Academic Requirements

Students are responsible for following the program requirements for their respective major, pattern of attendance, and graduation year. Students are responsible for monitoring their own progress through the curriculum by registering for the courses stipulated by their curriculum plan, abiding by course prerequisites, regularly checking their degree audits, and knowing the consequences for unsatisfactory academic progress. Any exceptions to a student's curriculum plan will be determined by protocols established by the program, after consultation with the student's academic advisor.

The minimum passing grade for a course within a curriculum is stipulated in the program requirements published in this catalog. The minimum passing grade required for certain NUpath writing-intensive courses is established by the university and can be viewed here.  For a course where the minimum passing grade is not established in the program requirements published in this catalog, the university's minimum passing grade for the course will be accepted.

Please see each major/program’s requirements page in this catalog for progression requirements specific to that program.

Undergraduate Student Academic Petitions

Students must submit petitions to relevant offices on campus to request any of the following:

Collegewide Academic Probation Procedure

Academic standing is determined at the conclusion of every term, and students on academic probation are notified via email.

Students on probation are required to meet with their advisor before the end of week 2 of their probationary semester to complete an Academic Probation Contract. 

Once the contract is completed and signed, students are required to submit it to both their program and their Student Services designee, no later than the end of week 3 of the probationary term. Failure to submit an Academic Probation Contract in a timely manner may result in dismissal from the college.

The program will review the student’s contract and provide any additional feedback or recommendations for the student and return a signed copy to the student.

Advisors will meet with students on academic probation throughout the semester to benchmark progress and assess compliance with the contract during weeks 4, 10, and 12. 

A review of the student’s progress will occur at the end of the term.  

  • If a student returns to good standing, they will no longer be on academic probation. 
  • If a student does not return to good academic standing, their compliance with their contract will be reviewed: 
    • If a student was compliant with the contract, they will be required to submit a second Academic Probation Contract to the unit.
    • If a student did not comply with the contract, they may be dismissed from Bouvé with an option to appeal.

Academic Dismissal from Major

Students in the Bouvé College of Health Sciences will be dismissed from their major/program effective the following academic semester for failure to earn the minimum required grade in the same required course twice. Additional grounds for academic dismissal specific to each major can be found on the program requirements page of the major in this catalog.

Note: Students dismissed from their major/program but who are otherwise in good standing with the university are allowed to remain at Northeastern for up to two semesters as a provisional Bouvé student, by the end of which, the student is expected to move into a new major. If not moved into a new major by the end of two semesters, the student will be blocked from further registration.

Academic Dismissal from the University

When a Bouvé College of Health Sciences student is dismissed from the university, they are not permitted to remain registered for courses in the immediate next academic term. If the university dismissal is successfully appealed, a student may register for classes in the following academic term.

Collegewide Appeals

Students who believe that they were erroneously, capriciously, or otherwise unfairly treated in an academic, professional code of conduct, or cooperative education decision may petition to appeal the decision.

Details about the process for undergraduate students may be found in  Academic Appeals Policies and Procedures in the undergraduate section of this catalog, supplemented by the college-specific policies and procedures below.

Details about the process for graduate students may be found in Academic Appeals Policies and Procedures in the graduate section of this catalog, supplemented by the college-specific policies and procedures below.

For appeals of decisions concerning academic standing, progression, or co-op, students should discuss their concerns with the academic advisor and prepare an appeal statement for submission to the unit level as shown in the step below. Bouvé undecided students should begin at Step 2, below.  

For appeals concerning a course grade, students should discuss their concerns with the course instructor offering the course as outlined in the University Academic Appeals Policies and Procedures.  If the concern remains unresolved after these conversations with your faculty, the student should prepare an appeal to the department chair or school dean level—see Step 2, below.  

For appeals concerning a professional code of conduct determination (when applicable to a student’s program or major), the student should follow the process outlined in the Bouvé College of Health Sciences Code of Professional Conduct policy (in the graduate and undergraduate sections of this catalog).

Disability Access Services provides an appeal process for students with disabilities who believe their accommodation requests were unduly denied. Appeals arising from allegations of discrimination or harassment on the basis of a protected category should be referred to the Office for University Equity and Compliance. For appeals concerning student conduct, including academic integrity, please refer to the process outlined in the University Code of Student Conduct. 

