Policy 158.01 Academic Standing Status for Graduate Students

Owner: Senior Vice President and Chief Academic Officer

1. Purpose

   1. This policy defines the levels of Academic Standing for graduate students and explains conditions for continued enrollment for students on Academic Probation and Academic Dismissal.

2. Introduction

   1. This policy applies to all UMGC graduate students.

   2. Academic standing is the quantitative measure of a student's academic achievement and is determined based on grades earned in UMGC courses.

   3. Graduate students receiving financial aid are also required to meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress standards outlined in UMGC Policy 220.31 – Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Standard – Graduate Students.

   4. Because Academic Standing and Satisfactory Academic Progress are interrelated, failure to maintain Good Academic Standing in accordance with this policy may result in restrictions on the number of credits in which a student may enroll, regardless of the impact on the amount of financial aid for which a student may qualify.

   5. Graduate students are expected to maintain a 3.0 or higher term and cumulative grade-point average (GPA). Refer to Policy 205.06 – Calculation of Grade-Point Average (GPA) for Inclusion on Transcripts and Transcript Requests for detailed information on how the GPA is determined.

   6. Not all graduate courses or programs employ the grade of "C."

      1. Beginning in Fall 2016, UMGC's catalog and each course syllabus indicate whether a course or program employs the grade of "C."

      2. In those courses/programs that do, "C" is the lowest possible acceptable final grade. However, a final grade of "C" in a course may impact the Academic Standing of a student and may thus require the student to repeat the course(s) in which the grade of "C" is earned.

   7. There are three levels of Academic Standing for graduate students: Good Academic Standing, Academic Probation, and Academic Dismissal. A student's cumulative grade-point average (GPA) is re-calculated at the end of each term in order to establish the student's current Academic Standing, as described below.

      1. Academic Probation and Academic Dismissal are official transcript notations.

      2. Based on the Academic Standing status, Academic Operations will notify graduate students who are placed on Academic Probation via e-mail. Students who are Academically Dismissed will receive notification via regular US Mail. In both cases, Academic Advising will be notified at the same time in order to assist and advise students.

   8. Graduate students are responsible for monitoring their grades and for staying aware of their current level of Academic Standing.

   9. Degree and Certificate Completion Timeline

      1. All courses and requirements for the master's degrees and graduate certificates must be completed within five years from the first term of enrollment in the program in order to avoid credits expiring.

      2. All courses and requirements for the doctoral program must be completed within seven years from the first semester of enrollment in the program in order to avoid credits expiring.

3. Policy on Academic Standing for Master's Degree and Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Students

   1. Good Academic Standing

      1. Good Academic Standing is defined as a term and cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

      2. Regardless of GPA, no grade of "F" or "FN" may be used to satisfy degree requirements. Refer to Policy 170.40 – Degree Completion Requirements for Graduate Students for more information.

   2. Academic Probation

      1. Academic Probation is defined as a term or cumulative GPA below 3.0.  Academic Probation is applied at the point when the term or cumulative GPA drops below 3.0.

      2. Students on Academic Probation must repeat and may enroll only in the course(s) that caused the term or cumulative GPA to drop below 3.0 after the Academic Probation status is applied. No other coursework may be attempted unless the student has earned a grade of "B" or better in the repeated course(s). (In cases in which a course is no longer offered, the Deputy Chief Academic Officer or designee may approve an appropriate substitution.)

      3. A student must obtain a minimum 3.0 term GPA in each term of Academic Probation, meaning no further grades of "C," "F," or "FN" may be earned during the probation period.

      4. Students on Academic Probation have a maximum of two terms of enrollment, from the term in which they are placed on probation, to attain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

   3. Academic Dismissal

      1. A student on Academic Probation who fails to attain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, or who obtains a term GPA of below 3.0 within the two-term timeframe, will be Academically Dismissed.

