Academic Standing

What grading scale is used by Stevens?

Academic grades are listed below and quality points per credit are indicated in parentheses:

• A (4.00) Excellent
• A- (3.67) 
• B+ (3.33) 
• B (3.00) Good
• B- (2.67) 
• C+ (2.33) 
• C (2.00) Fair
• C- (1.67) 
• D+ (1.33) 
• D (1.00) Poor
• F (0.00) Failure
• P (0.00) Indicates a successfully completed Pass/Fail course.
• W   If you withdraw from a course up until one week before the last class meeting of the semester, "W" is posted.
• Exc.   If you are excused by a physician from attending physical education classes, you receive an "Exc."

Faculty regulations concerning the notations "Abs." for absent and "Inc." for incomplete are contained within this FAQ under ABS Grade and INC Grade.

How are my grades used to calculate my GPA?

Stevens uses the Quality Points System to determine grade point averages (GPA). This means an "A" in a three semester-hour course is worth three times more than an "A" in a one semester-hour course. To determine the number of quality points for any course, the semester hours are multiplied by the value of the letter grade received for the course. To determine the weighted average, the sum of quality points is divided by the sum of quality hours.

ABS Grade

What is an ABS grade?

The grade of ABS may be given only when a student has missed the final examination; it is not appropriate in any other case.  In order to receive a grade of ABS in a course, you must file a Petition for ABS Form with the Registrar’s Office.  This form requires the approval of the instructor, the Department Head, and either Dean Russ, Dean Cesmebasi, or Dean Dice, and the form should indicate a date for completion of the course, which must be within the first two weeks of the next full semester.

Absence From Class or Examination

What do I do if I miss a class or examination?

Isolated absences from class are negotiated between the student and the instructor.  In cases in which a student must miss classes for an extended period due to a serious illness or other significant emergency, the student should contact the Office of Undergraduate Academics as soon as possible.  One of the Deans will notify the student's instructors of the expected period of absence.  Arrangements to make up missed work or examinations will be made between instructor and student.

Academic Probation

What are the criteria for being placed on Academic Probation?

Students are placed on Academic Probation for a particular semester if their semester GPA for the previous semester or their cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) is less than 2.0.  Also, students earning 11 or fewer credits in a regular, full-time semester are placed on Academic Probation, regardless of GPA.         

What are the consequences of being on Academic Probation?

Students on Academic Probation will be on a reduced course load for the semester, and are required to participate in the Academic Support Program with the Office of Undergraduate Academics.  They will be assigned an Advisor in that office and will meet with them several times during the semester to discuss and monitor the student’s academic progress.  The student will attend one to four academic improvement workshops during the semester on topics including study skills and time management.   

Students on Academic Probation are prohibited from participating in varsity intercollegiate athletics and leadership roles in campus organizations. 

What if I don’t achieve a 2.0 GPA during my semester on Academic Probation? 

Students on Academic Probation who achieve less than a 2.0 GPA and earn fewer than 12 credits during their Academic Probation semester may be required by the Faculty Committee on Undergraduate Promotions to withdraw from Stevens for a semester.

How do I get removed from Academic Probation?

Students earning a semester GPA greater than 2.0 and earning at least 12 credits while on Academic Probation will be removed from Academic Probation for the following semester.

Adding a Course

See Change of Enrollment.

Advanced Placement

What Advanced Placement (AP) topics and scores are accepted by Stevens?

Stevens participates in the Advanced Placement (AP) program of the College Entrance Examination Board. You may receive college credit toward your degree for the following examinations and corresponding grades.

a - You may receive credit for a spring semester freshman- or sophomore-level humanities course in Group A: Literature/Philosophy as a result of a successful AP exam in English.

b - You may receive credit for a spring semester freshman- or sophomore-level humanities course in Group B: History/Social Science as a result of a successful AP exam in government and politics, or history.

* - The completion of the 1-credit EM 364 Statistics for Engineering Lab is required in order to receive credit for EM 365.

Advisors

Every undergraduate student at Stevens has a Faculty Advisor/Mentor throughout his/her career at Stevens.  The Faculty Advisor is available to counsel you with problems or questions, and to review and sign various administrative and academic forms.

When (and how) do I switch from my Freshman Faculty Mentor to my Concentration Advisor?

Each entering student is assigned a Freshman Faculty Mentor upon his or her arrival at Stevens.  Your Freshman Faculty Mentor will be your faculty advisor until you formally enter your concentration (major) field of study.  This occurs with the completion of a Study Plan with a Concentration Advisor.

