Classification

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Classification


The University requires undergraduate students to earn at least 120 semester hours of acceptable credit in order to receive a baccalaureate degree.  For the full-time student, this can be accomplished in four years by taking a load of 15 hours per Fall and Spring semester (or, alternatively, a load of 12 to 14 hours per Fall and Spring with a load of several hours in the Summer).

For academic classification purposes, the following "promotable" undergraduate classes are determined by the number of semester hours cumulatively earned as an undergraduate:

  • Freshman ...... fewer than 26 hours
  • Sophomore ... at least 26 but fewer than 56 hours
  • Junior ............. at least 56 but fewer than 86 hours
  • Senior ............ at least 86 hours

Undergraduates who are admitted as non-degree-seeking are designated as Unclassified, while undergraduates who have already earned a recognized baccalaureate degree (here or elsewhere) are designated as Senior With Degree.

Graduate students are designated as either Graduate Masters or Graduate Doctorate.  JD students are designated as 1st Year (1L), 2nd Year (2L), or 3rd Year (3L) according to rules set forth by the School of Law.  MD students are designated as 1st Year, 2nd Year, 3rd Year, or 4th Year according to rules set forth by the School of Medicine.


Expected Graduation Date

Within SalukiNet Self-Service, the student may see information related to their current curriculum that includes their classification and their expected graduation date (EGD).  The EGD is a date calculated from the student's current classification that represents an estimate of the student's current program completion, not an absolute prediction of it.

This date is necessary to fulfill the University's regular reporting requirements to the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) and the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS).  While the EGD is reported for all students, its main function is to aid in the servicing of federal student loans, ensuring that they will be changed to a repayment status at an appropriate time in the future.

As the student progresses through their current program, the EGD will be updated to reflect the student's new classification.