Academic Information & Guidelines

Students earning a cumulative grade point average placing them in an academic probation status for two consecutive semesters are not eligible to continue enrollment automatically after the end of the second semester. If students feel they have extenuating circumstances, they may file written appeals for reinstatement as outlined within the Dismissed section of these policies.

First Probation

Dismissed

Students may add and drop courses via Self Service until the semester starts.  After the semester begins, students can continue to drop and add courses until the drop/add deadlines listed in the academic calendar.  After the drop deadline, students can withdrawal from courses until the withdraw deadline and will have a grade of “W” appear on their transcript. For any questions regarding adding and dropping classes, please contact our office.

Address Change Form
Students may change their address by completing this form online.  Students may also change their address in Self Service and then contacting the Register's Office by phone or email so they can update it on their student record.

Any regularly enrolled student in the University may audit a course. Other persons who do not wish to receive college credit and who do not meet admission requirements may also register as auditors upon payment of the audit fee and any special class fees (e.g. lab or music fees). Under no circumstances will audit grades later be changed to credit status. A student may not change from audit to credit, and vice versa, after the third week of a semester. Students may not audit more than 16 hours of class without permission from the Academic Advising Office. Students wishing to Audit a course will need to choose to do so at time of registration for the course

Ashland University offers the Center of Academic Support as a key point of contact for academic support services for undergraduate students in any academic area. The center may advise and direct students to offices best suited to meet their individual needs. Direct services provided by the center include free peer tutoring for any undergraduate student in any undergraduate course and workshops to build skills needed to succeed in the collegiate classroom. The center is located on the seventh floor of the Library. To request more information on the Center for Academic Support, please visit the webpage or contact Megan Sherar., Director of Academic Support, at msherar@ashland.edu or 419.289.5943.

Change of Major and/or Advisor From
Students may change their major or advisor by completing this form and returning it to the Registrar's Office. Change of major and/or advisor requires a signature from your advisor. A request to change your major to nursing requires the approval of Kelly Kossick, professional advisor for the College of Nursing. Kelly can be contacted at 419.289.5679 or kkossick@ashland.edu.

Ashland University community strives to model leadership that is based upon Judeo-Christian beliefs and virtues and that will encourage, develop and sustain men and women of character to serve their professions, their communities and the world (AU Statement of Ethical Leadership). As members of Ashland University, students hold themselves to the highest standards of academic, personal and social integrity (Ashland University Campus Creed). In keeping with the Ashland University commitment to the highest standards of academic, personal and social integrity, students are expected to abide by the academic integrity standards outlined in this policy.

In addition to plagiarism, fabrication and cheating, stealing, buying or otherwise obtaining all or part of graded coursework is considered a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy. When a faculty member has not observed a student violating any part of the policy but possesses a firm conviction of academic dishonesty, based on competent and probative evidence, an allegation may be filed with the Registrar's Office.

Registration is required before attending any course. Students who need assistance with registration should contact the Registrar's Office.

Properly registered students are expected to attend all class times, including synchronous meeting times for online and hybrid classes.

Class schedules and expectations are based on requirements of 750 minutes per college credit. Additional expectations of college work are a minimum of two hours of homework, reading or preparation per college credit.

Transfer credits will contribute to your classification status. If you have questions concerning your status as it relates to registration time assignment please contact our office at 419.289.5666.

Course by Conference Form
When a student is unable to take a course at its regularly scheduled time due to an unavoidable peculiarity in the student‘s program, the department may agree to offer the course on an individual (conference) basis. The Course By Conference form may be obtained from the Register's Office and must be completed prior to registration. The following procedure is to be used:

1. The student must obtain written permission from the dean of the appropriate college, the department chair of the appropriate department, the student‘s advisor and the instructor for the course to be taken by conference.
2. The student must then present the form to the Registrar's Office for processing and consent. (See also Registration.)

All required parties must approve the request for a By Conference course in order for the student to be registered for the course.

