Academic Policies and Procedures

Table of Contents

University Degree Requirements

Students must obtain a minimum of 120 credits whereby at least 30 credits must be completed at UB, per the Academic Residency Requirement policy. To be awarded a baccalaureate degree, a student must successfully complete at least 45 credit hours at the upper division (at least 300-level), including those completed within the major. The number of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) credits varies by degree type. B.A. degrees require 90 LAS credits, B.S. degrees require 60 LAS credits, and B.F.A./Mus.B. requires 30 LAS credits. The Liberal Arts and Sciences comprise the disciplines of the humanities, natural sciences and mathematics, and social sciences. In addition, a maximum of the following credit limits are allowed:

• 30 credits of S/U coursework.
• 18 credits of tutorial coursework.
• 8 credits of athletics activity coursework (REC).

For students who reenter the university with previous coursework, the following courses also may not apply toward the minimum number of credits:

• 0 credits of ESL/ULC coursework from among ESL 101, 102, ULC 101, 103, 104, 161, 164, 254.
• 6 credits of UE 141

Courses taken beyond the university undergraduate limits will not be counted toward the credit required for graduation.

Students must also have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00, both at UB and overall (transfer GPA plus UB GPA).

Students must satisfy all requirements of the UB Curriculum (General Education)  and must fulfill all major requirements.

Students continuously enrolled at UB or on an official Leave of Absence from UB are governed by the university requirements (e.g., UB Curriculum) stated in the catalog in effect at the time of their initial matriculation in the university. For example, students who enter the university in fall 2025 and are continuously enrolled through graduation must meet the baccalaureate degree requirements as stated in this 2025-2026 catalog.

Program Requirements

In completing program requirements, students must complete at least 24 credit hours at the upper division level (at least 300-level) that fulfill major requirements. Students continuously enrolled in a particular degree program (major, minor, or concentration) or on an official Leave of Absence from the program are governed by the requirements of that program as stated in the catalog in effect at the time of their initial entrance into the program. For example, students who are accepted into a major during the fall 2025 semester and are continuously enrolled through graduation must meet the requirements for the major as stated in this 2025-2026 catalog.

Either the university or a program may find it necessary to update requirements for students who have been enrolled in the university or in a program for an extended period.

Breaks in Student Enrollment

Students who leave the university or a major degree program for one or more semesters without an official Leave of Absence are governed by the requirements stated in the catalog in effect at the time of their most recent readmission to the university or to the major program.

Academic Residency Requirements

A student must complete a minimum of 30 undergraduate credit hours (the equivalent of one full year of study) at the University at Buffalo in order to earn a degree from the university. The minimum residency requirement for the combined undergraduate and graduate degree is 42 credit hours, of which 18 must be undergraduate and 24 must be graduate.

The following forms of credit may not be used to fulfill the residency requirement: transfer work; proficiency exams; study abroad; cross-registration; experiential learning and credit for prior learning, which includes but is not limited to: Standardized Published Exams, UB challenge examinations, military credit and industry certifications.

Note: Individual schools and departments might have additional residency requirements as part of their transfer policies.

Major Requirement

To qualify for an undergraduate degree, a student must fulfill all degree requirements.This includes a minimum of 45 credit hours at the upper division (at least 300-level), including those completed within the major, minimum Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) credits by degree type, all major requirements and UB Curriculum requirements. Major requirements encompass a program of study, either in a degree program offered by a department or in an approved individual field of the student’s own choice, as developed in the Special Major Program. In completing program requirements, students must complete at least 24 credit hours at the upper division level (at least 300-level) that fulfill major requirements. See the Course Catalog of programs for major acceptance criteria and program requirements and the UB Curriculum requirements chart  for a description of UB Curriculum requirements.

An undergraduate student is expected to be admitted to a major by the time the student has earned 60 credits. To ensure timely progress toward a degree, it is strongly recommended that each student choose a major by the time they have completed 45 credits.

Failure to be admitted to a major and make progress toward a degree can negatively impact financial aid eligibility. Each student should work closely with their academic advisor to ensure they are meeting all requirements for degree completion and, if applying for financial aid, consult with a financial aid advisor to ensure all eligibility requirements are fulfilled.

Additional special degree options are available as listed below. These degree options require planning early in an academic career in order to meet the full requirements. Advisement is available for such planning; however, it is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all requirements of a planned program have been completed.

Double Majors

A double major is the awarding of one degree (e.g., a Bachelor of Arts - BA) with two majors: for example a student completes a double major in English and History, and earns one BA degree. To complete a double major, a student must be accepted into each major, fulfill all requirements of each major, and satisfy all university requirements including a minimum of 120 credit hours. Following conferral of the bachelor’s degree, the student’s transcript and diploma will note one degree with two distinct majors.

Joint Majors

A joint major combines two majors leading to the same degree (e.g., two majors within a BA, BS or BFA), but unlike the double major, does not require completion of all of the requirements of each major. Thus, it typically requires fewer credits than a double major. The joint major is created by combining requirements from each major as determined by the student and the directors of undergraduate studies in each department (for each major).

In arranging such a program of study, the student must obtain approval from the two departments involved and the directors of undergraduate studies for each of the majors must assist in planning the joint major. In special cases, a student may arrange a program that includes more than two departments or majors. Following conferral of the degree, the student’s transcript will note the individual majors earned through the joint program.

A student wishing to pursue a joint major between programs leading to two different degrees (e.g., a BS and a BA) must pursue a Special Major (see the “Special Major” program listing in this catalog).

Minors

A minor is a secondary field of study and offers students a means to complement their major, explore a subspecialty, and/or broaden career opportunities. Minors may not be taken in the same discipline as the student’s major(s). For instance, a student may not complete both an English BA and an English minor. See the Academic Programs section for a list of approved minors and corresponding requirements. A minor alone is not sufficient for graduation: a student cannot receive a bachelor’s degree if they are pursuing a minor but not a major. Some departments require formal application to the minor; students should contact the department for application information and deadlines.

Double Degrees

The double degree is the concurrent awarding of two different bachelor’s degree types (BA, BS, BFA or MusB)

A student pursuing two majors from two different degree types develops the same competencies as a student pursuing each of the majors individually.

To earn a double degree, these criteria (beyond university and general education requirements) must be met:

• The two degree types must be different (e.g., BA and BS).
• Major requirements for both degrees must be completed.
• Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) credits for each degree type must be earned; 90 LAS credits for BA degree, 60 LAS credits for BS degree, 30 LAS credits for BFA/MusB degrees.
• 30 credit hours beyond the full requirements of the degree with the larger number of required undergraduate credits.
  • A minimum of 150 credits must be completed.
• No more than two 300- and 400-level courses required for one major in one degree may also count toward required courses for the other major in the other degree, including required elective credits.
  • Students completing a double degree in Mathematics and another major may overlap Math 306 and 309 in addition to two courses at the 300- and 400-level.

IMPORTANT: If a student completes two majors within one degree type, s/he will be awarded a double major (one degree with two majors), not two degrees, regardless of how many credits s/he earns.

A student wishing to pursue a double degree should complete the Double Degree Checklist early in their academic career with the guidance of faculty and staff from both programs to ensure they meet the criteria above.

Combined Degree Programs

Combined degree programs combine requirements of undergraduate and graduate degrees. A combined degree program accelerates the time to complete an undergraduate and graduate degree by substituting graduate-level courses for a limited number of upper-level undergraduate requirements such that students still meet the required learning outcomes for both degree programs; therefore two degrees are awarded. The condensed format allows students to complete the two degrees in less time (and often with less cost) than the two degrees separately. 

A minimum of 90 undergraduate credits are required for completion of a combined degree. The minimum undergraduate residency requirement for the undergraduate portion of any combined degree program is 18 credits. The minimum graduate residency requirement for the graduate portion of any combined degree program varies by program. In no case is the graduate residency requirement for any combined degree program less than 24 credits.

In the case of a combined degree that includes a double or joint major, whereby a single undergraduate degree is earned (BA or BS), a student may only pursue one combined degree option.

With department approval, a student has the option to receive the bachelor’s degree after one year of graduate or professional work as long as at least 120 credits have been earned including minimum upper division and LAS credits, UB Curriculum/general education requirements are completed and all undergraduate major requirements have been satisfied.

Tuition for Combined Degrees: Combined degrees have a two-tier tuition structure. While the student is completing the undergraduate portion, tuition is charged at the undergraduate rate. When the student matriculates to the graduate level, tuition charges change to the appropriate graduate or professional rate. For example, a student pursuing a combined BS/MBA is required to complete three years of undergraduate coursework and two years of graduate coursework. Thus, the student is billed at the undergraduate rate for three years. When the student transitions to the MBA portion of the program, the student is billed at the appropriate graduate tuition rate until the remaining two years of the BS/MBA combined degree program are completed.

A student wishing to leave a combined degree program prior to completion must submit the Withdrawal from a Combined Degree Program form. Once processed, the following billing action will occur:

• If the student is pursuing the undergraduate portion of the program, the student will continue with undergraduate coursework and will be billed accordingly at the undergraduate tuition rate. 
• If the student is pursuing the graduate portion of the combined degree program when the student chooses to withdraw from the combined degree program, they will continue to be charged at the graduate rate until formally re-matriculated into the undergraduate career the following semester.

Combined Degree(s) that include a Double Degree:

In the case of a combined degree(s) that includes an undergraduate double-degree, rules of double degrees apply. A maximum of 30 credits of graduate coursework may be applied to one associated undergraduate degree. A student must complete at least 120 undergraduate credits. No graduate credits may be applied toward the 120 undergraduate credit minimum. No credit may be applied to more than two degrees.

Subsequent Degrees

A subsequent degree is earned when a student pursues an undergraduate degree after they have earned a bachelor’s degree from UB, an accredited U.S. institution, or a recognized foreign institution. Once a UB undergraduate degree is awarded, a student may not add a minor or concentration to that degree.

In order to receive a subsequent undergraduate degree from UB, the following requirements must be met:

• The student must be accepted to UB as a matriculated student and be accepted into the new major. 
• The student must meet all requirements for the new major.
• The student must then complete a minimum of 30 new credits at UB (after the awarding of the first degree).
• The new major for the subsequent degree must be in a significantly different field of study than any already conferred degrees. Therefore 300- and 400-level coursework completed for the major requirements of the first bachelor’s degree will not count toward completing the major requirements of the subsequent degree.
  • In the rare circumstance when a single course taken for the first degree program is a required course in the subsequent degree program, a course substitution in the subsequent degree may be approved by petition from the undergraduate program director of the subsequent degree program.
• A student pursuing a second bachelor’s degree does not need to complete the UB Curriculum (general education) requirements but must still possess the competencies of a student who completes the requirements for the regular degree program. 

Matriculation Status

To be considered a candidate for a baccalaureate degree, a student must have been formally admitted to the university in accordance with admission standards. Undergraduate degree candidates do not need to be registered at the university during their final semester before graduation. Students whose most recent UB enrollment is more than 10 years in the past must receive approval from their academic department to apply historical credit to their degree program.

Minimum Academic Average

Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.000, both overall and at the University at Buffalo. Attempted coursework at UB and all transfer credit will be included in the computation of the overall average. In computing a student’s average for work completed at another accredited institution, GPAs will be computed in accordance with the University at Buffalo’s grading policies (e.g., all attempted hours, including “F”s, will be used to determine the GPA).

Students cannot graduate with an Incomplete “I” grade on their record. (See Incomplete Grades section.)

Minimum Credit Hours

Candidates for bachelor’s degrees must complete a minimum of 120 credit hours, 30 of which must have been completed at the University at Buffalo campus. No more than 18 credits of tutorial coursework (including that of TUT (tutorial) type and course numbers 495-499), and 8 credits of athletics activity coursework can count toward the credits required for graduation with a bachelor’s degree. Please see Major Requirement for minimum credit hour information for double and combined degrees.

Graduation

Students must meet all university degree requirements and submit a degree application by the appropriate deadline to be eligible for conferral.

Application for Degree

Students must apply for graduation via their HUB Student Center before the published deadline dates listed below:

June 1 graduation: Feb. 22
Aug. 31 graduation: July 15
Feb. 1 graduation: Oct. 15

Students who will be receiving 2 degrees (e.g., BA & BS, BS & BFA, etc.) must apply for both degrees at the same time.

A final evaluation of UB Curriculum and university degree requirements will be completed by a degree auditor in the Office of the Registrar. Each academic department determines if academic major requirements have been met. All university, major, minor, concentration and certificate (if applicable) requirements must be satisfied on the HUB Academic Advisement Report before degree conferral.

Students who find that they are not eligible to graduate on their applied degree conferral date should complete and submit the Graduation Update Form to inform the Office of the Registrar in writing of their new degree conferral date.

When a degree is conferred, it is noted on the student’s academic record (transcript) and diploma. Diplomas are mailed to the permanent address in HUB within four to five weeks after the conferral date. Students should make certain that the university has their correct permanent address. To check or update student address information, students should refer to their HUB Student Center.

Grades shall not be changed more than one term after degree conferral (i.e., not later than the following Dec. 31 for spring or summer conferral, and not later than the following May 31 for fall conferral).

Transcripts of Transfer Coursework

All final transcripts for transfer credit must be received by the Office of the Registrar by the following dates:

June 1 graduation: May 10
Aug. 31 graduation: Aug. 10
Feb. 1 graduation: Jan. 10

Students completing coursework at another institution during the term of their conferral must finish the coursework before the conferral date and inform the Office of the Registrar of their impending transfer credit work.

Settlement of Obligations

The Office of the Registrar will hold diplomas for graduates with financial service indicators on their records and diplomas returned due to incorrect addresses for one year after the degree conferral date. After that, the diploma will be destroyed and the student will need to order and pay for a replacement diploma.

Commencement

Formal commencement exercises are held each May. All students who have graduated the previous August or February, as well as students who have applied for June degree conferral, are eligible to participate in the ceremonies. Information regarding commencement activities is available at the Countdown to Commencement website.

