Minimum Period

To earn a bachelor’s degree, a student has to study for a minimum period as an enrolled student at the RHU, as indicated in the table below.

A regular semester equals a minimum of 12 earned credits for transfer purposes. To earn a bachelor’s degree, a transfer student must study at least three regular semesters at RHU for a three-year program or four regular semesters for a four-year program and acquire Co-op work experience.

Maximum Period

The maximum study period to earn a bachelor’s degree, excluding semesters of approved deferment of study, is ten regular semesters for the Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts, and Bachelor of Business Administration degrees and 12 regular semesters for the Bachelor of Engineering degree.

If, for compelling reasons, a student cannot complete the bachelor’s degree within the allotted period, a request for extension may be submitted through the college council for approval by the University Academic Board.

The following criteria define the student class level: 

• First year: 00-29 credit hours 
• Second year: 30-65 credit hours
• Third year: 66-99 credit hours 
• Fourth year: 100 and above credit hours

Minimum Load

The minimum semester load is 12 credits, unless the student requires fewer credits to graduate. In exceptional cases, the College Dean may approve a reduced load of nine credits upon the recommendation of the Academic Advisor.

Maximum Load

The maximum load in a regular semester shall be 18 credits, which may be increased to 19 upon the Dean’s approval. A student may be allowed to take a maximum of 21 credit hours if s/he: (1) has a CGPA of no less than 85, (2) needs 21 credits to graduate, and has a CGPA of 73 or above.

The maximum load in a summer semester shall not exceed nine credits. A 10-credit load may be allowed if the student: (1) has a CGPA no less than 85, (2) needs ten credits to graduate and has a CGPA of 73 or above, or (3) the schedule includes a one-credit course or lab course.

The maximum load for a first-year student is 15 credits in the fall or spring semesters and nine credits in the summer semester.

Intensive English Program (IEP) Students

In addition to the English courses, students in the IEP may take courses required by the intended program of study as listed below.

The student may modify the course schedule after registration by adding and dropping courses during the official drop and add period noted in the academic calendar. The student completes the Schedule Modifications Form, attains the approval of the academic advisor and the department chairperson, and settles consequential financial obligations immediately after completing the transaction on the RHUSIS. If the course modification results in a load of less than 12 credits or more than 18 credits, approval of the Dean is also required.

Dropping Courses

Students who do not plan to continue in a course must drop it during the drop/add period; otherwise, the student remains financially accountable for the course. A course dropped during the official drop and add period will be deleted from the student's schedule. The student will be relieved from the financial liability associated with the deleted course. If a refund is due, the provisions of the refund policy will apply.

Adding Courses

Students may add one or more courses during the drop/add period. The student must settle the financial obligations due to the course(s) in addition by the prescribed deadlines.

Late Registration

Students who could not register during the regular registration period may register during the drop/add period and pay a late registration fee. Due to urgent circumstances, the fee may be waived for new students or those who could not register earlier.

The student must repeat all failed courses when first offered. The student may also repeat a course in which s/he passed with a grade of “70” or lower only once to improve the CGPA. While all repeats shall remain on the student’s record, the credits of a repeated course shall count only once, and the highest grade is used to compute GPA. A course may not be repeated more than two times, including withdrawals.

Upon the approval of the college Dean, a student may be allowed to take a substitute for a required major course if:

• The required course is not offered or conflicts with another required course in the semester a student is expected to graduate.
• The student failed the course three times, provided that the student is not on probation. The required and the substituted course grades shall appear on the student’s transcripts and be used to calculate the student’s CGPA.

The substitute and required course shall meet the following criteria: the number of credits and level of the substitute course must be the same or higher; the course is from the same or closely related field; and the course contents and expected competencies are equivalent.

The instructor must state the attendance policy in the course syllabus. The student must attend all class meetings and course-related activities and is ultimately responsible for truancy consequences. Instructors must take attendance regularly and advise truants of the ramifications of missing classes. Suppose the number of absences reaches the 15 percent mark. In that case, the student must voluntarily withdraw from the course by following the proper withdrawal procedure and receive a W grade (see the Withdrawal section). If the student does not withdraw willingly after accruing 15% absences, the instructor completes a forced withdrawal form and submits it to the dean for approval by the end of the tenth week of classes at the latest. The Dean’s Office forwards the form to the Registrar’s Office for action. Students representing the country or the University in official activities shall be allowed up to 20% absences. Suppose the absence is due to ill health or other difficult circumstances. In that case, the student must provide evidence and plan with the course instructor to attend to the course requirements by completing the attendance exemption form. All absences, excused or otherwise, shall be counted, and the student will ultimately be accountable for the missed work.

