Academic Standing

GPA Minimum

No more than 6 course credits of grades below a B may be counted toward the master's degree; no more than 9 credits of the same grades may be counted toward the doctorate. No graduate degree will be awarded to any student whose overall cumulative grade point average falls below 3.000.

Academic Standing

The university will temporarily suspend our student Academic Standing status process. Designations of “Warning,” “Probation,” or “Dismissal” will not appear on transcripts for Spring or Summer 2020. Students will maintain their spring/summer 2020 academic standing through the Fall of 2020.

Warning Notice

Any graduate student whose semester grade point average (GPA) falls below 3.000 will automatically receive a warning notice which will also be sent to the graduate coordinator, and filed with the student's record in the Registrar's Office. The student will be strongly advised to meet with the graduate coordinator or his/her designee within 30 days of receipt of the warning notice and develop an academic plan to bring his or her GPA to a level above 3.000.

Probation

Any graduate student whose semester GPA falls below 3.000 for a second time, will automatically receive a letter of probation from the Vice Provost for Graduate Education. Copies of the letter will be sent to the graduate coordinator, chairperson, college dean, and also placed on file with the student's record in the Registrar's Office. Within 30 days, the department graduate committee, chaired by the graduate coordinator or his/her designee, will meet with the student and decide whether to recommend loss of degree candidacy. Such a decision or other course of action will be fully documented in writing with copies sent to the chairperson, and college dean. A recommendation of loss of degree candidacy and dismissal are subject to the approval of the college dean.

Academic Dismissal and Reinstatement

Any student whose semester GPA falls below 3.000 for a third time, and whose cumulative GPA is below 3.000, will automatically be dismissed from his or her graduate program and the University. Reinstatement will be considered if the student provides a detailed justification and academic plan concerning how he or she will correct this academic deficiency. The plan must be attached to a Graduate Academic Petition and approved by the graduate coordinator, chairperson, the college dean, and the Vice Provost for Graduate Education or his/her designee. If any of the above individuals disapproves of the reinstatement, the dismissal will remain in effect and no subsequent appeals will be considered.

Independent of the warning/probation/dismissal system, the dean of the college where the student's degree program resides may at any time examine the performance of any student not meeting the academic standard expected of graduate students within that college and recommend to the appropriate graduate committee a course of action including dismissal.

For the procedure for formal adjudication of any academic issues (non-misconduct) which may arise, please see University Appeals Process Regarding Academic (non-misconduct) Issues of Graduate Students.

Graduate Fresh Start 

Master and Doctoral degree candidates and non-degree students who have been absent from the University for four years or longer may be readmitted under the program Graduate Fresh Start. If admitted into a degree granting program, under the terms of Graduate Fresh Start, a returning graduate student will be treated as if s/he were a new student. A maximum of two courses (six credits) at the 5000 level or higher completed during earlier periods of enrollment with grades of "B" or better may, with the approval of the degree granting department, be transferred into the degree program. These courses must be transferred via an academic petition and will be accepted toward graduation but not included in the cumulative grade point average (GPA). Thesis and dissertation research credits are ineligible for transfer. Courses completed during earlier periods of enrollment with grades below "B" are not eligible for transfer. A student may be readmitted under the Graduate Fresh Start program only once at the graduate level.

Students who wish to be considered for the Graduate Fresh Start Program must follow the normal procedures for admission to the University and file a Graduate Fresh Start Contract (pdf). Academic Petitions for transfer credits must be approved by the appropriate graduate coordinator and/or department chair of the degree granting department, and must be filed with the University Registrar. In addition, the student must submit a personal statement which addresses personal and professional growth during the period of time in which the student was absent from the University which supports the student’s potential for academic success. If admitted, credits and GPA start at zero. Transfer courses may count towards the degree, but are not included in the GPA.

All courses taken and grades achieved during earlier periods of enrollment will appear on the transcript along with a notation that they are not included in the cumulative grade point average. Once this change is made to the academic record, the change can NOT be reversed.

Spring 2020 Academic Standing

The university will temporarily suspend our student academic standing status process. Designations of "Warning", "Probation", or "Dismissal" will not appear on transcripts for Spring 2020. Students will maintain their Spring 2020 academic standing through the Fall of 2020. The university will determine students who have earned a place on the Semester Honors list based on their calculated letter-grade GPA for Spring 2020.