Mar 28, 2024  
Undergraduate Record 2022-2023 
    
Undergraduate Record 2022-2023 [ARCHIVED RECORD]

College of Arts & Sciences: Academic Rules, Regulations, and Information


 About   Academic Rules  Departments/Programs    Courses  

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Academic Advising

 

Academic advising for College undergraduates is the responsibility of the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs, the assistant deans in the College (known as Association Deans), and the faculty of the departments within the College.  Detailed information about the academic policies and programs of the College, along with links to Departmental homepages is available at http://college.as.virginia.edu.

In order to provide every entering student with individual academic advising, the College uses the association system.  The student body of the College is partitioned into numerous associations representing either first-year residence halls, Echols Scholars, student-athletes, veterans, or transfer students.  Each association has an Association Dean who serves as the academic advising dean throughout a student’s time in the College.  The Association Deans are experts regarding the academic policies and rules of the College, as well as the whole range of academic and non-academic resources available to undergraduates in the College.  The Association Deans are at the nexus of College advising and thus serve as the principal links between academic advising and the more general concerns of residential life in the College. 

In addition to Association Deans, upon matriculation every student is assigned a faculty member who serves as the student’s faculty advisor for the first two years.  Third-year and fourth-year students are assigned a major department advisor by their major department.  Each department and interdepartmental program has a faculty member designated as the Director of the Undergraduate Program who is charged with organizing undergraduate advising in its major.  These persons are thoroughly informed about every course offered for undergraduates in their respective fields. A list of the Directors appears online at the College’s website: http://college.as.virginia.edu/ugrad-directors.  Midway through each semester, the departments and interdepartmental programs in the College issue a complete description of courses to be offered in the following semester through SIS.

Students pursuing teacher education and the combined programs with the Curry School of Education have two advisors, one from their College major, and one from the parallel Teacher Education Program in the Curry School.  Although B.A. students are primarily responsible for the following rules and policies of the College, there are additional regulations regarding the Teacher Education Program (similar to the rules for any major).  Students should therefore consult both advisors before making any decisions regarding academic programs or course selections.

Pre-Health Advising

While there is no pre-medical minor or concentration at the University, a student planning to apply to medical, dental, or veterinary school should bear the following in mind when planning his/her undergraduate curriculum:

  1. Virtually all medical schools require one-year courses with laboratory in chemistry, biology, organic chemistry, and physics. Some schools also list requirements in English, mathematics, and the social sciences.
  2. Prospective students in health education should major in the subject that interests them most, as professional schools in the health sciences do not require specific undergraduate majors for admission.  However, non-science majors should elect the requisite science courses as they pursue their major, and science majors should elect advanced courses in the humanities and social sciences while they pursue their major.  Demonstrating a broad education in the liberal arts to admissions committees is most important.  Students should consult with their Association Dean regarding Pre-Health advising.  Additional advising is available through the University Career Center. 

Pre-Law Advising

There is no pre-law program in the College, as law schools typically look for high achieving students regardless of their College major.  Students interested in law school should take a broad liberal education that develops their writing, critical thinking, and analytical skills.  Students should consult with their Association Dean regarding Pre-Law advising.  Additional advising is available through the University Career Center. 

Student Disability Accommodations

The University provides a Student Disabilities Access Center for students with diagnosed disabilities.  Upon the recommendation of this Center, students with diagnosed disabilities receive appropriate learning accommodations in their courses.  More information can be found at https://sdac.studenthealth.virginia.edu/.  Students diagnosed with a specific language learning disability are referred to the policy outlined below in the Course Rules section. 

Study Abroad Advising

Both world languages and international studies are strong academic programs in the College.  Many opportunities exist, some of them unique to this University, for studying abroad.  Many students graduating from the College offer some credit from study abroad toward their degrees.  Plans for study abroad should be made well in advance of the intended semester of study.  Students contemplating study abroad should consult an advisor in the International Studies Office in Minor Hall.  A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.500, after the student’s most recent enrollment in Charlottesville, is required to receive credits from studying abroad.  Students considering study abroad should bear in mind that no more than 60 credits transferred from other universities, foreign study, advanced placement, and dual enrollment may count toward the 120 credits required for graduation.  Students participating in the University’s direct study programs, however, count these credits as having been completed in Charlottesville, i.e. they do not count as transfer credits subject to the 60 credit maximum.

Writing Center

The Writing Center offers free individual tutoring sessions to students who wish to improve their academic prose.  Tutors can help students focus a thesis, organize an argument, fashion a style appropriate to an assignment, and use correct punctuation and grammar.  For more information, visit the Writing Center website at http://professionalwriting.as.virginia.edu/welcome-writing-center. 


Academic Standing

 

After every semester, the Office of the Dean of the College reviews each student’s academic standing and progress toward the degree.  If a problem arises, a student’s Association Dean notifies the student by e-mail of important information to be accessed at a secure website.  Students are responsible for obtaining this information and are subject to the imposition of academic sanctions in any event.

Academic Probation

Students who do not meet standards for Good Standing in a fall or spring term incur academic probation.  The notation “Academic Probation” is placed on the advising transcript for the semester in which the probation was incurred.  A student on probation is expected to meet with his or her Association Dean no later than the add period of the ensuing semester.  Students on probation are strongly urged to devote more time to their academic work and are referred to academic support services.

Part-time students incur academic probation if they do not attain a 1.800 semester grade point average. 

Students on Academic Probation who withdraw or take a leave of absence are eligible to apply for readmission.  When readmitted they are on Academic Probation and must attain Good Standing or face Academic Suspension by virtue of two consecutive semesters of incurring Academic Probation.

Good Standing

Students are considered to be in good standing at the end of a semester if, in that semester, they have completed at least 12 credits of course work with at least a 1.800 semester grade point average and have no more than one grade below C-.  In order to enroll in a fifth semester, students are required to have passed at least 54 credits; to enroll in a seventh semester students must pass at least 84 credits.  Students who fall behind in the number of credits required are obliged to make up their work in the University’s summer session or, with prior approval, at another accredited institution.  To remain in good standing by the end of the fourth semester, students must either be in a major or have received permission from the dean’s office to defer the declaration of a major for one semester.  Part-time students are considered to be in good standing if they achieve at least a 1.800 grade point average for the semester. 

Suspension

Students are subject to suspension after incurring academic probation in two consecutive semesters or after only one semester if they fail to earn at least nine grade points in that semester.  One full fall term and one full spring term must elapse before they are eligible to apply to return to the College.  After a first suspension, the College considers application for readmission upon presentation of evidence that the difficulties that led to the academic suspension have been overcome (see below).  Students under suspension forfeit commitments of financial aid.  Students under suspension may not apply transfer credits from other institutions toward their degree from the College.  Two semesters must pass before a suspended student may enroll in the University’s Summer Session.  A student who receives a second academic suspension may not return to the University. 

Students to whom notice of suspension has been sent have five business days in which to notify their Association Dean of an intention to appeal.  Academic suspension becomes effective upon the Dean’s notification to UREG (University Registrar). That date is determined according to the schedule below or upon notification to UREG (University Registrar) that the suspension has not been overturned on appeal.

  • Following fall semester: Upon notification to UREG (University Registrar) and no later than two days prior to the first day of the spring semester
  • Following spring semester: Upon notification to UREG (University Registrar) and no later than one week prior to the start of Summer Session II
  • Following Summer Session: Upon notification to UREG (University Registrar) and no later than two days prior to the first day of the fall semester

When warranted, the Dean is authorized to hold a suspension in abeyance and permit students who would otherwise be suspended to continue under specific conditions.  After the semester has concluded, the student’s academic standing will be evaluated and the appropriate academic discipline, if required, will be imposed. 


Appeals from Students

 

Students may appeal negative decisions about enrollment or general academic policies in the College.  Students who believe there is a valid reason for requesting an exception to any of the rules should file a petition to their Association Dean.  In many cases, the recommendation of a course instructor or advisor is required on the petition before it is filed.  Only students may submit appeals on their own behalf.  Any appeal must be made in a timely manner.  Students whose petitions for exemption from College rules have been denied by the Association Deans may appeal to the Committee on Faculty Rules (c/o Monroe Hall 101).  The Committee consists of faculty members who are not Association Deans and its decision is final.  The procedure for grade appeals follows a different path and is discussed below (see the section on Grades).  Students should consult with their Association Dean for details about how to appeal a particular decision.


Awards for Academic Excellence

 

Dean’s List

Full-time students who demonstrate academic excellence while taking a minimum of 15 credits of graded course work are eligible for the Dean’s List of Distinguished Students at the end of each semester.  Courses taken on a CR/NC basis are not counted toward the 15-credit minimum.  A current minimum grade point average of 3.500 is necessary to be eligible for the Dean’s List.  Students on approved reduced course load from the Student Disabilities Access Center (SDAC) who enroll in and pass 7 or more graded credits and earn a 3.500 GPA are eligible for Dean’s List.  Any student receiving an F, NC, or U during the semester is not eligible to be on the Dean’s List.  The notation “Dean’s List” is posted normally within several weeks after the conclusion of the semester.

