Academic Policies and Procedures

IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH STUDENT TO KNOW, UNDERSTAND AND COMPLETE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THEIR DEGREE PROGRAM.

This section of the Catalog is maintained by Academic Advisement. The academic policies and procedures for undergraduate students as stated herein are subject to periodic review and possible change by the vice president for Academic Affairs and faculty committees. Students are subject to the most current academic policies and procedures that are in effect.

INDEX, ACADEMIC POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Entries appear in alphabetical order with the exception of the first two entries entitled Accreditation and Degrees; all entries thereafter appear in alphabetical order. 

• Accreditation and Memberships
• Degrees
• Academic Advisement
• Academic Advisor and Advisee Roles and Responsibilities
• Academic Honors
• Academic Integrity
• Academic Probation and Dismissal from the University
• Academic Standing
• Academic Year
• Acadeum
• Admit Status
• Athletic Team Participation
• Attendance/Absence
• Auditing
• Bereavement Policy
• Change of Name/Address
• Class Standing
• Classroom Behavior
• Comprehensive Requirement
• Core Curriculum
• Course Load
• Course Numbering System
• Credit by Examination and Credit for Other Learning Experiences
• Credits and Hours
• Degree Requirements
• Dismissal and Suspension
• Drop/Add
• Electives
• English Writing: Degree Requirements and Placement
• Evaluation: All-University Assessments
• FERPA
• Final Examinations
• First-Year Program
• Foreign Language Requirement
• Grade Appeals
• Grade Points and Grade Point Average
• Grades
• Graduate Study
• Graduation / Commencement
• Graduation-Commencement Information Form / Senior Evaluation 
• Health & Wellness Requirement
• Human Subjects Research
• Independent Study
• Internships
• Intersession Courses
• Leave of Absence
• Liberal Arts Requirement
• Major
• Matriculation
• Minor
• New American Colleges and Universities (NAC&U) online Course Enrollment Program
• Pass/Fail Grading
• Petitions
• Pregnant and Parenting Students
• Prerequisite 
• Readmission
• Records and Confidentiality
• Registration
• Repeating a Course
• Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC)
• Residency Requirement
• Rochester Area Colleges (RAC) Inter-Institutional Undergraduate Student Enrollment Program
• Science Lecture and Laboratory Co-Requisite Policy
• Second Baccalaureate Degree
• Student Accessibility Services
• Standards of Academic Progress
• Student Code of Conduct
• Student Leadership
• Study Abroad
• Summer Courses at Nazareth University
• Teacher Certification Programs
• Transcripts and Records
• Transfer Credit
• Tutorials
• Undergraduate Students Taking Graduate Courses
• Waitlists
• Withdrawal from the University

Accreditation and Memberships

Nazareth University is incorporated under the authority of the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York. It is an accredited member of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Documentation regarding this incorporation and accreditation may be seen during regular business hours in the Office of the President. The University holds memberships in the American Council on Education, the Association of American Colleges and Universities, and the New American Colleges and Universities. The University is approved by the New York State Education Department for the training of veterans and other eligible persons.

College of Interprofessional Health and Human Services

• The Master of Science (M.S.) in speech-language pathology at Nazareth University is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
• The Creative Arts Therapy Programs of Art Therapy and Music Therapy are approved by NYS as licensure-qualifying. They satisfy the education requirement for licensure as an LCAT. In addition, the Art Therapy program at Nazareth University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of The Accreditation Council for Art Therapy Education (ACATE). 
• The Occupational Therapy program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE).
• The Physical Therapy program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE).
• The Nazareth University programs in Social Work (BS and MSW) are accredited by the Council for Social Work Education (CSWE). The Master of Social Work Program is fully registered with the New York State Education Department. 
• Nazareth University’s nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
• The Nazareth University public health programs are following the standards of the Council of Education for Public Health (CEPH) as they prepare for accreditation.

College of Liberal Arts, Sciences, Business, and Education

• The University’s Art Education programs are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.
• The Clinical Laboratory Sciences program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS).
• The School of Business and Leadership is a member of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). 
• The teacher education programs in the School of Education are accredited by the Association for Advancing Quality in Education Preparation (AAQEP).

College of Visual and Performing Arts and Design

• Nazareth University is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).
• The Music Therapy Program is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) and approved by the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA).

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Degrees

The baccalaureate degree is an academic degree awarded by the University to students who have completed a minimum of 120 credit hours of undergraduate study in a planned program including core requirements. Nazareth University offers Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Fine Arts, and one combined undergraduate/graduate degree; the Bachelor of Science/Master of Science in Education. Initial New York State teacher certification may be earned with many of these degrees. See the School of Education section of the catalog (located under the College of Liberal Arts, Sciences, Business, and Education) for further information.

Bachelor of Arts Degree Programs

Listed below are Nazareth University’s Bachelor of Arts degree programs.  Students majoring in these areas are expected to pursue the B.A. degree. Students must complete at least 90 liberal arts credits for the B.A. degree.

Note: The actual number of liberal arts credits required may vary by program. 

See also: Liberal Arts Requirement, Foreign Language Requirement

From time to time, in order to satisfy Teacher Certification requirements or for another legitimate reason, a student is unable, as part of the 120 minimum credit-hour program, to complete the 90 liberal arts credits required by the State Education Department for a B.A. degree.  Nazareth University has authorization to grant a Bachelor of Science degree in these areas and, in extraordinary cases, does so. Students in these programs pursue the B.S. option only with the approval of the Office of the provost, through the petition process.

*Depends on primary major

**These programs may be completed with a second major in Inclusive Early Childhood/Childhood Education. The Inclusive Early Childhood/Childhood Education major must be completed with a major in the liberal arts and sciences and is not offered as a stand-alone major.

+These programs may be completed with the Inclusive Adolescence Education Program (which is not a major).  Certification is in Social Studies for History majors and in English for Theatre majors.

Bachelor of Science Degree Programs

Listed below are Nazareth University’s Bachelor of Science degree programs. Students majoring in these areas pursue the B.S. degree.  Students must complete at least 60 liberal arts credits for the B.S. degree.

NOTE: The actual number of liberal arts credits required may vary by program. 

See also: Liberal Arts Requirement, Foreign Language Requirement
 

*Depends on primary major

**These programs may be completed with a second major in Inclusive Early Childhood/Childhood Education. The Inclusive Early Childhood/Childhood Education major must be completed with a major in the liberal arts and sciences and is not offered as a stand- alone major.

+These programs may be completed with the Inclusive Adolescence Education Program (which is not a major).

Bachelor of Music Degree Programs

Listed below are Nazareth University’s Bachelor of Music degree programs. Students majoring in these areas pursue the Mus.B. degree.  Some Mus.B programs require more than 120 credit hours, but students with course waivers based on initial placement into music courses may complete fewer credit hours but must complete a minimum of 120 credits to earn a degree.  Students must complete at least 45 liberal arts credits for the Mus.B. degree. 

NOTE: The actual number of liberal arts credits required may vary by program. 

See also: Liberal Arts Requirement, Foreign Language Requirement

Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree Programs

Listed below are Nazareth University’s Bachelor of Fine Arts degree programs. Students majoring in these areas pursue the B.F.A. degree. Students must complete at least 30 liberal arts credits for the B.F.A. degree. 

NOTE: The actual number of liberal arts credits required may vary by program.

See also: Liberal Arts Requirement, Foreign Language Requirement

Combined Undergraduate/Graduate Degree Programs

Listed below is the Nazareth University Bachelor of Science/Master of Science in Education 5 year degree program. Students complete at least 60 liberal arts credits for this combined degree program.

NOTE: The actual number of liberal arts credits required may vary by program. 

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Academic Advisement

Academic advisement is a collaborative educational process. It is the reflective process of planning a student’s education, keeping in mind the University’s academic policies and degree requirements as well as the student’s choice of majors and/or minors, academic abilities, special interests, co-curricular activities, and professional and life goals. Academic advisement supports student success by encouraging students to become self-reliant and make appropriate decisions that maximize their educational experience.

The goals of the Academic Advisement Program are to:

• assist students to clarify educational, professional, and life goals and learn decision-making skills.
• assist students with academic program planning, course selection, and registration.
• review and monitor student academic progress.
• help students to understand academic policies, procedures, and requirements.
• inform students of campus resources, support services, and educational opportunities.
• promote student self-reliance.
• understand, respect, and respond to individual student advising needs.
• help students understand the University’s educational mission.
• collect and distribute relevant data about student needs and performance for use in institutional decision-making.

To achieve these goals, every student is assigned a faculty or professional academic advisor to assist with academic concerns and program selection. Students are required to meet with their advisors each semester during the advisement for registration period. The staff in Academic Advisement is available to answer questions and clarify statements concerning academic policies, to coordinate advisement functions, and to assist students personally with special or difficult advisement problems. Academic Advisement coordinates CDL101, Exploring Self, Majors and Careers. This one credit course is designed to assist students with the process of exploring self, majors and careers and applying that information to the decision-making process. Students will also be introduced to major and career exploration resources, methods, and decision-making models. This course is only open to first-year students and sophomores. 

Assignment of Advisors
Incoming first-year students and transfer students are assigned faculty advisors as follows: 

• Open Path (exploratory) major - assigned by The Center for Life’s Work to a professional or faculty advisor.
• Intended major program in any area - assigned by the department chairperson to a departmental faculty advisor.

Open Path (exploratory) students are expected to decide on a major by the end of the sophomore year. Students who are changing or declaring a major must obtain approval from the department chairperson who will determine if requirements have been met for acceptance into the major, and if accepted, the department chairperson will assign a departmental advisor. An Undergraduate Academic Program Update Form must be completed.

Change of Advisor
Students who wish to change advisors must complete a change of advisor request on the Undergraduate Academic Program Update Form. The completed form is submitted to the office of Academic Advisement for processing.

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Academic Advisor and Advisee Roles and Responsibilities

Advisor Roles and Responsibilities

• Get to know advisees; contact new advisees early in the semester.
• Post and keep office hours and inform advisees of the best way to contact the advisor.
• Know and understand core, academic program and professional requirements, as well as University policies and procedures; help advisees to understand all of these elements.
• Assist advisees in reflecting upon their interests and abilities and clarifying educational, professional and life goals through active listening.
• Monitor advisees’ academic progress and assist them in planning their programs to achieve their academic, professional and life goals.
• Inform advisees of appropriate campus resources, support services and educational opportunities.
• Encourage advisees to meet with the advisor before problems arise.
• Learn advising procedures, tools, and technology by reviewing advising materials and/or attending advisor training opportunities.
• Understand and follow Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) regulations.
• Maintain advising notes for each advisee.
• Support advisees’ applications for educational and employment opportunities when appropriate.
• Sign University forms as necessary.

Advisee (Student) Roles and Responsibilities

• Know and complete the requirements for their degree program and the University core.
• Understand and follow academic policies and procedures.
• Get to know the advisor. Schedule regular appointments with the advisor as needed; students are required to meet with their advisors at least once each semester to plan their academic programs and select courses.
• Plan ahead and bring questions and relevant materials to appointments; be prepared for appointments with the advisor.
• Prepare a tentative course schedule prior to meeting with the advisor for course selection appointments.
• Know how to utilize current technology to access academic information such as NazNet Self-Service and the online catalog.
• Be familiar with campus services and resources and use them as needed, especially if recommended by the advisor.
• Reflect upon their interests, abilities and educational, professional and life goals and discuss with the advisor.
• Monitor their academic progress.
• Contact their advisor(s) if they have academic concerns or difficulties.
• Retain important documentation related to their academics.
• Check their Nazareth email regularly.

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Academic Honors

Dean’s List
At the end of each semester (fall and spring only), full-time matriculated students who have completed a minimum of 12 credits and who have earned a grade point average of 3.5 or above for that semester are honored by the publication of their names on the Dean’s List, provided the students have completed at least 9 credit hours of graded undergraduate course work.  Three credits of Pass/Fail are allowed. Students with credit-bearing “I” grades are not eligible for the Dean’s List. 

Commencement Honors
The baccalaureate degree is awarded cum laude to students who have earned a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.500, magna cum laude to those whose cumulative grade point average is at least 3.750, and summa cum laude to those whose cumulative grade point average is at least 3.900.  The GPA calculation will be carried out to three decimal places. 

University-Wide Honor Societies
The University has three honor societies open to students in all disciplines. First-year honor students are named to Phi Eta Sigma. Junior, senior and graduate honor students are named to Phi Kappa Phi. Adult honor students are named to the Alpha Sigma Lambda Society.

Department Honor Societies

Each year several academic departments name their honor students to the Nazareth’s chapter of an appropriate national honor society: Business (Sigma Beta Delta), Chemistry/Biochemistry (Phi Lambda Upsilon), Communication Studies Honor Society (Lambda Pi Eta), Economics (Omicron Delta Epsilon), Education (Pi Lambda Theta), English (Sigma Tau Delta), Foreign Languages and Literatures (French, Pi Delta Phi; Italian, Gamma Kappa Alpha), Gerontology (Alpha Lambda, chapter of Sigma Phi Omega), History (Phi Alpha Theta), International Affairs (Sigma Iota Rho), Mathematics (Pi Mu Epsilon), Music (Pi Kappa Lambda), Nursing (Sigma Theta Tau - Pi Psi), Occupational Therapy (Pi Theta Epsilon), Philosophy (Phi Sigma Tau), Psychology (Psi Chi), Physical Therapy (Pro Bono National Honor Society, National PT Student Honor Society), Religious Studies (Theta Alpha Kappa), Social Sciences and History (Pi Gamma Mu), Social Work (Phi Alpha). Each honor society has its own set of eligibility requirements and may have a membership fee.

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Academic Integrity

Academic Integrity is defined as “honest and responsible scholarship” (University of Oklahoma, 2018) and is further characterized by the five values designated by the International Center for Academic Integrity: “honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility” (International Center for Academic Integrity, 2014, p. 16). Nazareth University shares the Center’s preference for an academic, supportive, and promotive approach to academic integrity rather than one focused mainly on violation detection and disciplinary consequence.

