Academic Practices

Registration

Currently enrolled students are expected to schedule courses for the upcoming semester during the pre-registration period that begins in the 10th full week of the semester. Registration priority is determined by credit hours completed. In order to register for courses, a student must receive clearance from the Business Office and the academic advisor. Students are responsible for arranging the advising session with their academic advisor, usually one to two days prior to registration. After meeting with their advisor, students will submit their registration online via WebAdvisor on the MyMarietta portal. To receive academic credit for a course, a student must be registered for the course during the term in which the work is done.

Registration forms for individualized study, including internships, directed research, and tutorships, must be approved by the appropriate College officials and submitted to the Records Office no later than Friday of the second week of the semester. Individualized studies earning fewer than 3 credit hours or arranged after the second week of the term may be considered for late registration upon consultation with the Registrar.

Changing Courses

Students may change their course schedule electronically through the last Friday before the semester begins. Changes made after this time require submission of the appropriate paperwork, including advisor consent, to the Records Office. The College interprets the submission of the Course Add/Drop form or Withdrawal form to indicate that the student understands how the requested course changes affect their progress toward the degree. Students receiving financial aid or veterans benefits must meet with the appropriate official in Financial Services.

For any physical education courses meeting fewer than the normal 15 weeks of the semester, the add/drop/withdrawal periods will be prorated by the chair of the Department of Health and Physical Education. For other courses meeting fewer than the normal 15 weeks of the semester, the add/drop/withdrawal periods will be pro-rated by the Registrar of the College.

Changing courses within the first two weeks of the semester (add/drop period)

To change courses, the student may obtain a Course Add/Drop form from the Records Office. This form allows students to add courses until the end of the first week of classes and drop courses from their schedule until the end of the second week of classes. To complete the form, the student must obtain the signature of his or her advisor. Courses dropped during this period will not be recorded on the student’s transcript.

The Registrar may be consulted for permission to add courses during the second week of the semester with instructor permission.

Withdrawing from courses after the add/drop period

Students may not withdraw from the Pioneer Path courses PIO 101, 102, and 201; WRIT 102 College Composition, COMM 203 Fundamentals of Communication, or FYE 112 Cultural Transitions. Any exception to this policy can be made only by the Assistant Dean for the First Year Seminar for PIO 101, 102 or FYE 112, the chair of the Department of English for WRIT 060/110, and the chair of the Department of Communication for COMM 101.

A student has the option to withdraw from any courses except those noted above. Students withdrawing from courses after the second week of classes must obtain a Withdrawal form from the Records Office. This form, once completed and signed by the student, must be signed by the course instructor and the student’s advisor to verify that they have been consulted. If the signed form is returned to the Records Office by the end of the 9th week of classes, a grade of W will be assigned. If this is done after the 9th week of classes, a grade of WF will be assigned. The course and grade will appear on the student’s transcript. Refer to the section on Grading System below for more details.

For any physical education courses meeting fewer than the normal 15 weeks of the semester, the add/drop/withdrawal periods will be prorated by the chair of the Department of Health and Physical Education. For other courses meeting fewer than the normal 15 weeks of the semester, the add/drop/withdrawal periods will be pro-rated by the Registrar of the College.

Waitlisted Courses

If a course is closed (filled to capacity), a student may elect to be added to a waitlist. Prior to the start of the term, when a seat becomes available in a waitlisted course, the first student on the waitlist will be notified by email. The student will be given three days to contact the Records Office and accept or decline the available seat. If the opening is declined or there is no response by the end of the third day, the student will be dropped from the waitlist and the next student on the list will be granted permission to enroll in the course. In order to benefit from this process, students will need to check their Marietta College email account regularly.

Auditing courses

Courses may be audited by individuals interested in the topic and who do not wish to receive academic credit for their participation. Regularly enrolled students are permitted to audit courses within the maximum load of 18 credit hours without charge, but must first secure written permission from the course instructor. Courses selected by a student for auditing may not be changed for credit, or vice versa, after the end of the second week of classes. Students who register to audit a course but stop attending may be administratively withdrawn from the course and assigned a grade of W (see Grading section) at the discretion of the registrar.

Grades

Students should carefully review their final grades on their MyMarietta accounts at the conclusion of each semester. Errors should be reported immediately to the course instructor. Students have six weeks from the end of any semester in which to request, in writing, a grading correction and must provide appropriate documentation to support the request.

Students who are graduating at the end of the semester in which a grading error occurs are encouraged to contact the instructor immediately to avoid any issues with degree conferral and/or related honors.

Students who seek a grade change but have been denied by the instructor must abide by the process outlined in the Academic Grievance section.

See COVID-19 Alternate Grading Policy, adopted March 2020 for more information.

Grading system

Midterm and final letter grades and their equivalents in quality points are:

Grades mean: A, Excellent; B, Good ; C, A verage ; D, Poor, but passing; F, Failure

Other report abbreviations and their meanings are:

I, Incomplete; PNC, Proficiency; S, Satisfactory; U, Unsatisfactory; W, Withdrawn; WF, Withdrawn failing = 0.00; X, Registered, but unevaluated (mid-term grade only); Au, Audit; NR, Not reported; CIP, Course in Progress.

