Graduate Policies and Masters Degree Requirements

Admission to Candidacy

Admission to a graduate program is not the equivalent of acceptance as a candidate for a master’s degree. Graduate students must file an Application to Candidacy document with the Graduate Programs Office during the semester prior to their final semester (during their second to the last semester). Failure to file this form as required will result in a delay in graduation. The candidacy application includes a summary of all courses to be applied toward the degree and indicates that the student is entering the final stages of degree completion. Admission to candidacy requires review and approval of the candidacy document by the student’s advisor and the Dean.  

Advising

Graduate students have final responsibility for their success in their chosen master’s program.  However, because the university recognizes that students will benefit from the guidance, counsel, and support of faculty who serve as their advisors, an academic advisor will be assigned to all new students as soon as they are admitted to the program.  Students may ask to have their advisor changed.

Students should meet with their advisors early in their first semester to become acquainted and to discuss the academic program. Students should consult and work with their advisors on the following requirements:  preparing a Plan of Study; selecting a thesis topic; deciding upon a capstone project; preparing for assessment activities; and completing applications for candidacy and graduation.  

Appeal/Grievance Procedure

Administrative officers of the University have the responsibility and authority to make decisions within their respective areas of jurisdiction.  However, it is the policy of the university to allow students to appeal academic and administrative decisions.  Students should first discuss a concern with the professor or official directly responsible for the area involved.  If the matter cannot be resolved at that level, it should be taken to the dean of the college in which the graduate program resides or to the official’s immediate supervisor.  If the matter cannot then be resolved, graduate students should file a grievance with the Graduate Programs Office.  Graduate Council will hear graduate student appeals and grievances.

Application for Graduation

Students who are candidates for graduation, as indicated in the Admission to Candidacy document, must file an Application for Graduation Form with the Graduate Programs Office by the drop/add date of the semester of their intended graduation.  Application forms are available in the Graduate Programs Office and on-line at http://www.departments.dsu.edu/gradoffice/currentframe.html.  Submission of this form will trigger a graduation eligibility review by the Graduate Programs Office.

Assessment/Final Evaluation of Graduate Experience

While progress toward a graduate degree is continually assessed, every graduate program will include a final integrative performance-based experience to evaluate and assess the quality of the learning experience of each student. Assessment activities vary with the program. Examples of final assessment activities include: comprehensive examinations; capstone projects; oral examination of the thesis; external certification examinations; portfolio review by external auditors; and a summary conference.  Such activities help students integrate the separate parts of the total educational experience. For more information on the nature of the assessment experience within each program, students should consult their advisors.  Information is also available in the Graduate Programs Handbook in the section describing the specific programs

Auditing a Class

No credit is given for audited classes, but audited courses will be listed on the transcript. Course prerequisites are the same for audit as for credit.  Auditors will not be permitted to take credit examinations for the audited course.  The credit hours of audited classes are counted in the course load for that semester, and the total number of credit and audit classes may not exceed the maximum course load of 12 credit hours. Audited courses are not used in the term total for determining full time/part time status. Students who audit a class must still pay regular per credit tuition and fees for that class.

Candidacy

See Admission to Candidacy

Change of Grade

Changes from one letter grade to another must be initiated by the instructor and approved by the dean. The Vice President for Academic Affairs must approve such changes.  A change from an “I” to a letter grade requires only the signature of the instructor.

Changing Class Schedules

Students may only drop or add a course within the official drop/add period indicated in the academic calendar.  However, in the event that graduate classes start later in the semester, the drop add period will be extended for an appropriate time period. A schedule change is official only after it has been confirmed on-line or by the Graduate Office. Tuition and fee refunds are made only for courses officially dropped during the scheduled drop/add period.

NOTE: When the deadline to make changes to a class schedule falls on a Saturday, Sunday or holiday, students are encouraged to make those changes on-line using WebAdvisor. Students who prefer to make class schedule changes in person must deliver those changes to the Enrollment Services Office by the end of the work day that precedes the published date. THE ENROLLMENT SERVICES OFFICE WILL NOT ACCEPT CLASS SCHEDULE CHANGES AFTER THE PUBLISHED DEADLINE.

