Academic Catalog

Policy Summary

The policy determines the rules around the catalog year a student is eligible to follow for the completion of university and program requirements.

Reason for this Policy

University and program requirements are eligible to be updated each academic year. Defining the specific catalog by year for a student to follow provides one set of program requirements regardless of the year(s) the student is attending.

Entities Affected by this Policy

• All colleges and instructional units
• Office of the Dean of Students
• Office of the Registrar
• University Advising
• Student Affairs
• Enrollment Management

Who Should Know This Policy

• All colleges and instructional units
• Office of the Dean of Students
• Office of the Registrar
• University Advising
• Student Affairs
• Enrollment Management

Definitions

A catalog is an official publication issued by educational institutions, such as colleges or universities, that provides comprehensive information about the institutions' academic programs, policies, procedures, and resources.

Continuous Enrollment is the required enrollment pattern to avoid becoming inactive/discontinues and needing to apply for readmission.

Discontinuation is the process by which a student is inactivated for not meeting the standards of continuous enrollment.

Readmission is the process by which an undergraduate student who has been discontinued reactivates their student record to current student status to begin a new or complete a previous degree.

Policy

To earn a degree, all degree requirements (i.e., major, minor, certificate, university requirements) must be completed from one edition of Northern Arizona University's Academic Catalog. For dual majors (undergraduate), both majors' requirements must come from the same catalog.

All students are assigned the catalog based on the year they are admitted or readmitted (after discontinuation) to NAU. Students admitted or readmitted during a winter, spring, or summer term/semester follow the requirements of the catalog in effect the previous fall term/semester.

Situations that allow for multiple catalogs to complete degree requirements

The following conditions allow for two different catalogs if continuous enrollment is maintained:

• Dual degree (undergraduate).
• Coursework that is completed leading to a non-required minor or certificate.

Retaining a Catalog for Degree Requirements (Continuous Enrollment)

Maintaining continuous enrollment is required to remain in the catalog. Enrollment must occur in any of the last three consecutive terms at NAU to be considered continuously enrolled. If continuous enrollment requirements are not met, a student will be required to apply for readmission to NAU.

Eligibility for a Previous Catalog

Any catalog may be chosen associated with the student's continuous enrollment. A catalog prior to admission or readmission may be chosen if continuous enrollment requirements are met by identifying enrollment from another regionally accredited institution that can be utilized to determine the catalog.

A student readmitted to NAU after discontinuation may move to a prior catalog year that matches their prior enrollment that best supports graduation, given that the integrity of the degree is being maintained after the catalog change.

The primary factors to determine if a new catalog will maintain the integrity of a degree:

• The courses completed align/support/are applicable to the current title of the degree.
• Changing catalogs will not violate the program accreditation requirement.
• Enough courses may be offered or substituted to meet the degree requirements.

Responsibilities

• All colleges and instructional units may approve exceptions to a catalog year as established in this policy.
• The Office of the Registrar determines continuous enrollment and runs the process to discontinue students. Maintains the functionality for catalog year changes to include approving user access to have the functionality to change programs of study and/or catalogs.
• University Advising assists students in determining their degree requirements based on the academic catalog and assists students if a different catalog than assigned is appropriate.
• University Admissions Processing admits/readmits students, assists the admission process, and adds the catalog year to the student record.

Catalog assigning/changing/maintaining continuous enrollment:

• A catalog is assigned at matriculation and matches the term of admission based on the admission or readmission application.
• Catalog change requests based on continuous enrollment requirements being met with enrollment from another regionally accredited institution should be requested and verified with advising. If the catalog requirements are met, the advising area can change the catalog.
• Catalog change requests to expedite graduation after readmission should be initiated with the Academic Advisor and approved by the academic department.
• Maintaining Continuous Enrollment for three consecutive terms:
  • Three consecutive fall-spring-fall or spring-fall-spring sequences without earning credit will lead to not being continuously enrolled and discontinuation.
  • Summer or winter terms with enrollment will be utilized to maintain continuous enrollment.
• The discontinuation process is run by the Office of the Registrar approximately three weeks after the end of the fall and spring terms/semesters.

Related Information

Forms or Tools

There are no forms or tools associated with this policy.

Sources

There are no external sources associated with this policy.

Appendix

None