The vice president for Academic Affairs is the official representative of the University in matters pertaining to the scholastic life of the student body. Regulations made by her/him in addition to, in abrogation of, or in interpretation of the following regulations have the same force as the regulations themselves.
In case of discrepancy between the University catalog and other publications or academic information provided by any faculty or staff member other than the vice president for Academic Affairs, the catalog takes precedence.
The University reserves the right to terminate or modify program requirements, content and sequence of courses, and program offerings.
Students withdrawing from the University completely for a period of one year or more are bound by the catalog in effect when they re-enter.
It is the responsibility of each student to be acquainted with all requirements for his or her degree program and to assume responsibility for meeting those requirements. In case of ambiguity, discrepancy, or disagreement, the regulations and requirements stated in this catalog and any subsequent modifications or interpretations by the vice president for Academic Affairs will prevail.
The academic requirements and regulations of Marymount University are published in this official University catalog and in other University announcements. Further information and advice regarding academic regulations may be secured by inquiring at the offices of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Registrar.
Academic integrity is founded upon and encompasses the values of honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility. Supporting and affirming these values is essential to promoting and maintaining a high level of academic integrity, and educating community members about the value and practice of academic integrity is central to Marymount University's mission. Each member of the academic community must stand accountable for his or her actions. As a result, a community develops in which students learn the responsibilities of citizenship and how to contribute honorably to their professions.
If knowledge is to be gained and properly evaluated, it must be pursued under conditions free from dishonesty. Deceit and misrepresentations are incompatible with the fundamental activity of this academic institution and shall not be tolerated. Members of the Marymount community are expected to foster in their own work the spirit of academic honesty and not to tolerate its abuse by others.
First responsibility for academic integrity lies with individual students and faculty members of this community. A violation of academic integrity is an act harmful to all other students, faculty and, ultimately, the University.
The Marymount University Academic Integrity Policy governs all student conduct directly related to the academic life of the institution and is in effect during all phases of a student's academic career. The policy is applicable to any academically related experience involving Marymount University students whether occurring on the campus, in a distance-learning situation, or at host institutions or sites. Violations of this policy may include cheating, plagiarism, misuse of academic resources, falsification of information or citations, and facilitating the academic dishonesty of others.
When a violation of academic integrity is suspected, students and faculty are encouraged to meet to determine an appropriate course of action. Penalties for first violations vary with the severity of the offense and may be assigned by the faculty member involved or through an academic integrity hearing process. Second violations require a penalty of suspension, deferred suspension or expulsion, and must involve an academic integrity hearing. All alleged violations of the policy must be resolved in accordance with the Academic Integrity Policy and under the direct authority of a Marymount University faculty member or the Academic Integrity Coordinator. The complete Academic Integrity Policy provides detailed information on the nature of academic integrity violations, possible penalties, the adjudication process and student rights and responsibilities under the policy. The complete policy may be found in the Marymount University Student Handbook.
The University provides new students with an orientation program to prepare them academically and socially for their Marymount experience. During the orientation programs, these students complete placement testing, participate in academic advising, prepare a class schedule, and take part in social activities to get acquainted with classmates and familiarize themselves with the campus and the Washington, DC, area.
Testing is scheduled during the orientation period preceding each semester's registration.
Undergraduate international students who present a TOEFL score below 550 are required to take the Test of English for International Students prior to taking the English Placement Test. International students who present a TOEFL score of 550 or better (paper-based test) or 213 or better (computer-based test) at entry are required to take the freshman English, reading, and mathematics placement tests.
Marymount University operates on a semester system. The two terms of the regular academic year are known as fall semester and spring semester. The summer term is known as the summer semester, with courses taught in segments identified as sessions. There are four sessions in the summer semester. Consult the Academic Calendar or the University Web site at www.marymount.edu.
Four sessions of varying length offer students the opportunity to earn credit during the summer semester. Undergraduate students at every level use the summer sessions to accelerate their studies or to satisfy their Liberal Arts Core requirements. Advanced undergraduate and graduate students use the summer semester to continue steady progress toward the completion of their degree programs. The University welcomes visiting undergraduate students to use the summer sessions to acquire credits in general education or in a major field for transfer to their home institutions.
Advance registration periods for continuing graduate and undergraduate students are posted on the registrar's Web page. Each undergraduate student is required to register at the time and in the manner designated by the registrar after developing a schedule with the academic advisor. All prescribed charges for the previous semester must be paid before registration may begin. All charges for the ensuing semester must be paid or provided for before registration is complete. No credit will be granted for any course, including independent study, unless registration is completed within the prescribed time at the start of a semester. Responsibility rests with the student to register for the necessary courses in the proper sequence to meet the requirements of the chosen curriculum. The student is expected to seek the academic guidance of a faculty advisor and dean of the School in which the major is offered. No student whose account is in arrears will be permitted to register until all obligations are met. This includes submission of medical records and payment of parking fees.
