Advisor Manual-FG
FERPA, Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act
Fine, Performing and Communication Arts
Foreign Culture
Foreign Language Requirement
Foreign Language Testing
General Education Populations
Grade 13, Ontario
Grade Point Average
Grades and Marks
Grading Policy
Graduation with Distinction
Group Requirements
Guest Application
FERPA, Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), also referred to as the "Buckley Amendment," was the basis upon which Provost Henry V. Bohm wrote the WSU document titled "Guidelines for the Release of Student Records Information" in 1975.
The general answer to the question of what information about a student can be given out is "not very much, and then only with restrictions." A more precise answer would take into account who is asking for the information, for what purpose, and whether the individual has been given permission to receive it. Under FERPA, "permission" means written permission from the student to release information to third parties. There are numerous exceptions to the rule prohibiting third parties from receiving information about students, the most common being the parents of a dependent student: they have the right to have access to the student's educational records without written permission from the student.
There is in FERPA a Health and Safety exception to the restriction concerning the release of information. If there is an emergency, you can tell someone where the student is. The circumstances that constitute an emergency are rigorously defined but should be interpreted reasonably. If a police officer (or agent of the FBI, the CIA, etc.) is looking for the student, that person should be referred to the WSuU Police Department or to the General Counsel's office, 4249 F/AB, 577-2268.
Fine, Performing and Communication Arts
The College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts includes the departments of Art & Art History, Dance, Music, Communication and Theatre.
For students pursuing a degree in Fine, Performing and Communication Arts, the basic requirements for anyone who is not obligated to meet University General Education Requirements are identical to the old Group Requirements of Liberal Arts. The exceptions are: a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in either Art or Theatre allows the student to choose either the foreign language or the Natural Science requirement; for a Bachelor of Music, the student must meet the Natural Science requirement but is not required to take a foreign language except in the Vocal Performance curriculum.
For students who must meet University General Education Requirements, the basic requirements of the College of Fine, Performing & Communication Arts are identical to those of the university with the exception that the Foreign Culture requirement of the university must be fulfilled by completion of the third semester in one foreign language for any major resulting in a Bachelor of Arts degree.
The Design and Merchandising curriculum of Art and Art History includes two programs: Apparel Design and Fashion Merchandising, programs which result in either a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree. The latter degree does not require foreign language under either old or new basic requirements but all students pursuing a BS must earn at least 24 semester hours in Natural Sciences. The BA degree requires completion of the third semester in one foreign language as well as the Natural Science requirement that pertains to all other Bachelor of Arts degrees.
An approved course related to foreign culture may be elected instead of completing a foreign language to the intermediate level for some programs offered by WSU. See "Foreign Language" for particulars regarding the degrees which require a foreign language rather than a foreign culture course.
Completion of a foreign language through the third semester (or the fourth quarter) has been and continues to be a requirement for any degree called a Bachelor of Arts, including those in Art, Music, Theater, and Design & Merchandising. To say anything more than that, however, one needs to know what major and degree the student intends to earn and whether he or she is obligated to fulfill University General Education Requirements.
For students obligated to fulfill General Education Requirements, the only degrees and majors in colleges served by the UAC that DO NOT require a foreign language are:
Bachelor of Fine Arts with a Major in Art
Bachelor of Fine Arts with a Major in Theatre
Bachelor of Music (except Vocal Performance majors)
Bachelor of Public Affairs
Bachelor of Science with a Major in Dance
Bachelor of Science with a Major in Design and Merchandising
Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies
Students completing a degree in Public Affairs may use the following courses to meet both the CS and FC requirements:
ARM 3410; FRE 2710, 2720; GER 2710, 2720, 3410; GRK 3710; ITA 2710, 2720; NE 2000; POL 2710, 3410; RUS 2710, 3410; SLA 3410; UKR 3410.
Students who wish to continue the study of a language that they began in high school should regard their previous experience according to the following formula in attempting to determine what level they should begin with at Wayne State: one and one-half years of study in high school are approximately equal to one semester in college. That guideline becomes less reliable, however, with the passage of time. A placement examination in French, German, Italian, or Spanish is available and students who place beyond the third semester are considered to have met the language requirement and Foreign Culture requirement.
Students who were born in, and who completed their secondary education in, a country in which English is neither an official language nor a language of instruction are considered to have fulfilled the Foreign Language requirement for those programs that require a foreign language as well as the Foreign Culture requirement of the university. No credit hours are attached to this consideration. Further, a student whose native language is other than English may not receive credit toward graduation for either coursework or Credit by Special Examination in that language at the elementary and intermediate levels.
