Navigating CECS Course Overrides and Academic Policies at UCF

The College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS) at the University of Central Florida (UCF) has specific policies and procedures in place to support students in their academic journey. These policies, including the CECS Progress Policy and the override request process, are designed to encourage successful degree completion and provide intervention for students experiencing academic difficulties. This article will delve into the details of CECS course overrides, academic standing policies, and other important aspects to help students navigate their academic programs effectively.

CECS Progress Policy: Fostering Academic Success

Beginning with the Summer 2015 semester, CECS implemented the CECS Progress Policy for students admitting to UCF in a CECS major. This policy also applies to students readmitting to UCF in a CECS major or changing their major to another CECS program. The mission of this initiative is to provide intervention to students who are experiencing academic difficulty and direct them to a path of successful completion of a degree at UCF. This policy is designed to encourage successful completion of a degree at UCF, positively affecting time to degree completion, excess hours, indebtedness, future employability, and congestion in key UCF courses.

The policy measures the number of low grades, withdrawals, and repeated attempts of courses taken at UCF. Students reapplying to UCF or submitting a change of major request to a CECS major with seven (7) or more low grades or two (2) or more unsuccessful attempts of the same UCF course may be denied (re)admission to a CECS major.

Academic Standing: Probation and Disqualification

UCF has specific rules regarding academic standing. Students who are on academic probation and receive below a 2.0 term GPA while on academic probation will be disqualified from the University. A student who is disqualified may not enroll at the University for two semesters following disqualification. Readmission after two semesters is not automatic.

UCF strongly encourages all disqualified CECS students who plan on applying for readmission to UCF to schedule an appointment with the CECS Academic Affairs Director to discuss their academic options while suspended from the university. These appointments take place after Add/Drop week each semester. Students who have not been enrolled for two consecutive semesters must apply for readmission to UCF.

Understanding CECS Course Overrides

Overrides for a CECS course are reviewed and processed by the CECS Academic Affairs office. Overrides are permissions that allow a student to enroll in a course despite not meeting specific requirements or if the course is closed. It's crucial to understand the circumstances under which overrides are considered and the process for requesting them.

Prerequisites and Course Availability

Overrides are not permitted if a student has not met the UCF prerequisite requirements for a course or if a course is closed. There are no exceptions to this policy. This strict adherence to prerequisites ensures that students have the necessary foundation to succeed in the course.

The Override Process

While the provided information doesn't detail the exact steps for requesting an override, it emphasizes that the CECS Academic Affairs office handles these requests. Students seeking an override should contact this office to inquire about the specific procedures and required documentation.

Transient Courses: Considerations for External Coursework

Courses taken at another institution during a student’s UCF Career are called “Transient Courses”. The College of Engineering and Computer Science recommends that once admitted to UCF all math, science, engineering, computer science, and information technology classes be taken at UCF if the credits are being used toward a major within CECS.

Students who are considering taking transient courses should work with a CECS academic advisor prior to taking the class. Taking courses as a Transient student will not allow you to enroll in future courses within the College of Engineering and Computer Science until the final grade in the transient course can be provided to UCF. This delay can impact a student's progress, especially if the transient course is a prerequisite for subsequent courses at UCF.

Important Forms and Processes

To help students navigate their academic program, there are several processes that are in place. Some processes are conducted electronically, while others require manual processing with physical signatures. Forms included in this section are either Portable Document Format (PDF) files, dynamic forms, or HTML files that may be downloaded, filled out, and given to the appropriate university officials for approval. Many of these forms have been implemented by the College of Graduate Studies and have been adopted across UCF’s various colleges. Some forms are specific to CECS.

Additional Considerations

Graduate Students and IRB Submissions

If you are a graduate student, new submissions require principal investigator, faculty advisor, and departmental sign-off prior to submission to IRB. Select “Create New Study.” Be sure to complete all fields with a red asterisks*. Please attach the appropriate documents as they are requested. See the IRB Decision Guide to help you determine which documents to attach. Once you have completed the process, select “Finish.” You will be routed to the Pre-Submission page, where you can review your information, and view the IRB Work-Flow Chart.

Petitions to COSAS

COSAS will only consider student petitions during the second week of the semester or the second week of the session in the summer semester. These include petitions from students to late add a course or late swap (add/drop) one course for another. Step 2 - Signature of Course Instructor, and information on how student can proceed (e.g., make up assignments) so they have the opportunity to succeed in the course.

Prerequisites Taken Elsewhere

Proof of pre-requisite(s) is required. If taken at UCF, degree audit. If taken at another public Florida institution- unofficial transcripts or screen captures showing full name, institution name, course number and grade. If test scores, please send the official score report from the testing company.

Transient Students and Override Requests

If you are an incoming transient student taking a UCF course, unfortunately at this time, you would not be able to use the gold button “College of Sciences Override Request Form” to submit an override due to your account configuration. Transient students will have their account configured after the semester starts. Please provide proof in the form of an unofficial transcript, class schedule, or course history.

Staying on Track: Academic Advising and Degree Audits

Referring to your Degree Audit and staying in touch with your Academic Success Coach (ASC) are both key in keeping on track for graduation. These resources provide personalized guidance and support to help students navigate their academic requirements and ensure they are meeting the necessary milestones for graduation.

Collaboration Between Departments

Department that hosts the course. Both Professors must agree. The student then contacts the Department that hosts the course they are trying to enroll in. NOTE: Both courses must be open with seats in order for us to proceed. Please note a college can only process overrides for courses they teach.

tags: #ucf #cecs #override #requirements