      2. Students Academically Dismissed from a graduate program are only eligible for readmission to a UMGC graduate program if they are approved under the conditions of either Reinstatement in Section III.D. or Restart in Section III.E.  of this policy.

   4. Reinstatement

      1. Students who are Academically Dismissed are not eligible to register for UMGC courses unless they are approved for reinstatement.

      2. Students who have been Academically Dismissed may submit a one-time request for reinstatement by contacting reinstatements@umgc.edu and completing a Reinstatement Request Form.

      3. The form requires students to explain changes they have made in their academic preparation and strategies that will improve their potential for successfully completing their program.

      4. The Reinstatement Review Committee reviews requests for reinstatement and communicates its decisions to students. The decision of the Committee is final and cannot be appealed.

         1. Students who are approved for reinstatement will be readmitted on Academic Probation status and must return to Good Academic Standing within one term. Students approved to resume their current program of study must immediately repeat the course(s) that caused their cumulative GPA to drop below 3.0. No other coursework may be attempted unless the student earns a grade of "B" or better in the repeated course(s). (In cases in which a course is no longer offered, the Deputy Chief Academic Officer or designee may approve an appropriate substitution.)

         2. Students who request and are approved for reinstatement into a new or different program of study must meet any additional conditions of reinstatement set by the Reinstatement Review Committee and will not be able to apply prior courses to the new or different program.

      5. Reinstated students who fail to attain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, or who obtain a term GPA of below 3.0 during the probation term, will be Academically Dismissed without possibility of reinstatement.

      6. All other conditions for program completion will apply to reinstated students including completion time limits. Additional conditions may be placed on students who have been approved for reinstatement including, but not limited to, enrollment in the appropriate course(s), coaching, or tutoring.

   5. Restart

      1. Students who are not approved for a reinstatement or those on Academic Probation who stop attending graduate courses may, after a period of 5 consecutive years from their last date of attendance, request a one-time restart to begin a program anew.

      2. Prior grades and credits earned will not apply.

      3. Students should contact their academic advisor to discuss restart. Students should note that programs are subject to change; a student seeking restart may find that the program in which they were previously pursuing has changed or is no longer available in the same format.

4. Policy on Academic Standing for Doctoral Students

   1. Good Academic Standing

      1. Good Academic Standing is defined as a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and achievement of no grades less than "B" in doctoral coursework.

      2. Grades of "C," "U," "F," and "FN" are not considered passing grades for doctoral courses and may not be used to satisfy degree requirements, regardless of GPA. Refer to Policy 170.40 – Degree Completion Requirements for Graduate Students for more information.

   2. Academic Probation

      1. A doctoral student who earns a grade less than "B" in a course is placed on Academic Probation. Students on Academic Probation must repeat and may enroll only in the course in which the grade of less than "B" was earned and must earn a grade of "B" or better in order to continue in and successfully complete the doctoral program. No other coursework may be attempted unless the student earns a grade of "B" or better in the repeated course. Students may exercise the repeat option only once during the doctoral program. Doctoral students who receive a second grade less than "B" will be dismissed from the program.

      2. A doctoral student who receives a grade of "U" in a dissertation course is placed on Academic Probation. Students on Academic Probation must repeat and may enroll only in the dissertation course in which the "U" was earned and must earn a grade of "S" in order to continue in and successfully complete the doctoral program. No other coursework may be attempted unless the student earns a grade of "S" in the repeated dissertation course. After receiving a grade of "U," students may repeat the dissertation course only once. A doctoral student who receives a second grade of "U" will be dismissed from the program.

   3. Academic Dismissal

      1. A second grade less than "B," in a non-dissertation course or a second "U" in a dissertation course, will result in dismissal from the doctoral programs, regardless of GPA.

      2. Students dismissed from the doctoral program are not eligible for readmission to the doctoral program, but may be admitted to a UMGC master's program, according to the admissions requirements outlined in UMGC Policy 170.10 – Graduate Admissions Policy.