Undergraduate Academic Rules and Regulations

Credits transferred from institutions of higher education that are recognized by the Lebanese Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) are accepted provided that the Department and Faculty concerned ensure that the credits accepted are applicable to the corresponding degree program. The accepted credit, however, does not count toward the student’s GPA at NDU. The criteria established by NDU regarding this policy are made available to students through the University website and Catalog.

Depending on the Faculty, a transfer student is required to complete at least 50% of the degree requirements at NDU in order to be eligible for a degree, while the remainder of the credits that are taken at other institutions of higher education can be transferred if they satisfy the criteria of the Department and Faculty concerned.

Exceptionally, transfer students who want to join the Bachelor of Engineering/Bachelor of Architecture programs can receive credit for NDU courses listed under the Liberal Arts Curriculum (LAC), core requirements, and free elective categories of the NDU Contract Sheet. A transfer candidate with a Bachelor of Engineering degree is required to complete a minimum of 45 credits at NDU and a minimum of 60 credits for those without a Bachelor of Engineering degree.

Transfer students from Engineering, Sciences, and Architecture majors at recognized universities are accepted provided they have completed a minimum of 12 credits.

An undergraduate student is deemed in good academic standing if his or her cumulative GPA satisfies any of the following cases:

Academic Probation

A student will be placed on probation if his/ her cumulative GPA is less than the indicated threshold in the Good Academic Standing table shown above.

Academic Suspension

An undergraduate student placed on academic probation for three consecutive semesters will be placed on academic suspension, with the third probation acting as the suspension, irrespective of whether or not they are registered. The student will be granted one more semester for the removal of suspension.

If at the end of this semester the student still fails to remove the suspension, he/she may consider the following options:

1. The student may petition to reconsider the suspension decision. The decision taken will determine the student’s final status depending on the GPA obtained:

• The suspension may be withheld if the cumulative GPA is 1.80-1.99. The student is given another semester to be in good academic standing.
• If the cumulative GPA is 1.79 or lower, the student will be placed on academic suspension in their faculty but may, nonetheless, register in another Faculty at NDU following due process. The student may apply for reinstatement if after spending a minimum of one semester in another Faculty, a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0/4.0, and a general average greater than 2.0/4.0 on at least 12 credits of courses relevant to the major (according to the requirements in his/her faculty) are achieved; or

Academic Dismissal

There are two kinds of academic recognition:

Dean's Honor List

Full time students who obtain a semester GPA of 3.20/4.00 or higher with no incomplete grades, during a given semester are placed on the Dean's List for that semester. These students are invited to attend the Dean’s Luncheon held in their honor.

Graduation with Distinction

An undergraduate student with high academic achievement will graduate with:

• Cum Laude (Distinction), if the cumulative GPA falls between 3.20/4.0 and 3.49/4.0;
• Magna Cum Laude (High Distinction), if the cumulative GPA falls between 3.50/4.0 and 3.79/4.0;
• Summa Cum Laude (Highest Distinction), if the cumulative GPA is 3.80/4.0 or above.

Such distinctions appear on the student’s transcript and degree. A transfer undergraduate student is only eligible for these distinctions if he/she has completed at least 60 credits at NDU.

Within a Faculty

To be eligible for a change of major within the same faculty, the student must meet the requirements for admission to the new major. He or she must submit a petition for a change of major provided by the Office of the Registrar. The request for the student’s admission is considered by the new Department and by the Dean concerned. After approval, the petition is sent to the Office of the Registrar for implementation.

New students are eligible to change major upon the completion of their first semester.

To a Different Faculty

A student moving into another Faculty within the University is considered a new student by the new Faculty. The student is required to fill in a petition for a change of major signed by the Business Office and by his or her advisor. It should be submitted to the Office of the Registrar.

By University Action

A student may be asked to change his or her major for any of the following reasons:

• If he or she is on probation and fails at the end of a semester or Summer session in two or more of his or her major and/or core courses; and
• If he or she fails to pass a major course after having repeated it twice.

Upon approval of change of major, all grades on transferable or non-transferable courses taken by a student in his/her old major/area of concentration remain part of his/her official transcripts. Unlike the transferable grades, the non-transferable ones are not computed in the student’s GPA for the new major and are not counted toward the total number of credits required for graduation for the new major. A student cannot ask for a non-transferable course to be computed back in his/her GPA.

The students who benefited from the above rule (#1) cannot return to their old major, and cannot request to have their major changed again to any major which requires a non-transferable course grade, which was deleted from his/her GPA.

Degree Requirements

Students are required to fulfill the following requirements in order to be eligible for a Bachelor’s degree:

• Completing all required credits for the degree;
• Fulfilling satisfactorily all course requirements for the degree as well as remedial/intensive courses given upon admission;
• Fulfilling all other admission requirements;
• Satisfying the residency requirements for the degree;
• Maintaining the required minimum cumulative GPA for the major and core courses required for the degree, as specified by the Department concerned;
• Maintaining good academic discipline; and
• Settling all accounts with the University.
  