For additional information regarding the impacts of the COVID-19 global pandemic for Dean’s List please visit the University Regulations: Academic page .

Phi Beta Kappa

Phi Beta Kappa is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious undergraduate honors organization.  For more than 200 years, the Society has pursued its mission of celebrating and advocating excellence in the liberal arts and sciences, and its distinctive emblem, a golden key, is widely recognized as a symbol of academic distinction.  Students are elected to Phi Beta Kappa for their scholarly attainment in the liberal arts and sciences.  Undergraduate members of Phi Beta Kappa are chosen from the top 12 percent of the fourth-year class and the top 4 percent of the third-year class.  Students must have earned at least 60 hours at the University of Virginia to be eligible; credits earned at other institutions are not counted in these computations.  If you meet these basic criteria you are automatically considered, so it is not necessary to apply.  Students chosen for Phi Beta Kappa not only have earned a high grade point average but also have consistently demonstrated scholarship in the liberal arts and sciences.  Generally speaking, students elected will have:

  1. chosen courses that reflect a scholarly commitment to the breadth and depth of the liberal arts,
  2. demonstrated proficiency in challenging advanced-level courses, and
  3. carried a challenging course load (usually considered to be 14-15 credit hours most semesters).

More specifically, nominees will have taken at least two courses in each of the following areas: humanities, social sciences, and the natural or physical sciences.  They will also have taken at least one intermediate course in a foreign language and one course in college-level mathematics, logic, or statistics.  All course work must be done in college or university (No AP credits fulfill the criteria).  In sum, the students who are elected choose programs that have breadth, depth, and rigor.  Extracurricular activities are not taken into account.  We hope that students interested in being elected to Phi Beta Kappa will consider these criteria with their advisors as they select their courses throughout their years of study at the University.  However, individual consideration is granted each transcript and election is determined by PBK faculty, not by a set of fixed criteria.

Questions about Phi Beta Kappa or its University of Virginia chapter should be addressed to Michael F. Suarez, president or Karlin Luedtke, secretary.

For general information visit the web site of the National Headquarters of Phi Beta Kappa: https://www.pbk.org

Theses and Commencement Honors

Degrees with distinction, high distinction, and highest distinction are awarded to students who have a grade point average of 3.400 or higher and have been recommended by the department or interdisciplinary program in which they have completed a Distinguished Majors Program (DMP).  Distinguished majors programs require that students submit a written thesis.  Most degree programs in the College of Arts & Sciences offer a distinguished majors program.  In departments offering thesis courses, non-DMP students may have an opportunity to write a thesis; contact the specific department or program for more information.  A degree with distinction (but not high or highest distinction) is awarded to students who have not enrolled in, or who have discontinued, a DMP but who complete their degree with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.600.


College Curriculum

 

Beginning in fall 2020, all entering first year students, with the exception of Echols Scholars, complete one of the following general education curricular programs: the Engagements Pathway; the Disciplines Plus Pathway; or the Forums Curriculum.  Entering second or third year transfer students complete the Traditional Curriculum.  Following matriculation, all Literacies and Disciplines requirements (or Competency and Area requirements in the Traditional Curriculum) must be completed at the University of Virginia and must be taken on a graded basis.  AP credits from secondary school and transfer credits awarded before UVA matriculation may count toward the Literacies and Disciplines requirements (or Competency and Area requirements in the Traditional Curriculum), with the exception of the Second Writing requirement.  Dual-enrollment credit may not be used to meet the First or Second Writing requirement nor the World Languages requirement.

THE ENGAGEMENTS PATHWAY

The Engagements pathway consists of three parts: the first year Engagement courses (8 credits); the Literacies (variable credits depending on placement); and the Disciplines (21 credits).  For more information on these requirements, see https://gened.as.virginia.edu/requirements.  Specific course offerings may be found in the Course Catalog and through the Class Search function in the Student Information System (SIS). 

Engagements

Students must take four 2 credit classes in their first year, one each of the following engagement classes.

  • EGMT 1510: Aesthetic Engagement
  • EGMT 1520: Empirical and Scientific Engagement
  • EGMT 1530: Engaging Difference
  • EGMT 1540: Ethical Engagement

Students may choose from a variety of specific topics taught under each generic category and may take these courses in any order.   

Literacies

Students must complete each of the following literacies: Rhetoric for the 21st Century, consisting of the First and Second Writing Requirements; World Languages; and Quantification, Computation, and Data Analysis.  The Literacies provide the foundation for successful study in the liberal arts and equip students with the necessary skills and fluencies needed to succeed in a rapidly-transforming world.

Rhetoric for the 21st Century: First Writing Requirement

Students meet the first writing requirement by successfully completing one of the following five paths:

  • By successfully completing the two-semester Writing and Critical Inquiry Stretch I & II, ENWR 1505/1506. Take this sequence if you scored 560 or below on the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing section of the SAT or a 21 or below on the ACT English test. Students in this path should enroll in ENWR 1505 in the fall semester, to be followed by ENWR 1506 in the spring.
  • By successfully completing the two-semester ESL sequence, Writing and Critical Inquiry Stretch I & II for Multi-Lingual Writers, ENWR 1507/1508.  Note that this path is for students who are still developing their skills in English as a second language. Students required to fulfill the first writing requirement in the ESL path will be identified by the Admissions Office, the Summer Transition Program, The Center for American English Language and Culture, or the Academic and Professional Writing Program. Students in this path should enroll in ENWR 1507 in the fall semester, followed by ENWR 1508 in the spring.  Students who are not required to take this sequence but who wish to be considered if spaces are available should contact Claire Chantell for more information.
  • By successfully completing Writing and Critical Inquiry, ENWR 1510, 1520, or 1530. Students in this path (i.e., those scoring between 570 and 740 on the Evidence-Based Reading and Writing portion of the SAT or between 22 and 35 on the English portion of the ACT) should enroll in ENWR 1510, 1520, or 1530 in the fall semester if the first letter of their last name is A through K. Students should also register for fall ENWR 1510, 1520, or 1530 if they play on a varsity team that travels primarily in the spring OR if they are transfer students OR if they are repeating the course. Otherwise, students with last names beginning with L-Z should enroll in ENWR 1510, 1520, or 1530 in the spring semester.
  • By successfully completing a First Writing Requirement Advanced course (ENWR 2510, 2000-level ENLT, or ENCW 2300 or 2600) and submitting an FWR-Plus form to the Writing Program office. This option is available only to students scoring a 740 or above on the SAT’s Evidence-Based Reading and Writing test or a 36 on the ACT English test.
  • By enrolling in the Echols Scholars program.

Courses taken to fulfill the First Writing Requirement cannot also satisfy the Second Writing Requirement or any Disciplines (or Area) requirement.

Rhetoric for the 21st Century: Second Writing Requirement

All students, except Echols Scholars, must complete at UVA a second writing requirement course with a grade of C- or better.  Second writing requirement courses are 3 or 4 credit writing intensive courses found in many departments across the College.  A course in a school other than the College, advanced placement credit, advanced standing, dual enrollment credit, or credit transferred from another university will not satisfy this requirement.  A course must have at least two writing assignments in English totaling 20 pages or more, exclusive of quizzes and final examinations, and a student/faculty ratio no greater than 30/1 to qualify as a second writing requirement course.

Although it is not advised, a student may take a course that meets the second writing requirement before or during the semester that he or she completes the first writing requirement.  However, completing the second writing requirement neither exempts a student from, nor fulfills, the first writing requirement.  A course that satisfies the second writing requirement may simultaneously count toward a student’s major or minor program or toward a Disciplines requirement.  A second writing requirement course may also count for up to two area requirements.

A course that is not designated in the College Catalog as a second writing course may fulfill the requirement when an instructor certifies that the course meets the standards for a second writing requirement course noted above.  In this case, a student must file a second writing requirement completion form along with a syllabus of the completed course.  The College Registrar will forward the documentation to the administrative chair of the Committee on Educational Policy and Curriculum for a final determination.  The completion form is available online and in Monroe Hall.

World Languages

Language is not simply a means to communicate, but also an avenue for insights into other cultures.  Many students also discover that learning a second language improves their understanding of English and broadens their awareness of an increasingly diverse America.  Students can meet the World Languages requirement by successfully completing one of the following courses of action:

  • Earn exemption by placing beyond the intermediate level (usually 2020) by examination
  • Take four semesters of the same language (14 to 16 credits depending on the language) in the proper sequence typically finishing at the 2020 (advanced intermediate) level
  • After placement, complete the remaining courses in the sequence up to the fourth semester (usually 2020)

Placement in a language sequence is by SAT II Subject Test score, Advanced Placement (AP) Exam, Higher-level International Baccalaureate Exam, or a departmental placement test.  Consult the World Language Placement Index (http://college.as.virginia.edu/fl-placement-index) for specific departmental standards.  Students must follow the department’s recommendations in the completion of the World Languages requirement.  Once placement occurs, the World Languages requirement is fulfilled by the completion of each course in sequence.  Credit for introductory language courses is disallowed if it duplicates foreign language credits offered for admission to the College.

Students may be exempted from world languages not taught in the College upon certification by a faculty member or outside examiner designated by the College.  Students diagnosed with a specific language learning disability should contact their Association Dean.  The policy is outlined below in the Course Rules section. 

