ACADEMIC STANDING POLICY
1. Definitions
1.1 The following words and expressions have the meaning hereby assigned to them:
1.1.1 Academic Advisor: A representative of the University who helps and advises Students on their academic plan, appropriate Course selections, academic progression, and learning outcomes.
1.1.2 Academic Dismissal: A decision of the University to revoke the enrollment status of a Student from a Program based on their Academic Standing.
1.1.3 Academic Preparatory Course: A preparatory, non-Credit Course for Students enrolled in the Foundation Program Unit.
1.1.4 Academic Standing: The standard set by the University to determine a Student’s eligibility to remain and/or progress in a Program.
1.1.5 Academic Unit: An entity within the University that delivers Courses for Programs or for entry into Programs.
1.1.6 Academic Probation 1: An Academic Standing assigned to Foundation and Undergraduate Students who achieve a Cumulative GPA less than 2.00 for the first time or who fail an Academic Preparatory Course for the first time.
1.1.7 Academic Probation 2: An Academic Standing assigned to Undergraduate Students on Academic Probation 1 who fail to achieve a Cumulative GPA of at least 2.00 at the end of the following semester of registration or to Foundation Students who fail an Academic Preparatory Course on the second attempt.
1.1.8 Academic Year: Means the 12-month period defined in the University's Academic Calendar, as approved by the Board.
1.1.9 Academic Warning: A non-punitive alert issued to Undergraduate Students who achieve a failing Final Grade two times for the same Course.
1.1.10 Admission: The process in which Applicants are evaluated for entry into a University Program.
1.1.11 Admission Requirements: The requirements for eligibility into a University Program.
1.1.12 Applicant: An individual who has submitted and completed an application to be admitted into a Program.
1.1.13 Clear Standing: The Academic Standing of a Student who has achieved the minimum Cumulative GPA required by the Program.
1.1.14 Clinical Work: A Course providing a career-related work experience of limited duration, specifically in the health sciences field1.
1.1.15 Course: A set of Learning Sessions in a particular subject, with a defined scope and duration, and specific learning outcomes.
1.1.16 Cumulative GPA: The overall cumulative grade point average across multiple Semesters in a Student’s Program.
1.1.17 Credit: A unit of measurement assigned to a Course based on the total amount of learning time that counts toward a Program or credential completion, at a particular level of the Qatar National Qualification Framework.
1.1.18 Discontinued Student: A Student who was enrolled in a Program and has either not registered for a subsequent Semester, registered in a current Semester but not attended any classes, has withdrawn voluntarily or involuntarily, or has been suspended.
1.1.19 Foundation Program: A series of University Courses designed to prepare Students for their Program.
1.1.20 Foundation Program Student: Student enrolled in the Foundation Program with the intent to progress to an Undergraduate Program.
1.1.21 Final Grade: The grade assigned for the entire Course when all Final Grade Components of the Course are completed.
1.1.22 Final Grade Components: The elements which, when computed, total the Final Grade for the Course.
1.1.23 Incomplete Grade: A non-factorable placeholder grade assigned when the mandatory components of the Course are not completed.
1.1.24 Internal Transfer: A transfer between Programs within the University.
1.1.25 Learning Session: Classes, labs, placements or work term prescribed by a Course.
1.1.26 Program: A prescribed set of Courses leading to a qualification, including a Certificate, Diploma (2 years), Advanced Diploma (3 years), Bachelor, Master, or Doctorate, according to the Qatar National Qualifications Framework.
1.1.27 Re-admission: The process in which an Applicant is admitted (or denied) into a University Program, when an Applicant has previously been admitted as a Student but has been dismissed or has become a Discontinued Student.
1.1.28 Semester: A division of an Academic Year where a Student is enrolled in a Course(s) followed by an examination period.
1.1.29 Student: A person who is presently enrolled at the University in a Credit course or who is designated by the University as a Student.
1.1.30 Transcript: An official document of the University summarizing the entire academic records of a Student including essential information pertaining to the Student's courses, grades, academic standing and credential attainment.
