Academic Standing Policy
Each Roosevelt University graduate student has an academic standing determined by their cumulative Roosevelt grade point average and, in some cases, the semester grade point average.
Calculation of Academic Standing
Academic standing is an end-of-term status, which means a student must complete at least one term of coursework before having a calculated academic standing. Academic standing is updated after final grades have been posted for the fall and spring semesters and after the last summer session. Academic standing is identified on a student’s transcript and visible in RU Access; academic standing is based on the student's performance at the grade submission deadline. Students are expected to understand both their program and university academic standing requirements and review their academic performance with their advisors after every enrolled semester.
Grades counted toward a Graduate Degree
No more than two grades lower than B- may be applied to master’s degrees, and no grades lower than B- may be applied toward a doctoral degree. The grades of D+, D, D-, o F cannot be counted toward any graduate degree program. Additionally, graduate courses that are a part of a degree program may not being eligible for Pass/Fail grading.
Courses that do not Count towards RU GPA
- Transfer credit grades are not included in the overall Roosevelt grade point average. Transfer coursework taken elsewhere for a higher grade cannot be used to improve academic standing.
- Developmental courses (most English Language Program courses).
- Undergraduate coursework.
Conditional Admission
This is the only academic standing that is not based on end-of-term academic performance.
Some master’s degree programs allow students to enter their degree programs on a conditional basis with GPAs below the level required for admission. Registration for students admitted conditionally will likely be limited to 6 credit hours. Students admitted conditionally must earn a 3.0 GPA in the first term to remain in their programs. Doctoral programs typically do not admit students conditionally.
Notification of Academic Standing
Students' graduate programs notify students through their official Roosevelt email address when placed on probation, continued on probation, suspended, or dismissed. Students who appeal their probationary, suspension, or dismissal status will be notified of the outcome of their appeal by Roosevelt email and any email or postal address students use to send in their appeal. Copies are sent to the student's graduate advisor and relevant university offices.
Good Standing
Master’s degree students: A master’s degree student who has completed at least one course that counts toward the GPA, has a cumulative Roosevelt GPA of 3.0 or higher, and has earned no more than two grades below B- in the current degree program is considered to be in good academic standing. Some programs may require grades of B- or better for students to achieve competency status. Students may refer to the program manuals or the graduate catalog for the program.
Doctoral degree students: A doctoral student who has completed at least one course that counts toward the GPA and has a cumulative Roosevelt GPA of 3.25 or higher is considered good academic standing.
No Standing Calculated
This category is reserved for students who did not complete any coursework that counts toward the Roosevelt GPA. This academic standing is not punitive in any way, and students with no standing calculated have the same academic opportunities as those in good standing.
Placed on Probation
Students placed on probation or fear that they may be placed on probation should see their graduate program’s advisor or department chair immediately. The advisor/chair will help determine the best strategy for a return to good academic standing.
Master’s degree students: A student whose overall grade point average falls below 3.0 or earns more than two grades below B- will be placed on probation.
Doctoral degree students: A student whose overall grade point average falls below 3.25 or who earns any grade below B- will be placed on probation.
Continued on Probation
Master’s and doctoral degree students: A student's status can be “continued on probation” if the student has not yet taken the 6 credit hours allotted in return to good academic standing.
Returning to Good Academic Standing
Master’s degree students: Students who raise their Roosevelt GPA to at least a 3.0 average and have no more than two grades below B- remaining on their record will no longer be on probation.
Doctoral degree students: Students who raise their Roosevelt GPA to at least a 3.25 average and have no more than one grade below B- remaining on their record will no longer be on probation.
Deadline for Returning to Good Academic Standing
Students must return to good academic standing as soon as possible and should follow these guidelines:
- A student placed on probation after the fall term should return to good standing no later than the end of the following fall term or within 6 credit hours, whichever comes first.
- A student placed on probation after the spring term should return to good standing no later than the end of the following spring term or within 6 credit hours, whichever comes first.
- A student placed on probation after the summer term should return to good standing no later than the end of the following spring term or within 6 credit hours, whichever comes first.
Strategies for Returning to Good Academic Standing
These strategies may be used by either master's or doctoral students to improve academic standing. Both require that students first meet with an advisor in the graduate program in which they are enrolled. After following one or both of the strategies below, a student on probation could return to good standing.
