Administration

Ilianna H. Kwaske, Ph.D.
Interim Dean and  Sr. Professor of Practice

William Rials, Ph.D.
Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Sr. Professor of Practice 

Christa Payne, M.B.A.
Chief Business Officer

Sheila Gold, DSW
Assistant Dean of Admissions & Recruitment

Vanessa Rodriguez, J.D., M.A.
Assistant Dean, Student Support and Success

Uptown Campus

Richardson Hall, Building #5
6823 St. Charles Ave.
New Orleans, LA 70118
(504) 865-5555
asksopa@tulane.edu

SoPA Freret Offices
7039 Freret Street - 2nd Floor
New Orleans, LA 70118
(504) 865-5555
asksopa@tulane.edu

Introduction

The School of Professional Advancement (SoPA) offers high-quality degree and certificate programs in the humanities and in applied fields that are directly relevant to the needs and interests of working adults. Our faculty, most of whom are working professionals, ensure that our programs stay up to date, helping our graduates to maximize the value of their degrees. For over 130 years, SoPA has extended the resources of Tulane University to the communities it serves. 

SoPA offices are located in Richardson Hall on Tulane University's Uptown campus; the School also makes its programs available online.

Mission

SoPA offers high-quality, distinctive undergraduate and graduate professional programs to a diverse student population in New Orleans and beyond.

History

Tulane University started offering courses to working adults in the 1880s in the areas of teacher preparation and the trades. In 1942, a range of programs across the University were consolidated into University College, which was renamed the School of Continuing Studies in 2006 as part of the University's post-Hurricane Katrina Renewal Plan. The school's name was changed to the School of Professional Advancement in 2017, to allow for a clearer focus on working adults and offering applied academic programs relevant to jobs and careers. Although the name has changed over time, the mission has remained constant: to develop and deliver distinctive undergraduate and graduate professional programs of the highest quality for a diverse student population.

Accreditation

Tulane University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate, masters, doctorate, and professional degrees. Questions about the accreditation of Tulane University may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC's website.

Programs of Study

One of the school's greatest strengths is the diversity of its academic offerings and the flexibility with which students may approach them. SoPA offers several undergraduate and graduate programs in applied areas that prepare students to enter the workforce, as well as in the humanities and social sciences. Undergraduate students may pursue a bachelor’s degree with a major offered by SoPA or work toward a major offered through another undergraduate division of the university, with a plan for transferring to that division. Individuals with a bachelor's degree may enroll in a master's degree, a graduate-level certificate program, or a post-baccalaureate certificate. Students may also prepare to transfer to a degree program at another school at the university or take miscellaneous courses that suit their personal interests or professional needs.

Bachelor Degree Programs

Master’s Degree Programs

Minors

Certificates

Academic Options

Accelerated Master's Programs

Students who have earned 75 credits towards a bachelor’s degree, including 15 credits in the major, may request Program Director approval to apply for admission to a SoPA master’s degree program.

The Accelerated Master’s program is available to all Tulane students in SoPA majors.  However, admission to a master’s degree requires a minimum cumulative GPA of at least 3.0, as well as program-specific requirements that may include essays, resumes interviews, or related job experience. Completion of the bachelor’s degree is not required for admission to an accelerated master’s degree.

Upon admission, the student may take two, pre-approved, graduate courses charged at the undergraduate rate. The student may also take two additional graduate courses during undergraduate study (exceeding the required 120 credit hours of the bachelor’s) to count toward the master’s degree.

Students must complete the bachelor’s degree in order to officially start the master’s program.    Program director approval is required to register for graduate courses as an undergraduate student, and will also be required for graduate courses to serve as dual credit.

Students must have completed a minimum of 30 credits toward their master’s degree by the end of the fifth (graduate) year.

Cross Registration

Undergraduate students may enroll in undergraduate courses not listed in SoPA offerings. For courses listed under the School of Liberal Arts, students need only meet the prerequisites before enrolling. The Schools of Architecture, Business, Public Health and Tropical Medicine, or Science and Engineering courses require the relevant dean's approval for enrollment in undergraduate courses. Graduate students should check with their program director in advance of registering for courses outside of SoPA if they wish to apply those courses toward the graduate degree.

Please note that the tuition rate charged for courses taken outside of SoPA courses may be significantly higher than the SoPA course tuition rate.

Double Undergraduate Majors

Students may complete two majors by meeting the requirements established by the departments concerned. Although two diplomas are not awarded for a double major, both majors are listed on the permanent record from which transcripts are made. To undertake a double major, students must plan each major with the department concerned. Some minimal overlap may occur: in cases where one course is listed by two major departments as part of the major curriculum of each. In any case, each major of a double major must show at least eight courses that do not overlap, except a double major in Cell and Molecular Biology where no more than five courses may overlap.

Dual Undergraduate Degrees

Tulane University offers the option of obtaining two undergraduate degrees. 

SoPA students may earn dual degrees (e.g.  BS, BA, BSN) by completing a minimum of 150 credits and satisfying all requirements for each degree and each major.  SoPA students should consult with their advisers to ensure all degree requirements are met.

Second Undergraduate Degrees

Students already holding a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution may enroll in SoPA for a second baccalaureate degree. They may transfer up to 60 credits to Tulane. To earn a second bachelor’s degree, students must complete at least 60 credits at Tulane, for a minimum of 120 credits, and fulfill all degree and major requirements. All degree and major requirements must be fulfilled, including the following:

Distribution Requirements

Distribution	Credits
Writing	6
Quantitative Reasoning/Math	3
Global Perspectives/ Foreign Language	3
Humanities	3
Social Sciences	3
Science	3
Race & Inclusion	3

Independent Study

Some programs and departments offer independent study under the direction of a faculty member to a limited number of students of superior scholastic standing .

The work may take the form of directed readings, laboratory or library research, or original composition. Instead of traditional class attendance, the student substitutes conferences, as needed, with the faculty member. Students who wish to take an independent studies course must have the approval of the program director and associate dean for academic affairs.

Minors Offered

To be awarded an undergraduate minor, students must have a 2.00 grade-point average in all required coursework and 50 percent of the coursework must be earned at Tulane.

The School of Liberal Arts and School of Science and Engineering

SoPA students may select any major in the School of Liberal Arts or the School of Science and Engineering which offers a B.A. or B.S. or B.S.E. degree. The academic departments determine the requirements for these majors. Students electing this option must fulfill the core curriculum requirements for the major. SoPA undergraduate students who wish to major in a program not available within SoPA (i.e. a major in the School of Liberal Arts or the School of Science and Engineering) will be required to meet Newcomb-Tulane College residency requirements. Those requirements are that students must earn at least 60 credits in Newcomb-Tulane College courses (which may be cross-listed with SoPA), the last thirty of which must be earned while enrolled in Newcomb-Tulane College. In practice, this requires the student to transfer into Newcomb-Tulane College prior to earning their 90th college credit. SoPA students with a non-SoPA minor will not be required to transfer.

Students should consult with their SoPA advisor if they wish to pursue a major offered by these schools.

Majors completed in disciplines not sponsored by SoPA will likely require that the student take some courses at a significantly higher tuition rate than is available directly through SoPA.

Special Programs

Concurrent Enrollment for High School Students

SoPA offers a concurrent undergraduate enrollment program for outstanding high school students. The concurrent enrollment program offers qualified 11th and 12th-grade students the opportunity to get an early start on their college education. Students take regular college coursework and earn credits and grades that become a part of their permanent college record. Concurrent enrollment students may apply for admission to Tulane upon graduation from high school, or they may transfer their Tulane credits to another institution, depending on the regulations in effect at that institution.

Concurrent enrollment students may enroll in either or both semesters of the regular academic year or the summer sessions. 

To qualify, students must have a minimum grade point average of 3.2.  Standardized tests are preferred but not required for admission.   In addition, the student's high school counselor, teacher, or principal, must submit a letter of recommendation stating that the student has the necessary academic skills and personal development to succeed at Tulane University. Students meeting these admission standards must also submit a Concurrent Enrollment application along with a $40 application fee.  SoPA will not admit any student to the Concurrent Enrollment program without all required material and records. Students are limited to two undergraduate courses per semester.

SoPA tuition rates apply to all courses.

Student Government

Student government is funded by a mandatory student fee. Part of the income goes to Tulane University student organizations and activities, and part is retained by the SoPA Student Government Association. Student activity fees are distributed by the Associated Student Body, which organizes campus activities. The SoPA Student Government Association is part of the Graduate and Professional Student Association and requests its budget from that body.

Students interested in student government should contact the assistant dean for student support and success at 504-865-5333.

Alumni Association

All graduates of SoPA automatically become members of the Alumni Association. There are no dues. The purpose of the association is to promote the idea of higher education with emphasis on the continuing education of adults and to encourage fellowship among members.  Contact with the Alumni Association may be made by calling the Office of Alumni Relations at (504) 865-5901 or online.

Academic Policies

• Academic Policies & Procedures​

  • Academic Calendar 

  • Campuses 

  • Academic Advising 

  • Admission 

    • Undergraduate Admission

    • Interdivisional Transfer

    • Graduate Admissions

    • Non-degree Seeking Graduate Student Policy

  • Prior Learning / Transfer Credit

    • ​Transfer Credit

    • Credit for Life and Work Experience

    • Credit by Examination

• Registration Policies and Procedures 

  • Registration 

  • Tuition and Fees 

  • Changes to Academic Records 

  • Retention of Academic Records 

  • Add/Drop Policy 

  • Withdrawal

• Academic Performance Policies 

  • Credits and Grades 

  • Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory 

  • Audit 

  • Incompletes 

  • Repeated Courses 

  • Maximum Credits for SoPA Students 

• Honors 

  • Dean’s List 

  • Latin Honors 

  • Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor Society 

• Requirements for Graduation 

• Limitations

  • ​Leave Restrictions for Returning Students

• Academic Standards

  • ​Academic Progress
  • Class Attendance
  • Academic Integrity​

    • Undergraduate Code of Academic Conduct

    • Graduate Code of Academic Conduct

    • Conduct
    • Discipline
    • Reporting to the Dean
    • Grievance Committee
    • Right to Privacy

Academic Policies & Procedures

Academic Calendar

SoPA’s academic calendar is built on a semester framework.  Per academic year, there are two semesters - fall and spring- and summer sessions.  The fall and spring semesters are 15 weeks long. The full summer session is 12 weeks.  During early and late summer sessions, intensive six-week courses are offered.   

Deadlines for adding and dropping courses may be found on the SoPA website.

Campus

SoPA courses are offered at the Uptown campus, as well as online.  

Academic Advising

Students are assigned a SoPA academic advisor upon admission, and are encouraged to maintain regular contact with their academic advisors in matters relating to academic planning, satisfaction of degree requirements, quality of work rules, and transfer of credit from other institutions.

Admission

Undergraduate Admission

Applicants to SoPA are not required to submit ACT or SAT test scores in order to be admitted but must hold a high school diploma or general equivalent diploma. Continued enrollment is based on satisfactory academic performance.

Individuals wishing to study through SoPA should complete the online application form, along with a non-refundable processing fee. Applicants who have attended college previously and plan to work toward a degree or certificate must contact all former schools and have official transcripts sent directly to SoPA. Those who have not previously attended college must submit a copy of their high school transcript (or equivalent) with their application.

Individuals desiring to attend SoPA and who do not plan to earn a degree (i.e. are “non-matriculating”) do not need to submit transcripts of previous college work.  However, proof of high school graduation is still required.  Individuals who earned less than a 2.0 grade point average, or who were dismissed from, or on probation at, their last college may be admitted on probation at the discretion of the Academic Performance Committee. Conditions of probation at entry generally include a load limit of seven credits in the first semester. Continued enrollment after entering on probation is generally contingent upon the student earning grades of C or better in all courses taken the first semester.

Prior SoPA students who have been inactive for more than one year will be required to re-apply for admission to SoPA.  This includes submitting a new admissions application, application fee, and transcripts. SoPA students who were not enrolled in classes the previous semester must go to the online application to update their contact information and their government-issued ID.

Interdivisional Transfer

Students in good academic standing in Newcomb-Tulane College who wish to transfer to SoPA may do so with the approval of the dean of Newcomb-Tulane College.

Students on probation in Newcomb-Tulane College who wish to improve their academic standing through part-time studies at SoPA may, with the approval of the dean of Newcomb-Tulane College, transfer to SoPA, but will be admitted on probation.

Students not eligible to return to another division of Tulane University are generally inadmissible to SoPA. These students may appeal to the SoPA Academic Petitions and Performance Committee for probationary admission.

Students in SoPA who wish to transfer to Newcomb-Tulane College should obtain the recommendation of the SoPA associate dean for academic affairs. This recommendation is given only to students who have completed at least two semesters in SoPA and are in good academic standing. Students must also have completed at least 18 credits including ENGL 1010 Writing (4 c.h.), a course satisfying the mathematics requirement, a course satisfying the science requirement, a course that is part of the foreign language requirement, a course satisfying the social science requirement, and a course satisfying the humanities requirement.

Graduate Admissions

The graduate-level online application includes a non-refundable processing fee. To be considered for admission, a prospective graduate student must have earned an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution prior to the first semester of proposed graduate study.  The applicant also must have earned a 3.0 cumulative grade point average, or better, in undergraduate coursework. Students with undergraduate grade point averages below 3.0 may be considered for provisional admission at the discretion of the program director.

Additionally, program-specific requirements are included in the application itself.  Every applicant for graduate admission must have official transcripts from all undergraduate institutions attended sent directly to SoPA before they will be admitted.

Prior SoPA students who have been inactive for two or more years will be required to re-apply for admission to SoPA.  This includes submitting a new admissions application, application fee, and transcripts. SoPA students who were not enrolled in classes the previous semester must go to the online application to update their contact information and their government-issued ID.

