Allegheny divides the academic year into two semesters of 15 weeks each. A month-long break, beginning in late December, separates the semesters. Vacations occur during October and in the third week of March.
During semesters, classes typically meet two or three times per week for periods of 75 or 50 minutes. Associated laboratories are usually scheduled separately, although they may be scheduled at the regular class time if appropriate. A Registration Guide listing class times and examination periods for all courses to be offered is made available electronically to all students prior to Registration.
Most courses receive four semester credit hours, and they are designed to require no more than one-fourth of a student's time. Some courses may receive one, two, or three semester credit hours.
The usual academic load is 16-17 semester hours in each semester and 32-34 semester hours for the year. Students may take up to 20 semester hours per semester without special permission.
A student is considered to be a first-year student from the date of matriculation until the semester following completion of the 28th semester hour, when the student becomes a sophomore. A student becomes a junior in the semester following completion of the 60th semester hour, and a senior in the semester following completion of the 92nd semester hour.
The schedule of examinations is published with the schedule of courses on the Registration Web page. Students are expected to arrange their travel and vacation plans in accordance with the examination schedule. Requests for changes in examination times should only be made in the most extraordinary circumstances; approval must be received from the department concerned.
Student grades are reported on either a letter basis or Credit/No Credit basis.
Letter Grade
A
4.00 grade points
Excellent
A -
3.70 grade points
B +
3.30 grade points
B
3.00 grade points
Good
B -
2.70 grade points
C +
2.30 grade points
C
2.00 grade points
Fair
C -
1.70 grade points
D +
1.30 grade points
D
1.00 grade points
Passing
F
0.00 grade points
Failure
W
Withdrawal
Credit/No Credit
CR
Credit
NC
No Credit
The following notations are also used in reporting student work:
GP
Grade Pending
L
Leave of Absence granted during the semester
IN
Incomplete
PE
Physical Education Unit. Only completed units are posted to the transcript.
WC
Withdrawal from the College during semester
Students may take up to four credit hours per semester on the Credit/No Credit basis, but may not present for graduation more than 16 credit hours of their coursework on this basis.
If students wish to take a course on the Credit/No Credit basis, they must inform the Registrar by the end of the second week of classes for 14-week courses or, for seven-week courses only, by the end of the second week of the module. Cards for this purpose are available from the Registrar. Students are cautioned that some courses may not be taken using this option. Courses not eligible for the Credit/No Credit system are so indicated in their course descriptions in the section entitled "Courses of Instruction."
Credit, "CR," will be awarded for course performance equivalent to, or higher than, a passing letter grade, "D." No credit, "NC," will be awarded for course performance equivalent to a failing letter grade,"F."
Faculty stipulate grades of Incomplete ("IN") when they believe that extenuating circumstances preclude completion of the work on time by the student. Incompletes are awarded with the expectation that the work will be completed by the student in a timely fashion. When instructors submit a grade of Incomplete, they also will submit the grade that will be awarded should no further work be submitted by the student.
An Incomplete must be made up within 30 days after the first day of classes of the semester or summer session in which the student is next registered. When the instructor submits the completed grade to the registrar, this completed grade is posted to the transcript and calculated into the grade point average for the semester in which the student was registered for the course. If no completed grade or other communication is received by the registrar from the faculty member, the grade that was originally submitted at the time the "IN" was assigned is posted to the transcript and calculated into the grade point average.
Students who have an "IN" but do not register in a subsequent semester or summer session, must complete the work within 12 months. If no information is provided by the instructor by the end of the 12 months, the grade that was originally submitted at the time the "IN" was assigned is posted to the transcript.
If, as a result of extraordinary extenuating circumstances (for example, prolonged serious illness), a student wishes to withdraw from a course after the appropriate course registration change period has expired (see "The Change Period," page 21), the student may ask the instructor to grant a Withdrawal. In such a case, the student is responsible for providing evidence for the extenuating circumstances to the satisfaction of the faculty member, who has sole authority to grant the Withdrawal. When such a request is granted, the student's transcript will reflect a grade of "W," which is not reflected in the student's grade point average.
With the exception of the First-Year/Sophomore Seminars, students may repeat courses at Allegheny, provided the courses are offered again. Whenever a student repeats a course, the academic record and transcript will reflect all course enrollments and the grade earned for each enrollment. From the time of completion of a repeated course forward, only the credit and grade for the most recent attempt will be counted in computing grade point averages. If, however, a student withdraws from a repeated course, the academic record and transcript will include the withdrawal, and the grade previously earned will continue to be counted in computing grade point averages. Students may repeat a course initially taken on the graded basis for Credit/No Credit; however, Credit ("CR") must be earned or the grade previously awarded will continue to be counted in computing grade point averages. In the event a student receives a grade of Incomplete ("IN") for a repeated course, the grade previously earned will continue to be counted in computing grade point averages until such time as the student completes the coursework and a final grade has been submitted.
