2012-2013 Undergraduate Catalog
Grades will be reported in the following manner:
| Grade | Description | Grade Points |
|---|---|---|
| A | Outstanding | 4.0 |
| A- | Outstanding | 3.7 |
| B+ | Above average | 3.3 |
| B | Above average | 3.0 |
| B- | Above average | 2.7 |
| C+ | Average | 2.3 |
| C | Average | 2.0 |
| C- | Average | 1.7 |
| D+ | Below average | 1.3 |
| D | Below average | 1.0 |
| F | Failure | 0.0 |
| U | Unsatisfactory | 0.0 |
| WR | Withdrawal with partial refund of fees | * * |
| TR | Withdrawal with full refund | * * |
| W | Withdrawn | * * |
| WF | Withdrawn/failing | 0.0 |
| X | Audit | * * |
| I | Incomplete | * * |
| I* | Grade Not Reported | * * |
| G | Deferred (Thesis/Dissertation only) | * * |
| P | Pass | * * |
| S | Satisfactory | * * |
| * | Withdrawn (W or WF) not yet reported | * * |
| * * | Grade not included when computing the GPA. |
Student teaching, practica, and special courses are graded as satisfactory or unsatisfactory ("S" or "U"). Other courses at the undergraduate level may be taken under a pass or fail ("P" or "F") option.
In computation of the required grade point average (GPA) for retention and conferral of a degree, the total number of quality points (grade points times course semester hours) is divided by the total number of semester hours for which letter grades are received (see the Grading System for grade points). All regulations tied to a specific grade average should be interpreted to mean the numerical average associated with that specific grade. Hence, the required “C average or better” is interpreted as “2.0 average or better.”
Course work completed in any student classification (including non-degree) will be included in the undergraduate or graduate GPA as determined by the level of the course.
Students who earn a semester GPA of 3.90 or higher on a minimum of six semester hours of graded A-F course work at UWF are recognized on the President's Honor Roll for that semester.
Students who earn a semester GPA of 3.50-3.89 on a minimum of six semester hours of graded A-F course work at UWF in any semester are recognized on the Dean's Honor Roll for that semester.
Several colleges and departments of the University recognize meritorious achievement in appropriate ways.
See Registration Policies and Procedures.
See Registration Policies and Procedures.
Students graduating from UWF having earned a letter grade of “F, D, D+, C-, C, C+, B-, B, B+, A-, or A” may not have a grade changed for a course that was taken and completed prior to graduation.
A student may receive credit for a course only once regardless of how many times it is taken in transfer or at UWF. All attempts at UWF count in the GPA unless grade forgiveness is used (see Grade Forgiveness Policy). Credit for a course may only be received for the most recent attempt.
An incomplete (“I”) grade signifies that all course requirements have not been met. If circumstances exist beyond the control of the student, as determined by the instructor, the following applies:
All grades will remain on the student’s official transcript. The original course grade will be annotated to indicate that the course has subsequently been repeated, and the repeat course grade will be annotated with the transcript containing explanations the course was repeated. The original grade will not be computed in the GPA or course hours included in hours earned except in a case in which the student withdraws from the repeated course or takes an incomplete grade. A completed “Grade Forgiveness Request” form must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar no later than the last day of the term of the semester in which the course is repeated. If a Grade Forgiveness Form is submitted prior to the last day of the term of the semester in which the course is repeated the student may ask to have the Grade Forgiveness Request rescinded by contacting the Registrar’s Office. The deadline to have a request for Grade Forgiveness rescinded is the last day of the term of the semester in which the course is repeated. Forms are available from the Office of the Registrar.
Grade forgiveness is restricted to undergraduate degree-seeking students in undergraduate courses. Grade forgiveness is limited to courses (4 semester hours or less) numbered 1000-4999, in which grades are recorded on an “A-F” scale, including a “WF.” A student who has earned a letter grade “A-F” by proficiency exam may not repeat the course under the grade forgiveness policy. The grade forgiveness option may not be exercised to remove a grade awarded in a case of academic misconduct. Once a bachelor’s degree has been awarded by UWF, a student may not repeat a course and forgive the original grade for a course taken prior to graduation.
Beginning freshmen students are allowed two opportunities for grade forgiveness during their undergraduate program. Students who are admitted and enroll as a first-time in college (FTIC) student (classification may be other than freshman) are also eligible for two opportunities. Transfer students are permitted one opportunity to apply for grade forgiveness. Contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions for information on status.
If a course has been taken more than one time prior to the application for forgiveness, forgiveness can be used to replace only the most recently awarded grade. Therefore, the grade forgiveness policy is not retroactive and will not retroactively alter any previous academic action. For example, a probation or disqualification status will not be removed from the records of the semester in which the student originally took the course.
