Academics

Maximum Academic Load for Cross-Registration

The total number of units of credit for which a student mat register in two or more college or schools in the University shall not exceed the maximum units allowed by the rules on academic load.

From Another Institution

On cross-registration form other universities, no students registered in any other institution shall be admitted to the University without a written permit from his Dean, Director or Registrar. The permit shall state the number of units for which the student will be registered and the subject that the will be authorized to take in the University.

Cross-Registration in another School

Mindanao State University shall give no credit for any subject taken by any of its students in any other university, college or school, unless the taking of that subject has been authorized in writing beforehand by the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, upon the written recommendation of the Department Chairman and Dean or Director concerned. The authorization shall not be noted and recorded by the University Registrar or his representative and shall specify and describe the subject authorized and indicate the semester and school year when, as well as the name of the school where, it shall be taken.

P.E. Requirement

Basic Physical Education is a pre-requisite for graduation. All students shall comply with the requirements during their freshmen and sophomore years.

Eight (8) units of P.E. are required for all undergraduate students.

National Service Training Program (NSTP)

Pursuant to the implementation of the National Service Training Program (NSTP) as provided for by Republic Act No. 9163, all freshmen students admitted in June 2002 and the future incoming freshmen, both male and female students are required to undergo two semesters of NSTP courses as requirement for graduation. Students enrolled in the NSTP program have the choice to follow any of the two components: a) The Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC), or b) The Civic Welfare Training Service (CWTS). Each is given three non-credit units per course per semester with at least fifty-four (54) to ninety (90) training hours.

Changing of Classes

All transferees to other classes after registration shall be made only for valid reasons. No change of matriculation involving the taking of a new subject shall be allowed after 12% of regular class meetings have been held. Changes in matriculation shall be affected by means of the change of matriculation form and must be recommended by the Adviser, approved by the Dean and submitted to the Registrar for assessment and notation, and upon payment of P20.00 for every change of subject.

Dropping of Course

A Student may, with the consent of his instructor and Dean, drop a subject by filing out the prescribed form, provided that he is not currently enjoying a scholarship or grant. If after three-fourths of the hours prescribed for the course has elapsed, the instructor concerned shall be requested to state whether or not the student of “5” for the course.

Registration privileges of any student who drops a course without the approval of his dean shall be curtailed or entirely withdrawn.

Substitution of Subjects

Substitution of course may be allowed upon petition of the students concerned under the following conditions: (1) Must be recommended by the adviser and the head of department concerned; (2) Must be approved by the Dean concerned. In case the action of the Dean is adverse to the recommendation of the adviser and the head of the department concerned, the students may appeal to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, whose decision shall be final; (3) Must involve subjects within the same department if possible; if not, the subjects must carry about the same number of units as the later.

Every petition for substitution must be based on at least one of the following: (1) When a student is pursuing a curriculum that has been superseded by a new one and the substitution tends to bring the old curriculum in line with the new; (2) Conflict of hours between required subject and other required subjects; (3) When the required subject is not given.

All petitions for substitution must be submitted to the Office of the Dean concerned before 12 regular class meetings have been held during the semester. Any petition submitted thereafter shall not be considered for the following semester.

No substitution shall be allowed for any subject prescribed in the curriculum in which the student has failed or received a grade of “5” except when, in the opinion of the department offering the prescribed subject, the proposed substitute covers substantially the same subject matter as the required subject.

Attendance

The rules on attendance, unless otherwise specifically provided, shall be followed in all colleges and units of the University, including the Department of Army Science and Tactics.

Any student who, for unavoidable cause, is obliged to be absent from class must obtain an excuse slip from his Dean to be presented to the instructor concerned not later than the second session of the class after the date of the student’s return.

A certificate of illness must n=be secured from the University Physician. All illness causing absence from class shall be reported by the concerned sick students to the University Infirmary within three days after his absence.

Excuses are for time missed only. All work covered by the class during the absence shall be made up to the satisfaction of the instructor within a reasonable time.

Whenever a students has been absent from his class for two consecutive class meetings, a report thereof should be sent by the faculty member concerned to the Registrar, through his Dean. The Registrar shall call the student and notify his parent’s immediately.

