Academic Policies and Procedures

Student Responsibilities

All students are expected to be aware of their academic status and academic and university policies. All students are responsible for the proper completion of their academic program(s), for familiarity with the university catalog, for maintaining the required grade-point averages, and for meeting all other degree requirements. Advisors will advise and counsel, but the final responsibility remains that of the student. Final responsibility for scheduling and enrolling in courses required for the degree lies with the student.

If a student with a disability needs accommodations, that request should be submitted in writing to the Office of Academic Accessibility. Accommodations may be requested at any time following admission or when in attendance at the University. Accommodation requests will be processed in a timely manner; however, students should allow at least 21 days from initial request for a finalized decision. 

Students are required to have knowledge of and observe all regulations pertaining to campus life and student deportment. They are responsible for maintaining communication with the university by keeping a current address, including ZIP code and telephone number on file with the Office of the Registrar at all times.

Every student associated with the university is expected to behave in campus and community life in a manner that will reflect credit upon the university.

Academic Honesty

As a community of scholars dedicated to learning and the pursuit of knowledge, UNC Asheville relies on the honesty and academic integrity of all the members of its community. Any act of plagiarism, cheating, or use of unauthorized materials or assistance is academic dishonesty. A person who knowingly assists another in academic dishonesty is likewise guilty of dishonesty. According to the instructor’s view of the gravity of the offense and the instructor’s syllabus policy, a student may be punished by a failing grade or a grade of zero for the assignment or test, or a failing grade in the course. The faculty member may also require that the student complete additional sanctions, such as the completion of an online course on plagiarism or resubmission of the original assignment.

In all situations where a student has been disciplined for academic dishonesty, the instructor must submit a brief statement of the case to the Senior Director of Advising and Academic Success with a copy to the student. The Senior Director of Advising and Academic Success maintains records of academic dishonesty incidents and notifies the instructor when a student is found to have multiple offenses. Depending upon the severity and/or repetition of the offense, the Senior Director of Advising and Academic Success and/or instructor may recommend that the Provost impose an additional penalty, such as cancellation of graduation with honors, cancellation of scholarships, or dismissal from the university. If the Provost decides that additional penalties are warranted, the student will be notified in writing.

If a student feels that he or she has been unjustly accused of academic dishonesty, the student has ten (10) class days from the date of the instructor’s written notification to the student to respond in writing. This response is to be sent to both the instructor and the Senior Director of Advising and Academic Success. The instructor should then meet with the student to discuss the charges within five (5) class days. If needed, the student may then contact the Senior Director of Advising and Academic Success for assistance in identifying options for possible resolution. If needed, the Faculty Conciliator will be contacted to mediate and/or convene the Academic Appeals Board.

Disruptive Behavior in the Classroom

Part of the role of a faculty member is to ensure that each student has a learning environment free from disruption. With the concurrence of the department chair or program director, the instructor may administratively withdraw a student from a course for behavior that is deemed to be disruptive to the class. A grade of W will be assigned if the behavior occurs before the deadline for withdrawing from a course without academic penalty. For behavior occurring after the withdrawal deadline, a grade of F will be assigned, although the instructor has the option of recommending a grade of W. See the addendum at the end of this catalog for specific procedures relating to instructor and student responsibilities.

Student Complaints and Grievances

The University of North Carolina at Asheville has established accessible policies and procedures for the filing and review of student complaints and grievances. These policies and procedures are defined in the Student Handbook, the University Catalog and on Student Affairs and Academic Affairs web pages.

Where a student should go to file a complaint depends upon whether the complaint concerns academic or non-academic matters.  In practice, student concerns, complaints or grievances are directed to one of two student ombudsmen. The Senior Director of Advising and Academic Success is generally the first point of contact for academic student complaints, and the Dean of Students is generally the first point of contact for non-academic student complaints.  However, regardless of the initial contact, the two student ombudsmen work closely together and direct students to the appropriate complaint procedure and involve any other appropriate departments. Students may also institute complaints to the personnel involved in the procedure or action that yielded the complaint. For example, instructional matters are typically handled first by the class instructor, and then progressively by the department chair, the Dean and the Provost if needed.  Each office that receives student complaints will maintain a record of those complaints and their resolutions.

Contact information for the Senior Director of Advising and Academic Success and for the Dean of Students, and additional information relevant to academic honesty and classroom behavior may be found in the Student Complaints, Grievances and Academic Misconduct addendum at the end of this catalog. 

Class Attendance

Students are responsible for regular class attendance. Students failing to attend the first session of any class may be administratively dropped by the instructor; however, this is at the discretion of the instructor. It is each student’s responsibility to notify the Academic Success Center of any change to their schedule.

