2022-2023 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
    Mar 29, 2024  
2022-2023 Undergraduate Catalog

Academic Policies



Requirements for All Undergraduate Degrees

A total of 128 semester hours is required for the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, and Bachelor of Business Administration degrees. Of this total, at least 120 semester hours must be taken for a letter grade and 32 semester hours must be taken in residence at Millsaps College. All undergraduate programs take about 45 months to complete.

Majors, Minors, and Concentrations

Majors: A major at Millsaps is a specialized course of study required of all students, offering the opportunity to focus in depth on a particular discipline. It usually consists of 32-48 hours of course work specified by a particular department, in addition to the prescribed work for the degree.

Majors in accounting and business administration are available only with the B.B.A. degree. B.B.A. students may, however, add a second major from the Division of Arts and Humanities or the Division of Sciences. The European studies major is available only with the B.A. degree and the chemistry major is available only with the B.S. degree. All other majors are available with the B.A. or B.S. degree.

Specific requirements for the major can be found under the appropriate department of instruction. Students may major in a subject only with the consent of the department chair. They are expected to declare a major by the end of the sophomore year. All work to be applied toward the major must be approved in advance by the student’s advisor.

To graduate from Millsaps College, a student must have earned at least 128 semester credit hours (either through the degree requirements, general education requirements, major requirements, minor requirements, concentration requirements, or electives).

A student may earn more than one major by completing all of the requirements in the departments involved.

Minors: While there is no requirement that students complete a minor as part of their degree, they may elect a minor in those departments that offer one. Students cannot earn a minor and a major under the same subject (example: major in biology and minor in biology). A student must have a minimum of 16 semester hours in a department in order to qualify for a minor. A minimum of eight semester hours applied toward the minor must be taken at Millsaps. Specific requirements for a particular minor can be found under the appropriate department of instruction.

Areas of Concentration: A student may declare an area of concentration within a particular major listed in the catalog. In music, however, a student is permitted to have a vocal or instrumental performance concentration without a major in music.

Certificate in Music Performance: An undergraduate certificate in music performance is available through the Music Department to degree- and nondegree-seeking students who meet all admission requirements; students must be admitted to Millsaps College in order to pursue the certificate. Prerequisite undergraduate courses may be required in order to qualify for the certificate program. Hours earned in acquiring the certificate may be counted toward completion of a music degree. Upon satisfactory completion of the required coursework, the student will become a candidate for conferral of the certificate. The Millsaps transcript will indicate successful completion of the certificate program.

64-Hour Policy

After earning 64 semester hours at a junior, community, or senior college, a student may not take additional work at a junior or community college and have it apply toward a degree from Millsaps College.

Residence Requirement

To qualify for graduation from Millsaps College, 32 of the last 40 semester hours of academic work must be completed in residence as a degree-seeking student at Millsaps College. An exception to this rule is the Pre-Engineering Dual-Degree Program (in which students may transfer back the equivalent of 32 semester hours) and the study abroad program, providing at least 32 total credit hours were earned through Millsaps College. Hours to be transferred back to Millsaps from a study abroad program by a senior must be pre-approved by the Office of International Education prior to acceptance in the program.

Grade Point Average Requirement

A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.000 is required for graduation. Transfer students must have a minimum GPA of 2.000 on their Millsaps work. The GPA is calculated on the total number of courses attempted, including courses repeated for a better grade.

Comprehensive Examinations

Purpose of Comprehensive Examinations

Before receiving a bachelor’s degree, students must pass a comprehensive examination(s) at the satisfactory level or above in their major field(s) of study. This examination is given in the senior year (except for pre-engi­neering students who take it their junior year), and is intended to cover subject matter greater in scope than a single course or series of courses. The purpose of the comprehensive examination is to coordinate the class work with independent reading and thinking in such a way as to relate the knowledge acquired, and give the student a general understanding that could not be acquired from individual courses.

Timing for Spring Comprehensive Exams

Students may take the comprehensive examination if they are within one semester of graduation. Students may take the comprehensive exam­ination only if the courses in which they have credit and in which they are currently enrolled are those that fulfill the requirements in their major department. The comprehensive examination requires at least three hours and is part written and part oral; the division of time between the two will be at the discretion of the members of the department. The oral examination will be conducted by a committee composed of members of the department, and, if desired by the department, one or more members of the faculty from other departments or other qualified persons. Except by permission of the Dean of the College, the oral portion of the exam takes place during the published period on the Academic Calendar. The written portion of the exam usually precedes the oral exam. Should the department choose to offer the written portion of the exam outside of the published Comprehensive Exam period, the Department will make every effort to accommodate the student with an alternative exam time in the case of a conflict between the written portion of the exam and a college-affiliated activity.

