ACADEMIC POLICIES

Good academic standing requires the presence of students at all class and lab meetings. Therefore, course attendance at Bay Atlantic University is mandatory.

Attendance may be recorded in a variety of ways, such as (but not limited to) student selfsign in on an attendance sheet, faculty records those in attendance at the start of class, etc. Students must be physically present in class to be recorded as present, otherwise the student will be recorded as absent. Under no circumstances may a student sign the attendance sheet for another student. Violating this policy is a breach of integrity by both students (the student signing in and the student not present). Consequences for violating this policy for both students will be:
• First offense: an unexcused absence for the day on which the sign-in occurred.
• Second offense: failing the class for which the sign-in occurred.
• More than two offenses may face expulsion from BAU, and notification will be sent to SEVIS (for international students with an I20) for violating academic integrity expectations.

The violation of integrity offense will become part of the student’s official record.

Students are strongly advised to e-mail instructors regarding absences prior to the class session to be missed. If prior contact is not possible, the student must contact each instructor and arrange to make up work immediately upon returning to the University. All
make-up work is assigned by the instructor(s). Instructors are not obligated to provide make-up work for unexcused absences.

Unexcused absences may negatively affect the student’s final course grade. Unexcused absences more than 20% (3 days of a single class during a fifteen-week semester) of total class and/or lab time may result in failure of the course (AV on transcript).

Faculty are required to record attendance records in MyBAU (the Student Information System). Attendance is taken and accumulated for each class separately from one another. After an F 1 student misses three classes of a given course, the F-1 Visa student will receive a warning. If the F-1 Visa student receives a fourth unexcused absence the F-1 visa student may fail (noted as AV on transcript) the course and be considered out of status which may result in removal from the University.

As an F-1 student, you must ensure that your attendance is accounted for. You must check your attendance in MyBAU and/or communicate with your instructor if you are unsure whether your attendance was recorded accurately. For students on F-1 status, there are only three acceptable reasonsfor absence from class or lab: (1) serious illness of the student, (2) a family emergency, or (3) any legal obligation that occurs at the same time as class. Non-emergency appointments and non-emergency travel do not count as excused absences. In cases of illness, the student must submit a doctor’s or clinic note explaining the reason for the absence to the
Registrar.

The doctor or clinic note excusing the student is subject to verification. Falsifying medical notes is a breach of integrity. Consistent with the University’s expectations on academic integrity and student conduct, students who falsify medical notes will fail all classes for which the note is falsified.

The violation of integrity offense will become part of the student’s official record. Students who continue to falsify medical notes will face expulsion from the University and notification will be sent to SEVIS (for international students with an I20) for violating academic integrity expectations.

Once proper documentation is provided and verified, the registrar will mark the student’s absence(s) as excused. Explanations for excused absences must be received no later than one week after the last missed class. However, exceptions can be made by the instructor for prolonged emergencies when a student does not have the means or opportunity to inform the University of the situation.

All students are expected to arrive at class on time. Tardiness is disruptive to both the instructor and other students. Any student who is more than 15 minutes late for class will be marked tardy. Any student who misses 30 minutes or more of a class session will be marked absent for that class session. Should the instructor deem a student’s tardiness unreasonable, such that the student is unable to complete the course, the instructor will report the issue to the Chief Academic Officer and the Registrar.

Students who are late twice to a class as written above will automatically receive an absence.

Students who, for whatever reason, plan to be absent from the University for a semester, must fill out a Leave of Absence Form and have it approved by the Academic Advisor, in advance of the start of the semester. A “leave of absence” is permitted for the following reasons:
1) severe medical condition of the student or a close relative, for whom the student may be a caregiver;
2) financial hardship (for domestic students only); or
3) the death of an immediate family member.

The maximum permitted duration of an approved leave of absence is one academic year; however, students must file a leave of absence each semester. The leave of absence is not counted as part of the student’s period of residence or for any other requirement of the student’s program.

After the leave of absence is completed, students are expected to return to school on the first day of class of the semester immediately following the leave of absence. If a student does not return within the first two weeks of class, the student will be subject to administrative withdrawal from the University.