Transfer credits must be approved by the Office of the Dean of the College and, if they apply toward the student's major or minor, by the department concerned. To be acceptable for transfer credit, a 14 course must be taken in residence at a fully accredited institution and be of a liberal arts nature. It should not duplicate any course already taken or which the student plans to take at Allegheny, and a letter grade of "C" or higher must be earned. Correspondence courses are not acceptable for transfer credit. Transferred course credits count toward the graduation requirement of 131 semester hours, but the grades for such courses are not included in the student's academic average. The Allegheny transcript does not indicate the grades of transferred courses.
The number of credits that can be transferred toward the undergraduate degree is limited by the residency requirement applicable to the individual student. Residency requirements also place limitations on the way in which students may chronologically schedule transfer courses and courses taken in residence as they work to complete the undergraduate degree. For more complete information, see section entitled "The Residency Requirement."
Transcripts received from other accredited institutions are evaluated by the Office of the Dean of the College as promptly as possible. Students desiring to have work completed at other institutions considered for transfer credit should arrange to have official transcripts or other appropriate documents forwarded to Allegheny College as soon as possible. No transfer credit can be awarded until the appropriate documents have been received by the College.
Students may earn up to 12 college credits for college-level courses offered at high schools by accredited universities or colleges. Acceptance of these credits is determined by the appropriate department or, in the case of general college credits, by the Office of the Dean of the College.
Allegheny can accept up to a total of 20 credits maximum for Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, CLEP and "college in high school" courses combined.
Credit may also be granted to entering students for prior coursework completed with a grade of "C" or above taken in residence at an accredited college or university. Upon receipt of an official transcript and a course description bulletin from the institution of higher learning where the student was enrolled, the coursework will be evaluated to determine if it is equivalent in level and/or content to coursework offered through Allegheny College. (For more complete information, see the section entitled "Transfer of Courses" above.)
Students who wish to receive credit for college-level courses offered at high schools or who are now considering taking college or university courses elsewhere should contact the Office of the Registrar for advice about transfer credit and/or selection of courses.
Students may earn college credit at Allegheny by participating in the Advanced Placement Program (AP) of the Educational Testing Service, the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), and the International Baccalaureate (IB) testing programs. Students may receive credit by examination for a maximum of 20 semester credit hours (five courses). The 20-credit maximum also includes collegelevel courses offered at high schools. (See "College Credit for Prior Coursework" above.)
Students who receive scores of four or five on an AP examination will receive academic credit. Placement will be determined by receive academic credit. Placement will be determined by the appropriate department. AP credit and course placement are considered only after receipt of official examination scores from the Educational Testing Service.
Individuals who perform well on certain CLEP tests may receive both credit and placement, usually at the first-year or sophomore levels. Departments, in consultation with the Office of the Dean of the College, periodically establish which credits may be earned by standardized testing. Students who score five or better on the higher examinations of the IB testing programs may be granted credit and placement by some departments.
All students seeking academic credit for an internship must obtain faculty approval and must register for the internship during the semester or summer session prior to beginning the internship experience. Approval for academic credit for internship experience will not be granted for internships in progress or following their completion. The student's transcript will reflect internship enrollment for the semester or summer session in which the student actually participates in the internship experience. Students may present a maximum of eight semester credit hours of internship credit within the first 131 semester credit hours needed for graduation.
Students interested in participating in an internship experience that is not listed as a departmentally sponsored internship should consult with their academic advisors and the Director of International Programs and Services. Information on possible internships is available in the Office of Career Services.
Internships offer to students several educational and practical benefits. In recognition of the role that internships play in a student's education, the Allegheny faculty voted to integrate an internship page into the student academic transcript. This page includes all non-credit internship experiences that meet the established guidelines. The internship page will be included with the reports of all credit-bearing courses when transcript requests are fulfilled by the Registrar's Office. In order for a non-credit internship to be officially documented, the student must complete a learning contract, which is signed by the student, an authorized representative of the sponsoring organization and the sponsoring faculty/administrator, prior to the start of the internship. The minimum time the student must serve in the internship is 80 hours. The internship should consist of pre-professional responsibilities and both the student and the sponsoring organization must complete an evaluation at the end of the internship. Standards for notation and the learning contracts are available from the Office of Career Services in Reis Hall.