Graduation Rates

The four-year graduation rate of undergraduate students at the University at Buffalo approximates that of other major public research universities. Consistent with national trends, a number of University at Buffalo undergraduate students extend their graduation date to five years.

Academic Honors

Each department has the prerogative of awarding Program Distinction and Program Honors designations to students in their program(s), according to the criteria below.

Program Honors

An undergraduate student completing a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, or other baccalaureate degree meeting the following criteria may be awarded Program Honors for the Major, when available:

1. The student has completed at least 50% of the major credit hours at UB and these are graded credits, i.e., not “satisfactory-unsatisfactory [grades of ‘S’ or ‘U’]”.
2. The student has completed an Honors thesis, project, or Honors program seminar as an additional component of the major.
3. The student’s UB grade point average for the major is:
   1. at least 3.20 but less than 3.50: Program Honors are “With Honors and Distinction”
   2. at least 3.50 but less than 3.75: Program Honors are “With High Honors and Distinction”
   3. 3.75 or more: Program Honors are “With Highest Honors and Distinction”

Program Distinction

An undergraduate student completing a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, or other baccalaureate degree, or undergraduate minor, meeting the following criteria may be awarded Program Distinction for the Major or Minor when available:

1. The student has completed at least 50% of the major or minor credit hours at UB and these are graded credits, i.e., not “satisfactory-unsatisfactory [grades of ‘S’ or ‘U’]”.
2. The student’s UB grade point average for the major or minor is:
   1. at least 3.20 but less than 3.50: Program Distinction is “With Distinction,”
   2. at least 3.50 but less than 3.75: Program Distinction is “With High Distinction”
   3. 3.75 or more: Program Distinction is “With Highest Distinction.”

Latin Honors

Students earning baccalaureate degrees are eligible to receive Latin honors based on their UB cumulative GPA on the following scale:

Average (based on 4.000 = A)

• 3.200 cum laude
• 3.500 magna cum laude
• 3.750 summa cum laude

To qualify for Latin honors, students must present a minimum of 60 credit hours of UB undergraduate coursework, at least 54 of which must be graded credits (i.e., not pass, no pass, satisfactory or unsatisfactory [grades of ‘P,’ ‘NP,’ ‘S’ or ‘U’]).

The UB GPA on record will be used for the determination of Latin Honors, no additional rounding will occur.

Class Standing

A student must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours to be classified as second-year, 60 credit hours to be classified as third-year, and 90 credit hours to be classified as fourth-year. Grades of incomplete are not counted as credits completed.

Class Attendance

The university is committed to promoting student responsibility; therefore, there is no rule for student class attendance. However, every class instructor shall provide students a course syllabus during the first week of class that specifies attendance policies and dates and times for classes, exams and all other required activities. Classes are to meet at the time and location listed in the official university course schedule, unless changed with the consent of the entire class. Instructors may take account of unexcused absences in determining course grades. However, participation in various university activities (i.e., athletics) may require class absence.

Students may be justifiably absent from classes due to military obligations, religious observances, illness documented by a physician or other appropriate health care professional, conflicts with university-sanctioned activities documented by an appropriate university administrator, public emergencies, and documented personal or family emergencies. The student is responsible for notifying the instructor in writing with as much advance notice as possible. Instructors may determine a reasonable amount of coursework that should be completed to make up the student’s absence. Students are responsible for the prompt completion of any alternative assignments.

If a student absence situation cannot be resolved between the student and the class instructor, or either party feels unfairly treated by the process, the Academic Grievance Policy and Procedures for Undergraduate Students should be followed.

For information regarding procedures for military call-up during the semester, please refer to the Undergraduate Leave of Absence forms.

Attendance on Religious Holy Days

Students who belong to religious faiths that require observance during work or school days will be excused from class without penalty if they have provided advanced instructor notification. If such a requested absence results in a student’s inability to fulfill the academic requirement of a course scheduled on that day, the instructor must provide an opportunity for the student to make up the requirement without penalty. Students shall not be charged any fees or experience any adverse or prejudicial effects due to absence from coursework as a result of religious observance.

If a student absence situation cannot be resolved between the student and the class instructor, or either party feels unfairly treated by the process, the Academic Grievance Policy and Procedures for Undergraduate Students should be followed.

Course Syllabi

The course syllabus serves as a contract between the student and professor regarding course expectations and policies. The course syllabus should clearly communicate what the instructor expects of students and what students can expect from the instructor.

A course syllabus must be finalized and distributed to students during the first week of classes. Students should expect a syllabus to include the following components: instructor contact information and office hours; course description; required materials and supplies or course fees; course requirements including all required assignments, attendance, participation, examinations or experiences, along with their dates or deadlines and how they are assessed; grading policy (how graded elements are weighted in computing the final grade); learning outcomes; and any course policies. 

During the semester, instructors are expected to conform to their course syllabi, except as unanticipated circumstances require deviation. In such situations, instructors should inform all students and provide an opportunity for discussion with students before making a final decision regarding changes in the course syllabus.

In addition, students should expect their instructors to adhere to the following policies, as appropriate:

• Criteria for the grading should be made explicit before the requirement is due; and the formats for examinations should be made explicit before their administration.
• All graded elements shall be specified in course syllabi, including the level of work that must be completed to obtain a specific letter grade (or passing grade for P/F courses) and how elements are weighted in computing the final grade. If these are amended while the course is in progress, all students shall be notified of the changes in writing with sufficient time to adapt to and fulfill the changed requirements. Grades shall not be changed due to completion of additional work specified after the close of the session in which the course is offered.
• Availability of and procedures for alternatives to assignments, exams or other required elements the student did not complete due to absences should be specified.
• All corrected assignments and examinations should be available for review by students. If a student believes that an error in grading has been made, they should be able to consult with the instructor and receive an explanation.
• Classes are to meet at the time and location listed in the official UB course schedule, unless changed with the consent of the entire class.

Exam Conflicts 

Final Exam Conflicts

Final exam information will be available one week before the start of the term.

A final exam conflict exists when a student has any one of the following:

• Three or more final exams scheduled on the same day.
• Two final exams occurring at the same time.
• A final exam occurs contemporaneously with their commencement ceremony for spring or summer conferral.

Students who find themselves with a final exam conflict should contact the instructors of the courses and explain the conflict at least two weeks before the last day of the semester.

During the Semester Exam Conflicts

During the semester, exam conflicts can occur only if a scheduled exam time overlaps with a scheduled class meeting time or another scheduled exam time. Having multiple exams scheduled on the same day, during the semester, is not an exam conflict.

Students who have an exam conflict that occurs during the semester should contact the instructors of the courses and explain the conflict in exams a maximum of two weeks after exam times are posted by instructors.

Usually, one instructor will be able to schedule an alternate time for the student to take the exam. Students are not expected to negotiate exam conflicts between two faculty members. If students are unable to arrange the re-scheduling of examinations with the faculty, undergraduate students should contact their respective associate dean’s office which will assist with rescheduling the exam. Graduate students should contact their academic department. Students are not expected to miss a regularly scheduled course meeting to complete an examination for another course.

Undergraduate Associate Deans by School

• College of Arts and Sciences - Peter Pfordresher (Email: pqp@buffalo.edu) 
• Graduate School of Education - Samuel Abramovich (Email: samuelab@buffalo.edu)
• Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences - Jennifer Surtees (Email: jsurtees@buffalo.edu)
• School of Law - Melinda Saran (Email:saran@buffalo.edu)
• School of Architecture and Planning - Erkin Ozay (Email: eozay@buffalo.edu)
• School of Engineering and Applied Sciences - Luke Ziarek (Email: lziarek@buffalo.edu)
• School of Management - David Murray (Email: djmurray@buffalo.edu)
• School of Nursing - Maeve Howett (Email: mahowett@buffalo.edu) & Melinda Haas (Email: mshaas2@buffalo.edu)
• School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences - Carrie Hoefer (Email: cchoefer@buffalo.edu)
• School of Public Health and Health Professions - Gaspar Farkas (Email: farkas@buffalo.edu)
• School of Social Work - Filomena Critelli (Email: fmc8@buffalo.edu)

Reading Days

The university calendar formally indicates the last day of classes. Faculty may not schedule classes after the last official day of classes.

University sanctioned Reading Days are incorporated into the university calendar to provide our students with additional preparation time before the commencement of final examination week.

Faculty who wish to conduct study sessions on Reading Days may do so if, and only if, these study sessions are offered on a voluntary basis, no attendance is taken, and no new information is introduced.

Final examinations shall be offered as officially scheduled, and not during university-sanctioned Reading Days.

Distance Education

The University at Buffalo offers distance education sections of certain courses. All distance education sections are designated with a campus of “remote” in the public class schedule. For more information on a specific distance education course, please contact the offering department.

Students must have access, in advance of registering for the course, to information about any hardware, software or other specific equipment requirements, as well as any prerequisite skill level requirements. Students enrolled in distance education courses will have access to services traditionally provided in person (i.e., libraries, labs, academic advising, Career Design Center, financial aid counseling, personal counseling, disability services, and other student services as appropriate.)
All existing UB policies (i.e., grading, course evaluation, and admission criteria) apply to all activities bearing UB academic credit, including distance education.

Guidance for Remote Learning Students Residing Outside New York State

The University at Buffalo is a member of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) and follows the complaint resolution policies and procedures outlined within the SARA Policy Manual, also summarized here. Consumer protection complaints resulting from online courses, activities and operations may be submitted for investigation and resolution via the Undergraduate Academic Grievance Policy. If a student is dissatisfied with the campus-based resolution, a concern may be submitted to System Administration of the State University of New York as outlined here. And, if still not satisfied, a complaint may be submitted, within two years of the incident about which the complaint is made, to the New York State Education Department as outlined here.

Academic Grievance Policy and Procedures for Undergraduate Students

Grievance Definitions and Limits

Definitions:

1. An academic grievance shall include, but is not restricted to, a complaint by an undergraduate student:

• that they have been subjected to a violation, misinterpretation, or inequitable application of any of the academic regulations of the university, college or school, or department; or
• that they have been treated unfairly or inequitably by reason of any act or condition that is contrary to established academic policies or practices.

2. Academic day is defined as a weekday when classes are in session, not including the summer or winter sessions.

3. Academic chair: for academic programs where there is no academic chair oversight, the program director serves in the role as chair, throughout these processes.

Time Limit:

A grievance must be filed within one calendar year from the date of the alleged offense. The department chair, college or school dean, or the dean of undergraduate education may extend this time limit upon demonstration of good cause.

Consultative Resolution

Whenever possible, the parties should meet and exert a good faith effort to resolve the dispute.

It may be useful for the student to seek first the assistance of a student advocate (available through the Office of Student Conduct), their advisor, department chair, or director of undergraduate studies of the department in which the academic work was performed acting as a mediator to aid in resolving the dispute.

If consultative resolution successfully satisfies the student concern, then the process is concluded. If it is not successful, the Formal Resolution process should be followed.

Formal Resolution

I. Departmental Level Review

Step 1

If the student is not satisfied with the results of the consultative resolution, the student should submit a formal grievance in writing to the department chair in which the academic work was performed. The grievance should include a description of the complaint, any evidentiary or supporting materials, and a request for a hearing and specify the desired outcome.  If the grievance involves the chair, or if it involves an individual outside of a department (e.g., an academic advisor not in the department), the grievance petition should be brought directly to the school or college Dean as in Section II).

Step 2

The department chair shall assemble the Department Grievance Committee per Appendix 2 and give this committee, and the individuals involved in the grievance (the principals) access to list of these committee members, the written grievance, including supporting materials and a link to this policy. 

Upon review of the materials and statements presented by the student and any materials provided by the faculty/staff member involved in the grievance, if the Department Grievance Committee finds the grievance is without merit, the committee shall deny a hearing and report this denial to the department chair within 15 academic days of its receipt of the grievance. The department chair shall then submit a Statement of Decision to the principals (via email to the student’s UBIT address), the college or school dean, and the dean of undergraduate education within 10 academic days of receipt of the committee decision.

If the Department Grievance Committee finds the statement of grievance has reasonable supporting grounds, the committee shall begin to assemble a hearing committee (as provided below) within 20 academic days of the committee’s receipt of written grievance.

Step 3

The Departmental Grievance Committee shall convene hearing(s) as necessary to allow both principals the opportunity to present their positions and shall allow each principal the right to question the presentation(s), written and verbal, of each principal and of others who contribute information to the committee.

Principals shall be notified of the hearing date, location and Grievance Committee member names at least 72 hours prior to a scheduled hearing.

Step 4

The Departmental Grievance Committee shall submit its recommendation(s) in writing, including findings and reasons for the recommendations, to the department chair or program director within 10 academic days of the final meeting of the committee.

Step 5

The department chair shall consider the committee’s findings and recommendations and render a decision. This statement of decision and an indication of the student’s right to appeal the department chair’s decision (including time limit) shall be submitted via email from the department chair to the principals (including to the student’s UBIT address), the college or school dean, and the dean of undergraduate education within 10 academic days from receiving the Department Grievance Committee’s written recommendations.

Files shall be maintained by the offices of the relevant School/College Dean and the Dean of Undergraduate Education.

II. School or College Level Appeal

Step 1

If either principal wish to appeal the departmental ruling, a written statement of the appeal, including any additional supporting materials, shall be filed within 10 academic days of receipt of the department chair’s statement of decision. The appeal shall be filed with the college or school dean of the department in which the academic work was performed. If the dean is a party against whom the grievance is brought, or where the dean can demonstrate that it will best serve the interests of the parties, a direct petition to the Dean of Undergraduate Education level may be pursued.  (See Section III)

Step 2

Within 20 academic days of receipt of the appeal, the college or school dean will decide based upon review of relevant materials, including all materials and statements presented during prior hearings, and materials and statements subsequently presented.