Non-degree Seeking Graduate Student Policy

Non-Degree Seeking (NDS) graduate students are non-matriculating students who enroll in graduate courses at Tulane School of Professional Advancement (SoPA) for which they are qualified or have the prerequisites to take.  NDS graduate students must apply to SoPA and will be required to obtain approval to take the graduate courses from the director of the program involved.  This status is best suited for students who would like to explore different fields of academic study to determine which program might be a good fit for continued graduate study.   

Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA in the approved graduate courses to continue as NDS graduate students, and must obtain program director approval to register for graduate courses each semester.  NDS graduate students cannot change the grade type of a course.  Approval to register for courses in any one semester does not guarantee the NDS graduate student will be approved for courses in other graduate programs or in subsequent semesters.   NDS graduate students who are interested in continuing in a SoPA graduate program must apply and meet the requirements of that program.  They are not guaranteed admission and should not expect preference in admission simply because of having taken courses as a NDS graduate student.  Courses taken as a NDS graduate student will be reviewed by the program director for consideration to be counted  towards the graduate degree.   Up to 9 semester hours of coursework completed as a NDS graduate student may be applied toward degree and residence requirements with the program director’s and the Dean's approval.   NDS graduate students may not register for more than six credits in one semester.

Courses taken as a NDS graduate student will not be eligible for the tuition waiver, though NDS graduate students may be eligible for early registration and/or alumni discounts.

Prior Learning / Transfer Credit

Prior Learning credit can be awarded for learning outside of the classroom, including work experience, previous education, military and other post-secondary training, or by examinations such as the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST).  For undergraduate students, the total of all prior learning credits, including credits transferred from other schools, cannot exceed 60 credits; for graduate students, the total of all prior learning credits cannot exceed 9 credits.  

Transfer Credit

Undergraduate Students

Students who wish to transfer credits earned at other colleges and universities must have official transcripts sent directly to SoPA. SoPA will transfer only those credits earned at another college or university that was institutionally accredited* by an accrediting authority (such as the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools) at the time the courses were taken. Up to 60 credits may be transferred from a regionally accredited college or university. For the General Legal Studies program, only courses taken at an American Bar Association-approved paralegal program may be transferred.  Coursework from foreign universities will be referred to the World Education Services for evaluation and translation, if necessary.  Transfer of credit from colleges or universities not belonging to an institutional accrediting body is done at the discretion of SoPA.

Individual academic departments at Tulane outside of SoPA may have rules governing the transfer of credits that may affect students, i.e. may not accept community college transfer credits that SoPA does accept. For specifics, contact a SoPA academic advisor. 

Work from such institutionally accredited colleges is transferred at the value in credits/hours for which it was awarded if a grade of C or higher was earned and if an equivalent Tulane course exists. Credits earned while enrolled at other schools of Tulane University may be applied toward a SoPA degree programs; consult your academic advisor to find out if this is possible for you. Students transferring from a school using a quarter, rather than the semester, system are awarded two-thirds of a semester hour for each quarter hour credit.

Students with transfer credits should see an academic advisor before the end of their first semester to have their credits evaluated. When transcripts are received, students will be notified via a receipt of transcript acknowledgement sent to their Tulane email accounts. Students who do not receive a transcript receipt within a reasonable time frame should contact the SoPA Records Manager to check the status.

In order to process transfer credit approval requests for all college courses taken prior to enrolling in Tulane University, students will need:

• A Transfer Credit Approval Form from his or her SoPA advisor.  The advisor will verify the student's eligibility to earn transfer credit and the accreditation of the school from which the student wishes to transfer.
• An official transcript issued to Tulane University (not a grade report or transcript issued to the student)
• Course descriptions from the college catalogs or brochures that correspond to the courses on the transcript, and other documentation (syllabi, etc.) that the academic department requires for review.  Courses are evaluated by discipline-specific faculty for content and suitability.

Following submission of these items to the SoPA academic advisor, the courses will be evaluated, and if found to be equivalent to Tulane University coursework, the student's Tulane transcript will be adjusted to reflect the academic credit awarded in transfer. All courses are subject to approval, and in some cases, courses may not be approved for credit.  Courses transferred from other institutions are not included in the calculation of grade-point average. Courses that are repeated at SoPA will not count as transfer credit.  

Ordinarily, while enrolled at Tulane, SoPA students are not permitted to take credit courses at any other university and apply those credits toward a degree program at Tulane. Students wishing to take courses at another institution must first receive approval from the SoPA associate dean for academic affairs and from the appropriate department.

*Referred to as "regionally accredited" prior to 2020.

Graduate Students

Graduate students who wish to transfer credits earned from other colleges and universities must have official transcripts sent directly to SoPA. SoPA will transfer only those credits earned at another college or university that was accredited by a regional accrediting authority at the time the courses were taken. Students in good academic standing may transfer up to 9 credits. Coursework from foreign universities will be referred to World Education Services for evaluation and translation, if necessary.  Transfer of credit from institutions not belonging to an institutional accrediting body is at the discretion of SoPA.

Coursework is transferred at the value of credits/hours for which it was awarded if a grade of B or higher was earned and if an equivalent Tulane course exists.  Program director approval is required for graduate transfer credit.

Credit for Life and Work Experience

SoPA recognizes that many of its students come with extensive professional and life experiences that have the potential to translate into advanced standing or exemptions from certain academic requirements and coursework in both undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs.

SoPA undergraduate students may receive up to 24 credits from portfolio assessment, examination, and military and other post-secondary training.  Prior learning credit does not count toward the School's residency requirement, and may not be transferable to other divisions within Tulane. SoPA graduate students may receive up to six prior learning credits through portfolio assessment. Please consult your academic advisor for additional information about this process.

Portfolio Assessment Credit

SoPA is dedicated to helping working adults advance their careers through flexible degree programs that align with their goals and schedules. For those who are returning to school with a repertoire of professional experience, portfolio assessment offers an opportunity to earn credit for life and work experience. The portfolios are assessed by a qualified faculty member.

SoPA will award up to 24 portfolio credits to students earning a bachelor's degree. Graduate students may earn up to six portfolio credits. Undergraduate students may earn an additional three elective credits for completing PAPL 1000, the Prior Learning Portfolio Development course. PAPL 1000 is offered online and is graded Pass/Fail.

Students must have approval from an academic advisor or program director in order to have a portfolio evaluated. Portfolio credit may be earned for courses within one of the SoPA applied academic programs, including:

• General Legal Studies
• Business Studies
• Emergency & Security Studies
• Kinesiology
• Media + Design
• Information Technology
• Public Administration

Portfolio credit will not be permitted for capstone courses, practica, internship courses, and courses with labs.

Undergraduate students must have been enrolled at SoPA for at least one semester prior to registering for the portfolio assessment course, have at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA, and have received credit for ENGL 1010 or an equivalent. Graduate students wishing to develop and have a portfolio evaluated may develop a portfolio through a self-guided process. The portfolio assessments will be conducted by SoPA full-time and adjunct faculty trained to do these assessments in their areas of expertise.

American Council on Education (ACE) Credits

Undergraduate students may receive up to 24 credits evaluated by The American Council on Education (ACE) and graduate students may receive up to 6 credits evaluated by ACE, with academic program and academic dean approval.  SoPA Program Directors and faculty will review the ACE transcript with credit recommendations to ensure credit alignment with SoPA program learning outcomes and will make a decision on credit acceptance. 

ACE has a long history of evaluating professional training and recommending academic credit equivalencies for adult learners. Specifically, ACE relies on faculty subject matter experts to evaluate professional training and make relevant credit recommendations. 

Military and Public Safety Training

Up to 12 elective credits may be awarded to graduates of police officer, firefighter, and paramedic training academies. Individuals applying for these credits must be able to document their graduation from a training academy and/or certification as a firefighter, police officer, or paramedic.

Credit by Examination

SoPA accepts credits earned from successful completion of national testing programs: the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST). Qualified SoPA students may receive up to 24 credits by testing out of courses through CLEP and DSST tests.

The table below lists the CLEP tests accepted by SoPA, the corresponding Tulane course, and the minimum required passing score.

Credit for Life and Work Experience

Exam Name	Tulane Class	Minimum Passing Score
Financial Accounting	BSAC 1120 Elementary Accounting	65
Introductory Business Law	BSBL 3400 Legal Aspects of Business	60
Principles of Management	BSMT 2310 Principles of Management	63
Principles of Marketing	BSMK 3200 Introduction to Marketing Principles	65
Information Systems	CPST 1200 Fundamentals of IS & IT	66
Humanities	PAHM 2010 Humanities	55
American Government	POLA 2100 American Government	50
Introductory Sociology	SOCI 2010 Foundations of Sociology	50
Western Civilization I	HISE 1210 Western Civilization I	55
Western Civilization II	HISE 1220 Western Civilization II	54
Calculus	MATH 1210 Calculus I	50
Chemistry	CHEM 1070 General Chemistry I	50
Introductory Psychology	PSYC 1000 Introductory Psychology	50
Natural Sciences	PANA 2010 Natural Sciences	62

DSST

The table below lists the DSST tests accepted by SoPA, the corresponding Tulane course, and the minimum required passing score.

Credit for Life and Work Experience

Exam Name	Tulane Class	Minimum Passing Score
Human Resource Management	HRDV 3330 Introduction to Human Resources	53/434
Money and Banking	BSFN 3310 Money and Banking	54/434
Organizational Behavior	BSMT 3340 Organizational Behavior	52/434
Principles of Finance	BSFN 2210 Introduction to Finance	53/434
Intro to World Religions	PARL 3330 Introduction to World Religions	52/434
Principles of Public Speaking	SPEC 1400 Persuasive Public Speaking	52/434
Here’s to Your Health	WLHP 1800 Fundamentals of Health	51/434
Physical Geology	EENS 1110 Physical Geology	46/400
Principles of Statistics	MATH 1110 Probability and Statistics I	48/400

* Tests taken prior to 2008 are scored on a 20 – 80 point scale. Tests taken in 2008 and later are scored on a 200 – 500 point scale.

Registration Policies and Procedures

Registration

SoPA students are governed by the registration policies and procedures set by the university. Consult the University Catalog Registration Policies and Procedures regarding the registration and confirmation process.

Students with registration holds should clear them prior to the start of the semester.  Students will not be allowed to retroactively register for classes after the deadline for the last day to register/add has passed.

SoPA reserves the right to cancel any course with low enrollment.

Tuition and Fees

Consult the SoPA Website for current tuition rates and fee schedules.

In addition to tuition, SoPA students pay university and student activity fees. Special fees are charged for laboratory and studio courses, and special examinations as specified in the Schedule of Classes published by the Registrar's Office.

SoPA students may register for courses offered by other divisions at Tulane at that division's posted tuition rate, which may be significantly higher than SoPA's. SoPA courses are clearly marked in the Schedule of Classes. 

Tuition refunds are allowed for students who drop courses by the dates specified in the academic calendar. Application, lab, other special course fees, and university fees are non-refundable.

Failure to attend a class does not constitute a withdrawal.  Students will still be held responsible for any financial obligations related to a class for which they registered and failed to properly withdraw.

No diploma or transcript will be given to a student who is in default on any payments due to Tulane University.

Changes to Academic Records

No changes to course enrollment status (including adding or dropping courses), grades or grade types will be made more than three years after the close of the semester in which the course was offered. 

Retention of Academic Records

Academic records will be retained for at least eight years from the time of the student's first enrollment at SoPA. This restriction does not apply to records kept by the registrar's office; those records are retained permanently.  

Add/Drop Policy

Students wishing to add or drop courses should consult the academic calendar for deadlines and instructions. Failure to make schedule adjustments promptly and accurately may result in financial or academic penalties.

Schedule adjustments are done online during the two weeks following the first day of the semester.

Courses may be dropped online up to the last day to drop during the semester.  If a student wishes to drop all of his or her courses during a semester, he or she must submit a Withdrawal for the Term form (see Withdrawal section below.)

Students who have questions about adding or dropping courses should contact their academic advisors.

Withdrawal

Voluntary

A student who has registered for a semester and needs to drop all of his or her courses must complete a Withdrawal for the Term form, which can be completed online.   Students should contact their advisor to withdraw from all courses in the term.  

Medical

A withdrawal from courses for medical reasons requires an official letter of recommendation from a physician in the Campus Health Center and the approval of the SoPA Dean's office. Students seeking a medical withdrawal must report to their academic advisor before going to the Campus Health Center for an evaluation. Grades of W are assigned when a student withdraws from one or more courses for medical reasons after the last day to drop without record.  

A partial medical withdrawal (from some but not all courses) or incomplete grades in one or more courses may be permitted upon the recommendation of the Campus Health Center. Withdrawals from individual courses for medical reasons after the published deadline for dropping a course will require supporting justification. Partial withdrawals are not given during the last two weeks of classes. The deadline for medical withdrawals from all courses is the last day of classes each term. Requests for retroactive medical withdrawals normally are not approved.

Refunds are based on the official date of withdrawal.

SoPA requires medical clearance before a student can continue studies in a semester that begins after administrative action has been taken on behalf of the student for medical reasons.  Students will petition to return from medical leave following the protocol defined by the Division of Student Affairs.  Students should contact their academic advisor to return from medical leave.

Required

A student may be required to withdraw from any course or from the university, temporarily or permanently, for any of the following reasons: possibility of danger to the health of the student or to that of other students if enrollment is continued; refusal to obey regulations; violation of the Honor Code or other serious misconduct; unsatisfactory class attendance; or work below the required scholastic standards.

Appeals

Students who are requesting changes to their academic record outside of the current term’s academic calendar should consult with their academic advisor.

Academic Performance Policies

Credits and Grades

Undergraduate and graduate units at Tulane University are measured by credits that correspond to the number of hours the class meets per week.

