Enrollment

Enrollment Status and Academic Standing Policies 

Students must be enrolled full-time – at least 12 semester hours -- during each Advent and Easter semester.  Degree-seeking students must never drop below a full-time schedule in order to remain in good standing, even if they need less than 12 semester hours to complete graduation requirements. 

All degree-seeking students are expected to enroll in four full courses or their equivalent (16 semester hours), and those eligible for and seeking to take advantage of the Sewanee Pledge must maintain such a course load to remain eligible, as well as to graduate on time. 

Seniors who complete their requirements for graduation in the summer term or Advent semester preceding commencement, and who wish to take their comprehensive examinations in the Easter semester, will be allowed to enroll in the comprehensive exam only, which will incur no tuition fee.

Academic progress standards are checked at the end of every academic term, including the summer term. A student who fails to meet these standards may be placed on warning, suspended, or dismissed from the University.

Decisions about academic status, including eligibility for academic warning, suspension, or dismissal, are based on objective evidence and may not be appealed.

Good standing:
Degree-seeking students who meet the following standards for satisfactory academic progress are in good standing and are eligible to re-enroll the subsequent academic term (whether the Advent or Easter semester or the summer term):

• Students who have earned up to 35 semester hours in residence in college (that is, not counting examination credit¹) must have a cumulative GPA of at least 1.85 and a semester GPA of at least 1.0;
• Students who have earned more than 35 semester hours in residence in college (that is, not counting examination credit) must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.00 and a semester GPA of at least 1.5.

Academic warning:

Students who do not meet standards for satisfactory academic progress yet meet these conditions will be placed on academic warning:

• Students who have earned up to 35 semester hours in residence in college (that is, not counting examination credit¹) who meet either of these conditions:
  • Cumulative GPA at least 1.85 but semester GPA below 1.0 (but above 0.00; see below); or,
  • Cumulative GPA below 1.85 but semester GPA at least 1.0;
• Students who have earned more than 35 semester hours in residence in college (that is, not counting examination credit¹) who meet either of these conditions:
  • Cumulative GPA at least 2.0 but semester GPA between 1.0-1.49; or,
  • Cumulative GPA below 2.0 but semester GPA at least 1.5.

Students will be informed of their status by the dean of the College. While not in good standing, they may re-enroll the following academic term, and upon their return in the next academic term (whether the Advent or Easter semester or the summer term), these students will be required to meet with both their advisor and an associate dean of the College to develop an academic plan that addresses the deficiencies and outlines specific steps for improvement.

Students will receive only one warning semester before being suspended. Any student on academic warning who does not achieve good standing by the end of the next immediate academic term of enrollment (whether the Advent or Easter semester or the summer term) will be placed on academic suspension immediately. As well, any student who is placed on warning, then performs well enough to return to good standing, but then in a later semester fails to meet progress standards will be suspended immediately.

Academic suspension and dismissal:

Students who meet these conditions will be placed on academic suspension or, if appropriate, dismissed from the University:

• Any student earning a semester GPA of 0.00, regardless of hours earned or cumulative GPA;
• Students who have earned up to 35 semester hours in residence in college (that is, not counting examination credit) who have both a cumulative GPA below 1.85 and a semester GPA below 1.0;
• Students who have earned more than 35 semester hours in residence in college (that is, not counting examination credit) who meet either of these conditions:
  • Cumulative GPA below 2.0 and semester GPA below 1.5; or,
  • Semester GPA below 1.0, no matter the cumulative GPA.

Students who qualify for academic suspension are suspended for one semester on the first occasion. Such students may apply for reinstatement and, if reinstated, will be allowed to return on academic warning and will have one semester to meet stated standards.

Students who qualify for academic suspension a second time will be either suspended for two full semesters or, if the cumulative GPA is below 1.5, dismissed permanently. Students who qualify for academic suspension for a third occasion will be dismissed permanently.