When the number of hours lost by absence in one semester reaches in 20 percent of the hours of recitation, lecture, laboratory, or any other scheduled work in one subject for that semester, the students shall be dropped from the class roll. If the majority of the absences are excused, the studetns shall be given a grade of “5” but a grade of “dropped”. Time lost by late enrolment shall be considered as time lost by absence.

Leave of Absence

Prolonged leave of absence must be sought by a written petition to the Dean. The Petition must state the reason for which the leave is desired and must specify the period of the leave which must not exceed one academic year.

For leave of absence availed of during the second semester, the faculty member concerned shall be required to indicate the class standing of the student (passing or failing) at the time of application for the leave. No application for leave of absence shall be approved without indicating the student’s class standing by the instructors concerned. This information, however, should not be entered in the official report of grades.

If a student’s withdraws after three-fourths of the total number of hours prescribed for the course has already elapsed, his instructor may give him a grade of “5”: if his class standing up to the time of his withdrawal is below “3”.

No leave of absence shall be granted later than two weeks before the last day of classes during the semester. If the inability of the student to continue with his classes is due to illness or similar justifiable causes, his absence during this period shall be considered. In such a case, the student shall be required to apply an excuse and present the excuse slip to the faculty members concerned.

A student, whose withdrawal from the college is without formal leave of absence, shall have his registration privileges curtailed or entirely withdrawn.

Any student under scholarship and/or grant may apply for a sick leave or absence for a justifiable reason duly certified to and recommended by the University Physician without forfeiting his scholarship and/or grant. Such privilege can be only granted for a total period of one academic year or its equivalent. Only two (2) sick leaves of absence can be allowed during the entire duration of the scholarship and/or grant. A third leave of absence automatically forfeits the students from the enjoyment of the scholarship and/or grant.

Maximum Residence Rule

The tenure of the students in Mindanao State University is limited to a maximum of six years for the conferment of a degree in a four-year program, or seven years in a five year program, provided, that this policy shall not apply to part-time students enrolling in not more than twelve (12) units per semester and those admitted under special programs which normally require longer time for students to complete the course requirements; and provided further that special cases shall be at the discretion of the President of the University upon recommendation of Dean of the College.

The effectivity of the maximum residence rule starts with the new freshmen of Academic Year 1973-74.

Honorable Dismissal

A student in a good standing who desires to severe his connection with his college shall present to the Registrar a written petition signed by his parent of guardian to this effect. If the petition is granted, the student shall be given an honorable dismissal. Without such petition and favorable action, no record of honorable dismissal shall be issued.

All indebtedness to the University shall be settled before a statement of honorable dismissal be issued. The statement shall indicate that the withdrawing student is in good standing as far as his character and conduct are concerned. If the student has been dropped from the roll on account of peer scholarship, a statement to the effect shall be added to the honorable dismissal.

Waiver of Final Examination

The waiver of final examination shall not apply to all regular, full partial, and entrance scholars of the University; however, students enrolled under special programs for the culturally disadvantaged segments of the region shall be extended the privileges of waiving the final examination. In general, any paying student who feels he is not adequately prepared to take the final examination at the end of the semester may file, with the approval of the instructor, a written request to take said examination in the following semester.

Said waiver of final examination must be filed not later than two weeks before the date of final examination and the final examination for such waiver shall held within the third week preceding the final examination of the next semester. Failure to take the final examination for such waiver may mean forfeiture of the privilege to take same examination at a later date and the instructor shall give the student a grade of “5”.

Any student whose application for waiver of final examination is approved shall continue to attend his classes until the last day, otherwise, the rules and regulations on attendance and absences shall apply.

The waiver for the final examination shall be granted only on condition that the student shall devote more time to study the subject for which waiver is sought by either registering in a remedial class on that subject or by receiving instruction under a tutor, preferably a member of the University Faculty. The waiver for examination shall not be granted for more than two subjects in any semester. Any student whose academic performance is consistently unsatisfactory during the semester shall not be allowed to waive a subject. As a prerequisite to the approval of a permit to take the final examination for such waiver, a certificate signed by the instructor or tutor to the effect that said student has received instruction fully under him or her shall be attached to the permit to take examination for approval.

