General Academic Information

Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree

One hundred twenty (120) credit hours are required for the degree. A student must achieve a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA and a minimum grade of C- in each course that is counted toward fulfilling the requirements of the major. Credit hours at Goucher are defined on a semester basis, as distinct from a trimester or quarter basis. Candidates for the degree must complete a minimum of 60 credit hours at Goucher College.

Residency Requirement

Twelve of the last 24 credit hours must be completed at Goucher unless granted an exception with the approval of the Center director of the major and the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies. Exceptions may be granted for approved summer courses and study-abroad programs or other programs. These approved non-Goucher credits shall ordinarily be completed within two semesters following the petition date to avoid withdrawal from the college. Credits taken out of residency, should follow the Transfer Credit Policy at https://www.goucher.edu/registrar/transfer-of-credit-policy. Contact the Registrar’s Office for approval of specific non-Goucher courses.

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Goucher Commons Requirements (GCR)

Like other colleges and universities, Goucher expects all of its students to pursue a common set of learning experiences. These experiences are not based on a core curriculum or checklist of requirements, and students have great freedom to determine and then follow their own interests. In this pursuit, students enter into a space of inquiry - the Goucher Commons - with other students and the faculty.

All GCR’s are satisfied with a grade of “D-” or “P” (or better). Students should be aware that for the foreign language and culture sequence a grade of “C-” or better must be received in the 110- and 120-levels in order to advance to the next course level (120, 130, 132, or 133). A grade of “D-” or “P” (or better) in the terminal course in the foreign language and culture sequence satisfies the foreign language GCR.

1. First Year Seminar  

2. Complex Problem Exploration Courses  

3. Proficiency Areas:

• College Writing Proficiency
• Data Analytics  
• Foreign Language and Culture  

4. Common Inquiry Areas:

• Race, Power, and Perspective  
• Environmental Sustainability  
• Study Abroad  

5. Capstone Experience/Signature Project  

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Other Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements

1. One hundred twenty (120) credit hours are required for the degree. A student must achieve a minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average and a minimum grade of C- in each course that is counted toward fulfilling the requirements of the major. Credit hours at Goucher are defined on a semester basis, as distinct from a trimester or quarter basis. Candidates for the degree must complete a minimum of 60 credit hours at Goucher College.
2. At least 3 credits in each of the following areas as designated by the Registrar: Arts , Humanities and Interdisciplinary Studies , Social and Behavioral Sciences , and Biological and Physical Sciences . These disciplinary requirements can be fulfilled by courses in a major or minor, courses that fulfill other Goucher Commons requirements, and/or additional designated courses throughout the curriculum.

3. First Year Experience, FYE 134, a required course for all new first-year students (not required for transfer students), continues the orientation process and connects the learning that occurs for students both inside and outside of the classroom.  New students discuss the concept of being active learners and participants in the Goucher community and explore its implications for physical, social, and emotional well-being. As members of this learning community, students will be exposed to a variety of perspectives in order to develop a sense of respect for differing viewpoints, to learn the value of individual responsibility, and to understand the importance of personal accountability. Students will have the opportunity to build community, develop relationships with peers, and discover their sense of place at Goucher.  Successful completion of the course is a graduation requirement for all students except Goucher II students, who are exempt from this requirement

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College Writing Proficiency

and Goucher’s 4-Year Vertical Writing Curriculum

College Writing Proficiency (CWP) is a requirement for graduation from Goucher College. The achievement of CWP signifies that students can craft a sophisticated argument, conduct modern scholarly research, and write clearly and gracefully. Students must earn CWP at the general college level through a series of courses taught and overseen by the Writing Program. Their writing is then assessed by the Writing Program faculty.  Students must apply for CWP by submitting a portfolio during the designated portfolio review periods. 

CWP is part of Goucher’s 4-Year Vertical Writing Curriculum.  Students develop as writers throughout their four years at Goucher. 

Earning CWP:  The 3 Basic Steps for all Incoming Students

(Transfer students may apply earlier, in some cases. Please see the note below.)

1. All incoming students must take WRT 181  or WRT 181H  during their first year.

2. After passing WRT 181  or WRT 181H , students will take a WEC course (Writing Enriched Curriculum) in any discipline. 

a. Please note that while we strongly encourage students to take their WEC course in their second year, they can choose to wait until their third year.  Some advanced students, with input from their advisors, may take their WEC course during the second semester of their first year.  

3. A student is eligible to submit a portfolio for CWP after passing WRT 181  or WRT 181H , and if they have taken or are currently enrolled in a WEC course. Submissions are ready in December (seniors only) and in May.

Applying for CWP

Email notices will be sent to all undergraduate students and all advisors every semester with reminders about the CWP portfolio process. The deadline for the May submission will be announced at the beginning of the academic year. Students will be given the deadlines for the review period, the guidelines for earning CWP (which can also be found on our website), directions for applications, as well as a link to the submission forms.  Students will submit two academic papers for a total of approximately 10 pages of academic writing and a cover letter that discusses their writing in detail, according to the specific instructions and guidelines.  Students are notified during the summer, before the start of the fall semester.  Students who do not earn CWP are provided with individualized plans for the future, including course and workshop recommendations and/or independent revision strategies. 

Starting Out: The Writing Placement Essay

All incoming first-year students must submit a placement essay according to the directions on the first-year portal. Students who need or want additional writing support should take WRT 181  in the fall, together with a 1-credit studio, WRT 101 . Students may repeat the 1-credit studio, WRT 101 , for credit. 

Students who place into the Honors level may enroll in WRT 181H . These 4-credit courses are offered in the both the Spring and Fall.

Transfer Students

Transfer students who have taken a college writing course at another institution and who would like to modify their writing sequence, may submit a portfolio of academic writing to the Director of the Writing Program, who will offer individual guidance.  These portfolios should be submitted during the summer before (or the semester before) the student enters Goucher. 

Please submit two academic papers, for a total of ten pages of academic writing, according to the detailed instructions on the Writing Program website.

Please contact Phaye Poliakoff-Chen, directly (phaye.poliakoff-chen@goucher.edu) if you have any questions. Thank you.

Writing Enriched Curriculum (WEC) Courses:  Part of the CWP Process

WEC courses use writing intentionally and creatively to enhance students’ learning. Not all courses that require a lot of writing are WEC courses.  The designated WEC courses cover specific aspects of the writing, research, and analytic processes. For example, students in WEC courses learn strategies that help them transfer their writing knowledge and skills from one genre to another and from one discipline to another. Students further develop the habits of mind that were introduced in their first-year writing courses. 

Students who entered Goucher College in FA15 or later must take and pass a WEC course in any discipline.

Ideally, students will take this course during their second year at Goucher.  However, we recognize that some students may need to delay taking their WEC course until their junior year.  We strongly recommend that students take their WEC course and apply for CWP by the end of their junior year at the very latest. We also recognize that some students prefer to take their WEC course early. Advanced students, (for example, those who earn an A or an A- in the honors hybrid course WRT 181H /FYS 100W ), are allowed to take a WEC course during their second semester of their first year at Goucher. Students should confer with their advisors and the Writing Program faculty. 

If you have questions, please contact Charlee Sterling (charlee.sterling@goucher.edu), the Director of the Center for Contemporary and Creative Writing. 

WEC Courses

Please note that we will continue to add WEC courses to this list.  The Writing Program maintains a list of the most current WEC and WID classes. You can also check the catalog updates and addendums. 

COM 232 - Writing for the Media (4 Cr.)  

DAN 318 - Reimagining Heritage USA Dan Concert  

DAN 351 - Dancing in the Past and Present: Romanticism and Beyond (4 Cr.)   

HIS 204 - Tumultuous Centuries: Modern Japan (4 Cr.)  

