Academic Policies

Catalog Student Must Follow

The catalog in existence at the time a student first enrolls at Avila University is the one a student must follow in order to fulfill graduation requirements. With departmental approval, a student may choose to fulfill degree requirements under a subsequent catalog in existence during the student’s attendance at Avila University. Once a student changes catalogs, the student may not revert to the earlier catalog. Forms to change a catalog are available online at www.avila.edu/registrar-office in the Registration and Student Records Office.

If a student does not attend Avila University for four consecutive semesters (not including summer sessions), the student must then fulfill the requirements of the catalog in existence at the date of re-enrollment.

The dates of the catalog a student follows to fulfill degree requirements must be stated on the degree application.

Placement Examinations

For students taking the SAT, SAT scores will be converted to ACT equivalents.

Mathematics Placement

In order to ensure that students are registered for the most appropriate class, all students planning to register for Core Mathematics as their first mathematics course at Avila must qualify for placement in these courses. Placement will be determined by an academic advisor based on a student’s recent (within five years prior to enrollment in course) ACT math score or a score on the Avila University Mathematics Placement Examination.

English Placement

Students who plan to enroll in a writing course may be placed in one of three courses (EN 095 , EN 111 , EN 112 ) according to their background. Placement will be determined by an academic advisor based on a student’s ACT score in English Usage or a score on the Avila University English Placement Examination.

Transfer of Credit

Avila University accepts transfer credits from other institutions as recommended in the transfer credit practices directory published by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers.

Transfer Policies

Only courses from institutions accredited by accreditors recognized by both the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and the US Department of Education (USDE), will be directly transferred. A student wanting credit for unaccredited coursework may apply through one of the alternative credit processes (e.g., Credit for Prior Learning, Credit by Departmental Examination, CLEP).

Transfer students coming to Avila with an Associate of Arts (AA) or equivalent academic degree will be considered to have met Core requirements. Please read the Transfer Students  page for complete information.

Course work from unaccredited institutions that has been granted credit at another accredited institution will not be accepted as transfer credit at Avila University.

For students completing their first baccalaureate degree, all non-developmental courses are transcripted and included in the career hours and grade point average. Transfer courses which are considered remedial or developmental will be transcripted and may be included in the term and career hours as well as the corresponding grade point average and count toward institutional requirements for degree. Developmental courses can be used in the consideration of prerequisites for enrollment in additional coursework as determined by the faculty as long as the developmental course was completed within five years of intended enrollment in the course requiring the prerequisite. Course equivalencies that can count toward career hours, grade point average, and graduation include, EN 095, MA 00A, MA 050, MA 051, and MA 092. Other remedial or developmental transfer courses will not affect your Avila career hours, grade point average, or count towards graduation.

Transfer credits earned at an institution awarding credit hours in a format other than semester hours will have that credit converted to semester hours on the Avila University transcript.

Credits earned more than fifteen years ago will be accepted toward a degree but not toward major/minor requirements. In some programs, some courses may need to be less than ten years old to be accepted. In certain instances, exceptions are granted with written approval of the School/College Dean and the Office of Academic Affairs.

Credit may be granted for work completed at a post-secondary level of an international institution. For review, transcripts must be submitted translated into English.

A student who has CLEP credit on another institution’s transcript and wants that credit transferred must request an official copy of the test score(s) be sent to the Avila University Registrar. Credit will be granted for those courses with scores meeting the Avila University criteria for CLEP examinations. The student will not be charged any additional fees if CLEP is on a transcript from another accredited institution. CLEP test dates must be in the last ten years to be accepted for credit.

Credit on another accredited institution’s transcript earned through an alternative means of credit at that institution (e.g., examination, credit for prior learning, or experiential credit) will not be transferred to Avila University. The student may apply for credit through one of Avila University’s alternative credit methods.

Credits earned through transfer, prior learning credit, military personnel, International Baccalaureate (IB), Advanced Placement (AP), College Level Examinations Program (CLEP), or Dantes Subject Standardized Tests (DSST) do not count as residential credit.

Avila University does not have a limit on the number of transfer hours accepted. A minimum of 25% of total credits (30 of 120 credit hours) must be earned at Avila University.

Transfer Evaluation Fees

First evaluation: no charge. Additional evaluations may be charged a $25 fee per evaluation.

Student Load and Classification

A full-time undergraduate student carries from twelve to eighteen credit hours each semester. More than eighteen credits may be carried only with the written approval of Academic Affairs. A part-time undergraduate student carries from six to eleven credit hours.

