ACADEMIC INFORMATION AND POLICIES

 Attendance Examinations Grades Academic Advisement  
Disciplinary Issues Academic Integrity Class Status Outside Coursework  
Study Abroad Joint and Combined Programs Graduate Courses  
Leaves of Absence Withdrawal Records and Transcripts  
Change of Information Diplomas Academic Terminology Privacy

 
Regulations uniformly applicable to both Yeshiva College and the Sy Syms School of Business are given here; those pertaining to each school in particular are found in each school's respective section of this Catalog.

Changes in Regulations
The University reserves the right to change tuition, fees, course offerings, regulations, and admission and graduation requirements at any time without prior notice. Students should consult University bulletin boards and/or www.yu.edu/catalog for changes. This Catalog supersedes all previous Catalogs and academic information and policies and is binding on all students. Consideration will be given, however, to a petition by a student for permission to continue a course of study in effect at the time the student enrolled provided that no more than the normal period of time is taken to complete the program.

Attendance
Each undergraduate school has a specific attendance policy pertaining to students taking courses in that school. The following applies to all undergraduates:

If a student is absent or seriously incapacitated through illness for a considerable portion, but less than half, of a semester, the student's course load may be reduced.

In all cases, if a student is absent from any course for any cause for more than half a semester, the course will not be counted and the student will receive a grade of W or G in the course.

Customarily students wait 20 minutes when an instructor is delayed for class.

Examinations
All students must take examinations as scheduled. A student who is absent from a class test due to illness or an equally compelling cause must consult with the instructor about exam requirements.

A final examination may be postponed only on account of illness or some equally compelling emergency that causes absence at the time of the examination or immediately preceding it. Under these conditions, the student should notify the Office of the Dean immediately and should subsequently submit a request for a makeup test, along with a physician's note if applicable. Makeup examinations are scheduled by the Director of Examinations and the Office of the Dean in the subsequent semester.

Once a student has taken a final examination, no re-examination may be given. No excuse—whether of illness, lack of preparation, or any other reason—will be accepted as grounds for a retest or an additional test or assignment.

If a student arrives late at any examination and has no valid excuse for the lateness, the test is taken in the remainder of the allotted time.

Cheating on an examination will subject the offender to disciplinary action, including possible expulsion from the University.

Grades
Grades are available by calling (800) 528-3293 or by accessing www.getgrades.com.

The work of each student is graded on the following scale:

A, A- Excellent

B+, B, B- Good

C+, C, C- Fair

D+, D, D- Poor (lowest passing grade)

F Failure

N No credit

P Pass

R Repeat (to continue course)

Administrative Grades

I Incomplete

G Withdrawal without permission (counted as failure)

L Audit (no credit)

M Missing

W Withdrawal without penalty or prejudice

Y Yearlong (where grade is assigned only after completion of two-semester sequence.)

P is used for all courses bearing less than 1 credit, for Independent Study courses, and for courses taken under the A/P/N option.

R is given in remedial courses when the student must continue in the class.

I Incomplete grades may be requested by students to accommodate unavoidable delays in the completion of course requirements and to allow for excused medical emergencies during final examinations. File appropriate forms for incomplete course work with faculty. To make up final examinations, file the appropriate form with the Director of Examinations.   If work is not completed by the assigned deadline (maximum for the Sy Syms School of Business is six weeks; for Yeshiva College, a semester plus the summer after the semester the course was taken), the Incomplete defaults to the grade designated by the faculty member based on work completed, or to an F.

W Withdrawal requires submission of Drop/Add form to the Registrar and may require written permission of the Office of the Dean. Unless the proper procedures are followed, the student receives a G, equivalent to failure, in the course. See Late Admission and Withdrawal.

A student who has achieved a passing grade in a course may not retake it. In exceptional cases, the dean of a school may permit a student who has received a D to retake the course, provided that the student has not taken a more advanced course in the subject after receiving the D. Even if repetition is allowed, the original grade will remain on the record. Credit will be granted only once.  

In Sy Syms, advanced courses in the major may not be taken if the student has received a D in the prerequisite course. A required course in the major in which a grade of D was received must be repeated.

