Academic Policies & Procedures
- Credit Hour Definition
- Students Responsibilities in Academic Advising
- Maximum Credit Hour Load
- Class Attendance
- Glossary of Academic and Advising Terms
- Subject Area Abbreviations
- Course Prerequisites and Corequisites
- Antirequisites
- Grading System
- Academic Standards-Institutional Policy
- Recognition of Outstanding Academic Achievement
- Grading Policies
- Pass/No Pass Grading Option
- Grades of Incomplete
- Course Repeat Policy
- Automatic Removal of Grade Factors From Cumulative GPA For Repeated Courses
- Exceptions to Automatic Grade Factor Removal Processing
- Students must complete an “Undergraduate Course Repeat Re-Computation Request” for the following situations
- Academic Bankruptcy
- Advanced Placement
- Credit by Examination
- Academic Advisor Assignment
- Veterans Benefits
- FERPA/Student Privacy Notice
Credit Hour Definition
Academic units must follow the federal credit hour definition (please refer to https://ecfr.federalregister.gov/current/title-34/subtitle-B/chapter-VI/part-600): A credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than
- One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out of class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or
- At least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (1) of this definition for other academic activities as established by the institution including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.
Students Responsibilities in Academic Advising
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln is committed to providing effective academic advising to students as an essential component of their educational experience.
Department and college advisors are assigned to students in their programs for assistance in assessing educational goals, planning programs of study, understanding program requirements, and following policies and procedures. Professional academic advisors in the Exploratory and Pre-Professional Advising Center provide these services to students who have not yet declared their undergraduate college or major.
Students are ultimately responsible for fulfilling all the requirements of the curriculum in which they are enrolled. Students are also responsible for initiating advising contacts and preparing for advising sessions. The mentoring relationship between academic advisors and students is confidential and is strengthened by advisors listening with understanding to student concerns.
Students are expected to take responsibility for a successful university experience and effective advising session by:
- Participating in New Student Enrollment and priority registration programs;
- Scheduling appointments with advisors well in advance of priority registration and at other times as needed;
- Identifying class choices from requirements of the selected program or major;
- Identifying questions to address in advising sessions;
- Informing advisors of any special needs, deficiencies or barriers that might affect academic success;
- Following academic policies and procedures and meeting academic calendar deadlines (e.g. registration, fee payment, senior check/degree audit, filing for degree, etc.);
- Knowing and completing degree or program requirements;
- Monitoring their progress toward meeting degree requirements by maintaining a copy of their academic records and seeking assistance to resolve any errors or questions; and
- Acting on recommendations to seek assistance from the various student support services provided by the University.
Maximum Credit Hour Load
Undergraduate students may register for up to 18 credit hours per semester, except for the College of Business which allows a maximum of 19 credit hours and the College of Arts and Sciences and the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts which allow a student to register for up to 20 credit hours. Written permission from the college dean is required to exceed the credit hour per semester maximum and must be filed with an Override Authorization Form at the time of registration.
Class Attendance
Students are expected to attend all lectures, recitations, quizzes, and laboratories regularly. The University has no regulation which permits cutting classes.
Students are responsible for the attendance policy set by instructors and should clear absences directly with them.
In cases where a student is unable to contact his or her instructors due to major illness, serious injury, or hospitalization or when given military orders which are effective immediately, a notice may be sent to the student’s instructors by the University Health Center, a family physician, or the Students Affairs Office, 106 Canfield Administration Building, 402-472-3755. This notice is for the instructor’s information only and does not relieve the student of contacting instructors as soon as possible.
Students involved in University-sponsored activities, including intercollegiate athletics, may need to be excused from a class, lab, or studio meeting. In all instances it is the student’s responsibility to request permission for the absence (preferably in writing) from the instructor and to discuss how the absence will affect their ability to meet the course requirements. Students should do this as soon in the semester as possible. While instructors should seek to the greatest extent possible, consistent with course requirements, to make reasonable accommodation for a student involved in University-sponsored activities, students should recognize that not every course can accommodate absences and neither the absence (nor the notification of an absence) relieves them from meeting the course requirements.
For complete information on class attendance, see the Office of the University Registrar's website at http://registrar.unl.edu.
Glossary of Academic and Advising Terms
Academic Advisor: College staff member responsible for providing guidance in course and/or program-related topics including academic requirements; course schedules; personal, academic, or career information; and transition to college and academic progress.
Academic Term (semester): Fall, spring, and summer weeks when classes are in session. The fall and spring semesters are approximately sixteen weeks long. The summer semester is between three to eight weeks long.