Students who miss class to travel on university-sanctioned business are given excused absences for the class time missed. Students are allowed up to two excused absences per semester for religious observance. Excused absences of these kinds will have no punitive impact on their grades. It is each student’s responsibility to inform the instructor of their plans at least seven days prior to the sanctioned absence, and to make up all work missed within a specified time period, as agreed to by instructor and student. Absences, excused or unexcused, may affect student learning.

Student Records and Academic Information

Transcripts and Release of Student Records

Currently enrolled students may request an official transcript through their UNC Asheville OnePort account. Former students and alumni may request an official transcript via the National Student Clearinghouse or in person at the Office of the Registrar. UNC Asheville does not issue unofficial transcripts. There is no charge for transcripts unless they are requested through the National Student Clearinghouse, which charges a small service fee for processing. Transcripts are issued within one week of the receipt of the official request, except during the beginning and ending weeks of each semester, when more processing time is required. Additional information on ordering a transcript is available on the Office of the Registrar’s website, http://registrar.unca.edu/transcripts. All financial obligations to the university must be fulfilled before transcripts will be released. Transcripts received from other schools are the property of the university and are not copied or released at any time.

In order to comply with federal regulations, the University of North Carolina at Asheville has adopted institutional policies and procedures to be followed with regard to the disclosure of information from the education records of current and former students. The student record policy of the University of North Carolina at Asheville conforms to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-380). This policy gives a student the right to inspect his or her educational record within a reasonable length of time, to ask for interpretations, and to request that any inaccuracies be corrected. Education records are in the custody of the Office of the Registrar. A student’s UNC Asheville academic transcript is permanently maintained. Other documents are retained pursuant to administrative policies.

Directory information is information not generally considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. Unless a student requests in writing to the contrary, federal law permits the University to release directory information to the public without the student’s consent. The following is considered to be directory information at UNC Asheville:

• Name;
• Mailing and permanent address;
• Major field of study;
• Class (junior, senior, etc.);
• Enrollment status (full-time, part-time, etc.);
• Participation in officially recognized activities and sports;
• Weight and height of members of athletic teams;
• Dates of attendance at UNC Asheville; and
• Degrees and awards received (including Dean’s List and Chancellor’s List as well as scholarships)

If information is not considered directory information, it cannot be released without the student’s written consent except in those circumstances listed below. Students who do not wish their directory information released outside the University or published in the campus directory must provide written notice to the Office of the Registrar by filing a Directory Restriction form. If a student has a directory restriction placed on their record, it restricts all information from being released including Dean’s List, Chancellor’s List and graduation publications. A directory restriction remains in effect until the student requests, in writing, that it be removed.

The university does not permit access to, or the release of education records, without proper authorization of the student with the following exceptions:

• to UNC Asheville officials, including faculty, who require such records in the proper performance of their duties;
• in connection with the student’s application for or receipt of financial aid or Veterans Administration benefits;
• to organizations conducting studies for educational and governmental agencies (in which case individual students are neither identified nor identifiable);
• to U.S. government agencies as listed in Public Law 93-380;
• to parents of a dependent student as defined in the Internal Revenue Code of 1954;
• to accrediting agencies;
• to comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena;
• to appropriate persons in connection with an emergency if the knowledge of such information is necessary to protect the health or safety of a student or any other person; and to other University of North Carolina system institutions if the student applies or is accepted for transfer to those institutions.

Non-directory information cannot be released to parents or guardians at any time without the authorization of the student. Students can authorize release of non-directory information online through their UNC Asheville OnePort account. The access for an authorized individual, referred to as a proxy, can include grades, unofficial academic transcript, schedule of classes, financial aid and accounts payable information. For specific information on how to do grant proxy access, students should refer to the FERPA Release/Proxy Access information of the Office of the Registrar website, http://registrar.unca.edu/proxy-access-online-ferpa-release.

FERPA Annual Notice to Reflect Possible Federal and State Data Collection and Use

As of January 3, 2012, the U.S. Department of Education’s FERPA regulations expand the circumstances under which students’ education records and personally identifiable information (PII) contained in such records — including Social Security Number, grades, or other private information — may be accessed without student consent. First, the U.S. Comptroller General, the U.S. Attorney General, the U.S. Secretary of Education, or state and local education authorities (“Federal and State Authorities”) may allow access to records and PII, without consent, to any third party designated by a Federal or State Authority to evaluate a federal- or state-supported education program. The evaluation may relate to any program that is “principally engaged in the provision of education,” such as early childhood education and job training, as well as any program that is administered by an education agency or institution. Second, Federal and State Authorities may allow access to education records and PII, without consent, to researchers performing certain types of studies, in certain cases even when the university objects to or does not request such research. Federal and State Authorities must obtain certain use-restriction and data security promises from the entities that they authorize to receive students’ PII, but the Authorities need not maintain direct control over such entities. In addition, in connection with Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems, State Authorities may collect, compile, permanently retain, and share, without consent, PII from educational records, and they may track students’ participation in education and other programs by linking such PII to other personal information that they obtain from other Federal or State data sources, including workforce development, unemployment insurance, child welfare, juvenile justice, military service, and migrant student records systems.

