An annual didactic grade point average will be used as the primary measure of academic performance. It is calculated from all didactic courses for a particular professional year. Grades earned in courses taken prior to matriculation in the professional program, grades earned for courses taken at another institution while enrolled in the professional program are not included in the calculation of this annual grade point average.

Academic Policies
Students must maintain an annual grade point average of 
at least 2.000 in their professional program to remain in good academic standing. If a student earns a grade of "F" in one or more courses or pharmacy practice experiences, the student is notified in writing that they are being placed on academic probation. Academic probation represents notice that continued inadequate academic performance may result in dismissal from the College. The student must repeat all courses or pharmacy practice experiences in which a grade of “F” was received. The recommendation of how a student will remediate a failed course(s) is made by the Student Promotion and Graduation Committee to the Dean or the Dean’s designee. The recommendation may include, but not be limited to, an alternate course retake, an extended program of study or dismissal from the program. Placement of a student in an alternate course retake(s) or on an extended program does not modify or limit the Committee’s actions for dismissal.

Repeated pharmacy practice experiences are subject to availability of sites as determined by the Office of Experiential Education.

When a student fails to make satisfactory progress in completing the prescribed course of study, the Office of the Dean will notify the student, in writing (i.e., via email) at least two working days in advance of the Committee meeting when the student’s academic performance will be reviewed. The student will be offered an opportunity to submit a written reflection letter outlining the circumstances that have led to the course failure(s) and also an opportunity to appear before the Committee (in person, virtually or via telephone) in order to present their case. In such instances, the student shall inform the Office of the Dean, in writing at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting, of their desire to submit a reflection letter and/or appear before the Committee or their intent to waive this right. If the student chooses to appear before the Committee, this prerogative extends to the involved student only and not to any other individuals. The SPGC will make a recommendation on a course of action to the Dean or the Dean’s designee. Within two working days following the Committee meeting, the Office of the Dean will provide notification in writing (i.e., via email) to the involved student, informing the student of the recommendation of the Committee and the decision by the Dean or the Dean’s designee.

To be returned to good academic standing after completion of an alternate course retake(s) or an extended track year, a student must have an annual grade point average of 2.000 or above and have successfully repeated all courses or pharmacy practice experiences in which a grade of “F” was received. Failure of the same course when it is repeated may result in dismissal from the College. If the student does not meet the criteria for satisfactory academic performance at the end of the alternate course retake(s) or extended program, the student may be dismissed.

The following policies also guide recommendations made by the Student Promotion and Graduation Committee:

 1. Students must successfully resolve all "I" (incomplete) and “IP” (in-process) grades before beginning pharmacy practice experiences.

2. To proceed to pharmacy practice experiences, a student must have earned a passing grade in all coursework with an annual grade point average of 2.000 or above. Eligibility to start Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPEs) is determined by the cumulative annual grade point average calculated from all courses in the First Professional (PS-I) Year. Eligibility to start Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs) is determined by the cumulative grade point average calculated from all coursework over both the Second Professional (PS-II) Year and the Third Professional (PS-III) Year summer quarter.

Student Graduation and Promotion Committee Guidelines

This table summarizes the usual SPGC recommendation. The SPGC recommendation may vary based on specific student circumstances.

 

 

Usual Recommendation

 

 

Academic Status

 

 

Retake Course

Action Following Retake

PS-1, PS-2, PS-3 Didactic Quarters

All courses passed

Promote

Good Standing

No

No retake

Annual GPA < 2.00

Academic Probation until GPA > 2.00

Probation

No

No retake

No Previous Course Failure

1 didactic course failure* within a quarter

ACRT

Probation

PS-1: IPPE Summer Block #1

PS-2,3: APPE Block #1

Pass: Promote

Fail: Dismissal

2 didactic course failures* within a quarter

ACRTs

Probation

PS-1: IPPE Summer Block #1

PS-2,3: APPE Blocks #1 and #2

Pass: Promote

Fail one or both: Dismissal

3 or more didactic course failures* within a quarter

Dismissal

Dismissed

No

N/A

Previous Course Failure(s) Not Yet Remediated

One ACRT scheduled but not yet taken, and one additional course failure occurs in a future quarter in the same academic year

An additional ACRT (maximum 2 in any academic year)

 or

(at student’s option) ETDG

Probation;

Student advised another course failure likely means dismissal

PS-1: IPPE Summer Block #1

PS-2,3: APPE Block #1

ACRTs:

Pass: Promote

Fail one or both: Dismissal

One ACRT scheduled but not yet taken, and more than one didactic course failure occurs in future quarter(s) in the same academic year

Dismissal

Dismissed

 

No

N/A

Two ACRTs scheduled but not yet taken, and one or more additional didactic course failures occur in future quarter(s) in the same academic year

Dismissal

Dismissed

No

N/A

Previous Course Failure(s) Already Remediated Through ACRT

Student has successfully remediated the failed course(s), and one additional didactic course failure occurs in a quarter in any academic year

ACRT

 

Probation

PS-2,3: APPE Block #1

Pass: Promote

Fail: Dismissal

Student has successfully remediated the failed course(s), one ACRT is scheduled but not yet taken and an additional didactic course failure occurs in any academic year

 

Dismissal

Dismissed

No

N/A

Students on Extended Track with Delayed Graduation

Student has not yet successfully remediated the failed course(s), and one or more additional didactic course failure(s) occur in the same quarter in the same academic year

ETDG

Probation

 

PS-1: Repeat failed courses next academic year

PS-2,3: Repeat failed courses next academic year

Pass: Promote

Fail: Dismissal

Student has not yet successfully remediated the failed course(s), and one or more additional didactic course failure(s) occur in a subsequent quarter in the same academic year

Dismissal

 

Dismissed

No

N/A

Student has successfully remediated the failed course(s), and one additional didactic course failure occurs in a quarter in any academic year

ACRT

 

Probation

PS-1: IPPE Summer Block #1

PS-2,3: APPE Block #1

Pass: Promote

Fail: Dismissal

Student has successfully remediated the failed course(s), one ACRT is scheduled but not yet taken and an additional didactic course failure occurs in any academic year

Dismissal

Dismissed

No

N/A

Experiential Rotations

All experiential rotations passed

Promote

Good Standing

No

No retake

Annual GPA < 2.00

Academic Probation until GPA > 2.00

Probation

No

No retake

1 IPPE experiential rotation failure (with no or one previous didactic course failure)

IPPE vacation block or APPE block #1

Probation

Repeat in same Summer if possible; if not, repeat as APPE block #1

Pass: Promote

Fail: Dismissal

1 IPPE experiential rotation failure (with two or more previous didactic course failure)

Dismissal

Dismissed

No

N/A

2 IPPE experiential rotation failures

Dismissal

Dismissed

No

N/A

1 APPE experiential rotation failure

APPE block #7

Probation

Retake failed APPE at another site

Pass: Promote

Fail: Dismissal

2 APPE experiential rotation failures

Dismissal

Dismissed

No

N/A

*Course failure = Final grade “F” for a course; WF (Withdrawal Failure) is not considered
ACRT = Alternate Course Re-Take. The academic policy allows a student to take a maximum of two ACRTs in any academic year.
ETDG = Extended track program with delayed graduation. Student repeats the course(s) in the next academic year. From the MWU Catalog:  “In general, a student is allowed to go through an extended program only once.”