Academic Warning (formerly Academic Probation): A status assigned because of unsatisfactory grades, that includes two levels – Initial Academic Warning and Academic Warning Before Dismissal
Academic Year: The period composed of fall and spring semesters.
Advanced Placement Credit: Credit awarded by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln for appropriate scores on Advanced Placement Exams. https://creditevaluation.unl.edu/credit-types/ap
Bachelors Degree: Recognition of successful completion of a program of studies (usually about 120-130 semester credits), often with a specific major, minor, or concentration (commonly referred to as bachelor of arts or bachelor of science, etc.).
Canvas/My.UNL: A website that allows instructors to provide information on courses they are teaching available to their students. The information could include course syllabus, documents, discussion boards, etc. Some professors may use this site as a place to turn in assignments or complete exams.
Career Services: Office that provides services relating to major exploration, career planning and placement.
Class Standing: Based on credits earned 0-26 for freshmen; 27-52 for sophomores; 53-88 for juniors; 89 or more for seniors.
Course Description: Prerequisites required for and the description of the main topics covered in a course. Can be found in the Undergraduate Catalog: /undergraduate/courses/.
Credit Hour: A standard measure of the amount of instructional time required to successfully complete a course. For example, SOCI 101 Introduction to Sociology, is a 3 credit hour course, which means that it will meet for approximately three hours each week for one semester.
Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA): A student’s grade point average for all University of Nebraska coursework taken at Kearney, Lincoln and Omaha, based on the total number of quality points earned and the total number of semester hours attempted.
Corequisite: A course that must be taken at the same time as another specified course. Common with sciences with a lab: BIOS 101 General Biology lecture must be taken with BIOS 101L General Biology Laboratory lab component.
Course Sequence: Entry level courses must be completed before taking higher level courses. Common course sequences are in math, languages, and sciences, but also apply to most disciplines.
Degree Plan: An evaluation by the student and advisor of academic work completed and courses required for graduation.
Degree Audit: An online program that tracks program requirements. This is located in MyRED.
Department: Faculty and administrators associated with a particular discipline or program (the sociology department).
Direct Equivalent: A course which has been evaluated by UNL and determined to be equivalent to a specific UNL course. A direct equivalent will fulfill the same requirement as the UNL course.
Double Major: Student majoring in two programs within the same college.
Drop: To cancel registration in a course. It is only available during the add/drop period as specified on the academic calendar. Students can drop a course through MyRED.
Dual Enrollment: When a student earns both high school and college credit for a course.
Dual Matriculation: A student is earning two bachelors degrees. This may require an additional 30 hours added to the student’s program along with the requirements of both degree colleges. An example would be a student receiving a bachelor of science in business administration and a bachelor of arts in global studies.
Duplicate Credit: A course that has already been taken; a student can’t receive credit in the same course multiple times. This can also define taking two courses which are determined to have corresponding content, outcomes, and level (STAT 218 Introduction to Statistics, SOCI 206 Introduction to Social Statistics, EDPS 459 Statistical Methods, CRIM 300 Applied Statistics and Data Processing in the Public Sector and ECON 215 Statistics).
Education Abroad Credit: Credit earned by a University of Nebraska–Lincoln student while studying, interning, researching, or doing service learning outside the United States. Because of variation in educational systems and coursework, this credit ideally should be reviewed by department faculty before the education abroad experience. Credit transcribed from an institution outside the United States must be reviewed by specific department faculty to evaluate its applicability to the student’s degree program.
Evaluation: Process by which the department/advising office evaluates transfer credit to determine its equivalence to a University of Nebraska–Lincoln course based on similar content, level and outcomes. May also refer to the process by which a student’s degree college evaluates transfer credit which does not have a direct equivalent.
FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974): Protects a student’s academic record within the post-secondary educational setting.
Financial Aid: Funding provided to students from various sources to assist in expenses to attend college.
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA): A standardized application including detailed financial data that is required to determine eligibility for all financial aid programs.
Full-Time (student): Students registered for 12 or more credits in the fall or spring semester.
General Education Requirements/Achievement-Centered Education (ACE): A set of courses and learning outcomes that are required for all students to help students gain a broader education related to social, global, humanity and artistic perspectives in a variety of academic disciplines.
General Elective Credit (GNCR): Transfer courses accepted as University of Nebraska–Lincoln elective credit. Application of elective credit to the student’s degree program is at the discretion of the student’s degree college.
High School or remedial level course (HSCR): Hours and courses that do not transfer even though they may have been earned at a postsecondary institution. This would include courses such as geometry and intermediate algebra. Some courses may transfer for non-degree hours.