The college or school dean may issue a formal decision regarding the appeal if based upon review:

1. the dean does not find that the statement of appeal provides reasonable grounds to appeal, nor raises doubt concerning the adequacy of prior review or
2. the dean does find finds clear and convincing evidence to support findings in favor of the student.

In these cases, the dean shall submit a statement of decision to the principals (via email to the student’s UBIT address), the department chair and the dean of undergraduate education within 20 academic days of receipt of the appeal.

Alternatively, if the dean deems it necessary or appropriate to consider further the circumstances of the appeal, the dean shall begin to assemble a Decanal Grievance Committee within 20 academic days of receipt of the appeal.

Step 3

The dean shall give the Decanal Grievance Committee and each principal the list of committee members, the original written grievance, the written appeal to the school or college level, any supplemental materials and statements, all documentation and recommendations from the departmental proceedings, and a link to this policy.

The Decanal Grievance Committee shall convene hearing(s) to allow both principals the opportunity to present their positions and shall allow each principal the right to question the presentation(s), written or verbal, of the principals as well as others who contribute information to the committee.

Principals shall be notified of the hearing date, location and grievance committee members at least 72 hours prior to a scheduled hearing.

Step 4

The Decanal Grievance Committee shall submit its recommendation(s) in writing, including findings and reasons for the recommendations, to the college or school dean within 10 academic days of the final meeting of the committee.

Step 5

The dean shall consider the committee’s findings and recommendations and render a final decision. This statement of decision and a statement of the student’s right to appeal the dean’s decision (including time limit) shall be submitted in writing from the dean to the principals (via email to the student’s UBIT address), the department chair, and the dean of undergraduate education within 10 academic days from receiving the Decanal Grievance Committee’s written recommendations.

Files shall be maintained by the offices of the relevant School/College Dean and the Dean of Undergraduate Education.

III. Dean of Undergraduate Education Level Appeal

The dean of undergraduate education will consider only those appeals that document violations of applicable due process in prior proceedings or which establish sound cause to believe that prior proceedings have resulted in a decision contrary to law, the polices of the SUNY Board of Trustees, or policies of the University at Buffalo. In general, the dean of undergraduate education will not consider appeals that merely challenge the appropriateness of a judgment reached following a full and fair review of a matter by the department and the dean of the college or school.

Step 1

If either principal wish to appeal the decision(s) of the college or school dean, the written statement of appeal, including any additional evidentiary or supporting materials, shall be filed within 10 academic days of receipt of the statement of decision. The appeal shall be filed with the dean of undergraduate education.

Step 2

Within 20 academic days of receipt of the appeal, the dean of undergraduate education will make a determination based upon review of relevant materials, including all materials and statements presented during prior hearings, and materials and statements subsequently presented.

The dean may issue a formal decision regarding the appeal if based upon review:

1. the dean does not find that the statement of appeal provides reasonable grounds to appeal, nor raises doubt concerning the adequacy of prior review or
2. the dean does find finds clear and convincing evidence to support findings in favor of the student.

In these cases, the dean shall submit a statement of decision to the principals (via email to the student’s UBIT address), the department chair and the school or college dean within 20 academic days of receipt of the appeal.

Alternatively, if the dean deems it necessary or appropriate to consider further the circumstances of the appeal, the dean shall begin to assemble a Decanal Grievance Committee within 20 academic days of receipt of the appeal.

Step 3

The dean of undergraduate education shall give the Dean of Undergraduate Education Grievance Committee and each principal the list of committee members, the original written grievance, the written appeals to the school/college and the Dean of Undergraduate Education levels, any supplemental materials and statements, all documentation and recommendations from the departmental and decanal proceedings, and a link to this policy. Principals shall be notified of the hearing date, location and grievance committee members at least 72 hours prior to the hearing.

The Dean of Undergraduate Education Grievance Committee shall convene hearing(s) as necessary to allow both principals the opportunity to present their positions and shall allow each principal the right to question the presentation(s), written or verbal, of the principals as well as others who contribute information to the committee.

Step 4

The Dean of Undergraduate Education Grievance Committee shall submit its letter of recommendations, including findings and reasons for recommendations, to the dean of undergraduate education within 10 academic days after the final meeting of the committee.

Step 5

The dean of undergraduate education shall consider the committee’s findings and recommendations and render a final university decision/determination. The dean of undergraduate education’s statement of decision shall be submitted in writing to the principals (via email to the student’s UBIT address), the department chair, and the academic dean within 10 academic days from receiving the Dean of Undergraduate Education Grievance Committee’s written recommendations.

The determination/decision of the dean of undergraduate education constitutes the final step in the university review process and may not be further appealed.

Files shall be maintained by the Office of the Dean and the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Education.

Academic Grievance Policy Appendices

Appendix A: Conduct of Hearing

Hearings as provided for in the above guidelines shall be conducted in a fair and expeditious manner but shall not be subject to the rules governing a legal proceeding. Each principal shall have the right to be present and to have one advisor present at all hearings. In no such case shall the advisor be an attorney, unless the advisor is a member of the UB faculty who is not acting in a legal capacity on behalf of a principal. An advisor may not speak on behalf of or advocate for a principal or otherwise address members of the hearing committee.

At the request of either or both parties, meetings or hearings at any of the above stages may be held virtually, recorded by audio, video or by a departmental note-taker (a staff or faculty member, but not a student). If a departmental note-taker is present, the student may also have an additional note-taker of his/her choosing in attendance. Neither note-taker may actively participate in the meeting other than to request repetition or clarification of statements made by either party.

Principals and committee members have an obligation to maintain the confidentiality of the proceedings and of all materials or testimony presented in hearing proceedings. Any breaches in confidentiality brought to the attention of the grievance committee will, upon a majority vote of the committee, be heard at a misconduct hearing at the next highest level of grievance committee. Findings may then be considered in the review of the grievance.

Appendix B: Grievance Pool and Grievance Committee Membership

Grievance Pools:

For all levels, the representatives of the Grievance Pools shall be selected by the respective faculty and student constituencies in an appropriate democratic fashion, and in no case shall these representatives be appointed by the departmental or decanal administration. The members of the respective Grievance Pools, and Grievance Committees shall be selected so that no member is involved in a disproportionate number of grievances.

The college or school Grievance Pool shall include two representatives, as appropriate, from each department: one faculty member and one undergraduate student.

Grievance Committees:

Department Level: The Departmental Grievance Committee shall include no fewer than two faculty members and two undergraduate students or a larger number of participants maintaining this same ratio, drawn from the Departmental Grievance Pool.

Dean or College Level:  The Decanal Grievance Committee shall include no fewer than two faculty members and two undergraduate students or a larger number of participants maintaining this same ratio, drawn from the Decanal Grievance Pool. In those college/schools comprised of multiple academic departments, the Decanal Grievance Committee shall not include representatives from the department(s) involved in the grievance.

Dean of Undergraduate Level: The Dean of Undergraduate Education Grievance Committee shall be comprised of no fewer than two faculty members and two undergraduate students (all from outside the academic department[s]) or a larger number of participants maintaining this same ratio.

Each principal to the dispute shall have the option of requesting, without stipulating a reason, the replacement of one member of the committee appointed to hear the grievance. If any principal finds the replacement member inappropriate, the party shall transmit, within five academic days of the naming of the committee, a written statement of the grounds for this “challenge for cause” to the to the department chair (in the case of a Department Level review), the academic dean (in the case of a School or College level appeal) or Dean of Undergraduate Education (in the case of a Dean of Undergraduate Education level appeal) who shall rule on its merits and either retain or replace the committee member so challenged. Each committee member selected shall have the option of disqualifying themselves from the committee by stipulating reasons why they feel unable to deal with the grievance in an unbiased fashion.

Academic Integrity

Academic Integrity Policy 

Academic integrity is a fundamental university value. Through the honest completion of academic work, students sustain the integrity of the university while facilitating the university’s imperative for the transmission of knowledge and culture based upon the generation of new and innovative ideas.

Students are held to a high level of accountability and are expected to uphold our standards of honesty in order to sustain a fair learning environment. Academic dishonesty comes in many forms, including but not limited to:

• Aiding in academic dishonesty. Actions that allow another student to engage in an act of academic dishonesty, including completing an examination or assignment for another student, failing to protect academic work by leaving it unattended, or collaborating without instructor  permission.   
• Cheating. Use of unauthorized resources, including sources not permitted by the course instructor, or tools such as calculators, smart watches, phones, or other students’ work.   
• Falsifying academic materials. Altering, fabricating, forging, or submitting: any course-related materials, including laboratory reports, notes, or any forms of data; an instructor’s name or initials; an examination or assignment for re-evaluation; an assessment (in whole or in part) prepared by any person or technology (e.g., artificial intelligence) other than the student responsible. 
• Misrepresenting documents. Altering, fabricating, forging, or submitting any non-course-related materials, including any university or official document, instrument of identification, or medical record. 
• Plagiarizing. Representing the ideas or work (e.g., written text, computer code, artwork) of another as one’s own or improperly referencing original authors.   
• Purchasing academic assignments. Buying assignments intended for submission in fulfillment of any course or academic program requirement. 
• Sabotaging. Damaging another student’s work to prevent fair assessment, or interfering with the access or production of knowledge (e.g., deleting another student’s material from a shared Box folder, destroying another student’s experiment, preventing another student from gaining access to required material).
• Selling academic assignments. Offering for sale and/or receiving compensation for any academic assignment intended to fulfill any course or academic program requirement. 
• Submitting previously submitted work.  Also called self-plagiarism, re-submitting academic material (in whole or in part) that has been previously submitted by the same student without prior and expressed consent of the instructor. 

TIMELINE

• Instructors must notify students within 10 academic days  of discovery of the suspected dishonesty. 
• Students must meet with instructors within 10 academic days of notification or the instructor will make a decision in their absence. 
• Instructors must notify students and the Office of Academic Integrity of the charge and sanction within 10 academic days of the consultative resolution meeting. 

INSTRUCTORS have the responsibility to charge and sanction students who are in violation of these standards through the Consultative Resolution procedure. All cases must be filed, regardless of severity, with the Office of Academic Integrity. While a case is pending, students are not allowed to withdraw or resign from the course. Instructors have the authority to execute one or more of the sanctions below. If the violation is not the student’s first offense, the chosen sanction may be revised by the Office of Academic Integrity. 

• Warning. Written notice to the student that they have violated a university academic integrity standard. 
• Revision of work. Requirement that the student replace or revise the work in which dishonesty occurred. 
• Reduction in assignment grade.  Student’s grade is decreased with respect to the particular assignment. 
•  Reduction in course grade. Student’s final grade in the course is decreased. 
• Failure in the course.  A grade of “F” is applied. 
• Other. Faculty may determine another appropriate assignment or penalty (e.g., an additional assignment, inability to drop lowest grade), except for any OAI or university sanction described below.  

Recommendations for more serious sanctions may be made to the Office of Academic Integrity for review. Possible sanctions requiring OFFICE OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY approval include:

• Failure in course, remediation required, temporary notation of academic dishonesty. A grade of “F” for the course is recorded on the student’s transcript with notation of academic dishonesty. Upon successful completion of UB’s remediation assignment, the notation is removed.  Failure to successfully complete the OAI assignment will result in the notation remaining permanently on the student’s transcript. 
• Failure in the course with permanent notation of academic dishonesty. A grade of “F” for the course is recorded on the student’s transcript with a permanent notation that the grade of “F” was assigned for reason of academic dishonesty. 

Possible sanctions requiring both Office of Academic Integrity and OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT (or designee) approval include:

• Suspension from the university. The student is suspended for a defined time period with stated conditions and a permanent notation on the transcript that suspension is due to reason of academic dishonesty. 
• Expulsion from the university. The student is expelled with permanent notation on the transcript that expulsion is due to reason of academic dishonesty. 

Infractions not associated with a course in which the student is enrolled will be assigned appropriate penalties and may be additionally referred to Student Conduct for judicial procedures. 

STUDENTS have the right to appeal the instructor’s findings to the Office of Academic Integrity. While a case is pending, students are not allowed to withdraw or resign from the course. 

Students with one offense may be eligible to clear their record with the Office of Academic Integrity through the remediation process. 

Upon request and with the student’s permission, academic integrity violations and sanctions may be reported by the OAI to an authorized body (e.g., a graduate school application or employment application).

Academic Integrity Procedures 

i. For the purposes of this policy, the term “instructor” is defined as the instructor of record, a staff member, or their appropriate designee.

ii. Academic days are defined as weekdays, when classes are in session, not including the summer or winter sessions as defined by the University Academic Calendar. Days in the final exam period and Reading Days are not considered academic days. With the agreement of all principals and the OAI, proceedings may continue during non-academic days.

Undergraduate Academic Integrity Policy Appendices

Appendix A

Academic Integrity Pool Membership and Adjudication Committee Participation.

The OAI shall assemble a pool of faculty and students willing to participate on Adjudication Committees for academic integrity cases. It is the responsibility of each decanal unit to name student and faculty members to this pool. Typically, the duration of service in the academic integrity pool is two years. The OAI is responsible for ensuring that the pool reflects the diversity of the campus community and for training all members of the adjudication pool.

From this pool, the OAI will form an Adjudication Committee for each hearing of no fewer than two faculty members, two undergraduate students, and one member of the OAI. Members from the academic integrity pool will be selected so that no one member will be involved in a disproportionate number of academic integrity cases. Prior to a hearing, committee members verify that there is no conflict of interest with either principal party. If a conflict exists, a committee member shall disqualify themself and a replacement will be named. 

Appendix B

Confidentiality of Proceedings

The principals and members of the Adjudication Committee have an obligation to maintain the confidentiality of hearing proceedings and of all supporting materials and testimony presented. If a breach of confidentiality occurs, OAI may replace a committee member and/or levy additional charges as appropriate.

