Academic Policies and Procedures

Procedures, Policies and Regulations

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Students are responsible for knowing and understanding Oregon Institute of Technology’s requirements relating to registration, academic standards, student activities and student organizations as well as adhering to the Student Code of Conduct found on the website. Students are encouraged to meet regularly with their departmental advisors and to contact the Registrar’s Office with questions about academic procedures, policies or regulations. More information can be found here.

Academic Advising

Students are assigned faculty advisors from their academic programs. Advisors maintain a file on students’ progress and help them plan course loads. If a student should change programs, a new advisor will be assigned. Degree-seeking students are required to meet with their advisors prior to registration.

Student Classification

Students are classified according to the number of college-credit hours earned as follows: 0-44, freshman; 45-89, sophomore; 90-134 junior; 135 and above, senior. Transfer credits are included in determining classification.

Quarter System

Oregon Institute of Technology operates on an academic year consisting of three quarters (or terms) of approximately 11 weeks each (10 weeks of classes and 1 week of final examinations) and a summer session of eight weeks.

Student Records and Right to Privacy

In compliance with the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, state law and Oregon Tech policy, students have certain rights with respect to their education records. They are:

1. The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the university receives a request for access. Students should submit written requests to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department, or other appropriate official, that identify the record(s) they wish to inspect. The university official will make arrangements for access and notify the student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the university official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise the student of the correct official to whom a request should be addressed.
2. The right to request the amendment of the student’s education record that the student believes is inaccurate or misleading. Students should write the university official responsible for the record; clearly identify the part of the record they want changed; and specify why the record is inaccurate or misleading. If the university decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the university will notify the student of the decision and advise the student of their right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the student when notified of the right to a hearing.
3. The right to consent to disclosures of the personally identifiable information contained in the student’s educational record, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception that permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the university in an administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including health staff and members of the university’s law enforcement department); a person or company with whom the university has contracted; a person or company acting as consultant or volunteer for the university; a person serving on the university’s Board of Trustees; or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee. A university official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an educational record in order to fulfill their professional responsibility.
4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by Oregon Institute of Technology to comply with the requirements of FERPA.

The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:
Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-5920
1-800-USA-LEARN (1-800-872-5327)
Website: https://www.ed.gov/category/keyword/family-policy-compliance-office-fpco

The information provided here is for informational purposes only. For more FERPA resources please see the Office of Registrar FERPA webpage.

Oregon Tech Directory Information:

• Student’s full legal name
• Current mailing address
• Current phone number
• Hometown
• Dates of attendance by term
• Degree program/major field of study
• Honor roll (President’s & Dean’s List)
• Date of graduation
• Full time, half-time, or less than half-time enrollment status
• Most recent/previous school attended
• Particpation in sports/activities
• Age, height, and weight or athletic team members

A student may request to have all of the above directory information kept confidential. To do so, please reach out to the Registrar’r Office at registrar@oit.edu. 

Release of Student Information to Military Recruiters (Solomon Amendment)

Oregon Tech provides information about students that is requested by military recruiters under requirements of the Solomon Amendment (As of Oct. 23, 1998 [63 Fed. Reg. 56819] and the Interim Rule published Jan. 13, 2000 [65 Fed. Reg. 2056] by Department of Defense). Under this federal law, military recruiters may request the following information: Name, current mailing address (as provided by the student), current telephone number (as provided by the student), age, class level (e.g., freshman, sophomore, etc.), and academic major. The information may be requested for the immediately previous term, current term, or future term for all students age 17 and older who are or were registered at OIT for at least 1 credit in the requested term. Recruiters may request this information each term. Recruiters may not obtain any information that is not in the above list of student recruiting information. For example, they may not request any of the following: Social Security Number or ID Number, place of birth, race/ethnicity/nationality, grades and GPA, grades of low-performing students, religious affiliation, names of students with loans in default, veteran status, or names of students no longer enrolled at OIT. Institutions that do not comply with the Solomon Amendment risk losing federal funding from the departments of Defense, Education, Health and Human Services, Labor, and Transportation. Institutions do not risk losing student-aid funding such as Perkins Loans, Federal SEOG or Work-Study funds.

Use of Social Security Number (SSN)

You are requested to provide voluntarily your Social Security Number to assist OIT (and organizations conducting studies for or on behalf of OIT) in developing, validating, or administering predictive tests and assessments; administering student aid programs; improving instructions; internal identification of students and alumni; collection of student debts; or comparing student educational experiences with subsequent workforce experiences. When conducting studies, OIT will disclose your Social Security Number only in a manner that does not permit personal identification of you by individuals other than representatives of OIT (or the organization conducting the study for OIT) and only if the information is destroyed when no longer needed for the purposes for which the study was conducted. By providing your Social Security Number, you are consenting to the use identified above. This request is made pursuant to ORS 352.004, ORS 352.107, and ORS 352.146. Provision of your Social Security Number and consent to its use is not required and if you choose not to do so you will not be denied any right, benefit, or privilege provided by law. You may revoke your consent to the use of your Social Security Number at any time by contacting the Registrar’s Office at registrar@oit.edu. 

All access and use at Oregon Tech of the Social Security Number is prohibited except for meeting federal or state requirements, compliance, and reporting.

Policies

• Credit for Prior Learning
• Dead Week
• Final Examinations
• Graduation
• Academic Forgiveness
• Academic Grievance
• Academic Integrity

Academic Progress and Petitions Committee

Administration of the regulations governing academic performance is vested in the Academic Progress and Petitions (AP&P) Committee. This committee also has authority to assess probation or to suspend any student from the university when it appears that the student’s work is at such a level that the student cannot benefit by continued attendance. The university requires that students make substantial progress toward meeting graduation requirements, including maintaining a minimum 2.0 GPA. Any cumulative GPA below 2.0 is considered unsatisfactory and will bring the student’s record under review. Courses transferred in from other institutions are not included in institutional cumulative GPA.