Holds: A hold on a student’s account can be from various offices needing action from the student. Common holds are for delinquent accounts, immunization records, library books, etc. Students can see details on their holds through MyRED, Student Center, and “Holds.”
International Baccalaureate (IB Credit): Credit awarded by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln for appropriate scores on International Baccalaureate Exams. http://creditevaluation.unl.edu/credit-types#ib
International Credit (IVAL): Credit earned at an institution outside the United States. Because educational systems vary greatly, all international credit must be reviewed by specific department faculty to evaluate its applicability to a University of Nebraska–Lincoln degree. To ease this process, some courses have been reviewed and transfer as direct equivalents.
Incomplete: A grade given, usually under extenuating circumstances, when a student is not able to complete a course within the semester. The professor assigns a grade of incomplete at the end of the semester and works out a contractual agreement for completion. Grades of incomplete do not affect a student’s GPA.
Lower Level (100 or 200 level): General introductory courses, usually making up the first two years of a bachelors degree. Credit awarded by a community college is generally considered lower division credit.
Major: A program of study in a degree where a significant number of the courses are in a single discipline or related disciplines in an interdisciplinary major. /undergraduate/majors/
Math Placement Exam: A math exam for students in order to determine the level of math at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln that the student is academically prepared to complete.
Matriculation: Formal application to and acceptance in a degree or certificate program during a specific semester.
Minimum Grades: The lowest grade accepted to complete a requirement. Each college determines acceptability and applicability of coursework with grades lower than “C” (2.0 on a 4.0 scale) including “C-.”
Minor: A program of study requiring fewer courses than a major. Some majors require a minor and other majors do not require a minor.
Modern Language Placement Exam: Readiness exam for students wanting to continue language in French, German, and Spanish.
Multiple Course Equivalency: A direct equivalence involving a combination of courses. In some cases, the course content is divided differently. An accounting series may be divided into three courses at one institution which are equivalent to two courses at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
MyPLAN (My Personal Learning and Advising Network): A tool located in My.UNL used to connect with advisors and instructors. Many offices are using MyPLAN as an online appointment system for students as well.
MyRED: An online tool used by students to view and keep track of their academic records, register for courses, see final course grades, view and maintain financial/scholarship processes, etc.
Non Degree Applicable (NDAP): Transfer course credit hours which are included in the equivalency and generally not degree-applicable. For example, if 4 credit hours are awarded for a course at another institution, but the equivalent UNL course awards 3 credit hours, the extra 1 semester hour of transfer credit may be recorded as NDAP and would not apply to the student’s degree. If a transfer course is awarded fewer credit hours than the equivalent UNL course, the evaluator may stipulate that the course will satisfy the requirement for the UNL course, without additional hours.
Open Registration: Following Priority Registration when registration for the upcoming semesters is open to all students.
Override: A professor can give permission for a student to be admitted into a closed course (usually by a schedule adjustment form or permission code).
Pass/No Pass (P/NP): This option does not affect a student’s GPA and has to be decided by a certain date located in the academic calendar and can be changed in MyRED. Some courses have the option to be taken as P/NP or only offered as P/NP.
Pre-Professional Programs: Pre-Professional is an advising category for students preparing to enter a professional school. Pre-Health and Pre-Law areas are not majors and, therefore, cannot grant students baccalaureate degrees.
Prerequisite: A course/requirement a student must pass before enrollment can take place in a more advanced course in the discipline or in a related discipline. A common prerequisite for calculus is college algebra and trigonometry.
Priority Registration: Student’s registration time based on how many credits have been earned as well as the number of hours in progress (decided by the Office of the University Registrar). Priority Registration for the spring starts in October and ends in November; Priority Registration for the fall/summer starts in March and ends in April.
Probation: A status assigned because of unsatisfactory conduct.
Registration: The process by which a student is enrolled in classes.
Recitation/Quiz: Lecture is broken into smaller sections known as recitation or quiz; often used as a way for students to ask questions, gain additional course information and assignments, work with group members, or take quizzes.
Repeating a Course: This policy allows students to repeat a course where an unsatisfactory grade was earned and use the higher grade earned during the second or third attempt to be used in GPA calculation. Please note that the initial enrollment in the course remains on the transcript with a note that the grade earned in the second or third attempt is used in GPA calculation.
Special Topics Course: A course which subject matter may vary from semester to semester; it may include current or special topics.
Student Identification Number (NUID): A numeric code assigned to students that becomes their identity in university databases. This number is used in place of a social security number so that a student’s privacy can be maintained.
