Academic Information and Regulations
Academic Suspension Appeals
Students who want to appeal their academic suspension status must upload a typed letter of appeal, a letter of recommendation, and supporting documents to the Admissions and Academic Standards Committee. Please visit the Academic Suspension Appeals website for further information regarding the documents required for appeal at www.pvamu.edu/student-success/suspension. Within 2-4 weeks after the semester reinstatement deadline, students will receive correspondence regarding their appeal via email with an official letter regarding the approval or denial. Academic suspension appeal packets must be received by the posted deadline for the semester in which the student intends to be reinstated. Please see Academic Suspension Appeals website for the posted deadlines.
- Notification of Academic Suspension: After Final Grades are Posted
- Deadline for Submitting Electronic Appeal: Visit Academic Suspension Website
- Notice of Approval or Denial of Academic Suspension Appeal: 2-4 weeks after the Appeal Submission Deadline
When a student's academic suspension appeal is denied, the length of the first suspension is one regular semester. The second suspension is for one year. After a second suspension, a student must meet all academic requirements or be dismissed from the university.
Returning from Academic Suspension
All students returning from academic suspension must adhere to the Policy for Students Returning from Academic Suspension. Please see the policy below.
Students who are returning from academic suspension must adhere to the following policy:
- Students must meet with an assigned academic advisor to create an academic success plan for the student's first full semester. The student is required to adhere to all requirements of the academic success plan, which will include attendance at academic workshops and tutorial sessions.
- Students shall enroll in no more than 13 credit hours for their first semester returning from suspension. Exceptions on the number of credit hours can be determined by a university official.
- Students must meet with the academic advisor a minimum of two times during the returning semester regarding their academic progress.
Academic Dismissal
After a return from second suspension, if all academic requirements set forth within the Policy for Students Returning from Academic Suspension are not met, including meeting the minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00, a student will be dismissed from the university. There is no appeal process for academic dismissal.
For any questions or concerns regarding the academic suspension appeal process, please contact the Admissions and Academic Standing Committee.
Academic Engagement and Student Success
Admissions and Academic Standing Committee
Prairie View A&M University
Phone: (936) 261-5914
Email: appeals@pvamu.edu
Admission Appeals
Once a student has been denied admission to the University, they have the option of appealing their admission decision. The student will have to write a typed letter of appeal and submit a minimum of one letter of recommendation to the Admissions and Academic Standing Committee. The student will submit their appeal letter and appeal documents to PVAMU Admissions Appeal Documents. Additional information regarding the admissions appeal process will be provided in the student's denial letter.
All appeals are handled by an external committee not comprised of admission officers. Once the process is completed, a student will be notified of the appeal decision by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
If a decision has been made and the student's admissions appeal is accepted, the student must adhere to the Policy for Students Admitted on Appeal. Please see policy below.
Students who are admitted on appeal must adhere to the following policy:
- Students must meet with an academic advisor to create an academic success plan before enrolling in courses. The student is required to adhere to all requirements of the academic success plan, which will include attendance at academic workshops and tutorial sessions.
- Students shall enroll in no more than 13 credit hours for their first semester. Exceptions on the number of credit hours can be determined by a university official.
- Students must register for the PVEX 1000 – First-year Experience Course during the first full semester.
- Students must meet with an assigned academic advisor a minimum of three times during their first full semester regarding their academic progress.
For any questions or concerns regarding the admissions appeal process, please contact the Admissions and Academic Standing Committee.
Academic Engagement and Student Success
Admissions and Academic Standing Committee
Prairie View A&M University
Phone: (936) 261-5914
Email: appeals@pvamu.edu
Credit from Sources other than Prairie View A&M University
Courses accepted for transfer credit must be from a college or university accredited by one of the regional accrediting agencies for higher education and must be similar in character and content to courses offered at Prairie View A&M University. Some credits accepted as transfer credits may not apply to a degree program. Duplicate, developmental, remedial, and study skills courses are not transferable credits. A maximum of 90 credit hours of course work transferred from an upper division institution may be applied toward a degree. A maximum of 66 credit hours of course work transferred from a lower division institution may be applied toward a degree. A maximum of 30 credit hours may include Advanced Placement, CLEP, Correspondence, Military Training, or Extension Courses.
