UBIS Policies

Privacy Policy

As required by local and federal laws, the UBIS maintains records relating to students for various academic purposes. Information as defined by UBIS (which includes name, dates of attendance, enrollment status, awards, honors, and degrees conferred) may not be released without the enrolled student’s written permission. UBIS will not disclose any information from a student’s educational record, except to personnel within the institution, without the written consent of the student.

Students who need to discuss their academic status in regard to compliance with UBIS’s academic requirements, or who want to discuss a grievance or any other concerns relating to academic issues can make an appointment to see the Dean.

Academic Freedom

UBIS, as an institution of higher learning, upholds a policy of academic freedom. Instructors are free to explore whatever research topics are of interest to them, including controversial and unpopular ideas, as directed by their scholarship, research, and objectivity, without regard to the opinions of the staff, administrators, institutional benefactors, community leaders, politicians, or churchmen. The academic leadership at UBIS likewise asserts the view that academic freedom fosters creativity and excitement in the learning process, attracting excellent faculty from around the world who ardently want to teach, and serious students who want to learn. The academic leadership at UBIS reserves the right to set minimum standards for curricular content, the use of learning outcomes measurements, and course work performance requirements.

Grading Policy

Grading Procedure: UBIS’ grading system is based on the standard American 4.0 grading system. Course grades are issued for each course. Evaluation of student work is identified as grading criteria and weighted appropriately in the determination of a final course grade as in the American grading system.

Transfer Credit Policy

UBIS shall accept college-level credits earned at colleges and universities with good academic standing. Students who apply for admission and submit official transcripts may have coursework evaluated for transfer of credit after having attended other post-secondary institutions. Transfer credit shall be awarded based on the applicability of the credit toward satisfying UBIS degree requirements for the student’s declared major. All credit accepted will be recorded as part of a student’s permanent academic history and will not be removed.

The age of transfer credit may affect course content equivalencies and fulfillment of specific degree requirements (i.e. computer classes).

No time limit applies to General Education courses
Limit of 10 years applies to Masters and Bachelors core courses. Exceptions granted at the discretion of the Chief Academic Officer or Academic Dean

Transferring undergraduate level credits will only be accepted from courses in which the student has achieved a ‘C’ or better. All transfer credits must be relevant to the coursework at UBIS. The age of transfer credit may affect course content equivalencies and fulfillment of specific degree requirements (i.e. computer classes).

Undergraduate students will be allowed a maximum of 90 US / 180 ECTS transfer credits from similar studies. UBIS will accept general education transfer of an associate program if the student has graduated from a recognized accredited two-year school.

UBIS candidates for the Master’s Degree can transfer up to 6 credits of towards a 36-credit master’s degree or 9 credits towards a 45-credit masters degree program through transfer credit. The courses accepted for transfer credit must be relevant to the program of study and equivalent in both content and degree level. Transfer credits are accepted from courses in which the student achieved a ‘B’ or better.

UBIS candidates for the Doctorate Degree can transfer a maximum of 9 US / 18 ECTS credits for courses that are relevant to the program of study and equivalent in both content and degree level to waive (including credit for work experience) of doctoral coursework taken at other universities. Transfer credits are allowed for courses with a minimum grade of ‘B’ from institutions with good academic standing.

No transfer credit credits will be accepted for Microdegrees, Nanodegrees, or Picodegrees.

If you are seeking information regarding using World Education Services (WES) credential evaluation, please go here – https://ubisglobal.com/wes/

Acceptance of transfer credit is always a decision of receiving institutions. UBIS does not guarantee transferability. Any student interested in transferring UBIS credit to another university should check directly with the receiving institution.

To ensure that prospective students are fairly and consistently awarded TC, UBIS will reference international grade equivalency standards specific to country or region to evaluate international transfer credit.

The UBIS Vice President of Academics and Chief Academic Officer shall oversee the establishment of transfer policies and transfer articulation agreements with colleges and universities. The Registrar’s Office shall determine transfer course equivalencies according to UBIS’ procedures and as directed by academic leadership. As the receiving institution, UBIS shall determine the transferability of credits earned from other educational institutions or organizations.

Graduation Requirements

University diplomas and certificates are issued to students who have completed all program requirements, are in good academic and financial standing, and whose credential has been officially conferred. At the end of every term, the Registrar will coordinate a multi-departmental review to approval and issue diplomas and certificates. All deadlines for degree candidacy must be strictly observed. Following credential conferral, the University will issue one diploma or certificate. The date documented on the diploma will reflect the last day of the month in which all program requirements were completed and applied. The date documented on the certificate will reflect the date on which all program requirements were completed and applied.