Students with an F-1 visa who take a leave of absence may not remain in the United States during the leave unless the reason for the leave is an illness.

F-1 students may request a leave of absence due to emergency circumstances. All leave requests must be approved in advance by a Designated School Official (DSO) to qualify as a Leave of Absence. Approval for this leave may involve the temporary termination of the student’s SEVIS record.

A new SEVIS ID and SEVIS fee may be required, depending on the length of the absence.

Students who leave without DSO approval will be considered Unauthorized Withdrawals, lose their status immediately, and may face difficulties returning to the U.S.

A student may withdraw from the University at any time before completing graduation requirements. A student wishing to withdraw from the University must complete the Leave with Consent Form on MY BAU and submit it to the Registrar.

International students on F1 visa should consult the DSO for further requirements.

The university refund policy is applied to determine if the student still owes money to the University.

If a student who withdrew from the University wishes to re-enroll, the student will fill out the reenrollment form and submit it to the Admissions Office.

To review the general requirements, go to the “Admissions” section. To meet the Undergraduate transcript requirements the applicant must provide the documents listed in that section.

EXPLANATION FOR THE TRANSCRIPTS

The applicant must ensure that the official transcripts must comply with the following:

• The Copies of Secondary and High Secondary transcripts (in English) or a General Education Equivalency (GED) certificate with a score of 165-174.
• If the high school transcript is not in English, the applicant must provide a certified English translation.
• If the transcript does not clearly indicate high school completion, the applicant must provide a notarized copy of the high school diploma.

International students may require additional documentation. Please see “additional requirements for international students.”

OSSE-DUAL ENROLLMENT AGREEMENT

Bay Atlantic University participates in the OSSE (Office of the State Superintendent of Education) Dual Enrollment Program, which offers eligible high school students in Washington, D.C. the opportunity to take college-level courses while completing their high school education. This program is designed to support academic advancement and college readiness by allowing students to earn college credit prior to high school graduation.

To be considered for the OSSE Dual Enrollment Program at BAU, applicants must submit the following:

• Online Application Form
• Copies of high school transcripts (GPA > 2.5)
• Dual Enrollment Personal statement essay
• Letter of recommendation from teacher
• Teacher recommendation form
• Student/Parent Release of Information form
• Bay Atlantic University Intent to Enroll Form

Additionally, for adult learners from DC PCS:

• GED ready or SAT/GRE/GMAT scores

INTERNATIONAL A LEVELS

A student must complete at least 2 GCE A Levels to be considered for admission. If the student receives an “A”, or “B” grade on the GCE A level examinations, BAU may consider granting transfer credit toward the bachelor’s degree. The exact credit amount will be determined after the student has been formally admitted and submitted an official certificate.

TRANSFER IN CREDITS

For undergraduate transfer students, up to ninety (90) – 75% of credits may be transferred from another university. Transferring credits must meet the academic requirements of the program of study. Courses with a C grade or higher may be transferred to BAU. Courses must be three semester credits for transfer. Except in the case of an articulation agreement, if a student wishes to transfer in credits from an institution outside the United States, the transcript must be evaluated by an approved evaluation service.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Applicants whose first language is not English are required to submit scores for one of the approved English proficiency tests. The tests and scores approved by BAU are as follows:

• TOEFL (PBT, CBT, IBT) : 525, 194, 70
• IELTS : 5.5
• TOEIC : 650
• BAU Proficiency : 70 (offered on campus)
• Duolingo : 75
• Pearson (PTE) : 48
• Mentora College Intensive English Program: Pass 400C level

Students must submit original score reports or have the results sent directly to BAU by the test provider. Scores must be no more than two years old.

Alternately, if a student earned a qualifying diploma or degree in a program where the language of instruction was English, the transcripts satisfy the English proficiency requirement. The student’s transcript must explicitly state that the language of instruction for the diploma or degree was English, or the student must otherwise prove that the language of instruction was English. Finally, English language proficiency may also be demonstrated by successful completion of at least 12 semester hours with at least a C average at a U.S. postsecondary university at which the language of instruction was English.