Only courses with grades of “C” or above will be accepted for transfer, except in the case of sequential courses in which a “D” was earned in the first course and a grade of “B” or better was earned in the second course at the same institution. No credit is allowed for work experience or work completed at non accredited institutions except by AP or CLEP examination. If a transfer course has been graded on a pass/fail basis, the college/university at which the course was taken must provide written documentation to the Registrar that the course was passed at a grade level equivalent of “A”, “B”, or “C”. Additionally, only courses with a grade of “C” or better may be accepted towards credit in either the major or the minor. Courses taken at community/junior colleges will not be accepted for transfer at the upper division (junior/senior) level. Only grades earned in coursework completed at Prairie View A&M University shall be used in determining a student’s grade point average.
Courses being transferred from an institution outside the territorial United States must be evaluated. Students are required to have their course work evaluated by one of the following or an equivalent recognized service and are to submit the evaluation to the Office of Undergraduate or Graduate Admissions at least thirty (30) days before the beginning of the semester for which the student wishes to enroll.
The Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.
P.O. Box 514070
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53203-3470
414-289-3400
Span Tran Educational Services
7211 Regency Square Blvd. Ste. #205
Houston, Texas 77036
713-266-8805
For a transfer student to complete the application file and finalize the admission process, a final transcript must be sent directly from the community/junior college or university. It is the responsibility of the student to request that the transcript be sent. If the transcripts submitted as part of the application procedure are final and official, additional transcripts are not required.
Correspondence and Extension Courses
Correspondence or extension courses will be treated as transfer courses and not included in the cumulative GPA. All such courses must be approved by the dean of the respective college before they are accepted as transfer credit in a degree program.
Military School Credit
Credit for courses taken at military schools or by correspondence will be evaluated for acceptance by the Office of Transfer Articulation in accordance with American Council on Education guidelines. Credit will be awarded upon a military student’s matriculation as a student at the University’s main campus or approved off-campus sites.
Prior Learning Assessment
Prior Learning Assessment Credit (PLA) includes Experiential Learning Portfolio (ELP), Advanced Placement (AP), College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST) and International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) exams. Official PLA transcripts should be presented for evaluation prior to the semester in which graduation is planned and/or at the time of admission. Credit for PLA is subject to the total hour limitation of 30 semester credit hours. It will be the student’s responsibility to request such credit. PVAMU strongly encourages students to meet with their academic advisor to determine how much credit will best serve their degree matriculation.
Students wishing to inquire about PLA credit must contact the Testing Center at 936-261-3627 or at aetesting@pvamu.edu. Letter grades will not be awarded for advanced placement achievement, nor will AP and CLEP credits count in the student's cumulative GPA. Students receive only applicable credit hours for satisfactory achievement on all PLA exams. Applicable PLA credits received at other institutions may be applied toward degree plan requirements at PVAMU provided they were awarded as letter grades at the other institution or an official PLA transcript is sent to PVAMU designating the grade or score received on the PLA exam. PLA scores or transfer credits cannot be taken from other university or college transcripts, and PVAMU does not accept scores submitted from students. If a course has been taken and failed at Prairie View A&M University, it may not be replaced by a subsequent Prior Learning Assessment. A student may take a CLEP or DSST exam to receive credit for a course previously failed at the University; however, the CLEP or DSST credit will not replace the failed grade on the student's official transcript.
Experiential Learning Portfolio
An Experiential Learning Portfolio can be created to give students college credit for life or work experience. The CURR 1303 course is for students who need to create their portfolio. Credit is awarded for demonstrated learning, not experience alone. Students must be TSI Complete to enroll in the CURR 1303 course. The most popular portfolio topics include Business and Management, Information Systems/Technology, Human Resources, Finance/Accounting, Criminal Justice/Legal, Hospitality/Event Management and Healthcare Administration.
Scores must be received from the Council for Adult & Experiential Learning (CAEL) on an official transcript before credit is awarded.