Satisfactory Progress
All students must meet the following standards of good academic standing and satisfactory academic progress.

Academic Average
Grade requirements are listed in the school sections. However, all students must maintain a minimum average of 2.0 per semester and cumulatively.

Each grade has a numerical value as follows:

A = 4.000  
A- = 3.667
B+ = 3.333
B = 3.000
B- = 2.667 
C+ = 2.333
C = 2.000  
C- = 1.667
D+ = 1.333
D = 1.000
D- = 0.667 
F,G = 0

When the numerical value is multiplied by the credit value of the course, the resulting figure is known as the number of quality points.

The student's average is computed by dividing the number of quality points earned by the total number of credits completed with a grade of A through G. The average is rounded to the third decimal place.

Except in programs in which the tuition is paid by Yeshiva University, grades achieved at other colleges and universities are not averaged in with a student's record at Yeshiva University; only credit is granted on transfer. Separate regulations govern the S. Daniel Abraham Israel Program.

Minimum Number of Credits
The minimum number of credits that each student must accrue to maintain financial aid eligibility by the beginning of each semester of attendance is as follows:

Note that credit is given only for grades A through D- and P. No credit is given for grades F, G, I, L, N, R, and W.

Academic Retention, Probation, and Dismissal
Students are expected to maintain an academic average of at least 2.0 each semester and cumulatively. Students who, in any semester, fail to achieve an average of at least 2.0 or to accrue the required credits above may be placed on academic probation. Students on probation at MYP, BMP, IBC or JSS are limited to taking 13½ credits within their school and are subject to any restrictions that apply to probationary status.

Probation serves as a serious warning to students whose records are unsatisfactory, and is intended to help them achieve the necessary improvement.

Restrictions or conditions may be imposed upon students on probation in the following areas: programs, employment, extracurricular activities, intercollegiate athletics, and financial assistance.

Students not meeting the standards become ineligible for New York State aid, but a one-time waiver for one semester may be granted if failure is due to extraordinary circumstances and if the appropriate Academic Standards Committee recommends such a waiver.

Students whose semester or cumulative average falls below 2.0 two semesters in succession, or three semesters nonconsecutively, or who fail all their courses in a semester, may be dismissed from the school without further notice.

Appeals procedure
If there are mitigating circumstances, students may appeal dismissal in writing to their school's Academic Standards Committee. The appeal must be made before the following semester begins. The committee may allow the student to continue on probation, under such conditions and restrictions that it may set. Decisions will be communicated in writing to the student and the Offices of the Dean, the Registrar, and Student Finance.

These standards are applicable to all students. They are required for certification to New York State for financial assistance under Section 145–2.2 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education and are required by federal regulations to receive aid under Title IV of the Higher Education Act.

Late Admission and Withdrawal
The following governs late admission to, and drops and withdrawals from, classes in all undergraduate schools.

Please note: 

Only tuition is subject to refund, not fees.   

Regulations apply to the equivalent period in a summer session or intersession.  

When a course from which a student has withdrawn is listed on the permanent record, the grade is W. If a student withdraws but does not file the proper forms, a G grade is assigned.

Dean's List
Each year, full-time students in Yeshiva College or Sy Syms who have achieved an academic grade-point average of at least 3.5 are included on the Dean’s List.

Graduation Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, Summa Cum Laude
To receive honors at graduation, students at Yeshiva College must have completed at least 94 credits in residence at the New York campus, and students at Sy Syms must have completed at least 84 credits in residence at the New York campus and must have achieved the following cumulative averages: cum laude, 3.50; magna cum laude, 3.70; summa cum laude, 3.85.

Students who have completed fewer than 94 credits at Yeshiva College or fewer than 84 at Sy Syms may file a petition for graduation honors with that school's Academic Standards Committee, which may reduce the honors designation one level.

Academic Advisement

Yeshiva College
In the Yeshiva College Academic Advisement Center, faculty advisors help students develop an academic program that will realize their full human potential while preparing them to achieve their professional goals. Along with deans and faculty, advisors are able to discuss courses and majors, to interpret college regulations and requirements, and to offer appropriate direction with regard to personal problems. Each first-time student at Yeshiva College is assigned an advisor with whom he can explore curricular options and post-graduate plans. In addition, advisors oversee the progress of provisional students until they firmly establish themselves.

