Once a course is completed (after all assignments and the final exam are graded), the final grade and course completion date are posted online. If the student provided a name of an educational institution when registering, a course completion notice will be emailed to the counselor.

A permanent academic record for each student that records the course work attempted or completed is kept by BYU Independent Study. Access to these records is strictly controlled by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). See BYU Independent Study’s Privacy Policy.

BYU Continuing Education (BYU CE) is part of Brigham Young University (BYU), and our policies are based on the policies of BYU, tailored to the unique offerings BYU CE makes available to students and families.

BYU CE strives to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity for all its programs. Thus, our students are expected to follow all general BYU CE testing rules and policies, including those listed in instructions for specific exams and those provided by our contracted proctors or proctoring services. If students violate testing rules, instructions, or policies, or in any way indicate the likelihood of academic dishonesty during an exam, BYU CE reserves the right to void their test score and/or course grade.

Academic Honesty  

BYU CE upholds the highest standards of academic integrity. As a student in any BYU CE program, you are expected to conduct yourself in a manner that reflects honesty, trustworthiness, and responsibility. Students need to complete all coursework, assignments, and exams on their own and be evaluated based upon that work.  

Students should avoid academic dishonesty and misconduct in all its forms, including but not limited to the following: 

Cheating 

Cheating refers to copying other people’s work or using unauthorized materials, devices, or assistance during an exam or assignment. Examples include but are not limited to 

• copying from another person’s work during a test, quiz, assignment, or project 
• allowing someone to copy your work during a test, quiz, assignment, or project 
• using notes or other unauthorized materials during a test, a quiz, an assignment, or project without permission from the instructor 
• working with other people on a test, quiz, assignment, or project without permission from the instructor 
• taking or completing a test, quiz, assignment, or project for another person or allowing another person to take or complete an assignment in place of the student

Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is a broad term for a suite of tools that utilize artificial intelligence algorithms to create novel content. GenAI (e.g., ChatGPT) can be a powerful tool to assist students in their schoolwork (e.g., idea generation, information gathering). However, the use of GenAI tools must not violate the essential learning outcomes of an assignment or course or violate other forms of academic dishonesty. If the use of GenAI is not explicitly stated as allowed in the individual assignment or in the course syllabus, assume that using GenAI is not permitted.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is using other people's words, ideas, or data without citing, quoting, or referencing the original author. Plagiarism may occur with respect to both unpublished and published material. Copying another student’s work and submitting it as one’s own individual work without proper attribution is a serious form of plagiarism.   

Examples of plagiarism include but are not limited to the following: 

• Direct Plagiarism—The verbatim copying of an original source without acknowledging the source. 
• Paraphrased Plagiarism—The paraphrasing, without acknowledgement, of ideas from another that the reader might mistake for the author’s own. 
• Plagiarism Mosaic—The borrowing of words, ideas, or data from an original source and blending this original material with one’s own without acknowledging the source. 
• Insufficient Acknowledgment—The partial or incomplete attribution of words, ideas, or data from an original source. 

There are three ways in which plagiarism occurs. Please read the following definitions so you understand how to avoid plagiarism in your writing and assignments:

Intentional Plagiarism. The deliberate act of representing the words, ideas, or data of another as one’s own without providing proper attribution to the author through quotation, reference, or footnote. 

Inadvertent (Accidental) Plagiarism. Involves the inappropriate, but nondeliberate, use of another’s words, ideas, or data without proper attribution. Inadvertent plagiarism usually results from a failure to follow established rules for documenting sources or from simply not being sufficiently careful in research and writing. 

Misrepresentation. Falsifying or fabricating information from an original source or author in assignments or exams. Examples include but are not limited to

• citing a source that does not exist 
• creating fake information, words, or data and stating the fake information, words, or data as though they come from an official author or source 
• citing a source from an author or source that does not support those claims or results
• citing an author or source in a reference section or bibliography section when the author or source is not referenced in the assignment 
• purposefully changing the meaning or application of data, words, or information from another source or author 
• creating fake data or results to support conclusions 

Other Academic Misconduct 

Academic misconduct includes other academically dishonest, deceitful, or inappropriate acts that are intentionally committed. Examples of such acts include but are not limited to

• inappropriately providing or receiving information or academic work so as to gain unfair advantage over others
• planning with another to commit any act of academic dishonesty
• attempting to gain an unfair academic advantage for oneself or another by bribery or by any act of offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting anything of value to another for such a purpose
• changing or altering grades or other official educational records
• obtaining or providing to another an unadministered test or answers to an unadministered test
• continuing work on an examination or assignment after the allocated time has elapsed
• submitting the same work for more than one class without disclosure and approval

Consequences of Academic Dishonesty  

If academic dishonesty is identified, the BYU CE administrators or the course instructor may take disciplinary action. In some cases, the department, the college, or the university may also take action independent of the instructor or BYU CE. Potential consequences may include but are not limited to the following: 

• reprimanding the student orally or in writing
• requiring the work affected by the academic dishonesty to be redone
• receiving a lower or failing grade on the assignment or exam
• receiving a lower or failing grade for the course
• removing the student from the course
• prohibition from re-enrollment in the course or any other BYU CE courses
• referral to university disciplinary action, which may include further sanctions as deemed appropriate by the university

Petition Process

Students may appeal disciplinary action through the Petition Process.

There may be occasions when a student believes his or her academic work or conduct has been unfairly or inadequately evaluated.¹ Typically, such differences of opinion can be amicably resolved informally between the student and BYU Independent Study’s faculty and staff; however, BYU Independent Study recognizes that this is not always possible. It is BYU Independent Study’s policy to encourage satisfactory resolution of academic grievances at the lowest possible administrative level. What follows are the procedural steps to accomplish this goal:

1. The grievance must be initiated by the student no later than three months (90 days) from the day the final grade is posted for the course in which the alleged unfair or inadequate evaluation or discipline occurred.
2. The student should initially address the grievance by writing to the instructor² to request a review and resolution. This initial communication should be sent to is_petitions@byu.edu. Staff will ensure that the instructor receives the communication. 
3. If the instructor is unavailable or if the student has a valid reason to believe that the matter will not be dealt with fairly or that retribution may result, the student may submit the grievance directly to the BYU Independent Study Educational Services Manager at is_petitions@byu.edu.
4. The Educational Services Manager will review the case and make a decision. If deemed necessary by the Educational Services Manager, a review committee will be convened to further investigate the petition. The committee will present their findings to the Educational Services Manager and provide a recommendation for a resolution to the petition.
5. The Educational Services Manager will determine the resolution of the grievance and give the decision in writing to the student and faculty member within 10 business days. The decision is final and not subject to further appeal, except that the Dean of the BYU Division of Continuing Education may at his or her sole discretion choose to review and alter any determination of the Educational Services Manager with regard to a grievance.

Notes

1. Academic evaluations subject to this policy include grading, disciplinary actions arising from violations of the BYU Independent Study Student Code of Conduct, the withholding and/or revocation of a grade for academic reasons, and the withholding of transcripts or special notation on transcripts for academic reasons.
2. For purposes of this policy, “instructor” means any teacher or other individual who is authorized by BYU Independent Study to academically evaluate students, or who has a legitimate need to know about the processing and disposition of an academic grievance.