HIS 213 - Survey: Becoming East Asia (4 Cr.)  

HIS 235 - American Revolution (4 Cr.)  ONLY IF TAKEN SPRING 2022 OR AFTER

LIT 232 - Shakespeare (4 Cr.)  

LIT 266 - Special Topics in the 19th Century British Novel (4 Cr.)  

PHL 218 - Philosophy of Time (4 Cr.)   

PSC 245 - Organized Advocacy in American Politics (4 Cr.)  

SOA 200 - Development of Social Thought (4 Cr.)  

SOA 238 - Cultures of Contemporary Europe (4 Cr.)  

SP 322 - Survey of Latin-American and Peninsular Literature and Culture (4 Cr.)  -

THE 213 - The World’s a Stage (4 Cr.)  

WRT 203 - Feature Writing for Newspaper and Magazines (4 Cr.)  

WRT 206 - Professional Communication (4 Cr.)  

WRT 208 - Journalism Workshop (4 Cr.)  - ONLY IF TAKEN IN SPRING 2021 OR AFTER THAT

WRT 219 - Linguistics (4 Cr.)  

WRT 221H - Theories and Practice in Composing, Tutoring, and Teaching - Honors. (4 Cr.)  

WRT 226 - Creative Nonfiction I (4 Cr.)  

WRT 281 - Writing Studies II: Special Topics (4 Cr.)  including Writing and Community Engagement and The Medical Narrative

WRT 282 - Comics, Composition and Creativity (4 Cr.)  

WRT 283 - Writing Harry (4 Cr.)  

WRT 284 - The Rhetoric of Islamophobia (4 Cr.)  

WRT 285 - Analyzing Linguistic Data (4 Cr.)  (also fulfills the DA-AC requirement)

WID: The 4th Step in the 4-Year Vertical Writing Curriculum

Students must also achieve writing proficiency in the major through WID (Writing in the Disciplines) courses designated by individual disciplines. These courses ensure that students have mastered the particular genres, analytical methods, and styles of their majors. Consult with your major advisor for information about your particular discipline’s WID course. The list of WID courses follows, and the list continues to be updated. If your discipline’s WID is not listed, please consult with the director of your particular major.

WID (Writing in the Disciplines) Courses

Please note that we will continue to add WID courses to this list.  The Writing Program maintains a list of the most current WEC and WID classes. You can also check the catalog updates and addendums.

Art History

ARH 362 - Nature into Art: The Cultural Dimensions of Landscape (4 Cr.)  

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

BIO 224 - Techniques in Genetics and Molecular Biology (1 Cr.)  

CHE 442 - Techniques in Biochemistry (2 Cr.)  

Biological Sciences

BIO 224 - Techniques in Genetics and Molecular Biology (1 Cr.)  

BIO 240 - Ecology and Evolution (4 Cr.)  

Communication

COM 262 - Research Methods in Media Studies (4 Cr.)  

Computer Science

CS 205 - Software Development (4 Cr.)  

Dance

DAN 351 - Dancing in the Past and Present: Romanticism and Beyond (4 Cr.)  

Economics

EC 497 - Capstone in Economics (4 Cr.)  

Elementary Education

ED 207 - Educational Psychology (4 Cr.)  

English Major (for both Literature and Creative Writing Concentrations)

LIT 200 - Close Reading, Critical Writing (2 Cr.)  

Environmental Studies

ES 230 - Feminist Political Ecology: Culture, Politics, Environmental Change (4 Cr.)  

History

HIS 415 - Tutorial in Historical Research (4 Cr.)  

Mathematics

Peace Studies

Philosophy

PHL 206 - Writing Practicum in Philosophy (2 Cr.)  

Psychology

PSY 302 - Quantitative Research Methods in Psychology (4 Cr.)  

PSY 305 - Qualitative Research Methods in Psychology (4 Cr.)  

Sociology/Anthropology

SOA 201 - Writing and Interpreting Social Life (4 Cr.)  

Spanish

In the Center for Hispanic and Latinx Studies, the Writing in the Disciplines (WID) courses will be any of the 400-level courses:

• SP 418 - Trans-Nationally Queer: Finding a Voice in the Gay Spanish-Speaking World (4 Cr.)  
• SP 428 - Latin American Cinema (4 Cr.)  
• SP 432 - Special Topics in Spanish Peninsular Literature (4 Cr.)  
• SP 440 - Social Criticism Through Written and Visual Texts (4 Cr.)  
• SP 445 - Special Topics in Latin American Literature (4 Cr.)  
• SP 460 - Special Topics in Spanish Translation (4 Cr.)  

Special Education

ED 207 - Educational Psychology (4 Cr.)  

Study Abroad

Students may study abroad on Goucher ICAs (intensive courses abroad), or non-Goucher short-term programs at any time during their undergraduate experience, provided that they obtain approval from their advisors and the Office of Global Education. Students pursuing semester or yearlong study abroad programs must have spent at least three semesters in residence at an accredited college or university. All coursework abroad must be taken for a letter grade. Pass/No Pass coursework abroad, while potentially allowed by certain study abroad programs, is not allowed by Goucher College. Students may fulfill the study abroad requirement by pursuing an international internship for at least three credits. Students choosing to fulfill the requirement with an internship must work with the CEO, their advisors, and the Office of Global Education. All semester students enroll in the 1-credit Study Abroad Immersion Course (IDS 201) while abroad. The Immersion course is a required complement to the Study Abroad GCR and students must pass IDS 201 (or have the Immersion component embedded in a study abroad course) in order to complete the Study Abroad GCR. Goucher Prison Education Partnership students are exempt from the study abroad requirement.

Students entering Goucher in Fall 2017 and beyond must complete the study abroad requirement by the end of their sixth semester (for semester programs) and the end of the summer after their sixth semester for short term programs.

As with all college-level work completed elsewhere, final approval of credits for study abroad work completed before enrollment at Goucher must be confirmed by the Registrar after a review of a final, official transcript. The Registrar will also confirm whether the work approved for credit at Goucher satisfies any academic requirements, including the study abroad requirement.

Generally, students can carry their institutional financial aid abroad on Goucher semester programs for only one semester, except in the cases of the Goucher Oxford Program. Students cannot carry their institutional financial aid on any non-Goucher semester-abroad programs but can carry any federal aid such as Pell Grants or Stafford Loans.

All students are expected to make a good faith effort to complete the study abroad requirement. Students who cannot complete the study abroad requirement may petition the director of Global Education for an exemption. Students who are granted an exemption will be required to substitute a three-credit off-campus internship to satisfy this requirement. All transfer students who have studied abroad (for which at least three credits are accepted by Goucher) will have satisfied the study abroad requirement upon enrollment.

*Effective 10/13/2020 the IDS 305 and IDS 310 courses if taken in the spring 2021 semester will satisfy the GCR Study Abroad requirement. This only applies if the courses are taken in the spring and fall 2021 semesters.

Study-Abroad Policy for International Students

All students are expected to make a good-faith effort to complete the study abroad requirement. However, students who are citizens of a country other than the United States, whose primary residence is in that country, and who completed their high school degree outside the U.S. may petition for an exemption from the requirement. Students who are granted an exemption will be required to substitute a minimum three-credit off-campus academic experience in lieu of the study abroad requirement.

Financial Aid for International Study

Federal financial aid does not apply to summer or January term study abroad programs.

