English language proficiency
Students whose native language is not English and who have not earned at least an associate's degree from an accredited U.S. college or university must submit an official score report documenting their performance on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
Undergraduates Applicants whose native language is not English must submit official international TOEFL scores. A score of not less than 500 (paper based), 173 (computer based), or 61 (Internet based) fulfills the English proficiency requirement for undergraduate admission. Those who earned an associate degree in the United States with a GPA of 2.00 or better on a 4.00 scale are not required to submit international TOEFL scores.
Master's Degree Students Applicants whose native language is not English must submit official international TOEFL scores. A score of not less than 550 (paper based), 213 (computer based), or 79 (Internet based) fulfills the English proficiency requirement for admission to master's-level study at UIS. Applicants who hold a U.S. bachelor's degree with a GPA of 2.50 or higher (on a 4.00 scale) are not required to submit TOEFL scores. Note: Some programs require a GPA of 3.00 to waive TOEFL. See individual program statements for any additional proficiency requirements.
Doctoral Students Applicants whose native language is not English must submit official international TOEFL scores. A score of at least 575 (paper based), 232 (computer based), or 88 (Internet based) fulfills the English proficiency requirement for admission to doctoral study at UIS.
Immunizations
All students, including those on the Peoria campus, born January 1, 1957, or after, are required by Illinois law and the University of Illinois at Springfield to provide proof of immunity to measles, mumps, rubella, and tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis. This documentation must be submitted on the UIS immunization form before a student's first registration at UIS. The purpose of this requirement is to prevent the induction and spread of vaccine-preventable diseases among students and the surrounding community.
Students are exempt from this requirement if they were born before 1957 or if they are taking only online classes. Students may request an exemption based on religious grounds. General philosophical or moral objection to immunization is NOT sufficient for an exemption on religious grounds.
Immunization forms must be completed and on file in the Health Services office before 5 p.m. on the 5th day of summer session and the 10th day for fall and spring semesters to avoid a non-refundable processing fee. Students not in compliance by the time they register for their second semester at UIS will not be allowed to register. Questions about this policy should be directed to the Health Services office at 217/206-6676. The Health Services Office website contains information regarding immunization policies. Students who are currently registered can check their immunization status online.
International students please note: All students who are not U.S. citizens must have a tuberculin skin test done at the Health Services office on arrival before registration. There are no exemptions from the tuberculin skin test for students who are not citizens of the U.S. Students who have a positive tuberculin skin test will be required to have a chest x-ray. Those who have not obtained their chest x-ray 10 days from the date of the positive test will be administratively withdrawn from all classes. Students who have been treated for tuberculosis or who have been treated because of a positive tuberculin skin test in the past must bring those medical records with them. All medical records must be accompanied by a certified English translation.
U of I Residency Status for Admission and Assessment of Tuition
General The University of Illinois' definition of the term "resident" may be different from the definitions developed by other, non-university agencies. Thus, a person who is an Illinois resident for tax or voting purposes, for example, is not necessarily a resident for University of Illinois tuition and admission purposes. The university's definition of resident status applies both to payment of tuition and admission to the University of Illinois.
Principal elements that determine residency are domicile in Illinois and actions that evidence the intent to make Illinois the person's permanent residence for a period of 12 months prior to the first day of class. A person has but one domicile at any time. Mere physical presence in Illinois, regardless of how prolonged, is insufficient to establish residency without the existence of action and intent to make the place a permanent residence and principal home. In order to establish bona fide residency under this policy, a person must be independent and demonstrate presence and intent to reside permanently in Illinois for reasons other than educational objectives.
The burden of establishing that a student is domiciled in Illinois for other than educational purposes is on the student. The regulations, factors, and procedures enumerated in this policy will be considered by the university in determining the residency status of students.
Procedures The Director of Admissions, or a designee, shall determine the initial residence classification of each student at the time the student enters or reenters the university.
A student who is not satisfied with the determination concerning his/her residence classification may request that the responsible official reconsider the determination. For the purposes of admission, the written request must be received by the Office of Admissions within 20 calendar days from the date of notification of residency status. For the purposes of assessment of tuition, the written request must be received by the Office of Admissions within 20 days of the date of assessment of tuition or the first scheduled day of classes for the term for which the tuition is payable, whichever is later.
