Academic Policies and Procedures

The course offerings, rules, regulations, and fees appearing in this catalog are announcements only and should not be construed as representing contractual obligations of Muhlenberg College.  Muhlenberg College reserves the right to change its academic regulations, courses of instruction, comprehensive fee, charges for room and board or other fees, and degree requirements without notice should it be the judgment of the College that circumstances warrant such changes.  Any changes in federal or state law will supersede College policies and requirements published here.

Admission to and attendance at the College are conditional upon compliance with the rules and regulations of the College as now established or hereafter revised, including the Academic Integrity Code and the Social Code.  Many of the regulations are published in this catalog; others may be found in the Student Policy and Resource Guide.  It is the responsibility of each Muhlenberg College student to know and abide by the regulations of the College.

Academic Integrity Code

The Academic Integrity Code is a communal expression of the importance of academic honesty and integrity.  Violations of the Code are violations of community.  The Code, to which all incoming students subscribe, governs all College activities, including but not limited to methods for evaluating academic achievement such as examinations, quizzes, tests, themes, reports, recitations, and laboratory exercises.  The Academic Integrity Code is printed in full in the Student Policy and Resource Guide and is available on the web; students should familiarize themselves with its provisions.

Adherence to the Policies of the Academic Integrity Code: 

Muhlenberg College has established an Academic Integrity Code because of its belief that academic honesty is a matter of individual responsibility and that, when standards of honesty are violated, members of the community are harmed. As a prerequisite for matriculation each student must pledge to adhere to the provisions of this Academic Integrity Code. Violations of the Academic Integrity Code include, but are not limited to, cheating during examinations, plagiarism, collusion, false information, and helping or hindering others.  

Each faculty member shall identify the procedures to be used for classroom examinations and other assignments in each course. Faculty are encouraged to remind students of the Academic Integrity Code before students take exams or submit work to be graded.

Academic Difficulty

(Warning, Academic Probation, and Academic Suspension)

The College endeavors to help students succeed academically and avoid academic difficulty. Historically, the most successful students attend class regularly, complete and submit assignments in a timely fashion, and seek assistance from instructors, advisors, Student Health Services, or the Academic Resource Center at the first signs of trouble. Moreover, students who are successful academically have learned to balance extracurricular activities with academics.

Academic performance is monitored closely by the Dean of Academic Life each term. The Dean will contact students at the conclusion of each term whose academic performance indicates a cause for concern. 

Formal academic probation indicates that the quality of the student’s work is below the level that might reasonably be expected to lead to graduation. A term grade point average below 1.00 or a cumulative grade point average less than the standards described below identify those students eligible for formal probation. All student performance indicating eligibility for formal probation will be reviewed by the Dean of Academic Life. After the review has been completed, students experiencing the most serious academic difficulties will be placed on formal probation. Student progress during the probationary period will be carefully examined.

At any time during the period, typically no more than two terms, the College can elect to remove the student from probation, continue the student on probation, or dismiss the student from Muhlenberg. Furthermore, students on formal probation seeking to enroll in additional courses beyond what is considered a “normal load,” either at Muhlenberg or elsewhere, are permitted to do so only at the discretion of the Dean of Academic Life; this provision includes enrollment in any type of summer term.

Cumulative academic performance is gauged on the number of course units attempted at Muhlenberg plus any transferred course units. Cumulative grade point averages less than the standards described in the table indicate the specific level of academic difficulty.

The College recognizes the beneficial role of participation in co-curricular and extracurricular programs in a student’s college experience. In some instances, the responsibilities for full participation in these programs, particularly in a leadership role in clubs/organizations/extracurricular activities and performances, and in athletic competition, may be very time consuming and may interfere with a student’s ability to maintain good academic standing and satisfactory progress towards degree completion. In instances where a student is on Academic Probation at the start of a semester or is having difficulty maintaining satisfactory academic progress in currently enrolled courses, upon consultation with the Dean of Academic Life the program advisor, athletic coach, or program director will reduce the student’s participation in the activity in order to prioritize academics. If a student shows favorable academic performance during the semester of the activity, they may be able to more actively rejoin the activity.