Those who fail a comprehensive examination may have an opportunity to take another examination after the lapse of two months. Additional examinations may be taken at the discretion of the chair of the student’s major department with the consent of the Dean of the College.

Fall Exceptions

The comprehensive examination may be given in the fall semester for students who have completed all necessary course work, and who either will not be in residence at Millsaps during the spring semester or are pursuing a double major. If the fall semester is utilized, December 1 is the deadline for completion.

Senior Final Exam Exemptions

Students may elect to be exempt from final examinations only in the semester in which they pass their comprehensive examinations and only in those courses in which they have a C average or better. It shall be understood, however, that this exemption does not ensure the student a final grade of C, since grades during the last two weeks shall count in the final average. Under no circumstances may a student be exempt from any examination in more than one semester. Students may request exemp­tion from other requirements by petition to the Dean of the College. The exemption list is provided to faculty by the Office of Records.

Application for A Degree

Advisors assist students in establishing their degree plan for graduation. In the senior year of the student’s course work, the Office of Records does a parallel graduation audit to review the undergraduate student’s general education, degree requirements, major, concentration (if applicable), minor (if applicable), and total credits earned. Following this scheduled interview with the student, a degree application is filed with the Office of Records.

An application for degree must be on file with the Office of Records at the following times:

  • for December completion, prior to the Fall semester’s registration period.
  • for May completion, prior to the Spring semester’s registration period.
  • for August completion, prior to the Summer semester’s registration period.

Requirements for A Second Degree

To earn a second degree from Millsaps College, a student must have a minimum of 32 semester hours beyond those required for the first degree and must meet all of the requirements for both the second degree and the additional major.

Degree Conferral Policy

Once the degree is conferred, the academic record is frozen and no addi­tional course work may be taken to apply toward that degree. Additional course work may be applied toward a second degree (see “Requirements for Second Degree Policy”) or taken in a non-degree seeking status (see “Non-Degree Student Admission Policy ”).

A minor is a complement to a bachelor’s degree and major, and is optional. While students are strongly encouraged to declare a minor as early as possible, it is possible for a minor to be posted to a student’s transcript after graduation. The following criteria apply: (1) the minor must have been offered at the time the student graduated and (2) the student must have satisfied all the requirements for the minor before the student graduated. To request a minor retroactively, contact the Office of Records. Additional majors cannot be added retroactively; they are conferred at the same time as the student’s baccalaureate degree.

Graduation with Distinction

A student whose cumulative GPA is 3.500 for the entire course of study at Millsaps shall be graduated cum laude, one whose cumulative GPA is 3.700 shall be graduated magna cum laude, and one whose cumula­tive GPA is 3.900 shall be graduated summa cum laude. To be eligible for graduation cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude, a student must have earned at least 64 semester hours at Millsaps College. For those students that earned a rating of excellent on their comprehensive examination, an additional distinction will appear on their official transcript and the commencement program.

Graduation with Honors

A degree-seeking student with junior standing and a cumulative 3.300 grade point average may apply to a faculty member for permission to undertake an honors project. In the fall semester of the junior year, the student submits an honors project agreement to the Honors Program Director. Upon approval of the director, the student enrolls for the spring semester in a directed study course, Honors I. For the fall semester of the senior year, the student enrolls in Honors II, but completes the bulk of the work before that time to be able to defend the thesis before the student’s defense committee in the fall. A letter grade is assigned for each of these two courses.

A student may complete an Honors project outside of his or her area of major or minor study provided that the student can demonstrate that he or she has a sufficient academic background for the research. However, each student’s thesis adviser must teach in the discipline of the student’s Honors research. A student who successfully completes the Honors Program in a selected field of study receives the designation with honors in that field at graduation.

A student may voluntarily withdraw candidacy for Honors at any time. The following procedures should be followed by students deciding to leave Honors at the indicated times:

