Study load and progress. Each full-time student is expected to take class and laboratory work totaling 12 to 18 credits per semester. Anyone desiring to take more than 18 credits must obtain permission in advance of registration from the advisor and the Office of Undergraduate Programs and Services. See the registrar's Web site for the definition of maximum credit load in the summer sessions.
At least 124 credits are required for graduation for all majors (more credits are required for some majors), so generally a student should be enrolled for 15 or 16 credits per semester to complete degree requirements within eight semesters.
Repeating college courses. Students thinking about repeating a course should talk with their advisor. Students must do all the work in the repeated course, including laboratory; attend regularly; participate in class discussions; and take examinations. Students will earn a final grade in the course. Such credits are indicated with an X on the transcript. Students should know that: (1) the original grade still counts in GPA and remains on the transcript; (2) credits in the repeated course do not count toward the degree, unless the course was failed the first time; (3) grade points in the repeated course do count toward calculation of cumulative GPA; (4) credits carried on courses being repeated count toward the maximum credits permitted in a semester.
Special note: Students cannot take more than one "Communications A" course for degree credit.
Transfer students must be particularly careful to avoid taking courses on the Madison campus that duplicate courses taken at another school. Credit will not be given twice for the same or similar courses, nor will credit be given for a lower-level course in a sequence if students have already received credit for a higher-level course in that sequence. Students should carefully check the Evaluation of Transfer Credits prepared by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and should consult with their advisor. Duplicate courses may include transfer, Farm and Industry Short Course, and Advanced Placement credits coming in as course equivalents.
Audit. Students who want to audit a course should consult their advisor. A student may audit a course if the instructor consents and if no laboratory or performance skills are involved. Auditors may not recite or take examinations but are expected to attend classes regularly and do some assigned work. Audit courses do not fulfill degree requirements. The credit value of courses carried on an audit basis is included in the semester program load for purposes of determining fees and maximum credits carried. The deadline to change a course from credit to audit is the end of the fourth week of classes. Summer session and modular courses have different deadlines and students should check the registrar's Web site for correct information.
Course numbers. Freshmen and sophomore students are permitted to take courses for which they meet the prerequisites; courses numbered from 1 to 299 may be taken for credit by undergraduates only; those numbered from 300 to 699 are open for credit to both undergraduates and graduates; those numbered from 700 to 999 are open to undergraduates only with permission of the instructor.
A middle digit 8 designates an honors course; a middle digit 9 designates an independent work course, a research course, or a thesis course. Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors may earn independent study credit (usually 299) with consent of an instructor and approval of their academic advisor. Seniors may earn credit for special problems work (course 699) with consent of instructor and approval of their academic advisor. There is no limit on the number of credits a student may receive for courses numbered 299 or 699.
Students may not receive more than 8 credits total for courses numbered 399 (internship). Students must have approval of a CALS advisor and complete a learning contract prior to registration for internship credits. Contact the Office of Undergraduate Programs and Services, 116 Agricultural Hall, for more information.
Major. A major consists of a minimum of 15 credits in one department. Majors should be chosen no later than the end of the sophomore year so that the student may develop a well-balanced program.
In planning a course of study, the student should make certain that it includes all courses required for a degree, including major requirements. Staff members of any department or the Office of Undergraduate Programs and Services will discuss with prospective majors the opportunities in their particular field and recommend courses to prepare for a specific objective.
Senior year in residence requirements. To obtain helpful advising and exposure to advanced topics, seminars and current issues in their major field, and to assist in the transition to a career or advanced study, students should spend at least the last year of their undergraduate program as a declared major, in the department, with a faculty advisor. Therefore, a student must be "in residence"; that is, the student must have a CALS undergraduate classification, while earning the last 30 credits for the bachelor's degree. Upon approval of the Office of Undergraduate Programs and Services, a degree candidate may take a maximum of 6 semester credits within the last 30 at another approved institution or through approved university correspondence (independent study) courses.
Exceptions to these policies can be made only by the Scholastic Policies and Actions Committee of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.
Expecting to graduate. Students who expect to graduate must indicate their intent while enrolling for their final semester. They may call the Commencement Hotline (262-9076) for information about the graduation ceremony and ordering caps and gowns. Also, their academic records will receive a final evaluation by staff in the Office of Undergraduate Programs and Services. Students should also inform their advisors, and report any change in graduation plans to the Office of Undergraduate Programs and Services. If a student is completing final course work while not in residence, the student must notify the Office of Undergraduate Programs and Services so that records can be reviewed and certified for graduation.
