approach the instructor of the course as soon as possible after receiving the final grade. They have the right to discuss the merits of their appeal in an informal and non-threatening environment.

Second, after obtaining feedback from the instructor regarding the rationale for assigning the original grade, and assuming dissatisfaction still exists at the conclusion of the first step, or if the original instructor is no longer available, the student has a right to submit a written appeal to the department chair, in a consultation setting.

Finally, if a mutual understanding cannot be reached in the second step, the student has the right to submit a formal written appeal through the Office of the Registrar to the University Academic Standards Committee, which exercises final authority in adjudicating the appeal.

Faculty Action

During the first year after the issuance of a grade, an instructor for a specific class may submit a grade change form with proper documentation directly to the Records Office.

During the second through fifth years, the grade change form must be accompanied by an Academic Standards Petition filled out by the student and submitted by the course instructor or department chair directly to the registrar. If a grade change is requested and the faculty member who gave the original grade is no longer employed by UVU, the appropriate department chair may make the change if it is warranted.

After five years, a grade change may be considered only where evidence exists to prove that an error occurred in the recording of the original grade or extreme extenuating circumstances existed. In the latter case, an Academic Standards Petition with appropriate documentation may be submitted to the Office of the Registrar for possible consideration by the University Academic Standards Committee.

When the Records Office receives a signed change of grade form from an instructor, the new grade(s) are entered into the computer. An explanation of the transaction is entered into the student’s record, including what the old and new grades are.

Withdrawal & Reinstatement

This section is covered in more detail in UVU Policy 503 (Add/Drop/Withdraw). To the extent any contradictions exist between this catalog and Utah Valley University policies, the policies take precedence and control. 

Withdrawal from Classes

Students may drop and withdraw from classes according to the published Student Dates and Deadlines (Academic Calendar). Classes may be dropped and not appear on the transcript through the drop deadline. After the last day to drop noted on the published Student Dates and Deadlines, a grade of “W” will appear on the transcript for class withdrawals and no refund will be given. A “W” grade could impact a student’s satisfactory academic progress for financial aid and scholarship purposes.

Withdrawing from a course after the last day to withdraw deadline (Late Withdrawal or Withdrawal Exception) is done only for documented extenuating circumstances beyond the student's control. Such changes to a student’s schedule may adversely affect current and future financial aid, scholarships and/or refunds. It is recommended that students consult with a financial aid counselor before attempting to completely withdraw from school.

Administrative Drops

Students may be dropped from classes by the administration if they:

  1. register, but do not attend courses within the first three class periods of a semester;
  2. register for courses for which they have not completed prerequisites;
  3. neglect to pay tuition and fees for any given semester by the published deadline; or
  4. other administrative reasons.

Such changes to a student’s schedule could affect financial aid, scholarships, and/or refunds.

Withdrawal from the Institution

It is the responsibility of the student who seeks to withdraw from the institution to complete the online Leave of Absence process and drop/withdraw themselves from their classes in the registration system. If withdrawing after the refund period noted in the Student Dates and Deadlines, a grade of “W” will appear on the transcript for all class withdrawals and no refund is issued. A “W” (withdrawal) grade could impact a student’s satisfactory academic progress for financial aid and scholarship purposes. Complete withdrawal from college may adversely affect financial aid and/or Veterans’ benefits.

Simply stopping attendance does not qualify as an official withdrawal, and a student who does so may receive a failing grade.

Reinstatement

Students who withdraw from UVU and then desire to be reinstated during the same academic semester may do so by completing the late registration process.

Student Military Leave Procedure

Students activated into military service during an academic semester for which they are currently enrolled have the following options to choose from, in addition to other alternatives provided by existing policy and regulation. The student is responsible to notify appropriate Institution officials regarding the implementation of the selected option.

  1. A request to withdraw from school will be honored with a full refund of all tuition and fees paid. Non-punitive “W’s” will be recorded on the transcript and the date of action maintained on the student’s record.
  2. Incomplete grades may be negotiated with individual faculty and/or departments based on realistic means of completing the required objectives of the course(s). Where recommended by the department (faculty), the time limit for completing the “I” may be extended. This option may include “home study” as a means of completing the required work with faculty approval and where practical.
  3. Current grades (grades earned at the point of termination) may be issued at the discretion of individual faculty. This is also a negotiated option.

