Academic Policies

The Undergraduate Academic Policies of NYU Abu Dhabi are summarized below. Unless otherwise noted, students should direct all questions or concerns regarding these policies to their Faculty Mentor, who will liaise with the appropriate members of the university administration as needed. For the most up-to-date policies, please refer to the NYUAD Website: nyuad.nyu.edu. Academic Policies relating to NYUAD Graduate Programs can be found in the Graduate Manual, published online https://students.nyuad.nyu.edu/files/resources/nyuad-graduate-academic-policies-procedures-manual.pdf.

Honors and Awards

University Honors Scholars

If you reach graduation as a top-ranking Baccalaureate graduate or candidate, you will be named a University Honors Scholar and awarded the NYU Founders’ Day Award. You will be notified by email on April 21, Founders’ Day.

Recipients of this honor receive a gold tassel to wear during Commencement and a personalized certificate. You can collect your gold tassel and your personalized certificate along with your Commencement attire.

If you qualify with the minimum GPA based on your spring semester grades, you will be awarded this honor retroactively and will receive your tassel and certificate following Commencement. The items will be mailed in mid-summer to your permanent address listed in NYU Albert.

Please note: The University Honors Scholar and Founders’ Day Award are separate and distinct from Latin Honors with different criteria. Qualifying for one does not mean you will qualify for the other.

Latin Honors

If you have achieved a high cumulative grade point average (GPA) and completed your school’s minimum number of credits you will be awarded latin honors for the current academic year.

For example, if you are graduating during the academic year from September 2021 to May 2022, the GPA cutoff for summa cum laude will be based on the top 5% of GPAs from combined graduates from September 2020, January 2021, and May 2021.

Summa cum laude

NYU Abu Dhabi students are awarded this honor according to the top 5% of the graduating class in each division.

Magna cum laude

NYU Abu Dhabi students are awarded this honor according to the next 10% of the graduating class in each division.

Cum laude

NYU Abu Dhabi students are awarded this honor according to the next 15% of the graduating class in each division.

Residency Requirements

Degree Completion in Residence

Students must be in residence in Abu Dhabi for their final semester of enrollment (immediately prior to graduation) except in rare cases where completion from home in absentia may be considered for students within 8 credits of graduation.

Graduation

Commencement Marching Eligibility

Students may participate in the NYUAD Commencement Ceremony if:

They have met all requirements for graduation and have not previously marched in anticipation of the degree being conferred; or
They are registered for all courses necessary to graduate in the spring term immediately preceding Commencement or the summer term immediately following Commencement—regardless of whether or not all such courses are successfully completed by Commencement.

Notes: Students matriculating fall 2020 or earlier are subject to an earlier, more relaxed policy. Students with expected graduation terms through the following fall are eligible to participate in Ma’a Salama.

Awarding of Credit

Course Load

NYU Abu Dhabi requires students to complete 140 credit hours to graduate. Students generally take nine four-credit courses per year: usually four during each semester and one during each of three January terms. However, as not all courses within the NYU system are four-credit courses, course load is measured in credit hours. Students must average 16 credit hours per regular semester, and may not generally take more than 18 credit hours in any one term. NYU Abu Dhabi believes firmly that four years is the appropriate amount of time for students to take optimal advantage of NYUAD’s unique course structure, global programming, and co-curricular experiences. Students interested in accelerating or extending their degree programs must consult with their faculty mentors and the NYUAD Dean of Students to determine eligibility.

Faculty mentors will work closely with students to ensure a balance in academic workload, particularly as students take advantage of NYUAD’s scheduling system and the availability of 7-week courses.

Students who wish to take fewer than 16 credit hours per semester must also obtain the permission of their mentor and the Vice Provost for Assessment, Institutional Research, and Academic Affairs in order to ensure a course of study that allows the student to make normal progress toward a degree. Student taking fewer than 12 credits are not eligible for financial aid without express consent of the Office of Financial Aid.

See Overloading Policy.

Double Counting

A course may count toward more than one requirement. For example, the same course may count toward both a major and toward a multi-disciplinary minor or toward two different majors. However, there are limitations to double counting.