Undergraduate

Degrees are awarded to undergraduates who have reached the following criteria:

the satisfactory completion of a designated study program for the degree as specified by the administration of the University and in compliance with all admission requirements.
the successful maintenance of a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 equivalent to the grade of C.
a passing grade for the Capstone project.
assurance that all financial obligations to the University have been met.
the successful completion of a minimum of 120 US / 240 ECTS credits for the US Bachelor’s degree (minus waivers, transfer credits, and/or work experience credits granted to executive students).
payment of a graduation fee (please refer to the UBIS Brochure for this fee); and
assurance that all other obligations to the University have been met; (i.e. returning books and other materials).

Graduate

Degrees are awarded to graduates who have reached the following criteria:

the satisfactory completion of a designated program of study for the degree as specified by the administration of the University and in compliance with all admission requirements.
the successful maintenance of a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 equivalent.
the successful completion of a research thesis project.
the successful completion of 45 US / 90 ECTS credits (minus waivers or transfer credits).
assurance that all financial obligations to the University have been met; and
payment of a graduation fee (please refer to the UBIS Catalog for this fee).
assurance that all other obligations to the University have been met; (i.e. returning books and other materials).

Doctorate

Degrees are awarded to graduates who have reached the following criteria:

the satisfactory completion of a designated program of study for the degree as specified by the administration of the University and in compliance with all admission requirements.
the successful completion of a dissertation and defense.
the successful completion of 60 US / 120 ECTS credits (minus waivers or transfer credits).
assurance that all financial obligations to the University have been met; and
payment of a graduation fee (please refer to the UBIS Brochure for this fee).
assurance that all other obligations to the University have been met; (i.e. returning books and other materials).

Grievance Policy

Student Grievance Procedures
UBIS carefully considers student grievances and adjusts when appropriate. Students submitting a grievance are not subject to unfair action or treatment because of their initiation of such a grievance. It is UBIS’s objective to maintain good communications and to assure that concerns of all members of UBIS community (students, staff, and faculty) are addressed fairly. To accomplish this, the following process should be used in seeking resolution of a student’s concerns:

Step 1: Discuss with course instructor (if appropriate)
Step 2: Discuss with Student Services Representative, who will neutrally and impartially assist students in solving problems and resolving complaints
Step 3: If necessary, submit a written appeal to the Academic Dean or designee. After the second step, a grievance must be submitted in writing to the Academic Dean or designee by the end of the academic session following the session in which the action being appealed occurred. If the grievance is not satisfactorily resolved, it will be then taken to the Director. When a final decision has been reached, the Academic Dean or designee notifies all relevant parties in writing. If a grade change or other record revision is required, the Academic Dean or designee notifies the Registrar. The Registrar makes appropriate change(s) to the student’s records. The decision of the Academic Dean or designee is final. If all available channels fail to resolve the complaint, UBIS will seek an independent, outside party (an Ombudsperson) to mediate the grievance.
Step 4: Students who are not satisfied with the outcomes of UBIS’s internal complaint process, can submit a complaint the Higher Education Licensure Commission 1050 First St. NE, Washington, DC 20002. (202) 727-6436. Students will be asked to provide contact information for themselves and the institution, dates of attendance, a full description of the problem, relevant documents to support the complaint and the desired outcome. Complaints filed with HELC are made available to UBIS, so that the University may file a response to the allegations. Investigation and resolution of complaints take varying amounts of time.

Withdrawal Policies

Withdrawal from UBIS

Students shall have the option to withdraw from the school at any time by giving notice of their intent to terminate enrollment in writing by completing Student Status Change Request Form which can be obtained from Student Services or the Registrar’s Office. In the absence of the student giving written notification, UBIS reserves the right to dismiss or terminate any student at any time for unsatisfactory academic performance, violation of the Student Code of Conduct, unpaid fees, or other reasons at the discretion of the university administration, Dean, or Chair. In such cases, UBIS will notify the student in writing, a degree will not be awarded to the student, and, as appropriate, the participant’s sponsor, partner, or education specialist will be notified. For students on a student visa at their campus of study, dismissal from UBIS will invalidate the student’s visa and immigration authorities will be informed. Except in unusual instances, the date of determination that the student withdrew should be no later than 14 days after the student’s last date of participation as determined by the institution from its records. If a student provides notification to the school of his or her withdrawal prior to the date that the school normally would determine that the student withdrew, the date of determination is the date of the student’s notification.

Withdrawal from a Course

If a student wishes to withdraw from a course in a term, the student must complete a Student Status Change Request Form which can be obtained from Student Services or the Registrar’s Office, please see UBIS Refund Policy for financial obligations.

