Going back to school is always a great idea, and the University of Miami offers a great place to do it. Whether you're just looking to learn a little something new, you're trying to get ahead at work, or you finally want to get your bachelor's degree, UM's Division of Continuing and International Education (DCIE) can help you reach your goals in a way that fits your schedule.
Of course, it won't be a cakewalk. Nothing worthwhile ever is, though, is it? DCIE offers certificate programs, stand-alone certification courses, and even a BA in General Studies. All of them demand maximum effort from students. Courses are rigorous; expectations are high. Can you handle those expectations? Of course, you can. You want to be prepared, though. You need to know exactly what you're in for.
As a CE student at UM, you'll face two types of issues. First, of course, is academics. Getting a degree or completing a training program isn't just about taking courses. You also have to do well in those courses. The University of Miami doesn't just hand out credentials to anyone.
College success also requires an ability to adapt to your environment, follow the school's policies and procedures, and demonstrate you can be a good citizen in your campus community.
You'll find detailed information below on how to deal with both academic and non-academic issues. Most of these you can handle on your own. You'll also find information, though, on how to get help with those you can't.
Academics
First things first: you're going back to school to get an education. What exactly does an education mean at the University of Miami Division of Continuing and International Education?
Degree and Certificate Requirements
DCIE offers a variety of different learning programs designed to meet almost every need and in a wide range of subjects—everything from the law to esports management. Each of these involves its own set of requirements. For example,
- Certificate in Instructional Design and Technology: Perfect for teachers and corporate trainers, this certificate demonstrates that you understand how to put learning modules together that incorporate cutting-edge technology. Certification requires four courses: two core courses and two electives.
- Coding Boot Camp Certificate: Teaches the basics of coding and helps students construct a portfolio to use as part of job applications. The boot camp is a one-course, 24-week program.
- Electronic Medical Records Certificate: A single, 15-week course that gives students the skills they need to work with Electronic Health Records (EHRs).
- Bachelor's Degree in General Studies: You can also earn a General Studies BA through DCIE. As you might expect, this is a rigorous program that requires a serious time commitment. In addition to taking courses in core subjects like composition, arts and humanities, and STEM, you must also complete 30 hours of work in a concentration area and an additional 12 hours in a secondary focus.
Again, satisfying the requirements for a degree or certificate isn't just about taking courses. You also have to do well in those courses. Requirements vary by program, but all programs have both attendance and academic requirements, and failure to meet these means you may have to take the course again. At a minimum, that means extra time and extra money.
The Bachelor's Degree in General Studies holds students to the very same GPA requirements as any other degree at the University of Miami. UM uses a sliding scale so that freshmen must obtain a cumulative 1.7, sophomores a 1.8, juniors a 1.9, and seniors a 2.0. Anything below these numbers results in academic probation, and students who remain on academic probation are subject to dismissal. In addition, the BA program requires you to obtain at least a C in all of your concentration courses.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
If you receive financial aid at the University of Miami, you have additional requirements to meet through the school's Satisfactory Academic Progress, or SAP, Policy.
The SAP program was instituted by the federal government to ensure no one can take advantage of the financial aid system. Basically, it ensures students are actually using the monies they receive to make progress toward real educational goals.
Every school sets its own SAP policy. The University of Miami conducts reviews after every semester. Minimum standards vary depending on the type of aid you receive. For federal, need-based aid, though, the standards are
- Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0
- Complete 67 percent of the courses you attempt
- Complete your program in at least 150 percent of the time allotted by the program to completion
Students who fall below SAP requirements are placed in warning status the next semester. If they continue to fall below standards, they become ineligible for financial aid.
The school does offer an appeals process. The appeals process involves convincing the Financial Aid Review Committee that you have a legitimate reason for falling below the requirements, describing what you did to try and solve the situation, and offering a detailed plan for improvement. If the appeal is granted, you can continue to receive aid for an additional term. However, progress is re-evaluated at the end of that term, and continued failure to meet standards means the reinstatement of the suspension.
It's not always easy to hold on to your financial aid under SAP programs, and it can be even more difficult to get aid back once you've lost it. If you're having trouble convincing UM to treat you fairly, you may need to contact an attorney-advisor. The right attorney-advisor can help you gather evidence and draft documents to make sure your financial support is safe.
Attendance Policies
The University of Miami leaves attendance policy decisions up to individual faculty. What this means is that it is vital you check your syllabus at the beginning of the semester so that you know and understand this policy. Many instructors will deduct points for unexcused absences, and some will drop you from the course altogether if you miss too often.
UM does provide a list of reasons absences should be “excused.” These include
- Participation in an activity approved by the Academic Deans Policy Council
- Observance of a religious holiday as described in the Religious Holiday Policy
- Verifiable medical excuse with documentation
However, you will likely find that some professors honor this list and others don't. Again, if you are having trouble getting your instructor to treat you fairly, an attorney-advisor can be the best option.
Academic Misconduct
The University of Miami maintains a strict Honor Code designed to ensure no one has an unfair advantage in obtaining their degree or certification, and that code applies to Continuing Education students just as much as it does to the rest of the school's student body. That code lists four types of misconduct:
- Cheating: Any act intended to deceive in regard to your academic work. Typically, this means using unauthorized resources to complete your assignments. Bringing a crib sheet into an exam would qualify; so too would getting an advanced copy of the exam, looking at another student's answers during an exam, or asking another person to take the exam for you.