Nazareth recognizes the interdependence among these five values. Trust of instructors follows fair treatment of students. Trust among scholars at all levels depends on honesty, and respect is earned when we hold ourselves as responsible as we expect others to hold themselves. In these ways, academic freedom is earned with academic integrity. 

In addition to modeling academic integrity, it is often the responsibility of faculty to teach students the importance of academic honesty as well as the procedures for recognizing the work of others. So informed, students are then responsible for holding themselves to the same standards. Course instructors are familiar with their students, with their own disciplines’ conventions, and with their own coverage of those conventions at any given point in the semester. Therefore, instructors are best situated initially to assess the nature and extent of violations of academically honest practice. This begins with distinguishing errors due to insufficient education on the one hand, and deliberate violations on the other.

Procedures: The first step following an instructor’s detection of a possible violation is to meet with the student to mutually share information. As a general guideline, if the instructor believes that an error was made due to a student’s lack of information, then an educational solution is probably indicated. If the instructor suspects a case of deliberate academic dishonesty, then a response may take the form of some combination of educational and disciplinary consequences. Both success and deficiency in honest scholarship may be due to numerous variables, which may include the developmental level of the student, language, cultural familiarity, the extent of course coverage of academic integrity, evidence of planning, and/or exploitation of others. As the seriousness, extent, and deliberate nature of offenses increase, so does the weight of the University’s expectation for (a) including others (chairperson/program director, associate dean, dean, associate provost, provost) in the matter, and (b) reporting the matter to the associate provost to facilitate record-keeping.

LEVELS OF VIOLATIONS

The following are general levels of violations. In certain cases, it may be difficult to determine the level of a violation and instructors must use their best judgment. The primary criterion for deciding on a course of action should be how we can best position students for success.

Level One: Preparation. These problems result from insufficient preparation, communication, or understanding.

Level Two: Judgment. These problems result from poor decisions or ill-advised shortcuts.

Level Three: Serious Deliberate Violation. These serious problems result from intentional deception.

SPECIFIC SANCTIONS MAY BE IMPLEMENTED AS FOLLOWS:

The instructor may issue a failing grade for the assignment, in which case the instructor is the sanctioning party.

If the instructor judges that a violation requires failure of the course or dismissal from program or major, the instructor shall recommend such action to the appropriate program director or chairperson. In interdisciplinary programs, this decision should be made in consultation with the appropriate program director and chairperson. If the program director or chairperson implements such sanctions, the program director or chairperson is the sanctioning party.

If the instructor judges that a violation requires dismissal or suspension from the University, the instructor must first consult with the program director or chairperson/associate dean. If the program director or chairperson/associate dean agrees, the program director or chairperson/associate dean shall recommend the action to the appropriate dean. If the dean agrees, the dean or designee will recommend the action to the provost or designee. If the provost or designee implements such sanctions, the provost or designee is the sanctioning party.

The sanctioning party will inform the student of the sanctions as soon as possible. Students who wish to appeal the judgment or the sanctions of the sanctioning party may follow the Undergraduate or Graduate Procedures for Grade Appeals. The appeals process is aligned with the program/faculty of the course under appeal, following this sequence: instructor → program director → chairperson/associate dean → associate provost/provost or designee. Appeals consist of mediation among the involved parties. The sanctioning party (the instructor, program director/chairperson, or provost based on the sanction) has the sole authority to reduce or eliminate sanctions through the appeals process. If a student’s home department is different from the department in which the course resides, the program director, chairperson/associate dean, and dean of the student’s home department must be informed of the status of the appeal.

All judgments of the provost or designee are final, except when the sanctions of suspension or dismissal are involved. These sanctions may be appealed to the president of the University. Such an appeal, however, shall be entertained solely at the discretion of the president.

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Academic Probation and Dismissal from the University

The University reserves the right to require, at any time, the withdrawal of a student whose academic does not meet the standards set forth by the University. A student may be dismissed at the end of any semester based on the guidelines outlined below. In such cases, fees that are due to the student for the upcoming semester will be refunded. The record of any student whose work falls below the expected standard is reviewed by the Committee on Academic Standards. Probation levels and dismissals are assigned based on these academic standards:

*Students in the first two semesters of University are evaluated as first-year students even if they have advanced class standing due to University-level credits earned in high school. This does not apply to transfer students, who follow the standards associated with their total attempted Nazareth credits plus transfer credits.

Students can be on probation for two semesters only, after which they are dismissed from the University. The Academic Standing Committee may grant exceptions to the two semester limit when a student has demonstrated sufficient academic progress.

Term Probation (all class levels):
If a semester GPA is less than 1.7 (even if the cumulative is 2.0 or above), the student is placed on academic probation; this does not apply to individual summer sessions.

Course Load
Students on academic probation may not register for more than 15 credits during the following semester.  This course load limit remains in effect for the semester of the probation. The credit limit is removed in time for the subsequent semester registration period. 

Procedures
At the end of each semester (fall, spring, combined summer sessions); academic probation cases are reviewed on an individual basis by the Committee on Academic Standards. Once the decision regarding the status of the student has been made, the student is notified by email and letter of the Committee’s decision. A copy of this letter is placed in the student’s file in the Office of Registration and Records, and the student’s advisor is notified. Appropriate department chairpersons and University officials are also notified of students placed on academic probation or dismissed. 

Removal from Academic Probation
Once the student meets the GPA standards stated above, the student is automatically removed from academic probation.

Notes:

• Students wishing to appeal their academic status must submit a written appeal to the chairperson of the Committee on Academic Standards. In the appeal, students should describe the challenges or extenuating circumstances that contributed to their academic difficulty and indicate how they plan to address these issues to improve their academic performance. In cases of academic dismissal, if a student’s appeal for reinstatement is denied by the Committee on Academic Standards, the student may appeal the Committee’s decision by submitting a written appeal to the provost. The decision of the provost is final.
• Any exception to the above policies must have the approval of the Committee on Academic Standards.
• University-wide academic probation standards may differ from probation standards within selected majors, minors or degree programs. Standards for grading, probation, removal from probation, and provisional acceptance related to monitoring GPA for some academic programs may be more stringent than those outlined above as governed by program requirements, licensing and accrediting organizations. Consult departmental websites and student handbooks and the University catalog for individual program policies to which students must adhere.
• Summer coursework taken by first-year students prior to their first fall semester will not be evaluated for academic probation/dismissal at the end of the summer term, although an academic warning may be issued. This coursework will be evaluated as part of a student’s cumulative GPA at the end of the first fall term and beyond.
• This policy pertains to academic probation and dismissal only. Federal, state and Nazareth University financial aid eligibility and renewal standards have differing academic requirements that must be met.

See also: Standards of Academic Progress in Financial Information , Grade Appeals, Readmission, Withdrawal

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Academic Standing

Students are in good academic standing as long as they are in good academic standing toward the degree for which they are working and are not on academic probation.

Note: Academic standards for the College of Interprofessional Health and Human Services licensed health professions may be more stringent than those outlined above as governed by program requirements, licensing and accrediting organizations. Consult departmental student handbooks for individual program policies to which students must adhere.

See also Academic Probation and Dismissal from the University in this section of the catalog and Standards of Academic Progress in the Financial Information  section.

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Academic Year

The academic year is divided into two semesters with optional summer sessions for undergraduate and graduate students. 

See also: Intersession Courses

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Acadeum

Nazareth is a member of the Acadeum University Consortium, a group of like-minded accredited colleges and universities that support students’ completion goals by sharing online course offerings. 

Interested students should discuss course options available through Acadeum with their advisor first and then log in to the Acadeum Course Share Platform to start the registration process. 

Taking approved courses through Acadeum offers several advantages to the traditional transfer credit process:

• Acadeum courses are transcribed on the Nazareth transcript as a Nazareth course.
• Students can apply for financial aid through Nazareth to assist with the cost for Acadeum courses.
  • Standard Nazareth financial aid policies and processes apply. Please contact Financial Aid (finaid@naz.edu) if you have any questions about aid eligibility.
  • Note: Students receiving veteran benefits should check with the Coordinator of Veteran Services and Academic Counselor for important information regarding the use of veteran benefits for online courses.
• Students can improve their Nazareth GPA by substituting a course grade earned through the consortium for the course previously taken at Nazareth (if eligible for repeat).
• There is no need to navigate registration and billing processes at another institution. These processes are all managed at Nazareth after a student requests a course through the Acadeum Course Share Platform.

For further details, please see the Acadeum Course Share webpage.

Admit Status

Students are admitted to the University with an admit status of first-year, transfer or readmit. Academic policies may vary based on the admit status of the student.

A First Year Student is a student who is in their first year at Nazareth who has never matriculated at another college or university. These students may have completed credit through another college of university while in high school (i.e., through dual credit or other non-matriculated status).

A Transfer Student is a student who previously enrolled in coursework at another college or university, regardless of matriculated status, after high school graduation. They may or may not have completed a degree at another institution.  A transfer first-year is a student who was matriculated at another institution for only one semester prior to attending Nazareth.

A Readmitted Student is a student who was previously matriculated at Nazareth University but withdrew from the university. These students may have withdrawn from Nazareth (officially or unofficially) or been dismissed from the university. These students must reapply for admission.

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Athletic Team Participation

In addition to meeting the academic requirements that are set up by the University, all student-athletes must meet NCAA requirements by being matriculated undergraduate students who are carrying a minimum of 12 credit hours and who are making satisfactory progress toward a degree. Students who are members of the University athletic teams are excused from classes when necessary to participate in games and matches per the University’s Attendance/Absence policy, but not for practices. They are expected to make-up all missed work.

Students on athletic teams are registered for one semester of PED 112 Varsity Teams to satisfy the University’s health and wellness requirement. The Registration and Records Office confirms with the Athletics Department that the student participated on a team and posts PED112 to the student’s record.

See also: Attendance/Absence

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Attendance/Absence

Students are expected to attend all meetings of courses for which they are registered beginning with the first day of the semester (or first class). Attendance expectations are in place across all forms of instruction (in-person, hybrid, and online). For courses that meet in person, students are expected to attend in person unless they have received an approved accommodation to attend remotely due to a medical condition or disability through Student Accessibility Services. Students are expected to know the University’s academic calendar. Students should avoid making personal travel or other plans that require them to miss classes during the semester or final exams. Students, as well as the instructors, offer an important contribution to the courses by their presence and participation.

While there is no officially recognized system of “allowed” absences, departments and individual faculty members may establish their own criteria, and it is the student’s responsibility to know these criteria. Departments or individual faculty may set attendance requirements for their courses to support academic excellence and to ensure an appropriate learning environment.  Faculty are encouraged to use the FlyerSuccess system to notify students about attendance concerns. In cases of excessive absence, the instructor may advise the student to withdraw from the course.

Regardless of the reason for absence, it is the responsibility of the student to make up all missed work to the satisfaction of the instructor. Students must meet deadlines for course requirements during a period of absence unless the student makes alternate arrangements with the instructor prior to the original due date.  Students who are unable to attend classes for medical or other valid reasons do not participate in extracurricular activities during the period of absence.

Absences Due to Religious Observance
Students who are unable to participate in any class, examination, or assignment due to religious holy day requirements shall not be penalized, provided the instructor has been notified in writing at least two weeks prior to the absence.

Absences Due to Medical or Other Valid Reason
Students who are absent from the University for three or more consecutive days for medical or other valid reasons (e.g. jury duty, required military duties) must notify the Office of Student Success, which in turn, will notify the students’ instructors.

Absences due to Nazareth-sanctioned activities and Required Military Obligations
When students participate in extracurricular and co-curricular activities, Nazareth University recognizes the fact that there may be occasional conflicts with class attendance. Students who plan to miss classes for Nazareth-sanctioned activities must discuss these in advance with the instructor by following the notification procedures below and make arrangements for making up any missed work. Examples of sanctioned activities include but are not limited to participation in Nazareth-authorized athletic competitions, required military obligations (trainings, activations, emergencies) performances, club-sponsored conferences and presentations, academic conference presentations, activities and events sponsored by the Center for Life’s work (including internships, career services and civic engagement), University-supported short-term study abroad programs or other significant extracurricular or co-curricular activities. For questions about whether or not an academic extracurricular or co-curricular activity is a sanctioned one, contact the dean for which the activity falls or the Associate Provost and Dean of Students for co-curricular activities and the sponsoring faculty/staff member. Instructors establish attendance policies to support academic excellence in their courses. Habitual absences from class due to extracurricular or co-curricular events may jeopardize a student’s ability to succeed in a class. Therefore, students should try to avoid scheduling classes at times which would regularly conflict with extracurricular or co-curricular activities and required military obligations.

The policy outlined below applies to student-athletes for athletic competitions, student service members for required military obligations, and all students for the extracurricular and co-curricular events. Students participating in Nazareth-sanctioned activities shall not be penalized for an absence due to the activity as long as the student notifies the instructor prior to the absence according to the procedures below.  This means that students will be allowed to make up any work missed due to the excused absence without penalty, and the absence will not be counted against the students. This policy includes final exams which may be in conflict with end of term playoff games, other competitions or unanticipated military obligations. In these instances, students must notify faculty as soon as the conflict is identified.