Appendix C

Sample Infractions and Possible Sanctions

The above list of sample academic integrity infractions and sanctions is not exhaustive. It is meant to offer some general information about common infractions and possible associated sanctions.

Repeat offenses are assigned a greater penalty than a first offense and typically range from failure in course to failure with transcript notation. These penalties are applied at the discretion of the Office of Academic Integrity.

Admissions Integrity Policy for Undergraduate Students

The University at Buffalo admissions process provides a holistic evaluation of applicants’ academic records and experiences. UB expects and assumes all applicants will adhere to the highest standards of integrity by fully and accurately providing all information and documentation required for a comprehensive review. The University reserves the right to revoke admission, reverse a decision, or re-evaluate admission should falsified information from an applicant be submitted. Falsified application information may include but is not limited to: making inaccurate or plagiarized statements on the application, withholding information requested on the application, omitting transcripts for prior college-level work, giving false information, submitting fraudulent or falsified documents in support of an undergraduate admissions application, or using artificial intelligence in an unauthorized way.

The Office of Admissions will determine if an admission decision should stand or be rescinded when violations of admissions integrity are identified prior to matriculation (before the first day of the academic term for which the student was admitted).

After UB matriculation (on or after the first day of the academic term for which the student was admitted), suspected violations of admissions integrity are overseen by the Office of Academic Integrity. See procedures here.

Admissions Integrity Procedures

Preliminary Inquiry

Step 1: If the Office of Undergraduate Admissions (OUA) believes a student committed an act in violation of admissions integrity standards, that office shall, within 10 academic days* of discovery of the alleged incident:

1. notify the student, via UBIT email, with copies to the Office of Academic Integrity, the Dean of Undergraduate Education, and the academic unit(s), of the specific allegation(s). The Office of Academic Integrity will place a service indicator on the student’s account which will only be removed upon resolution of the admissions integrity case.
2. request a written explanation from the student regarding the specific allegation. The student shall have 10 academic days* to provide a written response.

Step 2: If the student responds and the explanation is deemed reasonable by OUA and adequately addresses the concern, the case will be considered resolved and the Office of Academic Integrity will remove the service indicator. OUA notifies the student and copies the decision to the Office of Academic Integrity, the Dean of Undergraduate Education, and the academic unit(s). The case is dismissed.

If the student does not provide a written response by the deadline, or the explanation is deemed unreasonable, inadequate, or inconclusive, the case will move into the Formal Procedure.

Special guidelines for the omission of transcripts:

In a case involving omission of transcripts for prior college-level work, OUA will use the following guidelines to determine the outcome or advancement to the Formal Procedure:

1. If the quality of the prior work would not have altered the admissions decision, the student will be allowed to continue at UB as the original applicant type (e.g., applied as first-year despite prior work), but transfer credit will not be awarded to the student. The student may petition the decision to deny transfer credit to the Office of Academic Integrity. The formal procedure will then ensue.
2. If the quality of the prior work would have changed the student’s applicant type from first-year to transfer or altered the admissions decision, the student will be subject to an Admissions Integrity Committee review. The formal procedure will then ensue.

Formal Procedure

Step 1: If the preliminary inquiry leads to required formal procedures, the Office of Academic Integrity will convene an Admissions Integrity hearing board. The student, OUA, and any relevant parties will be informed. Hearing guidelines and timelines will be provided to the student via UBIT email and the student will be given the opportunity to provide additional documentation for committee review.

Step 2: The Office of Academic Integrity will convene the Admissions Integrity Committee to hear the case within 20 academic days* from the date that formal proceedings begin. The committee will consist of members from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, the relevant academic unit(s), the Office of Student Conduct, the Office of Academic Integrity, and two undergraduate students from the academic integrity adjudication pool.

The Office of Academic Integrity shall give the student at least 72 hours notice of the hearing.

Step 3: At the hearing, the Admissions Integrity Committee shall provide each principal (the student and/or the Office of Undergraduate Admissions) sufficient opportunity to present their position. Each principal shall have the right to be present and to have one advisor present at the hearing. In no case shall the advisor be an attorney, unless they are a member of the UB faculty who is not acting in a legal capacity. An advisor may not speak on behalf of or advocate for a student or otherwise address members of the hearing committee. If either principal fails to attend, the hearing will proceed in their absence.

These hearings are conducted in confidence. The technical and formal rules of evidence applicable in a court of law are not controlling and the Admissions Integrity Committee may receive and consider all relevant material and reliable evidence that will contribute to an informed result. The chair of the committee may exclude irrelevant or unduly repetitious evidence.

Step 4: Once the hearing has adjourned, the committee will meet privately to deliberate and decide the case by majority vote. The Office of Academic Integrity will send an outcome letter to the student via UBIT email within 10 academic days* after the final meeting of the committee. The academic unit(s) and the Office of Undergraduate Admissions will be copied on the outcome letter.

Sanction recommendations may include:

1. Dismissal of case: Student is found not responsible or there is insufficient evidence. No sanctions shall be imposed.
2. Warning: Written notice to the student that this warning is recorded and will be considered in the sanctioning stage of any future academic integrity policy violations.
3. Suspension from the university. For a definite term upon stated conditions with transcript notation. (Note: only the university president, or designee, may suspend a student from the university.)
4. Expulsion from the university with transcript notation. (Note: only the university president, or designee, may expel a student from the university.)
5. Referral to the Student Wide Judiciary.
6. Other sanctions as appropriate to the individual situation.

Appeal of Committee’s Decision

The student can appeal the decision of the Admissions Integrity Committee to the Director of the Office of Academic Integrity within 10 academic days* of being notified of the committee’s decision. Appeals are only considered on procedural grounds or if there is substantial new evidence. The decision of the Director of the Office of Academic Integrity will be rendered within 10 academic days* and is final. No further appeal is available.

*Academic days are defined as weekdays when classes are in session, not including the summer or winter sessions.

Improper Distribution of Course Materials Policy

Purpose

The University at Buffalo has an interest in preserving the rights of faculty in their intellectual property, respecting the integrity and effectiveness of the educational experience, and protecting the privacy rights of students and faculty in course offerings.

This policy establishes a procedure under which faculty may, at their discretion, restrict the distribution of course materials prepared or assigned by them.

This policy in no way expands, limits or otherwise modifies any and all rights established pursuant to Article XI, Title J of the SUNY Board of Trustees and Policies.

Distribution of Course Materials

There is an emerging trend in which students are presented with opportunities to provide and sell course materials developed by faculty to companies that post and/or sell those materials without the author’s permission. Many members of the University faculty are concerned that posting and selling course materials without the author’s permission violates the intellectual property rights of the authors, degrades educational quality and the classroom experience by promoting a lack of direct participation in coursework, and facilitating the ability of students to use the work of others to complete course requirements.

Instructors may prohibit the distribution of course materials by including notice in the course syllabus. This prohibition will not be effective or enforceable unless an explicit written directive is provided to the students in the course.

Violations

Students who violate this policy will be required to complete an educational sanction about the value of intellectual property. More serious and/or repeat violations of this policy may be treated as acts of “academic dishonesty” under the Academic Integrity Policy or subject a student to disciplinary charges under the Student Code of Conduct.

Information Technology Policies

At UB, information technology (UBIT) enables virtually every aspect of university life. To ensure that UB students can take full advantage of campus life, it is strongly recommended that students have a suitable mobile device (e.g. laptop, tablet, etc.) for their personal use while on campus and at their living space. To learn more about UBIT resources and services, and to get started as a new student, visit UBIT’s Student Technology Guide.

New students will find information about their UBITName (their key to the many information technology services and resources at UB), setting their password, registering for 24/7 password resets, securing their devices by enrolling in Duo two-step verification, and obtaining the free software provided by the technology component of their broad-based fee.

Review UB’s many IT policies on the UBIT Policy website.

Computer and Network Use Policies

As a condition of accepting their UBITName, all students must accept UB’s Computer and Network Use Policy. This and other UBIT policies are accessible at the UBIT Policy website. Penalties for non-compliance include disciplinary actions and potential loss of access to UB online resources.

Official University Communications and Required Use of UB Email Addresses

Many official university communications are sent to students’ permanent addresses or university email addresses. Students are responsible for ensuring that their UB Online Directory entry is kept up-to-date and that they regularly read official email messages sent to their university @buffalo.edu email address. New students will find information on their UB email addresses and other IT services in UBIT’s Student Technology Guide.

Copyright Infringement and Illegal Downloading Policies

It is a violation of federal law and university policy to distribute copyrighted material from a device (e.g., computer, laptop, smartphone, etc.) that is connected to the UB network without first obtaining the copyright owner’s permission. This includes music, games videos and other copyrighted materials. Copyright owners frequently hire agents to search the internet for copyrighted materials that are available to others from computer systems on the network. UB receives notices from these organizations alleging copyright infringement. To download and/or distribute unauthorized copies of copyrighted music recordings and movies is breaking the law and may result in personal legal liability for thousands of dollars in damages. Please read UB’s policy on illegal downloading and file sharing at UB’s Digital Copyright Compliance web pages.

Behavioral Expectations in the Learning Space

All students at the University at Buffalo have the right to a learning environment free from behaviors that disrupt the learning process. Students are expected to abide by the behavioral expectations outlined by an instructor for a learning space. Behavioral expectations set by an instructor are considered a reasonable request from a university official; students who fail to abide by set expectations may be in violation of the Student Code of Conduct.

Learn More About Guidelines for Addressing Learning Space Disruption

Title IX and Sexual Violence

Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any educational program or activity that receives federal financial assistance. Everyone has a right to equal access under Title IX and New York State law, regardless of sex, gender, gender identity or gender expression.

Title IX is enforced by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, 32 Old Slip 26th Floor, New York, NY 10005-2500; 646-428-3800; OCR.NewYork@ed.gov.

Title IX’s Protections:

Equal opportunities for admission, recruitment, course participation, scholarships and other forms of financial aid, and athletic offerings.

Prohibitions against sexual harassment, gender-based harassment and other forms of discrimination based on sex.

Assistance and remedies for victims of stalking, sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and other forms of sexual violence.

New York State Law, including Article 129b (“Enough is Enough”) and the New York State Human Rights Law, also protect students against sexual harassment and sexual violence. UB’s Title IX coordinator is Sharon Nolan Weiss, 406 Capen Hall, Buffalo, NY 14260; 716-645-2266. More information can be accessed on the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion webpage.

Your right to Report (NY Educ.L. 129-B Statement)

UB students and employees have the right to make a report to the University Police, local law enforcement, and/or the State Police or choose not to report; to report the incident to the university; to be protected by the college from retaliation for reporting an incident; and to receive assistance and resources from the university.

Students’ Bill of Rights

UB is committed to ensuring that victims and survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence or stalking can obtain assistance and redress.

The State University of New York and UB are committed to providing options, support and assistance to victims and survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence or stalking to ensure that they can continue to participate in university-wide and campus programs, activities and employment. All victims and survivors of these crimes and violations, regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, familial status, pregnancy, predisposing genetic characteristics, military status, domestic violence victim status, or criminal conviction, have the following rights, regardless of whether the crime or violation occurs on campus, off campus or while studying abroad:

All students have the right to:

1. Make a report to local law enforcement and state police;
2. Have disclosures of domestic violence, dating violence, stalking and sexual violence assault treated seriously;
3. Make a decision about whether or not to disclose a crime or violation and participate in the judicial or conduct process and criminal justice process free from pressures from the institution;
4. Participate in a process that is fair, impartial, and provides adequate notice and a meaningful opportunity to be heard;
5. Be treated with dignity and to receive from the institution courteous, fair, and respectful health care and counseling services, where available;
6. Be free from any suggestion that the reporting individual or victim or survivor is at fault when these crimes and violations are committed, or should have acted in a different manner to avoid such crimes or violations;
7. Describe the incident to as few institutional representatives as practicable and not to be required to unnecessarily repeat a description of the incident;
8. Be free from retaliation by the university, the accused or the respondent, and/or their friends, family and acquaintances within the jurisdiction of UB;
9. Access to at least one level of appeal of a determination;
10. Be accompanied by an advisor of choice who may assist and advise a reporting individual, accused, or respondent throughout the judicial or conduct process including during all meetings and hearings related to such process;
11. Exercise civil rights and practice of religion without interference by the investigative, criminal justice, or judicial or conduct process of the university.

Options in Brief

Victims and survivors have many options that can be pursued simultaneously, including one or more of the following:

• Receive resources, such as counseling and medical attention;
• Confidentially or anonymously disclose a crime or violation (for detailed information on confidentiality and privacy, visit Options for Confidentially Disclosing Sexual Violence).
• Make a report to:
  • An employee with the authority to address complaints, including the Title IX coordinator, a student conduct employee, or a human resources employee;
  • University at Buffalo Police;
  • Local law enforcement; and/or
  • Family Court or Civil Court.

Copies of this Bill of Rights shall be distributed annually to students, made available on UB’s website, and posted in each campus residence hall, dining hall, and student union or campus center and shall include links or information to access the Sexual Violence Response Policy and the Options for Confidentially Disclosing Sexual Violence.

Additional Resources

SUNY Sexual Assault and Violence Response (SAVR) Resources

In addition to UB Resources, SUNY provides critical information in 120 languages about local and state-wide resources for victims and survivors of sexual and interpersonal violence. SUNY also developed a Visa and Immigration Resource specific to international and immigrant victims and survivors of sexual and interpersonal violence. The Visa and Immigration Resource uses plain language to provide additional information including reporting on and off campus, specific visa statuses for victims of violence and trafficking, and where to find immigration attorneys.

Adding, Dropping, and Resigning Courses

The following deadlines apply to classes offered during the standard 15 week session in fall and spring. Courses offered in shorter, longer and non-standard sessions will have drop, add and resign deadlines established based on the appropriate portion of class days and may differ from those for the standard 15 week session.

