Academic Policies & Regulations

Please see the Undergraduate Academic Policies in this Bulletin. Students are responsible for complying with all university-wide academic policies that apply to their individual academic status.  Additional and unique policies, or exceptions for the College of Science and Technology (CST), appear below.

Academic Holds

Pre-Pharmacy

Pre-Pharmacy students who have completed 30 or more credits without declaring a major shall be placed on “academic hold” and directed to see a CST advisor before the priority registration period of the subsequent semester.

Program Warning

Any CST student who does not make satisfactory progress in the CST major or track may be placed on “academic hold” and directed to see a departmental or CST advisor before the priority registration period of the subsequent semester.

Undeclared

Students who have not declared a major who have completed 60 or more credits shall be placed on “academic hold” and directed to see a CST advisor before the priority registration period of the subsequent semester.

Adding or Changing Majors or Minors

CST Students:

In order to add or change majors or minors within the College of Science and Technology, a CST student must meet with an advisor in the CST's Office of Student Services. The advisor will evaluate the student's record in accordance with the following policy:

1. CST students in their first semester at Temple University who wish to add or change majors or minors within the CST will be automatically approved, provided they are taking or have satisfied a Core-level or GenEd-level Mathematics course.

2. Continuing CST students who wish to add or change declared majors or minors within the CST must have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 or higher. Continuing CST students who wish to change their major to undeclared will be automatically approved, provided that the total of completed and registered credits is fewer than 60 credits.

Non-CST Students:

In order to add or change majors or minors within the College of Science and Technology, a non-CST student must meet with an advisor in the CST's Office of Student Services. The advisor will evaluate the student's record in accordance with the following policy:

1. Students in their first semester at Temple University who wish to add a minor or second major within the CST will be automatically approved, provided they are taking or have satisfied a Core-level or GenEd-level Mathematics course.

2. Continuing students who wish to add a minor or second major within the CST must have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 or higher and must have completed a course in their proposed major or minor with a grade of C (2.0) or better.

Co-Requisites And Prerequisites

Students may be de-enrolled from courses for which they do not meet prerequisites and co-requisites.  Students are responsible for reviewing and abiding by all course prerequisites and co-requisites.  The requirements are designed to assure that students are appropriately prepared to be successful in their courses.

Course Eligibility

The College of Science and Technology offers four types of undergraduate courses:

1. Preparatory courses numbered 0700-0799: open to all students, including non-matriculated students who have completed appropriate course prerequisites and have completed or are in the process of completing required co-requisite courses.  If required, students must complete these courses before enrolling in any higher level courses in the same department.

2.  General Education courses numbered 0800-0999: open to all students, including non-matriculated students who have completed appropriate course prerequisites and have completed or are in the process of completing required co-requisite courses.  These courses satisfy University General Education requirements as indicated in the course description.

3. Lower-Level courses numbered 1000-1999: open to all students, including non-matriculated students who have completed appropriate course prerequisites and have completed or are in the process of completing required co-requisite courses. These are general foundation level courses in the various disciplines.

4. Upper-Level courses numbered 2000-4999: open to all students, including non-matriculated students who have completed appropriate course prerequisites and have completed or are in the process of completing required co-requisite courses.  These courses build on the foundation courses (and on other upper-level courses) to provide a focused exploration of field-specific content.

Courses Inapplicable to Graduation

Semester hours earned in Mathematics 0701, lower-level military science (ROTC), and RCC-enhanced courses are not credited toward the minimum semester hours required for graduation. 

Students will not be awarded duplicate credit for courses that are repeated in transfer or at Temple.

Students will not receive credit towards graduation for lower-level courses, which are two or more courses below either an already-completed course or their placement level.  For example, if a student successfully completes Math 1041 (Calculus I), then they are not permitted to subsequently take Math 1021 (College Algebra) for new credits. 

A maximum of 8 semester hours of credit will be allowed by CST for life experience and CLEP examinations. A maximum of 4 courses or up to 12 semester hours will be allowed for upper-level Military Science (Army ROTC), Naval Science (Navy ROTC) or Aerospace Studies (Air Force ROTC) courses.