The AP&P Committee also serves as an advisory group to the Registrar’s Office regarding academic appeals. For information regarding appeals to this committee, students may contact the Registrar’s Office. Committee decisions are final.

Admissions with Special Conditions

If a student is admitted with one or more stipulations and fails to meet any of the prescribed condition(s), that student may be referred to the AP&P Committee for possible academic disciplinary action, up to and including probation and suspension from the university. The request for review by AP&P can be made by any member of the Admission Committee.

Academic Warning

An academic warning is a caution to the student that there is a lack of satisfactory academic progress. Students, including first term freshmen, who do not achieve a 2.0 in any given term will receive an Academic Warning. Students who have no earned credits, withdrawals (i.e., all Fs, withdrawals (W) and/or incompletes (I)), for two consecutive terms will also receive an Academic Warning.

Academic Probation

Students who have attempted two or more terms at Oregon Tech and have an Oregon Tech cumulative GPA below 2.0 will be placed on Academic Probation. Students who have no earned credits, (i.e. all Fs, withdrawals (W) and/or incompletes (I)), for three or more consecutive terms will also be placed on Academic Probation. Students placed on probation will receive notification that they are on Academic Probation as well as instructions on how to proceed. Once placed on probation, students are advised to limit their course load to 13 credits. Courses transferred in from other institutions are not included in institutional cumulative GPA.

Academic Suspension

Students on academic probation for one term who do not meet the 2.0 cumulative GPA requirement in the successive term of enrollment will be placed on Academic Suspension for at least one term. To re-enroll, a student must complete the prescribed procedures and appeal to the Academic Progress and Petitions Committee for reinstatement. Students should contact the Registrar’s Office for re-enrollment information. Students who have been suspended are denied all privileges of the institution.

Veteran students receiving benefits will lose all benefits until academic standing is improved to good standing.

NOTE: When a student is placed on academic warning, probation or suspension both the student and their advisor will be notified.

Academic Forgiveness

The Academic Forgiveness policy allows undergraduates with an unsatisfactory GPA to drop a maximum of three consecutive terms of work from consideration in their GPA. Academic forgiveness applies to terms only. Students are not allowed to select courses within terms for forgiveness.

Academic forgiveness is granted on a case-by-case basis by the Academic Progress and Petitions Committee. It is an extreme measure; it may be granted only once and only when a student provides clear and convincing evidence of a renewed commitment to advancing his or her education. Once forgiveness is granted, it may not be revoked. Forgiveness can be applied only to credits earned at Oregon Tech.

If the petition is approved, the student’s transcript will have a notation stating, “Academic Forgiveness Granted” above each term in which forgiveness was granted. Forgiven courses and grades are no longer calculated in the GPA and do not apply toward graduation. However, a record of all coursework will remain on the transcript.

Eligibility

To apply for consideration for academic forgiveness a student must:

1. Have earned less than a 1.0 term GPA for the term(s) being considered for forgiveness. The term(s) for which forgiveness is being requested must have been taken at least seven years prior to the request
2. Have had at least a two-year lapse in enrollment at Oregon Tech
3. Be currently enrolled at Oregon Tech
4. Have completed a minimum of 30 graded credits at Oregon Tech with minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better since resuming studies at Oregon Tech
5. Apply for forgiveness with the Academic Progress and Petitions Committee before degree completion

Procedure

To apply for academic forgiveness, a student must submit a formal letter of request to the University Registrar, which must include:

1. Specific term(s) (maximum of three consecutive) for which forgiveness is being requested
2. Statement of academic goals and a term-by-term plan for degree completion signed by the student’s academic advisor
3. Rationale for the request

The University Registrar will forward the application to the Academic Progress and Petitions Committee for review and will notify the student of the Committee’s decision.

Student Academic Grievance

Academic Disputes Covered by Policy

1. Student claims that final course grade resulted from unfair or prejudicial treatment by instructor or unusual or irregular procedures that impacted an individual student’s grade in a disproportionate manner.

2. Student is dismissed from a professional program because of failure to meet prerequisite or sequential course requirements.

3. Student is dismissed from a professional externship component because of failure to meet standards of conduct or performance as required by the professional program and/or the externship site, as published in the Student Handbook for that program.

Academic and Related Disputes Not Covered by Policy

1. Grades assigned to tests, quizzes, homework, papers, projects, or other components of a course.

2. Final grades based on failure to meet published (via syllabus) standards for the course, in which no unusual or prejudicial treatment is claimed.

3. Disciplinary or other student conduct matters no specifically covered above.

4. Challenges to the instructor’s grading system or components thereof, as long as the system was made available to students at the beginning of the academic term.

Procedure

1. Student reads policy to determine if the grievance can be appealed. 

2. Student makes appointment to dispute with course instructor. Since reconciliation of the dispute at this level is in the best interests of all parties, instructors and students are urged to engage in an honest and open-minded effort to resolve the problem.

3. Failing to resolve the dispute with the instructor, the student makes an appointment with either the program director (if one exists) or department chair, as appropriate. a. The student and the instructor document the dispute in writing. b. The department chair should confer with the instructor, either before (preferred) or after consultation with the student. c. The department chair refers the matter back to the instructor for resolution or decides the dispute based on information that is available.

