Graduate catalog: 2023/24

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

The University of the People monitors students’ academic performance to ensure satisfactory progress toward a degree. Graduate students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or better in order to remain in good standing. Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) applies only to students in the Degree Program.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is evaluated at the end of every term, and active students who earn a letter grade in a course, excluding “W,” are notified in writing by the Office of Student Affairs of their academic standing within one month of every evaluation point. Students who withdraw from the institution during a term when they are issued a letter grade of A through F will receive a letter from Student Affairs verifying their final academic standing at the time of their withdrawal from UoPeople; this will remain on permanent file with the University.

The University reserves the right to place students on Academic Warning, Academic Probation, Probation Continued, and Academic Suspension, and reserves the right to remove students from Academic Probation, Probation Continued, and Academic Suspension based on their academic performance and degree level, notwithstanding the Academic Standards. Additionally, if at any evaluation point it can be determined by the University that it is mathematically impossible for a student to meet a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50 before graduating, students may be dismissed from the University.

Good Standing

Students maintaining a minimum CGPA of 2.50 are in good standing.

Academic Warning

Students who had been in good standing in the previous term and whose minimum cumulative GPA drops to below 2.50 at the end of the current term are placed on Academic Warning. Students on Academic Warning who meet or exceed a 2.50 cumulative GPA during the subsequent term return to good standing. Students on Academic Warning are encouraged to be in contact with their personal Program Advisor.

Academic Dismissal

Students who had been on Academic Warning in the previous term and whose minimum cumulative GPA continues to be below 2.50 at the end of the current term, are dismissed from the University.
Academic Dismissal is a permanent separation from the University, and means a student may not enroll in any succeeding term unless given permission by the academic department pursuant to the appeals process.

Academic Dismissal Appeals

Dismissal appeals are available only for Graduate Students.

Students who have encountered unexpected or extenuating circumstances that significantly prevented them from completing their academic requirements are eligible to request reconsideration of the dismissal decision by submitting a written appeal to Student Affairs no later than thirty days from the dismissal notice. Students who do not request an appeal within the 30-day deadline forfeit their right to appeal.

The appeal should include a clear description of the basis of the appeal, students’ reflections about their own academic difficulties at the University, and evidence of probable academic success if permitted to return to the University. Students should also submit any documentation of mitigating circumstances contributing to their poor academic performance. The appeal must include the student’s action plan with a clear description of how they will overcome the difficulties moving forward.

All appeals should be sent to the student’s Program Advisor, who will sent the appeal to the Office of Student Services at student.services@uopeople.edu and will then be directed to the Student Affairs Committee. Once the appeal is submitted, students will receive a confirmation email within one week from the Office of Student Services and a final decision about the appeal within six weeks of the submission of their appeal. Decisions rendered by the Committee are final and binding.

When an appeal is granted, the Office of Student Services will process the student’s reinstatement automatically. Once this is complete, the student will be required to sign a contract for Improved Academic Performance with the Program Advising Office by the first day of the term of reinstatement or will not be permitted to return to their studies. Please note: once a student has successfully been re-enrolled after dismissal, any later academic dismissal from the University is final and cannot be appealed.

Dismissed students whose appeals are denied and who wish to return to their studies at UoPeople are required to apply Academic Renewal as a Degree Seeking Student after being out of residence from the University for a minimum of five consecutive terms. Out of residence refers to the number of terms that a student has been inactive at the University— either unenrolled from the institution and/or enrolled at UoPeople without completing any course work in the intervening terms (that is, enrolled and inactive). For more information on Reinstatement, see ‘Matriculation Policies’ under Chapter 14 below.

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Latith Al A.
Health Science Student, Syria