For double majors, students may count all courses that are explicitly required for either majors, or a total of three courses, whichever is greater.
All minors must include a minimum of at least two courses that are not counted toward any other set of major or minor requirements.
No individual course may count for more than one Core category
No individual course may be counted toward the Art, Design, and Technology; Cultural Exploration and Analysis; Data and Discovery; or Structures of Thought and Society Core requirements and simultaneously toward a major or minor.
Courses may satisfy Islamic Studies, Quantitative Reasoning, and Experimental Inquiry and still be utilized to meet other requirements.

This limited double-counting policy is intended to create flexibility for students and to allow them to highlight the disciplinary and subject matter clusters they have chosen to study.

Students should choose minors with a sense of academic purpose, not as an accidental result of NYUAD’s extensive cross-listing of courses, which reflects our commitment to work across disciplines.

Double Majors and Minors

Students may complete a second major if both majors can be accommodated during their four years at NYU Abu Dhabi and so long as each major includes at least 30 credits that are not used for the other major. Alternatively, they may complete a minor, which is offered in disciplinary and multidisciplinary areas. Minors generally require four or five courses. So that students may take full advantage of the breadth of the curriculum and not focus too narrowly on just one or two areas, students are encouraged to explore the option of completing a minor rather than a full second major. Students with double majors are required to complete only one Capstone Project in what is recognized as their primary major. In lieu of a second Capstone, students must complete two additional courses in their non-primary major. A student’s degree, Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science, is determined by the student’s primary major.

Exemptions

All exemptions related to the completion of degree requirements are by application to the appropriate Academic Dean.

Overloading

Generally, course loads of 19 or 20 credit hours are approved only for students with a compelling academic need or when their previous academic work is so strong that an overload constitutes little academic risk. In particular, students will not generally be approved for more than 18 credits unless they have cumulative internal grade point averages as specified below:

First-year Students 3.7
Second-year Students 3.6
Third- and Fourth-Year students 3.5

In all cases academic risk will be weighed against the need for academic credit in granting approval.

No student is permitted to take more than 20 credit hours in a semester.

Transfer Credit and Articulation Agreements

Transfer Credit

On an exceptional basis, NYU Abu Dhabi will consider awarding credit for courses taken at other universities. Transfer credit, however, is awarded on a limited basis and only for courses taken after matriculation at NYU Abu Dhabi. Students may earn up to 8 credits per semester while on approved leaves of absence and/or up to 8 credits in any summer up to a total limit of not more than 20 credits. While a student may be awarded transfer credit, these credits cannot be used to reduce the total number of required semesters of enrollment.

Students should complete a Transfer Pre-approval Form prior to enrolling in another institution to assure that courses will be counted toward graduation requirements. Final approval is conditional upon the student submitting an official transcript documenting a grade which is the equivalent of a C or better and submitting a final course syllabus that is essentially the same as that submitted for pre-approval.

Transfer Credit Final Approval Form must be filed with the Registrar and are evaluated by an appropriate subcommittee of the Transfer Credit Review Committee based on academic merit, appropriateness to the NYUAD curriculum, and the degree to which the courses are distinct from other coursework that the student has completed or will complete at NYU Abu Dhabi. The Transfer Review Committee consists of the Program heads of each major program, the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs (VPAA), and the Associate Registrar. Individual review subcommittees are convened by the VPAA and will consist of the VPAA, the Associate Registrar, and such program heads or other subject matter experts as the VPAA deems appropriate for the particular course(s) under consideration.

Advanced Standing

NYU Abu Dhabi does not award transfer credit for high school coursework or for external assessments, such as AP or IB exams. Advanced level courses, including AP, IB, and A Levels, may allow students to substitute an advanced course for an introductory course at NYU Abu Dhabi.

Advanced standing is at the discretion of the Academic Dean of the appropriate divisional area in consultation with the faculty in the discipline. The completion of a placement test may be required. There is no presumption that advanced standing is available in all disciplines. While advanced standing can be used to exempt a student from specified entry-level courses, it does not reduce the total number of courses required in any program.

