University of Maryland Eastern Shore 2000-02 Catalog

ADMISSIONS

The Office of Admissions and Registration serves prospective students, currently enrolled students, faculty and staff relative to registration for classes, processing grades, and maintaining student academic records. The Recruitment Office engages in prescribed activities designed to identify, attract and enroll prospective new students.

Campus Tours

Prospective students and their parents are encouraged to visit the campus for an orientation tour, and discuss enrollment with University staff. Campus tours can be arranged by contacting the Recruitment Office at (410) 651-6410.

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FRESHMAN ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS

General Policies

As a condition of admission, prospective freshmen will be expected to have graduated from an accredited high school and have successfully completed an academic program of study which includes the following minimum course requirements:

• Four Years of English

• Three years of social science/history

• Two years of laboratory-based science

• Three years of mathematics, including Algebra I, II and Geometry

• Two years of a foreign language

Applicable courses pertinent to the above may include:

Mathematics

Advanced Topics, Algebra I, Algebra II, Analysis (or Elementary Analysis), Analytic Geometry, Calculus, Computer Math, Functions, Geometry, Mathematics II, Mathematics III. Mathematics IV, Matrices, Probabilities, Modern Geometry, Probability and Statistics, S.M.S.G., Modern Math, Trigonometry, Computer Science (only with a prerequisite of at least two years of Algebra/Geometry).

Science

Anatomy, Physiology, Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, Physical Science, General Science, Genetics, Geology, Laboratory Science, Physics, Zoology, Botany, Environmental Science and Astronomy.

Social Studies

Afro-American Studies, American History, Ancient History, Anthropology, Civics-Citizens, Contemporary Issues (C.I.S.S.), Cultural Areas, Cultural Heritage, Economics, Ethics (if considered to be Religion, not counted), European History, European History and Survey, Far East, Pan American, Geography, Government, Humanities, International Affairs, Medieval History, Modern History, Modern Problems, National Government, Philosophy, Political Science, Problems of Democracy, Problems of 20th Century, Psychology, Sociology, State History, U.S. History, World Civilization, World Cultures.

High School General Equivalency Diploma (GED)

Applicants for admission who have earned a GED, are accepted for admission provided they obtain an average standard score of 50 with no score under 40, or if all standard scores are above 45 on the exam.

Graduates of Non-Accredited Maryland High Schools

Applicants are required to have competitive SAT/ACT test scores and commendable grades. Students who meet entrance requirements are admitted on condition. The conditional status is removed upon the completion of 24 semester hours and a GPA of 2.00 or higher.

Admissions Procedures

Prospective students are required to complete an Application for Admission and pay a $25.00 non-refundable application fee. Applicants must also have submitted official secondary and/or college transcripts and official SAT or ACT test scores.

When to Apply

Applications must be received in sufficient time to be properly evaluated. The application priority date for the fall semester is July 15^th . For the spring semester, December 1 is the application priority deadline. Applications can be processed over the web at www.umes.edu. Applications received beyond these dates will be considered on a space available basis.

Decisions for admission are made on a rolling basis throughout the year.

Enrollment Deposit Fees

Applicants who receive an offer of admission are required to submit a $25.00 enrollment deposit within a specified period after the offer is made. This fee is applied towards the students' fees for the upcoming semester. Deposit refunds are made upon written request received before June 1 for fall and December 1 for spring semesters.

Senior High School Grades

Normally, cumulative grade point averages are based on grades earned through the eleventh grade. When it appears that mid-year grades for the senior year of high school may affect a student's admission status, the grades will be requested and considered before a final admission decision is made. Once admitted, all students must submit final transcripts verifying graduation.

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CATEGORIES OF UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS

Freshmen

Regular Admission:

Applicants must have scored competitively on the SAT or ACT test and must have earned commendable grades in high school academic subjects.

Early Admission:

Although UMES generally requires applicants to earn a high school diploma prior to their first registration, UMES will admit well-qualified students without this documentation provided the student:

• has a minimum "B"/(3.0) average in academic subjects;

• is within four semester courses (two Carnegie Units) of high school graduation, and

• has the endorsement of parents, the high school, and superintendent of schools, when appropriate.

Concurrent Enrollment Admission:

Local high school students who satisfy the requirements for an early admission, but wish to attend UMES while continuing to be enrolled at their high schools, may do so provided they have the approval of their parents and the high school principal. Fees are charged at the same rate as for undergraduate students.