Course Conflict Permission Form
Students may complete this form to take courses that have conflicting class times. Return the permission form to the Registrar's Office once completed. All signatures must be on the form. If the form is incomplete or no longer applies as a conflict, the form may be discarded. Please contact our office with any questions.

For students transferring to Ashland University, course credits from other institutions will be evaluated by the Registrar, in consultation with department chairs and the Core Director.

All matriculated undergraduate students must complete more than 50% of their remaining Core requirements via Ashland University coursework. A student is “matriculated” beginning on the first day of the first semester of the student’s enrollment in an Ashland University program.

All students who enroll at Ashland University with college credit from other institutions shall be considered transfer students for the purposes of this policy. This includes students who have taken advanced placement courses and CLEP exams, or have obtained credit through the post-secondary option program.

FERPA Form
In accordance with the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, all information regarding a student’s academic record is considered private between the student and the University and requires written release for discussion of this information with a third party. Even parents, guardians and spouses cannot obtain information about your academic performance from the University because University officials are not legally required to release such information. Students can complete the FERPA Form to give individuals the rights to their academic records. Once the form is completed, please return it to the Registrar's Office so your records can be updated.

Enrollment Verification From

Students may request a letter verifying their enrollment for the current term by completing this form online. 

The Undergraduate System of Letter Grades and Quality Points

Other grades are :                                                                                                                                                                                

AU – Audit – No grade or credit assigned. This grade option is not available for private music lessons.
S – Satisfactory – applies to work rated “C-“or better.
U – Unsatisfactory – applies to work rated “D+” or lower.
(An S or U grade will not be used in point average computation.)
I – Incomplete - Applies to work of acceptable quality when the full coursework is not completed because of illness or other emergency. It is never applied to poor work. "I" becomes "F" if not removed by the date specified on the Office of Records and Registration calendar and carries the same grade value as an "F" until completed.
IP – In Progress - indicates that the student has not completed the scheduled coursework during the term because the nature of the course does not permit completion within a single term, such as work toward a thesis or a study away course that continues beyond the conclusion of the semester
CR – Credit – assigned for satisfactory performance in non-academic courses and applies toward the total graduation requirement but is not used in computation of grade averages.
K – Credits accepted in transfer, recorded on the student‘s permanent academic record, but not included in the cumulative grade point average.
W – Withdrawn (course) - assigned for official drops during the period after the last day to drop to the last day to withdraw from a course with a notation on the transcript (not calculated in the GPA,); after the last day to drop a course only if a student is withdrawing from the University for the term. The deadline for total semester withdrawal is the last day of scheduled classes before final exams.
NG – No Grade – grade not reported by instructor.                                                                                                           WF - May be assigned by the Registrar's Office for second Academic Integrity Violation.

Students will not earn credit for courses in which grades of F or U are received.

The Graduate System of Letter Grades and Quality Points

The following system of grading applies to the Master of Fine Arts Program:

S........... Satisfactory: Applies to performance equivalent of B– or higher.

U.......... Unsatisfactory: Applies to performance equivalent of C+ or lower.

SR........ Satisfactory with Revision: A grade option available only for English 701: MFA Thesis. The SR grade indicates that the thesis shows promise and should be of sufficient quality to pass following substantial revision. Students receiving the SR grade in the spring for English 701: MFA Thesis will have until July 1 to complete thesis revisions if they intend to graduate that summer. The student’s faculty mentor for English 701 will review thesis revisions within one week of submission following July 1 and consult with one other MFA faculty member before deciding whether or not to change the SR grade to S (Satisfactory).

Other grades are:                                                                                                                                                                                 

AU – Audit – No grade or credit assigned. 
I – —Incomplete: May be given when a student is not able to complete the course work due to illness, accident, or other emergencies. This grade applies to work of acceptable quality when the full amount is not completed. It is never applied to unsatisfactory work. The required work must be completed during the next academic semester. The “I” grade becomes “F” if not removed by the date specified. It is the student’s responsibility to follow up with professors regarding courses given a grade of incomplete. Use may vary by program 
IP – In-Progress: Given for dissertation studies, theses, capstones, research projects, and directed study courses that are in progress. The required work must be completed within one year of the posting of the IP grade. The “IP” grade becomes an “F” if not removed after the one-year time frame for completing work. Use may vary by program.

