1. Undergraduates may take graduate courses, provided they meet the standards set down by each college: e.g., senior standing (in terms of credits, not in terms of years at Villanova), grade point average, and appropriate permissions (advisor, dean, chair, course instructor). The College of Nursing may exempt certain students from the “senior standing” requirement for a limited number of courses that juniors may take. Colleges are urged to compile a list of graduate courses that may and may not be taken, and this list should be available to students upon request. Colleges will ensure that proper advising is provided to undergraduate students with respect to taking graduate courses.

2. Undergraduates may take a maximum of two graduate courses in any semester. If an undergraduate takes a graduate class, in that semester s/he is limited to taking a maximum of 16 credit-hours of work. The deans of the individual college approval procedures may impose more restrictive limits if that is deemed necessary. In the Colleges of Nursing and Engineering, because of scheduling needs, students may, with permission, slightly exceed the 16 hour limit.

3. Up to nine hours or nine credits of graduate courses taken by undergraduates may double count – both for the bachelor’s degree and for the master’s degree, whether or not a student is formally enrolled in a five year bachelor’s-master’s program*.  Any additional graduate courses taken while an undergraduate will count toward the undergraduate requirements and be included in the student’s undergraduate record, but it will not be allowed to “transfer” or count toward a subsequent graduate degree.

*In light of its 36 hour master’s degree requirement, the Department of Theology and Religious Studies may, with the permission of the Dean of Graduate Studies, allow up to twelve credits to double count. 

Approved at Council of Deans 3/10/10

Amended by VPAA 4/8/10