• Students who score 650 or less on the mathematics part of the Achievement test of the College Entrance Examination must take a diagnostic exam prepared by the Department of Mathematics.
  
• Students who score less than 50% on the diagnostic exam, are required to attend the Pre-calculus Intervention Laboratory during one semester. After attending the Support Center for Pre-calculus and Calculus Teaching and obtaining a passing grade on the diagnostic exam, the student will be allowed to register in the pre-calculus course.
  
• Students who obtain a score between 50% and 65% on the diagnostic exam are advised to voluntarily attend the laboratory and pass the diagnostic exam before taking the pre-calculus course. This will raise their probability of passing the course successfully.
  
• Student with a grade higher than 65% on the diagnostic exam may take the pre-calculus course without any previous notification.
  
  
  

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The University of Puerto Rico has established an Early Admission Program for those students who have requested admission to UPR. Students admitted to UPRM could attend especially designed summer courses if they meet the requirements established by the UPR for early admission. The Admissions Office of the UPR Central Administration will notify the selected students for the Early Admission Program as soon as they complete their admissions records. Students which do not receive early admission will be considered and notify for regular admission during the month of April.


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Students in good standing who have voluntarily interrupted their studies or students who have had at least one year of academic suspension must apply for readmission if they wish to continue studying at UPRM. Applications must be filed at the Office of the Registrar according to the following schedule:

Transfers from Outside the University of Puerto Rico System

Any student who has approved courses taken at any college-level accredited institution outside the University of Puerto Rico shall be considered a transfer student applicant.

Eligibility Criteria:

Candidates for admission with advanced standing by transfer from accredited colleges or universities must fulfill the following requirements:

Application Deadlines:

Applications must be filed by February 15 for the summer session (June, July) or for the first semester (August), and by September 15 for the second semester (January).

Application Procedure: Applications must be accompanied by the following documents:

All documents should be mailed to:

U.P.R. - Mayagüez Campus

Admission Office

P.O. Box 9021

Mayagüez, P.R. 00681-9021

Transfer Credits:

UPRM reserves the right to accept as transfer credit those courses taken at other institutions of higher education. Only those courses with a grade of C or better will be evaluated for credit transfer. The maximum number of transferable credits is half of the total required for the degree.

Selection of Candidates:

Applicants for a program will be evaluated according to the minimum requirements established for that program. If a program does not have sufficient space to accommodate all qualified candidates, it will be filled with the best qualified applicants.

Internal Transfers

Undergraduate students of the Mayagüez Campus may apply for transfer from one program to another program within campus. Transfer applicants must meet the following requirements:

1. File an application in the Office of the Registrar by February 15 for first semester and summer session transfers and by September 15 for second semester transfers.

2. Have approved a total of 48 credit hours towards the program to which admission was originally granted.

If a student does not meet the required 48 minimum approved credit hours, the application will be considered as long as the student meets the following requirements:

a. Fulfills the General Admission Index (GAI) requirements established by the Administrative Board for the program to which the student applied at the time of admission to the Mayagüez Campus.

b. Holds a competitive grade point average (GPA) as determined by the particular college.

c. Has approved a minimum of 24 credit hours with 3.0 GPA.

d. Meets other academic requirements specified by the program of interest. (Students should visit their specific academic department of interest for further information).

e. Pays a nonrefundable fee of $22.70 (Nonrefundable late fee $32.70).

f. Does not transfer more than twice.


External Transfers

Students from other units of the University of Puerto Rico may also apply for transfer. Applicants must meet the following requirements:

1. Apply for transfer to the unit concerned through the Office of the Registrar within the transfer dates established by the Central Administration of the University of Puerto Rico.

2. Have a minimum of 48 approved credit-hours towards the program to which admission was originally granted.

3. Meet any other academic requirements specified by the program of interest.

4. Pay a nonrefundable fee of $20.00 (Nonrefundable late fee $30.00).

The Mayagüez Campus reserves the right to grant transfers according to the available capacity of each college, department, or program.


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Spanish is the language of instruction in most courses at UPRM, but students are required to have a working knowledge of the English language. The individual professor decides the language used in class lectures and in student evaluation activities.