Grading

Grade Appeal Policy

To appeal an assigned grade, the student must first consult with the instructor who assigned the grade to discuss the grading requirements for the course and how the grade was determined. If the student is not satisfied with the outcome of the discussion and wishes to appeal the grade further, a formal written appeal should be submitted to the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education. If the Vice Provost determines that there is sufficient evidence to warrant a formal review for misfeasance and/or discrimination, the Vice Provost will forward the case to the program head or equivalent. The program head will initiate a review of the grade by the faculty teaching in the program that semester. All of the student’s work will be reviewed to clarify how the grade was determined and to ensure the grade has been assigned without discrimination and consistent with reasonable professional standards. The decision of the department in matters related to a course grade is final.

Grading

Abu Dhabi: Grading
Grade	Grade Points
A	4.0
A-	3.667
B+	3.333
B	3.0
B	2.667
C+	2.333
C	2.0
C	1.667
D+	1.333
D	1.0
F	0.0
W	Withdrawal (see Withdrawal Policy)
P	Pass (see Pass/Fail Policy)
I	Incomplete (see Incompletes Policy)

Incompletes

An incomplete grade of “I” will be permitted only in extraordinary circumstances that prevent a student from completing required course work by the end of the semester. Students must approach the instructor of the course about whether a grade of “Incomplete” is possible and should be aware that simply leaving a course unfinished may result in a failing grade.

When an instructor believes that an Incomplete may be appropriate, the student and the instructor submit an Incomplete Request Form to the Office of Academic Affairs. The form includes the specific outstanding work, a submission deadline, and a default grade to be assigned if the additional work is not submitted on time. The application is subject to review and must be approved by the Vice Provost for Assessment, Institutional Research, and Academic Affairs before a grade of “I” is recorded. Adjustments to the approved deadline are allowed only in exceptional circumstances upon written agreement from the instructor. Incompletes that have not been resolved according to the terms of the Incomplete Request Form will be assigned the default grade at the end of the first regular semester following the semester in which the course was taken. Students requesting a Leave of Absence during a given semester will generally be considered for an Incomplete only if the Leave of Absence is approved within the last three weeks from the end of the term.

Minimum Grades

All successfully completed courses may be counted toward the 140-credit-hour graduation requirement. However, only those courses in which grades of C or higher are earned may be counted toward major, core, concentration, minor, or prerequisite requirements.

Pass/Fail

A pass grade is recorded for all Pass/Fail courses in which a letter grade of D or higher is earned. Beginning in the second year of study, NYUAD allows students to take one course per semester (up to a total of three courses overall) Pass/Fail that are degree electives (Core, Colloquium, and degree requirements are not eligible to be taken as pass/fail). This option is designed to encourage students to continue to explore areas of interest and to optimize their focus on learning unfamiliar methods and materials while minimizing concerns about formal outcomes. The Pass/ Fail option is therefore especially appropriate in the second year before students invest in a major. Students studying at other NYU global network sites, may be further restricted by site policies related to Pass/Fail grading. Courses taken Pass/Fail will not be counted for credit toward the completion of any portion of the core curriculum, of a major, or minor. A course taken Pass/Fail cannot be used to satisfy a prerequisite requirement. Students considering the Pass/Fail option in their area of study or in pre-professional courses should consult with their mentor about the effect of such grades on admission to graduate and professional schools. Students who change their majors will be able to use courses previously taken under the Pass/ Fail option only with the support of their mentors and the appropriate program head, and with the approval of the Vice Provost for Academic Administration. Such exceptions may additionally require completion of an additional elective course in the major.

Classes that receive a Pass are counted for credit toward the degree, but are not calculated into the GPA. Classes that are failed are registered as an F for purposes of GPA calculation.

For applicable courses, a student may opt to change to or from Pass/Fail grading during the withdraw period associated with that particular course.

Attendance

Attendance is expected in all classes. Although the administration of NYU Abu Dhabi does not supervise attendance of classes, it supports the standards established by instructors. Students who, in the judgment of the instructor, have not substantially met the requirements of the course or who have been excessively absent may receive a grade deduction, including the possibility of an F, and/or may be considered to have withdrawn unofficially (see the policy on Withdrawal).