• Students will provide a hard copy form (https://www2.naz.edu/download_file/view/9169/710/) to faculty identifying any known conflicts between athletic competitions, military obligations OR extra-curricular and co-curricular activities and their classes, clinicals or labs by the end of the first week of the semester. In the case of a missed clinical or lab, in addition to notifying the faculty member, the student will refer to any additional clinical policies and procedures as outlined by the program. This letter will be signed by the coach/Athletic Director, Military/Veteran Services Coordinator or sponsoring faculty/staff member. NOTE: Some athletic competitions cannot be determined at the beginning of the semester due to playoffs and/or weather conditions.  Sometimes students are not made aware of the schedule until a day or two prior to an athletic competition. some required military obligations cannot be determined at the beginning of the semester due to emergency response activations. Some sponsored activities may also not be known until later in the term. In these cases, the student will provide faculty members with information about any conflicts as soon as they are made aware of the situation and provide a form at that time.
• After discussing the absence(s) with the faculty member and determining a plan for completing missed work or submitting assignments, it is the student’s responsibility to follow through on the agreement, although documentation will be kept by both parties. Note: For athletic events, coaches are willing to proctor exams and quizzes while on the road or attending an “away” event when possible. Faculty are encouraged to review these guidelines when assisting students who are absent due to military obligations.
• If a student is in danger of failing a course, the faculty member is welcome to discuss the situation with the student and the coach/sponsoring faculty or staff member to determine if it is in the student’s best interest to forgo participating in the next day of competition (athletes) or forgo the extracurricular or co-curricular activity (all students). In the event a student service member is in danger of failing a course, the faculty member, student service member and Military & Veteran Services Coordinator should work together to determine the best course of action.
• In the case where a student and instructor cannot come to an agreement about a missed class, the student or faculty member may request a consultation with the coach, Military & Veteran Servics Coordinator or sponsoring faculty/staff member  in order to seek a resolution.  In cases where a resolution cannot be found, the student or faculty member may request a review and discussion by: (1) for athletic events: the Athletic Director, NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative (FAR) and a Student Athlete Activities Council (SAAC) representative; (2) for required military obligations: the Vice President for Retention & Student Success; (3) for academic extracurricular and co-curricular activities: the dean for which the activity falls or the Associate Provost and Dean of Students for co-curricular activities and the sponsoring faculty/staff member. This review process will seek to find a compromise which is beneficial to both student and faculty, but does not undermine academic integrity or participation in the extracurricular or co-curricular activity.

See also: Bereavement Policy

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Auditing

A student must register to audit a course and is expected to participate in the work of the course and is subject to the attendance policy for the course. Auditors do not take the final examination. No credit is earned and no grade is given for auditing.  Students may audit undergraduate courses on a space available basis, subject to the audit fee when applicable.  Independent studies, directed studio projects, tutorials, internships, and skills based courses (music lessons, studio courses, dance technique classes, labs) cannot be taken on an audit basis. Audits are not allowed for professional courses.  The last date to change from credit to audit is published in the academic calendar.  Non-matriculated students who wish to audit a course must obtain the approval of the department chairperson of the course on an Audit Approval Form and submit it to the Office of Registration and Records; audit forms are available on the Office of Registration and Records website. Auditors must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.  

The audit fee is typically one-third of the tuition charge for the course plus applicable fees.  Auditing a three credit hour undergraduate class counts as one billing credit for a full-time undergraduate student. If the addition of an audited course increases a full-time undergraduate’s billing credits over the full-time limit, the student will be charged at the per credit overload tuition rate. For example, a student is enrolled in 19 credits and receives approval to audit a three credit hour class; the billing will be based on 20 credits. In this example, the student will be charged the flat full-time undergraduate rate (12-19 credits) and the cost of a one credit hour at the overload rate. Please contact Student Accounts with any billing questions. 

Students who register to audit a course may be required to complete all assignments and course requirements except for the final examination. Note: Nazareth alumni and senior citizens may audit undergraduate courses for a reduced fee. Please contact Student Accounts for further information.

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Bereavement Policy

Undergraduate students who experience the death of a loved one must contact the Director of the Office of Student Success if the student wishes to implement the Student Bereavement Policy; the student may be asked to provide documentation that verifies the death (e.g., a funeral program or death notice). This policy applies to the death of an immediate family member (i.e. spouse, partner, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent). If a death outside of the immediate family warrants implementation of the student bereavement policy, it is ultimately up to the discretion of the Director of Student Success in consultation with the Assistant Vice President for Retention and Student Success to determine.

Student Bereavement Procedure:

• Upon approval from the Director of the Office for Student Success, the student is allowed one week of excused absence from the date of notification.
• The Director of the Office for Student Success will use the FlyerSuccess  System to notify the student’s advisor(s), faculty members, Counseling Services, the Center for Spirituality, and Residential Life (for resident students) that the student will be absent due to bereavement and the amount of time the student is excused from class and course work.
• Faculty and staff will be advised that extensions on all assigned course work must be granted to the student for the one week period of the excused absence.
• The student is responsible to notify off-campus supervisors after consultation and approval from the appropriate faculty member. The expectation for work required in off-campus experiences should be clearly outlined at the time of notification of the approved leave.
• Further extensions may be negotiated by the student with the faculty when the student returns to campus.
• Requests for leave of absence after the withdrawal deadline (as published in the academic calendar) may be granted in cases of bereavement. Contact the Assistant Vice President of Retention and Student Success to review the leave of absence policy and process.

See also: Attendance/Absence

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Change of Name/Address

Each student must provide a current correct name and address to the Office of Registration and Records within 10 days of any change. This includes both the permanent and local (academic year/summer) address. Forms are available online (Records and Registration website) or in the Office of Registration and Records. 

Students may designate a chosen first name in their User Profile in NazNet.  Chosen first name and legal last name will display in the following areas:

• Class Rosters 
• NazNet/Student Planning 
• Moodle 
• FlyerSuccess 
• Handshake 
• Student ID Card 
• NazAlert 
• Nazareth Directory
• Dean’s List

Legal first name and last name will be used in the following areas:

• Financial records 
• Student Account Records (billing) 
• Academic Transcripts 
• Print mailings

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Class Standing

Matriculated students are classified by the Office of Registration and Records on the basis of credit hours earned (including transfer credits accepted and posted) as follows:

• Senior standing 88 or more credit hours
• Junior standing 58 to 87 credit hours
• Sophomore standing 28 to 57 credit hours
• First-year standing below 28 credit hours

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Classroom Behavior 

Students are expected to behave appropriately in the classroom.  Any conduct which infringes upon the rights of others or which adversely affects the academic or an administrative activity of the University is prohibited.  Students may be disciplined for any conduct that includes but is not limited to the following acts of misconduct: any action which endangers a student or the University community, or interferes with, or disrupts the academic process.  See the Student Code of Conduct in the Student Handbook for more detailed information. 

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Comprehensive Requirement

All students must meet the comprehensive requirement of the major field (or of each major field, if the student has a double major).  The format of the comprehensive requirement varies by department. Questions about this should be referred to a student’s academic advisor.

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Course Load

Students are responsible for all department fees (e.g., music lessons, studio fees, lab fees) connected with their course loads. 

Full-time load
A full-time student takes 12 - 19 credit hours each semester (see chart below).  A minimum of 15 credit hours per semester is recommended to stay on track for graduation. Full-time tuition covers a maximum of 19 credit hours.

A student who takes 12 credits is considered to be full-time. Students who enroll in fewer than 15 credits per semester may incur additional costs through a need to take summer courses or extending their program beyond the traditional eight semesters. Students on academic probation may not exceed 15 credit hours per semester. Some students are admitted to the university with load limits. 

Part-time load
Any student below 12 credits is considered to be part-time. Some financial aid is available for matriculated part-time students enrolled in a minimum of 6 credits (e.g., prorated Federal Pell Grants, NYS Aid for Part-Time Study, TAP, and student loans).  Students should check with the Financial Aid Office for eligibility criteria and applications.  

Overloads
Overloads of more than 19 credits may be permitted when a student’s GPA is 2.75 or higher through the petition process; this requires approval by the academic advisor and the chairperson of the student’s major. Beyond 19 hours, the overload tuition rate per credit is charged.

See also: Probation, Registration

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Course Numbering System 

Course Levels
Lower division courses are 100 and 200 level.  Upper division courses are 300 and 400 level. 

Cross-listing of courses
Some courses are listed under multiple academic departments by subject area.  In addition, some courses are cross-listed by level. Undergraduate students must register for the undergraduate level course.

See also: Graduate Study

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Credit by Examination and Credit for Other Learning Experiences

Before applying for credit by examination programs, a student must consult with a transfer credit evaluator, the academic advisor, and/or the appropriate department chairperson regarding applicability of credit to a degree program. Credit will not be given in cases where credits have already been earned for similar coursework. Students may earn no more than 30 credits from any combination of the programs listed below. An official score report issued by the testing agency is required in order for credit to be posted to the Nazareth transcript.

Advanced Placement Credit
Credit for advanced placement may be awarded to new students who have completed advanced placement courses in secondary school and who have taken the appropriate College Board advanced placement examination (with a minimum grade of 3, 4 or 5 depending on the exam). Credits earned through this program are subject to the guidelines established by the various academic departments.

Advanced Placement credit is accumulated like transfer credit. No grade points are assigned, so this does not enter into the calculation of the GPA. For more information about advanced placement credit, contact Academic Advisement or refer to that department’s website at https://www2.naz.edu/academic-advisement.

College Level Examination Program
The University participates in the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) of the College Entrance Examination Board. Students can earn credits by achieving satisfactory scores on the general examination and credits as well as advanced standing in the Subject Examinations. Credit may be earned for up to 12 credits in any department and/or a total of up to 30 credits by exam. Test takers may not repeat an exam of the same title within three months of the initial testing date. If you retake the exam within the three-month period, your administration will be considered invalid, your score will be canceled, and any test fees will be forfeited.

Students must receive prior approval from the academic advisor, the chairperson of the department in which the exam is offered, and a transfer credit evaluator before registering for the CLEP. Transfer Credit Approval forms are available on the Academic Advisement website.

DSST Program (DANTES Subject Standardized Test)
The University grants credits for satisfactory scores on many DSST exams. Credit may be earned for up to 12 credits in any department and/or a total of up to 30 credits by exam. Current matriculated students must receive prior approval from the academic advisor, the chairperson of the department in which the exam is offered, and a transfer credit evaluator before registering for a DSST exam. Transfer Credit Approval forms are available on the Academic Advisement website.

Departmental Proficiency Examinations
For matriculated students, special departmental examinations may be used: 1) to waive introductory course requirements so that the student may move more rapidly into advanced courses; 2) to earn credit toward the degree; and 3) to earn credit for a course failed instead of repeating the course. (The original course and grade remain on the record.) Credit may be earned for up to 12 credits in any department and/or a total of up to 30 credits.

To earn credit through Nazareth University departmental proficiency examinations, the student secures approval in advance, using the standard Undergraduate Student Petition Form, from the department chairperson, the course instructor, and the appropriate dean. A non-refundable fee equivalent to one credit hour of tuition per 3-credit course (or one third the tuition for courses other than three-credit), plus one third of any applicable course fees is payable before the examination is given. A grade appears on the Nazareth University transcript and is calculated into the GPA for departmental proficiency examinations. These examinations cannot be taken Pass/Fail, except for courses that are normally graded Pass/Fail.

Excelsior College Examinations
This program is sponsored and administered by the New York State Education Department. Students who earn satisfactory scores on these examinations will be given University credit. These examinations are given in a variety of subjects at locations throughout New York State. Students must receive prior approval from the academic advisor, the chairperson of the department in which the exam is offered, and the transfer credit evaluator before registering for Excelsior University Examinations.

International Baccalaureate
Nazareth University recognizes the International Baccalaureate (IB) examination program and awards credit for higher level subject examinations with a grade of 5 or better. A maximum of 30 semester hours of credit may be earned by examination including the IB program. Credits earned are subject to the guidelines established by the various academic departments. Consult Academic Advisement for additional information.

NYU Foreign Language Proficiency Exams
New York University’s (NYU) School of Continuing and Professional Studies offers proficiency testing in more than 50 languages. Tests are given by appointment on the NYU campus or off-site locations in the United States and abroad. Students can take the 12-point exam and earn six credits in a modern foreign language. Students must receive prior approval from the academic advisor and the transfer credit evaluator before registering for NYU foreign language proficiency exams.

Other Proficiency Exams
Inquiry may be made concerning acceptance of other kinds of proficiency examinations, and the amount of credit that may be earned by proficiency examinations in a particular situation. Consult a transfer credit evaluator in Academic Advisement.

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA)
Credit may be awarded for verifiable University-level learning acquired through significant life or work experiences - for example, on-the-job experience, volunteer service, conferences, workshops, military and in-service training. In order to determine whether or not credit should be awarded, Nazareth University has partnered with the Learning Counts Program through the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL). Learning Counts is a comprehensive one-stop prior learning assessment (PLA) resource for adult learners, offering PLA guidance, prior learning portfolio development courses, and portfolio assessment services. Nazareth University will accept the credit recommendations of Learning Counts/CAEL transcribed on an American Council on Education (ACE) transcript as it would for other types of transfer credit. Courses must be in reasonable conformity with the curriculum and transfer policies of Nazareth University, and credit will not be given in cases where credits have already been earned for similar coursework. 

To be eligible to receive credit, you must:

• Be a matriculated student at Nazareth University;
• Be in good standing;
• Have demonstrated competency in written English;
• Have access to a computer with high-speed capability and be a good candidate for online learning;
• Complete CAEL 100, a portfolio orientation course, which will result in three elective credits if completed successfully
• Complete a portfolio and submit it to CAEL for evaluation. Students may request up to 12 credits per portfolio within a single discipline. Credit is not guaranteed.

To learn more about the prior learning assessment process, please consult a transfer credit evaluator in Academic Advisement. Students must pay CAEL’s tuition and fees for the portfolio course and evaluation.

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Credits and Hours

Consistent with the regulations of the New York State Education Department, credits refer to the number of semester hours applicable toward the total required for graduation. Credit is awarded as follows:

1. For a lecture or seminar, one credit hour requires at least fifteen 50-minute periods of instruction with at least thirty hours of supplementary assignments.
2. For a laboratory, one credit requires at least 150 minutes of supervised work in a laboratory setting, or the equivalent, for each of fifteen weeks.
3. For a clinical course, studio, or practicum, one credit requires at least three hours in a supervised setting each week.
4. Credit for independent study is calculated in a manner equivalent to practica.
5. Credit for internship is calculated in a manner equivalent to practica, requiring at least 45 hours on-site and in related activities over the course of fifteen weeks.

Courses offered entirely online have the same learning outcomes as equivalent on-site courses.  Expectations for contact time are met through online interactions with the instructor and engagement in structured online activities with other students (e.g., discussions, study groups, group projects).  Online courses must meet the total instructional and student work time required for on-site courses with equivalent credit values.  

The minimum required for graduation is 120 credit hours.

Adding credit to a course
In order for a student to add one credit hour to a three-credit course, the student must complete and submit a petition to the Office of Registration and Records signed by the student’s instructor.  The petition must include a detailed description of the work that will be completed to earn the additional credit.*  If approved, the three-credit course becomes a four-credit course for that student.  The grade earned for the work completed for the additional credit is included in the calculation of the overall course grade, and the student is awarded one grade for four-credit hours.  The additional credit cannot be dropped from the course after the drop deadline.

