The Academic Renewal Policy is an appeals procedure which allows a current student to request an adjustment to his or her overall grade point average and credit hours earned. Through this policy Missouri Western seeks to give a student who has matured during his/her absence from university coursework a second chance in his/her college career, while also keeping the integrity of Missouri Western’s academic standards.
Undergraduate students who are currently enrolled as a degree-seeking student may be eligible to petition for academic renewal.
- The student must not have been enrolled in university coursework as a degree-seeking student for five or more consecutive years. Hours earned for Continuing Education (CED) courses are excluded from this five year time-frame.
- After the above mentioned five year university absence, the student must have completed at least two consecutive semesters at Missouri Western, earned at least 18 credit hours in courses 100 level or above, and received an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher with no grade lower than a “C” in said hours. Notes: Overall GPA calculation will include grades earned during all semesters since most recent 5 year absence. A student may be disqualified from academic renewal eligibility if more than 15% “W” grades are recorded in the semesters since most recent 5 year absence.
Students who meet the above criteria may petition the Admissions and Graduation Committee for academic renewal by completing and submitting the Petition for Academic Renewal form. The applicant should attach to the form a letter of explanation and support documentation, if applicable, addressing the circumstances which occurred during the semester(s) he/she is requesting to be excluded from their Missouri Western transcript and his/her academic experience and personal and professional accomplishments achieved during the timeframe away from higher education. The student must also include written support from their advisor or other faculty member in their major department with their Academic Renewal request. If approved, the student will receive an updated copy of the transcript once the Academic Renewal process has been complete.
Conditions:
- All credit and grades earned prior to the selected point in time will be excluded from GPA calculations and credit hours earned.
- Excluded coursework cannot be used to meet degree or prerequisite requirements. Students should work directly with their department to address major coursework or prerequisite requirements.
- “Academic Renewal” will be noted on the transcript for each relevant semester.
- Academic renewal will be applied to transfer work if it occurred before the selected point in time.
- Students will not be granted Academic Renewal after an application for graduation has been submitted or a previous degree awarded.
- To be eligible for a degree, students must complete a minimum of 24 credits at MWSU after the granting of academic renewal.
- Students who receive academic renewal are not precluded from graduating with honors.
Notes:
- Academic Renewal may impact financial aid eligibility. Applicants should contact the Director of Financial Aid for information and clarification.
- Academic Renewal is irrevocable.
- Students are limited to one appeal of academic renewal during their academic career at Missouri Western State University.
- Academic Renewal may not be used to obtain athletic eligibility.
- Academic Renewal is a Missouri Western State University policy and may not be recognized by outside agencies or other institutions.