Academic Info & Policies

Weber State University is committed to providing a quality undergraduate education for students. The role of the offices and services listed in this section of the catalog is to support students and help them achieve their educational goals.

Contact Information

For information on General Studies, contact the Student Success Center.

Records

University Registrar:  Ms. Cori Horne
Associate Registrar for Records & Transfer Articulation: Ms. Jamie Call
Location: Student Services Center, Room 101
Telephone: 801-626-7791
Internet Address: weber.edu/records

Privacy Rights

The WSU Records Office maintains student records in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which affords students the right to inspect and review their educational records, the right to seek to have the records amended, and the right to have some control over the disclosure of information from the records. The law generally requires that written consent of the student be received before personally identifiable data about the student is released. Institutions may release, without written consent, those items specified as public or directory information, provided the institution informs students of the data designated as public information and gives students prior opportunity to refuse disclosure of any or all categories of that information. Directory information at Weber State University is currently specified to include name, address, telephone number, major (program of study), dates of attendance, degree(s) received, full-time/part-time status,videos used for educational purposes, and honors received. A student may have their public or directory information made confidential by submitting a written request to the Registrar’s Office.

If a student feels that information other than directory information has been made public in violation of this act, they may contact the Registrar’s Office to file a formal grievance. Copies of the entire policy or information about specific procedures may be obtained from the Office of the Registrar.

Transcripts

Students may obtain official copies of their academic transcripts from the Registrar’s Solution Center. There is a $7.50 charge for this service. For students who attended prior to Summer 2010, four fee-free transcripts will be provided if the request is made in person or by mail.

• Transcripts picked up in person require photo identification.
• Transcript requests may be made by mail or online at www.weber.edu/records (telephone requests cannot be accepted) and should include the student’s name, social security number or WSU student ID number, birthdate, student’s signature and complete address where the transcript should be sent.
• Transcript requests by anyone other than the student must be accompanied by a written release from the student that includes:
  • A sentence stating that you have given your consent to a friend or a relative to pick up your transcript
  • The name of your friend or relative that will be retrieving your transcript
  • Your full name and any prior names
  • Your Social Security Number or Student ID Number and birthdate
  • Your approximate dates of enrollment
  • Your signature

The person receiving the record will be asked to show photo identification.

A printable copy of a transcript request form is available via the WSU Web site at weber.edu/records. Requests should be mailed to: Weber State University, Records Office, 3885 West Campus Dr. DEPT 1102, Ogden, UT 84408-1102; or emailed as a pdf or jpeg attachment to records@weber.edu.

Record Holds

Transcripts and diplomas will not be issued for students who owe money to the University for financial aid, library fines, housing, traffic tickets, etc.

Students may access their grades on the Internet with a “Wildcat Username” and password. To obtain information about access to the eWeber student portal, contact the Computing Support Center Help Desk at 801-626-7777.

Grading

Grade System

The following grades and numeric point values are used to compute the cumulative grade point average (GPA).

To calculate a cumulative GPA, the total number of grade points (the number of credit hours per course multiplied by the numeric points listed above for the grade) is divided by the total number of credit hours.

Courses coded with an R in front of the grade (indicating academic renewal), or an E in the far right column of the form (indicating exclusion due to a repeat), are not used in computing the GPA, the graduation hours, or the total hours completed. Courses coded ND (non-degree) are not used in computing the GPA or the graduation hours completed, but they are included in computing the total hours attempted.

Courses with the following notations in the grade column are not used in computing the GPA, the graduation hours, or the total hours completed (with the exception of CR-Credit courses which may be used toward graduation hours or total hours).

AU-Audit

• Indicates the student was allowed to sit in a class without earning credit or a grade.
• Audit students who fail to attend class without withdrawing may be issued a withdrawal (W).
  (See Registration  section of this catalog.)

CE-Continuing Education Unit

• Students who enroll in a Continuing Education Unit through the Continuing Education Office will receive a CE grade. It is not counted in the WSU GPA or Total Hours, but can be listed on a transcript.