• Students may register for courses and make changes to their class schedule at any time between the start of their enrollment appointment through the end of the 7th day of classes for 15 week sessions, or after the drop/add deadline for other sessions. Courses dropped during this period will not appear on the students’ transcripts. Students may register for courses through the end of the 7th day of classes. (Calculation of the 7th day of classes includes Saturdays, but does not include Sundays and holidays.)
• Students may not register for courses that overlap in time. 
• For information about withdrawing from courses after the drop/add deadline, see Drop/Add/Resign Classes.
• Students who choose to resign from courses after the 7th day of classes for 15 week sessions, or after the drop/add deadline for other sessions will be responsible for a financial penalty and receive a grade of “R” for each course resigned until the end of the resignation period. When resigning from a course, students should determine if the course is impacted. Impacted courses may not be repeatable during the fall or spring semesters. (See Priority Registration for Students Attempting a Course for the First Time.)
• Students can resign from courses until the end of the eleventh week of classes.

For sessions that are shorter than the regular 15 week session, drop, add and resign dates are calculated based on the appropriate percentage of class days. Students may not register for a class after the end of the 7th day of classes for 15 week sessions, or after the drop/add deadline for other sessions.

Students are not permitted to sit in a class without proper registration. Students who are officially auditing a class cannot have the audit grade option converted to a letter grade option retroactively.

Drop, add and resign dates are available in students’ HUB Student Center (via MyUB).

Academic Load

Academic Load Policy

Full-time status for undergraduate students is 12 or more credit hours. Undergraduate students enrolled in fewer than 12 credits are considered part-time for all semesters.

Due to the abbreviated nature of the winter and summer sessions, it is important to understand that three credits taken over the winter session and six credits taken within a single summer session is the equivalent amount of work as a full-time course load during a fall or spring semester. Repeated coursework will be excluded from GPA calculations per the Repeat Policy. 

Fall and Spring Semesters

The typical load for undergraduate students is 15 credit hours per semester. Students who wish to register for more than 19 credit hours require permission from an academic advisor.

Summer Sessions

There are multiple summer session options within the summer term. The maximum enrollment is eight credit hours per summer session and 14 credit hours per summer term. No more than 11 credits may overlap between summer sessions.

Winter Session

The maximum enrollment is five credit hours in the winter session.

Financial Aid and Enrollment Reporting

For the purposes of federal financial aid and reporting to the National Student Clearinghouse, the university will combine the credit hours of enrollment for winter and spring terms to determine academic load.

Course Cancellation Notice

The University at Buffalo reserves the right to cancel any course or section in which the number of students enrolled is deemed insufficient or for which an instructor cannot be secured. All tuition and fees paid for such a course will be refunded. The university also reserves the right to set maximum limits on the number of students allowed to enroll in any particular course or section.

Academic Term Withdrawal from University Coursework

Students wanting to withdraw from the university after the resignation period must consult with their academic advisors for appropriate procedures, justification, and documentation to request an academic term withdrawal (grade of “W”). Academic term withdrawals are approved only in circumstances where impact to academic performance due to a personal or immediate-family medical event, disability, death, or active military service is documented sufficiently. In a policy approved by the Faculty Senate, requests for academic term withdrawal that are based upon extraordinary circumstances are only considered for all the registered courses in a given semester. Requests for academic term withdrawal made for selected courses in a given semester will not be approved.

Requests for academic term withdrawal can only be approved if submitted within one semester of the event.

Academic Term Withdrawal Deadlines

Additional information including specific registration procedures can be found on the Office of the Registrar website.

Leave of Absence

Students who will not be enrolling at the university in an upcoming semester should file a Leave of Absence Form with the university in order to secure their status at the time the leave of absence begins. Students seeking a leave of absence must contact an academic advisor prior to the semester the leave is to begin, especially in cases when students intend to visit another college or university. Forms requesting a leave of absence are available on the Office of the Registrar website.

A leave of absence may be granted for a maximum of two consecutive semesters but may be renewed for up to an additional year. No more than four semesters of leave of absence are allowed during an undergraduate career. Students may return before the end of their leave of absence, but cannot exceed the approved leave of absence period. Students returning early from a leave of absence must contact the Office of the Registrar to be term activated for the semester they originally thought they were going to be away. Students who exceed the leave of absence period are required to re-enter UB via the Office of Admissions re-entry process.

Students must have at least 2.000 UB GPA to be eligible for a leave of absence. Those students who leave UB without having completed at least one semester (student with no UB GPA) are ineligible for a leave of absence and will have to file a re-entry form with the Office of Admissions in order to be re-admitted to the university. Students with grades of R or W in their first semester do qualify for a leave of absence.

Students requesting an extension to their leave of absence for military service must attached a copy of their orders to the leave request.

Students attending other colleges or universities during the approved leave of absence period are required to submit official transcripts of academic work from those institutions. Final transcripts must be submitted to the Office of Admissions at the beginning of the returning semester. College credits earned at other institutions during the leave period will be evaluated as transfer credit. These credits may satisfy major and/or university requirements. For assistance in course selection and subsequent articulation with UB coursework, students should contact an academic advisor and TAURUS, UB’s course articulation system.

Students who are leaving the university to complete their last semester at another school and would like to graduate from UB should file a leave of absence form in order to keep their UB email account active. Additionally, they must apply for graduation (on their HUB Student Center via MyUB) before the appropriate deadline date and regularly check their UB email for graduation-related correspondence.

Leaves of absence are not approved retroactively. Students who leave the university without an approved Leave of Absence will need to fill out a re-entry form with the Office of Admissions. Upon re-admittance, these students will be obligated to follow new academic policies, degree and university requirements, and re-apply to their academic majors.

Involuntary Leave of Absence

The University at Buffalo is committed to the safety, health and well-being of the campus community. The University recognizes that students may experience situations that significantly limit their ability to function successfully or safely in their role as students. In such circumstances, students should consider requesting a leave of absence. A leave of absence permits students to take a break from the University and their studies, so that they may address the issues that led to the need for the leave and later return to the University with an enhanced opportunity to achieve their educational goals. Students will be given the option to take a voluntary leave of absence before the University pursues an involuntary leave on behalf of the student. Learn more about the University at Buffalo’s resources related to involuntary leave of absence and SUNY’s Involuntary Leave of Absence policy in the Student Guide.

Non-Degree Seeking Student Policies

A matriculated student is one who has applied and has been officially accepted to the university through an undergraduate admission process and is considered to be pursuing a degree.

A non-degree seeking (non-matriculated) student is one who is enrolled on a semester-by-semester or course-by-course basis and has not been accepted as a regular student pursuing a degree.

The following rules apply to non-matriculated students at UB:

• A non-matriculated student must earn a high school diploma or general education development (GED) certificate prior to enrolling in any course.
• A non-matriculated student shall attain and maintain at least a 2.000 UB grade point average after attempting nine or more graded (A-F) undergraduate credit hours. No more than three courses taken on a satisfactory-unsatisfactory basis (grades of ‘S’ or ‘U’) shall have grades of ‘U’.
• A non-matriculated student may enroll for a maximum number of credits as follows:

• A non-matriculated student may register for fall or spring semester courses on a space available basis beginning August 1st for fall semesters and December 1st for spring semesters.
• A non-matriculated student may apply for admission to UB baccalaureate study. In that case, he or she shall have the UB courses taken in non-matriculated status included in the assessment for admission on the same basis as if he or she were a transfer applicant. If the student is admitted to baccalaureate study, all UB courses taken in non-matriculated status shall be included in the student’s program and considered UB courses for purposes of credits attempted and completed and grade point average.
• A student dismissed from undergraduate study at UB or another college or university may enroll as a non-matriculated student in a UB summer or winter session upon consultation with a UB academic advisor. The student’s application and academic record will be reviewed by the Scholastic Standards Committee who will approve or deny the request. Students who enroll in a UB summer or winter session but are dismissed the previous spring or fall semester, shall be permitted to pursue the enrolled courses for summer or winter.
• Additional criteria may be required for international students. International students should contact the International Admissions Office.

Registration in Graduate Courses for Undergraduate Credit

All undergraduate students who wish to take graduate courses for undergraduate credit should contact the academic department directly for approval procedures. Taking a graduate course for undergraduate credit means that these credits will be applied to a student’s undergraduate career. Graduate policies continue to apply to graduate courses that are taken by undergraduate students and/or used to meet undergraduate degree requirements. Please see the Office of the Registrar website for the proper form.

Permission to take graduate courses for undergraduate credit must be obtained by the end of the drop/add period of the respective semester or summer session.

Eligibility Criteria

• Junior or senior standing and acceptance into an academic major or approved special major;
• A minimum GPA of 3.000 overall, including transfer credit and completion of prerequisites required for the graduate course; and
• Written recommendation from the course instructor that clearly states the academic necessity and rationale for taking the course, and the endorsement of the department chair.

Registration in Graduate Courses for Graduate Credit

Undergraduate students are eligible to take graduate courses for graduate credit (with permission from the academic department) if they meet the following criteria: junior or senior standing; acceptance into a major program; and a minimum GPA of 3.000. When an undergraduate student elects to take a graduate course for graduate credit, these credits will apply to a graduate career. Please see the Office of the Registrar website for the proper form.

Undergraduate students may take no more than nine credit hours of graduate coursework during their undergraduate career. These courses may not be applied to the minimum of 120 credit hours required for the bachelor’s degree; however, they may later be applied toward a post-baccalaureate degree program at UB. This nine credit hour limit does not apply to students currently enrolled in an SED-registered combined degree program

Course Placement

• Chemistry Placement
• Communication Literacy Placement
• Languages other than English Placement
• Math and Quantitative Reasoning Placement
• Physics Placement

Proper course placement is critical to students’ success. Considering SAT/ACT scores, previous high school or transfer work grades, placement exam scores (if applicable), comfort with a subject, and major/program of study are important factors in determining placement.

Chemistry Placement

To ensure success in the first semester of General Chemistry (either CHE 101  or CHE 107 ), students should use the following information to assess if concurrent enrollment in CHE 110 : Problem Solving for General Chemistry, is recommended:

Generally, CHE 110  is a one-credit discussion-based course and is recommended for students who did not take high school chemistry, performed poorly in chemistry in high school or are concerned about readiness for science courses at UB. Course topics include chemical measurements, properties of atoms and molecules, chemical reactions, stoichiometry and the mole, chemical calculations, properties of gases, and other types of problem-solving in general chemistry.

CHE 110  Placement Guidelines:

Use the following tools and guidelines to determine if enrollment in CHE 110  is recommended

• SAT/ACT Math Score Threshold
  • 550/23 (450/23 pre-March 2016) or less, CHE 110  is strongly recommended.
  • A score between 560/23 (450/23 pre-March 2016) and 610/26 (550/26 pre-March 2016) and
    • did not complete high school chemistry or earn a grade of “B” or below or lacks confidence in his/her ability in Chemistry, CHE 110  is recommended.
    • completed high school chemistry with a grade of “B” or better, CHE 110  is not necessary.
  • A score above 620/26 (550/26 pre-March 2016), students may enroll in CHE 101 , CHE 105  or CHE 107  depending on their major.
  • Regardless of SAT/ACT score, nursing majors should enroll in CHE 121 .
• For students who took AP Chemistry in high school, CHE 110 is not recommended unless it has been more than three years since taking AP Chemistry.
• If it has been more than three years since taking high school chemistry of any kind, CHE 110  is recommended.

Understanding the Introductory Chemistry Course Options:

• CHE 101 ‐CHE 102  (lecture); CHE 113 -CHE 114  (laboratory): General Chemistry 1 and 2. This sequence is generally for non-Engineering majors that require chemistry.
• CHE 105 -CHE 106 : Honors General Chemistry 1 and 2. This sequence is appropriate for students who wish to major in chemistry or medicinal chemistry.
• CHE 107 ‐CHE 108  (lecture); CHE 127 -CHE 128  (laboratory): General Chemistry 1 and 2 for Engineers. This sequence is appropriate for students pursing an Engineering major.
• CHE 121  (lecture only). This course is for nursing students only. This course is not equivalent to CHE 101  and may not serve as a pre-requisite for CHE 102 .

Understanding CHE 110: Problem-Solving for General Chemistry

• CHE 110  will not count towards:
  • The UB Curriculum Scientific Literacy & Inquiry requirement or the Natural Sciences General Education requirement.
  • Any major requirements.
• CHE 110  has two sections:
  • CHE 110A is available to all majors outside of engineering and has the co-requisite of CHE 101 .
  • CHE 110B is for intended or approved engineering majors and has the co-requisite of CHE 107 .
• While the content of both CHE 110  sections are similar, there are some deviations in the order of coverage; CHE 101  uses more medical/biological examples, while CHE 107  uses more engineering-type examples.

If there are questions regarding chemistry placement, contact the Chemistry Department at 645‐6626, che-registration@buffalo.edu.

Communication Literacy Placement

Communication Literacy Placement

All UB students must complete the Communication Literacy sequence consisting of Communication Literacy 1 (CL1) and Communication Literacy 2 (CL2).

These requirements may be met through directly articulated transfer or test credit in accordance with the Transfer Coursework and Test Credit policy.  

Communication Literacy I Placement: Non-Native Speakers of English

Incoming students who hold an F-1, J-1 or other non-immigrant visas and who were required to submit English proficiency test scores (e.g., TOEFL, IELTS, etc.) at admissions should enroll in courses offered through the English Language Institute (ELI) according to the placement rubric below.

Visa-holding students whose requirement to submit English proficiency scores were waived at admission may enroll in any CL1 course.

Students not on visa status but who are self-identified non-native speakers or writers of English may elect to take ELI courses. Academic advisors, staff in the first-year writing program (Department of English) or staff in the English Language Institute can assist any students in making this decision.

