This program is a planned interruption in a student’s formal educational program. It is designed for full-time or part-time students in good academic standing. Students are not required to register or maintain active status while on a leave of absence. The leave does not apply toward degree time limits. If approved, a student may go on leave for a minimum of one complete semester, and no more than two semesters during her undergraduate enrollment. A leave of absence in the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program is limited to one semester. Any exception would be approved by the MAT program director. Leaves will not be granted retroactively. Permission for a leave of absence requires the approval of the advisor and the Program Director for the student’s major program. The final decision for approving a LOA lies with the major or program in which the student is enrolled at the time of the application. Students should check with their major advisor or the Program Director BEFORE applying for the LOA to ascertain if their program allows students to apply for a LOA.
If courses are to be taken at another institution during the leave of absence, the student must consult the Vice President for Academic Affairs to secure permission for transient study, and provide the Registrar's office with transcripts upon her return. Students who take a leave of absence will be subject to the guidelines and requirements of the academic catalog under the year in which they were first admitted to the university. Physician Assistant Studies (PAS) students who take a leave of absence must follow the policies and procedures for deceleration related to the leave of absence defined in the PA program handbook.
To qualify, a student must satisfy the following criteria:
- Be registered during the Fall/Spring semester immediately prior to the beginning of the leave;
- Have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0—both at the time of application for leave and following the posting of grades for the semester immediately preceding the term of the requested leave of absence;
- Have her College of Saint Mary account paid in full, both at the time of leave application and following the posting of grades for the semester immediately preceding the term of the requested leave of absence;
- Apply for LOA at any time, but no later than two weeks after the beginning of the next regular term; and
- Have no pending disciplinary action.
The Leave of Absence Application is available under Forms on myCSM.