Only the most unusual circumstances warrant requests for class schedule changes after the published deadline. These must be requested, in writing, and must be approved by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Course Loads

For fall and spring semesters, the normal course load is nine (9) credit hours.  Graduate students may register for a maximum of twelve (12) credit hours. For summer sessions, a normal course load is three (3) credit hours per session. Any increase in maximum course load must have the approval of the Dean.  Part-time enrollment is anything under nine (9) credit hours; half time is five (5) credit hours.

Graduate Assistants with half-time assistantships who do not have classroom instructor assignments must be enrolled in a normal course load. All courses in graduate assistants’ course schedules (including audit courses and undergraduate courses) are counted as part of their course load and affect the level of assistantship/workload that can be assigned.  Additional limitations may be placed on graduate students who are awarded teacher of record teaching assistantships. Graduate assistants who wish to enroll in more than a normal course load must secure the permission of their advisor and the dean.

Credit and Coursework Options

Transfer Credits
Academic courses completed for credit at regionally accredited colleges and universities are generally eligible for transfer, if such courses are applicable to the student’s degree program. Each graduate program will determine the applicability of the graduate courses proposed for transfer credit.

The request for transfer credit should accompany the Plan of Study.  All documentation must be completed by Candidacy. Only 600 level courses with a grade of “B” or better may be transferred into the Plan of Study.  Courses will be accepted as meeting graduation requirements if the course(s) parallel requirements for the specific master’s degree or if the courses meet elective requirements. Courses will be evaluated on a course-by-course basis.  A graduate student who wishes to take courses at another college or university and transfer them to his/her degree work at DSU must obtain prior permission from the appropriate dean.

Independent Study
Independent Study credits are permitted at the graduate level with the approval of the instructor and the dean and only under the following (or similar) conditions:  the student has been unable to take the course when it was offered, and to wait to take it the next time it is offered would cause an undo delay in the student’s graduation or create problems with course sequencing.  Prior to the course being offered, the Graduate Council must approve a syllabus for that particular course. 

Credit for Classes Offered via Alternative Delivery Methods
Graduate credit may be obtained for graduate courses taken via alternative delivery systems, such as Internet and television on the same basis as other transfer credits. A regionally accredited institution must offer the courses. They will be accepted as meeting graduation requirements if the course(s) parallel requirements for the master’s degree or if the courses meet elective requirements.  Courses will be evaluated on a course-by-course basis and must be approved by the dean.

Credit by Examination
Graduate students may petition the dean to receive credit by examination for a course. Once the dean has approved the petition, the student completes the “Application for Credit by Examination” form (available in the dean’s office or the Graduate Programs Office).  The examination is prepared and administered by the faculty person teaching the course. A grade of “B” or better is required on the exam to successfully challenge the course.

Credit for Work Experience
No credit will be offered for prior work experience, but students can challenge any course by successfully completing the credit by examination process. 

Credit for Correspondence Courses
No credit will be given for correspondence courses, except under extraordinary conditions and with the prior approval of the dean.

Credit For Undergraduate Classes Taken As A Graduate Student
Graduate students who wish to take an undergraduate course may do so.  However, no undergraduate course will meet a graduate requirement.  Nor will an undergraduate course count in the plan of study.  Total undergraduate and graduate hours must not exceed the maximum hours permitted for the graduate course load. The reduced tuition rate permitted for graduate assistants also applies to undergraduate courses.

Eligibility for Graduation/Certification of Program Completion

Once a student has filed an Application for Graduation, the Graduate Programs Office Director will review that student's file to determine that all graduation requirements have been met. All students must meet the following graduation requirements:

1. Successful completion of all courses listed on their Plan of Study. All work, including transferred credit, must have been taken within a period of 5 years.
   
2. Achievement of a grade point average of 3.0 (a "B" average), with no more than 6 credit hours of a "C" grade and no grade below a "C" in the courses included in their Plan of Study
   
3. Full payment or satisfactory adjustment of all financial obligations to DSU.
   
4. Compliance with regental standards for residency.
   
5. Satisfactory completion of an integrative assessment activity as required by the specific degree progra m.
   
6. Satisfactory completion of required project or thesis as applicable.

Students who meet all graduation requirements will be certified as eligible for graduation.

