Academic & University Policies

Educational Materials and Resources

Appropriate course materials, course syllabi, and course outlines are used for each course. Required course materials are indicated in the course syllabus by title, author, publisher, and ISBN. Students that opt out of the Course Materials Fee (CMF) are responsible for purchasing course materials identified in the syllabus they are issued for each course. Students that opt-in to the CMF will have materials provided for them. Note: required course materials, textbooks, or other readings are not eligible for interlibrary loan in the Library.

It is students’ responsibility to make sure they purchase the primary course materials if they opt out of the CMF and or other textbook(s) and resources required in the syllabus the student is issued. Students must determine from their syllabus what course materials are required. The University may have more than one version of a particular syllabus issued to students. The University is not responsible for student purchases of course materials that do not match assigned syllabi.

The University partners with several online textbook suppliers. Students having difficulty finding required textbooks and course materials may contact their Academic and Finance Counselor or email bookstore@ncu.edu for assistance.

Program, Course Start Date

The program start date is the start date of the first course in the student’s program. Courses are available to begin on Monday of each week.

Once a student is registered for a course, the start date may not be moved. To start the course at a later time, the student must drop the course and re-register. Compliance with the Attendance policy is mandatory regardless of any courses dropped or added.

Students may contact their Academic and Finance Counselor for assistance in determining the latest date they may start a course without violating the Attendance policy.

Coursework may not be submitted until the course start date.

• Faculty Assignment Disclosure Policy
     

Add/Drop/Withdraw Period

Students may add, cancel or withdraw from a course at any time. To cancel or withdraw from a course, students can contact their Academic and Finance Counselor at learnerservices@ncu.edu or call (888) 628-6904. Cancellation or Withdrawal will be effective on the date that the notice is received.

If a student wishes to add a course outside of the prescribed degree plan, they will take the course as a non-degree seeking student.

Students who withdraw from a course are subject to the grading policies and refund policy outlined in the Course Catalog and are responsible for repaying loans obtained plus interest, less the amount of any refund due under the refund policy.

Dropping a Course

Courses dropped during the first seven days of the course session, or 14 days for a term-based JFK School of Law at National University program will be issued a “DR” grade. Dropped courses will not be counted in the units attempted unless a student has posted attendance [in accordance with the University’s Attendance policy] during the first seven days of the course.

A student may not receive more than three “DR” grades with attendance per degree program.

NOTE: Students begin earning Federal Student Aid (FSA) funds on their first day of attendance. Students may be eligible to receive a post-withdrawal/post-drop disbursement of the FSA funds earned but not yet received. To minimize the potential abuse of FSA funds, the University limits the number of “DR” grades with attendance a student can receive to a maximum of three per program.

Students who exceed the maximum number of DR grade with attendance may be administratively withdrawn from their program and prevented from registering for the next course until they have explained the reason for the multiple “DR” grades with attendance. It is then at the discretion of the University if the student will be allowed to continue in the program.

Once a student is registered for a course, the start date may not be moved. To start the course at a later time, the student must drop the course and re-register.

Students who discontinue a course after the seven-day drop period, or fourteen day drop period for term-based JFK School of Law at National University programs, are subject to the Withdrawal Policy.

Refunds of tuition for a dropped course will be made as described in the

Attendance Requirements

The University requires students to be in attendance at least once every 28 calendar days from the last date of attendance.

When doctoral candidates are not actively enrolled in a course, they have limited communication with University support staff and may not engage in certain activities related to their research. Specifically, doctoral candidates must be actively enrolled in a course to have contact with their dissertation chair. Doctoral candidates must also be actively enrolled in a course in order to perform data collection or have any contact with their human subjects if their Institutional Review Board (IRB) application has been approved.

Note: Continual enrollment requirements are different for the Juris Doctor degree program and are outlined in the Juris Doctor Catalog & Handbook.