The request should include the Petition for Determination of Residency Status and all other materials applicable to the claim. The request and accompanying documentation will not be returned, and the student is advised to maintain a copy for his/her records.
If the student is still not satisfied with the determination after it has been reconsidered, he or she may appeal the decision to the director, University Office for Academic Policy Analysis. The appeal shall be in writing and shall include reasons for the appeal. The appeal must be received by the Director of Admissions within 20 days of the notice of the ruling. It will then be referred to the director, University Office for Academic Policy Analysis. A student who fails to file an appeal within 20 days of the notice of the ruling waives all claims to reconsideration for that academic session. Filing deadlines cannot be extended or waived and applications and appeals not filed in a timely manner will not be reviewed. The decision of the director, University Office for Academic Policy Analysis, shall be final in all cases.
For detailed information on regulations and statutes used to determine residency, contact the Office of Admissions.
Financial Assistance
The UIS Office of Financial Assistance coordinates federal, state, institutional, and private financial aid programs for all students. Assistance is available in the form of grants, tuition waivers, assistantships, scholarships, loans, part-time employment, and veterans' benefits. For detailed information, see the "Financial Assistance" section of this catalog.
Assessment
As an institution in which excellence in teaching is an overriding goal, UIS takes seriously its obligation to look carefully and systematically at what students learn -- in other words, to assess student learning outcomes. Information about UIS' assessment activities can be found at the assessment website at www.uis.edu/assessment.
Catalog Requirements
Students may choose to meet the academic program requirements of the Guide to Programs in force at the time of their admission to the campus as a degree candidate or of any Guide in force during a subsequent period, not to exceed seven years for bachelor's candidates, six years for master's candidates, and eight years for doctoral candidates. Students who are unable to complete graduation requirements within the specified time, may, at the discretion of the academic program, be held responsible for requirements of the Guide in force during their graduation year, or may be required to re-take courses. In the event a student elects to graduate under requirements specified in a Guide to Programs subsequent to the one under which he or she entered UIS, the student must formally notify his or her adviser and the Office of Records and Registration.
Obtaining a Second Degree
Bachelor's Degrees Those who have already earned a baccalaureate degree and seek a second one from UIS must complete all hours toward the major that are required by the academic program. A minimum of 30 semester hours toward the second degree must be completed at UIS. If the first degree was earned at another institution, the student must meet requirements in the Engaged Citizenship Common Experience.
Master's Degrees All program and campus requirements for the master's degree are in effect even for those students who have previously earned an advanced degree. Credit from a previous degree may not be used for the degree in process.
Doctorates All program and campus requirements for the doctoral degree are in effect even for students who have previously earned an advanced degree. Credit from a previous degree may not be used for the degree in process.
Academic Advising
UIS is committed to advising students at all phases of their education. The Undergraduate Academic Advising Center serves all freshmen, sophomores, undeclared majors at any stage of degree completion, and students in transition between majors or other academic programs. Undergraduate advisers help ensure that students meet all requirements of the UIS General Education Curriculum and the Engaged Citizenship Common Experience. Students may contact the Undergraduate Academic Advising Center by phone at (217) 206-7471 or by e-mail at uacc@uis.edu.
Faculty advisers work with individual students to see that satisfactory progress is made toward the degree as well as toward personal and career goals. Students can change advisers at any time by completing a Selection of Faculty Adviser form with the newly selected adviser. Students have substantial initiative in the academic advising process and should arrange appointments with their advisers before each registration, but especially the first and last.
Freshmen are assigned an adviser prior to summer orientation. Undergraduate transfer and master's degree students will be formally assigned a faculty adviser during the first semester. Doctoral students are assigned an adviser when they are admitted to the doctoral program.
Course Numbering System
The three-letter prefix indicates that the course is in a particular program (e.g., SWK – social work; HIS – history), or a Capital Scholars Honors (CAP), applied study term (AST), or university (UNI) course. CAP courses are open only to students enrolled in the Capital Scholars Honors Program.
The three-digit identifying number signifies who may enroll in the course for credit, as follows:
100-199 Open to all undergraduate students. An introductory course is generally appropriate for first-year students.
200-299 Open to any student who has completed the 100-level prerequisites, if any.
300-399 Generally intended for juniors and seniors, but others may register if they have completed 200-level prerequisites, if any.
400-499 Advanced undergraduate, as well as master's students.
