Repeated Courses
Unless there are extenuating circumstances, a student may repeat only those courses in which they earned a C- or lower grade at The College of St. Scholastica. In the case of extenuating circumstances, students may appeal through the Registrar's Office for permission to repeat a course in which they earned a "C" or higher grade at St. Scholastica. Consideration of an appeal will be made in consultation with the course instructor. In either case, both grades will remain on the student's permanent record but only the grade earned in the second enrollment will be used in grade point computations; similarly, credit will be awarded only with the second enrollment. Except in very unusual circumstances, courses may not be attempted a third time. Permission must be received by the Registrar to attempt a course a third time.
Courses failed at The College of St. Scholastica may not be repeated at any other college.
A complete statement of the St. Scholastica policy is available at CSS Undergraduate Repeated Courses Policy.
College Honors
A student whose cumulative grade point average is 3.90 or above graduates with highest honors (summa cum laude). A student whose cumulative grade point average is between 3.70 and 3.89 graduates with great honors (magna cum laude). A student whose cumulative grade point average is between 3.50 and 3.69 graduates with honors (cum laude).
A minimum of 45 St. Scholastica credits is required to graduate with honors, with great honors or with highest honors; all 45 must be graded credits.
A Dean's List of full-time students achieving a 3.75 grade point average is published each semester.
Honors will be determined one 8-week term prior to the Commencement ceremony for display in the Commencement program.
A complete statement of the St. Scholastica policy is available at CSS Undergraduate College Honors Policy.
Classification
Classification of students is determined by the number of semester credits satisfactorily completed.
- Sophomores must have completed at least 30 credits;
- juniors, 60 credits;
- and seniors, 90 credits.
A complete statement of the St. Scholastica policy is available at CSS Undergraduate Classification Policy.
Prerequisites and Placement Testing
Prerequisites (eligibility requirements) are stated after each course description. A student who fails the first course in a sequence may not register for the succeeding course unless the prerequisite course has been successfully repeated or the student has the permission of the instructor. All placement testing not done during regularly scheduled student orientation will be done by Academic Advising and Registration.
A complete statement of the St. Scholastica policy is available at CSS Undergraduate Prerequisites and Placement Testing Policy.
Application to Major and Minor
Some students apply for acceptance to their major or minor during the spring semester of the sophomore year. Some majors require an earlier application process. Forms are available online - please see your academic advisor.
A complete statement of the St. Scholastica policy is available at CSS Undergraduate Application to Major and Minor Policy and CSS Custom Major/Minor Policy.
Course Load
The traditional full-time student load is 16 semester credits. In exceptional cases, permission to enroll in more than 18 semester credits may be obtained from the student's advisor. An additional fee is assessed for course loads beyond 18 credits. To be classified as full time, a student must carry at least 12 semester credits: a student carrying less than 12 credits is part time and pays tuition per credit. The state of Minnesota requires a student to be registered for 15 credits to be classified as full time for state financial aid purposes.
A student's undergraduate enrollment status is based upon the number of credits as indicated below. These credits are used for deferment reporting and financial aid.
A complete statement of the St. Scholastica policy is available at CSS Undergraduate Course Load Policy.
| Enrollment Status | Course Load |
|---|---|
| Full-Time | 12 or more credits |
| 3/4 Time | 9-11 credits |
| 1/2 Time | 6-8 credits |
| Less than 1/2 Time | 5 or fewer credits |
Grade Definitions
| Letter Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| A | 4.0 grade points |
| A- | 3.7 grade points |
| B+ | 3.3 grade points |
| B | 3.0 grade points |
| B- | 2.7 grade points |
| C+ | 2.3 grade points |
| C | 2.0 grade points |
| C- | 1.7 grade points |
| D+ | 1.3 grade points |
| D | 1.0 grade points |
| D- | .7 grade points |
| F | 0.0 grade point |
| Letter Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| A | Excellent |
| B | Good |
| C | Satisfactory |
| D+ | Passing |
| F | Failure |
| I | Incomplete. An incomplete "I" may be assigned by the instructor at their discretion at the end of a term. A limit is placed on the length of time that "I" may stand on the student's record unless extended by the instructor. That limit is the 10th week of the subsequent term, excluding summer terms. |
| IP | In Progress. The temporary grade "IP" is awarded when a course is designed to continue beyond the boundaries of an academic term. The instructor will change "IP" grades to "F" if the coursework is not completed within the time agreed upon by the student and the instructor. |
| P | Pass. A grade of "P" indicates the student has done at least "C" work in the course. |
| N | No Credit. Failure |
Students also have the option of taking courses under the "Pass-No Credit" evaluation system. A student wishing to exercise this option is required:
- before registration, to obtain signatures of approval from both the advisor and from the chairperson of the department in which the student has declared a major;
- to indicate on the registration form any course to be taken "Pass-No Credit."