Subject Credit (SUBJ): Course transfers as subject area hours (e.g., ENGL XXX, MATH XXX) not assigned to a specific course. It can be designated with a level, such as 1XX for freshman level, 2XX for sophomore level, etc.
Substitution: Process by which the degree college agrees to substitute a similar (comparable) course for a particular requirement of a student’s degree. This may occur when a course is not considered a direct equivalent.
Syllabus: An outline of the main points of the course. This can also include specific topics covered by the course, important date and deadlines for the course, professor’s information, and books required for the course.
Transcript: An official transcript is the original record verifying a student’s enrollment and grades, and certified (by signature and/or seal) by the institution. It is normally sent directly by mail upon the student’s written request.
Transfer Course Equivalencies Table: An online table of courses from selected institutions listing the courses which have been reviewed by UNL faculty and the current UNL equivalent for those courses. Application of all courses to a specific UNL degree is at the discretion of the UNL College granting the degree. Information can be found on: http://admissions.unl.edu/nebraska/equivalency.aspx.
Transfer Credit: Credit awarded by a program or post-secondary institution other than the institution at which the student is currently enrolled. At the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, this is any credit not awarded by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
Tuition: Charges to a student by the University for registration in credit courses.
Undergraduate Catalog: The set of rules, regulations, policies, programs, requirements, and courses. This can also be referred to as a catalog. A student is normally bound by the requirements of the catalog in effect when the student was admitted to the degree college. Each degree college has policies regarding changes to catalogs. The Undergraduate Catalog can be found at: /undergraduate/.
Upper Level (300 and 400 level): Less general, more focused courses, usually making up most of the final two years of a bachelors degree.
Vocational or Skill Development Course (VCRD): Courses designated as vocational or skill development courses not applicable to a University of Nebraska–Lincoln degree.
Withdrawal from a Course: To drop from a course after the add/drop deadline in the academic course will result in a “W” on the student’s record. Students can drop a course through MyRED. Grades of a “W” do not affect a student’s GPA, but cannot be removed from transcripts.
Subject Area Abbreviations
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln uses standard abbreviations for academic subject areas and program titles as part of course descriptions. This list can be found by clicking on Course Abbreviations under the Courses tab in the heading.
Abbreviations and Symbols Commonly Used in the Catalog
| ACE | Achievement-Centered Education |
| anly or anlys | analysis |
| appl or apps or ap | application or applied |
| arr | arranged |
| corec | corequisite (see parallel) |
| coreg | coregistration (denotes taking another class along with the one listed) (see parallel) |
| cr or crs | credit or credit hours |
| cum | cumulative grade point average (see GPA) |
| D | Extended Education (contract course) |
| Ed or Educ | Education |
| elem | elementary |
| F | Distance Education-"Field" Class |
| fld | field |
| fund or fun | fundamentals |
| G | graduate |
| GPA | Grade Point Average |
| grad or Grad | graduate |
| H | Honors |
| hr or hrs | hours |
| I or inc | incomplete |
| ind | independent |
| intermed | intermediate |
| intro or intr | introduction |
| L | laboratory with credit hours |
| Lab or lab | laboratory |
| Lec | lecture |
| max | maximum |
| NP or N | No Pass credit allowed toward degree |
| NR | No Report |
| P | Pass |
| P/N | Pass/No Pass |
| PO | Pass/No Pass grading option |
| parallel | denotes taking another class along with the one listed (a corequisite or coregistration) |
| Prereq or preq | prerequisite |
| princ | principles |
| Pro or prof | professional |
| quz | quiz |
| Rec | Recreation |
| rct or Reci | recitation |
| rsh | research |
| S | (denotes) Distance Education class |
| sec | secondary |
| sem | semester |
| smnr | seminar |
| Stu or stu | studio |
| TBA | to be assigned |
| tch | teach |
| tchr | teacher |
| tchng | teaching |
| tech | technology or technical |
| UG | undergraduate |
| UNK | Univeristy of Nebraska at Kearney |
| UNL | University of Nebraska-Lincoln |
| UNMC | University of Nebraska Medical Center |
| UNO | University of Nebraska at Omaha |
| W | withdrew |
| / | and/or |
| & | and |
| + | and |
| > | greater than |
| < | less than |
Course Prerequisites and Corequisites
Course prerequisites indicate the level of preparation a student must have had to take a given course. Equivalent preparation is generally sufficient. If there is doubt about a student’s preparation level, permission to enroll may be requested from the instructor of the course or from the department chairperson. Academic departments reserve the right to deny admission in a course if the prerequisite has not been completed. Academic departments reserve the right to give permission or waive the prerequisite for any course or to substitute for the prerequisite learning obtained by other means than through the prerequisite course(s). See the Courses of Instruction section for each undergraduate college in this catalog for an official listing of course prerequisites.