During the second calendar week after the first week of classes, students may register for courses only with the written permission of the instructor and the program chair or School dean.
Students can add or drop courses online or in person up to the last day specified in the Academic Calendar. Students who stop attending courses without officially dropping the course or withdrawing from the University will receive an F. Any tuition refund will be calculated from the drop date recorded by the Registrar's Office. For information on procedures for withdrawing withdrawing from the University, click here.
Full-time undergraduate students normally carry a minimum of 12 or a maximum of 18 credits per semester. Full-time graduate students normally carry a minimum of 9 credits per semester. All credits are semester credits. Exceptions to the maximum load require written permission from the associate vice president for Academic Affairs. An undergraduate student whose cumulative grade point average falls below 2.0 in any semester is limited to a maximum load of 15 credits in the semester that follows except by written permission of the dean of the School offering the student's major. Courses numbered 500 and above are not open to undergraduates except by written permission of the appropriate advisor and the dean of the School. Such permission forms are available in each School.
Student academic-level status at Marymount is defined according to a student's number of accumulated academic credits. The academic credits in which a student is currently enrolled are not counted in the accumulated total. Under this definition, students are classified as follows: freshman, 1 to 29 credits; sophomore, 30 to 59 credits; junior, 60 to 89 credits; senior, 90 or more credits.
At Marymount University, there is a formal system that insures each student is assigned to a faculty advisor in his/her degree program. All students who enter the University without a declared major are assigned to a professional advisor in the Academic Success Center until declaring a major.
The academic advising system supports the mission of the University to prepare students to:
The academic advising system encourages faculty members and students to develop regular, ongoing contact with each other to explore the student's academic interests, support the student's achievement of academic goals, and identify professional or career objectives. The faculty member's responsibility to the student is to guide, coach, and mentor.
Each registered student at Marymount University is expected to observe all rules and regulations of the University. Violations that may lead to suspension or dismissal from the University include cheating and plagiarism. Cheating includes using books, notes, or assistance from other students, or giving such assistance to others while taking quizzes, tests, or examinations, or doing graded assignments, unless such assistance is specifically authorized by the instructor. Plagiarism includes representing the work (words or ideas) of others as one's own on research papers, homework assignments, essays, and other course assignments. Students should be thoroughly familiar with the Student Handbook, which describes in detail policies and procedures relating to the Academic and Community Conduct Code.
Students who have academic complaints should attempt to resolve them informally in discussions with the appropriate faculty member or their advisor. Complaints that are not resolved informally between students and faculty members are to be referred to the appropriate department chairperson and the School dean. The chairperson and the dean will attempt to adjudicate the complaint and resolve the matter. If the student is still not satisfied, he or she may bring the concern in writing to the Office of Academic Affairs. The decision of the vice president for Academic Affairs regarding the issue or issues of concern is final.
Nonacademic complaints should be addressed first to the office in which the problem originates. Complaints not resolved at this level may be referred to the supervisor for that office. If the student is not satisfied with the resolution of the problem by the supervisor, he or she may refer the concern to the office of the vice president who supervises the area in which the complaint originated. The decision of the vice president for that area regarding the issue or issues of concern is final. This policy applies to oral and written complaints.
The method of evaluation in each course is determined by the individual instructor. The final grade given for any course is based on the sum of evidence that the student gives the instructor, which demonstrates understanding and retention of the material presented in the course. In addition to formal examinations, the instructor makes use of recitation, term papers, written and oral quizzes, and participation in class and seminar discussions to determine the student's grade. The grade is a symbol of a student's degree of mastery of a course. The University requires that all written work submitted by students conform to standard English.
At the end of the seventh academic week of each semester in the regular academic year, instructors submit interim grade reports online. This grade is not a part of the permanent record of the student but is used as an indicator of scholastic progress.
Midterm grades are an indication of the quality of the student's performance at that point in the semester; they are not an indication or a guarantee of the student's final grade in the course.
Final examinations are scheduled during a final examination week.
The following is a brief explanation of the letter grades that may be further delineated by a plus sign (+), which is not used for A grades, or a minus sign (-). The numerical equivalent of letter grades is determined by the instructor and is approved by the dean of the School that offers the course.
An audit course carries no credit or grade but is considered as a regular course for tuition payment and is entered on the transcript. A student must indicate that a course is to be audited at registration and it may not be changed to a course for credit once it has been registered as an audited class. A student may not change from credit to audit after the last day to add or register as published in the Academic Calendar.