*NOTE:  One credit hour is equivalent to 15 hours of classroom time plus additional work outside of class (approximately two additional hours per classroom hour) for a total of 45 hours.

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Core Curriculum

Foundations:

• ACS 101 Academic and College Success  Credits: 1, required for first-year students in the first semester and students transferring in fewer than 28 credits. Transfer students with 28 or more credits must instead take ACS 090 Academic and College Success for Transfer Students  Credits: 0.
• ENGW 101 Exposition  Credits: 3 and ENGW 102 Argument and Research  Credits: 3, or equivalent.
• Health & Wellness - One approved course/experience (credit bearing or non-credit bearing).

Perspectives-Enduring Questions (PEQs):
25 credits, eight PEQ courses, one in each of the following areas:

• History
• Literature
• Mathematics
• Natural Sciences with lab
• Philosophy
• Religious Studies
• Social Sciences (Anthropology, Communication and Media, Economics, Geography, Political Science, Psychology and Sociology)
• Visual & Performing Arts (Art, Dance, Music, Theatre)

One of these PEQ courses will be taken as a First Year Seminar for students entering with 28 or fewer credits.

Integrative Studies (IS):
Three thematically related courses selected by student, 9 credits. IS courses must be 200 level or higher, only one of the three IS courses can be eligible to fulfill a major requirement and also used as an IS course, and PEQs are not allowed. More than one IS course can come from a second major or from a minor (so long as those courses are not also part of the first major.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB):                                                                                                                
One 200 level or higher 3-credit DEIB-designated course. The DEIB course may count as an IS course. PEQs are not allowed.

Experiential Learning (EL):
One approved pathway (credit bearing or non-credit bearing).

Core Milestone Experience (CME):
CME 050 Core Milestone Experience  Credits: 0

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Degree Requirements 

Nazareth University awards the undergraduate degrees of Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Bachelor of Music (Mus.B.), Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.), and a combined Bachelor of Science/Master of Science in Education (B.S./M.S.Ed.). To qualify for a baccalaureate degree a candidate must:

• Fulfill the applicable core requirements (see below) of the University as well as the requirements of a major with a minimum of 24 credits beyond the introductory level in the major. For major requirements in a particular area, consult the Academic Programs section of this Nazareth University Undergraduate Catalog.
• Earn a minimum of 120 credit hours. At least 90 of the credits required for graduation must be earned in the liberal arts and sciences for the B.A. degree; 60 for the B.S. degree; 45 for the Mus.B. degree; 30 for the B.F.A. degree.
• Satisfy a comprehensive requirement in the major field.
• Earn an overall GPA of at least 2.0 as well as a minimum average of 2.0 in the major. Some majors require a higher GPA; see the program description in the academic program section of the catalog for details.
• Complete six credits of the same modern foreign language (including American Sign Language) for all B.A. programs.
• Earn a minimum of 30 credit hours at Nazareth University. Some academic programs may also have Nazareth residency requirements within the major as specified in the Academic Programs A-Z section of this catalog.
• Complete a minimum of 3 credits of Perspectives-Enduring Questions courses (PEQs) at Nazareth. This does not apply to transfer students entering Nazareth with a prior A.A., A.S., A.A.S. or bachelor’s degree.

Dismissal and Suspension

The University reserves the right to dismiss, expel or suspend at any time a student whose conduct and/or academic standing renders the student unacceptable as a member of the University. In this case, fees that have been paid will not be refunded. When a student is dismissed from the University for academic reasons, a notation to this effect will appear on the transcript. When a student is suspended during a semester for conduct issues, s/he will be granted “drops” during the first week of the semester but will earn all “W” grades after the first week.

Dismissal from an academic program may not mean dismissal from the University. All academic program dismissals at the undergraduate level are as a result of a comprehensive review by program faculty and the program director (and chairperson if applicable). Students seeking to appeal an academic program dismissal must provide a written request to do so directly to the program director (or chairperson if applicable) of the student’s home department within 30 days of the dismissal notification. Students must include the reasons for the appeal accompanied by any supporting documentation. If the student remains unreconciled, the student can then appeal to the associate dean/dean of the school/college in which the academic program resides. If the student remains unreconciled, the last level of appeal is to the provost or designee. All decisions by the provost or designee are final, and cannot be appealed. The status of dismissal will remain in place throughout the appeals process, and no registration or course attendance in the student’s program of dismissal will be permitted pending resolution of the appeal. An accelerated appeals process may be permitted, with the goal of resolution prior to the start of the next academic term. Students should consult the program director or chairperson for specific information.

Note: Consult departmental websites and handbooks, if applicable, for program policies to which students must adhere based on program requirements, as well as licensing and accreditation guidelines.

See also: Academic Probation and Dismissal from the University and Grade Appeals

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Drop/Add

A student may add, drop or withdraw from a course through the deadline specified in the academic calendar. Students may add or drop a full-semester course through the first week of the semester and may withdraw from a full-semester course through the 10th week of classes (as indicated on the University calendar) without academic penalty (grade of “W” posted, which does not impact GPA). Add, drop and withdrawal deadlines will be adjusted accordingly for courses that do not adhere to the standard academic calendar.  Students enrolled in “Academic and University Success” (ACS*101) may not withdraw from the course.  Sanctions imposed due to academic integrity issues take precedence and may prevent a student from dropping with a “W” grade. During the registration period, students may process schedule changes on NazNet Self-Service as many times as necessary; significant course changes should be discussed with the advisor. After the Drop/Add deadline, courses may not be added. To drop a course, submit an electronic Drop Form through the Registration and Records website under Forms, which will be routed to the student’s advisor for approval. Failure to withdraw from a course officially through the Office of Registration and Records or to finish the requirements of an “Incomplete” by the specified date results in an “F” grade, which is not removed from the transcript. Students receiving TAP and/or other forms of financial aid should check with the Financial Aid Office to see whether their current or future eligibility will be affected by the withdrawal. When a student chooses to drop a course with a grade of “W”, full tuition is charged. 

Note: Consult departmental handbooks, if applicable, for program policies to which students must adhere based on program requirements, as well as licensing and accreditation guidelines.

See also: Academic Integrity, Financial Information  and TAP (in Financial Information  section of this catalog) 

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Electives

Electives are courses chosen by students which count towards the total number of credits needed for the baccalaureate degree but not specific requirements for the core, the academic major or professional program. They may or may not be in a liberal studies area, depending on the particular program of studies.

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English Writing: Degree Requirements and Placement

ENGW 101-102

The English writing requirement is six credit hours. There are various ways to meet this requirement.

1. Receiving a minimum score of 4 on the AP English Language and Composition or Literature and Composition exam.
2. Transferring a college course equivalent to ENGW*101 and a University course equivalent to ENGW*102.
3. Transferring a college course equivalent to ENGW*101, and then completing ENGW*102.
4. Transferring a college course equivalent to ENGW*102, and then completing ENGW*250.

ENGW 101L and 102L: Writing Labs
Entering students who would benefit from extra support and supplemental writing instruction will enroll in a 1-credit intensive writing lab concurrent with their regular sections of ENGW*101 and ENGW*102. These labs focus on students’ individual writing strengths and weaknesses and provide extensive opportunity for instruction in writing and revision on an individual and small-group basis. Students are placed into this section if the average of three years of their high school English grades is below 85%.

Transfer Students
All transfer students need six hours of English composition credit (the equivalent of ENGW*101 and ENGW*102) to graduate from Nazareth University. English writing courses taken in transfer are acceptable. 

See also: Advanced Placement (in English), Degree Requirements  

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Evaluation: All-University Assessments 

In addition to routine course evaluation, which Nazareth University students have in many of their courses, the University encourages participation in all-University evaluation programs. Such programs serve many purposes including curriculum improvement, of student services, accreditation support, student advisement, long-range planning, and alumni services. Students may be asked as often as once per academic year to participate in this kind of evaluation.

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FERPA

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) guidelines restrict directory information that can be released by colleges and universities. Under FERPA, directory information may be released without written consent from the student unless the student signs a non-disclosure statement in the Office of Registration and Records.

While FERPA allows for the release of a wider range of directory information, Nazareth University’s Office of Registration and Records has adopted an internal policy to release only: name, email, date of attendance, enrollment status, previous school attended, class, major field(s) of study, honors, degrees conferred (including dates), and date and place of birth.

For a non-disclosure of information request, or for more information about FERPA, please visit the Registration and Records website or contact the Office of Registration and Records. 

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Final Examinations 

Final examinations are conducted at the close of each semester. Examination schedules for day classes are posted on the Office of Registration and Records website (see Academic Calendar). Final examinations for day and evening classes are to be given only during exam week. Instructors may schedule a unit test during the last week of classes; these will be announced well in advance. Final examinations are frequently waived in seminar courses, studios (art), independent study, and methods courses, however, classes should meet during exam week at the scheduled examination time.

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First-Year Program

Nazareth includes multiple supports designed to help students with the transition from high school to college. All first-year students take both “Academic and College Success” (ACS*101) and a First Year Seminar (FYS) course in one of the eight Perspectives Enduring Questions (PEQ) areas. ACS 101 is a one-credit course that focuses on the transition to college life and becoming a part of the Nazareth community. The FYS course is a three- or four-credit PEQ course in a specific content area, which is designed to introduce students to the hallmarks of university-level learning and the Nazareth community.  

As ACS*101 and FYS courses are part of all first-year students’ graduation requirements, students must consult with and receive approval from an advisor in Academic Advisement before making any changes to their ACS or FYS course schedules. Students may withdraw from FYS with advisor approval. Students may not withdraw from ACS*101 unless they are replacing it with another ACS*101 section or unless they are taking an in-term leave of absence/withdrawal from the university. Students who fail or withdraw from ACS or FYS, must complete that course in the subsequent semester or contact the director of the Core to plan an appropriate substitute for the course.

Transfer students with fewer than 28 credits and/or who were not matriculated at another higher education institution are required to enroll in First Year Seminar, unless the requirement is waived through the student petition process or by a transfer credit evaluator.

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Foreign Language Requirement

Degree Requirements: Complete 6 credits of the same foreign language (including American Sign Language) for all B.A. programs, and for the CSD major.

Complete a consecutive two-semester sequence in the same foreign language (elementary, intermediate, or advanced levels are acceptable). Candidates for the B.S. degree are strongly recommended to continue their foreign language study by taking a two-semester sequence. The World Languages and Cultures Department places students in appropriate language courses based on background language knowledge and proficiency online placement exam. In general, the placement tends to take place as follows:

Nevertheless, placement can vary depending on the outcome of our online proficiency placement test. Contact the department chair to schedule a proficiency test before enrolling. Any new student can take the placement test to make sure they register at the appropriate level.​

Students who have taken more than 1 year of a foreign language can continue with that language at the university level. However, students can enroll in a sequence of 101 and 102 in a different language to fulfill their language requirement.

Petitions for exceptions to these policies may be made to the Department of World Languages and Cultures chairperson.

Note: Students using American Sign Language to meet this requirement must complete two different levels of University-level coursework.

Language Proficiency Tests

As stated above, students who feel unsure about their level of proficiency can take an online placement test administered by the World Languages and Cultures Department. 

Foreign Language Credit by Examination

Credits earned through Advanced Placement (AP) and the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) may count toward the Foreign Language requirement, as well as for a major or a minor in any of the languages taught in the World Languages and Cultures Department.. Please see below for language-specific credit and course equivalencies, and the Credit by Examination section of this page for additional information on Nazareth’s policies.

Advanced Placement (AP) Credit Equivalencies:

For all language & culture tests:

College Level Examination Program (CLEP) Credit Equivalencies:

Study Abroad
In order to reach the required proficiency, all foreign language majors are encouraged to spend at least a semester in a locale where the target language is the native tongue. In addition, French majors who are full-time resident students must live in the French House for at least two years (normally, sophomore year and senior year).

Exceptions to these requirements are subject to approval of the chairperson of the World Languages and Cultures Department.

See also: Advanced Placement, Credit by Examination, Proficiency Examinations, Degree Requirements

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Grade Appeals

Nazareth is committed to resolving all appeals in a timely fashion. The following guidelines should be followed for any grade appeal:

• Discuss any grading concerns with the faculty who assigned the grade.
• If not resolved, contact the department chairperson in which the course resides about the appeal.
• If not resolved, submit a written appeal to the associate dean of the school of the discipline in which the course resides (if applicable). If not resolved, submit a written appeal to the dean of the college of the discipline in which the course resides.

The general timeline for grade appeals provides 30 business days for students to initiate the process. Please note that in some programs, per departmental requirements, continuation in some or all coursework is contingent upon specific GPA requirements and/or satisfactory performance in prerequisite coursework. To ensure completion of the appeals process prior to the add/drop deadline of the next term, the University also provides an accelerated timeline for grade appeals. Both the general and accelerated procedures, including deadlines for each step in the process, can be found on the Registration and Records website under Forms and Petitions.

Note: Consult departmental handbooks, if applicable, for program policies to which students must adhere based on program requirements, as well as licensing and accreditation guidelines.

See also: Academic Integrity, Academic Probation and Dismissal from the University, Dismissal and Suspension, Student Code of Conduct, Non-Discrimination Policy   

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Grade Points and Grade Point Average

The semester GPA (calculated on a semester basis) and the cumulative GPA (calculated on all grades which earn grade points) are derived by dividing the number of hours attempted into the number of grade points earned. Grades for courses accepted in transfer are not included in the GPA calculation. Courses with grades of W, S and U, AU, IP and I are not included in the GPA calculation. 

The following tables display Nazareth University’s current system of GPA calculation, employed since the Fall of 1991:

Note:  These are valid final grades for undergraduate courses. 

See also: Rochester Area Colleges Inter-Institutional Undergraduate Student Enrollment Program, Grades

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Grades

Student achievement is reported according to letter grades. The quality of work indicated by each final grade is as follows: 

A  Superior work. Carries 4.0 grade points per credit hour.

B  Better than average work. Carries 3.0 grade points per credit hour.

