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Academic Regulations and Policies

Campuswide General Education Requirements

Refer to the General Education pages for a description of the campuswide general education requirements that apply to all bachelor’s degree programs for students matriculating in the fall of 2005 and subsequent semesters. Consult with your academic advisor to clarify how the general education requirements fit into the degree requirements in your area of study. Transfer students should consult the following general education transfer policy regarding required courses.

Campuswide General Education Course Requirements for Transfer Students

This policy applies at the time of matriculation. Credit hours transferred from courses taken after matriculation at IU South Bend shall not be counted toward the 56 credit hours. Students who rematriculate at IU South Bend after a period of enrollment at another institution are considered to be transfer students for purposes of this policy. The director of general education (in consultation with the relevant academic units) is authorized to review appeals for the transfer of course credit hours for the four common core courses and for courses fulfilling requirements in Visual Literacy, Critical Thinking, Information Literacy, Non-Western Cultures, Diversity in United States Society, and Health and Wellness.

Note | Additional school- and program-specific general-education requirements may also apply. Consult with your academic advisor.

Students with Fewer than 56 Transfer Credit Hours

Students who transfer to IU South Bend with fewer than 56 credit hours toward graduation (freshmen and sophomores) are required to complete all campuswide general education requirements.

Students with 56 or More Transfer Credit Hours

Students who transfer to IU South Bend with 56 credit hours or more toward graduation are required to complete a minimum of one 300-level common core course at IU South Bend in any of the four areas with the advice of their major program, as well as one course each in the fundamental literacies areas of Writing, Oral Communication, Computer Literacy, and Quantitative Reasoning; and one of the 3 credit hour contemporary social values courses, either Non-Western Cultures or Diversity in United States Society.

Class Standing

Class standing is based on total credit hours that count toward minimum degree requirements. Credit hours required are as follows:

Class Standing  |  Credit Hours

Freshmen | <30
Sophomore | >=30 and <60
Junior | >=60 and <90
Senior | >=90

Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct

The Indiana University Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct contains the rules and regulations by which Indiana University students must abide. This site includes information on student rights and responsibilities, complaint procedures, misconduct, disciplinary procedures, and due process. The Code is available at http://studentcode.iu.edu/.  Student code procedures are located on the Office of Student Conduct website at https://students.iusb.edu/student-support-services/office-of-student-conduct/index.html.

The Office of Student Conduct supports the educational mission of Indiana University South Bend by motivating student success, providing a fair and equitable accountability process, and facilitating honest dialogue that contributes to developing engaged citizens while upholding students to the Student Code of Conduct. Refer to the departmental information located in Student Engagement and Success.

Course Grades

The grade assigned by a course instructor at the end of a term is the student’s final grade for that course. Only in exceptional circumstances is this final grade changed. Any student who has a question concerning a grade must consult the instructor immediately. If there are further questions, the student should follow the IU South Bend Grade Grievance Policy as stated in the Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Conduct.

Course Numbers

Courses numbered 100–199 are primarily for freshmen, 200–299 for sophomores, 300–399 for juniors, and 400–499 for seniors. While courses are usually not taken before; but may always be taken after the year indicated, there are numerous exceptions. Students must check course descriptions for statements concerning prerequisites and class standing.

Credit by Examination

Students may receive credit for College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) examinations; and by successful performance on appropriate examinations while at IU South Bend. Students who believe they are eligible for special credit because of superior preparation or independent study are urged to accelerate their degree completion in this manner.

Where credit by examination is awarded by the university, that credit is recorded with a grade of S on the student’s transcript unless the examination clearly merits an A grade. Failure to pass the examination carries no penalty and is not recorded.

The credit hour fee for credit by examination is determined by the Indiana University Board of Trustees. Contact the Office of the Bursar for the current rate. All fully admitted undergraduates and graduate students who apply for university credit by examination are assessed at the current rate.

Credit Transfer

Courses completed at a regionally accredited institution of higher education before admission to IU South Bend may be applied toward graduation requirements. It is expected, however, that a substantial part of every student’s work, especially in the major field of study, be completed at IU South Bend. Only courses with a grade of C or above are transferrable. Courses with C– or below do not transfer to IU South Bend.

A maximum of 90 semester hours or 135 quarter hours of transferred credits from four-year institutions, or a maximum of 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of transferred credits from two-year institutions can apply towards degree requirements.

Ordinarily, a maximum number of transfer credit hours from a bachelor’s degree (including credit earned at other Indiana University campuses) may be counted toward the minimum credit hours necessary for graduation (approximately 120).

Dean's List for Undergraduate Students

All IU South Bend students completing at least 6 credit hours* of graded coursework in a semester are eligible for an academic program’s Dean’s List.

If a student completes at least 12 credit hours* of graded coursework in a semester, they are placed on the Dean’s List if they have a GPA of 3.5 or greater in that semester.

If a student has completed between 6 and 11 credit hours of graded coursework in a semester, they are placed on the Dean’s List if they have a GPA of 3.5 or greater and they have a CGPA of 3.24 or greater.

For the purpose of Dean’s List eligibility, grades of P or S cannot be included in the graded coursework requirement.

Deferred Grades

The deferred grade of R is assigned for research courses in which the student’s work is evaluated when the research is completed. It may also be used at the end of the first term of a two-term course or a course that overlaps two terms if the course is announced as a deferred grade course in the Schedule of Classes.

If work is interrupted due to extenuating circumstances, a special arrangement between student and instructor must be made on a term-to-term basis. If a student drops out of a course before the work is complete, the instructor assigns a regular grade (A, B, C, W, etc.) for the course.

Degree Requirements

Students are responsible for understanding all requirements for graduation, for completing them by the time they expect to graduate, and for applying for graduation. May, June, and August degree candidates must apply for graduation by October 1; while December degree candidates must apply for graduation by March 1.

Requests for deviation from program requirements may be granted only by written approval from the respective chair, program director, or dean (or their respective administrative representative). Disposition at each level is final.

Photo credit | Teresa Sheppard