CR-Credit

• Indicates the student registered for a course on a pass/fail basis and earned a C- or better. (See Registration  section of this catalog.)
• Certain courses are offered on a credit/no credit basis only and letter grades are not given.
• Credit/no credit courses may only be used as electives in a student graduation requirements.  Classes taken on a credit/no credit basis will not satisfy major, minor, or general education requirements with exception of those courses or programs of study approved by the University Curriculum and General Education committees and those courses approved by academic departments for credit by special examination.
• A maximum of 20 hours of credit/no credit electives may be used for graduation.

I-Incomplete

• Indicates the student was unable to complete the course for a legitimate reason (such as accident or illness) after having completed a substantial portion (approximately 80%) of the required work.
• A written contract between the student and the instructor indicates the work still to be done and the deadline for its completion (within 12 months).
• The student must complete remaining work without re-registering or attending the class during a subsequent semester.
• Credit hours are not counted until a letter grade is posted.
• All incomplete (I) courses must be completed prior to graduation.

NC-No Credit

• Indicates the student registered for a course on a credit/no-credit basis and earned less than a C-.
• Students who stop attending a class for which they are registered on a credit/no-credit basis without officially withdrawing will receive an NC grade entry for that class.
• Certain courses are offered on a credit/no credit basis only and letter grades are not given.

NG-No Grade Reported

• The instructor has not reported a grade for the course.

SC-Special Credit

• The student has received credit through an examination, waiver, or substitution for which they are not eligible for a letter grade.
• These credits are counted toward the total number of credits required for graduation but are not used to calculate the cumulative grade point average.
• Special credits may be used for graduation requirements as determined by the academic departments.

T-Temporary Grade

• The course is being continued in the subsequent semester and a grade and credits will be calculated when the course is complete and a letter grade has been issued. The “T” grade is approved for specific courses only.

UW-Unofficial Withdrawal

• Indicates the student stopped attending the course without officially withdrawing. UWs are calculated as failing grades in the student’s semester and cumulative grade point averages.

W-Withdrawal

• The student withdrew from the course in the interval comprising the 16th through the 50th business day of a semester or the 30th business day of a block. Withdrawals are not permitted after the 50th business day of a semester or 30th business day of a block.

Changing of Grades

• Grades may be changed only by the instructor who submitted the original grade.
• Students who feel their work has been evaluated unfairly should contact the instructor.
• Students who choose to complete a course on a credit/no credit basis may petition the Registrar’s Office to have a CR grade replaced by the earned letter grade if they recently changed their major or minor and need the letter grade to meet graduation requirements for the new major or minor.

Repeat Courses

• Repeated courses will be automatically flagged as part of the grading process at the end of each term.
• Each course (unless specifically listed as repeatable for credit in the course description) may be used only once in cumulative hours and GPA.
• A course will appear on the transcript each time it is completed, but it will be counted only once in total hours and only the most recent letter WSU grade received will be used to calculate the GPA (CR is not considered a letter grade and will not cause a previous grade to be discounted). 
• Once a bachelor’s degree has been posted to a student’s permanent record, courses used for that degree may not be repeated to improve their GPA.

