Academic Policies

Residency Requirements

All four-year degree candidates must complete at least 30 credit hours of study through UMPI in order to receive a baccalaureate degree. At least 12 of these credits must be in the major and at least 9 of these 12 must be at the upper level (300-level or above).

All two-year degree programs require 15 credits completed at UMPI.

Dual Baccalaureate Degrees

A student may earn multiple degrees provided they are different. The Bachelor of Liberal Studies (BLS) degree and the Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) degree may not be declared as a dual (secondary) degree, as both were designed with broad requirements to target a specific population. In order to receive additional degrees, the following conditions must be met: (1) The first degree must have been awarded; (2) The student must apply through Admissions for subsequent degrees; (3) A minimum number of credits must be earned beyond the total hours earned for the previous degree: 15 for each additional Associate, 30 for each additional Baccalaureate.

Double Majors

Double majors are possible within a single baccalaureate degree. Both majors may be within the same college, or they may be in different colleges. Students may complete two different majors simultaneously with no prescribed increase in total credits beyond those required to satisfy both majors. The University does not guarantee that any double major combination will be possible to complete within four years. Students pursuing the degrees of Bachelor of Liberal Studies (BLS) or Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) are not permitted to declare a second major, nor may the BLS or BAS be declared as a second major for any student.

The student will choose a primary major and that major will be listed first on the diploma.

Requests for double majors are made through the student’s professional academic advisor and must be declared no later than the first semester of the senior year. The student must declare a primary major. The baccalaureate degree granted will be that associated with the primary major, and the student is required to satisfy all of the requirements imposed by that college. To complete the second major, the student need only complete the specific requirements established for that major. The primary and secondary majors will be noted both on the diploma and on the transcript, worded according to the following example: Bachelor of Science in Biology, with a second major in Art, or Bachelor of Art in Studio Art, with a second major in Biology (depending upon which is designated the primary major).

Post-Baccalaureate Study for Second Degree

Students who have already earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution, other than UMPI, will receive a waiver of UMPI’s General Education Curriculum requirements. This waiver will be noted on the student’s academic record during the transfer credit evaluation process.

Repeating a Course

A student may repeat a course for the purpose of replacing a grade only once. Requests for further repetitions of a course will be at the discretion of a student’s Faculty Academic Advisor or Professional Academic Advisor. When a course is repeated, only the highest grade will stand and be calculated in the grade point average. Failure in a required course necessitates repeating the course at the campus where it was taken in order to replace the failure with a letter grade. The grades for all attempts of a course taken for credit appear on a student’s transcript. Exception to this policy is made for topics courses and similar courses where the subject material of the course changes from offering to offering.

Coursework completed at an institution other than UMPI may also count as a repeat of an UMPI course, provided that the course is sufficiently similar in content as to transfer in as the exact equivalent of the UMPI course being replaced. In this case, the grade being replaced will be removed from the student’s GPA calculation, without being replaced by a different grade. Neither grade will be counted when determining term or cumulative GPA. Students who wish to repeat a course by taking an equivalent course at a different institution should request this option through their professional academic advisor.

Leave of Absence or Withdrawal from the University

The University requires that all degree-seeking students enroll in coursework every fall and spring semester during their academic career. Summer sessions are optional.

If a student’s academic plans must be discontinued, the student must choose one of two options: a Leave of Absence or Student Withdrawal from the University. The Advising Center can help students decide the more appropriate course of action for their situation. Failure to formally request a leave or withdrawal will result in the automatic removal from the official roll, and the student must re-apply through the Admissions Office for reinstatement of degree status.

A Leave of Absence releases the student from degree study for one academic semester (not including summer sessions), after which the student may resume study according to regular registration procedures, or the student may request an extension of the leave of absence for one additional semester, or may withdraw from the University

A Student Withdrawal from the University (as opposed to a course withdrawal) is appropriate if the student wishes to discontinue study at UMPI for the foreseeable future. This officially closes the student’s file and serves as notice that the student initiated separation from the University. Failure to withdraw officially can seriously complicate any effort later to resume study at this or another university.

Students may request leaves or withdrawals during a semester if circumstances are such that the student is no longer able to continue with coursework. When a request is submitted prior to the last date for withdrawal without academic penalty (as determined by the Provost/Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs and published in the academic calendar) a grade of W is recorded for all courses in which the student is currently enrolled.

If the request is submitted after the deadline for withdrawal only extenuating circumstances, as determined by the Academic Appeals Board, justify the granting of W grades. Requests for leaves of absence and student withdrawals are processed through the Advising Center and the Registrar’s Office.

Department of Veterans Affairs - Covered Individual Policy

In compliance with United States Code section 3679 of Title 38, any individual who is entitled to educational assistance under Chapter 31, Veteran Readiness and Employment, or Chapter 33, Post-9/11 GI Bill® benefits will be permitted to attend or participate in the course of education during the period beginning on the date on which the individual provides to the educational institution a certificate of eligibility for entitlement to educational assistance. A certificate of eligibility can also include a “Statement of Benefits” obtained from the Department of Veterans Affairs Benefits website or a VA form 28-1905 form for Chapter 31 authorization purposes.