Quantification, Computation, and Data Analysis

The Quantification, Computation, and Data Analysis literacy enables students to apply mathematical skills to understand and solve real world problems.  Students fulfill this requirement by completing two courses (6+ credits) in qualifying courses in statistics, mathematics, data analysis or logic that address at least some of the following:

  • Theoretical concepts and structures of mathematics and statistics including, but not limited to, pure mathematics, logic, and theoretical statistics.
  • Manipulation and interpretation of mathematical expressions.
  • Application of computational and analytical methods in order to manipulate, organize, summarize, and evaluate quantitative information and experience.
  • Theoretical and/or practical interpretation and communication of data in order to solve real-world problems.  

These course may be found in multiple departments across the College including Anthropology, Mathematics, Philosophy, Psychology, Sociology, and Statistics.  Qualifying courses may be found through the Class Search function in the Student Information System (SIS).

Disciplines

Disciplines courses provide students with a breadth of approaches to intellectual inquiry from across the College curriculum.  Students must complete one course (3 or 4 credits each) from at least six different departments in each of the following seven categories.

  • Artistic, Interpretive, and Philosophical Inquiry
  • The Chemical, Mathematical, and Physical Universe
  • Cultures and Societies of the World
  • Historical Perspectives
  • Living Systems
  • Science and Society
  • Social and Economic Systems

Courses that fulfill each of the categories may be found across multiple departments and many courses count toward two different Disciplines categories.  When a course counts toward two different Disciplines, students may choose which category the course fulfills.  Qualifying courses may be found through the Class Search function in the Student Information System (SIS).

Modification for the B.S. Degree

Students enrolled in a Bachelor of Science program may elect to take 9 credits in one or two of the following three categories (rather than 3 credits in each): The Chemical, Mathematical, and Physical Universe, Living Systems, and Science and Society.  They may double-count one course (3 credits) towards fulfilling two of the following three categories: Cultures and Societies of the World, Historical Perspectives, and Social and Economic Systems.  The course in question must be listed in both categories for which it will count.  Bachelor of Science students must fulfill the Disciplines requirement by taking courses in five different departments. 

The Disciplines Plus Pathway

Students in the Disciplines Plus Pathway complete the same Literacies and Disciplines as students in the Engagements Pathway.  However, instead of taking the first year Engagements courses (8 credits total), students complete three additional courses (9 credits) in the Disciplines beyond the seven required as follows:

  • One additional course in Artistic, Interpretive, and Philosophical Inquiry
  • One additional course in Cultures and Societies of the World OR Historical Perspectives OR Social and Economic Systems
  • One additional course in The Chemical, Mathematical, and Physical Universe OR Living Systems OR Science and Society
Modification for the B.S. Degree

Students enrolled in a Bachelor of Science program may elect to take 12 credits in one or two of the following three categories (rather than 3 credit in each plus an additional category requirement): The Chemical, Mathematical, and Physical Universe, Living Systems, and Science and Society.  They may double-count one course (3 credits) toward fulfilling two of the following three categories: Cultures, and Societies of the World, Historical Perspectives, Social and Economic Systems.  The course in question must be listed in both categories for which it will count.  Bachelor of Science students must fulfill the Disciplines requirement by taking courses in six different departments.

THE FORUMS CURRICULUM

The Forums Curriculum is a rigorous two year general education program focussed upon a particular topic or theme and guided by two faculty members who serve as faculty advisors for their Forum students.  All undergraduate students selected to participate in a College Forum are required to complete the corresponding Forum requirements by earning the proper number of credits from the categories and courses listed on the individual Forum webpage.  Each Forum has an introductory first semester seminar and a fourth semester capstone seminar taught by two faculty members.  Additonal coursework is unique to each Forum and is based upon the prevailing topic or theme the Forum addresses.  Forums range from 30-33 required credits.  For a full list of each Forum’s requirements, see: https://gened.as.virginia.edu/forums-curriculum.  For those students selected to participate in a College Forum, the Forum Requirements replace the Disciplines requirements listed above.  All Forum students must also complete the Literacies listed above with the exception of the Quantification, Computation, and Data Analysis requirement.

THE TRADITIONAL CURRICULUM

Transfer students complete the Traditional Curriculum consisting of Competency and Area Requirements.  Competency requirements consist of the First and Second Writing requirements and the World Languages requirements listed above in the Literacies.  Area requirements ensure that students have the background and breadth for further learning in a variety of disciplines.  Students explore a wide range of disciplines, points of view, and modes of inquiry by earning the proper number of credits from courses taken in each of five different academic areas: Historical Studies, Humanities, Natural Science and Mathematics, Non-Western Perspectives, and Social Sciences.

Historical Studies (3 credits)

You must pass at least one course worth 3 credits or more either from the History Department or from a class determined by the faculty to be substantially historical.  Qualifying courses can be found in the SIS Course Catalog.  Courses taken to fulfill the Historical Studies Area Requirement may also count toward fulfilling one other Area Requirement.

Humanities (6 credits)

Student must pass at least one course worth 3 credits or more from two of the following groups of departments and programs:

Fine Arts:

  • Anthropology (ANTH): ANTH 2370 only
  • Art History (ARTH): all classes
  • Studio Art (ARTS): all classes
  • Drama (DRAM): all classes
  • English (ENCW only): all classes with the ENCW mnemonic
  • Music (MUSI): all MUSI classes except for MUSI 1600, 1620, 2600, and 3600; Music performance classes (MUBN, MUEN, and MUPF) do NOT fill this requirement
  • Media Studies (MDST): MDST 3100 only
  • Architectural History (ARH): ARH 1000, 1010, 1020, 1700, 3102, 3203 and 3701 only
  • Architecture (ARCH): ARCH 1010

Literature:

  • AMST 2300
  • Classics (CLAS): all classes
  • Comparative Literature (CLPT): all classes
  • East Asian Language and Cultures (EALC): all classes
  • East Asian Studies (EAST): all classes
  • English (ENGL): all ENGL classes except ENGL 1910 (not ENCW or ENWR classes or ENSP 1600). 
  • World Literature courses and Language courses above the intermediate level (normally 2020): ARAB (except ARAB 2250, 2260, 3230, and 3240), CHIN (except CHIN 2060), FREN, GERM, ITAL, JAPN, PERS, PORT (except PORT 2120), RUSS, SLAV, SPAN (except SPAN 3040, 4050, 4705, and 4713), TBTN.  
  • Foreign (World) Literature in Translation (ARTR, CHTR, FRTR, GETR, ITTR, JPTR, KOR, PETR, POTR, RUTR, SATR, SLTR, SPTR): all classes
  • Middle Eastern Studies (MESA): all classes
  • Media Studies (MDST): MDST 3000 only
  • South Asian Studies (SAST): all classes except SAST 2700

Moral, Philosophical, and Religious Perspectives:

  • GSVS 2210
  • Political Theory (PLPT): all PLPT classes; no other Politics Department classes
  • Philosophy (PHIL): all classes
  • Religious Studies (RELA, RELB, RELC, RELG, RELH, RELI, and RELJ): all classes
  • Media Studies (MDST): MDST 4000 only

Natural Science and Mathematics (12 credits)

Students must pass 12 credits of natural science and/or mathematics courses from at least two departments. Courses that count toward this requirement may be chosen from:

  • The Departments of Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, and Statistics: all classes except EVSC 2030, 4030 and 4040, and MATH 1000T and 1030
  • Economics (ECON): ECON 3720 and 4720 only
  • Psychology (PSYC): PSYC 2200, 3210, 3235, and 4200 only

For this requirement, statistics, mathematics and the above two economics courses are considered to come from one department.  Thus, students may not satisfy this requirement with courses in Mathematics, Statistics, and Economics solely.  In addition, the Engineering School course, MSE 2010 is considered College-equivalent and may be applied to this requirement. 

Non-Western Perspectives (3 Credits)

Students must pass at least one course worth 3 or more credits, which the faculty recognizes as dealing substantially with a culture other than Western culture.  Qualifying courses can be found in the SIS Course Catalog.  Courses taken to fulfill the Non-Western Perspectives Area Requirement may also count toward fulfilling one other Area Requirement.

Social Sciences (6 credits)

Students must pass at least one course worth 3 credits or more from two of the following departments and programs:

  • Afro-American and African Studies (AAS); all classes except AAS literature courses
  • Anthropology; except ANTH 2370
  • American Studies (AMST): all classes except AMST 2300
  • Economics (ECON): all classes except ECON 3720 and 4720
  • Environmental Sciences (EVSC): EVSC 2030, 4030, and 4040 only
  • Environmental Thought and Practice (ETP): ETP 4810 only
  • Global Development Studies (GDS): GDS 2020
  • Linguistics (LING AND LNGS): all LING and LNGS at or above the 2000-level
  • Media Studies (MDST): MDST 3406 and 4200 only
  • Politics (PLAP, PLCP, PLIR): all classes in Politics except Political Theory (PLPT)
  • Psychology (PSYC): all PSYC classes except 2200, 3210, 3235, and 4200
  • South Asian Studies (SAST): SAST 2700 only
  • Sociology (SOC): all classes except SOC 2600
  • Women, Gender and Sexuality (WGS): all WGS classes

Course Rules

 

Accuracy of Students’ Records

Students are responsible for verifying the accuracy of their enrollment by the drop deadline, the withdrawal deadline, and each time they make a change in their schedule.  Students who fail to do so are subject to various penalties as determined by the dean.  Changes to the transcript are permitted only during the current and immediately subsequent semesters.  Official transcripts may be requested from UREG (Office of the University Registrar) in Carruthers Hall.  Unofficial advising transcripts, academic requirements reports, and final semester grades are available through SIS.  Errors must be reported to the dean’s office within the stated deadlines; after one semester has lapsed, a student’s record is considered permanent.