4. If disagreement with the department chair decision results, the student may request an appointment with the dean of the appropriate school (HAS or ETM). The student should indicate that the appointment concerns a grade dispute and the department, course, and instructor involved.

a. Students will not be seen by the dean unless the preceding steps have been followed. An exception to this is when the course instructor is the department chair. Then, the second level of appeal is the dean.

b. The dean contacts the department chair and, when appropriate, the course instructor to obtain information on the dispute.

c. After consultation with the department and the student, the dean offers the student the choice of a summary decision by the dean or the opportunity for a hearing by the Student Conduct Review Commission.

Seattle Site Students:

The Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) has authority to investigate student complaints against specific schools. WSAC may not be able to investigate every student complaint. Visit https://www.wsac.wa.gov/student-complaints for information regarding the WSAC complaint process.

Summer Term

Anyone may enroll in summer term. Formal admission to the university is not necessary and there are no GPA or high school diploma requirements. High school students who want to take college courses are invited to attend. Potential students who have not met the college entrance requirements may take appropriate courses during the summer to correct these deficiencies. Students may register from early May through the first day of summer school. Tuition is on a per-credit basis.

The eight-week term begins in mid-June and ends in mid-August. Four-week sessions begin in mid-June and mid-July. Classes meet Monday through Thursday and are scheduled either during day or evening hours. Many summer classes are offered online via Oregon Tech Online.

A separate summer term class schedule is available on the web in April. This schedule provides a listing of courses, fees, registration and housing information.

Advanced Standing

Credit for Prior Learning

Credit for prior learning by a student admitted to Oregon Tech may be granted through a number of independent processes. These include:

1. Transfer Credit
2. Military Credit
3. College Level Examination Programs (CLEP) and Advanced Placement credit (AP)
4. Credit for National Registry or Licensure Exams
5. Credit by Examination and
6. Credit for Prior Experiential Learning

A number of these categories are for credit that is awarded for educational accomplishments attained outside of accredited post-secondary institutions.

These procedures describe the process used to grant the student appropriate academic credit by each of these methods as follows:

A. Transfer Credit

Oregon Tech makes every effort to give maximum consideration to the transfer work presented by enrolling students. To ensure that the student has the requisite knowledge, Oregon Tech follows these policies in determining credit:

Accreditation Status of Institution

The institution where the transfer credit was earned must be accredited by a regional accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education (CHEA).

Students transferring work from an institution that is not regionally accredited by a CHEA-recognized accrediting body may receive transfer credit by:

1. demonstrating prior experiential learning with a portfolio
2. applying for credit after demonstrating competencies in advanced coursework in the same subject area or
3. challenging courses by exam

International Institutions

Students seeking transfer credit from international institutions must provide Oregon Tech with a credential evaluation from an Oregon Tech-approved credential evaluation service. Credential evaluation information may be obtained from the Office of Admissions. The credential evaluation must include course titles, credits and grades. Students must also provide course descriptions in English from the international institution. Any associated costs are the responsibility of the student.

Official Transcripts

Prior to the formal awarding of transfer credit, the transfer student must provide an official transcript of coursework completed at all other higher education institutions. Failure to list all colleges attended on the Application for Admission may result in denial of admission or transfer credit.

Admitted transfer students must submit official transcripts at least one term prior to enrollment to ensure timely evaluation of transfer credits.

Any student receiving GI Bill® education benefits while attending Oregon Tech is required to obtain transcripts from all previously attended schools and submit them to the school for review of prior credit.

Determination of Transfer Credit

The Oregon Tech Registrar’s Office determines the transfer equivalency of general education courses using articulation agreements, course descriptions, course outlines, and course syllabi. The student’s major department determines the transfer equivalency for technical or major courses using similar resources.

Articulation Agreements

Oregon Institute of Technology is dedicated to enhancing partnerships with regional community colleges. One important way of doing this is by forming articulation agreements. An articulation agreement is an officially approved agreement that matches coursework between schools. These agreements are designed to help students make a seamless transition when transferring to Oregon Tech. Articulation agreements give students a clear understanding of what courses will transfer to Oregon Tech and satisfy requirements for their major with the least overlap or repeat of courses. Some agreements accept an associate degree in its entirety while other agreements outline specific courses to take as a student plans for transfer. Students should inform the Admissions Office, their academic department advisor, and Registrar’s Office when they are utilizing an articulation agreement.

A list of articulation agreements can be found online at www.oit.edu/articulations; students may search by Oregon Tech major or by transfer institution. Questions regarding these agreements may be directed to the students’ academic department or the Office of Academic Agreements.

Applicability of Transfer Credit

Oregon Tech provides a report upon the admission of the student, prior to the planned term of enrollment. The evaluation delineates the transfer credit on a course-by-course basis and specifies direct course equivalencies, courses which may be used towards general-education requirements, elective credits and courses which do not receive credit.

At the time of admission, Oregon Tech’s report may include elective credits that do not apply towards a specific degree. These credits will be recorded as transfer credit for registration purposes, allowing the student an earlier registration appointment based on total earned credit hours.

Some transfer work, which may not be directly equivalent to Oregon Tech courses, may be appropriately substituted to meet Oregon Tech requirements. Students may seek course substitution approval by completing the Course Substitution form and obtaining the signature of the advisor, department chair and University Registrar.

The transferability of credits earned at Oregon Tech is at the discretion of the receiving college, university, or other educational institution. Students considering transferring to any institution should not assume that credits earned in any program of study at Oregon Tech will be accepted by the receiving institution. Similarly, the ability of a degree, certificate, diploma, or other academic credential earned at Oregon Tech to satisfy an admission requirement of another institution is at the discretion of the receiving institution. Accreditation does not guarantee credentials or credits earned at Oregon Tech will be accepted by or transferred to another institution. To minimize the risk of having to repeat coursework, students should contact the receiving institution in advance for evaluation and determination of transferability of credits and/or acceptability of degrees, diplomas, or certificates earned.