Acceptance of Transfer Credit

The university will award transfer credit for those courses completed with a grade of C (2.0) or better taken at regionally accredited undergraduate institutions and determined to be compatible with the university’s programs. Courses submitted for transfer are evaluated by the Office of the Registrar. In cases of doubt, equivalency may be determined by the chairs of the appropriate departments. For credits earned more than 10 years prior to admission, up to 60 hours may be applied to general education and non-major electives.  Students who completed major-applicable courses more than 10 years prior to admission will need to petition the chair of the major department for transfer credit consideration. No more than one-half of major course requirements may be transferred.

Courses from regionally accredited two-year colleges will be evaluated in the same manner as those from four-year institutions, except in the case of specific administrative agreements with two-year colleges. Students with 60 or more credits from two-year institutions must earn a minimum of 60 additional credits at four-year institutions. Applied courses, whether technical or methodological (except in the fine arts), are not transferable unless they are approved by the chairs of the appropriate departments.

Courses to satisfy Liberal Arts Core and major requirements are judged individually. They should be generally equivalent in information and methodology to courses in the university’s Liberal Arts Core curriculum or major programs. In cases of doubt, the chairs of the appropriate departments will determine the equivalency accepted. Courses will be considered electives if they are not part of the Liberal Arts Core requirements or required for the major or minor.

Permission to Take a Course as a Visitor at Another Institution

Students who wish to take courses at another regionally accredited institution must receive written permission from UNC Asheville’s Office of the Registrar prior to enrolling at the other school. The Office of the Registrar gives approval for courses that will be used as electives or used to satisfy Liberal Arts Core requirements. If a course is to be used to satisfy a major requirement, written approval from the department chair of the student’s major must be presented to the Office of the Registrar before the request will be considered. Only students whose cumulative GPA is a 2.0 or above may receive permission to visit another school.

Students must earn 60 semester hours from 4-year institutions in order to graduate. Those who have 60 or more hours of transferred credit from 2-year schools (or if the courses requested will cause the student to exceed 60 semester hours) may not take additional courses at another two year institution without special permission from the Office of the Registrar.

Students must complete their final 30 semester hours in residence at UNC Asheville. Those who wish to attend another institution after reaching senior standing (or if the courses requested will cause the student to exceed 90 semester hours) may take courses at another institution if they have an additional 30 hours of requirements to complete upon returning to UNC Asheville.

Forms detailing additional regulations and the procedures for requesting permission to visit another institution are available on the Office of the Registrar’s website, and must be filed prior to the student attending another institution.

CLEP or PEP Credit

UNC Asheville awards a maximum combined total of 30 semester hours of credit for examinations of the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and Proficiency Examination Program (PEP). Passage of CLEP exams is defined as scoring at the 50th percentile or above, which requires a score of 500 or better. Three semester hours of credit is awarded for each exam with the required score. Additional information is available on the Office of the Registrar website, https://registrar.unca.edu/transfer-credit-equivalencies.

Advanced Placement

UNC Asheville awards academic credit of 3 to 8 semester hours to enrolled students who receive scores of 3, 4 or 5 on Advanced Placement tests offered by the College Board. The required score, amount of credit, and course waiver(s) offered are determined by the academic departments for which Advanced Placement tests are available. The Office of the Registrar maintains the following schedule of credit and waivers. Advanced Placement credit accepted at other post-secondary institutions is not automatically transferred to UNCA, but is reviewed in accordance with this schedule. 

Notes:

A.  A maximum of 4 hours credit will be awarded for the AP English exams. To receive credit for LANG 120, students must satisfy at least one of the following criteria:

• Students with a score of 5 on one or both of the exams will receive 4 hours of credit for LANG120.
• Students with a score of 4 on both the Language and Composition test and the Literature and Composition exam will receive 4 hours of credit for LANG 120.

B.  Students who score 5 on either test should contact the department chair for placement.
C.  Students will not receive credit for both European and World History AP tests.

International Baccalaureate

UNC Asheville academic credit and course waivers will be granted to enrolled students who have obtained the required scores on the Higher-Level IB exams listed below. No academic credit will be awarded for Subsidiary-Level IB exams, and only those Higher-Level IB exams listed below are eligible for academic credit and/or course waiver. Official IB transcripts will be evaluated by the Office of the Registrar in consultation with department chairs. IB credit accepted at other post-secondary institutions is not automatically transferred to UNC Asheville but is reviewed in accordance with the schedule that follows.