  1. Leaving Honors I (HI) in the Spring of Junior year: The class HI can either be withdrawn from completely (resulting in a W on the transcript) by filling out a “Change of Schedule Add/ Drop Form” or be changed into a Research or Directed Study; if you would like the latter, the advisor and student will determine the appropriate number of credit hours for the new Research or Independent Study course (1-4 hours). The faculty and student must ensure that the student stays at or above 12/15 credit hours to ensure full-time status, however. This course may not be a credit/no credit course. In addition, the advisor must fill out the “Change, Add, or Delete Course” form to create a new Research or Directed Study course.
  2. Leaving Honors II at any time during the summer: Because the student is not formally enrolled in an Honors related course during the summer, no changes need to be made. The HI credit from the previous Spring semester stays on the student’s transcript and will not be changed retroactively, even though the student will not graduate with Honors.
  3. Leaving Honors II (HII) during the Fall of Senior year: The class HII can either be withdrawn from completely (resulting in a W on the transcript) by filling out a “Change of Schedule Add/ Drop Form” or be changed into a Research or Independent Study; if you would like the latter, the advisor and student will determine the appropriate number of credit hours for the new Research or Independent Study course (1-4 hours). The faculty and student must ensure that the student stays at or above 12/15 credit hours to ensure full-time status, however. This course may not be a credit/no credit course. In addition, the faculty must fill out the “Change, Add, or Delete Course” form to create a new Research or Directed Study course. The HI credit from the previous Spring semester stays on the student’s transcript and will not be changed retroactively, even though the student will not graduate with Honors.

The rules above serve as exceptions to normal Office of Records policy. Should the student decide to drop Honors during the normal add/drop time period, they can do so without any record of course(s) on their tran­scripts. In this case the student is advised to notify the Honors Director of his/her decision.

Commencement

If a student needs 16 hours or less to graduate, the student may partici­pate in May commencement ceremonies. Students should be charged the graduation fee when they participate in the ceremony.

Election to Phi Beta Kappa

The Phi Beta Kappa chapter at Millsaps College elects members from the graduating class each spring. To be considered for election to member­ship in Phi Beta Kappa, a student must meet the following criteria:

  1. The student must be a candidate for a liberal arts degree (BA, BS) with a liberal arts or science major (all majors at Millsaps except Accounting, Business Administration, and Education). At least three fourths of the work required for a degree must be in liberal arts and sciences.
  2. A minimum of one-half of the work required for graduation must be completed at Millsaps.
  3. The student must have had, or be taking in the spring of their senior year, one course in mathematics, statistics, or logic. The requirement will be met through Millsaps course credit that appears on a student’s academic record.
    1. Evidence of proficiency in mathematics can be met through a course at the level of Business Calculus (MATH 1210 - Business Calculus ) or above. Proficiency in statistics can be met through Econometrics (ECON 3030 - Econometrics & Applied Statistics ), Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences (PSYC 2100 - Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences ), or Methods and Statistics (SOAN 2100 - Methods & Statistics ). Proficiency in logic can be met through Logic (PHIL 2900 - Logic ).
    2. That credit can be earned through courses taken at Millsaps or at another institution of higher learning, or through AP, IB, or A level exam credit that has been applied to a student’s record (for Calculus or Statistics), or through a score on a departmental proficiency or placement exam, provided that the student places at a level above Survey of Calculus.
  4. The student must have had, or be taking in the spring of their senior year, one course in a foreign language at the intermediate level (2000) or above, which must be taken for a letter grade. The language requirement will be met through Millsaps course credit that appears on a student’s academic record. That credit can be earned through courses taken at Millsaps or at another institution of higher learning, or through AP, IB, or A level exam credit that has been applied to a student’s record as Millsaps course credit, or through a score on a departmental proficiency or the appropriate SAT II language exam, provided that the student’s score merits exemption from intermediate-level language study. Students who complete their high school educations in a language other than English may submit their transcripts and evidence of language competence to the chapter for consideration, normally no later than their junior year.
    1. A student must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.70 based on seven or more semesters of work (Grades earned in courses for applied or professional work that are intended pri­marily to develop skills or vocational techniques are not counted in computing GPA for the purpose of election to Phi Beta Kappa).
    2. Transfer students must meet the GPA requirement both on work done at Millsaps and on their college work as a whole.
    3. No more than ten percent of the liberal arts and sciences grad­uates may be elected to Phi Beta Kappa from a graduating class. The requirements above are only the minimum requirements for eligibility and do not necessarily guarantee election to member­ship. The limitation of electing no more than ten percent of a graduating class necessarily implies that more stringent criteria will have to be applied if the number of candidates who meet the minimum requirements exceeds that percentage in any year.
    4. With the help of the Office of Records and the Dean of Students, a committee of the chapter goes through student transcripts of prospective graduates in the spring, recalculating GPA where nec­essary, and determines the pool of students who meet the minimum requirements. Records and the committee calculate the number that would represent no more than 10% of the likely liberal arts and sciences graduates. The chapter then meets and considers the pool of eligible candidates ranked by GPA but without other identifying characteristics (i.e., no name or major is indicated) and determines those who will be invited to become members. An initiation ceremony for new members followed by a chapter banquet is held toward the end of spring semester each year.
    5. Membership invitations will only be extended to persons of good moral character.

