Academic Regulations

Students who enter institutions of higher education agree to know and abide by the rules of their institutions. Listed in this section of the catalog are some of the specific regulations which govern student and academic programs. Other regulations are listed in the Student Handbook, which is available to students via the Web at http://www.pnw.edu/dean-of-students/student-handbook/. A complete set of academic regulations is available to students in the Office of the Dean of Students, SUL (Student Union and Library), Room 313 at Calumet location and, Library-Student Faculty Building Room 103 at the Westville location.

Academic Advising, Program Requirements and Degree Maps

Students are expected to know the requirements for the degree(s) in which they are pursuing. In Spring 2017 students can view their program requirements on-line by using the EduNav application. Students access this tool in the PNW portal. Students can plan class schedules for future semesters, track progress toward a degree and consider other degree options.

Students are also expected to meet with their academic advisor periodically in order to ensure continued progress toward their program of study degree requirements. Program Requirements/Degree Maps for Fall 2016 can be reviewed at the website: http://www.pnw.edu/catalog/degree-maps

Academic Calendar

The academic calendar shall consist of two, 16-week semesters and one summer session. Refer to our website at http://www.pnw.edu/registration/ for exact dates on the registration calendar.

Majors and Degree Programs

Students are assigned to an academic program and advisor based upon the major on their initial application and the admissions decision. Students opting to change their major may do so by competing a Change of Degree Objective form and receiving appropriate approvals. The Change of Degree Objective form is available online at: http://www.pnw.edu/registration/change-of-degree-objective/

Registration

Pre-registration for future semesters is ongoing. Registration dates can be found on the University academic calendar. Registration may be done via the web (if cleared by the student’s advisor) or in the office of the advisor. Drop and Adds may also be processed via the web. Payment may be made by web, mail, or in person. The deadline for payment of fees occurs before the first week of classes.

Late Registration

The late registration period for the fall and spring semesters ends on Friday of the first week of classes. In the summer session, the late registration period ends on Wednesday of the first week of classes. Registrations during this period will be assessed late registration fees (see Fee section).

Registration for Classes

There are three registration periods for the fall, spring, and summer sessions.

PRIORITY REGISTRATION: allows students an opportunity to pre-register in order to enroll in the courses they need.

OPEN REGISTRATION: for students unable to register early and for students who may need to adjust their schedules.

LATE REGISTRATION: held during the first week of classes (special schedule for summer) and to allow students to make section and class changes. A penalty fee is charged to students who enroll during this period.

Adding Courses

Students may add courses during the first four weeks of the semester by submitting a completed add/drop card to the Office of the Registrar. The signatures of both the academic advisor and instructor of the class being added are required during the second, third, and fourth weeks of the semester. Student Athletes must contact the Athletic Department in order to process changes to their semester schedule. Signatures are required for these changes.

Dropping Courses

Students may withdraw from courses by submitting an add/drop card to the Office of the Registrar.

The time period in which a student withdraws from a course determines the recording of the course on the student’s transcript. The following guidelines apply to the sixteen week Fall and Spring semesters only. Accelerated term and Summer term refund schedules are calculated based upon a modified schedule.

* Exceptions. Exceptions to the preceding regulations for registration, schedule revision, and cancellation of assignment may be made for courses that do not span the regular semester or summer session

Class Attendance

Students are expected to be present for every meeting of the classes in which they are enrolled. All matters relative to attendance, including making up of work missed, are matters for arrangement between the student and instructor involved. It is expected that all instructors will, at the beginning of the semester, make a clear statement to all of their classes regarding their policy for handling absences. Students who fail to meet their class engagements satisfactorily may be denied credit for exercises missed. The instructor will be responsible for counseling with the student whose absences endanger academic performance.

A problem of excessive absences may be referred to the Dean of Students by either the instructor or the student if further information is needed or if either feels that further discussion would resolve the problem. Instructors obtaining information concerning the absence of a student due to personal factors are requested to report such knowledge at once to the Dean of Students. If a student is absent from all the meetings of any regularly scheduled class for a period of two successive weeks, the student may be reported to the Dean of Students for appropriate action.

Class attendance is mandatory for Title IV financial aid recipients.

Course Withdrawal

In order to withdraw from any class, a student must complete a drop card approved by an advisor and submit it to the Registrar’s Office. Students with loans making a change in enrollment may revise their financial aid award. The student should notify the Office of Financial Aid immediately if there is a change in enrollment.

Discontinuance of class attendance is not the basis for withdrawal.

Students who do not notify the Registrar’s Office when they plan to withdraw will be given a failing grade in each course involved.