Academic Renewal Policy

1. The applicant for academic renewal must be a currently enrolled undergraduate student or must have been enrolled during the previous term. Students who are not currently enrolled and who cannot obtain financial aid until their GPA is recalculated using Academic Renewal should begin the process with Academic Records and take written evidence of the initiation of this process to the Financial Aid Office.
2. Academic renewal may be requested only once during a student’s academic career.
3. Once a certificate, associate, or bachelor degree is awarded by Weber State University or received as a transfer credit, any Weber State course(s) completed prior to the completion of that certificate or degree will not qualify for academic renewal. However, WSU courses completed after receiving a certificate or associate degree, but before completion of a bachelor degree, are eligible for renewal if they meet the requirements.
4. The policy does not apply to graduate students or students pursuing a second bachelor’s degree.
5. Grades of “D+” or less which were earned six years or more prior to the petition date will not be computed in the GPA.
6. Academic requirements may not be satisfied by courses to which academic renewal has been applied.
7. Hours not used for GPA purposes are not used to satisfy total and upper division credit hour requirements.
8. The Academic Renewal Policy will apply only to courses taken at Weber State University.
9. Only the calculation of a student’s GPA will be affected by this policy.
10. This policy applies to WSU GPA calculation only. A student’s GPA when transferring or applying for graduate/professional schools will be calculated according to the policy of that institution, i.e. the receiving institution may average the grades or use the original grades.
11. Students who are applying for academic renewal and graduating in the same semester must notify the Graduation Department.

Applications for academic renewal and detailed policy information are available at the Records Office or at www.weber.edu/records.

Credit by Examination or Petition

Contact: Records Office
Location: Student Services Center, Room 101
Telephone: 801-626-6100

Students may receive WSU degree credit by examination or petition under the following restrictions:

• The student must be a WSU-admitted student.
• The student must pay the appropriate recording fee in addition to specific test fees.
• Credit will not be given if it duplicates previous examinations, petitions, or course work for which a student received a grade (A-E) or notation I, T, W, UW, CR, NC.
• Credit by examination or petition will not be considered part of the residency requirement.
• Credit by examination or petition, although graded with credit (SC), may be used to satisfy major, minor and general education requirements.

Advanced Placement Examination (AP)

• AP credit is earned by completing one or more high school AP courses and successfully completing the appropriate exam(s) while in high school.
• WSU credit hours may be earned with each AP examination score of 3, 4, or 5. Please see http://www.weber.edu/admissions/aptests.html for details.
• To have credit evaluated, a student must submit their scores and pay a $10 recording fee.
  • Scores may be submitted to the Admissions Office as a part of the Admissions process, or
  • Scores may be submitted to the Admissions Office in person, along with a receipt for the $10 recording fee payment.
• If a student submits AP, CLEP, and IB scores for evaluation, the IB scores will be awarded first. If the AP or CLEP credit duplicates the IB credit already awarded, the AP and CLEP credits will be reduced by the amount of credit awarded for the IB Higher-Level Subject in the specific area.

International Baccalaureate Credit (IB)

Admitted WSU students can earn college credit through the International Baccalaureate (IB) program.

• A student must be admitted and matriculated at WSU to have IB credit evaluated.
• Once test results have been received, students eligible for credit will receive an evaluation from the Admissions Office with instructions about how to have credits added to their transcript.
• IB Credit evaluations are available on the Prior Learning Assessment webpage.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

• CLEP is a way for students to earn college credit by completing one or more of the General or Subject Examinations administered by the Testing Center.
• Applications and further information on the procedure, fees, and testing schedule are available from the WSU Testing Center.
• A student’s test scores will be considered if the student drops the same course within the first 3 weeks of the semester.
• Students must submit examination scores and a receipt for the $10 application fee to the Admissions Office to initiate the evaluation process.

Special Examination

• Special examinations may be arranged to earn credit for some WSU courses not covered by CLEP testing. Each department determines which courses will qualify.
• Students must provide evidence of sufficient background in the area to be tested.
• Applications for Special Examinations and further information about requirements, limitations, and fees may be obtained from the academic departmental offices.

Foreign Language Credit for Prior Language Experience

• Students with prior language experience may be given foreign language credit by examination or by passing an upper division (3000-level or higher) course with a minimum grade of C. See the Foreign Language Department   for applications and more information.