If the concern remains unresolved after informal discussions or if the concern pertains to a determination as outlined above, the student should prepare and submit an appeal statement. Students are encouraged to work with their advisor to complete the necessary forms. 

Step 1: BCHS Unit-Level Appeal  

When appealing a decision to the unit level, students should submit a request to appeal linked here and submit the appeal statement within 28 calendar days from the day when the academic determination is made available to the student. The unit-level Academic Standing Committee must provide the student with a written report of the finding(s) and decision within 10 business days according to their established procedures. 

Step 2: Department Chair- or School Dean-Level Appeal

Appeals of course grades should be requested with the College Grade Appeal form linked here within 28 calendar days of the posting of the grade in question. If the student believes they have been erroneously, capriciously, or otherwise unfairly treated with a unit-level committee’s decision, they may pursue a secondary appeal to the next level as specified below:  

School of Clinical and Rehabilitation Sciences: Department chair of the unit offering the course or major/program  

School of Community Health and Behavioral Sciences: Department chair of the unit offering the course or major/program  

School of Nursing: School dean

School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences: School dean  

Bouvé Undecided: BCHS associate dean of academic affairs

The student must request the appeal by contacting the specified office in writing via the school dean/department chair-level appeal form (see Higher Level Appeals forms) within 10 business days of receiving the report from the previous step.  After consideration, the department chair or school dean, or their representative, shall provide the student and involved faculty member with a written report of their finding(s) and decision within 10 business days of receiving the appeal request. 

Step 3. College-Level Appeal

If the student is not satisfied with the disposition of the matter at the previous step, they may proceed with the appeal to the college dean's office through the BCHS Academic Affairs Committee (AAC). The BCHS AAC hears cases that have been unsatisfactorily resolved at the prior school and unit levels for “students who believe that they have been erroneously, capriciously, or otherwise unfairly treated” or may directly hear appeals concerning course grades or when a unit does not have a unit-level committee. For all college-level appeals, the student must request an appeal hearing in writing via the Academic Affairs Committee Appeal form (see Higher Level Appeals forms) within 10 business days of receiving the report from the previous step. 

Processes for College-Level Appeals to the BCHS AAC:

  • Students wishing to bring an appeal before the college AAC should first consult with their appointed academic advisor, or when the appeal involves the academic advisor, with the assistant dean of student services.  
  • The chair of the college AAC will convene the college appeals panel from among the regular members of the BCHS AAC. The appeals panel will include three voting members of the BCHS AAC that appropriately represent the breadth and depth of programs within the college. At minimum, two schools will be represented on the panel and at least one member who teaches within a similar degree-level program. Members of the panel shall have no known conflicts of interest with the student. The assistant dean of student services and the chair of the AAC will attend the appeal panel hearing as nonvoting members. 
  • A chair for the college appeal panel shall be selected from among the panel members and is responsible for producing a formal recommendation of the committee for communication to the college dean. 
  • The chair of the AAC will be responsible for scheduling the meeting, notifying the student and other participants in a timely manner so they may attend, and keeping and archiving records of the proceedings according to committee procedures. 
  • The chair of the college appeal panel will notify the college dean of the committee's findings and recommendation. The college dean will have the final decision.
  • The college dean will notify the student and other relevant parties of the decision in writing no later than 10 business days after receiving the appeal request. 

Step 4. University-Level Appeal

Some determinations may be appealed beyond the college level. Refer to the undergraduate and graduate appeals processes linked above for more information. Decisions concerning admission or readmission into a major or program, dismissals, and matters related to co-op employment (other than grades received) cannot be appealed beyond the college level. Please note, while major or program dismissals cannot be appealed beyond the college level, underlying academic judgments that led to a dismissal may be. 

