6/4/25 Draft
Academic Standing for Graduate and Professional Students
NEW POLICY
I. Scope
This regulation establishes the criteria for determining academic standing for graduate and professional students, and includes Academic Notice, Academic Program Change, and Academic Dismissal. Any exceptions to this policy must be approved by the Office of the Provost and posted in the University Catalog.
The University of Pittsburgh is committed to the success of its students and has guidelines in place to connect students with the appropriate resources at the earliest sign of academic difficulty. Students’ academic standing is maintained and monitored each term by the school, department or program in which the student is enrolled. Schools must provide graduate students with a written description of the implementation of this policy.
Note: While different from academic standing, Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) may impact the financial aid eligibility of students.
II. Overview
While enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh, students are expected to meet certain cumulative GPA standards and maintain progress towards their degree. The University of Pittsburgh makes use of multiple levels of academic standing to identify students at risk of jeopardizing successful completion of their degree and to provide multiple opportunities for intervention and coaching towards successful completion. An overview of the levels of academic standing for graduate students is as follows:
- Good Academic Standing is used to denote students maintaining a GPA of at least 3.0 and making satisfactory progress towards their degree. A graduate or professional student’s academic standing is comprised of three factors: term GPA, cumulative GPA in the program in which they are enrolled, and progress toward a degree, which is defined as successful completion of program requirements such as course completion, milestones, clinical experiences and lab/research experiences.
- Academic Notice identifies students who are not meeting University standards for successful progress towards degree. Students in academic notice may be subject to certain enrollment restrictions and will be provided with an academic improvement plan by their Dean’s Office, department or program that documents the requirements necessary to return to Good Academic Standing and a deadline for completion.
- Academic Program Change is a mechanism by which students on Academic Notice may be allowed to change their program of study rather than be subject to Academic Dismissal.
- Academic Dismissal is a final action. Dismissed students are not eligible for reinstatement in the School from which they were dismissed.
Students are required to be in Good Academic Standing to graduate. Definitions of these levels of academic standing and the criteria for movement between them are described in the policy below.
III. Policy
Good Academic Standing
Academic standing is maintained and monitored each term by the Dean’s Office, department or academic program. A graduate or professional student’s academic standing is comprised of three factors: term GPA, cumulative GPA, and progress toward a degree, which is defined as successful completion of program requirements such as milestones, clinical experiences and lab/research experiences.
To be in Good Academic Standing, graduate and professional students are expected to maintain a cumulative GPA and term GPA of 3.0 or above during each term of enrollment. Any student not on Academic Notice or Academic Dismissal will be in Good Academic Standing. All students will be notified in writing (e.g., e-mail) if they are no longer in Good Academic Standing and are on Academic Notice, Academic Program Change, or Academic Dismissal.
Academic Notice
Students are placed on Academic Notice for the following reasons.
- GPA: If a student’s cumulative GPA falls below 3.0, the student is not in Good Academic Standing and will be placed on Academic Notice. To return to Good Academic Standing, a student must achieve a cumulative GPA of greater than 3.0. Only grades from courses with grade option LG will be used to compute GPA.
- Academic program requirement: If a student fails to complete academic program requirements, as determined by University standards and/or School, Department, or Program requirements (such as successful completion of milestones, clinical experiences and lab/research experiences) students are placed on Academic Notice.
Students on Academic Notice will be required to meet with their program director, department chair or Dean’s Office and will be provided with an academic improvement plan that documents the requirements necessary to return to Good Academic Standing and a deadline for completion. Satisfaction of the academic improvement plan by the stated deadline will support a return to Good Academic Standing if no other reasons for Academic Notice arise.
While on Academic Notice, students may be subject to enrollment restrictions and/or required meetings with academic advisors or other success professionals as deemed appropriate by the Dean’s Office, department or academic program. These restrictions and/or requirements must be documented in writing along with notification of the student’s Academic Notice status.
A student on Academic Notice who does not make progress towards Good Academic Standing will be subject to Academic Program Change or Academic Dismissal under the conditions described below.
Academic Program Change
A graduate or professional student on Academic Notice who does not make progress towards Good Academic Standing may be offered by their school or campus the option to change programs rather than being placed on Academic Leave, such as from a PhD to a master’s program. Each unit must share its process for academic program change with students in writing, such as in the student handbook. If admitted to the new program, the student will remain on Academic Notice after the program change. The requirements for a return to Good Academic Standing as stated above will continue to apply. A student on Academic Notice who does not make progress toward Good Academic Standing as described in their academic improvement plan in their new program may be subject to Academic Dismissal under the conditions described below.
Academic Dismissal
If a student fails to earn a 3.0 term GPA or make satisfactory progress on their academic requirements and/or academic improvement plan after being placed on Academic Notice, they are subject to Academic Dismissal. Academic Dismissal is a final action. This decision is made by the Dean or Dean’s delegate. In extraordinary circumstances, a student can be dismissed by the Dean’s Office without receiving Academic Notice. Each unit must share its internal appeal policy and process, if it offers one, with students in writing. Once any appeal process at the school level is exhausted, a student may appeal their Academic Dismissal to the University of Pittsburgh’s Office of the Provost. A student who receives Academic Dismissal may be ineligible for reinstatement or readmission to the school or program that placed them on Academic Dismissal.
Academic Standing for Graduate and Professional Students (PDF)