Special Students

Applicants who qualify for admission, but do not desire to work towards a baccalaureate degree may be admitted as non-degree seeking or special students. Special students who have received a baccalaureate degree are advised that no credit earned while enrolled as special students may be applied at a later date to a degree program. These post-baccalaureate students may enroll in undergraduate courses for which they possess the necessary prerequisites, but may not enroll in courses restricted to degree seeking students only. Non-degree seeking (special) students who do not have a baccalaureate degree must submit transcripts and meet regular admission standards. Applicants who do not qualify for admissions, but desire to take some skills courses may be allowed to enroll in such courses if prior permission from the chairperson of the department in which the courses are located is obtained.

Veterans

UMES is fully accredited for accepting veteran students and assists them in their certification. Credit is given for any work done during the period of service which is related to the major field of study.

A Certificate of Eligibility must be submitted to the Office of Admissions and Registration when the veteran reports for registration. Benefits to which veterans are entitled will be sent monthly directly to them by the Veterans Administration after proper certification has been obtained. Veterans are responsible for the payment of all fees and expenses at the same time as all other students. The Admissions Office coordinates veteran services and veterans are advised to contact the office for further information on admissions, tutorials, and special programs.

Transfer Students

A student who has attended any accredited institution of higher education and has earned twelve (12) or more credit hours will be considered as a transfer student. The student must have at least a cumulative grade point average of "C" (2.00) in all previous work or must have an Associate of Arts degree or must have completed 56 hours from a community college.

An official high school transcript is required of students who have earned less than 28 semester hours. SAT or ACT scores are required unless students have been out of high school two years of more.

International Students

UMES is certified by the Immigration and Naturalization Service for acceptance and certification of international students.

International students should apply well in advance (a six-month period is recommended) of the beginning of the fall or spring semester in the prescribed manner. The application must be completed in all respects and must be accompanied by proof of financial self-sufficiency, and knowledge of English. Students from non-English speaking countries should forward the results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOFEL). This test is administered by Educational Testing Service, Princeton, New Jersey 08450.

International students must request their high school, secondary school and/or other institutions of higher education to forward copies of transcripts, mark sheets, diplomas or degrees directly to the Office of Admissions. Documents attached to the application will not normally be accepted unless certified by United States Officials aboard.

International students must receive permission from the Immigration and Naturalization Service in order to accept off-campus part-time employment in the United States.

An international student will receive an I-20 Form only after acceptance to the university which will enable the securing of the proper visa from the Office of the American Consulates abroad. The twenty-five dollar ($25.00) processing fee should be submitted with the application and should be in American check or currency.

Direct Transfer and Articulation Agreements*

UMES fully ascribes to the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) Articulation Agreement. UMES has direct transfer agreements with all Maryland community colleges, and many out-of-state community colleges and all University of Maryland System institutions. Direct transfer allows automatic admission and transfer of all college level credits of a "C" or better.

*See Appendix for full text of applicable MHEC regulations.

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TRANSFER CREDIT

Transfer of General Education

Students transferring from Maryland institutions of higher education who have completed the General Education requirements at the sending institution shall have met the general education requirements at UMES. In cases where the general education requirements at UMES exceed those of the sending institution, the transfer student will be required to take no more than the same number of general education credits than those required of the native student. The additional courses will be according to the distribution requirements of UMES.

For a detailed explanation on course transfer policy, see the appendix of the Undergraduate Catalog.

Transfer from Colleges and Universities

UMES does not limit the number of credits transferable for work completed at four-year colleges. However, in order to graduate, a student must complete the last 30 semester hours at UMES.

Maryland Community College Articulated Programs

An articulated transfer program is a list of community college courses that best prepare the applicant for a particular course of study at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. If the applicant takes appropriate courses that are specified in the articulated program guide, and earns an acceptable grade, he/she is guaranteed transfer with no loss of credit. Articulated career program guides help students plan their new programs after changing career objectives. The guides are available at the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and in the transfer advisor's office at each of the community colleges. Applicants can eliminate all doubt concerning transfer of courses by following programs outlined in the guide.

Other Universities and Colleges

In most cases credit will transfer from institutions of higher education accredited by a regional accrediting association (e.g., Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools; New England Association of Schools and Colleges; North Central Association of Colleges and Schools; Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools; Western Association of Schools and Colleges), provided that the course is completed with at least a grade of C and the course is similar in content and level to work offered at UMES. The applicability of these courses to the particular course of study at UMES will be determined by an academic advisor/evaluator in the office of the appropriate department.

Students Planning to Transfer, or Attend Graduate or Professional School

Anyone planning to transfer from UMES should discuss transfer plans with a counselor or academic advisor. This consultation should begin as soon as the decision to transfer has been made so that any requirements the receiving institution demands of its students during the first two-years of school can be met.

Students intending to enter a professional school or graduate school should familiarize themselves with the requirements for admissions to these schools and plan their programs with their academic advisors, accordingly.

