Learner Success Guidelines

Successful Learning within a Term

If you receive a C grade or below on an assessment or assignment during the term, you may have an opportunity to complete additional learning activities to gain a better understanding of the content (i.e., content reinforcement) or improve your skills. The specific guidelines and procedures for each course will be available in the course syllabus. If you successfully complete the additional learning activities required by the course director, your grade on that assessment or assignment will be raised. Your score will not increase by more than one letter grade (i.e., any F score up to no more than 60%, any D score up to no more than 70%, any C score up to no more than 80%). If you are not able to complete the additional activities successfully, your original assessment grade will stand.

Learner Success after a Final Grade

If you receive a final course grade of C or below, an Academic & Professionalism Review Committee (APRC) will be convened. This committee will include your course director, faculty advisor, the student affairs coordinator, and the program directors.

If this grade brings your GPA at either university to below a 3.0, you will be placed on academic notice for the following term. Whether or not you are placed on academic notice, the APRC will meet with you to discuss the situation and collaborate with you to develop a Learner Success Plan to support your competency in the required skills and content and your progression in the program. The success plan which you and the APRC create will include a set of expectations designed to provide additional learning opportunities and any additional supports you may need. Although the course grade will stand on your transcript, you will have the opportunity to continue strengthening your understanding of the content and moving towards success in the program.

Academic and Professional Review Committee

You will be asked to meet with an Academic and Professional Review Committee (APRC):

  • If you receive a final course grade of C or lower in one or more courses in a term.
  • If, at the end of a term, you have a pattern of documented unprofessional behavior.
  • If, at the end of a term, your GPA falls below at 3.0 at either University.
  • On an ad hoc basis if there is a serious incident which requires intervention as soon as possible.

The purpose of the meeting will be to reflect on your learning, discuss concerns that you or your course faculty have, review the program’s professionalism and/or didactic expectations, connect you with resources, and create a success plan together. 

Learner Success Plan

Your Learner Success Plan must be completed by the end of the following term, and may include:

  • Dates for completion of expectations and expected meetings with your faculty advisor
  • Assessment/assignment methods and grading criteria
  • A reminder of campus resources available to you (available resources may include Student Disability Services, Learning Resource Services, or Student Mental Health and Counseling services)
  • Recommended supports and strategies for success (e.g., meet with course director, group study, exam review, role plays)
  • Potential requirement to repeat the course if you received a D or lower final grade

If you decide to take a leave of absence (LOA), you will receive email instructions on how to initiate the leave at both institutions. Once you are readmitted to the program, your Learner Success Plan will go into effect, and you will be expected to meet with your faculty advisor to review the plan within one month of your return.

Meeting Logistics/Interactive Process

  • Timing: you will receive an invitation to meet no more than two weeks from the beginning of the new quarter (or within two weeks of a major incident or concern)
  • Meeting agenda: 15-20 minutes to discuss reflection and challenges; 25-30 minutes to develop success plan together; if there are still decisions which need to be finalized, that will be communicated to you
  • Attendees: learner, program directors, student affairs coordinator, learner’s faculty advisor, course director/instructor(s)
  • Follow-up: you will receive a letter on behalf of committee summarizing the meeting and laying out the success plan you all developed; they will request that you respond by a specific date if you have any major concerns for the committee to consider; if you respond, the committee will consider your suggestions and send you a finalized plan with or without changes. The committee’s decision will be final
  • Touchpoints: throughout following quarter, assignments or meetings to fulfill plan expectations
  • End of following quarter: determination of success = removal of academic notice or APRC recalled and may consider dismissal

Academic Notice

Academic notice* is a period during which a learner is provided the opportunity to improve performance that does not meet academic and/or professional standards. If you are placed on academic notice, you will be notified in writing and asked to meet with an Academic and Professional Review Committee (APRC) to develop a Learner Success Plan. Student Financial Services will be notified, as your eligibility may be impacted if the notice is not resolved by the end of the following quarter.

Being on academic notice may entail:

  • An expectation of ongoing meetings with and/or reporting to faculty and advisors to support you in achieving the expectations in your success plan.
  • Restricted enrollment in elective courses.
  • Not being able to participate in a clinical experience if there is one scheduled in the following term.
  • Preclusion of participation in leadership roles and co-curricular activities.

Academic notice will be removed the following term if you have met all of the expectations of your learner success plan, and you will receive confirmation of this via email.

*(adapted from SOP Academic Notice policies: https://pharm.ucsf.edu/current/policies/academic-standing-probation-dismissal#probation)

Grounds for Dismissal

There may be occasions when, through thoughtful consideration, continuing in the DPT program is not possible. An Academic and Professional Review Committee (APRC) and/or program leadership may determine that a learner is subject to dismissal for:

  1. Not meeting the expectations of their Learner Success Plan.
  2. Being placed on academic notice more than two terms throughout the program.
  3. Any unprofessional behavior/incident that is so egregious that a Learner Success Plan is not suitable.
  4. Receiving a final grade less than B on the second attempt of any course which had been required to be retaken.
  5. Receiving a final grade of NC or U on the second attempt of any full-time clinical experience or failing two of the three full-time clinical experiences.
  6. Failure to achieve a satisfactory score by their third attempt on any of the three Qualifying Assessment exams.

In-Depth Review and Dismissal

If a learner is determined to be eligible for dismissal, they will receive formal notice that they will be referred to a committee charged with an in-depth review of academic performance and consideration of dismissal. This in-depth review committee will be appointed by the Program Directors and will include faculty who are knowledgeable about the academic program and learner performance standards, and may include academic officers of either institution.

For information regarding the fair and timely resolution of academic dismissals, including procedures for student grievances, please see Appendix VII of the UCSF Academic Senate’s procedures and the informal concerns and complaints process as outlined in the SFSU Student Concerns and Complaints.