 

Full-time Study*: Undergraduate students registered for fifteen (15) or more credits in fall and spring are considered full-time students. A first-time incoming freshman with no transfer credits may take thirteen (13) credits in the first or second semester (not both). Summer session is optional.

*F-1 students must maintain full-time enrollment throughout their studies. An F-1 student entering the university in a spring or summer session must take a minimum of nine (9) credits in the summer session to be considered full time. After an F-1 student has completed two full semesters, the summer session is optional.

Part-Time Study: All students who do not meet the criteria for full-time study (i.e., those who enroll in fewer than the minimum number of credit hours per semester prescribed above) are considered part-time.

All students pay tuition based upon the number of credit hours for which they are enrolled.

Student Overloads: Ordinarily, a student who wishes to register for an overload beyond the full-time course load must have a satisfactory GPA preceding the overload. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required to become eligible. Students who wish to take more than the prescribed course load must seek written approval from the Chief Academic Officer or the designated Chair.

The quality of performance in any academic course is reported by a letter grade. For undergraduate programs, D is the lowest passing grade. Grades lower than a C are not accepted for transfer.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is the process used to determine if a student is making acceptable progress toward completing a degree. All students must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress. SAP is defined both qualitatively and quantitatively. A student’s failure to meet any of the SAP standards may result in loss of BAU scholarships, title iv federal student aid, and/or dismissal from the institution.

SAP is evaluated after the final grades are recorded at the end of fall, spring, and summer sessions. Both standards must be met.

Standard 1: A Qualitative Component which determines if students have a satisfactory cumulative grade point average (CGPA) in the program of study; and

Standard 2: A Quantitative component which determines if students are completing the courses they attempt (Pace) at a rate that will ensure completion of the program within a Maximum Timeframe (MTF) of 150% of the program length in credit hours.

STANDARD 1 QUALITATIVE COMPONENT: CGPA

At the end of every semester, BAU will evaluate the CGPA of each enrolled student.
1. Satisfactory Academic Progress requires that:

i. At the end of the semester in which students complete 15 credits, including transfer credits, the minimum BAU CGPA is 1. 00
ii. At the end of the semester in which students complete 30 credits, including transfer credits, the minimum BAU CGPA is 1.50
iii. At the end of the semester in which students complete 45 credits, including transfer credits, the minimum BAU CGPA is 1.75
iv. At the end of the semester in which students complete 60 credits, including transfer credits, the minimum BAU CGPA is 2.00

2. At the end of any semesterin which students do not meet the CGPA requirements above, they are placed on Academic Warning for the next semester.
3. Students on Academic Warning remain eligible, if relevant, for any BAU scholarship they received for one semester.
4. If, at the end of the Academic Warning semester, students have achieved the required CGPA they are removed from Academic Warning.
5. If they have not achieved the required CGPA at the end of the Academic Warning semester, they are placed on Academic Probation, if relevant, are no longer eligible for any BAU scholarship, and they agree to an academic plan prepared individually for them with the Academic Advisor and/or Department Chair.
6. According to the academic plan, during the Academic Probation, students are suspended from enrolling in new classes for the following semester to include fall, spring, and summer. These students may only repeat the low-grade courses taken previously with the guidance of the Academic Advisor and/or any other course
that could replace the low-grade courses as approved by the Academic Advisor in the probation semester.
7. If, at the end of the Academic Probation semester:

i They have achieved the required CGPA, they are removed from Academic Probation and, if relevant, are eligible for a BAU scholarship.
ii They have not achieved the required CGPA, but are meeting the requirements of the academic plan, they remain on Academic Probation for the next semester. They are still not eligible for the BAU scholarship.
iii They do not meet the requirements of the academic plan; the student is dismissed from the University.

8. At the end of the semester in which students complete 60 credits, including transfer credits, the progress is reviewed and a BAU CGPA of at least 2.00 is required.

STANDARD 2 QUANTITATIVE COMPONENT: PACE RATE WITHIN MTF

Students must complete the educational program in a period no longer than one and a half times the standard program length based on number of credits in a program.

A student must complete at least two-thirds (67%) of all cumulative attempted credit hours. New freshmen are required to successfully complete at least half (50%) of the credits they attempt during the first two semesters. Starting with the third semester, they are then required to successfully complete two-thirds of the credits.

