From time to time, it may be necessary for a student to repeat a class. It is important for student veterans to understand both Wayne State University policy regarding retaken classes, as well as related DVA policies.

WSU policy regarding retaken classes

If an undergraduate student repeats a course and completes it with a grade of A, A-minus, ANC, B-plus, B, B-minus, BNC, C-plus, C, C- minus, CNC, D-plus, D, D-minus, or F, the following rules will apply in posting the student's cumulative record:

1. No student shall attempt to take a class more than four (4) times (for a definition of "attempt," see 5, below).
2. If a student anticipates an attempt to take a class for the third (3rd) time, he/she must meet with an academic advisor to receive permission for this attempt.
3. If a student anticipates an attempt to take a class for the fourth (4th) time, he/she must obtain written permission from the chair (or his/her designee) of the department offering the course and the chair (or his/her designee) of the student's home department.
4. When a course is repeated, credit is only granted once. The last grade and credit hours for a repeated course are used in computing a student's grade point average and for awarding credit hours applicable for a degree even if lower than the previous grade. However, a grade of WP (Withdrawal/Passing, no credit) or WF (Withdrawal/Failure, no credit) or I (Incomplete, no credit) will not replace a previous grade or credit hours for a course. All attempts to take a course will be recorded on a student's transcript, whatever the last grade and credit hours awarded may be.
5. Withdrawals, incompletes, as well as courses repeated in an effort to earn higher grades will count as attempts. If a student drops the class before a W would appear on the transcript, this is not counted as an attempt, i.e. the student does a drop or a drop/add to another course. If tuition has been assessed and the time for refunding tuition has passed but the time for having a W appear on the transcript has not, the tuition will not be refunded, but the registration will not count towards the allowed attempts.
6. Any student who has repeated three different courses must meet with an academic advisor for permission to repeat another course.
7. There shall be an appeals process to the dean's office of the colleges offering the course and the student's home department.

After a degree has been granted, no grade computed in that degree may be changed.

If a post-bachelor status student repeats a course originally taken under regular undergraduate status, the repeat will in no way modify the earlier attempt. The second election, however, will be averaged in the grade point base.

Mike Ilitch School of Business: No course in which a student has received a passing grade or mark may be retaken without the prior written approval of the Director of Student Services of the Mike Ilitch School of Business.

College of Engineering: No course may be retaken without the prior written approval of the respective department's Graduate Program Chairperson and the Associate Dean of Engineering for Graduate Studies. Students may not retake any course in which a grade of 'A' or 'B' was received.

Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences: No course may be retaken without the consent of the advisor(s) delegated for each professional curriculum.

DVA policy on repeated courses

The DVA will pay for repeated classes only under certain conditions. In order for the DVA to pay VA educational assistance for a repeated course, the course must be computed in the graduation requirements of the school, unless there are mitigating circumstances. Under DVA rules, whenever a punitive grade is either removed from a student's transcript or if no longer computed in his or her grade point average, that grade is considered a non-punitive grade.

In those instances where it is the established published policy of an educational institution to replace a prior punitive grade with a credible passing following a successful repetition of a course, if otherwise in order, created based upon the assignment of the non-punitive grade. This applies only to courses required for graduation which a student may have passed, but did not achieve a minimum acceptable grade (e.g. in some programs students must earn a grade of C or better in all courses in their major.)

Payment of educational assistance by the DVA may be authorized, if repetition of the course is specifically required by the institution for attainment of the student's approved program objective, and if overall satisfactory progress standards are met. There is no limit on the number of times an eligible person may repeat a course for which a failing grade (or a grade which does not meet the minimum requirements for graduation) was received as long as the grade assigned to the repeated course at the end of the term is punitive. The school, however, must report the student's unsatisfactory progress at such time as s/he no longer meets the school's standards of academic progress. There is no distinction between the criteria of repeating courses for non college degree (NCD) and degree (IHL) courses.

Electives are considered to be courses which are required for graduation as long as they do not exceed the minimum number of credit hours required for graduation. Electives for which a failing grade (or a grade unacceptable for graduation) has been assigned may be repeated until a passing or acceptable grade is received as long as each grade is punitive when it is originally assigned. If the student does not need additional electives to meet his or her degree requirements, but chooses to repeat an elective, the DVA will not authorize payment unless the repetition takes place during his or her final term and is merely taken to round out the program to full time.

Repeating a course for which an unacceptable grade has been assigned should not be confused with taking additional courses to remove a deficiency in the grade point average which is preventing the student from graduating. When additional subjects beyond those generally required for a degree are needed in order to overcome a grade point average deficiency, the additional subjects may be approved, but a statement is required from the school certifying official that:

• the courses are being taken for the purpose of removing the grade point average deficiency, AND
• no course previously taken for which credit has been granted is being repeated, unless repetition of that particular course is required for continuation in the approved program, AND
• the student's progress is satisfactory under the school's standards.