Academic Renewal

Academic renewal is extended to former Muhlenberg students who have not been enrolled at the College for at least 10 years.  It allows them to remove from their cumulative GPA previously taken coursework.  This option may be exercised pursuant to the following regulations:

1. The student must consult with the Dean of Continuing Studies, who must approve course selection before the student may enroll. The option may be exercised only after three course units have been completed with a grade of “C” (2.0) or better.
2. The student must initiate the procedure; it will not be automatic.
3. All courses and grades will remain on the student’s transcript and be used for graduation honors.
4. Courses with grades of D or F will not be included in the calculation of cumulative GPA.
5. Courses in which grades of “C-” (1.7) or better were earned prior to return will be counted toward degree requirements.
6. Courses based on credit hours will be converted to course units according to the existing course conversion procedures which apply to all Muhlenberg students.
7. This option can be extended only once to any individual student.

Annual FERPA Notification

The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records.  These rights include:

1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the College receives a request for access.  Students should submit to the office which creates and maintains the record in question a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The College official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.  If the records are not maintained by the College official to whom the request was submitted, the official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
    
2. The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the student believes are inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights under FERPA.  Students may ask the College to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading.  A student who wishes to ask the College to amend a record should write the College official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record the student wants changed, and specify why it should be changed.  If the College decides not to amend the record as requested, the College will notify the student in writing of the decision and advise the student of their right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment.  Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
    
3. The right to provide written consent before the College discloses personally identifiable information from the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent.
   
   One exception, which permits disclosure without consent, is the disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests.  A school official is defined as a person employed by the College in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the College has contracted as its agent to provide a service instead of using college employees or officials (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing their tasks.  A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill their professional responsibilities for the College.
    
4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the College to comply with the requirements of FERPA.  The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is:

Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-5920

More information can be found through the Office of the Registrar (www.muhlenberg.edu/main/aboutus/registrar).

Advanced Placement

Students are responsible to contact The College Board and request official paper score reports be sent directly to the Muhlenberg Registrar. Use the College Board score reporting services described at apscore.collegeboard.org/scores/score-reporting and have all of your scores sent to Muhlenberg using the four-digit college code number = 2424. Unofficial score reports, not received directly from the College Board (e.g., from the high school or from the student) are not accepted by Muhlenberg for awarding degree credit. If you have questions about AP courses, tests, or policies, see the College Board’s Advanced Placement Program site.

AP scores can be viewed on your Muhlenberg Workday Student record, under Academics, then External Records. Only scores that result in Muhlenberg credit or placement are posted on your Muhlenberg record.

Credit is granted at the discretion of the department head(s) involved, according to the departmental policies currently in place for entering students.  The current policies are available at muhlenberg.edu/AP. IMPORTANT: If you receive credit for a course, make sure that you don’t register for the same Muhlenberg course number or you will lose your AP credit.

Auditing Courses

Students in good academic standing may audit one course (no matter how many units that course carries) per semester with the approval of the instructor.  Any course enrolled on an audit basis will not contribute towards the Muhlenberg degree and will not be used to compute your GPA.  Additionally, an audited course may not be used to fulfill prerequisites or any other academic requirement.  

Instructors must explicitly detail their expectations for students auditing their courses at the beginning of the semester, and students must seek the consent of their faculty advisor. Typically, students auditing a course are expected to complete all assignments and participate in class discussions but may not be required to submit written work or take exams. 

Students may change a course from audit (no course unit attempted) to a regular course unit basis or vice versa during the add/drop period with the approval of the instructor and the faculty advisor by completing the online Audit Request process or filling out the paper form and submitting it to the Office of the Registrar.  The student’s transcript will list the audited course with a grade of “AU” if the student has satisfactorily completed the audit.  If the student fails to fulfill the expectations of the audit, no notation will appear on the transcript.

Senior Scholars

Senior Scholars is an opportunity for local individuals aged 60 and older to audit up to two in-person courses per semester from a select list, with the instructor’s consent. Registration takes place through the Registrar’s Office in the week before classes begin each semester. A special per-course charge is required. A grade of “Audit” is assigned if completed successfully; no traditional grades are used.

Changing Courses

Students may add and/or drop courses without academic penalty through the add/drop period.  The last day to add or drop is identified each semester on the College’s academic calendar.

Class Attendance

Muhlenberg College recognizes that a college environment should foster student responsibility.  Students are expected to attend classes regularly but are responsible for governing themselves in this matter.  It is recognized that interaction in the classroom enhances learning and is usually a significant part of how students’ overall performance will be evaluated.

The College recognizes the value of extracurricular experience, but the academic program has priority at Muhlenberg.  Moreover, scheduled classes have priority over all other activities.  In cases of unavoidable conflict, students have the responsibility of informing their instructors as soon as possible and reaching some kind of acceptable resolution.  Absence from a class will not be accepted as an excuse for not mastering class material. The student is responsible for all information presented, the discussion, and the conceptual analysis that take place during classes.

