Professional Optometry Degree Program (OD)
Academic Regulations
Semester Load
A student is not permitted to enroll in fewer than 12 credit hours during a fall or spring semester except with special permission from the dean.
Withdrawal from Individual Courses
Students must take the courses listed for the appropriate program semester. Any variation in their program is only with the permission of the Dean. Permission to drop a course will be given only for reasons of serious illness or significant extenuating circumstances. The desire to avoid a low grade is not an acceptable reason for withdrawal from a course. If a student withdraws with the dean’s consent, the grade in the course will be W if the student is passing at the time of withdrawal. If the student is not passing at the time of withdrawal, the grade will be an F. The grade will be recorded on the date of withdrawal. It should also be understood that withdrawal from a course will break the sequencing of courses and result in adding a year to the four year Doctor of Optometry program. When considering withdrawal from a course, a student should first consult with the Director of Student Administration or the Associate Dean of Students; who, in consultation with the faculty member, will take the students request to the Dean. If permission is granted, the Office of Student Administration will withdraw the student from the course.Addition of Courses
No course may be added by students after the first two weeks of a semester or first week of a summer session or half semester unless the instructor of the course petitions that an exception be made and the request is approved by the dean.
Grades
The quality of a student’s work is indicated by the following grades and numerical values:
A+ (4.00), A (4.00), A– (3.70) High degree of academic performance
B+ (3.30), B (3.00), B– (2.70) Above-average achievement
C+ (2.30), C (2.00), C– (1.70) Average achievement Any grade lower than a C in any course in the professional (O.D.) curriculum must be repeated.
D+ (1.30), D (1.00), D– (0.70) Passing work but below desired standards
F—Failure in a course or failure to complete a course without an authorized withdrawal. When a failing grade is recorded in an optometry course, the instructor(s) may require specific remedial procedures to be taken by the student before readmission to the course. The FX option is not accepted by the School of Optometry. Retaking and passing a failed course will, therefore, not remove the original grade of F from the student’s record.
W—Withdrawn. Given automatically when the student, with the approval of the academic advisor and the dean, officially withdraws during the first eight weeks of a semester, first four weeks of a half-semester course, or first two weeks of a summer session. After these deadlines, the grade W is given in the instance of an approved and properly executed withdrawal only if the student is passing at the time of withdrawal.
R—Deferred Grade. Given when the grade determination will be deferred until completion of two or more terms of study, as with research or thesis courses. Also given either at the end of the first term of a two-term course or midway through a single course that overlaps two terms, when the course has been identified as one for a deferred grade in the Schedule of Classes. At the end of the final term in the sequence, the entry or entries R will be replaced with standard letter grades. Instructors will designate the standard grades on the rosters for the final term or by means of a form for removal of deferred grades.
I—Incomplete. May be given only when the work of the course is substantially completed and when the student’s work is of passing quality. When an Incomplete is assigned, a record will be maintained in the Office of Student Administration of the School of Optometry. The record will include a statement of the reason for recording the Incomplete and an adequate guide for its removal, with a suggested final grade in the event of the departure or extended absence of the instructor from the campus.
A student must complete work required to have the Incomplete removed within one calendar year from the date of its recording, although the dean may authorize adjustment of this period in exceptional circumstances. An Incomplete that still stands after one calendar year is replaced by a grade of F.
Once a student has graduated, nothing in these regulations will prohibit the Incomplete from remaining on the record.
A student repeating a course must register for the course a second time. If any course to be repeated is a prerequisite to another course, the other course may not be taken until the prerequisite course is satisfactorily repeated.
Clinic Grades
Fourth-year rotation grades become official at the time of submission by the rotation preceptor. (Note: Grades for rotations ending mid-semester will be considered official prior to completion of the academic semester and online posting.) Academic standing will be assessed upon receipt of grades from the rotation preceptor at the completion of each fourth-year rotation.
Absences from Scheduled Classes
Illness is usually the only acceptable excuse for absence from class. Other absences must be explained to the satisfaction of the instructor, who will decide whether omitted work may be made up. The names of students who are excessively absent are to be reported by their instructors to the dean.
Absences from Final Examinations
A student who fails to attend the final examination of a course and who has a passing grade up to that time may be given a grade of Incomplete if the absence is explained to the instructor’s satisfaction. A missed final examination for which there is no satisfactory excuse will be assigned a grade of F. When called upon, the Academic Review Committee of the School of Optometry will assist an instructor in weighing an excuse concerning absence from a final examination.