Scholastic Standards

Student Handbook

The One Stop Student Resource website serves as UW-Stout’s Student Handbook. The site is a portal for information on registration, finances, academic planning and other resources. It includes a listing of important dates and quick links for important student logins, calendars and technical assistance.

Privacy of Student Records

Student records are governed by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974, as amended. Our class sessions will all be audio-visually recorded for students in the class to refer back and for enrolled students who are unable to attend live.  Students who participate with their camera engaged or utilize a profile image are agreeing to have their video or image recorded. Likewise, students who un-mute during class and participate orally are agreeing to have their voices recorded. More information can be found on the registration and records policy website.

Semester Credit

UW-Stout defines a credit hour as an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that reasonably approximates: [1] At least 750 minutes of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of 1,500 minutes of out-of-class student work for one semester credit hour, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time (e.g. compressed courses); or [2] At least an equivalent amount of work as required in part one [1] of this definition for other academic activities as established by UW-Stout, including distance education, online, hybrid, or other indirect faculty instruction, laboratory work, internships, co-op experiences, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.  This definition of the semester credit hour applies to all academic credit bearing activities at all levels (graduate and undergraduate). In order to receive a degree, you must not only gain the required number of credits in the program you are pursuing, but also must attain a certain standard of scholarship. (See also “Suspension and Probation.”)

Credit by Examination

You may be able to receive credit by demonstrating your competence through examination. External examinations include the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and the Proficiency Examination Program (PEP). For further information on external examinations, contact the Counseling Center.

You may also receive credit through the “test out” procedures developed by various university academic departments. For more information, contact the appropriate school or department office.

If you attempt to test out of a course, you will be charged a testing fee regardless if credit is earned or not.

Credit Registration and Overload Policy

Courses are designed and graduation requirements are established so that a normal semester credit load for undergraduates is 16 to 18 credits. Early registration will be limited to 18 credits. Additional credits may be added at the beginning of the term. You should register for only those classes which you fully intend to complete. If you register for more than 20 credits, you must have an “Overload Permit” signed by your program director on file with the registrar at the time you go over 20 credits.

You may not register for classes that conflict with other classes on your schedule. Eighteen credits is considered a maximum load for undergraduate students with less than 2.25 cumulative grade point average. Enrollment for any additional credits requires consultation with your program director or the coordinator of undeclared/undecided academic advisement if you are not enrolled in a degree program.

The Registration and Records Office is responsible for the application and interpretations of this policy. You will be notified of non-compliance and any subsequent withdrawals made to bring you into compliance should you not answer the notification.

Retroactive Credit for Foreign Language

Students who earn a grade of “B” (3.0) or better in foreign language courses would also receive credit for the lower level foreign language course or courses associated with that course.

Math and English Placement

Remedial Placement Students who are not transferring credits in math or English must take the regional math and English placement tests. These are given around the state during the spring semester. Make-up tests are given in the summer at announced times. Students who place into remedial math or English must successfully complete the course by the end of 30 credits or they will not be permitted to register.

English Placement Students who perform well on the placement tests may be placed in an advanced English class (ENGL-111 Honors Composition 1 ).

Advanced Placement UW-Stout grants credit for scores of three or greater on the College Board Advanced Placement test. In addition, students can receive credit for a specific course. For more information about advanced placement examinations, call the Office of Admissions at 715-232-1411.

Add/Drop Policy

Careful planning on the part of students and advisors should lead to programs for students that are appropriate to the student’s degree goal; therefore, the majority of students should not have a need for adding or dropping once classes start. When there are special reasons that do not permit a student to carry through his or her course plan, the following policy serves as UW-Stout’s procedures for adding or dropping classes. The Registrar is charged with the implementation of the following policy.

Faculty Initiated Drop

Students who do not attend the first class meeting of a course, and who do not notify the instructor or department chairperson that they will be absent for special reasons, may, at the instructor’s option, be dropped from the course if and only if other students are waiting to enroll at that time.

