DOHA: Qatar University (QU) has reviewed its policies related to academic dismissal, probation, reinstatement and course repeat for undergraduate students.
As per the new policy, if students fail three times in a course, they will not be dismissed from the university. If they repeat their courses, the highest grade they receive will be calculated.
In its recent meeting, QU Executive Management Committee chaired by Dr Hassan Al Derham, President, QU, approved new regulations of the Academic Probation policy.
The panel set up standards for satisfactory academic progress and achievements, and defined procedures to identify and notify undergraduate students not making satisfactory progress, to encourage them to improve academic performance.
New regulations cancelled the four intermittent academic warnings given to students in previous years. Once students improve their cumulative GPA, this will cancel their previous warnings.
Dr Mazen Hasna, Vice-President and Chief Academic Officer, QU, said student academic standing is evaluated by the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs at the end of each semester excluding the summer term, unless summer performance removes academic probation for the student, and results will be taken into account in the following fall semester evaluation.
“Student academic standing is to be updated by the office after final grades are posted,” he said.
Undergraduate students are placed under academic probation based on their cumulative GPA, and if they exceed 24 earned credit hours and their cumulative GPA is below 2.0.
He said undergraduate students receive an academic warning notification if the student’s cumulative GPA at the end of a semester, except the summer term, falls below 2.0, and if the student fails in any particular course two times.
First year students shall receive a warning and a hold is placed on their record if their GPA is below 2.0, and once undergraduate students receive two academic warnings for two consecutive semesters, excluding the summer term, they are placed under final academic probation.
Once placed under final academic probation at the end of a semester, undergraduate students who fail to satisfy the cumulative GPA requirement for “Good Standing” (a minimum of 2.0) at the end of the following semester, are academically dismissed from QU in compliance with the policy for academic dismissal of undergraduate students. This excludes the summer term and withdrawal from the academic semester.
Dr Hasna said academic probation decisions and/or academic warning notifications are to be officially communicated by the office to concerned students, their adviser, and the head of their department at the end of each semester, excluding the summer term unless summer performance removes academic probation for the student. “Academic warnings do not impact student standing, do not appear on student transcript, and are not noted on student academic records. Academic probations are noted on student transcript and academic records,” he said.
“The summer term is not considered for academic probation decisions unless summer performance removes the academic probation for the student. Students placed under academic probation or final academic probation may apply for transfer to another programme subject to QU rules and regulations as defined in the transfer policy.”
Undergraduate students placed under academic probation or final academic probation are allowed to register in a maximum of 12 credit hours per regular semester and a maximum of six in the summer term. Students may be allowed to register in more than the maximum number of credit hours subject to prior approval from the Student Affairs Committee. Undergraduate students will be placed under academic warning once they exceed six years, excluding foundation programme.
“An advisory hold preventing students from registering in classes is to be activated by the office for all students placed under academic probation or final academic probation, or receiving an academic warning for failing a course twice to ensure that these students do not register in classes offered in the following semester until they meet their academic adviser and academic department to get approval for removing the hold,” Dr Hasna said.
The Peninsula