The student activated into military service is eligible for readmission. Their re-admission status will be granted based on their equivalent student status prior to their withdrawal.

Noncredit Continuing Education Unit (CEU)

Noncredit or Continuing Education Students are taking courses to pursue personal or professional interest, gain general knowledge, learn a new skill, upgrade existing skills, or enrich their personal understanding of a wide variety of topics.  These courses do not offer college credit, but in some cases noncredit or continuing education students can earn continuing education units, certification or other evidence of class completion to meet personal or professional requirements. Noncredit course work cannot be substituted for a credit requirement or any required course on a degree pathway.

College Credit

College credit at UVU may be obtained through the following methods:

  • UVU Credit (includes Cooperative Education);
  • Transfer Credit;
  • Challenge Credit;
  • Foreign Language Challenge Credit;
  • Advanced Placement Credit; and
  • CLEP (College Level Examination Program).

UVU Credit

UVU credit is obtained through admittance to UVU, registering for classes, and satisfactorily completing all required course work. Courses completed through this method will receive a letter grade that will be used in calculating Grade Point Average (GPA).

Cooperative Education

Cooperative Education (Coop) offers another avenue for students to obtain UVU college credit. Students enrolled in cooperative education work as paid employees of a business, agency, or institution while enrolled at UVU in classes related to their career. Academic credit for cooperative work experience is granted according to the number of hours a student works during the semester using the following formula:

Cooperative education credit hours and corresponding minimum hours of work.

Credit Hours Minimum Hours of Work
1 75
2 150
3 225
4 300
5 375
6 450
7 525
8 600

Coop credits are registered for at the same time and in the same manner as UVU credits.

Courses completed through Cooperative Education will receive a credit/no-credit grade which is not included in the calculation of the GPA.

The maximum number of coop credits that may be applied toward a certificate is 8; a diploma is 14; an associate or bachelor’s degree is 16 credit hours. Departments define how coop credit is applied to specific programs. Additional coop credit may be taken (but not applied toward graduation) with approval of the cooperative education director and the appropriate dean.

Transfer Credit

It is the student’s responsibility to have official transcripts of any previous college work completed elsewhere sent to the UVU Admissions Office. Transcripts accepted as official by the UVU Admissions Office are automatically sent to the Transfer Credit Office for evaluation and posting. The Transfer Credit Office may require the student to supply the catalog, bulletin, or course outlines from previous schools attended to assist in determining the transferability of specific courses. Transfer credit may or may not apply to UVU graduation requirements, regardless of the number of credits transferred.

Transfer courses with grades below “C-” will not be accepted by UVU. Transfer courses are not calculated in the GPA. Individual departments reserve the right to impose limits on the age and grade level of transfer credit. There is no limit to the number of transfer credits that may be accepted; however, UVU graduation requirements such as residence, total credits, and GPA must still be met.

Transfer courses will not be accepted from other institutions for the purpose of posting a repeat on a course already taken at UVU.

Courses in religion will be evaluated on the basis of the particular orientation of the course as determined by the UVU Religious Studies Committee. In order to be considered, these courses must be listed on an official transcript from a regionally accredited institution and must demonstrate scholarly rigor and critical engagement with the subject matter.

General Education for Transfer Students

For transfer students from any Utah State Higher Education institution, UVU shall accept at full value all General Education course work approved by the sending institution, provided it meets the minimum C- letter grade requirement, in any area specified by the Board of Regents document R470. These areas include Composition, Quantitative Literacy, Fine Arts, Humanities, Social and Behavioral Science, Biology and Physical Science. UVU shall require transfer students to complete any additional coursework needed to satisfy the unmet portions of the UVU General Education requirements. Previously completed General Studies course work shall be applied to assure the best possible fit with UVU’s General Education requirements. As each transfer student’s requirements may vary, see the Transfer Credit Office (BA 113 for specific requirements.

An AA or an AS degree earned at any USHE institution will meet the General Education requirements of UVU. The degree must include equivalents of UVU's English, Mathematics, and American Institutions requirements or the student will have to fulfill these requirements separately.

