Deceleration is an alternative mechanism that allows students to complete the twenty-seven month curriculum in thirty-nine months. Deceleration may allow students to extend their curriculum due to academic deficiencies. Reasons for deceleration can be either voluntary or mandatory.
Voluntary Deceleration: Students must submit a written request to the P.A. program director and the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences to voluntarily decelerate. Reasons for deceleration include personal, family, health, or academic concerns that will impact successful progress through the curriculum. Voluntary deceleration is considered a proactive decision on the part of the student before experiencing academic difficulty.
The student will reseat in January with the incoming class. Returning P.A. students in “guest” status will be required to repeat course sequences in effect at the time of reentry and must comply with all policies and requirements in effect at the time of reentry. All “guest” courses will be Pass/Fail, requiring a “C” or higher final course grade. The “guest” final course grades do not replace previous posted final course grades. Tuition and fees are waived until the returning student reaches the quarter where deceleration occurred. Faculty and the P.A. program director reserve the right to make recommendations to the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and the provost regarding individual student issues and difficulties and the application of leave of absence and deceleration policies.
Mandatory Deceleration: The Committee on Academic Progression may recommend deceleration to the P.A. program director and/or dean of the College of Arts and Sciences as a means to remediate deficiencies, as a preventative measure to avoid further academic difficulty, or as a result of non-academic reasons as defined in the student handbook. The Committee may specify the plan for deceleration or defer to the judgment of the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Students in the decelerated curriculum must successfully complete all required courses. Upon decelerating, students may delay their graduation by no more than one year, and must comply with any revisions in curriculum requirements and changes in tuition and fees of their new graduating class.
The final decision for deceleration is determined by the dean of Arts and Sciences and the program director.