Administrative Course Withdrawals

If a student fails to participate in a course in excess of 7 days, the university reserves the right to administratively drop a student for non-participation at the discretion of the Dean or Chair. Please refer to the Course Participation Policy.

Refund Policy

If an application for enrollment is rejected by UBIS, all monies paid to UBIS other than the application fee will be refunded.

An applicant who provides written notice of cancellation within three days of signing an enrollment agreement or making their initial payment, whichever is the latest act to occur, is entitled to a refund of all monies paid except the application fee. No later than 30 days after receiving the notice of cancellation, the school shall provide a refund due.

If a student withdraws from UBIS and/or a course during a term, tuition for any current course is refunded based on the following schedule minus application fee and any nonrefundable fees.

Term Length 8 weeks

Week 1 – 80%

Week 2 – 60%

Week 3 – 40 %

Week 4 – 20%

Week 5 – 0%

Week 6 – 0%

Week 7 – 0%

Week 8 – 0%

Academic Integrity & Ethics Policy

UBIS requires all students to be honest in their academic work and assignments. Academic dishonesty is viewed as an ethical issue and a serious violation of the principles expressed in UBIS’s mission statement. Academic dishonesty defrauds everyone who depends upon the integrity of UBIS, its courses, and its degrees.

UBIS is committed to observing strict rules regarding student integrity. As such, UBIS will not tolerate plagiarism or any other form of cheating. Students who are caught cheating or plagiarizing will be reported to the Dean’s office. The report will go into the student’s academic records. The first instance will result in an official warning from the Dean’s office. The second instance will be cause for dismissal from the course. Three instances of cheating or plagiarism (in different courses) will result in dismissal from UBIS.

Academic dishonesty may take many forms, and each is considered an equally serious offense. The more common forms of academic dishonesty are:

Cheating – Cheating includes the intentional giving or receiving (or attempts thereof) of any assistance not authorized in advance by an instructor, including the use of notes, copying or prior knowledge of examination materials.
Fabrication – Fabrication includes the intentional falsification or invention of any information for inclusion in a written paper or project.
Plagiarism – Plagiarism includes the intentional use or representation of the thoughts, ideas, or words of another as one’s own work in any assignment including the paraphrasing of information, the duplication of an author’s words or ideas without identifying the source, and the failure to cite quoted material properly.
Duplication of Materials – Academic integrity extends to the appropriate duplication of the materials of others that are under copyright protection. Faculty and students are required to comply with all copyright restrictions in the use of materials within the classroom and in reports and presentations.

Students, faculty, and staff must also be cognizant of and avoid copyright infringement. Copyright infringement is using someone else’s ideas or material, which may include a song, a video, a movie clip, a piece of visual art, a photograph, and other creative works, without authorization or compensation, if compensation is appropriate. The use of copyright material without permission is against federal law, and penalties may include fines and/or imprisonment.

Because of expanded availability of digitized files and computing, peer-to-peer file sharing has become commonplace. UBIS requires students to respect local laws regarding copyrighted material and file sharing networks. In addition, UBIS reserves the right to revoke the Information Technology privileges of those using or contributing to illegal activity as defined by local laws.

The concept of “Fair Use” applies, and the limited reproduction of copyrighted works for teaching and research purposes may be permitted. Multiple copies for classroom use may be produced provided the copies are not sold or distributed beyond classroom use and provided such duplication is specifically for a direct educational purpose. This statement does not restrict the limited duplication of copyrighted materials through the University’s purchased online databases. Should questions exist regarding the duplication of materials, academic advice should be sought before materials are copied.

Faculty and students may face civil or criminal charges if they are found to be contributing to illegal activity as defined by local laws.

While intent is a component of academic dishonesty, a lack of knowledge of the specifics as to what constitutes a violation of UBIS’s standards is not accepted as an excuse. Any questions regarding the specific application of the Academic Integrity Policy should be directed to an instructor.

In cases involving charges of academic dishonesty made either by an instructor or another student, the instructor shall present the evidence in the case to the Academic Dean, or designee, as appropriate. If there is any sound reason for believing that there has been an act of academic dishonesty, the Academic Dean or designee consults with the student involved. The Academic Dean or designee imposes the appropriate penalty and notifies the student in writing. The student, in writing, will acknowledge the penalty. At a minimum, a grade of “F” is assigned to any assignment, paper, or test on which a violation of the Academic Integrity Policy has occurred. Repeated violations may result in the student being dismissed from the institution.

Student Code of Conduct

UBIS requires all students to be honest in their academic work and assignments. Academic dishonesty is viewed as an ethical issue and a serious violation of the principles expressed in the University’s mission statement. Academic dishonesty defrauds everyone who depends upon the integrity of the University, its courses, and its degrees.