Scholarships for International Study

Scholarships for study abroad are available through the Office of International Studies. These include:

The Constance R. Caplan ‘57 Scholarship Fund

The Michele and Marty Cohen P ‘10 Scholarship Fund

The Rosa and Herman Cohen Scholarship

The Suzanne Fineman Cohen ‘56 International Scholars Fund

The Klara Farkas P ‘66 and Georgette Farkas Balance ‘66 Scholarship Fund

The Josephine Levy Kohn ‘36 Scholarship Fund

The Hajime Mitarai Memorial Fund

The Leslie Savage Nelson Mahoney 1912 Scholarship

The Katherine Manning-Munce 1919 Scholarship Fund

The Phyllis Koller Schreter ‘43 Fund for Study Abroad

The Selz Foundation Scholarship Fund

The Louise Scholl Tuttle ‘36 Scholarship Fund for Foreign Language Study

The Ungar Family Endowed Study-Abroad Fund

The Carol Fain Walters ‘57 Scholarship

The David and Marilyn Southard Warshawsky ‘68 Scholarship

The Margaret Messler Winslow ‘69 Fund for International Education

Scholarships for summer international internships are available from the Career Education Office (CEO).

Study-Abroad Deposits

Students participating in ICAs must pay a non-refundable $100 application fee at time of application and a $500 program deposit to confirm participation if accepted. Specific program deadlines are set each semester by the Office of International Studies. Students planning to undertake a non-Goucher short term course must pay a $100 administrative fee at time of application.

Refunds

If for any reason, a student withdraws from a Goucher semester or short-term program after the deposit deadline (or, the deadline of our partner institutions), he or she will not be entitled to a refund of any fees paid to Goucher, including program deposit, tuition fees, travel fees, program fees, or any other fees incurred in connection with the program. If, due to any unforeseen circumstances or other circumstances beyond the control of the college, a semester or short-term Goucher program is cancelled, either prior to departure or during the course of the program, the student will not be guaranteed a refund of any fees paid to Goucher, including program deposit, tuition fees, travel fees, program fees, or any other fees incurred in connection with the program. In most cases, the college forwards program fees to vendors in foreign countries, making it very difficult to recover such fees due to a program cancellation. In such cases, the college will make a good-faith effort to recover such fees and to return any portion of fees that it may recover that may be attributable to a student’s participation in the program. However, the college makes no guarantees regarding the recovery of fees and is not liable for any fees that it is unable to recover.

First Year Experience (FYE 134)

FYE 134, a required course for all new students, continues the orientation process and connects the learning that occurs for students both inside and outside of the classroom.  New students discuss the concept of being active learners and participants in the Goucher community and explore its implications for physical, social, and emotional well-being. As members of this learning community, students will be exposed to a variety of perspectives in order to develop a sense of respect for differing viewpoints, to learn the value of individual responsibility, and to understand the importance of personal accountability. Students will have the opportunity to build community, develop relationships with peers, and discover their sense of place at Goucher.  Successful completion of the course is a graduation requirement for all students except Goucher II students, who are exempt from this requirement.

The Major

Completion of a major is a requirement for the degree. Students are required to declare a major in the second semester of the sophomore year and may choose a major earlier if they are certain of their academic focus. The major enables students to study one or more disciplines in depth. No course may be counted toward requirements for the major unless a grade of C- or higher is earned. Courses elected with a pass/no pass option will not count toward requirements for the major unless such courses are graded on a pass/no pass option only.

Students must complete a writing requirement in the major and fulfill the requirements for the major, minor, or concentration that are in effect at the time they declare.

A student’s major may be designated in any of the following patterns:

Program Major

The student follows a program with at least 30 credit hours of which at least 15 credit hours must be at the 300- or 400-level.

Double Major

The student fulfills all the requirements for the major in two programs. 

The Minor

Students may select a program minor or interdisciplinary minor in addition to the major. The program minor shall require at least 18 credits of which as least 4 credits are at the 300- or 400-level. Programs are encouraged to list a core for the minor; at least 50 percent of the courses should be core. No course may be counted toward the requirements for a minor unless a grade of C- or higher is earned. Courses elected with a pass/no pass option will not count toward requirements for the minor unless such courses are graded on a pass/no pass option only. Students must complete the requirements for the minor that are in effect at the time when they declare.

The Concentration

Students may select a program or interdisciplinary concentration in addition to the major and must meet all the criteria for the concentration. Concentrations are not available in all programs or disciplines. As with the major and minor, no course may be counted toward the requirements for a concentration unless a grade of C- or higher is earned. Courses elected with a pass/no pass option will not count toward requirements for the concentration unless such courses are graded on a pass/no pass option only.

Other Academic Opportunities

Independent Work

With the permission of the instructor and the center director or program coordinator involved, a degree candidate may pursue independent study beginning with the second semester of the first year. Ordinarily, a student may not register for more than two independent studies per semester. No more than 16 credits of independent study may be applied toward the 120 credits required for graduation. Also, the Senior Thesis is considered as independent work and therefore is counted as part of the 16 credit maximum applied to the 120 credits required for graduation. The independent work form is the same as the course change (add/drop) form.

The Senior Thesis

The senior thesis is the product of scholarly or scientific research or artistic work of high academic quality. The character of the work leading to the senior thesis is expected to be more advanced than normal course work and should involve an unusually high level of initiative, independence, organization, and effort. It is used by many programs as one criterion for selecting students who are awarded honors in the major. The thesis is also part of the scholarly record of the college. Senior thesis work carries eight credits and ordinarily involves two sequential courses of four semester credit hours each, directed by a faculty advisor selected by the student. The advisor and the thesis subject are ordinarily in the student’s major field. Students must present a proposal for a senior thesis during their junior year. They will qualify to register for senior thesis work after completion of a minimum of 87 semester hours of college credit. Students must have a minimum GPA of 3.50 in the major field(s) and 3.25 overall. They should also be making normal progress toward completion of all requirements in the major(s). When a student is double majoring and both programs require a thesis for honors, it is up to each program whether one thesis will be allowed to count toward both honors. Also, the Senior Thesis is considered as independent work and therefore is counted as part of the 16 credit maximum applied to the 120 credits required for graduation. The complete guidelines and appropriate forms can be found at the following website: www.goucher.edu/x1893.xml

Academic Internships

Earning Credit

Earning credit for internships is an important and valuable learning opportunity for all students and is required for some majors. Students who wish to complete an internship for academic credit must complete the following:

• Submit a completed Internship Learning Agreement (ILA) to the Career Education Office (CEO) for approval by the established deadline. Deadlines and a link to the form can be found on the CEO website at www.goucher.edu/ceo.
• Develop learning objectives at the beginning of their internship in collaboration with their faculty internship sponsor
• Reflect on their learning through journals, papers, and other academic work with guidance from their faculty internship sponsor
• Complete a reflection document about their experience at the end of the semester and submit to the CEO

Each department has established internship courses with distinct prerequisites and academic requirements. All internships must adhere to the policies outlined by the college. Credit will not be awarded for previously completed internship experiences.

Internship courses will be available for variable credit. Programs can elect to offer courses between 0-4 credits based on the following hours:

Please see the descriptions in the academic catalogue to determine the credit options for each course.

Students can register for an internship course for zero-credits, which will be recorded on the academic transcript. Please note that a zero-credits internship course does not satisfy any major/minor or study abroad requirements.

Students must take an active role in arranging their internship and are encouraged to utilize the resources provided by the CEO.  The CEO supports students by helping them locate opportunities, research organizations, develop their resume and cover letters, prepare for interviews, and negotiate offers with employers.

Internship Policies

The following policies have been established to clarify how students are awarded credit and to address issues relating to registration for internship credit. These guidelines have been developed to provide a framework for the internship process and to clearly delineate the roles and expectations for all involved in the internship program:

1.   Students must work 45 hours at the internship for every one academic credit.

2.   Students may earn a total of eight (8) internship credits toward graduation. Students participating in more than eight internship credits will not be able to apply additional credits towards graduation.

3.   Credit can be awarded only when the internship experience coincides with the semester that the student registers for such credit.

