Academic Status

Any undergraduate student who has previously attended UA Little Rock or its predecessor institutions (Little Rock Junior College or Little Rock University) and whose attendance at UA Little Rock or any institution of higher education has been interrupted for a period of at least two years may qualify to request academic clemency providing he or she meets all of the criteria specified below. Under this policy, a student may apply to have grades and credits earned at UA Little Rock previous to the separation removed from his or her grade point average. Approval of a request for clemency requires the signature of the student’s advisor and the provost.

After re‐entering UA Little Rock following a separation of at least two years from any institution of higher education, a student may request academic clemency at the Office of Records and Registration. The student shall specify the term(s) for which clemency is desired. The request will be forwarded, along with appropriate permanent record information, to the student’s advisor for approval. The advisor shall forward the request to the provost.

Clemency shall cover all credits earned during the term(s) for which clemency is requested. A student who requests and receives academic clemency remains eligible to graduate with honors pursuant to the Honors policy (501.7). The student’s complete record will remain on the transcript with the added notation of academic clemency received.

Any petition for academic clemency must be requested and granted prior to the awarding of a degree. Once the degree is awarded, the record is closed and the academic clemency policy cannot be invoked.

Academic clemency may be approved only once. For purposes of degree requirements, a student who receives clemency must follow the provisions of the Undergraduate Catalog in effect at the time of re-enrollment.

Things to consider regarding Clemency!

1. Clemency shall cover all credits earned during the term(s) for which clemency is requested.
2. The student’s complete record will remain on the transcript with the added notation of academic clemency received.

Students will be placed on academic probation at the end of a term if their cumulative grade point average (GPA) drops below 2.00. Students on academic probation are limited to a maximum of 13 credit hours each semester. Students will continue on academic probation as long as their cumulative GPA continues to remain below 2.00. Students needing fewer than 18 credit hours for graduation may request an exception for the credit hours restriction from their academic advisor or department chairperson. Exception requests should be submitted to the Office of Records and Registration. Denial of this request may be appealed to the dean of the college and the provost.

If after two successive terms of academic probation the student’s current term and cumulative GPA are below 2.00, the student will be automatically suspended for one semester (either fall, spring, or summer). All students have at least three semesters before they can be suspended. If this is the second suspension, the suspension is for two full semesters. Students who have finished their academic suspension are required to contact the Office of Records and Registration, SSC Room 218. These students will be placed on academic probation, limited to 13 credit hours per semester while on probation, and placed in a single-semester probation status. This status requires that the student achieve a current term GPA of 2.00 or higher each term until the student’s cumulative GPA is 2.00 or higher. Failure to achieve a term GPA of 2.00 or higher while in a single-semester probationary status will result in academic suspension for two full semesters. There are no appeals or exceptions for students who are suspended from the university.

If an undergraduate student repeats a course for credit, only the last grade will be computed into the cumulative grade point average. There is no limit to the number of times you can repeat a course. (The earlier grade will remain on the transcript with an “E” indicating exclusion from the grade point average.)

If there have been any changes in course numbers or titles, the student must first obtain the approval of the chairperson of the department offering the course to be assured it is an identical course.

All grades for repeated courses are included in calculations for graduation honors. Once a degree has been awarded, repeated courses will not be accepted. (Please note: UA Little Rock does not have an individual grade forgiveness policy)

A student has the opportunity to appeal a grade if he or she feels the grade was inequitably awarded in that it violated a faculty member’s own specified grading standards. Students and faculty members are urged to make all attempts possible to resolve a grievance before initiating a formal appeal. For more information on the procedure, please review the grade appeals policy.

Chancellor’s and Dean’s List

Names of students whose academic performances have been superior are recorded on the Chancellor’s and the Dean’s Lists. This recognition is also noted on the student’s grade report and on official transcripts. This status will be granted at the end of each semester in which the following qualifications have been met:

Chancellor’s List:

• At least nine hours for credit with a grade of A, B, C, or CR
• At least a 3.9 grade point average for the semester
• No D, F, I, or NC grades on the semester grade report

Dean’s List:

• At least nine hours for credit with a grade of A, B, C, or CR
• At least a 3.5 grade point average for the semester
• No D, F, I, or NC grades on the semester grade report

Departmental Honors

Several departments at UA Little Rock offer honors programs to exceptional students. Admission to an honors program is generally tied to the student’s grade point average and year standing and may require nomination by a faculty member. Such programs are distinct from graduation with honors; in addition to meeting and maintaining a certain grade point average, qualifying students to take a special curriculum in the major. Requirements may include advanced study, seminars, or a research project and presentation. Departmental honors are posted on the student’s academic transcript at graduation. Contact individual departments for more information.

Graduation Honors

To qualify for graduation honors, a student must have completed a minimum of 60 hours in residence at UA Little Rock. Graduation honors are calculated on all academic work completed in UA Little Rock credit-bearing courses. For repeated courses, only the grade from the final iteration of the course will be included in the calculation of the cumulative grade point average for determining graduation honors. All work completed at all other institutions, whether accepted as transfer credit at UA Little Rock or not, will not be included in the final calculation of honors (except as noted below).

The bachelor’s degree with honors will be conferred upon candidates who graduate and earn a minimum cumulative grade point on all credit courses taken at UA Little Rock as follows:

• Summa cum laude: minimum grade point average of 3.90
• Magna cum laude: minimum grade point average of 3.70
• Cum laude: minimum grade point average of 3.50

Students who do not complete the minimum of 60 hours in residence at UA Little Rock may request, in writing, that all work completed at all other institutions, whether accepted as transfer credit at UA Little Rock or not, be used in the final calculation of honors. Requests can be sent to the Records office via email at records@ualr.edu. For repeated courses at other institutions, only the grade from the final iteration of the course will be included in the calculation of the cumulative grade point average for determining graduation honors. Some courses from institutions outside of the U.S. are calculated in the admissions process on a pass/not pass basis. For a student to be considered for honors, all credentials from institutions outside of the U.S. must be evaluated to determine an A, B, or C equivalency.

Students granted academic clemency are still eligible to qualify for graduation honors, but they must complete a minimum of 60 hours in residence at UA Little Rock, not including the hours for which clemency was granted.

The associate degree with honors will be conferred upon candidates who have completed a minimum of 30 hours in residence at UA Little Rock and at graduation have earned a minimum cumulative grade point of 3.7 on all academic work completed in UA Little Rock credit-bearing courses. The recipient must have met all requirements for graduation with an associate degree and must not have completed more than 83 credit hours. Students who are granted academic clemency are still eligible to receive an associate degree with honors, but they must complete a minimum of 30 hours in residence at UA Little Rock, not including the hours for which clemency was granted.

A student who has earned a baccalaureate degree from UA Little Rock and is pursuing a second baccalaureate degree at UA Little Rock is granted graduation honors based on the credit hours earned after the posting of the first degree. If fewer than 30 credit hours are completed at UA Little Rock after completion of the first UA Little Rock degree, the level of graduation honors can be no higher than that obtained on the first degree. If 30 or more credit hours are completed at UA Little Rock after completion of the first UA Little Rock degree, the level of graduation honors on the second degree is based on the cumulative grade point average on coursework after the first degree.

Students who graduate from another college or university and pursue a second undergraduate degree at UA Little Rock must complete a minimum of 30 hours in residence at UA Little Rock to be eligible for honors. Graduation honors on the second degree are based on the cumulative grade point average on all UA Little Rock coursework after the first degree.

University and departmental honors (but not awards) may be posted on the academic transcript.

For more information, visit Academic Honors Policy