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Academic Rules and Regulations
Academic Good Standing
Graduate students, in the School of Architecture, are considered to be in academic good standing at the end of a semester unless, during said semester, the following grading outcomes apply:
- A student receives a single grade of C+ or below for a degree-required course resulting in academic probation
- A second grade of C+ or below for a degree-required course during one semester or the entirety of a student’s degree program will result in an enforced withdrawal from the program. Students who have been forced to withdraw must reapply to their program and admission is not guaranteed.
Note: Students will not receive credit toward the completion of their degree for a grade of C+ or below in any course.
Academic Probation
A student will be placed on academic probation if they fail to maintain academic good standing in any semester (see the “Academic Good Standing” section of the Record).
Affiliated Status
- Doctoral Completion (Doctoral Students Only)
- External Internship/Study
- Degree Conferral in Absentia
For further information please see the section University Regulations: Academic in the Graduate Record.
Attendance
Students are expected to attend all lectures and other prescribed activities of the courses for which they are registered. Although the course instructor sets course attendance requirements, any student who is absent from more than 50 percent of the lectures may automatically receive a grade of F in that course.
Consistent with the UVA Graduate Record, unless otherwise notified by the instructor, students enrolled in all School of Architecture graduate classes are required to attend every scheduled class and to arrive on time prepared for the class. If you are unable to attend class for any reason, you must notify your instructor in advance of the class. In courses where class participation represents a portion of the course grade, the instructor has complete discretion to assign the class participation grade that s/he decides is appropriate. Faculty may drop students from their class with notification who are not in attendance on the first day of the semester.
Audit (AU) Grade Option
You may audit courses with the permission of the instructor. Courses successfully taken on an audit basis have the symbol AU (audit) recorded in the grade column of the academic record.
As no credits or grade points are earned in audited courses, these courses are not applicable toward a degree. Instructors have the option of deciding whether students may or may not take their courses on an audit basis.
A grade of W is recorded for any student who discontinues the audit after the drop deadline or who fails to meet the instructor’s standards.
Course Expectations
In each of the degree programs, students should expect that courses may require the purchase of textbooks, software, materials, or equipment, or students may incur costs in the form of field trips upon occasion. Students are also expected to complete online course evaluations at the end of each semester.
Course Load
The minimum course load, in order to be classified as a full-time graduate student, is 12 hours. Special written permission is required for a graduate student to register for fewer than 12 hours or more than 19 hours in any semester, from his or her departmental chair.
Candidates for a degree in one of the four graduate curricula offered in the School of Architecture must hold an approved baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university.
Applicants whose previous coursework does not include the equivalent of courses listed under the “admission” paragraph for any of the described degree programs must complete those courses before enrollment or, with permission, while enrolled in their respective graduate program.
An explanation of the course numbering system is given in the How to Read Course Listings section of this Record.
Inquiries concerning degrees should be addressed directly to the Chair of each department.
Grade Appeals
Students may appeal negative decisions about enrollment, grades, or general academic policies in the School of Architecture according to the procedures which follow. It is understood that only students may submit appeals. Appeals must be made 7 days after the end of that semester’s examination period; students should consult with the Associate Dean for Academics for details.
Grade Changes
After a grade has been submitted to UREG (Office of the University Registrar), it cannot be changed without the approval of the Associate Dean of Academics. The Associate Dean of Academics is not authorized by the faculty to change a grade submitted to UREG (Office of the University Registrar) except when an instructor certifies that, due to errors in omission, calculation, or transcription, an incorrect grade was submitted. Under no circumstances can a grade be improved by completing extra work that is in addition to what was communicated in the course syllabus and/or assignments throughout the regular sequence of the semester.
The time period allowed for a grade change ends on the first day of class of the subsequent fall or spring semester when the grade was given. If evidence is discovered that a student has violated the integrity of the course, a grade can be changed at the time of the conclusion of this assessment.
Grading Issues
Students who wish to appeal a grade must first attempt to resolve the issue with the instructor of the course. Absent a satisfactory outcome, the student consults with the chair of the department. If this path proves unsuccessful in the resolution of the matter, the student may appeal to the Associate Dean for Academics.