Auditing

Students will be permitted to audit a course with the permission of the course’s primary instructor. Audited courses may not be converted to a for-credit basis after the add/ drop deadline and will not be reflected on a student’s transcript. Audited courses are on a space-available basis only and count toward the total number of credits a student can take in a term.

Repeating Courses

A student may repeat a course in which they received a Pass, Fail or letter grade once. Both grades will be recorded on internal transcripts and included in grade point average calculations. However, students will only earn credit hours once for a repeated course. Students may not repeat courses in a designated sequence after taking more advanced courses.

When one or both of the attempts to complete a course occur during a student’s first year, the NYUAD Transcript Policy influences how the repeated courses impact the student’s official transcript and official grade point average. In particular, when both occurrences are during the first year, neither letter grade will appear on the official transcript nor impact the official grade point average. When only the first occurrence is during the first year, the letter grade associated with the second occurrence, and only that letter grade, will appear on the official transcript and be factored into the official grade point average.

Note: Students should be aware that graduate and professional schools may consider repeated courses differently. Students entering NYU Abu Dhabi in fall 2015 or earlier are subject to an earlier version of this policy. Please see Registrar for details.

Academic Standing and Progress

Academic Standing

This policy defines good academic standing and outlines the steps that will be taken to ensure students are informed of their academic standing, are helped if they have a temporary lapse, and are assisted in finding alternatives to NYU Abu Dhabi, if necessary.