Allowable Academic Load

A student’s academic load shall be arranged, so far as possible, in accordance with the following policy:

Credits in excess of 18 hours during a regular session should be carefully monitored by the academic advisor, who may wish to consult with appropriate University personnel concerning the student’s prognosis for success. Unless the student’s curriculum requirement for that session is specified as greater than 18 credits, approval by the department head and/or dean of the student’s curriculum must be obtained before the student may be assigned more than 18 credits.

Transfer to Another Purdue Campus

Upon the completion of the semester or summer session, an undergraduate student may transfer enrollment from Purdue University Northwest to another Purdue University campus, provided all requirements are met. Program requirements vary. To initiate this process the student must complete an appropriate form available through the Registrar’s Office. Following this procedure an Authorization for Enrollment form from the intended campus of registration and instructions for registration will be sent to the student.

Students must be admitted to a degree program of Purdue University before they are eligible to transfer. Students must meet all deficiencies and be academically admissible to a desired program prior to seeking admission to another school.

Grades

Instructors will assign a grade for each course in which the student is enrolled at the close of a session. The student shall be responsible for the completion of all required work by the time of the last scheduled meeting in the course unless the assignment to the course has been properly cancelled. The grade shall indicate the student’s achievement with respect to the objectives of the course. Grades offered at Purdue Northwest are listed below:

For Credit Courses:

For zero credit courses (includes thesis research but not laboratory portions of courses which are scheduled by separate designations):

For incomplete work, credit or noncredit:

An instructor may require a recommendation from the Dean of Students or a designee that the circumstances warrant a grade of I. The student must achieve a permanent grade in the course no later than the twelfth week of the second semester subsequent to the enrollment. If not, the I will become IF. If the student is not enrolled for a period of three years following the semester in which the incomplete is given, the incomplete grade will be permanent. The grade will not revert to a failing grade, nor will the student be able to earn credit for the course by completing the work. THIS ACADEMIC REGULATION DOES NOT APPLY TO INCOMPLETES RECEIVED PRIOR TO SUMMER 1999.

PI — Incomplete, no grade; same as I for student enrolled in pass/not pass option.
SI — Incomplete, no grade; same as I for student enrolled in zero-credit course.

Other

The Registrar records the following grades and symbols in special circumstances:

Pass/Not Pass Option

The university faculty has also provided that a student may take a limited number of courses under a dual grading system of Pass/No Pass. Each student operating under this option and earning a Grade of A, B, or C, shall receive a pass; those earning less than a C shall receive a no pass. The specific regulations stipulating when this option may be used are determined by the school administering the curriculum of the student.

Auditing Classes (Visitors)

A person who is not already enrolled as a student in the University and who wishes to attend a course in the University without credit shall obtain a visitor’s permission form from the Registrar’s Office and complete it, stating the visitor’s name, the number of the course, the date of attendance permitted, and the fact that no credit is to be allowed. The Registrar shall issue a visitor’s permit upon written recommendation of the instructor and approval by the head of the department administering the course. No person who is ineligible for readmission by reason of that person having been dropped from the University for scholastic or other reasons shall be eligible to attend classes as a visitor.

A person who has status in the University by reason of admission to, and registration in, a definite classification may enroll in a course as a visitor. The assignment and enrollment must be completed by the regular procedure for visitor registration. The assessment of fees and determination of allowable load shall be in accordance with the credit value or equivalent of the course(s) involved. A visitor in a course shall be entitled to hear lectures, recitations, and oral quizzes. A visitor shall not participate in classroom exercises except as invited by the instructor. The visitor shall not submit papers, participate when tests or examinations are given, nor take part in laboratory work. A visitor shall receive no credit for the course. However, if the visitor has been, is, or shall be registered later as a student in the University, then that person may apply for examination for credit, under the usual rules, in the course which was attended as a visitor.

Good Standing

For purposes of reports and communications to other institutions and agencies and in the absence of any further qualification of the term, a student shall be considered in good standing unless he or she has been dismissed, suspended, or dropped from the University and has not been readmitted.

Scholarship Indexes

The scholarship standing of all regular students enrolled in programs leading to an undergraduate degree shall be determined by two scholarship indexes, the semester index and the graduation index.