1.1.31 Undergraduate Student: Student enrolled in an academic program falling within levels 4-7 in the National Qualification Framework of the State of Qatar, NQFQ.
1.1.32 University: University of Doha for Science and Technology established by Emiri Resolution No. 13 of 2022.
1.1.33 Work Term: The opportunity to develop Students’ job skills by providing them with a structured employment situation that is directly related to, and coordinated with, their Program.2
1.2 Where the context requires, words importing the singular shall include the plural and vice-versa.
1.3 Where a word or phrase is given a particular meaning, other parts of speech and grammatical forms of that word or phrase have corresponding meanings.
2. Policy Purpose
2.1 The purpose of this policy is to define the conditions and categories under which:
2.1.1 A Student will remain and/or progress in a Program;
2.1.2 A Student will be Academically Dismissed;
2.1.3 An Academically Dismissed Student can be readmitted.
3. Policy Scope
3.1 This policy applies to:
3.1.1 All Foundation and Undergraduate Program Students;
3.1.2 Academic Units;
3.1.3 Admissions and Registration Directorate.
4. Policy Statement
4.1 General
4.1.1 Academic Standing is assessed by the Admissions and Registration Directorate at the end of each Semester. The Academic Standing is updated by the Admissions and Registration Directorate after missing grades or Final Grade corrections are processed.
4.1.2 Academic Standing is not assessed for the Summer Semester, unless it is included in the Program structure.
4.1.3 Academic Standing will be noted on the Student’s Transcript.
4.1.4 Students who have been Academically Dismissed will not be eligible for Re-admission to the same Program.
4.1.5 Academically Dismissed Students may apply for Admission to another Program in the subsequent Semester, in accordance with the pertinent procedures.
4.1.6 Students who have been Academically Dismissed from two Programs, excluding the Foundation Program, are not eligible to return to the University.
5. Academic Standing - Foundation Program
5.1 Academic Standing is assessed for Students starting in their first Semester in the Foundation Program.
The following Academic Standing categories are applied to Students based on their academic performance:
5.2 Clear Standing
5.2.1 Foundation Program Students are in Clear Standing when they have achieved passing Final Grades in all Academic Preparatory Courses.
5.3 Academic Probation 1
5.3.1 Foundation Program Students will be placed on Academic Probation 1 should they achieve a failing Final Grade in an Academic Preparatory Course.
5.3.2 Foundation Program Students on Academic Probation 1 will be referred to an Academic Advisor where they, in consultation, will determine an appropriate Course load and prioritize repeating Courses.
5.4 Academic Probation 2
5.4.1 Foundation Program Students will be placed on Academic Probation 2 should they achieve a failing Final Grade in an Academic Preparatory Course on the second attempt.
5.4.2 Foundation Program Students on Academic Probation 2 will be referred to an Academic Advisor where they, in consultation, will determine an appropriate Course load and prioritize repeating Courses.
5.5 Academic Dismissal
5.5.1 Foundation Program Students will be Academically Dismissed should they:
5.5.1.1 Fail an Academic Preparatory Course on the third attempt; or
5.5.1.2 Exceed the maximum enrollment duration from the first Semester of registration in the Foundation Program, excluding Semesters without registration. The maximum enrollment duration depends on the Student’s level of placement into the Foundation Program.
5.5.2 Students who have been Academically Dismissed are not eligible for Readmission to the Foundation Program.
5.5.3 Academically Dismissed Students may apply for Admission to a Credit Program in the subsequent Semester subject to fulfillment of Admission Requirements.
5.5.4 Academic Standing for Academically Dismissed Students is returned to Clear Standing upon Admission to another Program, if its Admission Requirements are satisfied.
6. Academic Standing - Undergraduate Programs
6.1 Academic Standing is assessed for Students starting in their second Semester in their Undergraduate Program.
6.2 Undergraduate Students who achieve a failing Final Grade two times for the same Course will receive an Academic Warning. Please see the Final Grade Policy (PL-ST-08) for Course failure and repetition regulations.
