Policies and Procedures

College of Arts & Sciences Advising Mission

The College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) recognizes advising as a critical component of its undergraduate students’ educational experience. CAS, therefore, offers a holistic program of coordinated academic advising and career development that supports students through all four years, respects the benefits of a liberal education, and intentionally prepares students well for life after Quinnipiac.

Advising is integral to the university’s mission as a learning community and its commitment to three core values: high-quality academic programs, a student-oriented environment, and a strong sense of community. Advising is a collaborative process through which advisors guide and mentor students to develop and implement educational plans designed to promote the student’s academic, personal, community, and professional goals. Working with their academic advisors, students are encouraged to become self-directed learners and to assume responsibility for completing their educational goals, meeting academic requirements, and developing plans for meaningful careers and lives after college. Advising in CAS supports the mission of a liberal arts education by complementing the intellectual exchange in the classroom with an ongoing, collaborative exchange of ideas outside of the classroom designed to cultivate critical thinking, intellectual curiosity, creativity, and the basis for long-term success.

As stated in the Quinnipiac University Catalog, “Though faculty advisers assist each student in the selection of courses, the responsibility for fulfilling the program and all Quinnipiac University program and departmental academic requirements of study rests with the individual student.”

Advising Outcomes:

By the end of their first year, CAS students will:

  • Have developed a relationship with their advisor characterized by mentorship in the process of academic exploration and life enrichment
  • Have a clear understanding of the various academic resources on campus and where to turn with questions
  • Understand the structure of the Quinnipiac curriculum and how the major is embedded in a larger curricular context
  • Understand how to monitor their own progress toward satisfaction of their degree requirements by locating and monitoring their academic program evaluation (and other resources) on Self Service
  • Have begun to use the PSP (Personal Success Plan) as a tool with which to reflect on, and modify, their personal, educational, and professional interests and goals during their time at Quinnipiac

Through the advising relationship in their second and third years, students will:

  • Learn how to write a resume, present themselves professionally, and use appropriate tools to network and to research job openings
  • Broaden their strategies for meeting their personal and professional goals through coursework, co-curricular, and extra-curricular activities, internships and jobs, independent research, study abroad, etc.
  • Increasingly engage in reflection on their educational and personal goals and experiences
  • Increasingly assume responsibility for their own learning in the context of a wide range of interests and life perspectives

By the time of graduation, students will have:

  • Taken responsibility for the completion of their degree
  • Expanded their sense of personal and professional development cultivated in the PSP to their goals and objectives in the years following graduation
  • Developed an appreciation and disposition toward self-initiated, life-long learning, including (but not limited to) the purposes of career advancement, responsible citizenship, and the cultivation of personal enjoyment and fulfillment

Declaring a Major or Minor

  • Students are required to select and declare a major by the end of their sophomore year.
  • Minors can be selected during any semester.
  • Undergraduate students wishing to declare or change their major should complete and submit the Change of Major form. Students wishing to declare a second major should also use this form. If you have questions about the process, email the Registrar’s Office.
  • Undergraduate students wishing to declare a  minor should complete and submit Minor Declaration form.

First-Year Seminar Requirement

First-year Seminar is designed to accomplish three essential goals that help prepare students for 21st-century careers and citizenship. First, it introduces students to the concept of inquiry as a process that utilizes multiple approaches and perspectives to investigate problems, questions, or ideas systematically. Students learn that the inquiry process includes collecting, analyzing, and evaluating various types of evidence. Second, the seminar enables students to practice inquiry through an investigation of a problem, question, or idea that faculty select from their areas of expertise. Finally, students begin to develop problem-solving skills that they will deepen throughout their undergraduate experience in the University Curriculum.

A student who transfers to Quinnipiac with less than sophomore standing (fewer than 27 credits) shall enroll in FYS 101 in the student’s first semester at Quinnipiac. The policy for students who fail FYS also applies to transfer students with less than sophomore standing. Students who transfer to Quinnipiac with 27 or more credits must substitute any UC-designated course for FYS 101 to count toward the general education credits needed to graduate.

