Academic Policies

Academic Credit For Extracurricular Activities

Extracurricular activities may be approved for credit for undergraduate students by academic departments, based on objectives, criteria, and evaluative procedures formally determined by the department and the student before the semester in which the activity is to take place. Such credit is subject to the review of the provost and vice president for academic affairs.

Guidelines

The following guidelines regarding the administration of the policy on granting credit for extracurricular activities will provide university-wide standards on this matter. Within these standards individual departments may establish credit activities appropriate to their particular discipline.

1. A department may grant credit for extracurricular activities that fall within the academic interests of the department.
2. The extracurricular activity for which credit is to be granted must have demonstrable academic value.
3. A student desiring academic credit for extracurricular activity shall, prior to the semester the credit is to be granted, formally petition the chair of the department, describing the proposed project in detail and justifying its academic value.
4. If the department chair considers that a petition has merit, the chair will refer the student to a faculty member with expertise in that area. The student and the proposed faculty supervisor will refine the student’s project. The faculty member will then make a recommendation to the chair concerning the validity of the project, the amount of credit to be awarded, and the grading system to be employed (pass/fail or letter grade). The recommended plan will include a description of the nature of the supervision and methods of evaluation to be used.
5. A recommended project approved by the chair will then be sent to the dean for approval.
6. If the project is approved, the student will then register for the appropriate course number and credit hours. Each department interested in granting credit for such activity will establish courses numbered “377, 378” for one to six credits each semester and titled “Extracurricular Studies.”
7. After completion of an approved project, the student will submit a report to the faculty supervisor. This report will be retained by the faculty supervisor for examination by the department chair and/or other interested persons.
8. The faculty supervisor will review the results of the project and submit the appropriate grade to the Registrar.
9. The burden of justifying a project and documenting the results rests on the student. It is also to be emphasized that credit will not be given retroactively.

Academic Testing and Placement

The University administers a variety of tests for both internal and external populations. University Testing on the fourth floor of the Perry Library provides testing services for the College of Sciences, make-up exams, and ODUGlobal, as well as math placement tests. The Credentialing Center on the first floor of the Student Success Center provides the ODU foreign language placement test, as well as external testing services, which can be taken by Old Dominion University students and the general public. Examples of Credentialing Center exams include CLEP, DSST, Praxis, COMIRA, and tests offered through PearsonVUE.  For information about testing services at Old Dominion University, please visit www.odu.edu/testing-center.

Writing Placement. All undergraduate students who have not earned credit for ENGL 110C through dual enrollment, Advanced Placement (AP), the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or transfer from another institution are required to complete the Writing Success Placement Tool (WSPT) in order to enroll in first-year writing courses. Students with a score of 3 on the WSPT are required to register for ENGL 110C or ENGL 126C without the corequisite course, ENGL 101 Composition Studio. Students with a score of 1 on the WSPT will need to  enroll in ENGL 101 and ENGL 110C in the same semester. ENGL 101 is a 3-credit elective corequisite course designed to complement and extend the ENGL 110C curriculum. Students who feel as though their placement is inaccurate can appeal the decision by contacting the Director of Writing Placement and Support who will put them in contact with an advisor from the Writing Program. 

Undergraduate students with transfer credit for ENGL 110C or ENGL 211C/ENGL 231C are not required to complete the Writing Success Placement Tool (WSPT). However, they are expected to be competent writers and must possess writing skills equivalent to those described in the outcome statements for equivalent ODU courses (i.e., ENGL 110C, ENGL 211C/ENGL 231C). Although students with transfer credit for ENGL 110C, or ENGL 211C/ENGL 231C are not required to take the WSPT, those wishing to complete the WSPT for diagnostic purposes may do so by contacting the Director of Writing Placement and Support.

ODUGlobal students are considered part of the aforementioned cohorts (students with or without transfer credit for ENGL 110C) and must meet the assessment requirements of the undergraduate writing program.  Students should contact their advisor with questions or concerns.

Math Placement. All incoming freshman students and transfer students are eligible to enroll in MATH 101M.  Placement into MATH 103M will be based on a student's high school GPA.  Students who require MATH 103M and do not have a qualifying GPA should complete the ALEKS PPL placement program by obtaining a sufficient score on the ALEKS proctored placement test  prior to registering for classes and no later than two weeks before the start of the semester. For those who do not use the ALEKS PPL placement program to place into MATH 103M  (and have not been granted equivalent transfer math credit), a one-credit 8-week course, MATH 100, is available to gain entry into the course. Successful completion of MATH 100 will delay students' progress toward their math requirements by at least one full semester. Placement into STAT 130M, MATH 102M, MATH 162M and above will be based on a student’s SAT or ACT score. 

Students can challenge their math placement by making an appointment to take a math placement test at the University Testing Center. Students challenging their placement may take the math placement test up to the start date of the semester; however, test scheduling availability and course registration options may be severely limited two weeks prior to the semester start.

Foreign Language. All students who have studied a foreign language in high school for three or more years must take a placement exam before continuing in that same language. Students with less than three years of foreign language study in high school may take the placement test if they wish to begin higher than 101F or 111F; otherwise, they must begin with the 101F course or 111F course. This policy does not apply to students who have advanced placement credit. Foreign language courses below the 300 level are not open to native and heritage speakers; these students should consult a foreign language faculty member for advising.

Students whose native language is not English and who have satisfied English language proficiency requirements (see the section of this catalog on English Proficiency Requirements for Non-Native Speakers of English) are exempt from the foreign language requirements for General Education, including exemption from foreign language placement testing. Students pursuing degrees that require proficiency beyond the 100 level must be certified by the World Languages and Cultures Department to obtain a waiver of the 200-400 level courses.  Foreign language courses below the 300 level are not open to native speakers; native speakers are not eligible to earn credit for foreign language courses below the 300 level through coursework or external testing services such as CLEP. Heritage speakers may be eligible to take language courses below the 300 level. Both native and heritage speakers wishing to take language classes at any level should consult a foreign language faculty member for advising.

Exemptions

Written Communication.  Students may satisfy the requirement for the first semester of General Education written communication based on their performance on one of two national examinations. Three hours of credit for ENGL 110C will be earned if the student receives either:

1. a score of 3, 4, or 5 on the Advanced Placement Examination in English Language and Composition; or
2. a score of 50 or higher on the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) English Composition with Essay Examination

Waiver Option for ENGL 110C and ENGL 211C/ENGL 231C

ENGL 110C Waiver.  Students who have transferred in credit for ENGL 211C/ENGL 231C or equivalent but not ENGL 110C can provide a portfolio of their writing to determine if it is equivalent to the writing required in ENGL 110C.  Students will be asked to provide samples of their writing, for example, from ENGL 2**C, a W course, or a different course. The portfolio of writing samples is submitted to the Director of Composition in the Department of English. Students are required to consult with the Director of Composition prior to submitting materials for a possible waiver.  If it is determined that the writing is equivalent to or exceeds the writing required in ENGL 110C, the student will be exempt from the ENGL 110C requirement. There is no cost and no award of credit.

ENGL 211C/ENGL 231C Waiver. In extenuating circumstances, such as a student with a degree from another institution where there is no comparable 200-level class, the English Department may approve a waiver of the ENGL 2**C requirement. This is rare and determined by the Director of Composition on a case-by-case basis.  Students are required to consult with the Director of Composition prior to submitting materials for a possible waiver.  If approved, the student will be exempt from the ENGL 2**C requirement.  There is no cost and no award of credit.

Mathematics.   Students desiring credit by examination  for mathematics and statistics courses should apply to take either the DANTES or CLEP test(s) at the Credentialing Center.

Foreign Language.  Students may be exempt from the General Education Foreign Language requirement (without credit) in one of the following ways:

1. presentation of three high school credits in one foreign language or American Sign Language (ASL);
2. presentation of two high school credits in each of two foreign languages or one foreign language and American Sign Language (ASL); or
3. presentation of an appropriate passing score on the CEEB Foreign Language Achievement Test, internal ODU placement test, or its equivalent. Appropriate passing scores can be found on the Office of Admissions website.

Credit is granted for scores of 3, 4 and 5 on Advanced Placement (AP) language exams in Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish and literature exams in French, Latin and Spanish. No more than nine credits will be awarded if both AP language and literature exams are submitted. Credit is also granted for scores of 4, 5, 6 and 7 on the A2 and B exams in French, German, Latin and Spanish of the International Baccalaureate (IB). Contact the Department of World Languages and Cultures for additional information. Students receiving B.A. degrees must demonstrate foreign language proficiency through the 202 or 212 level regardless of high school credits completed.

All placement tests described above are administered by the University Testing Center except the foreign language placement test. Contact information can be found on the web at www.odu.edu/testing-center.

Activity Credits

The University sets a limit of 12 credit hours earned in activity courses that may be applied to any undergraduate degree. The individual college will determine the maximum number of such credits that students may apply in fulfillment of their particular degree requirements. In unusual circumstances, activity credit beyond the established college maximum will require the approval of the appropriate dean. In any case, the total number authorized by the college shall not exceed the limit set by the University. (Students may be counseled but not required either to take or avoid specific activity courses outside their own fields of study. They are further advised to limit the number of activity credits taken until they have ascertained the limitation on such credits set by the colleges in which they propose to major.)

