Academic Standing Policy

Probation

A student will be placed on academic probation whenever their cumulative grade point average (cumulative GPA) falls below satisfactory academic standing; either a 2.000 or 3.000 cumulative GPA, depending on their academic program. Probation status is calculated based on cumulative credit hours attempted and grades received at Walsh College and are noted on the student’s academic transcript. Once a student’s cumulative GPA falls below the minimum required to maintain satisfactory academic progress, the student will be placed on their first semester of probation. Undergraduate and graduate students then have three additional semesters in which to improve their cumulative GPA to a satisfactory level.

If satisfactory academic standing is not achieved after four semesters of attendance, the student will be dismissed from Walsh College. All graded semesters, including courses with grades of “W” are counted toward the maximum semesters of probationary status. However, any semester in which a student has received all “AU, N or P” grades will not be counted as one of the four semesters. A student may elect to take a semester off while on academic probation.

Student’s academic advisor will contact student to review academic standing requirements and develop a course plan to improve their academic standing. Probation students may be required to reduce their course load. This determination will be made in conjunction with their academic advisor. A full tuition and fee refund, excluding registration and international student fees, will be issued for courses dropped due to probationary status as determined by their academic advisor.

When the student’s cumulative grade point average reaches the minimum GPA required for their degree program, the student will be in good academic standing and probation restrictions will no longer be applicable. However, all academic standing notation(s) remain on the student’s academic transcript. Students on academic probation who have not enrolled for four consecutive semesters (12 calendar months) must reapply for admission and, if readmitted, will be placed on the same level of probation as in their last semester of enrollment at Walsh College.

Doctoral students are required to maintain a cumulative grade point average (CUM GPA) of 3.000. If a student’s CUM GPA falls below 3.000 for any given semester, the student will be placed on academic probation and will be required to meet with the doctoral program director to determine their continued viability within the program and any necessary remediation processes necessary to ensure student success.

Academic Dismissal

Undergraduate and graduate students whose cumulative grade point average (cumulative GPA) remains below satisfactory academic standing for four semesters of attendance will be academically dismissed from Walsh College for a period of one year.

Academic dismissal is calculated based on cumulative credit hours attempted and grades received at Walsh College. Academic dismissal is noted on the student’s academic transcript. A student who has been academically dismissed will be contacted by the director of academic advising or designee, administratively dropped from all courses and will be issued a full tuition refund including fees.

A doctoral student who has failed to pass the Preliminary Exam and Proposal Presentation Defense after two attempts will be dismissed from the program. The student will be administratively dropped from all courses and will be issued a full refund including tuition and fees incurred that semester. The academic standing designation of dismissal will be noted on the student’s academic transcript.

Permanent Dismissal

A second dismissal from Walsh College is final. Permanent dismissal from Walsh College will irrevocably terminate the student’s status at Walsh College. A permanent dismissal may not be appealed and the student will be ineligible to enroll in courses, reapply for admission, or earn a Walsh College degree. A student who has been permanently dismissed will be contacted by the director of academic advising and administratively dropped from all courses and will be issued a full refund including tuition and fees.

Readmission after Dismissal

Undergraduate and Graduate Readmission after Dismissal

After a period of one year (12 consecutive calendar months) undergraduate and graduate students may be eligible for readmission to Walsh College. Readmission is permitted only when the student’s cumulative GPA calculation shows the possibility of achieving satisfactory academic standing in three consecutive semesters. An academic advisor will establish the minimum grade per course required to achieve satisfactory academic standing within the three-semester time limit. Any previous coursework will be reviewed for applicability under the new academic program at the time of readmission.

All courses previously taken, credit hours, grades received, and academic standing notations remain on the student’s transcript. A student must meet with their academic advisor to determine eligibility for readmission. If readmitted, the student will be placed on the academic program in effect at the time of readmission. In any given semester, failure to achieve the minimum required grade will result in recalculation of minimum grade requirements. A second dismissal may result if the student is unable to achieve satisfactory academic standing within the remaining semester requirement. In some circumstances, readmitted students may be permitted to take more than one course per semester, if the student can provide sufficient rationale. If approved, the minimum grade per course and course load will be established in conjunction with their academic advisor based on the grades required to achieve satisfactory academic standing. Satisfactory academic standing must be achieved within the established number of credit hours or semesters, whichever comes first.

A second academic dismissal from Walsh College is final; students will not be eligible for readmission. A student who has been academically dismissed will be contacted by the director of advising and administratively dropped from all courses and will be issued a full refund including tuition and fees.

Doctoral Readmission after Dismissal

After a period of one year (12 consecutive calendar months), a student who has been academically dismissed may be eligible for readmission to the doctoral program. Doctoral students must contact the doctoral program director to request a review and approval for readmission.

In addition to Walsh’s academic standing policy, the Financial Aid office is required to maintain its own satisfactory academic progress (SAP) policy. Students receiving federal financial aid should refer to the section entitled Satisfactory Academic Progress for Financial Aid Recipients in this handbook.