Undergraduate Handbook

Frequently Asked Questions

Search below to find answers to common questions asked by VSB undergraduate students. Should you or your family have any questions about the Clay Center at VSB or the undergraduate business program, please contact us at any time by phone at 610-519-5532 or email at claycenter@villanova.edu, or—better yet—stop by and visit us in person in Bartley Hall.

Questions by Topic:

• General
• Majors/Minors
• Curriculum and Programs
• Degree Requirements
• Advising
  
• Registration and Scheduling
• Academic and Grading Policies
• Miscellaneous

General

What is the Clay Center at VSB?

The Clay Center at VSB is dedicated to facilitating the academic and professional growth of undergraduate business students by providing:

• Educational Planning and Academic Advising
• Experiential Learning Opportunities (Internships and CoOps)
• Professional Development Programs and Resources

What is CAPP?
Curriculum, Advising, and Program Planning (CAPP) is a web-based degree auditing program. It tracks a student’s academic progress toward the completion of degree requirements. Using this program, a student’s current academic record is compared to the degree requirements, and the remaining required courses are indicated. CAPP can also be used to check a student’s academic record against requirements for a new major. CAPP compliance reports are available online for both students and their advisors through NOVASIS.

Majors/Minors

What degrees and majors does the Villanova School of Business offer?

• Bachelor of Science in Accountancy
• Bachelor of Business Administration, with majors in Economics, Finance, Management, Management Information Systems (MIS), and Marketing
• Bachelor of Business Administration, Business Honors

Students may also co-major in International Business (IB), taken in conjunction with a major in another discipline.

When and how do I declare my major?
Students declare a major in their sophomore year. Students receive major selection information via email.

Can I major in more than one discipline in the school?
Yes. Students have the opportunity to double major. Students may apply for a double major during the initial major selection process or after by completing the request for addition of major form in the Clay Center.

Can I select a minor as well?
Interested students may select from VSB minors in Accounting, Business Law and Corporate Governance, Economics, Entrepreneurship, Finance, International Business, MIS, Marketing, and Real Estate. Students may also choose to minor in a Liberal Arts and Sciences discipline. Students need to contact the appropriate department in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for more information. Students are not required to select a minor.

Curriculum and Programs

What courses will I take Freshman year?
• Business Dynamics I and II (3 credits each)
• Information Technology (1 credit)
• Traditions in Conversation (3 credits)
• Modernity and Its Discontents (3 credits)
• Calculus I and II (4 credits each)
• Micro and Macroeconomics (3 credits each)
• Literary Experience (3 credits)
• Introduction to Philosophy (3 credits)

Schedules may be adjusted according to AP credits received.

Am I required to take a foreign language?
Although the school does not require students to take a foreign language, it is strongly encouraged. If a student has completed two years of a language in high school, credit for introductory courses in that language taken at the college level will not satisfy degree requirements. Students who choose the IB co-major must satisfy a language requirement.

When will I begin taking business courses?
VSB students begin taking business courses in their freshman year. During freshman year, students take Business Dynamics I and II, Information Technology, Microeconomics, and Macroeconomics. Calculus I and II are also freshman courses.

Can I study abroad?
Yes. VSB encourages all students to participate in an overseas experience during the summer, fall, or spring semester. The Office of International Studies assists students desiring to study in a foreign country. The IB co-major requires that students participate in an overseas experience. VSB students have studied in locations all over the world, including Australia, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, England, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Spain, and Switzerland.

Can I apply to the honors program?
Once at Villanova, current students may apply directly to the honors program after the completion of one semester. Additional information may be obtained on the Honors Program from the Clay Center or the Honors Program in St. Augustine Center, Room 103.  

Can I participate in an internship or CoOp?
All VSB students are encouraged to participate in at least one academic internship or CoOp during their college career. Internships provide opportunities for students to engage in professional business activities/settings on a part-time or full-time basis. VSB students are typically eligible to participate in an academic internship by the summer after their freshman year and earn three free elective credits for completion of an approved internship. VSB CoOps are designed as six-month, full-time, professional positions. All VSB students wishing to earn credit for an internship or CoOp must meet with the Clay Center Internship/CoOp Coordinator.

Degree Requirements

How many credits do I need to take to satisfy degree requirements?
All VSB majors require 123 credits.

I took Advanced Placement (AP) courses in high school. Can I get credit for these courses?
Students may receive credit for AP courses completed in high school provided that a score of 4 or 5 has been achieved in the College Board Advanced Placement Tests. No limit is placed on the number of AP credits awarded. Students are required to submit an original AP score report by the end of their freshman year.

I took a college course in high school. Can I receive credit for the course?
To earn Villanova credit for a college course taken while a high school student, the following must be submitted to the Clay Center at VSB by the end of the student's freshman year:

• An official letter from the high school principal or guidance counselor stating that credit was not counted toward high school graduation requirements;
• An official letter from the college or university stating that the courses were taught on its campus by a member of the regular faculty, open to enrollment by, and graded in competition with, regularly matriculated undergraduate students at the college, and a regular part of the normal curriculum published in the college course catalog. Courses must be taken at a four-year accredited institution and may not be taken in a distance learning format; and
• An official, seal-bearing transcript from the college or university.

While a student at Villanova, can I take courses at another institution during the summer?
Students may take non-business courses during the summer at another four-year accredited institution if they have at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA). Permission is required before enrolling, and there are some restrictions on the courses that may be approved. A grade of “C” or better (not “C-”) is required to receive transfer credit. Only credits, not grades are transferable.