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Registration procedures are published by the Office of the Registrar prior to each enrollment period. Students are required to register according to the published schedule. New students are required to turn in their Admission Certificates in order to receive registration materials. They are also required to comply with Health Service Department requirements prior to registration. Failure to comply with these procedures will result in the cancellation of enrollment authorizations.

Registration is neither complete nor valid until a student has paid all tuition and related fees to the Bursar's Office. Students must attend the courses in which they are registered. Failure to do so will result in a failing grade in the course. Students are also held responsible for the fulfillment of all academic obligations as specified in their academic programs.


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Students at the Mayagüez Campus are classified in one of the following categories:

(a) regular students: those who have fulfilled UPRM entrance requirements, who are candidates for a degree, and carry an academic course load of at least 12 credit-hours.

(b) part-time students: those who have fulfilled all UPRM entrance requirements, who are candidates for a degree, and carry an academic course load of less than 12 credit- hours.

(c) auditing students: those who, regardless of whether or not they fulfill admission requirements, do not intend to earn a degree. They attend classes with the permission of the head of the department, the professor of the course, and the Registrar. These students will neither take exams, receive grades nor credit for work done in a course.

(d) transient students: those who, regardless of whether or not they fulfill requirements for admission to UPRM, have been authorized by other institutions to attend classes at this campus. These students are not interested in earning credits towards a degree from this campus. Being accepted as a transient student does not guarantee that courses requested by the student will be offered.

(e) professional development students: a person may be admitted under the classification of “professional development” if the person has a degree and does not want to obtain another degree, but wishes to take courses for personal enrichment.

(f) special students: faculty members in active duty of the UPR system who wishes to take courses at the UPR campuses. Certification number 108 (2005-2006) of the Board of Trustees(http://www.certificaciones.upr.edu), establishes the regulations for the authorization for studies for the faculty members of the UPR system in active duty.

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The maximum academic load is 18 credit hours per semester except in cases where the curriculum requires a higher number of credits. Students with a minimum 3.0 GPA may carry a maximum 21 credit-hour load. During the last two semesters, students may carry a maximum 21credit-hour load per semester pending recommendation of the Director of the Department and approval by the Dean of the Faculty.


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Students attending summer sessions are normally allowed to register for a maximum of seven credit-hours, but candidates for graduation in summer or next semester and honor students may be permitted to carry a maximum of 10 credit-hours subject to approval by the corresponding dean. The same rule applies for students authorized to take summer courses for credit in other colleges or universities. Class programs for such students must have the approval of the Director of the Department and the Dean of their respective College. Courses taken at institutions outside the University of Puerto Rico system will not be accepted unless they are approved with C (2.0) or higher grade.


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Partial Withdrawal

A student may withdraw from a course before the deadline established in the university academic calendar. Partial withdrawal will not be permitted after the established deadline. Federal regulations require that the course professor specify the last day of attendance to class and sign the withdrawal form. After the student completes the established procedure and submits the completed official request to the Office of the Registrar. The Registrar will post a "W" (withdrawal) for the particular course or courses on the student´s permanent record.

Complete Withdrawal

A student may completely withdraw from UPRM at any time up to the last day of classes by obtaining written permission from the respective college. After the student completes and submits an official request, the Registrar will post a "W" in every course in the student's academic program for that semester and will record the official date of withdrawal.


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Courses are designated by a four-letter alphabetical code based on the Spanish titled of the academic discipline represented.

Academic Discipline Codes

The first digit of the four-digit numbers which follow the alphabetical code indicates course level according to the following guide:

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Unit of instruction: One-credit hour comprises one hour of lecture-discussion or two to four hours of laboratory practice, language drill, or any other work of a similar nature each week during the semester. One hour of academic work is equivalent to a fifty-minute class period. A semester comprises a minimum of fifteen weeks of instruction exclusive of final examinations.

At UPRM grades are awarded as follows:

• A - excellent 4.0
  
• B - good 3.0
  
• C - satisfactory 2.0
  
• D - passing but deficient 1.0
  
• F - failure 0
  
• P - passing
  
• NP- Not passing
  
• S- satisfactory
  
• NS- not satisfactory
  
• W - authorized withdrawal
  

In the case of thesis or research in progress, the grades S (Satisfactory) and NS (Not Satisfactory) will be used, but like the grade P and NP, they will not be considered in computing the grade point average of a student. The same rule may apply in some seminars.