Bouvé College of Health Sciences Code of Professional Conduct

All students are expected to adhere to the Northeastern University Code of Student Conduct. Additionally, students in the following schools or departments are expected to adhere to the Bouvé College of Health Sciences Code of Professional Conduct as described below:

Department of Applied Psychology (all programs)

Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (all programs)

Department of Medical Sciences (all programs)

Department of Physical Therapy, Movement, and Rehabilitation Sciences (all programs)

School of Nursing (all programs)

School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (all programs)

Healthcare and research professionals are required to adhere to rigorous standards of professional behavior. Bouvé emphasizes professionalism as part of the academic experience, ensuring that students graduate with adequate knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors necessary for professional practice as healthcare and/or research team members.

Students are expected to demonstrate professional behavior in all academic, experiential (including clinical, cooperative education, and research), and extracurricular settings and activities, on and off campus. This Code of Professional Conduct applies to any situation affecting a student’s fitness for continued enrollment or entry into professional practice.

Students must comply with the Northeastern University Code of Student Conduct and all other published university, college, and clinical or program policies. In addition, students in the abovementioned Bouvé departments or programs are expected to adhere to the following list of expected professional behaviors. By adhering to these expectations, students will contribute to a professional and respectful environment that fosters learning, collaboration, and the highest standards of academic and professional excellence:

Self-Growth and Care

  • Address and correct inappropriate behavior.
  • Be open to and actively seek constructive feedback to improve performance.
  • Demonstrate awareness of one’s limitations.
  • Display willingness to implement recommendations from faculty and others to enhance learning and performance.

Accountability, Initiative, Responsibility, and Sense of Duty

  • Show initiative and accountability in academic and professional roles.
  • Collaborate effectively within healthcare and research teams.
  • Exhibit a strong sense of duty and responsibility in all professional undertakings.
  • Establish and maintain appropriate boundaries with patients, family members, community-based mentors, students, faculty, and staff.
  • Complete tasks and responsibilities in a timely and reliable manner.
  • Obtain permission before bringing family members, guests, and/or pets to the learning/research environment or professional academic activities.

Respect for Others

  • Respect the rights of others in both academic and professional settings while demonstrating compassion and respect in interactions with others.
  • Demonstrate respect for all individuals, regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, or socioeconomic status.
  • Demonstrate cultural humility with openness and responsiveness to the ethnic and cultural backgrounds of others.
  • Respond to patient or participant needs in a timely, safe, and effective manner.
  • Participate in a manner that is respectful and conducive to learning.
  • Avoid causing disruptions that make it more difficult for others to learn and work.

Professional Appearance

  • Dress appropriately for professional settings, including patient care and research environments.

Integrity and Trustworthiness

  • Maintain the highest level of integrity during all academic, nonacademic, research, and extracurricular activities.
  • Uphold the confidentiality rights of patients/clients and/or participants in accordance with university policy and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and other relevant laws and policies.
  • Provide accurate and truthful information and operate within the scope of one’s role and responsibilities in all academic, professional, research, and administrative settings.
  • Act in the best interest of patients and patient safety.
  • Establish and maintain appropriate rapport and show sensitivity to the needs, values, and perspectives of patients, family members, caregivers, and research participants.
  • Respect privacy and property while ensuring clinical and research integrity,

Teamwork and Professional Demeanor

  • Demonstrate sensitivity to the needs and requests of team members, mentors, and faculty.
  • Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with students, faculty, and staff in various settings.
  • Exhibit professional demeanor and behaviors that support teamwork and collaboration.
  • Demonstrate adaptability and flexibility in various environments.
  • Receive constructive criticism with curiosity, intentionality to take action for improvement, and to do so without defensiveness.

Scholarship and Commitment to Excellence

  • Avoid use of professional position for personal gain.
  • Demonstrate behaviors that promote and reflect commitment to academic excellence and scholarly pursuits.

Communication

  • Address (oral and written) faculty, staff, students, preceptors, practitioners, or patients in a professional, respectful, and considerate manner.

Experiential Education Policies

Background Checks

Clinical education sites require background checks and/or drug screenings for employees, as well as for students who come to their facilities. All Northeastern University students will need to have background checks/drug screenings completed if their assigned clinical placement requires it. The college contracts with third-party vendors (such as Universal Background Screening, American DataBank, etc.) to perform these checks and screenings. These companies charge fees to conduct background checks/screenings, depending on the type of background check/screening needed. Students are responsible for any fees charged by companies conducting background checks/screenings.  

