Retaking Courses: WSU Policy and DVA Guidelines

WSU Policy on Retaking Classes

Students may need to repeat a course at some point. It is important to understand both Wayne State University (WSU) policy and related Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) policies regarding repeated courses.

1. Limits on Attempts:

   • No student may attempt a course more than four times.
   • If a student plans to attempt a course for the third time, they must meet with an academic advisor for permission.
   • If a student plans to attempt a course for the fourth time, written permission is required from both the department offering the course and the student's home department.

2. Grade and Credit Policies:

   • When a course is repeated, credit is only granted once. The most recent grade and credit hours are used to calculate the GPA, even if the grade is lower than previous attempts.
   • Grades of WP (Withdrawal/Passing), WF (Withdrawal/Failure), or I (Incomplete) do not replace previous grades. All attempts will be recorded on the transcript.
   • Withdrawals, incompletes, and repeated attempts to improve grades count as attempts. However, if a student drops a class before a W appears on the transcript, it does not count as an attempt.

3. Approval for Repeated Courses:

   • Mike Ilitch School of Business: No course with a passing grade may be retaken without written approval from the Director of Student Services.
   • College of Engineering: Courses cannot be retaken without prior approval from the Graduate Program Chairperson and the Associate Dean of Engineering for Graduate Studies. Courses with an "A" or "B" grade cannot be retaken.
   • Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences: Courses must have approval from the designated advisor(s) for each professional curriculum.

DVA Policy on Repeated Courses

The DVA will cover repeated courses under certain conditions. To receive VA Educational Assistance for a repeated course, the course must count toward the student’s graduation requirements, unless there are mitigating circumstances.

1. Non-Punitive Grades:

   • If a punitive grade is removed or no longer affects the GPA, it is considered non-punitive. This applies when a student repeats a course they passed but did not achieve the minimum acceptable grade.

2. Conditions for Payment:

   • The DVA may authorize payment for a repeated course if it is required for graduation and if overall satisfactory academic progress standards are met.
   • There is no limit on the number of times a student may repeat a course for which they received a failing grade, provided the grade at the end of the term is punitive.
   • Elective courses may be repeated until a passing grade is earned, but the DVA will only pay for a repeated elective in the final term if it is necessary to complete the program.

3. Repeating Courses for GPA Deficiency:

   • Additional courses to improve the GPA may be approved, but a statement from the school certifying official is required. The courses must be taken to improve the GPA deficiency, not to repeat a previously passed course, unless required for continuation in the program.