Most courses meet three hours a week and are valued at three credits. SoPA, along with the other divisions of Tulane uses a plus/minus grading system. Each grade is assigned a number of “quality points” that are used in the calculation of the grade point average (GPA). Grades and quality points used at SoPA are as follows:

GPA SOPA

Grade	Quality Points
A	4.00
A-	3.67
B+	3.33
B	3.00
B-	2.67
C+	2.33
C	2.00
C-	1.67
D+	1.33
D	1.00
D-	0.33
F	Failing, no grade points = 0.00
WF	Withdrawn failing, counts in the GPA as an F = 0.00
UW	Unofficial withdrawal, counts in GPA as an F = 0.00
W	Withdrawn passing, not used in GPA computation
S	Satisfactory, not used in GPA computation (C or above) but counted in earned hours
U	Unsatisfactory, not used in GPA computation (below C) and earns no credit
AU	Audit, not used in GPA computation
I	Incomplete, no grade points = 0.00

Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory

Undergraduate students in SoPA may avail themselves of the satisfactory/unsatisfactory option. A course with the grade of satisfactory (S) typically may not be used to satisfy proficiency, major, or minor requirements, and no more than 18 credits of S will be credited toward the degree. Students should be aware that many colleges will not accept the transfer of credit with this grade.

Students may take three credits of work on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis per academic year (fall, spring and summer) if they have completed at least 30 credits of college work and are not on probation.

To receive a satisfactory grade, students must earn a C or higher. The grade of S is not calculated into the grade-point average. Grades below C will be designated as unsatisfactory (U). The grade of U will not be calculated into the grade-point average.

Audit

Any student may take a course on an audit basis. No credit is earned for this work, but the course is entered on the official transcript with a grade of AU. SoPA students must pay tuition for an audited course.

Incompletes

UNDERGRADUATE

An incomplete grade, I, is given at the discretion of instructors with the approval of the program director when, in their view, special circumstances prevent a student from completing work assigned during the semester and with the understanding that the remaining work can be completed within 30 days.  For undergraduate students, an incomplete grade allows a maximum extension of 30 business days after the end of the term for the completion of the coursework.  Students will work with their instructors to develop a plan and timeline to complete outstanding work.   If the work has not been submitted by the deadline, the incomplete grade is converted to an F. Extensions of the 30-day deadline may be requested in writing by the student and must be approved by the instructor and the SoPA associate dean for academic affairs. Extensions are approved only when a student has made an attempt to complete the missing work within the original 30-day period but, in the view of the instructor and the associate dean, has been prevented from completing the work by some special circumstance beyond the student's control. Extensions must be approved before the 30-day deadline expires; extensions are not approved retroactively.

GRADUATE

An incomplete grade, I, is given at the discretion of instructors with the approval of the program director when, in their view, special circumstances prevent a student from completing work assigned during the semester and with the understanding that the remaining work can be completed within an agreed-upon time of up to 12 months following the course. Incomplete grades also are given when a student’s absence from a final examination has been excused by the school’s dean or dean’s designee prior to or within one day following the final examination.

If a student will require a grade of I, the student and instructor should have a clearly articulated, written agreement including a timeline of what constitutes a successful resolution of the Incomplete Grade.  Incomplete grades must be resolved within the agreed upon timeframe, which may not exceed the next 12 months or they are automatically changed to a grade of F/I.

The grade of I will remain on the student’s transcript, accompanied by the final course grade only when the final grade in the course is a F. Extensions to the deadline must be requested in writing by the student and must be approved by the instructor and their school’s dean or dean’s designee. The faculty member must then contact the Registrar’s Office to request that the timeline for the I be extended for up to 12 more months. Extensions are approved only when a student has made an attempt to complete the missing work within the original time period but, in the view of the instructor and the dean or dean’s designee, has been prevented from completing the work by some special circumstance beyond the student’s control. Grades may still be changed after the time period expires but before the student graduates by the faculty member.

Repeated Courses

Undergraduate students may repeat courses in which they have earned a grade of D+ or lower. No more than one course may be repeated in any semester. For each repeated course, only the second grade, whether higher or lower than the initial grade, will be used to calculate the student’s GPA. The initial grade will not count as credit hours attempted or earned, and therefore is not calculated in the GPA, but it will remain visible on the student’s transcript. The grade penalty for a WF is never removed from the GPA. Grades assigned by a university committee, including a WF for an Honor Code conviction, cannot be removed from the student's transcript or cumulative grade-point average even though the course may be repeated.

Graduate students may be required to repeat courses in which they have earned below a B-. The initial grade remains on the record and continues to count in the student's cumulative grade-point average. All grades remain on the transcript. The grade penalty for a WF is never removed from the GPA.

Maximum Credits for SoPA Students

Undergraduate students in good academic standing at SoPA are allowed to register for up to 19 credits per semester. Students on probation are typically limited to 7 credits. Undergraduate students may not enroll in 7000-level courses unless they have program director approval.  First-time undergraduates admitted to SoPA will be limited to 11 credits in their initial fall or spring semester. Transfer students, as defined by federal guidelines, may register for up to 19 credits starting in their first semesters.   Graduate students may not enroll in more than 9 credits per semester without the approval of the program director.

Honors

Dean’s List

A dean's list of undergraduate students is compiled at the end of the fall and spring semesters. To be eligible for the dean's list, students classified as freshmen and sophomores (have earned 6-56 completed credits) must earn a minimum GPA of 3.50 in at least six completed credits. Students classified as juniors and seniors (have 57-120 completed credits) must earn a minimum GPA of 3.67 in at least six completed credits. In all cases, satisfactory/unsatisfactory credits are excluded from determining the dean's list.

Latin Honors

Superior baccalaureate students are recognized at graduation by the award of Latin Honors. To qualify, a SoPA student must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.60, must have earned at least 36 credits at Tulane University excluding those earned in courses on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis, and must be receiving a bachelor's degree. Latin Honors are awarded as follows, based on cumulative grade point average:

• Summa cum laude = 3.900
• Magna cum laude = 3.800
• Cum laude = 3.600

Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor Society

The Theta Chapter of Alpha Sigma Lambda is a national scholastic honor society for adult undergraduate college students who are juniors or seniors. Invitations for membership are extended each year to qualified students. To be eligible, students must be enrolled in a degree program, have attended SoPA for at least three semesters, earned at least 36 credits at Tulane, and have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.200. Students must be in good standing with the university and may not have an honor board violation on their record. Students with pending Honor Board cases may not be considered until the case has been adjudicated. Additional information on requirements and invitations to membership may be obtained from the chapter advisor at SoPA.

Requirements for Graduation

Students must submit an application for degree/certificate early in the semester in which they plan to graduate. This application must be completed with the student's academic advisor. Applications for degree/certificate are available on the SoPA website and at each campus location. When students apply for their degree, their work is evaluated by the criteria in place at the start of their work toward that degree. SoPA updates programs periodically; changes in our curriculum go into effect for students who start the program the following semester. If you are concerned that a change in our curriculum will affect your degree requirements, or if you would like to take advantage of such changes, contact your advisor.

Limitations

Leave Restrictions for Returning Students

Students who return to the SoPA after an absence of more than two years may not be able to complete the program in which they originally enrolled. Returning students should talk with an academic advisor to determine possible changes in requirements or curriculum.

Academic Standards

A student may be dismissed from SoPA for lack of sufficient academic progress toward fulfilling degree requirements. Through adherence to these regulations, the university seeks to ensure that its educational facilities are reserved for capable and motivated students. For continued eligibility, academic progress is measured both by minimum credit and minimum grade-point average.

Academic Progress

Undergraduate Classification

Undergraduate classification is based on cumulative earned credits:

Class Status

Classification	Earned Credits
Freshman	0-24 earned credits
Sophomore	25-56 earned credits
Junior	57-91 earned credits
Senior	over 91 earned credits

Minimum Credits and Grade Point Average Quality-of-Work Rules

Undergraduate students in SoPA are required to maintain a minimum grade-point average throughout their enrollment (see table below). Students who fail to meet this minimum standard are placed on academic probation. The cumulative grade-point average of a student is calculated by dividing the number of quality points a student has earned by the total number of quality hours (including credits with failures). Only the grades of S, U, NR, W, and grades in courses affected by SoPA' "Repeated Course" policy are excluded from this calculation.

Minimum Credits SOPA

Minimum Cumulative Attempted Hours	Minimum Cumulative GPA
1-30	1.75
31-61	1.85
62-93	1.95
94-124	2.00

Students in undergraduate or post-baccalaureate certificate (PBC) programs must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 to remain in good standing.  

Graduate students are required to maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in the graduate certificate and/or degree programs to remain in good standing.

Academic Enforcement for SoPA Students

The quality of each SoPA student’s work will be monitored at the end of each semester. Enforcement of quality of work standards consists of two distinct steps: probation and dismissal.

Undergraduate Probation

Any student who does not meet the minimum cumulative quality of work rules will be placed on academic probation. The status of probation lasts until it is removed as a result of academic improvement or ended by dismissal. SoPA students who are placed on probation are notified in writing that their academic progress is insufficient. Students on probation may enroll in no more than seven credits. As a further condition, all coursework taken while on probation must be passed with at least a grade of C. Students on probation cannot be given a recommendation of good academic standing to another institution for the purpose of cross-enrollment or summer school admission. Transfer students admitted on probation to SoPA may enroll in no more than seven credits. In addition, they must earn at least a 1.75 grade-point average during their first term of enrollment, or they will be dismissed.

Graduate Probation

Graduate students admitted to study at the master’s level at SoPA must maintain an overall grade point average of 3.00 or better to be considered in good academic standing. Students whose cumulative grade point average falls below 3.00 will be placed on academic probation, which will require a written academic development plan. Students will be removed from academic probation when they earn an overall grade point average of at least 3.00. Graduate students who receive a grade lower than a B- in any coursework attempted will be placed on academic probation from the program. Courses in which a student earns a grade of C+ or lower cannot be counted towards a master’s degree.

Dismissal

SoPA undergraduate students who do not meet the minimum cumulative GPA for academic good standing for three consecutive semesters, or who do not have a minimum cumulative GPA of 1.75 after attempting 24 credits, will be dismissed. Students may appeal the first dismissal. A second dismissal cannot be appealed. Coursework taken at another college or university during the dismissal period is not transferable to SoPA.

Graduate students who earn two grades below a B- will be dismissed. Students may appeal the first dismissal. 

Reinstatement

Students have the right to petition the SoPA Academic Performance and Petitions Committee after the first dismissal. Successful petitioners will be readmitted on the terms and conditions specified by the committee, which may include academic probation, specification of courses that must be taken, progress that must be achieved, the time within which terms and conditions must be met, and classification of academic standing.

Students may appeal the decision of the Academic Performance Committee in writing to the associate dean for academic affairs under the following circumstances: new evidence, or significant evidence or material that would have likely changed the outcome of the Academic Performance Committee’s decision.  This appeal must be submitted within five business days of transmission of the decision of the Academic Performance Committee to the student.  The decision of the associate dean for academic affairs is final.

Petitions

Written petitions from students who have been denied registration under these regulations are evaluated by the SoPA Academic Performance Committee.

Successful petitioners will be readmitted on the terms and conditions specified by the committee, which may include limitation on the number of courses, specification of courses that must be taken, progress that must be achieved, the time within which terms and conditions must be met, and classification of academic standing.

Class Attendance

Regular attendance is essential to successful academic progress. Students are expected to attend all classes, laboratories, seminars, and conferences as scheduled unless they are ill or prevented from attending by exceptional circumstances.

Instructors may establish policies for attendance of their classes, which are announced at the beginning of the semester and included in the course syllabus. Students who find it necessary to miss class are responsible for obtaining notes on material covered in lectures or other class sessions. It is up to the instructor to determine whether to allow the student to make up missed quizzes, examinations, or other exercises.

Students are also responsible for notifying professors about absences that result from serious illnesses, injuries or critical personal problems. Medical excuses are not issued by the University Health Service, except in instances of illnesses or injuries that involve hospitalization, in the event of partial or complete withdrawal due to medical reasons, or in the event of a missed final examination for a medical condition being cared for by the Campus Health Center. In all of these instances, medical information will only be released with the student's written permission. Students should be aware that instructors have the right to lower grades for excessive absence or failure to make up work missed. They may also be assigned a grade of WF (see below).

Students who find their attendance seriously interrupted by exceptional, unforeseen circumstances are encouraged to discuss their difficulties with their instructor or academic advisor.

Grades of WF are assigned by administrators and are computed in the grade-point average as if they were Fs. With the approval of the associate dean for academic affairs, at any time during the semester an instructor may have a student with excessive absences involuntarily dropped from a course with a WF grade.  A written warning will be issued to the student before he or she is administratively dropped from the course. In cases where students are suspended or expelled during the semester, W or WF grades may be assigned at the discretion of the instructors and the student's dean. A grade of W or WF also may be assigned for disciplinary penalties resulting from an honor-code or conduct-code violation. A student who ceases to attend a course but has not withdrawn officially will receive a UW [unofficial withdrawal]. After the last day to drop without record and before the last day to drop a course, students who drop courses voluntarily will have W noted on their transcripts for each course dropped.

Academic Integrity

Undergraduate Code of Academic Conduct

The integrity of the School of Professional Advancement is based on the absolute honesty of the entire community in all academic endeavors. As part of the Tulane University community, undergraduate students have certain responsibilities regarding work that forms the basis for the evaluation of their academic achievement. Students are expected to be familiar with these responsibilities at all times. No member of the university community should tolerate any form of academic dishonesty because the scholarly community of the university depends on the willingness of both instructors and students to uphold the Undergraduate Code of Academic Conduct. When a violation of the Undergraduate Code of Academic Conduct is observed it is the duty of every member of the academic community who has evidence of the violation to take action. Students should take steps to uphold the Undergraduate Code of Academic Conduct by reporting any suspected offense to the instructor or the Chair of the Honor Board. Students should under no circumstances tolerate any form of academic dishonesty. Students may report alleged violations directly to faculty members. Students may also report them anonymously through the “Report a Concern” portal maintained and monitored by the Office of Student Conduct.

