NYU Abu Dhabi - Academic Policies

The following is a summary of Academic Policies at NYU Abu Dhabi. Unless otherwise noted, students should direct all questions or concerns regarding these policies to their Faculty Mentor, who will liaise with the appropriate members of the university administration as needed.

Academic Standing

The purpose of this policy is to define good academic standing and to outline the steps that will be taken to ensure students know about their academic standing, are helped if they have a temporary lapse and are assisted to find alternatives to NYU Abu Dhabi, if necessary.

NYU Abu Dhabi defines good academic standing as making appropriate progress toward a degree. This is typically achieved by successfully completing nine courses (or more) per academic year while maintaining a grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or better during each semester.

To monitor and provide timely feedback to students, NYU Abu Dhabi assesses student academic performance throughout their course of study and more formally at the end of each semester.

The institution has developed a series of steps designed to both help students achieve their academic goals and communicate with students and their faculty mentors if a student is found to struggle to maintain good academic standing. Typically, coordinating the communication and academic response is handled through the Office of Academic Affairs in conjunction with the Committee on Academic Standing, which is composed of the Academic Deans and may include other members as determined by the Provost.

If a student falls below the level expected to maintain good academic standing the student normally will receive a letter that aims to identify the issue(s) involved and strategies that may assist the student to develop the academic and study skills necessary to achieve success at NYU Abu Dhabi. Such letters typically are issued at the end of the academic year but may be issued at other times. It is expected that a letter will lead a student to return to good academic standing within the following semester. If this does not occur, the Committee on Academic Standing would decide if it is in the best interest of the student and the institution to issue a second letter or dismiss the student from NYU Abu Dhabi.

Formal letters on academic standing will not be recorded on transcripts or other public documents, nor otherwise released outside the institution, however they will be part of the student's internal NYU Abu Dhabi academic record and accessible for mentoring and guiding purposes.

In truly exceptional cases, a student may be dismissed without receiving a letter on academic standing. Such cases will be reviewed on an individual case by the Committee on Academic Standing and are not based on automatic parameters. If a student is dismissed, NYU Abu Dhabi will try to counsel the student find a more suitable college or university.

Dismissal decisions may be appealed to the Provost, by delivering (by email, fax, hand delivery, delivery service or mail) a written notice of appeal that arrives at the Office of the Provost within two weeks of a dismissal notification being sent to the student. There are only two grounds of appeal: a violation of the procedures outlined in this policy and evidence of factual error. The Provost will advise the student, Committee on Academic Standing and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in writing of his/her final determination. The decision of the Provost of NYU Abu Dhabi will be final and binding.

Access to Educational Records

NYU Abu Dhabi is fully committed to the protection of the privacy of student records. To assist with the guarding of this privacy, the University complies with the United States Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This specifically means that any education records maintained by the University and directly related to students — such as grades, transcripts, and test scores — will not be released to others, including parents or guardians, without the student's consent, except as provided by United States federal regulations.

Education records refers to any record or document containing information directly related to a student (including computerized and electronic files, audio and video tape, photographic images, film, email, etc.) and is not limited to hard copy documents or to a file with a student's name on it.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) was enacted by the United States Congress to protect the privacy of students' education records, to establish the rights of students to inspect and review their education records, and to provide students with an opportunity to have information in their records corrected which is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of their rights of privacy. FERPA also permits the disclosure by an institution without a student's prior consent of so-called "directory information" (see definition below), and of other personally identifiable information under certain limited conditions. Students have the right to file complaints with the United States Department of Education's Family Policy Compliance Office concerning alleged failures by an institution to comply with FERPA.

NYU Abu Dhabi and NYU New York have designated the following student information as "directory information:"

Name, dates of attendance, NYU school or college, class, previous institution(s) attended, major field of study, full- or part-time status, degree(s) conferred (including dates), honors and awards (including dean's list), past and present participation in officially recognized activities (including positions held and official statistics related to such participation and performance), email address and NetID. [Important. See notes (1) and (2) below.]

Email address and NetID are directory information for internal purposes only and will not be made available to the general public except in specified directories from which students may opt out.
Under United States federal law, address information, telephone listings, and age are also considered directory information for military recruitment purposes. Address refers to "physical mailing address" but not email address.

