Academic Regulations

Academic Standards

A grade point average of 3.00 is required for graduation in the M.A.T. program. Students who earn an average of 2.75 or below in two courses may be suspended from the program.

Appeal of Suspension
If a student believes a suspension is unwarranted due to extenuating circumstances,
he/she may file a written appeal documenting these circumstances with the Dean of the College.

Reapplication after Suspension
A student who has been suspended may apply for readmission to the College after one
semester. The student must demonstrate improvement in achievement and/or motivation indicating that he/she will be able to successfully meet the academic standards of the College. A suspended student may not enroll at Sweet Briar College without having been readmitted. After a second suspension, a student is not eligible for readmission.

Adding and Dropping Courses

A student who wishes to add or drop a course must consult his/her advisor and complete the appropriate procedure online or via a paper form filed with the Registrar’s Office within the specified time periods. Normally, a student is expected to make these changes online, but if illness or extenuating circumstances preclude a student from doing this, the Registrar’s Office will process the change when notified in writing. The effective date of all changes is the date of the online transaction or the date the form is received by the Registrar’s Office. The grade of F is assigned for each course not completed and processed according to this procedure.

Add Period
Fall/Spring Semesters: classes may be added through the fifth day of classes
Summer Sessions: classes may be added through the second day of classes

Drop Period (courses do not become part of student’s permanent record) Fall/Spring Semesters: classes may be dropped through the tenth day of classes Summer Sessions: classes may be dropped through the third day of classes

Withdrawal Period
Fall/Spring Semesters: Grade of W will be assigned for any course dropped after the tenth day of classes and before the end of the tenth week of classes
Summer Sessions: Grade of W will be assigned for any course dropped after the third day of classes

After the withdrawal period, students may not drop courses.

Grading System

Grades in graduate courses and their corresponding quality points are:

Only one course with a grade of C+ or below may count toward a degree. A grade of I (work incomplete) may be given only for reasons of illness or other unavoidable conditions acceptable to the instructor. The deadline for removal of an I is four weeks from the end of the semester or summer session.

Grade Appeal

It is the instructor’s discretion to establish course goals, the criteria by which students are assessed, and to determine the grade based on the student’s accomplishment according to those criteria. A student who feels that a final grade reported to the Registrar’s Office is incorrect, may follow the following appeal process:

• The student must first discuss the grade with the instructor.
• If still dissatisfied, the complaint may be taken to the Dean of the Faculty.
• The Dean will investigate the matter and take appropriate action. A grade may be changed only if a faculty member agrees that such a change is necessitated by clerical error or other oversight. Grade changes are limited to the semester subsequent in which the course was taken.

Graduation

All requirements for the M.A.T. degree, including courses accepted as transfer credit, must be completed within a period of five calendar years.

Graduation applications are required by the beginning of a student’s final semester of enrollment. All degree requirements must be completed in order to participate in commencement exercises. August and December degree candidates may participate in the May commencement exercise following the completion of all requirements.

Honor System

The Sweet Briar College honor code applies to all students. The honor principle states that Sweet Briar students do not lie, cheat, steal, or violate the rights of others. This code of honorable behavior pervades and defines all aspects of the life of the college. Personal honor and individual responsibility are essential to student conduct in both academic and non-academic life. By matriculating, the Sweet Briar student agrees to uphold the honor principle without reservation. The student handbook details the administration of the honor system and standards of both academic and non-academic conduct.

Student Records: Rights to Privacy

In compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as Amended (FERPA), Sweet Briar College’s policy as outlined herein establishes certain prerequisites and limitations on the release of education records and personal identification data. The act was designed to protect the privacy of education records and to provide guidelines for the correction of inaccurate or misleading data.

Annual Notice - The College will annually notify students of their rights under the act by providing each student with a copy of this policy or summary thereof.

Public Access - Certain information is considered public, and the College may release such information at its discretion. Unless a student files with the Registrar’s Office written notification to withhold disclosure, the College will release announcement of academic honors and awards, and will verify dates of attendance, current enrollment status, classification, and major field of study. In addition, directory information consisting of names, addresses, campus and home telephone numbers, and electronic mail addresses will be released for internal use and published in the College’s printed and online directories. If a student requests that any or all of the designated directory information be kept confidential, that student’s name will not appear in campus directories.

Disclosure to Third Parties - Except as described above, the College will not release personally identifiable information from educational records to third parties without the student’s prior written consent. The College may disclose personally identifiable information from education records under the following conditions:

1. to College officials, including faculty, with a legitimate educational interest;
2. to certain federal, state, and local officials;
3. to organizations conducting certain educational studies or accrediting functions;
4. to parents who submit documentation that the student is claimed as a dependent for federal income tax purposes;
5. in connection with a student’s application for or receipt of financial aid;
6. pursuant to a court order or subpoena, upon a reasonable attempt to give advance notice to the student;
7. in connection with a health or safety emergency as necessary for the protection of the student or others;
8. to organizations or individuals as authorized in writing by the student; and
9. to other persons or entities as authorized by the legislation.