ELI 105 Placement Rubric:
Students meeting or exceeding scores in all four English proficiency test sub-sections listed below should enroll in ELI 105, which satisfies the CL1 requirement.

Students who score below any of the minimum English proficiency test sub-section scores listed above should adhere to the following course sequence

Students required to take ELI 100 and/or ELI 411 must:

• take the required ELI 100 (Introduction to Academic Writing) and/or ELI 411 (Spoken English) course(s) in their first semester.
• achieve a final grade of C or higher in ELI 100 to be eligible to enroll in ELI 105.

Note: In instances where students present an SAT or ACT score in lieu of TOEFLI iBT,  IELTS , DET, or PET scores,  should enroll in ELI 105 if they have an SAT score of 570 or higher or a combined ACT English and Writing score of 45 or higher. Students with SAT/ACT scores below this threshold will also need to enroll in ELI 100 and ELI 411.

Languages other than English Placement

Correct placement in language courses is essential for student success. Students with any previous experience in a language - in school, at home, through traveling or living abroad, etc., - must see an appropriate advisor to determine the correct placement level before registering for a course in that language. Students who are judged by the instructor to be misplaced will be moved to an appropriate-level course during the first week of classes. This will ensure not only that students are obtaining the optimal language training for their proficiency level, but also that there is consistency across students in each class

The following placement guidelines should be followed:

• Students who have studied Chinese, French, Italian or Spanish in a formal setting, grew up in a home using these languages, or lived in a country in which these languages were used should take the Avant Place exam prior to registration in order to place and subsequently enroll in the correct level..
  • Chinese
  • French, Italian, and Spanish
• Students who have studied a language, other than those mentioned above, in high school for one year or less, and who have not completed a Regents Examination or equivalent in that language, or students who are embarking on the study of a new language, should enroll in the first-year sequence (e.g. Japanese 111-112, Russian 111-112). If they are planning to use language study to satisfy the Language and Culture track within the Global Pathway, they should verify that the language is part of the Pathways using the Pathfinder tool.
• Students who are transferring college coursework to UB equivalent to a UB first-year first-semester course (e.g. 101) may enroll in the first-year second-semester course for that language at UB (e.g. 102). The transferred coursework and the 102-course taken at UB can be counted toward the Language and Culture Track and will fulfill that Track if the courses add up to nine credits or more.
• Chinese 114 and Spanish 171 are courses for Heritage speakers, i.e. students who have good spoken proficiency in one of these languages but have had little or no formal training, including literacy training, in the language. These courses will be considered the starting point for the Language and Culture Track.

NOTE: Students who have previously completed language coursework, either at UB or at another college or university, will not be permitted to register for a course which assumes a proficiency level lower than what they have already achieved. Additionally, students will not receive credit for first-year first-semester courses (e.g., 111) or first-year second-semester courses (e.g., 102 or 112) if they have already earned credit for the no longer available 104 course in the same language. Students repeating a course in which a failing grade was received must do so prior to registering for any higher-level course. Students fluent in a language other than English or whose primary/secondary education was conducted in a language other than English may not take first-year or second-year courses in that language. Contact the individual language coordinators for placement advisement.

Last updated: June 2020 by the College of Arts and Sciences Foreign Language Instruction Coordinating Council (FLICC).

Calculus Placement

The Mathematics Department requires an assessment to determine readiness of any student wishing to enroll in a first semester calculus course, including MTH 121 , MTH 131 , and MTH 141 .  Visit the Mathematics Department website for further information on how to take the Math Readiness Assessment (MRA).

Students must achieve the following scores on the relevant components on the MRA to meet the enrollment requirements for MTH 121 /MTH 131 /MTH 141 , respectively:

Math Readiness Assessment

Additionally, any student with a grade of C or better in ULC 148 may automatically enroll in MTH 121 , MTH 131  or MTH 141 . 

Guidance for conditional placement in Calculus 1 (MTH 121 /MTH 131 /MTH 141 ). Final enrollment eligibility based on MRA scores listed above:

• Students who have taken calculus in high school should be conditionally placed in MTH 121 , MTH 131  or MTH 141  (as relevant for their choice of major).
• For students who have not taken calculus in high school, three indicators should be considered; fourth year of high school math, Regents exam scores, and SAT score.  Each indicator may be positive, moderate or concerning, according to the following chart:

Guidance for conditional enrollment in Calculus 1

• Where a Regents exam score is unavailable, most NYS high schools will have provided a numerical course grade, which can be used instead of the exam score. When using course grade a benchmark of 88 instead of 80 should be used, or 82 instead of 75. If no numerical course grade is available, a letter grade of B or better may be used as the benchmark.
• Students with all positive indicators are very likely to gain enrollment into the Calculus 1 course of their choice through achievement of the requisite MRA scores.
• Students with all negative indicators are very unlikely to show readiness (through MRA scores) for enrollment into the Calculus course of their choice.
• Students with mixed indicators are likely to need multiple attempts of the MRA with periods of self-study in between in order to attain MRA scores needed for Calculus enrollment. Factors such as the flexibility of the chosen program, and the student’s commitment to reviewing material between MRA attempts should be considered.

Physics Placement

Students with sufficient physics and math preparation should choose introductory physics classes based on their major:

• College Physics I and II (PHY 101 /PHY 102  with labs PHY 151 /PHY 152 ) is for most majors that require physics, but specifically MTH 141 /MTH 142  (College Calculus I and II) is not required.
• General Physics I and II (PHY 107 /PHY 108  with lab PHY 158 ) is primarily for physics, chemistry and engineering majors, where MTH 141 /MTH 142  (College Calculus I and II) are co-requisites or pre-requisites of PHY 107 /PHY 108 .
• Honors Physics I and II (PHY 117 /PHY 118  with lab PHY 158 ) is primarily for University Honors College students or others with instructor’s permission, where MTH 141 /MTH 142  (College Calculus I and II) are co-requisites of PHY 117 /PHY 118 .

Physics Readiness Guidelines:

• Introduction to Physics (PHY 100 ) is recommended for students with insufficient physics or math preparation to help prepare for PHY 101 /PHY 102  or PHY 107 -PHY 108 . The course is typically offered in summer or winter sessions and does not count toward the UB Curriculum Scientific Literacy & Inquiry requirement.
• Placement into PHY 100  is appropriate for:
  • High school graduates who are reentering college after a long absence.
  • Transfer students who are concerned about their readiness for science courses at UB.
  • Students who have had no high school physics or who have a weak background in math or physics.
• PHY 101  is an algebra-based introductory course designed for students who are prepared to enroll in a math class at the pre-calculus level (ULC 148  or MTH 115 ) or higher.
• PHY 107  is a calculus-based introductory course that requires completion of MTH 141  (College Calculus I) or concurrent registration in the course.

SUNY Cross-Registration

Cross-registration permits matriculated UB students in good standing who are enrolled in degree applicable credits to register at various colleges and universities as part of the SUNY Cross Registration and Western New York Consortium agreements without formal admission to the other institution, and without tuition charges beyond UB’s tuition and fees. Transcripts for courses taken through cross registration are automatically forwarded to UB and applied to the student’s permanent academic record as transfer credit. For SUNY cross-registration, students must be enrolled in at least six UB credits and may cross register for six or fewer credits at the host institution. For the WNY Consortium, only full-time students registered for at least 12 credit hours at UB are eligible to take an additional course at a participating institution, and only one course may be taken via cross-registration. Students may only cross-register for degree applicable courses when enrollment in an equivalent UB course is unavailable, or when availability of another required UB course conflicts with another required class on the student’s schedule. Procedures for cross-registration can be found on the Office of the Registrar website.

Definitions of Grading Terms

Grade Point Average (GPA)

The GPA is the ratio of the number of grade points earned to the number of graded credits. The GPA at UB is the ratio of the number of grade points earned at UB to the number of graded credits at UB. Only letter grades of “A,” “A-,” “B+,” “B,” “B-,” “C+,” “C,” “C-,” “D+,” “D,” and “F” are utilized in determining GPA. GPA is also referred to as QPA (quality point average).

A student’s grade point average is the result of the following calculation:

1. The number of credits for courses receiving A-F grades is totaled.
2. Each grade’s corresponding grade points is multiplied by the number of credits for the course receiving that grade.
3. The results of these multiplications are totaled to yield a weighted total.
4. The weighted total is divided by the total number of credits receiving A-F grades to yield the grade point average. The grade point average is rounded to the nearest thousandth (i.e., 4.000).

Overall GPA

The overall GPA is the ratio of the number of grade points earned at all institutions (UB and transfer) to the number of graded credits at all institutions. The student’s HUB Academic Advisement Report includes the overall average. Reports can be accessed on the HUB Student Center via MyUB.

Grade Points Earned

The number of grade points earned is the sum of the products of the credit hours associated with courses taken and the numerical equivalents of the grades earned for those courses.

Graded Credits

Graded credits are the total number of credits for which the student has earned a letter grade.

Explanation of Grades

The current grading system provides the following alternatives:

Explanation of Grades

^† See Incomplete Grades section for explanation.

* In spring 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students were permitted to request an S/U in lieu of a letter grade by completing the Request for Undergraduate S/U Form by the end of the final exam period of the semester. In spring 2020 only, S/U grades were able to be elected for any course, including those that count toward UB Curriculum general education requirements and major requirements (with some limited exceptions). These grades are noted by S* and U* in place of S and U, respectively. Pass (TP) and Satisfactory (TS) grades earned in transfer coursework completed in spring 2020 at domestic higher education institutions may similarly be applied toward UB Curriculum and major requirements.

Students in certain majors who selected S/U grading for a course may not be able to count that course toward the major or major-prerequisites. The following majors are affected:

• Nursing (Major Prerequisites and Requirements)
• Occupational Therapy (Major Prerequisites and Requirements)
• Accounting (Major Requirements only. MGA 201 and MGA 202 may be taken S/U.)

Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory Grading

Students may opt to have a course graded as S/U in lieu of the traditional letter grades by completing the Request for Undergraduate S/U Form by the end of the resign period for the semester.

Courses with S/U grading may not fulfill major requirement(s), prerequisite for the major(s) or general education requirements (UB Curriculum or Pathways).

No more than 25% of a student’s UB credit can be graded S/U.

When a course is repeated, S/U grading is not an option.

Instructors are not aware if students have selected the S/U option when they submit the earned letter grade. The Office of the Registrar will convert the letter grade to S/U for those students who have opted for S/U grading at the end of the semester. Students may recover the letter grade earned in a course graded S/U. Once recovered, the letter grade is considered permanent and cannot be reverted back to an S/U.

The letter grades equivalent to “U” (unsatisfactory) are “C-,” “D+,” “D,” “F1,” “F2,” or “F3.” Students who have opted for S/U grading and earn a “C-,” “D+” or “D” may recover the letter grade if they wish to use the course toward degree requirements.

For S/U grading procedures, see the Office of the Registrar website.

Pass/Fail Grading

Pass/Fail is an instructor-designated option for courses that do not lend themselves to traditional letter grades. The grade of “F1,” “F2,” or “F3”, (failure) will be included in the GPA.

Grading patterns for courses (i.e., whether a course is letter graded or pass/fail graded) can differ between sections of the same course for Special Topics courses and courses structured for individual student enrollment (such as tutorials, internships and undergraduate research). Course descriptions for such courses shall indicate that grading patterns may vary from section to section. For all courses and sections, the grading pattern for each course section shall be specified in the syllabus provided to students.

Incomplete Grades

A grade of incomplete (“I”) indicates that additional course work is required to fulfill the requirements of a given course. Students may only be given an “I” grade if they have a passing average in coursework that has been completed and have well-defined parameters to complete the course requirements that could result in a grade better than the default grade. An “I” grade may not be assigned to a student who did not attend the course.

Prior to the end of the semester, students must initiate the request for an “I” grade and receive the instructor’s approval. Assignment of an “I” grade is at the discretion of the instructor.

The instructor must specify a default letter grade at the time the “I” grade is submitted. A default grade is the letter grade the student will receive if no additional coursework is completed and/or a grade change request is not submitted by the instructor. “I” grades must be completed within 12 months*. However, students should consult with the financial aid office as it may be necessary to resolve an “I” grade prior to the 12 month mark in order to meet financial aid deadlines. Individual instructors may set shorter time limits for removing an incomplete than the 12-month time limit. Upon assigning an “I” grade, the instructor shall provide the student specification, in writing or by electronic mail, of the requirements to be fulfilled, and shall file a copy with the appropriate departmental office.

Students must not re-register for courses for which they have received an “I” grade

Applicable dates regarding the 12-month provision:

“I” Grade Schedule

The “I” must be changed to a grade before the degree conferral date if the student plans to graduate in that semester. At any time prior to the default date, students may elect to change the “I” grade to the default grade using the Grade Retrieval Form.

A default grade can be “B+,” “B,” “B-,” “C+,” “C,” “C-,” “D+,” “D,” “F1,” “F2,” or “F3” (If a student selected an S/U grading option, the grade will be converted to IS or IU based on the corresponding default grade.)

Blank Grades

A blank grade indicates a reporting error. Generally, reporting errors are corrected prior to the start of the next semester, however, a blank grade may occasionally remain on the student’s record. The student should immediately contact the instructor and/or department to correct the error; without correction, blank grades automatically default to “F” grades at the end of the following semester.

“N” Audit

Students may audit a class only by permission of the instructor by utilizing the Audit Form for Undergraduates. At the time of approval, instructors must communicate any conditions or requirements. Completed forms must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar by the end of the seventh day of classes. The Office of the Registrar will automatically record the audit grade on the transcript.

Instructors may terminate a student’s audit status by forwarding a letter to the Office of the Registrar and communicating to the student the grounds for termination. If a student’s audit status is terminated by the instructor, the “N” will be changed to “R” and the student will be notified of the change. Students may not repeat for credit courses in which they have received an “N” grade.

Mid-Semester Review

Please visit the Office of the Registrar’s website for information on Mid-Semester Review.

