Academic Standing

The Academic Standing Committee meets at the end of each semester to review student academic performance.

Information about minimum GPA and grade requirements can be found in the University Catalog. The Good Academic Standing chart outlines the requirements for each program.

A student may be placed on probation if their GPA (cumulative and/or professional) falls below the minimum requirement for their program. If a student is placed on non-progression status, the student will also be on probation. To be removed from probation, the criteria for good academic standing at the end of the next semester in which the student is registered must be met. Failure to meet the requirements for Good Academic Standing may result in dismissal from the University. More information regarding probation can be found in the University Catalog.

No, probation is not a status that can be appealed.

When the Academic Standing Committee reviews students who have been on probation for one semester, it has three choices:

• Move the student to good academic standing if the student has achieved the required GPA(s)
• Place the student on another semester of Probation if the student has improved the required GPAs significantly but has not quite achieved the required GPA(s)
• Dismiss the student

Students can be dismissed for four reasons:

• Failure to achieve the required GPA at the end of the first semester on probation
• Failure to achieve the required GPA at the end of the second semester on probation
• Failure to achieve the minimum grade required after a second attempt at any course
• Failure to meet program-specific requirements, for example, failure to achieve GPA progression standards, or failure to earn the minimum required grades in multiple professional courses or clinical rotations

For more information on academic dismissal, see the Academic Standing table in the University Catalog.

If an Academic Standing Committee recommends dismissal, the appropriate school dean will review your academic record. The dean will either permit you to continue in your program, usually with specified conditions or will accept the committee's recommendation. In either case, you will receive a letter from the school dean. If you receive a dismissal letter, you may appeal to the Provost's Office. The letter will provide instructions for filing your appeal.

Your appeal letter should address the circumstances leading up to your current academic situation and what changes you will make to improve your academic performance. Take responsibility for your actions or inactions, clearly explain extenuating circumstances that may have contributed to your academic difficulties, and, most importantly, provide a detailed plan of action that you will follow to correct past practices and regain good academic standing. The letter should be in a business format and can be emailed as an attachment to academic.standing@mcphs.edu.

If you have an individual circumstance that you feel explains why the University should not dismiss you, you may share that in your appeal letter. The Provost's Office will respond in writing (letter or email) to you with a decision about your appeal. The Provost's Office will carefully review your appeal before making a decision but is not able to meet with you in person or by telephone to discuss dismissals or appeals. Consequently, please ensure that your letter of appeal contains all of the information that the Provost will need to make an informed decision.

If you are dismissed from your academic program, there may be other programs at the University that match your academic and career goals. Information about other programs and the process for change of program can be found in the University Catalog. Staff in the Center for Academic Success Enrichment (CASE) on the Boston and Worcester/Manchester campuses are available to meet with students to address any questions they may have.

There are two reasons why a student may receive a "non-progression" letter:

• If you failed a course or earned a grade that is below the minimum required for your program, you cannot progress to the next level of the program until you have re-taken the course and earned at least the minimum grade required.
• In some programs, if you fail to earn the minimum grade required in a prerequisite class, you cannot take the second part of that course or any courses for which that course is a pre-requisite or co-requisite. Students who are given a "non-progression status" are also put on probation and will be subject to the policies of that academic status.

Note: students on probation cannot progress to advanced rotations. Pharmacy students on Probation on the Worcester and Manchester campuses cannot progress into the next academic year.

F-1 students who are dismissed and do not wish to change to another MCPHS program from their current program should speak with Immigration and International Support Services to discuss the following options:

• Transfer F-1 visa sponsorship to a new, SEVIS-approved school
• Change to a different immigration status (i.e., for those who are married to an F-1 visa holder, F-2 is usually an option)
• Return home

No, there is no grace period. You must make immediate plans to transfer, change your immigration status, or return home.

Yes, make an appointment immediately to speak with an Immigration Services staff member.

No. All CPT and OPT activities must cease immediately upon dismissal.

Contact your visa sponsor for more information.

The results of the University's academic standing review process are subject to FERPA. Under this legislation, a student's educational records may not be released without their consent. Please see the University Catalog or the Student Rights under FERPA page for additional information.