• The semester index is an average determined by weighting each grade received during a given semester by the number of semester hours of credit in the course.
• The graduation index is a weighted average of all grades received by a student while enrolled in the curriculum plus all other grades received in courses taken in other curricula offered by the University and properly accepted for satisfying the requirements of the curriculum of the school in which the student is enrolled. With the consent of the appropriate academic advisor, a student may repeat a course. In the case of courses which have been repeated, or in which conditional grades have been removed by examination, or for which a substantially equivalent course has been substituted, the most recent grade received shall be used.
• For the purpose of averaging, each grade shall be weighted in the following manner:

  A+, A	4.0 x semester hours = index points
  A-	3.7 x semester hours = index points
  B+	3.3 x semester hours = index points
  B	3.0 x semester hours = index points
  B-	2.7 x semester hours = index points
  C+	2.3 x semester hours = index points
  C	2.0 x semester hours = index points
  C-	1.7 x semester hours = index points
  D+	1.3 x semester hours = index points
  D	1.0 x semester hours = index points
  D-	0.7 x semester hours = index points
  E,F, IF	0.0 x semester hours = index points
  Grades of P, N, I, PI,W, WF, WN, IN, IU, AU, and NS are not included

Scholastic Deficiency

Academic Probation and Deficiency - 2.0 Good to Go

1. Academic Probation
   A student at Purdue University shall be placed on academic probation if his/ her fall or spring semester or cumulative GPA at the end of any fall or spring semester is less than a 2.0
   
   A student on academic probation shall be removed from that standing at the end of the first subsequent fall or spring semester in which he/she achieves semester and cumulative GPAs equal to or greater than 2.0. Any grade change due to a reporting error will result in a recalculation of the GPA and determination of probation standing. Academic standing will not be assessed in summer sessions.
2. Dropping of Students for Academic Deficiency
   A student on academic probation shall be dropped from the University at the close of any fall or spring semester in which his/her semester and cumulative GPA is less than a 2.0
   Any grade change due to a reporting error will result in a recalculation of the index and determination of drop status.

Readmission Procedure for Students Who are Academically Dropped for Scholastic Deficiency

According to University Regulations, when academically dropped a student is required to sit out one regular semester. If dropped more than once, a student is required to sit out at least one calendar year. After completing the required sit out period, a student may petition for readmission to the Purdue campus he or she wishes to attend.

Purdue students requesting readmission must complete an online readmission application through our website http://www.pnw.edu/admissions/ and pay a $100 non-refundable fee. The fee must be paid by the designated deadline in order for the application to be processed. For inquiries regarding the readmission process, please call the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at (219) 989-2213 or toll free at (855) 608-4600.

Graduation Requirements

For the Associate Degree

1. Completion of Program Requirements. Completion of the plan of study for the degree, either by resident course work, examination, or credit accepted from another institution.
   • Ten Year Rule. The dean of the college which administers the student’s major can refuse to accept for graduation credit any course completed 10 or more years ago. Reentering students will be notified immediately of all such decisions.
   • Substitution of Courses. The dean of the college which administers the student’s major may authorize substitutions for courses for graduation.
2. Residency Rule. At least two semesters of enrollment and completion of at least 32 credit hours at Purdue University. Students are normally expected to complete the entire second year in residence. Exception: With the prior approval of the dean of the college which administers the student’s major, the student who has at least three semesters of study in residence may complete no more than 16 credits at another approved college or university. For the purpose of this rule, two summer sessions are considered equivalent to one semester.
3. Graduation Index of 2.00 Exception: A student who has completed all other requirements for the degree but does not have the minimum Graduation Index may meet the requirement by:
   • Securing the approval of the dean of the college administering the major to register for additional courses, after a review of the academic record. Such a student will not be allowed to take more than 10 credit hours beyond those required for the degree. Credit in these additional courses must be earned no later than three years after the date on which all degree requirements were met, except the Graduation Index requirement. The Graduation Index requirement will be met for such a student if the Graduation Index, now including the extra courses, meets the Graduation Index requirement in effect at the time when the student met all the other graduation requirements.
4. Registration as a candidate for the degree during the semester or summer session immediately preceding the completion of the degree
5. Assessment The University expects its students to complete all assessment procedures related to General Education and/or major field as required.

For the Bachelor’s Degree

1. Completion of Program Requirements. The completion of the plan of study for the degree, either by resident course work, examination, or credit accepted from another institution.
   • Ten Year Rule. The dean of the college which administers the student’s major can refuse to accept for graduation credit any course completed 10 or more years ago. Re-entering students will be notified immediately of all such.
   • Substitution of Courses. The dean of the college which administers the student’s major may authorize substitutions for courses for graduation.
   • Experiential Learning. Experiential learning is a graduation requirement for students who started with Purdue University Calumet Fall 2008. This approach to teaching allows students to go beyond theory based learning and explore ways to gain practical knowledge within their program of study. Students will enroll in two experiential learning courses while completing their degree. Experiential learning is offered through undergraduate research, internships, service learning, cooperative education, cultural immersion/study abroad, design project or practicum. Your academic advisor will assist you in selecting an experience that is right for you.
     