Credit for ACT/SAT Scores

On May 12, 2015, Senate Bill 196 - Math Competency Initiative passed which mandated that the State Board of Education establish a qualifying score for ACT/SAT scores in order to award college credit for a mathematics course. This course must satisfy the state system of higher education quantitative literacy requirement. This initiative will go into effect as of the 2016-2017 school year. High School students who have graduated during the 2016 school year and onward will be eligible for QL 1900 based off of an ACT score of 26 or an SAT score of 660.

U.S. Institutions outside of Utah

For transfer credit to be accepted by UVU, the institution from which credit is to be transferred must be accredited by one of the following regional associations:

  • Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools (MSA)
  • Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
  • North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA)
  • New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc./Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (NEASC-CIHE)
  • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools/Commission on Colleges (SACS-CC)
  • Western Association of Schools and Colleges/Accrediting Commission for Community and Jr. Colleges (WASC-Jr.)
  • Western Association of Schools and Colleges/Accrediting Commission for Sr. Colleges and Universities (WASC-Sr.)

A completed associate degree (i.e. AA or AS) designed for transfer earned at one of these regionally accredited institutions will fill most of the UVU general education requirements if the degree includes a minimum of 30 semester credit hours of general education that is broad and representative of UVU's general education core. The completed AA or AS degree must include direct equivalents of UVU’s English, Mathematics, and American Institutions requirements or the student must fulfill these requirements separately. If the courses within the transferable degree aren't considered to be transferable or general education courses, the classes and the degree may not be recognized and courses will be evaluated individually for transferability and equivalency.

Non-accredited institutions may be accepted on an exception basis by individual departments.

Military courses are evaluated using the ACE recommendations from the Guide to the Evaluation of Education Experiences in the Armed Services. Approved credits will be applied if they directly pertain to a student’s individual undergraduate degree program.

International and Foreign Institutions

The Transfer Credit Office, working with department academic advisors and faculty, is authorized to evaluate credit from foreign colleges, universities, and/or International Baccalaureate (IB) Diplomas after a student has been admitted to UVU. International students requesting transfer of credit from foreign institutions of higher education must submit a transcript from an approved Foreign Credentials evaluation Service. See the Transfer Credit Office (BA 113) for a list of these accepted services.

Transfer courses from international and foreign institutions are not calculated in the GPA.

Challenge Credit/Experiential Credit

(Equivalency Examination and/or Documentation of Earned Competency)

No more than 25 percent of the minimum credits required toward a bachelor’s degree, and associate degree, diploma, or certificate of completion, may be awarded through experiential and/or challenge credit. Challenge credit and experiential credit are not eligible for use in a certificate of proficiency. Credit for courses that appear in the current catalog may be awarded to individuals who can prove through appropriate assessment and/or documentation that they have already acquired the equivalent knowledge and/or expertise required for successful completion of that course.

To receive experiential/challenge credit for a specific course, the student must

  1. Be enrolled at the University.
  2. For Challenge credit, complete a comprehensive examination (theoretical and/or applied) with at least a “C-“ grade; or for Experiential credit, provide documentation of practical experience to the satisfaction of the department chairperson and dean showing course objectives have been met; or with the departmental approval, complete an advanced course with a grade of “C-“ or higher (if deemed necessary by the department) as a validation procedure.
  3. Pay, in advance, a nonrefundable processing fee.
  4. After successful completion of requirements, pay the per-credit-hour fee.

A specific course shall be challenged only once, and a student shall not receive challenge/experiential credit for a course that the student is/or has been previously enrolled in and received a grade, including a “W or AU" grade.

Duplicate credit will not be awarded.

Grades shall be recorded only as “CR” (credit) and shall not be calculated in a student’s university GPA.

Language Challenge Credit

Students may obtain an Experiential Language Credit Request Form in the UVU Languages and Cultures Department.

Students who have acquired proficiency in languages offered at UVU by means other than college courses (high school, foreign residency, etc.) may earn up to 16 credit hours. To qualify for these credits, a student shall complete a course in that language at a higher level than the credits for which they apply; and the grade in that course must be a “C-” or better.

