Academic Standing & Degree Progress
A Barnard student is in good academic standing as long as they are making sufficient degree progress.
The academic standing of all students is reviewed at the end of each semester. A student whose term or cumulative GPA falls below 2.0, or who does not satisfactorily complete 12 or more credits in a term, or who receives 3 or more incompletes or withdrawal grades in a given term may be placed on academic probation. A student who does not successfully complete a minimum of 12 credits in a term may be given an insufficient degree progress warning. (Note: students who have not made satisfactory academic progress, or SAP (see below), at the end of an academic year may be placed on Financial Aid Warning or Financial Aid Probation in accordance with that office’s processes.) Students who have been approved for a reduced course load and earn a 2.0 GPA or higher in a term will remain in good standing.
A student whose term or cumulative GPA falls below 2.0 for two consecutive semesters, or who fails to complete 24 institutional credits at the end of every academic year at minimum, may be required to take a leave of absence.
Consequences of not being in Good Academic Standing
At the end of each semester, after student grades have been reviewed, a student who is found
not to be in good academic standing may face the following consequences:
a) Academic Probation
b) Required Leave of Absence
c) Insufficient Degree Progress Warning
FERPA and Parental/Legal Guardian Notification
Barnard will not notify parent(s) or legal guardian(s) of a change in a student’s academic standing status without written consent from the student, in compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Students may submit written consent in the form of a FERPA waiver to the Dean’s Office in order to inform their parent(s) or legal guardian(s). Information on this consent process is contained in the Academic Standing Letter students receive.
Appeals
Students may only appeal a required leave of absence. Appeal requests are considered by the faculty Committee on Programs and Academic Standing. Students wishing to appeal a required leave of absence may do so only in these cases:
a) The student would like the faculty Committee on Programs and Academic Standing to consider reducing the length of the required leave of absence or a particular requirement for that leave (for example, reducing required leave of absence from one year to one semester, or asking not to be required to take coursework elsewhere);
b) The student would like the Faculty Committee on Programs and Academic Standing to reconsider the decision or to modify a required leave of absence decision because the student has new information regarding their academic progress that they believe may be relevant to the decision-making process (e.g., a grade change or unfinished work having been turned in).
Appeals should be made in writing to the Committee on Programs and Academic Standing. Due to the short period between semesters, students who have been notified of their academic standing in January (after the fall semester) will have 48 hours after receiving the emailed letter from the Vice Dean of the College - Student Support to submit an appeal; students who have been notified in June (after the spring semester) will have seven (7) days from the date on the emailed notification from the Deans’ Office for Advising and Support to submit an appeal. This appeal should include not only the reasons for the appeal, but also the student's proposed academic plan for moving forward, an explanation of why a decision might need reconsideration, and plans for returning to good academic standing. Students may speak with their Class Dean for guidance before submitting the appeal. Appeals are written; no appeals are made in person.
Confirming Graduation Status
Students must officially notify the Registrar that they expect to have completed all requirements for the degree by submitting the online graduation application by the deadline for their intended degree date. Specific instructions and deadlines will be available through the Registrar. The College does not confer degrees for students who do not apply to graduate by the relevant deadline.
Degrees are granted in May, October, and February. Graduation ceremonies are held in May.
Withdrawals, Leaves of Absence and Readmission
Students who need to take time away from the College for personal or medical reasons should complete the Notice of Leave of Absence form in Slate. In most situations, a student’s Effective Date of Withdrawal, which is used by College offices to determine the application of academic and financial policies, is determined by the date this form is submitted. Students should review the expected timeframe for returning from leave that is outlined in the Academic Residency Requirement policy above.
Students who are leaving the College permanently (e.g. transferring to another college) should also complete the Notice of Leave of Absence form in Slate.
More details about leave of absence and readmission policies and procedures can be found on the Barnard website under Leaves of Absence and Returns and in the Leave of Absence and Withdrawal Policy.
More details about financial aid policies related to leaves of absence or withdrawal can be found under Financial Aid General Policies on the Barnard website.
More details about tuition and fee refunds related to leaves of absence or withdrawal can be found in the Policies section of the Bursar’s webpage.
Grading Procedures and Transcript Notation
When a student’s leave of absence or withdrawal begins after a term is already in session, the student’s transcript will reflect the Effective Date of Withdrawal for the semester in question. If the Effective Date of Withdrawal for a leave is on or before the Barnard College drop deadline (noted on the academic calendar), the student’s transcript will not include the individual courses attempted during the term. Barnard College students who take a leave of absence or withdraw with an effective date after the course drop and/or withdrawal deadline will receive a mark of W (withdrawal) for each of their courses for the term. These notations are non-punitive and indicate an official withdrawal from the courses.