Academics
Policies for Undergraduate Students
For advisement, students should contact a CISE Academic Advisor or visit the CISE Student Services Center (E405 CSE Building).
Contents
Admission (Freshman/Transfer)
Please visit the Prospective Student page.
Universal/Critical Tracking
Universal Tracking (UT) is the University of Florida's academic monitoring system that provides students with a recommended semester-by-semester plan for each major to guide them toward graduation. A student's progress toward their degree is monitored each semester to ensure that they are on track and to provide feedback on their academic progress (summer terms are not included in tracking and may be used by students to 'catch up' and get back on track). Each fall and spring semester students are reminded (via their GatorLink e-mail account) to review their tracking (degree) audit on ISIS before advance registration for the next term. The audit fits the student's courses and grades into the semester-by-semester plan to show the student which requirements have been met and which requirements the student still needs to complete.
All students are at least required to meet minimum department/college requirements (known as Critical Tracking Criteria). Critical Tracking usually includes a minimum GPA and completion of tracking/pre-professional courses. All incoming freshmen are monitored for Semester 1 critical tracking criteria, regardless of the number of hours earned by the student through dual enrollment and credit by examination. A student who is off-track (fails to meet the minimum criteria for a specific term) is notified by the university. An academic hold is placed on the student's record and the student must meet with an adviser before registering for the next term in order to 1) determine what is necessary to get back on track by the end of the next term or 2) change to a more appropriate major.
If a student is off-track for more than one term, the student must change to a major more appropriate to the student's goals and performance. Off-track students who have selected a new major should contact the college offering that major to schedule an appointment with an advisor to discuss changing the major.
Critical Tracking Criteria
- Computer Engineering
- Digital Arts and Sciences
Academic Probation
Please see an advisor in the Student Services Center (E405 CSE Building) for more information.
Drop/Add
- Courses can be dropped or added during the drop/add period without penalty. Classes that meet for the first time after the drop/add period can be dropped without academic penalty or fee liability by the end of the next business day after the first meeting. This does not apply to laboratory sections.
- After drop/add, a course can be dropped up to the date established in the university calendar. A grade of W will appear on the transcript, and students will be held liable for course fees.
- All drops after the drop/add period must be submitted to the Office of
the University Registrar by the deadline and are subject to the following
restrictions:
- Students get two drops in their first 60 credit hours attempted at UF (hours carried plus S/U credits and repeats of satisfactory grades, not counting full-term withdrawals from all courses. AP/IB courses are not taken at UF and thus these credits are not counted towards the 60 hours).
- The term after 60 hours of attempted enrollment at UF, 2 additional drops are allowed. Unused drops do not carry over from the freshman/sophomore years to the junior/senior years.
- Students transferring to UF with an A.A. degree from a Florida public community college or with 60 or more transfer credits earned from another college or university get only two drops.
- Students who can document extenuating circumstances may petition their college for additional drops.
- After the deadline, students may petition to drop provided they can document sufficient reason, usually hardship or medical condition occurring after the deadline.
- Failure to attend a class does not constitute a drop.
The College of Engineering has an additional drop policy for engineering students: A student with an initial course load of 15 credits or more will be permitted to drop one course per semester without penalty provided this is done prior to the end of the seventh week of class and the total credits remaining are 12 or more.
Withdrawals
The Office of the University Registrar coordinates withdrawal procedures. Withdrawal formally drops all courses in a term.
- Students who withdraw after drop/add and before the deadline for withdrawal will receive a grade of W for all courses.
- Any student who withdraws after the deadline will receive WF grades in all courses and will be subject to dismissal.
- Students who leave UF without withdrawing formally receive failing grades.
- Students on academic probation who withdraw from UF before the deadline will continue on probation until their grade point deficit is reduced to zero. Students on Admissions Committee probation must meet the terms of their probation.
Dean's List
This recognition is accorded to students in the College of Engineering who:
- Earn a minimum of 14 credit hours during a semester or 12 credit hours during summer terms.
- Receive a 3.2 GPA or higher for that semester.
- Have no grade below C for the semester.