Advanced Placement Testing (AP)
Advanced Placement is a program that allows students to pursue college-level studies while still in high school to attain college-level credit. To award credit, students must receive a minimum score of three (3) or higher. Students should view the Prairie View A&M University AP Course Equivalency Table to view the exams awarded for credit at the university and what course credit they will receive for that AP exam. Credit will not be awarded for an exam if the student is enrolled in the course or has already taken the course.
Scores must be received from the College Board on an official AP Student Score Report for Colleges and Universities before credit is awarded.
College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
The CLEP is a national testing program offering students the opportunity to earn college credit by examination. To award credit, students must receive a passing score of 50 or higher; however, qualifying scores may vary by department and college. Students should view the CLEP Course Equivalency Table to see the exams awarded for credit at the university and what course credit they will receive for that CLEP exam.
CLEP tests taken at Prairie View A&M University or at another intuition will not be counted in the student’s cumulative grade point average (GPA). If a course has been taken and failed at Prairie View A&M University and a CLEP test for that course is subsequently taken and passed, the CLEP grade will not be counted in the cumulative GPA and will not replace the failed grade on the official transcript. Scores from the general knowledge tests will not be accepted. Only scores from the subject tests will be accepted. Credit will not be awarded for an exam if the student is enrolled in the course or has already taken the course.
Scores must be received from the College Board on an official CLEP Transcript before credit is awarded.
DANTES Subject Standardized Tests
The DSST is a national testing program offering students the opportunity to earn college credit by examination. Students must receive a passing score of 400 or higher to awarded credit; however, qualifying scores may vary by department and college. Students should view the DSST Course Equivalency Table to see the exams awarded for credit at the university and what course credit they will receive for that DSST exam.
DSST exams taken at Prairie View A&M University or at another intuition will not be counted in the student’s cumulative grade point average (GPA). If a course has been taken and failed at Prairie View A&M University and a DSST test for that course is subsequently taken and passed, the DSST grade will not be counted in the cumulative GPA and will not replace the failed grade on the official transcript. Scores from the general knowledge tests will not be accepted. Only scores from the subject tests will be accepted. Credit will not be awarded for an exam if the student is enrolled in the course or has already taken the course.
Scores must be received from DSST on an official DSST Score Report/Transcript before credit is awarded.
International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO)
International Baccalaureate offers a continuum of international education for students from ages 3 to 19. It comprises four programs that focus on teaching students to think critically, independently, and inquire with care and logic. PVAMU awards credit for IB exams taken at both the Higher Level (HL) and the Standard Level (SL). Students should view the IB Course Equivalency Table to see the exams awarded for credit at the university and what course credit they will receive for that IB exam. Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) recognizes the International Baccalaureate program for those students who earn the IB diploma, or a specific grade in the IB course. Student must request that their official IB transcript directly the International Baccalaureate program.
IB Limitation
Students who earn an IB diploma may be given credit for at least 24 Semester Credit Hours (SCH) at PVAMU provided that they score at least a 4 on each subject exam. Credit will not be awarded for an exam if the student is enrolled in the course or has already taken the course. Students who score less than a 4 will not be granted credit for that particular exam. No grade will be awarded, only credit for specific courses.
IB Acceptable Scores and Credit
An official score report must be received from a first-time freshman (or any student who has not received college credit for these exams at another institution) before credit will be awarded. A transfer student who has received credit for one or more IB exams at another institution, may be granted SCH at PVAMU upon receipt of an official transcript from the other institution as long as the credit awarded at the other institution is transferable to PVAMU.
A student must earn the International Baccalaureate diploma and receive a score of at least a 4 to receive SCH for the IB exam. Students who take the IB exam without achieving the IB diploma will be evaluated on an individual basis.
