Office of the University Registrar

2008-09 Undergraduate Catalog

Contact Information
Overview
Academic Policies
Degree Requirements
Majors
Course Descriptions

Academic Contract

An academic contract is an agreement between the student and adviser and/or faculty member that indicates specific actions that need to take place by a specific date.

A student may have only one academic contract as a lower-division student and one contract as an upper-division student. A student cannot have an academic contract for consecutive semesters. While on academic contract, no I, N or NG grades are permitted. Failure to meet the academic contract agreement can result in, and is not limited to, one or more of the following actions:

A college hold will be placed on the student's registration,
Registration for CHHP courses will be canceled, and/or
Student must change to a new major.

Admission Requirements

Students classified as first-semester freshmen at the university will be admitted to the college when they declare a major within the college. At that time, their college classification will become HH.

Students maintain the HH classification as long as they meet the standards set by the college and UF for admission and universal tracking. Students who are not making satisfactory academic progress may be required to seek admission to another college or to make alternative academic plans.

Students who fall below minimum performance standards will have a registration hold placed on their record. They must meet with an adviser to determine a plan of action before the hold will be removed.

Change of Major

For a student to be considered for a change in major, the following criteria must be met, accordingly:

Lower-division Students

Minimum UF GPA
Minimum universal tracking GPA as designated by department curriculum
No deficit points
Completion of a letter of intent.

Upper-division Students

Minimum UF GPA
Minimum universal tracking GPA as designated by department curriculum
No deficit points
Must be able to graduate within UF's designated timeframe (138 hours or four years).
Must have completed 75% of all universal tracking courses for the change of major sought.
Must have met all writing and math requirements.
Must have met a minimum of 27 hours of the general education requirement.
Transfer students will not be permitted to change majors into the college.

In addition to the above, the following applies to current and/or previous HHP majors:

Current HHP majors may not change into another HHP major unless they currently meet that major's criteria.
Students who were dismissed from a college major cannot change out of HHP and then be accepted back into the college as a change of major.

College Probation

Students in HHP will be placed on college probation for two reasons.

Grade point average falls below:

2.0 GPA required for the UF GPA,
Department/major requirement for the upper-division GPA, and/or
Department/major requirement for the universal tracking GPA.

The student fails to follow the prescribed program for the major.

A hold will be placed on the record and continued registration will be denied. Students must meet with their academic adviser to determine a plan of action to ensure successful completion of a degree before the hold will be removed.

Combined Degree (4-1) Program

The combined degree is offered in Health Education and Behavior (HEB) and Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management (TRSM), and provides academically talented students the opportunity to complete their bachelor’s and master’s degrees within the same major in a shorter period of time. Students should review department guidelines for requirements and criteria needed for successful application. Students should apply for the program as a second semester sophomore/first semester junior. Students should discuss this option early with their academic adviser and then contact the appropriate program’s graduate coordinator for more information.

Dean's List

Deficit Points

Academic dismissal from the college denies registration privileges to students who have a grade point deficit of 15 or more in their upper-division course work. The student will be dismissed from the college and a holds will be placed on registration.

A student who has been dismissed from the college due to grade point deficit will not be considered for readmission into the college.

Drop Policy

During drop/add, courses can be dropped without penalty. After drop/add, courses may be dropped only through the college’s petition process in accordance with university deadlines.

Before completing 60 hours of course work, students are allowed two unrestricted drops after the close of drop/add. After 60 hours of UF course work, the student also is allowed two unrestricted drops after the close of drop/add. Students seeking to drop all classes do not have to petition the college; dropping all classes is a withdrawal and is processed through the Dean of Students Office in 202 Peabody Hall.

If a student is registered for only one course and is seeking to drop that course, this is considered a withdrawal since the student is dropping all courses that semester. Refer to the college withdrawal policy.