Student Initiated Add/Drop

Regular session courses can be added via Access Stout during the first seven calendar days of the semester.

Regular session courses can be dropped via Access Stout during the first fourteen calendar days of the semester.

Drop Grades

Students are expected to complete courses for which they register. Students who wish to adjust their class schedules may add or drop classes before the end of the second week of semester classes and before the end of the first week of quarter classes. Drops made during the first two weeks of a semester course or the first week of a quarter course will not appear on a student’s transcript. If students deem it necessary to reduce their program after the normal add/drop period, they should do so as early as possible.

“Withdrawal” or “W” is a drop grade given to students who drop a full semester course after the end of the second week (as designated by the Drop Retain Record Date in Access Stout).

Drops of full semester courses after the second week and before the end of the 10th week of the semester require instructor approval.

Drops of full semester courses after the 10th week of the semester (designated by the Drop with Penalty date in Access Stout) are allowed only when there are extenuating circumstances. Extenuating circumstances are defined as follows: A new and unexpected extraordinary circumstance that interrupted the student’s ability to adhere to UW-Stout’s policies, attend classes, or complete the semester. Things that can fall under “new or unexpected extraordinary circumstances” include, but are not limited to, death of an immediate family member (parent, child, spouse, or sibling), significant physical or mental health issue (for self, or immediate family member) and natural disasters. If the Dean of Students corroborates the circumstances and approves the drop, the grad of “W” will be given. The Dean of Students shall inform the course instructor and the associated dean (or associate dean) in the college of the student that the student has dropped the course.

The last day to drop a full semester course is the day classes end (designated by the Drop with Greater Penalty Date in Access Stout) for the semester. After this date classes can no longer be dropped. Courses may not be dropped during Evaluation Week. 

These drop grades are issued after the drop is processed. The drop grade is posted on the student transcript, however, it does not affect their GPA.

For help with finding these dates in Access Stout, use the step by step guide to view your course deadlines. The dates to be aware of are: Drop Retain Record date, Drop with Penalty date, and Drop with Greater Penalty date.

Repeating Courses

Undergraduate Students

Typically, with the exception of internships and co-ops, courses in which you earn a C- or higher are not repeatable for credit, unless required by major.  If you earned a C, C+, or B and wish to repeat a course, please obtain a course repeat card, have it signed by your program director, and return it to the Registration and Records office before the fifth day of class.  If you earned a B+ or higher in a course you cannot, under any circumstances, repeat the course.

When a course is repeated, the highest grade is used when computing the grade point average.  All grades remain on the transcript.

Grade Point and Symbols

Accommodating Religious Beliefs

UW-Stout honors individuals’ religious beliefs. If scheduling of tests or other mandatory activities interferes with students’ religious observances, students may request alternative arrangements.

Within the first three weeks of class, students must notify their instructors if there will be days or dates when their religious activities will prevent them from participating in academic events. For summer sessions or short courses, students must notify their instructors within the first week of class.

The university accepts, at face value, the sincerity of students’ religious beliefs. Information students provide about their religion will be kept confidential.

Once instructors know of students’ needs, they will be able to schedule make-up examinations or other course requirements, before or after the regularly scheduled examination or other requirement.

If students believe their religious beliefs have not been accommodated, they may file a grievance. For more information about the policy or the grievance procedure, contact the Dean of Students Office at extension 1181.

Procedure for Withdrawal from UW-Stout

A withdrawal is completely dropping all of your registered classes for a given term.  Withdrawal should be undertaken only after serious consideration. If you intend to withdraw from the university, you can process the request by logging into your Student Center in Access Stout and selecting Term Withdrawal from the drop-down menu . If you fail to withdraw officially from the university, you will receive a grade of “F” in all your courses. (See the grading policy on the Registration and Records website.)

Suspension and Probation

Grade point requirements for graduation vary by major. Minimum acceptable standards for retention are defined as follows:

Good Academic Standing

A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.000 or greater. Selected majors require a cumulative GPA greater than 2.0 for graduation.