British A Level Exams

The awarding of transfer credit for coursework or exams from overseas universities and schools, such as British A Level Exams, is determined by the appropriate department chair.

Registration and Schedule Changes

Courses are offered on a semester basis, generally meeting three hours a week. The regular academic year is divided into two semesters of 15 weeks each. A few selected classes will be offered during one of two mini-terms within each regular semester. Courses offered during these terms will meet on an accelerated schedule which will be detailed in that semester’s Schedule of Classes.

All eligible students register using web registration. The web registration program may be accessed through the UNC Asheville home page. A listing of each semester’s course schedule may be accessed on the Office of the Registrar’s website.           

Currently enrolled students register for spring semester classes in November, and fall and summer semester classes in April. Students who do not register during these advance registration periods may register at the beginning of the semester, but will be assessed a late registration fee. New students register during orientation sessions or at the beginning of the semester or summer terms. An additional late fee will be charged to any student who registers after the start of the semester. Students who have outstanding balances with the university or other registration holds will not be allowed to register until all obligations to the university have been fulfilled.

All new students must present complete admissions credentials by the published deadline prior to the date of registration. Students who do not complete the admissions process before the close of late registration for a given term may finish the process and be admitted, if eligible, for the next scheduled term. No person may attend class unless officially registered and cleared by the Student Accounts Office. Students who have not paid their tuition and fees by the announced deadline each semester will have their classes canceled. Students whose class schedules have been canceled must pay their tuition and fees and a re-registration fee before they will be eligible to re-register for classes. Students whose schedules have been cancelled for nonpayment are not eligible to attend classes until they have officially re-registered.

Students may Drop and Add during the first five days of class in a regular semester using web registration. Students should refer to the Dropping, Adding and Withdrawing policies below for schedule changes after the first five days of class. 

Dropping, Adding, and Withdrawing from a Course

It is the student’s responsibility to make any schedule adjustments and process all forms and paperwork necessary for schedule changes in the Academic Success Center by the appropriate deadlines. It is also the responsibility of students to review their schedule of classes in OnePort to verify that they are registered for the correct classes.

Schedule Adjustment Week—Students may drop or add full-semester courses during the first five days of the semester. After the 5th day of classes, students may adjust their schedules by late adding or withdrawing from classes.

Late Add—With the approval of the instructor and department chair, students may add a full-semester course during the 6th through 10th days of the semester. A Late Add form, containing the signatures of the instructor and department chair must be received in the Academic Success Center by 5 p.m. on the 10th day of the semester. Students who add classes after the start of the semester are responsible for missed material and assignments. At the discretion of the instructor, missed classes may be counted as absences and may be subject to the instructor’s attendance policy.

Withdraw—After the Schedule Adjustment Week, a student may withdraw from a full semester course through the end of the 8th week of class, and a Term I or Term II course through the end of the 16th day of classes. A student who withdraws in this way will receive a grade of W for the course. Withdrawal (W) hours count as Attempted Hours and are used in the calculation of academic standing.

Students are limited to three (3) course withdrawals while enrolled at UNC Asheville. Exceptions may be granted for students who withdraw from all courses due to extenuating or emergency circumstances. See the section on Withdrawal (Exit) from the University.

A student who wants to withdraw from a course must submit a Withdrawal Form to the Academic Success Center. Students are strongly encouraged to consult with their advisor if they have any questions regarding the withdrawal. The official withdrawal date is the date on which the student submits the Withdrawal Form to the Academic Success Center. The instructor of the course and the student’s advisor are notified when the withdrawal is processed.

Requests for withdrawal after the deadline will be considered only for documentable emergencies beyond the student’s control. Students requesting a withdrawal after the deadline must complete a petition for Late Withdrawal and submit the completed form and appropriate supporting documentation to the Academic Success Center. In order for a petition for a late withdrawal to be considered, students are required to demonstrate they have been participating in the class and are receiving a passing grade. Final approval for late withdrawals rests with the Enrollment Services Committee and/or its designee. If a student’s situation is unusually severe, or an emergency, the committee may consider petitions that are retroactive for a previous semester; however, proposals will not be considered if submitted one calendar year beyond the date the initial grade was earned.

Students who withdraw from all of their courses are exiting from the university. There are special procedures for doing this. See the section on Withdrawal (Exit) from the University. 

Withdrawal (Exit) from the University

A student who finds it necessary to withdraw from all courses (exit the university) before the end of a term must contact the Academic Success Center.