Academic Advising

Students must meet with their assigned academic advisor. Academic advising is required prior to each registration. Students are encouraged to contact their advisor at other times throughout the semester for information about university policies, services, or professional opportunities.

Student Responsibility for Degree Completion

Students should discuss their specific degree requirements with their academic advisors throughout their academic career. While an academic advisor is to be of help to a student in planning and confirming the student’s progress toward graduation, ultimately it is the student’s responsibility to be familiar with the requirements for graduation and to be aware of the number of hours he or she has completed towards graduation.

Exceptions to Academic Policies

A student may request an exception to an academic policy or the degree requirements. An “Exception to Academic Requirements and/or Policies” form may be obtained online at https://www.avila.edu/registrar-office/ or in person at the Registration and Student Records Office. The request must be completed by the student with recommendations from the academic advisor and the appropriate chair. 

Registration

Students should register prior to the beginning of classes. Late registration or class section changes may be permitted:

1. During the first week of a 15-week session.
2. On the first day of class for 8-week sessions through the College of Innovative, Professional and Graduate Studies.
3. On the first day of class for 8-week summer sessions.
4. On the fourth day of class for the 12-week summer session

A late registration fee may be charged.

A student may not enroll in classes that meet simultaneously.

Permission to Attend Another College

A student in a degree program must have the written approval of the academic advisor and the Registrar to take courses at another college. This request may not be granted if the student is within thirty hours of a degree, if the course is available on campus, or if the student does not have a “C” average. Students not obtaining written permission prior to studying off campus may risk not receiving credit at Avila University. Permission forms may be obtained online at https://www.avila.edu/registrar-office/ or in person at the Registration and Student Records Office.

Repeated Course Work

Once enrolled at Avila University, a student may repeat a course only twice regardless where the course is taken. If a student repeats or duplicates a course, the most recent grade earned is reflected in the cumulative grade point average. However, all course entries remain a part of the permanent record, and credit is forfeited for all previous attempts. Students should talk with their academic advisors before repeating a course.

Class Attendance

Students are expected to attend all sessions of courses for which they are registered. Excessive absence may result in a grade of “F.”

Active Military Duty

Avila University supports students who are members of a branch of the United States Armed Services and makes efforts to accommodate them academically when possible if they are called to active duty. All requests under this policy must be sent to the Academic Affairs Office.

Avila University limits academic residency to no more than 25% of the degree requirements for all undergraduate degrees for active-duty service members who are enrolled. Reservist and National Guardsmen on active-duty are covered in the same manner.

Academic Honesty

The following is a summary of the Avila Honor Code. Please see the Student Handbook for the full policy.

Avila University is a values-based community whose members dedicate themselves to excellence in teaching and learning. The Avila Value Statements guide and inform the actions and choices of all members of the Avila Community. In accordance with the University mission, students, staff, and faculty commit to uphold the highest standards of academic integrity and personal conduct. Adhering to the Avila University Academic Honor Code will be reflected through actions, intentions, and support of the common good and means that members will:

· demonstrate ethical behavior

· take responsibility for one’s own learning

· build trust within the community

· produce credible work

The university defines academic dishonesty to include the following practices: cheating, complicity, deception, fabrication, forgery, impersonation, misuse of intellectual property via information technology, multiple submissions of work, plagiarism, sabotage, unauthorized collaboration, and unauthorized recording or use of instructional content and/or intellectual property. A detailed definition for each of these practices is found in the Academic Honor Code.

The instructor who discovers that a student has engaged in academic dishonesty must report the violation and provide documentation, including an Academic Honesty Incident Report (MyAU - Instructor Info) to the Dean associated with the academic course.

The Dean and/or their designee will serve as a case manager who will evaluate the merits of the case. The case manager may decide to throw out the case due to insufficient evidence. When there is compelling evidence from the Instructor, the case manager will give the student the option to respond with their own position and/or evidence. The case manager will use the information from both parties to determine the student’s responsibility. If the student is found responsible, the Instructor’s recommendation regarding a course sanction will be enacted (e.g., a warning, zero on assignment, “F” in the course, etc.). Both the Dean and the program may impose sanctions that extend beyond the Instructor’s course level sanction, particularly if there is a second offense.

For the third reported offense, the student will be required to attend an official hearing before the Academic Honor Council which will determine further sanction beyond that imposed by the Instructor. One option available to the Academic Honor Council is dismissal from the university. If a student is allowed to continue at the University after the third offense and a fourth offense is reported, the Academic Honor Council will meet to determine need for further review or immediate dismissal from the University. The maximum sanction available to the Academic Honor Council is to dismiss the student from the university for repeated offenses.