A student may not use the UWF grade forgiveness option with a course from another institution.
To apply the grade forgiveness policy for all students, the second attempt at the course must have been taken subsequent to the Fall Semester 1986. For the second option for grade forgiveness for beginning freshman students, the second attempt must be the Fall Semester 1996 or later.
Under unusual circumstances, a different but similar course may be used if the substitute course is approved by the student’s college dean.
If a student withdraws from a course repeated under the grade forgiveness policy, the attempt will count as an allowable attempt. However, the original grade will not be replaced with the “W” or “WF” received in the repeat attempt.
G.I. Bill students and others receiving Veterans Administration educational benefits are advised that the forgiveness of any grade other than an unsatisfactory grade must be reported to the V.A. and may result in the retroactive reduction of benefits for the semester for which the forgiven grade was originally assigned. An unsatisfactory grade may be forgiven without similar consequences. Notify the Office of Veterans Services when utilizing the forgiveness option.
Students who previously attended UWF, whether as degree-seeking or non-degree who subsequently earn an Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree at another Florida public institution, have the following options. To be eligible for this policy, the student must transfer directly from the A.A. degree granting institution to UWF. All adjusted courses will remain on the transcript but they will not be calculated into the UWF GPA.
All credit earned at UWF prior to earning the A.A. degree at another Florida public institution will be excluded from the number of hours earned towards a baccalaureate degree and from all calculations of the UWF GPA. The official academic record will reflect 60 semester hours of credit awarded and completion of the General Studies and Gordon Rule requirements in accordance with the State Articulation Agreement. The UWF GPA will include only those courses completed from this point forward and the student will be in good academic standing.
Credit, status, and GPA earned at UWF will remain the same. The transferable credit will be added to the total number of hours applicable to a baccalaureate degree and the A.A. degree will be posted. The student record will reflect completion of the General Studies and Gordon Rule requirements.
Students should consult the Student Handbook and Planner website at the following for information regarding a grade appeal process: thezonelive.com/zone/public/6/schoolHome.asp?i=12706. Grade appeals for courses cross-listed with another department within another college will be heard through the college that houses the department, regardless of the departmental affiliation of the faculty member teaching the course.
Undergraduate credits which are more than ten years old may be reviewed and reevaluated for credit toward current degree requirements at UWF. Specific programs and teacher education programs may have more stringent requirements.
Courses from regionally accredited institutions with appropriate grades are acceptable for transfer credit and will be transferred at the level that the course was classified by the institution granting the credit.
A P grade in a transferred pass/fail course may be used to satisfy General Studies and Gordon Rule requirements if there is documentation provided by the student that the P was equal to a grade of C (2.0 on a 4.0 scale) or higher or if pass/fail was the only grading system available for the transferred course.
Transfer credit is normally allowed for courses completed at or through other regionally accredited institutions of higher learning. No credit, however, is allowed for technical, vocational, or pre-college courses. Credits earned from Florida public institutions will be evaluated on the basis of the Florida Statewide Course Numbering System. Those courses considered equivalent will be accepted for transfer credit at the level at which the course was classified by the institution originally awarding the credit. Courses are considered equivalent when the prefix and the last three numerical digits of the course number are the same. Courses not considered equivalent may be accepted for transfer credit at the discretion of the departmental chairperson. All grades earned at other regionally accredited institutions are entered on a student's record at the time of transfer exactly as earned. Such grades are averaged separately from grades earned at UWF and are not considered in the UWF GPA. Transfer grades are used in determining baccalaureate honors. Transfer courses appear on the UWF transcript. The University accepts the A.A. from Florida public institutions at face value. College work completed with satisfactory grades by a student at a regionally accredited institution of higher learning prior to graduation from high school will be considered under the same guidelines as other transfer work. The Office of Undergraduate Admissions must be provided an official transcript of such work.
UWF degree-seeking students completing course work at other institutions should complete and submit the Transient Student Form. Completion requires that the student:
Obtain permission of the major advisor prior to enrollment at another institution;
Consult with the Director of the University Advising Center if completing the UWF General Studies requirements
Obtain certification from the Office of the Registrar for residency and degree status for students taking courses at a Florida public college or university. The determination of specific course requirements (Gordon Rule, General Studies, etc.) will be made upon receipt of the official transcript. The major department will determine course equivalency for courses in the major.