To qualify for credit for language courses not offered at UVU, a student may, as an alternative, take the appropriate language test at any accredited four-year institution and provide UVU with the satisfactory (C- or better) test results. In this circumstance, the student must meet with the Languages and Cultures department chairperson to ascertain the maximum language credits that may be applied to any degree from UVU.

Proficiency tests to determine placement (not credit) in advanced courses are administered in the UVU Classroom Testing Center prior to the beginning of each semester. Students unsure of their language skills must take the test or receive permission from the course instructor before registering for advanced classes.

Students who qualify for credit under the above provisions (for example, they register for, and successfully complete, Spanish 2010 with at least a “C-” grade, thus qualifying for the credits for the previous courses—1010 and 1020) must petition for those credits (application forms are available in the Languages and Cultures Department) and pay a fee for each credit hour. No additional tuition will be charged for those credits. The credits will be listed on transcripts as “CR” and are not calculated in the GPA.

Additional information regarding language challenge credit and other policies are available from the Languages and Cultures Department.

Advanced Placement Credit

Students who complete an Advanced Placement Exam through CollegeBoard may earn up to 8 academic credits per test with a score of 3, 4, or 5, as per the policies set forth by the Utah State Board of Regents. Students having AP test scores of 3 or higher should contact the Transfer Credit Office to ensure posting of the results to their UVU transcripts.

Specific equivalencies and acceptance criteria are updated annually, upon departmental faculty review and approval.

If all residence, credit, and grade point average requirements have been met, there is no limit to the number of Advanced Placement credits that may be accepted; however, duplicate credit for tests and course work shall not be applied.

AP credit will be posted as a "CR" grade and will not be calculated in the GPA.

CLEP Credit (College Level Examination Program)

Students may receive college credit for CLEP exams as specified on the approved list in the Transfer Credit Office. Additionally, students intending to transfer to another institution from UVU should meet with their intended transfer institution to gain advance information on how that institution accepts CLEP credit.

CLEP credit will be posted as a “CR” grade and will not be calculated in the GPA.

The amount of credit given through CLEP subject examinations is determined by the appropriate departments. No more than 25 percent of the minimum credits required toward a degree may be awarded through CLEP and/or Challenge/Experiential Credit hours.

Course Number System

0000-0999 Remedial or preparatory noncredit courses; may not be counted toward a certificate, diploma, associate, or bachelor’s degree. Technical, nontransferable courses may count toward a certificate.

1000-2999 Lower division (freshman and sophomore courses); courses designed as transfer courses; count toward a certificate, diploma, associate, and/or bachelor’s degree.

3000-5000 Upper division (junior and senior courses); courses designed to count toward a bachelor’s degree, or any other degree as required by department.

6000 Graduate courses; regular courses in master’s level programs.

Learning Enrichment courses with 1000 level numbers do not satisfy General Education requirements for the associate or bachelor’s degrees. These classes may count as electives for the Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, and Bachelor of Science degrees.

The letter suffix “R” indicates that a course is repeatable for credit (example: PES 161R). Course descriptions indicate the number of “repeats” allowed.

Variable and partial credit is indicated by letter suffixes of “A,” “B,” “C,” etc. (example: ACC 201A = 4 credits and ACC 201B = 2 credits). Changing the hours of credit for a variable-credit class after registration may be done only through the add/drop (class change) procedure. Such changes must be made prior to completion of that partial course.

“Honors” credit courses are identified on the transcript by an “H” following the course number (example: ENGL 225H Introduction to Creative Writing Honors HH).

Global/Intercultural credit courses are identified on the transcript by a “G” following the course number (example: ANTH 101G Social Cultural Anthropology SS GI).

Undergraduate Academic Standards

  • Academic Counseling Center
  • Office: LC 402
  • Telephone: 801-863-8425

Policy

Academic standing is determined by the grades a student earns at UVU. A student with the most recent semester grade point average (GPA) and cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale is in good academic standing. When a full- or part-time undergraduate student fails to maintain a semester or cumulative GPA of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale, the student shall be notified of progressive academic intervention actions.

Students placed on alert status, academic warning, academic notice, and continued academic notice remain eligible for all extracurricular activities as governed by the rules of the specific activity.  This policy does not include nor preclude additional program requirements that may be mandated by specific departmental majors.

