05 Academic Requirements

On This Page

05.1 Requirements

05.11(fs) Minimum acceptable level

A cumulative grade-point average of 2.00 is the minimum acceptable level for undergraduate work in the University and for graduation from the University. The Academic Standards and Advising Committee examines the records of students periodically and may warn academically deficient or potentially deficient students, or may exclude, suspend, or dismiss those who are academically deficient. (See 05.51, 05.52, 05.53.)

05.2 General Course Requirements

05.21 For students who are admitted as baccalaureate degree candidates1

In addition to the particular requirements for specific degrees, all candidates for a bachelor’s degree must obtain a passing grade in a minimum of 128 credits in courses numbered 400-799, must maintain a cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.00 for all courses taken at the University in which a grade is given, and must successfully meet the following Discovery Program.

Discovery Program Requirements

Discovery Foundation Skills
Inquiry course INQ

This course may fulfill a Discovery category and/or a departmental requirement. It should be taken during a student’s first or second year or prior to completion of 57 credits. For students who transfer in with 26 or more credits, the INQ requirement is waived automatically.

One course in writing skills WS

Most students will satisfy the first-year writing requirement with English 401. This course should be taken during a student’s first year or prior to completion of 32 credits.

One course in quantitative reasoning QR

This course is normally completed by the end of the first year or 32 credits.

Discovery in the Disciplines

Students must take one course from each Discovery category at the 400 - 600 levels. Inquiry courses that carry Discovery category designations may be used to satisfy this requirement.

  1. One course in Biological Science (BS); 2
  2. One course in Physical Science (PS);2
  3. One course in Environment, Technology, and Society (ETS);
  4. One course in Fine and Performing Arts (FPA);
  5. One course in Historical Perspectives (HP);
  6. One course in Humanities (HUMA);
  7. One course in Social Science (SS);
  8. One course in World Cultures (WC) (also may be satisfied by approved study abroad programs that are 8 weeks or longer in duration).
Additional Information

Discovery Program requirements shall not be waived on the basis of special examinations or placement tests, except for the College Board Advanced Placement tests and the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests.

The required courses cannot be taken on a pass/fail basis. No single course may be counted in more than one Discovery discipline category. Academic departments may or may not permit Discovery courses to count toward requirements for a major. All Discovery courses carry 3-4 credits.

In addition, all students are required to complete four “writing-intensive” courses. The four courses must include English 401 (Freshman Composition) and three additional “writing-intensive” courses, one of which must be in the student’s major, and one of which must be at the 600-level or above. Writing Intensive courses cannot be taken on a pass/fail basis.

05.211(fs) Major department

“Major department” as used in the specifications of University Discovery Requirements will be understood to mean the student’s declared major.

05.212(fs) Minors

Students may earn a minor in any undergraduate discipline designated by the University. A minor typically consists of 20 credits with C- or better and a 2.00 grade-point average in courses that the minor department approves. Courses taken on the pass/fail basis may not be used for a minor. No more than 8 credits used to satisfy major requirements may be used for a minor. There is no limit on the number of overlapping credits allowed between minors.

05.22 (fs) Privileges of an auditor

An auditor may, with the consent of the instructor, take examinations but shall receive no academic credit. (See 03.13.)

05.23(fs) Examinations

Examinations at the end of each semester may be given in any course, but all such examinations must be scheduled and given at the time they are scheduled with the following exceptions: Practical examinations covering laboratory work may be given during the last five days of classes preceding the examination period. In courses of a modular nature with several instructors, the instructor of the final module may schedule a final examination during the last week of classes if approval is first obtained from the college dean. These exceptions apart, no announced oral or written test may be given during the last five days of classes preceding the examination period. If a student is scheduled for more than two final exams in one day and chooses to take only two final exams on that day, the middle exam will be rescheduled. The instructor, in consultation with the student, will schedule a makeup exam.