The cumulative grade point average is determined by dividing the number of quality points a student has earned by the number of measurable credits of work. Quality points per credit are shown in the following chart:
Grade (Quality points)
A (4.0)
A- (3.7)
B+ (3.3)
B (3.0)
B- (2.7)
C+ (2.3)
C (2.0)
C- (1.7)
D+ (1.3)
D (1.0)
D- (0.7)
F (0.0)
Note: No D grades are given at the graduate level.
Students who do not meet the minimum grade expectation for a course may repeat the course, under the following criteria:
Marymount University appreciates the situation of students who attend classes while maintaining a military obligation. All administrative offices and academic departments at the University will do their utmost in accommodating those students called to active military duty while enrolled in classes. The University's goal is to make the transition as efficient, equitable, and expeditious as possible.
After consultation with instructors and the academic advisor, a student may choose one of three options:
Under the withdrawal option, the student will receive a complete refund of tuition and fees if he/she withdraws from all classes. If a student withdraws from some, but not all classes, tuition will be reassessed according to full- or part-time status. Room and board charges will be prorated according to the number of days the student is housed on campus.
If the student elects to receive an Incomplete, the student must discuss arrangements for completion of coursework with the instructor; the arrangement must clearly state the work completed and graded, and the work remaining. The instructor, in turn, will complete and send to the Registrar's Office the appropriate form. The deadline for completion of an Incomplete is six months after re-enrollment at the University. A student who returns to the University within two calendar years of the call to active duty is considered to have maintained continuous registration.
With instructor approval, a student may wish to elect the option of earning a grade if he/she has already completed most of the coursework and can accelerate remaining assignments prior to departure from the University.
The student should make the desired option known to the dean of the School in which he/she majors. A student without a declared major makes the option known to the associate vice president for Academic Affairs.
A student who is called to active duty must provide documentation of his/her orders to the vice president for Enrollment and Student Services, and complete a Change of Enrollment form.
It is expected that matriculants—part time and full time, graduate and undergraduate—will make continuous progress toward a degree in a timely manner. In support of those efforts, the University, through the Admissions and Academic Standards Committee, reserves the right to take the following academic actions:
If a student wishes to appeal an academic dismissal from the University, the following procedures must be observed:
At Marymount University, faculty strive to improve the curriculum and teaching by assessing student learning. Each academic major of the University requires senior students to demonstrate to what extent such learning has occurred. Various measures are used depending upon the nature of the program: comprehensive examinations, theses, portfolio submissions, and/or standardized professional board examinations.
The results of these measures are used by faculty to continually improve and develop the University's programs.
The Washington area is home to many residents from other parts of the country and the world. For this reason Marymount is especially responsive to students transferring directly from other institutions or bringing academic credits earned elsewhere. Advising of transfer students is conducted by specially trained individuals who pay attention to the quality of prior academic learning.
Acceptance of course credits earned elsewhere for credit toward degree requirements is at the sole discretion of Marymount University. Courses from other accredited institutions must be completed with a grade of C or better to be considered for transfer credit.
Marymount accepts CLEP subject examination and Advanced Placement credits and provides special challenge credits for diploma graduates in Nursing. As a member of Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC), Marymount also accepts DANTES credits. No more than 30 undergraduate credits can be earned by a Marymount student through any combination of CLEP, ACT/PEP, or DANTES examinations, validation examinations administered by the academic departments of the University, or assessment of portfolios of prior learning administered through the Liberal Studies program. None of these 30 credits may be used to complete the residency requirement for graduation from Marymount.
Applicants desiring entry at the junior-senior level must submit to the Office of Admissions evidence of having met the following minimum collegiate requirements for junior-senior status at Marymount University:
Prior written approval is required if a current Marymount University student wishes to enroll in college or university courses offered elsewhere and receive transfer credit from Marymount. Forms for this purpose are available in each School office and in the Registrar's Office. Approved work at institutions other than Marymount University must be completed with a grade of C or better to be accepted. An official transcript must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar. No more than two courses may be accepted from another college after matriculation at Marymount. These courses are in addition to any courses taken through the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area.
It is University policy that students are expected to attend class. It is the prerogative of the individual instructor to establish requirements for class attendance. Students are responsible for complying with the instructor's requirements. Without permission of an individual instructor, no test or class material will be repeated or rescheduled.
Prolonged illness or extraordinary circumstances such as a death in the family must be reported to the Office of Student Development or the Academic Success Center.
Individuals not officially enrolled in a course offered by the University may not attend classes.
An undergraduate student who elects to pursue dual academic programs must complete all required coursework for each program before receiving a degree or degrees.