Dual Degree

The college can permit students to pursue dual degrees in multiple majors. To request a dual degree the following must be met:

Must have between 45 and 96 hours (excluding AP, IB, dual enrollment or overseas study credit),
Must have at least a 3.0 UF GPA at the time the application is submitted, if at least one of the majors is in this college,
Must meet all universal tracking requirements for the HHP major requested. If one of the majors is outside the college, applicants must get approval from the appropriate college,
Must meet all other college progression standards for both majors and demonstrate potential for success in both majors (successful completion of major and major-related courses without excessive Ws, grades less than C or multiple repeats),
Must be able to complete the degree in a reasonable number of semesters (i.e., 150 credit hours and/or up to 10 semesters); additional study is permitted only with the associate dean’s approval, and
Must have demonstrated a well articulated educational goal for which the double major or dual degree is appropriate and/or necessary.

First Aid and CPR

All students are required to have current (American Red Cross or American Heart Association) First Aid and CPR certification at the time of registering for student teaching and/or internship.

Students pursuing athletic training (AT) must be current in adult CPR certification before registering for AT course work.
Students in the Department of Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management are required to have child and infant CPR certification in addition to the above requirements.

Online recertification is not acceptable.

Fresh Start Program

This program is for former degree-seeking students who wish to return to the university after an absence of no fewer than five calendar years. During this absence the student should have engaged predominately in nonacademic activities. Students wishing to apply under the Fresh Start Program should follow the UF guidelines.

Grade Appeals

Any student in the college who feels his or her performance in a course has not been evaluated accurately should discuss any concerns with the instructor first. If the disagreement is not resolved at that level, the student should consult the department chair, and if still unresolved, contact the associate dean for academic affairs.

The college is a strong supporter of the university’s equal opportunity program. Any student who believes he or she has been discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, disability, sexual orientation, age or national origin should contact the associate dean for academic affairs.

Graduation Participation

ALL requirements for the bachelor’s degree must be successfully completed prior to graduation to participate in graduation ceremonies, including the successful completion of an internship. The college will determine who is eligible to participate in the graduation ceremony. There are no exceptions.

Health Insurance

All students must secure health insurance or a signed health insurance disclaimer before they begin their internship or student teaching experience.

Honors

The university offers three levels of honors at graduation: cum laude, magna cum laude and summa cum laude. Please note that:

Transfer credits and S-U option credits are excluded.
Postbaccalaureate students are not eligible for honors recognition.
Honors recognition is printed on the university diploma.
How to Submit an Honors Thesis

Follow these guidelines when preparing an honors thesis:

Submission of an undergraduate thesis to request graduation with magna cum laude or summa cum laude must reflect a high caliber of work.
The thesis submission form should be secured to the thesis as the first page. This form must be completed with a typewriter or computer; handwritten forms will not be accepted.
When completing the submission form, pay special attention to the Key Words entry, as these words will be used to index the thesis. Think of these words as instrumental in leading a potential reader to the thesis.
The thesis should be stapled or secured with a binder clip. Binders and folders are discouraged, as they will be discarded when the thesis is filed on microfiche.
Have the abstract reviewed for organization, content, grammar and spelling before submission.
The abstract should begin with a definitive statement of the problem or project. The purpose, scope and limit of the thesis should be clearly delineated. Then, as concisely as possible, describe research methods and design, major findings, the significance of your work (if appropriate) and conclusions. The abstract should be 100-200 words.
Students whose thesis involves creative work such as original fine art, music, writing, theatre, film or dance should describe process and production, indicating the forms of documentation on file as thesis materials.
Type the abstract into the space allotted on the submission form.

Looking for help writing a thesis? The Honors Program recommends Conquering Your Undergraduate Thesis by Nataly Kogan. This book offers helpful and practical advice from fellow students and recent graduates.