In all work submitted for academic credit, students are expected to represent themselves honestly. The presence of a student’s name on any work, including group papers or projects, submitted in completion of an academic assignment is considered to be an assurance that the work and ideas are the result of the student’s own intellectual effort, stated in their own words, and produced independently, unless clear and explicit acknowledgment of the sources for the work and ideas is included (with the use of quotation marks when quoting someone else’s words). This principle applies to papers, tests, homework assignments, artistic productions, laboratory reports, computer programs, and other assignments.

All new students should familiarize themselves with this Undergraduate Code of Academic Conduct. Lack of familiarity with the code or with the precise application of its principles to any specific instance is not an excuse for noncompliance with it.

ARTICLE I: Definitions

The terms below are used throughout this document and are defined as follows:

1. “Appellate Panel” means any person or persons from the Honor Board authorized by the Associate Dean to consider an appeal of an Honor Board hearing panel's determination or from the sanctions imposed in a particular situation.
2. “Chairperson” means the chair of an Honor Board hearing panel.  
3. “Code” means this Undergraduate Code of Academic Conduct.
4. “Dean” means the Dean of the School of Professional Advancement.
5. “School” means the School of Professional Advancement.
6. “College Official” means any person employed by the School to perform administrative or professional responsibilities.
7. “Complainant” is the person who submits a charge alleging that a student violated the Code. In most cases, complainants should be instructors of record or directors of academic programs, rather than graduate teaching assistants or other students.
8. “Chair of the Honor Board” refers to the Assistant Dean of Student Support and Success who serves as chair of the Honor Board process. This chairperson advises the Associate Dean on reported cases.
9. “Faculty Chair of the Honor Board”- refers to the faculty member assigned by the Associate Dean to co-chair the proceedings. 
10. “Honor Board” means those persons who may from time to time be asked to serve on an Honor Board panel.
11. “Honor Board Hearing Panel” means any person or persons authorized by the Chair of the Honor Board to determine in a particular situation whether a student has violated the Code and to recommend sanctions that may be imposed when a rules violation has been committed.
12. “Instructor” means any person who conducts classroom or teaching activities for Tulane University, or who is otherwise considered by the university to be a member of its faculty.
13. “Member of the University Community” means any person who is a student, instructor, College Official, or any other person employed by Tulane University. A person’s status shall be determined by the Associate Dean.
14. “College records” refers to the records of Code violations in Tulane’s systems. The School of Professional Advancement keeps records of cases involving findings of responsibility, including administrative disposition. Record-keeping procedures will be performed with due diligence and in compliance with the law and best practices in the field. 
15. “Permanent records” refers to sanctions that are noted on student transcripts: expulsions, degree rescissions and a “WF” appear on a student’s transcript permanently.
16. “Preponderance of the evidence” refers to the evidentiary standard of proof required for the Honor Board to determine responsibility in a case. Under this standard, the burden of proof is met when the party with the burden (i.e., the complainant) convinces the fact finder (i.e., the Honor Board) that there is a greater than 50% chance that the claim is true.
17. “Respondent” is the student accused of academic misconduct.
18. “School” means the School of Professional Advancement.
19. “Associate Dean” refers to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs of the School of Professional Advancement, the official authorized by the Dean  to oversee Honor Board proceedings. 
20. “Student” means all persons enrolled at the School pursuing undergraduate degrees. Persons who withdraw after allegedly violating the Code or who have been notified of their acceptance for admission are considered “students.”
21. “In Writing” means communications made in written letters, in email notifications, and in other electronic communications delivered to relevant email addresses of students, faculty, administrators, and staff members.

ARTICLE II: Code Authority

1. The Chair of the Honor Board shall determine the composition of Honor Board hearing panels and appellate panels.
2. The Chair of the Honor Board shall develop procedures for the conduct of Honor Board hearing panels and appellate panel hearings that are not inconsistent with provisions of the Code.
3. Decisions made by the Chair and Faculty Chair of the Honor Board shall be final, pending the normal appeal process.
4. Allegations of harassment shall be addressed under Tulane University's harassment policy.
5. Student members of the Honor Board shall work with the Chair of the Honor Board to provide training to Honor Board members.

ARTICLE III: Proscribed Conduct

1. Jurisdiction of the Code
   1. The Code shall apply to academic conduct of each student from the time of application for admission through the actual awarding of a degree, even though academic conduct may occur before classes begin or after classes end, as well as during the academic year and even if the academic conduct is not discovered until after a degree is awarded. The Code shall apply to a student’s academic conduct even if the student withdraws from the School while a disciplinary matter is pending.
2. Violations of the Code
   1. Any student found to have committed or to have attempted to commit the following misconduct is subject to the disciplinary sanctions outlined in this Code. The following are defined as violations:
   2. Cheating—Giving, receiving, or using, or attempting to give, receive, or use unauthorized assistance, information, or study aids in academic work, or preventing or attempting to prevent another from using authorized assistance, information, or study aids.
   3. Consulting with any persons other than the course instructor and teaching assistants regarding a take-home examination between the time the exam is distributed and the time it is submitted by the student for grading. Students should assume any exam is closed-book; they may not consult books, notes, or any other reference material unless explicitly permitted to do so by the instructor of the course. Students must also take exams in settings determined or approved by the course instructor and/or the Center for Student Accessibility.
   4. Unless explicitly allowed by the instructor, electronic devices (such as cell phones, notebooks, calculators, etc.) are not allowed to be out of backpacks or purses during quizzes and exams. These electronic devices must be packed away and turned off. Any student who is caught with one of these devices out will have their test taken and will be charged with the Honor Code violation of cheating.
   5. Plagiarism—Unacknowledged or falsely acknowledged presentation of another person’s ideas, expressions, or original research as one’s own work, in rough or working drafts as well as in final drafts. Such an act often gives the reader the impression that the student has written or thought something that they have in fact borrowed from another. Any paraphrasing or quotation must be appropriately acknowledged, and published materials appropriately cited. Plagiarism also includes the unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling of term papers or other academic materials.
   6. Students and faculty may wish to consult the Howard-Tilton Memorial Library guide to issues related to acknowledgment, citation, and plagiarism.  Students may also use plagiarism detectors such as Turnitin.com to check the academic integrity of their work.
   7. Fabrication—Submission of contrived or altered information in any academic exercise.
   8. False Information—Furnishing false information to any University official, instructor, or Tulane University office relating to any academic assignment or issue.
   9. Unauthorized collaboration — Collaboration not explicitly allowed by the instructor to obtain credit for examinations or course assignments.
   10. Multiple submissions—Presentation of a paper or other work for credit in two or more distinct courses without prior approval by all instructors.
   11. Sabotage—Destroying or damaging another student’s work, or otherwise preventing such work from receiving fair graded assessment.
   12. Unfair advantage—Any behavior disallowed by an instructor that gives an advantage over other fellow students in an academic exercise.
   13. Facilitation of academic dishonesty—Knowingly helping or attempting to help another student violate any provision of the code.
   14. Tampering with academic records—Misrepresenting, tampering with, or attempting to tamper with any portion of a student's academic record.
   15. Improper disclosure—Failure of an honor board member or participant in an honor board hearing to maintain strict confidentiality concerning the identity of respondents.

ARTICLE IV: Responsibilities

1. Instructors
   1. Each instructor should be familiar with the principles and procedures of the Code. They should report suspected violations so that, for example, repeat offenders can be detected. Each instructor shall also appear and testify when called upon to do so by the Honor Board, and should discuss cases and concerns, as needed, with the Chair of the Honor Board.
   2. Instructors should foster in their classes an environment that encourages adherence to the principles of honesty and integrity. Instructors should give specific directions concerning the nature of examinations and assignments, stating, for example, when collaboration is permissible, when students may consult sources in “open-book” exams, and the conditions and settings in which exams can be taken.
2. Students
   1. Students must familiarize themselves with the Code of Academic Conduct, and they must conduct themselves in accordance with the Code.

ARTICLE V: Initial Processes for Reported Violations

1. Initial Review.
   1. Once alleged violations of the Code have been reported, the Chair of the Honor Board shall review the written charges to confirm that the charges being made fall within the scope of this Code, and that documents have been prepared according to its provisions. This review should be conducted promptly, generally within five (5) working days of receipt of the charge and supporting documents.
   2. Documents necessary for review may include a course syllabus, relevant test or assignment, written communication between complainant and respondent, written testimony of witnesses, and any other relevant documentation of the alleged violation.
   3. If, in the considered opinion of the Chair of the Honor Board, the charge is improper and should not be taken to a hearing, that decision shall be communicated to the complainant, who retains the right to have the decision reviewed by the Associate Dean.
2. Copy of the Charges
   1. If the Initial Review finds that a violation of the Code is suspected, the Chair of the Honor Board will provide the respondent with a copy of the formal charge in writing: the nature and occasion of the alleged violation, the name of the complainant, copies of the documents pertinent to the allegation, and a copy of or link to the Code, within five (5) working days or as soon as practical. This material will be sent to the respondent’s Tulane email address.
3. Administrative Disposition
   1. If the respondent(s) in the case inform(s) the Chair of the Honor Board that they plan to accept responsibility, the respondent may waive the hearing. The penalty will be determined by the Faculty Chair of the Honor Board, and may include a WF for major offenses, a lowering of the grade, a letter of reprimand and/or educational requirements. Honor board probation may be added to these penalties. The respondent must also sign a statement acknowledging the violation and the penalty, and in the case of a Code violation involving multiple students, the signed statement will become part of the record in the hearing for any of the other students who do not accept responsibility.
   2. A respondent may be offered this option only if they have no prior convictions and if the violation, in the opinion of the Faculty Chair of the Honor Board, would not be likely to result in suspension, expulsion or degree rescission if the student were to appear before a hearing panel. Administrative disposition of the case will appear in School records as a violation of the Code. When a WF is assigned, it is noted on the respondent’s transcript and is calculated into the GPA.
4. Respondent’s Review
   1. The respondent will be allowed five (5) working days to decide if they wish to accept responsibility or appear before a Hearing Panel. The respondent is not allowed to withdraw from the course in which they have been charged with an Honor Code violation until the case has been resolved.
5. Right to an Advisor
   1. The respondent has the right to be assisted by an advisor selected from a list of faculty and other College Officials as appointed by the Chair of the Honor Board, at any point after which a student is accused of a violation, including preparation for an honor board hearing. The Chair of the Honor Board will provide the respondent with a list of potential advisors. The advisor may not have an attorney-client relationship with the person advised. The respondent is responsible for presenting their own information relevant to the case, and therefore, an advisor is not permitted to speak or to participate directly in any Honor Board hearing. A student who selects an advisor should ensure that the advisor’s schedule allows attendance at the scheduled date and time of the hearing because delays will not normally be allowed due to the scheduling conflicts of an advisor.
6. University Breaks
   1. Timelines for honor board proceedings, including communications from the Faculty Chair of the Honor Board, and honor board hearings, are suspended when the university is closed for holidays and recesses, including winter break, spring break, and summer. During these periods, complainants may make allegations, but the normal timeline for adjudication is suspended until classes resume.
7. Study Abroad
   1. Cases in which students are accused of violations while they are studying abroad will be adjudicated upon return to campus. Students found responsible and sanctioned with Honor Board probation before they are scheduled to go abroad may not be allowed to study abroad while they are on probation, even if they have already been accepted into a study abroad program.