Each graduate degree program is considered to be separate from any other degree program. Therefore, the policy governing the pursuit of a second Marymount graduate degree is essentially the same for the pursuit of a first degree, including the minimum number of credits required for residency, consortium course restrictions, and probation/dismissal policies. The second degree must include at least two-thirds of the total number of credit hours normally required for a single degree. In addition, all of these credit hours must be from courses that were not completed for any other degree.
The University cannot guarantee availability of all course requirements without scheduling conflicts when pursuing a dual academic program or degree.
Request for change of academic program must be made in writing. Forms for this purpose may be obtained in School offices. Only degree-seeking students are allowed to complete this form. A nondegree student must reapply to become a degree-seeking student.
The University requires competence in basic skills in reading, writing, and mathematics. Any faculty member may refer a student judged to be unsatisfactory in these skills to the Learning Resource Center for evaluation. At the discretion of the appropriate School dean, such a student may be required to undertake and successfully complete developmental study provided by the University in the skill area in which the student is deficient.
The Doctoral Degree and the Master's Degree
A graduate degree is awarded to students who satisfy all University degree requirements and all requirements established by each degree program. Specific degree requirements are set forth in the graduate program descriptions in this catalog.
The Bachelor's Degree
The bachelor's degree is awarded to students meeting the following requirements (or their equivalent in transferred credits in the case of transfer students):
The Associate Degree
The associate degree in arts or applied science is awarded to students who do the following:
General
Candidates for a degree must maintain continuous registration until all degree requirements are satisfied. By failing to register for one semester or more (not including summer semester), a student breaks registration and must reapply. Continuous registration may be maintained for a maximum of two consecutive semesters, not including the summer semester.
A nondegree student who breaks registration for one semester or more must reapply for admission to the University.
A readmitted student must satisfy curriculum requirements existing at the time of readmission. Any student wishing to maintain continuous registration in absentia will be charged a fee of $30 per semester payable at regularly scheduled registration dates. Continuous registration requires the student's signature and may be conducted via the U.S. mail, by fax, or through Marynet.
Degrees are conferred in May, August, and December. There is one formal Commencement ceremony in May.
A student must file a graduation petition form (available online or in the Registrar's Office) when registering for the final semester. Note: The completion of a graduation petition does not guarantee that a student will graduate. A student's degree audit will be completed by the School in which the student is matriculated once a student petitions to graduate. The degree audit will determine if a student is eligible to graduate.
Diplomas are issued during the Commencement ceremonies provided the graduation petition has been submitted to the Registrar's Office by the posted deadline. Diplomas for August and December graduates are mailed by the Registrar's Office at the close of the summer and fall semester provided the graduation petition has been submitted in a timely manner. A $35 diploma fee is payable at submission of the graduation petition. A petition submitted after the deadline carries a $70 fee. Graduation petitions submitted after the posted deadline will be processed at the discretion of the University.
Students who submit the petition after the published deadline will not receive their diplomas at the close of the semester, may not graduate until the next graduation date, and in the spring semester, may not be listed in the Commencement program. A student who submits a late petition may not be eligible to participate in Commencement exercises if a full audit of the student's record cannot be processed to confirm eligibility.
Diplomas are mailed at no charge. Diplomas are withheld from students who have unsettled obligations to the University.
A student who does not meet graduation requirements at the end of the semester in which a graduation petition was filed must file a new petition, pay a $10 renewal fee, and indicate the new anticipated graduation date.
Students who participate in the Commencement with a projected date of completion in the summer following will not receive the diploma at Commencement; the diploma will be awarded only after all program requirements are completed.
Students who need to earn six credits or fewer during the summer semester to complete their degree requirements may participate in the May Commencement exercises if they meet both of the following conditions:
Marymount conducts formal Commencement exercises each academic year in May. Subject to the conditions set forth above for students completing degree requirements in the summer, students graduating at the completion of any other term are encouraged to participate in the subsequent Commencement exercise and should contact the Office of the Registrar for instructions.
Official transcripts of courses and credits will be forwarded by the Office of the Registrar to other educational institutions, agencies, or firms upon written request by the student. Transcripts are $3 per copy, payable in advance. Same-day service is available for $7 per copy, payable in advance. Requests for transcripts will be processed usually within five working days; however, during registration and immediately following the end of a semester there may be a delay up to two weeks. In the event of unsettled obligations to the University, transcripts will be withheld.
Any undergraduate student contemplating withdrawal from the University must consult with the associate vice president for Academic Affairs and complete an official withdrawal form. A written statement of withdrawal with authorization may be required from a parent or guardian if the student is financially dependent on same. A graduate student may withdraw at the Office of the Registrar.