- Plagiarism: The attempt to pass another person's words or ideas off as your own. You can also be accused of “self-plagiarism,” which involves turning in the same work to two or more classes without prior permission.
- Collusion: Working with another person to complete coursework that is meant to be completed by you alone.
- Academic Dishonesty: Finally, UM includes this blanket statement that prohibits “any other act not specifically covered that compromises the integrity of a student or intrudes, violates, or disturbs the academic environment of the university community.” That probably includes anything you could think up to help get you an edge in obtaining your degree.
UM has a complex three-tier system that governs how academic integrity infractions should be handled. Low-level Class I offenses may receive anything from a warning to failure in the course. Class II offenses warrant, at minimum, an F in the class. They can garner dismissal from the university. Class III offenses, which include things like turning in an assignment that is more than 50 percent plagiarized, are subject to dismissal from the university and a transcript notation about the nature of the offense.
All serious offenses are subject to review by the school's Undergraduate Honor Council. In addition, students can appeal low-level offenses to this body if they disagree with their instructors' decisions.
Academics: What Could Go Wrong?
You might be surprised by the idea that an attorney-advisor can help with academic issues. The fact is, a lawyer who has experience working with students can help in a variety of ways. Maybe a professor decides that the car wreck you were in is not sufficient reason for you to miss class. Maybe you've forgotten to include quotation marks in a paper, and your TA wants to give you an F. Maybe you're in danger of falling below your GPA requirements and need to convince an instructor that you deserve a high grade in their course.
An attorney can help you negotiate with faculty, draft appeals, and prepare for hearings. In some cases, they may even be able to accompany you to proceedings. Whether you're accused of some complicated cheating scheme involving telescopes and text messaging, or you just feel like you deserve credit you've been denied toward an undergraduate certificate, a skilled attorney-advisor can help you keep your academic career on track.
Disciplinary Misconduct
A college or university is a community. Indeed, with over 17,000 students plus faculty, staff, and administrators, the University of Miami is a decent-sized town. Every community needs rule in order to function properly. The University of Miami's rules are largely contained in its Student Code of Conduct. That document has strictures on everything from fireworks to parking, and you can be punished for violating any of them.
However, there are some you should pay particular attention to.
- Alcohol Possession and Consumption: UM has a number of other rules about where you may drink, what you may drink, and what constitutes public intoxication.
- Prohibition Dangerous Items: Firearms, other types of weapons, and even fireworks are forbidden on campus.
- Bias: Discrimination and harassment of any kind is discouraged, but when it involves a protected class such as age, race, color, ethnicity, sex, sexual identity, sexual orientation, religion, antisemitism, disability, gender identity and expression, national origin, genetic information, citizenship status, political affiliation or veteran status is involved, it is virtually always treated as a serious offense. Note that this applies to online forums as well.
Finally, you should be aware that sexual misconduct is treated as its own category of disciplinary offense. That's because such offenses aren't simply a matter of school policy; they are governed by Title IX, a federal law barring sex discrimination and harassment on college campuses. In addition to this general prohibition, Title IX also includes a strict set of procedures for how schools must deal with all allegations. While disciplinary misconduct is always serious, a sexual misconduct violation typically means expulsion with a transcript notation about the nature of the offense. You can't afford to risk representing yourself in such a case. You need an attorney who knows the law and who has experience helping students get justice.
Joseph D. Lento: Continuing Education Student Attorney-Advisor
It may have been a minute or two since you were in school. Whether it's been twenty years, ten years, or just five, you'll find that things have changed. Lots of classes are online these days, and virtually every class has a digital component. Meanwhile, cheating is on the rise, which has made faculty very, very paranoid. They're more determined than ever to catch students, and they issue strict penalties. Schools are just as vigilant when it comes to disciplinary misconduct. No college or university wants to wind up on CNN accused of letting a stalker off with a light sentence. Officials are on guard every minute of every day, and if you should get caught committing any form of misconduct, you risk suspension and expulsion.
Of course, it's not just schools that have changed in the time you've been away. You're different too. When you were 18, passing your classes was your highest priority. That still matters to you, but now you've got other, often much bigger worries: car payments, mortgage payments, work deadlines, your kid's soccer tournament this weekend. Being a student is more about juggling responsibilities than simply keeping your focus on your studies.
Most continuing education faculty understand the particular kinds of stresses you're under, and most are willing to work with you to make your educational experience rewarding. Not all are, though, and you may also find yourself taking regular classes with regular faculty at UM. If you should come across an instructor who wants to fail you for failing to put a quotation mark in the right spot, or an administrator who wants to dismiss you from the program because you missed a class when your kid was down with the flu, you don't have to simply accept it. You have options.
Joseph D. Lento specializes in helping students deal with school-based issues. He's represented hundreds of clients over the years, clients just like you, struggling with the demands of their schools. He knows the law as it applies to education, and he's practiced in dealing with faculty and administrators. Whatever problem you might be facing, from grading issues to accusations of sexual misconduct, Joseph D. Lento can make sure you're treated fairly and that you get the justice you deserve.
For more information, contact the Lento Law Firm today at 888-555-3686, or use our automated online form.