The use of the words “parallel”, “corequisite”, or “coregister with” in the prerequisite for a course means that both courses are to be taken simultaneously.
Antirequisites
Credit towards the degree may be earned in only one from each group of courses listed below. There may be additional exclusions referenced in course listings within the catalog.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting for Business Decisions | ||
or ACCT 201 | Introductory Accounting I | |
or ACCT 201H | Honors: Introductory Accounting I | |
| Accounting for Business Decisions | ||
or ACCT 202 | Introductory Accounting II | |
or ACCT 202H | Introductory Accounting II | |
| Interpersonal Skills for Leadership | ||
or ENGR 100 | Interpersonal Skills for Engineering Leaders | |
or ENGR 100H | Honors: Interpersonal Skills for Engineering Leaders | |
| General Biology | ||
or BIOS 110 | Human Biology | |
| General Biology Laboratory | ||
or BIOS 110L | Human Biology Laboratory | |
| Business, Government & Society | ||
or BLAW 372 | Business Law I | |
or BLAW 372H | Honors: Business Law I | |
| Business, Government & Society | ||
or BLAW 371 | Legal Environment | |
or BLAW 371H | Legal Environment | |
| Engineering Economics | ||
or CHME 452 | Chemical Engineering Process Economics and Optimization | |
| Chemistry in Context II | ||
or CHEM 110A | General Chemistry II | |
or CHEM 114 | Fundamental Chemistry II | |
| General Chemistry I | ||
or CHEM 113A | Fundamental Chemistry I | |
| Organic Chemistry I and Mechanistic Organic Chemistry I | ||
| Physical Chemistry | ||
or CHEM 481 | Physical Chemistry I | |
| Applied Statistics and Data Processing in the Public Sector | ||
or ECON 215 | Statistics | |
or ECON 215H | Honors: Statistics | |
or EDPS 459 | Statistical Methods | |
or STAT 218 | Introduction to Statistics | |
CSCE 155 | ||
| Computer Science I: Systems Engineering Focus | ||
or CSCE 155H | Honors: Computer Science I | |
or CSCE 155N | Computer Science I: Engineering and Science Focus | |
or CSCE 155T | Computer Science I: Informatics Focus | |
| Data Structures and Algorithms | ||
or CSCE 311 | Data Structures and Algorithms for Informatics | |
| Numerical Analysis I | ||
or MECH 480 | Numerical Methods in Engineering | |
| Economic Essentials and Issues | ||
or ECON 211 | Principles of Macroeconomics | |
or ECON 211H | Honors: Principles of Macroeconomics | |
| Economic Essentials and Issues | ||
or ECON 212 | Principles of Microeconomics | |
or ECON 212H | Honors: Principles of Microeconomics | |
| Intermediate Macroeconomics - Quantitative | ||
or ECON 311B | Intermediate Macroeconomics - Descriptive | |
| Intermediate Microeconomics - Quantitative | ||
or ECON 312B | Intermediate Microeconomics - Descriptive | |
| ESL/Academic Reading Skills | ||
or ENGL 187 | ESL/Academic Writing Skills | |
or ENGL 188 | ESL/Academic Speaking and Listening | |
| Financial Decision Making | ||
or FINA 361 | Finance | |
or FINA 361A | Finance | |
or FINA 361H | Honors: Finance | |
| Second-Year French I | ||
or FREN 210 | Accelerated Second-Year French | |
| Second-Year French II | ||
or FREN 210 | Accelerated Second-Year French | |
| Introduction to Geology | ||
or GEOL 101 | Dynamic Earth | |
or GEOL 101H | Honors: Physical Geology | |
| Second-Year German I | ||
or GERM 210 | Accelerated Second-Year German | |
| Second-Year German II | ||
or GERM 210 | Accelerated Second-Year German | |
| Elementary Greek II | ||
or GREK 151 | Reading Ancient Greek in the Digital Age | |
| Elementary Latin II | ||
or LATN 151 | Accelerated Latin | |
| College Algebra | ||
or MATH 103 | College Algebra and Trigonometry | |
| Trigonometry | ||
or MATH 103 | College Algebra and Trigonometry | |
| Applied Calculus | ||
or MATH 106 | Calculus I | |
| Management Essentials For Contemporary Organizations | ||
or MNGT 301 | Introduction to Management | |
or MNGT 301H | Honors Introduction to Management | |
| Contemporary Marketing | ||
| Marketing | ||
| Honors: Marketing | ||
| Physics for Life Sciences I | ||
or PHYS 141H | Honors: Physics for Life Sciences I | |
or PHYS 151 | Elements of Physics | |
or AGST 109 | Physical Principles in Agriculture and Life Sciences | |
| Introduction to Social Research Methods | ||
or CRIM 251 | Research Methods | |
| Sociology of Juvenile Delinquency | ||
or CRIM 337 | Juvenile Delinquency | |
