Policies

Be familiar with the university policies that impact you as a student.

University Policies

• Code of Conduct
• Withdrawal or Leave of Absence
• Grade Grievance

Excused Absences

The University of Delaware excused absence policy states, in short, that a student’s absence from class can be excused if:

1. The absence falls on a religious holiday listed in University Calendars (e.g. Passover, Good Friday)
2. The absence is due to athletic participation or extracurricular activities
3. The absences is due to a family emergency or death within a student’s family
4. The absence is due to the serious illness of the student. Please note – one-day absences due to illnesses such as colds or minor illnesses should be handled between the student and the faculty. When possible, the student should report the expected absence before class meeting.

Interviews, travel for family weddings, or early travel home at the end of a semester are examples of things that are not considered excused by the University.

If you are planning to be absent for a religious holiday, please let your faculty know as early as possible of your intention to be absent.

Procedure: If you are out due to your own illness, please send documentation from a physician stating when you were seen and how long you are expected to be out to lernerexcusedabsence@udel.edu.

If you are out due to the serious illness or death of a family member, please send supporting documentation (family physician or obituary) to lernerexcusedabsence@udel.edu.

Please see this year’s course catalog for the most up-to-date policies.

If you have further questions about the University of Delaware’s policy or about excused absences in general, please contact the Lerner College’s Assistant Dean’s Office at 302-831-2553.

Maintaining Good Academic Standing

You must maintain at least a 2.0 grade point average (GPA) to maintain good academic standing. Please refer to the undergraduate catalog for additional information (visit the “Academic Regulations for Undergraduates” page and click on the link for “Delaware’s Grading System / Academic Standing”). A minimum average of a C, or a GPA of 2.0 in all work taken at the University of Delaware, is required for the baccalaureate degree.

The Pass/fail Grading Option

Some courses are offered only on a pass/fail basis. You also have the option to take one letter-graded course per semester as a pass/fail course. You may not take more than 24 pass/fail credits (excluding those courses that are only offered pass/fail). A course taken on a pass/fail basis may only be used as a free elective within the business majors.

You might take a course pass/fail to lighten your workload or if you are experiencing academic difficulty – but can definitely pass the course.

Even when you complete a course on a pass/fail basis, the instructor will assign a regular grade. If you have earned a grade of A, B, C or D (plus or minus), a grade of “P” will be listed on your transcript. The credit hours are earned as free electives, but no grade is calculated in your GPA. If you receive a grade of F, it will be recorded as a failing grade on the transcript and the failing grade is calculated in the GPA.

You may change your grading status until the academic penalty deadline using your UDSIS account. You should always check with your advisor before you change a class to pass/fail.

Auditing a Course

You have the option to enroll in any course as an auditor or listener. Auditing or listening means that you are registered for the course, but you will not receive any credit hours towards your degree nor will a grade be calculated in your GPA.

Class attendance is required, but you do not have to complete assignments or take exams unless you want to. Registering as an auditor is considered the same as registering for credit for the purpose of determining course load and tuition. A final grade of “L” will appear on the transcript. Professors have the option to submit a grade of “LW,” or listener withdrawn, if you stop attending the class.

You might choose this grading option if you want to attend a course to learn the course material, but do not need to earn the credit hours towards your degree. This is also a good option when experiencing academic difficulty. If you are in danger of failing a course but will have to take it again, auditing is a good opportunity to prepare yourself to retake it.

You may change your grading status to auditor until the academic penalty deadline using your UDSIS account. You should always check with your advisor before you change a class to audit.

Policies that Impact International Students

• Enrollment Options
  • International Students must complete a “course permit form” in order to withdraw from or change the enrollment option of a course
  • International Students: courses taken as pass/fail must count toward free elective credits
  • International Students must be enrolled in at least 12 credits for a grade (including pass/fail). Freshmen international students have the option of dropping below 12 credits but must apply for a “reduced course load” and work closely with their assigned advisor in order to make this request. Senior international students have the option of dropping below 12 credits during their final semester of coursework, only if their degree plan to graduation indicates a requirement of classes that total less than 12 credits for the final semester.
• Transferring in Credits
  • International Students are permitted to transfer in credits from a school outside of the US, but must follow the instructions outlined on the Registrar’s site for international transfer credits: https://www1.udel.edu/registrar/transfer/instructions
• Changing Majors
  • International students who graduate from the Academic Transitions (AT) program at the ELI may not have as much time as “traditional freshmen” in the Lerner College to change their major without having to meet any requirements. These students should work closely with their assigned academic advisor on plans to change their major while they are still considered freshmen.
• Academic Dismissal
  • If an international student is academically dismissed, he or she cannot legally remain in the United States; he or she can take online UD classes on a part-time basis from outside the country in an effort to raise his or her GPA and apply for readmission to UD.

Resources for International Students

• ISSS, Maintaining Your Immigration Status