All background check information is confidential. Results are posted to the company website in a secure, protected environment. A student may view their results online using a password. A student will be contacted by their program director, chair, or assistant dean if there is a question about the results. Neither a student nor the company is required to reveal the actual results of the background check to the clinical site. However, a student may be unable to be placed at that clinical site based on the site’s requirements.

If an assigned clinical site requires a student to have a background check/screening, the on-campus clinical coordinator/clinical placement office will post the requirements and provide instructions and a deadline for completing the check. To ensure adequate processing time prior to the start of the clinical experience, it is crucial that the check be completed in advance of the deadline given. Failure to complete the check in a timely manner could jeopardize progression in the academic program.

Health Requirements

Students must comply with any universitywide health requirements. 

As a condition of matriculation at Northeastern, all students are required to submit the completed University Health Report form. Consult the UHCS website for instructions and deadlines to submit the University Health Report form. UHCS may block the registration of those students who do not file the required form(s). 

Clinical Clearance

Based on clinical education site requirements and associated clinical affiliation agreements, some programs in the Bouvé College of Health Sciences will require additional medical documentation and health certification. Additional requirements may include, but are not limited to, exam or statement of good health prior to registration, annual proof of physical examination, and/or proof of additional immunities. This "clinical clearance" may be required by some programs prior to engaging in clinical, internship, or fieldwork. Students who do not meet these prerequisites may be unable to participate in required clinical experiences, which could impact their ability to progress in the program and complete all graduation requirements.

Liability Insurance

Students on clinicals, clinical practicum, or clinical internships, under a clinical agreement with Northeastern, are covered by Northeastern's liability insurance program for claims arising out of the student performing assigned duties in the scope of their studies. Students should consult their clinical placement office, program director, and program policies for more information about liability insurance. If students have questions about their placement and the insurance provided, they may contact Risk Services.

Requirements for Clinical, Internships, and Practicum Courses

  • Some Bouvé programs require courses with clinical, internship, or fieldwork components. Such components are offered at affiliated hospitals, clinics, schools, medical facilities, or other institutions and involve contractual agreements with these institutions or sites.
  • Some Bouvé programs have cooperative education requirements. Students secure co-ops through a job search process and are employees of an institution while on co-op. Co-op students are subject to the policies, procedures, and requirements of their employers.
  • Northeastern is affiliated with numerous clinical sites across the country and around the world. Depending on the program, students may be required to travel outside of Massachusetts to complete clinical courses. Students are responsible for any costs associated with transportation and/or housing.
  • Evaluation for clinical courses will be based on established guidelines and policies that students will receive prior to and/or during the clinical component. Periodic performance evaluations will take place during the course of the academic term. See specific program clinical policies and procedures, handbooks, or course syllabi for details.
  • In order to enroll students in university-sponsored accidental injury insurance, elements of students’ demographic information (including date of birth, address, and phone number) will be communicated via a university-contracted third-party clinical database to Risk Services and to the company providing the coverage. In addition, programs may use elements of a student's demographic information in the process of site onboarding. Students may refer to the university privacy policy and contact their program director or clinical placement office for more details.

Student Conduct

  • Students assigned to an institution or site for instruction are expected to adhere to the rules and regulations of that institution. Failure to adhere to these rules may result in dismissal from that institution or site.
  • Students should be aware that, while participating in any form of clinical practice, they continue to be under the jurisdiction of the university. Any breaches of conduct committed by a student in a clinical setting that would be a violation of the Northeastern University Code of Student Conduct or Bouvé College of Health Sciences Code of Professional Conduct (in the graduate and undergraduate sections of this catalog), if applicable, shall also be considered a cause for disciplinary action against the student.
  • All students are required by federal and state law to respect the confidentiality of the patients’ and/or students' records under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and/or Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, respectively, to which they may be privy. This includes, but is not limited to, patient/student identity and identifiers, diagnostic tests performed, medical history, special needs, and medications prescribed. For more information, students should contact their on-campus clinical education coordinator and/or clinical education site coordinator.