500-599 Master's students and doctoral students (with permission of their advisers. Additional work and permission of instructor may be required for doctoral-level students to count the course toward their concentration.)
600-699 Doctoral students
The following terminology is associated with UIS course numbers: Courses numbered 100 to 299 are considered lower-division undergraduate courses. Courses numbered 300 to 499 are considered upper-division undergraduate courses. Courses numbered 500-599 are considered master's courses. Courses numbered 600-699 are considered doctoral courses. Both master's and doctoral courses are considered graduate courses. Courses ending in 99 are tutorials.
Tutorials
Taken at either the undergraduate or graduate level, tutorials are intended to supplement, not supplant, regular course offerings. Students interested in a tutorial must secure the consent of the faculty member concerned before registration and submit any required documentation to him or her.
Undergraduate Enrollment in Graduate Courses
Undergraduate students who wish to enroll in 500-level courses for credit toward the bachelor's degree must get the approval of their faculty advisers and have the course instructors submit an electronic approval. The student will be evaluated at the graduate level. Credits earned by undergraduates permitted to enroll in graduate courses can be counted toward the upper-division requirement.
Undergraduate/Graduate Concurrent Enrollment
An undergraduate student within 16 hours of completing all bachelor's degree requirements may enroll in undergraduate and graduate courses concurrently. Undergraduate students taking courses for graduate credit will be evaluated at the graduate level. Students must complete a student petition form and have it signed by the instructor of the graduate course, the graduate adviser, program administrator, and dean. Graduate courses will be so designated when the bachelor's degree is granted, but this does not imply admission to the graduate program in which the course was taken.
Graduation Contract
All students who plan to earn a degree must file a completed graduation contract, whether they participate in the commencement ceremony or not. It is important to complete the contract as soon as possible, but no later than the posted deadline for the applicable semester. Signatures of the adviser and chair of the degree program are required. Upon receipt of the signed contract, each student will be charged the mandatory graduation contract fee.
Forms are available in the Office of Records and Registration and online at www.uis.edu/registration/forms/index.html; deadlines are posted each semester.
Transcripts
The Office of Records and Registration will issue official transcripts of a student's academic record at UIS only on written request and only to students who are in good financial standing with UIS. A $5 fee (subject to change) for each transcript is charged at the time the request is made. Please check the website at www.uis.edu/registration/records/transcript_request.html for additional information about requesting and paying for transcripts.
The dates and times of registration are posted each semester on the Office of Records and Registration website. This website also contains information regarding current courses and up-to-date information on registration procedures, tuition and fees, and relevant deadlines.
Refunds/Change in Amount of Tuition and Fees
All withdrawals from courses must be made officially according to procedures outlined in the current course schedule. Non-attendance or non-payment does NOT constitute an official withdrawal. Students are financially responsible for all courses not officially dropped according to the policy and deadlines indicated. Specific deadlines will be published each term in the online course schedule available on the Office of Records and Registration website.
Withdrawals
Students may terminate registration in a course by officially withdrawing by the deadlines outlined in the online course schedule at www.uis.edu/registration.
The same deadlines apply to changes in grading options: from letter grade to credit/no credit and vice versa, as well as changes to audit.
No withdrawals will be processed after the published deadlines. When the withdrawal occurs after 10 percent of a course has passed, a W appears on the transcript for the course from which the student withdrew. No notation appears on the transcript when the withdrawal occurs during the first 10 percent of a course. Students who fail to withdraw officially from a course will be assigned an F grade.
See the current course schedule for more specific information about withdrawals. Please note that withdrawing from some or all courses may have academic and/or financial implications.
Auditing Courses
Students who audit courses are required to pay full tuition and fees. Courses audited successfully appear on the transcript with the grade of AU. Credit for audited courses may not be established under any circumstances.
A change from credit to audit may be made through the last day for authorized withdrawal. Fulltime students must include audit courses as part of the maximum load requirement.
The instructor may determine that the audited course should not be placed on a student's transcript if he or she does not attend class regularly. When enrollment in a course is limited, students enrolling for credit are admitted before audits are allowed.
Academic Load
One of the requirements to qualify for financial assistance is to be enrolled for at least six credit hours each semester. For additional information regarding what qualifies as full-time status for financial aid purposes at UIS, see the relevant section below.