Sy Syms School
The Office of the Dean of the Sy Syms School of Business provides academic advisement for the Sy Syms students. The associate dean and faculty advisors review the academic requirements of each major and concentration with each student. Carefully constructed advisement and program-of-study sheets help the student in planning his academic program. Each semester, students' registrations are approved by a dean or an academic advisor. The academic records of all juniors and seniors are reviewed, and they are advised as to what requirements they must fulfill to graduate. Students are referred to the Office of Placement and Career Services for career counseling if they are unsure of or wish to change their major.

Health Sciences
Students interested in health related fields are encouraged to meet with the Pre-Heath Sciences advisor. Students contemplating graduate study in the health sciences are urged to meet with the advisor during their first year on campus and to attend all informational meetings dealing with preparedness for health professions admissions, the applications process, and professional school selection during the junior and senior years.  In addition, students should make themselves aware of the specific program requirements of schools where they intend to apply.

Pre-Law
Students considering graduate study in law are urged to meet with the Pre-Law advisor during their freshman year. Intensive guidance services dealing with preparation for the Law School Admissions Test, the application process, and professional school selection are provided during the junior and senior years.

Jewish Service
Students contemplating professional careers in the Jewish service field have many resources available to them.

The Max Stern Division of Communal Services of the University's affiliated Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary offers guidance in such fields as Jewish education, community organization, and youth leadership, and arranges appointments with appropriate officers of Wurzweiler School of Social Work. It counsels in the areas of the rabbinate, chaplaincy, and cantorial work, arranging meetings with the appropriate officers of Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary and its Philip and Sarah Belz School of Jewish Music.

Placement and Career Services
The Office of Placement and Career Services provides a full range of placement activities to all undergraduate students including on-campus recruiting, resume referral, career fairs, internships, summer jobs, job postings, business lectures, forums, and career library. The office also offers career counseling and testing, career information and research, and educational planning, including graduate-school applications. All services are offered at both the Wilf and Midtown campuses. The office maintains an excellent job and graduate-school placement record.

Disciplinary Probation and Dismissal
Yeshiva University expects its students to exhibit high qualities of character as well as to demonstrate academic ability. Every student is expected to adhere to the ideals represented by the University and to show seriousness of purpose, intellectual dedication, and respect for the views and convictions of others. A student's continuance on the rolls of the University; the receipt of academic credits, honors, and awards; graduation; and the conferring of any degree, diploma, or certificate upon the student are entirely subject to the disciplinary powers of the University and to the student's maintaining high standards of ethical and academic conduct. A student may be placed on probation or dismissed by the University at any time for infringement of these standards.

Academic Integrity
The submission by a student of any examination, course assignment, or degree requirement is assumed to guarantee that the thoughts and expressions therein not expressly credited to another are literally the student's own. Evidence to the contrary will result in appropriate penalties, which may include failure in the course or disciplinary dismissal.

Class Status
A student who has satisfactorily completed, or received credit for, one year of full-time study (see each school's regulations on Workload for definition of "full-time") and who has removed any entrance condition, is classified as a sophomore. A student who has received credit for two years of full-time study is classified as a junior; and three years, as a senior. See the table below for the exact credit values for the transition points:

Waivers
While faculty and other advisors may make recommendations for waivers and changes in graduation requirements, all exemptions and exceptions must be approved in writing by the dean and/or the Academic Standards Committee of the school. The Request for Waiver of Prerequisite form is used to request a waiver of prerequisite, and the Standard Request form for other requests. Students should submit these forms are to the Office of the Registrar and retain a copy for their records.  

Outside Coursework
Permission of the dean of the school in which the student is matriculated is required in order to take any courses at another institution, or another school of Yeshiva University, at any time. (Use the Application for Outside Courses form for courses at other institutions and the Undergraduate Request for Permission to Take a Graduate Course form for courses at other schools of the University.) File the Leave of Absence form if planning a semester of study off-campus.