Official Transcript Notation in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic Spring 2020. To review the official transcript notation information please Click Here .

Official Transcript Notation in Response to University-Wide Disruption Fall 2022. To review the fall 2022 official transcript notation information please Click Here  . 

AP Credit

If a course for which AP credits have been awarded is repeated at the University, the AP credits are disallowed.  The repeated course is posted, with its credits counting toward graduation and its grade included in the computation of the grade point average.

Changes in Schedule

Changes in students’ class schedules are made via SIS.  If admission to a course requires the instructor’s permission, students should add their name to the instructor’s permission list and wait for an invitation to join the class.  Note that being on a permission list does not guarantee that a student will be offered a space in a class.  Students may add and drop courses through the deadlines stated in the current Schedule of Classes.

Compliance with College Regulations

Students are held responsible for selecting their courses in accordance with the course restrictions and policies printed in this Record, on the College of Arts & Sciences web pages, and in advising material distributed by departments.  Only after the approval of the department and the Dean’s office has been obtained in the form of a petition may a student enroll in a course that does not comply with the College’s regulations.

Course Absence Regulations

Regular attendance in classes is a vital part of the educational process.  At the University of Virginia each student is expected to accept the responsibility of attending classes regularly and promptly.  Instructors are encouraged to state their policy on attendance to their classes; they may refer any student whose attendance record they consider unsatisfactory to the dean.

The Dean of the College will follow faculty requests to confer with students who are absent from classes too often and, when necessary, will impose academic discipline upon these students, either when recommended by instructors or deemed necessary by his or her office.  Absences traditionally excused are those that occur because of hospitalization, serious illness, death in a student’s family, important religious holidays, or authorized University activities (field trips, University-sponsored athletic events, or the like).  Students anticipating the need to be absent are expected to consult with the instructor in a timely manner.  The instructor is not obligated to allow students to make up missed work; it is the instructor’s decision, not the dean’s, whether students may be allowed such a privilege.  Neither the Department of Student Health nor the dean’s office issues excuses for class absence or for missed quizzes.  Only when students are unable to contact instructors themselves (e.g., debilitating illness, leaving town suddenly for family emergencies, protracted absences) do the Association Deans send notification to instructors; otherwise it is the student’s responsibility to consult directly with the instructor regarding absence from class.  Excuses for absences from final examinations must come only from the dean’s office.

Course Enrollment Deadlines

The College takes seriously all deadlines related to course enrollment.  Students are responsible for being aware of the well-publicized dates each semester for adding, dropping or withdrawing from a course, or for changing the grading basis of a course.  Students who miss these deadlines may be subject to enrollment penalties.  Any student who wishes to appeal any penalty attached to missed deadlines must see their Association Dean.  Students may not late register in the College and enroll in classes after the add deadline for the semester.

Course Load

Special permission is required to register for fewer than 12 credits or more than 17 credits each semester.  Any student who completes fewer than 12 credits incurs academic probation (see Academic Standing above).  Students who register but enroll in no courses have their registration terminated.  Students in their final semester prior to graduation whose petition for a reduced course load has been approved do not incur academic probation.

Full time students enroll with the expectation of completing their degrees in no more than eight semesters, proportionally fewer if they enter as transfer students.  In serious medical or extenuating personal circumstances and upon approval of a petition to the College, a student may be permitted to enroll as a full time student in a ninth semester.  The College does not grant extra semesters for students who seek to complete a second major, nor may student athletes enroll for an extra semester because an injury caused an interruption of their athletic eligibility (“red shirt” situations).  Students who fail to finish their degree programs in the allotted number of semesters allowed may complete their course work in the Summer Session, through part-time enrollment, or, with prior permission, at another accredited institution.

Courses Taken at Other Institutions

Students who wish to take academic courses at another institution after matriculation at the University must have the prior written permission of the dean and the undergraduate advisor or chair of the department that offers corresponding work at the University.  Permission is not granted unless students have at least a 2.000 cumulative grade point average (2.500 for courses taken abroad).  After matriculation at the University, students may not fulfill general education requirements with transfer courses, with the exception of world language courses taught in the target country.  Courses taught in the UVA direct credit study abroad programs are accepted as University courses and students receive letter grades.  Subject to the above, work completed elsewhere with a grade of C or better is transferred in credits only; letter grades do not appear on the University’s official records.  Students will receive no more, and may receive fewer, than the number of credits earned at the host institution.  Of the 120 credits required for graduation, at least 60 must be taken at the University of Virginia.  Twelve or more credits attempted in a single semester for work at another institution, including at a foreign institution, will constitute one of the eight semesters allotted for full-time study in the College. 

Discontinuing a Course

Students may not be removed from a course due to lack of skills or knowledge unless these requirements are identified in the course prerequisites.  Students who decide to discontinue a course in which they have enrolled must use SIS to drop the course within the well-publicized deadlines.  Students who fail to revise their list of current courses by using SIS within the deadlines become subject to penalties determined by the dean.  Students who fail to appear for a first class meeting and who have not made arrangements with the instructor are subject to disenrollment from the course.  However, it is the student’s responsibility to drop the course via SIS by the drop deadline.  After the drop period, students in the College may withdraw from a course in SIS with a grade of W until eight weeks from the first day of the semester.  After this point, students must either complete the course or, with the instructor’s endorsement, submit a request for an incomplete to the dean’s office.  Students who discontinue a course at any point without complying with the proper procedure receive a failing grade.

For year-long College courses, the deadlines to add and drop are those for the first semester, and the withdrawal deadline is that of the second semester.

Dual Enrollment

If a course for which dual enrollment credits have been awarded is repeated, the dual enrollment credits are disallowed.  The repeated course is posted, with its credits counting toward graduation and its grade included in the computation of the grade point average.  Dual enrollment credit may not be used to fulfill the literacies or the competency requirements.

Exclusion From Classes

A student who is making no real progress in a class, or whose behavior is detracting from the class, may be excluded from that course by the dean with a grade of W or F.  Students have five calendar days following written notification of this exclusion in which to appeal.  Until the final disposition of the appeal, the student is considered enrolled in the class.

Graduate-Level Courses

Undergraduates may not enroll in courses numbered 6000 and higher without the prior written approval of the Department and the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences or the corresponding School in the University.  They must also receive approval from the College.  Students use the “6000 Form”, available in Monroe Hall 101, to make a request for enrollment in these graduate courses.

Independent Study and Interdisciplinary Courses

Students who wish to do independent study must do so under the auspices of a Departmental or interdisciplinary degree program in the College.  Interdisciplinary courses taught under the INST subject area count among the 18 non-College credits students may include in the 120 total credits required for a College degree.  No more than three INST credits may count toward the degree.  

Intra-University or Non-College Courses

Students are subject to the course enrollment deadlines of the School in which the course is being offered.  As such, College students taking courses in other schools of the University must follow that School’s deadlines for dropping, adding, and withdrawing from a class.  Similarly, non-College students must abide by the College’s enrollment deadlines when taking College courses.  Non-College students who seek to withdraw from a College class after the College’s deadline are to consult with the dean of the School of their enrollment.  The student remains in the class unless that Dean’s office authorizes a late withdrawal.

For students offering the minimum 120 credits for the B.A. or B.S., at least 108 must be College (or College-equivalent) courses; thus, no more than 12 credits from other schools of the University may be applied toward the B.A degree.  Elective courses in the schools of Commerce, Engineering, Education, Architecture, Leadership and Public Policy, and Nursing may count towards the 12 outside credits.  College students may not take any courses from the School of Continuing and Professional Studies and thus may not count any such courses toward their degree.  By faculty approval, the following courses are considered College-equivalent and may be applied toward general education requirements: AR H courses; ARCH 1010; MSE 2010; and PHS courses. 

The following courses may not count toward general education requirements, but are considered College-equivalent: ARCH 1020; CS courses; STS 3500; and USEM 1580 (USEM 1570 courses are non-College courses). 

The following courses may count as College equivalent courses only when a student completes the requisite program of study: PLAN courses below 5000 if the minor in Urban and Environmental Planning is completed; 12 credits of advisor-approved electives outside the College when a student completes the major in Global Studies with a concentration in Environments and Sustainability.  Fourth year College students who have been admitted to the Masters in Public Policy (M.P.P.) program in the Batten School of Public Policy and Leadership may count up to 12 credits of Batten School courses taken in the fourth year as College equivalent credits.   