FERPA governs the release of personally identifiable information to both external and internal parties, including other University employees, parents, and government agents. The NYUAD and NYUNY FERPA Guidelines (accessible as indicated below) describe the circumstances and procedures governing the release of information from a student's education records to such parties.

Disclosure of Personally Identifiable Information
Among other exceptions authorized by FERPA, prior consent of the student is not needed for disclosure of directory information or for disclosure to school officials with a legitimate educational interest in access to the student's educational record. School officials having a legitimate educational interest include any University employee acting within the scope of her or his University employment, and any duly appointed agent or representative of the University acting within the scope of her or his appointment. In addition, the University may, at its sole discretion, forward education records to the officials of another institution (a) in which a student seeks or intends to enroll if that institution requests such records, or (b) if the student is enrolled in or receiving services from that institution while she or he is attending NYUAD or NYUNY. Other exceptions are listed in the NYUAD and NYUNY Guidelines for Compliance with FERPA.

Additional Information for Students about Records Access
Students may obtain additional information about access to their records from the NYUAD and NYUNY Guidelines for Compliance with FERPA. The Guidelines may be viewed online, or you can contact NYUAD University Registrar at registrar.nyuad@nyu.edu. Students should also read the FERPA Annual Notice to Students.

Adding and Dropping Courses

Within the following time frames, a student may add or drop a course (or section) without record on the student's permanent transcript:

The deadline for adding or dropping a 14-week course or section is the end of the second week of the course or section.
The deadline for adding or dropping a 7-week course or section is the end of the first week of the course or section.
The deadline for adding or dropping a January Term course or section is the end of the first day of the course or section.

Any student who adds a course after the first day of instruction is fully responsible for all work previously assigned in that course. No course or section may be added after the stated deadline. After the stated deadlines, courses may only be dropped in accordance with the NYUAD policy on Withdrawal, below.

Attendance

Attendance is expected in all classes. Although the administration of NYUAD does not supervise attendance of classes, it supports the standards established by instructors.

Students who, in the judgment of the instructor, have not substantially met the requirements of the course or who have been excessively absent may receive a grade deduction, including the possibility of an F, and/or may be considered to have withdrawn unofficially (see the policy on Withdrawal).

Auditing

Students will be permitted to audit a course with the permission of the course's primary instructor. Audited courses may not be converted to a for-credit basis after the add/drop deadline and will not be reflected on student transcripts.

Course Load

Students take nine courses per year: usually four during each semester, and one during the January term. Thirty-six courses are required to graduate for the Bachelor's degree with any of the majors, except for the degree of Bachelor of Science with a Major in Engineering, which requires 37.

NYUAD believes firmly that four years is the appropriate amount of time for students to take optimal advantage of NYUAD's unique course structure, global programming, and co-curricular experiences. Students interested in accelerating or extending their degree programs must consult with their faculty mentors and the NYUAD Dean of Students in order to determine eligibility.

Faculty mentors will work closely with students to ensure a balance in academic workload, particularly as students take advantage of NYUAD's scheduling system and the availability of 7-week courses. Students who wish to take more than four courses per semester must obtain the permission of their faculty mentors and the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. Students who wish to take fewer than four classes per semester must also obtain the permission of their mentor and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in order to ensure a course of study that allows the student to maintain good academic standing. Students are not permitted to take more than one immersive J-term course per year.

Double Counting

Courses may count for more than one requirement. For example, an individual course may count for both a major and a multidisciplinary or disciplinary concentration, two different concentrations, or a major and the Core. However, there are some limitations to double counting. 1) A student may not double-count more than two courses in the Core or in any one major or concentration. 2) No individual course may count for more than one Core category.

This double counting policy is intended to create flexibility for students and to allow them to highlight the disciplinary and subject matter clusters they have chosen to study. Students should chose concentrations with a sense of academic purpose, not as an accidental result of NYUAD's extensive crosslisting of courses, which reflects our commitment to work across disciplines.

Double Majors and Concentrations

Students may complete a second major if both majors can be accommodated during their four years at NYUAD, or they may complete a concentration, which is offered in 14 disciplinary areas in addition to the 5 multidisciplinary areas. Concentrations generally require four courses. So that students may take full advantage of the breadth of the curriculum and not focus too narrowly on just one or two areas, students are encouraged to explore the option of completing a concentration rather than a full second major.

Exemptions

All exemptions related to the completion of degree requirements are by application to the appropriate Academic Dean.