C  Average work. Carries 2.0 grade points per credit hour.

D  Passing work, below average but acceptable. Carries 1.0 grade point
per credit hour.

F  Failing work, below average and unacceptable. No grade point value.

The following final grades allow for wider range in the grading system and carry the indicated grade point value per credit hour: A- (3.7), B+ (3.3), B- (2.7), C+ (2.3), C- (1.7), D+ (1.3), D- (0.7)

S, U Satisfactory, Unsatisfactory: letter grades used to measure student achievement in certain designated courses such as methods, internships, student teaching or courses taken under the pass/fail option. Credit hours are earned for satisfactory work but such grades are not included in the grade point average. See Pass/Fail Grading for more details.

AU Audit: indicates that a student has audited the course; no credit is given and final exams are not required.

I Incomplete: student did not complete all the work of the course. “I” grades are assigned only after the professor and student have had a discussion before the grade for the course has been submitted and have reached a mutual agreement for completion of the course requirements. The instructor submits the “I” grade during the regular grading period. “I” grades must be resolved by the deadline published in the academic calendar, although the instructor may set an earlier deadline when necessary. Deadlines are posted on the Academic Calendar. Extending a deadline requires instructor and associate dean/dean approval. It is the student’s responsibility to make arrangements for completing the coursework prior to the deadline to allow time for grading. An incomplete grade may impact the ability to continue in sequential coursework or a course that requires a pre-requisite that carries an incomplete grade. The student and instructor should review the impact of the incomplete when determining the deadline for coursework. A department may drop a student from a class in the subsequent semester due to an incomplete grade.

Incomplete grades not resolved by the date specified on the academic calendar become “F”. An incomplete grade does not remain on the record once resolved.

IP In progress: indicates that the course is still in progress.

NR Not reported: indicates that the grade has not been reported by the instructor.

W Withdrawn: a student may withdraw from a course through the published deadline (as indicated on the Academic Calendar) without academic penalty (grade of “W” posted, does not impact GPA), but only with approval by the academic advisor.

Grades of AU and W are not assigned by the instructor, but elected by the student. If no grade appears for a course on Student Planning or if a grade is incorrect, the student should check with the course instructor and the Office of Registration and Records immediately to clarify and/or correct the error.

Repeated courses: In cases of a repeated course, the original grade remains on the permanent record along with the new grade although only the second grade is calculated in the grade point average. The repeat is noted on the transcript.  Only grades of C-, D+, D, D-, or F may be repeated for a substitute grade. Exceptions through the petition process may be requested only for degree requirements, based on minimum grade standards for specific courses, as noted in the student’s departmental handbook. 

See also: Grade Appeals, Pass/Fail Option, Repeating a Course

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Graduate Study

Nazareth University offers graduate programs of study leading to the degrees of Master of Science, Master of Science in Education, Master of Arts, Master of Music, Master of Social Work, and Doctor of Physical Therapy. Programs offered within the Master of Science Degree are Creative Arts Therapy - with specializations in Art Therapy and Music Therapy, Higher Education Student Affairs Administration, Global Business and Leadership, Marketing Communications Leadership, Leadership and Organizational Change, People Analytics and Leadership, and Speech-Language Pathology. Programs available within the Master of Science in Education degree are Art Education, Inclusive Education Programs (Early Childhood; Childhood; Adolescence), Literacy Education, Music Education, and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (with or without NYS teacher certification). The Master of Arts degree offers a program in American Studies.  The Master of Music degree offers a program in Music Performance and Pedagogy, and the Master of Public Health degree offers a program in Public Health.

Also see Accreditation and Memberships

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Graduation/Commencement

Nazareth University graduates students 3 times per year - May, December and August. A student may only graduate on the official graduation dates as listed in the Academic Calendar. The Registration and Records Office is responsible for the certification and production of diplomas for the University.

• Undergraduate Degree Graduation Requirements
  1. In order to graduate with a BA, BS, BFA or BM a student must satisfactorily meet the minimum program requirements for the degree they are seeking. All grades must be recorded and any outstanding Incomplete (I or IP) grades must be resolved.
  2. The minimum University requirement of a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 must be met.
  3. The minimum NY state requirements of 120 credits hours must be reached.
• Graduate Degree Graduation Requirements
  1. In order to graduate with a MA MS, MM, MPH or DPT a student must satisfactorily meet the minimum program requirements for the degree they are seeking. All grades must be recorded and any outstanding Incomplete (I or IP) grades must be resolved.
  2. The minimum University requirement of a cumulative GPA of a 3.0 must be met.

All Nazareth coursework must be completed and graded within 5 business days of the semester grading deadline in order to receive a diploma in that term. All official academic transcripts and records for transfer of credit supporting degree completion must be received by the Office of Records and Registration at Nazareth within 10 business days from the last date of the semester at the institution from which the credit is transferring, and no later than 20 business days after the Nazareth diploma date for that semester. 

Participation in Commencement

Commencement at Nazareth University is held annually in May. Students who complete all requirements at the end of the Spring semester are automatically eligible to participate in the commencement ceremonies. If a student can reasonably complete requirements by the end of the following summer or fall semesters they may request to walk in the earlier May ceremony. They may also elect to wait until the following ceremony if they wish. A student may only walk and have their name listed in the program once. To request to participate in a commencement ceremony prior to the completion of a degree, please complete the Petition to Walk form and submit it to the Registration and Records Office.

Students enrolled in combined undergraduate/graduate degree programs are eligible to participate in commencement only if conferral of a bachelor’s degree at the conclusion of the undergraduate phase is built into their combined program.

See also: Degree Requirements

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Graduation - Application for Graduation/Senior Evaluation

Students who expect to complete degree requirements are advised to seek evaluation of their record prior to the beginning of their senior year. The Office of Registration and Records asks each matriculated student with junior or senior status to complete the Graduation Application at least 30 credits prior to completing degree requirements. The Graduation Application is found on NazNet Self-Service under “Graduation Overview”. Note: Filing dates for the Graduation Application are also listed on the official Academic Calendar. The Office of Registration and Records emails a reminder to students with 79 or more credits completed each fall and spring term if they have not yet completed the application. The purpose of this application is to initiate the process of a senior program evaluation, as well as to develop a complete list of students planning to graduate in the spring. 

The Office of Registration and Records evaluates the academic records of every student who has submitted a graduation application. Students must assume responsibility for submitting this form online through NazNet Self-Service (select Graduation Overview). The evaluation considers courses in progress as well as completed courses for which the student has registered and determines the extent to which core, liberal arts, total degree requirements, and teacher certification requirements (if applicable) have been met. The student and advisor will receive an email with an overview of any outstanding degree requirements prior to the student’s final semester. It is the responsibility of students to check their Progress View on Student Planning and to seek advisement from the academic advisor and/or department chairperson before registering for the final semester, so that all requirements will be fulfilled.

Note: Any senior who has not received a record evaluation email prior to beginning of the student’s final semester should check with the Office of Registration and Records.

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Health and Wellness Requirement

All Nazareth University students are required to complete one Health and Wellness course (credit-bearing or non-credit-bearing) before graduation. Transfer students who have not met the requirement elsewhere, except for those with prior degrees, must also satisfy this requirement.

Health and Wellness courses are designated with a course attribute of “HW” in NazNet Self-Service. All physical education (PED) courses count, but there are other options as well. Substitutions for meeting the Health & Wellness requirement may be made with the approval of the Director of the Core Curriculum on a petition form, found on the Registration and Records website. Note - any student who has completed CPR (not associated with a Nazareth class) will need to email a copy of their certificate to the office of Records and Registration in order to have the Health & Wellness requirement fulfilled.

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Human Subjects Research

Nazareth University values and encourages research involving human subjects and strives to provide opportunities for faculty and students to engage in this activity. In doing so, the University accepts the legal and ethical responsibilities for safeguarding the rights and welfare of human subjects involved in this research.

The University requires that all research projects that use human subjects be approved and periodically reviewed by the Human Subjects Research Committee (the HSRC). The HSRC operates under Section 474(a) of the Public Health Service Act (P.L. 93-348) as implemented by Department of Health and Human Service regulation Title 45, Part 46 of the Code of Federal Regulations (45 CFR 46) which details procedures to safeguard human subjects in research. For a full discussion of what is considered research with human subjects, please see the Policies and Procedures Governing Human Subjects Research on the Human Subjects Research Committee webpage.

Complete information regarding policies and procedures is available on the Nazareth website or upon request from the chairperson of the HSRC. Since the committee chairperson is a faculty member elected to the position on a rotating basis, please contact the Office of the Provost to obtain the current chairperson contact information.

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Independent Study

The purpose of independent study is to delve into some special area of interest within the student’s major which is beyond the scope of any of the University’s current offerings. The student undertaking such a project should have a good background preparation in the subject. The following policies apply:

• Independent study is available to juniors or seniors who have a cumulative average of 2.5. (No exceptions to class standing or minimum GPA are allowed.).
• No more than two independent study courses may be undertaken in any one department.
• An independent study course (for 1, 2 or 3 credits) may be taken only during fall and spring semesters and may not be completed during summer terms. Each credit hour requires the equivalent of 15 classroom hours plus additional work.
• Only one independent study course may be taken per semester.
• Students must be matriculated into a Nazareth University degree program in order to request enrollment in an independent study course.
• A student must complete a written proposal and obtain approvals by the faculty supervisor for the independent study and the chairperson/program director of the program where the course resides prior to the deadline dates specified in the academic calendar. Forms are available in the Office of Registration and Records.

Note: Independent study may not be used to resolve student schedule conflicts.

See also: Tutorials 

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Internships

An internship is a practical guided learning experience at a business or organization with the student spending a predetermined number of hours of time at an internship site. Supervised activities provide experience appropriate to the student’s knowledge, skills, and interests. For the purposes of the Nazareth University Experiential Learning requirement, all internships must be pre-approved, include registration in an internship course, and follow all university policies related to internships. Please see the Internship Program website for more information (forms, procedures, registration deadlines, resources, etc.).

Any student who has a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50 is eligible to participate in an internship. Students seeking internship credit within specific academic programs should have junior or senior class standing and consult with their department regarding experiential and/or GPA requirements that are department-specific. A three-credit internship is one semester long with the student spending at least 10 weeks (8 weeks in the summer) for a total of at least 120 hours of time with an internship site. A one-credit or zero-credit internship is one semester long with the student spending at least 5 weeks for a total of at least 50 hours of time with an internship site. All internships must be taken for a grade (pass/fail). In general, students are limited to 6 credits of internship within their major program of study, but certain exceptions apply (e.g., Washington Semester, Albany Program, Disney University Program, and selected academic programs that intentionally integrate academic learning with application for those additional credits).

Supervised placement provides experience appropriate to the student’s knowledge, skills and interests. In addition to the on-site activities, students take steps to customize and craft the internship experience, complete reflective activities and connect their experiential learning with their academics via course assignments. A performance evaluation must be submitted by the site supervisor at the end of the experience. Students also will complete an Internship Site and Transferable Academic Skills Evaluation at the end of the experience.

Students can apply for internships found in Handshake as well as oppurtunities identified through other methods and resources. Students should consult with the Assistant Director of Internships and their faculty advisor as all experiences must be approved prior to starting (this includes internships found in Handshake). Some departments sponsor specific internship opportunities for their majors and they may have their own requirements.

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Intersession Courses 

Course offerings may include intensive short-term intersession courses which are held either prior to or after the official academic calendar term dates. These courses are part of the spring term for all matters related to registration, billing (including potential overload fees if combined credits exceed 19), academic standing, and financial aid. For example, if a student completes an intersession course during the winter break for three credits, these three credits are counted toward total credits for the spring term; if this student is registered for 15 credits for spring, their billing and financial aid will be based on 18 credits for that term. Due to the intensive nature of these courses, students are encouraged to enroll in no more than one concurrently.

See also: Add/Drop

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Leave of Absence

A full-time student may be granted a leave of absence for one semester or two consecutive semesters for medical reasons, financial necessity, or other extenuating circumstances. Part-time students may be granted up to three semesters of consecutive leave. Students who take a leave of absence due to required military service will be granted an exception to the semester caps if needed to cover the duration of the military requirement. Students who are on academic probation and take a leave of absence will return to the University under the same probation status.

Students who wish to take a leave of absence should contact the Office of Student Success.  Full-time students who fail to register for one semester without having filed for a leave of absence through these processes will be “unofficially withdrawn” from the University.

There are two types of voluntary leave:

1. Planned Leave of Absence: Students applying for a planned leave agree to complete any courses in the current term, understanding that the leave will begin in the following term. Any courses enrolled in the following term will be dropped. If a leave is requested in between terms, the following term enrollment will be dropped.
2. Immediate Leave of Absence: An immediate leave should only be used in unusual or extenuating circumstances where a student is unable to complete the current term. Any courses that the student is enrolled in will be dropped using the following criteria:

a.    If the immediate leave is processed prior to the end of the add/drop period of the term, the classes will be dropped.
b.    If an immediate leave is requested after the add/drop period, and through the last day of classes of the term, the student will receive grades of ‘W’ in all courses. A last date of academic activity will be determined in conjunction with the class instructors and any refund and/or financial aid implications will be based on this date.

The following access or services are available to students while on official leaves of absence: access to technology; specifically, identification card for bookstore, vending,  library, email account, Moodle, and NazNet Self-Service. The following access or services are not available to students on official leaves of absence: Health & Counseling Services; Center for Spirituality (Pastoral Counseling); departmental laboratories where potentially dangerous materials are used; participation in courses, lessons, ensembles, or any University-facilitated academic activity; and other services at the discretion or practice of individual departments. Involuntary leaves of absence (e.g., disciplinary) are not covered under these guidelines. Students on an involuntary leave of absence (disciplinary suspension) are not eligible to access any of the services listed. Other restrictions may also apply.

Study Leave
A student may be granted a leave for study in an approved academic program at another institution (including programs abroad). The department chairperson and a transfer credit evaluator must approve the courses to be taken before the student enters the program. The student is also responsible for seeing that official transcripts of academic work completed elsewhere are received by Nazareth University as soon as possible after each semester away.