Instructors should inform students in the first week of class of their policy regarding the relationship between attendance, interaction in the classroom, and evaluation in the course.

A student who does not attend the first meeting of a course may be dropped from the course in order to make room for students waiting to enroll. Students should not assume, however, that missing the first course meeting ensures that they will be dropped from a course.  Non-attendance drops will be processed only at the instructor’s request.  Please note, all students are responsible for their own enrollment; failure to properly add, drop, or withdraw from a course may result in the award of no course units and/or a failing grade.

Class Standing

First-year students have earned 0 - 6 course units
Sophomores have earned 7 - 15 course units
Juniors have earned 16 - 24 course units
Seniors have earned 25 or more course units

Commencement Participation

Only those students who have completed all requirements and who are receiving degrees, or who are within four units of completing all requirements (typically, January, May, and October candidates for the current calendar year), may participate in Commencement. Infrequent exceptions may be granted through the Dean of Academic Life.

Attendance is expected of all graduating students at the official Commencement exercises. Degree candidates who choose not to participate in Commencement should notify the Registrar’s Office by May 1.

Students who are allowed to participate without having completed degree requirements are typically candidates for conferral in the following October and will receive their diplomas after completion of all requirements. (They may also request permission from Student Affairs to remain in on-campus residences and participate in Senior Weekend activities.)

Students with a financial hold from the Business Office may participate but will not receive their diplomas until the hold is cleared.

MILA Courses and Graduating Seniors

Graduating seniors taking a MILA in the spring will not be able to use the course towards the 32 units required for a May graduation. This includes the use of a general academic requirement as well as a major or minor requirement since the course grade will not be determined until after the study trip. Students who need the course to complete requirements for graduation will become October graduates although they will be able to participate in commencement in May. 

All students, including seniors, must participate in both components of the course: the on-campus portion of the course and the study trip. No credit will be awarded for the course if only one of the course components is completed. 

Only students who do not need the course for a graduation requirement, meaning all requirements are met without that course, are “eligible” for Latin Honors at the May ceremony. The May graduates will have their diploma held until after the grade is issued as their Latin honor could change. We are able to confirm their May graduation, therefore Latin honors can be read at the May ceremony.

A senior registered for a MILA course in the spring semester will be eligible to have Latin Honors read with their name at the commencement ceremony in May. Latin Honors will be calculated on the course units earned at Muhlenberg and a minimum cumulative gpa of 3.5 or higher. The MILA course will not be used in the calculation of Latin honors at the time of the ceremony. Both May and October graduates will be eligible for the reading of Latin Honors. The Latin Honors category will not be official until all coursework is completed.

Course Load

A full-time degree candidate normally enrolls for 4 course units per semester.  The maximum course load for students during their first semester is 4.5 course units.  During all other fall or spring semesters, the maximum course load is 5.5 course units.  Students may initially register for up to 4.5 units during the scheduled registration period.  Following the scheduled registration period, students may add up to a total of 5.5 units.  Requests to go above 5.5 units will be considered on a petition basis to the Dean of Academic Life who may consult broadly to determine the appropriateness of the request.  (See Expenses  for the overload fees.)  Summer load is 2 courses at a time for a maximum combined summer load of 4 course units.

In order to maintain full-time status a student must be enrolled in at least 3 course units per semester.  Students who wish to enroll for fewer than 3 course units may apply for part-time status in the Office of the Registrar.  Part-time students will incur tuition charges at the current per course unit rate plus all fees.  

Dean’s List

Outstanding academic achievement will be recognized by the Deans of the College each fall and spring semester. Students enrolled for 3 or more course units, having a semester GPA of at least 3.50 with no grades of D, F, U, VF or VW for the semester will be eligible for Dean’s List.  Students with an incomplete or NG grade will not be eligible for inclusion on the Dean’s List until the work is completed and a final grade is recorded.

Directory Information

At its discretion, Muhlenberg College may provide “directory information” in accordance with the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA).  Directory information is defined as that information which would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed.

Designated directory information at Muhlenberg College includes the following: student’s name, date of birth (including month, date and year), college mailbox, permanent address, phone number, email address, class year, major field of study, dates of attendance, enrollment status (full-time, part-time), degrees, honors and awards received, participation in officially recognized College activities (including but not limited to intercollegiate athletics), weight and height of student athletes. Students may block the public disclosure of directory information by notifying the Office of the Registrar in writing.

