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Policy Statement

The university has established the following Catalog rights and exclusions relating to requirements for students in an academic program (major, minor, certificate). While these Catalog rights establish specific academic program requirements for students, the exclusions noted ensure that the knowledge and skills acquired by students will be current with the state of knowledge in their fields of study.

Rights

1. The students’ academic requirements for graduation are based on the Catalog year that is assigned initially to the student's first term of enrollment in a degree or certificate program at Kent State University.
2. Students are permitted to complete an academic program (major, minor, certificate) under a more recent Catalog year. When changing Catalog year, students must comply with all the requirements relevant to their program in the newer Catalog year. After a Catalog year is updated, students are not permitted to revert to an older catalog year.
3. Students may declare a different Catalog year for a minor, certificate or second major/degree. However, students must comply with all the requirements relevant to the additional program in the different Catalog year.
4. Catalog rights may be granted through mutual agreements with other institutions. Such rights are subject to the same exclusions noted below.

Exclusions

1. Students are governed by the academic policies in the Catalog in effect for the current academic year, regardless of students' first term of enrollment.
2. Students who transfer to another university and return to Kent State are readmitted under the Catalog in effect for the term of readmission.
3. Dismissed students are reinstated under the Catalog in effect for the term of reinstatement.
4. Undergraduate students who interrupt their enrollment at the university for one full academic year or longer, consecutively, including summer, are updated to the Catalog in effect for the term of their most recent re-enrollment. Transfer work and alternative credit do not qualify as enrollment at Kent State University.
5. Kent State will not permit admission or reentry into programs that are no longer offered.
6. Undergraduate students who are enrolled continuously in a degree or certificate program in a catalog older than six years may be required to update to a more recent Catalog.
7. The university reserves the right to change academic requirements to keep programs in compliance with accreditation, certification, licensure or industry standards. In these situations, the college administering the program may update students to a more recent Catalog year.
8. The university reserves the right to change academic requirements due to financial urgency, unavailability of faculty or unavailability of other instructional resources. Where programmatic changes are required that do not alter the core academic requirements of the university, the students’ college dean will identify available alternatives for currently enrolled students to complete their declared program(s).
9. Course specifications such as title, credit hours, prerequisites, status (e.g., Kent Core), etc., are based on the term for which the student registered for the course. If the course is revised after the student completed it, the student does not gain or lose anything with that revision. In the event that a change in prerequisite, for example, would substantially disadvantage a continuously enrolled student by unreasonably adding one or more courses to that student’s academic requirements, the college administrating the student’s program may authorize course substitutions, waiver(s) or some other appropriate alternative.
10. The university reserves the right to change course specifications; cancel a scheduled course; and change the time, location or delivery of class meetings for a scheduled course. If a course is canceled, every attempt will be made to contact the registered students. Students registered in canceled courses will be given the opportunity to change to another course with seats available.

Reason for Policy

Establishes consistent practices for understanding requirements for students in an academic program.

Procedures

There are no procedures with this policy.

Forms/Instructions

• Manage My Programs in FlashLine

Additional Resources

• Advising - Schedule an Appointment
• Financial, Billing and Enrollment Center

Frequently Asked Questions

There are no FAQ associated with this policy.

Definitions

Catalog: official document of record for undergraduate and graduate programs, courses, academic policies and special programs.

Catalog Year: identifies the University Catalog that contains the requirements for the student's academic program.

Re-enrollment: process for students who have previously attended Kent State University as an undergraduate to return as an undergraduate student.

Related Information

• Kent Core (General Education Requirement)
• Minors

Revision History

Amended August 2020: Revised policy clarifies how catalog year is assigned and the meaning of a catalog year; adds limitation that students cannot revert after updating catalog year; replaces term “in force” with “in effect"; adds disclaimer that colleges may approve appropriate substitutions or waivers if changes to courses substantially disadvantage enrolled students; and adds university’s rights to cancel courses and change the time, location or delivery of a scheduled course.