Credit for Alternative-Delivery Courses

Courses taken by alternative delivery from other accredited institutions will be evaluated as transfer credit.

Minimum Grade Standards

Oregon Tech considers for transfer those courses that carry a grade of D or better from an accredited institution. However, many Oregon Tech departments require C or better course grades for prerequisite and graduation purposes.

Pre-College Level Transfer Credit

Oregon Tech students who plan to enroll at other institutions during the summer or to complete coursework for the degree in absentia are encouraged to obtain written pre-approval of transfer credit to ensure transfer equivalency for degree purposes.

Pre-Approval of Transfer Credit

Oregon Tech students who plan to enroll at other institutions during the summer or to complete coursework for the degree in absentia are encouraged to obtain written pre-approval of transfer credit to ensure transfer equivalency for degree purposes.

B. Military Credit

Oregon Tech will grant credit for military courses and experiences based on American Council of Education (ACE) guidelines (found in the Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experience in the Armed Forces) and faculty recommendations. Credit is awarded in accordance with transfer credit policies at Oregon Tech. Students may request evaluation of military credit by furnishing an official AARTS or SMART transcript.

C. College-Level Examination Programs and Advanced Placement: College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

Oregon Tech will award credit for several college-level examination programs. These examinations must be completed with a satisfactory score and an original copy of test results must be forwarded to the Registrar’s Office from the testing service. In order to receive such credit, the student must be admitted to an Oregon Tech degree program and registered for classes during the term in which the request is made. Oregon Tech awards credit for College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) subject examinations, but not for CLEP general examinations. Information on CLEP course equivalencies and minimum scores may be obtained from the Oregon Tech Registrar’s Office.

Advanced Placement (AP)

Students who complete college-level work in high school under the Advanced Placement (AP) program must achieve a minimum score of three to be granted credit on their Oregon Tech transcript. AP course equivalences may be obtained from the Office of Admissions or Registrar’s Office.

A maximum of 25 percent of the credits used toward the degree may be CLEP and AP.

International Baccalaureate

Oregon Tech evaluates IB test scores much in the same way it evaluates AP scores. Students must have official test scores sent to the Office of Admissions. Oregon Tech may award credit to students who receive a 5 or higher on any Higher Level IB examination. For more information, please contact the Registrar’s Office at (541) 885-1300.

D. Credit for National Registry or Licensure Exams

Oregon Tech will award a pre-approved block of credit to fully admitted and enrolled students who have passed a national registry or licensure exam in majors offered by the institution. This award of credit is based on the academic department’s annual review of the national exam questions in comparison to the curriculum taught on campus. Full information is maintained in the Registrar’s Office and via Oregon Tech Online, which coordinates online degree-completion programs offered by Oregon Tech.

Credit by Examination and Credit for Prior Experiential Learning

Oregon Tech awards credit for educational accomplishments attained outside of accredited post-secondary institutions.

E. Credit by Examination

Students currently enrolled at Oregon Tech may request credit for a course by special examination. This process is called a course challenge and the provisions are:

1. Credit by examination (course challenge) is available to students who are fully admitted in degree-granting programs
2. Students may not challenge a course which they have previously taken for credit and received a grade other than an audit, nor may they challenge the same course more than once. If students register for a course they wish to challenge, they must drop and challenge the course before the last day to drop without a “W”
3. No more than 25 percent of the credits submitted for graduation may be credit by examination
4. Examinations receive either a “P” (pass) or “F” (fail). A pass suggests the student has mastered the material comparable to a grade of “C” or better in the course being challenged. The University Registrar records “P” grades on the student transcript, but does not count the P in grade point average calculations. The University Registrar does not record “F” grades
5. Students must pay a non-refundable per-credit fee, as published by the Office of Business Affairs, prior to the examination
6. Departments are responsible for preparing an appropriate examination, evaluating the student’s response and submitting results to the Registrar’s Office. Departments reserve the right to declare any course offering as non-challengeable

Further procedures and general guidelines for course challenges may be obtained from the Registrar’s Office.

F. Credit for Prior Experiential Learning

Oregon Institute of Technology recognizes that students learn outside the classroom through experiences on the job, vocational education, professional development courses, workshops, and independent study. Oregon Tech may grant credit for experiential learning when it is judged that learning outcomes are equivalent to those of college-level courses in the Oregon Tech curriculum. This process is only appropriate for students who wish to demonstrate learning for more than one required course. Typically, credit for experiential learning will be a substitute for a series of major specific courses.

Level of Credit

Oregon Tech grants credit for prior experiential learning at the undergraduate level only. Credit will be awarded only for documented prior learning that has a balance, appropriate to the subject, between theory and practical application, and not just for prior experience. Credit should be appropriate to the academic context in which it is accepted.

Eligibility Requirements

The student must be fully admitted and enrolled at Oregon Tech. Credit will not be granted until the student has successfully completed the procedure outlined. Credit for prior experiential learning will not be granted if the student has already received credit for the same course. No more than 25 percent of the credits needed for a degree or certificate may be from credit for prior experiential learning. Credit may only be granted for courses offered by Oregon Tech and the university reserves the right to declare any course offering as inappropriate for prior experiential learning credit.

Awarding of Credit

Completion of the institution’s review process does not guarantee a student will receive credit for prior experiential learning. If the student successfully demonstrates evidence of college-level learning, credit will be identified on the student’s transcript as credit for prior learning. This credit will not be graded or counted in the student’s grade point average. Students wishing to appeal the award of credit should appeal to the Provost, whose decision is final.

