Staying Academically Eligible to Practice and Compete
Once a student-athlete has been enrolled at Shepherd for one academic year, has used one season of eligibility or is a mid-year transfer, this student-athlete must satisfy the below academic requirements to be eligible for competition against outside of competition and represent Shepherd University.
To be eligible to compete, a student-athletes must:
Meet Progress Toward Degree (PTD)
- Earn at least 9 degree credit hours in the previous regular academic term of full-time enrollment;
- Earn 24-degree credit hours of academic credit during any year in which the student-athlete is enrolled full time in at least one academic term
- since the beginning of the previous fall term;
- since the beginning of the certifying institution's preceding regular academic semesters; or
- 48-semester hours during the first two years of collegiate enrollment
- 18 of the 24-degree credit hours must be earned during the preceding two regular academic semesters; and
- Declare a major no later than the beginning of your fifth semester or third year of enrollment and, thereafter, complete the required credits in courses applicable to your declared major.
What is Progress toward Degree?
A student is progressing toward their degree when they satisfactorily complete or earn degree credit within their declared academic program. This can include general core requirements, major requirements, required/voluntary minor requirements or degree program electives. This does not include non-degree electives.
Students should consult their faculty advisor as well as the course catalog to confirm the grade requirement to meet "satisfactory completion". For example, many classes either for general core courses or your major courses may require a "C" to satisfactorily complete the course for progress.
As a reminder, students may only use 6 earned credit hours during summer terms to meet progress toward degree requirements. Students may enroll in additional credit hours, if necessary to raise the grade point average or achieve good academic standing.
Full-time Requirements
- To be eligible for practice, competition, and financial aid, you must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours during the fall and spring semesters. If you need fewer than 12 credit hours to graduate, you may enroll in only these final hours and still be eligible for practice, competition, and financial aid. This must be confirmed by the Registrars' Office and the Compliance Office. Graduate students who have eligibility remaining must be enrolled in at least nine credit hours to be considered full-time at Shepherd University.
Good Academic Standing and Grade Point Average Requirements
- A student remains in good standing when he or she maintains BOTH a minimum 2.0 Shepherd University GPA AND a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA (including coursework attempted at other institutions)." -Shepherd University Course Catalog
- At the end of each grading period each student's Shepherd University and cumulative grade point average (GPA) is calculated. The calculation is determined by dividing the number of earned quality points by the number of GPA hours. In the computation of the Shepherd and cumulative GPA, a grade of I will not be included in the GPA hours. When the grade of I is replaced by a passing or failing grade, the student's grade point average will be revised by the Office of the Registrar.
To be eligible for participation in countable athletically-related activities (practice, weight-lifting, etc.), student-athletes must:
- Be enrolled full-time; and
- maintain a minimum 1.7 cumulative GPA
Other Important Links
Interested in Transferring?
If you are a current student-athlete who has decided to transfer out of Shepherd University and plans on participating at a different institution, you must do the following:
It is an institutional policy to not provide permission to use the one-time transfer exception for any institution within the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference unless a coach chooses to permit this type of transfer. If denied the use of the one-time transfer exception, student-athletes have the right to appeal this decision. See policy below.
Remember, ASK before you ACT! Contact the Compliance Office at 304-876-5404.
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