Graduation. Students are graduated with a B.S. degree when they have met all the college, university, major, and degree program requirements; have earned 124 credits; and have a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher on all courses carried for a grade at UW-Madison. Graduating students should know that the date you finish an incomplete (I) will determine your semester of graduation. Next semester enrollment for students with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or less may also be affected by an incomplete (I) grade. Students with a Biological Systems Engineering major should check with the department for additional graduation requirements.
Pass/fail privilege. Continuing students with at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA, new freshmen, and new transfer students may elect one pass/fail course each semester, with a maximum of eight such courses prior to graduation. Courses graded with the pass/fail system cannot be used to satisfy any of the university, college, degree program, or major requirements. With the exception of PE activity and dance courses, students must receive permission from their advisor.
For all pass/fail courses, students must receive permission from the Office of Undergraduate Programs and Services. Students enroll in a class and then apply for pass/fail grading no later than the end of the fourth week of classes (see registrar's Web site, for exact deadlines). Summer Session and modular courses have different deadlines and students should check the registrar's Web site for correct information. Deadlines for summer sessions are published on the registrar's Web site. Students can obtain the form to apply for pass/fail privilege on the registrar's Web site.
After approval, the student cannot change the grading back to the conventional (A, AB, etc.) basis. The registrar will convert final letter grades submitted by the instructor, who is not informed of the student's pass/fail status, to an S (pass) for grades A, AB, B, BC or C, and to a U (fail) for a grade of D or F. The grade is excluded from the GPA. Students are warned that although a grade of D carries credit under the conventional system, it carries no degree credit when it is converted to a grade of U under the pass/fail privilege.
Students in pre-professional programs for veterinary medicine, medicine, and graduate studies are cautioned not to take work that is required or recommended on a pass/fail basis.
Thesis. The undergraduate thesis, when required as part of the major requirements, consists of 4-8 credits (691/692). Students admitted to the Honors Program must complete a senior honors thesis for 4-8 credits (681/682) or a substitute project approved by the Honors Committee.
Registration changes. After registration is complete, students may make changes in their registration (add and/or drop courses, change sections in a course, or change the number of credits in a course) according to the deadlines published on the registrar's Web site each semester and summer session.
Students who enroll in a course must either complete the course or drop it by the deadline for dropping courses.
Courses dropped after approximately ten days of classes through the end of the ninth week will be noted with a DR on the transcript. Deadlines for modular and summer courses are different. See the registrar's Web site for the exact dates.
Class attendance. Every student is expected to be present at all classes.
Withdrawals. Students may withdraw during the first 12 weeks of a semester by dropping all courses through My UW or by filling out a form in the Office of Undergraduate Programs and Services (summer session deadlines for withdrawal are published on the registrar's Web site). Students are strongly encouraged to consult with their advisor or with the Office of Undergraduate Programs and Services before withdrawing. Students may withdraw after the 12th week of a semester only with permission from the Office of Undergraduate Programs and Services. Students who withdraw after the middle of the second week of instruction will have the date of withdrawal entered on the transcript and the notation "W" entered in the grade column of each course. Failure to drop all classes or officially withdraw will result in the recording of failures for all courses.
Incompletes. For information about Incompletes, see the Enrollment and Records section of this catalog. A grade of incomplete is awarded at the discretion of the instructor.
Final exam schedule. The final exam schedules are listed in the class schedule.
Academic integrity. The College of Agricultural and Life Sciences takes academic integrity very seriously. For full details on the UW-Madison Academic Misconduct Policies, please refer to Student Assistance and Judicial Affairs.
Student grievance procedures. Students who believe they have been treated unfairly, in any academic or nonacademic matter, may contest the treatment. The complaint may involve any matter of perceived unfairness, including grading or classroom treatment, or sexual or racial harassment.
If the student cannot resolve the fairness question directly with the person at whom the complaint is directed, the student may pursue a series of steps to achieve a fair hearing and protect the rights of both parties involved.
These steps are spelled out in a statement titled "Achieving Fairness: Grievance Procedures for Students in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences." This statement is available from any department office, the Office of Undergraduate Programs and Services, or the CALS Web site.
Matters of interpretation of academic requirements not involving questions of fairness should come via the student's advisor to the college's Scholastic Policies and Actions Committee.