A. Grading System for All Degree of Professional Courses

• 1.0 – 1.25 (Excellent)
• 1.5 – 1.75 (Very Good)
• 2.0 – 2.25 (Good)
• 2.5 (Satisfactory)
• 2.75 (Fair)
• 3.0 (Passing)
• 5.0 (Failure)
• INC (Incomplete)
• W (Waived)

B. Grading System

Numerical      Letter Grade
1.25 to 1.0     E (Excellent)
1.75 to 1.5     VG (Very Good)
2.25 to 2.0     G (Good)
2.75 to 2.5     S (Satisfactory)
3.0                P (Passing)
INC                (Incomplete)
5.0                F (Failure)

A mark of “INC” is given if a student, whose class standing throughout the semester is passing, but fails to appear for final examination due to illness or other valid reasons, if, in the opinion of the Dean, the absence from the examination is justifiable, the student may be given an examination. In case the class standing is not passing and the student fails to take the final examination for any reason, a grade of “5” is given. “INC” is also given for work that is of passing quality, some part of which is, for good reason unfinished. The period for the removal of “Incomplete,” must not extend beyond an academic year, from the time the grade was received. The one-year academic period allowed for the removal shall be interpreted as to the semester removal period immediately following the one-year period. If a student passes an examination for the removal on an “INC,” he shall be given a final grade of “3” or better and if he fails, the final grade shall be “5”.

Re-examination shall be permitted only for the purpose of removing grades of “INC”. a student who has received a passing grade in a given course is not allowed re-examination for the purpose of improving his grade.

A mark of “W” means final examination is waived on the date scheduled and shall be taken later.

Removal Examination for incomplete and Conditional Grades

Examination for removal of “INC” grades may be taken without fee: a) during the regular examination periods; and b) during the removal examination, viz, the period covering the one week preceding the registration is each term, provided, that the examination is taken at the time that it is scheduled.

Removal examination may be taken at other time on the recommendation of the Dean of the college concerned and upon payment of P5.00 per subject.  Students not in residence shall pay the registration fee besides the examination fee in order to be entitled to take the removal examination.

In no case shall the period for the removal of “INC” grades extend beyond one academic year from the date grade was received provided, however, that this one year academic period allowed for removal shall be interpreted as extending to the regular term removal period immediately following the one-year period, and provided further, that students on any University Scholarship/Grant shall remove “INC” before the close of registration in the next succeeding term.

Scholastic Delinquency

Any Student whose scholastic performance in class is below a grade of “3” or “passing” shall be subject to the following rules:

1. Warning. At the end of the semester, any student who obtains final grades below 25 percent to 49 percent of the total number of academic units for which he is registered shall be warned by the Dean to improve his work.

2. Probation. Any Student who obtains at the end of the semester final grade below “3” in 50 percent of the total number of academic units enrolled in shall be placed on probation for the succeeding semester and his load shall be limited to the extent to be determined by the Dean; provided, that this shall apply to a student who receive final grades in less than 6 academic units.

Probation may be removed:

• by raising the number of units passed to over 50 percent of the total number of units in which he has final grades by passing removal examinations, or waiver examinations, or by removing the “INC” grades before the close of the next succeeding terms;
• passing in more than 100 percent of the units in which he has final grades in the succeeding semester.

 3. Dismissal

• Any student, who at the end of the semester, obtains final grades below “3” in at least 76 percent of the total number of academic units enrolled in shall be dropped from the roll of his college or school; provided that this shall not apply to students who receive final grades in less than 9 academic units.
• Any students on probation in accordance with Rule no 2, who again fouls in 40 percent or more in the total number of units enrolled in shall be dropped from the roll of his college of school.
• Any students dismiss under paragraph (a) and (b) but have grades of “INC” or “W” may take removal examination or waiver examination or may complete his grades before the next registration period. His dismissal may be lifted provided that, after taking the examination, the units in which in his final grades are below “3” constitute less than 76 percent of 50 percent (see a & a above of the academics units enrolled in). If he fails to take the removal examinations before the class of the next registration period, his dismissal shall be final, and he can no longer take removal examinations the phrase “next registration period” in the above rule refers to the period following his dismissal.
• Any student dropped from one college or school shall not be admitted to another unit of Mindanao State University. However, in extraordinary cases where the students natural aptitude is along another line that where he has failed, he may, on recommendation of the University Committee on Scholarship and Delinquency which may be created for said purpose, be allowed by the President to enroll in another college, school, or department where his natural aptitude may be developed.