UMPI will not impose any penalty, including the assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities, or the requirement that a covered individual borrow additional funds, on any covered individual because of the individual’s inability to meet his or her financial obligations to the institution due to the delayed disbursement funding from the VA under Chapter 31 or 33.

This agreement will terminate on the date on which payment from the VA is made to the institution or 90 days after the date the institution certified tuition and fees following the receipt of the certificate of eligibility, whichever date is most beneficial to the covered individual.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

Course Work at Other Institutions

Matriculated students may satisfy degree requirements through study at another institution following approval from their advisor; however, grades earned in approved courses taken at another institution are not included in the cumulative grade point average.

Application for Graduation

Candidates for degrees must submit an application through MaineStreet in order to:

• Have the final degree awarded/conferred; the conferral date will be the same date as the diploma
• March in the in-person Commencement
• Participate in the virtual Commencement (for those students who DO NOT march)

Graduation Participation Policy

Students whose degree requirements will not be completed prior to the graduation ceremony in May will still be permitted to participate in the ceremony provided that at least ONE of the following criteria has been met:

1. The student has 6 credits or fewer remaining, or;
2. The student has two courses or fewer remaining, or;
3. The student only needs to complete student teaching, an internship, or a practicum as the final part of their program, or;
4. The student has developed a plan, with the approval of their faculty and professional academic advisors, to complete all remaining requirements by the conclusion of the subsequent fall semester. The plan must show that the student will be eligible to receive their degree before the start of the next spring semester, and a copy of this plan must be on file with the Registrar’s Office.

For options 1, 2, or 3, all requirements must be anticipated to be completed by the following December.

A student may not participate in two separate graduation exercises for the same degree.

All UMPI students are requested to complete a “future plans” survey when they participate in graduation rehearsal in the spring of each year. The survey is administered before rehearsal begins.

Conferral of Degrees

Degrees are conferred once ALL grades have been posted. The process is a manual one, so it takes SIX to EIGHT weeks to confer all degrees for the final SPRING semester applications. All other sessions take FOUR to SIX weeks to confer degrees. 

The Diploma Process: Degree information will be batch uploaded once the conferral process is COMPLETE for ALL degrees to our outside vendor Parchment. Students will receive an email from Parchment with a digital copy of the diploma as well as information on when the hard copy will be mailed once all information is confirmed.

You should review your MaineStreet degree audit and work with your professional academic and faculty advisor if there are any course substitutions that need to be processed.  Please DO let the Registrar’s Office know if the degree audit does not appear to be pulling the correct set of requirements (i.e. catalog edition) or if the audit is not recognizing when a requirement has already been met. 

Transfer Policies & Practices

1. Transferring students must provide official transcripts reflecting all previous post-secondary coursework.
2. An evaluation of transfer credit will be prepared by the Transfer Officer for each accepted transfer student, and will be available in the student’s MaineStreet Student Center. The transfer student should meet with an academic advisor at the receiving university to review how the transfer credit will be applied toward the student’s degree program. Transfer evaluations will be prepared based on the following principles:
   1. Within the University of Maine System: Undergraduate courses completed with a C- or higher, including P grades, will transfer from one UMS university to another. Grades will be recorded on the student’s transcript but not computed into the cumulative GPA.
   2. Outside the University of Maine System: Credit earned with a C- or higher in courses from regionally accredited colleges/universities outside the UMS will be considered for transfer. Pass-fail courses taken outside the UMS must have “pass” defined as a C- or higher in order to transfer.
   3. Course grades do not transfer from one college/ university to another. Semester and cumulative GPA’s reflect only those courses taken at the home university. Students in cooperative degree programs should inquire about any exceptions that may apply.
   4. Coursework defined as developmental by the University to which the student is transferring will not be awarded degree credit. Developmental courses are considered preparatory to college-level work, and will not count towards a degree.
   5. Courses from colleges and universities outside the United States will be accepted for transfer consistent with established university policies and practices.
3. Credit may be awarded for high school Advanced Placement (AP) exams, College Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams, or college-level knowledge gained through life experience (e.g., prior learning, such as military or other training) when validated through the approved campus processes.
4. UMPI may accept transfer credits from institutions that are not regionally accredited. Students who have completed courses or training at such institutions should first investigate whether the courses completed are recommended for transfer credit by the American Council on Education. If not, students may initiate the evaluation process by contacting their professional academic advisor. Students will be required to provide a description of the training/ course, contact hours, instructor credentials, and a syllabus or training outline as supporting documents. The Provost must approve transfer credit from non-regionally accredited institutions. In no cases will the transferability of such courses be guaranteed. The documentation requirement will be waived if an evaluation of the course or training has already been completed and credit transfer approved within the last 5 years, provided that there have been no major changes to the training or course. Transfer credit will only be granted where a grade of C- or better (or equivalent) has been earned.
5. If a student has concerns about the transfer evaluation, the student should contact the Transfer Officer at the receiving university. After such conferral, the student may appeal through the academic appeals process at the receiving university.
6. Transfer students should consult the University’s catalog and/ or meet with an appropriate advisor to determine requirements regarding the number and distribution of credits that must be completed at the university to earn the desired degree.
7. Students must meet the established requirements of the academic program or college into which they are transferring. Transfer credits do not necessarily count towards these requirements.
8. Students may also confer with the Transfer Officer and/or academic advisor regarding possible flexibility in the application of their credits to their program, through approved campus processes.
9. Current UMS students who plan to take courses at another university, inside or outside of the UMS, are strongly encouraged to seek prior approval of their plans from the university where they are matriculated.