Good Standing: NYU Abu Dhabi expects students to make satisfactory progress toward their undergraduate degree every term and cumulatively. Good academic standing is typically achieved by successfully completing 16 credit hours during each fall and spring semester, and four credit hours during each of three January terms. A student who falls more than four credit hours behind this target, or who has a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of less than 2.00, ceases to be in good academic standing. Additionally, a student who fails to successfully complete at least 12 credits during a regular semester, or who earns a term GPA of less than 2.00 ceases to be in good standing.
Academic Support: The university has developed a series of steps designed to help students achieve their academic goals and to communicate with students and their faculty mentors when a student is experiencing difficulty maintaining good academic standing. Typically, coordinating the communication and academic response is handled through the Office of Academic Affairs and the Office of the Dean of Students. Academic support can include such supports as tutoring, mentoring, and English Language support. The Office of the Dean of Students can also provide Wellness services and other organizational support.
NYU Abu Dhabi recognizes that there are situations in which appropriate academic support may include a reduced course load. When a reduced course load has been formally approved in advance, student progress toward the degree is measured against the approved reduced course load rather than against the typical 16 credit hour load. Students or faculty mentors who believe that a student would benefit from a reduced course load must apply for formal approval through the Registrar’s Office prior to the end of the add/drop period for that term. Approval is at the discretion of the Vice Provost for Institutional Research, Assessment, and Academic Affairs.
Definitions
Committee on Academic Standing: The Committee on Academic Standing is chaired by the Vice Provost for Institutional Research, Assessment, and Academic Affairs and includes the four Divisional Deans or their designees, a member of the standing faculty, and other members as determined by the NYUAD Provost. The Committee meets at the completion of each regular semester.
Probation: A student who is not in good standing is considered to be on probation. Students who are on academic probation are expected to refocus their energies on academic success. Unless specifically permitted by the Committee on Academic Standing, students on probation are not eligible for semester study away, course over-loads, summer internship or research funding, or extra-curricular travel (including for team sports). Campus employment and membership in student interest groups, while not prohibited, should be strictly limited and not allowed to adversely impact academic progress. Students on probation, remain on probation until such time as they return to good academic standing. If a student fails to successfully complete all of their course work while on probation or if after two semesters on probation (consecutive or not) a student has not returned to good standing, s/he will be referred to the Committee on Academic Standing for review.
Suspension: Suspension separates a student from NYU Abu Dhabi for a period of at least one semester. It is intended as a time for students to reflect upon the reasons for their academic underperformance and to put in place such measures as will help them to succeed upon their return. Suspended students may opt to pursue university studies at another institution, (at their own expense), during their time away from NYU Abu Dhabi. A maximum of 8 credits from such study may be transferred to NYU Abu Dhabi following the policies and protocols for transferring credit.
Dismissal: Dismissal represents the permanent separation of a student from NYU Abu Dhabi.
Academic Review: If a student ceases to be in good academic standing, s/he will automatically be placed on academic probation. In severe cases, the Vice Provost may refer such cases to the Committee on Academic Standing to consider enforcing additional measures such as a reduced course load or mandatory meetings with a mentor. The Committee on Academic Standing will review all cases in which a student has been on probation for two or more semesters (consecutive or not) and still has not achieved good academic standing. The Committee will ordinarily recommend that such students be suspended from the university for a period of one semester. Additionally, the Vice Provost for Institutional Research, Assessment, and Academic Affairs may bring other students before the Committee for suspension consideration if their performance is particularly problematic—even if they have not had two semesters on probation. The actual decision to suspend rests with the NYUAD Provost.
Students who return from suspension will remain on academic probation. Upon return to NYU Abu Dhabi, these students are expected to successfully complete all of their courses. Failure to do so will result in referral to the Committee for Academic Standing. The Committee on Academic Standing may recommend allowing such students additional time on probation if, upon their return, they are accumulating credits at the normal rate and have a term GPA above 2.0. However, for students who continue to underperform upon return, the Committee will ordinarily recommend dismissal from NYU Abu Dhabi. The actual decision to dismiss rests with the Vice Chancellor who has sole authority to dismiss students from the University.
Non-Academic Review: The Vice Provost for Institutional Research Assessment, and Academic Affairs will inform the student of any suspension or dismissal recommendation of the Committee on Academic Standing and enquire as to whether there are non-academic issues so compelling as to suggest an alternate sanction. Students asserting such a claim must document the non-academic issues. In the case of health and/or wellness reasons, this will ordinarily require that the student sign a release granting the Dean of Students and the Vice Provost access to records that would otherwise be protected under privacy regulations. The Dean of Students and the Vice Provost will review these potentially compelling non-academic issues. In cases where they believe that a significant non-academic reason exists for the academic deficiency and that there is reason to believe that the significant non-academic reason has been mitigated to an extent that prior academic deficiencies are not likely to be repeated, the Dean and Vice Provost will produce a formal recommendation suggesting a modification or even complete retraction of the recommendation of the Committee on Academic Standing. When no such non-academic reason exists, the Dean and Vice Provost will issue a formal statement in support of the recommendation by the Committee on Academic Standing.
Decision: The decision to suspend or dismiss a student lies with the NYUAD Provost (for suspension) or Vice Chancellor (for dismissal) based upon the recommendation of the Academic and Non-Academic review.
Appeal: Suspension and dismissal decisions may be appealed to the NYUAD Provost acting in conjunction with the Vice Chancellor, by delivering (via e-mail, hand delivery, delivery service, or mail) a written notice of appeal that arrives at the Office of the Provost within two weeks of a suspension or dismissal notification being sent to the student. There are only two grounds for appeal: a violation of the procedures outlined in this policy or evidence of factual error. The Provost will advise the student, the Committee on Academic Standing, and the Dean of Students in writing of their final determination. The decision of the Provost and Vice Chancellor of NYUAD will be final and binding.
Reporting: Academic Standing status will not be recorded on official transcripts or other public documents, or released outside the institution without the student’s knowledge. Academic standing will, however, be part of the student’s internal NYUAD academic record and accessible for mentoring purposes.

Final Semester Assessments

Scheduling Final Assessments: Scheduled class periods should generally be used for course instruction and not for final, comprehensive summative course assessment. Comprehensive in-class final assessments such as final exams should be scheduled during the official final examination period at the date and time assigned by the Registrar. The sole exception to this is for courses with multiple graded components such as Foundations of Science. In these cases, final exams in the lab or studio portion of the course may be held during final regular lab or studio period.

Comprehensive out-of-class final assessments may be scheduled for submission during the last week of the semester or during finals week at the discretion of the instructor and as indicated in the syllabus. However, instructors should remain cognizant of other student responsibilities during this busy period and may not schedule due dates any later than the official end of the final exam period.

