Doha

Qatar University Executive Management Committee (EMC) has reviewed the policies related to academic dismissal, probation, reinstatement, and course repeat for undergraduate students.

In its recent meeting, the EMC, presided over by QU president Dr Hassan Rashid al-Derham, approved the new regulations on the Academic Probation policy.

The committee established standards for satisfactory academic progress and achievement, and defined procedures to identify and notify undergraduate students who are not making satisfactory progress, with the aim to encourage them to take action to improve their academic performance.

The new regulations cancelled the four intermittent academic warnings that were provided to students in the previous years. Once the students improve their cumulative GPA, this will also cancel all their previous intermittent academic warnings. If students fail three times in a course, they will not be dismissed from the university. If they repeat their courses, the highest grade they receive will be calculated.

QU vice president and chief academic officer Dr Mazen Hasna noted that student academic standing is evaluated by the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs at the end of each semester excluding the summer term. “Student academic standing is to be updated by the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs after final grades are posted,” he said.

He also noted that undergraduate students are placed under Academic Probation based on their cumulative GPA, and if they exceed 24 earned credit hours and their cumulative GPA is below 2.0. He further noted that undergraduate students receive an academic warning notification if the student cumulative GPA at the end of a semester, except the summer term, falls below 2.0, and if the student fails any particular course two times.

First year students shall receive a warning and a hold is placed on their record if their GPA falls below 2.0, and once undergraduate students receive two academic warnings for two consecutive semesters, excluding the summer term, they are placed under Final Academic Probation.

Once placed under Final Academic Probation at the end of a semester, undergraduate students who fail to satisfy the cumulative GPA requirement for “Good Standing” (a minimum of 2.0) at the end of the following semester, are academically dismissed from the university in compliance with the university policy for academic dismissal of undergraduate students. This excludes the summer term and withdrawal from the academic semester.

Dr Hasna observed that Academic Probation decisions and/or Academic Warning notifications are to be officially communicated by the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs to all concerned students, their advisor, and the head of their department at the end of each semester excluding the summer term unless summer performance removes the academic probation for the student.

He added: “The summer term is not considered for Academic Probation decisions unless summer performance removes the academic probation for the student. Students placed under Academic Probation or Final Academic Probation may apply for transfer to another programme subject to the university rules and regulations as defined in the transfer policy.”

Undergraduate students placed under Academic Probation or Final Academic Probation are allowed to register in a maximum of 12 credit hours per regular semester and a maximum of six credit hours in the summer term. Students may however be allowed to register in more than the maximum number of credit hours subject to prior approval from the Student Affairs Committee. Undergraduate students will be placed under academic warning once they exceed six years excluding foundation programme.