Click here for the First-Year Seminar Course Guide.

First-year Writing Program

Academic Reading and Writing (EN 101, 101I, 102, and 103H) introduces students to the ways that writing is grounded in reading and that inquiry is essential to learning. Through close reading of academic texts, students are given authority as learners to undertake serious intellectual projects that emphasize critical and creative thinking. Instructors guide students through sequenced reading and writing assignments and highlight the revision process of multiple-draft writing that leads to increasingly complex thinking and rhetorical presentation. As a community of learners, students begin to recognize academic writing as a site where knowledge is produced, understood, and communicated. Full-time students are expected to have completed EN 101 and EN 102 by the end of three semesters. Click here for more information on EN 101 and EN 102.

  • Once matriculated, students may NOT take EN 101 or EN 102 at another institution (although they may enter Quinnipiac with these credits already complete).
  • Students must complete EN 101 and EN 102 by the end of three semesters. Students who do not complete first-year writing courses within three semesters are not making “good academic progress” and will be placed on academic probation.  Part-time students are expected to have completed this requirement by the time they have completed 30 credits at QU.
  • Students may not withdraw from EN 101 or EN 101I.
  • The first time a student fails to complete EN 101 or EN 101I, they will receive a grade of “U”, which has no effect on the GPA. Each unsuccessful attempt thereafter results in a grade of “F.”
  • If a student takes EN 103H, rather than EN 101 and EN 102, this single course satisfies the first-year writing requirement completely. However, another UC course – as long as it is not being used to fulfill another UC requirement – needs to be taken in place of one of the first-year writing courses.
  • Placement Exam Information: All students are required to take the placement exam.  The English placement exam is, however, more akin to a process for self-directed decision-making than an exam.  Students may choose to take EN 101 or EN 101 Intensive.  Issues involving access to the English placement exam should be directed to the IT Help Center (xHELP), or submitted via a technology work order.

Quantitative Literacy Requirement and Math Courses

  • The Quantitative Literacy requirement for all students is “successful completion of a math course at the 110 level or above.”
  • Students must complete the Quantitative Literacy requirement by the end of their third semester.
  • Students and faculty should refer to the student’s placement exam score and the math placement grid to determine proper placement in a math course.
  • If a student receives a math placement of a 1, we are using the corequisite model for our math courses. MA 106 is a corequisite course for MA 107, MA 109 is a corequisite course for MA 110, and MA 169 is a corequisite course for MA 170.  You will need to take both courses at the same time if you received a placement level of a 1 and have the option to do it with a placement level of a 2, if the student feels they can benefit from more support in mathematics.
  • Placement Exam Information: All incoming first-year and transfer students should see the Math Placement Test in their list of courses in Blackboard and should take the test as soon as possible. If an incoming student does not see the link or if a student did not take the placement test in their first year, they will need to submit a technology work order to gain access to the test. Results will be available through Self Service (Student Planning) under Test Scores within two business days.  Please see the math placement grid to determine which course to enroll in.

Modern Language Requirement

All CAS students are required to complete a modern language through the 102 level. To determine placement, most students take a test. Students’ placement exam results can be found in the Test Scores tab on Self Service (Student Planning). The placement exam results show the language course a student should start with (e.g., if a student’s placement exam score shows FR 102, that student has placed out of FR 101 and should register for FR 102). More information on accessing and interpreting the placement test.

Students who have placed out of the language requirement (language placement of 201 or higher) do not need to take a foreign language course, but they can certainly be encouraged to continue advanced study in that language – or start a new one – if their academic plans allow that.  Students who place out of the modern language requirement and choose not to continue studying a language will need to select one free elective course in place of a language course.

