The Academic Renewal Policy is an appeals procedure which allows a current undergraduate student to request an adjustment to their overall grade point average and credit hours earned. Through this policy Missouri Western seeks to give a student who has matured during an absence from college coursework a second chance in their college career, while maintaining the integrity of Missouri Western’s academic standards.
Undergraduate students who are currently enrolled as a degree-seeking student may be eligible to petition for academic renewal.
- The student must not have been enrolled in college-level coursework as a degree-seeking student for three or more consecutive calendar years. Hours earned for developmental, dual credit or continuing education courses are excluded from this three year time-frame. An exception to “three or more consecutive calendar years” will be considered with advisor endorsement and on a case by case basis.
- After the above-mentioned college absence, the student must earn at least 12 credit hours in courses 100 level or above at MWSU, receive no course grade lower than a “C”, and earn an overall GPA of 2.5 or higher in said coursework. Note: A student may be disqualified from academic renewal eligibility if more than 15% course withdrawals (“W” grades) are recorded in the time-frame since the college absence. An exception to these academic standards may be considered on a case by case basis.
Students who meet the above criteria may petition the Admissions and Graduation Committee for academic renewal by completing and submitting the Petition for Academic Renewal form. The applicant will indicate a single start term and end term for academic renewal to be applied. All coursework between the start and end terms will be a part of academic renewal, including transfer work. The applicant should also attach a letter of explanation and support documentation, if applicable, addressing the circumstances which occurred during the term(s) they are requesting to be excluded from their Missouri Western transcript and their academic experience and personal and professional accomplishments achieved during the timeframe away from higher education. The student must also include written support from their advisor or other faculty member in their major department with their Academic Renewal request. If approved, the student will receive an updated copy of the transcript once the Academic Renewal process has been complete.
Conditions:
- All credit and grades earned between the selected start and end terms will be excluded from GPA calculations and credit hours earned.
- Excluded coursework cannot be used to meet degree or prerequisite requirements. Students should work directly with their department to address major coursework or prerequisite requirements.
- “Academic Renewal” will be noted on the transcript for each relevant MWSU term.
- Academic renewal will be applied to transfer work if it occurred between the identified start and end terms. Transfer courses included in academic renewal will be identified with an excluded (E) notation and excluded from GPA calculation and hours earned.
- Students will not be granted Academic Renewal after an application for graduation has been submitted or a previous degree awarded.
- Students who receive academic renewal are not precluded from graduating with honors.
Notes:
- Academic Renewal may impact financial aid eligibility. Applicants should contact the Director of Financial Aid for information and clarification.
- Academic Renewal is irrevocable.
- Students are limited to one appeal of academic renewal during their academic career at Missouri Western State University.
- Academic Renewal may not be used to obtain athletic eligibility.
- Academic Renewal is a Missouri Western State University policy and may not be recognized by outside agencies or other institutions.