 See also: Matriculation (Loss of), Study Abroad, Withdrawal, Readmission, and Standards of Academic Progress (in Financial Information  section) 

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Liberal Arts Requirement

Liberal arts (liberal studies) are defined as those academic disciplines which are taught without regard to specialization in preparation for a vocation, although they may be integrally important to one’s life’s work. The B.A., B.S., Mus.B., and B.F.A. degrees require a minimum of 120 credit hours. Of these, 90 credits must be taken in liberal arts for the B.A., 60 credits for the B.S., 45 credits for the Mus.B., and 30 credits for the B.F.A. The actual number of liberal arts credits required may vary by program. Consult individual course codes (“R”) listed each semester in Student Planning in NazNet Self-Service to determine whether or not a course is designated as liberal arts.

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Major

Major Program
In addition to completing general degree requirements, a student must choose a major field of study. Ordinarily, students select a major prior to the end of the sophomore year. In most programs leading to the Bachelor of Fine Arts, the Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Music degrees, it is advantageous to begin study in the major in the first year of University. Inclusive Early Childhood/Childhood education may be selected as a major but must be completed as a double major in conjunction with a major in the liberal arts and sciences. Adolescence education may not be selected as a major, but certification in inclusive adolescence education may be obtained in conjunction with a major in another subject.

Students entering Nazareth University with an intended major may remain in that major as long as they satisfy the academic requirements specified by the program and remain in good academic standing overall. Students who do not meet the academic requirements of a major may be removed from the major by the department and will be notified of this in writing. All majors related to Music, Theatre and Dance require an audition. Art majors require a portfolio to be considered for acceptance into the major. 

Change or Declaration of Major
Students declaring a major or contemplating a change of major are to: 

• Discuss the matter with their faculty advisor(s) or department chairperson.
• Seek counseling in the Academic Advisement Center if desirable.
• Complete an Academic Program Update form. Completion of the from requires approval by the department chairperson of the major, minor or teacher certification program that is being declared.
• Program chnages are processed by Academic Advisement

If necessary, the department chairperson will assign an advisor in the department at this time. A department chairperson may refuse acceptance into a major if a student is not achieving a 2.0 average in course work required for that major. Several majors require students to maintain a GPA higher than 2.0 to be eligible  to continue in the major; see the Academic Programs section of this catalog for specific GPA requirements within majors. If the student is applying to complete a Teacher Certification Program, approval from the appropriate program director in the School of Education is required. A cumulative average of 2.7 is required at the end of the spring semester prior to fall student teaching. 

Double Majors
It is possible for a student to major in two academic areas. Consultation and approvals of the chairpersons of both departments are required. An Undergraduate Academic Program Update Form must be completed and signed, i.e., the student must be formally accepted into both departments and be assigned advisors in both areas. The student must fulfill all requirements, including comprehensive requirements, in both areas. Students must satisfy core requirements for one major only. If one of the majors involves a B. S. program and the other major a B.A. program, a B.S. degree will be awarded. The major leading to the B.S. degree is the primary one. For double majors that include the Inclusive Early Childhood/Childhood program, the liberal arts and sciences major is the primary one. If the first major leads to a Mus.B. program, the student cannot do a second major involving a B.A., B.S., or B.F.A. program as a double major. If the first major leads to a B.F.A. program, the student cannot do a second major involving a B.A., or B.S., or Mus.B. program as a double major.

See also: Second Baccalaureate Degree

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Matriculation

Matriculation is the process of formally enrolling in a degree program through the University Admissions office. A student has matriculated status only after the application for admission has been processed and the student has received a letter of acceptance. Matriculation becomes effective at the beginning of one of the regular semesters (fall/spring) or one of the summer sessions. A student may have full-time matriculated status (i.e., carrying a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester) or part-time matriculated status (i.e., carrying a maximum of 11 credit hours per semester).

A student who wishes to transfer any credits from another institution is advised to apply for matriculation immediately, in order to receive an official evaluation of those credits and appropriate academic advisement. Students must have matriculated status at Nazareth University for at least 30 credits of their coursework leading to the baccalaureate degree. Students pursuing a second baccalaureate degree must complete a minimum of 30 credits at Nazareth University beyond the first degree.

Loss of matriculated status will result in the following cases:

• if a student withdraws (initiated by the student), or is dismissed by the University.
• if a full-time student fails to register for one semester without having filed for a leave of absence.
• if any student who has applied for a leave of absence does not register in the semester following the leave.
• if a part-time student fails to register for 3 consecutive academic year semesters (i.e., excluding summers). This does not affect part-time students who attend summer session regularly and are not able to attend during the year.

Non-matriculation
The University welcomes community members who hold a minimum of a High School diploma or equivalent to submit an application to the Registration and Records Office to take a course at Nazareth.  A high school or university/college transcript must be submitted at the time of application. Nazareth University reviews applications for individuals who wish to register for courses using the same criteria which are used for those applying for matriculated status. Additional documentation may be required for registration approval. Non-matriculated students are allowed to take a total of 12 credits of undergraduate course work before needing to matriculate into a degree program. The 12 credits does not include any courses taken as a dual enrollment courses through Nazareth when a student was in high school. If a student wishes to take more than 12 credits, they should contact the Registration and Records Office to discuss. Taking courses non-matriculated does not guarantee acceptance into a degree program. There is no financial aid for non-matriculated students.

Non-matriculated students with a GPA 2.0 will not be allowed to continue at Nazareth University.

Visiting Student Status
Students matriculated at another institution of higher education are considered non-matriculated students at Nazareth with a visiting student status. Visiting students may complete more than 12 credits of undergraduate course work.

Non-matriculated students with a GPA below 2.0  will not be allowed to continue at Nazareth University.

See also: Registration, Withdrawal 

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Minor

In addition to the major field, students may select a minor outside of the major field to enhance their degree program.  A minor requires a minimum of 18 credits. Minors are noted on the student’s transcript.

Most academic departments offer minors in their major areas.  In addition to the departmental minors, there are interdisciplinary minors. For advisement in any minor, see the appropriate department chairperson or program director. 

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New American Colleges and Universities (NAC&U) online Course Enrollment Program

Because Nazareth University is a member of the New American Colleges and Universities consortium, full-time undergraduate students may enroll in a variety of online courses offered by member NAC&U institutions during the fall, spring and summer semesters. The NAC&U consortium includes: Belmont University, California Lutheran University, Calvin University, Carroll College, Chattam University, Drury University, Florida Southern College, Hamline University, Hampton University, Hood College, Linfield University, Manhattan College, Merrimack College, Moravian University, North Central College, Ohio Northern University, Queens University of Charlotte, Roger Williams University, Russell Sage College, Simmons University, St. Mary’s University, Tuskegee University, University of La Verne, University of New Haven, Virginia Wesleyan University and Wagner College.  Ordinarily, cross-registration is not allowed for seniors in the spring semester, due to time constraints between the completion of the term and Commencement.  Special registration forms are available in the Office of Registration and Records and online at the time of course selection and registration.  Students also need to complete an Inter-Institutional Supplemental Approval Form to document how the credit will be counted (department chairperson approval required).

Students are subject to the procedures and policies regarding the grading system and calendar of the school at which the course is being taken.  Cross-enrollment is on a “space available” basis at the school being visited and with the approval of both Nazareth University and the other institution(s), provided the course is required to complete the degree. A maximum of two courses is allowed in any given semester. However, students must be enrolled in 12 credits at Nazareth to be eligible to participate in this program (fall and spring semesters). Credit is not earned for grades lower than C-; additional grading restrictions may apply depending on departmental requirements. Credit earned is added to the Nazareth University record as transfer credit.

Fall and Spring
Although there are no additional tuition charges, there may be courses that have fees associated with them. In these cases the student would be responsible for paying the course fee. Any student who exceeds 19 total registered credits including the inter-institutional courses, will be charged Nazareth’s overload fee.

Summer
While students are eligible to enroll in NAC&U courses during the summer terms, the tuition exchange does not apply. Students must pay all tuition and fees assessed by the Visiting/Host institution, and will be billed directly by the Visiting/Host institution.

Note: This program is not open to part-time students (with the exception of the summer terms).

See also: Rochester Area Colleges (RAC) Inter-Institutional Undergraduate Student Enrollment Program

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Pass/Fail Grading

Undergraduate students may take two courses Pass/Fail per semester, not to exceed a total of four courses in their undergraduate career. Of the four allowable Pass/Fail courses, not more than one may be in each major or minor and only one may be a perspectives enduring questions (PEQ) course. The major capstone is excluded from Pass/Fail. Any course that is offered only as Pass/Fail does not count toward the total of four. The Pass/Fail option corresponds to one of two grades:

• S (Satisfactory = Pass) correlates to a grade of D- and above
• U (Unsatisfactory = Fail) correlates to a grade of F

Students must select the Pass/Fail option by the published deadline in the Academic Calendar by completing the Pass/Fail form posted on the Office of Registration and Record’s website. Any changes to a pass/fail request in a term must also be requested by the published deadline. Courses approved under the Pass/Fail option will not be included in a student’s GPA calculation.

Students may not pursue a change to Pass/Fail after the deadline through the grade appeal or other petition process.

Instructor and advisor approval is required. Prior to approving, advisors should consult with the program director/chairperson/associate dean, as some programs may not permit Pass/Fail or may restrict it to certain courses.

A student may not use the Pass/Fail option to repeat a course for which a grade was previously earned. Refer to the Pass/Fail website for more details.

See also Grades

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Petitions

Special student requests for exceptions to specific academic policies, major program and/or degree requirements must be made by completing a petition form with appropriate approvals. Verbal approval is not sufficient since university personnel change from time to time and verbal arrangements may be lost. To protect the students’ best interests, any changes or exceptions should be made through the formal petition process. Forms are posted on the Office of Registration and Records website. 

See also: Course Load, Graduate Study, Repeating a Course, Credits and Hours

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Pregnant and Parenting Students

Nazareth University is committed to creating and maintaining a community where all individuals enjoy freedom from discrimination, including discrimination on the basis of sex as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX). Title IX prohibits sex discrimination, which can include discrimination based on pregnancy, marital status or parental status, in educational programs and activities that are eligible for federal funding. Nazareth University does not discriminate against any student on the basis of pregnancy or related conditions, childbirth or parental status. Nazareth University’s Title IX Coordinator oversees compliance with the Pregnant and Parenting Students policy, and the full policy is posted on the Title IX Office’s website.

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Prerequisite

A prerequisite is a requirement which must be met before registering for a particular course. This may be waived only after consulting with the instructor and/or appropriate department chairperson. 

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Readmission

Full-time matriculated students in good standing who have interrupted their studies for one or more semesters and part-time matriculated students in good standing who have interrupted their studies for more than two academic year semesters without obtaining a formal leave of absence and who wish to return, must file an application for readmission. Application forms are available from the Admissions office. The application fee is waived. Readmission requires approvals from the assistant vice president for advising and retention, Title IX coordinator, director of student accounts, and chairperson(s) of the major(s) to which the applicant is applying. If the student has taken courses at another college or university since attending Nazareth University, an official transcript of the work completed must be sent to the Admissions office. Readmission to the University or to a particular program is not guaranteed. Credits earned previously do count toward the 120 credits required for graduation. The cumulative Nazareth University GPA remains intact. Students who left Nazareth on academic probation and are readmitted to the University come back under the same probation status under which they left. Students who are granted readmission enter under such new University and departmental program requirements as may have come into effect. In some majors, such as the sciences, education and professional programs, a course or courses taken previously may no longer be applicable to the program due to the age of the course.

Readmitted students who left the University in good academic standing and have been away for a period of four or more years may file a petition to have their Nazareth University and major GPA calculated only on credits earned after readmission. Readmitted students who left the University on academic probation and have been away for a period of four or more years AND have a term GPA in good academic standing in their first semester after being readmitted may file a petition to have their Nazareth University and major GPA calculated only on credits earned after readmission. If approved, only courses/credits in the previous academic record with grades of C- or better will count toward the 120 credits required for degree completion. Placement without credit may be given for two courses in requirements for which the student earned D grades. These students will be required to complete a minimum of 30 graded credits at Nazareth University following readmission to re-establish their Nazareth University GPA. If all courses for the major were completed prior to re-admission, the major GPA is calculated based only on previously completed courses, unless it does not meet the minimum GPA required by the program. If the student’s previous record does not meet minimum major GPA and/or program standards, the chairperson of the major department will develop a plan for the student to meet standards which may include repeating selected major courses. Grades in prior academic coursework at Nazareth may impact eligibility for federal student aid upon readmission. Please refer to the Academic Amnesty section of the Undergraduate Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy.

Students who were dismissed for academic reasons may apply for readmission upon completion of at least 12 graded credits from another accredited college or university, with a minimum GPA of 2.5. Students must file an application for readmission which is processed as described in the previous section. Readmission to the University or to a particular program is not guaranteed. Upon readmission, only courses/credits in the previous academic record with grades of C- or better will be accepted toward the degree. (Placement without credit may be given for two courses in requirements for which the student earned D grades.) The GPA will be calculated only on credits earned after readmission. Students will be required to complete a minimum of 30 graded credits at Nazareth University with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 following readmission to re-establish their Nazareth University GPA. Grades in prior academic coursework at Nazareth may impact eligibility for federal student aid upon readmission. Please refer to the Academic Amnesty section of the Undergraduate Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy.

Note: Consult departmental handbooks, if applicable, for program policies to which students must adhere based on program requirements, as well as licensing and accreditation guidelines.

See also: Matriculation (loss of), Probation and Dismissal from University, Second Baccalaureate Degree, Withdrawal, and Standards of Academic Progress in Financial Information  

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Records and Confidentiality

A permanent record (transcript) which includes the student’s complete academic history (program of study, courses, grades, GPA calculations, transfer credit, type of degree conferred, and date of graduation) is maintained for each student. Copies of permanent academic records are released to employers, certification and licensing offices, or other institutions only with the written consent of the student. One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to university officials with legitimate educational interests. Program directors and appropriate university officials have access to academic records for the purpose of counseling, certification, or academic advising. 