The following Academic Standing categories are applied to Undergraduate degree Students, based on academic performance:
6.3 Clear Standing
6.3.1 Undergraduate Students are in Clear Standing when they have attained a Cumulative GPA of at least 2.00.
6.4 Academic Probation 1
6.4.1 Undergraduate Students will be placed on Academic Probation 1 should they fail for the first time to achieve a Cumulative GPA of at least 2.00.
6.4.2 Undergraduate Students on Academic Probation 1 will be referred to their Academic Advisor where they, in consultation, will determine an appropriate Course load and prioritize repeating Courses for the Student.
6.4.3 Academic Probation 1 is assessed starting in the second Semester for Undergraduate Students.
6.5 Academic Probation 2
6.5.1 Undergraduate Students on Academic Probation 1 who fail to achieve a Cumulative GPA of at least 2.00 at the end of the following semester of registration will be placed on Academic Probation 2.
6.5.2 Students on Academic Probation 2 will be referred to an Academic Advisor where they, in consultation, will determine an appropriate Course load and prioritize repeating Courses.
6.6 Academic Dismissal
6.6.1 Undergraduate Students will be Academically Dismissed, when they:
6.6.1.1 Are on Academic Probation 2 and fail to achieve a Cumulative GPA of at least 2.00 at the end of the following semester of registration; or
6.6.1.2 Exceed the maximum enrollment duration of their respective Program by 150%, counted from the first Semester of registration in the Program. The maximum enrollment duration excludes Semesters without registration.
6.6.2 Undergraduate Students who have been Academically Dismissed are not eligible for Re-admission to the same Program. Academically Dismissed Students may apply for Admission to another Program in the subsequent Semester(s). Academic Standing for Academically Dismissed Students is returned to Clear Standing upon Admission to another Program.
6.7 Students on Academic Probation Who Transfer Programs
6.7.1 Undergraduate Students on Academic Probation 1 or Academic Probation 2 when accepted for Internal Transfer will have their Academic Standing recalculated by the Admissions and Registration Directorate at the end of their first semester in the new Program.
6.7.2 The Final Grades for all Courses accepted for Internal Transfer by the receiving Program along with the Final Grades for all Courses taken in the Student’s first semester in the new Program will be included in the Cumulative GPA and Academic Standing calculation.
6.7.3 Until the Cumulative GPA and Academic Standing are re-calculated at the end of the Student’s first semester in the new Program, the Academic Standing and Cumulative GPA from the most recent Semester remains in effect.
6.7.4 Undergraduate Students on Academic Probation 1 or Academic Probation 2 are allowed to Transfer only once to another Program.
6.7.5 There is no limit to the number of times a Student in Clear Standing can Transfer Programs.
6.7.6 Internal Transfer is subject to the provisions of the Transfer Policy (PL-ST-06).
6.8 Supplementary Information
6.8.1 Health Sciences Programs include mandatory clinical training rotations.Students must pass all previous Courses and have a minimum Cumulative GPA of 2.00 to be promoted to Clinical Work component of their Program.
6.8.2 Successful completion of Work Term requirements is a prerequisite for graduation. To be eligible for a Work Term, a Student must have Clear Standing to the point where the Work Term registration occurs.
7. Academic Dismissal Appeal
7.1. Students who have been Academically Dismissed may appeal the decision as outlined in the Student Appeals Policy (PL-ST-04) and the Student Appeals Procedure (PR-ST-04).
7.2. Successful appeals are limited to the Student being granted a one-Semester extension.
8. Procedures
8.1. The Vice-President, Student Affairs will ensure that procedures are developed for the execution of this policy, and are implemented accordingly.
9. Related Documents
9.1. PL-ST-04: Student Appeals Policy.
9.2. PL-ST-06: Transfer Policy.
9.3. PL-ST-07: Admissions Policy.
9.4. PL-ST-08: Final Grade Policy.
9.5. PL-ST-09: Registration Policy.
9.6. PL-AC-07: Examination Policy.
1For the purpose of this policy, Clinical Work and Work Term may be used interchangeably throughout the policy.
2For the purpose of this policy, Clinical Work and Work Term may be used interchangeably throughout the policy