Graduate School

Academic Standards

6.1 Departmental Evaluation of Students

All departments/programs must make an annual review of each graduate student. The elements of annual review include:

  1. Cumulative record including admission and classification information, course work, research proposals and all examinations, i.e., advisory, placement, qualifying, preliminary and final examinations.
    Progress since last review.
  2. Qualitative assessment by faculty of progress in research and teaching, as appropriate.
  3. Statement as to the rate of progress, i.e., satisfactory or unsatisfactory.
  4. Expectations for the next review period.
  5. During spring semester, the department/program chair will give written notification to each graduate student of his/her performance. After appropriate faculty have been consulted, the names of those students to be dropped from a program shall be sent to the Dean of the Graduate School.

6.2 Minimum Grade Point Average (GPA)

The following represent Graduate School minimum requirements; departments/programs may have requirements more stringent than those listed here.

6.2.1 Award of a Graduate Degree

  1. A student must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA and a 3.0 program GPA. No work of “B-“ grade or below may be dropped from a program for an advanced degree, nor can a course be repeated for a higher grade if the final grade is “C” or higher. Any course included in the advanced degree program in which a grade of “C-“ or below is earned must be repeated but not on a P/F basis.
  2. All grades earned by a graduate student in courses listed on the program, except the first grade for a repeated course, must be averaged into the student’s GPA.

6.2.2 Continued Enrollment

  1. A regular graduate student who has completed only one semester or one summer session of graduate study with a GPA of 2.75 or above is eligible for continued enrollment. Upon completion of two semesters, one semester and one summer session, or two summer sessions of graduate study and thereafter, a 3.0 cumulative GPA or above is required for continued enrollment in the Graduate School. Graduate students admitted on a provisional status must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above.

6.2.3 Termination of Enrollment

  1. The enrollment of a graduate student who fails to establish and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above at the end of two semesters, one semester and one summer session, or two summer sessions will be terminated. The enrollment of a graduate student will be terminated if he/she fails to obtain a 2.75 cumulative GPA or above at the end of one semester or one summer session of graduate study.

6.2.4 Reinstatement

  1. A graduate student who has completed only one semester or one summer session with a GPA below 2.75 may be reinstated upon favorable recommendation of the department/program chair and approval by the Dean of the Graduate School.
  2. After a graduate student has completed two semesters, one semester and one summer session, or two summer sessions, the student must maintain at least a cumulative 3.0 GPA. If the GPA drops to the 2.75 to 2.99 range, the student may be reinstated by the Dean of the Graduate School only upon favorable recommendation of the department/program chair. The student will then have one semester or summer session to increase the cumulative GPA to 3.0. Failure to do so requires termination of enrollment. A graduate student who has completed two semesters, one semester and one summer session, or two summer sessions of graduate study and whose cumulative GPA is below 2.75 is not eligible for reinstatement.

6.3 Academic Course Credit

6.3.1 Incomplete Grades

  1. An incomplete (“I”) is the term indicating that a grade has been deferred. It is given to a student who, for reasons beyond the student’s control, is unable to complete the assigned work on time. The “I” grade for an undergraduate course (all courses numbered 499 or lower) will be changed to an “F” if the work is not completed during the ensuing year. The student may not repeat the course to remove an incomplete grade. Courses numbered 500 or above are not subject to the above time limitation.
  2. Graduate students may not carry a grade of “I” (incomplete) longer than one semester or summer session while on appointment. Ordinarily, new or renewed appointments will not be approved for students who have earned a grade of “I” for longer than one semester or summer session.

6.3.2 Course work on Pass/Fail Basis

  1. All graduate students are eligible, with prior advisor approval, to take courses on a pass/fail (P/F) basis. Credit hours earned under P/F are counted toward assistantship maximum or minimum hour requirements. Enrollment changes from graded to P/F courses will be allowed with the advisor’s approval during the first three-week period following the beginning of classes. After the third week and through the last day of instruction in a semester, a P/F enrollment can be changed to a letter-graded enrollment. There is no limit on the number of hours a graduate student may take on a P/F basis.