Academic Standards Review

Academic Standards Review

To maintain academic standards and determine eligibility for continued enrollment, financial aid and participation in university activities, the University at Buffalo regularly reviews the academic records of all undergraduate students. This review addresses the quality of the student’s studies as measured by the student’s course grades.

Academic review is conducted at the end of each fall and spring semester.

Academic Good Standing

A student is in academic good standing if the student’s cumulative UB grade point average (GPA) is 2.000 or greater and the student’s most recent semester GPA at UB is 2.000 or greater.

A student in academic good standing is eligible for all university activities.

Academic Warning

Many students go through an adjustment period when beginning their baccalaureate studies at the university. Therefore, any student - first year or transfer - whose first-semester GPA is less than 2.000 will be on academic warning in his/her second semester of study at the university.

Additionally, any student will be placed on academic warning if the student’s cumulative UB GPA is 2.000 or greater but the student’s most recent semester GPA is less than 2.000.

Although a student on academic warning will be considered in good standing for purposes of participation in university activities, he/she may be subject to an advisement service indicator - a mandatory discussion with an academic advisor to help build an effective academic strategy before the student may complete any further registration activity.

Academic warning will not be noted on a student’s official transcript, but will be part of the student’s record.

Academic Probation

A student is on academic probation and not in academic good standing if his/her cumulative UB GPA is 2.000 or greater but his/her most recent two consecutive semester GPAs (fall/spring) are less than 2.000.

A student is on academic probation and not in academic good standing if his/her cumulative UB GPA is less than 2.000 and quality point deficit is less than 20 after two or more semesters (fall/spring) of study at UB.

Through their academic advisor, students may request to have their UB summer or winter session grades evaluated for purposes of reconsideration of their academic probationary or dismissal status. In these instances, winter and summer term coursework is treated as though it was taken during the prior regular term (fall or spring, respectively) when a manual recalculation of the term GPA is conducted.  This recalculation is for the purposes of reevaluating the academic standing only and is not reflected on the academic transcript.

Students on academic probation are not eligible to participate in university activities. In addition, students on academic probation may be subject to an advisement service indicator - a mandatory discussion with an academic advisor to help build an effective academic strategy before the student may complete any further registration activity.

Academic probation will not be noted on a student’s official transcript, but will be part of the student’s record.

Academic Dismissal

A student enrolled at UB for two or more semesters who has a cumulative UB GPA less than 2.000 and a quality point deficit of 20 or greater points will be dismissed from the university regardless of his/her most recent semester GPA.

Each dismissed student will receive official notification via U.S. mail and his/her UB email account, and all future fall or spring semester registrations will be removed and/or blocked. Dismissed students may register in or will keep their enrollments in the summer or winter session immediately following dismissal (e.g., students dismissed in June 2024 may enroll in summer 2024 courses).

A dismissed student may register as a non-degree student for enrollment in winter or summer sessions after review and approval by the Scholastic Standards Committee. Students can apply to be readmitted one academic year after their dismissal (e.g., a student dismissed after spring 2024 may apply for re-admittance for fall 2025).

A dismissed student may appeal the dismissal in writing to the Dean of Undergraduate Education during a period of time specified in the dismissal letter. Consultation with an academic advisor is required as part of the dismissal appeal process. If the appeal is granted, notice of that will include the terms and conditions of continued study. Students who successfully appeal their academic dismissal will be assigned an academic standing of dismissal deferred.

Academic dismissal and dismissal deferred will be noted on the student’s official transcript and will be part of the student’s record.

Repeat Policy

A student may repeat a course to replace a failing grade, a resignation, or to seek to improve the student’s record when the student’s first enrollment resulted in a passing grade.

A student may twice self-enroll into a course for which a grade other than ‘W’ (administrative withdrawal) has been earned. Any further repeat enrollment in that course, i.e., a third or subsequent enrollment, requires the approval of the academic unit offering the course. The academic unit offering the course may require the student to consult with an academic advisor.

Students who earn a passing grade in the UB Seminar (199 or 198) and/or UBC Capstone (UBC 399) may not repeat the course.

Upon repeating a course, these conditions apply:

1. When a course is repeated, the grade and credits of the first enrollment no longer count towards general degree requirements and are excluded from the student’s credits attempted, credits completed, and UB grade point average (GPA), even if the repetition grade is lower than the initial grade, but not if the grade for the repetition enrollment is ‘I’, blank, ‘N’, ‘R’ or ‘W’.
   1. When a course repetition (second attempt) results in a passing grade, i.e., a grade of ‘D’ or higher, the grade and credits of this repetition count towards general degree requirements and are included in the student’s credits attempted, credits completed, and GPA.
      1. Whenever a course repetition results in a passing grade, the course may not again be repeated for credit. A student may, however, repeat again a course in which a passing grade has been achieved solely to demonstrate proficiency in a course that is required for a major or minor. Any such further repetition shall be approved by the department or program involved. The grades and credit associated with such a repetition will not be included in the student’s credits earned or GPA. The grade will be recorded on the student’s transcript. 
   2. Whenever a course repetition (second attempt) results in a grade of ‘F’, the course may be repeated again, subject to the permission of the department and advisement requirement specified in this policy. The credits and grade for each and every failed course repetition are included in the student’s credits attempted and GPA. Failed repetitions negatively affect the student’s GPA; multiple failed repetitions may result in academic probation or dismissal.
      1. When a course is repeated more than once and the last repetition results in a passing grade, the grade and credits for this last repetition count towards general degree requirements and are included in the student’s credits attempted, credits completed, and GPA.
         • Whenever a course repetition results in a passing grade, the course may not again be repeated for credit. A student may, however, repeat again a course in which a passing grade has been achieved solely to demonstrate proficiency in a course that is required for a major or minor. Any such further repetition shall be approved by the department or program involved. The grades and credit associated with such a repetition will not be included in the student’s credits earned or GPA. The grade will be recorded on the student’s transcript. 
2. When a course is repeated, S/U grading is not an option. In recognition of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, S/U grading may be selected for repeated courses in spring 2020 only. S* and U* grades earned in spring 2020 will be treated as letter grades typically are in the application of the Repeat Policy.
3. Credits and grades of successfully repeated courses count towards major or minor requirements only at the discretion of the program (see below).
4. Repeat enrollments in controlled enrollment (impacted) courses are subject to all conditions and requirements for such courses.
5. All courses taken and all grades earned are included in the student’s UB transcript. Repeated courses appear on the UB transcript with a note indicating they have been repeated.

There is no limit to the number of different courses that a student may repeat. Courses in which a student earns a passing grade in a repeat registration may be applied towards general education requirements. Each academic department and program, however, has the authority to decide whether or not courses may be repeated to meet program requirements. Prior to registering to repeat a course that is a program prerequisite, requirement or component, a student must check with the student’s major or minor department or program to determine if the repetition will be accepted.

Although a successfully repeated course may fulfill general education or program requirements, the repetition may not be accepted by a post-baccalaureate program, and the grade and credits for the initial course enrollment may be included by a post-baccalaureate program in its assessment of the student for admission.

This course repetition policy does not apply, except by appeal, to courses that may have different content from semester to semester (e.g., Special Topics courses) and that are designed to be taken more than once for additional credits each time. The repeatable status of courses so designated is indicated in the HUB course catalog. A later grade in such a course may replace an earlier grade only if the content of the two courses is essentially the same.

A student may not repeat any course in which the student has an incomplete, or a blank grade. After the ‘I’, or blank grade is changed to a grade of ‘A’ through ‘F’, ‘S’ or ‘U’, however, the course may be repeated.

Course Repetition Application to Transfer Courses

Transfer credit will be evaluated under the UB Repeat Policy. Attempted and completed credits and grade and GPA will be subject to the conditions for multiple repetitions.

A course previously taken at UB may be repeated at another institution.

1. If the student passed the UB course and repeats it at another institution, no transfer credit will be awarded; the student’s UB credits and UB GPA will not be affected; the only benefit will be demonstration of subject proficiency.
2. If the student failed or resigned the UB course and repeats it at another institution, transfer credit will be awarded. The student’s UB credits attempted and GPA, however, will not be affected.

A course taken initially at UB and then repeated at another institution cannot again be repeated at UB. (Note: For the Repeat Policy to take effect, transfer courses must first have been articulated with UB courses. The student should consult with a UB advisor and the course articulation listed in TAURUS for proper course selection.)

Course Repetition Effects on Prior Academic Standing

The course repetition policy does not entitle any student to a retroactive degree, Latin Honors, Dean’s List, or other award or recognition that would have been forthcoming had the student’s GPA been computed under its algorithm on a previous occasion. The historical record of students on probation or scholastically dismissed in a past semester will not be changed as a result of any revision of the course repetition policy.

Course Repetition Effects on Financial Aid

To maintain full-time status for financial aid purposes, a student repeating a course should carry it in addition to at least the minimum credit hours required for full-time status in other courses for the semester in question.

Eligibility requirements for U.S. and New York State student financial aid programs differ from one another and may not fully match UB’s requirements for good academic standing and satisfactory academic progress. A student planning to repeat a course should consult a financial aid advisor to identify the consequences of that repetition for his or her financial aid eligibility status.

Course Enrollment Control Policy

Academic units may request controlled enrollment in any limited position course, i.e., one whose enrollment is limited by available student positions for lectures or associated sections, laboratories, other specialized facilities, internships, etc., to provide positions for students seeking initial enrollment in it.

The following courses have been designated as controlled enrollment courses for the 2024-2025 academic year:

• BIO 200  
• BIO 201    
• CHE 101  
• CHE 102  
• CHE 107  
• CHE 108  
• CHE 113  
• CHE 114  
• CHE 201  
• CHE 202  
• CHE 203  
• CHE 204  
• COM 101  
• ECO 181  
• ECO 182  
• ENG 105  
• MTH 121  
• MTH 131  
• MTH 141  
• MTH 142  
• MTH 241  
• MTH 306  
• PHY 101  
• PSC 101  
• PSY 101  
• PSY 207  

For such courses, the academic unit offering the course may limit or prohibit repeat enrollment in the fall and/or spring semester. Repeat enrollment is defined as: Student previously enrolled in the course at UB or transferred in an equivalent course with a grade of ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘D’ and qualified values thereof, e.g., ‘A-‘, ‘D+’; ‘F’, ‘P’, ‘S’, ‘U’, ‘I’, blank, ‘N’, or ‘R’. Limiting repeat enrollment gives priority to students who are registering for the course for the first time. Students who earn a passing grade in the UB Seminar (199 or 198) and/or UBC Capstone (UBC 399) may not repeat the course.

Courses attempted during the spring 2020 semester will not be considered toward repeat enrollment restrictions in a future fall and/or spring semester.

Once a course is designated as controlled enrollment, this information must be included in the course description (in the catalog and course schedule) and in the syllabus. An explicit statement that repeat enrollment may be difficult or canceled must be included.

Students may be prohibited from re-enrolling in a controlled enrollment course, or students who have re-registered for a controlled enrollment course may be deregistered by the department. When the department deregisters the student, s/he will be notified via email at his/her official UB email address. Such deregistration may impact financial aid eligibility and academic progress, and students are responsible for adjusting their registration as needed. Students should see a financial aid or academic advisor if they have questions or concerns.

When resigning from a course, students should determine if it is a controlled enrollment course. Students wishing to repeat controlled enrollment courses should plan to do so in the summer since registration for second-time takers is restricted in the fall and spring semesters. Enrollment-controlled courses are not available to students attempting the course for a second time during the fall and spring semesters until the first date of “open enrollment”-after all first-time course takers had an opportunity to enroll.

Otherwise, students wishing to repeat a controlled enrollment course during the fall or spring semester must submit a petition requesting a seat in the class. Petitions for a seat in a spring course are due by the third week of the preceding fall semester, and petitions for a seat in a fall course are due by the third week of the preceding spring semester.

Second Chance Policy

Students who have been readmitted to the University at Buffalo after having academic difficulty during previous attendance at UB may be eligible for forgiveness of previous grades. If approved:

1. All credits and grades earned prior to the student’s break in attendance at UB will not be calculated into the student’s cumulative UB credits and GPA;
2. All previously completed UB coursework cannot count toward degree requirements, major acceptance criteria or course prerequisites; and
3. Although not included in the cumulative GPA calculation, grades will remain on the transcript.

Students must meet the following eligibility criteria:

1. Students must not have attended the University at Buffalo for at least two and a half academic years (five consecutive fall and spring semesters); and
2. Students must demonstrate maturity and ability to succeed academically, usually through activities during their time away from UB. Examples include, but are not limited to: successful study at another higher education institution, voluntary service, full-time work in a field related to the student’s major, and honorable military service.

Applications must be submitted to the Scholastic Standards Committee prior to graduation. All Scholastic Standards Committee approvals are final and cannot be reversed. If denied, students may apply again after 12 months. Students may apply no more than three times. The Second Chance Policy can be applied to a student record only once during the student’s academic career at UB, and cannot be applied if UB’s previous academic forgiveness policy (Fresh Start) has already been applied.

Application of the Second Chance Policy may affect academic standing and financial aid. Reentering students should discuss their options with an academic advisor and a financial aid advisor. Applications must be reviewed and signed by an academic advisor.

The Second Chance Policy does not apply to transfer coursework.

Transcripts

Students may have official transcripts of their UB academic work sent to themselves or designated third parties by requesting a transcript through the HUB Student Center (via MyUB). Official transcripts will not be released for students who have university financial obligations. For alternative ordering options, please visit the Office of the Registrar website. Students may obtain their grades for a specific semester, or a complete record of their grades, by accessing the HUB Student Center (via MyUB).

Changes of Grade

A grade other than “I” or “blank” may be changed only to correct an error in the calculation or entry of the grade or as a result of re-evaluation of an end-of-session assignment or exam. Grade changes are made at the discretion of the instructor.