Dismissal, Expulsion, Suspension, and Readmission

Muhlenberg College reserves the right to dismiss, expel, or suspend any student for the following reasons: (a) academic deficiencies; (b) failure to gain acceptance into a major field of study; or (c) conduct deemed to be detrimental to the interests of the College.  In such cases, neither the College nor any of its officers shall be under any liability whatsoever for such dismissal, expulsion, or suspension.  The College will not accept transfer courses from any institution earned while a student is serving a disciplinary suspension.

Students dismissed for academic reasons may be readmitted upon formal application to the Dean of Academic Life after the lapse of at least one academic year.  Such an application should give strong evidence of a student’s ability to attain a degree.  If the application is approved, readmission will be probationary for a period of one fall or spring semester only.  A second dismissal will be final, and no application for readmission will be entertained.

Grading

Quality points assigned to each traditional letter grade by course unit:

A student’s grade point average (GPA) is the sum of quality points divided by the total attempted course units.

Latin Honors at Degree Conferral

The candidate for a degree, with a cumulative grade-point average on all work attempted with Muhlenberg faculty and which meets one of the following standards, will have the appropriate Latin honor noted in the academic record and on the diploma.

Honor and Recognition Societies

Established in 1776 at the College of William and Mary, Phi Beta Kappa is a distinguished fellowship of scholars devoted to liberal education and intellectual pursuits.  The Muhlenberg chapter was granted a charter by the national honor society in 1967.  Based on national standards, election to Phi Beta Kappa represents the most outstanding academic achievement in the arts and sciences.  In addition to GPA requirements, students must have completed a sufficient number of eligible courses (Phi Beta Kappa does not recognize courses focused on applied or pre-professional skills), and they must have studied a foreign language at the college intermediate level.  No more than 10% of the students in a graduating class can be admitted to Phi Beta Kappa.  Students who meet the strict eligibility requirements receive a letter of invitation from the chapter in the final semester of their senior year.  A limited number of juniors will also be awarded early induction each year.

In 2008, Alpha Sigma Lambda, the premier Honor Society for Nontraditional Students chartered the Muhlenberg College chapter, Eta Chi.  ΑΣΛ was established in 1945 at Northwestern University to recognize the special achievements of adults who accomplish academic excellence while facing competing interests of family, community, and work.

Muhlenberg has chapters of honor societies and recognition societies in many academic disciplines.  Honor societies include Alpha Epsilon Delta (pre-health), Omicron Delta Epsilon (economics), Omicron Delta Kappa (leadership), Phi Alpha Theta (history), Phi Sigma Iota (romance languages), Phi Sigma Tau (philosophy), Pi Mu Epsilon (mathematics), Pi Sigma Alpha (political science), Psi Chi (psychology), and Theta Alpha Kappa (religious studies and theology).  Recognition societies include Delta Phi Alpha (German) and Dobro Slovo (Slavic studies). Phi Sigma Tau, the national philosophy honor society, was founded at Muhlenberg in 1930.  Muhlenberg College also maintains a chapter of Alpha Phi Omega, a national service fraternity.

Incomplete Grading

After communication between the faculty member and the student, the student will initiate the incomplete process by completing the Student section of the Incomplete Request Form, specifying a compelling reason, beyond the student’s control in the final weeks of the term, for an incomplete. All requests for an incomplete must be submitted before the last day of final exams, but not earlier than November 20 (fall semester) or April 20 (spring semester).

Normally, a student must be passing the course in order to be granted an incomplete. Examples of reasons for granting an incomplete may include:

• Student illness that affected course completion.
• Serious illness or death of an immediate family member.
• Other unusual or exceptional events that would prevent a student from completing the course on time (e.g., now working full time to help support family).

In the event that a faculty member approves a student’s Incomplete request, they will complete the Faculty section of the Incomplete Request Form, which goes to the Dean of Academic Life for final approval and the Registrar’s office for processing. The Registrar’s office will enter a grade of “I” if the request is approved (the grading option of “I” is not available to faculty) and the faculty member will update the grade on Workday when the work is submitted. The faculty member is responsible for submitting a letter grade by the deadline of no later than five weeks after the last day of exams for the respective term. Letter grades submitted during the Incomplete period extend from the grading policies established by the faculty member’s syllabus or the written agreement between the student and faculty member.

