Matriculated students are those who have applied, been accepted, and enrolled in a degree program of the University during the semester for which they were admitted.
Completion of course credits before becoming a matriculated student does not assure the acceptance of those credits into the program of matriculation.
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Non-matriculated students are who have not been those admitted formally to a degree program.
DEGREE SEEKING STUDENTS
Undergraduate non-matriculated students are not allowed to take more than 11 credits during their first semester. Prior to their enrollment, degree-seeking students are required to take the University placement test. Some transfer students may be exempt from this requirement. To find out if they are exempt or not, they are strongly encouraged to seek guidance from a Continuing Education academic adviser prior to taking this test.
Degree-seeking undergraduate students are required to apply for admission before they complete 30 credits in Continuing Education.
PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL ENRICHMENT
Students interested in personal or professional enrichment courses are not required to take a placement test. College transcripts showing prerequisite courses may be required prior to their enrollment.
For more information and academic advising for non-matriculated students, see the Continuing Education section of the Bulletin and the list of locations for Academic Advising Services.
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Temple University awards limited academic credit and course placement to students based on previous academic, employment, and/or other learning experience, in addition to credit earned in a traditional classroom setting:
Advanced Placement Tests. Temple University's advanced placement testing policies are under review and subject to change. For current information, students should consult academic advisers, dean's offices, or the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. As this Bulletin is being published, however, Temple awards college credits to students who in high school participated in the Advanced Placement program sponsored by the College Examination Board as follows:
- Chemistry, Economics, English, History (American and European), Physics -- Minimum score of 4
- Other subjects -- Minimum score of 3
Students should have taken these tests in high school and should have their scores sent directly to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Transfer students must request Educational Testing Services to send their Advanced Placement Test scores to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, even if they have requested them for a previously attended college.
Advanced Placement credits can be counted toward eligibility for the 45+ Transfer Core if the student also has transfer courses from another college or university. See 45+ Transfer Core.
College Level Examination Program (CLEP). CLEP provides a mechanism for students to meet the requirements of a class through examination. Temple recognizes students' prior learning by accepting the CLEP tests indicated in the CLEP equivalencies chart.
Students must obtain permission to take any CLEP test from the dean of the college in which they are matriculated and the dean of the college offers the course equivalent. See the CLEP equivalencies chart for a list of the subject examinations and the number of the course equivalent for which Temple grants credit.
All literature, history, and political science examinations require an essay.
Students planning to take CLEP tests are urged to do so no later than the semester before they expect to graduate. Information about test dates, fees, and the application process may be obtained from the Measurement and Research Center, 3rd floor, Sullivan Hall, Main Campus, (215) 204-8611.
Transfer students can earn credit through prior CLEP exams if their scores meet the Temple credit-granting standards. They should have their CLEP scores sent directly to the advising center of the college that offers the course equivalent. If that college approves the granting of CLEP credit, it is posted to the student's record by the Office of Academic Records.
Temple will grant up to 45 credits to a student for successful performance on CLEP examinations.
CLEP credits granted by Temple, and those taken prior to admission to Temple and confirmed by the appropriate Temple department, are counted toward eligibility for the 45+ Transfer Core. See 45+ Transfer Core.
Assessment of Prior Learning. Semester hours that count toward the minimum requirement of a college or program occasionally may be earned through cooperative work experience and prior learning. Decisions to assess learning experiences are made by the individual colleges. An evaluation or work experience may be based on the submission of papers, presentation of a portfolio of completed work, and/or a demonstration of acquired skills.
Credit so granted is based on a faculty evaluation of the respective learning experiences in terms of their identified relationship to the knowledge and skills required, either in the pursuit of educational programs in the college or in the performance of tasks related to the substance of study. Semester hours credited toward the minimum number for a degree are always granted relevant to a specific program. If students change their programs of study, semester hours credited toward an earlier program of study may not be recognized in the new program.