Science Courses

As of the 2016 catalog year, students must complete one 4-credit science course (lecture and lab) and may choose to take additional science courses as part of their UC disciplinary inquiry or personal inquiry.  Courses geared toward non-majors are clearly indicated as such in the descriptions.

The spirit of the UC science requirement is that a student should take one science lecture along with the corresponding lab, which applies the knowledge gained in the lecture.  The content in each segment, therefore, complements and reinforces what is learned in the other.  So if a student fails the lecture but passes the lab, the one credit for the lab will count (as a credit toward graduation), but the student should take another lecture + lab science.

CAS Additional Requirements & Students with Double Majors & Minors

These rules apply to all students with double majors:

  • Two CAS majors in the liberal arts (or two CAS majors with BA degrees)
  • One CAS major in the liberal arts and one CAS major in the sciences (or one CAS major with a BA degree and one CAS major with a BS degree)
  • One major in CAS and one in another QU school

Double majors do NOT need to complete the CAS additional requirements, except for the Foreign Language requirement.  Note that evaluations do not properly list the requirements for double majors, so these students need special advising assistance.

Students with minors must complete all CAS additional requirements.  For students who entered prior to fall 2018: in most cases their 300-level electives outside the major can be met through courses in the minor.  For students who entered in fall 2018 or later: in most cases courses in the minor will fulfill the depth requirement (9 credits in a single discipline outside the major).

For MAT students: Required ED courses will (1) fulfill the “300-level electives outside the major” requirement for students who entered prior to fall 2018 or (2) fulfill the depth requirement for students who entered in fall 2018 or later.

Double-counting courses for multiple requirements

Several rules determerine when a single course can and cannot count toward multiple requirements. Click to view these rules in text format.

Rules for Taking Courses at Other Institutions

Once students matriculate at QU, they are generally not permitted to take courses for credit elsewhere (read the official university policy).  In rare circumstances, when a student needs a course at a particular time to stay on track, and Quinnipiac is not offering the course, an exception might be made. Ordinarily, permission to take a summer or intersession course elsewhere is NOT given if:

  1. The course (or an equivalent that meets the requirement) is offered online during the same period by Quinnipiac.
  2. The course is offered during the same period on the Quinnipiac campus and the student is residing in the state of Connecticut.

If either of these two requirements is inappropriate for an individual student, they may petition for an exception from the dean through the university’s Variant Procedure process.

If approval is granted based on the above conditions being met, the below restrictions still apply:

  • Students may take only two courses at other institutions once they have matriculated at Quinnipiac. Note that this rule applies only to courses taken post-matriculation.  Students may transfer up to 90 credits to Quinnipiac, but once they have matriculated, they are limited to two courses away from Quinnipiac.  Courses taken through approved study abroad programs and Washington semester programs do not apply to the two-course limit.
  • Students may not take a course at a community or junior college that offers two-year degrees if the student has completed 48 credits toward graduation.
  • Students may not take a course at another institution if they have earned 75 or more credits toward their degree (they need to take their last 45 credits at Quinnipiac).
  • Permission will not be given for a student to complete a requirement for his/her major at another institution without the recommendation of the relevant chair.
  • The first-year writing courses (EN 101 and EN 102) cannot be taken at other institutions after students have matriculated at Quinnipiac.
  • Students who study abroad during the summer or winter intercession are exempt from the two-course limit.

Students wishing to take courses at other institutions (assuming all above conditions are met) must have those courses pre-approved.  To begin the pre-approval process, print and complete the Transfer Course Pre-approval form and submit it to casdeans@quinnipiac.edu, along with a rationale for why the course cannot be completed at Quinnipiac.  You will then be notified if approval is granted, and how the course will transfer back to Quinnipiac if so.

Note that courses taken at other institutions do not transfer to Quinnipiac as a letter grade and thus will have no effect on a student’s GPA.

