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

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Academic advising for College undergraduates is the responsibility of the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Affairs and the Director of Undergraduate Advising, and is implemented by the Advising Fellows, the assistant deans in the College (known as Advising 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.  

Pre-major advisors, a combination of Advising Fellows and Faculty Advisors, serve as the primary point of contact for students until they arrive in a major or department. In the College, pre-major advising is integrated with the Engagements classroom experience, meaning that a student’s first-quarter Engagements Instructor serves as their pre-major advisor. Pre-major advisors receive intensive training that ensures all students have access to a knowledgeable, dedicated, trusted, and engaged academic advisor who is equipped to provide guidance on and answer questions about general education requirements, course selection, the liberal arts, and other academic interests.  

Once a student declares their major, they are assigned a major advisor by their department. Major advisors provide academic advising for students after they arrive in a major or department and until graduation. Major advisors are best suited to answer questions about major requirements, discuss possible career paths, and plan special opportunities for majors.  

In addition, each student is supported by an Advising Dean. Advising Deans serve as an essential advising resource throughout a student’s entire undergraduate career and engage students in ongoing conversations about their long-term academic and life goals. Advising Deans help students navigate College policies and procedures and track their academic progress term by term, ensuring that they are making timely progress towards their degree. Advising Deans also provide guidance for students when they encounter personal challenges that can impact their academic performance. They play a central role in coordinating support across the University, often partnering with Care and Support Services, Student Health and Wellness, Counseling and Psychological Services, and the Student Disability Access Center. Advising Deans oversee various administrative responsibilities of the College, including Deans’ Scholarships and Small Research and Travel Grants and appeals to College rules and policies.

Student Rights

The College complies with the University’s policy on Academic Accommodations for Disability, Pregnancy, and Religion.

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 regularly checking their University email account to obtain this information and are subject to the imposition of academic sanctions even if they do not check their email.

Good Standing

Full-time students are considered to be in good standing at the end of a semester if, in that semester, they have:

• earned at least 12 credits from course work,
• earned a semester grade point average of at least 1.800, and
• earned no more than one final grade of C- or below.

Part-time students are considered to be in good standing if they achieve at least a 1.800 grade point average for the semester.

In order to enroll in a fifth semester, students are expected to have passed at least 54 credits; to enroll in a seventh semester students are expected to have passed at least 84 credits.  Students who do not accumulate this number of credits are required to develop and have approved by their Advising Dean an academic plan for degree completion, which can include Summer Session courses, additional credits in the following semester, credits at another accredited institution, or taking more than eight full-time semesters to complete their degree.  Upon approval of such a plan, students will be permitted to continue to enroll full-time.

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 College, in consultation with the student’s Advising Dean to defer the declaration of a major for one semester.

Academic Warning

Students who do not meet standards for Good Standing in a fall or spring term incur academic warning.  The notation “Academic Warning” is placed on the unofficial transcript for the semester in which the warning was incurred.  A student on academic warning is expected to meet with his or her Advising Dean no later than the add period of the ensuing semester.

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

Students on academic warning who withdraw or take a leave of absence are eligible to apply for readmission.  When readmitted, the Academic Warning status remains, and the student must attain Good Standing or face Academic Suspension by virtue of two consecutive semesters of incurring Academic Warning.

Suspension

Students are subject to suspension after incurring academic warning 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 typically are not eligible for financial aid and should consult with Student Financial Services regarding the specific impacts suspension may have on their obligations.  Students under suspension may not apply transfer credits from other institutions toward their degree from the College if those credits were earned during the period of suspension.  A student who receives a second academic suspension may not return to the University.

Upon the College’s notice of suspension to the University Registrar, the suspension is effective on the first day of classes.

Students may appeal to have their suspension “held in abeyance.” The student’s Advising Dean will review the appeal, and 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, if they have not met conditions, they will be placed on academic suspension.

The procedure and schedule for appealing a suspension is communicated to the student with the notice of suspension.

Students who believe there is a valid reason for requesting an exception to the general academic policies or rules of the College can submit an appeal to their Advising Dean.  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 Advising Deans may appeal to the Committee on Faculty Rules (CFR).  The CFR consists of faculty members who are not Advising 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 Advising Dean for details about how to appeal a particular decision to the CFR.

Dean’s List

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 if they earn a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.500.  Courses taken on a CR/NC basis are not counted toward the 15-credit minimum.  Students on approved reduced course load from the Student Disabilities Access Center (SDAC) who earn 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.

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 in the College of Arts & Sciences are elected to Phi Beta Kappa, Beta Chapter of Virginia, for their scholarly attainment in the liberal arts and sciences and are chosen from the top 12 percent of the fourth-year class and the top 4 percent of the third-year class. Students are elected in March with an Induction Ceremony in late April or early May. 