Academic-Related Activities

Academic-Related Activities (ARAs) are used to determine a student’s official last date of attendance and corresponding enrollment status at the University. ARAs are also used to determine the effective date of active and withdrawn enrollment statuses. Academic-Related activities may include, but are not limited to:

• Uploading or completing an assignment (e.g., paper, project) in an online course
• Course related online quizzes
• Accessing academically related online content within or related to an online course
• Participating in the Discussion Forum section of an online course (e.g., commenting on a discussion question posted by the faculty member, providing feedback to another student), provided that the discussion is related to the course content

Note: Academic-related activities must be posted to an online course no later than Sunday at 11:59 P.M. Arizona time each week. See

Continuous Enrollment

To comply with continuous enrollment, all students must earn attendance at least once every 28 consecutive calendar days. Students who fall out of continuous enrollment will be administratively withdrawn from the University on the 29th day after their actual last date of attendance.

The Office of the Registrar’ Student Records department is responsible for monitoring compliance with continual enrollment requirements. Academic and Finance Counselors are notified of administrative withdrawals for non-compliance and are responsible for deleting scheduled courses when students fall out of continuous enrollment.

Note: Students in JFK School of Law at National University programs are required to maintain regular (continuous) enrollment in their program. To maintain continuous enrollment, students must remain in compliance with attendance policies or petition for a Leave of Absence.

Non-Term Based Enrollment Status

The University recognizes the following program-level enrollment statuses:

Term-Based Enrollment Status

For the purpose of financial aid and enrollment verification enrollment status is determined by the number of credits per semester:

Credit Hour

National University has a variety of degree offerings that award either semester credit hours or quarter unit credits.

Students at NU have the opportunity to enroll in programs that are onsite, online, or a hybrid combination of the onsite and online modalities. The length of the courses attached to programs will vary by the modality, degree level, and programmatic requirements.

Distance Education Courses

The online modality National University provides students is defined as distance education, which means that one or more of the technologies listed below is used to deliver instruction to students who are separated from the instructor and to support regular and substantive interaction between the students and the instructor, either synchronously or asynchronously. The technologies may include-

The internet;

• One-way and two-way transmissions through open broadcast, closed circuit, cable, microwave, broadband lines, fiber optics, satellite, or wireless communications devices.
• Audio conference; or
• Other media used in a course in conjunction with any of the technologies listed above.

(Department of Education - https://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/accreditation_pg12.html)

Programs in which fifty percent (50%) or more of the coursework is delivered online shall meet the substantive change requirements related to distance education programs as established by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC).

The following activities are examples of contact hours in the online environment but are not limited to:

1. Attending an online synchronous class, lecture, recitation, or field or laboratory activity;
2. Submitting an academic assignment;
3. Taking an assessment or an exam;
4. Participating in an interactive tutorial, webinar, or other interactive computer-assisted instruction;
5. Participating in a study group, group project, or an online discussion that is assigned by the institution; or
6. Interacting with an instructor about academic matters.

Please see the information below about course classification, credit hour/unit determination, and contact or non-contact hours of instruction at National University.

Semester Credit Hours and Quarter Units

NU offers Undergraduate, Graduate, and Doctoral degrees, which use either semester credit hours or quarter units depending on the program and modality of instruction.

The University offers students the option to enroll in Undergraduate, Graduate, and Doctoral level programs in the onsite, online, and hybrid modalities.

Per WSCUC, 1 semester credit hour or quarter unit = 1 hour of classroom instruction identified as a contact hour and 2 hours of out-of-class non-contact student work each week for approximately 15 weeks for a semester or approximately 10-12 weeks for a quarter. Contact hours include but are not limited to activities such as interactions with instructors in person or online, content discussions, and working with fellow students. Non-contact hours include hours spent reading, writing papers, or creating presentations.

Semester credit hours and quarter units vary and are based on the hours of instruction for each course and the hours a student should reasonably expect to devote to preparing for each hour of instruction. Depending upon the degree level, students are generally expected to complete 10 to 15 hours in class and 20 hours of outside preparation each week.