Activity courses are generally defined as those that are not predominantly academically oriented and that are service, skill, recreational, or craft in nature, such as performing ensembles and organizations in music, one-credit health and physical education service courses, theatre arts activity courses, and certain military and naval science courses. All activity courses shall be identified specifically in the catalog and the class schedule and can be recognized by the “+” symbol following the course number.

Activity credits required by a student’s major department will not be counted against the credit limitation, nor will the credits earned in courses numbered 377-378 that involve extracurricular studies.

Adjusted Resident Credit

Any undergraduate student who leaves Old Dominion University for at least one calendar year will be given the option of requesting a grade-point-average status equivalent to that of a student admitted as a transfer according to the following conditions and regulations.

1. Prior to the one year’s absence, the student must have a cumulative grade point average less than 2.00.
2. The student must have separated from the institution for at least one calendar year.  A term in which the student received W grades cannot be counted as part of the calendar year separation.
3. Upon returning to the University, the student must earn a minimum of 30 credits at Old Dominion University to be eligible for a degree. This must include twelve hours of upper-level courses in the declared major program.
4. Upon return, a full-time student must have attained a 2.00 grade point average for all work attempted since his or her return and must have completed a minimum of 12 semester hours.  There may be no incomplete grades in the record.  Courses that do not compute in the grade point average will not count toward the minimum of 12 semester hours.
5. Upon satisfying the above requirements, the student must submit the application for Adjusted Resident Credit to the Office of the University Registrar.
6. This option will be available only once during the student’s career at Old Dominion University. In all cases, the Adjusted Resident Credit option must be elected and the student’s record adjusted prior to graduation. Waivers of the requirement that students have less than a 2.00 grade point average can be made only in those programs that require greater than a 2.00 for admission.
7. Consultation and approval by the appropriate department and approval of the dean(s) of the college(s) in which the student’s major program resides will be required. Once an application for Adjusted Resident Credit is approved and applied to the student's record, this action is final.
8. Students may elect to use both grade forgiveness and the Adjusted Resident Credit Policy.  However, students cannot use grade forgiveness for individual courses for which adjusted resident credit already has been applied.  In addition, the application of adjusted resident credit will not change the number of times a student can elect to use grade forgiveness.
9. Under this option: (1) eligible students will receive degree credit only for those courses in which grades of C (2.00) or better were earned prior to readmission; (2) likewise, hours attempted for courses in which grades of C-, D+, D, D- or F were received prior to readmission will not be considered in computing the student’s new cumulative grade point average; and (3) grade points earned for any course completed prior to readmission will not count in determining the student’s new cumulative grade point average.
10. All grades received at the University will be part of the individual's official transcript and will be used to determine honor awards.  However, computation of a new grade point average for graduation and continuance will be based on work performed subsequent to reinstatement.
11. In cases of dual jurisdiction, University continuance regulations will prevail.

Before making the request for the Adjusted Resident Credit process, all students should consult their academic advisor.  In addition, any student who is a financial aid recipient should consult his or her financial aid counselor in the Office of Financial Aid.  Application of the Adjusted Resident Credit Policy may adversely impact the student's Satisfactory Academic Progress and subsequent eligibility for federally funded financial aid.

Students wishing to avail themselves of this policy may receive procedural information from the Office of the University Registrar.

Assessment Requirement

In response to demands by the University’s accrediting agencies, including the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools – Commission on Colleges and the State Council or Higher Education for Virginia, Old Dominion University has developed an institution-wide plan to assess the quality of its academic programs and services. The plan calls for the assessment of student learning at the beginning, during, and at the end of the college experience.

Upon enrollment in the University and again prior to the completion of degree requirements, all undergraduate students must take one or more measures related to the University’s assessment plan. Students will be notified about the requirement to complete the measures through their University email address. The email invitations will contain a link to the University’s web-based assessment tool where the measures can be completed at the student’s convenience. Assessment results are used for program improvements and thus are not a part of the student’s transcript.

Sanctions for Noncompliance with Assessment Testing Requirement

All undergraduate students are required to participate in the assessment program. Failure to take assessments when required to do so may preclude the student’s right to register for the ensuing semester, or in the case of seniors, receive the baccalaureate degree.

The University will make all reasonable efforts to assure that students have ample opportunities to complete the required assessments. However, certain precautions will be taken to ensure that students submit to the assessment measures and that they take the measures seriously. Further information regarding sanctions procedures is available in offices of college deans and the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment.

Assignment Submissions

Coursework is to be delivered to the instructor using the method specified. Electronic and postal delivery may be required.

Attendance Policy

Regular classroom attendance is expected of all students and individual faculty may require class attendance. Course grades reflect not only performance on written assignments and exams, but also participation during class periods. As discussions cannot be reproduced, many times absences cannot truly be made up. Excessive absences therefore have a negative effect on the student’s learning and performance. Students are responsible for all class work, and a student who misses a class is expected to have the initiative necessary to cover properly the material missed. Students must meet all course deadlines and be present for all quizzes, tests, and examinations.

Syllabus information will include a statement of the attendance policy for each course and the effect of nonattendance on grades. Reasonable provisions should be made by the instructor for documented representation at University-sponsored athletic or academic functions, mandatory military training and documented illness. The granting of provisions for other documented absences is left to the discretion of the faculty member.

Due to the nature of asynchronous courses, students are expected to participate in class, but in formats that may not require attendance at regular intervals.

Extended illness. The student should notify the Office of Student Enrollment, Engagement & Services when the student is going to be absent from classes for more than one week because of an illness. Student Enrollment, Engagement & Services will notify the student’s course instructors of the absence on his or her behalf.

Baccalaureate Degree Requirements

A candidate for a baccalaureate degree must present a minimum of 120 semester hours (except where otherwise noted in degree program descriptions). A minimum overall cumulative grade point average of C (grade point average of 2.00) must be made in all courses taken, and an overall cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 must be attained in the major except in those programs requiring a grade point average above 2.00. Grades in all courses taken, including failing grades (except courses in which grade forgiveness was applied), are counted when calculating a student’s cumulative grade point average. Grades in all courses taken in the major, including failing grades, are counted when calculating a student’s grade point average in the major. Students completing a minor must have a minimum overall cumulative grade point average of 2.00 in all courses taken toward the minor.

Class Attendance by Guests

Statement: The propriety for non-student presence in the classroom will vary dependent upon the nature of curricular offerings, dangers inherent to certain classrooms and labs, the optimum classroom environment for each class, and the preferences of each instructor. Guidelines specifying whether non-student guests will be permitted in the classroom, which are consistent with departmental policy, will be established for each class by the instructor.

Dean’s List

The Dean’s List is announced at the end of each term. Any undergraduate student taking 12 or more hours of degree credit for grade point credit who attains a grade point average of 3.40 or higher with no grade below C (2.00) is placed on the Dean’s list. The student must also receive a passing grade on any nondegree credit courses in which he or she is enrolled. Students who receive grades of I are not placed on the Dean’s List.

Duplicate Courses

An undergraduate student who has taken two courses that are designated by the department as duplicate may apply only one toward a degree. Courses considered to be duplicate are so designated in the course descriptions found elsewhere in this catalog. For example, a student receiving credit for BIOL 121N and BIOL 122N cannot receive credit for BIOL 110N and BIOL 111N.

Final Examinations

The University firmly believes that a comprehensive evaluation of a student’s achievement in a course is a vital part of the educational process. Final examinations for campus-based and higher education center courses, if given, are to be given at the time provided on the Registrar’s Office website at www.odu.edu/registrar. Upon request of the instructor, exceptions to this regulation may be made only by the dean. Final examinations are normally scheduled in the classroom where the course has met throughout the semester.

In the event that a final examination is changed to other than that of the scheduled time, provisions will be made by the instructor for any student who cannot comply with the schedule change.

Any student who has three examinations scheduled in one calendar day and is unable to resolve the problem informally with the instructor or instructors may petition the dean for relief.

All examinations are to be retained for one year by the faculty members. Students have the privilege of requesting conferences with the instructors in regard to their final grades.

All online final exams shall be available for students to complete in a minimum 24-hour window as defined by the professor, including one business day, during the final examination period as defined for that course.  Students in online classes who need a proctor should follow this guidance: https://online.odu.edu/academics/academic-resources/exams-and-proctors.

