Policies

Standards of Academic Achievement

A student must meet the minimum standards of academic achievement and successful course completion while enrolled at the Austin University.  The student’s progress will be evaluated at different intervals (SAP) to determine satisfactory academic progress.  Austin University does not allow students to remain enrolled who are not meeting the standards of satisfactory progress.

Maximum Degree Program Duration

The maximum time to complete any degree program is one-and a half times the program length unless mitigating circumstances such as illness exist.  The normal length of each academic program indicated in the curriculum description for the academic programs.

Grade Reports

At the conclusion of each term of study, the student receives a communication that provides detail on grades earned.  Please see Academic Calendar for date of final exams and posting of grades.

Grade Appeal Procedure

The University permits students to appeal their final letter course grade if they feel it is unfair or unjustified. As the initial step in the Grade Appeal Procedure, the student must initiate a discussion with his or her course instructor. This must be done within seven days of the grade posting. This discussion is intended to provide the instructor an opportunity to explain the basis for the grade and to provide the student with an opportunity to indicate possible errors or misjudgments in the assignment of the grade. Frequently, a discussion with the instructor resolves the appeal.

If the Instructor accepts the appeal, he or she must inform the Director of Education and then submit the corrected grade to Student Services for rectification of the student’s academic record. If the discussion between the student and the instructor does not resolve the issue within 21 days of the grade posting and if the student still believes that an unfair grade has been given, the student must request a Grade Appeal Form from his or her instructor. The completed Grade Appeal Form with the instructor comments on the request must be submitted by the student to Student Services no later than 30 days after the grade posting or it will not be accepted and the grade will remain as originally recorded.

Grade appeals will be reviewed by an Academic Affairs Committee, which may conclude that the assigned grade should stand, or that the grade was assigned unfairly or unjustly, in which case the Committee will determine the appropriate mechanism for awarding the final grade.  Students submitting a Grade Appeal Form will be informed in writing of the Committee’s decision on their appeal in a timely fashion. Decisions rendered by the Committee are final and binding. A record of the final decision and all related materials will become part of the student’s official academic record.  Students appealing a grade should note the following:

– For a change in grade to be recommended, a student must make the case that the grade originally given was unjustly or unfairly awarded.

– The Director of Education reviewing the appeal will not place his or her judgment over the Instructor except in clear cases.

– The burden of proof in challenging a grade rests on the student.

Proctored Exams

1. Austin University students are required to successfully complete an appropriate number of proctored exams appropriately spaced throughout their program of study prior to graduation. The University provides information concerning the availability of and requirements concerning proctored exams in a timely fashion.
2. In all Online and Hybrid classes, some tests may be administered remotely by an online authentication and proctoring service called Examity®, which gives you the flexibility to schedule exams at your convenience and take them wherever you want. To prepare for using Examity®, you will need to meet the following technical requirements:

– Working Webcam and Microphone which can be tested at www.testmycam.net

– An Internet connection of at least 3Mbps (www.speedtest.net)

– Chrome/ Mozilla/ Safari/ Internet Explorer/ Microsoft Edge browser

– Up-to-date Operating system (Windows or Mac OS) Please click on the link below to run an Automated system check https://prod.examity.com/systemcheck/ComputerReadinessCheck.aspx

If you do not pass the systems check or have any questions or concerns, you can contact Examity’s® technical support team 24/7 via email at support@examity.com or phone at (925) 830-8916.

Final Exams

Students have four days to take the Final Exam in Week 9 of the term. All exams must be completed during this assigned period.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

1. Students’ academic progress will be evaluated at the end of every term, starting in the third term of their studies. For each evaluation point, a minimum standard of satisfactory academic progress (“the Academic Standards”) is defined in each of the following three parameters:

– Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA)

– Credits earned

– Completion rate (i.e. credits earned divided by credits attempted)

2. Students must meet or exceed the Academic Standards in all of the three parameters listed above in order to remain enrolled as a regular student. A student will be placed on Academic Warning at the first evaluation point in which he or she doesn’t meet or exceed the Academic Standards.

3. A student that is under Academic Warning and in the consecutive evaluation point he or she meets or exceeds the Academic Standards will be returned to a status of regular student. If the student under Academic Warning doesn’t meet or exceed the Standards in the consecutive evaluation point he or she will be placed on Academic Probation.
4. A student that is under Academic Probation and in the consecutive evaluation point he or she meets or exceeds the Academic Standards will be returned to a status of regular student. If the student under Academic Probation doesn’t meet or exceed the Academic Standards in the consecutive evaluation point he or she will be dismissed from the University.

5. If at any evaluation point it can be determined by the University that it is mathematically impossible for a student to meet the Academic Standards, he or she will be dismissed from the University.

6. The University reserves the right to place a student on Academic Warning or on Academic Probation and the right to remove a student from Academic Warning or on Academic Probation based on his or her academic performance, notwithstanding the Academic Standards. Student Services will send emails to students notifying them of their failure to meet the Academic Standards within one month of every evaluation point.

Course Repeat 

– Pass (P) indicates completion of the course duties with academic work equivalent to C- grade.