- No more than 2 of the 14 total credits can be exercise and sport science electives.
Honors Status
To be classified as an honors student in the College of Engineering, a student must have:
- Earned college grade point average of 3.30 or higher (college GPA is based on all work completed after being classified a junior);
- Completed at least 16 credit hours after being classified a junior;
- Been recommended by the department via faculty review of the student's record for satisfactory conduct and academic progress.
Special consideration is given to honors students who wish to substitute courses, provided they have maintained the conditions for an honors designation and have met all Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology and college core requirements. The student must prepare a written petition, obtain the department's recommendation and receive approval of the associate dean for academic programs.
Cum Laude
Graduation with cum laude recognition requires:
- Completion of all work required by the department,
- A college GPA of 3.30 or higher,
- Recommendation of the department, and approval of the college faculty.
Magna Cum Laude
Graduation with magna cum laude recognition requires:
- Completion of all work required by the department,
- A college GPA of 3.50 or higher,
- Written acceptance of the dean's invitation to participate in the program. Students should submit this no later than the end of the term before graduation,
- Completion of a high honors project and submission of a thesis based on the research,
- Approval of the student's committee,
- Recommendation of the department and approval of faculty.
Summa Cum Laude
Graduation with summa cum laude recognition requires:
- Completion of all work required by the department,
- A college GPA of 3.80 or higher,
- Written acceptance of the dean's invitation to participate in the program. Students should submit this no later than the end of the term before graduation,
- Completion of a highest honors project and submission of a thesis based on the research,
- Approval of the student's committee,
- Recommendation of the department, and
- Approval of the college faculty.
If the student accepts the invitation to participate in the magna cum laude or summa cum laude program, a committee is appointed to oversee and approve all stages of the research project, thesis submittal and oral examination. The committee, recommended to the associate dean for academic programs by the department chair, consists of two faculty members from the student's department and one faculty member from another department.
In planning the student's magna cum laude or summa cum laude recognition, the committee takes into account the student's academic and career goals. The committee supervises the research project and the oral examination. Upon satisfactory completion of all requirements, the candidate is recommended for magna cum laude (high honors) or summa cumj laude (highest honors) recognition.
When a magna cum laude or summa cum laude project is a part of the student's program, the student may receive credit by registering in a course carrying the prefix of the appropriate department.
*Title page for a students's high or highest honors thesis should have:
- Title of thesis
- Student's full name
- Department name
- Degree (Bachelor of Science in ......)
- Term and year of graduation
- Indication of either high or highest
Interested CEN and DAS students should contact an undergraduate advisor at: for complete details on honors status.
S/U Grade Option
For CEN, DAS, CSE Students:
All courses taken at the university to satisfy engineering admission and general education requirements must be taken for a letter grade, unless the course is offered only on an S-U basis. Nontechnical electives in the junior and senior years may be taken S-U. Students should check with their departments to determine department policy.
Engineering students cannot use freshman level courses for technical and nontechnical electives, although foreign language credits at the freshman level may be used as nontechnical electives, at the discretion of the department. At least two semesters of work in the same language are required, with a grade of C or better each semester. Physical education courses taken after being classified 3EG must be taken S-U.
CSC students need to see an advisor in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Grade Point Averages (GPA)
The CISE Department tracks several Grade point Averages (GPA) depending on a student's major.
- UF Cumulative GPA (C-GPA)
A minimum C-GPA of 2.0 is required for all coursework attempted at UF. If a student drops below 2.0, then the student will be on Academic Probation and must sign a probation contract.
- DAS, CSE and CEN majors must see an undergraduate advisor in E405 in the CISE building
- CSC majors must see a CLAS Academic Advisor.
- Upper Division GPA (UD-GPA)
A minimum UD-GPA of 2.0 is required for all coursework attempted at UF since classified 3EG or 3LS. If a student drops below 2.0, then the student will be on Academic Probation and must sign a probation contract.- DAS, CSE and CEN majors must see an undergraduate advisor in E405 in the CISE building
- CSC majors must see a CLAS Academic Advisor.
