School of Public Health undergraduate students will follow Portland State University (PSU) policy guidelines and procedures.
View the comprehensive list of PSU’s policies.
University Requirements
School of Public Health undergraduate students must meet all of PSU’s undergraduate degree requirements in order to earn a baccalaureate. Undergraduate degree requirements include the following:
- General University Requirements, including minimum credit requirements, credit limitations, and minimum grade point average (GPA) requirements
- University Studies – General Education Requirements
- University Writing Requirement
- Specific Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, or Bachelor of Science Degree)
- Requirements for the Major
- Second Language Competency (if admitted with a high school second language deficiency).
Minimum Grade Point Average (GPA)
School of Public Health undergraduate students must have a minimum overall cumulative GPA of 2.0, and a minimum 2.0 GPA for all courses in the major, in order to earn a baccalaureate.
Course Grade Requirements
School of Public Health undergraduate students must earn a grade of C-minus or higher in all core, required, and elective program courses, and must repeat any core or required course for which a grade lower than a C-minus is earned. Courses for which a grade lower than a C-minus is earned are not acceptable for credit. For courses graded P/NP, only “P” grades are acceptable for credit.
When repeating a course due to poor performance (grade below a C-minus), students must re-register for the course, and will be charged the associated tuition and fees. Tuition and fees will not be waived.
Some courses are offered under both differentiated and undifferentiated grading options. The default grading option is A-F, but students may choose the P/NP option, if available, during the pre-term registration period and first seven weeks of a term. The P/NP may only be used for courses outside the major or for internship and practicum credits.
Students may not choose P/NP if they are:
- Repeating a course for which they received a differentiated (A-F) grade – See PSU repeat policy for more information.
- Prohibited from doing so by academic major or university degree requirements. Undergraduates are limited to 45 Pass credits. No more than 20 of those Pass credits can be earned within the final 45 degree credits.
Academic Standing
Good Standing
Undergraduate students are expected to be in good academic standing throughout their studies. Good standing is defined in undergraduate programs as maintaining a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.00.
Academic Warning
Undergraduate students with 12 or more attempted credits whose cumulative PSU GPA falls below 2.00 will be placed on academic warning, and will have a hold preventing course registration applied to their student record. They must participate in an online Academic Success Workshop or meet with their pathway advisor to have the hold lifted.
Students placed on Academic Warning are limited to a maximum of 13 credits in future terms unless approved for more by an Academic Advisor
Students on Academic Warning often are also placed into Warning Status for financial aid eligibility. Please note that these processes for these are separate. Check your financial aid status on your Banweb account under the Financial Aid tab. Financial aid counselors are available to meet with you to explain your status. Learn more about the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy or schedule an appointment with a financial aid counselor.
Portland State University is committed to your success and looks forward to working with you to improve your academic standing. For more information, please review PSU’s Academic Standing standards.
Academic Probation
Students on academic warning will be placed on academic probation if they do not meet at least one of the following requirements in their next term of enrollment:
- Achieve a cumulative PSU GPA of 2.00, thereby returning to good standing, or
- Earn a GPA for the given term of 2.25 or above, thereby remaining on academic warning and subject to the same requirements in the next term.
Students on academic probation are limited to a maximum of 13 credits per term unless approved for more by an Academic Advisor.
Academic Dismissal
Students on academic probation will be dismissed at the end of the term if they do not meet at least one of the following requirements:
- Achieve a cumulative PSU GPA of 2.00, thereby returning to good standing, or
- Earn a PSU GPA for the given term of 2.25 or above, thereby remaining on academic probation and subject to the same requirements for the next term.
Visit PSU’s Academic Standing standards web page for more information about the dismissal and appeals.
Academic Dishonesty
Students are expected to complete their own coursework at all times. In most cases, plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty will result in the grade of zero for the work involved and may result in the grade of “F” for the course and/or referral to SPH administration and PSU Dean of Students.
Student Code of Conduct
PSU’s Student Code of Conduct describes expected standards of student behavior. Behavior violating the code is subject to disciplinary action.
Transfer of Credit Policy
PSU is responsible for evaluating all transcripts from other institutions and assigning appropriate credit. Refer to PSU’s Basic Transfer Rules for more information.
If courses are deemed equivalent, they will be matched to current PSU courses required for degree, moved into general electives and will fulfill PSU and or major requirements. Students are advised to meet with their advisor or Undergraduate Program Director to determine if they have additional transfer coursework that can be applied to their major.
Incomplete Coursework
Assignment of an Incomplete grade is at the discretion of the course instructor. The grade of ‘I’ (Incomplete) is assigned when a student’s work is of passing quality and meets the following criteria:
- Satisfactory course completion/participation: The student must have successfully completed the majority of the course work at the time the Incomplete is requested, with a minimum grade of a B- up to that point.
- Reasonable justification for request: Incompletes are granted for unanticipated events beyond the control of the student (e.g., serious illnesses, emergencies). Reasons for assigning the Incomplete must be acceptable to the instructor; a student does not have the right to demand an Incomplete. View PSU guidelines for assigning an “I” for a full explanation.
- Written agreement: A written agreement will be signed by both the instructor and student. The document will specify a) the remaining work to be completed, b) the highest grade which may be awarded upon submission of remaining items, and c) the date by which the missing work is due. View the contract between a student and instructor for an incomplete.
The Incomplete grade may not be used to create the opportunity for special or additional work in order to raise a poor grade. Failure to resolve the incomplete by the deadline will result in the automatic assignment of a letter grade of F or No Pass.
Incomplete grades must be resolved within one calendar year. The instructor may set a shorter time frame for completion.
Student Complaints
A student with a complaint or disagreement with another student should first discuss the issue with the person(s) immediately involved. Recognizing there may be instances where the student does not feel comfortable speaking directly to the party involved, or if such discussion does not resolve the issue, the student may ask their Advisor to intercede. The Advisor should discuss the situation with the relevant parties and attempt to reach resolution. If the situation is not resolved, the student and/or faculty advisor should consult with the Program Director, and may engage the Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Affairs, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, or Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Community Engagement, as appropriate.
A student with a formal complaint about a faculty member, conduct of a specific course, or SPH staff member that the student was unable to directly resolve with that party should contact the Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Affairs and if needed, the Associate Dean of Student Affairs.
In general, a student with an appeal or disagreement about an issue or grade should first discuss it with the faculty immediately involved, attempting to resolve the issue in a polite and professional manner. Recognizing that there may be instances where the student does not feel comfortable speaking directly to the faculty involved, or if such discussion does not resolve the issue, the student may ask their advisor or program director to intercede. The advisor or program director will meet with all involved parties and attempt to reach a resolution.
If informal methods of resolving the issue prove unsuccessful, the student may appeal the issue to the SPH Dean by submitting a written complaint explaining the grievance. At the Dean’s discretion, the complaint may be delegated to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs or Assistant Dean of Undergraduates.
For more information, see the PSU institutional student complaint and appeal policies.
Educational Records Privacy
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education. FERPA affords students certain rights with respect to their educational records, including the right to inspect and review their education records within 45 days of making such request; the right to request the amendment to education records the student believes are inaccurate; the right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent; and the right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by a university or college to comply with FERPA requirements. FERPA authorizes the university to make public disclosure, upon request, of Student Directory Information. Students may request non-disclosure of Directory Information.
To make such a request, complete the Student Records Privacy Request form and return it to the PSU Office of the Registrar.
Students must show a PSU photo ID along when submitting the form.