Procedures

Academic intervention shall be applied progressively in the order described below.

Alert Status

When a student is not making adequate progress towards course completion and the instructor is unable to resolve the issue with the student, the student may be placed on alert status. A registration hold may be placed on the student’s record. The student must then meet with their academic advisor for guidance before the registration hold will be removed.

Academic Warning

When the semester GPA falls below 2.0 and the cumulative GPA is 2.0 or above, the student shall be placed on academic warning regardless of alert status. A registration hold shall be placed on the student’s record. The student must complete an academic success warning workshop and meet with their academic advisor before the registration hold will be removed.

Academic Notice

When the semester and cumulative GPA both fall below 2.0, the student will be placed on academic notice. A registration hold shall be placed on the student’s record. The student must complete an academic notice workshop, develop an academic success plan, and meet with their academic advisor before the registration hold will be removed.

Continued Academic Notice

If the student on academic notice fails to raise the cumulative GPA to a 2.0 or above in the subsequent semester, the student will be placed on continued academic notice. A registration hold shall be placed on the student’s record and the student must prepare an academic success plan with their academic advisor as well as the academic standards counselor before the registration hold will be removed. The student may also be required to attend another academic notice workshop and/or enroll in a college success class.

All students on continued academic notice will be required to submit an in-progress grade report to the Academic Standards Office in order to register for any subsequent semester(s). The student shall continue to receive advisement from the academic standards counselor, as well as their academic advisor, to monitor and promote academic progress.

Academic Suspension

When on continued academic notice, a student receiving a semester and cumulative GPA below 2.0 in a subsequent semester shall be placed on academic suspension. The student shall be immediately dropped from enrollment in all current semester classes and a registration hold shall be placed on the student’s record. The student shall be suspended for a minimum of one full semester. During this time the student is expected to resolve all academic problems that led to the academic suspension.

To re-enroll at the University, a student must submit a Petition for Academic Suspension Review to the Academic Support Committee. This committee will make suggestions for specific customized interventions to be approved by the Academic Standards Committee. A decision shall then be rendered as to whether, and under what conditions, the student may continue to study at the University. The student must complete the requirements set forth by the Academic Standards Committee before the registration hold will be removed.

Academic Notice Returning from Academic Suspension

When the academic suspension petition is granted, the student is allowed to resume their academic studies under notice returning from suspension. This status allows the student to register for classes under the guidance of the Academic Standards Office, in conjunction with their academic advisor. As long as the student acquires a semester GPA of 2.0 or above in all subsequent semesters and abides by the conditions outlined by the Academic Standards Committee, the student may continue to enroll in classes. The student will remain on academic notice returning from academic suspension until the cumulative GPA is at or above 2.0.

Academic Dismissal

When failing to comply with the conditions set forth by the Academic Standards Committee while on academic notice returning from academic suspension, the student shall be dismissed from the University and immediately dropped from enrollment in all classes. A registration hold shall be placed on the student’s record.

The student may not re-enroll at the University or submit a Petition for Academic Dismissal Review for a minimum of one full calendar year from the date of academic dismissal. During this calendar year, the student may also be required to attend another institution and complete 18 credits with at least a 2.5 GPA. Upon review by both the Academic Support Committee and the Academic Standards Committee, a decision will be rendered as to whether or not, and under what conditions, the student may re-enroll at the University

Any student who returns to the University after being dismissed will be placed on academic notice returning from academic dismissal and will be required to follow the academic plan outlined by the Academic Standards Committee.

Academic Notice Returning from Academic Dismissal

When the Petition for Academic Dismissal Review is granted by the Academic Standards Committee, the student is allowed to continue their academic studies on academic notice returning from academic dismissal. The student is allowed to register for classes under the guidance of the Academic Standards Office, in conjunction with their academic advisor. As long as the student acquires a semester GPA of 2.0 or above in all subsequent semesters and abides by the conditions outlined by the Academic Standards Committee, the student may continue to enroll in classes. The student will remain on notice returning from dismissal until the cumulative GPA is at or above 2.0.

