Academic Policies & Procedures
Academic Standing of Candidates for the Bachelor of Arts in Journalism Degree
Degrees Awarded with Distinction
The school recognizes outstanding performance in course work by awarding the Bachelor of Arts in Journalism degree with three levels of distinction: Distinction, High Distinction, and Highest Distinction, depending upon the student's cumulative grade point average. Students must have a minimum of 60 graded credit hours at Indiana University to be considered for distinction degrees. No more than 10 percent of the graduating class may receive distinction.
FX Policy
The School of Journalism will calculate an FX grade as F for internal purposes and degree requirements. This calculation will apply to all categories of academic standing: good, probation, and dismissal; class rank; and all grade point average requirements in the degree, including cumulative, semester, major, and second concentration.
A student may use the FX option for purposes of the university transcript. An undergraduate student who has repeated a course previously failed may request to have only the last grade in that course counted in the student's grade point average as entered on the student's transcript. A student may exercise this FX option for no more than three courses, totaling no more than 10 credit hours. A student may use the FX option on the transcript only once for a given course. Requests for approval of FX courses should be made to the school's recorder.
Good Standing
Students are considered to be candidates in good standing for an Indiana University bachelor's degree when they have been regularly admitted by the Office of Admissions; when their academic grade point average is not less than a 2.0 (C) for the last semester's work; and when their cumulative grade point average is at least 2.0 (C).
Students' eligibility to continue as journalism majors is subject to a periodic review of their progress toward a degree.
Academic Probation
Students are on academic probation when any one or more of the following conditions occur:
1. Students are on academic probation when their cumulative grade point average is below 2.0 (C).
2. Students are on academic probation for the duration of the regular semester following one in which they failed to attain a 2.0 (C) grade point average.
3. Students are on academic probation when they receive a D+ or less in any one journalism, telecommunications, or selected communication and culture course.
Students on academic probation must comply with such restrictions as the Office of the Dean of Students or the Dean of the School of Journalism may deem necessary.
Dismissal
Students are dismissed from the school when, in the judgment of the dean, they have ceased to make progress toward their degree. When students have failed to attain a 2.0 (C) grade point average in any two semesters and when their cumulative grade point average is below 2.0 (C); or they have received a D+ or less in two or more journalism, telecommunications, or selected communication and culture courses, they are automatically considered to be making insufficient progress toward their degree.
Students whose record reveals failing or near-failing performance or lack of clear progress in any semester, regardless of their previous cumulative grade point average, or whose cumulative grade point average falls below 2.0 (C) are always carefully evaluated with a possibility of dismissal.
Re-admission
The dean considers petitions for re-admission from students who have been dismissed. A student dismissed for the first time may petition for re-admission to any division of the university.
Students dismissed for the first time may petition to the School of Journalism for re-admission within the deadlines stated in the dismissal letter. Students dismissed for the second time may not be admitted for the next regular semester but are eligible to submit a petition for re-admission after a period of at least one regular semester.
To ensure that petitions for re-admission after a second dismissal are considered by the dean, students eligible to submit them must do so before August 1 for fall semester, December 1 for spring semester, and April 15 for summer sessions.
Academic Dishonesty
Indiana University and the School of Journalism expect that students will follow the fundamental principles of academic and professional integrity in the pursuit of learning and of professional practice. Academic and professional integrity requires that students take credit for their own work and ideas only. Violation of these principles is considered an act of academic dishonesty.
Academic dishonesty is defined in Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct, the student handbook given to all Indiana University students. The School of Journalism strictly follows the handbook's guidelines and the Policy on Academic Dishonesty printed each semester in the Bloomington Schedule of Classes.