Election to Beta Gamma Sigma

  1. Beta Gamma Sigma is the national honor society for business programs accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International. Students are selected each spring. To be considered for membership in Beta Gamma Sigma, a student must:
  2. Pursue the Bachelor of Business Administration degree, the Masters of Business Administration degree, or the Masters of Accountancy degree;
  3. Be of high moral character;
  4. Be in the upper 10 percent of the junior or senior class;
  5. Be in the upper 20 percent of the MBA/MACC class; and
  6. Be approved by the nominating committee. The cumulative GPA is used to determine class rank.

Class Standing

The following number of hours is required:

  for sophomore standing 28 semester hours
  for junior standing 60 semester hours
  for senior standing 92 semester hours

A student’s classification is determined at the beginning of a semester and updated at the end of each semester.

Credit Hour

One credit hour represents a minimum of 45 hours of engagement with class material, the equivalent of 3 hours of academic engagement per week, over a 15-week semester.

Fulltime/Part-Time Student Status

Degree-seeking students taking 12 or more semester hours will be classi­fied as full-time students. Degree-seeking students taking fewer than 12 semester hours will be classified as part-time students.

Course Load

Sixteen credit hours per semester is considered the normal load for full-time students during fall and spring semesters. In order to be classified as a full-time student, a student must take no fewer than 12 credit hours per semester during fall and spring. Students are not encouraged to register for more than 18 hours of academic work per semester during fall or spring unless they have a cumulative GPA of 3.000. No student may register for more than 20 hours in a semester without a cumulative GPA of 3.000 and permission of the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. A student will ordinarily not be permitted to register for more than 22 hours in a semester.

If a student wishes to take classes over the summer, the maximum load a student may take is 8 credit hours in one summer term or 16 credit hours in multiple summer terms, except with permission of the Dean of the College.

For financial aid purposes, the following course load is true for undergraduate and graduate students regardless of term period:

12+ hours = full time
9 - 11.5 hours = ¾ time
6 - 8.5 hours = ½ time
0.5 - 5.5 hours = ¼ time

For undergraduate students from the State of Mississippi, 15+ hours equal full time for Mississippi financial aid eligibility.

Credit/No Credit Grade Option

Students must indicate their intention to take a course for credit/no credit by the last day to add classes as published in the academic calendar. Credit/no credit grading requires full participation of the student in all class activities. Credit signifies work of passing quality or above, though it carries no quality points. Courses required for a student’s major, general education, degree, and minor ordinarily may not be taken for credit/no credit. No more than eight semester hours graded credit/no credit may be included in the 128 semester hours required for graduation. Courses taken for credit/ no credit will not affect a student’s GPA.

Auditing Courses

Courses may be audited if the instructor of the course gives written approval on the registration form. Students must indicate their intention to audit at the time of registration and once a course has been registered for audit, it may not be changed. No credit is earned for courses that are audited, and the grade of audit does not affect the GPA. For information about fees associated with auditing courses, see the special fees section of the catalog.

Schedule Changes

A student cannot change classes, drop classes, or add new classes except by the consent of the faculty adviser or the Dean. All courses added after the first week of classes must have signature of the faculty instructor approving the add, in addition to their advisor’s signature. If courses are dropped prior to the last day to drop courses without penalty, the dropped courses will not appear on the student’s record. Courses dropped after this date are recorded as W. There is a published date, following midterm grades, after which it is no longer possible to withdraw from a course. Students who stop attending a course without securing the required approvals will receive an F.

Cross-Listed Courses

A cross-listed course is a course that is offered under more than one subject course code and number. Cross-listed courses are limited listings between courses in different departments during an agreed upon semester. A proposed cross-listed course must be approved by all cross-listed department chairs before being submitted for the course schedule. Courses can be cross listed in no more than three subjects. Cross-listed courses must meet at the same time, in the same classroom, have the same faculty instructor, the same credit hours, and have the same course level. The course will have separate rosters for each cross listed subject. Students cannot take the cross listed course again under a different subject.

Directed Study

A directed study is an independent study. Ordinarily, a student will not be allowed to take a course as a directed study that is offered at least every other year at the College. Directed studies are dependent on faculty schedules and must be approved in advance by the faculty instructor and appropriate department chair.

Repeat Courses

Students may enroll in courses at Millsaps that previously have been taken. A course may also be repeated at another institution with the prior approval of the student’s advisor, in consultation with the appropriate department chair. Because Millsaps accepts transfer work only on a nongraded basis, repeating a course at another institution will not improve a student’s grade point average at Millsaps. When a course is repeated, no additional course credit is earned, but all grades earned at Millsaps are calculated into the cumulative GPA. All grades reported for the course remain a part of the permanent academic record. Millsaps does not guarantee the availability of courses for repeat credit.

