Academic Standing

Villanova uses three related policies to define Academic Standing:  Grade Point Average; Academic Progress and Academic Probation.  The correct interpretation of all three policies is that all students who are making sufficient progress toward their degree and who are eligible or have been allowed to register and take academic course work at Villanova for the current term are considered in good academic standing.  Students placed on "Academic Probation" are considered to be in good academic standing since they are making satisfactory progress toward a degree and are still authorized to continue studying toward their degrees.  Academic Probation only serves as an academic warning that a student is in danger of not meeting minimum academic retention standards and being terminated from the University.

Quality Point Averages. In addition to passing all courses taken the student is also required to maintain a specified grade average leading to graduation with a college degree.  The average is derived from the grades and credit hours of the courses taken and is known as the quality‑point average.  It is determined by multiplying the number of credits for each course attempted by the allotted quality points for the grades received and dividing the total quality points by the total credit hours attempted.  Quality points for grades are as follows: A=4.00; A-=3.67; B+=3.33; B=3.00; B-=2.67; C+=2.33; C=2.00; C-=1.67; D+=1.33; D=1.00; D-=.67.

Academic Progress. To qualify for a Bachelor's degree, a student, in addition to completing all the studies prescribed for the degree sought, must earn a cumulative quality‑point average of at least 2.00.  Most Full-Time students earn their Baccalaureate degree in four years.  Full-Time students who do not complete the Baccalaureate degree within six years and part-time students who do not complete the Baccalaureate degree within twelve years may need to take additional courses in order to meet degree requirements. Any student who has not completed the degree within twelve years must complete a degree through the College of Professional Studies. If the degree or major pursued by the full-time student is not offered by the College of Professional Studies, then the former full-time student must choose a degree and/or major offered to the College of Professional Studies students. In circumstances involving those students who have entered Villanova University through the Academic Advancement Program, satisfactory progress of the student will be determined by the Academic Standing Committee and/or Dean of the college in which the student is matriculated.

Academic Probation.  The records of students whose cumulative or semester quality-point average falls below 2.00 will be reviewed by the Academic Standing Committee of their college for appropriate action.  Students in business, science or engineering whose technical course quality-point average falls below 2.00 will also come before the committee.  Typically the student will either be placed on academic probation or dismissed.  While on academic probation, students are limited to a schedule of courses determined by the Academic Standing Committee of their College.  A student on academic probation will normally be allowed only one semester to achieve the required quality-point average.

Honors. At graduation students receive honors of three kinds -- summa cum laude, magna cum laude, and cum laude -- after being approved for such honors by the faculty and administration of the University.  To be eligible for these honors, students must attain a minimum cumulative quality‑point average of 3.90, 3.75, 3.50, respectively, and at least sixty credits of course work (not including Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory courses) must have been taken at Villanova University. 

Repeat Freshman Year. The Academic Standing Committee may allow a freshman student to declare academic bankruptcy and repeat the semester or the year with a new start on the cumulative average (though a record of the year's work will remain on the transcript).  Once a course is bankrupted the action is permanent and cannot be reversed. 

Approved by Provost Nov. 8, 2016; Technical Correction Feb. 6, 2019; June 27, 2019