Undergraduate Courses - Associate and Bachelor’s Level

Courses in National University’s Undergraduate programs are predominantly lecture-based 4.5 quarter units/3 semester credit hours or laboratory 1.5 quarter units/1 semester credit hours. Students should refer to the University catalog to verify course classification, award type, award amount, contact, and non-contact information. Please see the table below for assistance with semester credit hours and quarter unit conversions for undergraduate courses.

Graduate Courses - Master’s Level

Courses in National University’s Master’s programs are predominantly lecture-based, seminar, or capstone 4.5 quarter units/3 semester credit hours or laboratory 1.5 quarter units/1 semester credit hours. Students should refer to the University catalog to verify course classification, award type, award amount, contact, and non-contact information. Please see the table below for assistance with semester credit hours and quarter unit conversions for graduate courses.

Graduate Courses - Doctoral Level

Courses in National University’s doctoral programs are predominantly categorized as core, foundation, or dissertation 4.5 quarter units/3 semester credit hours. Students should refer to the University catalog to verify course classification, award type, award amount, contact, and non-contact information. Please see the table below for assistance with semester credit hours and quarter unit conversions for doctoral courses.

Fieldwork, Internship, and Practicum Courses

Typically, at least 40 hours of internship work are assigned throughout the course of one term. However, depending on the academic program, the number of required hours may be governed or regulated by that particular program’s board of accreditation (e.g., American Bar Association, American Psychological Association, Board of Registered Nursing, Department of Education, Council on Social Work Education, Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education, State Bar of California, etc.).

Practical training courses may take the form of internship, practicum, or residencies, depending on the academic discipline in which a student is enrolled. This training may be accomplished in University facilities, or approved off-campus locations, depending on the specialty being pursued. Practical training experiences require significantly more time than a regular course.

Note: Please see program for specific requirements Independent or Guided Study Programs.

One unit of credit is assigned to a minimum of 30 hours of work for an undergraduate course and 36 hours for a graduate course, including discussion with faculty, time studying and doing homework or research per week throughout a four-week term. The academic reasons justifying why the subject must be pursued in the course of Independent Study must be approved by the faculty lead, the department chair, and the dean.

Students in guided study courses work independently under the guidance of an instructor, and units vary based on individualized coursework. Guided study courses that are listed for variable units must specify how unit value will be assigned. Requirements should be clearly delineated for each unit value offered.

JFK School of Law at National University Credit Information

The JFK School of Law at National University awards credit earned based on semester credit hours. Most required courses carry 3-semester credit hours. Consistent with the Rules and Guidelines of the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State of California: A “semester unit” includes at least 15 hours of verifiable academic engagement and a total of 45 hours of engagement.

Students in the JFK School of Law at National University may earn credit for verifiable academic engagement via the D2L Learning Management System, including, but not limited to, any of the following:

1. Participating in a synchronous class session;
2. Viewing and listening to recorded classes or lectures;
3. Participating in a live or recorded webinar offered by the law school;
4. Participating in any synchronous or asynchronous academic assignment in any class monitored by a faculty member;
5. Taking an examination, quiz, or timed writing assignment;
6. Completing an interactive tutorial or computer-assisted instruction;
7. Conducting legal research assigned as part of the curriculum in any class; and
8. Participating in any portion of an approved clinical or experiential class or activity offered through distance learning technology totaling no more than 12.5 percent of the hours required for graduation; and/or
9. Student participation in an experiential or clinical program where the student’s participation is pre-approved, a faculty member reviews the student participation to ensure educational objectives are achieved, the amount of credit is commensurate with the time spent, and the total credit does not exceed 12.5 percent of the total hours required for graduation.

It is expected that a student taking a 3-credit course will need to spend approximately 135 to 144 hours on verifiable academic engagement and independent work/academic engagement, including reading and study; research; faculty-student interaction; demonstration of defined learning outcomes through assignments, papers, and projects; examinations; outlining; case briefing; doing practice hypotheticals and any other work necessary to ensure meeting the learning objectives. For more information on specific program requirements, please see the JD Catalog.