Prior to the deadline set by the instructor for completion of the course requirements, the student and instructor may agree on an extension of time. The latest date for extensions will be one week past the original Incomplete deadline. In extreme situations (e.g., serious physical injury), an extension beyond one week may be approved by the Dean of Academic Life, in consultation with the instructor and student.

The instructor will provide extension details in writing to the student, Registrar, and Dean of Academic Life, including required work to be completed and the extended deadline for submission (not to exceed the maximum deadline outlined in the policy). Extensions may be made at the discretion of the faculty member following consultation with the Dean of Academic Life. Extensions based on medical or mental health reasons must follow the procedures set forth above.

A student with three or more pending Incompletes will not be permitted to begin a new academic term, even if the subsequent term begins within the period before the Incomplete grade due-by date. For example, students with three or more unresolved fall Incompletes may not return for the spring semester.

International Baccalaureate Program (IB)

Muhlenberg College will award course units and the fulfillment of general academic requirements (GAR) for courses and exams taken through the International Baccalaureate Program. Most credit requires scores of 6 or 7 in Higher Level exams, though some departments allow credit for lower scores and Standard Level work. Some departments count IB credit toward their major requirements; some do not.  Please consult with the appropriate department chair.  Students who later chose to or are required to register for the equivalent course will lose the IB credit. The current table of credit is available at muhlenberg.edu/IB.

Leave of Absence

As a student you may encounter circumstances where it is necessary or advisable to temporarily take a step back from your studies due to medical necessity or in order to attend to family needs, work, travel, or gain a fresh perspective on your intellectual commitments, career plans, or educational priorities. The College encourages students to carefully consider their situations, to clarify their objectives, consult with college advisors, and to evaluate whether they should temporarily interrupt their studies. Listed below are the temporary absence policies to consider.

Medical issues, both physical and mental, encountered by students, may require that they remain away from the College for more than a short term absence of two weeks.
Medical Leave of Absence Policy

Students may encounter circumstances where it is advisable to temporarily take a step back from their studies in order to attend to family needs, work, travel, or gain a fresh perspective on their intellectual commitments, career plans, or educational priorities.
Personal Leave of Absence Policy

Eligible students with an extraordinary reason, may be able to continue their academic study at Muhlenberg College via remote instruction if unable to attend and participate in in-person instruction for the semester at the College.
Request for Remote Learning Policy

During the academic semester, a student may be unable to physically attend courses for a short duration of time. This policy provides an opportunity for students to maintain enrollment with the expectation that a student will return to complete the course in person until course completion.
Request for Short Term Absence

Limits of leaves: Students may have no more than four semesters cumulatively of (1) any single type of leave, or (2) a combination of personal and medical leave of absence. Requests for exceptions to this policy should be directed to the VPSA and Dean of Students and to the Dean of Academic Life. 
 
Students who have been charged with a disciplinary infraction but who have not yet completed the judicial process, will be unable to request a Leave of Absence until the judicial process is complete. 
 
Muhlenberg will continue to correspond with students on leave through their muhlenberg.edu email addresses; BergID cards will be deactivated. 

Major and Minor Programs

Muhlenberg students normally declare a major during their sophomore year. Students are permitted to declare a major beginning in the second semester of their first year.  However, first-year students are not permitted to declare a major in the first semester of their first year. 

Undeclared students seeking to declare a major require a meeting with and signature on the Field of Study (majors and minors) Declaration Form from the students’ undeclared advisor and department chairs and/or program directors prior to submitting their declaration forms to the registrar’s office.

In order to enter and remain in a department/program as a major, a student must maintain at least a 2.00 cumulative GPA in courses prescribed by the department/ program. See individual departments/programs for any variances to this requirement. At the end of any semester, a department/program may drop a student who fails to meet the minimum GPA standard or place that student on a probationary status in the major. The student will remain with the same advisor in the major department/program, regardless of status, in hope that they will be removed from probation and be able to declare the major once again.

Students must declare a major prior to the beginning of their senior year, however a student may add a second major or minor during their senior year. Students must complete a major program in order to graduate. A student may change from one major to another with the approval of the appropriate department chairs/program directors. Official major/ minor declarations must be completed through the Office of the Registrar. Students at the College are allowed to graduate with a single major, a single major with one or two minors, or a double major. 

Course work required for a minor is approximately three-fifths of that required for a major and is at least 5 course units. All rules that currently apply to majors also apply to minors.

