Academic Regulations

I. Matriculation

Undergraduate degree candidates are expected to be full-time unless an exception is approved by their dean.

Full-time academic status requires registration in courses that amount to twelve credits or more in a fall or spring semester. Students are also considered full-time if they are registered for a University overseas study program.

Part-time academic status is based on registration in courses amounting to between one and eleven credits. The designation of half-time status is given to students who are registered for at least six credits.

All degree candidates have a minimum residency requirement of two years (that is, four semesters of full-time status). Summer sessions, including summer study abroad, do not count toward fulfilling the residency requirement. Work completed on overseas study does not count toward fulfilling the residency requirement with the following exceptions: semester-long study at SFS-Qatar, the Villa le Balze, or the McGhee Center, Turkey, counts as one semester toward the four semester minimum residency requirement.

A student approved for and completing registration in a school of the University will be considered a student in that school during the session for which the student has enrolled, unless the student is approved to withdraw or is suspended or dismissed. No student registered in any school of the University shall at the same time be registered in any other school, either of Georgetown University or of any other institution, without the approval of his or her Dean.

Students are required to complete early registration for the following semester according to the published schedule. All new undergraduate degree candidates are required to complete the online library research and Honor System tutorial (“Joining the Conversation: Scholarly Research and Academic Integrity”) within their first semester’s enrollment. After a student completes the tutorial, he or she will be expected to have an understanding of basic research skills and the importance of ethical scholarly habits. The tutorial provides simple exercises on good research practices, including the effective use of information resources and proper citation methods. New undergraduate degree candidates are required to complete the tutorial in order to preregister for their second semester of study at Georgetown. Statements of charges for the next semester will not be mailed to students failing to preregister, and these students must register at the scheduled time and place.

Students are expected to pay their accounts in full at the time of registration. The University reserves the right to cancel the registration of any student during the semester if the account has not been paid in full. Please see the section on Expenses and Financial Assistance for more details.

The continuance of each student upon the rolls of the school, receipt of academic credits, graduation, and the conferring of any degree are strictly subject to the disciplinary powers of the University, which is free to cancel registration at any time on grounds that are deemed advisable. The disciplinary authority of the University is vested in the President in such cases as the President deems proper, and, subject to the reserved powers of the President, in the Deans and the University Hearing Board.

When a student’s conduct is disruptive of the academic life of the University, the Dean has full authority to suspend or dismiss the student. This decision of the Dean may be appealed according to the appeal procedures outlined later in this section.

All undergraduate students who are regularly admitted and in full-time attendance must live on campus during the first and second years unless they have been specifically exempted or unless space in the residence halls is not available. Requests for exemption from compliance with the housing requirement must be submitted in writing to the Office of Housing Services on a Housing Requirement Exemption Request form provided by that office. Students who are not in compliance with this regulation will be ineligible to register for the following semester. Students should consult the Student Handbook for additional information.

By provision of D.C. law all Georgetown University students under the age of 26 are required to provide proof of immunization. Any student who does not provide this proof by the last day for registration changes/late registration will be ineligible to continue in classes until the proof has been provided.

By provision of Federal Law, the Department of Homeland Security has instituted strict reporting requirements for schools that enroll foreign nationals. Before the start of each semester, all newly enrolled international students at Georgetown University on non-immigrant visas are required to attend the Immigration Reporting Session given by the Office of International Programs (OIP). OIP will provide all new international students with detailed information concerning the time, date, and location of the session before the start of the semester, and this information will also be posted on OIP’s website. Those who fail to attend the session will not be allowed to complete registration or attend classes. For further questions and information, please contact the Office of International Programs by calling (202) 687-5867.

In addition, all non-U.S. citizens are required to report accurate citizenship and visa type (including permanent residents) to the Office of International Programs. Any student who does not provide this information to the Office of International Programs will be ineligible to register for the following semester.

Attendance at classes is restricted to those who are validly registered or who are present at the specific invitation of the instructor.

All students are expected to attend all classes and to complete all of their assignments in a timely fashion. All course requirements are to be completed no later than the date of the final examination. Absences may have an adverse effect on grades in a course, up to and including failure.