Summative assessments that are not comprehensive and are intended to assess only the final portion of the course, may be scheduled during the last week of classes. Instructors, though, are encouraged to use the official final exam period for this type of assessment as well, unless the course also includes a comprehensive final assessment during the official exam period.

No assignment of any kind may be due on scheduled exam reading days nor later than 9:00 pm on the final day of the exam period.

Weighting of Final Assessments: Other than Capstone Projects, no single in-class or final exam period assignment may constitute more than 40% of the overall grade for a course. Take-home assignments without time constraints may be weighted more heavily if appropriate for a particular course, but should be considered an exception to general institutional practice.

Proctoring of Assessments: Faculty members and/or assigned course instructors are expected to be physically present during the administration of the final examination in order to answer any questions and ensure high standards of academic integrity. When they are unable to do so, the division dean must be informed and see that appropriate proctors (instructional staff) are provided for each examination. Any unusual circumstances or instances of possible academic integrity violations should be brought to the attention of the Vice Provost for Assessment, Institutional Research, and Academic Affairs within 24 hours.

Missing a Final Exam: If a student anticipates being unable to attend a final exam, s/he should reach out to the instructor as far in advance as possible. Instructors have broad latitude to determine what qualifies as sufficient advanced notice and may, in exceptional cases, allow for notice even after an exam has begun.

Consistent with NYU policies concerning absence for religious reasons, faculty are required to accommodate students who provide advanced notice of their inability to be present for a scheduled exam due to religious reasons. Although faculty are not obligated to make accommodations for any reason other than religious observance, faculty are encouraged to accommodate students who miss an exam for a legitimate reason—as determined by the faculty member.

When an accommodation is made, there is no requirement that the accommodation be an alternative exam, but could instead include an assessment of a different format and/or a reweighting of other assignments.

Instructor permission is required before a student can leave the room during a final exam. Failure to secure such permission may result in the exam being disallowed.

Final Examination Conflicts: The Office of the Registrar will endeavor to ensure that students do not have conflicting final examinations and will set the final exam schedule in such a way that limits the number of students having more than three exams in any one day. In the exceptional case where a student does have an exam conflict involved faculty are encouraged to work cooperatively to accommodate the student, with assistance from the Office of Academic Affairs when required. When students are scheduled for more than two exams on one day, they are welcome to seek accommodation at the discretion of the faculty involved. Faculty members are permitted to reschedule a student’s final under these circumstances, but are not required to do so.

Leave of Absence

NYU Abu Dhabi expects its students to maintain continuous registration in an academic program with the exception of summer breaks. However, it is sometimes necessary or desirable for a student to take a leave from enrollment for a period of time. Such leaves may be voluntary or involuntary, and will be handled in accordance with the NYU-wide Student Leave Policy and Procedure (http://nyu.edu/about/policies-guidelines-compliance/ policies-and-guidelines/student-leave-policy.html). As it applies to NYU Abu Dhabi, NYU policy references to the Dean of the School and the Provost refer to the NYUAD Dean of Students and NYUAD Provost. Questions about references to specific offices within this policy should be referred to the NYUAD Dean of Students. The paragraphs below briefly summarize the NYU Policy, but individuals considering a leave are encouraged to review the full policy referenced above before making any final decisions.

Voluntary Leave: NYU recognizes that situations may arise when a student may want to voluntarily interrupt their academic studies. The University is committed to handling reasonable requests for leaves in a responsible manner. This policy may not be used in lieu of disciplinary action to address any violations of University rules, regulations, policies, or practices. A student who is granted a voluntary leave while on academic and/or disciplinary status will return to that same status.

Involuntary Leave: NYU may place a student on an involuntary leave of absence from that student’s academic program when that student: (1) poses a direct threat to health and safety of self or others; and (2) is not able or not willing to take a voluntary leave of absence. This policy may not be used in lieu of disciplinary actions to address any violations of University rules, regulations, policies, or practices. A student who is placed on an involuntary leave while on academic and/or disciplinary status will return to that same status.

