Program Entrance, Retention, and Exit Standards

Every major program at The College has set standards for allowing students to remain in their major program, to transfer within The College from one major program to another, and to graduate from a major program. The following are the college-wide standards for program entrance, retention, and exit. Students should contact the departmental chairperson or advisor for information about the specific standards used by an individual program.

• All programs have a specific requirement for student retention in their respective majors, consisting of a designated performance standard in at least one and no more than three "critical content" courses that represent the essential nature of the discipline and upon which advanced courses are based.
• All programs have a minimum specific entrance requirement for students seeking to transfer into that major, consisting of a designated performance standard in at least one and no more than three "foundation" courses that are predictive of success in the major. Students who successfully complete the foundation course(s) have fulfilled the entrance requirements for the major.
• Except in cases where explicit grade point average (GPA) standards are mandated for national or state accreditation or certification, programs have an exit/graduation standard of a GPA of 2.0 in courses required within their respective majors. This may include courses required for the major but offered outside the major department.
• Programs may set an additional graduation/exit standard requiring a minimum grade of C- in some or all courses required in the major.

Recommended by CUPPS: April, 2000
Approved by Provost: March, 2001