Advising

Will I have an advisor?
All freshmen are assigned both a VSB Peer Counselor (usually a junior or senior) as well as a Clay Center Advisor. During orientation week, there will be an opportunity to meet with your Peer Counselor. Peer Counselors and Clay Center Advisors assist freshmen with social and academic transitions from high school to college, provide assistance in scheduling courses, and help with VSB-related questions. Once a student declares a major during their sophomore year, a faculty advisor in his/her major is assigned.

Am I required to meet with my Peer Counselor and Clay Center Advisor?
VSB Peer Counselors and Clay Center Advisors can be very helpful in selecting a major and/or minor, and in selecting courses at registration time. Each semester, prior to the university’s pre-registration period, students must meet with their Peer Counselor and/or Clay Center Advisor to discuss course scheduling and to receive their registration PIN for online registration. Students are responsible for meeting with their Peer Counselor and/or Clay Center Advisor to plan their program of study and for initiating other contact as needed. Students are also encouraged to meet with their Clay Center Advisor to discuss career-related issues.

Registration and Scheduling

How do I register for classes each semester?
The Office of the Registrar creates a fall semester class schedule for each incoming freshman. This schedule may be accessed through NOVASIS in mid-August. Pre-registration for the spring semester takes place in October. All freshmen are required to meet with their VSB Peer Counselor and/or their Clay Center Advisor to review the curriculum requirements and to receive their registration PIN. Using this PIN, students register online through NOVASIS at a designated time. New registration PINs are assigned each semester.

Can I change my schedule?
Incoming freshmen may change their schedules once they have met with their Peer Counselor or Clay Center Advisor during orientation. During the first five days of each semester, students may drop and add classes through NOVASIS. This is referred to as the drop/add period. Students may also fill out a drop/add form, available in the Clay Center at VSB. If a course is dropped before the end of the drop/add period (by 5:00 pm on day five of the semester) the course will not be part of a student’s permanent record, and will not appear on the student’s transcript.

What if I want to register for a course and the section is closed?
Students are not permitted to enroll in closed sections. In extenuating circumstances, an exception can be made by the chairperson of the academic area offering the course. Faculty members teaching the courses cannot make exceptions.

Can I withdraw from a class after these first five days (after the drop/add period)?
Students may withdraw from a class after the drop/add period. The last day for authorized withdrawal without academic penalty (WX period) is generally two days after the close of pre-registration for the forthcoming semester. The course, with a grade of “WX,” will appear on the student’s permanent record. However, this grade is not calculated into the student’s GPA. If a student withdraws from a course after the authorized deadline (an authorized withdrawal with academic penalty) a grade of “W” will be designated on a student’s permanent record. A grade of “W” is the equivalent of an “F” grade and is included in calculating a student’s GPA and technical GPA (based on business courses only). Withdrawal forms, available in the Clay Center at VSB, require the signature of the associate dean of undergraduate business programs.

Academic and Grading Policies

Does the school have an Academic Integrity Policy?
Inspired by the spirit of Saint Augustine, academic honesty and integrity lie at the heart of the values expressed in the university mission statement. Villanova has adopted a Code of Academic Integrity that applies to all students. The university does not tolerate any form of academic dishonesty or misconduct. Dishonesty (including plagiarism) in any assignment, test, or examination will result in zero points for the given assignment and is reported by the faculty member to the dean. In addition, the student will be expected to complete an academic integrity education program. A second offense will result in dismissal from the university with the reason noted on the student's official transcript.

What is the minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) I need to graduate?
Students need a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 and a minimum technical GPA of 2.0 to graduate (technical GPA is based on business courses only). The academic record of VSB students falling below a 2.0 GPA and/or 2.0 technical GPA in any semester will be reviewed by the school’s Academic Standing Committee for appropriate action, which may include being placed on academic probation or dismissal from the school.

Will I receive a hard grade report at the end of the semester?
No. Grade reports are not mailed to students at the end of each semester. Students may check their grades on-line through NOVASIS. Mid-term grades are also available through NOVASIS.

Does the school have an attendance policy?
Regular class attendance is expected of all students. Freshmen are required to be present regularly at all class sessions and will receive a grade of “Y” (failure) whenever the number of unexcused absences in a course exceeds twice the number of weekly class meetings for that course. Attendance policies for upperclassmen are determined by individual faculty members. Students should contact the Clay Center if they will miss class for an extended period due to extenuating circumstances.

Miscellaneous

As a business student, will I have access to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ)?
Yes. All VSB students have an account for the interactive edition of the WSJ. User names and passwords are sent via email from the WSJ to all enrolled students. Hard copies are also available at various locations throughout Bartley Hall and at the Connelly Center outside the Belle Air Terrace.

What if I need help with course work or writing a paper?
There are a number of VSB and university resources available. Gamma Phi Honor Society provides group and individual free academic support to VSB students. For more information on this service, please visit the Clay Center. The University Counseling Center, located in the Health Services Building, offers workshops on study skills, time management, and self-motivation. For the current schedule of offerings, contact the center at 610-519-4050 or visit www.studentlife.villanova.edu/counselingcenter.

Students are also encouraged to visit the Math Learning Resource Center (610-519-MLRC) and the Writing Center (610-519-4604). Both centers are located in Old Falvey.

Are there clubs and organizations specifically for business students?
Yes. There are many clubs and organizations that are sponsored by VSB. Some include:
• Accounting Society
• Association for Information Technology Professionals
• Economics Society
• Entrepreneurship Society
• Advertising Society
• Financial Management Association
• International Business Society
• Marketing Society
• Phi Beta Lambda
• Real Estate Society
• Retail Society
• Society for the Advancement of Management
• Villanova Women in Business

We encourage all students to get involved with groups that are of interest to them. Students should plan to attend the fall activities fair to learn more. Click here to learn more about VSB student societies.