University College Policies

Undergraduate Policies

Exploratory Major Students Critical Requirements

All incoming ASU freshmen participate in the critical requirements program. Critical requirements are designed to help students graduate in four years by clearly outlining course requirements and course progression and by placing critical courses in the early semesters to help students determine degree fit and suitability.

To that end, University College has developed major maps that support students exploring potential majors during their first few semesters at the university. Upon admission to University College, all first-year exploratory majors are required to declare an exploratory major track in one of four areas:

• Exploratory social and behavioral sciences.
• Exploratory health and life sciences.
• Exploratory humanities and fine arts.
• Exploratory math, physical sciences, engineering and technology.

Each of these major tracks is designed to provide students with introductory courses in a field of choice (e.g., introduction to psychology, introduction to environmental design), general studies education and elective courses that reinforce current interests. By strategically selecting courses, students can make progress toward choosing a major with the appropriate fit. Each exploratory track is composed of a three-semester major map, with the end goal of having students declare their major by no later than completion of 45 credit hours. Students are required to maintain a GPA that keeps them in good academic standing with the university and allows them to declare the major of their choosing. All exploratory students are required to enroll in a university major and career exploration class each semester.

Major maps for each of these exploratory tracks are available at https://webapp.asu.edu/eadvisor/MajorMaps.html.

Academic Integrity

Academic honesty is expected of all students in all examinations, papers, academic transactions and records. The possible sanctions include, but are not limited to, appropriate grade penalties, loss of registration privileges, disqualification and dismissal. University College 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://provost.asu.edu/academicintegrity.

School of Letters and Sciences

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 Good Standing

For purposes of retention, academic good standing for all students in University College is defined as follows:

A student who does not maintain the minimum GPA after each fall or spring semester is placed on academic probation. A student placed on academic probation or continuing 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 may be disqualified. A student who has been disqualified is not permitted to enroll for the fall or spring semester.

Students may remain designated as exploratory major status until they complete 45 credit hours. Students who have not declared a major by the time they have completed 45 credit hours are placed on hold, which prevents registration for future ASU semesters, until the student has declared a major.