Office of the Registrar
           West Chester University
Office of the Registrar
West Chester, PA 19383
Phone: 610-436-3541
Fax: 610-436-2370
FAQs






How to Request PA Act 48 Hours/Credits

Professional Educators can now request the submission of their Act 48 hours to the PA Department of Education directly on the web!

How it works...
  • After completing a class at West Chester University for which you wish to receive Act 48 credit, log on to EduLink at http://www.act48hours.com
  • Enter the information about the class as directed.
  • The WCU Registrar's Office will verify that the hours and credits were satisfactorily completed.
  • WCU will submit the verified hours/credits to the PA Dept. of Education Records Management site.
What to do...
  • Visit www.act48hours.com
  • Click on Professional Educator
  • Click on Register (if you are a first-time user of this automated system), or Click on Log On (if you have used the system before).
  • Click on Request Submission of Credits/Hours
  • Enter the requesting information and click Submit
  • When entering please submit individual courses taken. Not total course work.


Your request will be sent to West Chester University. After we verify that the hours/credits were completed, we will submit your credits to the PA Department of Education Records Management site.

You may check your Act 48 progress at the PA Department of Records Management Site, clicking on Check an Educators Continuing Education Progress and entering your Social Security Number.


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Audit

Auditing a course means that you are officially registered for the course--it appears on the official transcript--but neither credit nor grade is assessed. Students may audit one course per semester. Fees for auditing a course are the same as if you were taking the course for credit.

How do I do it?

Register for the course just as if you were receiving credit. Then, file an Audit Agreement form with the Office of the Registrar. Forms are also available in the Registrar's Office. The form is due by the end of the ninth week of classes. Permission of the course instructor is required to audit the course.

Please note that:
  • An audited course will not fulfill any requirement towards graduation.
  • The auditor status may not be changed after it has been declared.
  • The grade of Audit (AU) is recorded on your transcript.


For more information on Auditing Privileges, see the University Catalog,

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Credit by Exam

"Credit by Exam" is a procedure by which you receive credit for a course by taking a test. Forms to register for credit by examination are available in the Registrar's Office and on the Forms page. A $25 fee is charged for each course taken.

Credit by exam is a privilege subject to the following conditions:

  • You must apply during the add/drop period. If you have already scheduled into the course, the course will be dropped from your schedule for that semester. Grade notification will occur at the end of the semester.
  • You must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.00.
  • You must demonstrate evidence of satisfactory academic background for the course.
  • You must not have completed a more advanced course that presupposes knowledge gained in the course. For example, credit by exam cannot be given for FRE101 after you have passed FRE102.
  • Credits attempted or earned though credit by examination are not counted in the student class load.
  • You may not take a course by examination if you have previously taken the course but have not achieved a satisfactory grade in the course.


For a complete description of the procedure, refer to Academic Policies and Procedures in the West Chester University Undergraduate Catalog.

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Grade Changes - Students

Are you waiting for a grade?

First, check the MyWCU to see if the grade has been posted to your record. If not, check with your instructor to find out if the grade has been submitted. Then, check with the Office of the Registrar to find out if we have received it.

Do you want to appeal a grade?

  • If you think that an instructor has given you an incorrect grade, that is, you are questioning the instructor's decision, the first step is to talk to the instructor directly. If this isn't satisfactory, then you can use the University's Grade Appeals Policy, which is found in the Undergraduate Catalog under Academic Policies and Procedures. It starts with a written appeal to the instructor and proceeds, in steps to the department chair, the dean, and finally, to a Grade Appeals Board.
  • If you believe you've been given a grade that you shouldn't have been given, for example if you didn't attend a class at all but received an "F", then you can file a written appeal in the Registrar's Office explaining the situation.


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Grade Changes - Faculty

How to Change a Grade.

Final grades (except for "NG" grades) can be changed only when there is a clerical or computational error. Final grades should be changed by the ninth week of the following semester. Grade changes submitted after the ninth week must be approved by the dean of the respective school or college and the Assistant to the Associate Provost.