Returning from a Leave of Absence: Students returning from a leave of absence are expected to successfully complete one academic semester (Fall or Spring) of full-time coursework in Abu Dhabi before being eligible to enroll in an NYUAD study away program.

Midterm Assessment

Faculty must organize their courses in a manner that makes individual student progress in the class clear with at least one meaningful means of assessment not later than the middle of the term. In addition to providing each student with ongoing information on their progress in a timely manner, faculty are required to submit a holistic midterm assessment of Strong (S+), Satisfactory (S), or At Risk (R) for each of their students in Albert. Midterm assessments are due not later than the beginning of the fourth week for 7-week courses and at the end of the eighth week for 14-week courses. These assessments are not part of a student’s formal academic record and do not appear on transcripts. Because these assessments are intended to be holistic, faculty members may factor in student attendance, participation, and general level of engagement rather than rely solely on formally graded material. Faculty are also encouraged to bring particularly concerning performances to the attention of the Vice Provost for Assessment, Institutional Research, and Academic Affairs at any time.

Withdrawals

Withdrawal From A Course

After consulting with the faculty mentor and within the following deadlines, a student may discontinue a course and receive a grade of W:

For 14-week courses the deadline for withdrawing is the end of the 9th week of the term;
For 7-week courses the deadline for withdrawing is midway through the 5th week of the term;
For Summer Term courses, the deadline for withdrawing is the end of the second week of the term.
For January and June Term, the deadline for withdrawing is the second day of class.

After the final date in each of the above, no student may withdraw from a course without a direct appeal to the Vice Provost for Assessment, Institutional Research, and Academic Affairs. All relevant circumstances will be taken into consideration, but there is no guarantee that a late withdrawal will be allowed.

Consistent with the Transcript Policy, courses from which a student has withdrawn during the first year of student are not recorded on the transcript. Courses from which a student withdraws in subsequent years will appear on the transcript with the accompany grade of W.

Adding and Dropping Courses

Within the following time frames, a student may add or drop a course (or section) without record on the student’s permanent transcript:

The deadline for adding or dropping a 14-week class is the end of the second week of the semester.
The deadline for adding or dropping a 7-week course is the end of the first week of the 7-week term.

Any student who adds a course after the first day of instruction is fully responsible for all work previously assigned in that course.

During the second week of add/drop courses may be added only with the permission of the instructor. No course or section may be added after the stated deadline. After the stated deadlines, courses may only be dropped in accordance with the NYUAD policy on Withdrawal.

Note that NYUAD students are subject to these add/drop limitations even when studying at another NYU campus, regardless of the deadlines at that campus.

Standards of Conduct

Academic Integrity

At NYU Abu Dhabi, a commitment to excellence, fairness, honesty, and respect within and outside the classroom is essential to maintaining the integrity of our community. By accepting membership in this community, students, faculty, and staff take responsibility for demonstrating these values in their own conduct and for recognizing and supporting these values in others. In turn, these values create a campus climate that encourages the free exchange of ideas, promotes scholarly excellence through active and creative thought, and allows community members to achieve and be recognized for achieving their highest potential.

As part of the NYU global network, NYUAD students are also subject to NYU’s all-school policy on Academic Integrity for Students at NYU. Alleged integrity violations are resolved using NYUAD’s Academic Integrity Procedure.

Disciplinary Measures

Redress of Grievances

Internships

Placement Exams

Access to Educational Records

NYU Abu Dhabi is fully committed to the protection of the privacy of student records. To assist with the guarding of this privacy, the university complies with the United States Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This specifically means that any education records maintained by the university and directly related to students, such as grades, transcripts, and test scores, will not be released to others, including parents or guardians, without the student’s consent except as provided by United States federal regulations. Education records refer to any record or document containing information directly related to a student (including computerized and electronic files, audio and video tape, photographic images, film, e-mail, etc.) and are not limited to hardcopy documents or to a file with a student’s name on it.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) was enacted by the United States Congress to protect the privacy of students’ education records, to establish the rights of students to inspect and review their education records, and to provide students with an opportunity to have information in their records corrected which is inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise in violation of their rights of privacy. FERPA also permits the disclosure by an institution without a student’s prior consent of so-called “directory information” (see definition below), and of other personally identifiable information under certain limited conditions. Students have the right to file complaints with the United States Department of Education’s Family Policy Compliance Office concerning alleged failures by an institution to comply with FERPA.