4.   Students may complete only one (1) internship per semester (up to four credits), including summer.

5.   Students may complete more than one internship at a site, but the responsibilities and academic work involved in the internship must be different in order for additional credit to be earned.

6.   Students may take an academic internship course for zero-credits.

7.   Students must complete a reflection document about their internship experience at the end of each semester and return it to the CEO by the deadline.

8.   A student’s internship site supervisor and faculty internship sponsor must be different people.

9.   The faculty internship sponsor must be from the academic department in which the internship credit will be awarded.

International Internships

Students may expand their knowledge and understanding of unique cultures and people by completing an international internship. There are three options for international academic internships:

1.   Academic internships embedded in approved Goucher semester study abroad programs (see the Office of Global Education for more information on such sponsored programs). Students will not need to submit an ILA or involve the CEO.

2.   Academic internships embedded in summer or winter non-Goucher study abroad programs (see the Office of Global Education for more information on summer or winter non-Goucher programs). Students will not need to submit an ILA or involve the CEO.

3.   Independent international academic internships. Students must contact the offices of Global Education and Career Education (CEO) once they have identified a possible international internship. The Office of Global Education helps students understand the logistics and process of international travel and the CEO works with students to understand the process of receiving academic credit. To participate in an independent international internship, students must:

• Speak with a member of the Office of Global Education to discuss the process of taking an internship abroad.
• Submit the Internship Learning Agreement (ILA), comply with all policies governing internship credit and secure the appropriate approvals.
• Complete an internship information questionnaire via abroad.goucher.edu.

Goucher Intern Fellowship

The CEO manages the Goucher Intern Fellowship program which provides financial support to students completing unpaid internships. The purpose of the fellowships is to encourage students to participate in academic internships for credit by supplementing their expenses. Students must submit an application for the fellowships to the Career Education Office following the posted process. For more information about the application process, visit the CEO website at www.goucher.edu/ceo.

Endowed Internships

The following funds are part of the Goucher Intern Fellowship program which provide support to students completing summer internships. Students must submit an application for the fellowships to the Career Education Office by the deadline posted on the CEO website.

The Betty McLeod Ariosa Internship Award is awarded to students who are pursuing internships in the public and private business sectors.

The Elizabeth Statuta Baker ‘70 and Edward Keefer Baker Internship Fund was established to support internship experiences for one or more students at Goucher College.  Preference will be given to students who intern with a nonprofit organization and/or are pursuing a career in public service. 

The Bank of Baltimore Internship Award is awarded to students who are pursuing internships in any field. 

The Jeanne V. Beekhuis Student Internship Fund was established to develop programs and services dedicated to channeling the talents and experience of Goucher alumnae/i into valuable career resources for Goucher students, and to help offset the expenses of students pursuing internships.

The Lucile Vanden Brink Internship is awarded to students who are pursuing an internship opportunity in visual, graphic, literary or performance arts with a preference for those students pursuing work in the medium of pottery.

The Class of ‘77 Goucher Intern Fellowship was established to support internship experiences for students enrolled in the undergraduate program at Goucher College.

The Marjorie Cook Foundation Internship Fund was established to support domestic internship experiences for one or more students at Goucher College. The internships shall be with organizations that work to further the Foundation’s mission, which is to expand the equality of women under the law.

The Brownlee Corrin Internship Award is awarded to students pursuing internships during the summer or winter, with special consideration to students majoring in political science, international relations and communication.

The Mary Ross Flowers Internship Fund is awarded to students doing internships in the general areas of conservation of natural resources including flora and fauna.

The Judith Miller Kosloff Class of 1939 Internship Award is given to a student interning with a non-profit organization.

The Elaine G. Messer Memorial Internship Award is awarded to students engaged in business or corporate internships.

The Sally J. Michel ‘60 Fund for Internships in Community Service is awarded to a student, from any major field of study, who has proposed a meaningful internship experience with an existing organization or through a student-initiated program that is dedicated to responding to the unmet needs in the community through direct service or social action.

The Judy Jolley Mohraz Fund for Internships in Community Service was established to be the college’s foremost award for student excellence in community service.  To be eligible, students must propose to engage in an internship experience with an organization that provides, coordinates or encourages community activism and service.

The Leona Sarah Morris ‘35 Endowed Internship Fund is awarded to Goucher students who are enrolled in the college’s undergraduate program and are pursuing internships.  Preference will be given to students with strong academic standing who are actively pursuing internships in nonprofit or for-profit organizations with a preference given to internships in media relations, communications, journalism, and/or public affairs.

The Earl L. and Christine Bikle Mummert ‘67 Award Fund is awarded to one or more Goucher undergraduates to provide funding for an internship with a non-profit organization.  Preference will be given to internships with organizations whose mission is to promote world peace.

The Naidoff Internship Award in Politics and Public Policy is awarded to junior and senior students who intend to pursue a career in government, politics, public policy, public interest, law or related fields. Preference is given to students who have formally declared their intention to major in politics and public policy.

The Professor Mary Carman Rose Endowed Internship Fund is awarded to students who are pursuing an internship during the summer months while an undergraduate at Goucher College. Students will be selected through a competitive process with preference for students involved in the pursuit of research, knowledge, and/or professional experience within the humanities, arts, and natural sciences.

The Jean Flah Silber ‘54 Fund for Internships in Government and Public Policy is awarded to junior or senior students who engage in internships within the United States in the subject area of government and public policy.

The Helen Fisher Solomon ‘44 Internship Fund is awarded to students who are pursuing an internship in the non-profit sector

The Carol Weinberg Endowed Internship Fund in Community is awarded to students with strong academic standing who are actively pursuing internships in nonprofit organizations with a preference given to those students who plan to pursue a career in the nonprofit sector.

The Robert S. Welch Endowed Internship Fund in Environmental Sustainability is awarded to students who plan to pursue careers focusing on ecology and/or support for the environment.  Applicants must be actively pursuing internships that focus on ecology and/or support for the environment, with preference given for internships in nonprofit organizations. 

The Zuckerberg Internship Award is awarded to support for one or more students at Goucher College who perform an internship during their course of study.

Goucher Prison Education Partnership (GPEP) and Writing Workshops at the Baltimore County Detention Center 

The Goucher Prison Education Partnership (GPEP) is an extension of Goucher College. Our primary goal is to offer an excellent college education to men and women incarcerated in Maryland. We operate two on-site higher education programs in state prisons.  While we are a division of Goucher College, all courses at the prisons are funded individual donations and a few private grants. We rely heavily on volunteers from the campus and the surrounding community.

Courses are taught by Goucher faculty and, occasionally, by faculty from surrounding colleges. Goucher faculty and upperclassmen serve as tutors for the Goucher students incarcerated at the prisons. Students from the main campus also engage with the project as research assistants (serving as a bridge between the academic library on the main campus and the students at the prison), program assistants (assisting with programmatic projects and clerical work), teaching assistants, or as peers in co-enrolled courses taught at the prison but serving both incarcerated Goucher students and students from the main campus.

Graduate Credits

4+1 Bachelor of Arts/Masters Degree Programs

The Welch Center offers accelerated 4+1 degree programs in which student can earn both the Bachelor of Arts degree and a Masters in just five years in Cultural Sustainability, Digital Arts, Education, Environmental Studies, and Management.

Through these programs, students who have at least a 3.0 grade point average and who have attained junior status may take up to 12 graduate credits while they are still undergraduate students. These 12 graduate credits apply to the 120 credits required for the bachelor’s degree, as well as to the credits required for the master’s degree. The 4+1 programs typically require two to three summers of coursework. Information on the programs is available at the relevant program website at: http://www.goucher.edu/graduate-programs

Baltimore Student Exchange Program/Interinstitutional Programs

Participation in the Baltimore Student Exchange Program (BSEP) that includes the Community College of Baltimore County, Coppin State University, Johns Hopkins University, Loyola College, Maryland Institute College of Art, Morgan State University, Notre Dame of Maryland University, Peabody Institute, Towson University, University of Baltimore, University of Maryland Baltimore County, and Stevenson University is open to full-time sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Courses in the day programs of the neighboring institutions are part of the reciprocal arrangement. Ordinarily, a Goucher student may take only two courses per year at the other institutions. Courses not duplicated at Goucher are open to election, although visiting students may not displace a student of the host institution in courses where places are limited. Independent work and special tutorial courses may not be taken at another institution. Interinstitutional courses are not open to pass/no pass election. Class schedules of participating colleges are available on the respective colleges’ websites. Complete regulations and registration procedures may be obtained from the Office of the Registrar or on the web at: http://www.goucher.edu/registrar/baltimore-student-exchange-program. Goucher students who participate in the interinstitutional program pay Goucher tuition fees. Any exceptional charges are paid by the student directly to the host college. Students are responsible for their transportation to and from other colleges. There is limited shuttle service to some of the interinstitutional colleges and universities.

Transfer Work after Student has begun at Goucher

Students who wish to obtain credit for work taken at another institution after the student has started at Goucher must have their course elections approved by their advisors and the College Registrar, acting on behalf of the Provost. They must fill out a Transfer Course Approval form prior to taking a course elsewhere. The form can be found at this link: https://www.goucher.edu/registrar/documents/Transfer-Course-Approval-Form.pdf. If the course requested is from a program other than that of the advisor, and the course is not similar in context to a listed Goucher course the approval of that program is required. Only 15 transfer credit hours from summer or January intersession work will count towards the 120 credits required for the B.A. degree. Only courses with grades of C- or higher will be accepted.

Air Force ROTC

Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) is available to Goucher students through a (cross-town agreement) agreement with the University of Maryland College Park (UMCP). AFROTC courses are scheduled so students from Goucher may complete all AFROTC requirements during one morning (Thursday) per week at the College Park campus. In addition, students are eligible to compete for all AFROTC scholarship programs. The three-year and two year scholarships pay tuition, books, and a monthly stipend while in school. Students must maintain a 2.0 GPA to participate in the program and a 2.5 GPA if on ROTC scholarship. You must have at least 5 semesters of college remaining and must be under age 31 when you commission. After graduation and successful completion of AFROTC requirements, students are commissioned as second lieutenants in the Air Force. Students interested in AFROTC should visit the detachment website: (http://www.afrotc.umd.edu/), call at 301-314-3242, or visit in person at:

AFROTC Detachment 330
University of Maryland
Cole Field House
2126 Campus Drive
College Park, MD 20742-4321

Army ROTC

Goucher accepts Army ROTC Scholarships as part of the college’s association with the Army ROTC program at Loyola College. Interested students should contact the Loyola College ROTC program at https://www.loyola.edu/academics/rotc.

Academic Procedures

Academic Responsibilities

In fulfilling their academic responsibilities, students are granted a degree of autonomy commensurate with their obligations to Goucher’s social and academic communities. Students’ academic obligations and responsibilities include regular class attendance and systematic preparation in all phases of their work.

Any student who must be absent from class for a disproportionate amount of time due to a personal reason (illness, injury, life-threatening illness or death in the immediate family, etc.) may be advised to withdraw from class and the college. Please refer to Goucher´s leave of absence and withdrawal policies (https://www.goucher.edu/registrar/leave-of-absence-withdrawal-from-the-college/), particularly the Medical/Compassionate Leave Policy, for the procedure to follow in these cases.  The Office of the Registrar receives and processes requests for withdrawal and leave under these policies. However, students who are considering a leave of absence or withdrawal are strongly recommended to meet with their advisor and the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies prior to formally applying for leave of absences or withdrawal, and with the Associate Director of Student Support and Outreach, if they are considering a medical or compassionate withdrawal. In some cases, students may also be involuntarily withdrawn from the college for medical reasons, if necessary. See the college’s policy on Involuntary Medical Withdrawals.

If a student is involved in a conduct case, the student should refer to Goucher´s Administrative Action procedure (https://www.goucher.edu/legal-counsel/policies-and-procedures/administrative-action), which permits the President, the Provost, or the Dean of Students to require the student to leave the campus pending the outcome of the proceeding, or (if no proceeding is pending or anticipated) during such period as the President, Provost, or Dean of Students may determine.  A student who is required to leave campus should contact the Associate Dean of Students for Student Conduct.

Academic Honor Code

The cornerstone of Goucher’s academic community is the Academic Honor Code. Adopted in the first decade of the 20th century, the code emphasizes the importance of personal honor and moral integrity that reflect the honor and integrity of the Goucher community. As the primary authority to regulate student conduct in matters pertaining to the Academic Honor Code, the Student Government Association provides for the Academic Honor Board. Both the Academic Honor Code and Student Judicial Code may be found in the Campus Handbook. The Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies may be consulted for information about the Academic Honor Board process.

Academic Progress Toward a Degree

(*Note this may be different than the Financial Aid Regulations regarding academic progress.)

Students are expected to continue to make satisfactory academic progress towards a degree each term. Full-time students are expected to achieve this through the cumulative GPA requirements and Successful Credit Load. Both are described below.

GPA Standards:

At the end of each semester, the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies reviews the records of all students. The table below sets the minimum GPA standards set by the Academic Policies Committee. Credits attempted include all transfer credits accepted by Goucher. GPAs listed in the table are based on Goucher work only.

*For first-semester first-year students only, the GPA to remain in good standing is 1.8.

As part of the continuing guidance offered to each Goucher student, the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies, in consultation with the Academic Policies Committee, reviews and acts on the record of any student who does not meet the standards outlined above or who meets the standards but whose work shows a marked negative trend. This includes, but is not limited to, students earning one or more “F/FW” grades, one or more “NP” grades, or any combination of two or more “D”, “I”, or “W” grades in a single semester.  The review includes an assessment of each student’s academic achievement and an evaluation of extenuating circumstances and of the student’s potential for substantial academic improvement. This review determines the student’s academic standing.

The Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies may place a student on academic warning, probation, or suspension, or may dismiss the student from the college. The college reserves the right to suspend or dismiss students who do not pass any courses in their first semester. A student may appeal an action by the Associate Provost to the Academic Policies Committee. The appeal should be directed to the Academic Policies Committee in care of the Associate Provost’s Office.

All students placed on academic probation are required to attend a two-day retreat to develop an Academic Success Contract and Plan containing both required academic activities and personalized academic goals.

Probationary students who meet the terms of their contract and achieve minimum GPA standards as agreed to in the Academic Contract for College Success will be placed on academic warning. Probationary students who meet the requirements and make progress towards the goals of their academic contract, but who still fall below the requirements for good academic standing, are placed on probation for one additional semester. Normally, students who fail to regain good academic standing after two consecutive probationary semesters will face dismissal.

A student who is placed on academic probation may not hold any elected or appointed office in any college organization, participate in any varsity sport (with the exception of supervised on-campus training and practice sessions), or register for more than 16 credit hours in a semester. A student who has been suspended may apply for reinstatement following the completion of a minimum 12 credit hours, excluding summer and winter school, at an accredited academic institution with no grade lower than a C-, or one year of successful work experience with a letter from the employer stating the dates of employment. A student who has been dismissed may not return to the college.

Students are cautioned that they should be averaging 15 credits a semester if they plan on reaching the 120 credit minimum required for the BA degree in 4 years (i.e. 8 semesters x 15 credits = 120 credits).

Successful Credit Load Standards

Once a student has completed two full terms at Goucher College their academic record will be reviewed with emphasis toward successful completion. The table below sets the minimum standards set by the academic policies committee. Credits attempted include all transfer credits accepted by Goucher.