1. An Incomplete (I) may be given when the student, for reasons beyond his or her control, is unable to complete the work of a course. It may also be given at the end of the first semester in two-semester courses (honors projects, independent study projects, and internships) if the course is unevaluated at the end of the first semester. In all cases neither the grade nor the hours of incomplete are counted in the computation of the semester or cumulative grade point averages.

   An incomplete must be removed prior to the due date of midsemester grades for the semester following receipt of the incomplete unless the course instructor notifies the Records Office this requirement should be waived. Otherwise, the grade of incomplete automatically becomes a grade of F. (Students will not be notified in advance of this automatic grade change.) Incompletes may be extended, by request of the instructor, to the end of the semester following the semester in which the incomplete was first granted. Further extensions would be determined by petition to the Academic Standards Committee.

2. Failure (F) is given for failure to meet the standards of the course; or failure to complete the work of the course. A student who fails to take the final examination in a course will receive F, unless excused by the Academic Standards Committee.

   If a substantiated case of academic dishonesty results in a failing grade in the course, a student who chooses to withdraw from the course will receive a grade of F.

   Any course for which the grade of F is received may be repeated only under the regular letter grading system.

3. Withdrawn (W) is an unevaluated grade given for withdrawal:
   1. For medical or other extenuating circumstances at any time during the semester at the discretion of the Registrar.
   2. At the option of the student until the end of the 9th week of the semester after consultation with the instructor of the course, and the student’s academic advisor.
4. Withdrawn- failing (WF) is a mandatory grade for students who withdraw from a course after the 9th week of the semester and not falling within the conditions of 3(a) above. The WF grade will be counted on the same basis as an F in calculating a student’s grade point average.
5. Some departmental courses are only graded S/U. Satisfactory means the equivalent of at least C- work, whereas work rated below C- would be graded as Unsatisfactory .

   Courses graded S/U will not be included in the computation of the student’s cumulative grade point average. Only courses with Satisfactory grades will be awarded credit. Any course in which a grade of U is received may be repeated only under the regular letter grading system.

6. Registered but unevaluated at midsemester (X), is given when the course instructor cannot fairly evaluate a student’s performance for a midsemester grade report.
7. Any student may elect to audit (AU) a course, that is, to take it for non-credit. When choosing to audit a course, the student is not required to take examinations or meet any of its academic obligations, and no grade is awarded. The student may choose this option until the end of the drop period at the beginning of the semester (second week of class). After this time, the decision is irreversible.
8. Repeating courses: students are allowed to retake a course at Marietta College at any time.
   1. Any course in which a grade of U or F is received may be repeated only under the regular letter grading system.
   2. Credit for the course will be given only once, and is determined by the most recent grade in each course (if a student retakes a course and receives an F, they lose credit for the course).
   3. The official transcript will show the student’s complete record, but the grade point average will be computed on the basis of the most recent grade in each course. This policy of the College will be noted when a transcript is sent out.
   4. Courses repeated at other institutions do not affect the student’s grade point averages, i.e., cumulative, major, minor, or certificate GPAs.

Policy Regarding Grades in the Event of Complete Withdrawal

1. The grade of “W” will be recorded for each course for which a student was registered if the student withdraws from the College starting the first day of the semester but before the end of the ninth week of the semester.
2. The grade of “WF” will be recorded for each course for which a student was registered if the student withdraws from the College after the ninth week of a semester. Under certain circumstances, such as family catastrophe or substantiated medical problems, grades of “W” may be recorded after the ninth week at the discretion of the Registrar.
3. If a substantiated case of academic dishonesty results in a failing grade in the course, a student who withdraws from the College will receive a grade of F for the course.

Satisfactory-Unsatisfactory Grade Option

Students with junior or senior standing and a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 may elect to take one course per semester in which the evaluation is made on a satisfactory-unsatisfactory basis, instead of the usual letter grades. The following conditions apply to this option.

1. Courses taken to fulfill requirements for a major, minor or certificate and the general education requirements for graduation are excluded from this option;
2. The student exercising this option will do so with the permission of his or her advisor at the time of registration. In accord with the current practice for changing courses, the student will not be allowed to convert to the regular grading system or to convert a course from the regular grading system after the second week of the semester;
3. The instructor will be apprised of the students taking the course under the option, with the understanding that the student will satisfy the same requirements for entrance into and completion of the course expected of students enrolled under the regular grading system;
4. When an instructor is permanently replaced after the first week of the semester, students are allowed the option (which must be exercised within one week) of changing their choice of receiving a grade in the course to one of receiving an S or U. The student is also given the opportunity to withdraw from the course whether or not the nine-week drop period has passed;
5. Any student may elect to take any Lifetime Activity Course in physical education on an S/U basis. Such election need not satisfy the above conditions and does not preclude the election of an additional S/U course under the above conditions;
6. Any use of the S/U option other than specified above may be authorized by the Curriculum Committee with the concurrence of the appropriate department chairperson.