ARTICLE VI: Honor Board Hearings

1. Purpose of Hearings
   1. The purpose of the hearing is to provide the complainant and respondent with an opportunity to be heard and to supply the Honor Board hearing panel with the relevant information necessary to reach a decision. It should be noted that a hearing is not a legal procedure and as such, formal rules of process, procedure, and/or technical rules of evidence, such as are applied in criminal or civil court, are not used in Honor Board proceedings. Polygraph tests are not admissible as evidence.
2. Burden of Proof
   1. The complainant bears the burden of proof of alleged violations of the Code. Honor board members shall make decisions about alleged violations based on the principle of “preponderance of the evidence.”
3. Hearing Date
   1. The Honor Board will make every effort to process cases in a timely manner. The Chair of the Honor Board will convene an Honor Board hearing panel to review the charges brought against the student. Effort will be made to convene that hearing within a reasonable time, generally fifteen (15) working days of the Respondent’s Review.
4. End-of-the-Semester Offenses
   1. If the offense is reported at the end of the semester, the hearing normally will be postponed until the start of the next semester. If the respondent requests a hearing at the end of a semester and a sufficient number of Honor Board members are unavailable to hear a case, the Chair of the Honor Board may form an ad hoc panel composed of two faculty members, three students, and the Faculty Chair. If the case must be heard by an ad hoc panel, it should be heard as soon as possible, generally within fourteen (14) working days after the end of final exams when feasible. If more than one student is accused in the same case and at least one of the respondents desires to postpone the hearing, it shall be deferred until the beginning of the next semester, unless any of the respondents is expected to be graduated before the hearing is to take place or will be on a study abroad program in the following semester.
5. Failure to Appear
   1. If a respondent, having been notified, does not appear before an Honor Board hearing panel, the information in support of the charges shall be presented and the hearing shall proceed. The respondent may send written testimony to be included in lieu of appearing. There shall be no penalty for not appearing at an Honor Board hearing.
   2. If the complainant cannot appear at the hearing, they must send a proxy or be available by phone. The burden of proof is on the complainant. If the complainant is unreachable at the hearing, the hearing may be canceled or rescheduled.
6. Testimony
   1. If a person is called before an Honor Board hearing panel, the person is obligated to be completely honest. It is the responsibility of every member of the university to ensure that the principles of the Code are upheld and that procedures are properly followed. Testimony given at any Honor Board hearing that indicates the possibility of additional Honor Board violations can become the basis for additional Honor Board proceedings.
7. Witnesses
   1. The Chair of the Honor Board shall consult with the complainant and the Respondent, if necessary, to ascertain what witnesses should be called in the hearing.
8. Procedures for Honor Board Hearing Panel
   1. Honor Board hearings shall be conducted in private.
   2. The Chair and Faculty Chair shall preside over each hearing panel. The Chair of the Honor Board shall notify all parties of the date and time of the hearing. If the Faculty Chair is unable to preside, the Associate Dean will assign a faculty member to replace them.
   3. Evidence:  Relevant documentary evidence and written statements may be accepted as information for consideration by an Honor Board hearing panel at the discretion of the officer.  Relevant evidence submitted regarding the charge should be shared with the parties and the Hearing Board within a reasonable time before the hearing.
   4. All procedural questions are subject to the reasonable discretion and final decision of the Chair. Formal rules of process, procedure, and/or technical rules of evidence, such as are applied in criminal or civil court, are not used in Code proceedings.
   5. At the beginning of the hearing, the Chair shall read the charges against the respondent. Normally the complainant will give testimony first, followed by supporting witnesses, followed by the respondent and supporting witnesses, and then by other witnesses, if any. Any of the preceding may be recalled for further testimony if clarification is necessary. The Faculty Chair shall inform the respondent and any witnesses of the following before testimony begins:
      1. False testimony given in a hearing is a violation of the Code of Academic Conduct.
      2. All testimony given in an Honor Board hearing is to be held in the strictest confidence.
      3. All witnesses must be called to give substantive testimony rather than to serve as character witnesses.
   6. The respondent may make a statement before the Honor Board, examine or dispute any evidence, make no statement, or decline to respond to any questions.
   7. The complainant, the respondent, and any witnesses will be brought before the hearing panel independently of one another to give testimony. The Faculty Chair will lead any questions submitted to the parties during testimony.
   8. After hearing evidence and witnesses in the case, the panel will vote to determine responsibility, based on the preponderance of evidence, that the respondent violated the Code (i.e., that the alleged violation is more likely than not to have occurred, or vice versa); a majority is necessary. All members other than the Chair are eligible to vote. No member of the panel will be allowed to vote unless they have been present to hear the evidence in the case.
   9. The Faculty Chair shall submit a written report of the hearing to the Chair of the Honor Board promptly, generally within five (5) working days after the hearing.
   10. If the respondent is judged not responsible, there will be no report of the case on their permanent record or in School records.
   11. If the respondent is found responsible of violating the Code, the Honor Board hearing panel will recommend sanctions to the Faculty Chair of the Honor Board.
   12. The history of violations or alleged violations of the Code by a respondent is not relevant to determining responsibility in a new case. Honor Board members will be presented with information about past violations only after they have voted on responsibility, and this information is used only for the purposes of sanctioning students who are found responsible for repeat violations.
9. Sanctions
   1. Sanctions for violations of the Code are imposed on the basis of the infraction and any history of repeated violations by the student. The appropriate sanctions may be determined by the Faculty Chair of the Honor Board for students who are found responsible or who accept responsibility through administrative disposition. They include:
      1. Letter of reprimand, which includes a written warning giving the student notice that any subsequent Code violations may carry more serious sanctions.
      2. Educational requirements, which may require the completion of projects, programs, or other such requirements designed for student development purposes.
      3. Lowering of a grade to zero for an assignment or test or lowering of the final grade; the Honor Board may stipulate that if a student chooses to withdraw from a course after receiving a grade sanction for a violation of the Code, the student’s record will reflect a grade of “WF” for the course in which the sanction was assessed.
      4. A grade of “WF” in a course.
      5. Probation, signifying that a student is not in good academic standing for a specified length of time, often for one or two semesters. The student may remain at Tulane University, but may be required to satisfy specified conditions or requirements or report regularly to a designated administrator. Honor Board probation is for a proscribed period of time in which a student is prohibited from 1) studying abroad, 2) serving as an officer in a student organization, 3) participating in any activity in which the student represents the University, including athletics or other competitive teams, 4) transferring credit from another institution, 5) pledging in a Greek organization, and 6) graduating from the university. As long as a student has no other honor board violations during the period of probation, there is no record of the probation on the student’s permanent record and the student will return to academic good standing.
      6. Suspension, in which the student must leave the University for a definite or indefinite period. A student may eventually return if applicable conditions are satisfied.
      7. Expulsion from the University, in which a student is removed from the Tulane University community permanently. The expulsion is noted on the student’s transcript.
      8. Admission to or a degree or certificate awarded by Tulane University may be revoked for violation of the Code.
      9. More than one of the sanctions listed above may be imposed for any single violation.
      10. Students should be aware that infractions of the Code of Academic Conduct usually warrant a grade of a “WF” for the course and Honor Board probation of two semesters for a first offense. A conviction for a second offense warrants, and typically results in, suspension or expulsion from the University. In addition, the University reserves the right to withhold institutional support from a student’s application for graduate or professional school if violations of the Code are noted in the student’s academic record.
10. The Review of the Hearing Panel’s Recommendation
    1. The Associate Dean shall review pertinent materials, including the report of hearing and supporting documentation. If they disagree with the recommended sanction, they must provide the panel with notice and written reasons for disagreement. The Associate Dean having reviewed the report of the hearing and supporting documentation, shall promptly notify in writing the respondent, the complainant, and the chair of the hearing panel of their decision (generally, within three (3) working days after receipt of the hearing panel’s report).
11. Newcomb-Tulane College Students Taking School of Professional Advancement Classes
    1. Cases involving a student enrolled in the Newcomb-Tulane College (NTC) who is taking a class at the School of Professional Advancement (SoPA) will be processed under the NTC Code.  In cases where multiple students from multiple schools are involved, the respective Honor Boards will work cooperatively to adjudicate the charges under respective Codes.
12. Cases involving Simultaneous Student and Academic Conduct
    1. When a case involves a student who is accused of violating both the Code of Academic Conduct and the Code of Student Conduct, alleged academic violations will be adjudicated only once the Student Conduct process has concluded.

ARTICLE VII: Composition and Jurisdiction of the Honor Board and Hearing Panels

1. Composition of the Honor Board
   1. The Honor Board is composed of persons selected by the procedure below who may from time to time be asked to serve on Honor Board panels. The Honor Board shall consist of approximately four (4) to six (6) students and six (6) to eight (8) instructor members from the School’s academic programs. It shall be the goal of the Chair of the Honor Board to select representation proportional to enrollment from the School whenever possible. The size of the pool of members can be increased or decreased at the discretion of the Chair of the Honor Board. The Associate Dean shall have the right to remove any member of the Honor Board.
2. Selecting New Members and Officers of the Honor Board
   1. Selection of Students
      1. New student members of the Honor Board shall be chosen as needed; these students shall serve until graduation, interruption of residency, or until resigning their positions. The Honor Board will strive to achieve approximate representation across student classes and the School’s academic programs.
      2. No student who has been convicted of a violation of the Code may serve on the honor board.
   2. Selection of Instructor Members
      1. Instructor members of the Honor Board shall be chosen by  the Associate Dean and Program Directors and they will serve three-year, renewable terms.
3. Composition of Honor Board Hearing Panels
   1. Panels shall be constituted from five (5)  members of the Honor Board— with at least two students and two instructors whenever possible in addition to the Faculty Chair.  The panel shall hear cases and determine the responsibility of the respondent(s), and shall recommend appropriate penalties for implementation by the Faculty Chair of the Honor Board.  Should the Faculty Chair be unable to serve, the Associate Dean will assign an faculty member to replace them.
4. Honor Board Hearing Panel Procedure
   1. The Honor Board shall determine the rules of procedure for its hearing panels, subject to the approval of the Chair of the Honor Board.
5. Honor Board Hearing Panel Voting Rights
   1. Students and instructors are voting members of the Honor Board hearing panel and each member has one (1) vote.  The Chair of the Honor Board has no vote.

ARTICLE VIII: Record-Keeping

1. Records
   1. The Associate Dean shall maintain a record of Honor Board convictions. The record shall include a copy of evidence submitted to the hearing panel, the report of the hearing panel , and the Faculty Chair’s final action. 

ARTICLE IX: Appeals

Any student found responsible for violating this Code has a right to appeal the determination and/or consequences delivered for, and only for, specific reasons set forth below.

1. Appeal Process
   1. A respondent may appeal a decision of the Honor Board on the grounds of procedural error, new evidence, disproportionate sanction, or any combination of the three. Dissatisfaction with the results of a hearing is not itself a valid basis for appeal. Appeals are also not an occasion to engage in contempt of the process, administrators, or students who participated in Code process.
      1. Procedural error is defined as material deviation from procedures that substantially impacted determinations of responsibility or sanctions applied.
      2. New evidence is defined as new and substantial evidence that has appeared that could have not reasonably been discovered before the determination of responsibility was made.
      3. Disproportionate Sanctions are where sanctions are grossly disproportionate to the findings of responsibility.
   2. A respondent who wishes to request an appeal of a decision of the Honor Board hearing panel may do so by notifying in writing the Associate Dean within five (5) working days after being notified of the decision, except when the appeal is on the basis of new evidence, in which case more time may be granted by the Associate Dean.
   3. The respondent must submit an appeal document, consisting of a plain, concise, and complete written statement outlining the grounds for appeal and all relevant information to substantiate the basis for the appeal. The appeal must be sent to Associate Dean via email, who will acknowledge receipt of the written appeal.
2. Appellate Panel
   1. In accordance with the Constitution of the School of Professional Advancement Council, appellate panels shall be composed of three (3) faculty members of the Academic Performance Committee .
      1. No member who heard the original case may serve on the appellate panel.
3. Appellate Board Hearing Procedures
   1. The appellate board will assess the written appeal to determine whether the appeal is timely filed and, if so, whether the appeal is properly framed based on the permissible grounds. If they determine that the appeal does not properly fit within one of the three specific grounds for appeal, the appeal will be denied.
   2. If the appeal is properly filed, the appellate panel may offer impacted individuals the opportunity to review the written appeal and offer their perspectives in writing to the appellate panel. Typically, such responses must be submitted to the appellate panel within three (3) working days from being provided the appeal, but the appellate panel may extend this time at its discretion. If multiple individuals appeal, the appeal documents from each party will be considered together in one appeal process.
   3. In all appeals, the appellate panel will presume that decisions were made reasonably and appropriately, unless there is compelling information to the contrary. The burden of proof is on the appellant.  Appeals are not intended to be a rehearing of the matter. Most appeals consist of a review of the written documentation or record of the original hearing and pertinent documentation regarding the grounds for appeal. The appellate panel may speak to any impacted individuals, as appropriate.
   4. All information presented or discussed at an appellate panel hearing shall be confidential.
4. Appellate Decision
   1. Depending on the nature of the requested appeal(s), the appellate panel may, by majority vote:
      1. Affirm the determination of responsibility or the sanctions in whole or in part;
      2. Alter the determination of responsibility or the sanctions in whole or in part;
      3. Return the matter to a hearing panel with instructions to reconvene to cure a procedural error or reconsider the consequences delivered.  No situation will ever be remanded for reconsideration more than once.
   2. The appellate panel will transmit to the Associate Dean a written decision generally within fifteen (15) working days from the date of the submission of all appeal documents.  Appeal decisions are final with the exception of matters that are remanded for further consideration.
   3. The Associate Dean will notify in writing the respondent and the complainant of the outcome of the appeal.
5. Records
   1. All materials distributed during the appellate hearing shall be collected by the chair who shall deposit one copy of the materials in the School of Professional Advancement files. A copy of the report of the appellate panel and the action of the Associate Dean shall be included in the records of the Honor Board.
6. Attending Classes During the Appellate Processes
   1. Except when a student has interim measures that prevent them from appearing on campus, students may continue to attend classes during the appeal process. In the most serious cases, involving expulsion from the University, if the original verdict is upheld under appeal, then no academic credit can be earned for the semester in which the student was notified of the expulsion, nor for any further semester into which the appeal process might continue.
7. Students Exonerated
   1. Students exonerated as the result of the appeals process will have the original Honor Board verdict removed from their college record, and any institutional financial aid that had been withdrawn as a result of the conviction will be retroactively reinstated.

ARTICLE X: Amendments and Revisions

These regulations may be amended or revised with the approval of the School of Professional Advancement Curriculum & Educational Policy Committee. 

Graduate Code of Academic Conduct

The integrity of Tulane University is based on the absolute honesty of the entire University community in all academic endeavors. As part of the Tulane University community, graduate students have certain responsibilities regarding work that forms the basis for the evaluation of their academic achievement. Students are expected to be familiar with these responsibilities at all times. No member of the University Community should tolerate any form of academic dishonesty because the scholarly community of the University depends on the willingness of both instructors and students to uphold this Unified Code of Graduate Student Academic Conduct. When a violation of the Code is observed, it is the duty of every member of the University’s academic community who has evidence of the violation to take action. Students should take steps to uphold the Code by reporting any suspected offense to the instructor or the Dean of their School. Students should not, under any circumstances, tolerate any form of academic dishonesty.

In all work submitted, graduate students are expected to represent themselves honestly. The presence of a student's name on any work submitted in completion of an academic assignment is considered to be an assurance that the work and ideas are the result of the student's own intellectual effort, stated in their own words, and produced independently, unless clear and explicit acknowledgment of the sources for the work and ideas is included (with the use of quotation marks when quoting someone else’s words and proper citations). Tools permitted, including but not limited to computer programs, calculators, and artificial intelligence must be noted by the professor in the assignment. This principle applies, but is not limited to, to papers, tests, homework assignments, artistic productions, laboratory reports, computer programs, and other academic assignments.

