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College of Public Programs Policies

Undergraduate Policies

Interdisciplinary Public Service Requirement

The College of Public Programs has a college level graduation requirement for all undergraduate students majoring within the college. This degree requirement is called the Interdisciplinary Public Service requirement. Each student must complete a total of 13 hours of public programs course work. These 13 hours will consist of one course from each of the four schools within the College of Public Programs and ASU 101. Students may choose a core course from their major and three courses from the approved course list for this requirement in addition to completing ASU 101. ASU 101 must be completed in the first year at ASU; the other courses can be taken while completing the degree. The approved course list is available through your major advisor. All 13 hours must be completed in order for a undergraduate student to graduate from the College of Public Programs. Questions about this requirement should be directed to your academic advisor for your major.

Advising

The mission of the College of Public Programs professional academic advising staff is to assist students in developing meaningful educational plans to meet their academic, career and personal goals in an ongoing process of evaluation and clarification. The advisors strive to perform their duties in a professional, ethical, confidential, accurate and supportive manner, respecting student diversity and needs and always holding the individual in highest regard. The student and advisor should accomplish this process in a spirit of shared responsibility to develop academic excellence, strong decision-making skills and self-reliance. A student who has been admitted to the College of Public Programs is assigned an academic advisor from the academic unit of the student’s major area of study. Questions about advising should be directed to the student’s academic advisor or to the College of Public Programs Student Services Office, UCENT 600.

Mandatory Advising

The following categories of students are required to receive advising and to be cleared by a program advisor before they may register for classes:

  1. Students with admissions competency deficiencies.
  2. All freshmen.
  3. Transfer students in their first semester at ASU.
  4. Readmitted students.
  5. Students on probation.
  6. Students who have been disqualified.
  7. Students with special admissions status.
  8. All undergraduate students majoring in Social Work.

Course Load

A normal course load per semester is 15 to 16 credit hours. The maximum number of hours for which a student can register is 18 credit hours unless an overload petition has been filed and approved by the department/school standards committee and the academic and student affairs committee of the college. Semester course loads may be further limited for students in mandatory advising. Petitions for overload are not ordinarily approved for students who have a cumulative GPA less than 3.00 and who do not state valid reasons for the need to register for the credits. Students who register for credit hours in excess of 18 and do not have an approved overload petition on file may have courses randomly removed through an “administrative drop” action. Specific degree requirements are explained in detail under the respective college, school and department sections.

Academic Standards and Retention

Good Standing

Students in the College of Public Programs are considered to be in good standing for the purpose of retention if they maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or higher in all courses taken at ASU. Each major within the College of Public Programs requires a progessively higher GPA than a 2.00 as a student advances towards their degree. These requirements are outlined in the student's major map.

Probation

Any student who does not maintain good standing is placed on academic probation. A student on academic probation is required to observe any limitations or rules the college may impose as a condition for retention.

Disqualification

A student who is on probation becomes disqualified if:

  1. The student has not returned to good standing.
  2. The student has not met the required semester GPA.

Disqualification is exercised at the discretion of the college and becomes effective on the first day of the fall or spring semester following college action. A disqualified student is notified by the Office of the Registrar and/or the dean of the college and is not allowed to register for a fall or spring semester at the university until reinstated. A student who is disqualified may not attend as a nondegree student.

Reinstatement

Students seeking reinstatement after disqualification should contact the College of Public Programs student services office regarding procedures and guidance for returning to good standing. When reinstatement includes readmission, application must be made to the readmissions section of the University Registrar. All academic disciplinary action is the function of the College of Public Programs student services office, UCENT 600, under the direction of the dean of the college. Students having academic problems should call this office for advising at 602-496-0600.

Graduate Policies

Advising

Advising is usually handled by graduate faculty or a committee. Once admitted, students are typically assigned a temporary faculty advisor in the potential areas of specialization who assists in planning a course of study. For those degree programs requiring the completion of a thesis, a chair and thesis supervisory committee are selected by the director of graduate studies, in consultation with the student, and appointed by the dean of the Graduate College.