The minimum grade for passing any graduate and major course in the Colleges of Business Administration, and Engineering and in the major courses in the Departments of Nursing, Mathematics, and Physical Education is C. The minimum grade for passing other undergraduate courses is D.

Grade point average (GPA): This is the official measurement of the merit awarded to student work. It is computed by dividing the total number of honor points acquired by the total number of units of credit in which the student has received final grades. Honor points are assigned for each grade as follows: A= 4, B= 3, C= 2, D= 1, F= 0. Grades received in courses marked "W," "S," "NS," "P" or "NP" make no contribution to the student's GPA.

GPA is computed after considering all courses completed. In determining academic progress, grades received in courses taken during summer sessions are considered in the computation of the GPA for the following academic year.

Provisional grades: A provisional grade or "Incomplete" (I) may be given to a student when, for justifiable reasons acceptable to the instructor, he or she has been unable to complete the academic requirements of a given course. The provisional grade will be computed on the basis of assigning a grade of F to the incomplete work. If the student has made up the deficiency before the end of the following semester, the instructor shall notify the Registrar of the final grade. Provisional grades that have not been changed become final at the end of the following semester. The academic calendar specifies applicable deadlines.


Repetition of courses:

(1) Courses in which students obtain a grade of D, or F, or are not approved may be repeated without restrictions.

(2) If requested by a student and, after analyzing the specific academic circumstances, the Dean of the College may authorize, in exceptional cases, the repetition of a course in which a student has obtained a grade of C. The Registrar has to be notified of the authorization in a written communication.

(3) If a student repeats a course, only the higher grade will be counted in the computation of the GPA, but all grades will appear on the official transcript.

Graduation index: This is computed with honor points as defined above including only courses which meet degree requirements and have been approved with a final passing grade.


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Grading criteria will be based on academic progress utilizing the existing diverse forms of evaluation according to the nature and content of the course curriculum. The forms and elements to be taken into consideration in the evaluation of the student's academic progress in a course will be justified by the professor. Nevertheless, at the beginning of each semester, the professor should inform students of the evaluation procedure and the relative value of daily class participation, laboratory work, tests, and other aspects of a course.

Professors will offer students at least one evaluation of the academic work before the official partial withdrawal date. Examinations and all work handed in by the student up to two weeks before the scheduled withdrawal date shall be graded and returned to the student before the last day for partial withdrawal.

Professors will allow students an opportunity to discuss grades or doubts regarding course work.

A student should discuss such matters with the professor within a ten-day period after an exam or partial work is graded.


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Class attendance: Class attendance is compulsory. UPRM reserves the right to address individual absenteeism cases at any time. Professors are expected to record students' absences. Frequent absences will affect adversely a student's final grade, and may even result in the total loss of credits. Arranging to make up missed work after a legitimate class absence is the student's responsibility.

Final examinations: Final written examinations must be given in all courses unless, in the judgment of the Dean, the nature of the subject makes it impractical. The professor evaluates the final examination choosing the method deemed most appropriate and renders an evaluation providing sufficient objective evidence for the grade awarded.

If necessary, final examinations scheduled by special arrangement must be given during the examination period prescribed in the Academic Calendar including Saturdays and Sundays. Change in the date assigned for a final exam may only be effected with the written authorization of the respective Dean and the Registrar.

Absence from examinations: Students are required to attend all examinations. Students who are absent from an examination for a justifiable reason acceptable to the professor, will be given a make-up exam. If the exam is not taken, the student will receive an F on the missed examination.

Reading period: A reading or review period will be scheduled for each semester between the end of the semester and the beginning of final examinations. During this recess, students will be free of any academic obligations so that they may devote this time to study for their final examinations.


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d. Or, stated in terms of percentage of credit hours approved:

2. A part-time student will be considered as having satisfactory academic progress and “in good standing”if the following conditions are met at the end of the academic year:

a. Approves two third parts of the registered credits at the end of the academic year.

b. Attains the minimum GPA of 2.00.

c. Approves sufficient credit hours to demonstrate academic progress toward degree completion as illustrated in the following timetable:

Probations

Students who do not comply with the following criteria will be dismissed from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez for a year unless is eligible to continue studying under a probationary status.