The University recognizes the following programs for which undergraduate students may receive academic credit. A combined total of 60 semester hours, of which not more than 20 semester hours may be upper-division credit, may be accepted for transfer. Credit toward major requirements must be approved by the student's major department. Categories and maximum acceptable limits are as follows:
| Category | Credit |
|---|---|
| Advanced Placement Program (AP) | 30 sh |
| Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) | 30 sh |
| College Level Examination Program (CLEP) | 30 sh |
| Correspondence/extended learning | 30 sh |
| Departmental proficiency examination | 30 sh |
| International Baccalaureate program (IB) | 30 sh |
| Military service schools | 30 sh |
| Proficiency examination program | 30 sh |
| USAFI/DANTES credit | 30 sh |
Acceptability of University credit from all sources will be determined by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Specific credit amounts and UWF course equivalents can be found at: uwf.edu/admissions/future_students/ftic/alt_credits/index.cfm. Students receive appropriate credit provided they have not attempted comparable credit at the college level in the appropriate general education area or in the specific discipline. No credit will be awarded for a subject matter examination if the student has already earned any course credit in the subject area.
Dual credit on CLEP is not allowed for similar examinations. For example, a student may earn credit on the CLEP general examination in English composition or on the subject matter examination in English composition, but not on both. Likewise, as student may earn credit for college algebra or on college algebra/trigonometry, but not both. In accordance with the articulation agreement and because CLEP credit is regarded in the same category as transfer credit, students who have earned CLEP credit in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the A.A. from a Florida public institution will be awarded credit on the basis of their presentation of the A.A. The University of West Florida will not evaluate individually the credits on which the A.A. degree is based. Transfer students who have completed a General Studies program at a Florida public institution and whose transcript is so marked will be considered to have completed the General Studies requirements at UWF. A second evaluation of CLEP credits will not be undertaken at this University. CLEP credits for transfer students other than those identified in the above sections will be awarded according to the guidelines stipulated by the Florida Administrative Code. Contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions for detailed information.
Students who anticipate taking correspondence courses should discuss these plans with their faculty advisor. Information regarding correspondence courses offered for the Florida public universities may be obtained by writing to Department of Independent Study, 2209 NW 13th Street, Suite D, Gainesville, Florida 32609-3498.
Other contact information is as follows: (352) 392-1711, x. 200; learn@dce.ufl.edu; or correspondencestudy.ufl.edu.
It is the student's responsibility to have an official transcript forwarded to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
Students currently enrolled in the University as undergraduate degree candidates may request permission to take an examination for course credit. Each academic department may determine if a specific course is eligible for proficiency credit based on the content, material and subject matter. No fees will be assessed. Students should contact the chairperson of the appropriate department to make arrangements for an examination to be given. The grade for the proficiency exam will be submitted to the Office of the Registrar. Grades will be recorded and UWF's grading system and policies will be applied. Proficiency exams may be taken on the pass/fail basis and all other pass/fail regulations apply. A student who previously attempted a course or is currently enrolled in a course may not use the credit by proficiency examination option for that course. Students may attempt to earn credit by examination in a specific course only once, regardless of whether the examination is passed or failed. Students who have earned a letter grade A-F in a course may not challenge the course by examination under the forgiveness policy. A total of 30 semester hours of credit by examination may be applied to an undergraduate degree.
Non-degree students who possess a bachelor's degree or higher, are participating in an approved teacher education program, and demonstrate significant teaching experience may take one or two courses amounting to no more than nine semester hours of their course work through the credit-by-examination option. Students must be enrolled in UWF at the time the exam is given. All other policies related to proficiency exams as stated for degree-seeking students apply.
Currently, enrolled students may access their grades after 2:00 pm the day grades are due (see Academic Calendar) via MyUWF. Contact the Office of the Registrar for more information. Grade mailers will be mailed upon request and may be ordered through MyUWF.
Official transcripts may be ordered via the web, by telephone, by mail, or in person. There is a fee for each official transcript. The University does not accept facsimile requests for transcripts. Students may obtain an unofficial transcript at no charge through MyUWF or LightHouse. Refer to uwf.edu/registrar under transcripts for additional information and instructions for ordering a transcript. UWF transcripts include all course work taken at UWF, degrees awarded, and accepted transfer credit (institutions, courses, and grades). UWF transcripts only list UWF’s grade point averages.
Students may also elect to suppress specific information that is normally reflected on the academic transcript. Beginning in fall, 1993, the University began listing all transfer courses on the UWF transcript. Students may elect to suppress their date of birth, transfer work, or a combination of both from appearing on the UWF transcript. The student must indicate this “option” at the time a transcript is requested. Summary information (the number of hours transferred) will remain on all the transcripts. Each time students request transcripts they must indicate on the request the information which should be suppressed. The following statement will appear at the end of the transcript for students who select the option of suppressing transfer credit: “This student has requested that this transcript includes only course work taken at UWF.” Options for suppression of information are available only for hard copy transcripts and are not available for electronic (FASTER formatted) transcripts used in the State of Florida.