Individual program policies pertaining to integrity and academic honesty take precedence over policies and procedures set forth in the Academic Honor Code.

Nonetheless, all incidents of academic dishonesty must be reported as set forth in the Academic Honor Code.

Records of accumulated reported offenses of compromised integrity will be maintained in the office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. When the student successfully graduates from Avila University, these records will be destroyed.

The Academic Honor Code is located in the Student Handbook and was approved by the Faculty Leadership Council in Spring 2025.

Definitions of Academic Dishonesty

Academic Dishonesty is the process in which an individual or a group engages in an unethical behavior to alter the integrity of an academic work or an academic requirement. Examples of academic dishonesty include but are not limited to the following:

• Plagiarism is the act of taking ideas from another and representing them as one’s own work without acknowledging the source. Examples include not using proper citations to indicate the true source for an assessment, copying or pasting someone else’s work in an assignment, and submitting a similar or identical work completed by someone else.
• Cheating is giving or receiving unauthorized information prior, during or after an exam or assignment. Examples include but are not limited to copying answers from another student’s work, communication via voice or electronic devices to other students before, during or after an exam, using hidden notes and/or stored information on electronic devices during an exam, signaling answers, taking pictures of an exam or another student’s work, and unauthorized use of internet access.
• Fabrication is the falsification of data, citations, unauthorized signatures or other information for an academic assessment. Examples include fictitious sources to meet bibliography requirements, falsifying lab results submitting someone else’s work as your own,  and changing answers or a grade on a returned assessment to claim an error in grading.
• Impersonation is a situation when a person other than the student completes an academic assessment. The person completing the assessment and the one making the request are both engaging in academic dishonesty. Examples include having someone else write a paper  take a  placement,  online, or in-class.
• Deception is providing false information.  Examples include false claims to request deadline extensions or excused absences, claiming they have submitted or completed work when they actually have not, or providing false information on any University application.
• Sabotage is destroying or preventing access to materials or disrupting the academic work of other students. Examples include removing materials or equipment, deleting files, or destroying or manipulating others’ work.
• Complicity is knowingly contributing to or witnessing  an act of academic dishonesty and not reporting it. Examples include not reporting to the  designated office.
• Multiple Submission is the act of submitting a previously completed assessment in a prior course at Avila or another university for an assessment in a different course to earn credit, unless prior approval has been granted by the instructor. An example is a paper that has graded for another course and then resubmitting that same paper for the new course to meet the course requirements.
• Misuse of Intellectual Property via information Technology is accessing network systems (hacking) to steal information, violating copyright agreements, or disrupting electronic communications. Examples include modifying computer software or hardware to gain unauthorized access to information or data, using copyrighted material (unless it is “fair use”) without permission, illegally downloading protected files (sharing movies, music, film, texts and other materials without authorization or purchase), and defeating or attempting to bypass or defeat security systems put into place to assure confidentiality of information.
• Forgery is the imitation or counterfeiting of signatures and documents e.g. for admission, internship , financial aid requirements.

Processes for Academic Honor Violation

Records of accumulated reported offenses of compromised integrity will be maintained in the Academic Affairs office. When the student successfully graduates from Avila University, these records will be destroyed.

The Academic Honor Code is located in MyAU and was approved by the Faculty Assembly 2-10-17.

Course Changes and Withdrawals

Course changes and withdrawals are official when forms have been signed by the student and their academic advisor.  Add/Drop and Withdrawal forms should be emailed to StudentRecords@avila.edu once all signatures have been obtained. Students who do not attend or stop attending and who do not officially withdraw from a course by the date published in the class schedule will receive a final grade of “F.”

Credit Hours and Grading System

Grade Point Average (GPA)

The Grade Point Average (GPA) is obtained by dividing the total number of grade points by the total number of semester hours, including transfer credits, but excluding grading assessments of “W,” “AU,” “CR/NC,” and “I.” Transcript letter grades may be assigned with + or -, but grade points will reflect only a letter grade in the computation of the GPA. All grades for courses retaken will be displayed on the transcript, but only the most recent grade will be averaged into the GPA.

For undergraduate students completing their first baccalaureate degree, all coursework completed, including all transfer work and developmental courses, will be transcripted. 

Grade Reports

Mid-term and final grades are available online via a student’s MyAU account. Paper grade reports are only mailed by specific request for tuition reimbursement.