Course Instructor:
  • Obtain a Grade Action e-mail form from the Office of the Registrar (contact Cdeemer@wcupa.edu) or your department chair. Complete the information on the form and e-mail the form to your department chair. Do not share this form with any students.
Department Chair:
  • If you approve the grade change, and it is before the ninth week of the semester following the one in which the grade was earned, click on the department chair approval box and e-mail the form to Carole Deemer (cdeemer@wcupa.edu) in the Registrar's Office. If it is after the ninth week, click on the department chair approval box and e-mail the form to your Dean. If you do not approve, e-mail the form back to the instructor with your explanation.
Dean:
  • For undergraduate and graduate students: If you approve, click on the Dean approval box and e-mail the form to Jay Berkowitz in the Associate Provost's Office, who will click on the Associate Provost approval box and e-mail the form to the Registrar's Office. If you do not approve, e-mail the form back to the instructor with your explanation.


Paper forms can also be found in the Department offices. For security reasons, the forms must be hand-carried to the Office of the Registrar by the faculty member or the chairperson of the department. The form is not to be given to the student. If a Grade Action cannot be processed, the Office of the Registrar will contact the professor in writing stating the reason for its return.

Please note: Grade Action forms cannot be used to assign a grade of W or AU, nor used to change sections or courses. If a form is for a course/section for which the student did not properly register, it will be returned. Copies not accepted.


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Graduation Honors

Graduation honors are awarded as follows, based on your final transcript:

cum laude 3.25-3.49
magna cum laude 3.50-3.74
summa cum laude 3.75 - 4.00


Students must have completed at least 60 hours at WCU to be awarded honors.

The honors list for the commencement booklet is based on the GPA from the last semester before a student graduates. Students who do not earn honors until the end of their final semester or who do not complete 60 hours until the end of their final semester, will have the honors recorded on their final transcripts, where all honors are recorded.

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Independent Study

Many academic departments offer an independent study course for students with demonstrated ability and special interests. This course is appropriate when a student has a specialized and compelling academic interest that cannot be pursued within the framework of a regular course.

An overall GPA of 2.00 or higher and a minimum GPA of 2.00 in a student's major courses are required.

File the Independent Study form at the Registrar's Office. Forms are also available at the Registrar's Office.

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Individualized Instruction

Individualized Instruction is the teaching of a regularly listed catalog course to a single student.

Individualized Instruction is offered only when the University has canceled or failed to offer a course according to schedule. The Individualized Instruction form is available at the Office of the Registrar or by clicking on Individualized Instruction application.

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"NG" - No Grade

An "NG is assigned when arrangement has been made between student and instructor to complete coursework beyond the confines of the semester or session. This automatically becomes an "F" if a grade has not been submitted by the instructor by the end of the ninth week of the following semester.

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Pass/Fail

Would you like to take a class and receive credit, but not have it count in your GPA?

Then Pass/Fail may be the option for you. If you earn a "P", the credits add into your earned credits, but no quality points are assigned -- so there is no impact on your GPA. (An "F", however, acts just like any other "F"). Read on to see if you qualify.

Undergraduate degree student:
  • This means you are working towards a BA, BS, or BSED. Pass/Fail is not available to graduate students. Non-degree students must get special permission and should contact the Office of Adult Studies at 610-436-1009 or by e-mail for more information.
  • Sophomore, Junior, or Senior:
  • You must have earned at least 30.0 credits. Pass/Fail is not available to First Year Students.
  • Cumulative GPA over 2.00: Your overall GPA must be at least 2.00 to take a course Pass/Fail.
  • How many Pass/Fail courses can I take? You may only take one Pass/Fail course per semester.
  • Free Electives only Your Pass/Fail course may not be used to satisfy any major, core, cognate, or distributive requirement.
  • There is no going back Once you have applied to take a course Pass/Fail, you cannot decide later to change back to a letter grade.


How Do I do it?

Apply at the Office of the Registrar by the end of the ninth week of the semester (or the equivalent in Summer Session). See the Academic Calendar for deadline information.

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Repeating a Course - Grade Replacement

Beginning with the 1991 Fall Semester, the Repeat Policy is divided into two sections, one covering college-level courses and one covering remedial courses (000-level) that do not count toward graduation. Please refer to the Undergraduate Catalog for the policy on Repeating Courses.