Credit for relevant prior learning will be granted after completion of a minimum of 30 credits of formal coursework.
Approval of relevant prior learning credit must be in writing over the signature of at least one sponsoring faculty member, the appropriate department or committee chairperson, and the Dean of the college that is granting the credit.
The total number of semester hours granted by all non-traditional means seldom exceeds eight semester hours; and individual colleges or programs may grant substantially less (including no credits) than this number.
Grades are not assigned to academic and prior learning credit.
Each college engaged in the assessment of academic and work experiences determines its own procedures for review and testing; students should contact the appropriate Dean's office for information about the procedures for assessment.
International Baccalaureate. Temple awards college credits to students who pass the International Baccalaureate Program's higher-level course exams with an exam grade of five and above. IB transcripts should be sent directly to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
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Payment is due depending on when students register. Dates of registration periods, billing, and due dates vary from semester to semester. For specific dates and more payment details, see the Academic Calendar and Registration sections of the Bulletin; and Class Schedule, published each semester.
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Permission to Take Courses at Another Institution
Students will not receive transfer credit for courses they take at another institution while they are matriculated at Temple, unless
1. They receive prior permission from their Temple school or college
2. It is through an approved study abroad program
1. Prior permission to take courses elsewhere may be granted by the student's academic adviser after a review of the student's request and academic program. Advisers will not approve requests from matriculated Temple students to take courses at other institutions within commuting distance of Temple unless there is a compelling academic justification.
To receive prior permission to take courses elsewhere, students must be in good academic standing. Permission is rescinded if the student's GPA falls below 2.0, or the student is placed on academic warning or probation. During the semester prior to the one in which they wish to take the course(s) elsewhere, students must fill out a request for permission form obtained from their Academic adviser and return it to the adviser with a copy of the official course description(s) from the school at which they wish to take the course. For courses intended to fulfill requirements in a student's major, written approval from the departmental coordinating adviser must accompany the form.
Students should note that some Temple schools and colleges have additional limitations on the kind or number of transfer credits accepted.
Thirty of a student's last 45 credits must be taken at Temple University. See Academic Residency Requirements.
To graduate from Temple with Honors, students must complete "at least their last 60 hours toward their degrees in residence as matriculated students at Temple University." See Honors.
Once a student has received prior permission and taken a course elsewhere, the student must have an official transcript from that institution sent to the student's Temple advising office before the beginning of the following semester.
As with all courses accepted in transfer, only courses passed with a grade of C- or higher are granted transfer credit. See Transfer Credit.
2. Study abroad programs. For information about Temple study abroad programs, see International Programs and Study Abroad. For information about receiving permission to study abroad through another institution, see Study Abroad Approval Procedures for Non-Temple Programs.
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http://www.temple.edu/marc/placements.html
For more information about placement testing, sample questions, and news about changes in placement tests for Spring 2003, visit the placement testing page on the Measurement and Research Center website.
Most newly admitted students are required to take placement tests upon admission to Temple. These tests are designed to help assess mastery of certain basic skills, to point out particular strengths and weaknesses, and to assist in designing a program of study for the student. Placement tests are offered in English, Mathematics, and Foreign Languages.
- All freshmen are required to take the English and Math Placement Tests and many freshmen are also required to take the Foreign Language Placement Test.
- Transfer students who are transferring a credit-bearing, college-level course in Mathematics/ Writing/Foreign Language are not required to take the Mathematics/Writing/Foreign Language Placement Test.