Tuition and Fees

Fees charged for portfolio assessment are based on the services performed. The application fee for a specified course is published by the Office of Business Affairs. This non-refundable fee must be paid prior to submitting the portfolio for assessment. Proof of payment must accompany the student’s Credit for Prior Experiential Learning Application.

Transfer of Prior Experiential Learning Credit

Oregon Tech accepts credit for prior learning from other institutions, provided that the transfer institution awards such credit on the basis of standards similar to those outlined by the Northwest Association of Colleges and Universities (NWCCU).

Faculty Evaluator Qualifications

Credit is awarded based on the recommendation of teaching faculty who are qualified in the subject area and who are on regular appointment with the university on a continuing basis.

Procedure

Students seeking credit for prior experiential learning should first confer with their advisor to help assess if their experience and learning are appropriate for this process. If it is determined that experiential learning assessment is appropriate, the student should contact the University Registrar.

The University Registrar will determine whether the student has met the eligibility requirements outlined in this procedure. If so, the University Registrar and the Department Chair will sign the student’s Credit for Prior Experiential Learning Application. The student must then complete a prior experiential learning documentation course. This course may be utilized for curricular requirements by the major department if appropriate.

Upon completion of the documentation course, the student will submit his/her Credit for Prior Experiential Learning Application and completed portfolio to the department chair.  At the department chair’s discretion a faculty member will review the portfolio and if necessary will interview the student. The final decision is recorded on the student’s Credit for Prior Experiential Learning Application and will be forwarded to the University Registrar. The Credit for Prior Experiential Learning Application will be included in the student’s permanent academic record. The portfolio will be retained in accordance with Oregon Tech’s archive guidelines.

Grading System

Student academic achievement is evaluated and reported in accordance with a system of letter grades assigned at the end of each course. These grades become part of the student’s transcript, a permanent academic record. A summary statement of a student’s total academic record is expressed as a cumulative grade point average (GPA). The academic grievance procedure can be found here.

Grading Policy - Bachelor and Master

Oregon Tech uses a 4.0 grading scale to evaluate student performance. Upon completion of a course or upon termination of attendance in the course, a student’s performance will be graded by the instructor and reported to the University Registrar as follows:

For program specific grading, such as DPT, please refer to the program handbook.

Grade Point Average Example

A student’s GPA is computed by assigning a numerical point value to each grade: “A,” 4 points per credit; “B,” 3 points per credit; “C,” 2 points per credit; “D,” 1 point per credit; “F,” 0 points per credit. GPA at Oregon tech is truncated. GPA is the quotient obtained by dividing total grade points by total hours attempted. Grades of “I”, “P”, “NP”, “W” and “N” are disregarded in calculating GPA; however, a “P” is equivalent to a “C” or better. For example:

GPA = Sum of earned grade points = 54 = 3.1764 or 3.17; credits attempted: 17

Grade Change Policy

All grades except for ‘I’, ‘IP’ and ‘Z’ are considered final when filed by the instructor during grade processing each term. Thereafter, a grade change may be made only in the case of clerical, institutional, procedural or calculation error although a student’s grade may be changed following a student’s appeal through Academic Grievance Procedures.

No grade other than ‘I’ or ‘IP’, once reported, may be revised by re-testing, or by completing additional work.    A student’s grade cannot be changed by any person other than the instructor of record unless an exception is granted by the Department Chair, College Dean or Provost. Any grade change by the instructor of record must take place within one year subsequent to the term in which the grade was reported. Any grade change that is to be filed later than one year must be approved by the appropriate College Dean and the University Registrar.

Non-Standard Grading

Courses may be graded on the pass (P)/no pass (NP) basis at the discretion of the department and the University Registrar. Courses may include, but are not limited to seminars, externships, co-ops, independent study, certificate classes, and physical education.

Class Drop/Withdrawal

A student may drop/withdraw from a course through Friday of the seventh week of the term. Although teaching faculty may drop a student during the first two weeks of the term, according to the Faculty Initiated Withdrawal Policy, they are not required to do so. Students will be notified of instructor initiated drops in writing.

Faculty-Initiated Withdrawal

Teaching faculty can drop a student during the first two weeks of the term from a class if the student has not attended by the second regularly scheduled meeting of that class. The student will be notified of the withdrawal in writing by the Registrar’s Office.

Student Initiated Drops/Withdrawals

1. During the first 10 days of the term, a student may drop one or more courses with no record. However, if a student withdraws from all courses, the student’s transcript will note “Complete Withdrawal”
2. After the first 10 days of the term, a student who withdraws from one or more courses will receive a “W” for those courses. Students may withdraw from individual courses through Friday of the seventh week of the term
3. After Friday of the seventh week, students will receive a letter grade from the instructor
4. Complete withdrawals from the university may be processed through Friday of the week prior to final-exam week. Depending on the time of the term, a complete withdrawal will result in a notation of a “complete withdrawal” or “W’s” on the student’s transcript
5. Students requesting to withdraw from a course(s) after the published withdraw dates that have medical documentation supporting the withdraw should contact the Dean of Student’s Office

NOTE: The deadlines for dropping/withdrawing from a course are listed in the Academic Calendar.

Incompletes

When the quality of a student’s work is satisfactory, but some essential requirement of the course has not been completed for reasons acceptable to the instructor, a grade of Incomplete (I) may be assigned and additional time granted for completion. The instructor is responsible for submitting an “I” grade and completing the Request for Incomplete form and submitting it to the Registrar’s Office.

An “I” grade must be removed by the end of the next term (summer session not included). An “I” may only be extended under the most extenuating circumstances and then only for one additional term. If an “I” is not removed within the allotted time, the “I” then reverts to the alternate grade assigned by the instructor on the incomplete form.

