Students must complete at least 16-17 credits to earn the ACES Minor. These credits are composed of foundation courses (HACS201, HACS202, and HACS318A), seminars (HACS408 and related academic department seminars), and experiential learning (HACS479, HACS497, or HACS498). All Classes must be completed with a "C-" grade or better, and students must have a 3.2 cumulative GPA in order to be awarded the minor upon graduation.
Foundation Courses
Students must complete all required foundation courses (HACS201, HACS202, and HACS318A) within their first year in the ACES Minor.
Experiential Learning
Students must complete all required foundation courses (HACS201, HACS202, HACS318A) prior to enrolling in experiential learning courses (HACS479, HACS497, HACS498).
The Honors College Repeat Policy applies to all courses across the Honors College, including those in the ACES Minor. ACES Leadership may grant an exception allowing a course to be repeated in rare, extenuating circumstances. In this case, the University Repeat Policy regarding how final grades are calculated into the GPA will prevail.
Students may withdraw from the ACES Minor at any time. When a student has determined that it is necessary to withdraw from the program the student should:
- Contact the ACES Program Coordinator
- Withdraw from all registered ACES Minor courses. If this occurs after the drop/add deadline students receive a "W" for withdrawing from a course
- Complete the ACES Minor Withdrawal Form
Students who withdraw from the University of Maryland are automatically withdrawn from the ACES Minor.
If a student withdraws or transfers to another institution but then re-enrolls at the University of Maryland in a future semester, the student is not eligible to return to the ACES Minor.
Students who take a leave of absence from the university in good standing with the Honors College and the University of Maryland may return to the ACES Minor upon their return to the University of Maryland.
GPA and Academic Requirements
The minimum GPA for students to remain in good standing in the Honors College is a 3.0 cumulative. If students drop below a 3.0 cumulative GPA, they will be required to meet with the Associate Director of the ACES Program. Failure to schedule and attend this meeting will result in a student being dismissed from the program.
Additionally, the ACES Minor follows the University of Maryland's academic policies regarding satisfactory progress in a program of study. Earning a grade lower than a "C-" in any of the ACES courses will result in a student being dismissed from the program.
Academic Integrity
The Honors College is an intellectual community that engages high-achieving undergraduates in the pursuit of knowledge in an atmosphere of honesty and trust. We support the University’s commitment to academic honesty and responsibility. Students are responsible for upholding UMD’s Code of Academic Integrity. For more information on the Code of Academic Integrity, please contact the Office of Student Conduct. The ACES Program reserves the right to dismiss a student found in violation of the University's Student Code of Conduct and/or the Code of Academic Integrity.
Progress Toward Minor Completion
Students will be officially dismissed from the ACES Minor if they have not made adequate attempts to complete the ACES Minor.
After students reach two semesters in which they have not made adequate attempts to complete the ACES Minor by enrolling in required/remaining coursework, ACES staff will prompt students with emails regarding their commitment to finishing the program. It is the student’s responsibility to immediately follow up regarding these communications. Failure to do so will result in dismissal from the ACES Minor. An exception may be made on a case-by-case basis for students who stay in contact with the program staff and are committed to finishing the program.