| Deviance and Social Control | ||
or CRIM 413 | Sociology of Deviant Behavior | |
| Beginning Spanish I | ||
or SPAN 110 | Accelerated Beginning Spanish | |
| Beginning Spanish II | ||
or SPAN 110 | Accelerated Beginning Spanish | |
| Second-Year Spanish I | ||
or SPAN 210 | Accelerated Second-Year Spanish | |
| Second-Year Spanish II | ||
or SPAN 210 | Accelerated Second-Year Spanish | |
| Intensive Conversation | ||
or SPAN 205 | Spanish for Medicine and Healthcare | |
or SPAN 206 | Spanish for Law | |
| Advanced Writing and Reading for Comprehension. Special Course for Heritage Speakers of Spanish | ||
or SPAN 303 | Advanced Reading and Conversation | |
or SPAN 304 | Advanced Writing and Conversation | |
Grading System
The University uses an A through F grading system. The letter grades with point value (in parentheses) are: A+ (4.0), A (4.0), A- (3.67), B+ (3.33), B (3.0), B- (2.67), C+ (2.33), C (2.0), C- (1.67), D+ (1.33), D (1.0), D- (0.67), and F (0). Grades of W (dropped/withdrew), I (incomplete), P (pass/C or better), and N (no pass) may also be given. W, I, P, and N are not assigned grade points and therefore are not used in the computation of a student’s grade point average.
Academic Standards-Institutional Policy
Initial Academic Warning. Students are placed on Initial Academic Warning (formerly Probation I) when their term or cumulative GPA falls below 2.0. Students are notified of their status via a letter and email from the Office of the University Registrar. Once students are placed on Initial Academic Warning, a hold is placed on their account for future registrations. To remove Initial Academic Warning status, students must complete a semester of coursework with both a semester and cumulative GPA above 2.00.
Academic Warning Before Dismissal. Students are placed on Academic Warning Before Dismissal (formerly Probation II) when their term or cumulative GPA falls below 2.0 for two consecutive semesters. Students are notified of their status via a letter and email from the Office of the University Registrar. Once students are placed on Academic Warning Before Dismissal, a hold is placed on their account for future registrations. To remove Academic Warning Before Dismissal status, students must complete a semester of coursework with both a semester and cumulative GPA above 2.00.
Academic Dismissal. Dismissal rules are contingent on the total number of credit hours a student has attempted while enrolled at UNL. A student will be dismissed from UNL if any semester ends in the following conditions:
- If a student has 1-18 cumulative attempted credit hours, has attended UNL, UNO or UNK for more than one semester, and his/her cumulative GPA is below 1.00.
- If a student has 19-45 cumulative attempted credit hours, his/her prior cumulative GPA is below 2.0, and:
- both semester and cumulative GPA are below 1.75
OR - the student has spent three consecutive semesters on Academic Warning.
- both semester and cumulative GPA are below 1.75
- If a student has 46 or more cumulative attempted credit hours, his/her prior cumulative GPA is below 2.0, and:
- both semester and cumulative GPA are below 2.0
OR - the student has spent three consecutive semesters on Academic Warning.
- both semester and cumulative GPA are below 2.0
If a student is dismissed, the University will automatically cancel any registrations for the following semester.
Decisions made regarding continued eligibility for Federal Financial Aid are made independently of the academic dismissal/reinstatement policy. Students should contact the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid for assistance.
NOTE: Attempted credit hours include all the credit hours a student registered for at UNL and did not drop during the first two weeks of the course.
Readmission. A student who has been dismissed from UNL will be denied enrollment privileges for at least two consecutive semesters (the four summer sessions count as one semester). Readmission to UNL is not automatic. A dismissed student may apply for readmission to UNL for the semester following the mandatory “stop-out” period or any subsequent semesters. Applications for readmission will be evaluated by the Office of Admissions in accordance with criteria established by each of the colleges.
Please see college information for specific standards related to the college.