When a student exits after the Schedule Adjustment Week, but before the published deadline to withdraw, a grade of W will be assigned for each course. The official date of withdrawal, used for determining grades and tuition refunds, is the day on which the student submits the completed forms to withdraw to the Academic Success Center. A student who fails to file the appropriate forms by the stated deadline will receive an F as the final grade in each course.

Students who experience emergency circumstances requiring withdrawal from all classes after the 8th week of the semester must complete a Late Withdrawal petition and provide appropriate documentation to support their request. Emergency circumstances are situations beyond the student’s control that prevent the student from attending class and/or completing the required coursework. In order for a petition for late withdrawals to be considered, students are required to demonstrate they were participating in the classes and receiving passing grades prior to the emergency.

Students who withdraw from all classes in a semester must meet with an Academic Success Center advisor or the Senior Director of Advising and Academic Success prior to registering for additional courses.

Interruption of Enrollment

Any University of North Carolina at Asheville student who interrupts his or her educational program by not registering for one or more regular terms of course work must reapply to the university. An application fee of $60 will be required only in those cases where the student has enrolled elsewhere since being enrolled at UNC Asheville (see Admission  for specific information on readmittance). Returning students must comply with immunization requirements.

Students who are out of school for a full academic year must complete the Liberal Arts Core requirements (and major requirements, if they had earlier declared a major) listed in the current catalog when they return. Exceptions to the Liberal Arts Core requirements may be made by the Dean of University Programs; exceptions to the major requirements may be made by the chair of the major department with the approval of the appropriate Vice Chancellor or Dean. Forms to request either exception are available in the Academic Success Center.

Failure to Attend the First Class

Students unable to attend the first class session should contact the appropriate instructor/department. Students registered, but not in attendance, for the first class session of any course may, at the instructor’s discretion, be administratively dropped; however, administrative drops for failure to attend the first class are not automatic and students should NOT assume that they have been dropped by the instructor. It is the student’s responsibility to check their semester’s enrollment and make any needed changes by the appropriate deadline.

Academic Advising

Each degree-seeking student at UNC Asheville is assigned an advisor to help with course scheduling, major selection, career planning and personal concerns. Advisors for students who have not chosen a major are assigned by the staff of Advising and Learning Support. When a student declares an academic major, the chair of the department assigns the student an advisor from within the department. Students usually declare a major during their sophomore year.

The advisor-advisee relationship plays an important part in a student’s academic success. UNC Asheville’s advising program is the primary source of assistance for student decision-making. Advisors take a special interest in the academic, social and personal welfare of their advisees. The staff of Advising and Learning Support also supports all advisors in their endeavors with advisees.

Classification of Students

Degree-seeking students are classified according to the number of semester hours of credit earned: freshman, up to 29 semester hours; sophomore, 30-59; junior, 60-89; senior, 90 or more.

Academic Load

In order to graduate in four years, degree-seeking students should register for at least 15 hours each semester. A student must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 semester hours to be considered full-time. Enrollment in more than 18 semester hours requires the approval of the student’s advisor. The maximum credit-hour load for summer terms depends on the length of the term, but normally does not exceed 10 hours, with a maximum of 7 hours per term. To be considered full-time in summer, students must register for at least 6 hours.

Attempted Hours

Every course for which a student is enrolled at the end of the last day of the drop-add period receives a grading symbol and counts toward attempted hours. For a list of grading symbols, see the section on Quality Points.

Grading, Evaluation and Academic Progress

Examinations and Evaluations

Each instructor arranges examinations in courses as appropriate. The student should receive the results of at least one evaluation by the end of the fifth week of each course. A week at the end of each regular semester is reserved for final examinations. Classes will meet for a single 2 ½-hour period during which an exam or other form of evaluation may be given. The schedule is publicized well in advance.

Quality Points

The University of North Carolina at Asheville uses a quality-point average system and semester hours of credit for calculating student achievement. Grading symbols used are: A (4.0 quality points), A- (3.67 quality points), B+ (3.33 quality points), B (3.0 quality points), B- (2.67 quality points), C+ (2.33 quality points), C (2.0 quality points), C- (1.67 quality points), D+ (1.33 quality points), D (1.0 quality point), F (zero quality points), U-unsatisfactory (zero quality points), S-satisfactory, X/Y-no credit, W-withdrawal, I-incomplete, IP-in progress, and NC-no credit.

S , X/Y, W, I, IP and NC grades carry no quality points and are not included in the calculation of the grade-point average. Those courses for which the faculty has approved awarding an In-Progress (IP) or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grade are indicated in the catalog course descriptions. Special Topics courses may be offered on a satisfactory/ unsatisfactory (S/U) basis only with the approval of the department chair or program director and the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. The grade-point average is determined by dividing the accumulated number of quality points earned by the accumulated number of quality hours. Grade-point averages are computed to the thousandth of a point. A grade of U earns no credit and is calculated as an F grade in the term and cumulative grade-point averages.