Certain courses that have different content taught each semester may be repeated for credit. Examples of these courses are special topics courses, directed studies, directed research, internships, a few major courses, and even some general education courses.

Occasionally, a student may take one of these courses over again with the same course content in order to make a better grade. If this scenario occurs, it is the responsibility of the student and the professor to inform the Office of Records. Credit hours cannot be earned twice for two courses with the same content.

Students who wish to repeat a course in which they have received a failing grade twice before may not enroll in the course without the permission of the department offering the course. Students are not allowed to repeat any of the courses in the 1000-1010-2000 sequence in French or Spanish after they have completed a course at the next level. Specifically, students may not repeat 1000 after completion of either 1010 or 2000. Likewise, students may not repeat 1010 after completion of 2000, nor repeat 2000 after completion of 2110.

Double Counting Between Academic Programs

Only 12 hours are allowed to double count for students earning a double major or students earning a major and a minor.

Grades

The grade in any class is determined by the combined class standing and a written examination as explained in the class syllabus.

A represents superior work.
B represents above-average achievement.
C represents a satisfactory level of achievement.
D represents a less than satisfactory level of achievement in the regularly prescribed work of the class.
F represents failure to do the regularly prescribed work of the class.
All marks of D and above are passing marks (unless otherwise noted), and F represents failure.
W indicates that a student has withdrawn from a course or has received approval to withdraw from the College.
I indicates that the work is incomplete. Incomplete grades contribute neither to the number of hours attempted nor the quality points. If the incomplete is not removed by the end of the following semester, the incomplete grade will change to an F.
IP indicates work in progress during the current semester.
CR represents passing work in a nongraded course taken for credit.
NC represents no credit in a nongraded course taken for credit.
NR indicates no grade reported by faculty (grade assigned by Office of Records only).
AU represents audited class.
TR represents college-level work that has transferred into Millsaps College.
AP represents work that has come into Millsaps from an Advanced Placement exam.
IB represents work that has come into Millsaps from an International Baccalaureate exam.
CL represents work that has come into Millsaps from a CLEP exam.

Grade Points

The completion of any academic course shall entitle a student to the following grade points for a semester hour:

A 4.000
A- 3.670
B+ 3.330
B 3.000
B- 2.670
C+ 2.330
C 2.000
C- 1.670
D+ 1.330
D 1.000
F 0.000

Quality points earned for a course are determined by multiplying the numerical value of the grade by the number of semester hours that the course carries. A grade point average (GPA) is determined by dividing the total number of quality points by the total number of attempted semester hours.

The deadline for submitting grade changes to the Office of Records will be no later than the date that final grades are due in the semester following the term that contains the error. The same deadline will apply to changes in grades for students who have already graduated. No changes will be made in class rankings or graduation rankings based upon grade changes for students who have graduated. Any changes in distinction will be posted to the individual’s record. If a change in distinction occurs, the student must return the original diploma to the Office of Records. Once the original diploma is received, another diploma will be ordered with the correct distinction.

It is the student’s responsibility to inform the Office of Records of any possible errors and to work with the professor(s) involved.

Class Attendance

Irregular attendance indicates that the student may be having difficulties adjusting to the course or to the College. The primary responsibility for counseling students with respect to their absence rests with the faculty member; but, in the following circumstances, the faculty member is ex­pected to report in writing the student’s unsatisfactory attendance record to the Assistant Dean of Student Success (who will issue an electronic yellow alert warning the student):

  • For a first-year student: whenever the total absences are equal to twice the number of class meetings per week.
  • For any student: after three successive absences for reasons unknown to the instructor, or when in danger of failing the course.

Individual faculty members decide the manner and extent to which absences alone will affect a student’s grade. Each faculty member is expected to outline the policy in writing in the syllabus of each class at the beginning of the semester. This may extend to dismissal from the course (using a red alert from the Office of Records) with a grade of F for reasons solely of absence. A faculty member may not drop a student through the red alert process unless they have first issued a yellow alert warning.

Absences are excused at the discretion of the individual faculty member, except that absences for official college-sponsored athletic competitions and academic activities will always be excused. Faculty must provide students the opportunity to make up work missed due to an excused absence. Students are always responsible for all course work they miss, including work to make up for absences, if assigned by the instructor.