If the course instructor does not require attendance at all class sessions, the applicable attendance policy for that course must be approved by the college dean and clearly stated in the course syllabus.

Semester GPA

The semester GPA is computed as follows:

• Determine the course quality points by multiplying the number of the course credit hours by the numeral (see the "Grading System" section below)
• Add the total quality points and the total number of corresponding credit hours.
• Divide the total quality points by the total credit hours.

The higher grade of a repeated course is used in the computations. A “W” grade is not included in the GPA computations.

Cumulative GPA (CGPA)

The cumulative GPA is computed as follows:

• Determine quality points of all courses taken
• Add the total quality points and the total number of corresponding credit hours.
• Divide the total quality points by the total credit hours.

Numeric grades are used to represent student performance in a course. The letter grades are calculated according to the scheme outlined below. The minimum passing letter grade is D.

Incomplete coursework is subject to the following rules: 

• A student who has completed most of the coursework satisfactorily but, for a verifiable compelling reason, is unable to complete all course requirements within the standard period may request, before the beginning of the final exam period, an extension to complete the unfinished work by submitting a “Request for Time Extension Form.” If approved, an “I” grade will be temporarily assigned to the course. The instructor computes the course grade, with a zero assigned to the incomplete work, which shall be transferred to the course if the unfinished coursework is not completed by the deadline.
• The incomplete grade must be removed before the beginning of the drop/add the following semester the student is registered in. After the unfinished work is completed and evaluated, the course instructor completes a change of grade form and submits it to the dean for approval before it is sent to the Registrar’s Office for final action. The final semester GPA will be calculated as soon as the final grades of the incomplete courses are turned in.
• Credit for an incomplete course will be assigned to the semester in which the course was taken.
• Graduation requirements shall be considered complete, and the student is cleared for graduation when all Incompletes are resolved.
• If the circumstances for receiving an “I” grade persist, then a grade of “WE” will be assigned to the course upon the recommendation of the Dean of the concerned College.

Withdrawal from Courses

Upon approval of the academic advisor, a student may drop one or more courses during the drop/add period posted in the academic calendar. No record of the dropped course(s) shall appear on the student’s record.

A student, upon approval of the academic advisor, may withdraw from one or more courses between the second and the tenth week of classes of a regular semester or between the second and sixth week of a summer semester, provided that the student’s load (excluding summer) does not fall below 12 credits.  A grade of “W” shall be recorded on the student’s transcripts for each withdrawn course, and the course shall be counted as a course attempt to apply the course repeat policy. Approval from the college dean is required if the withdrawal results in a load of less than 12 credits.

Students who withdraw from classes after the drop period are responsible for all related tuition and applicable fees.

Withdrawal from a Semester

Formal Withdrawal. For verifiably difficult circumstances, a student may petition to withdraw from all semester’s courses at any time after the drop/add period and before the final exams begin. After consulting with the concerned department chairperson, the student’s academic advisor, and the courses’ instructors, the College Dean may approve the petition if the reasons for withdrawal are legitimate. A grade of “WE” shall appear on the transcripts for each withdrawn course and shall not be counted as a course attempt in applying the course repeat policy. A student returning the following semester may register by following the routine registration procedures.

Informal Withdrawal. Suppose a student withdraws from the semester without following proper withdrawal procedures as described above. In that case, a grade of “F” shall be recorded on the student’s transcripts for each registered course, and the course shall be counted as a course attempt in applying the course repeat policy.

If a student withdraws informally and decides to return later, approval from the concerned college is required. The college may approve the petition if convincing evidence is presented that the reasons for the withdrawal were beyond the student’s control. If the college approves the request, the “F” grades recorded on the transcripts shall be replaced with a “WE.” A “WE” grade is not considered when calculating the student’s GPA, and the affected courses shall not be counted as course attempts in applying the course repeat policy.

A withdrawn student may only transfer credits for courses s/he has studied at another institution during that period if prior approval from the concerned college is obtained.

Withdrawal from the University

Students who wish to withdraw from the University are required to complete established clearance procedures.

