Undergraduate Procedures & Requirements

A more detailed description of undergraduate academic policies and procedures can be found at stevens.edu/about-stevens/university-policy-library/undergraduate-academics/undergraduate-academics-policies-and-procedures

Academic Standing

Academic grades are listed below and quality points per credit are indicated in parentheses:

A	(4.00)	Excellent
A-	(3.67)
B+	(3.33)
B	(3.00)	Good
B-	(2.67)
C+	(2.33)
C	(2.00)	Fair
C-	(1.67)
D+	(1.33)
D	(1.00)	Poor
F	(0.00)	Failure
P	(0.00)	Indicates a successfully completed Pass/Fail course.
W		If you withdraw from a course up until one week before the last class meeting of the semester, "W" is posted.
Exc.		If you are excused by a physician from attending physical education classes, you receive an "Exc."

Faculty regulations concerning the abbreviations "Abs." for absent and "Inc." for incomplete can be found on the Undergraduate Academics Web site at http://www.stevens.edu/provost/academics/undergraduate/UGPolicyStart.html. Stevens uses the Quality Points System to determine grade point averages (GPA). This means an "A" in a three semester-hour course is worth three times more than an "A" in a one semester-hour course. To determine the number of quality points for any course, the semester hours are multiplied by the value of the letter grade received for the course. To determine the weighted average, the sum of quality points is divided by the sum of quality hours.

Examinations

All students must take a written examination at the end of each term in all major-required core courses. Examinations in all technical, engineering, humanities, and management electives are at the option of the specific department(s).

Grade Point Averages (GPA)

The Office of the Registrar calculates three different GPAs for each student:

1. The semester GPA is determined from all courses taken at Stevens during a semester.
2. The graduating GPA is calculated from all courses taken at Stevens that are part of the degree requirement. If a course is repeated, only the last grade is used, even if the last grade is lower than previous grade(s). If the last grade is a withdrawal (W), the course must be repeated. If a course is repeated outside of Stevens with a grade of C or better, the C grade is entered.
3. The ranking GPA is calculated from all courses that are part of the degree requirement. In this case, all repeated courses are included and repeated courses taken outside of Stevens are calculated as a "C."

Grade Changes

A final grade in a course may be changed only if an error in grading or grade computation was made, or if an Inc./Abs. petition was approved and filed before the end of the semester in which the course was taken. If one of these circumstances applies, a grade may be changed within one regular (Spring or Fall) semester after the term in which the course was taken.

Graduation Requirements

To be eligible for graduation, you must have a "C" average (2.00 GPA) for eight terms of work and pass all required courses for your curriculum. Each course which is part of an undergraduate degree program must be passed within no more than three attempts.

Advanced Placement

Stevens participates in the Advanced Placement (AP) program of the College Entrance Examination Board. You may receive college credit toward your degree for the following examinations and corresponding grades.

AP Examination & Score	Stevens Equivalent	Credits
Art History (4,5)	HAR 180	3
Biology (4,5)	CH 281 and CH 282	4
Chemistry (4,5)	CH 115, 116, 117 and 118	8
Chinese Language and Culture (4,5)	General Elective (for engineering students), Elective (for majors other than engineering)	3
Computer Science A (4,5)	Computer Science (CS) majors will receive a CS elective and will be placed in CS 181 for the first semester; non-CS majors receive credit for E 115 or CS 105	2 or 3
Economics-Macroeconomics (4,5)	BT 243	3
Economics-Microeconomics (4,5)	BT 244	3
English-Language & Composition (4,5)	100 Level Humanities	3
English-Literature & Composition (4,5)	100 Level Humanities	3
Environmental Science (4,5)	General Elective (for engineering students), Elective (for majors other than engineering)	3
French Language & Culture (4,5)	General Elective (for engineering students), Elective (for majors other than engineering)	3
German Language & Culture (4,5)	General Elective (for engineering students), Elective (for majors other than engineering)	3
Government & Politics-Comparative (4,5)	100 Level Humanities	3
Government & Politics - U.S. (4.5)	100 Level Humanities	3
History - European (4,5)	100 Level Humanities	3
History - U.S. (4,5)	100 Level Humanities	3
History - World (4,5)	100 Level Humanities	3
Italian  Language and Culture (4,5)	General Elective (for engineering students), Elective (for majors other than engineering)	3
Japanese Language and Culture (4,5)	General Elective (for engineering students), Elective (for majors other than engineering)	3
Latin (4,5)	100 Level Humanities	3
Mathematics - Calculus AB (4,5)	MA 121 and MA 122 OR MA 117	4
Mathematics - Calculus BC (4,5)	MA 121, MA 122, and MA 123 OR MA 117	6 or 4
Music Theory (4,5)	HMU 201	3
Physics 1 (4,5)	PEP 123 (for Business and Humanities majors)	3
Physics 2 (4,5)	PEP 124 (for Business and Humanities majors)	3
Physics C - Mechanics (4,5)	PEP 111	3
Physics C - E & M (4,5)	PEP 112	3
Psychology (4,5)	HSS 176	3
Spanish Language & Culture (4,5)	General Elective (for engineering students), Elective (for majors other than engineering)	3
Spanish Literature & Culture (4,5)	100 Level Humanities	3