“Absence” is defined as the failure of a student to be present when the class roll is checked by the professor. Lateness may be listed as absence, since students may be refused admission to any class when late. Flagrant cases of absence that affect the student’s achievement of course objectives may necessitate withdrawal from the school.

Students absent for several days because of illness should notify their Dean’s Office. A prolonged absence may necessitate the student’s withdrawal from the University for the semester.

Accommodating Student Religious Observances

Georgetown University promotes respect for all religions. Any student who is unable to attend classes or to participate in any examination, presentation, or assignment on a given day because of the observance of a major religious holiday (see below) or related travel shall be excused and provided with the opportunity to make up, without unreasonable burden, any work that has been missed for this reason and shall not in any other way be penalized for the absence or rescheduled work. Students will remain responsible for all assigned work. Students should notify professors in writing at the beginning of the semester of religious observances that conflict with their classes. The Office of the Provost, in consultation with Campus Ministry and the Registrar, will publish, before classes begin for a given term, a list of major religious holidays likely to affect Georgetown students. The Provost and the Main Campus Executive Faculty encourage faculty to accommodate students whose bona fide religious observances in other ways impede normal participation in a course. Students who cannot be accommodated should discuss the matter with an advising dean.

Tutorials are designed to meet a variety of educational purposes. Reading tutorials usually focus on mastering the scholarly literature on a particular subject. Research tutorials focus on the collection and analysis of primary materials in the form of a major research paper.

General Policy. Tutorials are designed to meet the needs of individual students under specific academic circumstances. Five general conditions should be met: (1) the course, or an acceptable substitute, is not offered by the University in the current semester, (2) the need of the student for the course at this time must be clearly demonstrated, (3) an instructor approved by the relevant department is available, (4) the proper administrative approvals are obtained, (5) the completed Request for Tutorial/Registration form is submitted to the Office of the Dean for approval before the last day for registration changes.

Normally, tutorials are given by full-time faculty for full-time students in good academic standing.

Any student wishing to explore the possibility of earning academic credit in an internship should first read the guidelines listed below as well as those within the individual school’s academic regulations. Normally internships are deemed appropriate for Juniors and Seniors. The student should contact the Dean’s Office for further information.

The Council of Deans and the Provost have approved the following general guidelines for internships:

An internship should enhance students’ analytical skills and should integrate research in the field with practical experiences.

An internship should be built on some aspect of the academic program. It is important that the internship involves the application of methodologies appropriate to the discipline(s).

The internship should culminate in the writing of a research paper under the guidance of a faculty member. The Professor will evaluate the paper in the same way as an examination.

If the credits earned through an internship bring a student’s semester credits to a total above twenty, the student is required to pay for the additional credits as an overload. Part-time students will be charged at the per-credit-hour rate.

All internships require faculty supervision and prior decanal approval.

In a limited number of cases the College makes available to its students the option of an additional credit for a student’s significant work in the community when this involvement is integral to a course in which the student is currently enrolled. Approval for the additional credit depends upon the appropriateness of the work to the aims of the course and requires the approval of the professor, office of the student’s dean, and the Center for Social Justice which facilitates and coordinates the program.

To withdraw from a course a student must complete an official drop slip in the Dean’s Office. If a student does not complete a course for which the student is registered and from which the student has not officially withdrawn, a failure will be recorded for that course.

Courses dropped through the add/drop period will not be shown on a student’s record; thereafter, dropped courses are indicated by a “W” grade.

Normally, no withdrawals will be permitted after the tenth week of classes in any semester.

No student at any time may withdraw from courses to the point of becoming a part-time student (i.e., registered for eleven or fewer credits) without the permission of his or her Dean.

A student in good academic standing and not subject to disciplinary action may, on formal written request, be granted a leave of absence by the Dean of the school. For withdrawals or leaves during a semester, a partial refund of tuition may be available. The schedule for refunds is found in the section on “Expenses and Financial Assistance.”

Students who have been granted a leave of absence from the University must apply to the Dean for re-admission at least six weeks before the next semester begins.