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

Commencement Honors

Degrees with distinction, high distinction, and highest distinction are awarded to students who have a cumulative 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.  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.

To earn the B.A. or B.S. Degree from the College, a student must present 120 credits which satisfy the College’s general education curriculum, and the requirements for one major. All entering first year students, with the exception of Echols Scholars, must complete the Engagements Pathway detailed below to fulfill their General Education Requirements.  Transfer students must complete the Disciplines Plus Pathway.

Students entering the College through transfer, as well as those who begin their Virginia community college studies this year, will be governed by the College curricular rules outlined in this year’s Undergraduate Record, so long as the student maintains continuous enrollment and enrolls at the University of Virginia within one year of completing their community college program and within four years of when they began their community college enrollment.  The application of College curricular rules includes not only the general education pathway specified, but also the number of credits required for graduation (total credits, credits in residence, and credits in the College of Arts and Sciences) and GPA requirements.

Both entering first-year students and transfer students will be governed by the major requirements in place at the time they declare their major, after arriving at the University.  Students who leave the University and return must redeclare their major and are subject to the major requirements in place at the time of the most recent declaration.

Following matriculation, all remaining Literacies and Disciplines requirements must be completed at the University of Virginia and must be taken on a graded basis.

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.
• 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.
• By successfully completing Writing and Critical Inquiry, ENWR 1510, 1520, or 1530.
• By successfully completing a First Writing Requirement Advanced course, including but not limited to ENWR 2510, 2000-level ENLT, ENCW 2300, or ENCW 2600.
• 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 requirement. Placement for completion of the First Writing Requirement is determined by the Writing and Rhetoric Program.

Equivalent transfer and test credit earned before matriculating to UVA can satisfy the First Writing Requirement. Credit from dual enrollment cannot satisfy the First Writing 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 course that is not designated in the College Catalog as a second writing course may fulfill the requirement when an instructor certifies, and the administrative chair of the Committee on Educational Policy and Curriculum confirms, that the course meets the standards for a second writing requirement course noted above. The form to initiate this process can be found on the College website: https://college.as.virginia.edu/forms

World Languages

Students can meet the World Languages requirement by successfully completing one of the following courses of action:

• 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)
• Earn exemption by placing beyond the intermediate level (usually 2020) by examination

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 (https://college.as.virginia.edu/world-language-requirement-placement-and-contact-information) 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 world language credits offered for admission to the College.

Equivalent transfer and test credit earned before matriculating to UVA can satisfy the World Languages Requirement. Credit from dual enrollment cannot satisfy the World Languages Requirement.

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 with diagnosed disabilities that affect lenguage learning should consult the Student Disability Access Center with concerns.

Quantification, Computation, and Data Analysis

Students fulfill the Quantitative, Computational, and Data Analysis 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 courses 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) or Stellic.

Equivalent transfer and test credit earned before matriculating to UVA can satisfy the Quantification, Computation, and Data Analysis Requirement.

Disciplines

Students must complete the Disciplines Requirement through 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) and Stellic.

Equivalent transfer and test credit earned before matriculating to UVA can satisfy individual Disciplines Requirements.

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 for Transfer Students (beginning in Fall 2025)

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 two additional courses (6 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 OR 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.

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 College policy.  Changes to the transcript are permitted only during the current semester and the immediately subsequent semester.  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 Office of the College Registrar by the last day of final exams in the semester following the semester in which the error occurred; after that time, a student’s record is considered permanent.

Once a student’s degree is conferred, their academic record is considered permanent and cannot be changed, even if a change would fall within the deadline.

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 listed in SIS.  Only after the approval of the department and the Office of Undergraduate Education has been obtained 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 attendance policy on their course syllabus, and they are required to do so if their attendance policy can affect a student’s grade. Instructors may refer any student whose attendance record they consider unsatisfactory to the student’s Advising Dean.

The Advising Dean 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 their office.  Students anticipating the need to be absent are expected to consult with the instructor promptly.  Instructors may make reasonable accommodations for students with recognized need to miss class (for example: hospitalization, deaths in the family, University-sponsored athletic events, religious holidays), but the instructor is not obligated to allow students to make up missed work; this decision is at the discretion of the instructor alone, not the Dean. It is the student’s responsibility to communicate with their instructors; if a student is not able to connect with instructors themselves because of exigent circumstances, they should contact their Advising Dean to ask for assistance. Approval for absences from final examinations must be obtained from the Office of Undergraduate Education.

Course Enrollment Deadlines

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 should contact their Advising Dean and may be subject to enrollment penalties.  Any student who wishes to appeal any penalty attached to missed deadlines must see their Advising Dean.  Students may not register late in the College and enroll in classes after the add deadline for the semester.