No Show Policy

Students who register for classes for a semester but who do not come to campus, do not check in to housing, and do not attend or participate in educational activities through the add/drop period will be Administratively Withdrawn from the College.  The registered classes will be dropped and an application for readmission must be made to the Dean of Academic Life.

Pass/Fail

Full-time, degree-seeking students who have completed at least 16 units with a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or more may elect to enroll for one course per semester (no matter how many units that course carries) on a pass/fail basis up to a total limit of three.  One of the three pass/fail courses may be taken in the same academic division as the student’s major or minor.  Courses designated “pass/fail only” are exempt from the pass/fail requirements described here.

No course for which a student elects to enroll on a pass/fail basis may be used to satisfy a general academic requirement or major/minor requirement.  In addition, “pass/fail only” courses offered within the student’s major or minor do not meet any major or minor requirement.

Final grades submitted to the Registrar for these students must be either “P” or “F.”  A “P” should be considered the equivalent of a traditional “D” or higher.

Courses enrolled on a pass/fail basis that are awarded a grade of “P” will not be used in computing the GPA but will be counted as course units toward graduation; courses failed will be computed in the GPA.  Students may change a course from pass/fail to traditional grading or vice-versa only through the add/drop period of the semester.

Repeated Courses

Courses in which the student earns a “B-” or greater cannot be repeated.  No course shall be repeated after a subsequent course is taken (i.e., one for which the first is a prerequisite). When a course is repeated, only the most recent grade is included in the calculation of the cumulative grade-point average and in the average in the major or minor. A passing grade in a repeated course counts only once for credit toward the course units required for graduation. Both grades, however, appear on the permanent record, with a symbol next to the original grade indicating that the course was later repeated.

Transcript Requests and Release of Information from Academic Records

Muhlenberg College complies with all federal regulations regarding the release of education records as established by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).  All requests to release information from the student’s academic record must include their legal signature.  This requirement specifically prohibits telephone and e-mail requests. The student is the only person who can authorize the release of information from their academic record.  No one else (parents, friends, spouses, employers, etc.) may do so.

Students must request a transcript using the web service of the National Student Clearinghouse, at https://tsorder.studentclearinghouse.org/school/select.

Go to www.muhlenberg.edu/offices/registrar/transcripts/ for more information.

Transfer Courses

Almost all courses taken elsewhere must be transferred to Muhlenberg College.  Courses offered through the LVAIC consortium and any course specifically identified in the College catalog are the only exceptions.

No more than 16 non-Muhlenberg course units (whether transferred or awarded for test scores) may contribute to the 32 course units required to earn a bachelor’s degree at Muhlenberg.  The College will accept no more than 5 course units for transfer during a traditional academic semester (fall or spring) while 4 course units is the limit for any combination of summer terms.  No courses taken concurrently elsewhere – including online courses – that exceed the course load unit of 5.5 units per semester will receive credit.  Only courses for which a student has earned a “C-” or better will be considered for transfer to Muhlenberg.  Courses not using traditional letter grades (A-F) will be considered for transfer only if additional documentation detailing successful completion is provided.  Grades earned in transferred courses will not be included in a student’s general Muhlenberg grade point average.  Once courses have been transferred, they become part of the permanent record and cannot be removed.

Many institutions may not use a course unit system similar to Muhlenberg’s.  For the purpose of all transfer transactions, the Muhlenberg course unit should be considered equivalent to 4 semester credit hours.  In all cases, Muhlenberg College can accept transfer courses only with an official academic transcript from an accredited higher education institution where courses have been successfully completed.  Additional information may be obtained in the Office of the Registrar or on www.muhlenberg.edu/main/aboutus/registrar.

Withdrawal from College

A student who wishes to officially withdraw from the College must notify the Office of the Registrar.  A student must complete withdrawal procedures prior to the beginning of the first semester in which he or she is not enrolled to ensure that the academic record will accurately reflect their intentions.  All financial obligations and judicial processes must be satisfied before an official withdrawal can be granted or the academic record can be released.  At the time of withdrawal, the student’s BergID card will be inactivated.

Withdrawal from Courses

Students may withdraw from courses after the add/drop period until the end of the ninth week of the semester with the approval of their academic advisor.  A “W” grade will be assigned indicating that the student has withdrawn from the course.

No course may be withdrawn after the ninth week of the semester except for documented medical reasons certified by the Dean of Students.  The last day to withdraw is identified each semester on the College’s academic calendar.

Students may not withdraw from courses so that their semester course load is fewer than 3 units, unless with permission from the Dean of Students.