Periodic Review of Standard Courses and Other Academic Activities

A number of processes under the purview of the Office of the Provost contribute to the periodic review of the credit hour assignments to ensure that they are accurate and reliable:

• Course development (and re-development) checklist – a review of the credit hour policy against course syllabi and online course shells in the Learning Management Systems (LMS) (when in the online or hybrid format) is completed as part of the course development and re-development process.
• Each course provides students with a general statement of student expectations based on the degree level and modality of the course and information on specific activities required to be completed during that course.
• Five-Year Program Review – built into the Five-Year Review is a review of all course syllabi against the credit hour policy to ensure accuracy and reliability.

Student Workload

Active students enrolled in undergraduate courses may take a maximum of 12 credits at a time without Dean approval. Undergraduate students requesting to take more than 12 credits simultaneously must be approved by their school Dean.

Active students enrolled in graduate courses may take a maximum of 6 credits at a time without Dean approval. Graduate students requesting to take more than 6 credits simultaneously must be approved by their school Dean. 

Grades

The University awards letter grades in recognition for academic performance in each course. Grade points are assigned to each academic performance grade, with the exception of S, U, R, and RD grades, and are used to calculate a Grade Point Average (GPA) for each student. 

• Academic Performance Grade Scale
     
• Grading Policies & Procedures
    

Grade Appeals

Students and faculty are encouraged to proactively communicate to address any grading questions or concerns while the course is still in session however, a final course grade may be appealed if:

• A computational error was made in the calculation of a course or assignment grade
• Documented active military duty, which resulted in an inability to continue in the course or program
• Documented personal or family medical emergency
  • Students should first notify Disabilities Services and provide documentation to the appropriate personnel
• Documented act of nature (e.g., hurricane, wildfires, etc.)
• Documented death in the family
• Documented temporary severe economic hardship

NOTE: Family is defined as including husband, wife, domestic partner, grandparent, grandchild, mother-in-law, father-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, (step/adoptive) mother, (step/adoptive) father, (step/adoptive) brother, (step/adoptive) sister, and (step/adoptive) child.

The final grade appeal process is not designed to accommodate issues such as, but not limited to:

• Time management concerns
• Submission of an assignment after the course end date has passed
• IT or technology related issues
• Job demands

Below is additional information on the grade appeal procedure:

• Grade Appeal Procedure
      

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is the standard by which the University measures students’ progress toward completion of a degree or certificate program. The two components of SAP are Grade Point Average (GPA) and Maximum Timeframe. If at any time, a student is not meeting the minimum requirements for SAP, they will receive an email notification in NCUOne as well as an email to the address on file. However, it is ultimately the student’s responsibility to know these requirements, and failure to receive notification does not nullify the SAP status. 

• SAP Procedures
    

Time Limits for Degree Completion

Students at the University are held to two standards regarding time to degree completion: Satisfactory Academic Progress and Academic Maximum Time Frame.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is a standard by which the University measures students’ progress toward completion of a degree or certificate program. The two components of SAP are Grade Point Average (GPA), and SAP Maximum Time Frame. For Academic Maximum Time Frame, the University sets the deadline in calendar years from the first date of attendance in the degree program. SAP Maximum Time Frame rules will supersede the Academic Maximum Time Frame when it comes to financial aid eligibility.

• SAP Maximum Time to Completion
     
• Academic Maximum Time to Completion
     

Changing Degree Programs

Students must contact their Academic and Finance Counselor for assistance in changing their degree program. Student and Financial Services are required to evaluate the impact on federal financial aid eligibility when a student requests to change degree programs after federal financial aid has been disbursed. In some cases, a program change will result in a return of federal aid per the withdrawal from the initial program and the immediate re-packaging of federal aid that will apply towards the new program.

Changes of school, degree level, specialization, and changes from a professional doctorate to a doctorate of philosophy or vice versa, require Dean approval.