Grades of H, G, P, F received prior to 1978 are also used in calculating grade-point averages for students currently enrolled. Grading symbols used are: H-Honors (four quality points), G-Good (three quality points), P-Pass (two quality points), and F-Fail (zero quality points).

Incomplete Grades

Incomplete grades may be assigned when all of the following conditions are met:

• There are documentable, extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control causing him or her to miss the final examination or other limited amount of work at the end of a term
• The student was actively attending and succeeding in the course prior to the extenuating circumstances at the end of the term
• No additional class time is required in the following term to make up coursework. Students receiving an Incomplete grade are not permitted to attend additional class sessions without approval from the Registrar.

Procedures for Incomplete Grades

• Instructors who assign a grade of Incomplete (I) at the end of the semester must complete an online form, available on the Office of the Registrar website, that gathers information about the student’s remaining assignments.
• The instructor will enter the Incomplete (I) grade, as well as a default grade, in OnePort when recording final grades for the term. The university-wide due date for Incomplete (I) grades is four weeks prior to the end of the following Fall or Spring semester. An instructor who wishes to require the student to complete the outstanding work for a course prior to the university due date may record an earlier, alternate due date when submitting the grade.
• Instructors must submit a Grade Change Form to the Office of the Registrar prior to the recorded due date if the final grade differs from the default grade.
• The default grade will automatically be assigned to the course on the due date unless the instructor has submitted a Grade Change Form to the Office of the Registrar before that date. Requests to change a grade that has defaulted must be submitted via a Grade Change Form and must have the department chair’s signature. If the instructor is the department chair, the appropriate Dean must also sign the form.
• Requests for extensions of the default deadline will not be routinely approved. In the event of extenuating circumstances, the instructor and student may petition the Registrar for consideration.
• Students cannot graduate with an outstanding Incomplete (I) grade on their record.

In Progress

An instructor may give an In-Progress (IP) grade to a student enrolled in a specially designated research course when the research has not been completed by the end of the semester. Course descriptions indicate if an IP grade may be given for a course. If an IP grade is necessary, the instructor must submit a completed Request for In-Progress (IP) Grade form to the Office of the Registrar before the end of the last class day of the term.

Once the IP grade is assigned, the student and instructor must maintain periodic contact to ensure progress is being made toward completion of the outstanding work. Every effort should be made by the student to complete In-Progress work within one year of the date the IP grade is originally assigned. If the student is unable to complete the work within one year, he or she must submit a written request for an extension to the instructor. If approved, the instructor will forward the request to the Office of the Registrar. If the request for an extension is not approved by the instructor, or if the student does not request an extension, the instructor must submit a Grade Change Form to the Office of the Registrar assigning a grade for the course.

All work for an IP must be completed within three years. Following completion of the course, the instructor must submit a Grade Change form to the Office of the Registrar indicating the final grade. After three years, any outstanding IP grades will have the default grade specified on the original request recorded. Students cannot graduate with an outstanding In-Progress (IP) grade on their record.

Non-Graded Enrollment in Courses

Students electing to participate in non-graded (audit) status for a course may do so by registering for the specific course on a X/Y (non-grade/non-completion) basis and by paying the regular tuition and fees for the course. Students who are otherwise enrolled in a full-time status may take a course in this manner for no additional charge.

Satisfactory completion of the course work associated with the X/Y status as defined by the instructor, shall result in the awarding of non-graduation credit (X grade) for the course. Failure to satisfactorily complete the course work shall result in a non-completion (Y) grade by the instructor. Students may register for X/Y status on a space-available basis only on the last scheduled day of drop/add. Students may change their status from regular credit to X/Y credit until the announced deadline for withdrawal. Forms are available in the Academic Success Center.

Change of Grade

If a student or instructor discovers that an error has been made in recording a grade, the instructor must request a change of grade. The only acceptable grounds for such a change are the instructor’s error in the calculation of the grade or misjudgment in the evaluation of the student’s work. To change a grade, the instructor must state the reason for the requested grade change on the appropriate form, indicate the correct grade, sign it, and receive the approval of the department chair, who will sign the form. If the department chair is making the change, the appropriate Dean must sign. The deadline for such a request is no later than the last day of the third week of class in the semester immediately following the recording of the original grade, summer terms not included. 

Repeating Courses and Replacing Grades 

Students may repeat a course in which they earned a grade that is less than C (C-, D+, D, F or U). The grades from all course attempts will be used in the calculation of the student’s grade point average, and the total attempted hours will increase with each repeat. However, students will earn hours for only one of the successful attempts. 