Students who have not yet declared a major should not take courses on a "Pass-No Credit" basis, as "Pass-No Credit" courses are not typically permitted within the major.
Individual departments also may decide that certain courses will be offered as "Pass-No Credit" (P/N) courses, and all students enrolled in the course would be so evaluated.
A complete statement of the St. Scholastica policy is available at CSS Undergraduate Grade Definitions Policy.
Graduation
In order to be awarded the undergraduate degree or certificate, students must complete an Application to Graduate at the time they register for their last courses/credits. The application can be found on my.css “graduation application.”
A complete statement of the St. Scholastica policy is available at CSS Undergraduate Degree Completion Policy.
Commencement Participation
One commencement ceremony is held each academic year in May. Students who will complete their degree requirements by the end of spring semester are invited to participate in the annual ceremony if they complete the application to graduate by the published deadline or if they qualify for early commencement participation. A student will not be listed in the commencement program without having submitted the application to graduate by the published deadline.
Early Commencement Participation
Students who are within 12 semester credits of completing their graduation requirements and will complete them by the end of the summer or the following fall may participate in the preceding May commencement ceremony. Graduates who meet the early participation criteria and want to elect early participation must contact the Academic Records office to finalize arrangements by the published application deadline of the chosen ceremony.
December graduates who need more than 12 credits may appeal to participate in the preceding May commencement ceremony. Those students seeking approval for early participation must complete the formal Graduation Petition form to seek Dean approval before the published deadline for the chosen ceremony. The decision of the Dean is final.
Disciplinary Policies
Satisfactory Academic Progress
To continue at The College of St. Scholastica, a student must maintain satisfactory academic progress. Satisfactory academic progress means that a student maintains a cumulative grade point average (GPA) at the minimum standard or higher and completes the minimum number of course credits required to complete degree requirements in the maximum allowable time frame. Minimum academic standards expected at The College of St. Scholastica are:
First-year students: cumulative GPA of 1.75 at the end of the first semester and a cumulative GPA of 2.0 at the end of the second semester; completion ratio of 67 percent.
Sophomores, juniors and seniors: a cumulative GPA of 2.0 at the end of each semester; completion ratio of 67 percent.
Academic Probation and Dismissal
A student whose cumulative GPA and/or completion ratio falls below these minimum academic standards will be placed on academic probation at the end of the semester.
Students on academic probation remain on probation for the entire following semester and remain eligible for financial aid during the probationary semester. They are required to maintain no fewer than 12 credits during the probationary semester. They may not take courses with the grade option of "Pass-No Credit." The Vice President for Academic Affairs may set additional conditions that must be met during the probation semester.
A student whose cumulative GPA and/or completion ratio remains below the minimum standards at the end of the probationary semester may be dismissed. However, if satisfactory progress has been made toward the required GPA and/or completion ratio, the student may be able to repeat probation for a second semester and may be eligible for financial aid. Final decisions on repeat probations are made by the Vice President for Academic Affairs. In addition to dismissal for lack of satisfactory academic progress, students may be dismissed for conduct that is not in harmony with the policies of the College.
Students on probation must develop a plan for academic improvement with an academic advisor. This may include use of the tutor center, developmental courses and/or reduction in work hours and extracurricular activities. Probation precludes holding elective office, participating in athletics or theatre productions or any other time-consuming extracurricular activities. Eligibility for varsity sports will be determined each semester. For the purposes of financial aid, students working under a plan to improve will be considered making satisfactory progress during the probationary term.
Recognizing that there may be extenuating circumstances that account for the student's not making satisfactory academic progress, such as a death in the immediate family or serious illness, the student may appeal to have the status changed within the time frame specified in the dismissal letter. The appeal should state both the reason for lack of academic progress and steps planned to improve the academic situation.
A complete statement of the St. Scholastica policy is available at CSS Undergraduate Disciplinary Policies.