Grading

System of Grading

Grade	Grade Points	Undergraduate	Graduate
A	4.00	Superior	Excellent
A-	3.70	Superior	Excellent
B+	3.30	Good	Good
B	3.00	Good	Good
B-	2.70	Good	Fair
C+	2.30	Satisfactory	Poor
C	2.00	Satisfactory	Poor
C-	1.70	Passing	Poor
D+	1.30	Passing	Not Used
D	1.00	Passing	Not Used
D-	0.70	Passing	Not Used
F	0.00	Failing	Unsatisfactory
WF	0.00	Unofficial Withdrawal	Unofficial Withdrawal
P	None	Pass	Pass
F (P/F)	None	Fail	Fail
O	None	Audit	Audit
I	None	Incomplete	Incomplete
II	None	Not Used	Incomplete not Subject to Time Limit
W	None	Official Withdrawal	Official Withdrawal
Q	None	Progress but not Proficiency	Not used
Z	None	No Grade Reported	No Grade Reported

The use of plus and minus grades is at the discretion of the instructor.

The grade point average is calculated by dividing the accumulated number of grade points earned by the accumulated number of credit hours attempted. Grades of F and WF and repeats are included, but official withdrawals, audits, and grades on noncredit courses and pass/fail degree courses are not included.  All undergraduate-level courses, including courses taken as a non-degree seeking student and courses taken after graduation, will be included in calculating the undergraduate cumulative grade point average. All graduate-level courses, including courses taken as a non-degree seeking student and courses taken after graduation, will be included in calculating the graduate cumulative grade point average.

For completion of an undergraduate degree or certificate, a student must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of C (grade point average of 2.00) in all courses taken and a grade point average of at least 2.00 in the major except for those degree programs or certificate programs requiring grade point averages above a 2.00.

A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 is required for the award of a graduate degree or certificate.

Grades in courses accepted for transfer credit are not counted in the computation of grade point averages.

Grades are available to students through the secure website. Grades are mailed to students only if a written request is submitted to the Office of the University Registrar.

WF and W Grades. The grades of WF and W indicate withdrawal from a course only under those conditions described in the sections entitled Class Schedule Change Procedure and Grading Policy for Withdrawal From Classes.

Incomplete Grades. A grade of I indicates assigned work yet to be completed in a given course or absence from the final examination and is assigned only upon instructor approval of a student request. The I grade may be awarded only in exceptional circumstances beyond the student’s control, such as illness, and only after 80% of the time allocated for the course has elapsed and substantial progress has been made toward completion of course requirements with the exception of courses that do not fit within the traditional semester calendar.

In cases of exceptional circumstances beyond the student’s control, it is the responsibility of the student to approach the instructor to request an I grade and to provide documentation, including a written statement of when the work will be completed, to support the request. The authority to award an I grade rests with the instructor whose decision is final. Students whose requests for I grades are approved must not re-register for the class until the I grade has been resolved. The I grade becomes an F if not removed when grades are due the following term according to the following schedule: I grades from the fall semester become F’s if not removed by the day grades are due for the spring semester; I grades from the spring semester and the summer session become F’s if not removed by the day grades are due for the fall semester.

When there is an existing incomplete grade and the instructor who assigned the incomplete has left the university or is no longer available, the chair of the department or the program director will be responsible for making sure that the completed work is graded, and a final grade is submitted.

An I grade may be changed to a W only in very unusual circumstances and when the student’s situation has changed since the I grade was awarded. In these cases, the request for a change to a W must be in writing, documented, and approved by the instructor, department chair and dean. Students will not be allowed to graduate until all grades of I have been resolved.

In the case of courses that do not fit within the traditional semester calendar, the faculty member assigns the I grade. The time periods for the removal of I grades before they become grades of F are the same as those stated in the previous paragraph.

Extension of the I time limitation normally will not be approved except for reasons beyond the student’s control and only if the supervising faculty member is available and willing to supervise the work beyond the normal time limit. Students should submit the request to the instructor, who should submit approval, via the chair, to the University Registrar in order to retain the I. The approval from the instructor should designate the expiration date of the extension.

A grade of II indicates incomplete work not subject to the time limits described above for I grades. The II grade can be used only in those courses directly related to the research for and preparation of the graduate thesis/dissertation.

Z Grades. A grade of Z indicates that no grade has been reported by the instructor and will convert to a grade of F if not removed through the last day of classes of the following term (excluding the exam period) according to the following schedule: Z grades from the fall semester become F’s if not removed by the last day of classes of the spring semester; Z grades from the spring semester and the summer session become F’s if not removed by the last day of classes of the fall semester. Students will not be allowed to graduate until all grades of Z have been resolved.

Interim Academic Evaluation

Faculty teaching 100- and 200-level undergraduate courses will provide specific feedback regarding progress in the course in the fifth week of the semester in the fall and spring semesters. Providing timely information to students on graded work makes students aware of their performance so they can determine whether to seek additional help from the faculty member, tutoring services when available, their academic advisor, and/or withdraw from the course prior to the established deadline for withdrawal.

Mid-Semester Feedback

The University believes that regular assessment of students and feedback to them is essential to effective teaching and learning. Therefore, faculty members will provide all students with evaluation of their progress in a course prior to midsemester (or equivalent in a nonsemester course) so that students have information about their progress before the withdrawal deadline, which is the end of the tenth week of classes.

Grade Forgiveness

Under the Grade Forgiveness Policy, undergraduate students seeking a baccalaureate degree may improve their grade point average (GPA) by repeating up to five courses taken previously. Each repeated course must be the same course as taken previously and must be completed through Old Dominion University. The registrar automatically applies the Grade Forgiveness Policy to all eligible course repeats at the end of each semester. The Grade Forgiveness Policy became effective for the Fall 1997 semester. Courses repeated prior to the Fall 1997 semester are not eligible for grade forgiveness. Grade forgiveness will not be processed after a student graduates.

Grade Forgiveness Policy

Undergraduate students are subject to the following conditions and requirements.

1. Students who receive a grade of C– or lower (grades of C-, D+, D, D-, F, and WF) may repeat up to five courses to improve the overall grade point average.  Only the first five repeated courses will be forgiven. Students are not given an option to select which course might be forgiven.  A course may be repeated once with grade forgiveness applied. Grade forgiveness is automatically applied only to the first repeat of a course with an original grade of C- or less, regardless of how many times the student may elect to repeat the course for other reasons. The Grade Forgiveness Policy will not be applied to courses for which a grade of C or higher was ever earned. Additional courses that are not eligible for grade forgiveness include courses taken under the pass/fail option, courses taken under the audit option, courses for which a grade of W was the only grade awarded, courses that currently are incomplete (I grade), or courses for which a grade of F was awarded as a result of an act of academic dishonesty.
2. The Grade Forgiveness Policy applies only to the repeat of the same course (same number, same title, same credit value, and, for topics courses, same subtitle and same credit value). Exceptions will be made where the course number or title is the only change and the change is documented in the Catalog and approved for grade forgiveness by the assistant vice president for undergraduate studies.
3. The Grade Forgiveness Policy will not be extended to courses originally taken elsewhere, including Norfolk State University and institutions with which Old Dominion University has consortia arrangements. In addition, courses repeated at other institutions will not be used to forgive Old Dominion University courses.
4. Students may not be able to repeat a course in the following cases: enrollment is restricted, the student no longer qualifies for admission to a course, the prerequisites are enforced, major or sequence requirements have been changed, or the curriculum has been revised. In such cases the decision of the assistant vice president for undergraduate studies in consultation with the appropriate academic department will prevail. Exceptions are granted only in rare instances. In any course or program where enrollment demand exceeds the resources to offer sufficient openings or sections to meet that demand, the academic unit may give registration priority to students taking the course for the first time.
5. Students may elect to use both grade forgiveness and the Adjusted Resident Credit (ARC) policy. However, students cannot use grade forgiveness for individual courses for which adjusted resident credit already has been applied.
6. Students who have graduated may not use the provisions of this policy to repeat for forgiveness a course taken prior to the date of graduation. Once a bachelor’s degree has been awarded, a student may not raise the undergraduate grade point average by repeating a course taken as an undergraduate.
7. Under this policy, only the second grade earned, whether higher or lower than the original grade, will be calculated in the grade point average for the purposes of continuance, graduation, etc. Any repeats of a course after grade forgiveness has been applied will be averaged with other course work. All grades will remain on the student’s permanent record, but the record of a previous grade in the course will be marked to indicate that the course has been repeated. Academic suspensions will not be removed from student transcripts and Dean’s List status will not be added after grade forgiveness is applied to the student record in cases where the grade point average is improved sufficiently to change the student’s status for the semester in question.
8. An enhanced grade point average using the Grade Forgiveness Policy does not determine eligibility for graduation with honors. To determine eligibility for graduation with honors, the student’s complete record, including grades (grade points and hours) for courses that have been forgiven, will be evaluated to calculate the final grade point average. If the student’s overall average is sufficient, graduation with honors will be posted to the student’s record.
9. In cases where the student repeats a course in which a grade of C or better was awarded, all grades received, including the original grade, and all hours earned will be used for calculation of grade point averages. The course will count only one time toward graduation certification and degree completion.
10. Students receiving financial aid should consult with their Financial Aid representative to determine how use of this policy may affect financial aid status.
11. Other schools, including professional and graduate schools, may not honor this policy on repetition of courses with forgiveness.
12. Veterans should consult the Office of the University Registrar to determine the impact of course repetition on their eligibility for benefits. 

