Academic Programs & Policy

The New Start Option serves the student who previously accumulated a poor academic record, but who has recently demonstrated the ability to succeed in college-level work at UAB. The option enables the student to eliminate from the grade point calculation all grades and credit hours earned prior to the date of the New Start and begin anew with work from that point forward. To be eligible, a student must not have been enrolled in an academic institution for at least five (5) consecutive calendar years. The policy does not apply to college graduates or to admission policies in the Schools of Nursing or Health Professions.

To apply for the New Start Option, the student must obtain the written approval of an academic advisor. The application must be filed with the Office of Academic Programs and Policy prior to graduation and must specify a date, called the New Start date, prior to which all grades and notations are voided.

The application will not be considered until the following are met:

1. the student’s transcript contains at least 24 semester hours of course work applicable to a degree (i.e. hours earned, but not necessarily to a particular major) at UAB, posted after the requested New Start date;

2. the Higher Education GPA on all work taken after the requested New Start date, as well as the UAB GPA, must be at least 2.0.

Policies governing the New Start Option are as follows:

1. Upon approval of the application, all grades (including passing grades) and notations listed on the transcript prior to the New Start date are placed in a separate listing on the transcript and are voided for purposes of satisfying UAB degree requirements and computing GPA. The transcript carries the notation “Approved for New Start (date); work prior to this date is not calculated in GPA or applied toward a degree.”

2. All work completed after the New Start date is counted toward completion of a degree, in accordance with policies of the catalog in effect at the New Start date. The transcript will be re-evaluated from the New Start date. The forgiveness policy applies only to courses taken after the New Start date.

3. A course completed before the New Start date, and which is a prerequisite for a course to be taken later, must be taken again even if successfully completed before the New Start date, unless explicit exception is made by the chair of the department in which the course is taught.

4. The student may employ alternative credit to replace some voided courses taken prior to the New Start date.

5. A student may not use the New Start Option to graduate with honors.

6. The New Start Option may be granted only once during the student’s academic career at UAB and is irrevocable.

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Students with specific career goals or with unique intellectual objectives may propose majors and minors designed to meet their individual academic needs. The Individually Designed Major requires a minimum of 40 semester hours in the major, of which at least 20 semester hours must be in courses numbered at or above 300 and approved for use towards a major, with a minimum of a C average. In addition, students must prepare a rationale for a nonstandard major-level course of study, complete Core Curriculum requirements, and complete any additional requirements set by the school in which the degree will be awarded. The Individually Designed Minor requires completion of 21 semester hours, of which nine semester hours must be in courses numbered at or above 300, with a minimum of a C average. The Individually Designed Major or Minor must be reviewed and approved by the departments involved, by the dean of the school in which the degree will be awarded, and by the Office of Academic Programs and Policy.

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