HHP honors thesis submission deadlines: Honors thesis/graduation requirements are completed during the last one or two semesters at UF. The final thesis submission is due to the college's associate dean for academic affairs three days before the last day of classes. Refer to the department for process information:

Incomplete Grades

An incomplete grade may be assigned at the discretion of the instructor as an interim grade for a course in which the student has completed a major portion of the course with a passing grade, been unable to complete course requirements before the end of the term (e.g., before the final exam is taken) because of extenuating circumstances and obtained agreement from the instructor and arranged for resolution of the incomplete grade. I grades are not to be used when the student is doing less than satisfactory work in a class and the instructor wants to provide another chance to do better. Instructors are not required to assign incomplete grades.

The I grade arrangement should stipulate all conditions for completing the course and earning a letter grade, including a specific expiration date for the arrangement and designation of the grade to be assigned for incomplete work. I grade arrangements should be recorded on a standard contract form, kept in a file in the department’s central office and monitored by staff, so that the appropriate grade changes will be made by the end of the following semester. This practice will be particularly useful if the instructor is on leave or has left UF permanently.

If make-up work requires classroom or laboratory attendance in a subsequent term, the student should not register for the course again. Instead, the student must audit the course and pay course fees. Students who need to audit a course should be referred to the registrar’s office to complete audit registration.

If the make-up work does not require classroom or laboratory attendance, the instructor and student should decide on an appropriate plan and deadline for completing the course.

When the course is completed or the arrangement has expired, the instructor will submit a change of grade to the Office of the University Registrar. An I grade should not be assigned to a student who never attended class; instead, instructors may assign a failing grade or no grade at all, which will result in assignment of N*.

The only time a letter grade should be changed to an I is when the instructor made an error in the grade. For example, there is an I grade arrangement on file for the student, but the instructor forgot and recorded an E instead. The college will approve such grade changes only when clear instructor error has occurred and when the grade is submitted with a copy of the I grade arrangement, which must be dated prior to the final exam period for the course.

These procedures cannot be used to repeat a course for a different grade.

Internships and Student Teaching

Prior to graduation, all students - except athletic training students - are required to complete a full semester of internship or student teaching. This requirement is completed during the semester of expected graduation, after successful completion of all other required course work. Credit hours for this requirement are included in the credit-hour total required for graduation. Students will not be granted permission to participate in the graduation ceremony prior to completing successfully the internship/student teaching experience. Refer to graduation participation, above.

Students are eligible to complete the internship semester if they have

Successfully completed ALL other required courses and are therefore eligible to graduate upon completion of the internship semester.
Secured professional liability insurance, or if permitted by the department, received an exemption from liability insurance.
Current certification in First Aid and CPR (or equivalent).
A UF upper-division cumulative, major and universal tracking GPA of at least a 2.0, with no I, N or NG grades or flags.
No deficit points.
Submitted all internship materials by the deadlines set by the departments and have been approved by the department for internship.

Upon submission of the required application for internship (as determined by the department), an academic adviser will determine whether or not the student is academically eligible to complete the internship during the desired semester. For in-depth information regarding internships, please contact a department internship coordinator.

Students can only register and attempt to complete the practicum (if required by the major) and internship/student teaching two times. If unable to complete successfully after two attempts, the student may be dismissed from the program.

Junior and Senior Status

After reaching 60 hours, students who meet or exceed the 60-hour performance standards specified by the college and the major/department will retain their classification within the college. Juniors and seniors (3HH and 4HH respectively) will be monitored for progress toward the degree. All students must adhere to the policies of the college and the department to retain the HH classification.

Athletic Training: Athletic training is a limited access program and therefore requires students to apply at the end of the spring term of their sophomore year. To be eligible to apply, students must meet all academic and clinical requirements. Students who are not selected into the competitive program will not be permitted to continue tracking as an athletic training major and will be changed to applied physiology and kinesiology (APK).

Liability Insurance

All students must secure professional insurance before they begin their internship or student teaching experience.

Maximum Credit Hours

UF policy allows a maximum of 18 credits. Therefore, college policy to exceed 18 credit hours requires students to have:

3.0 GPA in all categories (e.g., UF GPA, UT GPA),
One drop available, and
Academic adviser approval.

Nondegree Requests

The college follows the university’s Employee Educational Program (EEP) policies. Nondegree enrollment is restricted to University of Florida employees only during the fall and spring semesters. For college credit and non-UF employees, enrollment is restricted to summer terms only. Nondegree enrollment is subject to the availability of faculty, space and facilities. No application for admission is required.