A $20 fee is charged for re-admission after a leave of absence.

A student can be granted a medical leave of absence from the University when the student’s health is impeding normal academic progress. If possible, the student will be evaluated by a physician on the Student Health staff who will assess the medical justification for the leave. If this is not possible, information about the student’s health status may be provided by the student’s treating health professional.

After considering the medical information, the student’s academic Dean will decide whether to grant the leave of absence and will inform the Registrar. Denial of a request for a medical leave of absence may be appealed in writing to the Provost, whose decision will be final.

In special circumstances the University may mandate a leave of absence if the student’s illness or behavior is life-threatening or so severely disruptive that it interferes with the academic pursuits and other activities of the academic community. The Student Handbook provides detailed information on involuntary medical leaves of absence.

The student must contact in writing both the academic Dean and the Director of Student Health Services to request re-enrollment at least four and not more than six weeks prior to the fall or spring semesters or the summer school sessions. When a leave of absence has been granted for medical reasons, the University may require medical opinion and recommendations before reviewing the student’s request for readmission. More information on a medical leave of absence is available from the academic Dean or from the Department of Student Health.

An honorable withdrawal will usually be granted, upon written request, to any student in good academic standing and not subject to disciplinary action. Disciplinary action may include current probation or suspension, or pending proceedings before the Honor Council or the Student Discipline System. Students wishing to withdraw must complete the following steps:

• notify the appropriate Dean’s Office in person;
• notify the Office of Student Financial Services, in person if possible, when the student has received any financial assistance from Georgetown or any state guaranteed or federally insured loans from lenders other than Georgetown while attending the University;
• consult with the Office of Student Accounts to be certain that the student’s financial records are in order. Students who are due a tuition refund must apply for such a refund in writing at the Office of Student Accounts.
• By act of registration, students accept the responsibility for charges of the entire semester, regardless of attendance in class and regardless of the method of payment used. Registration includes preregistration, registration, and all courses added after the student’s initial registration. Official withdrawal from the University can be accomplished only by following the procedures set forth above. Withdrawal from individual courses can be accomplished only by processing official drop slips through the appropriate Dean’s Office. Notifying anyone else does not constitute official notice of discontinuance. Students will not be granted an honorable withdrawal while unsatisfied financial obligations to the University exist.

A student who fails to register by the end of the late registration period will be removed automatically from the rolls of the University.

The University has established a schedule for partial refund of tuition charges for official withdrawals from the University; this schedule is found in the section on “Expenses and Financial Assistance.” As stated above, application for tuition refunds must be made in writing at the Office of Student Accounts.

Since the four undergraduate schools are distinct colleges under the jurisdiction of separate Deans, students interested in transferring within the University must apply in writing to the school to which they wish to transfer. Students become eligible to transfer between schools at the end of their first year. Applications will be presented to the appropriate Dean’s Committee on Transfer Students for evaluation. Each school establishes its own admission standards for transfer students. A student considering transfer should consult the appropriate Dean’s Office to learn deadlines and regulations governing applications. Students who transfer should expect to complete all of the degree requirements of the school to which they transfer.

Degrees are awarded three times a year: in May, August, and December. Seniors must file an application for the degree at the Dean’s Office. The last day to file for a May degree is February l; for an August degree, August 1; for a December degree, November 1. Failure to apply for the degree may postpone the student’s graduation.

Diplomas for degrees awarded in August, December, and May are printed and distributed at Commencement in May. Students who graduate in August and December may take part in the Commencement Exercises the following May; if they prefer, diplomas will be mailed to their homes in June.

Diplomas and academic transcripts will not be issued to graduates with unsatisfied financial obligations to the University.

The University provides each student with a number of invitations for Commencement. This material plus more general information about the details of Commencement weekend are available in the Deans’ Offices after the middle of April. Please note that caps and gowns are worn at graduation.

Seniors are requested to complete the senior survey that is distributed through the Deans’ Offices.

Undergraduate Bulletin 2009-2010 Table of Contents
Copyright 2009, Georgetown University.