First-Year Policies

Credit by Examination and AP Credit

Placement Exam Information is available here for information on placement exams. Click here for a listing of AP Credits received by examination.

Dual Credit

Credit is awarded for college courses a student takes prior to graduation from high school if they meet the criteria for transfer work outlined in the "Transfer Admission Criteria" section of the university catalog. Official college transcripts are required for all college-level work attempted, regardless of transferability.

First-Year Rhetoric Policy

English Rhetoric 1301 and 1302 may not be dropped. These courses are the English Fundamentals requirement of the GEC. Students must be enrolled in them until completion of the requirement, and may not drop the course. There are strict attendance policies in these courses, and non-attendance will result in a grade of F. For more information on add/drop policies, visit the academic policies page.

The First-Year Repeat Policy

Students who enter the University directly from high school may repeat up to three courses taken at SMU during their first two regular terms of enrollment if grades of D+ or lower were earned. The grade for the repeat enrollment, even if lower, will be used in calculating the cumulative GPA (unless the repeat course is dropped, in which case the original grade will be restored). Courses may be repeated only once under this policy, and they must be repeated within the next two SMU regular academic terms following the initial course enrollment. Repeats under this policy must be declared in the office of the Dean of Dedman College, through your academic adviser, by the 12^th day of classes. Both the initial grade and the repeat grade will remain on your permanent academic record. Only the repeat course credit will calculate into the SMU GPA and will apply toward requirements and total units earned, but be aware that if you later apply to graduate or professional schools they may re-calculate your GPA to include the first grades.

Academic Suspension

First-year pre-majors who have not achieved a cumulative GPA of at least 1.70 by the end of their second regular term at SMU will be suspended.
Second year students who have not achieved a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 and successfully completed the Written English and Mathematical Sciences Fundamentals requirements of the General Education Curriculum by the end of their fourth regular term at SMU will be suspended. Students transferring 15 or more hours from another college or university will be subject to the same requirements at the end of their second regular term at SMU.
Upperclass students whose cumulative SMU GPA fall below 1.80, or who fail to clear academic probation after one term on probation, or who (in the case of pre-majors) upon completion of 75 term hours (including credit by examination and transfer work) are not eligible to declare a major, will be suspended.
Suspension is for minimum one term