Some schools and programs may have additional codes related to professional or ethical conduct in the course of study and training. Those codes function in addition to the Unified Code of Graduate Student Academic Conduct. Graduate students should review and be familiar with any such codes. 

All new graduate students in the Schools shall have access to a copy of this Code before the start of their first semester. Lack of familiarity with the Code or with the precise application of its principles to any specific instance is not an excuse for noncompliance.

ARTICLE I: DEFINITIONS

The terms below are used throughout this document and are defined as follows:

1. “Respondent” means any graduate student accused of violating the Code.
2. “Appellate Panel” means any person or persons from the Honor Board authorized by the Dean’s Designee to consider an appeal either of an Honor Board Hearing Panel’s determination or, of the sanctions imposed in a particular situation.
3. “Chairperson” means the Chair of an Honor Board Hearing Panel or Appellate Panel. The Chairperson must be a faculty member of the Honor Board. The Chairperson will lead the testimonies and deliberations during the hearing.
4. “Code” means this Unified Code of Graduate Student Academic Conduct.
5. “Dean’s Designee” means a School Official authorized by the Dean to coordinate Honor Board proceedings and impose sanctions upon any student(s) found to have violated the Code.  The Dean’s Designee will lead the hearing procedures.  In most cases, the Designee will be an Associate Dean of the School.
6. “School Official” means any person employed by a School to perform administrative or professional responsibilities.
7. “Reporter” means any person who submits a charge alleging that a student violated the Code.
8. “Dean” means the Dean of the School in which the Respondent is enrolled.
9. “Faculty” means those engaged in teaching and research appointed to appropriate faculty status by the Board of Administrators of the University in accordance with the existing constitutions of the various divisions of the University.  For purposes of Honor Board continuity, “faculty” is limited here to regular appointments, either part- or full-time, either tenure- or non-tenure track, but does not include special appointments.
10. “Graduate Student” means all persons enrolled at Tulane University pursuing postbaccalaureate studies on either a “for credit” or on an “audit” basis, and on either a full-time or part-time basis, including Research Dissertation and Masters. This includes, but is not limited to, students pursuing the Dr.P.H., eM.B.A., M.B.A., M.A., M.ARCHII, M.ACCT., M.D., M.F.A., M.FIN., M.L.A., M.P.H., M.P.S., M.S., M.S.W., M.A.T., and Ph.D. degrees as well as graduate certificates. “Graduate Students” also includes persons who withdraw after allegedly violating the Code, who are not officially enrolled for a particular term but who have a continuing relationship with Tulane, or who have been notified of their acceptance for admission. The only students not included in this policy are students of the Law School, including but not limited to students pursuing the J.D., L.L.M., and S.J.D. degrees. Those students are governed by the Law School Honor Code. 
11. “Honor Board” means those persons who may from time to time be asked to serve on an Honor Board Panel. Schools may have different procedures for selecting students and faculty to serve in the pool of potential members of an Honor Board.  The Dean shall have the right to nominate, suspend, or remove any member of the Honor Board from their school.
12. “Honor Board Hearing Panel” means any person or persons authorized by the Dean’s Designee to determine in a particular situation whether a student has violated the Code and to recommend sanctions that may be imposed when a Code violation has been committed.
13. “Instructor” means any person who conducts classroom or teaching activities for Tulane University. This includes dissertation or thesis advisors as well as advisors for capstone projects.
14. “Member of the University Community” means any person who is a student, Faculty, School Official, or any other person employed by Tulane University.  A person’s status shall be determined by the Dean’s Designee.
15. “Schools” means the Schools of Architecture, Business, Professional Advancement, Law, Liberal Arts, Medicine, Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Science and Engineering, and Social Work.
16. “Tulane University” or “University” here means collectively the Schools of Architecture, Business, Professional Advancement, Law, Liberal Arts, Medicine, Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Science and Engineering, and Social Work. 

ARTICLE II: CODE AUTHORITY

1. The Dean’s Designee shall determine the composition of Honor Board Hearing Panels and Appellate Panels in a manner consistent with provisions of the Code, as well as which Honor Board Panel and Appellate Board Panel shall be authorized to hear each mater.
2. The Dean’s Designee shall develop procedures for the conduct of Honor Board Hearing Panels and Appellate Panel hearings that are not inconsistent with provisions of the Code.
3. Decisions made by an Honor Board Panel and/or Dean’s Designee shall be final, pending the normal appeal process as outlined in the Code.
4. Allegations of harassment shall be addressed under Tulane University’s harassment policy. Allegations of research fraud shall be addressed under Tulane University’s fraud in research policy. All other policies regarding student life; e.g., alcohol policy, are covered under the Code of Student Conduct. (https://conduct.tulane.edu/code-conduct).

ARTICLE III: PROSCRIBED ACADEMIC CONDUCT

1. Jurisdiction of the Unified Code of Graduate Student Academic Conduct
   1. ​​​​The Code shall apply to academic conduct of each student from the time of application for admission through the actual awarding of a degree, even though academic conduct may occur before classes begin or after classes end, as well as during the academic year and during periods between terms of actual enrollment, and even if the academic conduct is not discovered until after a degree is awarded. The Code shall also apply to a student’s academic conduct even if the student withdraws from school while a disciplinary matter is pending.
2. Violations of the Unified Code of Graduate Student Academic Conduct 
   1. Any student behavior that has the effect of interfering with education, pursuit of knowledge, and/or a fair evaluation of a student's performance is considered a violation of the Code’s proscribed academic conduct. Any student found to have commited or to have attempted to commit the following misconduct is subject to the disciplinary sanctions outlined in this Code. The following are defined as academic conduct violations under the code:
      1. Cheating -- Giving, receiving, or using unauthorized assistance, information, or study aids in academic work, or preventing another from using authorized assistance, information, or study aids.  Consulting with any persons other than the course professor and teaching assistants regarding a take-home examination between the time the exam is distributed and the time it is submitted by the student for grading. Students should assume that all  take-home exams  are closed book and that they may not consult books, notes, or any other reference material unless explicitly permitted to do so by the instructor of the course.
      2. Plagiarism -- Unacknowledged or falsely acknowledged presentation of another person's ideas, expressions, or original research as one's own work whether intentional or unintentional. Such an act often gives the reader the impression that the student has written or thought something that they have in fact borrowed from another. Any paraphrasing or quotation must be appropriately acknowledged. Plagiarism also includes the unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling of term papers or other academic materials. Use of artificial intelligence generated material is a violation when presented as a student’s own work and/or used in a manner not explicitly authorized by the instructor. Please consult any of the available references on acknowledging sources in academic work for more information on documenting sources.
      3. Fabrication -- Submission of contrived or altered information in any academic exercise. This includes, but is not limited to, the creation of false data or research results, altering or manipulating data or results to misrepresent the findings, fabricating citations or sources, forging documents, and inventing or deliberately modifying information in academic submissions.
      4. False Information – Furnishing false information to any University official, instructor, or University office relating to any academic assignment or academic issue.
      5. Unauthorized collaboration -- Collaboration with other individuals, groups, organizations, or external resources that is not explicitly allowed by the instructor to obtain credit for examinations or course assignments.
      6. Multiple submission -- Presentation of a paper or other work for credit in two distinct courses without prior approval by both instructors.
      7. Sabotage -- Destroying or damaging another student's work, or otherwise preventing such work from receiving fair graded assessment.
      8. Unfair advantage -- Any behavior disallowed by an instructor that gives an advantage over other fellow students in an academic exercise.
      9. Facilitation of academic dishonesty -- Knowingly helping or attempting to help another student violate any provision of the Code.
      10. Tampering with academic records -- Misrepresenting, tampering with, or attempting to tamper with any portion of a student's academic record.
      11. Unauthorized access, sharing, or use – Providing third-party access to course materials on your individual learning management system site. This includes but is not limited to, sharing login credentials, uploading course materials to public or private forums, distributing copies of lectures, assignments, tests, or other resources provided through the learning management system, and aiding others in gaining unauthorized access. It also encompasses accessing course materials or information from another student’s account without permission.
      12. Improper disclosure -- Failure of an Honor Board member, witness or participant in an Honor Board hearing to maintain strict confidentiality concerning the identity of students accused of Honor Code violations.

Article IV: RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Instructors
   1. All instructors shall foster an environment which encourages adherence to the principles of honesty and integrity. Each instructor shall give specific directions concerning the nature of examinations and assignments, stating, for example, when collaboration is permissible, detailing the expectations regarding citations, any tools permitted, including AI, and outlining the consequences of academic dishonesty.  Each instructor shall be familiar with the principles and procedures of the Code. They shall report all suspected violations so that, for example, repeat offenders can be detected. Each instructor shall also appear and testify when called upon to do so by the Honor Board.
2. Students 
   1. All graduate students are expected to adhere to the principles of the Code. All academic work must be the result of the student's own efforts, except when collaboration or the use of other tools/aids has been explicitly allowed. If a student is unsure how a particular assignment is affected by the Code, it is the student’s responsibility to consult the Instructor. This applies not only to the student's own behavior, but also to the behavior of others.

ARTICLE V: REPORTING VIOLATIONS AND PREPARING FOR A HEARING

1. Reporting Suspected Violations
   1. Allegations of violation of the Code may be submitted in writing and directed to the Dean of the Respondent’s School, the Dean’s Designee, or the Faculty Chairperson.  Any charge should be submitted as soon as possible after the Reporter becomes aware of the relevant events or challenged actions and/or complained of actions, preferably within five (5) working days of becoming aware of the alleged violation.
2. Copy of the Charges
   1. If a violation of the Code is suspected, the Dean will appoint a designee (Dean’s Designee) who will provide the Respondent with a copy of the formal charge in writing: the nature and occasion of the alleged violation, the name of the Reporter, if available, copies of the documents pertinent to the allegation and a copy of the Code within seven (7) working days or as soon as is practical.
3. Dean’s Designee’s Initial Review
   1. If an alleged violation of the Code has been reported, the Dean’s Designee shall review the charge to confirm that the charge being made falls within the scope of this Code.  If, in the considered opinion of the Dean’s Designee, the charge is improper and should not be taken to a hearing, that decision should generally, when feasible, be communicated to the Respondent and Reporter within five (5) working days, the later of whom retains the right to have the Dean’s Designee’s decision reviewed by the Dean.
4. Respondent’s Review 
   1. If the charge is brought to a hearing, the hearing shall be held no less than five (5) working days and generally within ten (10) working days after the Respondent receives notification of the charges; an extension to this period may be granted by the Dean’s Designee, if deemed necessary.
5. Administrative Disposition 
   1. If the Respondent in the case informs the Dean’s Designee that they plan to plead responsible, the Respondent may waive the hearing and the penalty for violating the Code will be a reduced grade for the relevant course or assignment, an educational requirement, and at least one semester of honor board probation, assigned by the Dean’s Designee. The Respondent must also sign a statement acknowledging the violation and the penalty, and in the case of a Code violation involving multiple students, the signed statement will become part of the record in the hearing for any of the other students that do not plead responsible. A student may elect this option only if they have no prior convictions and if the violation, in the opinion of the Dean’s Designee, would not likely result in suspension from the University if the student were to appear before a Hearing Panel. Administrative disposition of the case will appear on the Respondent’s record as a violation of the Code.
6. Witnesses
   1. The Dean’s Designee shall consult with the Reporter and the Respondent, if necessary, to ascertain what witnesses should be called in the Hearing, to make sure that all concerned understand the workings of the Code.
7. Right to an Advisor
   1. The Respondent has the right to be assisted by an advisor of their choice (to be selected from a list of faculty familiar with the workings of the Honor Code). The Dean’s Designee can provide the Respondent with a list of potential advisors. The Dean’s Designee may not act as the Respondent’s advisor. The advisor may not have an attorney-client relationship with the person advised. The Respondent is responsible for presenting their own information, and therefore, an advisor is not permitted to speak or to participate directly in any Honor Board hearing. A student who selects an advisor should ensure that the advisor’s schedule allows attendance at the scheduled date and time of the hearing because delays will not normally be allowed due to the scheduling conflicts of an advisor.
8. Students with Physical Impairments
   1. A Respondent with a physical impairment that may impact her or his ability to effectively participate in a Hearing or Appellate Panel; e.g., hearing impairment, may request additional assistance through the Dean’s Designee. The Dean’s Designee, in consultation with the staff from the Goldman Center for Student Accessibility, will determine the appropriate accommodations, if any. 

ARTICLE VI: COMPOSITION AND JURISDICTION OF THE HONOR BOARD  AND HEARING PANELS

1. Composition of the Honor Board 
   1. The Honor Board is composed of persons selected by the Dean who may from time to time be asked to serve on an Honor Board Panel. The Honor Board shall consist of graduate students and faculty from the Schools. The Dean shall have the right to nominate, suspend, or remove any member of the Honor Board from their School.
2. Selecting New Members and Officers of the Honor Board
   1. Selection of Graduate Students
      1. New graduate student members of the Honor Board shall be appointed by the Dean in consultation with the relevant graduate student governing body in each School. The Sr. Vice President for Academic Affairs or their designee will determine the number of graduate students members needed from each School at the beginning of each fall term.
         1. No student who has been found responsible for a violation of the Code may serve in the Honor Board.
   2. Selection of Faculty Members
      1. Faculty members of the Honor Board shall be chosen by the Dean of their schools and will generally serve two-year terms. The Sr. Vice President for Academic Affairs or their designee will determine the number of faculty members needed from each School at the beginning of each fall term.
3. Composition of Honor Board Hearing Panels
   1. Panels shall be constituted from five (5) members of the Honor Board - three graduate students and two faculty. At least one student must be from the Respondent’s school. Similarly, at least one of the faculty members must be from the Respondent’s school. One Faculty Chairperson shall preside during each hearing. The Honor Board Hearing Panel shall hear cases and determine if the Respondent is responsible or not responsible, and shall recommend appropriate penalties for implementation by the Dean’s Designee.
4. Honor Board Hearing Panel Voting Rights
   1. Students and faculty are voting members of the Honor Board Hearing Panel and have one (1) vote each.  No abstentions are allowed.

