Minimum Degree Progress - Colorado College

Thirty-two units are required for graduation. Students should be aware that illness or grades of No Credit might prevent completion of one or two units during their four-year academic career. If necessary, the student can make up these losses by taking courses in the Summer Session or by taking adjunct courses (.25 unit each), extended-format courses (.5 unit per semester), or the January half-block (.5 unit) to reach the minimum requirement of 32 units.

Students who receive financial aid must make satisfactory academic progress according to the table below. Eligibility for Colorado College financial aid extends for eight semesters or through a semester in which 32 units are completed, whichever comes first. All credits earned and accepted by the registrar’s office are used to determine financial aid eligibility. Advanced Placement (AP) credits, International Baccalaureate (IB) credits, credits for half-blocks and extended-format courses, and adjunct credits are not used in the determination of the 32-unit limit.

Each full-time student is allowed five years (10 semesters) to complete a bachelor of arts degree and receive federal financial aid. It should be noted that although students have 10 semesters of eligibility for federal funds, eight semesters is the limit for college funds.

Full-Time Semester	Minimum # Units	Minimum Cumulative GPA
1	2 units	1.5
2	6 units	1.7
3	9 units	1.8
4	12 units	2.0
5	15 units	2.0
6	19 units	2.0
7	23 units	2.0
8	27 units	2.0
9	31 units	2.0
10	35 units	2.0

Full-Time Semester	Minimum # Units	Minimum Cumulative GPA
1	2 units	1.5
2	6 units	1.7
3	9 units	1.8
4	12 units	2.0
5	15 units	2.0
6	19 units	2.0
7	23 units	2.0
8	27 units	2.0
9	31 units	2.0
10	35 units	2.0

Warning and Suspension

In Blocks 4 and 8 each year, the Dean’s Advisory Committee meets to review students’ academic records. In determining academic warnings and suspensions, the committee uses the following guidelines:

First- and second-year students are expected to earn at least six units of credit during each of their first two years. All other students (third and fourth year) are expected to earn at least seven out of the last eight units taken in any two consecutive semesters (spring and fall, fall and spring).
Normally, students complete a degree program within four years. However, the college recognizes that individual circumstances may warrant exceptions. The above guidelines will not apply to students who take less than normal academic loads for reasons such as illness or personal problems. These students should obtain a written waiver from a dean.

Students failing to meet the requirements of satisfactory progress toward the degree will be liable for the following:

Academic Warning. Students who fail to meet the minimum grade point average (GPA) for the semester or pass the minimum number of courses in a semester are placed on academic warning because the Dean’s Advisory Committee believes there is reason to be concerned about their level of achievement.

Academic Probation. Students on academic warning who fail to meet the minimum GPA or units earned for the following semester or who receive a No Credit in one or more courses are placed on academic probation for the next semester. While on academic probation, students must achieve a 2.0 GPA for the semester and pass four classes with a C– or better with no grade of Incomplete (I) in any of the four classes. The latter must be achieved for the student to be removed from academic probation. A student on academic probation for two consecutive semesters will be placed on academic suspension for one year.

Academic Suspension. A student is placed on academic suspension after being on academic probation for two consecutive semesters. Suspensions are entered on a student’s transcript as a part of the academic record. The suspended student meets with the associate dean of the college to define the conditions for determining their readiness to return. After a one-year absence from the college, a suspended student may apply to the associate dean of the college for reinstatement.

Dismissal. A student is subject to dismissal from the college whenever, in the view of the Dean’s Advisory Committee, his or her academic performance is so low as to make the completion of a Colorado College degree unlikely.