Demographic Questionnaire (25 minutes)
This is a personal data collection survey that must be completed by all students. Temple uses the results of this questionnaire to develop programs and procedures to serve the needs and interests of its students.English Placement Examination (135 minutes)
The English Placement Exam is required for all freshmen and for transfer students who are not transferring a credit-bearing, college-level writing course. The English Placement Exam consists of an essay and a multiple choice component. The multiple choice test scores are used in conjunction with the student's SAT verbal score and high school percentile to develop a base score. The essay score and the base score are then combined to determine the appropriate English course placement (English 0040/41, English C050/51, or exempt).Mathematics Placement Examination (60 minutes)
The Mathematics Placement Examination is required for all freshmen and for transfer students who are not transferring a credit-bearing, college-level Math course. In addition, any student who is considering taking a higher-level Math course should take the Mathematics Placement Exam.The Mathematics Placement Exam is a three-part test consisting of 50 items. The first part (21 items) measures elementary computational skills such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of whole numbers; decimals and fractions; and ratios. The second part (22 items) consists of algebra problems. The third part (7 items) measures calculus readiness.
Advisers have information concerning conditions under which a student may retest.Return to the List of Academic Policies and RegulationsForeign Language Placement Examination (60 minutes)
The Foreign Language Placement Test is required 1) for freshmen who have previously studied a foreign language and 2) for transfer students who have previously studied a foreign language but are not transferring a credit-bearing, college-level foreign language course. In addition, any student who has previously studied a foreign language and either has questions about his/her readiness to take additional courses in that language, wants to try to qualify to take an upper-level course, or wants to be exempted from additional foreign language requirements should take the Foreign Language Placement Test.Tests are offered in French, German, Modern Greek, Italian, Latin, and Spanish. Each is a multiple choice test and consists of approximately 90 items. Students who wish to be tested in a language other than these, or whose first language is not English, should contact their adviser.
Advisers may request that a student retest if there is strong evidence (e.g., good grades in foreign language courses, intensive study abroad, etc.) that the student's test performance was not typical.
Plagiarism and Academic Cheating
Temple University believes strongly in academic honesty and integrity. Plagiarism and academic cheating are, therefore, prohibited. Essential to intellectual growth is the development of independent thought and a respect for the thoughts of others. The prohibition against plagiarism and cheating is intended to foster this independence and respect.
Plagiarism is the unacknowledged use of another person's labor, another person's ideas, another person's words, another person's assistance. Normally, all work done for courses -- papers, examinations, homework exercises, laboratory reports, oral presentations -- is expected to be the individual effort of the student presenting the work. Any assistance must be reported to the instructor. If the work has entailed consulting other resources -- journals, books, or other media -- these resources must be cited in a manner appropriate to the course. It is the instructor's responsibility to indicate the appropriate manner of citation. Everything used from other sources -- suggestions for organization of ideas, ideas themselves, or actual language -- must be cited. Failure to cite borrowed material constitutes plagiarism. Undocumented use of materials from the World Wide Web is plagiarism.
Academic cheating is, generally, the thwarting or breaking of the general rules of academic work or the specific rules of the individual courses. It includes falsifying data; submitting, without the instructor's approval, work in one course which was done for another; helping others to plagiarize or cheat from one's own or another's work; or actually doing the work of another person.
The penalty for academic dishonesty can vary from a reprimand and receiving a failing grade for a particular assignment, to a failing grade in the course, to suspension or expulsion from the University. The penalty varies with the nature of the offense, individual instructor, the department, and the school or college.
Students who believe that they have been unfairly accused may appeal through the school or college's academic grievance procedure. See Grievances.
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Prerequisites and Co-requisites
A course prerequisite is any requirement an academic department identifies as essential for a student to complete before taking a course. The University is responsible for publishing prerequisite requirements. All prerequisites, whether they apply to an individual course or to all courses in a department, should be stated in the printed and electronic versions of the current edition of the University’s Undergraduate Course Descriptions. They should also be stated in the course syllabus.
Course prerequisites consist of one or more of the following: completion of placement or proficiency tests or other assessments; achievement of specified scores on placement or proficiency tests or other assessments; possession of specified knowledge or skills; approval after audition; approval of portfolio; declaration of major or admission to restricted program; completion of specific courses, sets of courses, and/or kinds of courses; completion of a specified number of semester hours or achievement of a specified class level; achievement of specified grades in prerequisite courses or sets of courses; achievement of a specified GPA; approval of an application or proposal; permission of the instructor, department, or other person or office; satisfaction of other specified requirements.