During the semester when you are required to submit a completed Study Plan (Term 3 for Engineering students, Term 5 for 5-Year Engineering Students, and Term 2 for all other students; see the submission schedule under Study Plans), you select a concentration advisor from the list of Concentration Advisors and meet with the advisor to complete your Study Plan. This faculty member will be your Concentration Advisor for the remainder of your undergraduate career at Stevens. If you are enrolled in more than one degree program, you must submit a Study Plan for each degree (see Double Degree).

How are advisors handled for transfer students?

Students who are transferring into Stevens into the Engineering curriculum and are undecided about their Engineering concentration are also assigned a Freshman Faculty Mentor upon their arrival at Stevens. These students must complete a Study Plan with their concentration advisor during the semester prior to taking their first concentration elective. All other transfer students are assigned their concentration advisors upon arrival at Stevens, and must complete a Study Plan during their first semester.

How can I change my advisor?

If you wish to change either your Freshman Faculty Mentor or Concentration Advisor, contact any of the Deans of Undergraduate Academics.

Auditing Courses

What does it mean to audit a course? 

To audit a course is to attend class sessions without receiving credit for the course. 

How can I register to audit a course?

You may register to audit a course with the approval of the instructor and one of the Deans of Undergraduate Academics.  This course will count as an enrolled course for purposes of computing overload charges, should any be required.  In order to change from credit to audit status or audit to credit status for a particular course, you must file an add/drop form with the Student Service Center before the add/drop deadline established by the Registrar's Office.

Change of Enrollment

Any change in technical elective courses must first appear on the student's study plan.

When can I add a course?

Courses can be added during the ADD/DROP period in the first two weeks of each semester (one week in summer semesters) by submitting a Change of Enrollment Form to the Registrar’s Office. Adding a course after that time requires the permission of your advisor, the instructor, and either Dean Russ, Dean Cesmebasi, or Dean Dice.

When can I drop a course?

Courses can be dropped during the Add/Drop Period in the first two weeks of each semester (one week in summer sessions) by submitting a Change of Enrollment Form to the Registrar’s Office. When a course is dropped, it disappears from the records; it’s as if you never enrolled in it.

When can I withdraw from a course?

You may withdraw from a course up to one week before the end of the semester.

What is a difference between a drop and a withdrawal?  Does a withdrawal affect my GPA?

When a course is dropped, it disappears from the records.  When a student withdraws from a course, a grade of W is recorded for that course.  The grade of W does not affect the student’s graduating GPA.

If I withdraw from a course, might my full-time status (and therefore my financial aid) be jeopardized?

Withdrawing from a course does not jeopardize your academic status as a full-time student (at least 12 credits).  Technically, you are still enrolled for the same number of credits. However, for international students, withdrawing from a course could have implications for your immigration status; please consult the ISSS Office before taking any withdrawal action. (See also Full-Time & Part-Time Status)

Change of Grade

Under what circumstances may a final grade in a course be changed?

A final grade in a course may be changed only if either a) an error in grading or grade computation was made or b) an INC/ABS petition was filed before the end of the semester in which the course was taken (see INC grade or ABS grade).

What is the time limitation for a change of grade?

If one of the circumstances above applies, a grade may be changed within one regular (Spring or Fall) semester after the term in which the course was taken.

Changing Majors

How do I change my major?

During their academic careers here at Stevens, some students find that their interests and goals have changed.  It is possible to change one's major at any time.  Students wishing to do so should meet with one of the Deans in the Office of Undergraduate Academics to discuss the procedure most appropriate for their situation.  The steps necessary to make a change will vary depending on the original major, the new choice of major, and the number of terms/courses the student has completed.  If a Study Plan has already been filed for the original major (or should have been filed), a new Study Plan reflecting the new major will need to be submitted.

Cooperative Education

What is Cooperative Education?

For a complete description of the Co-op program, please visit the Stevens Cooperative Education web site.

When can students apply to join the Co-op program?

Students generally apply at the Co-op Office in their second semester to join the Cooperative Education program. After the freshman year, students in the Cooperative Education program begin a three-year process of alternating semesters (including summers) of full-time work and full-time study. In the fifth year, the students take their regular fourth year of course work. Students may join the program as late as the second semester of the sophomore year.

Can transfer and New York University dual degree students participate in Co-op?

Transfer and NYU dual degree students are eligible to participate in the Co-op program.  Their stay at Stevens is typically extended by one year.

Can reduced load Five-Year Plan students join Co-op?

Reduced load Five-Year Plan students can participate in the Co-op program, but their first work assignment is delayed until they have completed at least three semesters of study.  Reduced load co-op students typically take six years to complete their degree.

How many students are in the Co-op program?

Currently about 35% of the undergraduate students are participating in the Co-op program.