Grade Changes

To dispute an assigned grade, students must appeal directly to the instructor of record. Based on the appeal presented by the student, the course instructor may revise the grade. Before students petition to appeal a grade decision, they should keep in mind that a grade amended due to an appeal can be either higher or lower than previously assigned. Final responsibility for the student's grade rests with the course instructor.

A student alleged to have engaged in academic dishonesty will meet with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. A student with strong evidence supporting an allegation of malfeasance or discrimination should also consult the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

Grading

The following grades may be awarded:

Letter Grade		Quality Points
A	=	4.0	W	=	Withdrawal (see policy on Withdrawal)
A-	=	3.7	P	=	Pass (see policy on Pass/Fail)
B+	=	3.3	I	=	Incomplete (see policy on Incompletes)
B	=	3.0
B-	=	2.7
C+	=	2.3
C	=	2.0
C-	=	1.7
D+	=	1.3
D	=	1.0
F	=	0.0

The grade point average (GPA) is computed by determining the total number of quality points earned (quality points x credit hours) and dividing by total graded credit hours. Quality points are earned in letter-graded NYU courses taken after a student's first year of enrollment. Total graded credit hours includes the credit hours associated with all such courses as well as the credit hours associated with any pass/fail course that is failed (see the policy on Pass/Fail).

When a course is repeated, only the second grade — whether it is higher or lower — will be calculated into the cumulative GPA. The initial grade will remain on the transcript.

For the class that entered fall 2010, cumulative GPAs are calculated both with and without first-year grades. The higher GPA is used for all purposes.

Graduation Honors

NYUAD will have Latin honors and departmental honors at the time of graduation. Latin honors are determined by cumulative GPA. Summa cum laude is limited to the top five percent of the graduating class, magna cum laude to the next 10 percent of the graduating class, and cum laude to the next 15 percent of the graduating class.

Incompletes and Leaves of Absence

Incompletes will be permitted only in extraordinary circumstances that prevent a student from completing the required course work on time.

Requests for a grade of Incomplete must be submitted to the course instructor and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Students should note that leaving a course unfinished will not automatically result in an incomplete. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will coordinate with the student, the course instructor, the student's faculty mentor and the NYUAD registrar to develop a resolution plan. Outside of truly exceptional cases, NYU Abu Dhabi requires that all work be completed early in the academic semester following an incomplete.

Students who wish to withdraw from all courses and/or take a leave of absence should make an appointment with the Dean of Students.

The NYUAD Community's Commitment to Integrity

At NYU Abu Dhabi, a commitment to excellence, fairness, honesty, and respect within and outside the classroom is essential to maintaining the integrity of our community. By accepting membership in this community, students, faculty, and staff take responsibility for demonstrating these values in their own conduct and for recognizing and supporting these values in others. In turn, these values will create a campus climate that encourages the free exchange of ideas, promotes scholarly excellence through active and creative thought, and allows community members to achieve and be recognized for achieving their highest potential.

Academic integrity violation procedures as well as a more detailed discussion of what constitutes a violation are available in the Student Portal. As part of the NYU Global Network University, NYU Abu Dhabi is also subject to the Universal Policy on Academic Integrity for Students at NYU.

Midterm Assessment

Faculty should organize their courses in a manner that makes individual student progress in the class clear. In addition to providing each student with information on their progress in a timely manner, faculty will submit a brief midterm report to the Office of Academic Affairs noting all students who are not performing satisfactorily in their class and the nature of their individual deficiencies. This will enable the Office of Academic Affairs to identify students whose performance over multiple courses may indicate a need for additional academic support. Because these assessments are intended to be holistic, faculty members may factor in student attendance, participation, and general level of engagement rather than rely solely on graded material. Assessments are due not later than the beginning of the fourth week for seven-week courses and at the end of the eighth week for fourteen-week courses. These assessments are not part of a student's formal academic record and do not appear on transcripts.

Minimum Grades in Core and Major Courses

Although all successfully completed courses may be counted toward the 36-course graduation requirement, only those courses in which grades of C or better are earned may be counted toward major or core requirements.

Pass/Fail

A Pass grade is equivalent to a letter grade of D or higher. Beginning in the second year of study, NYUAD allows students to take one course per semester (up to a total of three courses overall) Pass/Fail. This option is designed to encourage students to continue to explore areas of interest and to optimize their focus on learning unfamiliar methods and materials while minimizing concerns about formal outcomes. The Pass/Fail option is therefore especially appropriate in the second year before students invest in a major and Multidisciplinary Concentration.