Students are responsible for knowing and completing all published prerequisite requirements for a course before taking that course. The University has the obligation to inform students of prerequisite requirements. It has the right to cancel a student’s registration in a course if the student has not satisfied the published prerequisite requirements for that course.
A course co-requisite is a requirement that must be completed at the same time as the course for which it is required. The University is responsible for publishing co-requisite requirements. All co-requisites, whether they apply to an individual course or to all courses in a department, should be stated in the printed and electronic versions of the current edition of the University’s Undergraduate Course Descriptions. They should also be stated in the course syllabus. Co-requisites may be specified courses, permissions, admission to programs, and/or other requirements. Students are responsible for knowing and completing all published co-requisite requirements for a course. The University has the obligation to inform students of co-requisite requirements, and the right to cancel a student’s registration in a course if the student has not arranged to satisfy the co-requisite requirements for that course.
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In most academic units and programs, students must achieve at least a 2.0 (C) Grade Point Average (GPA) for all work carried each semester or summer session; students also must maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA for all work completed at Temple University.
Students are subject to probation:
- if they earn lower than a 2.0 cumulative GPA, or
- if their records show repeated withdrawals or incompletes, regardless of GPA, or
- if they fail to make progress toward a degree.
- if they earn lower than a 1.0 semester GPA, or
- if they are placed on probation a second time, or
- if they fail to make progress toward a degree.
The Tyler School of Art and the Esther Boyer College of Music and Department of Dance both have performance review standards under which students may be subject to dismissal regardless of their grade point averages. See Academic Standing.
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If students who have voluntarily withdrawn or were dismissed from the University wish to return, they must file the Application for Undergraduate Readmission form with the Dean of the school or college in which they were formerly enrolled. The student is requested to supply information, indicate any course taken since leaving Temple, and to have available a copy of an official transcript from each institution attended.
Consideration for readmission as a result of academic dismissal should be based on the quality of the student's previous records and the student's potential to succeed in the coming semester. At least one semester must elapse between academic dismissal and readmission.
Both the academic adviser and the student have the right to request an interview as part of the readmission procedure. Some academic units require that students applying for readmission be interviewed.
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Registration
See the Registration
section of the Bulletin.
Students may wish to repeat a course in order to earn a higher grade, either to raise their grade point average or to receive a grade required by their major or other requirement, such as achieving the minimum C- required for successful completion of Core Curriculum courses.
The decision to repeat a course for a higher grade must be made in consultation with an adviser. A repeated course must be graded using the same grading system (pass/fail, credit/no credit, or letter grade) as when originally taken.
If an undergraduate student takes a course more than once, all occurrences of the course will appear on the student's transcript. Only the highest grade received will be used in calculating the student's grade point average. If subsequent attempts produce an identical grade, whether it is an F or a passing grade, only one occurrence is to be included in the calculation of the student's GPA. Except for courses designed to be taken multiple times, such as independent study, research, or other courses, credit for a given course will be granted only once. This policy will apply only when one or more of the repeated courses is taken after September 1, 1993.
No change in a student's grade point average is made after the baccalaureate degree is awarded.
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Satisfactory Academic Progress
Satisfactory academic progress is determined by a number of factors, including a student's semester grade point average, cumulative grade point average, and the number of semester hours attempted and completed. A student's progress is reviewed at the end of each semester by the student's Temple school or college and may affect the student's ability to continue in a program or major and eligibility for financial aid. Students should be advised that course withdrawals and incompletes will affect their progress and thus their academic standing. See Probation and Dismissal and Grade Point Average.
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See Schedule Revision (Drop/Add) in the Registration section of the Bulletin.
See Late Registration and Withdrawal from Classes.
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