Transfer Credit, AP, International Baccalaureate, & CLEP

Quinnipiac awards credit for certain college-level work an incoming student does while in high school or prior to entering QU:

  • Courses taken at a college or university. As with all transfer courses, the student must earn a grade of C or better.
  • Advanced Placement (AP) exams (view AP course equivalencies in the university catalog). Note that students may decline their AP credits and take the corresponding course here.
  • International Baccalaureate (IB) courses.
  • CLEP exams — similar to AP exams, but designed for students who have already left high school. Quinnipiac does accept CLEP exams for transfer credit when students apply to Quinnipiac.

In all cases, an official score report or transcript must be sent to the Registrar’s Office. The Registrar’s Office receives and maintains the official records of college-level work done elsewhere; CAS does not.  Students are permitted to transfer a maximum of 75 credits; the final 45 credits must be completed at Quinnipiac.

Students are encouraged to review their academic evaluation for AP or transfer credits, which appear in “Transfer Term” under the Course Plan tab in Self Service (use the arrow button to move back before the current semester) and as “TR” in the academic evaluation (under the Progress tab). If something appears to be missing, students should check with the Registrar’s Office to see if documentation is on file; if it is not, they should request the official transcript or score report as soon as possible.  The sooner transfer credits are on a student’s evaluation, the sooner an overall program of study can be planned.

One-credit Courses

Students can take 16 credits a semester without paying any more tuition than students who take 15 credits.  We encourage students to consider a 16th credit when possible.  With a few semesters of 16 credits, students can build up extra credits to draw on when they may need or want to take a smaller course load – for example, when they study abroad in a program that allows only 12 credits, when they withdraw mid-semester from a course, or when they register for only 12 credits during a semester of varsity competition or an internship.

Some programs include “extra” credits as part of their requirements.  Below are some examples:

  • Lab sciences
  • Psychology research methods courses
  • One of the two calculus sequences
  • The sociology/criminal justice/gerontology career exploration course

Other useful one-credit courses are listed below; be aware you can only count up to 6 credits of workshop or FLW (fitness, leisure, and wellness) courses toward your graduation requirements (see this policy in the university catalog here).

Please speak with your advisor if you’d like to discuss 1-credit course options.

Incomplete Grades

If a student has not completed all of the requirements of a course, but has made an agreement with the faculty member for an extension in order to do so, the faculty member may issue a grade of Incomplete.  Below are key points of the policy, the full version of which is in the catalog:

  • The student must request an Incomplete grade from their faculty member; the faculty member has complete discretion on whether to grant the request.
  • A grade of “I” should be issued only in compelling circumstances.
  • It should not be issued primarily to allow a student who is failing the course to earn a passing grade.
  • Along with the faculty member, the student must develop a written plan to complete the remaining coursework. The plan should be retained by the student, the faculty member, and the department chair.
  • The “I” grade must be resolved within 30 days of the end of the semester in which it was issued, or the grade will automatically become an F.
  • The department chair may approve in writing an extension to the 30-day period. The chair can send an email to the Registrar and copy one of the CAS associate deans.

To assist students and faculty members with incomplete grades, the Learning Commons has created two resources: (1) a video tutorial highlighting these points and (2) a guide for developing the written plan for completion.

Leaves of Absence

Leaves of absence are defined as a temporary separation from the university and be either medical or academic in nature. Read the full university policy. To begin the process, submit the leave of absence form.

Withdrawing from the University

Students considering withdrawing from the university or transferring to a different institution should discuss their plans with their faculty advisor and/or department chair to ensure they are fully aware of all the implications and information relevant to this decision.

Students applying to a different institution may need to access information about their status at Quinnipiac as components of those applications (e.g., enrollment verification or transcript).  That information can be accessed through Self Service.  For more specific information not available through Self Service, students should consult with the registrar’s office to get the necessary information for their applications.

Students who have definitely decided to withdraw from Quinnipiac University must complete and submit the university withdrawal form.