Protected Period for Student Life

Regularly scheduled undergraduate courses are not to be offered during the Protected Period for Student Life (MTWTHF 4-6:30 pm) with the following exceptions: MUSC 15C1 - Chamber Singers , THEA courses, Mock Trial, and WRIT 2001 - Intro Teaching Writing  (Spring Only). Classes are permitted to meet informally (e.g. for directed studies, music lessons, test preparation, special class meetings), but if and only if all students are available and given adequate opportunity to check for conflicts and respond confidentially to the instructor. Attendance at a special event scheduled during the protected period that will affect a student’s grade requires the instructor to offer an equiva­lent alternative experience to the student who cannot be present.

Final Examinations

Permission to make up an examination or alter the time for an exam­ination may be granted only by the instructor of the class for a specific student. If an instructor wishes to change the time of a final exam for a class, he or she must obtain permission from the Dean of the College.

No student should be required to take more than two final exams on one day. Students will be expected to take the initiative to resolve any conflicts with the appropriate faculty. If a resolution is not reached, the student may appeal to the Dean’s office.

No required classroom activities, including presentations and final exam­inations, may be set on Reading Day.

Academic Standing

President’s Scholars

At the end of the fall and spring semester, the President’s Scholars List is issued and consists of those students who for that semester:

  1. Earned at least 12 semester hours;
  2. Earned a GPA of 3.850 for that semester;
  3. Earned grades of C or higher in each course; and
  4. Met the standard, in the judgment of the President of the College, of being a good citizen of the College community.

The President’s Scholar will be shown on the student’s official transcript permanently.

Dean’s Scholars

At the end of the fall and spring semester, the Dean’s Scholars List is issued and consists of those students who for that semester:

  1. Earned at least 12 semester hours;
  2. Earned a GPA of at least 3.500, but less than 3.849, for that semester;
  3. Earned grades of C or higher in each course; and
  4. Met the standard, in the judgment of the Dean of the College, of being a good citizen of the College community.

The Dean’s Scholar will be shown on the student’s official transcript permanently.

Unsatisfactory Academic Progress

A part-time student who makes a GPA of less than 1.500 in any semester will be notified that he or she is making unsatisfactory academic progress. To be removed from that classification, the student must make a 2.000 GPA during a regular semester or summer session. Unsatisfactory academic progress for part-time students will be shown on the student’s official transcript permanently.

Academic Probation

Full-time students who earn a term GPA below 1.500 or have a cumulative GPA below 2.000 will be placed on academic probation. A student may be removed from academic probation by earning a 2.00 GPA during a regular semester or a summer semester at Millsaps College provided that the student completes at least 12 semester hours and establishes a cumulative GPA of at least 2.000.

Academic Probation will be shown on the student’s official transcript permanently.

Academic Suspension

Full-time students will be subject to academic suspension if they fail to maintain a:

  • 1.500 cumulative GPA when 28 semester hours or fewer have been attempted, or
  • 1.800 cumulative GPA when more than 28, but no more than 60 semester hours have been attempted, or
  • 2.000 cumulative GPA when more than 60 semester hours have been attempted, or
  • 2.000 cumulative GPA after senior status has been obtained.

Full-time students who earn a term GPA below 1.000 will be placed on academic suspension. A student may also be suspended at any time if not actively engaging in classes. The first suspension will ordinarily be for the duration of one semester, the second suspension for a full academic year. After a third suspension, the student is not allowed to return to Millsaps.

Courses taken at another institution while on suspension will not be accepted for credit by Millsaps. Students on suspension are not allowed to take summer courses at Millsaps.

Academic suspension will be shown on the student’s official transcript permanently.

Readmission Process

Suspended students seeking readmission must petition the Academic Dean of the College in writing. The Dean will then consult with the Academic Actions Committee. Students seeking readmission after a first or second suspension should apply as soon as possible in order to assure sufficient time to fulfill whatever requirements may be necessary for read­mission to be granted. The following deadlines apply: July 15 for fall, De­cember 1 for spring, and April 12 for summer. The petition should include both a detailed explanation of the circumstances leading to suspension and a plan for academic success upon readmission.

Petitions for readmission may be mailed to:

Office of Academic Affairs Millsaps College
1701 North State Street Box 151107
Jackson, MS 39210 or
emailed to AcademicAffairs@millsaps.edu

Readmissions decisions require approximately three weeks. Notification will be mailed to the student’s mailing address currently on file and/or emailed. If ap­proved, the student will be readmitted on academic probation, and this status will show on the student’s official transcript permanently. If you have questions, contact the Office of Admissions.

Change of Plan

A “change of plan” is a procedure that can occur at 1 of 2 times:

  1. A student who has committed to come to Millsaps by paying their deposit and has pre-registered for the term but then decides not to attend.
  2. A student attending Millsaps who has preregistered for the next term but decided not to come back for the next term.