Students (both students enrolled in the College and non-College students) may only add, drop, and withdraw from College courses through the deadlines stated in the current Academic Calendar (https://college.as.virginia.edu/links/academic-calendar). Students taking courses outside of the College are subject to the policies and deadlines of the school offering the course. Other schools may have enrollment deadlines which are different from the College’s.

Course Load

Special permission is required to register for fewer than 12 credits or more than 18 credits each semester.  With the exception of students who have SDAC approval, any student who earns fewer than 12 credits incurs academic warning (see Academic Standing above).  Students who enroll in no courses will be deactivated as active students.  Students in their final semester prior to graduation whose petition for a reduced course load has been approved do not incur academic warning.

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.  When extenuating circumstances interfere, students may take up to nine full-time semesters with permission of their Advising Dean.  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.

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 the 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 the Withdrawal deadline.  After this point, students must either complete the course or, with the instructor’s endorsement, submit a request for an incomplete to the Advising 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.

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 Advising 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, if the course is offered by another School at the University, by adhering to the procedures of that School.  They must also receive approval from the Office of Undergraduate Education.  Students use the “6000 Form”, available on the College website, 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 12 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: ARH 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; USEM 1580 and 2580 (USEM 1570 and 2570 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.  

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 KLPA courses; all PLSK courses; all ROTC courses–AIRS, MISC, NASC; all SEMS courses; all UNST courses; and all USEM 1570 and 2570 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 Student Health and Wellness building 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 (KLPA, formerly KINE): 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

Repeating a course may affect progress towards degree completion. Before deciding to repeat a course, students should meet with their advising dean to ensure they are making the best decision for their academic situation and goals.

In accordance with University policy , if a student earns a D+, D, D-, or F in a course and decides to take it again, both courses and their grades will appear on the transcript. However, only the higher of the two grades will be used in calculation of the grade point average (GPA). This GPA adjustment applies only in the following cases: when both the original and the repeated course are completed at UVA and taken for a letter grade; to the first 9 credits of courses that are repeated; and when the repeated course was attempted no earlier than Fall 2025. 

If a course is initially passed with a grade of C- or higher and subsequently repeated, only the first grade earned is included in the computation of GPA. 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.  

Two essentially different courses offered under the same course number (e.g., topics courses) may both be counted for degree credit upon the written recommendation of the Director of Undergraduate Programs in the department concerned.

Two essentially identical courses, whether under the same course number or not, may not both be counted for degree credit. 

Grades earned from repeated courses will not retroactively affect past academic standing (e.g., academic warning, academic suspension), regardless of changes to the calculation of the semester and cumulative GPA.

Repeating Transfered 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 is not computed in the grade point average, nor do the credits earned count toward the 120 required for graduation.

Repeating Test Credit

If a course for which test credits have been awarded is repeated at the University, the test 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.

Simultaneous Counting of Courses and Cross-listed Courses

A course that counts toward two Discipline requirements may only satisfy one of those Disciplines for an individual student, but it may satisfy the Second Writing Literacy requirement.  For transfer students in the Traditional Curriculum, 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 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 their Association Dean.  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.

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

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 or Statistics.  The requirements for the B.S. in Astronomy-Physics, Behavioral Neuroscience, Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Sciences, Physics, and Statistics 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 consults with the major department, determines the student’s remaining requirements, and informs the student of these requirements before readmission to the College.  Students wishing to resume their undergraduate education should contact the College of Arts and Sciences Advising Office in Monroe Hall.  

Degree Applications

To receive a degree, students must comply with the well-publicized procedures administered by the College Registrar.  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 108 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.

Eligibility and Completion of Degree Requirements

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.

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

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. 

Time Frame for Degree Completion

The expectation is that students complete a degree program in four academic years/eight semesters of full-time enrollment (excluding Summer Session and January Term enrollment), proportionately fewer if they enter as transfer students.  In order to remain on track to graduate in four years, students are expected to 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.  When extenuating circumstances interfere, students may take up to nine full-time semesters with permission of their Advising Dean.  Students who find themselves needing a ninth semester may consult with their Advising Dean as early as the end of their fourth semester.  Twelve or more credits attempted in a single semester for work at another institution, including study abroad, will constitute one of the semesters allotted for full-time enrollment in the College.  Students who fail to finish their degree programs in the allotted number of semesters may complete their coursework in the Summer Session or January term, through part-time enrollment, or, with prior permission, at another accredited institution.  

Visiting Students

With permission, students may be 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 July 1 for admission for the fall semester.  Such requests should include a letter of endorsement from the appropriate College 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 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 Advising 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 on the College website.  Unexcused absence from a final examination results in an automatic grade of F in the course.

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.  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.

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.

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 and may not present transfer credit earned during the same time.  Students initiate the withdrawal process with their Association Dean. 

The faculty requires each student to examine one subject in depth 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 on the College’s website and submitted electronically. 

