A student failing to receive a minimum acceptable grade in a course for graduate credit may not continue his/her program of studies without permission of the Supervisory Committee or the program Graduate Committee concerned. The committee's decision, along with an appropriate explanation and justification, must be filed in the Graduate Studies Office.
To receive credit in didactic and seminar-type graduate level courses, it is expected that students will perform at the level of B or above in any course that is offered for graduate credit. However, a minimum grade of C may be acceptable for graduate level courses, but receipt of two grades of C may be cause for dismissal. Any grade below C is not acceptable for graduate credit.
A student who fails to maintain an overall grade point average of at least 3.0 in any given semester will automatically be on academic probation and may not continue his/her program of study without special permission of the Dean for Graduate Studies acting on the recommendation of the appropriate graduate or supervisory committee. The recommendation must include a review of the student’s status and a program of remediation. To continue in the Graduate Studies program, the student must remove the probationary status (i.e., return to an overall 3.0 grade point average) within the next twelve (12) months.
Because research activities comprise a major part of the endeavors of graduate students, excellence in research is expected of all students. Therefore, a failing grade in any research activity (non-thesis research, Master’s Thesis, or Doctoral Dissertation) may be grounds for dismissal.
The above minimum scholarship requirements apply to ALL students enrolled in ANY course for graduate credit. Additional requirements may exist for certain graduate programs and departments as set forth in this Bulletin, in the departmental course listings and/or in department/program descriptions which may be provided to students at the time of admission.
If a student fails to pass the comprehensive examination or the final oral examination (defense of thesis/dissertation) for an advanced degree, his/her committee must report to the Graduate Studies Office, within seven days of the examination, the failure together with the committee’s recommended action. If this recommendation allows another examination, the committee should indicate what the student must do prior to such re-examination. No student shall be permitted to take either the comprehensive or final oral examination more than twice and the student must wait a minimum of three months before retaking the examination.