The minimum grade acceptable in BAU’s course completion policy is a D for undergraduate programs. Transfer credits are included in the calculation as completed and attempted credits. In-Progress grades (IP), Withdrawals (W), and course repetitions (R), are considered as attempted, but not satisfactorily completed in the Pace of Completion calculation.

Maximum Time Frame for Program Completion (MTF) is the time (in academic credits attempted, not chronological time) allowed for a student to complete a course of study. All students at Bay Atlantic University must complete the program of study within 1.5 times the program length as measured in semester credit hours attempted. All transfer credit hours accepted from other institutions will be counted in the Maximum Time Frame.

Program of Study – Bachelor’s
Normal Program Length in Credits -120
MTF Allowed in Credits – 180

If a student cannot complete the program within the MTF, the student will be dismissed from the university, and the student will not be eligible to receive the original credential (e.g., bachelor’s degree). Any scholarship that the student receives will be terminated when the Registrar determines it is not mathematically possible for a student to complete the student’s degree program within the maximum timeframe.
1. Evaluation of progress is conducted at the end of every semester.
2. Students must successfully complete at least 67% of all credits attempted. Successful completion of a course means earning a grade of “A” through “D”.
3. Students who are below the successful completion rate are placed on Academic Warning for the next semester.
4. Students on Academic Warning remain eligible, if relevant, for BAU scholarship for one semester.
5. If, at the end of the Academic Warning semester, students have achieved the required completion rate they are removed from Academic Warning.
6. If they have not achieved the required completion rate at the end of the Academic Warning semester, they are placed on Academic Probation and, if relevant, are no longer eligible for scholarship and agree to an academic plan for success.
7. According to the academic plan, during the Academic Probation, students are suspended from enrolling in new classes for the following semester to include fall, spring, and summer. These students may only repeat the low-grade courses taken previously with the guidance of the Academic Advisor and/or any other course that could replace the low-grade courses as approved by the Academic Advisor in the Probation Semester.
8. If, at the end of an Academic Probation semester:

i. They have achieved the required completion rate, they are removed from Academic Probation and, if relevant, are eligible for BAU scholarship.
ii. They have not achieved the required completion rate, but are meeting the requirements of the academic plan, they remain on probation for the next semester. They are still not eligible for BAU scholarship.
iii. They do not meet the requirements of the academic plan, they are dismissed from the University.

9. If, at any time during enrollment, students can no longer graduate within the defined maximum time frame, the student is dismissed from the University.

Satisfactory academic progress is initially determined at the end of the first semester and each semester thereafter. Students are notified in writing of SAP and Scholarship status on MY BAU: warning, probation, dismissal, or having been removed from warning or probation.

APPEAL PROCESS

Students who fail to maintain SAP due to a mitigating circumstance (e.g. medical reasons, death in the family, etc.) may submit a written appeal with supportive documentation after they have received official notification of denial. Appeals will be evaluated as soon as possible. Any student submitting an appeal will receive a written response within ten (10) working days of receipt of the documentation.

An appeal for Maximum Time Frame can only be completed one time. Students must contact their advisor to determine eligibility for appeal.

Important: Students must demonstrate mitigating circumstances to be eligible for an appeal.

Examples of mitigating circumstances:
• Immediate family member (parent, spouse, sibling, child) that required extended recovery time
• Death of an immediate family member
• Significant trauma in student’s life that impaired the student’s emotional and/or physical health
• Withdrawal due to military service
• Other unexpected circumstances beyond the control of the student.

Note: Circumstances related to the typical adjustment to college life such as working while attending school, financial issues related to paying bills and car maintenance/travel to campus is not considered as extenuating for purposes of appealing suspension of financial aid.

The following documents and information must be completed and submitted to the Registrar:
1. Appeal Form
2. Personal statement from the student, either typed or legibly written, providing the following information:

a. What was the cause for not meeting SAP requirements?
b. What has changed that will allow for satisfactory academic progress in the term of appeal?
c. For a maximum credit hour appeal, provide details on changes in major, including dates.
d. To update the previous grade, submit the appeal with a brief statement.

