Academic Policies

Mandatory Academic Advising

  • Advising is mandatory for all Engineering students each semester.
  • Students are notified about registration appointments by email. Students may also check online at TESTUDO.
  • Registration appointments are based on total applicable credit limit. Students with the most credits register first.

Registration

Registration Process: Currently enrolled students are invited to early registration by appointment. Registration appointments for the fall semester begin in April, and appointments for the spring semester begin in late October. Registration can be processed on the MyUM website TESTUDO or in person.

Schedule Adjustment: The Schedule Adjustment period is the first ten business days of classes during the Fall or Spring semester. A similar period of time is designated for Summer and Winter Terms. Check the corresponding Academic Deadlines for exact dates.  Please note that non-standard courses do not meet for the standard semester or term dates. Courses with non-standard dates have different Schedule Adjustment periods and Drop with 'W' dates.  Dates and deadlines can be found on the Registrar's website.

Drop Period: Undergraduate students can adjust their schedule (add, drop, etc.) until the close of business on the last day of the Schedule Adjustment Period. After the end of Schedule Adjustment, students are limited to dropping a maximum of 4 credits during the Drop Period. The Drop Period for undergraduate students will begin at the close of the schedule adjustment period and terminate at the end of the tenth week of classes during the Fall and Spring semesters and at a corresponding time for Summer sessions. See Academic Deadlines for end of schedule adjustment and last day to drop dates. A mark of "W" (withdrawal) is recorded for credits dropped during the Drop Period.

  • Any course may be attempted twice.
  • Students may repeat up to 18 credit hours.
  • A “W” counts as an attempt.
  • Both attempts and grades earned will appear on transcript.
  • Both attempts are calculated into the cumulative GPA…
    except for courses originally taken during the first 24 credits (or for transfer students, courses taken during the first semester as a UM student), in which case there is a grace period. If the course is repeated, only the higher grade will count in the UM GPA.

For more information, please visit:  Repeating Policy for Undergraduate Students

  • Full time students are expected to complete the Undergraduate programs at the University of Maryland in four years.  In order to graduate in four years, students must plan carefully in consultation with an academic advisor, declare a major early, and complete 30 credits each year, which is usually accomplished by completing a normal course load of 14-16 credits each semester and by completing general education and major requirements in a timely manner.
  • Students who change majors, declare a major late in the sophomore year, enroll in a limited number of select programs, or take advantage of certain special opportunities that enrich the undergraduate experience may require up to five years to complete a degree.  All students should develop and regularly review a multi-year course plan to complete their intended programs.  If a student has special circumstances that make it impossible to complete a normal course load, the student would meet with an advisor to discuss the circumstances, the student's plans for continued progress towards a degree, and the implications for full-time enrollment.
  • Students must achieve a grade of C- or better in all major required courses 
  • Students must achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 and complete all degree requirements to graduate (including academic minors, certificates, double majors)
  • Students must complete a minimum of 120 credits (124 credits minimum for Aerospace) to graduate
  • No more than ½ of UM degree credits can be from a 2-year college, and no more than 90 credits from a 4-year institution
  • All degree applicable courses must be regular grading method (A, B, C…)
  • Graduation will be denied if any Incompletes (I) or No Grades (NG) have not been resolved
  • Directly admitted freshmen will be subject to an academic review at the end of the semester in which they attain 45 University of Maryland credits. In order to successfully complete the review, students must have an overall GPA of 2.0 and have completed the gateway requirements: ENES 100, MATH 141, PHYS 161, and completion of CHEM135 (Chemistry for Engineers) OR CHEM271 OR the combination of CHEM131 (Gen Chem I) and CHEM134 (Chemical Prin. for Engr) each with a minimum grade of C- or better. Students would also need ENGL 101 and at least one Distributive Studies Gen-Ed course from the Humanities or Social Sciences.
  • Only one single repeat of any one of the courses listed above is allowed. A course in which a grade of "W" is earned is counted as an attempt.

If you would like to take a course at another institution and the course and its credits transfer back into the University of Maryland, you are required to submit a “Permission to Enroll” (PTE) form to the A. James Clark School of Engineering before you registered for the course at the other institution.

  • The A. James Clark School of Engineering requires a 2.0 minimum cumulative GPA in order to approve PTE request, which means that if you are a new freshman or transfer student, you will need to wait until final grades of your first semester at the University of Maryland are posted and GPA is calculated.
  • Student needs to meet UMD pre-requisites as well as other institution pre-requisites.
  • A. James Clark School students are not allowed to repeat courses at another institution if they have earned a grade, course(s) needs to be retaken at UMD. Students are able to take courses at another institution if they have dropped a course and received a "W" notation.
  • Athlete students are required to take their first 24 credits at UMD.
  • Students may transfer no more than 60 credits of their degree from a two-year college and 90 credits from a four-year institution
  • Final 30 credits must be taken at UMD (in extenuating circumstances Exception to Policy form can be submitted) 
  • Have institution send an official transcript to University Maryland after you complete the course at that institution.

* Please do not submit this form until March for Summer or Fall and End of October for Winter and Spring request.

Additional information pertaining  to Permission to Enroll in Another Institution Form can be found at Forms and Request.


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