Additionally, the Curriculum Committee grant the following approvals:

1. A department may elect to offer a course only on an S/U basis; enrollment by a student in such a course does not deprive that student of the opportunity to use the S/U option for another course during that same semester;
2. A department may elect to exclude any course from the S/U option.

Transfer credits – Enrolled Students

Marietta students who wish to take courses elsewhere for possible transfer of credit to Marietta College should secure advanced approval through the Records Office.

Credit will be allowed for courses equivalent to or similar to those offered by Marietta College and completed with a grade of ”C” or better, although transfer credit from non-accredited institutions is not guaranteed. The credit hours transferred in will be shown as transfer credits on the student’s Marietta College transcript and can be used to satisfy the credit hour and applicable course requirement for graduation. However, the grades earned for transferred courses are not included in computing the student’s cumulative or program grade point average for the Marietta College degree. Transfer hours do not count as hours “in residence.” Students planning to transfer in credits are reminded of the College’s Residency Requirement for graduation.

Credit hours transferred in from an institution following a quarter or a unit program will be converted to semester hours. Details can be obtained from the Records Office.

Credit for Prior Learning

Under certain circumstances, a student may receive credit for prior learning outside of traditional transfer credit. Students may offer for consideration credits earned through the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) Advanced Placement (AP) Program, the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), the DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST), the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB), departmental credit by examination, and/or military training and experience as recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE).

Credit earned through these specific programs may be used at Marietta College: 1) in satisfaction of elective credit; 2) in satisfaction of majors, minors, and certificates, subject to the approval of the department chairperson; 3) in satisfaction of the communication components of the general education requirements (subject to departmental policy for each examination).

Academic Advising

Academic advising is viewed as an integral part of the educational process and every undergraduate at Marietta College will have an academic advisor. Advising is the process by which the student is directed to significant knowledge of self and of the College and its resources and requirements.

Student’s Responsibility

The student is responsible for making a sincere effort of understanding the requirements, policies, and procedures governing the academic program being followed and for seeking out the academic advisor for guidance when appropriate. The student is also responsible for notifying the Records Office by submitting appropriate forms, concerning the addition or removal of a major, minor, or certificate from the program of study as well as any classes added, dropped, or changed on their course schedule. The College strongly encourages students to review any questions or confusion concerning their curriculum requirements with the Records Office. In cases where there is a disagreement of interpretation of part of the curriculum requirements, the Academic Standards Committee will be the final arbiter.

First Year Students

The instructor in a first-time student’s PIO 101 Information Literacy course is typically the academic advisor for at least the first two semesters. The academic advisor assists the student with the registration process and other aspects of academic advising. The student is encouraged to select an advisor from among the faculty teaching in the student’s major by the beginning of the third semester but no earlier than midsemester of the second semester.

Transfer Students

The Office of Admission, in consultation with the Associate Provost for the Undergraduate Curriculum, will assign an academic advisor to transfer students who are not required to enroll in PIO 101. Where a transfer student has decided on a major, the advisor will be assigned in consultation with the chair of the relevant department.

Change of Advisor

To change academic advisor, the student should first approach a faculty member of the department in which the student plans to major. (Alternatively, a student may ask the chair of the department to recommend an advisor.) If the faculty member agrees to accept the student as an advisee, the student must fill out the Change of Advisor form available in the Records Office.

Academic Status

Full-time Students

The minimum semester load for a full-time student is 12 semester hours of courses. The normal semester load for the Bachelor degree is 15 to 18 hours. This load typically allows students to complete the Bachelor degree within four years.

Students with a 3.00 or greater cumulative grade point average, or those who can demonstrate a need to do so, may take more than 18 hours with the permission of their advisor and the Registrar. Consult the section of the catalog on “Table of Fees” concerning the fee for hours in excess of 18.

Part-time Students

Anyone may enroll as a part-time student. Part-time students are limited to academic work totaling 11 hours (but usually take less) for credit in any one semester, whether taken in day or evening sessions or both.

Part-time students may not participate in intercollegiate sports or certain extracurricular activities, and may not affiliate with College fraternities or sororities. Part-time students are charged on a semester-hour basis.

Continuing Education Students

Continuing Education status is open to students of 24 years of age or older and those who have previously completed a bachelor’s degree. Additional detail regarding the part-time enrollment status can be found in the Continuing Education section.

Classification (Class Level)

A candidate for a Bachelor degree, excluding Continuing Education students, is classified according to the following schedule of credit hours earned:

Credit Hour

A credit hour is an amount of work represented by intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally-established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than: (1) one clock hour (50-60 minutes) of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks or (2) at least an equivalent amount of work as previously defined in paragraph (1) for other activities such as laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading toward the award of credit hours.

Courses offered in alternative modalities from the traditional credit hour definition will have syllabi that demonstrate how the instructional activities are appropriate for the number of credits for the course learning equivalents.