Credit for Prior Learning

In addition to accepting transfer credits from other regionally accredited postsecondary institutions, UMPI offers several options through which a student’s previously acquired information and skills could be incorporated into their overall college program. These include but are not limited to, the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), Advanced Placement (AP), Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES), as well as any training, courses, and exams for which the American Council on Education (ACE) has recommended the granting of college credit. In some cases, UMPI may allow a student to complete a Challenge Exam or submit a portfolio of prior learning to demonstrate proficiency equivalent to a given course. These options are referred to collectively as Credit for Prior Learning (CPL).

Students must be matriculated into an Associate or Bachelor’s degree program to be eligible for CPL. Non-degree students and students enrolled in certificate programs of fewer than 30 credits must receive permission from the Registrar in order to be eligible for a CPL. Students in Associate degree programs may earn a maximum of 15 credits through CPL. Students in Bachelor’s degree programs may earn a maximum of 30 credits. In other words, the combination of all forms of CPL cannot exceed a total of 15 credits of an Associate’s degree and 30 credits of a Bachelor’s degree. Credits will only be granted when they apply toward a student’s program.

Students must utilize test options such as CLEP, DANTES or Challenge Exams whenever available. When no test option is available, students may request a Portfolio Assessment of their Credit for Prior Learning. For more information on Challenge Exams or Portfolio Assessments, please visit http://www.umpi.edu/academics/ prior-learning-assessment/.

Foundation Coursework

Our program of foundation coursework is designed for new students who need additional preparation for college study. We offer foundation coursework in reading and writing (ENG 100 ), mathematics (MAT 186 ) and science (SCI 186 ). Foundation courses should be included in the student’s first semester of study and should be completed by the end of the freshman year. When enrollment in foundation courses is required by the student’s placement profile, those courses must be completed with a C- or better prior to enrolling in corresponding college-level coursework. ENG 100 , when completed with a C- or higher, will earn General Education Curriculum (GEC) credit in place of ENG 101 . MAT 186  and SCI 186  are added as a practicum along with enrollment in math and science courses meeting GEC requirements and carry elective credit toward the student’s degree program.

Students may challenge their placement in foundation coursework by scheduling a placement test with their professional advisor prior to the end of the first week of classes.

Course Placement and Placement Testing

Incoming students’ high school and college transcripts will be evaluated for placement to create a Personalized Placement Profile for each student: Students will be placed in General Education Curriculum (GEC) and/or major courses if:

1. The student has transferred college-level classes with grades of C- or higher:
   1. In ENG 101 - College Composition  (or equivalent), for placement in reading and writing-based courses.
   2. In a college mathematics course, for placement in math/science-based courses.

- Or -

2. If the student’s high school GPA is equivalent to a B average or higher or if the student has achieved overall proficiency as defined by the student’s high school..

- Or -

3. SAT or ACT scores meet the following criteria:

For SAT tests taken prior to March 2016:

1. SAT Verbal of 500 or higher for placement in reading and writing-based courses.
2. SAT Math of 500 or higher for placement in GEC MAT 121 , MAT 140  or MAT 201  and college-level science courses.

For SAT tests taken March 2016 and forward:

1. A score of 550 or higher in Evidence-based Reading & Writing (ERWS) for placement in reading and writing based courses.
2. A score of 530 or higher in Math (MSS) for placement in GEC MAT 121 , MAT 140  or MAT 201  and college level science courses.

For ACT scores:

1. An ACT Reading (not writing) score of 22 or higher for placement in reading and writing based courses.
2. An ACT Math score of 21 or higher for placement in GEC MAT 121 , MAT 140  or MAT 201  and college level science courses.

- Or -

4. If most recent high school grades are Bs or better or if the student has achieved proficiency as defined by the student’s high school:
   1. In most recent high school English class for placement in reading/writing based courses.
   2. In most recent high school Algebra II class for placement in MAT 101  or MAT 117 .
   3. In most recent high school science class for placement in science courses.

Students meeting none of the above criteria will be placed in:

1. ENG 100 - Introduction to College Reading & Writing  (or a First Year Learning Community equivalent), which carries GEC credit if passed with a C- or higher,
2. SCI 186  Science Practicum, which carries degree credit but not GEC credit; and,
3. MAT 186   Math Practicum, which carries degree credit but not GEC credit.

Students placed in the above listed courses may request to sit for an Accuplacer® exam in writing, reading, algebra and /or science and the resulting test scores will be used for placement in courses according to our Guide to Test Scores and Placement. ★