Incompletes received in the anticipated term of graduation must be finished and the grades recorded in the Registrar’s Office within three weeks after the end of the final term. Otherwise, the diploma will be delayed until the term during which all degree requirements are met.

In Progress (IP) Grade

The “In Progress” grade is used for classes with coursework that continues past the end of the term in which the student is registered. Examples include externship, co-op, clinical and project classes. The “IP” grade may be retained over multiple terms. “IP” grades that are not changed during the allotted time revert to a grade of “F” for undergraduate and graduate courses.

“IP” grades given at the undergraduate level will be retained for a maximum of four terms. The “IP” grade for a specific graduate level course is maintained by the Registrar’s Office for a maximum of five years. Each year the student should file a progress report with the Graduate Council signed by the student and the student advisor. After five years, the student can appeal to the Graduate Council to request a grade change beyond this five-year limit. The Graduate Council has the authority to approve or deny the student’s petition.

No Grade Assigned (Z) Grade

The “No Grade Assigned” grade is a grade assigned by the Registrar’s Office when no grade is reported by the instructor. A “Z” grade should be changed by the instructor as soon as possible. If a “Z” is not removed by the completion of the following term, the “Z” reverts to a grade of “F”.

Repeat Policy

The following restrictions apply for course-repeat situations:

1. Students may attempt the same course (for a “W” or a letter grade) a total of four times
2. Each withdrawal (“W”) is considered an attempt. Withdrawals, however, are not included in GPA calculations
3. The new grade earned will replace the previous grade(s) when computing GPA. Only the first two earned grades will be excluded for GPA calculations. The last grade earned will be used on the application for degree
4. All grades and credits remain on the student’s official transcript

NOTE: Students should consult with their financial aid counselor to determine financial eligibility for repeat courses.

Auditing Policy

A student has the option to enroll in a class for informational purposes only. This enrollment is classified as an audit and is regulated by the following procedures:

1. Audit classes are charged at regular tuition rates as printed in the class schedule
2. The only grade an audit class may be granted is “N” (audit). The “N” grade is disregarded in the GPA and is not valid toward graduation requirements
3. Class attendance shall be in accordance with the instructor’s attendance policy for all students in the class
4. Instructors having audit students have no obligation to grade or record the audit student’s work
5. An audit option may be requested during the registration period. Changes “to” or “from” the audit option may be requested no later than the 10th academic day of the term
6. Students auditing a course may, at a later term:
   1. Register for the same course for credit
   2. Challenge the course by examination

Excessive Course Load

Admitted students are allowed to register for 21 credit hours (including audits) during an academic term without special permission. Fifteen credits are the maximum for summer session. Students wishing to register for an overload must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA and receive special approval from the advisor and the University Registrar. Appeals may be considered for special circumstances. The class schedule will provide associated tuition costs each term.

Non-admitted students are restricted to eight credits per term, with the exception of summer where 15 credit hours are the maximum.

Dead Week Policy

Dead Week (the period of Monday morning prior to finals week until the Monday morning of finals week) is the last week of regularly scheduled activities for the term. As such, Dead Week includes routine activities (e.g., lectures, discussions, laboratories, quizzes, assignments, appropriate course reviews, etc.).

1. Final examinations, when utilized, must be given at the scheduled time during finals week
2. No student activities or athletic events will be scheduled during Dead Week
3. Projects and/or examinations due Dead Week may not exceed 20 percent of the final course grade without giving students at least three weeks prior notice

The Provost and Vice-President for Academic Affairs must approve any exceptions to this policy.

Final Exams

All teaching faculty will meet their classes during finals week at the final-examination time designated in the official class schedule issued at the beginning of each term.

1. No student activities or athletic events will be scheduled during finals week
2. Methods of evaluation are at the discretion of the instructor. The methods of evaluation of student achievement and grading standards should be specified in the course syllabus and distributed to students the first week of class
3. Faculty who use a final examination will administer that exam at the time designated in the official class final examination schedule. Finals times are designed not to conflict

Individual students may request exceptions to this policy. These must be approved in advance by the instructor.

Course instructors may request exceptions to this policy. The exception must be approved by the dean of the college and students should be given at least three weeks prior notice of the change.

Graduation

Application for Degree

Students must file an Application for Degree at least two terms prior to the term of graduation. These forms are available in TECHweb, at the Registrar’s Office, in the Portland-Metro Programs offices and in academic departments. They are submitted to the Registrar’s Office for evaluation.

Oregon Tech Portland-Metro students must schedule a graduation degree-check appointment with their major’s program director at least two terms prior to graduation. The final graduation check is completed by the Registrar’s Office at the Klamath Falls campus.

Monitoring Degree Progress

DegreeWorks is a web-based degree audit and advising tool that is utilized by students and advisors. The software identifies courses students have completed and courses still needed to fulfill requirements.  Students and Advisor access this tool through Web for Student or Web for Faculty. The Office of the Registrar works with faculty annually to maintain an accurate degree audit that is used to clear graduation requirements.

Sealing of a Degree

All grade changes, removals of incompletes, and transfer work necessary for completion of degree requirements must be on file in the Office of the Registrar by the Friday following the end of the term of graduation. Academic records are sealed ninety days after the conferral of a degree: no changes to the record will be made following that date.

Grade Point Requirement

Oregon Tech requires a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 for graduation.