Credit for Military Training

• Students who have completed at least 24 months of active military service may be granted a maximum of 10 credit hours. These credits are awarded as social science general education course HLTH 1030  (3 credit hours) and 7 elective credit hours.
• Students who have completed four or more years in the National Guard or a reserve unit may be granted social science general education course HLTH 1030  (3 credit hours) and 7 elective credit hours.
• Additional credit may be granted for military schooling if specific requirements are met.
• To receive credit students should submit military form DD-214 and a receipt for the $10 recording fee to the Records Office to start the process.
• Military credit will be evaluated only if it can be applied to a legitimate undergraduate degree program. Students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree may have their credit evaluated upon request.
• Military credit is added to a student’s total credit hours completed, and may reduce a student’s eligibility for financial aid.
• More information can be found at: http://www.weber.edu/Records/Military_Credit.html

Credit for Courses from Non-accredited Schools and Colleges

• Students with credit from non-accredited schools may request transfer credit for certain courses which are equivalent to courses described in the catalog.
• Official transcripts with the Application for Transfer Credit form should be taken to the appropriate academic department for evaluation. Transfer credits from non-accredited schools may be accepted under the following guidelines.
• Credit may be accepted only if the course is deemed to be equivalent to a course at in the WSU catalog.
• Specific course credit may be applied by the Records Office if recommended and approved by the appropriate department chair with the Application for Transfer Credit form which can be obtained from the Records Office.

Credit for Experiential Learning and Industrial or Commercial Training

• Credit for experiential learning shown to be equivalent to courses described in the catalog may be allowed by some departments according to specific guidelines.
• Application for Credit forms and further information are available from the major and minor department offices.
• Before credit for prior experiential learning becomes part of the student’s permanent record, the student must have completed thirty credit hours with a GPA of 2.25 or better to establish evidence of a satisfactory learning pattern.

Academic Standards/Eligibility

University Registrar: Ms. Cori Horne
Location: Student Services Center, Room 101
Telephone: 801-626-6061

Assistant Registrar for NCAA Eligibility: Mr. Stephen Salmon
Location: Student Services Center, Room 101
Telephone: 801-626-8881

Minimum GPA Standards

The minimum cumulative institutional grade point average (GPA) required at WSU is 2.00 or C. The minimum institutional GPA required by the University for graduation is 2.00; however,  many majors and minors have a higher requirement. Students with a GPA below 2.00 will receive one of the following notices and should see an academic advisor immediately.

Academic Warning

• Students with a cumulative institutional GPA below 2.00 will be placed on academic warning. They must earn a semester GPA of at least 2.00 each semester until their cumulative WSU GPA reaches 2.00 to remain on academic warning and avoid academic probation. Students whose cumulative WSU GPA reaches 2.00 will be restored to good academic standing.

Academic Probation

• Students who earn a semester GPA below 2.00 while on academic warning will be placed on academic probation. They must earn a semester GPA of at least 2.00 each semester until their cumulative WSU GPA reaches 2.00 to remain on academic probation and avoid academic suspension. Students whose cumulative WSU GPA reaches 2.00 will be restored to good academic standing.

Academic Suspension

• Students who  earn a semester GPA below 2.00 while on academic probation will be placed on a one-semester academic suspension. After serving the one-semester suspension, students will be returned to academic warning and will be eligible to re-enroll at the institution.

Appeal Procedure

• Students who have been placed on academic warning, probation, or suspension and feel their classification is in error should see the Associate Registrar to review their records and receive information regarding the process of appeal. 
• Students who have received an academic suspension will be required to serve the full suspension length of one semester before re-enrolling at the University unless their classification was made in error.

Academic Excellence

Each semester, students who complete at least 12 credit hours with letter grades (CR/NC grades and ND courses will not be counted) will qualify for academic excellence recognition on the basis of their semester GPA as follows:

4.00 for the High Academic Excellence Certificate
3.50 to 3.99 for the Academic Excellence Certificate

Student Activity Eligibility

Students participating in activities such as student government, university organizations, clubs, special awards, and intramural athletics should be matriculated students working toward a degree or certificate. Many individual programs and organizations have standards higher than this minimum.