Students who, at the end of an academic year, do not show satisfactory academic progress may continue studying under probationary status if they satisfy the following three conditions:

1. Eligibility for regular students: regular students who completed their second year of studies, may continue studying under probationary status if they satisfy the following conditions:

a. Attains the minimum GPA allowed according to the number of years completed:

b. Accumulate a percentage of credit-hours according to the following set standards:

c. Approve during the last two semesters at least twelve credits. Conditions a and b are consider for first year students.

2. Eligibility for part-time students: part-time students, may continue studying under probationary status if they satisfy the following conditions:

a. Have a GPA not lower than 1.80 that required for the completed year of study.

b. Approve during the last two semesters at least six credits.

3. Students under probation will carry a course load no more than 15 credits per semester.

4. After a year on probation, student’s must comply with the following conditions:

a. Comply with the minimum GPA.

b. Attain the minimum number of credit hours required for good standing.

c. Satisfactorily complete more than half the credit hours registered during the academic year.

5. Students who comply with only two of the three criteria stated above will be placed on probation for another year. Students who do not comply with any criteria in the second year on probation will be dismissed from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus for a year.

Dismissal

1. Students who do not qualify for probation according to the requirements stated above will be dismissed from the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus. Students must apply for readmission after at least one year of academic suspension within the time period established in the academic calendar.

2. Re-admitted students will be placed on academic probation and will be subjected to the established norms.

3. The first readmission for a dismissed student with an academic suspension will be processed by the Registrar Office.

4. Students with an academic suspension for a second time who wishes to continue studying, must file an application for readmission. This application will be evaluated by the Scholastic Achievement Committee with no commitment from the Institution and with the rest of the applications which has been submitted.

Dismissed Students Reconsiderations

1. Scholastic Achievement Committee

a. The Scholastic Achievement Committee will be constituted by the Dean of the corresponding faculty, the Dean of Students and the Dean of Academic Affairs or representative, who will be the president of the committee.

b. The Scholastic Achievement Committee will consider the applications for dismissed students who believe they have an extraordinary circumstance which led them not to obtain a satisfactory academic progress.

2. Process for dismissed students reconsideration

a. Dismissed students who believe they have an extraordinary circumstance which led them not to obtain a satisfactory academic progress may apply for reconsideration to the Scholastic Achievement Committee.

b. Within the extraordinary circumstances for reconsideration are: severe or prolonged illness of the student, death or prolonged illness of the father, mother, siblings or spouse.

c. Students must file the following documents at the Registrar Office:

 Application for Reconsideration which is available at the Registrar's Office.

 Proof of Payment of the application for reconsideration for dismissed students for the amount of $27. This payment is not-refundable.

 A legal stamped envelope with the students address.

 A letter addressed to the Scholastic Achievement Committee stating the circumstances which made the student fail and how they worked out the situation which allows them to now continue their academic work.

 Evidence which supports the extraordinary circumstance or situation.

3. Applications must be filed at the Registrar Office by the last working day of the month of June. After this date no application will be considered.

4. The applications will be evaluated by the Scholastic Achievement Committee. The Registrar Office will inform the students, in writing, the Committee's final decision.

4. Applications must be filed by the last working day of the month of June. After this date no application will be considered.

5. The applications will be evaluated by the Scholastic Achievement Committee. The Registrar Office will inform the students, in writing, the Committee's final decision.


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The University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus, reserves the right to make changes in the different curricula and degree requirements whenever, in its judgment, these are considered beneficial to the institution. As a rule, a student is entitled to graduate under the officially established requirements at the time of his or her entrance to the institution and should consult his academic department to obtain a copy of its specific requirements upon enrollment. Both a student who fails to fulfill the graduation requirements within the time period specified in the corresponding curriculum and a student who re-registers after a period of absence from the university are governed by the requirements specific to their graduating class.

To receive a degree, a student must satisfy the following conditions:

(a) As of Commencement Exercises 2008, students who complete a four year program with a 3.30-3.49 GPA will graduate with honors (Cum Laude) and those who complete the program with a 3.50-3.94 GPA will graduate with high honors (Magna Cum Laude). This regulation will apply to five year programs as of commencement Exercises 2009. Students who complete their programs with a 3.95-4.00 GPA (Summa Cum Laude) will graduate with maximum honors as of commencement Exercises 2005.

(b) Satisfy the following time-limit requirements for degree-completion: