Policies at a Glance

The section below provides a concise overview of important policy areas to help students and faculty better navigate different areas of policy application. For policy details, please click on the respective link or visit the academic policy page.

Academic Actions – Students with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 and higher are in good academic standing, those that fall below the 2.0 cumulative GPA are put on academic probation.
Academic Dishonesty – Submitted work that has been plagiarized, improperly cited, or unauthorized aid on tests, examinations, and other academic exercises.
Academic Dismissal – If a student re-enrolls and remains in good academic standing after a suspension from the university, he/she may request removal of notion at the time of filing for graduation.
Academic Integrity – As an essential component of the academic life of the University, the policy on Academic Integrity defines key terms, describes expectations of students, and describes the process and possible sanctions for academic misconduct.
Academic Retention Standards – Students who do not achieve the minimum 2.0 GPA for good standing are placed in an Academic Action status, and provided with support and programming to help improve academic achievement.
Academic Suspension – Academic standings that cause a student to be placed on academic suspension will result in a notion on the student’s transcript.
Admissions to Majors, Minors, and Concentrations – During the admission process students must apply to a major or indicate they are “undeclared”. Undergraduate students that are currently enrolled are required to meet with an advisor to change or add a major, minor, or concentration.
Changes to the Academic Calendar – Once an academic calendar is posted, this policy establishes guidelines for the revision of the calendar.
Class Attendance – Attendance in class is integral to a University Education, and the instructor may provide an attendance requirement within the syllabus.
Core Requirements to be Completed by the End of Sophomore Year – Certain courses are required before the completion of freshman and sophomore year. (Specified list)
Final Examinations – All course testing and exams are scheduled by the individual faculty member during the semester.
General Education Requirements – The purpose of these interdisciplinary courses is to acquaint students with contemporary issues stemming from scientific, global, and national concerns, and to ensure that all students deal with the same issues, thus sharing a common academic experience.
Grading Standards – Grading standards consist of letter grades A through F including minus/plus options.
Incomplete Work – Students with extenuating circumstances, and in agreement with their instructor, can receive an incomplete grade for a course, allowing an extension to complete work.
Mandatory First-Year Advising – All incoming freshmen are required to meet with advisors to discuss and approve course selections prior to registration for their first term of study.
Transfer Students – Montclair State University considers any student who has been enrolled in a regionally accredited college or university after graduating from high school as a Transfer Student.
Undergraduate Degree Requirements – See Undergraduate Degree Requirements in the University Catalog.
University Writing Requirement – All students must satisfy a graduation requirement in writing that follows their program of study along with the University General Education Requirement.
Waitlist Policy – Not all classes have a waitlist option, those that do allow the student up to 48 hours to register for a seat if one becomes available.
Withdrawal or Leave of Absence from the University – Undergraduate – Students who wish to separate from the university, temporarily or permanently, must follow the outlined process and guidelines.
World Language and Cultures Requirement – The purpose of the World Languages and Cultures Requirement is to ensure that all graduates are acquainted with the life, history, and contributions of Africans, African-Americans, Asian/Pacific Islanders, Latinos, Women, and Native Americans.

Course Repeats – When a course has been repeated, both the original and the subsequent grade are included on the permanent record, but the credit for the course is counted only once.
Auditing a Course – Students can audit a course, or in other words, sit in on a course without completing assignments, for personal interest or other reasons.
Academic Renewal – Undergraduate – Academic Renewal provides students who had previously been unsuccessful at Montclair State University with an opportunity to have prior poor grades no longer count against GPA calculation, helping them complete their undergraduate degree.
GPA Policy for Programs of Study – Aside from the institutional GPA, Montclair’s programs of study also have GPAs calculated for their own completed coursework.
Grade Grievance – Students who believe that a final course grade is incorrect can enter a process to contest this grade with supporting evidence.
Independent Study – Students have the opportunity for supervised study of a topic outside of the typical course offerings, or of a topic that is offered, but not currently available to the student.
Instructional Modality – Montclair State University offers courses in different modalities to meet the diverse needs of our community.
Involuntary Withdrawal Procedures – Under certain circumstances, the Dean of Students or his/her designee (“Dean”), may place a student on Involuntary Withdrawal.
Pass/Fail Grading – Undergraduate Students – Undergraduate degree-seeking students have the option to take coursework as Pass/Fail if this course is a free elective for the student.
Program Adjustments/Substitutions – Students can request adjustments to their academic programs for certain defined reasons.
Scientific Misconduct – This policy (“Policy”) applies to all research activities proposed and conducted by academic, scientific, and professional staff, employees, students, and independent contractors of the University, in the conduct of their research activities.
Special Withdrawal Procedure – Go to the following pages for information about requesting special exceptions for course withdrawal for undergraduate students or graduate students.

Dean’s List – The Dean’s List gives recognition to students with a 3.500 or higher semester GPA if a minimum of 12 credits is earned in courses that contribute to the GPA and if there are no IN (Incomplete) grades for that semester.
Graduation Honors – Undergraduate students who have completed a minimum of 51 undergraduate credits taken at Montclair State by the end of the semester prior to their commencement will be recognized for graduation honors within the grades “A” through “D-”.
Posthumous Degree – The families of students who pass away during the course of studies at Montclair can be presented with an honorary posthumous degree
Graduation and Institutional Residency Requirements – Undergraduate – Montclair State University requires minimum standards for graduation.
Residence Requirements for In-State Tuition – A student must be legally domiciled in the state of New Jersey for at least twelve (12) months immediately prior to enrollment in order to be charged in-state tuition.