Grade Appeals: Policy and Procedures

1. Policy and Purpose
   1. The purpose of the grade appeal procedure is to serve the needs of graduate and undergraduate students who believe that they were unjustly awarded a final course grade by a faculty member through prejudice or caprice. This policy applies to the final grade for the award of academic credit and does not apply to graduate and undergraduate examinations that are administered as part of the degree progression and certification processes (such as comprehensive examinations and candidacy examinations at the graduate level).
   2. The basis for a grade appeal is the student’s charge that the final grade was awarded through prejudice or caprice. The burden of proof rests with the student.
   3. Students must initiate the first review of the appeal within 45 days of the official end of the semester in which the grade was awarded. For grades awarded and appealed from fall and summer semesters, the entire appeal process must be completed before the official end of the next semester; the entire appeal process for grades awarded and appealed from the spring semester must be completed before the official end of the next fall semester.
2. Procedure
   Prior to initiating a formal appeal, the student must attempt to consult with the instructor to request an explanation of the method of evaluation and to determine whether an error has been made. This consultation may be face to face, via e-mail, phone, or video conference if both agree, and efforts to consult with the instructor must be documented by the student. If at any point in the appeals process the student and instructor, or the student and a subsequent appeals body, agree that a grade of P is acceptable, that grade shall be assigned for the course and the appeals process will conclude. At all stages of the grade appeal processes outlined below, the instructor and student shall be notified of any actions recommended or taken by the chair, Grade Appeal Review Committee, Dean (or designated Associate Dean) or Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (or designated Vice Provost).
   1. First Review of Appeal
      1. If the student is not satisfied with the results of the consultation with the instructor, or the instructor is not available as described in section IV. B, then the student may file a grade appeal. The chair of the department in which the instructor is teaching will conduct the first review of the student’s appeal, unless the instructor is the department chair. The student’s case must be presented on the Grade Appeal Form with supporting documents/explanations to the instructor’s department chair within 14 days of the consultation with the instructor.
      2. The student’s Grade Appeal Form should (1) state specific reasons and give examples of faculty prejudice or caprice, (2) show that prejudice or caprice affected the awarding of the final course grade, and (3) be presented as a complete package and include all other supporting documentation.
      3. The chair shall notify the instructor of the appeal and provide the instructor with copies of the form and other documents that were submitted. The chair or Dean (or designated Associate Dean) shall also request a response from the instructor that should include at a minimum the course syllabus, grade distribution for the course, attendance policy, the grading plan for the course, and other grading rubrics.
      4. The chair shall review all documents and may hold a hearing where both the instructor and student are present. (See section V. for guidelines for hearings.) No other persons will attend the hearing and the hearing must be recorded.
      5. If the chair concludes that there is no cause for complaint, the student and the instructor will be notified in writing of the decision within seven days of receipt of the request for an appeal and the supporting documents. The student may request a second review of the appeal (see section II.B. for details).
      6. If the chair concludes that there is valid cause for the complaint, the chair should consult with the instructor and student and attempt to mediate the dispute by working with both parties to agree on an appropriate course grade. Among the alternatives available for resolution of the case will be the assignment of the grade of P if the chair, the instructor, and the student express their agreement in writing. If the instructor and student agree to a grade change or to award a grade of P, the instructor will make the official grade change.
      7. If mediation fails, the chair will notify the college Grade Appeal Review Committee of the need for a review and submit all documents to the committee. The instructor and the student will be notified of this action.
      8. The chair will ask the college Grade Appeal Review Committee to appoint the reviewers within five working days. (See Section III for the composition of the committee.)
         1. The faculty and the student who form the Grade Appeal Review Committee will notify the instructor and student involved in the appeal when the review will take place and request needed documents.
         2. The Grade Appeal Review Committee will review the documents, consult with relevant parties as needed and determine if there is sufficient evidence in the documents to support the student’s appeal, or if more information is needed in which case a hearing with the student and instructor may be held. (See Section V for details about the hearing.) The review and hearing must be scheduled within 15 days of the receipt of the materials by the committee.
         3. If the Grade Appeal Review Committee finds that there is sufficient evidence that the grade was awarded with prejudice or caprice, they may consult with the instructor to suggest a grade change and provide a rationale for that decision. The decision and rationale must be provided in writing to the instructor. The final outcome of the committee’s review will be documented and communicated to the instructor, the student, the department chair, and Dean.
         4. If the committee finds on behalf of the student and recommends a change of grade and the instructor refuses to change the grade but is willing to assign a grade of P, then the committee will consult with the student about the advisability of accepting a P grade. Should the student agree to accept a grade of P, the instructor will make the official grade change.
         5. If the committee finds on behalf of the student and recommends a change of grade and the student is unwilling to accept a grade of P, the Dean will review and make a recommendation to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.  The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs or a designated Vice Provost will submit the recommended grade change to the Registrar.  Only the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs or designated Vice Provost is authorized to change an instructor's grade. The instructor, chair, student, and Dean will be notified. The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs' decision will be final. 
         6. If the committee finds on behalf of the instructor, the original grade will stand and the instructor and the student will be notified.
      9. If the instructor is the department chair, the student will submit the Grade Appeal Form and documents to the Dean (or designated Associate Dean) and the Dean (or designated Associate Dean) will conduct the first review following the procedures described in II.A.1-8.
      10. If the instructor is a Dean or Vice President, the student will submit the Grade Appeal Form and documents to the chair of the department in which the Dean or Vice President is teaching the course.
   2. Second Review of Appeal
      1. The student may request a second review of the appeal if the conclusion of the first review is that there is no cause for complaint. The request for a second review must be submitted within seven days of the denial of the first review. The student should request in writing that the person responsible for conducting the first review forward the grade appeal package to the person responsible for conducting the second review. The instructor is notified of this action.
      2. When the instructor is a faculty member, the Dean (or designated Associate Dean) is responsible for conducting the second review. If the instructor is the chair and the Dean (or designated Associate Dean) conducted the first review, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs or designated Vice Provost is responsible for conducting the second review. If the instructor is a Dean or Vice President and the chair of the department in which the Dean or Vice President is teaching conducted the first review, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs or designated Vice Provost is responsible for conducting the second review.
      3. The second review shall follow the same procedures as the first review, as described in section II.A.1­–4.
      4. If the person to whom the second review is submitted concludes that there is no cause for complaint, the student and the instructor will be notified in writing that the grade appeal process is complete. No further appeal will be allowed.
      5. If the person to whom the second review is submitted concludes that there may be valid cause for the complaint, the procedures as described in section II.A.6–8 will apply.
3. Grade Appeal Review Committee
   1. Committee Composition and Duties
      1. Each college will create a Grade Appeal Review Committee that has one representative from each department in the college and a list of potential student members. If an appeal is heard, the Grade Appeal Review Committee will select two faculty members and one student from these lists.
      2. Representatives must be full-time tenured or tenure-track faculty in an academic department elected by the department faculty. At least two committee members shall be tenured. No administrator, such as a Chief Departmental Advisor or Graduate Program Director, shall be eligible to serve on the committee.
      3. Terms of service will be for two years. Members may be re-elected for an additional two-year term.
      4. At the beginning of each academic year, each department in the college will submit a list of full-time students who are eligible and willing to serve on the committee. This list will be formulated each year. When needed, one student will serve on a review committee.
      5. The committee will select its own chair and develop guidelines for the review process and procedures.
      6. Two faculty members and one student selected from the names submitted by each department will review the appeal including documents from the student filing the appeal and the instructor of record. Neither the faculty members nor the student member shall be from the instructor’s or student’s department.
      7. Both the instructor and the student will have the right to challenge, for valid cause, any or all of the members of the committee, and in that event replacements will be appointed and no further challenge will be permitted.
4. Instructors’ Responsibilities and Rights
   1. The following are guides for the instructor’s responsibilities and rights.
      1. Instructors have a responsibility to meet with students to explain the course grading procedure and the process for determining the final grade.
      2. When requested, instructors must provide the documents requested for a review at all levels. These documents will include at a minimum the course syllabus, grade distribution for the course, attendance policy, and grading procedures for course tasks with rubrics. Other documents may be included or requested.
      3. The instructor must assist in making arrangements for a hearing when one is needed.
      4. Instructors have the responsibility to participate in a grade appeal.
      5. No instructor shall be forced or coerced into making a grade change.
   2. Unavailable Instructors
      1. In the event a student makes documented efforts to consult with an instructor and is unable to find the instructor, or does not receive a response, the student shall seek assistance from the chair.
      2. When the chair has made reasonable efforts to contact an instructor whose final grade is being appealed and is unsuccessful, the Grade Appeal Review Committee and chair will independently review available materials and reach a consensual decision. In the event that these two reviews reach different decisions that are not reconciled, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs or designated Vice Provost will make a final decision. No other appeal can be made.
         1. If the decision is in favor of the student, and the student is not willing to accept a grade of P, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs or designated Vice Provost will submit the recommended grade change to the Registrar. Only the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs or designated Vice Provost is authorized to change an instructor's grade upon the recommendation of the college Grade Appeal Review committee.
         2. If the decision is not in favor of the student, the instructor’s original grade will remain.
      3. In the event of an instructor’s unavailability due to death, serious illness, or any other cause that would prevent the instructor from participating in the process in time for the process to be completed during the designated semester, the procedure in II.A.1. and IV.B.2 will be followed.
5. Procedures for Hearings
   A hearing involving the faculty member and the student may be held at any level of appeal.
   1. After the Grade Appeal Review Committee reviews the appeal form and supporting documents and the instructor’s documents, a hearing may be held to clarify issues and/or to receive further evidence. Both the student and the instructor may submit additional materials at the hearing.
   2. Hearings may be held at any level only when both the instructor and the student can participate. No other persons may attend this hearing.
   3. The conclusions, decision(s), and a rationale for these must be disseminated in writing to the instructor and to the student.
   4. If either the instructor or the student believes that the established procedures for the appeal of grades have not been followed, an appeal for an additional hearing may be made to the Dean (or designated Associate Dean), or when the chair or Dean is the instructor, to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs or designated Vice Provost. The only basis for an appeal will be the failure to have been provided due process as prescribed by the policy.
6. Records
   1. If the grade appeal concludes after the first review, the original Grade Appeal Form and all decision letters for each level of review will be kept in a secure location in the department chair's office for a minimum of one year.
   2. If the grade appeal advances to the second level, the original Grade Appeal Form and all decision letters for each level of review will be kept in a secure location in the Dean's office for a minimum of one year.
   3. Recordings of hearings will be kept in the department chair's office or the Dean’s office for a minimum of one year.
7. Assignment of P Grade
   A P grade established under this policy at any stage of the grade appeal process will be given irrespective of the University policy on hours permitted for P grades or restrictions on when a P grade is permissible and will not prevent progression in the degree program or courses for which this course is a prerequisite.