Undergraduate and Master's Degree Students Full-time students are enrolled for 12 or more semester hours during the fall or spring semesters or six semester hours in the summer term. Those enrolled for fewer hours are considered part-time students.
Most courses at UIS earn three or four semester hours of credit. A full-time undergraduate or graduate student is considered to be one taking 12 or more semester hours.
To enroll for more than 18 semester hours during the fall or spring semesters or more than eight semester hours during the summer term, a petition requesting overload must be submitted to the Office of Records and Registration.
Note: A graduate assistant's normal load is 16 to 24 hours for an academic year, eight to 12 hours per semester. Graduate assistants who wish to enroll for more than 24 hours in any academic year must have the approval of the adviser, a program representative, and the appropriate dean. The graduate assistantship tuition waiver covers a maximum of 30 hours per academic year (fall, spring, and summer).
A graduate public service intern's normal load is 16-18 hours for the academic year, not to exceed 9 hours per fall and spring semester. Interns who wish to register for more than 9 hours for any given term must have the approval of the GPSI director. Graduate Public Service interns are not required to register for the summer term.
Doctoral Students For purposes of tuition and fees, a doctoral student enrolled for 12 or more semester hours of course work during the fall or spring semesters or six semester hours in the summer term is considered full-time. Students enrolled for fewer hours are considered part-time.
Doctoral students who wish to enroll for more than 12 semester hours during the fall or spring semesters or more than eight semester hours during the summer term must submit a student petition form to the DPA office.
Academic Probation and Suspension
Students who have a UIS cumulative grade-point average of less than 2.00 (undergraduates) or 3.00 (master's and doctoral students) will be placed on academic probation. Courses taken for credit/no credit do not count in calculating this average. Students who accumulate 12 hours or more of incompletes are also subject to probation.
Undergraduate and master's degree candidates on academic probation may enroll for up to 12 credit hours in the subsequent fall or spring (six hours in the summer) with approval of the academic adviser; doctoral students are limited to eight hours in the fall or spring and four hours in the summer. Non-degree-seeking students on probation must meet with a designated adviser in the Office of Records and Registration and may also be required to meet with a representative of the academic program in which they are taking classes.
Students placed on academic probation for two successive terms will be suspended and must wait two terms before petitioning for re-admission. Students in exceptional circumstances may appeal immediately.
Complete details on UIS' academic probation policy are available from faculty advisers or the Office of Records and Registration.
Grade-point Average
The grade-point average is determined by multiplying grade-point equivalents by the number of semester hours earned in a course, then dividing the total number of grade-points in courses completed at UIS by the total number of hours represented by those courses (excluding courses with grades of CR, NC, W, I, DFR, R, or AU).
Grade-point equivalents are:
A (4.00)
A- (3.70)
B+ (3.30)
B (3.00)
B- (2.70)
C+ (2.30)
C (2.00)
C- (1.70)
D+ (1.30)
D (1.00)
D- (0.70)
F (0.00)
Grades/Grading
Grades are released only to students in good financial standing with UIS. They are assigned according to the following scale.
A: Excellent
B: Good
C: Fair
D: Marginal, but passing
F: Unsatisfactory or unofficial withdrawal. Courses in which F grades are earned count in determining grade-point average but do not apply toward graduation.
CR: Credit, represents a grade of C or better for undergraduates or B or better for graduate students.
NC: No Credit, assigned to undergraduate students who earn grades below C or graduate students who earn grades below B under the credit/no credit option.
W: Authorized Withdrawal, appears on the transcript for the course(s) from which the student officially withdraws.
I: Incomplete, after a period not to exceed one year, the provisional grade becomes permanent unless a grade change was submitted. Re-registration is not necessary, unless required by the course instructor.
DFR: Deferred, used only for courses of a continuing nature, such as graduate research. Continues to appear until the course work has been completed and a grade assigned. Re-registration is not necessary, except for graduate closure courses. Courses for which a DFR grade may be awarded will be designated in advance.
AU: Audit, no grade or credit earned. The deadlines for changing enrollment from credit to audit are posted each term. Students who enroll as full-time must include any course they wish to audit as part of the maximum permitted load. For auditing students who do not attend class regularly, the course may not appear on the transcript. Credit for an audited course cannot be established under any circumstances. If enrollment in a course is limited, for-credit students are admitted before audits are allowed. Full tuition and fees are assessed for audited courses.