Advanced Placement Examinations Course Equivalency Table
| Examination | Score | Semester Credit Hours | University Course Name | University Course Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Art History | 3 | 6 | ARTS | ARTS 1303 & ARTS 1304 |
| Biology | 3 | 10 | BIOL | BIOL 1501 & BIOL 1502 |
| Calculus AB | 3 | 4 | MATH | MATH 2413 |
| Calculus BC | 4 | 8 | MATH | MATH 2413 & MATH 2414 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 4 | MATH | MATH 2413 |
| Chemistry | 3 | 6 | CHEM | CHEM 1303 & CHEM 1304 |
| Chinese - Language | 3 | 6 | CHIN | CHIN 1301 & CHIN 1302 |
| Chinese - Language | 4 | 6 | CHIN | CHIN 1301 & CHIN 1302 |
| Chinese - Language | 5 | 12 | CHIN | CHIN 1301, CHIN 1302, CHIN 2311 & CHIN 2312 |
| Computer Science A | 3 | 6 | COMP | COMP 1315 & COMP 1336 |
| English – Language and Composition | 3 | 3 | ENGL | ENGL 1301 |
| English - Language and Composition | 4 | 3 | ENGL | ENGL 1301 |
| English - Language and Composition | 5 | 6 | ENGL | ENGL 1301 & ENGL 1302 |
| English – Literature and Composition | 3 | 3 | ENGL | ENGL 2341 |
| French – Language | 3 | 6 | FREN | FREN 1013 & FREN 1023 |
| French - Language | 4 | 6 | FREN | FREN 1013 & FREN 1023 |
| French - Language | 5 | 12 | FREN | FREN 1013, FREN 1023, FREN 2013 & FREN 2023 |
| Government and Politics – U.S. | 3 | 3 | POSC | POSC 2305 |
| History – U.S. | 3 | 6 | HIST | HIST 1301 & HIST 1302 |
| Human Geography | 3 | 3 | GEOG | GEOG 1302 |
| Macroeconomics | 3 | 3 | Principles of Macroeconomics | ECON 2301 |
| Microeconomics | 3 | 3 | Microeconomics | ECON 2302 |
| Music Theory | 3 | 3 | MUSC | MUSC 1311 |
| Physics 1 | 3 | 4 | PHYS | PHYS 2325 & PHYS 2125 |
| Physics 2 | 3 | 4 | PHYS | PHYS 2326 & PHYS 2126 |
| Psychology | 3 | 3 | PSYC | PSYC 2301 |
| Spanish – Language | 3 | 6 | SPAN | SPAN 1301 & SPAN 1302 |
| Spanish – Language | 4 | 6 | SPAN | SPAN 1301 & SPAN 1302 |
| Spanish – Language | 5 | 12 | SPAN | SPAN 1301, SPAN 1302, SPAN 2311 & SPAN 2312 |
| Spanish – Literature | 3 | 6 | SPAN | SPAN 3302 |
| Statistics | 3 | 3 | MATH | MATH 1342 |
| Studio Art 2 | 3 | 3 | Drawing I | ARTS 1316 |
| World History | 3 | 3 | World Civilizations II | HIST 2322 |
CLEP Course Equivalency Table Credit
| Name of Examination | Required Score | Course Credit |
|---|---|---|
| Composition and Literature | ||
| American Literature | 50 | ENGL 2327 |
| Analyzing and Interpreting Literature | 50 | ENGL 2341 |
| English Literature | 50 | ENGL 2322 |
| College Composition | 53 | ENGL 1301 & ENGL 1302 |
| Humanities | 50 | HUMA 1301 |
| Foreign Languages | ||
| French Level I | 50 | FREN 1013 & FREN 1023 |
| French Level II | 59 | FREN 1013 & FREN 1023 FREN 2013 |
| Spanish Level I | 50 | SPAN 1301 & SPAN 1302 |
| Spanish Level II | 63 | SPAN 1301 & SPAN 1302 SPAN 2311 |
| Spanish with Writing I | 50 | SPAN 1301 SPAN 1302 |
| Spanish with Writing II | 65 | SPAN 1301 & SPAN 1302 SPAN 2311 SPAN 2312 |
| History & Social Sciences | ||
| American Government I | 52 | POSC 2305 |
| American History I…1877 | 50 | HIST 1301 |
| American History II…1865 | 50 | HIST 1302 |
| Human Development | 50 | PSYC 2308 |
| Intro to Psychology | 50 | PSYC 2301 |
| Intro to Sociology | 50 | SOCG 1301 |
| Principles of Macroeconomics | 50 | ECON 2301 |
| Principles of Microeconomics | 50 | ECON 2302 |
| Science & Mathematics | ||
| Algebra | 50 | MATH 1314 |
| Calculus | 50 | MATH 2413 |
| Precalculus | 50 | MATH 1511 |
| General Biology | 50 | BIOL 1308 & BIOL 1108 |
| General Chemistry | 52 | CHEM 1311 & CHEM 1111 |
| Business | ||
| Financial Accounting | 50 | ACCT 2301 |
| Introductory Business Law | 50 | BLAW 2301 |
| Principal of Management | 50 | MGMT 3310 |
| Principles of Marketing | 50 | MRKT 3310 |
| Information Systems & Computer Applications2 | 50 | MISY 1305 or COMP 1300 |
- 1
Student must score at least a 3 out of a 4 on a departmental writing component scored by the faculty.