3. Provide supporting documentation of the cause and of any changes that will solve the issues for the term of appeal. Documents can be death certificates, birth certificates, statements from doctor or counselors, police reports, and any other pertinent documents. The documents provided must support the timeframe being reviewed.

If an appeal is successful, an academic plan may be formulated and agreed upon. The plan will be designed for meeting minimum SAP requirements within a specified timeframe. Students who do not meet the requirements are dismissed from the university.

RE-ENROLLMENT

A student who has been dismissed from the University and wishes to re-enroll must fill out the re-enrollment form. To be considered for readmission, the student must submit a written petition which describes the changes in behavior or circumstance that will result in improved academic performance.

The readmission petition must be forwarded to the Chief Academic Officer at least two weeks before the beginning of the semester for which the student requests readmission. The Chief Academic Officer and the Registrar will determine if the student has demonstrated likelihood for future success in the program of study. If not, the student will not be readmitted.

If the University determines that there is a likelihood of future success, the student will be placed on academic probation for a period of one semester. The student may then be permitted to retake previously failed, in progress, or withdrawn courses to improve a CGPA and course completion percentage.

At the completion of this academic probationary semester, a student who increases the cumulative GPA to 2.0 will return to satisfactory academic standing.

President’s List: This list is compiled at the end of each fall and spring semester to recognize Bay Atlantic University’s academically high achieving students. The list consists of names of students who meet the following criteria for that semester.

• GPA 3.90+
• Minimum credits attempted 12
• Minimum grade A
• Other requirements No IP, U or F

A letter from the Office of the President is sent to students noting accomplishments and placement on the list. Each semester the lists are published on Bay Atlantic University’s website. If a student wishes to opt out of the published list, the request must be made to the registrar via email.

In addition to all program requirements, students must meet the following minimum requirements to qualify for a degree:

Description – Bachelor’s
Minimum Passing Grade Per Course – D
CGPA* – 2.00
Total Required Credits – 120

* In the event a student’s CGPA is less than 2.0 for undergraduate students, the student cannot graduate even if the student completes the credit requirement. The student should consult with the program chair to repeat one of the courses for which the student earned a low grade.

Please note: if a student requests to participate in the commencement ceremony and has not fulfilled all graduation requirements, the student is not eligible for graduation honors at the ceremony. Only students that have fulfilled all graduation requirements at the time of the commencement ceremony will be issued an honor designation.

GRADUATION HONORS

The University bestows academic honors on students when they graduate from Bay Atlantic University. Graduation honors are determined based on the following standards:

Summa Cum Laude (with highest distinction) – 3.85+
Magna Cum Laude (with great distinction) – 3.70+
Cum Laude (with distinction) – 3.50+

To review the general requirements, go to the “Admissions” section. To meet the Graduate transcript requirements the applicant must provide the documents listed in that section.

EXPLANATION FOR THE TRANSCRIPTS

The applicant must ensure that the official transcripts and diploma must comply with the following:

• Undergraduate transcript – bachelor’s transcripts along with the diploma, to complete the registration student need to submit an official or official notarized copy with a min 2.00 CGPA.
• If the bachelor’s degree transcript is not in English, the applicant must provide a certified English translation.
• Applicants need to submit the original, or a notarized copy of the original, signed transcript from the university in which they are transferring.
• The issuing educational university must issue and email ([email protected]) or mail the official transcript directly to Bay Atlantic University. If the transcripts are from a foreign university, the student must also provide either an official or officially notarized evaluation of the transcripts (see below).
• Official evaluation of transcripts: For master’s degree applicants, if the Bachelor’s degree was issued by a foreign university of higher education, the applicant must provide an evaluation of the transcript by a NACES- (http://www.naces.org/) or AICEmember (http://aice-eval.org/) credential evaluation service to establish U.S. equivalency. If the evaluation shows the undergraduate degree is not equivalent to a U.S. undergraduate degree requirement, then the applicant is required to complete the necessary credits at BAU before taking graduate level courses. The evaluation must be a course-by-course evaluation of the transcript if the student wishes to transfer credits.

