Academic Standing | Progress Toward the Degree | Academic Integrity
Academic Standing
In each quarter of registration, students must complete, on time (i.e., by the end of the quarter), 300 units of course credit with passing grades and with a minimum GPA for that quarter of 2.0 in order to remain in good academic standing. Incomplete and NGR grades are not considered sufficient for course completion; W grades neither confer credit nor impact GPA.
Deterioration of Academic Performance
The Office of College Community Standards (OCCS) coordinates and facilitates the review of student academic performance at the end of each academic quarter. This review is performed by the Academic Review Committee comprised of faculty members and staff within the Office of the Dean of Students in the College. Students are identified for academic review by automatic processes that take into account the number of courses taken and completed on-time, as well as the grade(s) received.
A student previously in good standing who misses only one of the criteria for good standing will ordinarily be placed on academic probation. For example, a student will be placed on probation if the student earned a GPA of 2.0 for that quarter but only completed 200 credits, or the student completed 300 units but their GPA was 1.9. A student who is already on academic probation and misses at least one of the criteria is eligible for academic suspension. All students who miss both requirements in a quarter are eligible for academic suspension, even if their previous record was satisfactory and they began the quarter in good academic standing.
In rendering its decision regarding a student's academic standing status, the Committee focuses on the student's academic performance from that quarter; the Committee may also consider other factors such as the student's previous academic performance, progress toward degree, and additional context from instructors, academic advisers, or other Dean of Students staff, when available.
Review starts as soon as grades become available and the Academic Review Committee is able to make an informed and individualized assessment of each student's record.
Any change to a student status will be communicated (if permissible) to relevant family contacts.
Academic Probation
Students on academic probation are not considered to be in good academic standing. A student previously in good standing who misses only one of the criteria for good standing will ordinarily be placed on academic probation for the following quarter. Academic probation is recorded in the student's record but is not permanently notated on the official transcript.
Students who are on academic probation are expected to meet the criteria for good academic standing in the subsequent quarter. Students on academic probation who miss any of the criteria for good academic standing will be considered for suspension during academic review at the conclusion of the subsequent quarter. Please note that Incompletes are not sufficient for course completion. Students on academic probation who meet the minimum expectations will be returned to good standing at the end of the quarter.
For the purpose of determining eligibility to participate in varsity sports, all students eligible to register are considered to be in good standing.
Academic Suspension
Academic suspension is a period of time away from the College, ordinarily for a minimum of two quarters. Students on academic suspension are not considered to be in good academic standing. Academic suspension is recorded in the student's record and is permanently notated on the official transcript.
Students who are on academic suspension are not permitted to transfer in coursework from another institution taken during the period of suspension. Students placed on academic suspension will receive guidance related to wellness, financial aid, housing, and steps required to return to their studies. Students who are returning to school from academic suspension are automatically placed on academic probation.
Progress Toward the Degree
Ordinarily students are expected to successfully complete at least 900 units of coursework, or the equivalent, by the end of their first year in the College. After that, students are expected to complete coursework (e.g., earn credit) at a minimum of the following rate:
End of four quarters – 1200 units
End of five quarters – 1500 units
End of six quarters – 1800 units
End of seven quarters – 2200 units
End of eight quarters – 2600 units
End of nine quarters – 3000 units
End of ten quarters – 3400 units
End of eleven quarters – 3800 units
In order to graduate, students must complete 4200 units.
Students who fail to earn the expected units on schedule are considered "behind rate." Students who are behind rate are expected to take four courses in each subsequent quarter or complete courses in the Summer Session so that they may return to a satisfactory completion rate. Students' progress toward their degree may be considered during academic review if a student is eligible for suspension.
NOTE: Students on financial aid who fail to meet the completion rate (70 percent of registered courses) and GPA requirements and/or fail to complete their degree within 150 percent of the program time frame may jeopardize their financial aid packages.
Academic Integrity
All members of the University of Chicago belong to a tradition dedicated to the pursuit and cultivation of learning. A few simple principles—academic integrity, mutual respect and civility, personal responsibility—lie at the heart of our intellectual community. Each of us—students, faculty and staff—is pledged to live up to these standards and to support each others’ efforts in this regard. Students must have a thorough understanding of—and abide by—the University’s standards for academic integrity. Each new student is given a copy of the University of Chicago's Student Manual of University Policies & Regulations and Doing Honest Work in College by Charles Lipson. Please set aside time to read the policies on academic integrity and student conduct carefully. Do not assume that you necessarily understand what constitutes good practices for academic integrity or civic behavior: University standards are frequently different from high school. If in doubt, check with your instructors or your Academic Adviser in the College. We take these values seriously and the Office of College Community Standards (OCCS) is committed to helping students to understand how academic honesty, mutual respect, and personal responsibility enable the ongoing success of our educational mission. The College provides more information about Academic Integrity and the College process for addressing alleged misconduct on the OCCS webpage.