Please note: These examples are in the form that Policies pages will follow. Your Policies pages may differ and still include University policy.
A policy varying from University policy
Adding or Dropping a Course
Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Policy
In most cases, students wishing to change their courses can do so via WebReg on the StudentLink. If a course change cannot happen via WebReg, students must fill out the University Add/Drop form, obtain their advisor’s signature, and return the completed form to the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences office. A request for late registration in courses cannot ordinarily be granted after the first full week of classes.
The official University deadlines for adding and dropping classes can be found at the Registrar’s website. No standard (entire term) course may be added after the add period has ended. A standard course dropped prior to the last day to drop classes without a W, per the University deadlines, will not appear on the student’s permanent record. A course dropped after this deadline will appear on the student’s record as W, and the student will be charged for the course. No course may be dropped after the last day to drop courses with a W.
For MA and MS students, Graduate School financial aid will not cover the cost of a course from which the student has officially withdrawn. For PhD and MFA students receiving tuition scholarships, Graduate School financial aid will cover the cost of the course if the Director of Graduate Studies and the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences approve the withdrawal. In either case, receipt of a W grade may affect satisfactory academic progress and the receipt of future merit-based fellowship aid as well as loan eligibility.
For information regarding auditing classes, please see the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Policy on Auditing Courses.
Undergrad follows BU-wide, but grad differs
Academic Standing
Metropolitan College Policy
Graduate Policy
The academic status of graduate students is reviewed by the student’s department at the end of each term. Good academic standing is defined by (1) a term grade point average of at least 3.0 and (2) a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0.
The lowest grade acceptable for units is a B– for most graduate programs, with the exception of Actuarial Science, City Planning/Urban Affairs, and Computer Science programs, in which case the lowest grade acceptable for units is a C.
Undergraduate Policy
Metropolitan College strictly adheres to the Boston University policy on Academic Standing for Undergraduate Students in Full-time Programs.
Both undergrad and grad policies vary
Suspension or Dismissal
College of Communication Policy
Undergraduate Policy
If a student does not meet the terms of Academic Probation, as outlined in the COM Academic Probation Contract, that student will be suspended for one academic year. The student may appeal to be reinstated two months prior to the end of their suspension after showing proof of progress. Students are allowed to take units toward their degree program while on academic suspension, through another institution, if approved by the offering department(s) at BU and authorized by COM Undergraduate Affairs.
If a student is reinstated, the student will be reinstated on Academic Probation. The student must be registered for a full-time course load and receive a 2.0 GPI or higher and meet all of the Academic Probation contract requirements. If the student does not, they will be dismissed permanently from Boston University and the College of Communication.
Graduate Policy
Graduate students’ academic progress is reviewed at the end of each term. Failure to maintain satisfactory academic progress and be in good academic standing (defined as a term GPI [grade point index] of 3.0 and a cumulative GPA [grade point average] of 3.0) can result in Academic Probation, Suspension, or Dismissal…