RHU offers students the opportunity to extend their knowledge by studying more than one major or earning more than one degree. Available options are:

• Study double major concurrently;
• Earn two degrees simultaneously;
• Return to the University after graduation for a second degree

Double Major

Students may concurrently study two majors offered by the same college and have similar degree structures. A student may apply for permission to study a second major if s/he is in good academic standing after completing at least 24 credits of coursework in the first major. Permission is granted if the student meets the admission requirements to the second major. Students must complete a minimum of 24 credits of core courses in the second major above and beyond the requirements of the first major, including all mandatory core courses of the second major. Upon graduation, one diploma specifying both majors is granted, provided all the requirements of the respective majors are completed. Credits for common courses are given to both majors.

Dual Degrees

Students may simultaneously pursue two different degrees from programs offered by other colleges and have different degree structures. Students may apply for permission to study for a second degree if they are in good academic standing after completing at least 24 credits of coursework in the first-degree major. The application is approved if the student meets the admission requirements for a second-degree major. Upon graduation, a diploma is granted for each degree major, provided that all the requirements of the respective degrees are completed, including the co-op experience. Credits for common courses are granted to both degrees, and the higher tuition rates for the two degrees shall be applied.

Second Degree

Students who have earned a degree and opt to return to the University at a later date to pursue a second degree may do so under the following conditions: (1) the admission requirements of the new degree are met; (2) the applicant may be required to repeat courses if they were taken more than three years ago or if the acquired grade is low as recommended by the department of the second degree.

Minors

Students can pursue a minor in an area different from their major under the following conditions:

• Obtain a Minor Cumulative Grade Point Average of no less than 70%
• Overlapped courses between student major requirements and minor requirements are counted to fulfill minor requirements
• A student may pursue up to two minors
• A maximum of nine credits can be counted towards the requirements of two minors

RHU is deeply committed to providing students with every opportunity to thrive, as their future success is our top priority. To ensure you can make the most of these opportunities, we encourage you to maintain open lines of communication with your instructors, whether in the classroom, via email, phone, social media, or our Learning Management System (Moodle). We also recommend regular visits to our Learning Support Centers, where you can seek help from your peers to overcome any difficulties you may face in your academic journey.

While RHU is dedicated to helping students achieve academic success, students must manage their time effectively and utilize available resources. Students can avoid the potential complications and consequences outlined below by taking responsibility for their academic responsibilities.

Academic Probation

Students receive academic probation if their CGPA falls below 70 after attempting at least 24 credits by the second or any subsequent matriculated semester, excluding summer sessions. Students with two consecutive probations may choose to:

• Continue in the same major with the approval of the College Council but risk academic critical standing if, by the end of the following semester, the student accumulates three consecutive probations.
• Change major: If accepted into the new major, the transferred courses and CGPA will be determined according to the latest major's requirements. If the CGPA of the transferred courses is 70 or higher, the probation status is removed; if not, it shall remain in effect.

The Registrar’s Office shall generate a report of students on probation at the end of every semester and send it to the colleges, which will inform the students and the concerned department of the probation status.

A student may remove probation in a summer semester, but the results of the summer semester shall not cause probation.

Course Load. Usually, the maximum study load for a student on probation is 12 credits (6 in a summer semester). The load may be increased to 13 credits (7 in a summer semester) if one of the courses is a 4-credit course or a 1-credit required lab course. The load may also be increased to 15 credit hours (9 in a summer semester) if the student is expected to graduate at the end of the semester, subject to the approval of the concerned dean. A student on probation shall be denied access to online registration and must register through the academic advisor. A student on probation must repeat at least two previously taken courses with a grade of 70 or lower and must repeat failed courses when first offered. A student continuing on probation must repeat at least three previously taken courses with a grade of 70 or lower and must repeat failed courses when first offered.

Critical Academic Standing

A student shall be placed in Critical Academic Standing if s/he:

• Accrues three consecutive probations or four probations throughout the entire period of study or
• Attains a CGPA less than 60 more than once as a matriculated student.

A student placed on Critical Academic Standing by the end of a regular semester must register up to 15 credits of repeated courses. These courses must be previously taken courses with a grade of 70 or lower or failed courses.

Based on the student’s performance at the end of the semester, the student shall:

• Resume studies in Good Standing if s/he attains a CGPA of 70 or higher;
• Continue at RHU on CAS if s/he attains a semester GPA of 75 or above;
• Dismissed from RHU. The college shall inform the student and the concerned of the dismissal decision.

A student of critical academic standing shall be denied access to online registration and must register through the academic advisor.

Forced Change of Major

A student whose CGPA falls below 60 at the end of any semester after the first semester (12 credits at least) as a matriculated student must transfer to another program and shall not be allowed to return to the old program in the future.