Students whose native language is other than English but who graduated from an English-language high school may arrange through the University Advising Center to be tested by a faculty member at another institution when the language is one that is not taught at Wayne State.
Under the old requirements in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and the College of Fine, Performing & Communication Arts, foreign language is required for the following degrees:
All Bachelor of Arts degrees (including those in sciences)
All Bachelor of Arts Honors degrees (including those in sciences)
Bachelor of Science with a Major in Computer Science (second major)
Bachelor of Science with a Major in Mathematics
Bachelor of Science Honors with a Major in Mathematics
Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences Honors
Bachelor of Science in Chemistry
Bachelor of Science in Chemistry Honors
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science Honors
Under the old requirements, the following degrees do not require a foreign language but do require 60 hours of natural science. For information on science required for these degrees, see Natural Science Requirement.
Bachelor of Science with a Major in Geology
Bachelor of Science with a Major in Geology Honors
Bachelor of Science with a Major in Nutrition & Food Science
Bachelor of Science with a Major in Nutrition & Food Science Honors
Bachelor of Science with a Major in Psychology
Bachelor of Science with a Major in Psychology Honors
Bachelor of Science in Medical Dietetics
Bachelor of Science in Physics
Under the old requirements, the following degrees do not require a foreign language. The natural science requirement for these degree is the same as it is for a Bachelor of Arts degree (students who declared Criminal Justice as a major prior to the beginning of classes for the Fall 1991 should consult the department regarding some additional requirements in psychology):
Bachelor of Music (except Vocal Performance)
Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice
Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Honors
Bachelor of Public Affairs
Bachelor of Public Affairs Honors
The following variations on the foreign language requirement apply as indicated:
Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Art History: requires completion of German or French through the fourth semester (2110) under old or new requirements.Bachelor of Fine Arts with a Major in either Art or Theatre: allows a choice of fulfilling either the foreign language or the natural science requirement under old requirements only. Under new requirements, BFA students must fulfill Foreign Culture and the two-course science requirement of the university.
Bachelor of Music with a concentration in Vocal Performance: requires completion of two languages, each through the second semester, under old or new requirements. French, German, or Italian preferred. For students who are obligated to meet University General Education Requirements, completion of a foreign language through only the second semester does not fulfill Foreign Culture; Vocal Performance majors must either complete the third semester in one of the languages or some other FC course.
Bachelor of Science in Chemistry: under old requirements, requires completion through the second semester of either German (preferred), French or Russian.
Students in the following colleges must demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the bachelor's degree: College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts; College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.
Students can demonstrate proficiency either by coursework--language study 1010, 1020 and 2010-or examination.
Students who have studied a language other than English in high school or college may take a departmental proficiency test to determine placement.
Native speakers of a language other than English that is taught at Wayne may satisfy the university's Foreign Language requirement through a departmental proficiency test. Earning credit by examination is not permitted for any foreign language.
Native speakers of a language not taught at Wayne may seek qualified outside examiners. Students need to obtain a "Foreign Language Proficiency or Verification" form and guidelines from the University Advising Center, 1600 David Adamany Undergraduate Library. Students may not be tested by outside examiners for languages taught at WSU. Qualified examiners are limited to foreign language programs and departments at the University level.
The following populations must meet the General Education Requirements:(S87-S05)
- FTIAC's enrolled Spring/Summer 1987 or later
- Transfer students who first enrolled Spring/Summer 1987 and transferred 12 or fewer credits
- All students whose first term at WSU was between Fall 1990 and Spring/Summer 1991 who began college coursework elsewhere the Fall 1988 or thereafter or began college coursework elsewhere prior to the Fall of 1988 and transferred in 12 or fewer credit hours.
- All students whose first term at WSU is the Fall of 1991 or thereafter.
The following populations must meet the General Education Requirements:(F05)
- Freshmen first enrolled at WSU Fall 2005 or thereafter;
- Transfer students with fewer than 12 credit hours (earned after high school graduation) first enrolled at WSU Fall 2005;
- Transfer students first enrolled at WSU between Winter 2006 and Fall 2007 who began their college coursework (following high school graduation) Fall 2005 or later; and
- All students, both freshmen and transfers, who enter and begin coursework Fall 2007 and thereafter.
- All students who have had an absence from WSU for three or more terms (not counting Spring/Summer) and who will not have earned their degree by fall 2011.
- All students who will not have earned their degree by fall 2011
*Students who migrate to new requirements and who have already met competencies under their previous requirements, will not be obligated to meet the new competency requirements. Exceptions will be handled on a cade-by-case basis.