Students must register for all courses for which they seek credit during the College registration days and course change periods by submitting the approved registration cards. First-year students register for fall semester courses during Orientation Week in August. Continuing students (rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors) register each semester for the subsequent semester during the published registration period. Students who are currently enrolled in an approved study abroad or visiting student program should consult with their advisor and the Registrar. Students granted a Leave of Absence who have notified the Office of the Registrar of their intent to register in person may also register during the registration period. Other re-entering and transfer students may register for fall semester during Orientation Week and register for spring semester with the rest of the student body.
The normal process of registration involves the use of the College's WebAdvisor Web page. Through WebAdvisor, advisors may grant approval for students to register. Once students have obtained their personal identification numbers, they may register for courses electronically. In special circumstances, a student may be required to obtain a signed registration card to register for a course.
Students may add 14-week courses through the first two weeks of the semester. Students may drop 14-week courses through the first five weeks of the semester. Students may add seven-week courses through the first two weeks of the module in which the course is offered; they may drop seven-week courses through the first three weeks the module is offered. To add or drop any class, students must submit a completed change of schedule card to the Registrar's Office by the deadlines published in the Registration Guide. Students intending to add a class must secure the written permission of the instructor and notify their advisor; those wishing to drop a class must notify both the instructor and advisor. Students should be aware that, after a class starts, instructors will become increasingly reluctant to admit additional students. Courses dropped will not appear on the official transcript but will appear, as appropriate, on the academic record.
The Academic Standards and Awards Committee is responsible for reviewing the academic records of Allegheny students and, when appropriate, assigning an individual student to a particular Academic Standing category. By matriculating at Allegheny students recognize the right of the Committee to determine their Academic Standing.
The membership of the Academic Standards and Awards Committee includes Allegheny faculty, students, and those administrators who assist students experiencing difficulty in their college work. All actions concerning academic standing are taken after careful analysis of the individual student's level of achievement, aptitudes, study efficiency, and sense of purpose. At the end of each semester the Committee reviews the records of all students whose semester or cumulative grade point averages render them subject to one of the following Academic Standing Categories. Assignment to an Academic Standing Category is made by majority vote of the faculty members of the Committee.
The cumulative grade point average includes all graded Allegheny courses, but does not include courses taken under the Credit/No Credit option or courses in which the student received an Incomplete or a "W." When a course is repeated, the credits and grade for the most recent attempt will be counted in the current cumulative average.
Academic Warning is assigned to students who have two consecutive semesters with a semester average below 2.0, but whose cumulative grade point average remains above 2.0. Students remain on Academic Warning until they achieve a semester grade point average over 2.0.
Academic Probation is assigned to students at the conclusion of the first semester in which the cumulative grade point average falls below 2.0. Students remain on Academic Probation for one semester, at the end of which the student may be subject to dismissal or placed on Poor Academic Standing if the cumulative average remains below 2.0.
Students are placed on Poor Academic Standing if they have two or more consecutive semesters with a cumulative grade point average below 2.0 and if they have not been dismissed by the College. All students not on Poor Academic Standing are considered to be in good academic standing.
Students placed on Academic Probation or Poor Academic Standing, and whose cumulative grade point average remains below 2.0 at the conclusion of their next semester at Allegheny, are subject to dismissal from the College. Dismissal is for a minimum of one calendar year. Students who are dismissed are prohibited from taking Allegheny courses until they are readmitted to the College.
Dismissed students seeking readmission should submit a written request to the Dean of Students Office by May 1 for a fall term readmission and November 1 for a spring term readmission. Students are encouraged to contact the Dean of Students Office prior to these deadlines for assistance in preparing the request for readmission. If a student who has been readmitted to the College after dismissal fails a second time to achieve the minimum standard, the student may be dismissed for second time. A student who is dismissed twice for poor academic performance may not apply for readmission. The second dismissal may occur at the conclusion of any semester subsequent to readmission, provided the cumulative average does not rise above 2.0.
Academic Warning, Academic Probation, and Poor Academic Standing are determined by grade point average and are not subject to appeal.
Any student who has been dismissed from the College has the right to petition the Academic Standards and Awards Committee to reconsider its decision. Such a request must contain new and pertinent information not available to the student at the time of the original committee decision, and this information must have a bearing on the student's poor academic performance. The petition should be directed in writing to the Chair of the Academic Standards and Awards Committee, setting forth clearly all arguments for reconsideration, and must be submitted within seven calendar days after the date of the Committee's written notification of dismissal.
Academic Dismissal is noted on the transcript; Academic Warning, Academic Probation, and Poor Academic Standing are not.
