Academic Probation and Suspension

Academic Probation

Academic Probation. Means a student has not met the minimum threshold to be in good academic standing. It is intended as a corrective measure to help students improve their academic performance.

All students who receive one letter grade of “C” will be cautioned by their program director. A student who receives a second “C” in their graduate curriculum must meet with their advisor and work with their advisor/program director to acknowledge the student’s understanding of the grading policy and create an academic performance plan; the academic performance plan must be submitted to the Graduate College prior to the student registering for the subsequent semester.  A student who has a semester grade point average below 3.0 must meet with their advisor and have their advisor/program director submit and approved academic plan to the Graduate College prior to registering for the following semester. Students who have received their second “C” or have a cumulative grade point average below 3.0 will have a registration hold placed on their account and will not be eligible to participate in early registration.

A student who is admitted conditionally or on a non-degree basis who has not yet completed twelve (12) semester hours and holds a less than a 3.0 grade point average will be subject to suspension from Graduate College.

Academic Suspension

Academic Suspension. Means the student is dismissed from their graduate program and may not enroll in any classes at ATU, earn credit at ATU, or receive financial aid at ATU during the suspension period or one calendar year.  A student suspended from Graduate College may reapply for admission after one year. Reinstatement to the Graduate College will not necessarily mean reinstatement to a particular graduate program. Readmission does not reestablish financial aid eligibility, nor does it change the maximum timeframe for which a student's previous academic credits can be counted toward a graduate degree six (6) years.

Students who do not clear their conditional admission requirements, whose GPA falls below a 1.5, and/or students who are not able to raise their GPA to a 3.0 after being on probation for two consecutive semesters will be placed on academic suspension.

Students who do not clear their conditional admission requirements or students who are unable to raise their GPA to a 3.0 after being on probation consecutively will be academically suspended. 

A students' lack of Academic Progress may result in dismissal with no option to be reinstated.

Graduate Clemency Policy

In accordance with Act 1000 of 1991, a student who has previously attended Arkansas Tech University may apply to have the grades and credits earned for one or more consecutive semesters [1] removed from his/her grade point average provided the following criteria are met.

A graduate student who has previously attended Arkansas Tech University, whose graduate GPA is below a 3.0, and whose attendance has been interrupted for a period of at least one calendar year may qualify for academic clemency provided they were not found guilty of academic dishonesty. A graduate student may apply to have the graduate credits and grades earned at Arkansas Tech University prior to the separation removed from their grade point average for a maximum of two consecutive semesters.

Academic clemency may be granted only one time, is irreversible, and includes all credits earned during the semester/s for which it is requested. The student’s complete record will remain on the transcript with the added notation of “academic clemency granted” and the effective date. If the student and/or the Graduate Program Director elect to appeal the decision of the Graduate Council ad hoc clemency committee, their appeal should be submitted to the Dean of the Graduate College for review and final decision. Academic clemency does not restore eligibility for student financial aid, scholarships, or athletic eligibility nor does it change the six-year completion timeline.

Academic Dishonesty/Academic Misconduct

A university exists for the purpose of educating students and granting degrees to all students who complete graduation requirements. Therefore, ATU requires certain standards of academic integrity and conduct from all students. ATU expects an academic atmosphere to be maintained in all classes regardless of their format and delivery, such as in-person classrooms or online classroom settings. This atmosphere is created by both the professor and the students in order to enable all students enrolled in a class to reach their academic potential. All students, regardless of the format and delivery of their classes, are expected to: attend class (attendance policy is defined by the professor); conduct themselves in a non-disruptive manner; and refrain from cheating, plagiarism, or other unfair and dishonest practices. Students should also realize the class is under the control of the professor who will give students a statement of his or her class policies in a syllabus at the beginning of the semester.

Academic offenses involving dishonesty and misconduct are defined in the Definitions section below. These definitions are not all inclusive and conduct not expressly set forth in the definitions may also be considered academic dishonesty or academic misconduct.

Definitions

Academic Dishonesty

Academic dishonesty refers to the various categories of cheating and plagiarism in a class, regardless of the class format and delivery.

• Cheating on an examination, quiz, or homework assignment involves any of several categories of dishonest Examples include but are not limited to: a) copying from an examination, quiz, or any other assignment of another student; b) utilizing notes, messages, or crib sheets in any format which gives the student extra help on an exam or quiz, and which were not approved by the professor of the class; c) obtaining advance copies of exams or quizzes by any means; d) hiring a substitute to take an exam or bribing any other individual to obtain exam or quiz questions; e) buying term papers or other assignments from the Internet or any other source; and f) using the same paper to fulfill requirements in several classes without the consent of the professors teaching those classes.
• Plagiarism is stealing the ideas or writing of another person and using them as one's This includes not only passages, but also sentences and phrases that are incorporated in the student's written work without acknowledgement to the true author. Any paper written by cutting and pasting from the Internet or any other source is plagiarized. Slight modifications in wording do not change the fact the sentence or phrase is plagiarized. Acknowledgment of the source of ideas must be made through a recognized footnoting or citation format. Plagiarism includes recasting the phrase or passage in the student's own words of another's ideas that are not considered common knowledge. Acknowledgment of source must be made in this case as well.

Academic Misconduct

Academic misconduct concerns a student's inappropriate behavior in a class regardless of the class format and delivery. Such behavior includes interacting with the professor and other students in a manner that disrupts the learning environment of a class. Examples include but are not limited to:

1. engaging in a discussion with other students that is not beneficial to the class or acceptable to the professor;
2. interrupting class unnecessarily;
3. attempting to monopolize the professor's time and attention;
4. being chronically late to the class; and
5. failing to engage in a class in a manner that is required by the professor, such as chronically late submission of assignments.