Students in the special education track of the B.A.-M.T. Program are permitted to count the following additional six credits of Curry School courses as College-equivalent: EDIS 3020 or EDIS 5000 and one of the following courses: EDIS 5100, 5110, 5120, or 5150.

In addition to courses taught by other schools in the University, the following are considered non-College courses and may not count toward the 108 College credits of the 120 credits total needed for the B.A.: all ELA and INST courses (only offered on a CR/NC grading option); all KINE courses; all PLSK courses; all ROTC courses–AIRS, MISC, NASC; all SEMS courses; all UNST courses; and all USEM 1570 courses. 

Language Learning Disability Accommodations

Following a diagnosis from the Student Disabilities Access Center (SDAC) and upon receipt of the coordinator’s recommendation, the student’s Association Dean may authorize the modification of the World Languages requirement and so notify the student in writing.  Grades already earned in world language classes will continue to appear on the transcript.  For the semester in which the requirement is modified, a failing grade will be converted to NC (no credit).  Also, if a student is diagnosed with a language learning disability, a failing grade received in the semester when the student was referred to SDAC for testing, or the student with a prior diagnosis identified him/herself to the SDAC, will be converted to NC.

If the withdrawal deadline has not passed, the student may withdraw thus receiving a W in the course.

Therefore a student experiencing exceptional difficulty in a world language class should:

  1. Consult immediately with the appropriate language course coordinator.  The name of the coordinator may be obtained from the relevant world languages department.
  2. Undergo testing.
    1. Consult the Student Disabilities Access Center (SDAC), located in the Elson Student Health Center and present either a prior diagnosis or discuss testing to be undertaken.  The center will determine if a previous diagnosis was made according to acceptable standards and within three years of admission to the University or anytime thereafter.  In the absence of an acceptable prior diagnosis, the SDAC staff will counsel the student regarding undergoing neuropsychological testing for the purposes of establishing a diagnosis.  The SDAC will refer the student to approved testing agencies both within the University and the community. The student bears the cost of such testing.
    2. If a student has received a diagnosis of a learning disability deemed acceptable to the University’s SDAC and can document unsuccessful efforts to learn another language at an accredited institution, the student may confer with his or her Association Dean regarding modification of the foreign language requirement.  A petition from the student will be reviewed by the College’s Disability Accommodations Committee.
  3. Request accommodation.  If testing confirms a learning disability that adversely affects the learning of another language, the SDAC will suggest possible accommodations in the language classroom (e.g., extended time in class tests, de-emphasized oral or aural components, extra tutorial assistance).  The student then takes the accommodation request to both the instructor and the language coordinator.  The instructor and the coordinator will inform the student of the accommodations the student will receive in the class.  The coordinator will notify the student’s Association Dean of the accommodations in writing.  Ideally, accommodations should be in place prior to the student’s enrolling in the course.
  4. Enroll with accommodations.  The coordinator reviews the student’s progress after six weeks.
    1. If the student is able to succeed, the student continues to take courses with accommodations until the foreign language sequence is completed.
    2. If the department finds that accommodations prove unworkable despite the student’s maximum effort, the coordinator may recommend in writing to the student’s Association Dean that the world languages requirement be modified.  Modification is to be recommended only after proper accommodation procedures have failed.
  5. Substitute courses upon modification.  The student will be required to take the appropriate number of substitute courses to fulfill the world languages requirement.  These courses are to deal (in English) with the culture or literature of a non-English speaking people, or with the history or description of language.  The substitute courses should form a cohesive cluster focussed on one language area, either continuing the work begun in the language class or choosing a new area.  The substitute courses should be drawn primarily from world literature in translation courses (course mnemonic ending with TR, e.g.; CHTR, FRTR, GETR, ITTR, JPTR, PETR, POTR, RUTR etc.); classics (CLAS); those classes from anthropology, history, religion, or other departments that deal exclusively with a specific non-English speaking country or culture; or linguistics (LNGS).  The student is to seek his or her dean’s prior approval for each substitute course.  Substitute courses may not be applied toward the first major or toward either Disciplines or Area requirements.  They may count toward the second writing requirement.  All substitute courses must be taken for a grade.

Maximum Credit Hour Limits

To ensure breadth and depth in each student’s degree program, the following areas of study have restrictions on the number of credits that may be applied toward the B.A. degree:

  • Dance Performance (DANC): 8 credits
  • Interdisciplinary Studies (INST): 3 credits (and no more than two classes)
  • Language House courses: 2 credits
  • Music Performance (MUBD, MUEN, MUPF): up to 16 credits, if at least 8 credits are at the 3000 level and above (students completing a Distinguished Majors Program in Music may apply up to 20 credits)
  • Personal Skills (PLSK): 2 credits
  • Physical Education (KINE, formerly PHYE): 2 credits
  • ROTC courses (AIRS, MISC, NASC): 12 credits
  • University Seminars (USEM): 8 credits (only one course may be taken per semester) 

Part-Time Enrollment

College students are ordinarily expected to be enrolled as full-time students.  However, students may choose to enroll for a semester or two on a part-time basis.  Part-time students are limited to a maximum of six credits per semester.  Students may not count more than 16 credits taken on a part-time basis toward the degree.  College students registered full time at the University have until the drop deadline at the beginning of the semester to request conversion of their enrollment to part-time status.

Repeated Courses

Two essentially different courses offered under the same course number may both be counted for degree credit upon the written recommendation of the director of undergraduate studies in the department concerned.  Two essentially identical courses, whether under the same course number or not, may not both be counted for degree credit.  If a course is passed and repeated, only the first grade received is entered in the computation of grade point average.  However, only the repeated course counts toward the 120 credits required for graduation.  Both the original and repeated course, and their grades, appear on the student’s transcript.  If a course is failed and repeated, both courses and grades appear on the transcript, the repeated course with a passing grade counts toward the 120 credits, and both courses are computed in the grade point average.  All Fs are calculated into the student’s grade point average.

Simultaneous Counting of Courses and Cross-listed Courses

One course may simultaneously meet two area requirements; it may also satisfy the second writing requirement.  Courses taken to fulfill disciplines, area or second writing requirements, with the exception of world language courses through the 2020 level, may be counted toward a first or second major or toward a minor.

Simultaneous Enrollments

Students may not enroll in two courses that meet at the same time or that overlap in time.  In the rare case where this is necessary, students must obtain the written approval of both instructors and the Dean of the College.  The faculty have the authority to require 100 percent attendance and participation in scheduled courses.  The dean’s office, upon request from a faculty member, may disenroll a student, with a grade of W, from one of the courses.

Transfer Credit

If a course taken elsewhere and transferred to the University is repeated and passed at the University, only the credits awarded for the transferred course count toward the 120 credits required for graduation.  The course repeated at the University does appear on the student’s transcript, but the grade earned does not enter into computation of the grade point average, nor do the credits earned count toward the 120 required for graduation.

Beginning in fall 2017, credit awarded as “X000T” credit will not count towards fulfillment of any general education requirements for traditional four-year students.  External transfer students may still apply X000T credit to fulfill area and competency requirements.

External Transfer Credit for New Students in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic Spring 2020. To review the criteria that will be used to evaluate external transfer credits earned during Spring 2020 please Click Here .


Degree Information

 

Bachelor of Arts

The College offers a Bachelor of Arts degree which provides students with a foundational liberal education of significant breadth and depth that allows students to pursue meaningful vocation, engaged citizenship, and intelligent self-development beyond their undergraduate years.  The College has more than fifty different majors in the Arts, Humanities, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences.  The College also offers over thirty different minors.  To earn a B.A. or B.S., a student must present 120 credits which satisfy general education requirements (see the section above on the College Curriculum), and the requirements for one major (see the section below on Majors and Minors).  For specific information about each major and minor subject see the section “Departments/Programs” elsewhere in the College’s section of this Record.   All of the requirements for the B.A. or the B.S. must be taken on a graded basis. 

Bachelor of Arts with Honors

The purpose of the baccalaureate degree with honors is to enable students of special ability and interest in their third and fourth years to pursue a course of independent study under the guidance of a department faculty.  Honors students devote their time primarily to their chosen subjects for two years, during which they read independently in that field and participate in tutorials and seminars conducted by their departmental tutors. Honors program students are evaluated by visiting examiners from other colleges and universities.  Depending upon this evaluation, they may receive degrees with “honors,” “high honors,” or “highest honors” as the only grades for two years of work.  It is also possible they may be recommended for no degree, or for an ordinary Bachelor of Arts degree.  At present, the Woodrow Wilson Department of Politics is the only department with an Honors program.  Further information may be obtained from the Director of Undergraduate Programs in Politics regarding its Honors program.

Bachelor of Science

The College offers a more rigorous Bachelor of Science degree for those students intending to pursue graduate study in one of the Natural Sciences.  The requirements for the Bachelor in Science in Astronomy-Physics, the Bachelor of Science in Biology, the Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Sciences, and the Bachelor of Science in Physics are included in the appropriate departmental descriptions (see Departments and Programs). 