IB Placement

Stevens participates in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program of the International Baccalaureate Organization. You may receive college credit toward your degree for the following examinations and corresponding grades.

IB Examination	IB Level Stevens Equivalent	Credits
Biology w/Lab (6,7) HL	CH281 and 282	4
Chemistry w/Lab (6,7)   HL	CH115,116,117, and 118	8
Classical Language (6,7) HL	General Elective (for engineering students), Elective (for majors other than engineering)	3
Computer Science (6,7) SL	Free Elective; may take courses for which CS 115 is a pre-requisite; CS majors will be placed in CS 181	3
Computer Science (6,7) HL	Free Elective; may take courses for which CS 115 and CS 284 are pre-requisites; CS majors will be placed in CS 182 second semester	3
Economics (6,7) HL	BT243 and 244	6
History (6,7)       HL	HHS 123 or 124; (class for credit chosen with consultation of faculty advisor)	3
Language A1 (6,7) HL	General Elective (for engineering students), Elective (for majors other than engineering)	3
Language A2 (6,7)            HL	General Elective (for engineering students), Elective (for majors other than engineering)	3
Language B (6,7)               HL	General Elective (for engineering students), Elective (for majors other than engineering)	3
Music (5,6,7)      SL/HL	Assessment test given that may allow the student to place out of specified topic and receive full course credit if they pass that assessment. The student can declare any required music and technology major components.	*Dependent upon Exam
Philosophy (6,7)               HL	HPL 111 or 112; (class for credit chosen with consultation of faculty advisor)	3
Psychology (6,7)               HL	HSS175	3
Social and Cultural Anthropology (6,7)       HL	General Elective (for engineering students), Elective (for majors other than engineering)	3
Theater HL (6,7)                HL	General Elective (for engineering students), Elective (for majors other than engineering)	3
World Cultures (6,7)       HL	Hum 107	3
World Religions (6,7)      HL	General Elective (for engineering students), Elective (for majors other than engineering)	3

Course Options

Course by Examination

This program is an option if you earned a grade point average of 3.0, in the previous semester, have an overall grade point average of 3.0 or are a freshman or transfer student entering Stevens for the first time. This program is limited to eight courses, one course per semester. Course by examination is not permitted for courses taken previously. The examination is taken prior to the start of a semester and must meet the approval of your Faculty Advisor and the department offering the course.

If you successfully complete the examination, the instructor who administered the examination issues a letter grade. If you do not pass the examination, the unsuccessful attempt is recorded as a failure "F" in your permanent record and you must enroll in the regular course.

Course by Application

If a particular course is not offered in the regular schedule during the desired term, you may take the course by application with the approval of the Office of Undergraduate Academics and the involved department. Regular enrollment is required and arrangements are made for you to study the material and to be tested during the term. A letter grade is issued at the end of the term.

Extra Courses

If your GPA for the preceding term is 3.0 or if your overall GPA is 3.0 and your Faculty Advisor approves, you may enroll during the following term in one extra course at no additional tuition charge.

Upperclassmen with a GPA of at least 3.3 may take a second extra course without charge if their Advisor approves. Juniors and seniors with a GPA of 3.6 in the preceding term may take a third course at no additional charge provided they have demonstrated the ability to succeed in overload programs and have the approval of their Advisor and the Office of Undergraduate Academics.

You may use the extra course for elective undergraduate credit, defer it for graduate credit if the course is a graduate offering, or use it as an extra undergraduate course if not used for the degree requirement. These choices are made when you file the Application for Candidacy during your senior year.

Students enrolled for the Reduced Load Program are not eligible for extra courses.