- Retaking a course: With advisor approval, a student may retake up to two different courses for a maximum of 7 credit hours to improve grades; a particular course may be retaken no more than once. When courses are retaken, the higher grade becomes the official one for the course and the one used to calculate the Roosevelt GPA and academic standing.
- Excluding a grade: If a low grade is received in an elective course, the student may petition to exclude the grade from the overall GPA. The advisor will confirm that the course is not required for the degree program and will forward a petition form to officially request exclusion of the course from the calculation of the overall GPA. (Important: The grade will still appear on the transcript but will not be used in GPA or academic standing calculation.
Academic Suspension
Students who fail to return to good standing within the guidelines described above will be suspended and will not be allowed to register again until they have been reinstated.
Academic Dismissal
Dismissal is the final step in the academic standing process. Students who have failed to present an acceptable plan for returning to good standing or who fail to earn adequate grades to return to good standing face dismissal from their programs. A student who is dismissed will not be allowed to register for further graduate courses.
In addition, a student may be dismissed immediately, without probation, under these circumstances:
Dismissal for second probation: Students placed on probation for a second time may be dismissed immediately.
Dismissal for D and F grades: Students receiving two or more grades of D+, D, D- or F in one semester or two consecutive semesters face immediate dismissal without first being placed on probation.
Dismissal for reasons other than grades: If the program in which a student is enrolled determines that the student has failed to meet other standards required in the field, the program may recommend dismissal.
To compute grade point averages, Roosevelt University uses a four-point system:
| Symbol | Grade Point per Credit |
|---|---|
| A | 4.0 |
| A- | 3.67 |
| B+ | 3.33 |
| B | 3.00 |
| B- | 2.67 |
| C+ | 2.33 |
| C | 2.00 |
| C- | 1.67 |
| D+ | 1.33 |
| D | 1.00 |
| D- | 0.67 |
| F | 0.00 |
1. Compute quality points by multiplying the point value assigned to the grade by the number of semester hours for that course. For example, an A in a three-credit-hour course equals 12 quality points, a B in the same course, nine quality points, etc. In the case of repeated courses, only the higher grade is counted.
2. Compute quality hours by adding the total number of credit hours attempted for A-F grading, including failed courses (even those designated “pass/fail”). No points are assigned to an F, but the credit hours of a failed course are counted in computing the grade point average. Grades of W, P, S, I, and IP do not affect the GPA, nor does the designation “CR” for transfer credits on a credit evaluation.
3. Grades preceded by an asterisk (*A, *B, etc.) are used for developmental courses and do not count in earned hours or the GPA.
4. To obtain the GPA, divide a total number of quality points by the total number of quality hours. For example, the GPA for a student with 61 credit hours including 16 credits A, 9 credits A-, 6 credits B+, 27 credits C, and 3 credits D-, is computed as follows:
| Grade | Quality Hours | Quality Points |
|---|---|---|
| A | 16 X 4 | 64 |
| A- | 9 X 3.67 | 33.03 |
| B+ | 6 X 3.333 | 19.99 |
| C | 27 X 2 | 54 |
| D- | 3 X 0.67 | 2.01 |
| TOTALS | 61 HOURS | 173.03 PTS |
Divide total quality points by quality hours to get the GPA. In this example, the GPA would be 2.83.
ROOSEVELT CUMULATIVE GPA
All determinations of academic status and standing, degree requirements, and honors are based only on the Roosevelt University GPA.
Appeals for Reinstatement
Appealing for reinstatement to a graduate program after suspension or dismissal is possible but requires several steps.
Students should:
- Reflect on what personal and/or academic circumstances contributed to their academic under-performance. Consider what changes to these circumstances may support improved academic performance.
- Submit a written appeal for reinstatement to their program advisor, detailing what contributed to their under-performance and what personal and/or academic changes have been or will be made that better position them for academic success.
- Meet with their program advisor to discuss the appeal. Their advisor may suggest strategies such as retaking, substituting, or excluding a course (described above) from the GPA to improve academic standing. The advisor will then submit the student’s appeal to the program faculty for review and a decision on reinstatement.
- Await notification of the decision, which is sent via RU email from the student's program.
Students who wish to appeal the program faculty's decision may ask for a review by the Executive Committee of the Graduate Council. The student's program will forward the appeal and the program's decision to the chair of the Graduate Council. If the appeal is approved, the student will be notified via RU email and allowed to register. The decision of the Executive Committee of the Graduate Council is final on matters of academic standing. When the Executive Committee of Graduate Council is not scheduled for meetings, the college dean acts in place of that body.