After 2 terms a full-time student must have successfully completed 24 credits at Goucher.

After 4 terms a full-time student must have successfully completed 54 credits at Goucher.

After 6 terms a full-time student must have successfully completed 87 credits at Goucher.

Note that attempted credits are not credits successfully completed. All courses that have NP, W or F/FW are considered as attempted credits.

On the basis of this review, the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies may suspend the student from the college. Students may write an appeal to the Academic Policy Committee for this suspension and must present an academic plan for the remaining semesters at Goucher. The decision of the committee will be final. If it is agreed that the plan is feasible, the student will be required to adhere to the plan for all remaining semesters. A student who has been suspended may apply for reinstatement following the completion of a minimum 12 credit hours, excluding summer school, at an accredited academic institution with no grade lower than a C-, or one year of successful work experience with a letter from the employer stating the dates of employment.

Students are cautioned that they should be averaging 15 credits a semester if they plan on reaching the 120 credit minimum required for the BA degree in 4 years (i.e. 8 semesters x 15 credits = 120 credits).

Academic Forgiveness Policy

In recognition of the challenges that may occur in a student’s transition from high school to college, the following opportunity will be extended by the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies to first-year students. Such students may request to eliminate from their GPA calculation up to three courses in which an F grade was earned during their first or second semester at Goucher College. To facilitate the recalculation, the F grade will be converted to a No-Pass (NP) grade.

Students who want to take advantage of the Academic Forgiveness Policy may apply for it when they begin their third semester at Goucher. They will have three weeks to meet with their academic advisor or an academic coach in ACE and develop an Academic Contract for Student Success. They will also complete an Academic Forgiveness Request Form (PDF). Students will then make an appointment with the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies to submit both forms.

Only students who meet the terms of their contract and achieve minimum GPA standards as agreed to in the Academic Contract for Student Success will be granted Academic Forgiveness for eligible courses in their first year. Students will get a notification from the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies by the end of their third semester at Goucher.

HOW DOES THE ACADEMIC FORGIVENESS PROCESS WORK?

Step 1: At the beginning of their third semester at Goucher, the student will meet with their advisor to discuss the policy to complete an Academic Forgiveness Request Form (PDF). They will also develop an Academic Contract for Success. Contracts will include a commitment for a semester GPA of at least 2.0.

Step 2: Students will submit the Academic Forgiveness Request Form (PDF) and a copy of the Academic Contract for Student Success to the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies.

Step 3: If students meet ALL the terms of the Academic Contract for Student Success, including earning a semester GPA of at least 2.0, they will receive a notification at the end of their third semester at Goucher granting them Academic Forgiveness for the requested course(s).

Academic Advising

Curricular guidance in a student’s first and second years is offered by an academic advisor who works with the student to develop an academic plan of study. When students declare majors/minors, they choose faculty advisors in their major/minor programs. The Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies coordinates the advising process. All the information pertaining to the fulfillment of requirements for graduation is found in this catalogue. Ultimately, it is the students’ responsibility to monitor their progress toward the fulfillment of degree requirements. Students can track completion of their Goucher Commons Requirements (GCRs) by viewing their DegreeWorks report in their MyGoucher account.

Academic Center for Excellence

The Academic Center for Excellence (ACE) is the academic support service designed to assist all Goucher students in developing those study and learning skills necessary for college success. ACE supports the college’s mission by providing individual academic coaching sessions, academic workshops, content-based supplemental instruction sessions and content-specific peer tutoring. The center is staffed by professional Academic Coaches and a trained graduate intern. Academic accommodations are implemented at the academic center for students with documented learning differences.

Career Education Office

The Career Education Office (CEO) helps students discover and pursue careers that combine their interests, skills, and values.  The CEO offer programs and services to help students at all stages of the career planning process and encourages students to visit the office early and often during their time at Goucher. The CEO assists students with major and career exploration, student employment, internships, full-time employment, and graduate and professional school preparation.  Students can connect with the CEO through individual appointments, drop-in advising, or email (career@goucher.edu.) Additional information about the CEO services can be found online at www.goucher.edu/ceo.

Commencement

Commencement exercises are held once a year in May. In order to participate, a student must have completed all academic requirements for the appropriate degree and have settled all college accounts and all student disciplinary matters. A student who is in good academic standing (cumulative GPA of at least 2.0) and is within four credits of completing graduation requirements may participate in commencement exercises only if documentation demonstrates that the remaining credits will be completed by the August degree date of that year. Exceptions to the commencement policy can only be made by the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies and are expected to be rare. Petitions for exceptions are only accepted from students who have been enrolled in the spring for all remaining courses needed for participation in commencement exercises, and for whom unforeseen and unpreventable forces at the end of the semester are the cause of the failure to complete those courses. Permission for students finishing in the summer to participate in the May Commencement must be granted by the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies. Students must submit their requests, with documentation, to the Associate Provost at least three weeks prior to Commencement.

The college reserves the right to not permit the release of a cap and gown to any student who has not been cleared for graduation. Students completing graduation requirements in the summer will be awarded their degree in late August, and students completing requirements in the Fall will be awarded their degree in December.

Course Load

A full-time student may take between 12.0 and 18.0 credit hours in any semester, however, students should average 15.0 credits per semester, in order to reach the 120.0 credits required for graduation within eight semesters. Students who elect fewer than 12.0 credit hours in a semester are considered to be part-time unless granted reduced course load status pursuant to Goucher’s Reduced Course Load Policy. 

• Students who, due to extraordinary circumstances, are in need of a heavier course load than the aforementioned academic credit limit policy may petition the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies.
• Students taking more than 18.0 credits per semester will be charged the part-time tuition rate for additional credits.
• Goucher credits taken over the summer and/or winter terms will not count toward the semester credit limits. Students will be charged summer and/or winter term rates for credits taken during these terms.
• Withdrawn courses count towards course load and tuition charges.

Audits

A full-time student may audit one or more courses a semester without additional charge. Election of the audit option must be done at the point of registration for the course or within the add/drop deadline for adding a course. Permission to audit must be obtained in writing from the instructor of each course. Successful completion of audits will result in an AU on the transcript. There will be no notation on the transcript in the case of unsuccessful completion or withdrawal from an audited course. Students may withdraw from an audit through the last day of classes. College policy prohibits changing an audit to credit or vice versa after the add/drop deadline. No petitions will be granted. Faculty may request a student’s withdrawal from an audit if the audit requirements were not met.

Withdrawals from Courses

A student may drop a semester course without a withdrawal appearing on the transcript until the tenth day of class. If a student withdraws from a class after this time, the student will receive a grade of W. The last day to withdraw from a semester course with a W is the end of the 10th week. 

The last day to drop a 7-week course is the end of the 15th day of the 7-week term.

Withdrawn courses count towards course load and tuition charges. A W will have no effect on a student’s grade point average.

Students should consult the Important Dates for Students calendar for exact dates.

Add/Drop Deadlines for Courses

Students may add or drop any full semester course using the online registration system (“myGoucher”) during the open add/drop period, which ends on the fifth business day of the semester. Between the fifth and tenth business days of the semester, students may add or drop courses by submitting a course change form to the Office of the Registrar, but may add a course only with the permission of the instructor.  (Permission to add a course during this period is granted at the instructor’s discretion and is not automatic, as joining a class late can put a student at a significant disadvantage.) To add a course, the form must be signed by both the instructor and the student’s advisor; to drop a course, only the advisor’s signature is needed. Students may not add a full semester course after the tenth business day. 

A student may withdraw from a full semester course after the tenth business day of the semester and before the course withdrawal deadline (week 10); in that case the student will receive a grade of “W” for the course. This action does not change the enrollment status of a student, that is, a full time student continues to be full time. 