In accordance with the regulations of the New York State Education Department, in summer sessions and intersessions, whether taken at Yeshiva University or elsewhere, students may earn no more credit than is proportional to the amount of credit that may be earned for coursework during the regular term at Yeshiva University.

Courses transferred from another institution, whether taken before or after admission to Yeshiva University, appear on the student's record with credit value only; grades earned elsewhere are not entered on the Yeshiva College or Sy Syms transcript.

Separate regulations govern the S. Daniel Abraham Israel Program.

Study Abroad
Yeshiva University believes in the value of study abroad. Many Yeshiva University students are particularly interested in studying in Israel. Information about the S. Daniel Abraham Israel Program and other opportunities for study abroad is available in the Admissions Office and the Yeshiva College Academic Advisement Center. Students who study abroad but not in one of Yeshiva University’s programs should fill out the Application for Outside Courses form to obtain course approvals prior to study. If planning to be gone a semester or more, a student also should file the Leave of Absence form.

Joint and Combined Programs
Joint bachelor’s–master’s programs exist in the fields of Jewish education, Jewish studies, and social work. In these programs, qualified upperclassmen can take courses at the University’s graduate schools and receive credit simultaneously toward their undergraduate and graduate degrees. Further information is available in the Yeshiva College Academic Advisement Office and the Office of the Registrar.

Combined programs with other institutions include Bar-Ilan University School of Economics and Business Administration, Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science, Columbia’s Department of Rehabilitation Medicine occupational therapy program, New York College of Podiatric Medicine, SUNY College of Optometry, and NYU College of Dentistry. Further information is available in the Offices of the Deans.

Graduate Courses
Undergraduate students enrolled in joint degree programs with graduate schools should consult policies and procedures for those programs. For other undergraduates, seniors may take graduate courses for graduate credit only under exceptional circumstances. Further information is available in the Yeshiva College Academic Advisement Center; forms are available in the Office of the Registrar.

Seniors who are not eligible for the joint programs, or who are interested in subjects in which joint programs do not exist, may be permitted to take graduate courses for undergraduate credit. Full information on such courses is given on the Undergraduate Request for Permission to Take a Graduate Course form, available in the Office of the Registrar. Such students will not be allowed graduate credit for the courses later, even if they do not need this credit for their undergraduate degree. Only students who originally received permission for graduate credit while still undergraduates will receive such credit.

Leaves of Absence
Students who intend to absent themselves from the University for a semester or more and then return at some future time must apply for a formal leave of absence on the Leave of Absence form. If they do not obtain such a leave, readmission may be denied.

Leaves of absence are ordinarily granted for a maximum of four semesters. Students on leave will not receive credit for study at another institution without prior permission. Students must fill out the Request for Outside Course form.

Withdrawal from the University 
A student who is withdrawing from the University and does not expect to return at some future date should fill out the Application for Official Withdrawal from School form.

Records and Transcripts
Current or former students who wish transcripts of their records should secure copies of the Request for Transcript form from the Office of the Registrar. This may be done in person or by mailing a self-addressed stamped envelope. The form lists the fees, regulations, and procedures governing the issuance of transcripts.  Students may generate free, unofficial transcripts in the Office.

A transcript is not issued without the student's written request, except to the person(s) or agency upon whom the student is financially dependent, or as provided by law.  

The issuance of transcripts, and generally the release of any information about a student, is subject to the provisions of the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. Yeshiva University has adopted regulations to implement the Act. A copy of these regulations is available upon written request, accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope, to the Office of the Registrar.  

No official transcript will be issued for a student unless the student's financial record with the University is completely clear.  

Official records of students are sent only in the form of a complete transcript. No partial records are sent, nor are records listing only courses without grades.  

To obtain a written report of grades, students and parents may send a signed, written request to the Office of the Registrar.

Students who believe that there is an error in their academic record (e.g., in a grade, average, credit value, or course) must promptly call this to the attention of the Office of the Registrar. 

Change of Name or Address
A student who wishes to change either a first or last name on school records must file a Change of Name on School Records form in the Office of the Registrar.

Students who change their home or local residences are required to notify the Office of the Registrar of the change of address within 10 days on the Notification of Change of Address form. A student is responsible for all mail sent to the old address if the University has not been so notified.