Counseling

Where can I go for counseling?

Dr. Terence Hannigan and other staff psychologists are available for student counseling as well as time-management and study-habit counseling. 

For more information, please contact Student Counseling Services at (201) 216-5511 or email Dr. Hannigan.

Course by Application

What is Course by Application?

If a particular course is not offered through the regular schedule, the course may be taken by application with the approval of the instructor, the Department Director, and either Dean Russ, Dean Cesmebasi, or Dean Dice on a Request for a Course by Application form. Regular enrollment is required, and arrangements are made for the student to study the material and be tested during the semester.   A letter grade is issued at the end of the semester.

Course by Examination

Can I get credit for a course by taking an examination?

This option is open to students with a GPA of 3.0 or better either in the previous semester or overall, and is limited to one per semester.  Permission to take a course by examination must be obtained on an Request for a Course by Examination form from the student’s advisor and from the department offering the course.

If the examination is successfully completed, the instructor who administered the examination issues a letter grade in the course. The examination must be taken prior to the start of a semester, and if the examination is not passed, the unsuccessful attempt is recorded as part of the student’s permanent record, and the student must enroll in that course in the following semester.

A course that has already been attempted by a student cannot subsequently be taken as a Course by Examination.

Course Selection

What courses should I take next semester?  

The best way to determine what courses you should take next semester is to consult the Stevens catalog.  Be sure to view the curriculum for your major for the specific year in which you entered Stevens.  A link to the Stevens catalog is provided in the left navigation section of this page.  You should also feel free to discuss your course selection with any of the Deans of Undergraduate Academics.

For help with selecting technical electives within your major, you should consult your academic advisor.  Your academic advisor is the faculty member from your academic department who signed your Study Plan.  For a list of advisors for each major, click here.  If you have not yet filed your Study Plan (done in term three for engineering students and term two for students in all other majors), please visit the Office of Undergraduate Academics for guidance.

Dean's List

What do I need to do to be eligible for the Dean's List?

The Dean's List is prepared at the end of each academic term by the Registrar's Office.  To be eligible for a given semester, you must be in good standing, earn at least 12 credits, and have a 3.0 term GPA with no failures and no more than one course withdrawal.

Degree with Honor & High Honor

The undergraduate Degree with Honor is conferred if you achieve a grade point average of 3.2 for courses required for the degree; the Degree with High Honor is conferred if you achieve a grade point average of 3.6 or higher for courses required for the degree.

Degree with Thesis

What are the requirements for earning a Degree with Thesis?

A student wishing to graduate with a Degree With Thesis must submit a Recommendation for Degree with Thesis to the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Academics (available from that office) no later than December 15 of the senior year.  In April of the senior year, the student must submit an Application for Degree With Thesis after the approved thesis has been delivered to the Library.

Some points of interest about the Thesis:

• the diploma reads "with thesis"
• the thesis is not for credit and is over and above the other degree requirements
• the thesis does not affect the GPA
• the thesis is not treated as an overload for tuition calculation
• the student may begin work on the thesis before the senior year

Double Degree

What are the requirements to earn two undergraduate degrees, or an undergraduate and a graduate degree at the same time?

There are three cases for two undergraduate degrees:

1. Two B.A.'s or B.A. plus either B.S. or B.E. -- The requirements for this program are detailed on the Bachelor of Arts Humanities Curriculum Double Degree Study Plan available on the Registrar's web site.   Two Study Plans are required.
2. Two B.S.'s or B.S. plus B.E. -- The requirements for this are as follows:
   • satisfy all the requirements for both degrees, and
   • have completed at least 24 credits beyond the higher of the two program requirements.
   • Two Study Plans are required.
3. Two B.E. degrees -- The requirements for this are as follows:
• satisfy all the requirements for both degrees (including two discipline-specific design series), and
• have completed at least 24 credits beyond the higher of the two program requirements.
• Two Study Plans are required.

Undergraduates with junior standing and a 3.0 or better GPA wishing to pursue a Master's Degree while still an undergraduate student must meet with a faculty advisor in the department of interest in order to have their qualifications evaluated and to file a Master's program Study Plan.  (Click here for a list of advisors who work with undergraduate students pursuing graduate degrees). 

The Master’s degree courses can then be taken as overloads in such a way as to satisfy all prerequisite requirements.  It is generally required that undergraduate students have junior class standing and a minimum 3.0 GPA in order to enroll in graduate courses. 

If you do not finish all the requirements for the Master’s degree at the time of undergraduate graduation, the Master’s courses are listed on the transcript as being for deferred graduate credit, and the Master’s degree can be completed at a later time.

Dropping a Course

See Change of Enrollment.