University Graduate School
the successful defense of a thesis must be completed within eight years of the start of coursework in the Master’s
program. For all other Master’s degree programs all requirements, including the successful defense of a thesis,
where required, must be completed within six years of the start of coursework in the Master’s program.
Full-Time Graduate Student Status
Full-time status requires that students be enrolled for a minimum of 9 credit hours during the fall and spring
semesters and 6 credits during the summer. Doctoral students who have reached candidacy who have completed
all requirements except for the dissertation, and have an approved dissertation proposal on file with the University
Graduate School, are considered full-time when registered for at least three dissertation credits per semester.
Master’s students who have reached candidacy who have completed all requirements except for the thesis are
considered to be full-time when registered for 1 thesis credit per term. Students receiving graduate assistantships,
however, must be registered for 9 credits during the fall and spring semesters and 6 credits in the summer semester.
Financial aid packages very often require that the recipient be a full-time student. All graduate students are required
to be registered every semester throughout their graduate academic career All graduate students must take a
minimum of one (1) graduate credit hour per term to maintain active status in the program. Please refer to the
University’s Graduate Active and Full-time Status Policy.
Good Academic Standing
Graduate students are required by the University to maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher.
In addition, programs may have additional requirements that limit the number of B- or lower grades, which may be
earned either in their required courses generally or in specified courses. Students should check with their program
directors concerning this.
A graduate student whose cumulative graduate GPA falls below a 3.0 will be placed on warning, indicating academic
difficulty. A graduate student on warning whose cumulative graduate GPA remains below 3.0 in the following
semester will be placed on probation, indicating serious academic difficulty. The college or school of the student on
probation may indicate the conditions which must be met in order to continue enrollment. A graduate student on
probation whose cumulative and semester GPA’s fall below a 3.0 will be automatically dismissed from his or her
program and the University. A graduate student will not be dismissed prior to attempting a minimum of 12 hours of
coursework as a graduate student. The student has ten working days to appeal the dismissal decision. This appeal
must be made in writing to the Dean of the University Graduate School. To appeal, the student must submit a Petition
for Exception, which must be initiated by the student’s academic program. The form is available electronically.
Please see your academic program regarding this process. The dismissal from the University is for a minimum of one
year and prohibits students from registering for any courses. After one year, the student may apply for readmission to
the University in the same or a different program.
GRADUATION & COMMENCEMENT
Graduation
The student can apply for graduation on PantherSoft under ACADEMICS. Students must be enrolled in at least 1
graduate credit the semester they apply to graduate. Please note that doctoral candidates must be enrolled in at
least three dissertation credits and thesis option master’ students in at least one thesis credit. Before applying for
graduation, the graduate student should consult with their academic advisor. For thesis option master’s and doctoral
degree programs, it is of great importance that all the appropriate forms be filled out and handed in to UGS, and that
the thesis and dissertation defense be approved by the UGS, by their respective due dates. For more UGS deadlines
information, please visit:
.
For general graduation information please visit the following:
.
Commencement
For complete details, procedures, and deadlines, please visit the Commencement website at:
.
Note: Doctoral (PhD and EdD) students receive their commencement pass/es from the University Graduate School.
Only doctoral candidates who successfully defend and submit the final copies of the dissertation to the University
Graduate School by the established deadline are eligible to participate in the ceremony.
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