When a student is unsuccessful at this level and does not have the ability to benefit from continuing with their education at the University, academic counseling will be provided by the Academic Standards Office to explore alternative pathways to success.

Appeals

When the student’s Petition for Academic Suspension Review or Petition for Academic Dismissal Review is denied by the Academic Standards Committee, the student may present an appeal to a hearing panel that consists of the Academic Standards Committee and a representative appointed by the President of the Utah Valley University Student Association (UVUSA). After review of the petition, the hearing panel will determine if the student’s appeal is granted or denied. If the appeal is granted, the hearing panel shall determine the conditions for re-enrollment at the University.

If the student is unsatisfied with the hearing panel’s decision, the student has the right to appeal in writing to the Vice President of Academic Affairs.

Academic Renewal

For students who are challenged with a low GPA or for those who have experienced a period of low grades that does not reflect their academic potential, UVU offers academic renewal.  A student is allowed to petition the Registrar for academic renewal only one time during their enrollment at the University.  This process shall remove a limited amount of previous academic work from the student’s GPA and from credit toward graduation.  To be eligible a student shall meet the following conditions at the time the petition is filed:

  1. The student must be currently enrolled at UVU.
  2. A minimum of two years has elapsed since the most recent course work to be eliminated was completed.
  3. The student has completed at least 30 semester hours of UVU course work with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50.  These 30 hours shall have been completed after the course work the student is requesting to eliminate.
  4. The student's cumulative GPA is below the level necessary for graduation in their current program of study.  In most instances, this is a 2.0 cumulative GPA.
  5. The requested course work has not been used toward an existing degree.

The student may request a maximum of two specific semesters/terms of academic course work be eliminated from their earned credits and cumulative GPA.  Individual courses shall not be accepted.

If the petition qualifies under this policy, the student’s permanent academic record shall be annotated to indicate that no work taken during the disregarded semester(s) and/or term(s), even if satisfactory, shall apply toward earned credits, GPA, academic standing, and/or graduation requirements.  All work shall remain on the records, ensuring a true and accurate academic history.  The words “Academic Renewal” and the affected semester(s)/term(s) shall be annotated on the student’s transcript.

Academic renewal shall not be requested to earn or change academic honors status on a student’s transcript.

Academic Renewal cannot be applied for either hours attempted/completed (quantitative Satisfactory Academic Progress), or cumulative GPA (qualitative Satisfactory Academic Progress) for Title IV (Federal Financial Aid) purposes. Students who are granted Academic Renewal at UVU will have the credit hours removed from their earned credits and GPA for academic purposes. However, for Satisfactory Academic Progress purposes, students are measured based on the original grades and not the changes due to academic renewal.

No exceptions shall be made to this policy.  Students shall be aware that this policy may not be accepted at transfer institutions, and all credit, including those with academic renewal, may still be calculated by the transfer institution.

Academic Distinction

The Dean’s list recognizes those who have demonstrated outstanding academic performance during a term or semester. To be eligible:

  1. The student must complete 12 semester hours or more in any semester and a commensurate number of hours in any term.
  2. The student must earn a semester GPA of 3.6 or above.
  3. The student must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0.

University Advanced Standing (UAS)

Definition effective as of the 2021-2022 academic year:

Before students can register for upper-division coursework (3000-level or higher), they must qualify for University Advanced Standing (UAS) by:

  • Completing or being registered for Quantitative Literacy (MAT 1030 Quantitative Reasoning QL or higher).
  • Completing or being registered for ENGL 2010 Intermediate Academic Writing CC or equivalent.

Military-Affiliated Student Hub

  • Military-Affiliated Student Hub (MASH)
  • Office: LC-408
  • E-mail: mailto:mash@uvu.edu
  • Telephones: 801-863-8212
  • Web: MASH

New Military Connected Students

New students requesting Veterans Affairs (VA) education benefits are required to submit the following documents to the UVU Military-Affiliated Student Hub:

  1. VA Certificate of Eligibility,
  2. Official JST and/or CCAF military transcript for veterans and service members, and
  3. UVU Veteran Class Schedule Form completed online at uvu.edu/military-affiliated/.