In either case, this process can only occur up until the first day of class. The student should not have attended any classes in the semester that the change of plans was given.

A change of plans form must be completed by the student or by a staff member in consultation with the student.

Ordinarily, a student will contact the Office of Records for a Change of Plans. In this case, the Office of Records will gather a reason why the student has made this decision. Occasionally, a student will contact an­other office when they have decided not to attend. If a committed student notifies the Office of Admissions, Admissions should also gather a reason why the student has made this decision. If a current student notifies the Director of Academic Advising and Student Support Services, the Direc­tor of Academic Advising and Student Support Services should gather a reason why the student has made this decision. All reasons why should be turned into the Office of Records for recording.

The Office of Records will notify applicable departments of the updated student’s change-of-plans status and reason.

Voluntary Withdrawal or Administrative Withdrawal

In order to withdraw from the College within any term, an undergraduate student must meet with the Director of Academic Advising and Student Support Services for an exit interview and obtain a withdrawal form. No refund will be considered unless the withdrawal form, with appropriate signatures, is completed and presented to the Business Office. Refunds will be made according to the policy outlined in the Financial Regulations section.

A student who withdraws with permission after the last day for dropping a course but before mid- semester will have grades recorded as W in each course. A student who withdraws without permission receives a grade of F in each course.

Students should complete all course withdrawals by mid-semester. The mid-semester deadline for completing course withdrawals is published in the academic calendar.

Students who wish to withdraw from one or more courses after the mid-semester deadline must file a written petition with the Dean of the College. Petitions will not be approved unless students can show evidence that they are in extraordinary situations that warrant exceptions to the general policy of the College.

Enforced withdrawal may result from habitual delinquency in class or any other circumstance that prevents the student from fulfilling the purpose of the class.

The College reserves the right to cancel the registration of any student. In such a case, the pro rata portion of tuition will be returned, except that students withdrawing under discipline forfeit the right to a refund.

No student who withdraws is entitled to a grade report or an official transcript until all accounts are settled in the Business Office.

Emergency Withdrawal

Extreme personal circumstances, such as call-up to active military duty, may constitute grounds for emergency withdrawal from school after the official withdrawal deadline. Emergency withdrawal must be caused by circumstances beyond the student’s control and be of an extenuating nature that causes the student to be unable to complete the current semester. Documentation of the circumstances must be provided before such withdrawals may be considered and must be provided at the time the emergency arises. Students granted any type of emergency withdrawal will receive the grade of W in all attempted classes.

Medical Withdrawal

Medical withdrawals are granted to students only in the rare case where their physical, mental, or emotional health prevents them from continuing studies at the College. Medical withdrawal may be granted only for the current semester, and it is the sole responsibility of the student requesting a medical withdrawal during any semester to complete and submit all required paperwork by the last day of classes in that semester as defined by the academic calendar. A retroactive medical withdrawal may be con­sidered only in the event that the illness or condition occurred at the end of the semester and prevented the student from completing this process within the semester. It must be applied as soon as reasonably possible after the end of the semester.

All requests for medical withdrawals must be accompanied by a medical professional’s letter of recommendation for withdrawal and documentation of illness. This letter must include a medical diagnosis, the time frame during the semester in which the illness or medical condition occurred, and an explanation of how this prevented the student from being able to continue with his/her academic requirements. Upon return to the College, the student must present documentation that states the student has been treated by the same or another referred medical professional and, in, his/ her expert opinion, the student’s condition has improved to the point that he/she can handle the demands of college life. Students granted a medical withdrawal will receive the grade of W in all attempted classes.

Leave of Absence

Students may petition for a leave of absence for a future semester. A leave of absence cannot be granted in a semester in which any classes have been attended. Before requesting a leave of absence from the College, students must meet with the Director of Academic Advising and Student Support (undergraduate) or the Assistant Dean of the Else School of Management (M.B.A. or M.Acc.) to determine if a leave of absence is appropriate in their situation. A leave of absence allows students to sit out for a semester while maintaining their eligibility to retain academic scholarships; however, students must reapply for need-based aid. A stu­dent may not be enrolled at another institution while on leave of absence from Millsaps College. A leave of absence is granted for one semester, al­though in unusual circumstances a petition may be filed for an extension. For administrative purposes only, the student on leave must fill out a short re-admit application upon their return in order to reactivate their student services such as Major Portal and their campus ID card.

Catalog Year Assignment Policy

Students follow general education requirements in the catalog year in which they matriculate at Millsaps College. Once students declare their degree/major/minor/concentration, students follow degree/ major/minor/ concentration requirements in the catalog currently in effect at the time of the declaration.

