Going back to school to continue your education is a brave and exciting decision that can create many new opportunities in your life. Continuing education (CE) programs can pave the way for promotions at work, allow you to pursue better-paying or more rewarding careers, and teach you valuable new skills that can help you personally as well as professionally. Earning CE credits is a good way to sharpen your mind and enhance your social life as well, particularly since most of your fellow students will share similar goals and motivations.
At the University of Virginia, the School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS) aims to offer an affordable, accessible, and achievable CE experience that is available both online and in person on a wide variety of subjects, including accounting, cybersecurity, health care management, and public administration. The University of Virginia prides itself on its national recognition, having been named the No. 1 best-value public university by the Princeton Review and U.S. News in 2018 and No. 2 in 2019. This means you've chosen a respectable institution to further your education that will be recognized by your future employers.
However, this recognition comes with expectations that students will meet certain academic benchmarks and adhere to guidelines regarding conduct on campus. You will find more information on these expectations here, as well as possible consequences that can occur when issues arise. Odds are education looks different from the last time you were in high school or college – and if you're facing continuing education challenges at the University of Virginia, you'll want an experienced education attorney-advisor on your side who can help you meet this adversity head-on.
Degree and Certificate Requirements
The University of Virginia (UVA) School of Continuing and Professional Studies is geared primarily toward helping working adults complete or advance their education by offering programs that are both affordable and accessible to people with busy schedules. The school offers certificate programs in addition to bachelor's degrees in interdisciplinary studies and health care management and a master's degree in public safety. Each program has different academic requirements:
- Undergraduate degrees: The school's Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies programs include concentrations in arts and society, business, cybersecurity, early childhood, health care management, history and politics, information technology, liberal arts, psychology, and writing. UVA also offers a Bachelor's in Health Science Management at the School of Continuing and Professional Studies. Depending on the program, each degree will require 45 to 60 transferable credits, including liberal studies core admission requirements. To complete the degree, students must complete 120 credits, with at least 60 of those representing UVA coursework.
- Graduate degrees: UVA SCPS recently started offering an online Master of Public Safety Program designed for working public safety professionals who want to improve their leadership skills. Prior to enrolling in this program, students must have already obtained an undergraduate degree. Through the program, students will earn 30 hours of credit by taking five core courses and five electives offered throughout the year in five eight-week sessions. A comprehensive exam is also required to graduate.
- Certificates: A number of online certificate programs are available to help busy professionals advance their career skills and expertise. Offerings include accounting, certified financial planning, cloud computing, cybersecurity, health care management, human resources, information technology, leadership, National Criminal Justice Command College (which is the lone offering that is held entirely in person), procurement and contracts management, project management, public administration, and noncredit programs that focus on digital marketing, business analytics, and sales operations. In general, certificate programs require 12 to 24 credit hours of instruction.
Satisfactory Academic Performance at UVA SCPS
To remain in good academic standing at any college, students are expected to achieve a certain grade in each course, as well as a satisfactory overall GPA. The same is true at the University of Virginia School of Continuing and Professional Studies. At UVA, students are expected to maintain an overall GPA of at least 2.0, or a C average, attend class regularly, and complete all required coursework. Failing to meet the minimum academic standards may result in academic probation. For SPCS, these standards include:
- Earning grades at the required level
- Achieving a specific grade point average in a given semester
- Maintaining a cumulative grade point average at a specified level
- Earning enough academic credits in a given semester
In cases of extremely poor academic performance, students may be suspended from the university. The circumstances for suspension differ by program, so it is wise to consult your advisor if you have any questions about what may result in suspension. If you are suspended, you may reapply for admission to SCPS one year after the suspension was issued. If you are readmitted and face a second academic suspension, you will not be allowed to apply for readmission a third time.
Receiving instruction from your professor is a vital part of earning any college degree. That's why students at UVA SCPS are expected to attend every class meeting, whether classes are held online or in person. The exceptions to these rules are specified by each instructor in their course syllabus but generally include deaths, medical emergencies, and illness. Failing to attend courses regularly can also result in disciplinary action, including your failure of or removal from the course.
Appealing a Grade or Academic Grievance
If you're facing consequences such as suspension or probation due to poor academic performance, UVA SCPS offers students the chance to file an appeal. To appeal a grade, students should first speak with their class instructor, and if a mutually agreeable outcome cannot be achieved, they can consult the program's senior director. If the issue still cannot be resolved, the associate dean for academic programs will have the final say in the matter. At each stage of this process, students will need to provide evidence and supporting documentation showing why they disagree with the grade they received and deserve a higher score. Appeals must be initiated within a month of final grades being posted.