A student may not take courses Pass/Fail in the Core curriculum. Courses taken Pass/Fail within a student's major will not be counted for credit toward the completion of the major. However, Pass/Fail courses may allow students to place out of a basic course requirement in favor of a more advanced course within the major. One course in the Multidisciplinary Concentration may be taken Pass/Fail. There is no Pass/Fail option for January Term classes.

Students considering the Pass/Fail option in their area of study or in pre-professional courses should consult with their mentor about the effect of such grades on admission to graduate and professional schools. Students who change their majors may not be able to use courses taken under the Pass/Fail option to satisfy the requirements of their new majors.

Classes that receive a Pass are counted for credit toward the degree, but are not calculated into the GPA. Classes that are failed are registered as an F for purposes of GPA calculation.

For applicable courses, a student may opt to change to or from pass/fail grading during the add/drop period associated with that particular course.

Religious Holidays

NYU Abu Dhabi, as a nonsectarian institution, adheres to the general policy of including in its official calendar only certain legal holidays. However, it is also University policy that members of any religious group may, without penalty, absent themselves from classes when compliance with their religious obligations requires it:

Students who anticipate being absent because of any religious observance should notify faculty in advance of such anticipated absence.
Faculty should make a reasonable effort not to schedule examinations and assignment with deadlines on religious holidays. Any student absent from class because of religious beliefs shall not be penalized for any class, examination, or assignment deadline missed on that day or days.
If examinations or assignment deadlines are scheduled, any student who is unable to attend class because of religious beliefs shall be given the opportunity to make up that day or days.
No adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to any student who avails him/herself of the above provisions.
Class sessions will not be repeated for individual students.

Transcripts

NYU Abu Dhabi official transcripts do not report grades for courses taken during a student's first year of study. However, these grades do become a part of the student's academic record to be used for internal purposes such as mentoring students and fulfillment of prerequisites. In addition, students may request from the Registrar independent documentation of these grades for external use.

Official transcripts indicate successful completion of those courses taken in the first year for which a grade of C- or better is received. Courses from which a student has withdrawn or in which the student received a grade of lower than a C- do not appear on the official transcript nor do they contribute toward satisfying graduation requirements (see policy on Minimum Grades in Core and Major Courses).

An insert will be included with all NYU Abu Dhabi transcripts stating "NYU official transcripts for students enrolled at NYU Abu Dhabi do not show course grades received during their first year of study, and instead indicate only those courses successfully completed with a grade of C- or better."

Students' first-year grades will not be included in cumulative grade point averages calculations.

We believe this policy will contribute to the development of a learning context at NYUAD that distinctively emphasizes independent responsibility for intellectual exploration and growth and that is appropriate for a global student body.

For the class of 2014 only, cumulative grade point averages will be calculated both with and without first-year grades and the higher will be used for all purposes.

Transfer Courses

Advanced-level courses, including AP, IB and A levels, may allow students to obtain advanced standing and substitute a more advanced course for material they have already completed. Transfer credit, however, is awarded only on a limited basis and only for college-level courses completed after high school.

For students who would like to petition for advanced standing, the student must apply to the Academic Dean of the area of study for permission. To be considered for advanced standing on the basis of a college-level course taken prior to matriculation at NYUAD, students also must submit a copy of the syllabus and a copy of the academic record.

Withdrawal From a Course:

After consulting with the faculty mentor and within the following time frames, a student may discontinue a course and receive a grade of W:

Those 14 week courses dropped in the third week through the seventh week will be recorded on the transcript with a grade of W.
Those seven week courses dropped in the second week through the fourth week will be recorded on the transcript with a grade of W.
Those January Term courses dropped in the second day of the first week through the second day of the second week will be recorded on a transcript with a grade of W.

After the final date in each of the above, no student may withdraw from a course without a direct appeal to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. All relevant circumstances will be taken into consideration, but there is no guarantee that a late withdrawal will be allowed.

Consistent with the Transcript Policy, courses from which a student has withdrawn during the first year of study are not recorded on the transcript. Courses from which a student withdraws in subsequent years will appear on the transcript with the accompanying grade of W.

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