Courses Over Five Years Old

In admitting transfer or returning students, the College of Science and Technology will, when possible, allow credit for courses taken five or more years prior to the date of admission or readmission. The College of Science and Technology may choose not to accept courses regardless of age for credit in the major. Foundation courses, courses of a technical nature or courses in a particularly dynamic field may not be accepted for credit.

Courses over five years old will be reviewed by the College to determine whether they will be accepted toward the degree. Final determination of the acceptability of such courses is the responsibility of the Office of Student Services and generally occurs after the student has matriculated or been rematriculated.

Dean's List

Each fall and spring semester, those undergraduates who have met the credit hour and academic criteria for their school or college are placed on the Dean's List. See the Dean's List policy for specific GPA and credit-hour requirements.

Grading

Major, Minor, Core and GenEd courses must be completed with a letter grade of C- or higher unless otherwise specified.  Certain courses require a C or better in order to advance to the next level.

Graduation Procedures

All College of Science and Technology students are required to complete a graduation review with an advisor in the Office of Student Services prior to or at the start of their senior year. Students should schedule a review once they have completed 90 semester hours. The graduation review involves a detailing of the courses and credits completed and those that remain to be completed for graduation. Once a professional advisor completes the review, the Office of Student Services forwards the review to the student's department for the faculty advisor's approval.

Students are expected to be active participants in the review and have equal responsibility for assuring the accuracy and completeness of the review.

Early in the semester in which students will complete their degree requirements, they must apply online at www.temple.edu/cst/graduation.  The deadlines for completing the online application are:

• October 15, 2009, for fall semester 2009
• February 15, 2010, for spring semester 2010
• June 1, 2010, for second summer session 2010

Intra-University Transfer (IUT)

In order to transfer into the College of Science and Technology, a student must meet with an advisor in the Office of Student Services. The advisor will evaluate the student's record in accordance with the following policy:

1. Students in their first semester at Temple University who wish to transfer into the College of Science and Technology will be automatically approved, provided that they are taking a Core- or GenEd-level or higher Mathematics course or have satisfied the Core- or GenEd-level or higher Mathematics requirement.

2. Continuing students who wish to transfer into the College of Science and Technology must have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 or higher and must have completed both a Core- or GenEd-level or higher Mathematics course and a Core- or GenEd-level or higher science course (or additional Core- or GenEd-level or higher Mathematics), both with a grade of C or better.

Students must attend an IUT group orientation session within the college before the transfer is official.  Students approved for an IUT must comply with the major requirements effective during the applicable semester of transfer. 

Life Experience Credits

Students are required to write what proficiencies are developed by their life experience and designate courses similar to their background.  The experience will be reviewed by the appropriate faculty.  Students need a 2.5 minimum cumulative GPA in order to apply.  A maximum of 12 semester hours is allowed for the combined category of life experience, upper-level military science (ROTC) courses, and CLEP examinations.

Non-Traditional Credits

A maximum of 12 semester hours of credit will be allowed by CST for life experience, upper-level military science (ROTC) courses, and CLEP examinations.

Overload Requests

Students in the College of Science and Technology must petition for approval of an overload when they request to take more than 17 credits in either the fall or spring semesters or more than 8 credits in either summer session.  The following items are considered when reviewing an overload petition:

• Minimum 2.75 GPA overall and in the last semester of graded coursework. 
• The number of credits completed in previous semesters. 
• The number of science and math courses taken previously in each semester. 
• The amount of credits requested.
• The type of courses requested.  The office focuses particularly on the number of science and math courses in the student's proposed roster.

Each petition will be reviewed individually based on the number of credits requested.

Permission to Take Courses at Another Institution

Students in the College of Science and Technology who wish to take courses at another institution must petition the Office of Student Services for approval prior to enrolling in such a course. Petition forms are available in the Office of Student Services, 1810 Liacouras Walk, Room 203. The student is responsible for obtaining a course description from the other institution and attaching it to the petition form. The student takes the petition to the corresponding Temple department for faculty review and then submits the petition to the Office of Student Services for final approval. Courses taken without prior approval will not be transferrable toward the Temple degree.  Requests from matriculated Temple students to take courses at another institution within commuting distance (less than 50 miles away from Temple's Main Campus) will not be approved.  No request to take courses at another institution will be approved unless there is a compelling academic justification. Further students must have completed the prerequisites and have completed or be completing any listed co-requisites of both the Temple equivalent course and course at the host institution.

