Academic Norms of Compliance

Credit-Hours

The University defines one (1) credit for an academic term, as indicated below:

1. 15 hours of presential contact and 30 hours of academic, course related activities, which the student carries out outside the classroom; or their equivalent in academic, online activities
2. 15 hours of presential contact in the integrated modality of lecture-lab and a minimum of 30 hours of academic, course related activities, which the student carries out outside the classroom; or their equivalent in academic, online activities
3. 30-45 hours in a presential or virtual, closed laboratory
4. 45-60 hours of supervised practice

Course Offerings and Scheduling

This Catalog includes the courses that comprise the academic offerings authorized for Inter American University by the Board of Postsecondary Institutions of Puerto Rico. However, for reasons of enrollment a course may not be offered in one campus, but offered in another. Students have the option of taking courses that form part of their academic program or authorized equivalent courses in another campus that has them scheduled for the academic term of their interest. In addition, there are academic programs that include a component of “Prescribed Distributive Requirements” that, generally, require students to select courses from among a list of courses or options. In these cases, students will select from among those courses that the campus has scheduled. However, students also have the option of taking Prescribed Distributive courses in another campus that has scheduled the courses of their interest in accord with the requirements of their study program.

Special Requirements of Practice and Internship Centers

Some academic programs of the University require students to complete a practice or internship in a real work scenario as part of the degree requirements. These external centers may be state and federal agencies, hospitals, and nongovernmental organizations, among others.

It is students’ responsibility to comply with the external center’s requirements in order to complete their practice or internship. Depending on the practice center, these requirements may be doping tests, HIV tests, an immunization certificate against hepatitis, a health certificate, a negative criminal record, or any other requirement that the institution or practice center may stipulate. If students refuse or are not able to meet any of the requirements, they will be unable to complete their practice or internship and, therefore, will not pass the practice or internship course or meet the graduation requirements of their academic program.

Compliance with Requirements of Regulated Professions and Employment

Some professions have licensing, certification, or professional association requirements or a combination of these in order for a person to practice the profession. Therefore, students and graduates who hope to practice a regulated profession must meet the current requirements of the organization that confers the license, certification, professional association or combination of these before initiating the corresponding proceedings with the agency or organization that applies to their profession. The licensing, certification, professional association requirements or a combination of these may vary from one jurisdiction to another. Therefore, compliance with the requirements in one area does not imply that the student also complies with the requirements of another region. Students are forewarned that the agencies that regulate the professions may change the requirements to practice these at any time.

Some employers of the private sector or government agencies have revalidation, examination or test requirements in order to choose a job. It is for this reason that, in these cases, students or graduates applying for work must meet the additional requirements beyond the studies or diplomas that Inter American University of Puerto Rico offers and confers.

Responsible Conduct in Research Projects

Any student registered in courses that require carrying out research projects or who works in a research project must comply with the laws, regulation and policies applicable to that activity. The student must take the training required by the Institution and by the applicable state and federal regulations, in harmony with the type of research project.

Research Ethics Committees (IRB, IACUC and IBC)

Research Ethics Committees (IRB, IACUC and IBC)

The Research Ethics Committees of the Inter American University of Puerto Rico are:

• IRB – Institutional Review Board

• IACUC – Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee
• IBC- Institutional Biosafety Committee

These committees are responsible for ensuring that the University complies with state and federal laws and regulations, as well as with the institutional norms and procedures applicable to the protection and rights of human beings, animals, and biospecimens that are part of the research projects. .

The Research Ethics Committees receive requests for research that includes human subjects, animals or biospecimens developed by:

• internal professors or researchers from the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico;
• researchers from outside the Inter American University of Puerto Rico who wish to carry out research at the Inter American University;
• research resulting from externally funded grants;
• research resulting from collaborations with third parties in which one of our ethics committees is designated as the lead committee for the review of the protocols through a collaboration agreement.
• students enrolled in graduate programs that require the development of a dissertation or research that includes any of the aforementioned groups.

People who require the services of any of the research ethics committees must complete the required training and submit the research protocol to the corresponding ethics committee for review and endorsement before beginning the interaction or research processes with any of these. . The identification, recruitment or obtaining of information from the subjects may not take place without first having the endorsement of the corresponding ethics committee.

Responsible Conduct in Research Projects (RCR)

Any student who works in research projects supported with external resources, or who collaborates as a research assistant to a professor in charge of a research project supported with external funds, must take the training related to responsible conduct in research required by the University and the applicable federal regulations. In addition, the student must provide evidence of having approved these trainings.

Other Research Projects

Research projects that do not involve human beings must also present evidence of compliance with institutional norms and the applicable state and federal regulations.

Warning on Compliance with Copyright Laws and Regulations

The unauthorized distribution or reproduction, by any means, of material protected by the copyright laws and regulations may entail the imposition of civil and criminal sanctions. The General Student Regulations contains provisions on academic honesty that cover the protection of this type of material and the breach of the provision may lead to the imposition of disciplinary sanctions.

There are legitimate ways to obtain and distribute protected materials. For more information, click here www.educase.edu/legalcontest.

Discontinuation of Academic Offerings

The University is committed to the renewal of its academic offerings, which includes the expansion, review, modification or discontinuation of academic programs offerings authorized by the Board of Postsecondary Institutions of Puerto Rico. In case any academic unit of the University decides not to continue offering some academic program, students will have options available to them to complete the degree requirements. Courses on line, study by contract, independent study tutoring or other nontraditional modalities may be among the options.