POLICIES & PROCEDURES

See the Provost's Website for the Policy on Academic Standing, Academic Progress and Academic Probation.

The Class List contains a list of students registered for a course, with photos (where provided), registration status, and links to midterm and final grade information. The student's profile may be accessed from the Class List for more information regarding student program, advisors, schedule and curriculum. Faculty members may access their Class List from myNOVA following the Class List Instructions.

Villanova University's student records policy was established in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 as amended. The complete policy can be viewed in the current Villanova University Catalog.

With the exception of "directory information" (as described below), and other provisions of the policy and law that permit disclosure without consent, all student records housed by the Office of the Registrar are considered confidential and are protected from release to anyone but the student. Certain provisions of the policy and law also permit access to a student's records by his or her parents, and all students are given the opportunity to allow access by their parents by signing and submitting a Student Record Parental Disclosure Form.

The following information is designated as "directory information" and may be released or published without the student's consent: (All other records - such as grades, test scores, counseling and advising records, disciplinary records, financial aid records, health and psychiatric records, or work-study records - are strictly confidential, unless disclosure is permitted under a provision of the policy or by law).

• Full Name
• Student Identification Number
• Email Address
• Photograph or Video
• Telephone number*     
• Enrollment status (e.g., undergraduate or graduate, full-time or part-time)
• Home and local addresses*     
• Major field of study
• Grade Level
• Date and place of birth     
• Dates of attendance
• Participation in officially recognized University activities and Athletics     
• Degrees, honors and awards received (including Dean's List)
• Weight and height of members of athletic teams     
• Most recent previously-attended educational institution

* Will not be publicly displayed - only confirmed to those who already have this information, subject to exceptions under the policy.

Students who do not wish directory information to be made public must complete and submit a Student Record Confidentiality Request Form, along with photocopied proof of identification. A student's directory information can only be prevented from appearing in publications compiled after the date on which the Office of the Registrar receives the student's request form; to ensure that your directory information is excluded from the student directory and other annual publications, submit your request form within 10 days of when Fall registration opens.

To revoke a confidentiality request, contact the Office of the Registrar in person or mail/fax a written request with photocopied proof of identification.

Every year, students with established outstanding academic records are honored by the dean of each college. To qualify for the Dean’s List, one must be a matriculated full-time student and earn a semester average of:

• 3.5 in the College of Engineering
• 3.5 (for both semesters) in the College of Nursing
• 3.5 in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
• 3.5 in the Villanova School of Business, no missing or non-passing grades

Course Drop / Add
A student may drop and/or add courses during the first five class days of a semester without incurring academic penalty or affecting the student's official transcript.

Course Withdrawal
A student may withdraw from a course any time until the official deadline date. There is no academic penalty for a withdrawal, but the student will receive a grade of WX for that course on his or her official transcript. A student seeking course withdrawal after this time must petition the dean of his or her college. Unauthorized withdrawals lead to a grade of Y, which is counted as an F in the Grade Point Average.

University Withdrawal
Official withdrawal from the University must be authorized by the dean of the student's college.

All grades are permanent except for N and NG, which are temporary grades and must be replaced with grades submitted by the instructor. If a change is not submitted, the N or NG automatically becomes an NF.

Students must submit all work to instructors by the last Friday in January (Fall semester) or June (Spring semester). Instructors must submit replacement grades by the second Friday in February (Fall semester) or July (Spring semester).

For Faculty & Staff Only

The on-line grade change process replaces the paper process in which the “Grade Change Request Form” was used by the faculty to begin seeking the proper approvals required for a student grade change. The grade change process is accomplished through simple web processes found in myNOVA and e-mail notifications.

A student's GPA (Grade Point Average) is derived by multiplying the credit hours of each attempted course by the quality-point value of the grade earned for that course, adding those amounts, then dividing by the total number of credit hours attempted.

An attempted course is defined as any course in which a grade is earned on the transcript, including repeated courses and courses dropped with a grade of “W” (approved withdrawal with penalty).

Each faculty member will explicitly declare grading criteria at the beginning of each semester for each course he or she teaches. During the semester, the faculty member will provide as much information as possible to each student with regard to his or her progress. Faculty members will also provide evaluation of final grades assigned.

Grades are available to students at the end of each semester, at which point they become part of the students' permanent records. (Undergraduate courses may also post mid-semester grades.) Please refer to the Grades and Assessments Section from the Office of Academic Affairs for policies related to the reporting deadlines of any inaccuracy on the students' records.

While composing grade criteria, faculty members will seriously consider, and incorporate as appropriate, the official University grade definition guidelines.

Current and previously-enrolled students have the right to inspect and review their educational records. (This right does not extend to applicants, those denied admission, or those admitted who choose not to enroll.) The University will comply with educational record review requests within a reasonable period of time – in no case more than 45 days. The University may require that the request be submitted in writing. Additionally, though not required, the Office of the Registrar may inquire as to the reason for the request.

Grades of Satisfactory (equivalent to a "C" or better) and Unsatisfactory (equivalent to a "C-" or worse) are shown on the transcript but not included in the quality point average. Credits for courses with Satisfactory grades are included in credits earned. Students must opt for Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory by the end of the Drop/Add period.

Unsatisfactory grades need not be repeated. Each college may have additional regulations governing the satisfactory/unsatisfactory option, available from the college dean.

Location Policy - summary of Villanova’s process for determining student location while enrolled in University courses.