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Academic Standards

  • Students in the Doctor of Letters program must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.1 (on a 4.0 scale) or better. D.Litt. candidates must also manifest excellence at certain points in course work in order to undertake the dissertation. All requirements for the D.Litt. degree must be fulfilled within seven years of entering the program.

    • Doctor of Letters students not registered for coursework or dissertation may maintain full-time continuous registration as follows:

      • Prepare dissertation prospectus – one semester

      • Complete dissertation – two semesters 

    • Additional semesters of full-time continuous registration within the first seven years of the program are granted by the director and only by exception. Students requesting additional full-time semesters must demonstrate progress toward the degree and a satisfactory plan of study approved by their faculty advisor. Part-time maintaining matriculation status is available without approval at all stages of the program. Registration in the program beyond seven years must be approved by the Graduate Academic Standing Committee.

  • Students in the Doctor of Medical Humanities program must maintain an average GPA of 3.1 (on a 4.0 scale) or better. D.M.H. candidates must also manifest excellence at certain points in course work in order to undertake the dissertation. All requirements for the D.M.H. degree must be completed within a period of seven years after after entering the program.

    • Doctor of Medical Humanities students not registered for coursework or dissertation may maintain full-time continuous registration as follows:

      • Prepare dissertation prospectus – one semester

      • Complete dissertation – two semesters 

    • Additional semesters of full-time continuous registration within the first seven years of the program are granted by the director and only by exception. Students requesting additional full-time semesters must demonstrate progress toward the degree and a satisfactory plan of study approved by their faculty advisor. Part-time maintaining matriculation status is available without approval at all stages of the program. Registration in the program beyond seven years must be approved by the Graduate Academic Standing Committee.

  • Students in the Doctor of Philosophy program must maintain an average GPA of 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) or better. Ph.D. candidates must also manifest excellence at certain points in course work in order to (a) sit for the qualifying exams and (b) to undertake the dissertation. All requirements for the Ph.D. degree must be fulfilled within seven years from entering the program.

    • Students not registered for coursework or dissertation may maintain full-time continuous registration as follows:

      • Complete capstones – four semesters

      • Prepare dissertation prospectus – two semesters

      • Complete dissertation – four semesters

    • Additional semesters of full-time continuous registration within the first seven years of the program are granted by the director and only by exception. Students requesting additional full-time semesters at each stage must demonstrate progress toward the degree and a satisfactory plan of study approved by their faculty advisor. Part-time maintaining matriculation status is available without approval at all stages of the program. Registration in the program beyond seven years must be approved by the Graduate Academic Standing Committee.

  • Students in the Master of Arts in History and Culture program must maintain an average GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or better. All requirements for the M.A. degree must be fulfilled within five years of entering the program.

    • Master of Arts students not registered for coursework or thesis may maintain full-time continuous registration status for one semester. Additional semesters of full-time continuous registration are granted by the director and only by exception. Students requesting additional full-time semesters must demonstrate progress toward the degree and a satisfactory plan of study approved by their faculty advisor. Part-time maintaining matriculation status is available without approval at all stages of the program.

  • Students in the Master of Arts in Medical Humanities, Health, and Society program must maintain an average GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or better. All requirements for the M.A. degree must be completed within a period of five years after entering the program.

    • Master of Arts students not registered for coursework or thesis may maintain full-time continuous registration status for one semester. Additional semesters of full-time continuous registration are granted by the director and only by exception. Students requesting additional full-time semesters must demonstrate progress toward the degree and a satisfactory plan of study approved by their faculty advisor. Part-time maintaining matriculation status is available without approval at all stages of the program.

  • Students in the Master of Arts in Teaching program must maintain an average GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or better. Students in this program who drop below a 2.75 may be dismissed from the program. All requirements for the M.A.T. degree must be completed within a period of five years after entering the program.

  • Students in the Master of Education program must maintain an average GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or better. Students in this program who drop below a 2.75 may be dismissed from the program. All requirements for the M.Ed. degree must be completed within a period of five years after entering the program..

  • Students in the Master of Letters program must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or better in order to graduate. All requirements for the M.Litt degree must be fulfilled within a period of two years after the student satisfactorily completes the 27 hours of coursework in the program, and within five years from entering the program. 

    • Master of Letters students not registered for coursework or thesis may maintain full-time continuous registration status for one semester. Additional semesters of full-time continuous registration are granted by the director and only by exception. Students requesting additional full-time semesters must demonstrate progress toward the degree and a satisfactory plan of study approved by their faculty advisor. Part-time maintaining matriculation status is available without approval at all stages of the program.

  • Students in the Master of Science in Data Analytics program must maintain an average GPS of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or better. Students in this program who drop below a 2.75 may be dismissed from the program. All requirements for the M.S. degree must be fulfilled within three years from entering the program.

  • Students in the Master of Science in Finance program must maintain an average GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or better. Students in this program who drop below a 2.75 may be dismissed from the program. All requirements for the M.S. degree must be fulfilled within three years from entering the program.

 

Academic Standing

Students are expected to maintain satisfactory progress, as determined by the Caspersen School and the Graduate Academic Standing Committee. At the end of each term, the Graduate Academic Standing Committee conducts a review of all student progress. Students whose records do not meet qualitative or quantitative degree standards are placed in the following academic standing categories:

Warning

Full-time students previously in Good Standing will be placed on Warning for any of the following reasons:

  • A failure to meet minimum term and/or overall GPA requirements for the degree;

  • A failure to satisfactorily complete credits according to minimum progress standards for the degree;

  • A withdrawal from all classes in a fall or spring semester.

A student on Warning who at the end of a fall or spring semester has satisfactorily met the minimum credit and grade point levels will be returned to Good Standing. A student on Warning who at the end of fall or spring semester has not made satisfactory academic progress and returned to Good Standing will be placed on Probation or may be dismissed.

Probation

Full-time students will be placed on Probation for any of the following reasons:

  • A student who has already been on a semester of Warning for either unsatisfactory GPA or progress.

Students on probation are restricted to 6 credit hours during the probationary semester and must complete at least 6 credit hours. Students who do not attain the GPA and progress minimums may be recommended for leave of absence or required withdrawal.

Required Withdrawal

Full-time students can be placed on required withdrawal for any of the following reasons:

  • Any student who receives all “F” in any one semester;

  • Any student who has been on probation and has not returned to Good Standing at the end of the probationary semester;

  • Students with two or more non-consecutive semesters on Warning or Probation.


Under exceptional circumstances only, a student on Required Withdrawal may appeal to the Graduate Academic Standing Committee to be re-admitted in the next term. If the appeal is approved, the student will be reinstated and placed on Probation. Such re-admissions are granted only in unusual cases, and in no cases may a student be readmitted twice.

Except in the case of grade appeals, appeals of decisions made by the Graduate Academic Standing Committee must may be made in writing by the student to the Dean of the Caspersen School of Graduate Studies. The Dean will convene a three person committee of faculty and administrators to hear the appeal of the decision and render a final decision. The decision of this committee is not eligible for further appeal.

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