Requirement for Good Standing

Beginning with the class of 2014, Boston College has restated its degree requirements in terms of credits rather than courses. Beginning with the class of 2014, a Carroll School of Management student must complete at least 114 credits to earn the bachelor’s degree. To continue enrollment in a full-time program of study, a student must maintain a cumulative average of at least 1.5 as the minimum standard of scholarship and must not fall more than six credits behind the total number of credits a student of their status is expected to have completed (15 credits each semester in the first three years and 12 credits each semester in senior year). For example, a first semester sophomore student must have completed at least 24 credits during the freshman year. 

Members of the classes of 2011, 2012, and 2013 must complete 38 three-credit courses. In order to remain in good standing, a student must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 1.5 as the satisfactory standard of scholarship, and have passed at least nine courses by the beginning of the second year, nineteen courses by the beginning of the third year and twenty-nine courses by the beginning of the fourth year.

Any student who is permitted by the dean to continue enrollment in a full-time undergraduate program is considered to be in good standing.

Academic Dismissal

At the end of each semester, students who do not meet the academic standards of the Carroll School of Management are dismissed. Possible grounds for academic dismissal include the following:

• Passing fewer than three courses (or 6 credits) in a semester
  
• Passing fewer than eight courses (or 24 credits) in an academic year (except senior year)
  
• Passing fewer than 18 courses (or 54 credits) by the end of sophomore year
  
• Passing fewer than 28 courses (or 84 credits) by the end of junior year
  
• A cumulative grade point average of below 1.5
  
• Students with any combination of 7 withdrawals and/or failures may be permanently dismissed
  
  

External Courses

Courses from institutions other than Boston College may be applied to a degree program only with permission of the Associate Dean. Examples include official cross-registration programs, the Foreign Study program, certain special study programs at other universities, courses in the Evening College, and summer school courses. Courses that are used to fulfill specific requirements in the University Core, Management Core, and Management Concentration must also be approved by the Chairperson of the relevant department, as must all courses taken through the Evening College and Summer School. Courses not available at Boston College may be taken at certain other local universities with the permission of the Associate Dean.

A student must earn a grade of C- or better to receive credit for any course taken at another university. In some instances, the Associate Dean may stipulate a higher grade. After the course has been completed, the student should request the Registrar at the host university to forward an official transcript to the Registrar's Office at Boston College.

Summer Courses

Summer courses are considered external courses, as indicated above. Students may be permitted to take summer courses for the following reasons:

• To make up for a past failure, withdrawal, or underload


• To allow for a lighter course load in the future (one course)


• To enable a student to fulfill a second major or concentration


• For enrichment


• Students may not take more than three courses in any one summer


• Students who attend summer school generally take Arts and Sciences electives


• Students who take courses in the summer usually enroll at Boston College Summer School. However, this is not always feasible, so sometimes it is possible to attend summer school at another four-year accredited college or university. In rare cases, students may be allowed to take certain management courses at other business schools. These business schools must be accredited by the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business.

Summer school courses must have prior approval from the appropriate department Chairperson and from the Associate Dean.

Final Examinations

The final examination schedule for most courses is set before classes begin. Courses with multiple sections may have common departmental final examinations at a date and time determined by the Registrar's Office during the semester. Students with three final examinations scheduled for the same day are entitled to take a makeup exam at a later date during exam week. If one of the three exams is a common departmental exam, this is the exam that is taken at the later date. Students should not schedule departure flights until after the last day of exams, unless their examination schedule is definite.

Pass / Fail

University Core and Carroll School of Management courses may not be taken by any student on a Pass/Fail basis. The only courses that are acceptable for Pass/Fail are electives taken in the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Education, or School of Nursing. Carroll School of Management students must receive the written permission of the instructor and the Associate Dean in order to take a course Pass/Fail. Approval will be given only during the registration and Drop/Add periods.

Class Attendance

In cases of prolonged absence due to illness, injury, or other significant reasons, a student or a member of his or her family should communicate with the Dean for Student Development and the Associate Dean of the Carroll School of Management as soon as the prospect of prolonged or extended absences becomes clear. The academic arrangements for the student's return to classes should be made with the Associate Dean of the Carroll School of Management as soon as the student's health and other circumstances permit.

Course Load

The usual program for freshmen, sophomores, and juniors is five courses (15 credits) each semester; for seniors, four or five courses (12 or 15 credits). Students must be registered for at least four courses (12 credits) per semester to be considered full time.

Acceleration

After being in residence for at least three semesters, and at least two full semesters prior to the proposed date of graduation, students may apply to the Associate Dean to accelerate their degree program by one or two semesters. Students must present a minimum cumulative average of 3.0, and they will be considered for approval only for exceptional reasons. The University policies regarding accelerated programs, once approved, also require that any course intended for acceleration must be taken at Boston College and must be authorized by the Associate Dean.

Students transferring into Boston College with first semester sophomore status or above are not eligible to accelerate their program of study. Any overload courses taken for acceleration will carry an extra tuition charge. Students with GPA's of 3.0 or above may elect a sixth course during the drop-add period; students failing to meet this standard may appeal to the Associate Dean for permission.

Leave of Absence

A student in good standing who desires to interrupt the usual progress of an academic program and wishes to resume studies at Boston College within a year may petition for a leave of absence. The process begins in the Associate Dean's Office. A leave of absence will not typically be granted to students who expect to do full-time academic work at another institution and will be extended for no more than one year, although petition for renewal is possible.

Academic Integrity

All students are expected to maintain the highest standards of personal integrity and honor in all their academic activities. Students who violate these standards are subject to disciplinary action by a professor, and may be subject to further action after a hearing by a board of peers and faculty.

An Academic Integrity Board composed of both students and faculty investigates breaches of academic integrity (cheating, plagiarism, etc.) that are referred by either students or faculty. After reviewing a case the Board makes a recommendation to the Associate Dean who can then take disciplinary action that may include suspension or expulsion.

Academic Grievances

Any student who believes he or she has been treated unfairly in academic matters should consult with the chairperson of the undergraduate or graduate department or his or her associate dean to discuss the situation and to obtain information about relevant grievance procedures.

For University Academic Policies and Procedures, click here.