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NON-TRADITIONAL LEARNING

UMES grants college credit for non-traditional learning experiences, either from credit by examination, or a combination of examination, portfolio assessment and credits earned on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis. There are two ways to obtain credit by examination: one is administered by the appropriate department within the University and the other is administered through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP).

Advanced Placement Exam Credit

Based on a student's performance on the CEEB Advanced Placement Board Examinations, students may earn advanced placement and college credit. These examinations are usually given to eligible high school seniors during the month of May.

Portfolio Credit

Learning achieved from work or other non-collegiate activities can be used. Portfolios for such work should be submitted for the experience. They are evaluated to determine credit value and whether they satisfy elective or required course work for a degree. A maximum of 30 credit hours can be earned in this manner. (A maximum of 60 credits can be earned from nursing school courses in which a grade of "C" or above was earned). STUDENTS MAY NOT RECEIVE NON-TRADITIONAL LEARNING CREDITS DURING THE FINAL 15 HOURS OF CREDIT FOR THEIR DEGREES.

UMES Credit by Examination

Credit towards the bachelor's degree may be established by examination under the following conditions:

• The applicant must have completed at least 12 semester credits at UMES with an average grade of "C" or better before making application for an examination to establish credit. The department Chair and Dean may waive this regulation for entering freshmen who wish to sue the examination to establish credit based on previous training.

• The total amount of credit that may be established by examination cannot exceed 60 semester credits. "Credits by Examination" cannot be for a course in which the student has previously earned a letter grade of "W" or in a course which the student has previously audited. Usually credit by examination will not be accepted for any part of the final thirty (30) semester credits which must be completed in residence. However, if permission is granted by the Vice President for Academic Affairs, six (6) semester hours of the final thirty (3) may be established by examination. However, in no case does this permission waive the minimum residence requirement of 30 semester credits.

• The fee for credit by examination is $30.00 per semester credit hour for full-time students. Part-time students are charged on the same cost-per-credit-hour basis as they would be if they were taking the course in the regular manner. A grade of "C" or higher must be obtained in order to establish credit by examination.

• Applications for examination to establish credit by examination must be approved on an individual course basis. Approval will not be granted at the same time for examinations in a sequence of courses. Approval to take an examination in any course will depend upon the student having established credit in all prerequisites or having received the approval of the department Chair, the Dean and the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Application for credit by examination is equivalent to registration for a course with the following conditions:

• A student may cancel an application at any time prior to completion of the examination with no entry on the permanent record. The examination instructor will make the results of the examination available to the student prior to formal submission of the grade. A student may elect not to have the grade recorded. In this case, a symbol of "W" will be recorded. No course may be attempted again in this manner.

• Grades earned on examination to establish credit will be posted on the student's transcript and used in computing the student's grade point average. Such credits shall be accompanied by the phrase, "By Exam" or "By CLEP", whichever is applicable.

• The instructor must certify on the report of the examination that copies of the examination questions and the student's answers have been filed in the Office of Admissions and Registration.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

CLEP is a national program of credit-by-examination that offers students the opportunity to obtain recognition for college-level achievement. CLEP credits are treated as transfer credits.

CLEP offers two types of tests: General Examinations and Subject Examinations.

• No more than thirty (3) hours of credit can be received through CLEP tests for both general and subject examinations combined.

• Credit may be granted to students achieving scores of 50% or more on the general exams.

• In accord with the recommendations of the council of the College Level Examination Program, UMES accepts for college credit the mean score achieved by students in the national norm groups who earned grades of "C" in comparable courses.

• No credit may be granted for CLEP tests which are repeated. If a student takes the test once and fails it, then retakes the test, the student may not receive credit even if the subsequent score meets criterion.

• The amount of credit to be awarded is to be determined through approval by the student’s major department or the department in whose discipline the test falls.

• CLEP credit will be granted on a pass-fail basis and so entered on the student’s record.

• An official, original CLEP score report must be sent from the College Board directly to the UMES Office of Admissions and Registration. Duplicates, examinee’s copies of score reports received in any other manner, with the exception of a CLEP examination administered at UMES are not acceptable.

Other Accepted Sources of Non-traditional Learning Credit

Complete information regarding acceptable sources for non-traditional learning credit is available from the Office of Admissions and Registration. Elective and required credit can be earned utilizing the following sources:

CLEP*

Dantes*

Departmental Exams from other colleges

Military credit*

Portfolio Credits from other colleges*

Proprietary School, Public Agencies, etc. with articulation agreements*

Other types of experience may apply. Check with the Office of Admissions and Registration.

*Some restrictions apply.

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