Academic Warning
| Status After | UNL Term GPA | NU Cumulative GPA | Attempted UNL Credit Hours | Academic Warning and Dismissal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One Semester | <2.00 | OR <2.00 | Any | Initial Academic Warning |
| Two Consecutive Semesters | <2.00 | OR <2.00 | Any | Academic Warning Before Dismissal |
| Three Consecutive Semesters | <2.00 | OR <2.00 | Any | Dismissed |
Dismissal
| Status After | Attempted UNL Credit Hours | Previous Semester NU Cumulative GPA | UNL Term GPA | NU Cumulative GPA | Academic Warning and Dismissal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Two Semesters | 1-18 | N/A | Any | <1.00 | Dismissed |
| One Semester | 19-45 | <2.00 | AND <1.75 | AND <1.75 | Dismissed |
| One Semester | ≥46 | <2.00 | AND <2.00 | AND <2.00 | Dismissed |
Recognition of Outstanding Academic Achievement
In addition to providing qualified students with an opportunity to enrich their academic programs by taking honors courses, the University and its colleges recognize the academic achievements of all their talented and dedicated students.
Chancellor’s Scholars
Special recognition is given to Chancellor’s Scholars, graduating seniors who have maintained a perfect 4.0 grade point in all their collegiate work.
Graduating seniors must have earned the grade of A in all graded collegiate work at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and at other institutions and a grade of P for all classes taken in the Pass/No Pass grading option (excluding foreign study and collegiate work taken prior to the student’s graduation from high school). The student must request the exclusion of a grade taken prior to graduation from high school and the re-calculation of the GPA in writing to the Office of the University Registrar (002 Canfield Administration Building South, by March 1). At least 42 graded semester hours must have been earned at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln by the end of first (fall) semester of the academic year of graduation.
The Dean’s List: College Scholars
Each semester, the eight undergraduate colleges identify students who perform at a superior level academically by recording their names on the Dean’s List of the respective colleges. These College Scholars have earned at least a B+ average in a specified number of courses (the standard varies from college to college) during the semester for which they are recognized.
Graduation with Distinction in UNL’s Undergraduate Colleges
The colleges also praise their most successful students by recommending them for graduation with distinction, high distinction or highest distinction. While the manner of selection varies from college to college, all graduates with a level of distinction upon graduation have earned the respect of both the university community and the larger society they are about to join. Acknowledgment of such achievement is made publicly at commencement and, of course, is indicated on the student’s diploma.
Departmental Honors
Many academic departments offer honors courses and provide high-ability students with special research opportunities. Students who do not participate in the University Honors Program may request permission to register for an honors course from the course instructor or the department office. Refer to college and departmental listings in this catalog for further information or contact the University Honors Program Office.
Grading Policies
University faculty members are expected to inform students early in the semester of course objectives, requirements, standards, and grading procedures for the particular course. In addition, they should make clear their individual policies regarding the Pass/No Pass grading option and the assignment of I (incomplete) grades. Failure of any faculty member to inform students of special restrictions in these areas could be grounds for a grade appeal case. Grade appeal procedures exist in all the University of Nebraska–Lincoln undergraduate colleges (see Grade Appeals in individual undergraduate college sections of this catalog).
Pass/No Pass Grading Option
The Pass/No Pass grading option was designed to enable students to take courses in areas of interest where they may feel they have had minimal preparation without adversely affecting their grade point average. Grades of P (pass) are interpreted as a grade of C or better. Neither grade P or N (no pass) contributes to the grade point average.
There are collegiate restrictions on the use of this grading option. Students should see Pass/No Pass in individual undergraduate college sections of this catalog, see the Office of the University Registrar's website at http://registrar.unl.edu, and talk with their academic advisors concerning the use of this option.
Grades of Incomplete
The grade I is used by an instructor at the end of a term to designate incomplete work in a course. It should be used only when students are unable to complete the requirements of the course in the term in which they are registered because of illness, military service, hardship, or death in the immediate family. Incompletes should only be given if the student has already substantially completed the major requirements of the course.
For complete procedures and regulations, see the Office of the University Registrar's website at http://registrar.unl.edu.
Course Repeat Policy
Only the most recent letter grade received in a given course will be used in computing a student’s cumulative grade point average if the student has completed the course more than once and previously received a grade or grades below C in that course.
The previous grade (or grades) will not be used in the computation of the cumulative grade point average, but it will remain a part of the academic record and will appear on any transcript.
A student can remove from his/her cumulative average a course grade of C-, D+, D, D-, or F if the student repeats the equivalent course at the University of Nebraska and receives a grade other than P (pass), I (incomplete), N (no pass), W (withdrew), or NR (no report). If a course is no longer being offered, it is not eligible for the removal process.
For complete procedures and regulations, see the Office of the University Registrar's website at http://registrar.unl.edu.