Prior to Fall 1989, Wayne State allowed up to 30 semester hours for work completed in Grade 13 in Ontario schools or for completion of the Ontario Advanced Courses program. That policy ceased to apply for students who were admitted to WSU for the Fall of 1989 or later.
A student's Honor Point or Grade Point Average (GPA) is calculated by dividing the number of Honor Points he or she has accumulated by the number of semester hours attempted. These two numbers and their relationship are referred to as the Honor Point Fraction. Honor Points are derived by multiplying the credit for the course by the value of the grade (A = 4.0, B = 3.0, C = 2.0, D = 1.0, E = 0.0). To figure your GPA, divide the total honor points by total credits. The 4 credit hours included in the "credit hours" column is for purposes of illustration only, please use the actual credit hours earned for the course to compute your GPA.
For example:
| Grade | Honor points per Credit Hour |
Credit Hours | Honor Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 4.0 | X 4 | = 16 |
| A- | 3.67 | X 4 | = 14.68 |
| B+ | 3.33 | X 4 | = 13.32 |
| B | 3.0 | X 4 | = 12 |
| B- | 2.67 | X 4 | = 10.68 |
| C+ | 2.33 | X 4 | = 9.32 |
| C | 2.0 | X 4 | = 8 |
| C- | 1.67 | X 4 | = 6.68 |
| D+ | 1.33 | X 4 | = 5.32 |
| D | 1.0 | X 4 | = 4 |
| D- | 0.67 | X 4 | = 2.68 |
| E | 0 | X 4 | = 0 |
| + | + | ||
| Total Credits | Total Honor Points |
So a student who has earned a "B" in English 1020, an "A" in Art History 111, an "E" in Mathematics 1800, a "C" in Psychology 1010 and an "S" in UGE 1000 would have the following GPA:
| Course | Credit | Grade | Honor Pts./ | Hrs. Att. | = GPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English 1020 | 4 | B | 12 | 4 | |
| Art History 1110 | 3 | A | 12 | 3 | |
| Mathematics 1800 | (4) | E | 0 | 4 | |
| Psychology 1010 | 4 | C | 8 | 4 | |
| UGE 1000 | 1 | S | NA | NA | |
| TOTAL | 12 | 32 | 15 | = 2.13 |
Please note in this example that the student has attempted to complete 16 semester hours toward a degree; that for the purposes of an GPA, he or she has attempted 15 hours; and that the student has earned 12 hours toward graduation. Courses taken on a Passed/Not passed basis do not affect one's GPA.
To calculate the number of semester hours of "B" work a student needs to reach a 2.00 GPA, multiply total Hours Attempted by two and subtract total Honor Points. The resulting figure is the number of hours of "B" work that the student needs to earn to raise his or her HPA to 2.00.
To calculate the number of hours of "B" work a student needs to raise his or her GPA to 2.50 (the minimum average required to be considered for admission to several professional programs), multiply total Hours Attempted by 2.5, subtract total Honor Points, and multiply the result by two.
To calculate the number of hours of "A" work required to raise an GPA to 3.00, multiply total Hours Attempted by three and subtract total Points.
The calculations above do not take into account the effect on a student's GPA if he or she repeats a course first taken at Wayne State in which the original grade was an A, B, C, D, or E. For further information, see Course Repetition and Deficiency Points.
The distinction between a grade and a mark is based primarily on whether or not a student completes the work for the class. A student receives a grade of "A," "B," "C," "D,", "F," "P," "N," "S," or "U" if he or she completes all (or most) of the assigned work for a course. A grade is an indication of the quality of work submitted.
A mark is an administrative symbol usually indicating that a student has done something other than complete all of the work required for a course. Marks in the WSU system include an "I" (Incomplete, which will revert to "F" after one year), "R" (Repeated Course), "WP" (Withdrawal Passing), "WF" (Withdrawal Failing), "WN" (Withdrawal Never Attended), "Y" (Deferred), and "Z" (Audit).
For credits earned by taking a special examination offered by a department, a mark of AX, BX, CX, etc will be given depending upon the level of performance on the examination. These marks are not considered in computing grade point average.
The university deadline for an instructor to submit a Change of Grade or mark is one year from the point at which the original grade or mark was issued. Instructors may set a more restrictive deadline.
Effective Fall Term 2006 the following grading policy is in effect.
- Course withdrawals: Grades of "W" and "X" are eliminated.
Students who request withdrawal from classes will be assigned one of the three following grades:WP--Withdrawal Passing
The "X" grade is eliminated. Students who do not complete coursework and do not request a course withdrawal prior to final exam should receive a failing grade.