Curricular Requirements for Students Resuming their Education

Students who discontinued their undergraduate education in the College and wish to resume it after a significant lapse of time are subject either to current curricular requirements or the general education curriculum in place when they matriculated to the University.  Students are subject to current major requirements at the time of readmission to the College.  The College Dean’s Office consults with the major department, determines the student’s remaining requirements, and informs the student of these requirements before readmission to the College.

Degree Applications

To receive a degree, students must comply with the well-publicized procedures administered by the College Registrar, whose office is in Monroe Hall 138.  The application process for May graduation begins in October, with the final deadline to file a May degree application falling in December, before winter break.  The application deadline for August graduation is July 1; for December graduation the deadline is October 1.  Students who miss a deadline may apply for the subsequent graduation and must register for the semester in which it occurs.

Degree Requirements

For graduation from the College with a B.A. or B.S., candidates for the degree must have satisfied all general education and major requirements (see section above on the College Curriculum and the section below on Majors and Minors).  Echols Scholars are exempt from general education requirements.  In addition, candidates must have passed and offer for a degree a minimum of 120 credits of approved courses, of which at least 96 must be passed on a graded basis.  Among the 120 credits, at least 102 must be College or College-equivalent credits.  60 of the 120 credits must be taken at the University of Virginia.  Candidates must have made a grade point average of at least 2.000 on all graded courses taken in the College or elsewhere in the University and offered for a degree.  The College does not award second degrees.  Students who earned a baccalaureate degree at UVA or at another institution are not eligible to receive a second undergraduate degree from the College. 

Echols Scholars Program

About 250 accomplished students are invited to join the Echols Scholars Program at the time of their admission into the University.  The program combines a stimulating residential environment with special academic advising for first-year students.  Echols scholars are exempt from the College’s general education requirements.  First-year Echols scholars and all Echols scholars who maintain a 3.000 or higher cumulative grade point average have priority registration for courses and the option of declaring an Echols major.  Students with unusually strong academic records after their first year may apply for admission to the Echols Scholars Program.  Kelsey Johnson is the Director and Sarah Cole is the Assistant Director of the Echols Scholars Program. 

Eligibility and Completion of Degree Requirements

Students in the College of Arts & Sciences, who, while studying elsewhere, declare a major there, are considered to have transferred from the University.  If they seek to return to the College, they must apply as transfer students via the Office of Admission.  Students who have completed the requirements for a baccalaureate degree elsewhere may not enroll in a degree program in the College.  A student who has received a baccalaureate degree cannot submit any courses offered for that degree toward another degree in the University.  Students are subject to the general education requirements in effect during the academic year when they first enter the University.  Students are subject to the requirements for the major in effect during the semester in which they declare the major.

Posthumous Degrees

Upon recommendation of the department in which the student was majoring, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences may make a posthumous award of the degree the student was pursuing, if the student had earned at least 90 credits and was registered at the University within twelve months at the time of death.  Eligibility for posthumous degrees extends to students enrolled in B.A. and B.S. programs.

Residency Requirement

The minimum residency requirement for a degree is two academic years.  The last year of candidacy must be spent at this University, and courses offered in the major for the degree must be completed at the University unless written permission is obtained from the department or interdepartmental program concerned. 

Teacher Education

Students in the College interested in Special Education or Elementary Education may also apply to the five-year Education Program sponsored jointly with the Curry School of Education, which leads to the simultaneous receipt of both a Bachelor of Arts degree from the College and a Master of Teaching degree from the Curry School of Education.  Students will also be certified to teach special education or elementary students.  Students wishing to pursue careers as teachers for special education or elemetary education will major in an academic discipline in the College and simultaneously begin professional courses leading to teacher certification.

Students who wish to pursue a career in secondary education may pursue the accelerated M.T. program in the Curry School after receiving their B.A. from the College. 

Students wishing to pursue any program leading to teacher certification should contact the Office of Admissions in the Curry School of Education.  Additional information is also listed in the Curry School of Education section of this Record.  Students in the B.A.-M.T. Program are responsible, each semester, for confirming their compliance with both College and Curry School certification requirements.  In particular, students in the B.A.-M.T. Program must carefully plan their courses from the start so as to earn no fewer than 102 College or College-equivalent credits.

Time Frame for Degree Completion

A degree program must be completed in four academic years/eight semesters of full-time enrollment (excluding Summer Session and January Term enrollment) and, under certain conditions, can be completed in three.  The first two years are intended to be spent in developing the knowledge and skills associated with a broad range of basic academic disciplines, including natural science, history and social science, the humanities, world languages, English writing, mathematics, and fine arts.  In the third and fourth years, students are expected to pursue courses at an increasingly advanced level in several of these fields and to major in one of them.  Twelve or more credits attempted in a single semester for work at another institution, including study abroad, will constitute one of the eight semesters allotted for full-time registration in the College.  In order to remain on track to graduate in four years, students must have completed 54 credits to enroll in a fifth semester of full time study and 84 credits to enroll in a seventh semester of full time study.  Students behind in credits make them up in a summer session, as transfer credits, or by enrolling as a part time student in the fall or spring semester.

Visiting Students

Each year a very few students are admitted to non-degree, one-year enrollment as special students in the College.  The purpose is to provide graduates of four-year institutions, with strong academic records, an opportunity to prepare themselves for graduate work in Arts & Sciences.  This program is not meant for students who wish to apply to medical school, law school, business school or any other professional program of study.  Written requests for admission as a special student should be addressed to Assistant Dean Mark Hadley, Monroe Hall 101, University of Virginia, P.O. Box 400133, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4133, and should be submitted by August 1 for admission for the fall semester.  Such requests should include a letter of endorsement from the appropriate UVa departmental graduate program director and an official copy of the student’s transcript. Special students are not accepted for the spring semester.  No financial aid is available for visiting students. 

Admission as a visiting student does not imply or guarantee admission to a degree program in an undergraduate or graduate school of the University.  Admission to undergraduate schools may be offered only by the dean of undergraduate admission.  Admission to graduate programs may be made only by the dean of graduate admission of each individual graduate school.


Final Examinations

 

Final examinations are given in regularly scheduled courses during a designated period of time at the end of each semester.  Final exams in courses may be given only at the times listed on the UREG (Office of the University Registrar) website.  Examinations in courses not fitting the regular class times are scheduled by UREG in consultation with the instructor.  Faculty members are not authorized to change the announced times of their examinations.  Such changes may be authorized only by the dean’s office, and then only for compelling reasons.  All students must have the opportunity to take the exam at the time announced on the UREG website.

Students are not permitted to take a final exam before its regularly scheduled time.  When a student has three exams scheduled over two consecutive days, the student may request a postponement of one of their exams.  The student must file the exam postponement request, endorsed by the instructor of the course, no later than one week prior to the first day of the examination period.  When other genuinely serious and extenuating circumstances exist, the Association Deans may authorize student requests, when endorsed by a faculty member, to reschedule a final examination either later in the exam period by filing an examination postponement form, or, by filing an extension of time form, to take the exam within four weeks after the exam period.  These forms are available in the Office of the Dean of the College in Monroe Hall.  Unexcused absence from a final examination results in an automatic grade of F in the course.


Grades

 

Grading Basis Changes in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic Spring 2020. To review the grading basis change information please Click Here .

Credit/No Credit Grades

Students have the option of receiving the grades CR (credit) or NC (no credit) in place of the regular grades A through F for a given course.  This option is taken at the time the student registers for the course and no later than the add deadline.  An instructor has the right to deny students permission to take his or her course on a CR/NC basis.  If this occurs, students may either change back to the regular grading option or they may drop the course entirely.  Courses taken for CR/NC may not be used for any major, minor, competency or area requirements.  It is the student’s responsibility to confirm with the instructor the minimum academic level of achievement for the grade of CR.

No more than two courses may be taken on a CR/NC basis in any semester or in summer session exclusive of physical education courses.  A maximum of 24 credits of CR/NC courses may be used toward a degree.  Second-year transfer students are permitted to submit up to 18 credits of CR/NC work toward a degree; third-year transfer students, may submit a maximum 12 credits of CR/NC work.  Students may not repeat a course originally taken on a graded basis on a CR/NC basis.  If this should occur, the credits in the CR/NC course would not count toward graduation.  The deadline for selecting the CR/NC option is the same as the add deadline, and requests for exceptions to the deadline are seldom granted.

Grade Appeals and Classroom Issues

Students who wish to appeal a grade or other classroom issue must first attempt to resolve the issue with the instructor of the course.  Absent a satisfactory outcome, the student may appeal to the relevant department chair or program director.  If this path proves unsuccessful in the resolution of the matter, the student may appeal to a Committee of Associate Deans in the College of Arts & Sciences.  The written appeal should be addressed to the Committee on Final Grade Appeals and mailed to or dropped off with the College of Arts & Sciences, Monroe Hall, P.O. Box 400133.  Grade appeals may only relate to the process of how the final grade was computed and not the quality of a student’s work.  Appeals of the grading process may result in a lower grade being awarded.  Students have one term beyond when a grade posted to submit an appeal.  The appeal of a grade from a course offered during a student’s final term before graduation must be appealed before graduation.