6.3.3 Graduate credit for courses
taken by undergraduates

  1. Seniors who have at least a 3.0 grade point average in the last 60 semester hours of graded undergraduate work at WSU may reserve up to 6 semester hours for thesis master's program, and 9 hours for non-thesis master's or Doctoral of work in the Graduate School in excess of that required to complete the bachelor’s degree. The approval of the Dean of the Graduate School is required at the time of registration. Work done by undergraduates under other conditions may not be applied toward an advanced degree.
  2. Seniors who wish to enroll in 500-level courses for undergraduate credit must obtain approval of the major advisor and the chair of the department or program in which the course is being offered.
  3. Enrollment in 500-level courses by undergraduates, other than seniors, may be allowed only as an exception to policy under extraordinary circumstances clearly justifying such enrollment. Requests for such an exception to policy require recommendations of the student's major advisor, course instructor, and department/program chair administering the course and should be submitted to the Dean of the Graduate School before any such enrollment.

6.3.4 Transfer Credit and Credit Restrictions

  1. Credits appropriate to the program of study (with a grade of B or higher) earned in other accredited graduate schools after the award of the bachelor's degree may be transferred and applied toward a student's graduate degree program. Graduate credit earned (with a grade of B or higher) in Washington State University prior to formal admission to the Graduate School, other than credit earned while enrolled as a Class 5E or Special 8 student, may be included in the number of prior credits allowed.
  2. The total of such credits from the two categories (transfer and prior WSU credit) is subject to the usual time restrictions and approval by the academic unit and the Graduate School. The number of such credit hours is limited to no more than half of the total graded course credits required by the department/program for the degree. None of this credit may be applied toward another advanced degree. Individual departments/programs may choose to limit transfer credits to an amount less than that specified above.
  3. The amount of transfer credit allowed on a doctoral degree is subject to departmental recommendations and approval by the Graduate School. However, these credits may not be substituted for residence requirements at Washington State University.
  4. Extension courses, special problems, research and thesis, workshops, and correspondence courses will not receive graduate transfer credit. For necessary interpretations,
    inquiries should be sent to the Dean of the Graduate School.
  5. Transfer credit is requested formally by listing the courses on the degree program, but preliminary determination will be made earlier upon request to the Graduate School.
  6. Graduate credit from a non-accredited institution will not be accepted for transfer to graduate degree programs. Graduate credit earned within the State of Washington from an accredited institution whose main campus is outside the state will be considered for transfer to a graduate degree program only upon special petition to the Dean of the Graduate School.

6.3.5 Correspondence and Special Examinations

  1. Credit earned by correspondence may be applied to remove undergraduate deficiencies, but may not be used to satisfy course requirements on a graduate program. No credits received by special examination may be used to meet advanced degree requirements.

6.3.6 Distance Degree Program (DDP)

  1. Credit earned in courses with graduate credit taken through the Washington State University Distance Degree Program will be accepted on graduate student programs without limit. The usual residence requirements will still apply for advanced degrees. Credit earned through any other extension program may not be used to satisfy course requirements on a graduate program.

6.3.7 Workshops

  1. Graduate credit is not given for workshops or continuing education courses taught on or off campus or sponsored by Extended University Services. Workshops or continuing education courses are not accepted from Washington State University or other universities.

6.3.8 Cooperative Courses

  1. Cooperative course credits earned at the University of Idaho shall be regarded as credit earned at Washington State University. The number of credits acceptable on a student’s program shall be left to the discretion of the student’s committee.
  2. Cooperative courses shall yield grade points for all students and shall be counted in determining their grade point averages. Enrollment in such courses is carried out at the student’s home university in the same manner in which the student enrolls for any other course and each university retains administrative control over its own students.
  3. Grades for cooperative students are recorded only by the university at which they have matriculated. Once a grade has been assigned for such a student, the cooperative course instructor shall report it to the respective department/program chair who shall send it to the chair of the appropriate department and to the Registrar’s Office in the other university.

6.3.9 Auditing Courses

  1. Graduate students who elect to audit a course must have prior approval from the instructor of the course and from their thesis or dissertation chair. Official recording of an audit on a transcript requires the instructor's signature and a discussion with the instructor regarding any specific expectations or requirements to fulfill the audit. Minimum requirements may include attendance at select or all classes and course readings for participation in class discussions. This agreement between the student and the instructor should be through written documentation but at the very minimum through verbal communication so student and faculty are mutually clear regarding expectations.
  2. "No university credit will be allowed for auditing courses, nor may students apply for or take special examinations for university credit in courses which they have audited." (Faculty Senate 5/4/78; Educational Policies and Procedures 9/2004)

6.3.10 Foreign Language Requirement

  1. Departments and programs have the option of requiring or not requiring a foreign language or languages. If one or more languages are required, the degree-granting unit is responsible for monitoring the requirement.