CR – Credit – assigned for satisfactory performance in non-academic courses and applies toward the total graduation requirement but is not used in computation of grade averages. 
K – Transfer: Credits accepted in transfer. Courses are recorded on the student’s permanent academic record but not included in the grade point average computation. See individual program information for guidelines regarding transfer credit.
W – Withdrawn: Policies vary by program. Students should consult their graduate program representative for further information. 

Final grades are reported at the close of each term (available on Self Service) and become a part of the student's permanent record. These grades determine academic status, i.e., “good standing,” “probation” or “dismissal.”
It is the responsibility of the students to report to the Registrar's Office any discrepancy in their grade reports within 60 days of the end of the grading period.
At the mid-point of each regular semester, a report will be made by the instructor to a student receiving a “C-“or lower in a course. This information is used for advising purposes and is not a part of the student‘s permanent record.

Undergraduate Graduation Policies

Course Requirements and Grade Point Average

A candidate for a baccalaureate degree must have completed all the course and proficiency requirements for that particular degree and must earn not less than 120 semester hours (60 hours for associate degree) of college work with a grade point average of not less than 2.0.

Bachelor of Science in Education, Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training, and Bachelor with a major in Music Education degrees require an overall gpa of 2.5 (note other Bachelor of Music degrees do not require a gpa of 2.5). The grade point average in the candidate's major field must be at least 2.25 or 2.5 in certain majors.

Degree Applications

Applications for degree are accepted on the following schedule.

• By November 1, 2021 for December Conferral
• By April 3, 2022 for May Conferral
• By July 31, 2022 for August Conferral* 

*Note that students with an August Conferral date are eligible to participate in the December commencement ceremony. Any exceptions must be approved by the Registrar prior to the degree application deadline for the conferral month of the requested ceremony.

All coursework, including transfer, independent study, internship, etc. is to be complete before the conferral date. Students who have applied for conferral but have not met all requirements will be conferred on the next available conferral date. Final determination of conferral date is the decision of the Registrar's Office. In no case will a degree be posted to a transcript or diploma issued prior to the scheduled conferral date.

Ashland University Commencement Policy

• May Commencement and Conferral - Students with a May conferral date are permitted to walk in the May commencement, provided that they have a documented plan for degree completion; degree evaluation must have a status of "pending" or students must have arranged transfer credit through the Registrar's Office. Latin honors will be published in the commencement program based upon the previous term. Student's final Latin honors will be printed on the diploma and transcript based on all grades. Students with May conferral will be printed in the current commencement program only.
• August Conferral - Students to be conferred for August are permitted to walk in the December commencement. Students with an August conferral date will be published in the December commencement program only. Latin honors will be published in the commencement program based upon final grades. Student's final Latin honors will be printed on the diploma and transcript based on all grades. Diplomas for August graduates will be mailed after conferral.
• December Commencement and Conferral - Students with a December conferral date will be permitted to walk in the December commencement, provided that they have a documented plan for degree completion; degree evaluation must have a status of "pending" or students must have arranged transfer credit through the Registrar's Office. Latin honors will be published in the commencement program based upon the previous term. Student's final Latin honors will be printed on the diploma and transcript based on all grades. Students with December conferral will be printed in the current commencement program only. 

*Note: Applications received after the degree application deadline will not be eligible for participation in commencement.

Residence Requirement (Academic)

A candidate for a degree must take a minimum of 30 semester hours at Ashland University. The last 12 hours of coursework and at least one half of the student's work in his/her major field must be taken at AU.

Graduate  Graduation Policies

Degree Applications

Applications for degree are accepted on the following schedule.