R: Indicates the course has been repeated. The original grade does not count in determining the grade-point average.
NR: Indicates a grade was not reported to the Office of Records and Registration by the course instructor.
Undergraduate Honors
Academic honors are bestowed as a means of recognizing and encouraging superior academic achievement among baccalaureate candidates. Only grades obtained at UIS will be considered. The grade-point average will be calculated on all graded, undergraduate credit received at UIS. At least 30 hours of graded credit must be accumulated at UIS to be considered for honors.
Honor recipients will be recognized at commencement based on work completed at the end of the semester immediately preceding graduation. Honor statements will appear on the diploma and transcript based on the final GPA.
Deans' List
UIS recognizes superior academic achievement of undergraduate students at the end of each fall and spring semester. Students placed on the deans' list must have a semester grade-point average of 3.75 or higher and have completed at least eight graded semester hours (Note: This does not include hours graded as credit/no credit.) with no incompletes for the semester.
Grades Acceptable toward Graduate Degrees
Master's degree students may apply a maximum of eight hours of C grades toward a degree, provided that each hour of C is balanced by an hour of A and an approved petition is on file with the Office of Records and Registration. Individual academic programs may determine whether Cs are acceptable toward their degrees. Credit for courses in which grades below C were earned will not count toward the master's degree requirements.
Doctoral students are expected to do scholarly work of high caliber. The DPA requires at least 52 doctoral level hours of course credit with a grade-point average of at least 3.00 and a grade no lower than B in any doctoral course. Students must earn a grade of B or better in any course considered for transfer.
All DPA courses must be taken for letter grades.
Grading Option: Credit/No Credit
Students who select the credit/no credit option must officially register their intent with the Office of Records and Registration before the course is three-fourths completed. No changes are accepted after the designated date. Limits on the number of hours earned under the credit/no credit option may be established by individual programs.
Credit is awarded under this option to undergraduate work that represents a grade of C or better or to graduate work that represents a grade of B or better. For lesser work, a grade of NC is recorded on the transcript. Courses taken for credit/no credit are not included in calculating the grade-point average.
Graduation Grade-point Average
Undergraduate students must have a UIS cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.00 to receive a bachelor's degree.
Master's students must achieve a UIS cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.00 to receive a master's degree.
Doctoral students must earn a B or better in each class.
Incomplete Work
Students with extraordinary circumstances that prevent them from completing all requirements for a course on time may request a designation of "I" (Incomplete) from their instructor. The assignment of an incomplete is solely at the instructor's discretion, and requires that the student complete all course requirements within 12 months of the end of the term for which the Incomplete was assigned. When an Incomplete is assigned, the instructor also submits a "provisional grade" reflecting the grade that the student will receive if the course is not completed at the end of 12 months. Students who accumulate 12 or more hours of Incomplete work will be placed on academic probation. Please note that re-registration in the course is not necessary, unless required by the instructor.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism usually takes one of the following three forms and is done without proper acknowledgment: including another person’s writing in one's own essay, paraphrasing another person's work, or presenting another person's original theories, views, etc.
When an allegation of plagiarism arises, disciplinary proceedings may be initiated within the academic program in which the alleged offense occurred. The instructor may refuse to grade the assignment and record it as no credit. Penalties may include failure in the course as well as recommendation for disciplinary probation, suspension, or dismissal from the class, program, or UIS.
Repeating Courses
Undergraduate students Some academic programs may have restrictions on the number of times a particular course may be repeated. When a student repeats a course in which a grade was earned, the second grade will appear on the transcript; the first grade will be replaced with an "R" (repeat) designation and will not count in determining a grade-point average. Subsequent repeats will appear on the transcript and will be used in calculating the GPA.
Master's students may repeat graduate course work once (excluding master's project or thesis credit) without penalty unless the academic program does not permit course repeats. The grade and hours earned when the course is repeated will appear on the transcript. The first grade will be replaced with an "R" (repeat) designation and will not count in determining grade-point average. Subsequent repeats are not permitted.
Doctoral students may repeat doctoral course work once (excluding dissertation credit) without penalty. The grade and hours earned when the course is repeated will appear on the transcript. The first grade will be replaced with an "R" (repeat) designation and will not count in determining the grade-point average. Subsequent repeats are not permitted.