– Fail (F) indicates completion of the course duties with academic work earning below C- grade.

– An Incomplete may be awarded with the recommendation of the instructor when the student has completed 80% of the coursework but cannot complete the remainder due to illness or some other serious reason. The student must complete the work and the instructor must submit a change of grade to the Director of Education within four weeks of the following semester.  Failure to do so will result in a grade of 0.0 for the course.

– A grade of IP may be awarded for thesis, practicum or internship at the end of a semester or other instructional period when the student has made progress but has not yet completed all work. Practicum and internships need to be completed within the first two semesters.  Once the student has completed all work, the instructor must submit a change of grade to the Director of Education.  If the work is not completed within the allotted time, the IP will be changed to IN or a 0.0.

– Withdrawal (W): Withdrawal from a course after the add/drop period is reflected on the student’s official transcript and is included in attempted credits when monitoring satisfactory academic progress, but excluded from the calculation of the grade point average (GPA).

Course Drops and Withdrawals

Each program is made up of a number of different courses. Students are responsible for managing their time at the University and balancing their studies with their non-University commitments. There is, however, some flexibility to enable students to manage their workload. There may be circumstances and occasions when it is necessary for students to change their University activities by dropping a course or withdrawing from a course. Should students need to do so, they must follow the process and should understand the implications that are outlined in this section.

Course Drop

A student may drop a course during the first week of the course session without academic penalty. A course drop during this time does not appear on the student’s transcript and does not affect grade point average (GPA). Note: Please refer to the Academic Calendar in order to verify the last date for a course drop.

A course drop applies to one course at a time and does not assume withdrawal from the University. Students are responsible for executing course drops by sending an e-mail to Student Services at students@austin.university The request must include:

– Student’s full name (first and last)

– Student ID

– Course name and number

If the student has not received a response from Student Service within three days of the original request, another inquiry should be made by the student to Student Services.

Course Withdrawal

Course withdrawal refers to students formally withdrawing from the course roster after the add/drop period has passed. A withdrawal relates to only one course at a time and does not assume withdrawal from the University. A course withdrawal differs from a course drop in that the course will be reflected on the student’s official transcript and will be included in attempted credits when academic progress is monitored.  Students should note the following:

Course withdrawal requests must be sent by e-mail to Student Services at students@austisn.university and must include:

– Student’s full name (first and last)

– Student ID

– Course name and number

If the student has not received a response from Student Service within three days of the original request, another inquiry should be made by the student to Student Services.  The following consequences apply to a student who withdraws from a course:

– The student receives a grade of “W” for the course

– The grade of “W” appears on the student’s transcript

– The grade of “W” does not affect GPA, but course credits are included in attempted credits when monitoring academic progress

Administrative Withdrawal

Students have not participated in a course, or who may have had minimal participation but show no credit for any graded assessments, and have not requested a course drop or course withdrawal will be subject to an Administrative Withdrawal. The following consequences apply to a student who is administratively withdrawn from a course:

– The student receives a grade of “W” for the course

– The grade of “W” appears on the student’s transcript

– The grade of “W” does not affect GPA, but course credits are included in attempted credits when monitoring academic progress

Withdrawal from the University

A student may withdraw from Austin University at any time for any reason.  Students who wish to withdraw from the University must send an email indicating their name and Student ID to Student Services requesting to withdraw. Students submitting a request to withdraw are also asked to indicate their reason for withdrawing from the University in the email to Student Services at students@austin.university

Students who have withdrawn but wish to return to study in the future will be required to re-apply for admission and to pay the current Application Processing Fee.

A withdrawal is considered to have occurred on the earlier of (a) the date the student officially notifies the campus of his or her intent to withdraw, or (b) the point at which the student fails to meet the published academic policies outlined in the Academic Catalog (“Date of Determination”).

Notice of withdrawal may be given by mail, hand delivery, fax or email. The notice of withdrawal, if sent by mail, is effective when deposited in the mail, properly addressed with postage prepaid.  For Austin University, online and hybrid students, notice of cancellation should be given by email.  The written notice of withdrawal need not take any particular form and, however expressed, is effective if it states that a student no longer wishes to be bound by the Enrollment Agreement.

Austin University reserves the right to withdraw a student if, at any time, the student fails to meet the policies as outlined in the Academic Catalog.

Upon a student’s withdrawal, the University performs a calculation to determine unearned tuition and return of corresponding funds. Student can obtain a full refund of charges paid through at­tendance at the first session, or the seventh day after enrollment, whichever is later. Any student may withdraw from the school at any time, after classes start, and receive a pro rata refund calculated based on the remaining scheduled days in the current payment period in the program, and based on the last day of attendance.

The refund granted will have a further deduction for a registration or administration fee, not to exceed $250.00, and the final refund amount will be paid or credited to the student within 45 days of withdrawal.

For the purpose of determining the final amount of the refund, the date of the student’s withdrawal shall be deemed the last date of re­corded attendance. The amount for refund equals the daily charge for the program (total institutional charge, minus non-refundable fees, divided by the number of days in the program), multiplied by the remaining number of days scheduled to attend, prior to withdrawal.