Guidelines and Procedures for Grade Adjustments for Nonacademic Reasons

1. Students are responsible for notifying the faculty member of errors in the assignment of grades (e.g., a C received instead of an A) immediately upon receipt of the grade. If confirmed, the instructor will submit a grade change using the “Report a Change of Grade” link in the Faculty & Advisors menu in Leo Online. If the grade is older than two semesters or has previously been changed, the instructor should complete the electronic Grade Change Form available via the MyODU portal. Once submitted, the grade change request is forwarded to the chair or program director for consideration. If the chair or program director approves, the form will be signed electronically and forwarded to the Office of the University Registrar for processing.  If the chair or program director does not approve, they should notify the instructor of the reasons for denial.
   
   
   When a grade change is needed and the instructor who assigned the grade has left the university or is no longer available, the student should contact the chair of the department or program director who will be responsible for verifying the change and submitting the electronic Grade Change Form to the Office of the University Registrar.
   
   
   Students are responsible for notifying the Office of the University Registrar of administrative errors immediately upon receipt of the grade.
2. Students are notified via email when a change of grade is processed by the Office of the University Registrar.

Minors

In addition to the completion of courses in the area of the major field, a candidate for a baccalaureate degree may complete a minor. The completion of a minor is optional. The minor may be chosen to support the major, to offer greater job opportunities to the student on graduation, or to provide recognition of study in a second academic area. Some minors may not be available for certain majors.  Restrictions are determined by Academic Affairs. Completion of a University-approved minor will meet the upper-division General Education Requirements.

Students who complete the course requirements for the minor, but who do not attain a 2.00 grade point average in the minor, may request that the course work be approved to meet the upper-division general education requirement. The request may be initiated through the student’s advisor and the associate dean of their college and submitted to the University Registrar. Students whose requests are approved will meet the upper-division requirement, but they will not receive credit for the minor.

For completion of a minor, an undergraduate student must have the following:

1. A minimum of 12 credit hours in a specified minor, normally at the 300 and 400 upper-level.
2. An overall grade point average of 2.0 or above in all courses specified as a requirement in the minor exclusive of prerequisite courses. All 300-, 400-, and approved 200-level courses designated for the minor and taken by the student will be calculated in the student's grade point average for the minor. For example, if the minor requires four courses at the 300- and 400-level and the student completes five courses, all five courses will be included in the calculation of the grade point average for the minor.
3. Six credit hours in the minor from Old Dominion University. No course that is introductory or foundational, or that meets a lower-level General Education requirement, may be included, although such courses may be prerequisites for courses in the minor.

Minors may be proposed by departments and programs and must be approved by the appropriate college committee and dean, by Faculty Senate Committee A and by the provost and vice president for academic affairs. Students may be able to count up to six credit hours toward fulfilling requirements for both a major and a minor, excluding prerequisites, with the approval of the department chair or designee of the major program.

Interdisciplinary minors must be reviewed by all colleges and departments involved prior to submission to Committee A of the Faculty Senate. Three credit hours in the interdisciplinary minor may be in the major, if a major course is listed as an option for the interdisciplinary minor. As such, it will be credited toward both the major and the interdisciplinary minor. Interdisciplinary minors require 12 credit hours of 300/400-level courses selected from at least two different disciplines with a maximum of six credits from any one discipline.

A maximum of six credits for disciplinary minors (or three credits, for interdisciplinary minors) may share with other areas of the student’s program.  Approval of the department chair, chief departmental advisor, or designee may be required.  Special attention should be paid to major/minor combinations where multiple courses overlap to ensure that the student is taking enough unique hours for the minor. Minor coordinators may allow substitutions for courses as needed.  Excluding prerequisites, all courses designated as options for the minor and taken by the student will be calculated into the minor GPA.

Specific minor requirements may be found in the section on Colleges, Schools and Departments of Instruction in this catalog.

Procedures

Students who wish to pursue a minor must declare the minor with and be advised by the department offering the minor or their Student Success Director (for online students).  Students completing a minor should present the minor for certification when submitting applications for graduation.

Approved academic minors can be found on the programs search link: /programs .

Prior Learning Assessment Credit Options at the Undergraduate Level

Old Dominion University offers a program for assessing college-level knowledge gained through professional work and training experiences prior to attempting a specific ODU course. Students may initiate assessment of prior learning through a variety of assessment tools, including departmental examinations, portfolios, external examinations, or documented training programs, as determined by academic departments. A student may earn a maximum of 60 semester hours at the undergraduate level through Prior Learning Assessment credit. However, in unusual situations when a student can demonstrate a more extensive knowledge base that would be applicable to a degree program, the student can apply to the Prior Learning Assessment representative in Continuing Education for an exception to the maximum of 60 credit hours. Requests will be forwarded to the appropriate department for review. Prior Learning Assessment credit may be granted through the following mechanisms:

1. External Examinations. Satisfactory scores on the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DSST), International Baccalaureate (IB), Advanced Placement (AP), Cambridge Advanced (A/AS Level) programs, and professional certification examinations evaluated by the American Council of Education (ACE) for college-level credit. If a CLEP or DSST exam exists and Old Dominion University accepts a qualifying score for credit, the student may not request to take a departmental exam. CLEP and DSST exams are administered through Old Dominion University's Credentialing Center. Qualifying scores through the Advanced Placement Examinations Program, Cambridge Advanced (A/AS Level) programs, or Admissions Testing Program of the Educational Testing Service (ETS) are approved by departments. CLEP, DSST, AP, IB, and Cambridge scores should be reported to the Office of Admissions.
2. Departmental Examinations. Upon approval of the chair or dean (designee) of the college in which the course is offered, a student may take a comprehensive examination in an academic course in which he or she can demonstrate proficiency and upon passing the examination receive credit for that course. A request for testing should be made through the Prior Learning Assessment representative in the School of Continuing Education, who forwards the request to the appropriate faculty. A course may be tested through departmental examination one time only.
3. Credit for Training. Military and professional training may be evaluated and recommended for college credit by the American Council on Education (ACE). The relevant academic department will recommend specific academic credit for posting to the student’s record.
4. Portfolio Development. Upon approval of the chair or dean (designee) of the college in which the course is offered, a student may develop a portfolio for a course or courses offered by Old Dominion University to gain college-level credit. Portfolios are submitted to the Prior Learning Assessment representative in the School of Continuing Education.

The following regulations for Prior Learning Assessment credit will apply:

1. All approved Prior Learning Assessment options will be granted with credit.
2. Prior Learning Assessment credit will be granted upon the written recommendation of the chair of the department or designated faculty assessor having jurisdiction over the courses involved with the chair’s approval.
3. The applicability of Prior Learning Assessment credit toward specific degree program requirements is subject to departmental approval.
4. A student may not fail a course at Old Dominion University and later receive credit for the same course through a Prior Learning Assessment option.
5. A student may not enroll in a course for credit or audit at Old Dominion University and subsequently seek credit through a Prior Learning Assessment option.
6. No letter grades will be entered on the student’s transcript for Prior Learning Assessment credit. This credit will be treated in the same way as transfer credit: a “XP” (Pass) will be assigned and it will not count in the student’s grade point average.
7. A student must request Prior Learning Assessment credit as early as possible upon admission to degree status.
8. Prior Learning Assessment credit does not count toward the University’s residency requirement. A student earning prior learning credit must meet the minimum residency requirements of 25 percent of the total number of credits required for the degree at Old Dominion University, which shall include 12 residency hours of upper-level courses in the declared major program. The student should be aware that some program residency requirements exceed the University minimum residency requirements.
9. A student in a certificate or endorsement area may earn a maximum of six credit hours through prior learning credit to apply to a certificate, endorsement or teacher licensure program. Prior Learning Assessment hours gained in these programs would be applicable to approved degree programs at Old Dominion University. In an approved undergraduate degree program, a student who has previously earned six credit hours of Prior Learning Assessment credit for a certificate area may be eligible to attempt additional Prior Learning Assessment credit toward a degree program.

