Academic Catalog Policy

Authority: Academic Affairs and Enrollment Management
Date Enacted or Revised: Enacted January 2016; Revised May 2016; September 2016; May 2017; August 2019; July 5, 2022

McNeese State University complies with standards 10.1 and 10.2 of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement by publishing an online academic catalog, which serves as a principal policy document. Information in the catalog relates primarily to curriculum requirements and matters relating to academic policies and procedures, as well as general guidelines for enrollment and degree completion. It also includes the official academic calendar and information and policies relating to tuition and fees, financial aid, and academic and student support services.

McNeese State University also complies with standard 10.3 of the SACSCOC Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement by providing online access to archived catalogs from the 2008-2009 academic year to the present. Published hard copies of catalogs from the 1939-1940 academic year to the 2011-2012 academic year are housed in the Frazar Memorial Library archives. (Instructions for accessing archived catalogs are provided below under the link to the catalog.)

Curriculum or degree plan requirements are placed in the catalog by the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness and entered into the Banner system and Degree Works by the Registrar’s Office. Curriculum items must first be reviewed and approved according to the procedures stated in the Curriculum and Course Development Policy. Curriculum items are then incorporated into the catalog, Banner system, and Degree Works. Items needing approval by external entities (University of Louisiana System, Louisiana Board of Regents, Louisiana Department of Education, and/or SACSCOC) are placed in the academic catalog and are effective only after such approval is received.

Catalog information regarding matters other than curriculum requirements must be approved by the appropriate vice president as well as the provost and vice president for academic affairs and enrollment management prior to being placed in the catalog.

Please be aware of the following deadlines for revisions to the academic catalog for the next academic year:

  • Submissions for curriculum and course development must be received no later than the last working day in September and must be complete (include all necessary attachments) in order to be considered by the respective curriculum committee. (See Curriculum and Course Development Policy.)
  • The submission deadline for all narrative changes is the last day of final exams in the fall semester.

Catalog information and policies are subject to change and implemented without prior notice.

Every possible effort has been made to ensure that the online version of the academic catalog is current; however, as changes occur during the academic year, the online catalog is updated. In the event of a discrepancy between a previously published hard copy of the academic catalog where an online version also exists, the online version of the catalog takes precedence.

It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that they are using the correct catalog. If there is any question about which catalog to use, students should consult an advisor. Prospective students should use the most current catalog.

The University reserves the right to change the calendar; fees; degree program requirements; rules regulating University admissions, registration, and graduation; and any other regulations affecting the student body without notice. The Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness reserves the right to edit the catalog as needed, unless the edit significantly impacts a policy, procedure, or degree requirements. Changes shall go into effect whenever the proper authorities so determine and shall apply to current and prospective students.

The academic catalog is not intended to be a contract or an offer to contract by students enrolled or enrolling in the University.

Academic Catalog

After clicking on the link above, you will be directed to the current online catalog. Archived online catalogs beginning with the 2008-2009 academic year may be accessed by selecting the appropriate catalog from the dropdown menu in the top right corner of the catalog home page. All published hard copies of catalogs from 1939-1940 (McNeese’s first academic year) through the 2011-2012 academic year (the last year a hard copy was published) are housed in the Frazar Memorial Library archives, which are available to the public by appointment only. Appointments may be scheduled via email to archivesdept@mcneese.edu or via phone at (337) 475-5731. Archived materials may not leave Frazar Memorial Library.

Communication

This policy is distributed via the University Policies webpage.