- 2
Major Driven
DSST Course Equivalency Table
| Examination | Score | Semester Credit Hours | University Course Name | University Course Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction of Business | 400 | 3 | Introduction to Business | MGMT 1301 |
| Organizational Behavior | 400 | 3 | Introduction to Organizational Behavior | MGMT 3311 |
| Personal Finance | 400 | 3 | Personal Financial Planning Management | FINA 1307 |
International Baccalaureate Course Equivalency Table
| IB Higher Level Examination | Minimum score | PVAMU course | SCH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biology SL | 4 with diploma | BIOL 1501 | 5 |
| Biology HL | 4 | BIOL 1501 | 5 |
| Biology HL | 5 | BIOL 1501 BIOL 1502 | 10 |
| Business and Management SL | 4 with diploma | MGMT 1301 | 3 |
| Business and Management HL | 4 | MGMT 1301 | 3 |
| Chemistry SL | 4 with diploma | CHEM 1303 | 3 |
| Chemistry HL | 4 | CHEM 1303 | 3 |
| Computer Science I SL | 4 with diploma | COMP 1315 | 3 |
| Computer Science I HL | 4 | COMP 1315 | 3 |
| Economics SL | 4 with diploma | ECON 2301 | 3 |
| Economics HL | 4 | ECON 2301 ECON 2302 | 6 |
| English Language A SL | 4 with diploma | ENGL 1301 | 3 |
| English Language A HL | 4 | ENGL 1301 | 3 |
| English Language A HL | 5 | ENGL 1301 ENGL 1302 | 6 |
| Geography SL | 4 with diploma | GEOG 1302 | 3 |
| Geography HL | 4 | GEOG 1302 | 3 |
| Histories (Americas) SL | 4 with diploma | HIST 1301 | 3 |
| Histories (Americas) HL | 4 | HIST 1301 | 3 |
| Mathematics | 4 | MATH 1314 | 3 |
| Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches SL | 4 or 5 w/diploma | MATH 1314 | 3 |
| Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches SL | 6 w/diploma | MATH 1511 | 5 |
| Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HL | 4 | MATH 1511 | 5 |
| Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HL | 5 | MATH 1511 MATH 2413 | 9 |
| Mathematics: Applications and Interpretations SL | 4 or 5 w/diploma | MATH 1314 | 3 |
| Mathematics: Applications and Interpretations SL | 6 w/diploma | MATH 1511 | 5 |
| Mathematics: Applications and Interpretations HL | 4 | MATH 1511 | 5 |
| Mathematics: Applications and Interpretations HL | 5 | MATH 1511 MATH 1342 | 8 |
| Music SL | 4 w/diploma | 3 | MUSC 1306 |
| Music HL | 5 | MUSC 1306 | 3 |
| Physics SL | 4 w/diploma | PHYS 1301 | 3 |
| Physics HL | 4 | PHYS 1301 | 3 |
| Psychology SL | 4 w/diploma | PSYC 2301 | 3 |
| Psychology SL | 4 | PSYC 2301 | 3 |
| Spanish A or B SL | 4 w/diploma | SPAN 1301 | 3 |
| Spanish A or B SL | 5 w/diploma | SPAN 1301 | 6 |
| Spanish A or B SL | 5 w/diploma | SPAN 1301 SPAN 1302 | 6 |
| Spanish A or B HL | 4 | SPAN 1301 SPAN 1302 | 6 |
| Spanish A or B HL | 5 | SPAN 1301 SPAN 1302 SPAN 2311 SPAN 2312 | 12 |
| Theater Arts SL | 4 w/diploma | DRAM 13110 | 3 |
| Theater Arts HL | 4 | DRAM 1310 | 3 |
| Visual Arts SL | 4 w/diploma | 3 | ARTS 1301 |
| Visual Arts SL | 4 | ARTS 1301 | 3 |
| French A or B SL | 4 w/diploma | 3 | FREN 1013 |
| French A or B SL | 5 w/diploma | FREN 1013 FREN 1023 | 6 |
| French A or B HL | 4 | FREN 1013 FREN 1023 | 6 |
| French A or B HL | 5 | FREN 1013 FREN 1023 FREN 2013 FREN 2023 | 12 |
Additional information can be obtained by contacting the following office:
Academic Engagement and Student Success
Testing Services
Prairie View A&M University
P. O. Box 519; MS 3002
Prairie View, TX 77446-0519