Grade Changes

No grade may be changed without the approval of the Dean after it has been submitted to UREG (University Registrar).  The Dean is not authorized by the faculty to change a grade submitted to UREG (University Registrar) except when an instructor certifies that because of errors in calculation or transcription, an incorrect grade has been submitted.  Extra work to raise a grade, once submitted, is not permitted.  The College limits the time in which a grade change is approved to the fall or spring semester following the one in which the grade was received, except when there is indication that the student violated the integrity of the course. 

Incomplete

An instructor may offer, with the dean’s approval, an extension of time for the completion of requirements in a course.  However, instructors may not offer additional work to raise a grade once a final grade has been submitted to UREG.  Unless authorized by the dean’s office, students must complete all course work before taking the final examination in a course.  Students who are granted an extension of time have 4 weeks from the end of final exams to complete the remaining course work.  If the remaining work is not completed, a grade of IN becomes an F 30 days after the end of the examination period.  Extension of Time forms are available in Monroe Hall 101.


Intra-University Transfers

 

Transferring into the College

Undergraduate students enrolled in other schools at the University may apply to transfer into the College.  With very limited space in the College, Intra-University transfer into the College is not assured.  Students seeking to transfer into the College may submit applications in either the fall or spring semester.  Prospective transfers are encouraged to visit the College’s website for current and accurate information about academic policies and application forms: http://college.as.virginia.edu/.        

Transfer Return to the College

Students who have been accepted for transfer from the College to another school at the University, but wish to reverse the process and return to the College, may do so before the beginning of the new semester.  Once the semester starts, they remain enrolled as students in the other school and must apply as an Intra-University transfer student.  Accordingly, a student who completes one or more semesters in another school of the University and then wishes to return to the College must also apply as an Intra-University transfer student.


Leaving and Returning to the University

 

Entering Students Whose Medical Circumstances Preclude Enrollment

Entering students who for significant medical reasons need to discontinue their enrollment in the College before the semester begins must return to the University via the Admission Office, either as a deferred admission or as a transfer student.  Students deferred by the Admission Office may enroll in courses elsewhere with the permission of the Admission Office.  Transfer students must complete at least 24 semester credits of college work prior to matriculation. 

Entering students who for significant medical reasons need to discontinue their enrollment in the College after the first day of the semester must withdraw from the University.  They may return in accordance with College policy on re-admission.  Students who withdraw from the semester may take courses elsewhere with the prior permission of the Office of the Dean of the College, and in accordance with College policy on transfer credit.  All such course work will be accepted as elective credit only.

Enforced Withdrawal

Students may be forced to withdraw from the University for habitual delinquency in class, habitual idleness, or any other fault that prevents the student from fulfilling the purpose implied by enrollment at the University.

Further Information on Withdrawal 

For further information about voluntary withdrawal, medical withdrawal, and enforced withdrawal please see the University Regulations section of this Record.  Students on financial aid should consult the Student Financial Services Office for additional information.  Any questions about tuition and fees for withdrawn students should be directed to Student Financial Services as well. 

Leave of Absence

The College expects students to register each semester and proceed to the completion of their degree programs.  However, students may request to take a leave of absence, which is valid for up to two consecutive semesters.  Students who plan to be away from the University in a subsequent semester (or semesters) should file for a Leave of Absence no later than the day before the beginning of the semester the student plans to be on leave.  Students may file for a Leave of Absence through the Student Information System (SIS).  

Students in the College who have been on an approved leave of absence apply for re-admission when returning to the University (see below).  Students who enter a degree program at another institution, however, must reapply to the University as transfer students and are not guaranteed acceptance.

Medical Withdrawal

Due to significant medical reasons, a student may need to withdraw from the semester.  A student may withdraw for medical reasons at any point in the semester, with the same conditions and restrictions applying as with a voluntary withdrawal (see below).  In addition, students who return to the College after a medical withdrawal must be cleared by Student Health (see Readmission below).  In very unusual medical circumstances, documented by a health professional, a College student who did not withdraw during the semester has one semester in which to petition for a retroactive medical withdrawal.  If approved, all grades convert to W’s and the student is obliged to be absent for a full semester before resuming full-time study.

Readmission 

Students should consult “Returning to the University” in the University Regulations—Academic section of this Record for policies that govern their readmission to the University.  Application for readmission must be made to and approved by the student’s academic dean in accordance with the College’s readmission deadlines and policies (see http://college.as.virginia.edu/readmission). 

In addition to the requirements of the University’s policies governing readmission, students in the College returning after a fourth semester must also submit a signed Declaration of Major Form at the time of readmission, although students returning for their fifth semester may complete the Deferral of Major Form in place of the Declaration of Major Form, which is valid for one semester only.  To be readmitted for a fifth semester, students must have earned a minimum of 54 credits.  To be readmitted for a seventh semester, students must have earned a minimum of 84 credits.

Students may file for readmission through the Student Information System (SIS).  Students will be notified in writing of the College’s decision on readmission.  For readmission following a medical withdrawal, students should also follow the steps outlined by the Department of Student Health: https://www.studenthealth.virginia.edu//

Voluntary Withdrawal

Students may withdraw from the University before the conclusion of a semester, specifically up to the last day of the final examination period, if they meet the conditions stated in the University Regulations section of this Record.  A grade of W will be entered for each course in which the student was registered.  However, students in the College of Arts & Sciences who withdraw within 10 class days immediately preceding the final examination period are not permitted to re-enter the College for the succeeding semester nor to present transfer credit earned during the same time.  Students who have received a withdrawal notation on their transcript for two consecutive academic terms (not including Summer Session or J-Term), regardless of the lapse of time between the two terms, may not apply for readmission to the University for one year.  Students initiate the withdrawal process with their Association Dean. 


Majors and Minors

 

The faculty requires each student to examine one subject in depth in order to experience sustained, cumulative study of a range of related topics and issues over a period of several semesters.  Study in a major allows students to focus on an area of interest where they would like to develop their intellectual capabilities.  The faculty does not view the major as a direct path to a particular career.  However, by developing a mastery of a particular area, students advance their intellectual capabilities in ways that will be of value in a range of later endeavors.  The College also offers the minor in over thirty subject areas, but a minor is not required for completion of the B.A. or B.S. degree. For a listing of majors and minors in the College see: http://college.as.virginia.edu/degreeprograms. 

Concentrations

Some departments and interdisciplinary programs offer concentrations along with the major.  Students in these departments or programs may concentrate in designated areas of study that also meet the requirements of the major.  Concentrations typically involve special topics, applications, or disciplines, and may include courses taken in other departments or schools of the University.  A student’s concentration appears, along with the major, on his or her transcript.

Declaring the Major

Students must declare their major before the last day of classes in the fourth semester.  The program must be approved by an official major advisor and the completed form must be returned to the College.  Students who begin the fifth semester without either declaring a major or deferring declaration of a particular major for one semester will be blocked from enrolling in the next semester’s classes and may lose their enrollment place.  No student may begin a sixth full-time semester without a declared major.  Declaration of Major and Deferral of Major forms may be obtained in Monroe Hall 101. 

Declaring a Minor

Students intending to minor must complete the appropriate forms in the department or program no later than the add period of their next to last semester in the College (normally the seventh semester). A copy of the minor form must be delivered to the College in Monroe Hall 101. Courses used to meet area requirements in the College and the second writing requirement may simultaneously be offered in fulfillment of a minor, except that world language courses through the intermediate level may not be included as part of a minor.  For most foreign language departments this means courses numbered 2020 and below, but it is 2060 for Chinese, 2120 for Portuguese, and 2320 for French.  These restrictions apply to students in all of the undergraduate Schools of the University.

Distinguished Major

Students who show exceptional promise in their major field of study may be eligible for admission to the Distinguished Majors Program (DMP) within their department.  This program consists of at least twelve credits of advanced work and a thesis, special project, experiment, or exhibit based on at least six credits of supervised research, advanced laboratory work, or advanced study, as determined by the department.  Successful completion of the program with a University cumulative grade point average of at least 3.400 will qualify a student for graduation with distinction, high distinction, or highest distinction.

Interdisciplinary Majors

A number of degree programs are administered by interdisciplinary programs rather than by departments.  These include American Studies; Archaeology; Bioethics; Computer Science; Cognitive Science; East Asian Studies; Echols-Interdisciplinary; Environmental Thought and Practice; German Studies; Global Studies; Human Biology; Jewish Studies; Latin American Studies; Linguistics; Medieval Studies; Middle Eastern and South Asian Studies; Neuroscience; Political and Social Thought; Political Philosophy, Policy and Law; Slavic-Russian; and a self-designed interdisciplinary major.

Students completing an interdisciplinary major may submit up to three courses toward the completion of another major.  However, both the sponsoring program for the first major and the sponsoring department or program for the second major must appove the sharing of courses for both majors. 

Students who complete the Global Public Health track within the Global Studies major may count up to 12 credits from required Public Health Science (PHS) courses as College-equivalent credit; students who complete the Global Environments and Sustainability track within the Global Studies major may count up to 12 credits of advisor-approved electives outside the College as College-equivalent credit.

Students wishing to focus on an area for which there is no departmental or interdepartmental major program may apply to the College for acceptance in the Interdisciplinary Major Program.  Such a plan of study must include at least 30 credits of courses, in addition to a 6-credit thesis. The program must also be approved by three faculty sponsors, who will serve as the student’s major committee.  Details are available in Monroe Hall.