Graduation Residency Requirements

All degree/certificate/diploma programs require students to take a minimum number of Oregon Tech courses (25 percent of total credits). For a certificate, a minimum of 5 term-credit hours must be taken from Oregon Tech. For an associate degree, a minimum of 30 term-credit hours must be taken from Oregon Tech. For a bachelor’s, a minimum of 45 term-credit hours must be taken from Oregon Tech. For a master’s, a minimum of 12 term-credit hours must be taken from Oregon Tech. Credits earned through Oregon Tech course challenge or the Oregon Tech Credit-for-Prior-Learning program are considered resident credits toward graduation requirements. All other credits granted by examination (CLEP or AP) or other methods are non-resident credits. Students desiring to complete course requirements for graduation from Oregon Tech at another college or university must receive prior approval from the Registrar’s Office.

Catalog of Graduation

Students must meet all degree requirements from one Oregon Tech catalog. The catalog may be chosen from the year the student is first admitted and enrolled or from any subsequent year. However, at the time of graduation, all students, including transfer students, must use a catalog that is no more than seven years old.

Transfer students may select their catalog of graduation prior to full admission to Oregon Tech by obtaining written approval from their Oregon Tech major department and the University Registrar. The agreed upon catalog will be the one a student uses when he/she transfers to Oregon Tech. Students must enroll at Oregon Tech within two years of this approval.

Departments periodically review their curriculum for technical currency. As a result, significant program changes may occur. Courses previously required in the curriculum can no longer be offered. The major department will provide a transition plan for students to fulfill degree requirements.

Programs discontinued by the university may have specific entrance and graduation limits that override the catalog of graduation.

Baccalaureate Upper-Division Credit Requirement

Baccalaureate students must complete a minimum of 60 credits of upper-division work before a degree will be awarded. Upper-division work is defined as 300- and 400-level classes at a bachelor’s-degree-granting institution.

Multiple Majors

An undergraduate student may earn multiple majors if all the degree requirements for each major are met. All successfully completed majors will be listed on both the transcript and diploma.

Concurrent Degrees

Students may be granted a second bachelor’s degree provided they meet the requirements for both degrees and complete an additional 36 credits beyond the requirements of the first degree. 45 credits are required if the first degree was not granted by Oregon Tech and students must meet the general-education requirements as outlined in their catalog of graduation. If the first bachelor’s degree was granted by Oregon Tech, the general education requirements are waived for the second degree.

Curricular Requirements

Curricular requirements are determined by, and vary with, the departments involved. Major requirements are published in this catalog.

Minors

A minor consists of a minimum of 18 credits in a subject field outside the student’s major. The total credits required for a minor depend on the academic discipline, the prerequisites of the required courses and the student’s starting level in the discipline. Requirements for approved minors are listed by department in this catalog. Minors will only be granted at the time students receive their baccalaureate degrees. Application for a minor must be submitted to the University Registrar with the student’s application for degree.

Graduation in Absentia

Students wishing to complete the Oregon Tech degree by attending another college and transferring work after the minimum residency credits have been met (30 for associate and 45 for bachelor’s degree) must complete an Application for Degree  and have the final transferring classes approved for their degree by the transcript evaluator in the Oregon Tech Registrar’s Office. This should be done prior to leaving Oregon Tech and beginning at the other college.

Commencement

Oregon Tech’s main graduation ceremony is held in Klamath Falls, Oregon in June each year. We encourage earlier graduates of the academic year (Summer, Fall, and Winter), and the graduating candidates for Spring and Summer to participate. Graduates from all Oregon Tech campuses are also invited to participate. Academic honors are calculated after the June ceremony. 

Diplomas

Diplomas are not issued at Commencement, regardless of graduation term. Students officially graduate when grades are finalized and it is verified that all degree requirements have been successfully completed. Please allow 4-6 weeks for the degree to be officially awarded to student records and mailed.

NOTE: Diplomas are held if there is an outstanding balance on student accounts and/or if required loan Exit Interviews have not been completed.

Academic Honors

At each Commencement, Oregon Tech recognizes academically outstanding students who will receive their bachelor’s degree with academic honors. This honor is estimated and based on all Oregon Tech courses but may change after final grades are processed. To be eligible for honors a student must complete a minimum of 75 Oregon Tech GPA hours/credits.

Academic honors are based on the following criteria:

Cum Laude
Graduation with honors 3.50-3.74 GPA

Magna Cum Laude
Graduation with high honors 3.75-3.89 GPA

Summa Cum Laude
Graduation with highest honors 3.90-4.00 GPA.

NOTE: Students who do not have 75 Oregon Tech credits and who are graduating from a Degree Completion program must complete a minimum of 45 graded Oregon Tech credits to be eligible for honors. For Degree Completion students, who fall into this category, honors are based on all Oregon Tech courses and transfer courses used for the degree.

Honors recognized at the graduation ceremony do not include grades from the term immediately preceding Commencement. After final grades are posted, the honors standing of some students may change. These students will be notified. A student’s final honors standing will be posted on the official transcript. Summer graduates will not receive academic honors at the spring commencement.

Only past and spring honors are recognized at commencement, with an announcement and with honor cords. Summer graduates will have honors listed on their diploma and official transcripts upon completion.

Academic Term Honors

President’s List (Applicable to full-time undergraduate students only)
Each term, students with a GPA of 3.70 or better are included on the President’s List.

Dean’s List (Applicable to full-time undergraduate students only)
Each term, students with a GPA of 3.30-3.69 are included on the Dean’s List.

Honors

Special Recognition

Each spring a number of Oregon Tech graduates will be selected for membership in national honor societies. Honor society members can be identified by a distinctive honor cord worn over the shoulder at Commencement.

Alpha Chi, which selects members from baccalaureate programs, identifies its honor society graduates with a white cord. Tau Alpha Pi, which selects members from the sophomore, junior and senior classes of engineering-technology majors, identifies its graduates with a crimson cord. Lambda Phi Eta selects from juniors and seniors in Communication Studies. Members are identified by a gold cord. Lambda Nu selects from juniors and seniors in Medical Imaging. Members are identified by a cord that is green, gold and maroon. Sigma Theta Tau, who wear gold and maroon cords, includes Nursing students in the top third of the class.