Students have the option to replace the grades in courses for a maximum of 12 hours, and use the new grades in the calculation of the grade-point average. The grades for the initial attempts will remain on the student’s permanent record and appear on the student’s transcript, but will not calculate into the grade-point average. The credit hours from all attempts will count in the student’s attempted hours.              

Repeating courses may negatively affect the student’s ability to satisfy the Financial Aid and Good Academic Standing Completion Ratio standards. Students wishing to repeat a course and/or replace the grade must submit the appropriate form in the Academic Success Center.

Competency and Proficiency Examinations

Major Competency. A demonstration of competency in the major field (or, in the case of students not pursuing a traditional major program, in an area of academic concentration) is required of every degree candidate. The departmental faculty determines the form of the major field demonstration of competency. The Director of Interdisciplinary Studies will determine the form of demonstration for students pursuing interdisciplinary or individual degree programs. The demonstration of competency may take the form of a comprehensive examination that is oral, written or both; a research project; an analytical paper in which appropriate principles and methodologies are applied; or any other form established by the faculty group responsible for its administration. Writing and information literacy appropriate to the major field of study will be integrated into the degree candidate’s demonstration of competency. As a condition of graduation, any academic deficiencies or weaknesses revealed by the demonstration of competency must be corrected to the satisfaction of the supervising faculty group.

Proficiency Examination. Currently enrolled students may fulfill the requirement for many courses, including Liberal Arts Core requirements, by passing a proficiency examination. LANG 120 and courses such as internships, theses, research seminars, field experiences, or any course that meets the departmental requirement of competency or is graded S/U are excluded from this option.

The student completes a Proficiency Examination form obtained from the Office of the Registrar and makes arrangements with the department chair in which the course is taught to take an examination covering all material in the course. Any student who is in good academic standing may request approval from the appropriate department chair to take a proficiency examination. Departments have the discretion to determine courses in which examination is appropriate. Grading will be Pass or Fail. If passed, the results will be noted on the student’s transcript. The minimum number of hours for a degree will not be reduced. There is a $15 fee that must be paid to the Student Accounts Office prior to the administration of the exam.

Honors Lists

At the end of each semester, the university will publish Honors Lists honoring those students who have distinguished themselves academically. Students will receive the highest honor for which they are eligible. The minimum qualifications are:

Chancellor’s List. Students are qualified for the Chancellor’s List if they earn a 4.0 with a minimum of 12 semester hours and have no Incomplete or IP grades.

Dean’s List. The Dean’s List honors those students who complete a minimum full-time load of 12 semester hours, have no grade lower than a C, have no Incomplete or IP grades, and have a GPA of at least a 3.5 for the semester.

Academic Standing

All students are expected to earn and maintain a grade-point average (GPA) of at least 2.0 each semester and to successfully complete (earn) at least 67% of their attempted hours each semester. Successful completion of a course means that a student must earn credit or have credit pending for the course with a grade other than F, U, or W.

Good Academic Standing

Students with a semester and cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher and who successfully complete at least 67% of their attempted hours each semester are considered to be in Good Academic Standing.

Academic Warning

Students are placed on Academic Warning if any of the following three conditions occur:  

• The student’s semester GPA is < 2.0,
• The student’s cumulative GPA is < 2.0, or
• The student’s successful completion rate (earned hours divided by attempted hours), either for the semester or cumulative, is less than 67%.

To continue enrollment, students on Academic Warning must either regain Good Academic Standing, as described above, or meet all of the following Criteria for Continued Enrollment each semester until they regain Good Academic Standing.

Criteria for Continued Enrollment while on Academic Warning

• Earn a semester GPA of at least 2.25;
• Successfully complete at least 70% of their attempted hours each semester, AND
• Meet with an advisor in the Academic Success Center prior to or during the first week of class to submit and discuss an Academic Success contract. This contract may stipulate additional requirements that the student must fulfill in order to continue enrollment.

Note: Students who earn all F grades or a combination of all F, U, or W grades in a semester will be Suspended without a period of Academic Warning.

Suspension

Students who are on Academic Warning and who fail to meet any of the three criteria necessary for continued enrollment (see above) will be Suspended. Students who earn all F grades or a combination of all F, U, or W grades in a semester will be Suspended. Students who are Suspended are not eligible to enroll at the university during the next regular semester, but may return after they have served one semester of suspension.

When students return from Suspension, they are placed on Academic Warning and must meet the criteria outlined for continued enrollment (see above) until they are in Good Academic standing. Failure to meet any of the three expected GPA and semester hour completion rate standards will result in Dismissal from the university.  

Dismissal

Students who have served a semester of Suspension and who, while still on Academic Warning, fail to meet the 2.25 semester GPA and 70% successful completion standard will be Dismissed from the university. Students who are dismissed have no right to future enrollment at UNC Asheville and must wait at least three years before appealing to return. 