- Critical Tracking GPA (CT-GPA)
A minimum combined CT-GPA of 2.5 is required for all Critical Tracking courses. If a student drops below 2.5, then the student will be on Critical Tracking Probation and must sign a probation contract.- DAS, CSE and CEN majors must see an undergraduate advisor in E405 in the CISE building
- CSC majors must see a CLAS Academic Advisor.
- Computer Science Courses GPA (CS-GPA)
A minimum CS-GPA of 2.0 is required for all computer science courses attempted at UF. If a student drops below 2.0, then the student will be on Departmental Probation and must sign a probation contract.- DAS, CSE and CEN majors must see an undergraduate advisor in E405 in the CISE building
- Not applicable for CSC majors.
Co-op/Internship Credit
The CISE Department offers students an opportunity to integrate classroom instruction with practical work experience. The Co-op/Internship program gives students the opportunity to verify academic and vocational interests, gain valuable experience in the chosen field prior to graduation, and earn income that can be used to defray college expenses. The work experience is conducted under approved industrial, business, institutional, or governmental agency supervision.
Internship Policy
CIS 4940, Practical Work (Internship) is a one credit course that may be applied toward the technical electives requirement for CISE undergraduate degree programs. Students may register for CIS 4940 a maximum of three times for a total of three credits. It may only be taken S/U (Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory). Registration for the course is handled through CISE Student Services.
To register for Practical Work (Internship), a formal letter from the sponsoring company describing the nature of the internship must be on file in Student Services before the end of the registration drop/add period. The letter must indicate that the student will be working approximately 40 hours a week over the term of the semester (approximately 600 hours total) and that the internship is computer science/engineering related, provide a description of the student's responsibilities, and provide detailed contact information of the person or persons who will be supervising the student during the internship.
To successfully complete Practical Work (Internship) with a grade of Satisfactory, a 2-4 page Post-Internship Report written by the student, and a formal Evaluation Letter written by the student's supervisor(s) is due in the CISE Student Services office one week prior to the end of finals week. The Evaluation Letter must include a review of the student's work during the internship, an evaluation by the student's supervisor(s) indicating whether or not the student has satisfactorily completed the internship, and detailed contact information of the person or persons who have supervised and evaluated the student's performance.
Co-op Policy
CIS 4949 Co-op is a one credit course that may be applied toward the technical electives requirement for CISE undergraduate degree programs. Students may register for CIS 4949 a maximum of three times for a total of three credits. It may only be taken S/U (Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory). The Co-op can either be taken as an Alternating Co-op in which a student works full-time in non-consecutive semesters with a company while only registering for CIS4949 or as a Parallel Co-op in which a student works part-time for consecutive semesters with a company while enrolled as a full-time student at UF. Registration for the course is handled through CISE Student Services. Co-op students are also asked to meet with an advisor at the Career Resource Center before the Co-op begins. The Career Resource Center will keep a file on the students Co-op experience.
To register for a Co-op a formal letter from the sponsoring company describing the nature of the Co-op must be on file in Student Services before the end of the registration drop/add period. In the case of an Alternating Co-op, the letter must indicate that the student will be working approximately 40 hours a week over the term of the semester (approximately 600 hours total). In the case of a Parallel Co-op, the letter must indicate that the student will be working approximately 20 hours a week over the term of the semester (approximately 300 hours total). The letter must also indicate that the internship is computer science/engineering related, provide a description of the student's responsibilities, and provide detailed contact information of the person or persons who will be supervising the student during the internship.
To successfully complete the Co-op with a grade of Satisfactory, a 2-4 page Post-Internship Report written by the student, and a formal Evaluation Letter written by the student's supervisor(s) is due in the CISE Student Services office within one week prior to the end of finals week. The Evaluation Letter must include a review of the student's work during the internship, an evaluation by the student's supervisor(s) indicating whether or not the student has satisfactorily completed the internship, and detailed contact information of the person or persons who have supervised and evaluated the student's performance.
More Information
Interested students should contact a CISE Academic Advisor or visit the CISE Student Services Center (E405 CSE Building).