If the official evaluation shows the undergraduate degree is not equivalent to a 120 US credit undergraduate degree, the student may request in writing that the evaluated international transcript be reviewed by the department chair for acceptance into the graduate program. Further documentation may be requested such as the diploma, course descriptions, etc. Requesting a review of transcripts does not guarantee acceptance in the graduate program, students may be required to take pre-requisites or be required to complete the necessary credits at BAU to complete the 120 credit US undergraduate degree.

TRANSFER IN CREDITS

For graduate transfer students, nine (9) credits may be transferred from another university. Transferring credits must meet the academic requirements of the program of study. Courses with a B grade or higher may be transferred to BAU. Courses must be three semester credits for transfer. Except in the case of an articulation agreement, if a student wishes to transfer in credits from an institution outside the United States, the transcript must be evaluated by an approved evaluation service.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Applicants whose first language is not English are required to submit scores for one of the approved English proficiency tests. The tests and scores approved by BAU are as follows:

• TOEFL (PBT, CBT, IBT) : 550, 214, 80
• IELTS : 6.0
• TOEIC : 700
• BAU Proficiency : 75 (offered on campus)
• Duolingo : 90
• Pearson (PTE) : 53
• Mentora College Intensive English Program: Pass 500C level

Students must submit original score reports or have the results sent directly to BAU by the test provider. Scores must be no more than two years old.

Alternately, if a student earned a qualifying diploma or degree in a program where the language of instruction was English, the transcripts satisfy the English proficiency requirement. The student’s transcript must explicitly state that the language of instruction for the diploma or degree was English, or the student must otherwise prove that the language of instruction was English. Finally, English language proficiency may also be demonstrated by successful completion of at least 12 semester hours with at least a C average at a U.S. postsecondary university at which the language of instruction was English.

Full-time Study*: Graduate students registered for nine (9) or more credit hours per semester are considered full-time students. Summer session is optional.

*F-1 students must maintain full-time enrollment throughout their studies. An F-1 student entering the university in a spring or summer session must take six (6) credits in the summer session to be considered full time. After an F-1 student has completed two full semesters, the summer session is optional.

Students may request a reduced course load during the last semester if there are fewer than 15 credits to complete the graduation requirement. In that case, the student will contact the DSO for necessary SEVIS approvals.

Part-Time Study: All students who do not meet the criteria for full-time study (i.e., those who enroll in fewer than the minimum number of credit hours per semester prescribed above) are considered part-time.

All students pay tuition based upon the number of credit hours for which they are enrolled.

Student Overloads: Ordinarily, a student who wishes to register for an overload beyond the full-time course load must have a satisfactory GPA preceding the overload. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is required to become eligible. Except in extremely rare and compelling circumstances, graduate students may not enroll in overload courses beyond 12 credits. Students who wish to take more than the prescribed course load must seek written approval from the Chief Academic Officer or the designated Chair.

The quality of performance in any academic course isreported by a letter grade. For graduate programs, B- is the lowest passing grade. Grades lower than a B- are not accepted for transfer.

STANDARD 1 QUALITATIVE COMPONENT: CGPA

At the end of every semester, BAU will evaluate the CGPA of each enrolled student. Satisfactory Academic Progress policy for graduate students requires that they maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 and a completion rate of 67% at the end of each semester.

At the end of any semester in which students do not meet the CGPA or completion requirement, they are placed on Academic Warning for the next semester.

Students on Academic Warning remain eligible, if relevant, for BAU Scholarship for one semester. If, at the end of the Academic Warning semester, they have achieved the required CGPA or completion requirement, they are removed from Academic Warning and, if relevant, maintain the student’s scholarship.

If they have not achieved the required CGPA at the end of the Academic Warning semester, they are placed on Academic Probation and, if relevant, are no longer eligible for any BAU scholarship and agree to an academic plan for success.

According to the academic plan, during the Academic Probation, students are suspended from enrolling in new classes for the following semester to include fall, spring, and summer. These students may only repeat the low-grade courses taken previously with the guidance of the Academic Advisor and/or any other course that could replace the low-grade courses as approved by the Academic Advisor in the Probation Semester.