Baccalaureate General Education Requirements

General Education Requirements

Oregon Tech’s General Education requirements provide breadth and depth to the Oregon Tech educational experience. The requirements are designed to help students widen perspectives, explore relationships between subjects and develop critical and analytical thinking skills in areas integrated with a student’s major. General education provides the core of an undergraduate university education. These courses help students make progress toward becoming educated persons and provide a foundation for lifelong learning.

Through general education at Oregon Tech, students study broad topics, principles, theories and disciplines. The courses are organized within the curriculum in such a manner that students will acquire knowledge, abilities and appreciation as integrated elements of the educational experience. In addition, general education courses teach students to communicate clearly, think critically and globally, define and solve problems within and across disciplines, calculate logically and apply scientific reasoning. No matter what their major, students will benefit from studying areas of knowledge that help them become competent, well-rounded professionals as well as well-educated human beings and citizens.

All students must complete the university general education requirements as listed in the curriculum map for the major and in this catalog. If a student holds a baccalaureate degree or higher from a recognized, accredited institution, as determined by Oregon Tech, the Oregon Tech general education requirements for the Oregon Tech baccalaureate may be substituted subject to departmental accreditation requirements.

General education credits at Oregon Tech total 55 credits and include 18 credits of Communication, 9 credits of Humanities, 12 credits of Social Science and 16 credits of Science/Math with a least 4 credits of college-level math where intermediate algebra is a prerequisite.

Transfer students entering Oregon Tech who have earned either an Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer degree (AAOT) or an Associate of Science in Business degree (ASOTB) from an Oregon community college will be considered as having met Oregon Tech’s lower division general education requirements. Please see the Oregon Tech website for updated list of courses granted.

* Developmental courses, including MATH 100  and WRI 115 , cannot be used for graduation.

Communication

18 credits:

• COM 111Z - Public Speaking  
• WRI 121Z - Composition I  
• WRI 122Z - Composition II  OR WRI 227Z - Technical Writing   
• Plus 6 credits from the following list:
  • COM 205 - Intercultural Comm  
  • COM 218Z - Interpersonal Communication  
  • COM 320 - Advanced Intercultural Comm  
  • COM 347 - Negotiation & Conflict Resol’n  
  • COM 401 - Civil Engineering Project I  
  • SPE 314 - Argumentation  
  • SPE 321 - Small Group/Team Comm  
  • WRI 123 - Research Writing 
  • WRI 214 - Business Correspondence  
  • WRI 227Z - Technical Writing  
  • WRI 327 - Advanced Tech Writing  
  • WRI 328 - Style  
  • WRI 345 - Science Writing  
  • WRI 350 - Documentation Develop  
  • WRI 410 - Proposal & Grant Writing  

Humanities

9 credits selected by student or specified by a major department from the following:

• ART - Art
• HUM - Humanities
• LIT (ENG) - Literature
• MUS - Music
• PHIL - Philosophy
• Languages (second year)

Other transfer courses, defined as “humanities” by the Registrar’s Office, may be used in this category. No more than three credits of activity or performance-based courses may be used in this category.

Social Science

12 credits selected by student or specified by major department from the following:

• ANTH - Anthropology
• ECO - Economics
• GEOG - Geography
• HIST - History
• PSCI - Political Science
• PSY - Psychology
• SOC - Sociology

Other transfer courses, defined as “social science” by the Registrar’s Office, may be used in this category.

* ANTH 101  may not be used to satisfy both Social Science and Science credits

* GEOG 105  may not be used to satisfy Social Science credits

Technology

Specific requirements for demonstrating computer proficiency may be established by the academic department.

Science/Mathematics

One, four credit college-level mathematics course for which at least intermediate algebra is the course prerequisite.

Plus 12 credits selected by student or specified by major department from:

• biological sciences (BIO, CHE, ENV 111 )
• mathematics (MATH)
• statistics (STAT 243Z )
• physical sciences (PHY)
• physical geography (GEOG 105 ) or geology (GEOL)
• physical anthropology (ANTH 101 )

Other transfer courses, defined as “Science/Mathematics” by the Registrar’s Office, may be used in this category. At least four credits must be completed from a laboratory-based science course in BIO, CHE, GEOG, GEOL or PHY.

Baccalaureate Upper-Division Requirement

Baccalaureate students must complete a minimum of 60 credits of upper-division work before a degree will be awarded. Upper-division work is defined as 300- and 400-level classes at a bachelor’s-degree-granting institution.

Bachelor of Science Degree

The Bachelor of Science degree requires the student to opt between completion of 36 credits in mathematics and science or 45 credits in mathematics, science and social science. Students placed at a higher beginning level of mathematics than is published in the curriculum of their major may choose to substitute those mathematics credits surpassed by their accelerated level of placement with electives from any department to attain the required number of general education credits required by the university for graduation.

Intercultural Studies

Students are encouraged to select at least one class from the following lists of intercultural courses. These courses also satisfy general education requirements:

• Humanities:   
  • HUM 147 - West Cult in the Classical Age  
  • HUM 148 - West Cult in the Medieval Age  
  • HUM 149 - West Cult in the Modern Age 
     
• Social Science:
  • ANTH 103 - Intro to Cultural Anthropology  
  • GEOG 106 - Cultural Geography I  
  • GEOG 107 - Cultural Geography II  
  • GEOG 108 - Cultural Geography III  
  • HIST 392 - Modern Asia  
• Communication 
  • COM 205  - Intercultural Communication