• By November 1, 2021 for December Conferral
• By April 3, 2022 for May Conferral
• By July 31, 2022 for August Conferral* 

*Note that students with an August Conferral date are eligible to participate in the December commencement ceremony. Any exceptions must be approved by the Registrar prior to the degree application deadline for the conferral month of the requested ceremony.

All coursework, including transfer, independent study, internship, etc. is to be complete before the conferral date. Students who have applied for conferral but have not met all requirements will be conferred on the next available conferral date. Final determination of conferral date is the decision of the Registrar's Office. In no case will a degree be posted to a transcript or diploma issued prior to the scheduled conferral date.

Ashland University Commencement Policy

• May Commencement and Conferral - Students with a May conferral date are permitted to walk in commencement, provided that they have a documented plan for degree completion; degree evaluation must have a status of "pending" or students must have arranged transfer credit through the Registrar's Office. Students with May conferral will be printed in the current commencement program only.
• August Conferral - Students to be conferred for August are permitted to walk in the December commencement. Students with an August conferral date will be published in the December commencement program only. Diplomas for August graduates will be mailed after conferral.
• December Commencement and Conferral - Students with a December conferral date will be permitted to walk in the December commencement , provided that they have a documented plan for degree completion; degree evaluation must have a status of "pending" or students must have arranged transfer credit through the Registrar's Office. Students with December conferral will be printed in the current commencement program only. 

*Note: Applications received after the degree application deadline will not be eligible for participation in commencement.

In cases where a student believes his or her academic rights (non-grade appeal) have been infringed, the student should, if possible, discuss the matter with the instructor involved. If the student wishes to appeal the case, the student must appeal in writing, to the department chairperson and then to the Dean and the Provost, who may confer with the Student Senate President and the chairperson of the Judicial Board in order to assure that the problem is settled satisfactorily.

Independent Study Form
The opportunity for independent study is offered in each department. The objectives of the program are:
1. To broaden the student‘s knowledge in a chosen field;
2. To demonstrate and develop the ability to study independently; and
3. To demonstrate and develop the ability to conduct an individual research project.

To take Independent Study 498 (one to eight semester hours), a student must obtain an Independent Study Request form from the Registrar's Office and complete it prior to registration. Students must meet the following criteria to enroll:
1. The study must be in the student‘s major field or an allied field of study.
2. The student must have a 3.0 or better GPA both overall and in the major field.
3. The student must have completed one half of the total semester hours within the major field.
4. The student must have completed 60 semester hours of the total academic program.

The student may apply no more than eight semester hours in Independent Study toward the 120 semester hours graduation requirement.
Credit in Independent Study may be applied toward a major field requirement only upon the written approval of the department chair.

In the event that a student is unable to complete the semester due to a medical condition that prohibits making up missed work, a withdrawal may be processed providing the following conditions are met:
1. Class absences and missed work can be directly attributed to the medical condition.
2. A qualified health professional verifies in writing that the medical condition prohibits completion of the semester requirements in one of two ways: 
   a. A “non-specific” medical withdrawal notice should be presented in writing to the Registrar's Office. This immediate medical notice (signed by a physician) should state that a medical condition prohibits completion of the semester requirements and assign a date of condition onset (to verify times classes were missed).
   b. A notice of “specific” diagnostic information including all recommendations must be sent to the Health Center director or director of Psychological Counseling Services, as warranted. This is to ensure confidentiality and coordinate any recommended treatment or follow-up in the event of readmission.
3. The medical withdrawal process is initiated by the student, the physician and/or the parent/guardian, not AU.
4. The medical condition fits in one of the following categories: medical illness; mental illness (must include date of psychiatric hospitalization and date of clinical assessment); drug or alcohol addiction; or surgery.
All medical withdrawals need to be initiated by contacting the Registrar's Office. Once the Registrar's Office has the documentation to support the withdrawal, a “W” will be assigned and the faculty will be notified. Any refunds will be determined based on the effective date of withdrawal.
For questions regarding withdrawals, please contact the Registrar's Office at 419.289.5666 or regis@ashland.edu.

