Undergraduate Students
The College requires students to achieve a 2.0 cumulative average to earn a baccalaureate degree. This is a minimum requirement.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (Academic Notice, Suspension, and Dismissal)
At the conclusion of each semester, undergraduate records are reviewed to determine if students are making Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).
The College has set the following standards for satisfactory academic progress:
- Students are expected to maintain a cumulative and semester grade point average of 1.7 for students with first-year standing (up to 31.99 credits) and 2.0 for all other students.
- Students must successfully complete 75 percent of attempted credits per semester. Grades of F, W, and I are not considered as successfully completing a course.
Students who fall below either of these standards are placed on Academic Notice. Students who do not earn Satisfactory Academic Progress for two consecutive semesters are subject to Academic Suspension. Students who have been academically suspended may appeal to the Academic Appeals Committee for their allowance of continued enrollment. If a student chooses not to appeal their academic standing or their appeal is denied, their Academic Suspension will be upheld and they will be administratively withdrawn from the College. After at least one semester of suspension, the student may apply for readmittance, which will require submitting a petition to the Academic Appeals Committee to show evidence of readiness to return to academic life at Emerson.
If, after a comprehensive review of a student's academic record, the Office of the Registrar determines that there is no remaining grading scenario under which a student could achieve the minimum cumulative GPA required for continued enrollment at Emerson College, the student will be issued an Academic Dismissal. In addition, a third consecutive semester of not earning satisfactory academic progress standards will result in an automatic Academic Dismissal, which is a permanent separation from Emerson College with no options for appeal or reinstatement.
Students who take a leave of absence or withdraw from the College and are readmitted within two year of their departure, will return under the same academic standing status they held at the time of their last enrollment.
Students are also required to make Satisfactory Academic Progress in order to maintain their eligibility for financial aid, which requires a separate appeals process for Financial Aid Suspension. Contact the Office of Financial Aid for more information.
Students not in satisfactory academic standing at the College are ineligible to compete in varsity athletics or run for Student Government Association office, or serve in student affairs leadership positions (e.g., resident assistants and orientation leaders). Academic standing may also affect eligibility for an participation in education abroad and domestic study programs. Students placed on Academic Suspension or Suspension Appealed will be administratively withdrawn from these programs.
Academic Ethics
A student who fails to meet minimum academic ethical standards by cheating, plagiarism, theft, or vandalism related to library or laboratory materials or equipment, or similar acts, shall be subject to disciplinary proceedings that may result in suspension or dismissal.
Graduate Students
A student in good standing is one who meets the standards set by the degree program and the Office of Graduate Studies. Students must maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average in order to remain in good academic standing. A student whose GPA falls below 3.0 has one semester to meet the 3.0 minimum or he or she will be academically withdrawn from the graduate program. Any semester in which students are enrolled is considered the next semester. A student must have a 3.0 cumulative grade point average to graduate.
In addition, no course in which a grade below B– is earned may be credited toward any degree. A student who receives below B– in coursework totaling 8 credits is automatically withdrawn from the graduate program. In the Communication Disorders program, a student will be automatically withdrawn from the program upon earning a grade of below B– in any two courses.
Students who are academically withdrawn should refer to the procedures in the Graduate Student Handbook. Students who are academically withdrawn from the College may not reapply.
Some programs may require additional Standards of Work. Please check the appropriate program section of this catalog under Degree Requirements.