Intercollegiate Athletics Eligibility

Students participating in NCAA sports must be enrolled as full-time students in a Bachelor’s degree program, must remain in good academic standing, and must meet the satisfactory progress policies of the University, the Big Sky Conference, and the NCAA. Details of these requirements may be obtained from the Eligibility or Compliance Office.

Graduation

University Registrar: Ms. Cori Horne 
Assistant Registrar for Graduation: Denae Sportsman
Location: Student Services Center, Room 101
Telephone: 801-626-6100
Internet Address: www.weber.edu/graduation

Commencement

Commencement ceremonies are held in April and December. Students who complete degree requirements during the fall semester may attend commencement ceremonies in December, or the following April. Students who complete requirements in the spring are eligible to attend the April commencement ceremonies. Students who complete degree requirements in the summer may attend ceremonies the prior April or the following December.

Students’ names will appear in the commencement program according to the following:

• Fall applications received by the Fall deadline will appear in the December commencement program
• Spring applications received by the Spring deadline will appear in the April commencement program.
• Summer applications received by the Spring deadline will appear in the April commencement program.
• Summer applications received after the Spring deadline will appear in the December commencement program.

Commencement information will be mailed to all candidates who apply for graduation by the application deadlines. This information may also be obtained from the Graduation website.

Graduation Application Deadlines and Verification Process

*NOTE: Summer graduation candidates who wish to participate in the Spring commencement ceremonies should apply for Summer, but follow the Spring semester deadline.

Students who are nearing completion of Graduation Requirements, should take the following steps:

1. Schedule an appointment and meet with your advisor(s) as required. Keep in mind that you may need to see a college advisor, a major advisor, and a minor advisor. NOTE: Students seeking an Associate of Science or Arts degree in General Studies should meet with an Academic Advisor in the Student Success Center.
2. Review your CatTracks degree evaluation with your advisor(s). Make sure that your Program of Study is correctly listed in your CatTracks degree evaluation and then check for missing requirements with your advisor(s). Program of Study corrections must be completed with your advisor prior to submitting your graduation application.
3. Submit your application for the semester that all of your program requirements will be complete. Applications are online - log into your eWeber portal, search for “Graduation Application” in the search bar and then follow the instructions outlined in the graduation application.
4. Commencement Ceremony information will be sent to all candidates who apply by the application deadline, or it can be found on the Graduation website.  

All possible care is taken in checking student records for graduation; however, it is the sole responsibility of the student to verify all requirements for a degree.

• The Graduation Office will confirm that the requirements defined in the student’s degree evaluation are completed before posting their degree or certificate. 
• Students who do not complete graduation requirements by the Graduation Requirement Completion Deadline or who change their graduation semester should notify the Graduation Office of their new anticipated semester graduation date. Complete policy information on Graduation Requirement Deadline is at http://www.weber.edu/ppm/Policies/4-1_GraduationStandards.html
• Diplomas will be sent and degrees will be posted to student transcripts the semester following completion.

Changes in Graduation/Catalog Requirements

Entering students, including first-time and transfer students, will be required to complete the degree and program requirements listed in the catalog in effect when they first enroll, with the following exceptions:

• When students change their program of study, they are then required to graduate under the catalog in effect when they declare the new program of study (see Program of Study (Major/Minor) Declaration ).
• Students must complete major and minor requirements under a catalog no older than 6 years for a bachelor’s degree or 3 years for an associate’s degree.

Requests for Exceptions to Graduation Requirements

Requests for exceptions to graduation requirements are considered only on the basis of substantial and reasonable grounds. Students should contact the academic department who has oversight for the major or minor requirements for more information about their exceptions process. Questions about all other degree requirements can be brought to the Registrar’s Office.

Completed Degree

Once a degree has been completed, the degree title and program name cannot be altered and a student cannot change factors related to that degree; courses cannot be repeated to improve the GPA, grades cannot be changed, and majors or minors cannot be added. If a student continues to earn a second bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree, credit hour and GPA calculations begin again. If a student continues on to earn a bachelor’s degree after earning an associate’s degree, the grades earned toward the associate’s degree will be used in calculating cumulative GPA for the bachelor’s degree. Academic renewal cannot be applied to courses taken prior to the posting of an associate’s degree.