Evaluation

See Assessment/Final Evaluation of Graduate Experience

Grade Change

See Change of Grade

Grade Deletion/Replacement

See Repeating a Course/Grade Replacement and Grade Deletion

Grading

The following grade definitions are used in the graduate programs:

All graduate students must maintain a 3.0 grade point average in all courses included in their plan of study, with a grade of “C” in no more than 6 credit hours of their courses.  No grade below a “C” is acceptable for graduate work.  The grades of all courses in the plan of study will count in calculating the plan of study GPA.  Grade deletion is not permitted for graduate degree programs, except under extraordinary conditions.  An “F” grade is grounds for automatic suspension and does not count toward the fulfillment of program requirements for a master’s degree.

Graduation

See Application for Graduation And Eligibility for Graduation

Grievance Procedure

See Appeal/Grievance Procedure

Incomplete Grade

An incomplete “I” grade may be awarded at the discretion of the instructor in consultation with the student. The grade may be given at the end of a semester when the student has successfully completed the major portion of the course requirements but is unable, for reasons beyond the student’s control, to complete the requirements. This is a temporary grade that reverts to an “F” if the work is not completed by the end of the succeeding semester (summer, fall or spring). For each incomplete given, the instructor must indicate in writing to the student, the dean, and the Graduate Programs Office how and by when the incomplete is to be removed. The instructor must also attach a copy of this correspondence to the final grade report. The Vice President for Academic Affairs must approve an extension to the time frame for the completion of the requirements to remove the “I” grade, prior to the incomplete being changed to a grade of “F”. A student with any unresolved “I” grade for courses in their plan of study will not be certified for graduation

Independent Study

See Credit and Coursework Options

Normal Course Load

See Course Loads

Plan of Study

All graduate students must file a plan of study with their advisor and the Graduate Programs Office. A plan of study is an agreement between the student and the college offering the degree program that formally specifies all course work required to complete the master’s degree. A plan of study must be filed prior to the end of the semester in which the first nine (9) credit hours are completed.  Failure to complete the Plan of Study by the end of the designated semester may result in a hold on future registration. An approved plan of study can be amended with the prior approval of the student’s advisor.  The change must be approved by the Dean and filed with the Graduate Programs Office.

Probation/Suspension

Students who do not maintain the required “B” average will be placed on academic probation. Students on academic probation are given the opportunity to raise their plan of study GPA to 3.0, by achieving sufficient grades in the next nine credit hours to raise their plan of study GPA to a 3.0 (“B” average).  Students who do not raise their GPA to 3.0 will be suspended from the program. Students who receive more than 6 credits of “C” or any grade lower than a “C” will be suspended from the program.

Should it be necessary to suspend a graduate student for academic reasons, the student may apply for readmission to the dean of the college after two semesters (summer is considered a semester term). The student must demonstrate an adequate reason for readmission.

Appeal
Students wishing to contest probation or suspension may appeal the decision, following the grievance procedure established by DSU: Appealing Academic and Administrative Decisions. Graduate Council will hear all grievances. Students should consult the Graduate Programs Office for details.

Reinstatement
Graduate students who have been officially suspended may seek reinstatement by submitting a formal request for reinstatement, along with a supporting statement of explanation, to the Graduate Programs Office.  The request shall be acted upon according to the established procedure for application to the program.

Program Requirements

Credit hour requirements vary with the specific degree program.  In general, a master’s degree requires completion of a minimum of 30 graduate-level credit hours. Program specific credit hour requirements can be found in the Graduate Programs section of this catalog and the Graduate Programs Handbook.

Progression

See Satisfactory Progression

Readmission

Graduate students who withdraw from the university must apply for readmission through the Graduate Programs Office at least one month prior to registration for that semester.  If any graduate work was undertaken at another institution during the intervening time, students must furnish the Graduate Programs Office with the transcripts. The program’s Graduate Admissions Committee will make readmission decisions.

The program description in effect at the time of readmission will apply.  The program’s Graduate Admissions Committee may require applicants to update their application file and/or file a new plan of study.

Reentry/Reactivation

Students who withdraw prior to the start of classes may reactivate their original application within one year, without having to resubmit all application materials.  These students must notify the Graduate Programs Office Director in writing that they wish to reactivate their file.  Their application will be forwarded to the next Graduate Admissions Committee meeting for discussion.  In the absence of evidence that the student should not be admitted or other extenuating circumstances that limit enrollment, the student’s original admission will prevail.