Leave of Absence

The University may grant, on a limited basis, a leave of absence to students when the student is experiencing extenuating circumstances that prevent attendance and/or challenge academic success. These circumstances may include: Medical emergencies, family emergencies and other exceptional personal circumstances. The University reserves the right to request supporting documentation from relevant authorities.

A request for a leave of absence must be made in writing, and be e-mailed to Student Services at students@austin.university  including:

– Student’s full name (First and last name)

– Student ID

– Program name and registered courses

– Reason for the request

– Date of requested leave and the date of return

A leave of absence may only be from the first day of the following term, and students cannot return from a leave of absence in the middle of a term. A leave of absence cannot exceed 180 days within a twelve-month period, beginning on the first day of the student’s initial leave of absence. Students who fail to return to class by the end of their leave of absence will be withdrawn from the University. Students granted a leave of absence when on academic probation will return to their studies with the same status.

The time granted for a student’s leave of absence will not count against the total time allowed for the program completion. Student Affairs will decide whether or not to grant the student’s request for a leave of absence after investigating the request, the supporting documents and the student’s academic history. The University’s decision to grant or refuse a request for a leave of absence will be final and binding.

Student Grievance Procedure

At any time during their course, a student may file a grievance if they feel a situation has not been properly resolved with the instructor.  A written appeal must be filed with the director of that department.  The director of that department will then rule upon the grievance. If the student is not satisfied, a written appeal may be filed with the Director of Education. The Director is responsible for maintaining the complaint records and informing the student of the resolution. Any remaining unresolved complaints may be directed to the following address:

Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education

Physical Address: 2535 Capitol Oaks Drive, Suite 400, Sacramento, CA 95833

Mailing address: P.O. Box 980818, West Sacramento, CA 95798-0818

Phone: (916) 431-6959 Toll Free: (888) 370-7589 Fax Number: (916) 263-1897

A student or any member of the public may file a complaint about this institution with the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education by calling (916) 574-7720 or by completing a complaint form, which can be obtained on the bureau’s Internet Web site www.bppe.ca.gov

General Admission Policy

Austin University offers Master Degree in Business Administration, the program is designed to meet the needs of adult learners and has its own admission standards and it is the responsibility of the applicant to meet those standards.

While the University accepts students from all over the world, both from English-speaking and from non-English-speaking countries, all instruction is in English.

Accordingly, all applicants are required to have a sufficient level of English proficiency to allow them to successfully complete the program. The University does not currently accept ability-to-benefit students.

The MBA program are designed for self-motivated learners. Therefore, admission to the Austin University is based on a rigorous assessment of each applicant’s potential for successful completion of the program.

The decision of the University to admit an applicant is based upon the information provided in the application form. If the University determines that an applicant has provided false information or has omitted significant and/or material information, the University reserves the right either to revoke the applicant’s admission or to suspend the applicant from studies. The University also reserves the right to take additional steps it deems appropriate.

Notice Concerning Transferability of Credits

The transferability of credits you earn at Austin University is at the complete discretion of an institution to which you may seek to transfer. Acceptance of the degree you earn in the MBA program is also at the complete discretion of the institution to which you may seek to transfer. If the credits that you earn at Austin University are not accepted at the institution to which you seek to transfer, you may be required to repeat some or all of your coursework at that institution. For this reason, you should make certain that your attendance at Austin University will meet your educational goals. This may include contacting an institution to which you may seek to transfer after attending Austin University to determine if your credits will transfer.

Austin University will accept up to 20% of graduate semester units or the equivalent in other units awarded by another institution may be transferred for credit toward a Master’s degree. All units earned at institutions must be approved by the Bureau, public or private institutions of higher learning accredited by an accrediting association recognized by the U. S. Department of Education, or any institution of higher learning, including foreign institutions, if the institution offering the undergraduate program documents that the institution of higher learning at which the units were earned offers degree programs equivalent to degree programs approved by the Bureau or accredited by an accrediting association recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Austin University will accept up to 30 graduate semester credits or its equivalent awarded by another institution may be credited toward a doctoral degree. This subdivision does not apply to graduate programs that lead to a profession or an occupation requiring state licensure where the licensing agency has a regulation permitting a different standard.

Credit transfer rules of The State of California

1) a maximum of 75 percent of the units or credit that may be applied toward the award of a bachelor’s degree may be derived from a combination of any or both of the following:

(A) Units earned at institutions approved by the Bureau, public or private institutions of higher learning accredited by an accrediting association recognized by the U. S. Department of Education, or any institution of higher learning, including foreign institutions, if the institution offering the undergraduate program documents that the institution of higher learning at which the units were earned offers degree programs equivalent to degree programs approved by the Bureau or accredited by an accrediting association recognized by the U.S. Department of Education; (B) Challenge examinations and standardized tests such as the College Level Placement Tests (CLEP) for specific academic disciplines. (2) No more than 20% of graduate semester units or the equivalent in other units awarded by another institution may be transferred for credit toward a Master’s degree. An institution may accept transfer credits only from the institutions of higher learning described in sub¬section (1)(A).

Enrollment and Registration

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