Auditing Courses
To audit a course is to attend classes without receiving credit for the course. You may do this with approval from the Office of Undergraduate Academics. This course will count as an enrolled course for purposes of computing overload charges, should any be required. In order to change from credit to audit status or audit to credit status in a class, you must file a Change of Enrollment (Add/Drop) form in the Registrar's Office before the Add/Drop deadline established by the Registrar.

Pass/Fail
If you are a Dean's List student or have a 3.00 average, you may elect one course per semester under a pass-fail grading system, subject to your Advisor's approval. The course must be an extra undergraduate course beyond the requirements for the undergraduate degree. The course must be clearly designated on your study plan or application for candidacy as either "extra" or "outside the area of concentration." No graduate course may be taken under the pass-fail grading system regardless of its status. You have until the mid-term date of the semester to designate a course as pass-fail.

Dropping/Withdrawing from Courses
Individual courses may be dropped during the Add/Drop Period in the first two weeks of each semester (one week in summer sessions) by submitting a Change of Enrollment Form to the Office of the Registrar. When a course is dropped, no record of the student's enrollment in the course remains on the student transcript.

After the Add/Drop Period has passed, students may withdraw from a course up to one week before the last day of classes. When a student withdraws from a course, a grade of "W" is recorded on the student transcript for that course. The grade of "W" does not affect the student's graduating GPA. Except for international students, withdrawing from a course does not jeopardize full-time (at least twelve credits) student status; the total number of credits for which the student is enrolled does not change. International students should consult with the Office of International Student and Scholar Services before withdrawing from a course.

Dean's List

The Dean's List is prepared at the end of each academic term by the Registrar's Office. To be eligible for a given semester, you must be in good standing, earn at least 12 credits, and have a 3.0 term GPA with no failures and no more than one course withdrawal.

Degrees

Stevens awards three baccalaureate degrees: the Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.), the Bachelor of Science (B.S.), and the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.).

Degree with Honor and High Honor
The undergraduate Degree with Honor is conferred if you achieve a grade point average of 3.2 for courses taken toward the undergraduate degree. The Degree with High Honor is conferred if you achieve a grade point average of 3.6 for courses taken toward the undergraduate degree.

Degree with Thesis
You may apply for candidacy for Degree with Thesis in either semester of the junior year or in the first semester of the senior year. A candidate for any Degree with Thesis must report the title of the thesis and the name of the directing professor in writing to the Office of Undergraduate Academics no later than December 15 of the senior year.

Special Degree Programs

Five special programs are available if you are pursuing a degree in one of the sciences (including computer science), engineering, or the liberal arts. If you plan to enter any of the following special degree programs, you should discuss your plans with your Faculty Advisor and the Office of Undergraduate Academics.

1. Simultaneous Degree Program permits you to complete the requirements for your bachelor's and master's degrees in four years, where scheduling permits. You can also complete a B.A. degree in four years along with a B.S. or a B.E. degree.

2. Deferred Graduate Credit Program allows you to enroll in extra courses at no extra tuition charge, provided you have maintained an appropriate average. The extra credits may be applied toward the bachelor's or master's degree, but not both, and may not be applied toward make-up courses.

3. Double B.E. Degree Program enables you to earn two B.E. degrees, but you must satisfy all of the requirements in both concentrations; this includes two Junior and Senior Design sequences. In addition, you must take at least 24 credits over and above the first B.E. degree.

4. Transitional/Reduced Load Program has two options:

   1. Freshman Transition Option (for majors other than Engineering) allows freshmen to take one fewer course in each term during the first year to provide a smoother transition to college course work load and rigor level. After the successful completion of the year, the students on this plan are permitted to take two courses free of charge during the summer, which puts them back on track for four-year program completion. Maximum benefit from this option results if chosen as early as possible in the first semester. This option is not open to Engineering majors, as the Engineering curriculum already offers a lighter load during the freshman year.

   2. Reduced Load Option allows students who opted for the Freshman Transition Option to continue with the reduced load for the remainder of their academic program and graduate in ten semesters of study rather than eight. There is no charge for the ninth and tenth terms' tuition if the student signs up for the program before the start of the third term of study. For Engineering students, the deadline for enrolling in the Reduced Load Option is prior to the start of the fourth term of study, as the first year of study in Engineering is already a lighter load.

If you wish to sign up for or discuss either option in more detail, contact the Office of Undergraduate Academics at (201) 216-5228.