FERPA governs the release of personally identifiable information to both external and internal parties, including other University employees, parents, and government agents. The NYUAD and NYU FERPA Guidelines (accessible as indicated below) describe the circumstances and procedures governing the release of information from a student’s education records to such parties.

Disclosure of Personally Identifiable Information: Among other exceptions authorized by FERPA, prior consent of the student is not needed for disclosure of directory information or for disclosure to school officials with a legitimate educational interest in access to the student’s educational record. School officials having a legitimate educational interest include any University employee acting within the scope of their University employment, and any duly appointed agent or representative of the University acting within the scope of their appointment. In addition, the University may, at its sole discretion, forward education records to the officials of another institution (a) in which a student seeks or intends to enroll if that institution requests such records, or (b) if the student is enrolled in, or is receiving services from, that institution while they is attending NYU Abu Dhabi or NYU New York. Other exceptions are listed in the NYUAD and NYU Guidelines for Compliance with FERPA.

Additional Information for Students about Records Access: Students may obtain additional information about access to their records from the NYUAD and NYU Guidelines for Compliance with FERPA. The Guidelines may be viewed at nyuad.nyu.edu/academics/academic.policies.html.

NYU Abu Dhabi and NYU New York have designated the following student information as “directory information:” Name, dates of attendance, NYU school or college, class, previous institution(s) attended, major field of study, full- or part-time status, degree(s) conferred (including dates), honors and awards (including dean’s list), past and present participation in officially recognized activities (including positions held and official statistics related to such participation and performance), email address, and NetID. Email address and NetID are directory information for internal purposes only and will not be made available to the general public except in specified directories from which students may opt out. Under United States federal law, address information, telephone listings, and age are also considered directory information for military recruitment purposes. Address refers to “physical mailing address” but not email address.

Class Scheduling

This course listing and online class schedules are updated throughout the year. Every attempt is made to provide the most current and correct information. Courses and class schedules are subject to change without advance notice. Classes are not necessarily offered every term or year and the NYUAD Bulletin should be used as a guide for the type of offerings available. Individual programs can be consulted on how often a course may be offered each year.

The information about a courses and schedule that is listed online is considered the most accurate.

Religious Holidays

NYU Abu Dhabi, as a nonsectarian institution, adheres to the general policy of including in its official calendar only certain legal holidays. However, it is also University policy that members of any religious group may, without penalty, absent themselves from classes when compliance with their religious obligations requires it:

Students who anticipate being absent because of any religious observance should notify faculty in advance of such anticipated absence.
Faculty should make a reasonable effort not to schedule examinations and assignments with deadlines on religious holidays. Any student absent from class because of religious beliefs shall not be penalized for any class, examination, or assignment deadline missed on that day or days.
If examinations or assignment deadlines are scheduled, any student who is unable to attend class because of religious beliefs shall be given the opportunity to make up that day or days. No adverse or prejudicial effects shall result to any student who avails themselves of the above provisions.
Class sessions will not be repeated for individual students.

Transcripts

NYU Abu Dhabi official transcripts do not report grades for courses taken during a student’s first year of study. However, these grades do become a part of the student’s academic record to be used for internal purposes such as mentoring students and fulfillment of prerequisites. Official transcripts indicate successful completion of those courses taken in the first year for which a grade of C or better is received. Courses from which a student has withdrawn or in which the student received a grade of lower than a C do not appear on the official transcript nor do they contribute toward satisfying graduation requirements. In addition, students may request from the Registrar independent documentation of these grades for external use.

Students’ first-year grades will not be included in cumulative grade point average calculations.

This policy contributes to the development of a learning community at NYU Abu Dhabi that distinctively emphasizes independent responsibility for intellectual exploration and growth and that is appropriate for a global student body.

Additional Information

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