10. Prior Learning Assessment credit earned at another institution will be re-evaluated by Old Dominion University faculty to determine whether credit may be awarded at Old Dominion.

The privilege of seeking Prior Learning Assessment credit is available to both full-time and part-time degree status students only. A student should consult with the degree program advisor, Student Success Director (for online students), advisor, or the Office of Prior Learning Assessment at the beginning of his or her academic career at Old Dominion University to determine how Prior Learning Assessment may be applicable to the degree. For further information, visit the Prior Learning Assessment web site at www.odu.edu/academics/academic-records/evaluation-of-credit/prior-learning.

For information about Prior Learning Assessment options for graduate students, please see the section of the Graduate Catalog on Prior Learning Assessment Credit Options at the Graduate Level.

Procedures for Prior Learning Assessment

Students wishing to receive academic credit for departmental examinations, training or portfolio development through Prior Learning Assessment should do the following:

1. Contact the Prior Learning Assessment representative in Continuing Education to discuss possible challenges.  The Prior Learning Assessment representative and student will discuss guidelines on requesting approval to challenge a course(s) through the available Prior Learning Assessment options.
2. Submit an extended resume and other documentation demonstrating learning outcomes based upon prior learning to the representative in the Continuing Education.
3. The Prior Learning Assessment representative will submit the documentation to the department chair, or a designated faculty assessor, who will examine the request and determine eligibility to challenge the course(s). The department’s decision will be forwarded to the Prior Learning Assessment representative who will then notify the student.
4. Once determination is made that the student is eligible to challenge the course(s) through Prior Learning Assessment, the student will complete and return to the Prior Learning Assessment office the appropriate intake request form. At this time, the student’s account will be billed, and the appropriate Prior Learning Assessment fee should be paid. It is important to note that a student pursuing a challenge should not register for the course they seek to challenge.

If the conclusion for the portfolio assessment process results in a negative decision of the award of credit, a student may appeal the decision to the college having the responsibility for the course(s) for which credit is sought. The basis for a portfolio assessment appeal is the student’s charge that the assessment decision was awarded through prejudice or caprice. The burden of proof rests with the student.

Students must initiate appeals in writing within three weeks of receiving the completed portfolio evaluation form. The appeal must be written to the Prior Learning Assessment representative in the Continuing Education.

The Prior Learning Assessment representative will forward the appeal letter to the appropriate department chair. The chair will review the student’s appeal. The chair will get input from the student and from the faculty assessor and may form an independent committee to review the appeal. The chair makes the decision on the validity of the appeal. If the chair concludes there is no cause for complaint, the student has the right to appeal to the dean of the college.

If the faculty assessor is the chair, the student may go directly to the dean. The dean will follow the procedures as outlined above. The decision of the dean of the college is final.

External Examinations.  External examinations, including CLEP and DSST, are administered through the Credentialing Center.  Students wishing to receive academic credit for external examinations should contact the Credentialing Center at (757) 683-6089.  Information about CLEP/DSST scores is available from the website at https://www.odu.edu/academics/academic-records/score-analysis/clep-dantes.

Prior Learning Assessment Fees*

Students participating in the Prior Learning Assessment program are responsible for assessment fees as follows:

1. External Examination
   Students are responsible for the fees associated with external examinations such as CLEP and DSST, including voucher purchase and test administration fees. There is no additional Prior Learning Assessment fee for the granting of academic credit for external examinations.
2. Departmental Examination
   The Prior Learning Assessment fee is equal to 30% of the current approved in-state on-campus rate for undergraduate and graduate courses.
3. Training Evaluation
   The assessment fee for training not previously evaluated by Old Dominion University is equal to 20% of the current approved in-state on-campus rate for undergraduate and graduate courses.
4. Portfolio
   Portfolio assessment fee equal to 50% of the current approved in-state on-campus rate for undergraduate and graduate courses.

Fees are based on the credit hours attempted and are not refundable if the student does not receive credit as a result of the evaluation. There is no appeal of the fee charge. The fees must be paid at the time the student is approved to submit a portfolio, departmental examination or training documentation for evaluation. 

For more information call (757) 683-5650, visit the web site at https://www.odu.edu/academics/academic-records/evaluation-of-credit/prior-learning or email priorlearning@odu.edu.

*  All fees are tentative and subject to final approval by the Board of Visitors and/or the president.  Current Prior Learning Assessment fees are available on the website at https://www.odu.edu/academics/academic-records/evaluation-of-credit/prior-learning/fees.

Repeating Courses

Normally, undergraduate students may not repeat courses in which they have previously earned a C or better or in which they have received transfer credit. Exceptions to this should be made by the department chair or, in the case of graduate students, by the dean of the college in which the graduate student is enrolled, and should be allowed only under the following conditions:

1. A student has a long delay (usually more than five years) between an introductory course (or the first half of a two-course sequence) and subsequent study, so that repeating the course is advisable for future success in the field.
2. A department requires that grades higher than C be earned in particular courses or requires a cumulative grade point average greater than 2.00 and stipulates that students who earn less than the desired grades or grade point average retake the courses.
3. Students may repeat a class in which they earned a C- or below twice without further appeal.  A grade of "W" counts as a C- or below in this policy.  In order to enroll in a class more than three times, the student will be required to submit a request in writing, with justification, to their major advisor and the Dean/designee of the college in which the student's major is housed.  If the advisor and the Dean/designee grant approval for subsequent attempts by the student, the student will be permitted to enroll.  If approval is not granted for subsequent attempts, no further appeal is available to the student.  This policy retroactively applies to all courses students have taken including those taken prior to the publication of this catalog.

None of the credit hours earned in courses that have been repeated for credit under these conditions will be applicable toward the total hours required for the degree. Grades earned in both the original course (including C or above) and the repeated course will, however, be used in the calculation of the cumulative grade point average unless the Grade Forgiveness Policy has been applied (for grades below C).

The Grade Forgiveness Policy does not apply when courses are repeated in which a grade of C or higher was earned originally nor does the Grade Forgiveness Policy apply to transfer courses. Please refer to the Grade Forgiveness Policy in this Catalog for information about repeating courses in which grades below C were earned.

Regulations for Continuance: Undergraduate Students

Notification of Academic Status

It is the responsibility of every student to determine his or her academic status on-line at www.leoonline.odu.edu. The University makes every reasonable effort to notify undergraduate students who are not in good standing of their academic status. An email will be sent to each undergraduate student (degree and non-degree seeking) placed on academic warning, academic probation and suspension. The e-mail will be sent to the student's Old Dominion University e-mail address in accordance with the Electronic Messaging Policy for Official University Communication. Non-receipt of an e-mail by a suspended student will not be considered grounds for claiming eligibility to enroll for a subsequent semester. All academic status notices appear on the student’s transcript and will not be removed.

Undergraduate Continuance Regulations

At the end of each semester—fall, spring, and summer—the coordinator of academic continuance reviews the records of all students who do not maintain a 2.00 grade point average (GPA) and acts according to the following policies, which are summarized in the table below.

1. ACADEMIC WARNING. A student will be placed on academic warning for one semester when the student’s cumulative GPA falls below 2.0 at the end of a semester, including summer sessions. A student on academic warning may not enroll in more than 15 credits per semester of attendance (no more than six credits in the summer sessions, and no more than one course in any single summer session) except under extenuating circumstances and with the permission of the dean or designee of the college in which the student is enrolled. A student on academic warning must achieve a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 at the end of the next semester of attendance to be in good standing.
   
   Old Dominion University is committed to assisting students in achieving their academic goals. Therefore, freshman students on academic warning are required to participate in a success program sponsored by the Student Success Center in their next semester of attendance.
   
   Students on academic warning are eligible to participate in all extracurricular activities as governed by the rules of the specific activity.
    
2. ACADEMIC PROBATION. A student is placed on academic probation when the student’s cumulative GPA falls below 2.0 for two consecutive semesters of attendance, including summer sessions. Students on academic probation are expected to improve their cumulative GPA by achieving a semester GPA of 2.0 or better during each semester of attendance. A student who achieves a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 is removed from academic probation and placed in good academic standing.
   