Undergraduate students who have been denied admission to UF for any term are not eligible for nondegree registration. Students who have previously attended UF in a degree-seeking status who did not subsequently earn a bachelor’s degree are not eligible for nondegree registration.

Visiting Students Attending UF: Undergraduate students in good standing at another accredited collegiate institution can enroll full time at UF as nondegree transient students to complete work to transfer back to the parent institution. The university and college does not allow transient students during the fall and spring semesters.

Nondegree registration request

Petition Request

Students who are petitioning a department or college policy must complete the general petition and submit it along with all required documentation to an academic adviser.

For the following college policies the associate dean makes the final decision: Graduation participation, internships, third drops, appeals of department petitions, change of major to the college, SUS summer requirement, universal tracking transient course requests and residency requirement. The levels prior to the associate dean for academic affairs are recommendations to the associate dean. For the above-mentioned policies, the petition must be reviewed by an academic adviser, the department chair and the college petitions committee. The associate dean for academic affairs will notify the student of the outcome/decision.

Petitionable items at the department level include the following, and are not limited to curricular items, course substitutions, non-universal tracking transient course requests, continuation in a major, department internship deadline and readmission to a major.

For all department-level petitions the academic adviser makes the decision or defers a decision to the department petitions committee. If the academic adviser approves, no further action is needed by the department and the student is notified by the adviser. If the academic adviser denies or defers the petition, it is reviewed by the department petitions committee. If the department petitions committee reviews and approves the petition that were referred or denied by the academic adviser, the petition will be signed by the appropriate department chair. The student is then notified of the decision by the academic adviser.

If the department petitions committee denies the petition, the student can appeal to the college petition committee for review. Regardless of a recommendation to approve or deny, the petition will then be reviewed for final decision by the associate dean for academic affairs. The student will be notified of the decision by the associate dean.

If the petition is denied at the college level the student may contact the UF Ombudsman’s Office and/or submit a Senate Petition, if appropriate.

Postbaccalaureate Status

The university limits the options for postbaccalaureate studies to the following areas:

Certificate program/state licensure
Teacher Certification
Prerequisites for graduate study
Distance Learning

The college has elected to abide by the university policy and therefore limits students to the above criteria. In addition, any student wishing to apply under item 3, prerequisites for graduate study, will be required to apply to the department to which they plan to apply, not the department that offers the course they wish to complete. For example: A student wishing to apply to the physical therapy graduate program who needs anatomy and physiology as prerequisites should apply to the College of Public Health and Health Professions as a postbaccalaureate student.

Prerequisite Course Work

The state of Florida has determined that the prerequisite course work required for a major in the state university system (SUS) will be the same for all SUS schools offering the major. In most cases, meeting the prerequisites for admission will be sufficient to meet any course prerequisites. This may not always be the case, however. Students who follow the sequence of courses identified in the universal-tracking plan for their major will satisfy all course prerequisites within the major, provided they achieve the minimum grades required.

Readmission

To be considered for readmission to the College of Health and Human Performance, the following is required:

Students must have a UF GPA of 2.0, a universal-tracking GPA of 2.0 and an upper-division GPA as determined by the department/major.

Students who have been dismissed and/or on academic probation with deficit points will not be considered for readmission. Readmission is not automatic or guaranteed. In addition to the UF readmission application, applicants must also complete the college’s letter of intent.

Retaking Universal Tracking (UT) Courses

A student is permitted to retake a UT tracking course under the following premises:

All universal tracking attempts will be counted toward the UT GPA.
Students may retake a universal tracking course one time only.
All universal tracking courses must be completed by the time noted in the catalog for each major.

Completing UT courses beyond the specified time is at the adviser's discretion and must be approved by the adviser in advance.
Any students completing universal tracking courses during the first semester of their junior year may not complete any upper-division HHP courses that semester.