English Language Requirement for International Students

Proficiency in the English language is a graduation requirement; thus, all international students must successfully complete humanities studies, which are required each semester of the four undergraduate years. English language competence is also generally indicated by a score of at least 213 (computer) or 83 (Internet) based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

Failure to meet an acceptable level of competency may require attendance at non-credit remedial courses during the summer, the academic semesters, or during the intersession period. These classes may be taken at Stevens or at nearby colleges that have specialized English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. Such study may require payments beyond those charged for tuition associated with credit courses at Stevens. In some cases, you may not be allowed to enroll in humanities classes or in other classes at Stevens until you have achieved a satisfactory level of English language ability. You are advised to seek early clarification of these requirements, preferably no later than May 1 if enrollment is planned for the fall semester.

Students with questions in this regard should seek written clarification from the College of Arts and Letters.

Online Graduate Courses for Undergraduates

Undergraduate students may, with junior standing, a 3.0 or higher GPA, and the permission of their advisor, enrolls in up to two online graduate courses per semester. Students with a 3.2 or higher GPA may take a third web course. These classes are counted as part of the students' regular semester credit load for purposes of computing overload charges, if any apply. Students wishing to take more than two ( or three with a GPA of 3.2 or higher) online courses require the permission of the Office  of Undergraduate Academics, and will incur additional charges at the undergraduate per-credit tuition rate for these classes regardless of whether or not they exceed the credit-load limit. Undergraduates are not permitted to enroll in the Winter or the Spring 2 WebCampus semesters.

International students in F-1 immigration status should keep in mind that immigration regulations permit them to count only one online course (3 credits) toward their full-time requirement in each regular (fall and spring) semester. Therefore, while Stevens permits them to take 2 online courses per semester at no additional cost, they must generally be enrolled in a minimum of 15 credits, at least 9 of which must be in regular campus courses, to maintain their immigration status. For additional details and questions, please see the International Student and Scholar Services office.

Honor Board

The Honor Board is comprised of up to 20 undergraduates interpret the constitution of the Stevens Honor System, and implement its different elements. The Board strives to educate the Stevens community about the importance of academic integrity and the value that adherence to the Honor System brings to a Stevens degree.

The Honor Board investigates reports of suspected Honor System violations, conducts hearings when necessary, and assigns penalties to students who either confess to or are convicted of an Honor System violation.

Detailed information about the Honor Board is available at www.stevens.edu/honor.

Non-matriculated Students

Students wishing to take a course at Stevens on a non-matriculated basis must obtain approval from the Office of Undergraduate Academics. A minimum 3.0 GPA at the student's current or previous college or university is required, in addition to completion of the equivalent of all pre-requisite courses for the desired Stevens course. Tuition is charged on a per-credit basis. For details regarding course offerings, visit the Office of the Registrar's web site at www.stevens.edu/registrar.

Academic Leave of Absence/Withdrawal from Stevens

Students seeking a Leave of Absence or Withdrawal should appear in person to the Office of Undergraduate Academics located in Edwin A. Stevens Building Room 119. Withdrawing from Stevens means that the student no longer plans to continue his/her education at Stevens. Leave of Absence (LOA) means that the student plans to return to Stevens to continue his/her education. Students wishing to take a voluntary leave of absence from Stevens can do so for up to two semesters or one academic year. Transcripts of students will be reviewed to determine readmission eligibility and conditions. Students who do not return to Stevens within one academic year will be classified as withdrawn. Click here for the LOA/Withdrawal Form.

If you are not on campus or in the area, please contact the Office of Undergraduate Academics at 201-216-5228 during regular business hours (Monday – Friday 9:00AM – 5:00PM).

Students who request a leave of absence between semesters, other than for the summer sessions, will be considered withdrawn for federal student aid and state aid purposes. As a withdrawn student who has borrowed Direct Loans, any applicable grace period will begin and unless the student returns within six months before the end of the grace period, the student will enter repayment following the grace period.

Note: Undergraduate students must apply for readmission within 7 years from the date of the leave of absence or withdrawal from Stevens. An undergraduate degree must be completed within 12 years of entrance to Stevens.

Administrative Leave of Absence

Students may be placed on an Administrative (involuntary) Leave of Absence up to a year for any of the below reasons:

• Financial: If a student is not able to meet his/her financial obligations for the semester or has an outstanding balance from a previous semester/year
• Medical/Mental Health: as determined by professional staff member(s)
• Disciplinary: as determined by the Dean of Students or by the Honor Board
• Academic: as determined by the Academic Promotions Committee
• Not Enrolled:  students who do not register for classes by the end of the drop/add period for the semester