Transcripts

Due to the confidential nature of a student’s record, transcripts are issued only with written authorization from the student. Telephone requests will not be accepted. Written requests should be directed to the Registration and Student Records Office.

Students may order official transcripts online with a credit card via the “Transcript” link on the University homepage. This service is provided by Parchment, which charges a processing fee in addition to the University transcript fees. Transcript fees are listed below.

Unofficial transcripts for currently enrolled students are available at no charge online via their MyAU portal. 

Probation and Dismissal

All undergraduate students who have been officially admitted to the University must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.0. The Admissions and Academic Progress Committee reviews the academic status of students at the end of the fall and spring semesters. A student is not subject to Academic Dismissal after their first semester at Avila University.

A student who receives two or more grades of “F” or whose cumulative grade point average falls below 2.0 in any semester is given an Academic Warning. After a second semester of a cumulative GPA that is below 2.0, students will be placed on Academic Probation.

Students will be limited to 12-15 credit hours in the semester after they are placed on Academic Warning or Academic Probation.

Students on Academic Probation may be required to participate in a university skills program, may be limited in the number of hours in which they may enroll while on probation, and/or given other conditions (e.g., grade requirements to be met, required to meet with an identified person). Examples are below:

1. First and second year students must maintain a 2.0 GPA in the semester following the initial probation.
2. First and second year students may be required to take ED 101.
3. Third- and fourth-year students must earn a “C” or better in each class in the semester following the initial probation.
4. All students placed on academic probation will be contacted by their academic advisor.

Students whose cumulative GPA is below a 2.0 after their third semester of Academic Warning or Probation, could be placed on Probation Continued or dismissed from the University.

Students may be dismissed from the University after three consecutive semesters with a GPA below 2.0 and an overall cumulative GPA below 2.0.  If dismissed, students may appeal to the Academic Progress Committee.  Students experiencing extenuating life circumstances are encouraged to submit an appeal for reinstatement.  Appeals should include documentation of any extenuating circumstance.  Appeals can be directed to StudentRecords@avila.edu (subject line Academic Progress Committee).

Students who receive a letter of dismissal will not be dropped from current or future enrollments until the appeal period is over and it has been confirmed that a) the student did not submit an appeal; or b) the appeal was denied and the student dismissed from the University. 

Procedure for Grade Appeal

Students have recourse to an appeals procedure for the review of grades earned at Avila University. Guidelines and request forms are available in the Academic Affairs Office. The deadline for appealing grades is the Friday of the third week of the semester following the one in which the grade in question was received. The actual date is published online in the Academic Calendar.

Application for Graduation

Students must file an application for graduation with the Registration and Student Records Office to be evaluated for graduation eligibility. There are five official dates each academic year used for graduation.  The last day of the term in the following months is the official conferral date - December, March, May, Summer 1, and Summer 2. The deadlines for applications are available in the Registration and Student Records Office and from academic advisors. Students who believe they are within two to four semesters of graduation should request a graduation audit to be completed.

After the request for graduation audit is received in the Registration and Student Records Office, an audit of all academic work is completed by Registration and Student Records Office staff. Written notification of satisfactory progress or missing courses is sent to the student and advisor for review and appropriate action. The application for graduation can be completed with the anticipated date of graduation following this notification. Please check the Avila website for graduation application due dates: https://www.avila.edu/academics/graduation-commencement/.

A graduation fee is added to the student’s financial account when the application is received.

If all requirements are not completed by the date specified in the graduation application, the Registrar will move the student’s graduation date forward to the next available conferral date. 

Progress must be made in completing degree requirements within two years after last attending or you will need to reapply for re-admittance to the University and will fall under a new catalog for requirements, which could change what is needed for the completion of the degree.

Participation in the Commencement Ceremony

Students graduating in December, March, May and/or students with nine hours or less of coursework to complete during the summer session may participate in the May Commencement Ceremony. Requests for exceptions to this policy must be submitted in writing to the Registration and Student Records Office. Students may only participate in one graduation ceremony for a given degree.  Participation in the Commencement Ceremony is not the same as officially graduating.  Students receive a diploma cover crossing the stage at Commencement.  A final audit verifying completion of all degree requirements will be done by the Registrar after final grades are submitted.

Academic Honors

Semester Honors

Dean’s List

Full-time admitted undergraduate students are eligible for the Dean’s List during fall and spring semesters. Students must have successfully completed at least twelve credit hours with at least a 3.500 semester grade point average. Students on the Dean’s List will receive notification from the Academic Affairs Office.