Student Responsibility

Each student is responsible for registering for and completing the proper courses and for fulfilling all requirements for a degree. The student’s adviser will help and counsel, but the student must take the initiative and assume responsibility for meeting all requirements.

Course requirements for each major have been determined and approved by department faculty. The student’s program of study to meet these requirements is subject to the approval of an adviser in the student’s major.

To make informed decisions and fulfill personal goals, students must take a responsible and active role in their own advising. More specifically, students must:

Knowledge

Understand the university’s and college’s academic requirements
Understand the requirements for the major and minor
Be familiar with general university academic and behavioral policies, and
Have a sense of academic and career interests, learning strengths and weaknesses and educational needs.

Behavior

Meet as needed with adviser
Come to appointments on time
Register in a timely fashion
Follow through with registration, add/drop and withdrawals in a timely fashion
Review audit on a regular basis
Check communication regularly, using a UFL email account
Respond to communication in a timely fashion, and
Be an effective self-advocate.

Dispositions

Work cooperatively
Be open to new ideas and be willing to explore curricular options
Be interested in and dedicated to the major, and
Believe in the value of being responsible and accountable.

S-U Option

Students are not permitted to complete required courses using the S-U option. However, courses that are not required for degree certification can be completed using the S-U option. Students choosing to complete a course with the S-U option are required to follow UF policy and deadlines.

Transfer or Correspondence Credit

Transfer and/or correspondence course credit may be allowed even if taken after the student has been admitted to the major. These courses must be approved in advance by the academic adviser. Students are discouraged from taking such courses after 60 hours. As per UF policy, no more than six credit hours of correspondence credit and/or a maximum of 60 hours of community college academic credit can apply toward a UF degree.

In general, these courses are recorded on the transcript and can be used to meet core curriculum requirements if approved by the department in advance. At least 60 credit hours at the 3000 level or higher are required in all majors. Correspondence and extension course credit are excluded from honors GPA calculation for the College of Health and Human Performance and will not be used to determine Dean’s List GPA.

Transfer Students

For application information, all transfer students should refer to the admission as a transfer section. Within space and fiscal limitations, applicants from other institutions who have satisfied minimum requirements will be considered for admission at the junior level.

Florida community college applicants to the College of Health and Human Performance must complete an Associate of Arts degree and meet all university and college-specific requirements. Admission evaluation factors include academic record, cumulative grade point average, performance in critical-tracking courses, extent to which the applicant exceeds minimum requirements, and achievements and career goals as stated in the letter of intent. The admission review process is a holistic review of the applicant’s overall record and potential in the chosen academic field. Students who complete preprofessional courses outside the state system (students who attend out-of-state, private and/or international institutions) must submit course descriptions to the department adviser.

In addition to the UF transfer application, applicants must also complete the College of Health and Human Performance’s letter of intent. Transfer admission is limited and extremely competitive. Priority will be given to applicants who have completed an AA degree from a Florida public community college, per the state of Florida articulation agreement.

The departments of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management, and Health Education and Behavior accept transfer students during the fall and spring semesters only, on a limited basis based on space and fiscal availability.

Transient Request

Students are not permitted to complete universal tracking courses as a transient student. Upper-division course work taken as a transient student is discouraged and approvals will be at the discretion of the department. Students wishing to complete work at another institution must submit the College Transient Request form and be approved by an adviser in advance of taking the course.

Once approved at the college level, students may complete the UF Transient Request online at www.facts.org.

Universal Tracking Courses

All universal tracking courses must be taken at the University of Florida. All universal tracking courses must be completed by the time noted in the catalog for each major. Any student completing universal tracking courses during the first semester of their junior year may not complete any upper-division HHP courses that semester.

Withdrawal Policy

If a student in the college withdraws from the university a second time, with a registration of more than one course that semester, that student will be placed on college probation. Probation terms will be determined by the adviser working with the student.