A maximum of 32 semester hours credit may be granted and a processing/recording fee may be charged for each credit earned.
Prior learning credit is accepted from recognized institutions and organizations based upon standard policies and practices in higher education. At Ashland University, prior learning may be defined as college-level learning achieved outside the traditional college classroom "prior to" any college coursework in that subject area. Prior learning is distinguished from prior experience by the key word "learning." Prior experience, while it is important, will not necessarily be equivalent to prior learning.
Students achieve competencies through workshops, seminars, personal or professional opportunities and/or independent study. Prior Learning Credit (PLC) is academic credit awarded for college-level learning obtained outside the traditional college classroom which can be verified by either an academic transcript from an accredited undergraduate institution or via equivalencies determined by the American Council of Education.
Common forms of PLC accepted by Ashland University:

• Standardized examinations: Advanced Placement (AP); College Level Examination Program (CLEP); Chauncey Group International (DSST Program), formerly DANTES

• Military; American Council on Education (ACE); professional licensures

• Corporate and professional training which demonstrates college-level learning

• Credit by examination – Enrolled students may obtain credit by examination in any required course. Proficiency must be demonstrated prior to the student‘s last registration before graduation. Approval also must be given by the department chair concerned and the Academic Standards Committee. No such application will be considered for any course which the student has previously taken or in any course for which a waiver has been previously granted. A grade of “B” of better must be obtained on the test to receive course credit; however, a grade of “S” will be entered on the student‘s record. A processing/recording fee will be charged. See Fees and Charges brochure for details.

Undergraduate Probation and dismissal action is administered by the Academic Standards Committee. The probation and dismissal policies listed below apply to those students who have been admitted to and are seeking a degree at Ashland University.

The academic records of all students are reviewed at the end of each semester after final grades are posted to the official transcript. Students whose cumulative grade point averages fall at or below the standards listed here are placed on probation or dismissed. Transfer students will be reviewed based upon total semester hours transferred from all institutions.

Probation guidelines apply to all students according to their class status.

First Probation

Dismissed

Students who have been academically dismissed are eligible for readmission after a period of one fall or spring semester.  Applications for readmission after dismissal will be reviewed by various departments of the University.

Applicants must submit a personal statement that includes assessment of past performance along with goals and strategies for future improvements. This may include, but is not limited to employment, education and training during absence from Ashland University.

Readmitted students will be held to Probation and Dismissal Policies as of their first semester attended.

If readmitted to the University, the student is not guaranteed readmission into the same program. Students who have been dismissed a second time may not apply for further reinstatement. Students who are readmitted after one full year (to include one fall and spring term) will be admitted under the current academic catalog. For any questions please contact the Registrar's Office at 419.289.5666 or regis@ashland.edu.

A notice of “specific” diagnostic information, including all recommendations as they apply to readmission, must be sent to the Health Center director or director of Psychological Counseling Services, as warranted. This is to ensure confidentiality and coordinate any recommended treatment or follow-up. Until this is complete, no readmission can occur.

If a student repeats a course because of receiving a C- or lower, the last grade received is the grade earned. All courses and grades will be recorded; however, only the last grade will be used to determine the student‘s grade-point average. Repeat courses must be taken at Ashland University. Courses with grades higher than a C- cannot be repeated for a grade or on an S/U basis unless noted in the course description as repeatable. A student may audit a course previously taken for a grade; however, the previous grade earned will remain on the transcript and will be used to determine the student‘s grade point average.

Eligibility
Students with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 for 16 semester hours of earned credit (transferred credit hours not included) are eligible to register for courses, up to a maximum of seven, for which they earn the usual credit but are evaluated on a “Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory” basis. This opportunity is limited to one course each semester. (Exceptions: Courses offered only for S/U does not count toward the total.) Students (non-transfer) with less than 16 semester hours of earned credit and/or less than a 2.00 cumulative grade point average are ineligible for the S/U option. Transfer students with less than 16 earned credit hours from Ashland University will be considered on a case by case basis. First semester Freshman and Post Secondary Education Opportunity Students are not eligible for this option. 