A 7-week course may be added through the first 3 days of the 7-week term without instructor permission. On days 4 and 5 of the 7-week term the instructor must give permission for the student to add the course. To add a course after day 5 of the 7-week term the student will need to petition for a late add, with the approval of the instructor, to the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies. A student may drop a 7-week course through the end of the 5th day of the 7-week term.

See the Important Dates for Students calendar for the actual dates in each term.

Pass/No Pass

Students may choose to take two courses per academic year on a pass/no pass basis. In the regular semester, the pass/no pass option must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office by the end of the tenth week of classes; in half semester courses by the end of the third week. Pass is equivalent to any grade from A through C- as normally interpreted at Goucher College. A grade of P or NP will have no effect on a student’s grade point average. Students who wish to switch from pass/no pass to graded status may do so up until week 10 of the semester (week three of seven-week courses.) After that the choice is irrevocable.

BSEP courses and summer courses taken elsewhere are not ordinarily open to pass/no pass election. Center Directors may specify that an off-campus experience can be taken only on a pass/no pass basis; such a requirement is not part of the student’s pass/no pass quota.

Courses elected with a pass/no pass option will not count toward requirements in the major or minor (unless such courses are required to be so graded). If a major requirement is taken pass/no pass the department must require that the course be re-taken for a regular grade or identify an appropriate substitute.

Courses taken for a pass/no pass grade do not count as “graded credits” for Dean’s list purposes.

Final Experiences/Examinations

Final experiences/examinations are given at the end of each semester. Unexcused absence from a final experience/examination is counted as a failure on the experience/examination. The semester officially ends at the close of the final experience/examination period. No course work is accepted after this time unless an incomplete has been authorized. Students are responsible for submitting examinations and other assigned work to the instructor when they are due.

Course Reflections

A comprehensive system of student reflections on course construction, student engagement, faculty instruction and support, and student learning is considered vital to the academic community. At the end of each course, students are expected to complete and return course reflections distributed by the Committee on Reappointment, Promotion, and Tenure.

Determination of Rank

First-year, sophomore, junior, or senior rank is determined at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters. Rank is based on credits achieved as follows:

Grading System

The grading system at Goucher is as follows: A, excellent; B, good; C, satisfactory; D, poor; F, failing; FW, failed and didn’t withdraw; P, pass; NP, no pass; I, incomplete; AU, audit. The letter grades may be modified by plus or minus as follows: A-, B+, B-, C+, C-, D+, and D-. The incomplete is deleted from the student’s record when the grade for the course is submitted. PW and NW refer to college writing proficiency grades. PW refers to passing college writing proficiency, and NW refers to not passing college writing proficiency. W is defined under withdrawals. AU is defined under audits.

Students may choose to take two courses per academic year on a pass/no pass basis. In the regular semester, the pass/ no pass option must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar in Student Administrative Services by the end of the tenth week of classes; in half-semester courses, by the end of the third week. Pass is equivalent to any grade from A through C- as normally interpreted at Goucher College. Students who wish to switch from pass/no pass to graded status may do so up until week 10 of the semester (week three of seven-week courses). After that the choice is irrevocable.

Courses elected with a pass/no pass option will not count toward requirements for the major or minor unless such courses are graded on a pass/no pass option only. A grade of P or NP will have no effect on a student’s grade point average.

Interinstitutional/BSEP courses and summer courses taken elsewhere are not ordinarily open to pass/no pass election. Department chairs may specify that an off-campus experience can be taken only on a pass/no pass basis; such a requirement is not part of the student’s pass/no pass quota. Courses elected with a pass/no pass option will not count toward requirements in the major or minor (unless such courses are required to be so graded). If a major requirement is taken pass/no pass, the department must require that the course be re-taken for a regular grade or identify an appropriate substitute.

The deadline for any grade changes is 12 months past the semester in which the grade was originally received.

Grade Appeal

The purpose of the Grade Appeal Policy is to establish a consistent procedure by which students may seek review of final grades assigned in undergraduate courses at Goucher College. Grades other than final course grades may not be appealed. The policy recognizes the right and responsibility of faculty members to exercise their professional judgment in evaluating academic performance and the right of students to have their academic performance judged in a fair and impartial manner.

Grounds for Appeal

The purpose of the Grade Appeal Policy is to establish a consistent procedure by which students may seek review of final grades assigned in undergraduate courses at Goucher College. Grades other than final course grades may not be appealed. The policy recognizes the right and responsibility of faculty members to exercise their professional judgment in evaluating academic performance and the right of students to have their academic performance judged in a fair and impartial manner.

A student may appeal a final course grade only on the grounds that

1. the grade was assigned based on a miscalculation or clerical error;
2. the grading standards for the course were not clearly articulated by the instructor, or the grade was assigned in a manner inconsistent with articulated standards;
3. the grade was assigned on some basis other than performance in the course; or
4. the grade was assigned in a manner other than that used for other students in the course. At all levels of review, the burden of demonstrating that a grade should be changed rests with the students.

The deadline for any grade changes is 12 months past the semester in which the grade was originally received.

A copy of the procedures for appeals can be obtained from the Office of the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies.

Incompletes

A semester officially ends at the close of the examination period. No course work will be accepted by a faculty member after this time unless an incomplete grade request has been submitted by the student and approved by the instructor by the last day of class.

Incomplete grades at Goucher College are given only for reasons beyond the student’s control, namely medical reasons, or death in family. In all instances, the student must complete the process for an incomplete by 5:00pm on the last day of classes of the term in which the course was taught. Incomplete grades are intended to apply to cases where the student has completed at least three-quarters (75%) of the work of the session with a C- or above. The instructor has the right to deny an application for an incomplete grade.

Students applying for an incomplete after the deadline due to an emergency must submit a petition. The Associate Provost will determine, in conversation with the instructor of the class, the eligibility of the application. All requests will be reviewed but may not be granted.

Resolution of Incompletes

The resolution of an incomplete is the responsibility of the student and the instructor. The student should have all work completed as soon as possible but no later than forth weeks from the last day of the final experience of the term in which the course was taught. The student should submit papers, projects, and examinations directly to the instructor. The instructor shall send a grade to the Registrar´s Office via email at the end of the fourth week following the final experience (see important dates for faculty).

Repeated Courses

If a student repeats a course, all course iterations and grades will be listed on the transcript but only the grade and credits from the most recent iteration will count towards the student’s GPA and total credits towards graduation.

Academic programs decide if a student must repeat a course in the major if the grade was below C-, or if they will permit the student to substitute another course for the major. Any Academic Program may set a policy that majors may not retake more than two courses required for the major for which they received a less than satisfactory grade. 

This policy does not apply to withdrawals and does not include courses that may be repeated for credit as listed in this catalogue. (Note that a student who earns an F in the second iteration of a repeated course, under this policy, will lose any prior credits earned via a previous iteration.)

Students repeating a letter-graded course must take the course for a letter grade any subsequent time the course is taken to take advantage of the repeat grade policy. If the student originally took the course on a pass/no-pass basis, the course must be taken again on a pass/no-pass basis to take advantage of the repeat grade policy.

Topics courses are an exception, and are repeatable when offered for a different topic.

Calculation of the GPA 

Only courses completed at Goucher, through the interinstitutional (BSEP) cross-registration program, or through a Goucher sponsored program, are included in the GPA calculation. Each semester, the credit hour value of each course attempted for a grade is multiplied by the numerical value of the earned grade to determine the quality points earned. The total number of quality points earned in these courses is divided by the total number of graded credit hours attempted resulting in the GPA for the semester.