ARTICLE VII: HONOR BOARD PANEL HEARINGS

1. Purpose of Hearings 
   1. The purpose of the hearing is to provide the graduate student with an opportunity to be heard and to supply the Honor Board Hearing Panel with the relevant information necessary to reach a decision. It should be noted that a hearing is not a legal procedure and as such, formal rules of process, procedure, and/or technical rules of evidence, such as are applied in criminal or civil court, are not used in Code proceedings. Polygraph tests are not admissible as evidence.
2. Hearing Date 
   1. The Honor Board will make every effort to process cases in a timely manner. The Dean’s Designee will convene an Honor Board Hearing Panel to allow the Chairperson and panel members to review the charges brought against the student. Every effort will be made to convene that hearing within ten (10) working days after the Respondent has been apprised of the charges in writing.
3. End of the Semester Offenses 
   1. If the offense is reported at the end of the semester and a sufficient number of board members with appropriate representation from the student’s school are unavailable to hear a case, the Dean’s Designee may form an ad hoc panel composed of three faculty members (one from the student’s school) and two students. If the case must be heard by an ad hoc panel, it will be heard as soon as possible and generally not later than fourteen (14) working days after the end of final exams when feasible.
4. Failure to Appear
   1. If a Respondent, having been duly notified, does not appear before an Honor Board Hearing Panel, the information in support of the charges shall be presented and the hearing shall proceed.
5. Testimony
   1. If a person is called before an Honor Board Hearing Panel, the person is obligated to be completely honest because the charges against the Respondent can result in suspension or expulsion from the University. It is every member of the University community’s duty to ensure that the principles of the Code are upheld and that the procedures are properly followed.
6. Procedures for Honor Board Hearing Panel
   1. Honor Board hearings shall be conducted in private.
   2. Honor Board hearings shall be conducted virtually, using Zoom or a similar virtual tool in the University’s suite of technology.
   3. The Dean’s Designee and Chairperson shall preside over each Honor Board Hearing Panel. They shall see that a recording is made of all testimony. The Chairperson shall submit a written report of the hearing, accompanied by a recording of all testimony and a copy of all evidence presented, to the Dean’s Designee generally within two (2) working days after the hearing.
   4. There shall be a single record of all Honor Board Hearings. Deliberations of an Honor Board Panel shall not be recorded. The record shall be the property of the School. The record shall be retained by the School only until all appeals have been exhausted or a determination has otherwise become final, or such longer period as may be required by law, rule or regulation.
   5. The Respondent has the right to be assisted by an advisor of their choice (to be selected from a list of faculty familiar with the workings of the Honor Code). The Dean’s Designee can provide the Respondent with a list of potential advisors. The advisor must be a member of the University community and may not have an attorney-client relationship with the person advised. The Dean’s Designee may not act as the Respondent’s advisor. The Respondent is responsible for presenting their own information, and therefore, advisors are not permitted to speak or to participate directly in any Honor Board Panel Hearing. A student who selects an advisor should ensure that the advisor’s schedule allows attendance at the scheduled date and time of the Honor Board Hearing Panel because delays will not normally be allowed due to the scheduling conflicts of an advisor.
   6. Pertinent records, documents, and written statements may be accepted as information for consideration by an Honor Board Hearing Panel at the discretion of the Dean’s Designee.
   7. All procedural questions are subject to the final decision of the Dean’s Designee of the Honor Board Hearing Panel. Formal rules of process, procedure, and/or technical rules of evidence, such as are applied in criminal or civil court, are not used in Code proceedings.
   8. At the beginning of the hearing, the Dean’s Designee shall read the charges against the Respondent. Normally the Complainant (if any) will give testimony first, followed by supporting witnesses, followed by the Respondent and supporting witnesses, and then by other witnesses, if any. Any of the preceding may be recalled for further testimony if clarification is necessary. The Chairperson shall inform the Respondent and any witnesses of the following before testimony begins:
      1. False testimony given in a hearing is a violation of the Unified Code of Graduate Student Academic Conduct. 
      2. All testimony given in an Honor Board hearing is to be held in the strictest confidence. 
      3. All witnesses must be called to give substantive testimony rather than character testimony.  
   9. The Respondent may make a statement before the Honor Board, examine or dispute any evidence, make no statement, or decline to respond to any questions.
   10. The Reporter, the Respondent, and any witnesses will be brought before the Hearing Panel independently and separately of one another to give testimony. If the Reporter and/or Respondent in the hearing cannot be present, written testimony will be accepted.
   11. After hearing all evidence and witnesses in the case, the Honor Board Hearing Panel will vote to determine if the Respondent is responsible or not responsible based on whether it is more likely than not that the Respondent violated the Code; a (simple) majority is necessary for a finding of responsible. No member of the Honor Board Hearing Panel will be allowed to vote unless they have been present to hear all the evidence in the case.
   12. If the Respondent is judged not responsible, there will be no report of the case on their college record.
   13. If the Respondent is found responsible for violating the Code, the Honor Board Hearing Panel will recommend sanctions.
7. Sanctions 
   1. Sanctions for violations of the Code are imposed on the basis of the gravity of the infraction, the number of infractions, the harm or potential harm to the University community, and any history of repeated violations by the student. In all cases of findings of responsibility, the offense is noted permanently in the academic record of the student. The appropriate sanctions to be recommended by the Honor Board Hearing Panel to the Dean’s Designee may include but are not limited to: 
      1. Honor Board Probation: signifying that a student is not in good academic  standing for a specified length of time, often for one or two semesters. The student may remain at Tulane University but may be required to satisfy specified conditions or requirements, or report regularly to a designated administrator. Honor Board Probation spans a proscribed period of time during which a student is prohibited from 1) serving as an officer in a student organization, 2) transferring credit from another institution, and 3) graduating from the university. As long as a student has no other honor board violations during the period of Honor Board Probation, there is no record of this probation on the student’s permanent record, and the student will return to academic good standing.
      2. Educational requirements: which may require the completion of projects, programs, or other such requirements designed for student development purposes. Examples include online workshops for citation, TEDx/podcast with reflection essay and in-person consultation. 
      3. Lowering of a grade to zero, for an assignment or test; the Honor Board may stipulate that if a student chooses to withdraw from a course after receiving a grade sanction for an Honor Code violation, the student's record will reflect a grade of "WF" for the course in which the sanction was assessed. This is the sanction that will be applied if the Respondent waives their right to a hearing in accordance with Article V. Section 5.
      4. A grade of “F” or "WF" in a course.
      5. Suspension from the University for a period of time.
      6. Expulsion from the University. g. Admission to or a degree awarded by any School within Tulane University may be revoked for violation of the Code.
      7. More than one of the sanctions listed above may be imposed for any single violation
   2. Students should be aware that infractions of the Unified Code of Graduate Student Academic Conduct that go to an Honor Board Hearing Panel usually warrant a grade of  “F” or “WF” for the course and Honor Board probation of two semesters for a first offense. Students should also be aware that they may not be allowed to continue in their program after receiving the “F” or “WF” if that puts them in violation of their program’s minimum standards for grades or overall GPA. A conviction for a second offense warrants, and typically results in, expulsion from the University. In addition, the University reserves the right to withhold institutional support from a student's application for study at another institution if violations of the Code are noted in the student's academic record.
8. The Dean’s Designee shall review all pertinent materials. If the Dean’s Designee disagrees with the recommended sanction, they must provide the Hearing Panel with the reasons for disagreement. The Dean’s Designee, having reviewed all pertinent information, shall notify in writing the student, the faculty, and the Chair of the Hearing Panel of their decision generally within five (5) working days after receipt of the hearing panel's report. 

ARTICLE VIII: DUTIES OF THE SCHOOL

1. Records
   1. The School shall maintain and retain a permanent record of all honor board convictions involving her or his students for as long as may be required by law, rules or regulations. The record shall include a copy of all evidence submitted to the hearing panel, the report of the Chairperson to the Dean’s Designee, and the Dean's Designees' final action. Copies of the later two documents shall be maintained in separate, permanent records of the Honor Board. The recording of the hearing should be preserved only until all appeals have been exhausted or such longer period as may be required by law, rule or regulation.
   2. From the permanent record, the Dean’s Designee shall note in the school records any conviction and the sanction imposed. This information shall be available only to that student unless the student waives his or her right of exclusive access under the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.  Access to the recording and other information concerning a case during the process of adjudication shall be reserved for members of the Honor Board Panel or, if necessary, the Appeal Panel. The right to access these materials or copies of them from the school's records shall be restricted to the Honor Board panel Chairperson, the Dean and Dean’s Designee, and the Appeal Panel during the hearing and appeal processes.

ARTICLE IX: APPEALS

1. Appeal Process
   1. Dissatisfaction with the results of a hearing is not itself a valid basis for appeal. Appeals are also not an occasion to engage in contempt of the process, administrators, or students who participated in Code process. A respondent may appeal the decision on the grounds of:
      1. Procedural error is defined as material deviation from procedures that substantially impacted determinations of responsibility or sanctions applied.
      2. New evidence is defined as new and substantial evidence that has appeared that could have not reasonably been discovered before the determination of responsibility was made, and that could have substantially impacted determinations of responsibility.
      3. Disproportionate Sanctions are where sanctions are grossly disproportionate to the findings of responsibility.
   2. A Respondent who wishes to request an appeal of a decision of the Honor Board Hearing Panel may do so by notifying in writing the Dean’s Designee within seven (7) working days after being notified of the Dean's Designees' decision, except when the appeal is on the basis of new evidence, in which case more time may be granted upon request by the Dean’s Designee. Students requesting an appeal on the basis of new evidence may, with the permission of the Dean’s Designee, listen to a copy of the recording of the original hearing in the presence of an officer of the Honor Board. Access to the recording will not be provided to any other individual.
   3. The appeal document must be in writing and must provide evidence of procedural error, excessive sanction, and/or new evidence.
2. Appellate Panel
   1. The Dean’s Designee shall convene a panel of three members of the Honor Board to form an Appellate Panel to review the student’s request for appeal, including one member who will serve as the Appellate Panel Chairperson, and one other student and one faculty of the board where the student and faculty can be from any School.
   2. No member who heard the original case may serve on the Appellate Panel. If this Panel of three decides that an appeal should be granted, this panel will conduct the appeal hearing as soon as possible.
   3. The review panel may uphold the original decision, alter the sanction, or set the decision aside and refer the case back to the Honor Board for a new hearing
3. Appellate Board Hearing Procedures
   1. An appellate hearing is not a retrial, but rather a careful examination of points raised in a letter of appeal and is conducted in private.
   2. Persons other than the three-member Appellate Panel who may be present during an appellate hearing include:
      1. the Respondent, who may state his or her reasons for appeal;
      2. material witnesses, who may appear if the accused is presenting new evidence;
      3. the Chairperson of the hearing panel that originally heard the case who shall summarize the case as heard by the panel and address the grounds for the appeal, and;
      4. additional appointees consistent with Article V, Section 8.
   3. The Reporter in the original case should generally not be present, unless the accused presents new evidence, either through witness testimony and/or documentation.
   4. All information presented or discussed at an Appellate Panel hearing shall be confidential.
   5. All members of the Appellate Panel present for the appellate hearing shall receive a copy of all pertinent information and a copy of the student's document of appeal.
   6. The Appellate Panel Chairperson shall ensure that an audio recording is made of all testimony and placed in the school’s files. The record shall be the property of the School. The record shall be retained by the School only until either all appeals have been exhausted, or a determination has otherwise become final, or such longer period as may be required by law, rule or regulation.
   7. A Respondent shall present his or her document of appeal and may call material witnesses if new evidence is submitted.
   8. The Appellate Panel Chairperson shall inform the Respondent and any witnesses of the following before testimony begins.
      1. False testimony given in a hearing is a violation of the Code.
      2. All testimony given in a hearing is to be held in the strictest confidence. 
      3. All witnesses must be called to give substantive testimony rather than as character witness testimony. 
   9. Pertinent records, documents, and written statements may be accepted as information for consideration by an Appellate Panel at the discretion of the Chairperson.
   10. All procedural questions are subject to the final decision of the Chairperson of the Appellate Panel. Formal rules of process, procedure, and/or technical rules of evidence, such as are applied in criminal or civil court, are not used in Code proceedings.
   11. The Appellate Panel shall deliberate in private and decisions of the Appellate Panel shall be by majority vote.
4. Appellate Decision 
   1. The Appellate Panel may uphold the hearing panel's decision, alter the sanction, or set the decision aside and return the case to the honor board for a new hearing. This decision shall be communicated in writing to the Dean’s Designee and the presiding officer of the Honor Board Hearing Panel that originally heard the case within one (1) working day. The Dean’s Designee shall inform the student of the decision generally within (3) working days of receipt of notification by the Chair. If the decision is made to uphold the original decision and sanction, the matter shall be considered final and binding upon all involved.
5. Records
   1. All printed material distributed during the appellate hearing shall be collected by the Appellate Panel Chairperson who shall deposit one copy of the printed materials and recording in the school’s files. A copy of the report of the Appellate Panel and the action of the Dean’s Designee shall be included in the records of the Honor Board.
6. Attending Classes During the Appellate Process 
   1. Students may continue to attend classes during the appeal process. In the most serious cases, involving expulsion from the University, if the original verdict is upheld under appeal, then no academic credit can be earned for the semester in which the student was notified by the Dean’s Designee of the expulsion, nor for any further semester into which the appeal process might continue. If the decision to expel the student is upheld, they will be eligible for a tuition refund only for the semester(s) during which the appeal was ongoing.
7. Students Exonerated 
   1. Students exonerated as the result of the appeal process will have the original honor code verdict removed from their college record and any institutional financial aid that had been withdrawn as a result of the conviction will be retroactively reinstated. 

