Academic Policies and Procedures
Attendance in Classes
Students enrolled in a UVA Summer Session course are expected to attend each class meeting. Absences do not waive course requirements such as exams, presentations, or discussions. Instructors may establish penalties for missed classes.
Exclusion from Courses
A student who is making no real progress in a course, or whose behavior is detracting from the course, may be excluded from that course by the Director of Summer and Special Academic Programs with a grade of W or F. Students have 48 hours following written notification of this exclusion in which to appeal. The written appeal goes first to the Summer Chair of the department and then to the Director of the Office for Summer and Special Academic Programs. Until the final disposition of the appeal, the student will continue to be enrolled in the course and may continue to attend classes with the approval of the Director of Summer and Special Academic Programs and the instructor.
Dropping, Withdrawals, and Incompletes
To Drop Individual Courses
A student who remains enrolled in the Summer Session may drop a course before the drop deadline and thereby have it deleted from his/her transcript. For procedures and restrictions, see Registration and Academic Policies.
To Withdraw from Individual Courses
After the drop deadline and before the withdrawal deadline, a student who remains enrolled in the Summer Term may, under certain circumstances, withdraw from a course with a grade of W. Any student who discontinues a course without formally dropping or withdrawing will receive a grade of F. For procedures and restrictions, see Registration and Academic Policies.
Incompletes
The notation IN (incomplete) indicates that a final grade for the course is being withheld by the instructor until the student completes all course requirements or examinations. A student may not request an IN grade in an attempt to raise his or her grade. Before the end of the course, students must initiate the request for an IN and secure the instructor’s approval with an Extension of Time form. Work must be completed within the number of days specified by each school. See the Undergraduate Record for details.
When course requirements have been completed, the instructor should obtain a change of grade form from his/her department office. The instructor must assign a grade, sign the form, and obtain the signature of the designated academic dean or summer chair. The Director of the Office of Summer and Special Academic Programs will sign in place of the dean/chair for all visiting students. The completed change of grade form must be returned to the Office of Summer and Special Academic Programs. At no point may the change of grade form be in the possession of the student.
Extension of Time
In the College of Arts and Sciences and in the School of Education & Human Development, students who cannot complete a course on time because of illness or other extenuating circumstances may request an extension of time. Requests for extensions of time must be submitted to the Office of Summer and Special Academic Programs. Written permission from the instructor is required.
Examination Schedule and Policies
Final examinations are given for classes during designated times at the end of each session, and only at the times designated by UREG (Office of the University Registrar). Faculty members are not authorized to change the announced times of their examinations. Such changes may be authorized only by the Director of Summer and Special Academic Programs, and then only for compelling reasons. All students must have the opportunity to take the examination at the time announced.
Students are not permitted to take a final examination before its regularly scheduled time. When genuinely serious conditions exist, students, with the consent of the course instructor, may be allowed to postpone a final examination until after the regular exam period. When the instructor concurs, the student must submit a postponement request on a form provided by the dean’s office of the school in which the student is registered. Students will then take the examination at the instructor’s convenience, usually within four weeks of the last day of the exam period.
Unexcused absence from a final examination results in an automatic grade of F in the class.
Grading Systems
Students are graded according to the school in which enrolled and not according to the school in which the course is offered. For example, an Architecture student taking a College course would be graded according to the policies established by the School of Architecture. These rules can be found in the Undergraduate Record.
Changing a Grading Option
Students may change their grading option through the first day of class by using Edit Enrollment in SIS. After the first day and until the course midpoint, changes require instructor approval and submission of a Course Action Form. Once approved, the form is processed by the Summer Session Student Records Coordinator. Students can confirm changes in SIS.
Auditing (AU)
Students may audit courses with the permission of the instructor. Courses taken on an audit basis have the symbol AU (audit) recorded in the grade column of the academic record. No credits or grade points are earned in audited courses. Because credits are not earned in audited courses, these courses are not included in the courses required to complete a degree. Instructors have the option of determining whether students may or may not take their courses on an audit basis. The cost of auditing a course is the same as the cost of taking the course for credit. The University of Virginia does not allow faculty to let students sit in on classes.
Students in the School of Architecture, Study Abroad, and the Summer Language Institute may not audit any course. Students in the College must elect the AU option by the add deadline; they may cancel this option only through the drop deadline, in which case the course will be deleted from the transcript. A grade of W is recorded for any student who discontinues the audit after the drop deadline or who fails to meet the instructor's standards. If a student wishes to drop or withdraw from a course for which they chose the audit option (depending on the deadline), he or she must complete the appropriate paperwork in person at the Office of Summer and Special Academic Programs.
Grade Rosters
Grade rosters are available in the Student Information System. Grades must be assigned within 48 business hours after the final examination. Refer to For Instructors: Grading in SIS for assistance with entering grades.
Grade Changes
No grade may be changed after it has been submitted to the University Registrar without the approval of the dean. The dean is not authorized by the faculty to change a grade except when an instructor certifies that, because of an error in calculation or transcript, an incorrect grade has been submitted. The College limits the time in which a grade change is approved to the fall semester following the summer session in which the grade was received. The deans are authorized to change incomplete or missing grades to an F or withdrawal.
Visit For Instructors: Grading in SIS and review the Changing Grades in SIS section for more information.
Final Grades and Transcripts
Faculty must submit final grades within 48 business hours after the final exam. Once approved, grades are posted in SIS within 24 hours. Students can find transcript request instructions on the Office of the University Registrar website.