05.24(fs) Prerequisites

Courses that have other courses as prerequisites must be so described in the University catalog. Chairpersons of departments, with the approval of the dean of the college concerned, will determine such courses, but if more than one college is affected, approval of the Academic Senate must be secured. (See 03.141(fs).)

05.25(fs) Credit by examination

In exceptional cases only, permission to gain credit by examination may be granted to a student who by study, training, or experience outside the University has acquired skill or knowledge equivalent to that acquired by the undergraduate in a college course, such examination to be on the material covered by the course.

05.26(fs) Advanced credit

Students entering the University who demonstrate to the Office of Admissions, the department concerned, and the college faculty3 satisfactory achievement on approved placement examinations will be granted course credit.

05.3 Exemptions

05.31(fs) Waiver of requirements in a prescribed curriculum

The requirement of a given course in any prescribed curriculum may be waived by the faculty of the course.3 Students’ petitions must be approved by their major advisor and the dean of their college.

Waiver of requirements in the Discovery Program

Students may petition the Discovery Committee in order to waive or replace a requirement. Students’ petitions must be approved by their major advisor and the dean of their college.

05.32(fs) Transfer credit

A comparable course passed with a C grade or better at another accredited institution may be accepted for credit with the approval of the department concerned and the dean of the college in which the student is registered.4 UNH students whose status are withdrawn, leave of absence, or suspended due to academic performance may not transfer credits earned during the period of required separation. Any UNH Student whose status is suspended due to a conduct violation may not transfer credits earned for the full first semester of their suspension.

UNH students who are ineligible for participation in a UNH-managed/UNH-approved study away program and who enrolls in a non-UNH study away program may not transfer credits earned in that program to their UNH degree.

Credits for a C grade or above are transferable from one institution to another within the University System (Granite State College, Keene State College, Plymouth State College, and the University of New Hampshire). (See 06.2 (fs).) Grades received in courses for which a student has been granted transfer credit will not appear on the UNH transcript and will not affect the student’s grade-point average.

05.33 (fs) Thompson School Courses

Baccalaureate and Associate in Arts degree candidates may take 200-level Thompson School courses for credit with the following stipulations:

  1. The TSAS course must be transferable to UNH at the time it is taken.5
  2. Grades received in 200-level courses will be recorded on the student’s transcript but will not affect or be included in the student’s GPA. Baccalaureate degree candidates cannot register for COM 209.
  3. TSAS courses may not be used for writing-intensive, or foreign language requirements. Only TSAS courses that are at 400 - 600 level and Discovery approved may count for Discovery requirements.
    They may be used for major or minor requirements only if specifically approved on a course-by-course basis by the department granting the major or minor and when the student meets the usual minimum grade requirements of that program. Note: For TSAS transfers to the four-year program, COM 209 is accepted to fulfill the WS requirement and is considered a Writing Intensive course.
  4. AA/BA/BS students must earn a grade of C or better to receive credit for a Thompson School course (applies to classes taken before fall 2015.).

05.4 Exclusion from a Course

05.41(fs) After enrollment

A student may be excluded from any course after enrollment, with or without penalty, upon recommendation of the instructor and with the approval of the dean of the college in which the student is registered, as soon as it becomes reasonably apparent that such student is unqualified to carry the course successfully.

05.5 Academic Exclusion, Suspension, Dismissal

05.51 Exclusion

Students whose academic progress is uncertain, as evidenced by a mixture of generally low grades, incomplete courses, and administrative failures, may, upon determination by the Academic Standards and Advising Committee, be excluded from further attendance until such time as their academic standing can be clarified, usually by resolution of incomplete courses. In addition, exclusion may be necessary to resolve questions concerning major departmental requirements or University academic standards. Exclusion is a temporary action and will be changed to Degree Status Discontinued, suspension, or dismissal not later than mid-semester following the exclusion action unless the student resolves the situation. If exclusion is not promptly resolved, then the student’s preregistration, registration, and University housing will be canceled.