Graduation Honors

Latin Honors are awarded only for baccalaureate degrees. Honors for the first baccalaureate degree will be based on all work completed, including transfer work. For a second degree, students must have completed at least sixty hours of coursework at Avila after the completion of the first degree to be eligible for honors.

Graduation honors are based on the cumulative grade point average as follows.

Honors announced at the Commencement Ceremony will be based on the work completed the fall semester prior to May graduation. If a student did not attend the fall semester, the announced honors will be based on the grade point average from the last semester of attendance prior to the fall semester.

Official honors will be recorded on the student’s diploma and transcript. Official honors are based on the final grade point average after the last semester of coursework is completed. Official honors may be different than those announced at graduation ceremony if a student’s grade point average changes the status during the last semester of coursework.

Honor Societies

• Alpha Epsilon Delta is the National Health Preprofessional Honor Society for students enrolled in a health preprofessional curriculum.
• Delta Epsilon Sigma is a national scholastic honor society for students of Catholic colleges and universities.
• Jean Pierre Medaille is an Avila University honor society for undergraduate students.
• Kappa Gamma Pi is a national honor society for graduating seniors of Catholic colleges.
• Phi Alpha, Xi Lambda chapter is a national honor society for social work students.
• Sigma Tau Delta is an international honor society for students completing a major or minor in English.
• Pi Lambda Theta is an international honor society for students majoring or minoring in education.
• Psi Chi is a national honor society for students completing a major or minor in psychology.

Degree Requirements

General Requirements for a Bachelor’s Degree

• Completion of at least 120 semester hours of academic work with a minimum grade point average of 2.0 (average grade of “C”).
• Completion of FS 101 - First-Year Seminar (1)  (Required of first-year students entering Avila directly out of high school).
• Of the minimum 120 semester hours required for graduation, at least 50% of the credits must be from accredited four-year colleges/universities. Only those courses designated by Avila University as college/university equivalent will be accepted for transfer credit.
• Completion of the Core Curriculum  as stated on the following pages. All students must receive a grade of “C” or above in Core Composition and Communication courses. Students completing the Missouri CORE 42  curriculum may complete their Composition and Communication courses with a grade of “D” or better, though such grades may not meet major requirements.
• Completion of no fewer than 27 semester hours in one major subject area including 21 semester hours in courses numbered 200 or above.
• Completion of at least 12 upper-division hours in the major at Avila; a minimum grade of “C” in each upper-division course in the major.
• No more than 60 hours in one area may be counted toward the 120-hour requirement for a bachelor’s degree. Exceptions to this limit may occur in specific degree programs. Any additional credit hours earned in a single subject beyond the designated limit will be counted as credits earned over and above the 120 required for the bachelor’s degree.
• Completion of any additional course requirements specified by the major degree program.
• Successful completion of recital, exhibit, project, research paper, oral examination, and/or any other department evaluation requirement.
• Completion of the final 30 hours at Avila University.
• Students who took or transferred in 3 credit hours of developmental MA 092  and/or EN 095  may count the course(s) as elective hours towards meeting the 120 credit hours required for the bachelor’s degree.

Double Major and Degree Conferred

When two majors are completed in different degree areas (e.g., B.S., B.A.), the student must indicate which degree is desired.

When a double major is desired, the student must designate which major is the first major. In addition to meeting all requirements for the first major, the student must complete a minimum of fifteen credit hours in the second major that are not already used to satisfy requirements for the first major or requirements for Core.

Second Degree

Requirements for earning two degrees to be awarded simultaneously:

• Completion of a minimum of 30 semester hours at Avila University in addition to the minimum 120 hours required for the first baccalaureate degree for a total of 150 hours.
• Completion of both majors with at least 12 upper-division hours in each major taken at Avila University; a “C” grade is required in each upper-division course in the majors.

Requirements for earning a second degree after having been awarded a baccalaureate degree:

• Completion of a minimum of 30 additional semester hours at Avila University after the awarding of the first baccalaureate degree.
• Completion of a major with at least 12 upper-division hours in the major taken at Avila University; a “C” grade is required in each upper-division course in the major.
• Completion of the core designations as stated in this catalog.

Minor

At least 18 semester hours in a subject area are required for a minor. A minimum of 9 hours in the minor must be earned at Avila University with at least 6 of these semester hours at Avila in courses numbered 300 or above. (Note: If the minor is in Biology or Chemistry, only 4 of the 9 semester hours in the minor at Avila must be in courses numbered 300 or above.) A minimum of 9 hours must be unique between a major and a minor. A grade of “C” or better must be earned for all graded courses required for the minor.