Automatic Removal of Grade Factors From Cumulative GPA For Repeated Courses
Courses graded A+ to F for the current semester are checked against all courses taken since the installation of the computerized records system (September 1986) and grade factors are automatically subtracted for repeated courses originally graded C-, D+, D, D-, or F.
Exceptions to Automatic Grade Factor Removal Processing
Independent study courses, special topics courses and variable credit hour courses will not be processed automatically. These courses will be identified to the Registrar’s Office to check the C-, D+, D, D- or F status manually. Any of these courses that qualify for removal will be processed manually by the Registrar’s Office. The student will be notified of the change by a Grade Notification letter.
Students must complete an “Undergraduate Course Repeat Re-Computation Request” for the following situations
- Repeated courses that were first taken prior to the First Semester 1986-87.
- UNMC, UNO, UNK equivalent course.
- Late grades or grade changes after the grade census date (approximately three weeks after the end of the term).
- Cross-listed courses (i.e., FINA 365 Financial Institutions/ECON 365 Financial Institutions).
Requests for course repeat(s) processing for these exception-type situations are available at, and must be submitted to the Office of the University Registrar, 102 Canfield Administration Building, approximately three weeks after the end of the term. Removals processed during this revision period will be reflected in the official (census date) cumulative grade point average. Students not meeting this deadline will be notified of the change approximately two weeks after the request is received. Late changes will not be reflected in the official (census date) cumulative grade point average.
Academic Bankruptcy
A student may remove one or two complete semesters of work from their cumulative grade point average and degree consideration by applying to the Office of the University Registrar for academic bankruptcy. To qualify, a student must have completed either 15 simultaneous or sequential credit hours with a minimum 3.0 grade point average or 30 hours with a minimum 2.5 grade point average at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln following the semester(s) the student wishes to remove.
In order to declare a semester bankrupt, all courses taken during the semester are bankrupt (both credit hours and grades). The bankrupt semester is removed from consideration for cumulative grade point average purposes and the bankrupt credit is not used for degree requirements. The semester listing of courses and grades remain evident on the academic record which is used to issue transcripts. A student may not bankrupt a semester after receiving a baccalaureate degree. College Independent Study via online and Distance Education is not included in computing qualifying grade point averages; P grades may not be used to meet bankruptcy requirements.
For complete procedures and regulations, see the Office of the University Registrar's website at http://registrar.unl.edu.
Advanced Placement
In order to help students gain credit by advanced standing, the University provides opportunities for advanced placement. The University of Nebraska–Lincoln participates in the Advanced Placement Program (AP) of the College Entrance Examination Board and the College Level Examination Program (CLEP). Students can obtain detailed information on acceptable courses from the Office of Admissions.
Credit by Examination
Some currently enrolled students, through outside study or relevant experience, may feel prepared to demonstrate that they have attained the knowledge and/or skills required to pass a particular University of Nebraska–Lincoln course. As an alternative to enrolling in the course, such students may elect to take a proficiency exam that tests for mastery of the course material. If a student scores satisfactorily on the examination, the student may be awarded credit for the course. Students can obtain detailed information from the dean’s office of their college.
Academic Advisor Assignment
The University considers faculty contact with students essential to academic planning and University life. Undergraduate students are assigned academic advisors through the college or department in which they are majoring. Undergraduate students who have not yet decided upon a college will be referred to an academic advisor in the Exploratory and Pre-Professional Advising Center.
Veterans Benefits
Consistent with the Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018, Section 3679 of title 38, United States Code, Section 103, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln will not impose any penalties due to the delayed disbursement of a payment by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs on recipients of Chapter 31 and Chapter 33 VA Benefits. UNL will permit any covered individual to attend or participate in the course of education during the period beginning on the date on which the individual provides UNL a certificate of eligibility for entitlement to educational assistance under chapter 31 or 33, and ending on the earlier of the following dates: 1) The date on which payment from the VA is made to the institution or 2) 90 days after the date the institution certified tuition and fees following the receipt of the COE.
Additionally, UNL will not require that a covered individual borrow additional funds, on any covered individual because of the individual’s inability to meet his or her financial obligations to UNL due to the delayed disbursement of funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs under chapter 31 or 33. A Covered Individual is any individual who is entitled to educational assistance under chapter 31, Vocational Rehabilitation, or chapter 33, Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits, and has been verified by the school certifying official as benefit eligible. This requirement is limited to the portion of funds paid by VA.
FERPA/Student Privacy Notice
See the registrar's website at http://registrar.unl.edu/Personal-Record-Changes#ferpa for complete information on student information and privacy.