Another exception is required by the Solomon Amendment (32 CFR Part 216, RIN 0790-AG42). This amendment prescribes that the University must release student’s name, address, telephone listing, age (or year of birth), level of education, and program of study when that information is requested by the Secretary of Defense for military recruiting purposes.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, enforced by the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, grants students the right to inspect, review, and challenge the contents of their educational records, and to prevent disclosure, with certain exceptions, of personal information. Any student wishing to inspect their educational records should contact the universities Registrar in the Office of Registration & Records.

See also: FERPA

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Registration

Registration for full-time and part-time matriculated students occurs after the advisement period as published in the Academic Calendar (ordinarily in November and April). Registration requires the advisor’s approval. Students are assigned a registration priority (date/time) and are urged to register for their courses at the proper time in order to reserve a place in the courses they wish to take. Students who register late sometimes find that the courses they desire are closed and that a change in schedule is therefore necessary. Students who do not register during the registration period in November or April may register up until the deadline published in the Academic Calendar. Students are responsible for monitoring University and department requirements and ensuring that they are meeting those requirements. Prior to the beginning of each term, students should check Student Planning to review their course schedules with the days, meeting times and rooms.

Registration is not final until tuition and fees have been paid. Registration for a course is mandatory in order to attend or participate in class.  No credit will be given for a course in which a student has not formally registered. No student will be granted credit for the same course more than once.  Students are responsible for seeing that they do not enroll again in a course for which they have already received credit, either at Nazareth University, at another institution or by examination. In cases of doubt, students should consult with the Office of Registration and Records or their advisor. A student may not register for a course after the time specified in the Academic Calendar (usually one week after the beginning of the semester for a full-semester course).  The University reserves the right to make changes in the course schedule, including cancellation of a course, reassignment of an instructor or change in time or location of a course, at any time. Part-time non-matriculated students are approved for registration prior to the beginning of each term, and if approved, are registered by the Office of Registration and Records.

See also: Drop/Add, Matriculation (Non-Matriculation), Waitlists, Withdrawal 

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Repeating a Course

Once a student receives a grade in a course, regardless of whether the course is passed or failed, the grade remains on the student’s permanent record. If a grade of C or better is achieved, the course may not be repeated. 

When a student repeats a course in which the grade of C-, D+, D, D- or F was received, the second grade will replace the first grade in the calculation of the grade point average. The course must be repeated at Nazareth to qualify for calculation into the GPA. Students who have already received credit for a given course will not receive additional credit hours when a course is passed a second time. Normally, a course may be repeated only once. Permission to repeat a course more than once must be granted by the academic advisor and department chairperson where the course resides, prior to enrollment in the course. Repeats are permitted only if the original grade is C- or lower. Exceptions through the petition process may be requested only for major requirements, based on minimum grade standards for specific courses, as noted in the student’s departmental handbook. Due to curricular changes and varying courses offering cycles, course repeats are not guaranteed. A student may not use the Pass/Fail option to repeat a course for which a grade was previously earned.

A course is considered a repeat based upon the course number regardless of additional designations (e.g., W, G).

Note: When students repeat a course for which they have already received credit, they must carry 12 additional hours to be eligible for certification for TAP and other New York State Programs. Repeat coursework for which credit was previously earned also does not count towards the number of credits monitored for academic progress and may affect eligibility for federal student aid.

See also: Grades, Grade Point Average Calculation, Standards of Academic Progress (Financial Information  section) 

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Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC)

Nazareth University students may enroll in the Army or Air Force ROTC program in partnership with the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) host program. This program leads to a commission as a second lieutenant in either the active Army/ Air Force, U.S. Army Reserve/ Air Force Reserves, or the U.S. Army National Guard/ Air National Guard.

Students must be enrolled in 12 credits at Nazareth to be eligible to participate in this program, and they attend a lecture and a lab component every week at RIT. Special registration forms are required and are posted on the Registration and Records website. Any student who exceeds 19 total registered credits may be charged Nazareth’s overload fee. ROTC courses will be awarded as transfer credits if a student earns at least a C-.

All students in the program must meet all program requirements before commissioning upon graduation. Service to the military is not required until officially contracted. See RIT’s course catalog for more information on ROTC classes.

See also Rochester Area Colleges (RAC) Inter-institutional Undergraduate Student Enrollment Program, Transfer Credit

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Residency Requirement

The University requires every graduate to have completed a minimum of 30 credit hours of undergraduate study at Nazareth as a matriculated student. Some academic programs may also have Nazareth residency requirements within the major as specified in the Academic Programs A-Z section of this catalog. Students must complete at least one PEQ (3 credits) at Nazareth University; this does not apply to transfer students entering with a previously earned A.A., A.S., A.A.S. or bachelor’s degree. The full Core will be waived for students who have already earned bachelor’s degree (either from Nazareth University or at another institution).  For students entering Nazareth with an A.A., A.S. or A.A.S. degree, Core requirements are waived except for ACS 090 and CME 050. Please refer to Transfer Credit Policies.

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Rochester Area Colleges (RAC) Inter-Institutional Undergraduate Student Enrollment Program

Because Nazareth University is a member of the Rochester Area Colleges consortium, full-time undergraduate students may participate in the RAC cross-enrollment program during the fall and spring semesters of the academic year. The consortium includes: Nazareth, the University of Rochester, Rochester Institute of Technology, Roberts Wesleyan University, St. John Fisher University, Monroe, Genesee, and Finger Lakes Community Colleges, the State University Colleges at Brockport and Geneseo,  the Empire State College and several other colleges located in the Genesee region. Ordinarily, cross-registration is not allowed for seniors in the spring semester, due to time constraints between the completion of the term and Commencement.  Special registration forms are required and are posted on the Office of Registration and Records website. Students also need to complete an Inter-Institutional Supplemental Approval Form to document how the credit will be counted (department chairperson approval required).

Students are subject to the procedures and policies regarding grading systems and calendar of the school at which the course is being taken. Cross-enrollment is on a “space available” basis at the school being visited and with the approval of both Nazareth University and the other institution(s), provided the course is required to complete the degree. A maximum of two courses is allowed in any given semester. However, students must be enrolled in 12 credits at Nazareth to be eligible to participate in this program. Credit is not earned for grades lower than C-; additional grading restrictions may apply depending on departmental requirements. Students may not cross-enroll for courses available at the home institution. Credit earned is added to the Nazareth University record as transfer credit.

Although there are no additional tuition charges, there may be courses that have fees associated with them. In these cases the student is responsible for paying the course fee.  Any student who exceeds 19 total registered credits including the inter-institutional courses, will be charged Nazareth’s overload fee.

Note: This program is not open to part-time students; it does not apply to summer sessions, music lessons, internships, or field-based professional courses.

See also: New American Colleges and Universities (NAC&U) online Course Enrollment Program

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Science Lecture and Laboratory Co-Requisite Policy

In general, Nazareth University science lecture courses have required laboratory co-requisites. This information is clearly published in every course description. When lectures and lab courses are identified as “required co-requisites,” students must register for both the lecture and the lab. If students decide to drop the course during the semester, students must drop both the lecture and the lab The following are exceptions to the required co-requisite rule:

1. Students who have achieved a C- or higher in an equivalent lecture course in the last five years without a laboratory component may, following transfer credit approval, and through the add/drop process, request to drop the lecture and take only the lab. Required signature of authorization: Department chairperson.
2. Students who have taken a science lecture and lab at Nazareth in a prior semester, but did not meet minimum grade requirements in one of the co-requisite courses, may request to enroll in only the course in which they were previously unsuccessful. Required authorization: Office of Registration and Records confirms eligibility and codes system accordingly to permit registration.
3. In circumstances related to illness, pregnancy, or immuno-competence, students may request appropriate accommodations or petition to drop the lecture and remain in the lab, or drop the lab and remain in the lecture. Medical documentation is required in these circumstances. This exception will be reviewed on a case by case basis, and will be permitted only with the approval of: 1) lecture instructor and lab instructor; 2) Department chairperson of the course(s) in question; and 3) dean of the college in which the course resides.
4. Students who are science majors and seek to enroll in an upper level lecture course without enrolling in the lab, and do not meet the criteria listed above, may petition for this approval. The petition must be approved by the chairperson of the department in which the course resides, and will be granted only in highly unusual circumstances.

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Second Baccalaureate Degree

Nazareth University encourages students who have already earned, from a regionally accredited college or university, a bachelor’s degree or an advanced degree to pursue graduate studies. When reasons can be demonstrated as to why additional undergraduate work is preferred and educationally sound, individuals may be admitted to an undergraduate program if the applicant meets the admissions requirements of the program and the University.  If a second bachelor’s degree is to be pursued the second bachelor’s degree must be completed in a program distinctly different from the one of the first degree.  Such requests will be referred by the Admissions Office to the appropriate department chairperson/associate dean and dean following receipt of a completed application. An application is considered complete when the University has received:

• the Undergraduate Transfer Application for Admission.
• a non-refundable application fee (waived for graduates of Nazareth University)
• official transcripts from every University attended (excluding Nazareth University)
• a statement of a minimum of 150 words demonstrating why a second bachelor’s degree is preferred.

A Transfer Credit Evaluation will be completed for each applicant for a second degree.  The Transfer Credit Evaluation Form acts the Second Degree Contract and identifies all courses that transfer to fulfill degree requirements and all courses required to complete the second bachelor’s degree. Students must fulfill all prerequisite, co-requisite and major program requirements and liberal arts requirements in effect at the date of matriculation in the second degree program.

Students in the second baccalaureate degree program must complete at Nazareth University a minimum of 30 credits beyond the first bachelor’s degree and complete all departmental residency requirements. Students admitted as second baccalaureate degree students are classified as matriculated undergraduates and billed accordingly.  Second degree students may qualify for financial aid and should contact the Financial Aid Office for assistance.

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Student Accessibility Services

Nazareth University is committed to providing support services and assistance for students with disabilities. Student Accessibility Services, in keeping with the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act (ADAAA) and the Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, provides reasonable accommodations, classroom modifications and appropriate services to all students with documented disabilities. Our office advocates, counsels, and connects students with campus and community resources.

Students who would like to receive reasonable accommodations or discuss disability-related matters are encouraged to contact the office at (585) 389-2499 or by email at sasoffice@naz.edu to schedule an appointment.

For additional information please consult the Student Accessibility Services website.

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Standards of Academic Progress

To be eligible for federal and state financial aid and Nazareth University Scholarships, students must maintain satisfactory academic progress. See the Financial Information  section of the catalog for detailed information.

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Student Code of Conduct

Nazareth University has in place  a comprehensive Student Code of Conduct, which includes a Statement of the Conduct Code, Disciplinary Sanctions, and Conduct Procedures. Any question or application of the Nazareth University Student Conduct Code shall be referred to the Associate Provost and Dean of Students or their designee for final determination. The full text of the Student Conduct Code, as well as information on Title IX: Sexual Assault & Misconduct is available online at http://www2.naz.edu/student-conduct.

Transcript Notations
New York law requires the University to make specific notations on the transcripts of Respondents found responsible for the following conduct prohibited by the Sexual Misconduct Policy and Title IX Sex Discrimination Policy: sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking.

• Students suspended after a finding of responsibility will receive the following notation on their transcript: “suspended after a finding of responsibility for a code of conduct violation.”  Such notations will remain for at least one year after the conclusion of the suspension, at which point a suspended student can seek removal of the notation by appealing to the Associate Provost and Dean of Students. Students seeking removal of the notation should contact the Office of the Dean of Students for appeal procedures.
• Students expelled after a finding of responsibility will receive the following notation on their transcript: “expelled after a finding of responsibility for a code of conduct violation.”  Such notation shall not be eligible for removal.
• Students who withdraw pending resolution of alleged violations of this Policy either Policy will receive the following notation on their transcript: “withdrew with conduct charges pending.”  Such notation shall not be eligible for removal unless the charges are later resolved.
• If the University vacates a finding of responsibility for any reason, any such transcript notation shall be removed.

See also: Transcripts and Records

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Student Leadership

Students who have a GPA of a 2.3 or higher are invited to apply for leadership positions in Student & Campus Life. A GPA of at least 2.3 or higher is required for a student to hold office in student government, clubs and organizations, be an Orientation Leader, Peer Educator, or Resident Assistant.

See also: Athletic Team Participation, Academic Standing

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Study Abroad

Students should consult the Center for International Education (CIE) about the many short and long-term opportunities available for study abroad.  Students should contact their academic advisor as well as their career coach early in their academic studies to develop a plan for study abroad. Working with CIE staff, students should also consult the Financial Aid Office to determine if their financial aid award packages can be used and what additional resources might be available for their proposed programs.  Once accepted into a semester-long study abroad program, students must plan their academic schedule in careful consultation with their academic advisor, their career coach, and the CIE Assistant Director for Overseas Studies and Exchanges; they must also secure advance approval for all courses to be taken abroad. A Nazareth University Study Abroad Course Approval and Posting Form, available on the Registration and Records website, must be completed for all credit-bearing programs. Some programs have minimum grade point average (GPA) requirements in order to be eligible, but the required minimum GPA for study abroad is 2.5.

Nazareth University maintains a network of international programs through partnership agreements around the world.  This network enables students to study for a semester or a year at more than 27 universities and/or institutes in 28 countries. For these programs, credits are transferred and grades are included in the computation of the grade point average.  Whether learning a language, enhancing academic skills, or participating in cultural immersion, these programs help students to develop an intercultural outlook, establish professional contacts in international networks, and increase employment opportunities.  Please contact the CIE Assistant Director for Overseas Studies and Exchanges for further information. The CIE does work with other US academic institutions and third party providers to enable students to participate in programs in parts of the world where Nazareth does not have its own partnership.

Short-term international programs abroad involve academic courses and/or civic engagement opportunities lasting from one to six weeks. Under the guidance of Nazareth’s faculty and staff, students have the opportunity to visit exciting and historic locations, listen to speakers with international knowledge and outlook, practice a foreign language, taste authentic cuisine, and make connections with students from various cultures.

To qualify for any of these international programs, a student must meet eligibility requirements including, but not limited to: good academic standing, personal maturity and motivation, and the ability to adapt to new situations.  Nazareth has established study abroad policies and procedures that students are expected to adhere to while participating in any international experience. When applicable, credits are awarded and grades are included in the computation of the student’s GPA for a Nazareth-sponsored program. Please contact the CIE Assistant Director for Overseas Studies and Exchanges for further information.