05.52 Suspension

Students whose averages fall below the minimum required grade-point average for their class and/or who have demonstrated insufficient progress toward their degrees may be suspended. Students suspended from the University for academic reasons will not be readmitted as degree candidates until one regular UNH academic year semester (fall or spring) has elapsed from the time of suspension. Therefore, students will not be eligible to take courses in the regular session or in the Division of Continuing Education. In addition, students suspended in June may not enroll in any course in the Summer Session immediately following their suspension. Students on suspension for any reason will not earn transfer credit for courses taken while on suspension. (See 05.54)

05.53 Dismissal

Students who have been suspended once and whose average remains substantially below the minimum grade-point average for their class and who continues to demonstrate insufficient progress toward their degree must be dismissed. Only under extraordinary circumstances will a student be readmitted after having been dismissed. However, students who are dismissed may take courses though the Division of Continuing Education after one regular UNH semester has elapsed. (See 05.54.)

05.54 Readmission after suspension or dismissal

Students who are suspended from the University and who wish to apply to the Academic Standards and Advising Committee for permission to be readmitted should present reasons indicating that they can successfully resume college work. Suspension from the University shall be for not less than one semester. A second suspension is considered a dismissal. Only under extraordinary circumstances will a student be readmitted after having been dismissed for academic reasons. (For readmission after a leave for reasons of health, see 22.2.)

05.60(fs) Study Away Eligibility and Student Conduct Policy

Students sanctioned by the University Student Conduct System for a serious violation of the University of New Hampshire Student Rights, Rules, and Responsibilities, including but not limited to academic dishonesty, repeated drunk and disorderly behavior, illegal drug activity, destruction or theft of property, or physical or sexual assault must satisfy the following conditions prior to consideration for participation in a UNH-managed or UNH-approved study away program:

  1. Students must have satisfied all conditions and/or sanctions imposed as a result of the infraction, including probation;
  2. Students must submit to the university’s Academic Standards and Advising Committee (ASAC) a statement explaining why the University can be confident that they will behave appropriately during the study away program and receive ASAC’s approval. (Approved April 2005)

These same conditions will apply in instances where the conduct issue has been addressed through the court system rather than through the University’s Student Conduct system.

05.61(fs) Study Away Academic Eligibility

Students enrolled in UNH baccalaureate degree programs may participate in approved study away programs provided they meet the following eligibility criteria:

  1. Must have earned at least 32 credit hours, at least 12 of which must have been earned at the University of New Hampshire at the baccalaureate level;
  2. Must have a minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average at the time of application to and at the time of departure for the study away program. Study Away Programs provided by UNH or approved institutions may have higher minimum GPA requirements.
  3. Must have a declared major.

Transfer students, including transfer students from Thompson School of Applied Science (TSAS) are not eligible to study away during the first semester of their baccalaureate program at UNH.

Students enrolled in the degree programs of the Thompson School of Applied Science may participate in approved study away programs appropriate for two-year degree candidates. TSAS students must meet the following eligibility criteria:

  1. Must have earned 32 credits, at least 12 of which must have been earned at the University of New Hampshire at the associate degree level;
  2. Must have a minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average at the time of application to and at the time of departure for the study away program. Study Away Programs provided by UNH or other approved institutions may have higher minimum GPA requirements.

Special consideration will be given to those students who, although below the 2.5 cumulative GPA threshold, have demonstrated promise in the previous two semesters. Those who wish to be considered for academic variance must petition for an academic variance with the support of their advisor and their Dean’s Office. Petitions for academic variance are subject to approval by the Academic Standards & Advising Committee.

1

Degree requirements for the University of New Hampshire-Manchester and TSAS associate degrees are described in the Undergraduate Catalog.

2

One of these courses must have a lab component. (DLab)

3

This power will usually be delegated by the faculty to the college dean or to a committee.

4

A student is advised to complete a prior approval form, available at the Registrar’s Office, before enrolling for such a course at another institution.

5

A list of transferable courses is available at the publicly accessible UNH Transfer Credit Database housed at the Office of the Registrar’s website.