  

These conditions must be met together with the degree requirements in effect during the semester of the student’s first registration at NDU. This shall also apply to reinstated students. Readmitted students, however, must meet the degree requirements in effect during the semester of their readmission, unless their readmission letter states otherwise.

Students who do not have the required cumulative GPA of 2.0/4.0 for the degree and/or the required cumulative GPA for the major and core courses required for the degree, but yet have completed all other requirements, may repeat up to 5 courses, as approved by the Academic Advisor, to meet the required numerical level(s).

Diploma Is only Issued once.

Second Degree Requirements

A student with a Bachelor’s degree may register for another degree at NDU after being accepted by the University. Such a student must:

• Satisfy all the requirements for the new degree in accordance with the statements of Section I of this Policy;
• Have a residency of at least two full semesters; and
• Complete at least 30 credits in the new degree over and above the credits already used to satisfy the first degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0/4.00;
• Be exempted from LAC and free elective courses upon clearance by the respective faculty.

Upon admission and prior to registration, each student shall be assigned an academic advisor, and are henceforth expected to:

• Take the remedial courses (if any), as specified in the letter of acceptance.
• Meet their academic advisor during office hours, and when necessary, by appointment, throughout the academic year.
• Ensure proper fulfillment of all requirements for the degree enrolled in.
• Review their contract sheet on a regular basis throughout the residency at NDU.
• Be aware of and familiar with the University’s academic rules, regulations, and policies.
• Understand the registration process, course offerings, and degree planning, and course substitution or other related matters.

Students are encouraged to consult with their academic advisors on a regular basis.

An undergraduate student will be eligible for registration upon settling all previous pending issues (academic, financial, disciplinary, administrative, etc.) with the University at the offices concerned. Otherwise, he/she cannot proceed any further toward his/her registration.

The registration date for undergraduate students is assigned by the Registrar’s Office. To register, a student should:

• Receive tuition statement from the Business Office.
• Pay the appropriate tuition and fees to the allotted bank(s).
• Prepare his/ her course schedule.
• Register and confirm his/her courses.

New students should register at the Advisor’s Office.

An NDU undergraduate student may be allowed to cross-register a course at another institution if:

• The course is not offered at NDU during the semester in which the student is expected to graduate;
• The course in which the student intends to cross-register is equivalent to his/her required course at NDU;
• The course does not conflict with his/her course schedule at NDU;
• The student has the Cross-Registration and Registration Forms signed by his/her Department Chairperson, and Academic Advisor as well as tthe Registrar’s Office and the Business Office;
• The student returns the appropriate Cross-Registration form(s) to NDU Registrar’s Office after officially registering at the other institution;  
• The student has to submit an official transcript of records for his/her cross-registered Course to the Registrar’s Office at NDU.

A non-NDU undergraduate student may be allowed to cross-register a course at NDU upon submission of a written authorization from his/her institution allowing him/her to register for this course at NDU in accordance with NDU undergraduate registration policy.

A student may add or drop a course or change a section in his/her registration schedule during the add/drop day only. This can be done by:

• Dropping or Adding by himself or herself on SIS or in the Advisor’s Office;
• In the Drop/Add period, two modifications are allowed by the student;
• In case a section is closed, or a student wishes to wave prerequisites/corequisites and the like, only during Drop/Add period he or she has to fill in a Drop/Add form to secure the signature of the Coordinator or Chairperson and or Dean concerned; and
• Receive his or her modified tuition statement from the Business Office.

Students may withdraw at any time before the 14th week of the Fall or Spring semesters or before the 28th day of the Summer session, provided that all outstanding fees have been settled. In such cases, a grade of "W" will be recorded on their transcripts.

However, please note that if you attempt to withdraw from a class for the third time, a grade of "F" will be assigned.

To officially withdraw, you must initiate the electronic drop process with your advisor and then submit it through SIS.

Please be aware that withdrawing after the established deadline will result in receiving an "F" or "UW" (unofficial withdrawal) for the dropped course. Exceptions to this policy can only be made if a student presents a petition to the concerned Dean, providing valid and urgent reasons for the withdrawal.

Full-Time and Part-Time Loads

Maximum Load for Registration per Semester

The maximum load for registration during the Fall or Spring semester by any undergraduate student is either 17 credits or the number of credits specified in his or her suggested program for that particular semester. Students in good academic standing, however, can take up to 19 credits per semester provided that this number of credits does not contradict any residency requirements. Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.50 and above, may petition to register for one additional 3-credit course over and above the regular load. This additional load may be approved provided the residency requirements are met.

The maximum load for registration for Engineering students is specified in their suggested program.

Maximum Load for Registration in the Summer Session

The maximum load for registration by any undergraduate student in the Summer session is 9 credits or less as determined by the faculty concerned.

Maximum Load for Students on Probation

Students who are on probation may register for a maximum of 13 credits per semester of which at least 9 credits from courses that must be repeated, if any.

Maximum Load for Students with Incomplete(s)

Students who have 2 or more incomplete grades from a previous semester or the Summer session may register for a maximum of 15 credits per semester on condition the student has good academic standing.

Maximum Load for Students with Cross-Registration