WF--Withdrawal Failing
WN--Withdrawal Never Attended - Incompletes revert to "F" after one year. Work must be completed within one calendar year. There will be no exceptions.
- Repeats of the same course limited to two (2). Repeats of all courses limited to three (3).
- Undergraduate grade of "E" replaced by "F".
The university recognizes the top 20% of undergraduate students within each college graduating each term. To be eligible for consideration, students must have accumulated 60 or more credit hours in residence at WSU. The following distribution applies:
| Top 5% | Next 5% | Next 10% |
| Summa Cum Laude | Magna Cum Laude | Cum Laude |
Under the old requirements, students must have at least six semester hours of English, including one course in composition and the other being any English course on the "2000" level or above; foreign language through the third semester (see exceptions to "foreign language" above); under Natural Science, a minimum of three courses for at least 11 semester hours with one course in life sciences, one in the physical sciences, and one laboratory course; under Social Science, at least three courses totaling at least 11 semester hours; and under Humanities, at least three courses totalling a minimum of 11semester hours.
For students under University General Education Requirements, the Group Requirements for graduation from Liberal Arts & Sciences consist of:
- Natural Science one course in Physical Science as defined by Liberal Arts, & Sciences one course in Life Science as defined by Liberal Arts & Sciences, and a third course which can be either Astronomy 2010, Geology 1010, NFS 2030 or 2210, or an approved science course in a department not used for the Physical or Life Science requirement; one of the three courses must have a laboratory; courses that transfer from another instituiton must be equivalent to an approved WSU course, represent the study of a single science, and may not transfer in as XESX;
- Historical Studies (one course);
- American Society and Institutions (one course);
- Basic Social Sciences (two courses);
- Visual & Performing Arts (one course);
- Philosophy & Letters (one course);
- Cultural Studies (one course);
- Foreign Culture, completion of one foreign language through the third semester for any major in Liberal Arts & Sciences (except a Bachelor of Public Affairs for which an approved course in Foreign Culture will suffice; for recommended courses, see Cultural Studies); in FPCA, all bachelor of arts degrees require foreign language.
Under General Education Requirements, students may not use a given Subject Area Code to fulfill more than two Group Requirements. This rule was extended in Spring 2007 to include students fulfilling general education requirements from Spring 1987 foward. An exception to the "no more than 2" rule is Honors (HON) courses for which there is no limit. Students transferring from ISP are exempt from the "no more than 2" rule.
Group Requirements must be taken for a letter grade. Pass/no pass option may not be elected for Group Requirements.
Students who transfer courses which have been earned on a quarter system may satisfy a specific requirement with a course that transfers as less than 3 credit hours. For example, a 4 credit course on the quarter system would count as 2.66 credit hours on the semester system and a 3 credit course would count as 2.0 credit hours. In both cases, the qualifying course would count for general education.
A modification to the American Society & Institutions requirement was permitted by the Provost's Office in 1987 by allowing the two-course sequence in American history taken at either Henry Ford Community College (HIS 151 and 152), Macomb Community College (HIS 230 and 231), or Wayne County Community College (HIS 249 and 250) to fulfill the AI requirement despite the fact that Wayne State's own courses (HIS 204 and 205) will not serve the same function. Students who transfer here from one of those three schools must understand that this method of meeting AI precludes their taking an approved history course to fulfill the Historical Studies requirement.
Wayne State students who wish to attend another institution for one term may be required by that school to apply as a Guest Student. Wayne State students, even those who are returning temporarily to a school from which they previously transferred, should check with the school concerning enrollment prerequisites and procedures.
The "Michigan Uniform Undergraduate Guest Application" is available in the UAC. Although certification concerning current enrollment and status is limited to the factual information listed on the form and does not guarantee that whatever course a student takes will transfer and will be appropriate, the only sensible approach is to encourage students to list specific courses that they are considering taking in order to minimize the possibility of error. Students who propose to take upper-division courses elsewhere with the expectation that they will apply toward the major should be advised to consult with their major department after we sign their application.
Advisors in the UAC sign Guest Applications for students in CFPCA and Liberal Arts & Science. Students coded in other colleges at WSU must discuss their plans with appropriate staff in their colleges.
Students attending WSU as Guest Students presumably know why they are here and what they can take that will serve their goals at their home school. Questions concerning the transferability and applicability of courses taken at WSU must be answered by someone at the student's home institution and not by someone in University Advising or Transfer Credit. Further, guests at WSU are eligible to attend here under that status for only one semester.
Guest students are not eligible for financial aid.