Upon receiving Dean approval, students must complete a new application and enrollment agreement for the new degree program. The student’s new application and Dean approval is then submitted to the Office of the Registrar for evaluation and admissions approval in accordance with University policy. Once approved, the Office of the Registrar updates the student’s degree plan and program of study.  A Learning Management Fee (LMF) will be charged when a student vests in the first course of their new program.

Program Discontinuation

If the University decides to discontinue an academic program, all students that remain continuously enrolled are afforded the opportunity to complete their program. Doctoral students that have advanced to candidacy will have the option to complete their program even if they have had a break in enrollment.

Academic Leave of Absence

The University programs are designed to allow students to pursue their educational efforts full-time while managing other responsibilities. The University will consider granting an Academic Leave of Absence (ALOA) for a student who is experiencing hardships that make effective progress in their academic course of study unusually difficult. A leave of absence is defined as a temporary break from academic registration with a clear intent to return to the program of study.

Leaves are only available to students who have provided their official transcripts and have been officially admitted to the university, are currently in active status and have proceeded beyond the drop period in at least one course since beginning their program of study. Students on approved ALOA who receive Federal Financial Aid are not considered withdrawn, and a return of funds is not required. Students may not receive Federal Financial Aid disbursements while on an ALOA.

Policy and procedure for students who require a leave of absence due to military deployment are given in the Military Leave of Absence policy.

• Academic Leave of Absence (LOA) Policy
      
• Academic Leave of Absence Policy for Term-Based Programs
      

Military Leave of Absence

A student may request a Military Leave of Absence (MLOA) online or by contacting their Academic and Finance Counselor and submitting a copy of supporting documents. A copy of the student’s military orders, a letter from their commanding officer, or other documentation will be required to support the request for military leave. The student may request any length for the leave, so long as it does not begin more than 30 days prior to the assignment date, and does not exceed more than 180 days beyond their last date of attendance. The Academic and Finance Counselors will ensure that the MLOA return date coincides with a valid course start date.

Students are eligible for re-entry if, during their leave, they performed or will perform voluntary or involuntary active duty service in the U.S. armed forces, including active duty for training and National Guard or Reserve service under federal authority, for a period of more than 30 consecutive days, and received a discharge other than dishonorable or bad conduct. In general, the cumulative length of absence and all previous absences for military service (service time only) must not exceed five years.

• MLOA Criteria & Process
     

Student Withdrawal from the University

Students have the right to withdraw from the University at any time. The University team members who receive a student request to withdraw from the University will submit the request to the Office of the Registrar for processing on behalf of the student using the date they received the student’s request as the Request Date. If students are enrolled in a course at the time of withdrawal, the Office of the Registrar will use applicable Grading Policies & Procedures  to determine the final grade of the withdrawn course.

Once officially withdrawn from the university, students are no longer considered to be active. Students that are not active in a program or certificate no longer have access to the NCUOne Portal, previously submitted assignments, or university resources. It is the students responsibility to save previously submitted assignments, syllabi, electronic textbooks (in accordance with publisher download permissions), and other documents from the NCUOne portal to their personal devices.

See the Refund Policy and Procedure  for applicable financial policies. 

Academic Dismissal

Students who fail to meet the requirements of a degree program including official basis for admissions, minimum grade requirements, and satisfactory academic progress of study are subject to academic dismissal from the University. See SAP Procedures  for additional information.

Administrative Dismissal

Students who violate the University’s ethical policies and standards including, but not limited to, the Student Code of Conduct policies, may be subject to immediate administrative dismissal. Students who have been dismissed due to violation of the Student Code of Conduct policies, or due to any other legal or ethical matter, do not qualify for re-entry to the University. See

• Administrative Dismissal Appeal Procedure
     

National University Dean’s List 

At National University, we believe it is important to recognize academic success in many forms. We realize our students have many demands across many roles in their lives. While Cum Laude and other graduation honors are awarded in recognition of achievement sustained across the student journey, the Dean’s List recognizes students in their shorter sprints toward ultimate success. 