     EXCEPTION: Transfer students with no more than two semesters of enrollment remaining and no more than 32 credit hours needed for degree completion are exempt from the experiential learning requirement (At the discretion of the Dean or Department Head)
2. Residency Rule. Resident study at Purdue University for at least two semesters and the enrollment in and completion of at least 32 semester hours of coursework required and approved for the completion of the degree. These courses are expected to be at least junior-level courses.
   
   Students normally are expected to complete the senior year in residence; however, with the approval of the dean of the school concerned, a student who has had four semesters of resident study may complete the last year or a portion of it at another college or university, provided that the number of semester hours of credit to be taken does not exceed 25 percent of the total hours required for the degree. The foregoing stipulations do not apply to students who earn credit elsewhere through a contract or arrangement entered into by the University or one of its academic units.
3. Graduation Index of 2.0 Exception. A student who has completed all other requirements for the degree but does not have the minimum Graduation Index may meet the requirement by:
   • Securing the approval of the dean of the college administering the major, after review of the academic record, permission to register for additional courses. Such a student will not be allowed to take more than 20 credit hours beyond those required for the degree; OR,
   • Securing in advance the approval of the dean of the college administering the major to register at another approved college or university for not more than nine of the 20 hours.

Copies of approvals must be filed in the Office of the Registrar. Credit in these additional courses must be earned no later than five years after the date on which all degree requirements were met, except the Graduation Index requirement.

The Graduation Index requirement will be met for such a student if the Graduation Index, now including the extra courses, meets the Graduation Index requirement in effect at the time when the student met all the other graduation requirements.

4. Registration as a candidate for the degree during the semester or summer session immediately preceding the completion of the degree.
5. Assessment The University expects its students to complete all assessment procedures related to General Education and/or major field as required.

Academic Honors

Dean’s List

The Dean’s List is Purdue University Northwest’s way of recognizing undergraduate students for outstanding scholastic achievement. At the conclusion of each semester, the registrar shall indicate which undergraduate students are scholastically eligible to be included on the Dean’s List. To be cited on the Dean’s List for any semester, one must:

• have at least 12 hours included in the cumulative GPA
• have at least 6 hours included in the semester GPA
• attain at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA
• have at least a 3.0 current semester GPA

Semester Honors

Semester Honors recognize undergraduate students who:

• have at least six credit hours in the semester index with a semester index of at least 3.5, and
• have at least a 2.0 graduation index

Students whose names are placed on the Dean’s List shall be entitled to the following special privileges during the semester following the designation of distinction may be assigned to more than 18 credit hours upon request.

It would be possible to earn both Dean’s List and Semester Honors standing if the student has a really outstanding semester. Note: Pass/no-pass grades and credits do not count in hours totals for either category of honors.

Degrees Awarded

Graduation with Distinction

• A candidate for the baccalaureate degree with distinction must have a minimum of 65 hours of credit earned at Purdue University included in the computation of the graduation index. A candidate for an associate degree with distinction must have a minimum of 35 hours of credit earned at Purdue University included in the computation of the graduation index.
• The minimum graduation index for graduation with distinction in each college shall be no less than the 90th percentile of the graduation indexes of the graduates in each college, for the spring semester, provided that the index is at least 3.30. The minimum graduation index so determined in the spring for each college shall be applied for graduation with distinction for the subsequent summer session and fall semester.
• Of those graduates who qualify for distinction under these rules for the spring semester, the three-tenths of the baccalaureate graduates having the highest graduation indexes shall be designated as graduating with highest distinction, irrespective of the colleges from which they graduate. The three-tenths of the spring associate degree graduates having the highest graduation indexes will be designated as graduating with highest distinction. The minimum graduation indexes so determined for graduation with highest distinction shall be applied for graduation with highest distinction for the subsequent summer session and fall semester.

Commencement Schedule

Purdue University Northwest conducts commencement ceremonies twice each year. The May commencement ceremony is for students who have completed all graduation requirements by the end of the Spring semester. The December commencement ceremony is for students who have completed all graduation requirements by the end of the Summer session and for students who will meet their requirements at the end of the Fall semester. For more information about the commencement schedule, please contact the Office of the Registrar at 219-989-2210.

Graduate on Time…

Degree Maps and Free Course Guarantee

Purdue University Northwest provides 8 semester plans of study for every bachelor degree program. A plan of study (or degree map) is a recommended sequence of classes designed to show how a program can be completed within four years.

Visit 15 to Finish Indiana for information and resources regarding how to complete a Bachelor’s degree in four years. (http://www.learnmoreindiana.org/college/succeeding-in-college/graduating-on-time/)