Academic Policies

University Level

Many Honors College LLP’s have a sequential curriculum where the ability to take a course depends on having taken a course that comes prior. We encourage you to consider the implications for your program curriculum if you sit out a semester. You may not be able to enroll in the following semester’s courses.

Honors College Level

Please also contact your program to inform them if your intention is to sit out a semester.

• For University Honors students who matriculated prior to fall 2020, please contact Mr. Dean Hebert to better understand the availability of HONR seminars and your progress toward completing the citation.
• For Gemstone students, please review the temporary withdrawal policy on the website at http://gemstone.umd.edu/academics/procedures.html#temporary and contact gems@umd.edu if you have any questions.

Further, we recommend speaking with your academic advising department(s) and scholarship sponsors in order to ensure that you fully understand your scholarship’s funding guidelines. You may also need to contact the Office of Financial Aid. Students may direct questions to Dr. Traci Dula, associate director of the Honors College, at tdula@umd.edu.

Please complete this form if you have decided to withdraw, for any reason, from the Honors College (and/or the University of Maryland). We strongly encourage you to speak with a staff member from your LLP about your intentions to withdraw prior to submitting this form. In the case of a temporary withdrawal, students need to meet with and establish agreement terms with their LLP regarding the completion of coursework. Completion of citation requirements could be impacted by the availability of program courses. Please note that withdrawing from an Honors College LLP could impact access to Honors housing and the completion of the Honors College citation. Further, a temporary withdrawal may impact scholarships and/or financial loan packages.

Note: Students may easily request withdrawal from the Honors College. This form is NOT for new incoming freshmen for the fall semester. If you are a new freshman, do not use this form if it is anytime prior to the drop/add (schedule adjustment) deadline date in the fall semester. If it is after the Drop/Add period and you are a new freshman, do use this form. Check the Drop/Add deadline date. Otherwise, please email honorsadmissions@umd.edu if you wish to decline your Honors College invitation.

Students considering withdrawal from an Honors College LLP course should refer to the Honors College repeat policy and meet with their LLP program staff regarding the availability of courses and progression to the citation. Often, if the student has completed the majority of the coursework, they may be able to negotiate completion of the course with the instructor if there are circumstances deemed beyond the control of the student. The University policy on incomplete contracts can be found here.

The Honors College is an intellectual community that engages high-achieving undergraduates in the pursuit of knowledge in an atmosphere of honesty and trust. We support the University’s commitment to academic honesty and responsibility. Students are responsible for upholding the UMD’s Code of Academic Integrity. For more information on the Code of Academic Integrity, please contact the Office of Student Conduct.

The minimum GPA for students to remain in good standing in the Honors College is a 3.0 cumulative. The 3.0 GPA requirement is a consistent standard across the Honors College, including living-learning programs. A minimum 3.2 GPA is required to earn the Honors College citation.

Individual programs may have additional program-specific requirements. Students should consult with their living and learning programs to ensure full knowledge of academic standards and expectations. Students are encouraged to discuss concerns with meeting minimum GPA requirements immediately.

Generally, Honors College living-learning program courses are not available for re-enrollment. Living-learning program courses tend to be cohort-specific and are not designed for re-enrollment as many are sequential, building on previous courses. In rare circumstances, a student may be allowed to repeat a course with the next cohort or in the next semester if made available. Students are encouraged to contact their living-learning program director regarding any extenuating circumstances.

Students who matriculated into the Honors College prior to fall 2020 fall under the previous catalogue and transfer policy. Students may leave their current LLP and request transfer to the University Honors program curriculum that existed at the time of their matriculation. This means that students must be able to complete the equivalent of at least three HONR seminar courses by the end of spring 2021, when those seminars will no longer be offered. The policy for this group requires students to meet with their program’s director or associate director for advising and consultation.

Students who matriculated to the Honors College beginning fall 2020 and are in good standing with the Honors College may apply to transfer from their current HC LLP to any other program within the Honors College. Students should note that LLP program space is limited, therefore transfer approval is also based upon availability. Students must be currently enrolled in an HC LLP to be eligible to transfer. Students who have withdrawn from their LLP are generally not eligible for the transfer process.

The application for Fall 2024 is available Sunday, March 3 to Monday, April 8.

Contact Dr. Traci Dula with questions: tdula@umd.edu.

The Honors College is a community that acknowledges family engagement and respects student privacy. FERPA, the Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act, is a federal law to which the University and the Honors College must adhere. FERPA protects a student’s privacy interest in their “education records.” FERPA provides that education institutions may disclose education records, or personally identifiable information from such records, only if an eligible student has provided prior written consent, except in several specified circumstances.

Honors College students, please complete the Honors College FERPA form to allow Honors College staff to speak with the person(s) you wish to identify regarding your education records.