Undergraduate FAQ - Course Planning

1. Four Year Plans and Course Requirements

1. What if a student is having trouble constructing a 4-year (graduation) plan?
   Helpful Resources
   • AGNR Peer Mentors - current upper classmen within the College of AGNR who are available to help students learn to use UMD programs and build their course plans. Their office is 0100 Symons, and students do not need an appointment to visit them.
   • Sample 4-year plans on ANSC website - detailed plans that show how a student might go about completing the courses within their option: http://www.ansc.umd.edu/undergrad/programoptions/
   • 4-year Plan How-To-Guide
   • Curriculum worksheets for each option. A list of all the courses required for every option, in a format where students can check off courses as completed: http://www.ansc.umd.edu/undergrad/programoptions/
   • A list of all current ANSC courses, including required prerequisites and which semester each course is offered: http://www.ansc.umd.edu/undergrad/courses/
   • Degree Navigator - UMD program that can be used to track completed degree requirements, or explore other degree options (Peer Mentors can help students learn how to use this): http://www.testudo.umd.edu/dnentry.html
   
   
2. What is Advanced Studies CORE?
   Basically the AS CORE requirement is for two courses (6 credits) of 300 or 400 level courses taken outside the major and after 60 credits. These have to be courses with a significant academic component - so something like studio art or painting would not qualify. More detailed information about any aspect of CORE can be found here: http://www.ugst.umd.edu/core/
   
   
3. I notice on the curriculum worksheet that BIOM301 and ANSC420 are listed in the AS CORE spaces. Are these required courses?
   NO. Neither of these courses is required for any of our ANSC options. They are merely recommended courses to satisfy this requirement. ANSC420 because it can satisfy two requirements at once (see below), and BIOM301 because it will satisfy the statistics requirement that many graduate/professional programs have for admission.
   
   
4. Can ANSC420 count as both an Advanced Studies CORE and an Advanced Animal Science Elective?
   Yes. ANSC420 is our Capstone course, which means it has been approved to count as AS CORE. Since it is also in the list of courses that can be Advances ANSC electives, it can count for both. It is our ONLY course that does this.

2. Repeating Courses

Detailed information on the University's repeat policies can be found at http://www.testudo.umd.edu/soc/repeat.html

1. How many credits can a student repeat?
   Students may repeat no more than 18 credits.
   
   
2. How many times can a student repeat an individual course?
   A student can only attempt a course twice. All attempts at a course (including withdrawing with a W or failing the course) count as an attempt.
   
   Students may petition to repeat a course a 3rd time, (see Exceptions to Policy) but these are very rarely granted and only under the most extenuating circumstances. Students who would require a 3rd attempt to pass a course fundamental to the major will be asked to switch out of ANSC.
   
   
3. What is the "freshman forgiveness" policy?
   To help freshmen and transfer students adjust to the UMCP campus, the following two exceptions allow for the cumulative GPA to be calculated so that only the higher grade is included. However, any grade earned in prior attempts of a repeated course will appear on the student's transcript, regardless of whether the grade is dropped from, or averaged into, the cumulative grade point average:
   • When the repeated course was taken within the student's first semester at UMCP
     - or -
   • When the repeated course was taken within the student's first 24 credit hours attempted (including transfer credit, but not including AP or IB credits) or within the semester during which the student reached the 24th credit hour attempted.

3. Academic Honors

1. What is Academic Honors?
   The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Honors Program is intended to provide academically talented students with the opportunity for significant professional development through pursuit of a scholarly investigation under the guidance of a faculty adviser and to provide recognition of that development through the college honors citation. The scholarly investigation should go beyond the scope of the regular curriculum.
   
   
2. What is the eligibility for Academic Honors Program?
   • The student must be enrolled as a College of Agriculture and Natural Resources major.
   • The student must have completed at least 56 credits (junior standing) and must have completed at least 12 credits in their major.
   • The student must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.2 and a minimum gpa of 3.2 in courses required in the major.
   
   
3. What are the requirements that need to be met in order to be considered for the Honors Program?
   • Six or more credits in upper-level honors courses, seminars, or workshops. These courses may be from any department on campus and may also be used to meet other requirements such as CORE Advanced Studies if approved as such. Graduate courses in the department (600-level), may substitute for any part of this requirement.
   • Six or more credits of DEPARTMENTAL 388 Honors Thesis Research under the direction of a faculty member, culminating in a thesis and satisfactory performance on an oral defense of the thesis conducted by two or more faculty members. Following a successful defense the student needs to file appropriate forms available from the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources Academic Programs Office
   
   
4. How do I apply for Academic Honors?
   Students interested in entering the AGNR College Honors Program should submit a written request to the Associate Dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr. Leon Slaughter. Applications can be obtained from the 1104 Symons Hall. Admission will be based on grades, background and work experience as well as evidence of the motivation and maturity necessary for the successful completion of the program. Admission will also be contingent upon the availability of a faculty advisor.
   
   
5. What are the privileges associated with receiving Academic Honors?
   All students enrolled in departmental honors are members of the University Honors Program and as such, may register for Honors courses and seminars offered through the program. Other benefits include eligibility for Honors scholarships, Honors housing, and participation in all Honors student activities and organizations.
   
   

4. Information for Seniors

1. What is a Senior Audit?
   Students are flagged to complete Senior Audits when they reach 75 credits. The Audit is done to make sure that what a student thinks they still need to take matches the official record. If a student is required to complete an Audit, they will not be given approval to register for courses until they have done so. Audits should be filled out by the student, signed by the student and the advisor, and turned in directly to the Student Service Coordinator. Audits should not just be placed back in files, they need to be given to the Coordinator for review. Audit forms can be found on the Forms page of the ANSC website.
   
   
2. What does a student need to do for the semester they're planning to graduate?
   Students must apply for graduation. The deadline for applying is the last day of schedule adjustment (same as for drop/add) for a given semester. Students apply online at: http://www.testudo.umd.edu/apps/candapp/

5. Online Resources

1. How do I access Blackboard/ELMS?
2. How do I change my email/mailing address?
3. Where can I view my final grades for the semester?