If, at the end of the Academic Probation semester:
i They have achieved the required CGPA, they are removed from Academic Probation and, if relevant, are eligible for a BAU scholarship.
ii They have not achieved the required CGPA, but are meeting the requirements of an academic plan, the student remains on Academic Probation for the next semester. The student is not eligible for a BAU scholarship.
iii The student is not meeting the requirements of the academic plan, the student is dismissed from the University.

At the end of the semester in which students complete 24 credits, including transfer credits, progress is reviewed and a BAU CGPA of at least 3.00 is required.

STANDARD 2 QUANTITATIVE COMPONENT: PACE RATE WITHIN MTF

Students must complete the educational program in a period no longer than one and a half times the standard program length based on number of credits in a program.

The minimum grade acceptable in BAU’s course completion policy is a B- for graduate programs. Transfer credits are included in the calculation as completed and attempted credits. In-Progress grades (IP), Withdrawals (W), and course repetitions (R) are considered attempted, but not satisfactorily completed in the Pace of Completion calculation.

Maximum Time Frame for Program Completion (MTF) is the time (in academic credits attempted, not chronological time) allowed for a student to complete a course of study. All students at Bay Atlantic University must complete the program of study within 1.5 times the program length as measured in semester credit hours attempted. All transfer credit hours accepted from other institutions will be counted in the Maximum Time Frame.

Program of Study – Master’s
Normal Program Length in Credits – 36
MTF Allowed in Credits – 54

If a student cannot complete the program within the MTF, the student will be dismissed from the university, and the student will not be eligible to receive the original credential (e.g., master’s degree). Any scholarship that the student receives will be terminated when the Registrar determines it is not mathematically possible for a student to complete the student’s degree program within the maximum timeframe.
1. Evaluation of progress is conducted at the end of every semester.
2. Students must successfully complete at least 67% of all credits attempted in each semester. Successful completion of a course means earning a grade of “A” through “B-”.
3. Students who are below the successful completion rate are placed on Academic Warning for the next semester.
4. Students on Academic Warning remain eligible, if relevant, for BAU scholarship for one semester. Students are placed in Scholarship warning during this time.
5. If, at the end of the Academic Warning semester, students have achieved the required completion rate they are removed from Academic Warning.
6. If they have not achieved the required completion rate at the end of the Academic Warning semester, they are placed on Academic Probation and, if relevant, are no longer eligible for a scholarship and agree to an academic plan.
7. According to the academic plan that will be prepared individually for each student with the Academic Advisor and/or Chief Academic Officer, during the Academic Probation, students are suspended from enrolling in new classes for the following semester to include fall, spring, and summer. These students may only repeat the low grade courses taken previously with the guidance of the Academic Advisor and/or any other course that could replace the low grade courses as approved by the Academic Advisor in the Probation Semester.
8. If, at the end of an Academic Probation semester:
i. They have achieved the required completion rate, they are removed from Academic Probation and, if relevant, are eligible for BAU scholarship.
ii. They have not achieved the required completion rate, but are meeting the requirements of the academic plan, they remain on probation for the next semester but still not eligible for BAU scholarship.
iii. They are not meeting the requirements of the academic plan; they are dismissed from the University.
9. If, at any time during enrollment, students can no longer graduate within the defined maximum time frame, the student is dismissed from the University.

Satisfactory academic progress is initially determined at the end of the first semester and each semester thereafter. Students are notified in writing of SAP and Scholarship status in MY BAU: warning, probation, dismissal or having been removed from warning or probation.

APPEAL PROCESS

Examples of Mitigating Circumstances:

• Immediate family member (parent, spouse, sibling, child) that required extended recovery time
• Death of an immediate family member
• Significant trauma in student’s life that impaired the student’s emotional and/or physical health
• Withdrawal due to military service
• Other unexpected circumstances beyond the control of the student.

Note: Circumstances related to the typical adjustment to college life such as working while attending school, financial issues related to paying bills and car maintenance/travel to campus is not considered as extenuating for purposes of appealing suspension of financial aid.

An appeal for Maximum Time Frame will only be completed one time. Graduate students must contact the graduate counselor to determine eligibility for appeal.