Awarding of Multiple Degrees

• Students may receive multiple degrees in the same academic year. However, students who first earn their degree in a specific academic area, with the exception of the AAS degrees and certificates, will not be awarded a general AS or AA degree in a subsequent term.
• Students must apply for each degree requested.

Second Bachelor’s Degree

A student may qualify for admission to a second baccalaureate degree following the completion of a first bachelor’s degree at an accredited institution. The first and second baccalaureate degrees may not be awarded during the same semester or term. To qualify for a second degree, a student must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours in residence at WSU with a GPA of at least 2.00 and fulfill all requirements for the programs declared in second degree. For students whose first baccalaureate degree is also from Weber State University, credits earned in conjunction with but beyond the minimum credits required for the first degree may be applied toward the second baccalaureate degree. However, a minimum of 30 semester credit hours must be earned at WSU after the first degree is conferred. All candidates for a second bachelor’s degree must satisfy the university’s American Institutions (AI) requirement. Course work taken as part of the first degree that is comparable to the current list of approved diversity courses may be used to satisfy this requirement. Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Music Education, or Bachelor of Arts in Music must fulfill WSU’s foreign language requirement. Policy governing the second bachelor’s degree can be found in PPM 4-1.I.G. For additional information about a second baccalaureate policy please contact the academic department in which you plan to earn your second degree.

Honors at Graduation

Students who qualify for honors based on their cumulative institutional grade point average (GPA) will have the appropriate designation indicated on their transcripts and diplomas.

Bachelor’s Degree Honors

Summa Cum Laude - WSU GPA of 3.90 or higher.
Magna Cum Laude - WSU GPA of 3.80 or higher.
Cum Laude - WSU GPA of 3.60 or higher.

Associate’s Degree Honors

High Honors - WSU GPA of 3.85 or higher.
Honors - WSU GPA of 3.60 or higher.

Additional honors awarded at graduation are described under the Honors Program (see Honors Program ).

Interruption or Changes in Instruction Due to Circumstances Beyond the Reasonable Control of the University

Each semester the University will endeavor to provide courses and services as it traditionally has including face-to-face or hybrid instruction for those courses for which all or a portion would normally occur on site. However, as recent experience has taught us, the traditional delivery of courses may be interrupted or changed due to circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the University. Such circumstances may be a health emergency, like the recent COVID-19 outbreak, closure of the University due to damage or destruction of the physical facilities, like an earthquake, or other events including but not limited to natural or person-made events such as civil unrest, strike, cyberattack, pandemic, directive of government or health authorities, etc. (hereinafter “Circumstances Beyond the Reasonable Control of the University”). In the event of the interruption of or changes in instruction caused by Circumstances Beyond the Reasonable Control of the University you recognize and agree that the University may deliver all or part of the courses and services in a virtual environment or in other non-traditional ways. This may occur at any time including prior to the start of or in the middle of a semester. Agreeing to the statement and registering for courses acknowledges your understanding and acceptance of this delivery method. In addition, you recognize and agree that in the event of Circumstances Beyond the Reasonable Control of the University that cause courses to be suspended or canceled that the University will make a good faith determination of when or if courses will be resumed and may determine that the courses are sufficiently complete for the awarding of credit without further instruction with or without final exams, projects, papers, etc. You agree that the University’s decision in such cases is final and that you will be entitled only to a refund of a pro rata amount of tuition if courses are not finished and not resumed or rescheduled or no refund if courses are completed and you agree that this is your sole remedy. In addition, you agree to waive any right to seek damages, direct or indirect resulting from or related to Circumstances Beyond the Reasonable Control of the University. If the University determines to provide pro rata refunds, you agree that such refunds may be in the form of a tuition credit for future semesters.