The College has many resources to assist students experiencing academic difficulty, including help in identifying tutors and developing study skills. Students should visit the Learning Commons for assistance. See also Academic Resources - The Learning Commons" elsewhere in this catalogue.
Students may apply to the Office of the Dean of Students for a Leave of Absence when personal circumstances make a temporary absence advisable and a commitment to return to the College is evident. The length of the leave is determined by the student's needs, but normally will not exceed one calendar year. Students may be granted leaves from the College without grade penalty up until the last day of classes in any semester. Depending on the circumstances, a leave may be arranged during or between semesters. However, students on a leave may return only at the beginning of an academic semester. When a student is granted a Leave of Absence during the semester, the course registration remains on the transcript and the notation "L" is assigned instead of a letter grade.
During a Leave of Absence, the general deposit required of all students is maintained on account; when applicable, financial aid and course registration arrangements are held for the student's return. Students on leave should contact the Office of Residence Life to make arrangements for on-campus housing. Students also may register for the next semester in person during the designated registration period. Students must inform the Registrar of their intent to participate in registration.
Students considering a Leave of Absence must consult their advisor and others, as appropriate, about the effect it will have on progress toward a degree, financial aid, and billing. Tuition and board refunds for Leaves of Absence are governed by the provisions set forth in this Catalogue under "Refund Policy."
1. In some instances, the College may require a Leave of Absence for Health Reasons, which would supersede a voluntary Leave of Absence or voluntary Withdrawal. A member of the Winslow Health Center staff, Counseling Center staff and/or the Dean/Associate Dean of Students may recommend a Leave of Absence for Health Reasons at any time it is deemed reasonably necessary to protect the student, other students, members of the College community or the interests of the College itself.
2. A Leave of Absence for Health Reasons may be required if any of the following health situations arise:
3. Upon recommendation of a member of the Health Center staff and/or the Counseling Center staff, the Dean/Associate Dean of Students will make the final decision regarding approval of a required Leave of Absence for Health Reasons. The nature of the situation may require the decision to be prompt; the student will be given the verbal notification of the decision as soon as possible and written notification within three days.
4. The student has the right to meet with the Dean/Associate Dean of Students, Winslow Health Center staff, and/or Counseling Center staff. The purpose of this meeting would be to discuss the factual basis of the incident or incidents related to number two of this section.
5. student has the right to appeal to the Dean/Associate Dean of Students for an independent review/evaluation and recommendation by a mutually acceptable health professional (e.g., physician, psychologist, psychiatrist). The student may initiate an appeal, in writing, any time within three days of receiving written notification of the decision.
6. The length of any Leave of Absence for Health Reasons will be determined on a case-by-case basis depending upon the nature of the reason(s) for the leave.
7. See "Leave of Absence" for details regarding transcripts, registration, financial aid, housing, and refund policies. A Leave of Absence for Health Reasons will be handled under the same guidelines.
8. When a student who has been on a required Leave of Absence for Health Reasons wishes to return to the College, he or she must apply to the Dean/Associate Dean of Students in writing. The student will not be permitted to return to the College until the appropriate College staff member(s) provide validation. If the student is approved to return, Winslow Health Center or Counseling Center staff members may make recommendations to the Dean/Associate Dean of Students regarding conditions of the return and/or continued enrollment. The student will receive written notification of any conditions. It is suggested that written application be postmarked no later than July 1 for the Fall Semester or December 1 for the Spring Semester.
Students desiring to withdraw from the College must complete the withdrawal form available from the Office of the Dean of Students. In order to receive a deposit refund, students must withdraw according to the following deadlines: July 1 for fall semester and by one week prior to the first official day of classes for the spring semester. Students may withdraw from the College without grade penalty up until the last day of classes in any semester. When a student withdraws from the College during the first five weeks of the semester, 14-week courses will not appear on the official transcript, but, as appropriate, will appear on the academic record. Students who withdraw from the College between the conclusion of the fifth week of the semester and the last day of final examinations will receive the grade of "WC" for all courses for which they are registered. This will not affect their grade point average.
Students who do not resume study at the opening of any semester are withdrawn from the College by action of the Dean of Students.
Students who withdraw may return to the College by notifying the Office of the Dean of Students no later than July 1 for the fall semester or December 1 for spring semester. A re-entering student is required to pay the $300 deposit at the time he or she notifies the Office of the Dean of Students of the date of return.
When students re-enter, they shall be governed by the academic requirements applicable to the class of which they become a part.
Students who withdraw from the College are expected to leave the campus within 48 hours. They lose all privileges of enrollment until such time as they are readmitted. Tuition and board refunds for withdrawal are governed by the provisions set forth in the Catalogue under "Refund Policy."