Students who fail to maintain SAP due to a mitigating circumstance (e.g., medical reasons, death in the family, etc.) may submit a written appeal with supportive documentation after they have received official notification of denial. Appeals will be evaluated as soon as possible. Any student submitting an appeal will receive a written response within ten (10) working days of receipt of the documentation.

Important: Students who do not meet one of the above categories are not eligible for an appeal. The following documents and information must be completed and submitted to the Registrar:
1. Appeal Form
2. Personal statement from the student, either typed or legibly written, providing the following information:

• What was the cause for not meeting SAP requirements?
• What has changed that will allow for satisfactory academic progress in the term of appeal?
• For a maximum credit hour appeal, provide details on changes in major, including dates.
• To update a previous grade of X, submit the appeal with a brief statement

3. Provide supporting documentation of the cause and of any changes that will solve the issues for the term of appeal. Documents can be death certificates, birth certificates, statements from doctor or counselors, police reports and any other pertinent documents. The documents provided must support the timeframe being reviewed.

If an appeal is successful, an academic plan may be formulated and agreed upon. The plan will be designed for meeting minimum SAP requirements within a specified timeframe. Students who do not meet the requirements of the academic plan will not be eligible for the scholarship.

RE-ENROLLMENT AS A REGULAR STUDENT

A student who has been dismissed from the University may fill out the Reenrollment Form to be readmitted. To be considered for readmission, the student must submit a written petition which describes the changes in behavior or circumstance that will result in improved academic performance.

The readmission petition must be forwarded to the Chief Academic Officer at least two weeks before the beginning of the semester for which the student requests readmission. The Chief Academic Officer and the Registrar will determine if the student has demonstrated likelihood for future success in the program of study. If not, the student will not be readmitted.

If the University determines that there is a likelihood of future success, the student will be placed on academic probation for a period of one semester. The student may then be permitted to retake previously failed, in progress, or withdrawn coursesto improve his or her CGPA and course completion percentage.

At the completion of this academic probationary semester, a student who increases the cumulative GPA to 3.0 at the end of the probation semester will return to satisfactory academic standing.

President’s List: This list is compiled at the end of each fall and spring semester to recognize Bay Atlantic University’s academically high achieving students. The list consists of names of students who meet the following criteria for that semester.

• GPA – 3.90+
• Minimum credits attempted – 9
• Minimum grade – A
• Other requirements – No IP, U or below B-

A letter from the Office of the President is sent to students noting accomplishments and placement on the list. Each semester the lists are published on Bay Atlantic University’s website. If a student wishes to opt out of the published list, the request must be made to the registrar via email.

In addition to the program requirements, students should meet the following minimum requirements to qualify for a graduate degree:

Description – Master’s
Minimum Passing Grade Per Course – B-
CGPA* – 3.00
Total Required Credits – 36

* In the event a student’s CGPA is less than 3.0 for graduate students, the student cannot graduate even if the student completes the credit requirement. The student should consult with the program chair to repeat one of the courses for which the student earned a low grade.

Please note: if a student requests to participate in the commencement ceremony and has not fulfilled all graduation requirements, the student is not eligible for graduation honors at the ceremony. Only students that have fulfilled all graduation requirements at the time of the commencement ceremony will be issued an honor designation.

Students enrolled in a graduate program must maintain a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of at least 3.0 (B) out of 4.0 and earn a minimum grade of not less than 2.7 (B-) out of 4.0 on all courses to qualify for the graduate degree and to graduate.

Only graduate-level courses may be applied toward the degree. No credit is earned for any grade received in a graduate-level course below 2.7 (B-) out of 4.0. Any grade lower than 2.7 (B-) out of 4.0 is not calculated in the Grade Point Average. Credit earned with undergraduate courses taken as required prerequisite courses by the graduate student are not counted toward the total credit requirement for degree completion.

GRADUATION HONORS

The University bestows academic honors on students when they graduate from Bay Atlantic University. Graduation honors are determined based on the following standards:

Summa Cum Laude (with highest distinction) – 3.90+
Magna Cum Laude (with great distinction) – 3.80+
Cum Laude (with distinction) – 3.70+