Advising

Picture of Biological Science Students in the Lab For guidance with course selection students attending the Shady Grove campus are strongly encouraged to meet with their academic advisors, Dr. Tom Stanton and Dr. Nancy Noben-Trauth.

Schedule adjustment is the process by which students may change their schedule by either adding or dropping courses. If students wish to adjust their schedule, they should contact their academic advisor for assistance. For detailed information about adding/dropping or withdrawing from courses, consult UMCP specific policy and calendar. Please refer to UMCP's current catalog and student handbook for current policy information.

Expectations from Advisors:

Advisors must be be accessible by appointment
They must be be accurate and up to date in academic program and service information
They should be professional in their focus on the student's progress towards graduation

Expectations from Students:

Students must read University, College and departmental materials (particularly the Undergraduate Catalog and Schedule of Classes)
Students must schedule their mandatory advising appointment well ahead of any registration opportunity
Arrive on time
Bring a four-year plan
Come with questions

Each student has the ultimate responsibility for his or her own education.

Academic Policies

All students who are part of the College of Chemical and Life Sciences are expected to familiarize themselves with College and University academic policies. Some of the most important are listed below. It is not a complete list.

Exceptions to Policy:

Exceptions to policy are approved only under rare and extraordinary circumstances.
Petition for Exception to Policy forms may be obtained by contacting you academic advisor at USG.

University Policies:

A complete guide to University Policies is available in the Undergraduate Catalog.
A few noteworthy policies are the following:

Repeat limit

Students may repeat a maximum of 18 credits. Taking a course and dropping it ("W" on transcript) counts as an attempt.
Students may attempt a course a maximum of two times. A "W" counts as an attempt.

Transfer credit limit

A maximum of 65 credits (of prerequisite courses) may apply to degree requirements from a two-year (community college) institution.
A maximum of 90 credits may apply to degree requirements from a four-year institution, or combination of institutions.

Taking courses at another institution

Students are required to fill out a permission to enroll form from your academic advisor BEFORE enrolling in a course at another institution.

Final thirty credits

The final 30 credits of each student's degree must be completed at the University of Maryland.

Academic Probation and Dismissal

Students need a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 to be in good academic standing.
Students whose cumulative GPA drops below a 2.0 are placed on academic probation.
Depending on credit level, consecutive semesters with cumulative GPAs below a 2.0 will result in the student being placed on academic dismissal or continuing on academic probation. Details can be found in the Undergraduate Catalog.

Graduation

All students must submit an Application for Graduation to the Office of the Registrar no later than the final day of schedule adjustment in the term during which the student plans on graduating.

College Policies:

Maximum credit limit

CLFS students may take a maximum of 17 credits per fall or spring semester, 4 credits per winter semester and 8 credits in a single summer session.

Minimum grade requirement

CLFS students need at least a "C" in all required chemistry, biology, math and physics courses.
Required courses that are pre-requisites for other courses must be passed with a "C" or better before taking the next course in the sequence.

"M" Sections of Classes

With permission of the department, some students are eligible to repeat certain laboratory courses with the suffix "M."
In an "M" section, students do not repeat the lab portion of the course. Registration for such courses (e.g., BSCI 105M) is limited.
"M"sections must be taken within 12 months of the original attempt at the course and if the lab scores they received in the previously attempted course totaled at least 80 percent of the maximum possible total. These scores count for part of the grade in the "M" section repeat.

Academic Assistance

The School of Chemical and Life Sciences is committed to the success of all its students and has special programs for the students to help them succeed in their academic endeavors. The Center for Academic Success (CAS) is one such initiative to assist students. CAS is located at the Universities at Shady Grove and provides reading and writing help to students attending classes at the Shady Grove campus. In addition, CAS provides peer-to-peer help by providing tutoring help and guided study session for various courses that students need assistance with. Besides helping students with their papers and courses, CAS enriches students' learning expereince by offering various workshops to make them more proficient in managing time and multi-tasking as well as provides efficient learning to strategies to help students study better. Learn more about the Center for Academic Success.