Academic Regulations

Attendance

Each professor will determine a class attendance policy for each course. The professor must notify students of the class attendance policy at the start of the semester and may do so by posting attendance requirements on the course syllabus. A copy of the policy must be kept on file in the department office. Students are required to actively participate in their courses and professors are asked to confirm a student's class participation/attendance – the Course Roster Verification process. Class attendance may impact a student’s course grade per the stated attendance policy.

Excused absences, including absences for participation in approved university events, will not result in a penalty, provided that the student makes up missed work as required by the professor. In case of an extended absence during a semester (e.g., health or medical issues, family concerns, etc.), the student or a designee is encouraged to notify the Dean of Student Life in Campus Life and Inclusive Excellence using the Request Instructor Notification for Extended Absences form.

Registration for Semesters/Sessions

Registration is the method of ensuring continuous matriculation in an academic program. Students register for courses each semester for a subsequent semester. That is, registration for fall takes place in April, registration for winter session takes place in October, registration for spring takes place in November and registration for summer sessions usually takes place in February. A student's course schedule is regarded as a contract and determines official enrollment. A full-time undergraduate student credit load for a regular semester is 12-18 credits. Special permission is needed for students registering for more than 18 credits. Additional tuition charges will apply.

Registration in non-classroom courses such as Individualized Instruction, Independent Study and Internships is initiated by the student by completing a Non-Classroom Card Request. Students should work with their academic department and college to secure approving signatures. Approved requests are added to the student's schedule by the Registrar in the Student Enrollment Center.

Changes to Enrollment/Class Schedule

Courses may be added during the first seven calendar days for spring and fall semester – the student portal myESU.

Courses may be dropped (no record on academic transcript) during the first six calendar days of the semester for spring and fall semesters – the student portal myESU.

Students who withdraw from a course beginning day seven – week 10 will receive a grade of "W" for that course on their permanent record. Instructor permission may be required to withdraw from a course.

After the 10th week the student may withdraw only if there are extraordinary circumstances (e.g. illness, death in the family, etc.). In this situation the student must also secure the appropriate dean's signature and submit it to the Student Enrollment Center. A grade of "W" will be assigned if the student is passing; "Z" will be assigned if the student is failing.

Any student who discontinues attendance in a course without formally withdrawing will be assigned an "E" as a final grade. Through the class roster verification process, a student who has not attended a course during the first week (first five class days of the semester or first two days of summer session) may be dropped from the course by the instructor.

A student may withdraw ("W" or "Z") from a maximum of 16 credits during the student's stay at the university. Any course dropped during the first week of the semester, for which no grade is assigned, will not be counted toward this limit, nor will "W's" received for a total semester withdrawal from the university.

A student attending a course without proper registration and payment of all tuition and fees does not constitute de facto enrollment. The university will not permit retroactive enrollment in or payment for any class after the end of the term in which the course is offered.

* Except for extraordinary circumstances as previously defined.

Auditing Courses

A student desiring to audit a course must submit an official request to the Student Enrollment Center after securing the approval of the professor of the course. A change of registration from credit to audit or from audit to credit may occur only during the first seven calendar days of the semester. Auditing students pay the same tuition and fees as students taking courses for credit.

Please note: Senior citizens registering for courses under the special student status will automatically be assigned an audit grade.

Undergraduate Students Taking Graduate Courses

ESU undergraduate students may take a maximum of six graduate credits during their senior year if the following criteria are met:

1. Satisfaction of the grade point requirements for admission with full graduate standing, i.e. 3.000 GPA in the major and 2.5000 GPA overall (may be higher for some majors);
2. Verification of senior class status (completion of 90 credits);
3. Approval by the appropriate faculty member teaching the class;
4. Approval of the dean of the Graduate College. This must be submitted to the Student Enrollment Center.

All appropriate signatures must be secured prior to registering. Graduate credit that is used to satisfy graduation requirements for the bachelor’s degree cannot be used to satisfy the requirements of a master’s degree at ESU.

Undergraduate Catalog Policy (As applicable for Academic Programs/Majors/Minors)

An undergraduate student is subject to the academic requirements and regulations contained in the catalog for their program in effect during the semester in which the student is first registered as a matriculated student. The only exceptions to this policy are stated below:

1. A student who first attends the university during the summer will be subject to the requirements and regulations in effect for the following academic year.
2. A student who declares or changes a major or other academic program (minor, concentration) after matriculation is subject to the program requirements as outlined in the catalog in effect at the time of declaration or program change.
3. A student may choose to follow all regulations and academic program requirements in effect in the current catalog. It is the student’s responsibility to complete a "Change of Catalog" card, obtain the required signature and submit the card to the Student Enrollment Center.
4. A student who discontinues attendance for two or more consecutive semesters (fall/spring or spring/fall) will be subject to the regulations and program requirements in effect when the student is readmitted to the university. This includes students who are dismissed from the university for academic or disciplinary reasons.
5. Some programs are subject to requirements that originate with legal and governing authorities outside the university (for example, requirements for teacher and other professional certifications). Such requirements are sometimes subject to change for all participants on a specific date and do not lend themselves to implementation by catalog year.
6. Some academic departments place time restrictions on the completion of major courses and/or major requirements. Such restrictions are clearly articulated in the university catalog and take priority over this policy.

Please note: Occasionally the university will adopt or revise a regulation (other than an academic program requirement) that cannot equitably or administratively be implemented by catalog year. In those cases all students shall be advised of the change at least one full semester in advance and – several venues before the change goes into effect.

Program Changes

A student may change curriculum or field of study of specialization only with the approval of the chair of the department the student wishes to enter. Change notifications are also sent to the chair of the student's prior program. The student’s grade point average and the reasons for change will be assessed by the chair of the department into which the student is transferring.

Changes in program should be requested only after careful counseling and planning. All such changes require the completion of a "Change of Major" card that is available at the Student Enrollment Center. Changes to major/minors/concentrations mean that the student is to follow the catalog requirements for that program based on the year of change. It is recommended that students request a program change prior to applying for graduation if applicable.

Specific professional programs, such as nursing and medical technology, are limited in the number of students who can be accommodated. Students planning to enter these fields should contact the appropriate department.

Class Standing/Classification Level

Class designation is determined by the number of semester hours of work which the student has satisfactorily completed in accordance with the following:

Simultaneous Dual Degrees

Students wishing to earn dual degrees (both a B.S. and a B.A.) must earn a minimum of 150 credit hours while completing all requirements for multiple majors and the general education competencies.

Students meeting all of the requirements of two majors with less than 150 credit hours can obtain a multiple major designation. In the case of a double major, if the two majors involve multiple degree designations (e.g., B.A. in English and B.S. in Psychology), the student will have the option to select only one degree designation that appears on the transcript and diploma.

Second Degrees

A student who is already the recipient of a baccalaureate degree (either from East Stroudsburg University or from a different regionally accredited university) who wishes to pursue an additional undergraduate field will be required to complete a minimum of 30 credit hours at East Stroudsburg University including the requirements for the major. The program of study for the additional degree is to be approved by the appropriate department chair and appropriate academic dean.

National Honor Societies

Additional information on Academic Regulations is available in the Student Handbook.