4. Permanent Disqualification

• Any student who, at the end of the semester, obtains final grades below “3” in 100% of the academic units enrolled  in shall be permanently barred from readmission to any college or school of the University; provided further, that this shall not apply to students who receive final grades in less than 12 academic units.
• Likewise, any student who dropped in accordance with Rule 3 (a) or (b) and again fails, so that it becomes necessary again to drop him, shall not be eligible for readmission to any college or school of the University.
• The scholarship rule regarding permanent disqualification (Rule 4), does not apply to cases where, on the recommendation of the instructor concerned, the faculty certifies that the grades of “5” were due to the student’s authorized dropping of the subject and not to poor scholarship. However, if the unauthorized withdrawal takes place after the mid-term and the student’s class standing is poor; his grades of “5” shall be counted against him for the purpose of this scholarship rule. The Committee on Scholarship and Delinquency shall deal with these cases on their individual merits and shall recommend to the President that the student be dismissed and be allowed to transfer to another department or college, or be placed on probation; but in no case of readmission shall the action be lighter than probation.
• Any student who fails twice in any basic course shall be missed from the University without the benefit of readmission. However, a student who fails in any major course may be readmitted to another course upon approval by the Dean of the College concerned.

5. Scholastic Standing. For purposes of determining the scholastic standing of any student, the grades received during the summer session and the first semester of the ensuing academic year shall be considered as having been received in one semester is the result of the computation of his summer and first semester general weighted average grade, provided that, the subject/s taken during summer is/are clearly defined as a regular offering in a given summer in the approved curriculum the students is following.

6. Non-admission of Dismissed Students. Non-admission of a student seeking transfer to other colleges after having been dismissed from his/her college due to scholastic deficiency shall be enforced. Transfer to the two-year technology course is an exception.

7. The application of these rules shall be under the supervision of the Registrar.

Policy Disallowing Technology Students from Shifting to other Course/Programs

The shifting of students in the technology programs to any other course or program in the University is strictly not allowed. Technology students have started before they are allowed to start another program in the University. This restriction applies to all the year levels in the technology programs. This policy is instituted to discourage students from enrolling in the technology programs without the sincere intention of finishing the course. This shifting of the technology students not only defeats the purpose of the technology programs but also entails a waste of effort and resources on the part of the University.

Candidates for Graduation with Deficiencies:

• During the first three weeks after the opening of classes in each of the first two semesters or in the first week of the summer session, each Dean or his duly authorized representative shall certify to the Registrar a list of candidates for graduation at the next Commencement Exercise. The Registrar, in consultation with the chairmen of divisions or heads of departments concerned in the case of students majoring in their respective departments or divisions, shall inquire into the academic records of each candidate with a view of ascertaining whether any candidate in such a list has any deficiency to make up or whether he has fulfilled all other requirements which would qualify him to be a candidate for graduation.
• All candidates for graduation must have their deficiencies made up and their records cleared not later than five weeks before the end of their last semester, with the exception of those in academic subjects or in Physical Education and Military Science in which the student is currently enrolled in during that semester.

Residence Requirements

No student shall be considered for the award of a bachelor’s degree in any of the college unless he shall have completed no less than 50% of the academic units; required in his curriculum in the Mindanao State University, provided that the minimum required units for students in the Institute of Continuing Education shall be set at 45 units, provided further, that this shall not affect the requirements in special programs already approved by the University Council.

Graduation with Honors

Students, who complete their courses with the following averages computed on the basis of units, shall graduate with honors:

• Cum laude - 1.46 to 1.75
• Magna Cum laude - 1.21 to 1.45
• Summa Cum laude - 1.00 to 1.20

Provided that: (1) all the grades in all academic subjects prescribed in the curriculum shall be included in the computation of the average: (2) students who are candidates for graduation with honors must have completed  in the University at least 76 percent of the total number of academic units or hours for graduation and must have been in residence therein for at least two  years immediately prior to graduation; (3) in the computation of the final average of students who are candidates for graduation with honors, only resident credits shall be included; (4) students who are also candidates for graduation with honors must have taken during each term not less than fifteen units, unless the taking of a lighter load was due to justifiable causes, such as, for instances, the fact that the candidate was a working student, and provided further (5) that in case of students graduating with honors in course the prescribed length of which is less than four years, the English equivalents, namely, “With Honors”, and with highest Honors shall be used instead.