Grading System
The following letter grade symbols are used for grading graduate students in the Graduate School of Architecture: A, A-, B+, B, B-, C, F, S, U. The lowest satisfactory grade for a School of Architecture graduate student is a B-. Graduate students are not allowed to take a graduate-level course on a Credit/ No Credit basis. Graduate students may take undergraduate courses on a CR/NC basis or audit graduate-level course but said courses will not count toward a graduate degree.
Incomplete
A grade of “Incomplete” (IN) is to be given only in cases due to medical emergencies and extenuating family circumstances that necessitate additional time to complete course work. A request for an ‘IN’ is to be submitted to the Student Services Office prior to the last day of class using the “Incomplete Grade” form approved by the Associate Dean of Academics. An ‘IN’ is not considered an acceptable default final grade and will convert to a grade of ‘F’ five days after the end of the examination period unless an “Incomplete Grade” form is submitted by the course professor with the approval of the Associate Dean of Academics. Documentation supporting the medical excuse is to be provided by a doctor or healthcare provider with the “Incomplete Grade” form. Additionally, a work plan outlining the scope and extended deadline for completion of coursework is due to the Associate Dean of Academics at the time of the form submittal. An approved grade of ‘IN’ will convert automatically to a grade of ‘F’ four weeks after the end of the examination period unless the professor submits a final grade based on the work completed during the additional time or a work plan identifying a specific date for completion of course work. Instructors are not authorized to extend the time for completion of course work without the approval of the Associate Dean of Academics. “Incomplete Grade” forms are available in the Student Services Office, 201 Campbell Hall.
Leave of Absence
A student who wishes to suspend their full-time or part-time status for a temporary period of time must request approval from the director of graduate studies and the Associate Dean of Academics. As a result, this leave of absence will postpone their expected date of graduation. The students are required to meet with the Associate Dean of Academics as part of the approval process. A student who wishes to take a leave of absence must apply by completing the “Leaving the University” form in their SIS Student Center no later than one week prior to the beginning of the semester in which the students plan to be on leave. Leaves of Absence are approved for a full semester or one academic year, with a student eligible for up to two years of leave cumulatively.
How to Apply for Leave of Absence
- Email the Associate Dean of Academics, Tashana Starks, Assistant Director of Advising + Academic Support, and the Director of the Program in which you are enrolled, about your intentions on taking a Leave of Absence.
- Contact the Office of the Dean of Students, ODOS at odos@virginia.edu to schedule an appointment.
- Contact Carolyn Buchanan, Administrative Coordinator, Admission + Financial Aid (if applicable) about your intentions on taking a Leaving the University.
- If students want to ensure their eligibility for financial aid, they should contact Student Financial Services (sfs@virginia.edu) prior to that semester.
- Contact the International Studies Office (if applicable) at issp@virginia.edu.
- Fill out the “Leaving the University” e-form in your SIS student center. It is located on the bottom left side of the home page.
- This process will need to be no later than one week prior to the beginning of the semester in which the student plans to be on leave.
- Once the e-form has been approved, you will receive an email from the University Registrar’s Office (UREG) that the process has been completed.
Students must complete the “Returning to the University” form in their SIS Student Center by March 1st to return in the Fall + Summer term, and by October 1st to return in the spring term (Please see “Returning to the University” section).
Students who have not been enrolled for more than two years or longer must follow the procedures for admission by applying to the Graduate School of Architecture. For more information about the admissions process, please visit www.arch.virginia.edu/admissions/graduate/.
Part-Time Enrollment
Students are ordinarily expected to be enrolled as full-time students. However, students may choose to enroll on a part-time basis depending on the degree program. Please check with the program director on whether a degree program allows part-time enrollment. A request for part-time status must be submitted to the director of the program for approval. Registered full-time students at the University are required to submit a request to convert their registration to part-time status one semester prior to the desired enrollment as a part-time student. Please be in contact with the Student Services Office for the part-time form.
Ownership of Student Work
The School of Architecture reserves the right to retain student coursework for purposes of exhibition and/or publication with appropriate credits. Professors who wish to retain student work for their own purposes must gain the student’s consent and provide adequate documentation of the work for the student.
Returning to the University
Students who wish to return to the University after an absence must be formally readmitted to their last school of enrollment. Readmission requires review and approval by the Associate Dean of Academics, the Department of Student Health (if applicable), the International Studies Office (if applicable), the Office of Student Financial Services (if applicable), and the Office of the Dean of Students. Students who withdrew for medical reasons will need a medical review from the Department of Student Health before they will be approved for readmission to the University; this medical review may take up to three weeks in addition to any deadline set by their school, so students should apply as early as possible when they wish to return to the University.
Students must complete the “Returning to the University” form in their SIS Student Center by March 1st for the fall + summer semester, and October 1st for the spring semester. If students want to ensure their eligibility for financial aid, they should contact Student Financial Services prior to that semester. Students completing the application must include a statement that (1) addresses the student’s readiness to return to the University in light of any serious difficulties, academic suspension, or extenuating circumstances related to his/her absence (e.g. financial, medical, personal hardship), and (2) outlines the student’s academic plan for his/her remaining semesters.
How to Apply for Readmission
- Email the Associate Dean of Academics and the Director of the Program in which you are enrolled, about your intentions on coming back to the A-School
- Email Tashana Starks, Assistant Director of Advising + Academic Support about your curriculum.
- Contact the Office of the Dean of Students, ODOS at odos@virginia.edu to schedule an appointment.
- Contact Carolyn Buchanan, Administrative Coordinator, Admission + Financial Aid (if applicable) about your intentions on returning to the School of Architecture.
- If students want to ensure their eligibility for financial aid, they should contact Student Financial Services (sfs@virginia.edu) prior to that semester
- Contact the International Studies Office (if applicable) at issp@virginia.edu.
- Fill out the “returning to the university” e-form in your SIS student center. It is located on the bottom left side of the home page. This process can be started by March 1st for the fall + summer semesters, and October 1st for the spring semester.
*March 1st for the fall + summer semesters, and October 1st for the spring semester.
- Once the e-form has been approved, you will receive an email from the University Registrar’s Office (UREG) that the process has been completed.
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.
Returning to the University is not guaranteed.
Repeated Course
If a course is passed or failed, and taken a second time for credit, both grades are included in the computation of grade point average and appear on the student’s transcript. A student may repeat a course only once.
Student Owned Computers
Graduate students are required to own a personal laptop or Desktop computer with specified base software. A list of specifications is at http://www.arch.virginia.edu/IT_Resources/Computer_Requirements.
Time Limitation
All work for the master’s degree must be completed within five years. Unless it is due to medical reasons or other extenuating circumstances, students who have not been enrolled for more than one year or longer must follow the procedures for admission by applying to the Graduate School of Architecture. Academic credits earned more than ten years prior to the date of application for admission will typically not be considered as applicable credits for admission to graduate programs at the School of Architecture.
All work for a Ph.D. degree must be completed within seven years. Unless it is due to medical reasons or other extenuating circumstances, students who have not been enrolled for more than one year or longer must follow the procedures for admission by applying to the Graduate School of Architecture. Academic credits earned more than ten years prior to the date of application for admission will typically not be considered as applicable credits for admission to graduate programs at the School of Architecture.
Transfer Credit
External Credit for New Students in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic Spring 2020. To review the criteria that will be used to evaluate courses taken during Spring 2020 please Click Here .
Courses taken at other institutions are normally not accepted. Under exceptional circumstances, a petition along with supporting materials (i.e. syllabus and work samples) may be submitted to receive an exemption from taking a required course. Candidates a.re required to fulfill the total degree credit requirement regardless of course exemptions granted. Petitions are to be submitted to the instructor of the course for which a waiver is desired; the Graduate Director must approve the waiver.
Withdrawal from the University
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. Students who are forced to withdraw during a given term will have the notation “Withdrawal Date: MM/DD/YYYY” entered on their permanent academic records following the semester in which the action occurred. A grade of W (withdrawal) will be entered for each course in which the student was registered. Students must complete the “Returning to the University” form in their SIS Student Center by March 1st to return in the fall term and by September 1st to return in the spring term (Please see “Returning to the University” section).
Voluntary Student Withdrawal
Students who wish to leave all of their classes during a fall or spring semester at any time after the first day of classes and through the last day of exams must request permission to withdraw from the University by completing the “Leaving the University” form in their SIS Student Center, communicating with the director of the program and the Associate Dean of Academics, and contacting the Office of the Dean of Students (ODOS) to schedule an appointment. If the student’s academic dean or designee approves the student’s request to withdraw, ODOS will discuss the proposed withdrawal with the student and, if appropriate, grant final approval. UREG will notify the student once the withdrawal becomes official. Students requesting to withdraw from the University must be aware of the following rules:
- Applications for withdrawal must be approved by the Associate Dean of Academics.
- Students may withdraw from the University before the conclusion of a semester, specifically up to the last day of the final examination period.
- Students may specify on the “Leaving the University” form whether their request to withdraw is for medical reasons. Students approved for withdrawal for medical reasons will need a medical review from the Department of Student Health before they will be approved for readmission to the University; this medical review may take up to three weeks in addition to any deadline set by their school, so students should apply as early as possible when they wish to return to the University.
- Students who voluntarily withdraw from the University will have the notation “Withdrew: DATE” recorded on their permanent academic record and their official transcript. Students will receive a grade of W in all classes. A grade of W cannot be changed.
Students wishing to withdraw from classes during Summer Session or J-Term should contact the Office of Summer & Special Academic Programs, 434-924-3371; summer@virginia.edu or januaryterm@virginia.edu.
- In extreme medical circumstances, documented by a medical professional, a School of Architecture student has one semester in which to petition to the Associate Dean of Academics for a retroactive medical withdrawal. If approved, all grades convert to W’s.
Withdrawals Grading System
If a student decides to discontinue a course after the drop deadline, they must withdraw from the class (see note below). Students have eight weeks from the start of the semester to leave a class using this option. This will result in a ‘W’ on the student’s transcript. If, after the withdrawal deadline has passed, a student is enrolled in a class, but has never attended, the student will need to contact the Student Record’s Office. Failure to do so will result in a failing grade.
If a student is failing a course after the withdrawal date and at the end of the semester due to lack of attendance and/or due to not meeting the academic standards of performance set by the professor/GTA of the course, the student will receive an ‘F’ as their final grade.
A student is allowed to withdraw from classes in SIS until 11:59 PM on the day of the class withdrawal deadline date, see https://www2.virginia.edu/registrar/calendar.html.
To get started, go to the drop tab in the SIS Student Center. Use the DROP transaction for the desired class. When the message is received about withdrawing, click on the “Request Class Withdrawal” link and follow the directions.
Course Descriptions
Courses are subject to change; certain courses are offered in alternate years or are temporarily suspended when the instructor is on leave or for other reasons. 5000 level elective courses are open to students in undergraduate and graduate programs.
Degree Information
The School of Architecture offers four graduate programs leading to the Master of Architectural History; Master of Architecture; the Master of Landscape Architecture; and the Master of Urban and Environmental Planning. The programs are accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board, the Landscape Architecture Accreditation Board, and the Planning Accreditation Board; and the school holds memberships in the Collegiate Schools of Architecture, the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning, the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture, the National Council for Preservation Education, the Society of Architectural Historians, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. In addition to the graduate degree programs, the school offers two interdisciplinary programs leading to a Certificate in Historic Preservation or a Certificate in Urban Design.
Upon completion of an academic program which may lead to initial licensure in another U.S. state outside of Virginia, graduates may apply to the licensing board or agency in that state. Please visit the University’s Licensure Program Compliance page University’s state authorization web pages to make an informed decision regarding which states’ educational requirements for initial licensure are met by the program. (668.43(a)(5) (v)(A) - (C))
Enrolled students who change their current (or mailing) address to a state other than Virginia should update this information immediately in the Student Information System as it may impact their ability to complete internship, practicum, or clinical hours, use Title IV funds, or meet licensure or certification requirements in the new state. (34 CFR 668.402).
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