School of Letters and Sciences Policies

The School of Letters and Sciences offers a liberal arts core curriculum on the Downtown Phoenix campus and a university-wide bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies. We provide foundational instruction in humanities, social sciences and natural sciences for all students on the Downtown Phoenix campus, and we are invested in the development of learning-centered course work for students in the College of Nursing and Healthcare Innovation, College of Public Programs and Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

The School of Letters and Sciences is designed to respond to the needs of ASU students, faculties of the downtown schools and colleges, the challenges of higher education and our constituent communities. Guiding principles of the school are embedded student success programs, strategic partnerships both inside the university and in the community and interdisciplinary inquiry.

ACADEMIC SUCCESS AND INTEGRITY

Student Responsibilities
Students need to make many decisions as they complete their degrees. While the school and the university have a number of resources available (e.g., faculty, courses, advisors and tutors) to help in making the decisions, students are expected to take responsibility for their decisions.

All students are expected to follow the rules and deadlines specified in this catalog and the current Registration and Tuition Payment Guide. Students are urged to meet with their academic advisors before registration.

In addition to information provided by an advisor, students must read the requirements for university General Studies, college graduation and major degree requirements in their edition of the ASU General Catalog. The ASU academic catalog is the governing source for all degree requirements.

Credit Requirement
All candidates for graduation are required to complete at least 120 credit hours, of which at least 45 hours must consist of upper-division courses (courses numbered 300 or higher). A minimum ASU cumulative GPA of 2.00 is required for graduation.

Academic Integrity
Academic honesty is expected of all students in all examinations, papers, academic transactions and records. Possible sanctions include, but are not limited to, appropriate grade penalties, loss of registration privileges, disqualification and dismissal. The School of Letters and Sciences adheres strictly to the Student Code of Conduct regarding academic dishonesty. A copy of the Student Code of Conduct may be obtained from your academic advisor, or online at http://www.asu.edu/studentaffairs/studentlife/srr/index.htm.

Degree and Majors

The School of Letters and Sciences offers the Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (B.I.S.) with majors in interdisciplinary studies and organizational studies. The B.I.S. program is a university-wide degree program that enables students to create interdisciplinary specialties that prepare them for careers in a world that increasingly bridges academic disciplines. Freshmen may not declare a B.I.S. for either major, but sophomores, juniors and seniors who are in good standing can declare either by meeting with an academic advisor.

Interdisciplinary studies is an approach to answering questions, solving problems and addressing contemporary social issues from multiple perspectives. Interdisciplinary students develop the intellectual tools needed to build bridges between academic disciplines and apply their skills, innovations and knowledge in various academic and practical settings. Interdisciplinary studies students select two subject-area concentrations that represent academic interests they wish to integrate into a meaningful program. A four-course core offers students intellectual tools to identify connections between their concentrations and engage in interdisciplinary problem solving.

Organizational studies is intended for students seeking an interdisciplinary degree and a desire to learn about the dynamics of contemporary organizations. Via the organizational studies curriculum, students gain valuable knowledge of management styles, communication strategies, technologies, diversity, ethics and politics. All course work for organizational studies is offered online, giving students freedom and flexibility in completing their requirements. By engaging a breadth of knowledge and experience, and by acquiring the skills to integrate various domains of knowledge, organizational studies students prepare themselves for careers in business, government, nonprofit agencies, healthcare administration or the service industry. Many organizational studies students already have a chosen career field, yet desire a degree that is versatile, flexible, meaningful and affords the opportunity for continued career development and advancement. Organizational studies is offered in partnership with ASU Online and Extended Campus, giving students the flexibility to complete a B.I.S. from just about anywhere.

Advising

Successful completion of any degree requires planning, preparation and persistence. While final responsibility for becoming familiar with and understanding academic degree requirements lies with the student, the School of Letters and Sciences employs professional academic advisors who work with students in setting academic and career goals; understanding school and university policies and procedures; meeting degree requirements; and becoming familiar with the university’s and the school’s sources of academic support. Students should consult with an advisor prior to registering each semester.

Mandatory Advising
The following students in the School of Letters and Sciences must receive advising and must be cleared before registering for classes:

1. Students in their first semester at ASU.
2. Students on probation.
3. Students with a cumulative GPA of less than 2.00.
4. Students who have been readmitted to ASU.
5. Students who have been disqualified (these students are allowed to attend ASU summer and winter sessions only and must be advised prior to registration).

Students are encouraged to check their mandatory advising status each semester before attempting any registration transactions.

Transfer Credit Evaluation
Courses taken at other institutions are deemed transferable according to ASU policy. The applicability of transfer courses is determined in consultation with the student’s academic advisor. In some instances, students will be directed to other departments for the evaluation of certain course work (e.g. first-year composition, math, etc.). Transfer course work must be equivalent in both content and level of offering. Course descriptions and/or syllabi may be required to determine course applicability.