The cumulative GPA is the cumulative total of the quality points earned in all courses divided by the total number of graded credit hours attempted. The semester GPAs are not averaged together to create the cumulative average. The numerical value of grades is as follows: A=4.0, A-=3.67, B+=3.33 B=3.0, B-=2.67, C+=2.33, C=2.0, C-=1.67, D+=1.33, D=1.0, D-=0.67, F/FW=0.0

The following is an example of how to calculate a GPA:

Online Course Policy

Goucher is a residential college; consequently, there is an expectation that most courses are offered in-person.  No online undergraduate courses may be offered during the fall and spring semesters, unless there is an exception made by the provost for an extraordinary circumstance.  Online undergraduate courses may be offered in the winter and summer terms.

Because online courses are inherently technology driven and online pedagogy is evolving, a CAST online course design workshop is required of instructors who offer online courses.  Additionally, individual courses must be certified by CAST which will assess the online course design.  Course certifications will expire after a term of three years, and instructors are expected to refresh their training every three years.

There is no cap on the number of online course credits a student may count towards graduation.

(The online course policy does not apply to internships or independent studies).

Academic Leaves of Absence

The college recognizes that many students derive educational and personal benefits from spending a period of time away from the campus to study at another institution or to pursue other appropriate educational goals. Students in good academic and financial standing may request a leave of absence for either one or two semesters. A leave generally begins at the end of a regular semester, and students are expected to return to the college at the conclusion of their leave. They will receive registration and housing information at the appropriate time in the semester preceding their return and are responsible for meeting all deadlines. The college reserves the right to postpone the date of return depending on available residential space. Students who leave Goucher without declaring a leave will be withdrawn and have to apply for reinstatement.

Students who take a leave of absence from the college to study at another institution in the United States should complete the non-Goucher course approval form available on the Registrar’s website. http://www.goucher.edu/x1893.xml.  It takes time to arrange an academic leave; therefore, students should begin discussing their plans at least a full semester in advance. To ensure academic credit, students should enroll at another institution as visiting nondegree students. They must obtain approval for the courses they have selected from their major advisor (to ensure that all major requirements will be fulfilled) and from the Registrar’s Office.

Students who wish to take a leave of absence for other reasons or wish to withdraw from the college should discuss their plans and seek approval from the Associate Director of Student Support and Outreach. Exceptions for longer leaves for military service may be granted by the Provost and the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies.

Leave of absences taken during the three semesters affected by COVID-19 in which Goucher College moved to remote instruction (spring 2020, fall 2020 and spring 2021) will not apply toward the two semester limit. 

Deadlines for Application for Leave:

The deadline for applying for leave is the add/drop deadline for the semester in which the student will be on leave.

Return from a Leave of Absence:

A student returning from a leave of absence does not need to apply for reinstatement. Students on leave are responsible for meeting regular college deadlines for filing for financial aid and for registering for housing and courses. 

Failure to return from a leave of absence: 

Students receiving Title IV financial aid who take a leave of absence are treated as having withdrawn from the college for financial aid purposes. This means that the six-month grace period for Federal Direct Loans begins the day after the last date of academic activity at the college. Thus, students who are federal loan recipients and fail to return from a leave of absence may trigger a requirement to begin repayment on student loans, if the federal period of deferral has expired. Contact the Office of Financial Aid to discuss the consequence of this changed status on outstanding loans.

Assessment

Goucher has an ongoing program of assessment to evaluate the effectiveness of the college and to ensure that it is meeting its goal of providing a high quality education. The assessment program includes opinion surveys, interviews, and testing. Students are expected to participate in assessment activities throughout their time at Goucher.

Honors and Awards

Dean’s List

At the end of each semester, students who have demonstrated an exceptional level of academic achievement for that semester are named to the Dean’s List. The minimum grade point average for Dean’s List is as follows:

First-year: 3.50
Sophomores: 3.70
Juniors: 3.75
Seniors: 3.80

Full-time students must complete at least 12 graded credits in a given semester to be eligible. Part-time students must complete at least 12 graded credits within two semesters of a given academic year. Courses taken for a Pass - No Pass (P or NP) grade do not count as “graded credits” for Dean’s List purposes.

Honors at Graduation

A student may graduate having achieved one or more of two distinctions.

Honors in the Major

Honors in the major is designed to give recognition to outstanding work in the major. This designation is awarded on the recommendation of the faculty who have taught and supervised a student’s work in the major at the upper level. Requirements for honors in the major are determined by each program.

Latin Honors

Students who have taken at least 60 semester credit hours on a letter-grade basis at Goucher or as part of a Goucher sponsored study-abroad program may be awarded their degrees

• summa cum laude with a grade point average of 3.9,
• magna cum laude with a grade point average of 3.7 to 3.89, or
• cum laude with a grade point average of 3.5 to 3.69.

Grade point averages are not rounded off for Latin honors. Transfer students may not be able to take courses pass/no pass and still qualify for Latin honors unless they take a minimum of 60 graded credits in residence excluding pass/no pass.

Phi Beta Kappa

Goucher College, formerly the Woman’s College of Baltimore, was granted a charter by the Phi Beta Kappa national honor society in 1904 as the Beta of Maryland Chapter.

Students are eligible for election on the basis of academic standing and rules of eligibility established by the Senate of the Chapter. These rules stipulate a minimum grade point average of 3.5; in addition, no more than 10 percent of the credit hours completed ordinarily may be graded pass/no pass (courses that may not be taken for a grade do not count in the 10 percent). All college-level work is considered, but work done at Goucher is weighted more heavily. Achievements of these standards do not guarantee membership. Students must also demonstrate academic integrity, commitment to intellectual pursuits, and breadth within their academic program. The latter ordinarily requires a student to complete courses in each of the five divisions beyond those taken to satisfy the general education requirements.

Annual Prizes and Awards

Fellowships

Special fellowships are available to graduating seniors of Goucher College for full-time graduate work. Applications for fellowships should be made on forms secured from the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies and should be returned to the Associate Provost no later than March 1. For the Class of 1905, the Eleanor Voss, and the Flora E. Langdon Fellowships, need is also a criterion. Applicants must complete the Financial Aid Form and submit it directly to Student Financial Services no later than March 1.

For Graduates of Goucher College:

The Class of 1905 Fellowships are intended to support Goucher College graduates in their pursuit of graduate study in international affairs: cultural, economic and political but may also be awarded to support other graduate work.

The Elizabeth King Ellicott Fellowships are awarded each year to graduates of Goucher College for the study of government and politics in the U.S.

The Flora E. Langdon Fellowship provides tuition assistance to Goucher College graduates in their pursuit of graduate study in the sciences.

The Io DeGraw Mears Fund in Library Science provides fellowships for Goucher graduates who pursue advanced studies in library science.

The Stimson-Duvall Fellowship is awarded to graduates who show professional promise and outstanding qualifications for graduate studies in the natural, physical, biological, and medical sciences or the related field of history of science.

The Dean Van Meter Alumnae/i Fellowships are intended to support Goucher College graduates in their pursuit of graduate or professional study, in this country or abroad.

The Eleanor Voss ‘56 Fellowship is awarded annually to a graduating senior who has achieved an outstanding academic record and who will pursue the study of law. Preference is given to students who will attend Harvard Law School. In the event there is no highly qualified student intending to study law, the fellowship may be awarded to a graduating senior in the field of international relations, economics, history, or political science who has achieved the highest academic record among the senior majors in those fields and who intends to pursue graduate work.

For Undergraduate Students of Goucher College:

The Mary Derrickson McCurdy ‘30 Fellowship is awarded to provide support for students to do research or advanced course work at a marine biology laboratory.

The Florence B. & Mabel V. Seibert Fellowship is used for fellowships or activities in the field of bio-chemistry.

The Brooke and Carol Peirce Fellowships award undergraduates in all disciplines the opportunity to conduct significant original research using materials in Special Collections & Archives at Goucher College.