Student Access - Students may review their academic records by requesting this in person at the Office of the Registrar. The College will comply with a student’s request to inspect and review other education records under this policy within a reasonable period of time, not to exceed 45 days from receipt of the request.

Limitations and Restrictions on Disclosure and Access - The term “education records” as defined by law and as used herein does not include:

1. records made and maintained by individual faculty or administrative personnel;
2. law enforcement records;
3. records that contain information only after an individual is no longer a student;
4. employment records; or
5. treatment records submitted directly to or maintained solely by the Student Health Center, except that a student may request treatment records be reviewed by a physician or appropriate professional.

Student access to records that are not education records is strictly within the College’s discretion. In addition, students are not entitled to inspect and review certain education records, including confidential letters and recommendations (if a student as signed a written waiver), and parental financial records.

The College may, at its discretion, require payment of all delinquent tuition and other outstanding amounts prior to providing copies of records in connection with any disclosure or access. Students are also responsible for paying reasonable copying charges.

Records of Disclosure - Except for access or disclosure as described above, the College will maintain a record of requests for access to and disclosure of personally identifiable information from education records.

Types and Locations of Education Records - The College maintains the following types of education records at the locations indicated: the academic transcript is maintained in the Registrar’s Office and the academic file is maintained in the Dean’s Office.

Requests for Amendment of Records - A student may request the College to amend an education record believed to be inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the student’s rights. Such a request must be directed to the Dean of the College. Appropriate offices will be notified if changes are made. Upon request, a student shall have the opportunity for a hearing to challenge the content of education records on the grounds of information being inaccurate or misleading or in violation of the student’s rights. If the student does not prevail at the hearing, the student may add a statement to the education record describing the student’s challenge. Students also have a right to file with the U.S. Department of Education a complaint concerning non-compliance with the Act or regulations.

Teacher Licensure Services

Sweet Briar’s Education Program works with students to determine requirements for teacher licensure.

Transcripts

Transcripts are released by the Office of the Registrar only after receipt of a written authorization from the student. This authorization must include the student’s name, social security number or student ID number, year of graduation or dates of attendance, complete name and address where transcript should be mailed, and the student’s signature. Transcripts sent to the student upon request will be stamped “Issued to Student” and may not be acceptable to some institutions or agencies requiring official transcripts.

Transfer Credit

Students in the M.A.T. program may transfer no more than three semester credits of equivalent graduate work subject to the following conditions:

• Courses must be comparable to Sweet Briar College course requirements or be acceptable as appropriate for the student’s program of study.
• Courses must have been completed at a regionally accredited institution within the last five calendar years.
• Courses must be fully acceptable and applicable to comparable degree programs at the offering institution; however, transfer credit is not allowed for a course counted toward a completed graduate degree program at another institution.
• Courses must be documented on an official transcript that indicates regular disciplinary prefixes, graduate-level course numbers, and titles.
• Continuing education, professional development, and in-service courses are not transferable unless the course(s) is (are) fully acceptable and applicable to a comparable degree program at the offering institution.
• An official transcript of the transfer course and a copy of the course description from the appropriate academic year catalog must be submitted to the registrar.
• Any course proposed for transfer credit, whether taken before or after admission to Sweet Briar College, must receive the approval of the student’s advisor and the registrar. Special forms are available for approval.

Withdrawals

Withdrawal from the College
A student who wishes to withdraw from the College must notify the Dean of the College in writing. Grades will be assigned according to the grading policy governing withdrawal from courses.

Leave of Absence
A student may request a leave of absence from the College for personal reasons such as work or family obligations, illness, financial reasons, etc. Students wishing to take a leave of absence should consult the advisor and submit a written request to the Dean of the College stating the reason for the leave and the date of return.

Students granted a leave of absence do not need to reapply for admission, but should contact the advisor and register for classes at the first opportunity made available by the registrar.

If a student needs to change a return date, a written request for an extension of the leave should be submitted to the Dean of the College.

Military Leave of Absence
Students called to military service during the semester will be placed on Military Leave of Absence. These students will receive one of the following grades at the end of the semester, depending on their individual situation:

1. I (incomplete)
2. W (withdrawn)
3. letter grade

For these students, the grade of I may be carried as long as conditions warrant but must be completed within one semester after the student returns from service. Also, the ten- week withdrawal period will be suspended for these students.