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Summer Courses at Nazareth University

Each summer Nazareth University offers courses from the regular academic curriculum, workshops and special programs during a two-session summer program beginning after commencement. Residence accommodations are available. The summer course schedule is posted on NazNet Self-Service in January, and students may begin registering for summer courses at that time. Students should discuss summer courses with their advisors when they meet to discuss fall semester courses. No more than 8 credit hours or two courses may be taken during any one 6-week summer session. (Day and evening courses during the same time period constitute one session.) Summer session courses taken at Nazareth University are posted on the transcript and included in the GPA calculation. Anyone wishing to take a summer course and is not a Nazareth student needs to complete a non-matriculated course registration form found on the Office of Registration and Records website.

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Teacher Certification Programs

Qualified students, with the joint approval of the major department and the School of Education, may choose a program of study that leads to eligibility for initial New York State teacher certification. Students are expected to have a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or higher prior to beginning junior level courses and maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or higher in order to continue in the program. Students seeking initial certification must major in an approved academic area and complete the certification program in education.  To be eligible for certification, students must successfully complete the education program, pass required New York State examinations, and complete a web based certification application with the New York State Education Department (http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/teach/).  Refer to the School of Education information on the Nazareth University web site for current requirements.

Approved programs for eligibility for teacher certification exist in the following areas:

Inclusive Adolescence Programs:
The following content areas of teacher certification lead to dual certification with a content area and the additional certification of “Teaching Students with Disabilities, 7-12.”

Inclusive Early Childhood/Childhood Education Program:
An approved liberal arts and science major is required in conjunction with the Inclusive Early Childhood/ Childhood Education Major.

Other Programs:
The following areas of study lead to teacher certification (P-12 or B-12):

All teacher certification programs are registered with the State Education Department of the University of the State of New York.

The certification of teaching students with disabilities must be held with an early childhood, childhood or adolescent certification.

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Transcripts and Records

In an effort to provide secure and improved services to students and alumni, Nazareth University has authorized Parchment to provide transcript ordering 24/7 via the web. Electronic delivery of transcripts is available only through this partner site; students provide the email address of the recipient via the secure Parchment site. Parchment will also deliver paper copies of transcripts when requested. All transcripts sent through this site are official. To order an official transcript online, visit the Office of Registration and Records website for more information.

Accessing Unofficial Transcripts in NazNet Self-Service (current students only)

• Log into NazNet Self-Service.  
• In the menu on the left, click the option for “Academics”
• Under the “Academics” header, click “Student Planning,” and at the bottom of the list click “Unofficial Transcript.” The unofficial transcript is a PDF which can be emailed or printed.

Cost to Send Official Transcripts

• The fee for electronic transcripts is $8.50 per transcript ordered (one transcript includes all undergraduate and graduate coursework). The fee for paper transcripts is $11.00.
• Unofficial transcripts may be obtained at no cost through NazNet Self-Service for current students.
• Additional postal or express mailing options are available for additional shipping costs.

See also: Student Code of Conduct

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Transfer Credit

Nazareth University seeks to provide transfer students with the greatest possible recognition of their previous college course work while maintaining the integrity of its own academic programs. Courses are evaluated for transfer regardless of mode of delivery. Matriculated students who wish to take courses at another institution must obtain prior approval to do so.

• Nazareth University awards transfer credit for courses completed at regionally accredited institutions. Transfer credit may also be awarded for courses recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE). Credit for courses taken at international institutions will be considered for transfer based on an equivalency evaluation conducted by a reputable evaluation service such as World Education Service.
• Transfer students who have completed an Associate in Arts (A.A.), Associate in Science (A.S.), or Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S) degree from a regionally accredited institution prior to registration at Nazareth University are ordinarily granted 60 semester hours of transfer credit and junior class standing upon enrolling at Nazareth University. This does not guarantee completion of the degree in an additional 60 credit hours, as there is no guarantee all credits awarded will satisfy specific degree requirements.
• Grades of D+, D, D-, or pass/fail are not accepted in transfer, unless they are situated in an A.A., A.S. or A.A.S degree already earned.
• *Note: With the exception of certain courses required for Nursing, Occupational Therapy, and Physical Therapy programs, Nazareth will grant transfer credit for courses taken at other accredited colleges or universities during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021) with grades of S/P (Satisfactory/Pass). In some cases, if a grade of S/P is earned, students may need to complete a separate assessment to demonstrate necessary proficiency to meet program standards or before advancing to the next course in a sequence.
• Transcripts from regionally accredited institutions for applicants who do not possess the A.A. , A.S. or A.A.S degree are evaluated on a course by course basis. For these students, grades of D+, D, D-, and pass/fail will not be accepted for transfer. However, students may be granted up to 6-8 credits of course waivers if they earned a D+, D, or D- in courses equivalent to Nazareth degree requirements. This means up to 6-8 credits of requirements can be considered completed, but no credit is granted.
• Transfer credit for specific courses may be awarded if Nazareth University offers a course that is equivalent to the course being transferred. If Nazareth does not offer an equivalent course, elective credit may be awarded.
• A maximum of 66 credit hours may be accepted from two-year institutions, a maximum of 90 credit hours may be accepted from four-year institutions, and a maximum of 90 credit hours from all transfer credit sources may be accepted in total.
• A minimum of 30 credits, preferably the last 30, must be taken at Nazareth University, and the student should be matriculated prior to taking these credits.
• CLEP, AP, IB, Military credit or other proficiency exams may be used to earn credit. Please note that students may earn no more than 30 credits from any combination of proficiency exams and military credit. For advisement concerning these exams, see a transfer credit evaluator.
• Evaluation of transfer credits will be finalized and transfer credits awarded only after final official transcripts from each credit source (such as college transcripts, test scores, or military documents) have been received by the University. Any evaluation of credits received prior to that time is unofficial and not binding.
• All associate degree holders must provide a final official transcript with the degree posted.
• Only credits for acceptable coursework transfer and may fulfill requirements at Nazareth; Grade Point Average (GPA) and course grades do not transfer. External courses are accepted as transfer credit and are not included in GPA calculations. Allowable courses will be transferred and posted with a grade of “T.”
• Transfer students cannot receive credit twice for courses with different titles but with equivalent content, wherever taken.
• Once received, transcripts become the property of Nazareth University and may not be sent from Nazareth to other universities.
• Students who have completed fewer than 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours of college credit at the time of application must also submit an official copy of their high school transcript. (Note: One-quarter hour is equivalent to two-thirds of a semester hour.)
• Matriculated students must obtain prior approval to take courses at another institution. A completed Transfer Credit Approval Form must be approved by the academic advisor and the chairperson of the department in which the desired course is located, and returned to a transfer credit evaluator in Academic Advisement. Approval must be obtained prior to registering for the course. A catalog description of courses to be taken at universities other than Nazareth University should be submitted with the Transfer Credit Approval Form. Students are responsible for advising a transfer credit evaluator immediately of any changes in courses for which they gained transfer approval. 
• Transfer credit may not be declined solely for financial aid purposes.
• No more than 8 credit hours or two courses may be taken in any one 5 or 6 week summer session.
• Transfer credit policies related to Core:

  • The full Core is waived for transfer students entering Nazareth with a previously earned bachelor’s degree (from Nazareth or another institution).

  • For transfer students entering Nazareth with a previously earned A.A., A.S., or A.A.S. degree, all Core requirements are waived except for:

    • ACS 090 Academic and College Success for Transfer Students 

    • CME 050 Core Milestone Experience

  • All transfer students without a previously earned associate’s or bachelor’s degree must complete the full Core, with the exception of the First Year Seminar (FYS) and they take ACS 090 instead of ACS 101.

These courses must be completed at Nazareth:

• ACS*090 Academic and University Success for Transfer Students
• At least 3 credits of Perspectives Enduring Questions coursework
• CME*050 Core Milestone Experience

These Core courses are acceptable in transfer:

• College Writing, 6 credit hours
• Perspectives-Enduring Questions Courses, one course from each of the eight Perspectives areas, including a laboratory science (Note: even if a student transfers in courses that fulfill all eight perspectives areas, they are still required to take at least 3 credits of Perspectives coursework at Nazareth).
• Integrative Studies, transfer courses may be applied to the IS component (These are not posted as such since the IS courses are not tracked on program evaluations.)
• Health and Wellness requirement
• Experiential Learning requirement

 See also: Advanced Placement, Credit by Examination, New American Colleges and Universities (NAC&U) online Course Enrollment Program, Rochester Area Colleges (RAC), Proficiency Examinations for Credit, Study Abroad, Transfer Admissions in Admissions  Section, Upstate New York Language Consortium 

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Tutorials

A tutorial is a regular course that a student is taking privately and out of sequence to meet requirements for graduation or for a professional program (applicable mainly to transfer students making up work in a series of sequentially offered courses). Tutorials are available only during the regular academic year. Request forms for tutorials are available in the Office of Registration and Records. The approvals and signatures of the faculty supervisor and chairperson/program director of the program where the course resides are needed. Completed forms are returned to the Office of Registration and Records. Like independent studies, tutorials may be taken for 1, 2 or 3 credits, depending on the number of credits designated for that course in the University catalog. Tutorials are available to juniors or seniors who have a cumulative average of 2.5 or higher (exceptions are available through petition with department chairperson approval). Students must be matriculated into a Nazareth University degree program in order to request enrollment in a tutorial.

See also: Independent Study

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Undergraduate Students Taking Graduate Courses

Nazareth University students who are in their senior year of their undergraduate degree, and who are in good academic standing may register for one or more courses at the graduate level per semester for a total of up to 12 graduate credits (pending approvals noted below). Federal student loan eligibility requires that students combining undergraduate and graduate coursework must enroll in a minimum of six undergraduate credit hours per semester to be eligible for aid.

Graduate credits do not count toward undergraduate degree requirements and may not be applied toward the minimum 120 credits for an undergraduate degree (unless part of an approved combined degree program).

Approvals must be obtained in the following order:

1. Academic Advisor
2. Program director or chairperson of the graduate program department
3. Return completed petition to Office of Registration and Records
4. All approvals on the petition form are required prior to registration.

Students who are enrolled in a combination of undergraduate and graduate credit, for a total of 12-19 credit hours per semester, may register in a maximum of 6 graduate credits and a minimum of 6 undergraduate credits per semester. Students will be billed at the full-time undergraduate tuition rate and continue to be eligible for all financial aid that they would have received had they enrolled in undergraduate credits only, with the exception of Federal Pell Grants and Federal TEACH grants, which will be prorated to reflect undergraduate credits only. Contact the Financial Aid Office for advisement on any questions.

Any student looking to take graduate courses as an undergraduate and will register for less than full time should contact Student Accounts and Financial Aid first to determine the impacts. Information on graduate programs and admission requirements is available in the Admissions Office.   

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Waitlists

During the registration period, waitlists are available for closed courses. Once a course is closed, students must place themselves on the waitlist to try to get into the course. Faculty monitor waitlists and communicate with the Registration and Records Office to allow students in or add additional seats or course sections. Being on the waitlist does not guarantee that a student will get a seat in the course. A student should register for another course in case they do not get into the closed course. If a student is on a waitlist and a seat becomes available in the course, they will be notified through Nazareth email. The student must go into NazNet to register for the course within 48 hours or will be removed from the waitlist and lose the seat to the next person on the list. Waitlists are ordered chronologically on a first-come first-served basis. Students are able to see their position on a waitlist through Student Planning in NazNet Self-Service. Students may not be registered for one section of a course and waitlisted for another section of the same course.

See also: Registration

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Withdrawal from the University

Please see below for important details regarding the timing of withdrawal from the University. Regardless of when a student withdraws from the university, they are required to participate in an exit interview through the Office of Student Success. The deadlines and processes listed in this section apply to both a “leave of absence” as well as a “withdrawal” from the u niversity.

Withdrawal after classes start through the 10th week of classes:

• All new and returning students requesting an immediate withdrawal are made at the Office of Student Success (weeks 1-10). In the first week of the semester, all courses are dropped (removed from record). In weeks 2-10, all courses are dropped and assigned a grade of “W.”
• The start date of any withdrawal will be the date on which the student initiated the intention to withdraw. 

Withdrawal after the 10th week of classes

• No withdrawals are permitted after the 10th week of the semester, with the exception of medical withdrawals, which must be accompanied by documentation from a health care provider. The final deadline to request a medical withdrawal, including receipt of documentation from a health care provider, is the last day of classes (prior to finals week). If the medical withdrawal is approved, all courses are dropped and assigned a grade of “W.” Students seeking to initiate this process should contact the Office of Student Success.
• The start date of any withdrawal will be the date on which the student initiated the intention to withdraw. 

Withdrawal at the end of a semester or between semesters

• All undergraduate students (new and returning) who wish to initiate a formal withdrawal from Nazareth University effective at the end of a semester or in between semesters should contact the Office of Student Success. 

Withdrawal during Summer Terms

• Withdrawal deadlines for summer terms are published in the University’s academic calendar, located on the Registration and Records website.

Withdrawal deadlines will be adjusted accordingly for courses that do not adhere to the standard academic calendar. 
 

Unofficial Withdrawal

To ensure the University is in alignment with the federal government, auditors and the National Student Clearinghouse, all students need to be accounted for each semester (not including summer) - what this means is that students need to be either:

• Registered;
• On Leave of Absence; or
• Withdrawn.

After the add/drop period has ended each fall and spring semester, the Office of Registration and Records will outreach to all unregistered students who are not on a leave of absence to inform them that they will be unofficially withdrawn from the University. Students will be given 10 business days to request a Leave of Absence prior to the processing of the withdrawal.

Any student who wishes to return to the University and was in good standing at the time of the unofficial withdrawal may request reinstatement into the same major within one calendar year of the withdrawal by contacting the Office of Registration and Records. A student who was on academic probation at the time of the unofficial withdrawal, has been away from the university for longer than one calendar year, or is seeking to return with a different major, must complete an Application for Readmission through the Admissions Office.

See also: Readmission, Dismissal, Registration 

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