   Students on academic probation are required to meet regularly with their advisor during their next semester of attendance.  Students on academic probation are required to participate in a Student Success program sponsored by the Student Success Center in their next semester of attendance.  A student on academic probation may not enroll in more than 15 credits per semester of attendance (no more than six credits in the summer sessions, and no more than one course in any single summer session).
   
   Students on academic probation are eligible to participate in all extracurricular activities as governed by the rules of the specific activity.
   
   Failure to achieve a 2.0 semester GPA at the end of a fall or spring semester while on probation results in academic suspension. Students who receive a 0.0 GPA for two consecutive semesters (fall, spring) will be suspended immediately if the cumulative GPA is below 2.0.
3. ACADEMIC SUSPENSION. Following a semester of academic probation, an undergraduate student will be suspended at the end of the fall or spring semester if the cumulative grade point average remains below a 2.0 AND the semester grade point average falls below 2.0. Old Dominion University does not suspend students at the end of the summer sessions. Students suspended at the end of the fall term must separate from the institution for spring term; students suspended at the end of the spring term must separate from the institution for summer and fall terms.
   
   Students on academic suspension are not eligible to participate in extracurricular activities.
   
   A student may apply for readmission to ODU for the semester following completion of the suspension period.  A student readmitted after suspension enrolls under the academic probation status and is subject to the provisions of that status.  If a student readmitted after suspension fails to obtain a semester GPA of 2.0 in any semester before achieving a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0, the student is placed on a one calendar year suspension (two semesters and a summer term).  The student may be considered for readmission after a minimum one-year separation from ODU.
   
   Although a student may be approved for readmission to ODU, the student is not automatically eligible to receive federal or state financial aid.  See the "Financial Aid" section of this catalog for information about Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards and suspension of aid eligibility.  Detailed information about the SAP appeals process can be found on the ODU Office of Financial Aid web site at http://www.odu.edu/content/dam/odu/offices/student-financial-aid/docs/odu-sap-appeal-final-revised.pdf.
    

   Academic Status

   Academic Status	Grade Point Average	Requirements
   Good Standing	2.00+ cumulative GPA
   Academic Warning (1st occurrence)	1.99 or less cumulative GPA	Initial term of academic difficulty; student eligible to continue
   Academic Probation (1st occurrence	1.99 or less cumulative GPA	Second consecutive term of academic difficulty; student eligible to continue
   Academic Probation (2nd and subsequent occurrences)	Term GPA = 2.0 or above AND cumulative GPA = 1.99 or less	Second consecutive and subsequent term(s) on academic probation; student eligible to continue with a minimum 2.0 term GPA
   First Suspension (see below)	Term GPA AND cumulative GPA = 1.99 or less	After two consecutive semesters, one on academic warning and one on academic probation, first term of academic difficulty in which cumulative and term GPA are below 2.0; student NOT eligible to continue
   If suspension occurs during the: Fall term OR Spring term		Student must separate from ODU for the: Spring term OR Summer and Fall terms
   Second suspension	Term GPA AND cumulative GPA = 1.99 or less	After academic warning, academic probation and first suspension occur, second term of academic difficulty in which cumulative and term GPA are below 2.0; student is placed on a mandatory one-year suspension

All academic status notices appear on the student’s transcript and will not be removed.

Guidelines for filing a suspension appeal for continuous enrollment:

2024 – 25 Suspension Appeal Deadlines:

Suspension Appeal Deadlines

Suspension Posted	Appeal Application Deadline	Appeal Decision Posted
December 2024	January 6, 2025	January 8, 2025 (after 5:00 p.m.)
May 2025	May 12, 2025	May 14, 2025 (after 5:00 p.m.)

1. All students have the right to appeal their suspension if extenuating circumstances warrant such action. All appeals must be submitted in writing with the Suspension Appeal Form or on-line at www.odu.edu/advising by the deadline posted above. Suspension Appeal Forms must be delivered to the coordinator of academic continuance. Late appeals will not be reviewed.
2. Appeals must be based on circumstances pertinent to the semesters in which academic difficulty occurred that were beyond the control of the student and for which official withdrawal from the course(s) was not an option. Appeal letters must be legible and authored by the suspended student. Appeal letters must provide sufficient detail and explanation regarding the points listed below because there is no face-to-face meeting with appeal committee members. The decision of the appeals committee is final.
   
   In order to be reviewed, an appeal letter must:
   • Document the extenuating circumstances such as work, poor study environment, finances, illness, or personal relationships that have adversely affected performance: i.e. statement or letter from physician, employer, family members, faculty, academic advisor, Counseling Center, Educational Accessibility.
   • Explain how the extenuating circumstances caused each semester of grades below the 2.0 minimum grade point average.
   • State reasons why official withdrawal was not requested.
   • Present a plan of action for subsequent enrollment, should the appeal be granted.
3. Students who do not file a suspension appeal may not re-enroll until the suspension period has been served and readmission has been granted.
4. Students suspended for a second time who do not file an appeal for continuous enrollment may submit an appeal by the published deadline for subsequent enrollment. Students suspended for a second time whose appeals are denied are no longer eligible to attend Old Dominion University or any of its satellite campuses until readmission after the mandatory one-year separation has occurred.
5. A student suspended a third time will no longer be eligible to attend Old Dominion University or any satellite campuses.  A student will not be eligible to appeal the suspension.
6. If the student has pre-registered for a subsequent semester, all registration will be administratively dropped if the suspension appeal is denied. The Office of Finance will audit the accounts of students whose appeals are denied, and a tuition refund, if appropriate, will be issued. Students who choose not to appeal the academic suspension will be dropped from all courses before the tuition deadline.

Returning from Academic Suspension

1. All students returning from suspension must submit an application for readmission from suspension at www.odu.edu/continuance in order to re-enroll and must submit all necessary documentation.  The deadlines to reapply for admission are as follows:
   
   Fall semester - third Friday in August
   Spring semester - third Friday in December
   Summer semester - third Friday in April
   
   Readmission requests received after the deadline will not be considered. Students must resubmit the application by the next deadline.
2. Each student returning from suspension must earn at least a 2.00 GPA for each semester. If the 2.0 semester GPA is not met, the returning student will be suspended again. Students returning from suspension should acquaint themselves with the options available under the Adjusted Resident Credit (ARC) policy and should note that use of the ARC policy requires a separation from Old Dominion University for at least one calendar year.
3. All students readmitted after serving a suspension must complete an online workshop conducted by the Office of Continuance prior to the start of classes to complete the readmission process. Students who register for the workshop but fail to complete it by the add/drop period and students who fail to register for the workshop will be dropped from all classes by the Office of Continuance and their readmission will be revoked for the semester. Students in this situation will be eligible to reapply for the next semester, but must begin the readmission process again.
4. Students who are suspended while under non-degree admission status, and who reapply and are readmitted, should be aware that they are readmitted to the non-degree status. Non-degree students are not eligible for financial aid.
5. Students readmitted to the University from suspension or due to a successful suspension appeal do not automatically qualify for financial aid. Please refer to the Financial Aid section of the catalog for the Financial Aid Continuance policy. All students who are suspended should contact their financial aid counseling team immediately to discuss their options.

Credits Earned While Under Suspension

Credits earned at another accredited institution at a grade level of C (2.00) or better while an undergraduate student was under suspension from Old Dominion University will be accepted upon receipt of official transcripts following readmission.

Residency Requirements for Baccalaureate Degrees

A student who seeks a bachelor’s degree from Old Dominion University must, in addition to meeting other requirements of the University, earn a minimum of 25 percent of the total number of credits required for the degree (for example, 30 credits in a 120-credit degree program) through on- or off-campus instruction. This must include a minimum of 12 credit hours of upper-level courses in the declared major program. Some program residency requirements exceed the University minimum. Courses taken at Old Dominion University (as the host institution) through the Virginia Tidewater Consortium do not count toward resident credit. The responsibility for meeting the requirements for a degree rests with the student.

Second Baccalaureate Degree

The University will permit a student to acquire a second baccalaureate degree, provided that he or she:

1. Pursues a different course of study.
2. Meets all University, college, school, and departmental requirements (credits earned for the first degree may be applied, if suitable, toward the second degree).
3. Completes a minimum of 30 semester hours at Old Dominion University that are beyond the requirements for the first degree.

A minimum of 150 credit hours is required for students earning two baccalaureate degrees from Old Dominion University. If the degrees are to be awarded simultaneously, an application for graduation and degree certification must be submitted through the respective advisors for each degree program.

Prior to undertaking the second degree, the Office of Admissions will conduct an evaluation of all prior university-level coursework the student has completed.  Those who meet the admissions standards of the University will be admitted; however, this does not guarantee admission into specific degree programs where separate applications are required.  The University, as a general rule, will not permit a student to pursue more than two baccalaureate degrees.

Second degree students are not required to take the Writing Success Placement Tool (WSPT) and are considered to have fulfilled the lower-division writing requirement and University General Education Requirements with the exception of the writing intensive (W) course in the major.  Second degree students must complete the writing intensive course in the major at Old Dominion University and must earn a grade of C (2.0) or better.  Students receiving two degrees from Old Dominion University must complete the writing intensive course in both majors and earn a grade of C or better in both courses.  