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 may be found on the College’s website and may submitted electronically. Courses used to meet Disciplines 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, except the Chinese, Japanese, and Korean minors in East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Cultures. 

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 majors are considered interdisciplinary.  These include American Studies; Archaeology; Bioethics; Cognitive Science; East Asian Studies; Echols-Interdisciplinary; Environmental Thought and Practice; German Studies; Global Studies; Human Biology; Jewish Studies; Linguistics; Medieval Studies; Middle Eastern and South Asian Studies; Neuroscience; Political and Social Thought; Political Philosophy, Policy and Law; South Asian Studies; Women, Gender, and Sexuality; 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 approve the sharing of courses for both majors. 

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 Disciplines 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.  Courses used to meet Disciplines requirements in the College and the Second Writing Requirement may be offered in fulfillment of a first or second minor.  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.

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.

Students will receive no more, and may receive fewer, than the number of credits earned at the host institution.    Twelve or more credits attempted in a single semester  at another institution, including at a foreign institution, will constitute one of the eight semesters allotted for full-time study in the College.

See the section of this Record regarding Repeated Courses for transfer credit repeat policies.

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. 

See the section of this Record regarding Degree Requirements for policies regarding the number of transfer credits that can be applied to the degree.

General Eligibility

Current students must request permission from the College to study at an external institution by submitting a transfer credit request form prior to enrolling in courses for transfer. Permission is only granted for students who meet all of the following criteria:

• Student has at least a 2.000 cumulative grade point average (2.500 for courses taken abroad),
• Student is in good standing during the term when transfer credit is earned, and
• Student is eligible to enroll in courses at UVA during the semester when transfer credit is earned.

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.

After matriculation at the University, students may not fulfill general education requirements with domestic transfer courses.

See the Study Abroad heading of this section for information regarding World Languages, direct credit, and how such credit may apply to the curriculum.

Some transfer credit taken before matriculation may fulfill Disciplines  requirements, or fulfill major requirements with special permission of the department.  However, credit awarded as “X000T” credit will not count towards fulfillment of any general education requirements.  External transfer students may apply 100XT credit to fulfill Disciplines requirements if the credit is designated by the College to do so.

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  world language, first writing, second writing, or disciplines requirements.

Test Credit

The College may award advanced placement or advanced standing for successful completion of recognized standardized tests. Credit and placement is awarded pursuant to the Admissions section of the University’s section of this Record where applicable. For courses and tests not listed in that section, credit and placement may be awarded at the discretion of the Faculty of the relevant department or program as determined by the College.  The College awards advanced standing or placement based upon qualifying examination scores, applicable subject coefficients, and the recommendation of the appropriate Arts & Sciences department(s).

Test credit is included among non-UVA credits on the student’s transcript and, combined with transfer credit, is limited to a total of 60 credits.  See the section of this Record regarding Degree Requirements for more information.

The College of Arts & Sciences and individual departments may limit the number of advanced standing credits awarded to an individual.  Students may receive 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.

International Credit

To receive credit for international examinations not covered in the university’s section of this Record, 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 the College 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 is located on the College of Arts & Sciences website.

The College does not award credit for foreign language subject examinations of English language or literature.

Study Abroad

Students interested in study abroad should consult the information available in the International Studies Office, 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 Advising Dean and with the Director of Undergraduate Program in their major department.

Eligibility for Studying Abroad

In addition to any requirements of the International Studies Office and of the institution offering the intended program, College students must meet the requirements described in this section to be eligible for studying abroad.

Students must also meet all general eligibility requirements for transfer credit detailed earlier in this section.

In order to apply to study abroad, students must:

• Complete their first semester at UVA,
• Be enrolled in or have already completed their second semester at UVA,
• Currently have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.500,
• Be in good standing as defined in this Record, and
• Have the approval of their Advising Dean and all major advisors if studying aroad in their seventh semester or later.

Students who do not meet the GPA or good standing requirements may petition their Advising Dean for an exception.

Before beginning a study abroad program, students must:

• Complete their second semester at UVA, and
• Earn at least 30 credits at UVA

Except as noted in this section, the above requirements apply to all students, including transfer students. Eligibility requirements must be met for both direct credit and transfer credit programs.

Students participating in a J-Term study abroad program are not required to complete their second semester before participating.

Students are not required to meet any of the above listed requirements to participate in “UVA First” programs, such as UVA London First, but must still meet the requirements articulated for the specific program.

Eligible Programs for Studying Abroad

Students study abroad either in one of UVA’s direct-credit programs or in transfer credit programs offered 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. Credits earned in direct credit programs are considered to have been earned at UVA. 

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. 

Satisfactory Academic Progress While Abroad

Students enrolled in UVA direct-credit programs are expected to meet the College’s criteria for good standing and are subject to the same academic consequences for not achieving good standing as students studying at UVA.  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 semesters of full-time study they are allotted.