Academic Standard

Successful completion of every course and clinical rotation is evidenced with a required minimum grade of 80% which is necessary to progress through the Program. Students must complete the program within six years.

Alphabetic Raw Score
A 90-100
B+ 85-89
B 80-84
C+ 75-79
C 70-74
F 69 or below

Rounding
Per program policy, only final grades will be rounded and this is programmed into the Blackboard Gradebook. Final grades of 0.50 or greater will be rounded up to the next whole numeric value. Therefore, a 79.50 is the minimum grade needed to pass this course, as this is rounded to a 80. Exam and quiz scores will not be rounded and will be entered in grade book in Blackboard to the nearest hundredth of a percent.

Academic Improvement Process (AIP)  (Remediation – Academic Support)

When a student earns a score of less than 80 on any assessment or assignment during any course or semester. The student must then contact the course instructor and the academic support coach for a meeting/review session. The course Instructor, academic support coach and student will review the Academic Improvement Process (AIP) choices and select or develop the remediation (academic support) assignment. The academic support coach will determine when the student successfully completes the remediation (academic support) requirement.

  • The purpose of the AIP is to ensure that students who score less than 80% on an assessment or assignment do not have a reduced lead prior to the next assessment or assignment. It is not a process that changes the score on the assessment or assignment in question.
  • AIP will encompass specific concepts related to course content, lecture materials and objectives in which the student’s knowledge was deficient. The method or procedure for mastering the material will be left to the discretion of the academic support coach with input from the course instructor when requested. Student learning styles and learning preferences will be taken into consideration.
  • Once the student receives their assessment or assignment grade and the score is less than 80%, it is then the student’s responsibility to seek out the academic support coach and course instructor to initiate the AIP. If the student does not engage in the AIP, this will then be considered a professionalism infraction and the notice of violation will be placed in the student’s file.

The following forms must be completed by the student and brought to the academic support coach for review at the meeting:

    1. Student Exam Self-Reflection Form: (Required) student completes this form and reviews with academic support coach and instructor.

The AIP process may take one of several forms, each must be measurable and documented:

1 The Academic support coach and student may review assessment questions or assignment content to determine areas of misunderstanding and/or how to approach assessment questions or assignment, (this can be in the form of a Likert scale for measurement.)
2 An individual oral presentation to the academic support coach or group that demonstrates competence in the areas of concern, (in the form of a grading rubric),
3 Review assessment questions or assignment areas missed and then an additional assessment or assignment offered containing these specific areas, (multiple choice, T/F, essay, etc.) or some combination of these which must be measurable and documented.
4 Other remediation (academic support) methods are acceptable, but the method must be measurable and documented. The methods employed in the AIP will be selected based on the needs of the student, the student learning style, and are at the discretion of the academic support coach.

***(The meeting with the academic support coach is to determine the best remediation (academic support) path. It is not a time for the student/s to challenge the test questions, the assignment, or points of each area.)

  • Timing
    • Except in unusual circumstances, the AIP process must be initiated and completed within five (5) school days after test or assignment grades have been posted.
  • Final Exams
    • Final examinations are not subject to this policy, as the material would have been covered in individual modules during the semester. However, a student who performs poorly on a cumulative final exam may request a meeting with the course director to review content but not the exam itself.
  • End of Fourth Semester
    • If a student must participate in the AIP process at the end of the fourth semester in the didactic year, they may not begin clinical rotations until the course director or instructor determines that the student has a sufficient grasp of the tested material.
  • Appeals
    • Any student who does not agree with the course director’s or instructor’s assessment during the AIP process may appeal to the Academic Coordinator. If the issue remains unresolved, the Program Director may review the case and issue a final decision.
  • Compliance
    • Failure to comply with the AIP requirement may result in disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from the program. Non-compliance with the AIP process may be documented by the course director and sent to the student’s academic record for review by the PA Student Affairs and Progression Committee.

Academic Warning  

A didactic phase student may be placed on Academic Warning if the student fails two (2) exams in a semester. The period of Academic Warning will be articulated in writing for the student, and will expire when and if the student adequately remediates the academic deficiency. If a student fails to remove specific deficiencies in accordance with the requirements for correction of academic deficiencies, the student may be recommended for probation.