Probation
Academic Probation

A temporary status due to low academic grades. Improvement in academic grades is needed for continued enrollment in the university. A student is placed on probation due to one of the following conditions:

Cumulative GPA is lower than 2.000

Conditionally admitted as a transfer or new freshman

Readmitted after leaving UW-Stout while on probation or when dismissed for academic reasons.

Dismissal
Academic Dismissal

Termination of enrollment in the University of Wisconsin-Stout due to one of the following conditions:

Cumulative GPA is less than 2.000 at the end of two successive semesters.

If a student earns a 2.500 or higher GPA with 12 or more earned credits in the 2nd semester of Academic Probation, but the cumulative GPA is below 2.000 for 2 successive semesters, the student will be granted an additional or third semester on Academic Probation.

GPA for one semester is less than 1.000. Academic Probation status is not a prerequisite for dismissal due to this low GPA.

Readmission Application Timeline Following Dismissal

One semester must lapse if academically dismissed.

Two years must lapse if academically dismissed, readmitted and failed a second time to earn the required grade point average.

Appeal Process to Dismissal

If circumstances were so unusual and out-of-the ordinary that academic performance was significantly and temporarily impacted, the dismissal decision maybe appealed. The appeal process is on-line and handled by the Dean of Students Office.

Requirements for Graduation

The semester credit hours required for graduation are stated under the program of study for each major. You are responsible for knowing and meeting the requirements for graduation. To fill the minimum residence requirement, you must earn 32 semester hours of credit in residence at UW-Stout. One semester before graduation, you must apply to graduate via Access Stout.

Graduating with Honors

Undergraduate honors are based upon scholarship. The following designations are used:

Cum Laude » 3.5 - 3.699 grade point average
Magna Cum Laude » 3.7 - 3.899 grade point average
Summa Cum Laude » 3.9 - 4.00 grade point average

A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5 must have been earned in all credits from all institutions attended. For commencement purposes, the cumulative grade point average earned at the end of the semester preceding the commencement ceremony will determine recognition at the commencement ceremony. However, honors will be officially determined when all coursework has been completed. Honors will be listed in the student’s transcript and will appear on the diploma.

Chancellor’s Award

The Chancellor’s Award recognizes undergraduate students who receive a semester grade point average of 3.5 or greater on 12 or more academic, non-remedial credits. A special Four Star Recognition Award will be given to undergraduate students who attain a 4.0 average.

Academic Forgiveness

Academic forgiveness means that grades earned during a prior enrollment period at the University of Wisconsin-Stout will not be used in the computation of a student’s undergraduate cumulative grade point average.  However, such grades will continue to appear on the student’s official transcript.  A returning student is eligible for academic forgiveness when all the following criteria are met:

1. At least five continuous years have elapsed since the last term of enrollment at UW-Stout or any other institution of higher learning.  (Exception: Courses that must be completed as a precondition for re-entry.)
2. The student has not earned a baccalaureate degree.
3. The cumulative grade point average earned at UW-Stout was below a 2.0 at the time of re-entry.

The program director should help a student who meets the criteria determine whether repeating course work or seeking academic forgiveness is the better alternative.  The student’s request for academic forgiveness must be approved by the student’s program director, the dean of the college, and the associate vice chancellor.  The approved request will be forwarded to the registrar who will record academic forgiveness on the transcript.  All courses with a credit worthy grade (i.e., those with grades of “O, ” “S,” “CR,” and “D-” or better), completed five or more years before re-entry, may be used to satisfy degree requirements when academic forgiveness is granted.  These grades are not included in the student’s cumulative grade point average.  However, program requirements must be followed when a minimum course grade is specified.  The student’s new cumulative grade point average will be based only on the grade points earned after re-entry to UW-Stout.  A student may be granted academic forgiveness only once.

Students who are granted academic forgiveness are eligible to graduate with academic honors (i.e., cum laude, magna cum laude, and summa cum laude); however, the forgiven coursework will be used in the grade point average (GPA) calculation for academic honors.