COVID-19 Entrance to Major Frequently Asked Questions

Updated on May 19, 2020

While the College of Engineering has attempted to address the most common impacts that the current crisis may have on a student’s ability to qualify for a COE major, we recognize that there may be other situations that are not accommodated by the elements presented on the COE COVID-19 ETM Accommodations page. You are encouraged to submit questions about individual ETM situations that are not clearly covered by the parameters listed here. These entries will be monitored by a team who will post the most up-to-date information on this page. In extremely unique scenarios, students will hear back from an academic adviser directly.

The questions are clustered by the three main elements of ETM requirements:

Additional categories of questions are:

Time to Qualify

Question: I am currently in PHYS 212 and have been conditionally approved for my COE major, but I am struggling because of the change to remote learning. If I get a D or an F in PHYS 212 this semester but I will go out of the credit window because of grades I choose to keep this semester, can I still qualify for the major I want?

Answer: If poor performance in the spring 2020 semester is the primary reason you do not qualify for the COE major you wish to pursue, the COE will grant you conditional approval into the major during your next PSU semester, provided you are enrolled in PHYS 212, have the required GPA at that time, and have completed the other ETM courses. Please make your request to be considered for a COE COVID-19 ETM exception using this portal.

Question: I am currently in MATH 140 but I’m worried that I won’t earn a C or higher this semester because of the shift to remote learning. If repeating MATH 140 next semester will put me out of the credit window before I can take MATH 250, can I still qualify for a COE major?

Answer: If your low grade in MATH 140 this semester is the primary reason you do not qualify for the COE major you wish to pursue; the College will approve an additional semester to meet the ETM requirements. You should repeat MATH 140 in FA20, then MATH 141 in SP21, and the COE will grant you conditional approval into the major during FA21 while enrolled in MATH 250, provided you have the required GPA at that time and have completed the other ETM courses.

Minimum Cumulative GPA

Question: I am finishing my last ETM course now and have been conditionally approved for a COE major. If my cumulative GPA drops below the minimum required, can I still stay in my COE major?

Answer: You should be able to select alternative grades for any spring 2020 course where the final grade would bring your cumulative GPA below the level required for your major. In cases where choosing alternative grading for one or more spring 2020 courses would mean the difference between meeting or not meeting ETM requirements for the COE major you wish to pursue, you can request a special review where the College will consider your ETM qualifications as if you had selected alternative grading. Please make your request to be considered for a COE COVID-19 ETM exception using this portal.

Question: I cannot select alternative grading due to circumstances outside of my control, but I have grades that will impact my cumulative GPA in a way that will prevent me from qualifying for the COE major I want. What can I do?

Answer: In cases where choosing alternative grading for one or more spring 2020 courses would mean the difference between meeting or not meeting ETM requirements for the COE major you wish to pursue, you can request a special review where the College will consider your ETM qualifications as if you had selected alternative grading. Please make your request to be considered for a COE COVID-19 ETM exception using this portal.

Question: I was in the credit window at the start of the spring 2020 semester, but my GPA was below the minimum for the COE major I want. I can reach the cumulative GPA for the major I want and still be in the credit window to qualify if I only keep a few of my best grades.  Is there a way for me to also keep more of the grades I earned this semester and still qualify for the major I want?

Answer: In cases where choosing alternative grading for one or more spring 2020 courses would mean the difference between meeting or not meeting ETM requirements for the COE major you wish to pursue, you can request a special review where the College will consider your ETM qualifications as if you had selected alternative grading. Please make your request to be considered for a COE COVID-19 ETM exception using this portal.

Question: I was already beyond the credit window at the start of the spring 2020 semester, but my GPA was below the minimum for the COE major I want. Can I use my grades this semester to raise my GPA to qualify for an enrollment-controlled COE major?

Answer: No. Since the FA19 cumulative GPA was set before Penn State moved to remote learning, there are no special accommodations being made for students who did not have the minimum GPA for the enrollment-controlled COE major they wish to pursue. If you are interested in an open major you can request an extension to qualify  through our regular process.

Six ETM Courses

Question: Can I use alternative grading for COE ETM courses?

Answer: Yes. If you finish the spring 2020 semester with a C or better in an ETM course and want to select alternative grading, COE will recognize the grade of SAT as fulfilling that ETM requirement.

Question: I have just completed PHYS 212 but earned a D or an F because of the change to remote learning. Can I still qualify for the major I want?

Answer: If poor performance in the spring 2020 semester is the primary reason you do not qualify for the COE major you wish to pursue, the COE will grant you conditional approval into the major during your next PSU semester, provided you are enrolled in PHYS 212, have the required GPA at that time, and have completed the other ETM courses. Please make your request to be considered for a COE COVID-19 ETM exception using this portal.

Question: If I need to repeat an ETM course from spring 2020, am I required to take it in the summer?

Answer: No, if you are eligible for an extra semester to qualify for a COE major, the College will not require you to take your remaining ETM course(s) during the summer. However, please be aware that if an ETM course is a pre-requisite for a major course, it may delay your degree completion. Please consult with your academic adviser.

Alternative Grading

Question: I cannot select alternative grading due to circumstances outside of my control, but I have grades that will impact my cumulative GPA in a way that will prevent me from qualifying for the COE major I want. What can I do?

Answer: In cases where choosing alternative grading for one or more spring 2020 courses would mean the difference between meeting or not meeting ETM requirements for the COE major you wish to pursue, you can request a special review where the College will consider your ETM qualifications as if you had selected alternative grading.  Please make your request to be considered for a COE COVID-19 ETM exception using this portal.

Question: If I select alternative grading, will those credits count toward the ETM credit window?

Answer: No, when a student chooses to use alternative grading, those credits being converted to SAT, V, or Z will not be included in the ETM credit window for COE majors.

Other

Question: I have been fully accepted into my major this semester to begin as a junior in Fall 2020. Is there anything else I need to do at this time?

Answer: No, you do not need accommodation for ETM if you have already been accepted. SAT grades will meet pre-requisite and degree requirements, and V grades will meet pre-requisite and degree requirements that do not require a C or better. If you are concerned about your GPA, you can choose to use alternative grading for any course you feel would negatively impact your GPA.

Question: I have been fully accepted into my major this semester to begin as a junior in Fall 2020. Is there anything else I need to do at this time?

Answer: No, you do not need accommodation for ETM if you have already been accepted. SAT grades will meet pre-requisite and degree requirements, and V grades will meet pre-requisite and degree requirements that do not require a C or better. If you are concerned about your GPA, you can choose to use alternative grading for any course you feel would negatively impact your GPA.

 


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About

The Engineering Advising Center (EAC) serves as the academic advising resource for students in pre-major status (ENGR) at University Park. Once students have been admitted to a College of Engineering major, they will be assigned to a faculty adviser in that major.

Engineering Advising Center

208 Hammond Building

The Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA 16802

Phone: 814-863-1033