2023-2024 Edition

Academic Catalog

Academic Review and Promotion

The University expects students to make good use of Wesleyan’s educational resources. A student is expected to satisfy the requirements for the degree of bachelor of arts within eight semesters. To remain in academic good standing, an undergraduate is expected to maintain a cumulative average of 74 percent and to satisfy the following earned-credit requirements. Pending credit for an incomplete or absent-from-final-examination with a provisional failing grade may not be considered credit earned. Students who are provisionally required to resign over the summer due to a credit deficiency or who are at risk for required resignation due to failing provisional grades on incompletes must submit earned credit or completed work two to three weeks prior to the start of fall semester classes. Upon submission of a grade for an incomplete or absent-from-final grade, a student’s academic status will be reviewed. Promotions in class standing are made at the end of each semester.

Requirements for Academic Good Standing

Semester Completed Expected Credits Earned Minimum Credits Earned
First 4 2
Second 8 6
Third 12 10
Fourth 16 14
Fifth 20 18
Sixth 24 22
Seventh 28 26

Requirements for Promotion

  • To be promoted to sophomore standing, a student must have satisfactorily completed at least six credits.
  • To be promoted to junior standing, a student must have satisfactorily completed at least 14 credits and been accepted into a department/program major.
  • To be promoted to senior standing, a student must have satisfactorily completed at least 22 credits and made acceptable progress toward the completion of the major.

Academic Disciplines

Students whose academic performance is deficient will be subject to the following forms of academic discipline, according to the seriousness of the deficiencies. For purposes of academic review, one course is the equivalent of .75 to 1.50 credits. Failing grades on partial-credit courses (.25 and .50) are treated as the equivalent of a D.

Warnings. The mildest form of academic discipline, applied to students whose academic work in one course is passing but unsatisfactory (below C-) or bachelor of arts students who have earned fewer than three but more than two credits in a single semester.

Probation. The category of academic discipline used when the academic deficiency is serious, usually involving failure to achieve the requisite cumulative average of 74 percent, failure in one course, or passing but unsatisfactory work in two. One passing but unsatisfactory grade continues a student on probation. A student on probation is required to meet regularly with the class dean and perform at a satisfactory level in all courses. Failure to do so usually results in more serious discipline. A student who receives more than two incompletes without the class dean’s permission may also be placed on probation.

Strict probation. The category of discipline used in very serious cases of academic deficiency, usually involving at least one of the following conditions:

  • Failure in one course and passing but unsatisfactory work in another
  • Passing but unsatisfactory work in three or four courses
  • One failing grade or passing but unsatisfactory work in two courses while on probation
  • Credit deficiency for promotion
  • Earning two or fewer credits in a single semester for bachelor of arts students

Students on strict probation are required to attend all classes, to complete all work on time, and to meet regularly with their class dean. They may not receive an incomplete without the class dean’s approval. One passing but unsatisfactory grade continues a student on strict probation.

Required resignation. The category of discipline used when the student’s academic performance is so deficient as to warrant the student’s departure from the University for the purpose of correcting the deficiencies. The notation “resigned” will be entered on the student’s official transcript. The performance of students who are required to resign will usually involve at least one of the following deficiencies:

  • For all students:
    • Failure to earn the required number of credits for promotion
  • If a student is in good standing:
    • Failure in two or more courses, or
    • Failure in one course and passing but unsatisfactory work in two others
  • If a student is on probation:
    • Failure in one course and passing but unsatisfactory work in one other, or
    • Passing but unsatisfactory work in three or more courses
  • If a student is on strict probation:
    • Failure in one or more courses
    • Passing but unsatisfactory work in two or more courses

Students who are required to resign may not be on campus or in university housing, nor may they participate in student activities or the life of the university community while on this status. Students who are required to resign may apply for readmission through their class dean after an absence of at least two semesters. The process of application for readmission requires a demonstration of academic preparedness and fulfillment of all the specified requirements for return. Students readmitted after being required to resign will be placed on strict probation.

Separation. The category of discipline used when the student’s academic deficiencies are so serious as to warrant the student’s departure from the University without eligibility for readmission. The notation “separated” will be entered on the student’s official transcript. Separation is imposed if a student’s academic performance warrants required resignation for a second time.

Appeals. Students who are required to resign or are separated from the University may appeal their status to the Academic Review Committee, a subcommittee of the Educational Policy Committee. A student who wishes to appeal must notify his or her class dean two days prior to the scheduled date on which appeals will be reviewed. Information about the appeals procedure will be provided by the student’s class dean. Appeals are reviewed by members of the subcommittee of the Educational Policy Committee with attendance by the class deans and the vice president for student affairs. A student may elect to attend his or her review or participate via telephone. The committee’s decisions are final.