Academic and Non-Academic Probation   

Any student who fails to achieve the required 3.00 semester GPA will automatically be placed on academic probation.

  • Once a student is placed on academic probation, they must achieve a 3.00 or better GPA in the following didactic semester or risk academic dismissal.
  • Two consecutive semesters with a semester GPA of less than 3.00 may result in academic dismissal.
  • Any course grade below 80% may result in academic dismissal. When there are extenuating circumstances leading to the failure, the student may be invited to repeat the course in the following academic year, at the discretion of the Student Affairs and Progression Committee (SAPC).

The Student Affairs and Progression Committee (SAPC) can review and recommend one of the following options to the Department Chair/Director:

  • Dismissal
  • Opportunity to return to restart with the following class – on academic probation.
  • If there are extenuating circumstances, the committee can recommend a remediation plan tailored to the student’s individual weaknesses and, if successful in remediation, will be allowed to continue in a probationary status

Students on probation or at risk for probation must meet frequently with their academic advisor to discuss academic progress, study habits, and test‐taking skills.

Students who have been found to be in violation of the Academic Integrity Standards or Honor Code during the didactic portion may be academically dismissed, depending on the results of the Honor Council process and any imposed penalties.

Non‐Academic probation may be imposed by the SAPC or the Dean of the School of Health Sciences after review of relevant non‐academic issues relating to a student.

  • A student placed on Non‐Academic Probation during the course of study, will remain on probation for the remainder of the program.

Repeating a Course/Deceleration   

  • The didactic phase is provided in sequence, with courses each semester being prerequisite to the following semester’s coursework, each course is only taught once per year.
    • If a student is granted the opportunity to repeat a course, it will be with the next class of students.
  • Students may be allowed to retake one course or clinical rotation, due to academic failure, over the entire curriculum. This would require the student to become a member of the class following their original graduating class.
  • Students who fail the same course more than once or who fail two different courses across the curriculum—either academic or clinical courses—will be dismissed regardless of overall GPA. Any student required to repeat a course or rotation must anticipate a delay in the timing of her/his graduation and incur additional tuition and fees necessary to repeat coursework. Students who are decelerated due to a failed course may be required to demonstrate competencies for coursework previously completed, in order to progress through their program of study.

Consequences of Academic Deficiencies  

When an Academic Deficiency occurs, depending upon the frequency, nature, and extent of the deficiency, the following actions may be recommended by the SAPC.

A student will be:

  1. Placed on Academic Warning;
  2. Required to remediate the deficiency;
  3. Required to repeat the course/rotation
  4. Subject to a change in clinical year rotation assignment and/or sequencing;
  5. Decelerated
  6. Dismissed

All courses within a semester must be completed successfully before students can progress into the next semester.

Withdrawing and Dismissal from the Program: 

Students who wish to withdraw from the program must consult with their academic advisor before meeting with the Program Director. The student must then initiate a complete withdrawal procedure at the Registrar’s Office. A Complete Withdrawal Grade Report will be completed. Failure to file the Complete Withdrawal Grade Report Form with the Registrar’s Office may result in the grade(s) of F for the course(s). A student who withdraws from the University after completion of one third of the semester receives in each course a grade of W or F as determined by the instructor at the time of withdrawal.

  • The effective date of a student’s complete withdrawal from the University will be the date that the student initiates the withdrawal and a Complete Withdrawal Grade Report Form is filed.
  • Refund Policy can be found on the FMU web page:  https://www.fmarion.edu/accounting/students/

Student Dismissal from Program 

A student may be considered for dismissal from the program if there are recurrent areas of academic deficiencies as determined from results of assessments with in and upon completion of each course. If these deficiencies are not resolved through the SAPC issuing an academic warning, remediation, repeat of course, or repeat of rotation. The SAPC will then determine an appropriate route of action which may include deceleration or dismissal from the program. The SAPC will provide the recommendation to the Program Director who will make a final decision.

University Refund Policy 

If students separate from the FMU Physician Assistant Program before completion then students may contact university accounting here for the current Refund Schedules.