AMENDMENTS AND REVISIONS

These regulations may be amended or revised with the written approval of the Tulane University’s Graduate and Professional Student Association and the Graduate Council. 

Conduct

Responsible adult behavior is expected of students in SoPA in both scholastic and non-scholastic affairs. Violations of the rules and regulations, including those on academic honesty, lead to disciplinary action by a dean of SoPA, the office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, or other appropriate university authority.  For a thorough description of expectations and procedures, please refer to the Code of Student Conduct .  

Discipline

Departures from acceptable conduct may lead to fines, disciplinary probation, suspension or expulsion. Disciplinary probation (which refers to conduct and not to academic standing) and suspension usually are imposed for a stated period. Suspension and expulsion involve exclusion from classes and from all University activities. Students suspended or expelled will receive Ws or WFs in all courses at the discretion of the dean. Expulsion is the most serious academic penalty and is permanent. It is noted on the student's record and included on transcripts issued thereafter. Suspension is noted on the student's record and on transcripts issued while the penalty is in effect, but the notice is removed from the transcript at the end of the suspension. Transfer credits cannot be accepted for students who attend other colleges or universities while ineligible for any reason to continue in SoPA.

Reporting to the Dean

All students must report to a dean of SoPA, to the Vice President for Student Affairs, to their advisor, or to their instructors, without delay, when notified to do so.

Grievance Committee

The SoPA Grievance Committee is composed of three faculty and two student members and the assistant dean for student support and success as a non-voting member. One of the committee's duties is to hear students' grievances and complaints against Tulane University and SoPA or Tulane personnel, including the faculty. The Grievance Committee deals with issues such as the grading system and unfair treatment. Students desiring a hearing before the committee must submit their requests in writing to the associate or assistant dean.

Students may appeal the decision of the Grievance Committee in writing to the SoPA Dean under the following circumstances: new evidence or significant evidence or material that would have likely changed the outcome of the Grievance Committee’s decision.  This appeal must be submitted within five business days of transmission of the decision of the Grievance Committee to the student.  The decision of the Dean is final.

Right to Privacy

Privacy of students' records and affairs is protected under the Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 as amended (P.L. 93-380) and by policies issued by the Tulane University Board of Administrators: a university must allow a student the opportunity to review and inspect his or her educational records; a university must give a student the opportunity to challenge the content of his or her records under certain circumstances; a university must not grant access to or allow disclosure of a student's records to outside parties, unless such disclosure is specifically permitted under the law or is made with the student's written consent; a university must notify students of their rights under the law. For further details, contact the Office of Student Affairs at 504-314-2188.

Degree Requirements

• Undergraduate
  • School of Professional Advancement Requirements
• Graduate
  • General Graduate School Requirements
  • Academic Progress Requirements

Undergraduate

School of Professional Advancement Requirements

Undergraduate degrees offered at SoPA fulfill the mission of the school by providing students with high quality, distinctive education across a range of disciplines, along with applied skills, as relevant to their area(s) of study.  As part of their undergraduate education at SoPA, students must demonstrate proficiency in writing, quantitative reasoning, and a foreign language or global perspectives.  Students must also show distribution of knowledge by completing coursework in humanities, social sciences, and science.  Additional core requirements of the bachelor’s degree at SoPA include coursework in American government, oral communication, and race and inclusion. The proficiency, distribution, and supplemental undergraduate degree requirements are known as the SoPA Core Curriculum.

Bachelor's Degree

To receive a first baccalaureate degree from SoPA, students must have a minimum of 120 credits of passing work, as follows:

Proficiency Requirements

Course List

Course ID	Title	Credits
English/Writing		7
Quantitative Reasoning		3-6*
Foreign Language or Global Perspectives		6

* For BA students, the Quantitative Reasoning requirements = 3 credits; for BS and BSN students, the Quantitative Reasoning requirements = 6.  

Supporting Requirement

Course List

Course ID	Title	Credits
Oral Communications		3
Race & Inclusion		3
American Government		3

(Oral Communication and American Government are not required for students majoring in disciplines in the School of Liberal Arts and the School of Science and Engineering)

Distribution Requirements

(BA or BS with a SoPA major, BSN)

A course can only satisfy one of the distribution areas.

Course List

Course ID	Title	Credits
Humanities		12
Science		12
Social Science		12

Students majoring in Liberal Arts and Sciences disciplines that are outside of SoPA should refer to the Newcomb-Tulane College graduation requirements.  

Major Requirements

Undergraduate students have the opportunity to select a single area of study in which to gain deeper knowledge and mastery of a subject. SoPA undergraduate students must declare a major prior to earning 90 credit hours. This requires completion of the SoPA Major Declaration Form, which must have documented approval (i.e. a signature) from a SoPA academic advisor. Degree-seeking students who have completed 90 credit hours and have not declared a major will have a hold placed on future course registrations.

Courses taken to satisfy Proficiency, Supporting, and Distribution Requirements may be used to fulfill major and minor requirements. However, no more than six credits in the major may overlap with the minor. Students must have a grade point average of 2.0 in the major to receive the degree.

At any point, students may change their majors.  However, students who change their majors should understand that previously completed coursework may not apply to the newly selected major, and that additional coursework may be necessary to meet the major requirements.

SoPA undergraduate majors require between 30 and 45 credits.  The nursing major is 60 hours and housed in the School of Medicine.

Minor Option

SoPA students may elect to complete one or more minors, which is indicated on the SoPA Major Declaration Form.  SoPA minors are typically 15-18 credits.  Students who elect to complete the requirements for a minor must earn a grade-point average of at least 2.000 in courses counting toward that minor.

Electives

Students will complete electives as needed to reach a total of 120 credits.

Minimum Requirements to Graduate

Undergraduate students must have a cumulative 2.0 grade point average to graduate. They must also have a minimum 2.0 grade point average in their major(s) and, if applicable, their minor(s). For SoPA majors, at least 60 credits must be earned in courses at the 2000 level or higher.

No more than half the credits used toward satisfying graduation requirements may be in the major. Students may take no more than 70 credits each of humanities, science, and social science. This includes credits in the major.

Up to 6 credits of electives earned in courses with designations such as Independent Study, Special Projects, Directed Study, and Practicum will count toward graduation requirements. Students who must exceed this limit are required to petition the dean's office.

English Writing Requirements

ENGL 1010 Writing (4 c.h.), a 4-credit intensive writing course, is Tulane's writing proficiency requirement. Students must demonstrate writing proficiency by the end of their first year at SoPA. Writing proficiency may be demonstrated by: successful completion of ENGL 1010 Writing (4 c.h.) or ENGL 1011 Writing for Academic Purposes (4 c.h.), or a grade of C or better in a course equivalent to ENGL 1010 Writing (4 c.h.) from a regionally accredited institution, or an Advanced Placement score of 4 or better in either “English Literature and Composition” or “English Language and Composition” (or a similar A.P. exam). Students who do not demonstrate writing proficiency after their first year at SoPA will have a hold placed on future course registrations.

Students who need to review basic English skills before enrolling in ENGL 1010 Writing (4 c.h.) may wish to take PAEN 1000 Academic Writing and Reading (3 c.h.) for elective credit. PAEN 1000 Academic Writing and Reading (3 c.h.) does not count toward the completion of the writing requirement.

Upon completing the mandatory first-year writing course ENGL 1010, SoPA students must also complete at least one 3-credit upper-level writing course. These include intensive writing courses such as PAEN 2630 Expository Writing (4 c.h.)/ENLS 3630 Expository Writing (4 c.h.) and ENLS 3650 Persuasive Writing (4 c.h.) , and designated writing courses offered within a specific SoPA discipline.  These designated writing courses offer students additional opportunities for sharpening writing skills in disciplines where instructors have incorporated additional writing activities and instruction into the curriculum. Designated writing courses that satisfy this requirement are indicated in the Tulane Class Schedule.   A designated writing course may be a “Writing across the Curriculum” course, which can also be used to fulfill a major, minor, or distribution requirement.  

Quantitative Reasoning Requirement

Students working toward a Bachelor of Arts Degree in a SoPA discipline are required to demonstrate competency in at least 3 credits of quantitative reasoning, while students working towards a Bachelor of Science Degree in a SoPA discipline or the Bachelor of Science in Nursing are required to demonstrate competency in at least 6 credits  by passing any mathematics course, CPST 1070 Discrete Math for Information Technology (3 c.h.),  BSLS 3250 Business Statistics (3 c.h.),  DATA 1010 Introduction to Data (3 c.h.), or PAMT 1100 Quantitative Analysis (3 c.h.).  A course that meets the quantitative reasoning may also fulfill a major or minor requirement.  Students should check the curriculum in the major or minor to determine if specific quantitative reasoning courses are required.  

Students majoring in Liberal Arts and Sciences disciplines that are outside of SoPA may not use CPST 1070 Discrete Math for Information Technology (3 c.h.),  BSLS 3250 Business Statistics (3 c.h.) , or PAMT 1100 Quantitative Analysis (3 c.h.) to satisfy this requirement. Please refer to the Newcomb-Tulane College graduation requirements.  

Foreign Language/Global Perspectives Requirement

Students pursuing any bachelor's degree offered by SoPA must demonstrate foreign language proficiency through successful completion of the second level in any foreign language, or complete two courses designated as Global Perspectives. Students may also blend one language and one Global Perspectives course. Please consult the SoPA website for a list of possible Global Perspectives courses.  

Supporting Requirements

Oral Communication

Students majoring in SoPA disciplines are required to complete one course in oral communications (Any SPEC course, BSLS 2250 Business Communications (3 c.h.), NRSG 4800 Management and Leadership in Nursing (3 c.h.) or THEA 2100 Fundamentals of Acting (3 c.h.)).  A course that meets the oral communication degree requirement may also fulfill a major or minor requirement.  Students should check the curriculum in the major or minor to determine if specific oral communication courses are required.  

Race & Inclusion

SoPA students will complete one course that focuses on race and inclusion in the United States.  Courses that fulfill this requirement will focus at least 60% of their content on race and inclusion in the United States.   A course that meets the Race & Inclusion degree requirement may also fulfill a major or minor requirement.  Students should check the curriculum in the major or minor to determine if specific Race & Inclusion courses are required. 

American Government

SoPA students must also complete one course in American government. This requirement may be fulfilled by GLSP 4350 Law and Government in American Society (3 c.h.) or POLA 2100 American Government (3 c.h.).  A course that meets the American Government requirement may also fulfill a major or minor requirement.  Students should check the curriculum in the major or minor to determine if specific American Government courses are required.  Other courses may also satisfy the American Government requirement, with the approval of the SoPA associate dean for academic affairs.

Courses that fulfill the Proficiency and Supporting Requirements including the race & inclusion, global perspectives, oral communication, and American government requirements may also be used to satisfy SoPA baccalaureate general education distribution requirements (humanities, science, and social science).

Students majoring in Liberal Arts and Sciences disciplines that are outside of SoPA should refer to the Newcomb-Tulane College graduation requirements.  

Distribution Requirement

Students majoring in SoPA disciplines are required to complete 12 credits each of humanities/fine arts, sciences, and social sciences. In each distribution area, courses must be chosen from at least two different disciplines.

Students majoring in Liberal Arts and Sciences disciplines that are outside of SoPA should refer to the Newcomb-Tulane College graduation requirements.  

Residency

At least 60 credits of a student's degree program must be completed at Tulane University, with the final 30 taken while enrolled in SoPA. 

Graduate

The School of Professional Advancement awards a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT), Master of Education (MEd), Master of Liberal Arts (MLA), Master of Professional Studies (MPS), Master of Public Administration (MPA), or Master of Science (MS), upon successful completion of the major course requirements for one of these programs.  Please refer to the individual program for specific coursework requirements. No thesis is required. Students may not apply more than two independent study courses toward graduation requirements. In order to earn a master’s degree, a student must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.00. Students must also submit an application for degree at the beginning of the semester in which the student plans to complete all required coursework and graduate. This application must be completed with the student’s academic advisor.

General Graduate School Requirements

A full description of Master's degree requirements for all students can be found in the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies section of this catalog. Students should review these policies thoroughly.  Graduate degrees offered at SoPA provide students with in-depth knowledge and mastery in professional disciplines and liberal arts.

Academic Progress Requirements

Students admitted to study at the master’s level at SoPA must maintain an overall grade point average of 3.00 or better to be considered in good academic standing. Students whose cumulative grade point average falls below 3.00 will be placed on academic probation, which will require a written academic development plan. Students will be removed from academic probation when they earn an overall grade point average of at least 3.00.

Graduate students who receive a grade lower than a B- in any coursework attempted will be placed on academic probation. Students who earn two grades below a B- will be dismissed. Courses in which a student earns a grade of C+ or lower cannot be counted towards a master’s degree.

Undergraduate

Minor

Professional Certificates

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Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

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Graduate

Certificate

The Program of Nursing is an innovative collaboration between the School of Medicine and the School of Professional Advancement. The program is a School of Medicine program with the baccalaureate degree conferred by the School of Professional Advancement. 

More information for the Tulane University Program of Nursing may be found here Program of Nursing home page, including:

• Academic Policies*
• Admission Requirements
• Degree Requirements
• Programs
• Courses

*The Academic Policies and Procedures for the Program of Nursing, where different, supersede those of the School of Professional Advancement.