Diplomas
Duplicate or revised diplomas can be secured under certain circumstances. Full information is given in the Duplicate Diploma Request form, available in the Office of the Registrar.

Use of the University's Name
No student or student organization may use the name of the University or any of its components in print for any purpose, including identification, without written permission from the Office of the Dean.

Academic Terminology
For the convenience of students, certain academic terms frequently used at Yeshiva University are defined below:

Academic Average: A measure of the student's scholastic achievement.

Advanced Standing: Credit given toward a degree for academic work completed at another institution, or on the basis of an approved examination.

Class Section: A group of students taking a particular course at a specific time. It is identified in course schedules by a section number or letter, e.g., ART 1051, section 261.

Corequisite: A course that must be taken during the same semester as another course.

Correlate: A course required for a major that is not in the major department.

Course: A particular portion of a subject. It is identified by a course number, e.g., ART 1051.

Course Description: The statement in the Catalog outlining the content of a particular course.

Course Title: A word or phrase describing the course content. Thus, at Yeshiva University, the course title of ART 1051 is History of Art.

Credit: The credit value of each course is listed after its title in the Catalog. At least 45 academic hours (each 50 minutes long) of formal classroom instruction and other types of study are required to earn 1 credit. These 45 hours are divided as follows: in an undergraduate lecture-recitation course, 15 academic hours in class plus 30 in outside preparation; in a laboratory course, 30 academic hours in class plus 15 in outside preparation; in observation and supervised student teaching, 36 academic hours in class plus 9 in outside preparation. Class hours include examinations. These hours are minimums and may be increased to satisfy special requirements in certain courses.

Curriculum: A planned group of courses (and ancillary experiences) leading to a specific degree, diploma, or certificate.

Department: An administrative unit of faculty members teaching one discipline (see below), or several closely related disciplines.

Discipline: A particular branch of knowledge, e.g., biology, English.

Division: An administrative unit of faculty members teaching related disciplines. The undergraduate faculty is organized into the following divisions: Humanities, Jewish Studies, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and Social and Behavioral Sciences. Sy Syms School of Business also functions as a division.

Elective: A course that a student may choose to take, as distinguished from a required course.

Major: The subject that a student chooses for primary emphasis.

Minor: A subject that a student chooses for secondary emphasis.

Prerequisite: A preliminary requirement that must be met before a particular course may be taken.

Probation: The status of a student whose enrollment has been placed on a trial basis for scholastic or disciplinary reasons.

Registration: The process of enrolling as a student. It consists of three stages: a) filling out general information forms provided by the University and having them approved; b) completing financial arrangements; c) selecting courses and sections, having them entered in the computer by the Office of the Registrar, and receiving written confirmation of one's choices. The student is not registered until all three stages have been completed.

Required Course: One required for graduation, either for all students or those in a particular area of study.

Residence Requirement: The requirement for a degree or diploma that specifies the minimum period of time that a student must be in attendance at the school through which the document is granted, and the minimum number of credits that must be completed there. The Residence Requirement is intended to give each student adequate contact with the school and its faculty. Residence credit is distinguished from transfer credit, i.e., credit for courses taken at another school of the University or at another institution; it does not imply that the student must live in a University dormitory.

Seminar: A course pursued by a small group of students with a professor, with each engaged in original research or independent study and all exchanging results through reports and discussions.

Status: The category under which a student is enrolled, e.g., Regular, Transient.

Transcript: An unabridged copy of the student's record, certified by the Office of the Registrar.

Please note, most registration forms are available on the Office of the Registrar’s website, www.yu.edu/registrar/.

Privacy
In accordance with the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (Section 438 of the General Educational Provisions Act, 20 US 1232g), also known as FERPA, Yeshiva University has adopted certain policies to protect the privacy rights of its students with respect to their Education Records. FERPA affords students certain rights of access to their Education Records. FERPA also limits the persons to whom the University may disclose a student s Education Records, and permits certain disclosure without the student s written permission. Please visit the Office of the Registrar to obtain the Yeshiva University FERPA Policy Statement.