The Dean’s List at National University is a quarterly recognition of undergraduate and graduate students who have demonstrated exceptional academic performance. Students eligible for the honor must complete a minimum amount of coursework (9.0 quarter units/6.0 semester units) with a three-month GPA of at least 3.5 (undergraduate) or 3.7 (graduate). 

In determining student eligibility, we use the following criteria: 

• Completed a minimum of 9.0 quarter units/6.0 semester units). These units are calculated on the end date of the course. For instance, a student completing an 8-week course with 4 weeks completed prior to the quarter and 4 weeks completed during the assessment period would be granted unit and GPA credit for the whole course. 
• Quarter GPA of at least 3.5 (undergraduate) or 3.7 (graduate). These minimum GPAs are only calculated with the courses completed during the assessment period. Therefore, a student may have a cumulative GPA of 3.3, receive two A’s during courses completed in the quarter, and will be eligible for the honor of Dean’s List. 

Exceptions: Dissertation courses and some clinically-focused coursework are excluded in the calculation of eligibility, and those students in the Juris Doctorate program have different eligibility criteria based on program accreditation requirements as outlined in the Juris Doctorate Student Handbook. 

The Dean’s List is calculated and awarded quarterly in February, May, August, and November for the three months preceding. Students are notified via their student email address and also receive a confirmation when their certificate is issued. Certificates are available electronically through Parchment.  

National University President’s Circle

National University (NU) is deeply committed to promoting academic and service excellence. In pursuit of this objective, National University takes great pride in annually acknowledging and honoring students’ outstanding academic achievements through the President’s Circle.

Nomination Process:

• Graduating students are nominated annually by the Dean of their respective schools for consideration to be part of the President’s Circle.
• Within each school, one student is selected from each degree program, including associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs.
• The nominated students represent the highest achievers in their respective programs, consistently exceeding expectations while demonstrating exceptional dedication.
• The following criteria are used to determine the selection of each student:
  • Attainment of consistently high academic performance
  • For graduate students, sustained performance at a distinguished scholarly level
  • Active participation in various student groups, such as University activities, the Student Advisory Council, or Honor Societies
  • Demonstration of a strong commitment to improving the lives of others through their education
  • Belief in their capacity to effect positive change in their communities

Students chosen to join the President’s Circle are invited to attend the President’s Circle Breakfast or Luncheon, which occurs before the commencement ceremony annually. Students will have the opportunity to interact with NU leadership and their school Deans during this event. They will also be publicly recognized for their outstanding achievements and receive an appreciation certificate and specialized honor cords. Subsequent to recognition, academic-year classes of President’s Circle members will be invited to stay engaged as premiere NU academic ambassadors with students, alumni, and the broader community.

National University Memorial Degree

National University wishes to recognize the academic achievements of students enrolled at the University at the time of their passing. In the event of an untimely death of a National University student, they might be eligible to receive an honorary posthumous degree to commemorate those achievements for the benefit of the family. Diplomas awarded posthumously will indicate the honorary posthumous designation. A family member may contact the Office of the Registrar at 858.642.8260 or registrar@nu.edu for more information about the process and eligibility. 

Procedure

Honor Societies

The University’s schools hold membership in honorary societies listed below. Acceptance into these programs is based on academic excellence.

• Honor Societies and Associations
     

Graduation Requirements

To graduate, all degree-seeking students must complete their degree program within the maximum time limits specified in the University’s catalog under the Time Limits for Degree Completion policy.

• Degree Conferral Requirements
     
• Diploma Application and Degree Conferral
     
• Commencement Ceremony
     
• Dissertation of the Year Award
     
• Poster of the Year Award
    

Licensure and Certification

Professional organizations, societies, states, and licensing jurisdictions have specific requirements for membership, certification, or licensure. Students intending to seek licensure of any type must take full responsibility for ensuring that their degree program at the University meets the licensing requirements of their local states, school districts, professional associations, or agencies. The University cannot provide assistance to a student regarding the interpretation or understanding of a state’s licensure requirements.