No grades lower than “C” (2.00) are accepted as transfer credit to meet the graduation requirements of this school. Credits transferred from a community college or two-year institution are applied only as lower-division credits. For a listing of the acceptable courses transferable to the various degree programs, prospective Arizona transfer students should consult their advisors and refer to the ASU transfer tools available on the Web at http://articulation.asu.edu/.

Academic Standards and Retention

Academic Good Standing
For purposes of retention, academic good standing for all students in the School of Letters is defined as follows:

Probation
A student who does not maintain the minimum GPA standard after each fall or spring semester is placed on academic probation. A student placed on academic probation must meet with an academic advisor before registration for the subsequent semester. A student placed on academic probation has one semester to raise his or her cumulative or semester GPA to meet the academic good standing criteria; otherwise, the student will be disqualified. A student’s probation status is only reviewed after spring and fall semesters.

Continuing Probation
A student earns continuing probation when their semester GPA exceeds the requirement for good standing, but their cumulative GPA falls short of the required GPA. Students can earn continuing probation for multiple semesters; however, students on continuing probation with a semester GPA below the requirements for good standing will be disqualified.

Disqualification
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 on probation becomes disqualified if the student (a) has not returned to good standing, or (b) has not met the required semester GPA. Disqualification becomes effective on the first day of the fall or spring semester following college action. A student who is disqualified may not attend as a nondegree student. If the student has already registered for a future fall or spring semester, the registration is canceled. A student who has been disqualified may apply for reinstatement through the school.

Reinstatement
Reinstatement to the School of Letters and Sciences is only granted for students that either (a) raise their ASU cumulative GPA to good academic standing (see table below) by taking ASU summer or winter classes, or (b) complete 12 or more transferable credits at another college or university with a GPA of 2.5 or higher and no grades lower than “C” (2.00). All students requesting reinstatement must also meet with an advisor in the School of Letters and Sciences to discuss their situations, identify their options and develop a plan for success. Requests for reinstatements must be made at least five business days before the first day of the semester.

Readmission
Undergraduates who have been away from the university for one or more semesters and want to return to ASU in the School of Letters and Sciences are required to apply for readmission through the University Registrar’s Office. Students that have been granted a leave of absence are not required to request readmission provided they have met the terms outlined in their leave of absence request. Students who left ASU on probation or because they were disqualified must first request reinstatement. Once readmitted, returning students are required to meet with a program advisor before enrolling in courses at ASU.

Concurrent Degrees
Students who wish to obtain concurrent degrees must request approval from the School of Letters and Sciences and the college offering the second degree. Students cannot use their major in one degree as one of their concentrations in a B.I.S. Students who wish to obtain concurrent degrees may not double-count courses from one major to the next, and must have at least 30 different credit hours in each major.

Appeals Procedures
Academic appeals and requests for variances or exceptions should be discussed first with the student’s advisor and then, if necessary, submitted in writing to the School of Letters and Sciences standards committee. All requests reviewed by the School of Letters and Sciences standards committee for exceptions to university requirements are also reviewed by the University Standards Committee.

Registration

Students are required to register for courses using one of the university-provided processes. Students must follow the calendar published in the Registration and Tuition Payment Guide each semester for information and deadlines pertaining to enrollment, adding/dropping classes and withdrawals.

Maximum Hours
Students enrolled in an undergraduate degree program in the School of Letters and Sciences may register for a maximum of 18 credit hours for fall or spring semesters, 14 credit hours for summer and three credit hours for winter. Any student wanting to register for more than the maximum must submit a School of Letters and Sciences standards petition and have an approval on file prior to registering for the overload.

Course Prerequisites
Students should consult the schedule of classes and the catalog for course prerequisites. Students may be given overrides to facilitate registration while certain prerequisites are in progress; however, all students must ensure that all prerequisites have been completed prior to beginning their classes. Students who register for courses and don't meet designated prerequisites may be withdrawn without the student's consent at any time before the final examination.

Pass/Fail Grades
Students enrolled in the school do not receive degree credit for pass/fail courses taken at this institution. In addition, no course in this school is offered for pass/fail credit. Students requesting credit for pass/fail courses taken at ASU in another college or at another institution must submit a petition to the School of Letters and Sciences standards committee.

Incompletes
Students are responsible for contacting the instructor regarding the process of requesting and fulfilling an incomplete. Incompletes are only given under extraordinary circumstances where the student has completed a majority of their course work, but circumstances beyond the students control are preventing them from completing their course work in that semester. Tardiness in contacting the instructor may result in a failing grade.

Audit Grade Option
A student may choose to audit a course in which he or she attends regularly scheduled class sessions but earns no credit. The student should obtain the instructor’s approval before registering for the course. Note: this grade option may not be changed after the drop/add period.