Students who are absent from Millsaps College six years or more will ordinarily be required to satisfy the catalog year requirements that are in effect at the time of their return.

Please consult the Office of Records concerning questions about general education and degree requirements, and the appropriate department about major/minor/concentration requirements.

Transfer Credit Policy

Refer to “Transfer Admissions ” and “Transfer Policies of the Else School”.

Credit by Examination

Students entering Millsaps College may earn a waiver of certain re­quirements or college credit as a result of their performance on specific examinations. The amount of waiver or credit is limited to two courses in any discipline and 28 hours total. International students may also be eligible for advanced placement, depending upon the educational system completed (for example: IB, A-levels, Abiture, etc.).

Scores on the appropriate Advanced Placement or International Bac­calaureate examinations, CLEP subject matter examination, or CEEB achievement tests should be sent to the Office of Records for evaluation. An administrative fee will be assessed for each course recorded. (See the catalog section on special fees.)

A score of 4 or 5 is ordinarily required on an AP exam and a score of 5, 6, or 7 on a higher 13 level IB exam is required to receive academic credit. For information concerning scores necessary to attain credit for any AP ex­amination or for other exams such as IB or CLEP, students should consult with the Registrar. International students should contact the Director of International Recruitment with any questions about their AP eligibility.

Honor Code

Millsaps College is an academic community where men and women pur­sue a life of scholarly inquiry and intellectual growth. The foundation of this community is a spirit of personal honesty and mutual trust. Through their Honor Code, members of the Millsaps community affirm their adherence to these basic ethical principles. An Honor Code is not simply a set of rules and procedures governing students’ academic conduct; it is an opportunity to put personal responsibility and integrity into action. When students agree to abide by the Honor Code, they liberate themselves to pursue their academic goals in an atmosphere of mutual confidence and respect. The success of the code depends upon the support of each member of the community. Students and faculty alike commit themselves in their work to the principles of academic honesty. When they become aware of infractions, both students and faculty are obligated to report them to the Honor Council, which is responsible for enforcement. The Millsaps Honor Code was adopted by the student body and approved by the faculty and Board of Trustees in 1994.

A student cannot withdraw from a course while an Honor Code allega­tion is under investigation. A student who is found guilty of an Honor Code violation may not withdraw from the course in which the violation occurred.

Student Records

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA or the “Buckley Amendment”) of 1974 guarantees Millsaps students the right to review, inspect, and challenge the accuracy of their educational record. It also ensures that records cannot be released without the written consent of the student by protecting the confidentiality and privacy of student records. Below are some of the following exceptions:

  • Records may be released to school officials who have a legitimate educational interest. See definitions below.
  • Records may be released when the information is classified as “directory information.” The following categories of information have been designated by Millsaps College as directory information: name, email address, major field of study, participation in officially recog­nized activities including sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, photograph, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, the most recent previous educational institution attended by the student, and information needed for honors and awards. Students who do not wish such directory information released without their consent should notify the Office of Records in writing.
  • Violations of drug and alcohol policies may be disclosed to parents of students who are under the age of 21.
  • Disciplinary proceedings of violent crimes or nonforcible sex offenses may be disclosed to the victims of the crime regardless of the outcome of the proceedings. They may also be disclosed if the accused was found to have violated the College’s rules or policies.
  • Records may be released to a court if a parent or student has initiat­ed legal action against the College or if the College has begun a legal action against a parent of a student.
  • Records may be released to the Mississippi Office of Student Finan­cial Aid if a student’s legal residence is in the state.
  • If students would like their parents to have access to their records, they must give written consent in the Office of Records or a parent can show proof of claiming their child/student as a dependent on their most recent tax filing.

Definition of Terms:

  • Legitimate educational interest: A school official has a legitimate educational interest when the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her responsibility on behalf of the col­lege, such as when the official is performing a task that is specific in his or her job description or by a contract agreement or other official appointment; performing a task related to a student’s education; performing a task related to the discipline of a student; or providing a service or benefit relating to the student or student’s family, such as health care, counseling, job placement, or financial aid.
  • School official: A person employed by Millsaps College in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position, including volunteers or contractors performing a service or function for which the college would otherwise use its employees, and who are under the direct control of the college with respect to the use and maintenance of personally identifiable information from the education records (e.g. an attorney, auditor, or vendor: the National Student Clearinghouse); individuals serving on the Board of Trustees; and students conducting college business (e.g., serving on official committees, working for Millsaps, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks). For more information about this law, contact the Office of Records.