Summary of Academic Standing Rules

Graduation Requirements

University Graduation Requirements

The university confers degrees three times during the academic year: at the end of the fall semester, at the end of the spring semester, and at the end of the summer semester. Formal commencement ceremonies are held at the end of the spring and fall semesters. Students who are within 8 hours of completing their remaining requirements for graduation may participate in the commencement ceremony immediately preceding their final term, provided they have applied for graduation and are registered for the remaining requirements.  Students earning degrees in summer or fall semesters will belong to the class of the spring commencement next succeeding. To graduate a student must:

1. Complete all Liberal Arts Core requirements of the catalog in effect when he or she entered UNC Asheville as a degree-seeking student or re-entered after an absence of one academic year or more.

2. Complete all major and correlate requirements of the catalog in effect on the date the major or concentration is declared or changed, or in effect when returning after an absence of one academic year or more.

3. Complete the final 30 hours in residence at UNC Asheville. If seeking a second degree, UNC Asheville graduates must complete an additional 30 hours after the initial degree was awarded.

4. Complete a minimum of 25% of the required semester hours in residence if transferring from a four-year school. A typical 120-hour degree program requires 30 semester hours in residence. Degree programs greater than 120 hours will require more than 30 hours in residence to reach the 25% minimum requirement.

5. Complete a minimum of 60 hours at four-year institutions.

6. Accumulate a minimum of 120 hours (more if requirements are not completed in 120).

7. Complete a minimum of 30 hours at 300-400 level.

8. Achieve at least a C (2.0) average on work attempted at UNC Asheville. This 2.0 minimum applies to courses in the major department and the minor department, as well as in the overall program.

9. Complete at least one-half of the major at UNC Asheville if a transfer student; two-thirds of the major if a post-baccalaureate student receiving a second degree or certificate of major.

10. Submit an application for graduation to the Office of the Registrar by the appropriate deadline. For May graduation, the application is due December 1; for Summer graduation, the application is due June 1; for December graduation, the application is due September 1. A late application fee of $100 is charged if the application is submitted after the published deadline. If a student does not graduate as expected, a new application must be submitted by the deadline for the appropriate term.

11. Minors, which are optional, are only awarded at the completion of degree requirements. Required hours for a minor vary according to departments. All minors require a minimum C (2.0) average on all work attempted at UNC Asheville. One-half of the hours required for a minor must be completed at UNC Asheville. All minors require that a minimum of 6 semester hours of 300-400 level courses be completed at UNC Asheville.

Academic Honors

The university awards five kinds of academic honors to its eligible graduating students: university-wide honors of cum laude (with honors), magna cum laude (with high honors) and summa cum laude (with highest honors); Departmental Distinction; University Research Scholar; University Scholar and Community Engaged Scholar. The Honors Committee must approve all recommendations and report them to the faculty, which has sole authority to award honors.

Universitywide Latin honors are granted on the basis of cumulative grade-point average for those courses completed at UNC Asheville. Students must earn at least 60 semester hours at UNC Asheville to be eligible for Latin honors. Students who are readmitted to UNC Asheville under the Conditional Readmission policy are not eligible for universitywide Latin honors. Students must achieve a cumulative grade-point average of 3.60 to graduate cum laude, 3.75 to graduate magna cum laude, and 3.90 to graduate summa cum laude. Since the work of some students is not adequately represented by grades alone, the Honors Committee solicits recommendations from the faculty that are used for two purposes. The Honors Committee may recommend to the faculty that a student receive a higher honor than the one that would apply automatically; and, in numbers not to exceed 1 percent of the graduating class, the Honors Committee may also recommend to the faculty that students whose grades do not qualify them for automatic honors receive honors at appropriate levels.

Upon recommendation by the major department, Departmental Distinction is granted for outstanding performance in the major program. For this award, each department applies standards approved by the Honors Committee.

Upon recommendation by the Undergraduate Research Council, which applies standards approved by the Honors Committee, the University Research Scholar designation is granted for outstanding performance in undergraduate research.

Students enrolled in the University Honors Program who have successfully completed the program, maintained an overall grade-point average of at least 3.25 and a 3.50 grade-point average for Honors courses may graduate with Distinction as a University Scholar.

Students who complete at least six academic credit hours in Service-Learning Designated courses (with a minimum grade of B- in each course), a Key Center workshop on Service Learning, and a Public Service Project under the supervision of a faculty member and representative of a community organization may graduate as a Community Engaged Scholar. Additional information is available at http://www.unca.edu/keycenter.

In addition to the academic honors listed above, The Manly E. Wright Scholarship Award is presented to the graduating student first in scholarship.