Veterans and service members not requesting VA education benefits are also encouraged to send their military transcripts to the UVU Admissions Office. For a step-by-step guide to benefit setup, visit the Get Benefits web page at https://www.uvu.edu/military-affiliated/benefits/index.html. Benefit requests will only be certified for courses that are required for graduation in the student’s declared degree. Benefit requests will not be certified for courses that are taken in audit (AU) format. A complete list of benefit policies and procedures is located on the UVU Veteran Class Schedule Form.

Military Prior Credit Policy

VA requires that all prior credits be evaluated and that all official transcripts from previous colleges or vocational schools be submitted to the UVU Admissions Office. Veterans and service members must also submit a military transcript. The military transcript is either the Joint Services Transcript (Army/Navy/Marines/Coast Guard) or Community College of the Air Force Transcript (Air Force only). You can receive credit for EXSC 1097 Fitness for Life TE  and HLTH 1100 Personal Health and Wellness TE upon completion of Initial Active Duty for Training (IADT). Joint Service Transcripts will be subject to an initial evaluation in which any military course that has been deemed as a direct equivalence AND directly pertains to the student’s specific degree will be awarded. Awarded credit cannot be removed once applied. All other completed military courses on the Joint Service Transcript that do not pertain to the student’s specific program of study will not be awarded. For more information, visit https://www.uvu.edu/transfer/military.html.

Residency Status for Military Connected Students

The UVU Admissions Office makes all determinations with respect to residency status. To view military exceptions and access the residency application, visit https://www.uvu.edu/admissions/residency/military-exemption/index.html. By law, schools are allowed to have additional requirements (such as documentation) that must be met for a covered individual to be charged the resident rate for tuition and fees.

Attendance Rate for VA Benefit Recipients

Full-time status for VA Benefit Recipients may differ from the full-time status for UVU or Financial Aid purposes. To verify your VA Rate of Pursuit (attendance rate), contact the UVU Military-Affiliated Student Hub prior to the add/drop deadlines.

Satisfactory Academic Progress for VA Benefit Recipients

You must maintain a 2.0 or higher GPA to maintain your benefits. If you are placed on Academic Suspension, you cannot use benefits for one semester and must petition to return to school. If you are placed on Academic Dismissal, you cannot use benefits for one year and must petition to return to school. The Academic Standards Office makes final determinations regarding Satisfactory Academic Progress.

Financial Debts for VA Benefit Recipients

Students receiving VA benefits may owe a debt for any course that is assigned a "W" grade (late withdraw), "UW" grade (unofficial withdraw), or “RE” grade (removed fail, if accompanied by a tuition refund), according to the last day of attendance or effective date of the grade. A debt may also be incurred if the student adds or drops a course(s) after submitting their initial benefit request. For assistance with resolving a debt owed to VA, contact the Debt Management Center at 800-827-0648.

Statements of Compliance

In accordance with Title 38 US Code 3679(e), Utah Valley University adopts the following additional provisions for any students using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Post-9/11 G.I. Bill® (Ch. 33) or Veteran Readiness & Employment (Chapter 31) benefits, while payment to the institution is pending from VA. Utah Valley University will not:

  • Prevent the student’s enrollment;
  • Assess a late penalty fee to the student;
  • Require the student to secure alternative or additional funding;
  • Deny the student access to any resources (access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities) available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee bills to the institution.

However, to qualify for this provision, such students may be required to:

  • Produce the VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE) by the first day of class;
  • Provide a written request to be certified; or turn in proper documentation requesting certification;
  • Provide additional information or documentation needed to properly certify the enrollment as described in other institutional policies.

UVU has a signed, public MOU on file with the Department of Defense at https://www.dodmou.com/Home/InstitutionList. This MOU includes an agreement to abide by the Principles of Excellence Program contained in Executive Order 13607.

UVU Policy 165 (available at https://www.uvu.edu/policies/manual/) states that the university complies with applicable law in providing military leave and other exceptions to qualifying students.

Information about the cost of attendance, costs covered by VA education benefits, and available benefit types is available at https://www.uvu.edu/military-affiliated/benefits/options/. UVU protection policies and designated points of contact for military-affiliated students are available at https://www.uvu.edu/military-affiliated/resources/index.html.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).