Additionally, students can pursue other academic grievances related to a specific course or faculty member by filing the appropriate paperwork with the associate dean for academic programs, who will adjudicate the case. All complaints will be investigated by SCPS, including reviewing documentation and meeting with the student and relevant faculty members. The SCPS academic unit head will communicate a recommendation regarding the grievance within 30 days. If you are appealing a grade or filing a grievance related to a course or faculty member at UVA SCPS, you need an experienced education attorney-advisor on your side to fight for your rights and ensure the process goes smoothly.
Academic Misconduct
In addition to earning satisfactory grades, students at all colleges are expected to avoid certain types of academic misconduct, and this includes the University of Virginia School of Continuing and Professional Studies. As one of the most highly regarded schools in the country, UVA explicitly prohibits the following types of academic misconduct:
- Plagiarism involves trying to pass off another person's work or ideas as your own. Examples of this may include copying someone else's essay or using text directly from the internet without appropriate citation. Even paraphrasing ideas or concepts that are not common knowledge without citing the correct source constitutes plagiarism.
- Interfering with your records or grades at the university constitutes academic misconduct, as does submitting false information regarding absences in a course, such as fabricating an appointment or a family emergency that did not exist.
- Most people know that flat-out cheating is wrong – students are not allowed to use unapproved materials to aid them while taking an exam, nor are they allowed to sneak peeks of exams beforehand or share the contents of a test with others.
- Students are not allowed to submit the same coursework to satisfy the requirements for more than one class – for example, you cannot turn in the same essay for more than one assignment, even if the topics are similar.
When students are suspected of academic misconduct or fraud, UVA will notify them of the pending investigation. At this point, most students will either be placed on probation or suspension, and an investigation will likely occur to determine the nature of the misconduct and the appropriate consequences. Ultimately, an internal review panel appointed by UVA will determine whether the academic misconduct accusations have merit, and the student will either be accused, or the case will be dropped. Once this decision has been reached, students still have the opportunity to submit an appeal within a specified timeframe. If you are being investigated for academic misconduct, don't wait until it's too late – contact an attorney-advisor today to ensure your reputation and your future are protected.
Disciplinary Misconduct
Like all colleges, the University of Virginia requires students to adhere to certain guidelines regarding their conduct on campus to ensure a safe and comfortable environment for all students. At UVA, prohibited conduct that may result in disciplinary action includes but is not limited to:
- Physical or sexual assault of anyone on property owned or leased by the university, at any university-sanctioned function, or at the residence of any student, faculty member, employee, or visitor.
- Conduct that intentionally or recklessly threatens the health or safety of others.
- Unauthorized entry into locked or restricted facilities.
- Intentional disruption of any university activity, including teaching, research, or administration.
- Alteration or fabrication of university identification cards or other documents.
- Disorderly conduct including anything that could be considered lewd, indecent, obscene, or hate speech.
- Damaging property that is leased or owned by the university.
If you've been accused of disciplinary misconduct, the University Judiciary Committee will likely impose one of the following sanctions:
- Admonition: This is an oral statement to the student letting them know they have violated the rules.
- Warning notice: This is a notice in writing that continuing the harmful conduct may lead to more severe disciplinary action.
- Reprimand: This is a written censure for violating standards of conduct that is placed in a student's record and includes the possibility for more severe actions in the future.
- Disciplinary probation: This involves exclusion from participation in certain university activities for a specified period of time.
- Restitution: This involves reimbursement for damage or misuse of university property.
- Suspension: This means a student will be excluded from classes or activities from the university for a specified period of time.
- Suspension held in abeyance: This means a student will be excluded from classes or activities from the university for a specified period of time that will be enforced in the event of another disciplinary violation.
- Expulsion: This is perhaps the most severe consequence a student can receive, as it means their status as a student at the institution will be terminated for an indefinite period.
Long story short, these consequences can have a severe impact on your ability to pursue higher education and advance your career. You have worked hard to get where you are in your personal and professional life, and you deserve the opportunity to share your side of the story. An education attorney-advisor can help you appeal academic and disciplinary sanctions, gather the necessary paperwork and evidence, and ensure the best possible outcome in your case.
How an Attorney Can Help
If you've been accused of violating the academic or disciplinary standards at the University of Virginia School of Continuing and Professional Studies, you are likely feeling a wide range of emotions and wondering whether all of your hard work will go to waste. After all, certain sanctions such as suspension or expulsion will remain on your transcript and make it harder to apply for other schools or be admitted to graduate or certificate programs in the future, which can hinder your ability to advance your education and, subsequently, your career. Attorney Joseph D. Lento and his Student Discipline Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm are experienced, knowledgeable legal practitioners who have helped hundreds of students across the country navigate situations similar to yours. Call 888-535-3686 or contact us online today.