Courses for which S/U option is not available
Courses excluded are those taken to fulfill a major, the business core, Composition I and II in the core, Honors Program courses, applied music lessons and teaching or pre-professional requisites.

Grade equivalent
“Satisfactory” means the equivalent of a C- work or better. Work rated  D+ or lower on the conventional scale would be graded as “Unsatisfactory.”

Student’s permanent record
Courses taken under the S/U option will be recorded on the student‘s permanent record, but not included in the computation of the student‘s cumulative point hour average. A course in which an "Unsatisfactory" is received does not count toward graduation. Any course in which a “U” or “F” is received may be repeated on a graded basis.

Applying for S/U

 Students applying for the S/U option will do so in the Registar's Office at the midpoint of the course. Refer to the Registrar's Academic Calendar for the time frames to elect this option.                             

Students may elect to change or add majors or minors through the Registrar's Office. All Major Change Forms require the signature of an advisor. Students may elect to advance in catalog year, however do not have the option to step back in catalog years.

To qualify for a second degree, the candidate must present a minimum of 30 semester hours in addition to the first degree requirements and must meet specific course requirements appropriate to the degree and major he/she is seeking. The usual institutional and residence requirements apply.
To obtain the second degree, the candidate should petition the Academic Standards Committee.

Overload Request Form
An average schedule load of 16 semester hours for each of eight semesters will meet the graduation requirements. Students may register for 19 semester hours without special permission. Twelve semester hours is considered full time during a regular term for an undergraduate student. Students are restricted to a maximum summer course load of six semester hours per session and a total of 15 semester hours per summer.
Approval for enrollment beyond 19 semester hours spring or fall and 15 semester hours summer is required. Students with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better may register for up to 21 hours per semester with approval from the student‘s advisor and chair of the student‘s major department. Approval for enrollment over 21 hours is required from the student‘s advisor, chair of the student‘s major department and dean. Non-probationary sophomore, junior and senior students in the Honors Program with an AU GPA of at least 3.5 may register for up to 21 hours of course credit without seeking approval.
It shall be the responsibility of the student to resolve schedule conflicts resulting from overloads. Physical education activities and credit in music ensemble may be added to the scheduled load without being counted as an excessive academic load.

1. For students transferring to Ashland University, course credits from other institutions will be evaluated by the Registrar's Office, in consultation with department chairs and the Core Director.
2. Students entering with 30-59 transferrable hours must take at least two Core liberal arts courses (Aesthetics, Humanities, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences and Historical Reasoning categories) at Ashland and students entering with 60 transferrable hours are required to take at least one Core liberal arts course, even if all Core requirements have been met through courses taken at another institution.
3. Where articulation agreements have been signed with other institutions, university officials will strive whenever possible to recommend courses in keeping with the spirit of AU‘s Core Curriculum.

Transient Student Form
Students must fill out a transient student form in advance of taking the course for an evaluation of the proposed transfer course credit.
• The student must request that an official transcript be sent to the Registrar's Office.
• Transfer credit will not be granted for any course previously passed at Ashland University - including courses passed with final grade of a D; courses may not be repeated at another institution for Ashland University grade point average improvement.
• Transfer credit will not affect the Ashland University accumulative point average. Exception to this statement occurs only when qualifying for graduation honors. (See honors and degrees with distinction in Ashland University catalog).
• A 2.00 accumulative average at Ashland University is required before transfer credit will be granted.
• When issuing transient permission forms, student records are not checked for duplication of credit.

Withdrawal Request Form
 Students who choose to withdraw from the University must go through the official withdrawal process which includes contacting the Registrar's Office to complete the Ashland University Withdrawal Request and Information Form.