Course Policies for the Fisch College of Pharmacy
Cancellation of Courses
The FCOP reserves the right to cancel a scheduled course upon evidence of inadequate enrollment.
Adding/Dropping Courses
The FCOP follows the UT Tyler requirements for adding and dropping courses. Students are encouraged to talk with their faculty advisor prior to adding or dropping coursework.
A student who is placed on either Academic Watch or Academic Probation is not permitted to withdraw or drop pharmacy classes unless approved to do so by the Professional and Academic Standards Committee (PASC) in conjunction with the Office of Academic Affairs and the student’s academic advisor.
Auditing Courses
FCOP students may audit other pharmacy courses if approved by the FCOP Office of Academic Affairs. The process for Pharm.D. students to audit courses follows the same procedures and carries the same audit fees described in the Graduate School Policies. Students are financially responsible for any audit fees associated with these courses.
UT Tyler undergraduates and graduate students may not audit courses offered within the FCOP.
General Attendance and Availability
FCOP students must reserve 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each weekday during the academic year for courses and FCOP events. Comprehensive Assessments may require additional availability. Experiential coursework may require additional availability (see the FCOP Experiential Education Manual). Specific courses and FCOP events may be scheduled in the evenings and on weekends. These events will be communicated to FCOP students and/or posted in the course syllabi.
Course Attendance
Given the importance of classroom discussion to successful learning in the class, classroom absences will only be excused under exceptional circumstances. In such cases, students are required to make every reasonable effort to notify the course coordinator in advance. Of note: The attendance policy for the pharmacy practice experiences is outlined in the FCOP Experiential Education Manual.
In-Person vs. Virtual Class Attendance
It is expected that all students attend courses in-person unless the course has specific allowances for online attendance (i.e. hybrid classes or fully online classes). The FCOP Office of Academic Affairs may approved a short period (e.g. 2 weeks) of virtual attendance in non-experiential courses on a case-by-case basis.
Course Attendance for Didactic Courses
Late Arrival: Students who enter the class late may receive a score of zero (0) in assignments and/or participation points. A student may be given credit for classroom participation and contribution if they arrive late and the late arrival was due to circumstances beyond the student’s control. In all cases, the decision of the course coordinator with input from the instructor for the day is final.
Known Excused Absence: A student may request an excused absence from class/pharmacy practice experiences for known personal, compassionate, professional, or health-related reasons. Known excused absence requests are initiated in writing to the course coordinator. Students will be required to present appropriate documentation to support a request for a known excused absence. The decision to grant a known excused absence is at the discretion of the course coordinator and is final.
Unexpected Excused Absence: In the event of unexpected circumstances, students are responsible for submitting a request to the course coordinator requesting the unexpected absence be considered excused within three (3) days of the absence. Students will be required to present appropriate documentation to support a request for an unexpected excused absence. The decision to grant an unexpected excused absence is at the discretion of the course coordinator and is final.
Unexcused Absence: Students will receive a score of zero (0) for all missed assignments or projects.
For all types of absences: The course coordinator(s) in conjunction with instructors will determine if a student’s absence results in the need for the completion of additional/supplemental work to satisfy course requirements. No make-up assignments or exams will be given outside the attendance and make-up policy outlined in the syllabus. Students will receive a score of zero (0) for assignments not completed within the time frame established by the course coordinator, generally not more than five (5) days, including weekends.
In the event that a student’s total number of contact hours missed from class due to known excused absences, unexpected excused absences, and unexcused absences (combined) exceeds 20% of the total course contact hours, the student will be withdrawn from the course, and the student will receive a final course grade of “W”. Application of this policy will be done in consideration with other UT Tyler policies and procedures. Withdrawal from classes may affect student’s financial aid eligibility, veteran's benefits, athletic eligibility, housing, or international student status. If a student is withdrawn from the course, he/she should consult with the respective department regarding his/her eligibility for those benefits or status. NOTE: 1 credit hour = 15 contact hours
Course Attendance for Experiential Courses
Attendance requirements for pharmacy practice experiences are outlined in the FCOP Experiential Education Manual.
Excused Absence for Religious Holy Days
Please see the Excused Absence for Religious Holy Days in the Graduate School section of this catalog.
Excused Absence for Active Military Service
Please see the Excused Absence for Active Military Service in the Graduate School section of this catalog.
Inclement Weather
University closure due to Inclement Weather will be posted on the main UT Tyler web page. The FCOP IPPE and APPE experiential sites may or may not be closed, therefore the university inclement weather closures do not apply to experiential rotations. Additional information on inclement weather and experiential courses is provided in the FCOP Experiential Education Manual.
Course and Instructor Evaluations
As a component institution of The University of Texas System, UT Tyler is committed to maintaining a standard of excellence in all its programs, departments and colleges. A program for course and instructor evaluation is integral to the assessment and improvement of the college’s educational function.
Student course and instructor evaluations are conducted online every session and/or semester as required by the policies and procedures of UT Tyler. The Office of the Director of Institutional Analysis coordinates course and instructor evaluations conducted through myUTTyler. The University has a required set of questions that are asked about every class at the University. Faculty have the right to ask additional questions separate from the University’s required questions that may provide additional information the instructor finds more useful for improvement of their own course.