Phone: (936) 261-3627
Email: aetesting@pvamu.edu
Website: www.pvamu.edu/testing
The Office of Testing Services offers various examinations to students, faculty, staff, and the surrounding community. Exams offered include the Texas Success Initiative Assessment (TSI), CLEP, and HESI A2. Students must make an appointment and pay all exam fees online, test takers must adhere to the rules of the Testing Services’ Academic Integrity policy, and test accommodations are available for students with disabilities upon request. The office also helps students with PLA credits such as Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB).
Credit Transfer for Associate Degree
(Effective Fall 2013)
In 2011, Texas enacted Tex. Educ. Code Section 61.833, which created reverse transfer in the state. Students must have earned at least 30 credits at a lower-division institution before transferring to a general teaching institution. Once students have transferred, they must earn a cumulative total of 66 credits of course work that meet the requirements for an associate degree. The general teaching institution must contact the student for authorization to release their transcript to the lower-division institution to determine if the student has earned the required courses for an associate degree. Once the lower-division institution determines the student has met all requirements, it may then award the degree.
Education Commission of the States (ECS) Reverse Transfer Information
Texas Success Initiative
All students entering PVAMU must complete the Texas Success Initiative Assessment 2.0 (TSIA2) unless they meet one of the State of Texas approved TSI exemptions. The State approved exemptions are found at Texas Administrative Code, Title 19, Part 1, Chapter 4, Subchapter C, Rule §4.54.
Students must have valid documentation for a TSI exemption (see below) on file with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
TSI Exemptions (Not an exhaustive list)
| Test | Combined | Verbal | Math |
|---|---|---|---|
| STAAR (EOC) | n/a | Reading: ENG III (4000) Writing ENG III (4000) | ALG II (4000) |
| ACT | 23 | 19 | 19 |
| SAT | n/a | EBRW 480 | 530 |
| DUAL CREDIT | Reading: Freshmen COMP I or II or HIST, GOVT, or PSYC | Writing: Freshmen COMP I OR II | College Level Math |
The TSIA2 consists of two sections, English Language Art and Mathematics. Students who do not meet the college readiness standards for any of the sections may re-take the TSIA2 or participate in a TSIA intervention. Please visit the PVAMU TSIA website for the course placement requirements for students not meeting the minimum requirements of the TSIA2, a full list of exemptions and additional information regarding the TSI assessment.
TSIA2 College Readiness Requirements
Subject College Readiness
ELAR At least 945 AND Essay Score of 5 OR Below 945, Diagnostic Level 5/6, and 5 Essay
MATHEMATICS 950-990 OR Below 949 and Diagnostic Level 6
For additional information regarding the TSIA 2.0 or to register for the exam please contact
Office of Testing Services
Phone: (936) 261-3627
Email: aetesting@pvamu.edu
Website: www.pvamu.edu/testing
For questions about TSI Holds or Restrictions, Dual Credit, or submission of the Dual Credit and/or Cross-Institutional Reporting (CIR) form contact:
TSI Office
Phone: (936) 261-3610
Email: TSI@pvamu.edu
Website: www.pvamu.edu/tsi