All second degree students must meet the college/departmental requirements for both degrees even if some of these requirements are also general education courses. 

Students who received their first degree from Old Dominion University should be aware that grades in all undergraduate courses (for both the first and the second degree) will be included in the cumulative grade point average.

Students wishing to earn a second major rather than a second degree should see the “Second Major” section of the catalog for information.

Second Major

The University permits an undergraduate student to pursue a second major. A student pursuing two majors in different programs must meet all the degree requirements of one major and at least the departmental requirements of the other. (Most professional degree majors require completion of both the departmental/school and the college requirements.) For two majors within the same degree program, at least 60% of the credit hours must be unique and not shared.  This calculation is based on major requirements only and does not include general education or elective credits. Requirements for both majors must be completed prior to receiving the baccalaureate degree. The student will receive one baccalaureate degree. Both majors will appear on the transcript. The degree awarded will be determined by the major to which University and college requirements are applied. Prior to undertaking the second major, the student must have the program approved by the appropriate chief departmental advisor or chair.

Completion of a second major will meet the upper-division General Education Requirements.

Students wishing to earn a second degree rather than a second major should see the “Second Baccalaureate Degree” section of the catalog.

Student Accountability & Academic Integrity

The Office of Student Accountability & Academic Integrity (OSAAI) oversees the administration of the student conduct system as outlined in Board of Visitors Policy 1530: Code of Student Conduct. The mission of OSAAI is to assist students with bringing their actions into congruence with their values. Through interactions with students, staff provide a transformational individualized experience that equips students with the decision-making skills and critical thinking tools needed to be successful after college. In support of this mission, the office provides education to the University community and serves as a resource for anyone with inquiries related to student accountability.

The Code of Student Conduct applies to all students. Students include all persons enrolled or registered at the University who have not completed a program of study for which they were enrolled; student status continues whether or not the University's programs are in session.  Examples of violations heard under the Code include, but are not limited to, academic integrity, alcohol, drugs, threats of harm, assault, and sexual violence (Title IX).

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits discrimination based on sex in educational programs and activities. Sexual harassment and sexual violence have been recognized as a form of discrimination in violation of Title IX. For information, counseling, or to file a complaint of discrimination or harassment on the basis of sex, individuals may contact Kate Couch, Title IX Coordinator, located at Innovation Research Park I, 4111 Monarch Way, Suite 103; (757) 683-3141 or titleixcoordinator@odu.edu. 

Interim Action Policy

The chief student affairs officer, or designee, may suspend or take other appropriate immediate interim action on a student from the University. This action may be taken for an interim period pending disciplinary or criminal proceedings, or medical evaluation. The interim action shall become immediately effective without prior notice whenever there is evidence that the continued presence of the student at the University poses a substantial and immediate threat to him/herself or to others, or to the stability and continuance of normal University functions. A student who received interim action shall be given a prompt opportunity to appeal the action to the chief student affairs officer or a designee to discuss the following:

1. the reliability of the information concerning the student's conduct, including the matter of his or her identity;
2. whether the conduct and surrounding circumstances reasonably indicate that the continued presence of the student on University premises poses a substantial and immediate threat to him/herself or to others or the stability and continuance of normal University functions.

The decision of the interim action appeal shall be final. The chief student affairs officer and/or designee may impose conditions to re-enter the University community as the conditions warrant.

Student Technology Skills

It is assumed that students entering Old Dominion University have basic productivity software proficiency, possess e-mail skills, and know how to navigate the Web. Some courses, particularly online courses, will require technology proficiency at levels higher than this. It is the student’s responsibility to insure that he or she possesses the technology skills and proficiency required for each enrolled course or program of study.

Submission of Written Work To More Than One Class

In general, it is not acceptable for a piece of work such as a term paper to be submitted to more than one class for credit. In cases where submission of the same paper is appropriate, prior approval must always be obtained.

An example of a situation in which the same paper might appropriately be submitted would be one in which a student was enrolled in two classes, in both of which a given research topic was not only of interest to the student but was completely appropriate to both classes. In such circumstances, the student would approach the instructors of the two classes and obtain approval to submit the same term paper to both classes, based on prior agreement concerning the depth of the study, amount of material covered, and the length of the paper to be submitted (which should be longer than a paper submitted to one class).

Writing Program Requirements

Undergraduate Students without credit for freshman composition (ENGL 110C) through dual enrollment, Advanced Placement (AP), the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or transfer from another institution, including ODU Online students, are required to complete the Writing Success Placement Tool (WSPT) in order to enroll in first-year writing courses. 

A score of 3 on the WSPT is required to register for ENGL 110C or ENGL 126C (Honors) without the corequisite course, ENGL 101 Composition Studio. Students who earn a score of 1 on the WSPT will need to  enroll in ENGL 101 and ENGL 110C in the same semester.

ENGL 101 is a 3-credit elective corequisite course designed to complement and extend the ENGL 110C curriculum. Students who feel as though their placement is inaccurate can appeal the decision by contacting the Director of Writing Placement and Support who will put them in contact with an advisor from the Writing Program. 

Undergraduate Students with transfer credit for ENGL 110C or ENGL 211C/ENGL 231C are not required to complete the Writing Success Placement Tool (WSPT). However, they are expected to be competent writers and must possess writing skills equivalent to those described in the outcome statements for equivalent ODU courses (i.e., ENGL 110C, ENGL 211C/ENGL 231C). Although students with transfer credit for ENGL 110C are not required to take the WSPT, those wishing to complete the WSPT for diagnostic purposes may do so by contacting the Director of Writing Placement and Support.

ODU Online Students are considered part of the aforementioned cohorts (students with or without transfer credit for ENGL 110C) and must meet the assessment requirements of the undergraduate writing program.  Students should contact their advisor with questions or concerns.

Assessment of Writing Proficiency

• Students enrolled in ENGL 101 must earn a D or higher to pass the course. However, the co-enrollment course, ENGL 110C, must be passed with a C or higher in order to move on to the required 200-level composition course. Students who do not earn a passing grade in ENGL 101 but pass ENGL 110C with a C or better are not required to retake ENGL 101 but can opt to retake the course the same semester they are taking a writing intensive course for the support and to improve their GPA. 

• All students enrolled in undergraduate degree programs must pass ENGL 110C or ENGL 126C (Honors) or their transfer equivalency with a grade of C (2.0) or better in order to register for ENGL 211C/ ENGL 226C (Honors) or ENGL 231C/ ENGL 228C (Honors). 

• Students must also pass ENGL 211C/ ENGL 226C (Honors) or ENGL 231C/ ENGL 228C (Honors) or their transfer equivalency with a grade of C (2.0) or better in order to register for a writing intensive (W) course. 

• Students must complete their W course in the major at Old Dominion University with a grade of C (2.0) or better.

NOTE: This policy also applies to transfer students holding associate degrees; holding an associate degree does not fulfill the requirements of the Undergraduate Writing Program if students received a grade below C (2.0) in any 100- or 200-level Composition (C) course. These students must also take a writing intensive (W) course in their major at ODU and must pass that W course at ODU with a grade of C (2.0) or better in order to earn a baccalaureate degree.

Dropping and Withdrawal from ENGL 101: Because ENGL 101 and ENGL 110C are co-enrollment courses, once enrolled, students cannot drop or withdraw from one course without also dropping or withdrawing from the other. Should a student need to drop or withdraw from these courses, they should speak with their advisor right away to discuss how this might impact their scholarships, financial aid, or full-time status.

Waiver Option for ENGL 110C and ENGL 211C/ENGL 231C

ENGL 110C Waiver.  Students who have transferred in credit for ENGL 211C/ENGL 231C or equivalent but not ENGL 110C can provide a portfolio of their writing to determine if it is equivalent to the writing required in ENGL 110C.  Students will be asked to provide samples of their writing, for example, from ENGL 2**C, a W course, or a different course. The portfolio of writing samples is submitted to the Director of Composition in the Department of English. Students are strongly encouraged to consult with the Director of Composition prior to submitting materials for a possible waiver.  If it is determined that the writing is equivalent to or exceeds the writing required in ENGL 110C, the student will be exempt from the ENGL 110C requirement. There is no cost and no award of credit.

ENGL 211C/ENGL 231C Waiver. In extenuating circumstances, such as a student with a degree from another institution where there is no comparable 200-level class, the English Department may approve a waiver of the ENGL 2**C requirement. This is rare and determined by the Director of Composition on a case-by-case basis.  Students are strongly encouraged to consult with the Director of Composition prior to submitting materials for a possible waiver.  If approved, the student will be exempt from the ENGL 2**C requirement.  There is no cost and no award of credit.

Online Students: Students may contact their advisor in ODUGlobal for information on the WSPT and Evaluation of Writing Proficiency. For those students not associated with an ODU site, please contact the Testing Center (http://www.odu.edu/testing-center) or ODUGlobal at 1-800-482-3957.

Additional information regarding policies and courses can be found on the English Department webpage at https://www.odu.edu/englishdept.