Health Clearance, Background Check, and Training Requirements 

  • Evidence of health clearance is required for experiential courses (including clinicals, internships, and practicums) in their field of study. 
  • Students must meet the health clearance requirements of their academic program and any site-specific requirements prior to entering the clinical setting. This means that students must make arrangements for their physical exams and immunizations months before they are scheduled for a clinical course or rotation. Students who do not present the appropriate health certification will be prohibited from attending a clinical course or rotation until satisfactory evidence is provided. Students who do not meet site-specific requirements may not be able to pass a clinical course and risk their ability to complete the degree program. 
  • Some programs use clinical clearance software packages (such as Exxat, Complio, or CastleBranch) to ensure compliance with health clearance requirements. In these cases, students are responsible for software account fees. Fees will be paid by the student directly to the software company, from the individual program’s clinical placement office. Guidelines are updated periodically, and students must meet the most current guidelines or they will not be allowed into a clinical area.
  • School of Nursing students must provide evidence of health documentation utilizing an immunization tracker in order to ensure that documents are updated on a yearly basis. All fees required for the immunization tracking will be paid by the student directly to the tracking service.
  • In preparation for clinical education experiences, all students will complete on-site training in universal precautions and safe practices offered by the Office of Academic and Research Safety or training vetted and approved by the Office of Environmental Health and Safety and offered by their program. Students must also complete an annual online refresher course in blood-borne pathogens exposure.
  • Students may be required to complete background checks/drug screening prior to engaging in clinical, internship, or fieldwork courses as outlined above.

Policies for International Students

  • International students must consult with the university’s Office of Global Services before enrolling in clinical, internship, practicum, off-campus directed study, co-op, or capstone courses in order to discuss proper documentation for these curriculum requirements (see also F-1 Curricular Practical Training).
  • Graduate international nursing students must have a current U.S. nursing license.

Academic, Professional, or Research Misconduct

The healthcare professions represented by the programs in Bouvé College require more of their members than simple mastery of technical knowledge and skills. Equally important is the ability to earn the respect and confidence of those who seek medical care. The nearly universal existence of codes of conduct and standards of professional ethics and behavior in these disciplines is evidence that certain types of conduct are expected in order to promote this respect and confidence. Fundamental to most of these codes is an understanding that healthcare professions require individuals who conduct their activities in a manner that reflects a total concern for the well-being of the patient. Violations of ethical conduct may be grounds for dismissal from the program. Students are expected to learn and practice the conduct that is appropriate to their professions and promotes the physical and mental well-being of the patient.

Bouvé students are expected to adhere to the highest academic and professional standards. The Northeastern University Code of Student Conduct  sets forth the university's expectations of behavior that promotes the safety and welfare of the Northeastern community and defines various aspects of academic misconduct, such as cheating and plagiarism. Lack of knowledge of these definitions does not negate the student’s responsibility for upholding them. Academic misconduct is regarded as a serious violation of ethical standards and may result in the student’s immediate dismissal from the program.

Failure to meet these standards, including misconduct in academic, professional, or research activities, will result in disciplinary action. Such actions may include a lowered or failing grade in the course, probation, suspension, or immediate dismissal from the program. Students found responsible for academic, professional, or research misconduct will have a letter placed in their permanent file stating the pertinent findings of their case.

In addition to maintaining complete honesty in all academic work, students admitted to clinical or professional programs in Bouvé College are expected to familiarize themselves with the code of ethical conduct of the professional discipline they are entering and to agree to uphold these principles.

Similarly, students who participate in research programs are expected to familiarize themselves with the code of ethics in research. Such a code is outlined in Guidelines for the Conduct of Research. Ethical codes of conduct for researchers are also presented in the National Academy of Sciences' On Being a Scientist, A Guide to Responsible Conduct in Research. Violations of research ethics can include, but are not limited to, falsification or fabrication of data, plagiarism, malicious allegations of misconduct in science, covering up or failing to report misconduct, obstructing due process in investigations of misconduct, and reprisals against those revealing misconduct.

See also the "Scientific or Research Misconduct" section of the Academic Appeals Policies and Procedures page in this catalog.

Current Student Resources

BCHS Student Forms

BCHS Student Handbooks