Major Course Restrictions

All courses used to meet major requirements must be taken on a graded basis.  Beyond the courses required for the major, however, a student may register for other courses in their major field on a CR/NC basis.  Courses used to meet area requirements in the College and the Second Writing Requirement may be offered in fulfillment of a first or second major.  Courses applied toward the major may not be transferred from another institution to the University except with special permission of the department.  Double counting of courses requires the permission of both major departments or programs. Credits applied toward a major may not be applied toward a minor.

Major Subject

The faculty requires each student to examine one subject in depth in order to experience sustained and cumulative study of this subject.  Thus, all students must enroll in a major program of study offered by one of the departments or an interdepartmental program.  The major program will have no fewer than 21 credits; it may also require up to 12 credits in related courses.  Students may declare a second major in another department or program, in which case the application for a degree must be approved by both departments or interdepartmental programs.  Students receive one diploma, but the double major status is reflected on their transcript.  Students who double major must submit at least 18 credits in each major; credits applied toward one major may not be included in the core 18 credits of the other major, and no more than two courses can be counted simultaneously for two majors unless one or both majors is interdisciplinary (see above).

Minors in the College

As part of their undergraduate coursework, students may declare two minors minor offered by one of the departments or programs in the College.  A minor consists of no fewer than 15 and no more than 24 credits of graded work in a program of study approved by a sponsoring department or program.  Credits applied toward a minor may not also count toward completion of a major.  College of Arts and Sciences students may declare a maximum of two minors; no more than one minor can be a non-College minor.  As with the major, courses taken on a CR/NC basis may not be included in the minor program.   

Minors Outside the College

Any student with no more than one minor in the College may also declare a minor in one of the other undergraduate schools in the University that allow College enrollment.  However, students who declare a minor outside the College must keep in mind that courses taken in these schools count as non-College credits unless they have been approved as noted above as College-equivalent courses (see section on Course Rules).  

Courses taken for the Urban and Environmental Planning minor in the School of Architecture may count as College-equivalent courses only if the student completes the minor.  


Study Abroad

 

The College encourages all students to study abroad.  Students participate in study abroad according to the guidelines below; students interested in study abroad should consult the information available in the International Studies Office in Minor Hall, which handles all applications for study abroad.  Further information is posted on its website: https://educationabroad.virginia.edu/.  Students should confer with their major advisor early in the process of selecting a Study Abroad program.  Students may also consult with their Association Dean and with the Director of Undergraduate Programs in their major department.

Eligibility

Students must enroll for their first semester and at least one additional semester at the University in Charlottesville and complete no fewer than thirty credits before being eligible to study abroad.  Thus new students, either first-year or transfer, may not apply for study abroad until they have completed a regular fall or spring semester at UVA and are enrolled for their second semester; they may not begin the study abroad program until after completing their second semester.  Beginning in the fall semester 2017, first year students who enroll in one of the UVA First programs–UVA London First, UVA Shanghai First, and UVA Valencia First–are exempt from this rule.  

To study abroad, students must be in good academic standing and have a cumulative GPA at UVA of no less than 2.500 at the point of application to study abroad.  Any student who does not meet either criterion must submit a petition to his or her Association Dean to be considered for an exception to College rules.  These standards apply both to direct-study programs and the traditional study abroad programs under auspices of another institution or organization.  Participation in study abroad is on a competitive basis; acceptance may be based on criteria beyond minimum cumulative GPA.

With approval of the student’s Association Dean and the major advisor, students may study abroad in their seventh or even eighth semester.  Students who do so accept the risk of not graduating on time if their grades, for any reason, are not received by the deadline set by the College Registrar.

Programs

Students study abroad either in one of UVA’s direct-credit programs or in non-graded transfer credit programs sponsored by other institutions.  In UVA direct credit programs, students enroll in UVA courses and receive grades.  These courses may satisfy general education, major, and minor requirements.  In transfer credit programs, students enroll in programs sponsored by other institutions.  Grades do not transfer, although courses must be passed with a C or higher for credit to be considered.  Credit from transfer credit study abroad programs may not be used to satisfy general education requirements, with the exception of the world languages requirement, which may be fulfilled with approved course work in a country where the language is native.  For transfer credit programs, the College strongly encourages students to select programs approved by their department and listed on the online database of programs maintained by the International Studies Office.  Students in the College may transfer elective credits from these programs approved by ISO and listed on the transfer credit database maintained by the College.  See http://ascs8.eservices.virginia.edu/AsEquivs.  A maximum of 60 non-UVA credits from other universities, foreign study (the University’s direct-study programs exempted), advanced placement, or dual enrollment may count toward the 120 credits needed for the B.A. or B.S. degree in the College.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Students enrolled in UVA direct-credit programs are expected to meet the College’s longstanding criteria for good standing.  Failure to do so will result in the academic sanctions of Academic Probation or Suspension.  Students participating in semester- or year-long Study Abroad programs (not summer programs) are, like their full time counterparts in Charlottesville, expected to complete at least 12 credits each semester.  Whether on direct credit programs or other approved programs, students who study abroad for a semester use one of the full-time semesters of full time study they are allotted.


Transfer Credit

 


External Transfer Credit for New Students in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic Spring 2020. To review the criteria that will be used to evaluate external transfer credits earned during Spring 2020 please Click Here .

The College grants transfer credit based on an analysis of the content, level, and comparability of the courses taken, the applicability of the courses to the student’s intended major and degree program, the quality of the student’s performance in the courses, and the accreditation of the institution at which the work was completed.

Most transfer credit taken before matriculation may be used for fulfilling area requirements, or for fulfilling major requirements with special permission of the department.  However, beginning in 2017, credit awarded as “X000T” credit will not count towards fulfillment of any general education credit for traditional four-year students.  External transfer students may still apply X000T credit to fulfill area and competency requirements.  Dual enrollment credit, however, may not be used to fulfill competency requirements.  Students in the College must take the second writing requirement in the College and earn a grade of at least C-.

Students must submit a request for transfer of credit form prior to enrolling in courses for transfer.  Transfer credit is allowed only for those courses in which a grade of C or better has been earned.  Courses in which a grade of CR is received must be certified to be the equivalent of a grade of C or higher to be accepted.  Only credits are accepted in transfer.  Grades do not transfer and do not affect the student’s cumulative grade point average at the University of Virginia.

Transfer credit is evaluated only for the degree program to which students are admitted, and the amount of credit awarded is subject to change if students change degree programs.  In the College, the amount of transfer credit awarded and the number of full-time semesters previously completed determines class standing.  Only 60 credits of transfer from other universities, foreign study, advanced placement, or dual enrollment may count toward the 120 credits needed for the B.A. or B.S. degree in the College.  For more information, see the Transfer Credit section of the University Regulations.

Advanced Placement (AP) Credit

The College accepts College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) Program by awarding advanced standing or advanced placement and in many cases transfer credit to entering students who have made specified scores on AP exams.  For more information on transfer credit received based upon specific scores on various AP tests please consult the table found in the section on Admission in the general University section of this Record.

International College-Level Examinations

The College of Arts and Sciences grants advanced standing credit and advanced placement for qualifying examination scores in the Higher-Level International Baccalaureate, the French Baccalaureate, the British A-Level, the German Abitur, and select other examinations.  We award advanced standing credit or placement based upon qualifying examination scores (and, where applicable, subject coefficients) and the recommendation of the appropriate Arts & Sciences department(s).  Students who have taken the IB or British Advanced Levels are referred to the tables provided in the University section of this Record under the Admission webpage.  Credit and advanced placement are generally determined on a case-by-case basis, on the student’s initiative, by the Dean’s Office in the College of Arts & Sciences and by the Director of Undergraduate Programs in the appropriate department(s).  The College does not award credit based upon the length of study of a particular program.  Since approved credit is advanced standing credit, not transfer credit, we base the award of credit solely upon examination results and not upon completed courses.  The College does not award credit for foreign language subject examinations of English language or literature.

Advanced standing credit is included among non-UVA credits on the student’s transcript and, along with transfer credit, is limited to a total of 60 credits.  The College of Arts & Sciences and individual departments may limit the number of advanced standing credits awarded to an individual.  Students may receive at least one, and not more than two, semesters of introductory-level credit per qualifying examination score.  Departments have their own policies on the use of advanced standing credit for their major or minor requirements.

To receive credit for other international examinations, students must provide an official copy of their examination certificate, including an official English translation if requested.  The certificate should be sent directly to the College of Arts & Sciences, P.O. Box 400133, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4133, or delivered in-person in a sealed envelope.  Students must be prepared to provide to the departmental undergraduate directors official course descriptions, syllabi, and copies of examinations.  We encourage students to contact us and the appropriate Director of Undergraduate Programs if they have questions about receiving advanced standing credit or advanced placement for any of these examinations.  A list of the names of the Directors of Undergraduate Programs and their emails and telephone numbers is located on the College of Arts & Sciences website.  Questions about this policy and its attendant procedures may be directed to Dean Shawn Lyons.