6.4 Extensions

  1. 1st Extension: A one year extension may be requested as an exception to Graduate School policy for students not able to complete their Masters degree in 6 years or Doctorate degree in 10 years from the beginning date of the earliest course applied toward the degree. The student must make a formal request in writing to their thesis /dissertation chair. The thesis /dissertation chair must discuss this situation with the student and they should mutually outline a plan for completion within one year. The thesis /dissertation chair must then consult with the thesis/dissertation committee and, if all agree, forward a memorandum to an Associate Dean of the Graduate School requesting a one year extension. The thesis/dissertation chair must explain why this exception is requested and the thesis/dissertation chair should indicate the committee support of this request. An Associate Dean of the Graduate School will grant, or reject, the exception to policy and this decision will be communicated to the thesis/dissertation chair and recorded in the student's file.
  2. 2nd Extension: If, after having been granted a 1st extension, a 2nd extension for one year may be requested by using the procedure outlined below. The 2nd extension is a serious matter and should be considered a final stage of the process to complete the degree.
  3. The student must request a 2nd extension to their thesis/dissertation chair. The student must explain, in writing, why they were unable to complete the thesis/dissertation after a first extension. They also must develop a detailed time-line for completing the thesis/dissertation if they would be granted a 2nd extension.
  4. The thesis/dissertation chair must evaluate and approve the rationale and time-line for the requested 2nd extension.
    The student must schedule and complete a thesis/dissertation committee meeting where the time-line for completion is discussed.
  5. A faculty meeting must be held where the students request for a 2nd extension is discussed by the entire faculty. Once the thesis/dissertation advisor presents the circumstances for this request, the Chair must ballot the faculty for their support of the request. The results of this balloting must be recorded.
  6. If the faculty vote supports the action, the thesis/dissertation chair must write a memorandum to an Associate Dean of the Graduate School requesting a 2nd extension. This memorandum must explain the rationale for this extension, provide the details of the time-line, verify the date of the thesis/dissertation meeting, and indicate that the thesis/dissertation committee concurs with the decision to request a 2nd extension. This memorandum must be copied to the Chair of the degree granting unit.
  7. The Associate Dean will render a decision to extend a 2nd request. If the extension is granted, a letter will be sent to the student (and copied to the Chair, the chair of the thesis/dissertation committee, and the Dean of the Graduate School) explaining that this 2nd extension is essentially a final opportunity to complete the thesis/dissertation by following the time-line developed by the student and thesis/dissertation committee. The letter will indicate that 3rd extensions are very rare.
  8. 3rd Extension: It is possible to obtain a 3rd extension under exceptional circumstances (personal and/or family medical issues, etc.). The 3rd extension is absolutely final. Because of this, the process for requesting it is more formal and involves a wider segment of the university community. To request a 3rd extension, the following process will be used and implemented.
    Steps 1-3 for the 2nd extension must be followed in sequence.
  9. A faculty meeting must be held where the students request for a 3rd extension is discussed by the entire faculty of the degree granting unit. Once the thesis/dissertation advisor presents the circumstances for this request, the Chair must ballot the faculty for their support of the request. The results of this balloting must be recorded.
  10. If the faculty support the request, the Chair then writes a memorandum to an Associate Dean of the Graduate School and the Chair of the Graduate Studies Committee explaining the rationale for the request, a detailed time-line for completion of the thesis/dissertation within one year, and any extenuating circumstances that need to be considered.
  11. The request will be immediately forwarded to the Graduate Studies Committee. The thesis/dissertation chair, or the Chair of the department, will be invited to attend a GSC meeting to present the case. The GSC will vote after hearing all the facts to grant, or reject, the request for a 3rd extension.
  12. The Chair of the GSC will write a letter to the student which will be signed by the Chair and the Dean of the Graduate School. This letter will explain that this is a 3rd and final extension. The student will acknowledge receipt of this letter in writing to the Chair of the GSC and explain that they understand that this is their final opportunity to complete the thesis/dissertation degree.

 

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