Instructors can change a grade by utilizing an electronic grade change request approved by the instructor, the department chair and the appropriate dean. Reasons for the change of grade must be fully explained and justified.

Grade changes for courses taught by faculty who are no longer associated with UB and are no longer available may be submitted by officers of the units offering the courses in accordance with this policy, and must be fully explained and justified.

Grade changes must be made within one semester after a course concludes.

For “I” and “blank” grades which have been changed to a final grade, any change to the final grade must be made by the following May 31* if the final grade was entered in the fall term, and by the following Dec. 31 if the final grade was entered in the spring or summer term. Once a grade of “I” has defaulted to its accompanying permanent grade, however, the permanent grade may not be changed.

Grades shall not be changed more than one term subsequent to degree conferral, i.e., not later than the following Dec. 31 for spring or summer conferral, and not later than the following May 31 for fall conferral.

Dean’s List

Full-time undergraduate students who demonstrate academic excellence by earning a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.600 while completing a minimum of 12 or more UB letter graded (A-F) credit hours, are named to the Dean’s List at the end of each fall and spring semester. Only courses taken for undergraduate credit are used to determine Dean’s List. Courses taken at other institutions, including those taken through SUNY or WNY Consortium cross registration, will not be included in calculating for Dean’s List. The GPA on record will be used for the determination of Dean’s List, no additional rounding will occur.

1. Incompletes invalidate a Dean’s List award until satisfied, at which time the award may be assigned retroactively.
2. Students in a professional baccalaureate program (Nursing BS only program presently impacted) requiring at least 14 credit hours of specified courses in a semester are named to the Dean’s List if they complete the following:
   • Earn a grade point average (GPA) of at least a 3.600 in all the student’s courses graded ‘A - F’ and a grade of ‘P’ in all required or elective courses graded ‘P/F.’ The courses graded ‘A - F’ shall constitute at least 50% of the credit hours in which the student is enrolled for the semester.

Notifications are sent to qualifying students to their UB email accounts in January for the previous fall semester; June for the previous spring semester; and a Dean’s List notation appears on student transcripts.

 Transfer Credit Policy Overview

The University at Buffalo welcomes transfer students and reviews previous college credit for application to degree requirements. Students interested in transferring to UB should review the information included in UB’s catalog pages for the program as well as view information about the transferability of courses via TAURUS, UB’s articulation website. To ensure efficient transfer and timely degree completion, students are urged to use the academic advising directory to contact advising units to discuss all program requirements.

Course Credit from Other Accredited Institutions

All college-level credit-bearing courses (regardless of the mode of delivery) from regionally accredited institutions of higher learning are considered transferable to the University at Buffalo; the grades earned in these courses are used in overall GPA calculations. The term “accredited,” as used here, refers to the following regional accreditation organizations in their accreditation of post-secondary education:

• MSA/CHE, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools/Commission of Higher Education
• NEASC, New England Association of Schools and Colleges
• NCA, North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
• NASC, Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges
• SASC-COC, Southern Association of Schools and Colleges-Commission on Colleges
• WASC-Sr., Western Association of Schools and Colleges-Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges
• WASC-Jr., Western Association of Schools and Colleges-Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges

Courses from institutions with non-regional accreditation are evaluated upon request for transfer acceptance on a case-by-case basis. 

Students may use the Credit Declination/Recovery Form (PDF) at any time to decline transfer credit awarded by UB earned while concurrently enrolled in high school. Students may also recover previously declined transfer credit if that credit can be utilized to fulfill a degree requirement.

Transferring Credit to UB

Students must submit an official transcript from each institution they have attended to have their courses transferred and evaluated at UB. Official transcripts must be sent from the institution to the Office of Admissions, University at Buffalo, 12 Capen Hall, Buffalo, NY 14260-1660. Visit our Undergraduate Admissions page which outlines the steps to transfer to the University at Buffalo.

Applicants can check how their courses have been matched to UB’s courses and requirements on TAURUS, UB’s course articulation website. 

Courses transferred to UB will be transferred with full semester credit value. Conversion of credits from trimester, quarterly and other calendar systems will be completed based on nationally accepted practices. For example, trimester hours are generally equal to semester hours, and quarterly hours are generally equal to two-thirds semester hours.

Transfer Course Evaluation and Articulation

Course articulation is when external credit-bearing courses are formally reviewed and approved by faculty for course equivalency at UB. Once a course has been reviewed and determined to meet the same or similar learning outcomes as a UB course, the Office of the Registrar will create a course articulation, which can be viewed on the TAURUS website.

Courses that have not yet been reviewed by UB faculty to make a course equivalency determination will be listed on the UB student record as generic credit (TR 999TR), which will be applied as general elective credit. 

If a course is listed as generic credit (TR 999TR) and the student believes it may satisfy a degree requirement, a student may request that the course be reviewed for articulation. Students with a UB person number should submit their articulation requests in the TAURUS Articulation Request System. Students who do not yet  have a UB person number or are a Non-UB student, request(s) may be submitted through the Guest System.

Students transferring from another SUNY institution who have attempted the transfer course articulation request process outlined above and believe the identified articulation is not accurate may submit an appeal through the SUNY Transfer Appeal Process. To submit an appeal:

• Complete the UB Transfer Credit Appeal Form.
• Include catalog descriptions for the UB course and all courses listed as prerequisites to the course.
• Include a course syllabus for the course being transferred.

The Office of Undergraduate Education will acknowledge by email the date the appeal was received. The office will provide a final UB response in the form of a SUNY Transfer Credits Campus Response Form by email within 10 business days, or, when the university is not officially in session, 15 business days, excluding official New York State holidays. Students have the right to appeal UB’s final decision directly to SUNY and will be informed of that option in the event the appeal is denied at UB.

SUNY Seamless Transfer

The State University of New York (SUNY) system maintains SUNY Seamless Transfer, a comprehensive program to facilitate the transfer of qualified students from one SUNY institution to another. The University at Buffalo has implemented the components of SUNY Seamless Transfer and supports processes which help a qualified student transfer seamlessly from one SUNY campus to another as simply and efficiently as possible. The intention is that a student who adheres to the tenets of the program will not only be able to transfer seamlessly but earn their degree in a timely fashion. To achieve that end, UB has delineated what is required for all four-year undergraduate programs as needed to benefit from SUNY Seamless Transfer.

Within the initiative, specific prescribed programs of study are indicated in SUNY Transfer Paths, which should be followed by a student seeking to transfer to another SUNY campus in one of the selected fields of study. A student wishing to transfer to UB will generally be prepared to enter UB at the junior level and graduate with that major in two years of additional study if they have fulfilled the following:

• the Transfer Path courses;
• an Associate of Science or Arts degree or 60 credits from a bachelor’s level program;
• at least seven of the 10 SUNY General Education (GE) requirements; and
• all other requirements as indicated in the policy section of UB’s undergraduate catalog.

A student interested in transferring to UB should review the information included in UB’s undergraduate catalog pages for the program as well as viewing information about transferability of courses via TAURUS, UB’s articulation website. In many bachelor programs, UB offers several degree types (e.g., BA and BS) as well as concentration options within a degree. To ensure efficient transfer and timely degree completion, a student should use the academic advising directory and contact the relevant advising unit to discuss the requirements of the desired program of study.

A UB student who chooses to transfer to another SUNY campus should be eligible for junior status if they have followed the Transfer Paths and general education requirements cited above, as well as fulfilling any other requirements of the campus they seek.

Credit for Prior Learning Overview

The University at Buffalo (UB) recognizes and values the acquisition of undergraduate-level knowledge through a variety of experiences and provides Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) from four main categories:

1. Course credit from other accredited institutions (see Transfer Credit Policies)
2. Standardized Published Exam credit, where the test is administered externally by a national organization. 
3. UB challenge examinations
4. Other forms of credit, such as military credit and industry certifications, that undergo review and are recognized by The American Council on Education (ACE) and the National College Credit Recommendation Service (NCCRS).

Students may request credit for prior learning that demonstrates mastery of knowledge, skills, and competencies aligned with the learning outcomes of the respective course or requirement for which they are seeking credit.

Credit for Prior Learning may be awarded elective credit or credit toward specific degree requirements, including major and general education, when articulated to a specific UB course or requirement as determined by UB faculty.  Credit for Prior Learning does not apply towards UB’s residency requirement.

Course articulation is when external Credit for Prior Learning is formally reviewed and approved by faculty for course equivalency at UB. UB articulation rules resulting from previously requested Credit for Prior Learning are available on the TAURUS website. Through this website, students may also request review of prior learning that has not yet been evaluated.

Credit will not be awarded for any Standard Published Exam or content that duplicates the content of a college course for which a student has already received credit or if a student has completed more advanced study, i.e. beyond the level covered by an exam. 

Students may use the Credit Declination/Recovery Form (PDF) at any time to decline exam or military credit that has been awarded by UB, or to recover previously declined alternative exam credit if that credit can be utilized to fulfill a degree requirement. When exam credit is not declined and the exam or its articulated course content is subsequently repeated, credit will only be awarded for the second taking.

Evaluation of credit earned through Standard Published Exams and other forms of credit recognized by ACE and NCCRS are based on articulated course and requirement equivalencies in effect at the time the credit is requested. 

Standardized Published Exams

UB grants credit for the following Standardized Published Exams, in accordance with the articulations indicated in the relevant Exam Articulation Table:

• Advanced Level Program (ALP)
• Advanced Placement (AP)
• College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
• DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST)
• General Certificate of Education (GCE A-Level)
• Global Assessment Certificate (GAC)
•  International Baccalaureate 

To request articulation of Standardized Published Exams, exam scores must be submitted directly from the testing agency and will be awarded course credit according to published UB articulations. Students should designate UB (SUNY Center Buffalo/School Code 2925) at the time they take an exam or when requesting score reports for UB. Official documentation and score reports should be sent directly to the Office of Admissions, University at Buffalo, 12 Capen Hall, Buffalo, NY 14260-1660.

University-level exams, passed at or above the minimum score required by UB, are awarded credit with a “P” or pass grade. (Pass grades do not affect UB grade averages.) 

UB College Credit Examinations

Students who are enrolled in a degree program (matriculated) at UB may earn course credit by passing examinations administered by UB academic departments. These exams are comparable to final examinations. Departments determine whether to administer such examinations for their courses. Students applying for these exams must have a minimum overall GPA of 2.0 and cannot be graduating seniors. Students who wish to determine their eligibility for these examinations should meet with an advisor who can verify their eligibility for exams on the Application for Undergraduate Credit by Examination form. Students must also talk to the academic department about availability of exams and then follow instructions on the application form. A fee is charged.

Other forms of Credit for Prior Learning

UB also grants credit for prior learning for military credit and several American Council of Education (ACE)/National College Credit Recommendation Service (NCCRS) approved agencies, as described below. Credit for such programs can be considered for college credit only when the program has been recognized and evaluated for credit by ACE or NCCRS.

College Credit Recommendation Services (CREDIT)
Credit may be awarded for certain non-collegiate training programs usually offered in agencies, professional associations, and public and private corporations. Students should contact the sponsor of the training program to determine whether the American Council on Education (ACE) has evaluated it for credit. 

Excelsior College
Excelsior (formerly Regents) College offers college-level proficiency examinations that may be considered for elective or articulated college credit. Articulations for these exams can be found on the TAURUS website, by using the “Search Equivalencies by School” function, and search “Excelsior”. 

Military Credit
Credit may be awarded for basic training and for certain approved educational experiences in the armed forces. Students wishing to have credit evaluated should make a request via the TAURUS website.

Transfer of Prior Learning Credit from Other Schools

Students who complete a SUNY general education requirement at another SUNY institution prior to matriculating at UB are considered to have fulfilled the corresponding requirement at UB, regardless of how the requirement was originally met and whether UB credit was granted.  

Beginning in fall 2025, the University at Buffalo will also award credit for credit for prior learning that has been granted by another SUNY institution.  

Credit for Prior Learning Articulation Request Process

Students who are seeking credit for prior learning should review the TAURUS website for existing articulation rules. Incoming credit for prior learning is automatically awarded via these rules. Other eligible college-level credit will be awarded elective credit. See Transfer Course Articulation section for additional details. 

Credit will be evaluated based on official documentation from the agency awarding the credit.  For example: Standardized Published Exam scores must be submitted directly to UB from the agency offering the exam; military credit must be submitted directly to UB via the JST transcript; and portfolio review or challenge exams conducted by a SUNY institution will be evaluated from that institution’s transcript.
 

FERPA

For a complete statement of student rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), see Article 7 (Administrative Regulations) of the UB Student Code of Conduct.

The preceding information constitutes official public notice of the university’s compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Any student having questions about this should contact Student Life, 520 Capen Hall, 716-645-2982.

Student Information

Student records are confidential and are released only to appropriate faculty and administrative offices. UB can release non-directory student records to any other college, prospective employer, or agency only with the written permission of the student. Directory release information, including student addresses or telephone numbers, are released by the university unless the student has requested the non-release of directory information by submitting a Request for Directory and Information Release/Non-Release Form.

Telephone and Directory Information

Unless otherwise notified in writing, the university may release the following directory information upon request: student’s name (both preferred/chosen and legal), current address, telephone number, email address, major field of study, dates of attendance, and degrees and awards received. The university will also publish the student’s name, major field of study and email address on its internet-accessible directory.

Students who wish to block the release of directory information must notify the Office of the Registrar by completing the Request for Directory and Information Release/Non-Release form. Students should consider the consequences of blocking the release of directory information very carefully since, once blocked, all future requests for contact information from UB persons (on nonessential matters) and from non-institutional persons and organizations (such as scholarship organizations or prospective employers) will be denied. Students who have blocked the release of directory information will not be included in university publications, including the commencement brochure.

Students should be aware that even if they decide to prevent release of their directory information, information will still be shared within the university for educational and administrative purposes.