Registration

Continuous Registration Requirement
Graduate students must maintain continuous registration in graduate coursework to remain in the program.  Students can meet this requirement by registering for a minimum of one course during an academic year (summer, fall, and spring semesters) until all requirements for the degree are completed.  Students who are unable to take a course in a particular academic term should register for a program-sustaining credit that semester. Program sustaining registration carries zero credit and requires no tuition or fee payment.  Students who do not maintain continuous registration will be suspended from the program. Only the Vice President for Academic Affairs can make exceptions for those students with compelling extenuating circumstances.

Registration and Academic Records
The Graduate Programs Office is responsible for registering graduate students and maintaining and safeguarding their official files. Students should meet regularly with their advisors to discuss their courses and course loads.  Graduate students may register electronically using WebAdvisor or through procedures established by the Graduate Programs Office. Students may register for distance courses through the E-Education Services website. The Graduate Programs Office prepares and updates advising check sheets. Students can request copies of these to help them track their progress.

Repeating a Course/Grade Replacement and Grade Deletion

The grades of all courses in the plan of study will count in calculating the Plan of Study GPA. Students who are readmitted to the program after academic suspension must repeat any course with an “F” grade. The grade on the repeated course will replace the original grade and will be used in calculating GPA. Students may not repeat a course more than once.

Grade Deletion, deleting all grades for a semester, is not permitted for graduate degree programs, except under extraordinary conditions. Graduate students may request to have all the grades of a semester deleted only if there have been certified medical problems, a military call-up, or other extreme personal exigencies. Only the Vice President for Academic Affairs can approve such deletion.

Residency

A “course in residence” is one offered by a degree-granting regental institution at any of its approved sites, using any approved method of delivery.  Courses that are part of a formal collaborative agreement among institutions are considered “in residence.”

The Board of Regents has established guidelines for the proportion of coursework in a graduate program that must be earned in residence.  The graduate credit hours required in residence are program-specific and dependent upon the credit hour requirements for that particular program. Students who plan to earn graduate credit through off-campus courses should check the specific program requirements. Courses that must be completed in residence are specified in the graduate catalog. 

Satisfactory Progression/Good Academic Standing

Graduate students must make satisfactory progress each academic year toward completion of the graduate degree being sought and must remain in good academic standing.  All work in the program, including transferred credit, must be completed within a period of five (5) years, beginning with the date of entry into the program. Satisfactory progress is evidenced by both continuous registration in coursework within their plan of study and overall satisfactory performance. Continuous registration is defined in the Registration paragraph of this section.  Satisfactory performance requires that graduate students maintain a 3.0 GPA in all courses included in their plan of study, receive grades of “C” in no more than 6 credit hours, and receive no grades lower than a “C”.

Suspension

See Probation/Suspension

Time Limits

All coursework must be completed within a period of 5 calendar years from the date of initial registration in coursework included in the student’s plan of study. Students may apply to the Vice President for Academic Affairs for an extension of this deadline.  However, prior to their admission to candidacy, students may be asked to validate all graduate work that is older than five years.

Transfer

See Credit and Coursework Options

Withdrawal from a Class

A student may withdraw from a class after the end of the official drop/add period until the last day of the withdrawal process as published in the academic calendar. The student automatically receives a “W” grade for that course.  A “W’ grade does not affect the student’s GPA.  Students are not allowed to withdraw from specific classes after the published date, except under extenuating circumstances and only with the approval of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Anticipated course failure does not count as an extenuating circumstance.  Refunds will not be given for single classes dropped during the withdrawal period.

Withdrawal from the Program

To withdraw from all courses, graduate students should contact the Graduate Programs Office.  The Director will coordinate the notification process so that all appropriate offices and persons are made aware of the withdrawal.  The effective date of withdrawal is the date such a request is initiated. Failure to officially withdraw will result in failing grades for all courses in which the student was enrolled, forfeiture of any possible refund of charges and will impact Federal financial aid eligibility.

Graduate students who withdraw from a graduate program after being admitted and registering for class but prior to the start of class must notify the Graduate Programs Office that they are withdrawing. They may ask to have their application held for up to one year.  After that time, they will have to reapply for admission. 

The South Dakota Board of Regents Refund Policy determines the refund calculation used for any student withdrawing from the university during the first sixty percent of the term. At no time will refunds be awarded after the 60% point of the enrollment period.