At least 30 of the last 45 semester hours of coursework must be completed at Temple University, and at least half of the courses required in the department of the major must be taken at Temple. In order for a student to receive University Honors, at least 60 credits must be completed at Temple University.

Placement Tests

The results of placement tests determine if students are required to enroll in preparatory composition and mathematics courses. All incoming freshmen must take English and mathematics placement tests.

All transfer students are required to complete the math placement test, regardless of transfer credits. For students who have already completed their program’s mathematics requirement or the prerequisite requirement through transfer credits, the test will be used as a diagnostic tool. The test results will be informational only and will not restrict or dictate course selection nor negate the transferability of credits. The results of the placement exam should be discussed with an academic advisor at the time of the initial registration. Your advisor may suggest certain “bridge courses” that will assist you in preparing for more advanced coursework. Bridge courses build on content from courses for which you have received transfer credit, allow you to keep your credits, and support your preparation for the next course in your sequence.  If students are unsuccessful in courses beyond their placement results, they may be asked to repeat the prerequisite course at Temple regardless of transfer credits.

Transfer students who have not completed English 1002 or 0802 are also required to take the English placement test.  Students assigned to English 0701 or 0711 must register each semester for that course until the requirement is completed. Only upon successful completion of English 0701 or 0711 can such students enroll in English 0802 or 0812.

Plagiarism and Academic Cheating

Plagiarism and academic cheating are prohibited by the College of Science and Technology. The development of independent thought and a respect for the thoughts of others is essential to intellectual growth. The prohibition of plagiarism and cheating is intended to foster this independence and respect. See Academic Policies in this Bulletin.

The penalty for plagiarism or cheating as a first offense is normally an F in the course in which the offense is committed. In such cases, the instructor writes a report to the dean and the University Disciplinary Committee. The University Disciplinary Committee adjudicates all cases and student appeals.

Pre-Pharmacy Track Students

Pre-Pharmacy track students must declare a primary major upon completion of 30 credits. Students who have completed 30 credits without declaring a primary major will have an academic hold placed on their record that will prevent them from registering.  Students must meet with an advisor to declare a major in order to have the hold removed.

Prerequisites and Co-Requisites

Students may be de-enrolled from courses for which they do not meet prerequisites and co-requisites.  Students are responsible for reviewing and abiding by all course prerequisites and co-requisites.  The requirements are designed to assure that students are appropriately prepared to be successful in their courses.

Program Performance

Students must maintain a 2.00 cumulative GPA in their major or track and make satisfactory progress toward their CST degrees to remain in good academic standing in the college. Students who are not in good academic standing in the college will be placed on program warning, and an "academic hold" may be placed on their record.

Readmission to the College of Science and Technology

College of Science and Technology students who have not enrolled for two consecutive semesters must apply for readmission. Any existing holds must be cleared prior to readmission and official transcripts provided for any college-level courses completed after leaving Temple University. Students who have been away for less than two semesters are subject to university policies and restrictions governing taking courses at another institution and must receive permission prior to enrollment in such courses. Any student who has not attended for five or more years must follow the major requirements that are in place at the time of readmission. In addition, courses over five years old will be reviewed by the College to determine whether they will be accepted toward the degree. Final determination of the acceptability of such courses is the responsibility of the Office of Student Services and generally occurs after the student has been rematriculated. 

The deadline for application to readmit for the fall semester is July 1; the deadline to readmit for the spring semester is November 1, and the deadline for summer semester I and II is April 1.  Also see the policy on University Warning, Probation, Dismissal, and Reinstatement.

Students are required to follow the most current curriculum upon return.  This applies to any student who has not registered for a single fall or spring semester.  This can have significant impacts on degree progress and students are encouraged to discuss any planned absences with an advisor.

Undeclared Majors

After completing 30 credits, undeclared majors in the College of Science and Technology will be notified that they need to select a major. Students who have completed 60 credits without declaring a major will have a hold placed on their record that will prevent them from registering.  Students must meet with an advisor to declare a major in order to have the hold removed.

Warning, Probation and Dismissal

All university policies on warning, probation and dismissal are enforced with this addition: CST students who are put on Academic Warning should see an academic advisor to review their proposed schedule of courses. See University Warning, Probation, Dismissal, and Reinstatement for more details.