  • Do I need to file a form? For courses taken after the Fall 1996 semester, grade replacements are computed automatically. Courses taken before the Fall 1996 semester require the filing of a Grade Replacement form (forms are also available at the Registrar's Office).
  • How does Grade Replacement work? Once the Grade Replacement has been processed, the original grade is removed from your GPA. It will always appear on your record, but is no longer calculated. (For remedial courses, the first two grades may be replaced, if necessary.) If your second attempt was prior to the Fall, 1996 semester, and you fail to file the Grade Replacement Form, the initial grade will continue to be calculated.
  • How will it affect my GPA? I got a much better grade the second time around--why didn't my gpa skyrocket? The grade point average is an average of all the grades you have been awarded, so removing a single bad grade from its calculation may not necessarily create dramatic change. However, repeating failed courses is the quickest way to raise a GPA, because the "F's" are removed. For an explanation of the GPA calculation and a GPA calculator, refer to GRADES.
  • How do I know that the Grade Replacement was processed?
You may check your academic record on MyWCU, or call the Office of the Registrar at (610) 436-1026.


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Taking a course off-campus for Transfer Credit

  • I want to take a course at home this summer--what do I do? Your first step is to obtain a "Request for Approval to Take Courses at Another College or University for Purposes of Transfer Credit," form, available at the Office of the Registrar. If you do not file this form with the Office of the Registrar, you may not receive transfer credit from West Chester University. Courses must be taken for a letter grade (no audits, no pass/fail). Courses failed at WCU may not be repeated at another institution. Remember, only credits transfer, not grades. Obtain the Request form (forms are also available in the Registrar's Office).
  • Okay, I've got the form: now what? Fill out the top. Check the Transfer Course Equivalencies to see if an equivalency has been established for the courses you wish to take. If an equivalent has been established, turn in the form at the Office of the Registrar. If no equivalency has been established, go to the department chair of the WCU course equivalent-- if you want to take a chemistry course, you need to see the Chemistry Department chair. Bring a course description with you. (The course description may appear in the other institution's schedule or catalog.) The department chair will determine the WCU Course Equivalent, and sign the form, noting approval. Bring the form back to the Registrar's Office.
  • How does the course get on my record? When you finish the course, request that an official transcript be sent from that institution directly to:
    Transfer Credit Analyst Office of the Registrar West Chester University West Chester, PA 19383.
    The University reserves the right to reassess the precise distribution of course credits awarded.


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Transcripts

A transcript is a listing of all the courses you have taken, your grades, major and, if you graduated, the date of your graduation. For detailed recorded instructions about how to order a transcript, call (610) 436-1028.
If, after listening to the recorded instructions, you have questions, please call:
(610) 436-1029 for last names beginning with A - L, or
(610) 436-1024 for last names beginning with M - Z.


  • Why would I need one? You need an official transcript to apply to another college or university, or if your employer wants verification that you graduated.
  • How do I request it? Requests for official transcripts must be made in person, or by writing or faxing your request to the Office of the Registrar. Requests CANNOT be requested via email or phone. A three dollar ($3.00) fee per transcript is required. (If you come to the office for immediate pickup service, the fee is $5.00.) A check or money order payable to West Chester University must accompany all requests. West Chester accepts Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. Please click here for the form.
  • Make sure you sign and date your form! Your signature is required as authorization.
  • If you pick up your transcript, it will be stamped "issued to student."
Send Your Transcript Requests to:
OFFICE of the REGISTRAR
West Chester University
West Chester, Pa 19383
or fax to 610-436-2370
  • Transcripts are processed in the order received. Faxing a request does not guarantee same-day processing.
  • West Chester University will not fax transcripts as faxing does not insure data security or integrity and often results in the distortion of data. If you need rush service, you may request that your transcript be sent via Federal Express. Please ask for this service with your request. Include a credit card number and expiration date. Federal Express will charge your card directly for this overnight service.
  • You can have someone pick up your transcript for you, but only if they have your written permission with your signature. West Chester University cannot release your transcript to anyone outside the University without your written consent. [Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974]


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Withdrawal from Classes

The "W" period follows the Drop/Add Period. During this time, if you withdraw from a class, a "W" will appear on your permanent academic record, but there will be no impact on your GPA.

How do I do it?

Come to the Office of the Registrar during our regular office hours to file a Withdrawal form. Sign the form and bring it to the Registrar's Office.

Deadline

The last day for "W" is the end of the 9th week of classes (or the equivalent in summer sessions). After the 9th week of classes, you may not withdraw selectively from individual courses; come to the Registrar's Office to withdraw from the University. If you withdraw from the University during the last week of classes, letter grades will be assigned for your courses.

Students who fail to withdraw from or drop a course officially can expect to receive a grade of "F" for the course and are financially obligated to pay
for it.


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