Misconduct also covers verbal or nonverbal harassment and threats in relation to classes. Student behavior must not infringe on the rights of other students or faculty during a class.

Academic Grievance/Appeals Procedures  

Since charges of academic dishonesty may have serious consequences, a professor who suspects a student of any category of academic dishonesty must have facts and/or evidence to support the charge.

1. The professor will meet with the student and present him or her with a written outline of the alleged academic dishonesty, the evidence supporting the charge, and the penalty. In circumstances that require a student to attend a meeting and the student cannot meet in person, such as with online distance courses, the meeting may take place via telephone or a technology-based format. Penalties for various levels of academic dishonesty vary from giving an F on a particular assignment, quiz or exam, to giving an F on a term paper or other written work, or giving the student an F or W for the course. The professor may also have different penalties for particular cases of academic dishonesty.
2. The professor will notify his or her Department Head and graduate program director (or Graduate Dean if the professor is the Department Head or the graduate program director) of the charge, evidence, and penalty.
3. If the student accused of academic dishonesty denies the charge or disagrees with the evidence presented by the professor, the student should make an appointment with the relevant Department Head and graduate program director (or the Graduate Dean if the professor is the Department Head or the graduate program director; in which case, skip step 4). The student may remain in the class during the appeal process.
4. If the student is still dissatisfied after meeting with the Department Head and graduate program director, he or she should make an appointment to meet with the Graduate Dean who will seek resolution of the problem.
5. If a resolution is not found, the Graduate Dean will refer the student to the Graduate Academic Appeals Committee (“Appeals Committee”), whose composition is described in the Appeals Procedures section below.
6. The student should then submit a written appeal to the Chair of the Appeals Committee, or to an alternate member of the Appeals Committee who is not involved in the matter (“alternate member”) as described in the Appeals Procedures section below; and the Chair or an alternate member will select a Sub-Committee as described in the Appeals Procedures section below.
7. If the Sub-Committee determines academic dishonesty has occurred, it will confirm the recommendation of the professor concerning the penalty. Such a decision will be given both to the Chair of the Appeals Committee or an alternate member and to the Graduate Dean. The student will be notified of the Sub-Committee's decision by the Chair of the Sub-Committee that sat for the appeal. The Chair of the Sub-Committee shall also notify the Vice President for Academic Affairs of the decision. The Vice President will review the case and forward the outcome to the Registrar after the appeal period described below in this section.
8. The student shall have the right to appeal the decision of the Academic Appeals Sub-Committee by filing a Notice of Appeal. The only basis for appeal shall be: 1) Alleged failure of the Academic Appeals Sub-Committee to follow the procedures set forth in the Academic Dishonesty/Academic Misconduct policy, or 2) Consideration of new evidence that was not available at the time of the hearing before the Academic Appeals Sub-Committee. The appeal should be in writing and submitted to the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs within five (5) working/business days of receiving notification of the Sub-Committee's decision. The decision of the Vice President for Academic Affairs will be final.
9. If the Sub-Committee determines academic dishonesty has not occurred or that the evidence is insufficient, the Chair of the Sub-Committee will forward all pertinent information to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Vice President will confer with the Graduate Dean, and the relevant Department Head, graduate program director, and professor to facilitate the return of the student to class without penalty. The Department Head or graduate program director will notify the student of the decision.

Academic Misconduct Procedures

Please note that the procedures listed in this section do not apply to extreme incidents of academic misconduct, such as verbal or physical abuse or threats, which will be dealt with immediately by asking the student to leave the classroom. If the student refuses to leave the classroom, Public Safety personnel will be called to remove the student, and the Dean of Students will also be informed of the behavior. For such extreme incidents of academic misconduct in an online course, the student may be temporarily or permanently removed from the Blackboard course and the Dean of Students will also be informed of the behavior.

1. The professor of a class being disrupted by academic misconduct will speak with the disruptive student. Proper behavior and possible consequences for not modifying the behavior will be discussed with the student.
2. If the student ignores the professor's requests to discuss the behavior, it will be considered that the student received an official warning that his or her classroom conduct is inappropriate. If the student continues the disruptive behavior, the professor will warn the student a second time to cease the behavior.
3. If the student has refused to respond or has ignored the professor's first and second warning, the student will be suspended on an interim basis, and notified of the suspension from the professor of the class in which the warnings were given. Within two (2) working/business days after the date of the interim suspension, a notification will be sent by the professor to the Department Head, the graduate program director, and Graduate College, who will notify the Chair of the Appeals Committee or an alternate member who is not involved in the matter.
4. An Appeals Sub-Committee will be appointed and a hearing will be conducted by the Sub-Committee within three (3) working/business days after the date of the notification to the Appeals Committee of the interim suspension.
5. On the same date the notification of the interim suspension is sent to the Chair, or an alternate member of the Appeals Committee, the student will be advised by the Department Head or the graduate program director that he or she has the right to submit a written statement to the Sub-Committee addressing the alleged incident of academic misconduct. The student's written statement as well as the professor's written statement shall be submitted to the Chair of the Sub-Committee at least 24 hours prior to the hearing.
6. The Sub-Committee will consider the written statements of the professor and the student involved in the alleged incident of academic misconduct. The Department Head or graduate program director will also provide a statement that the warning procedure has been followed and the student has been suspended on an interim basis from attending the particular class, pending the decision of the Sub-Committee. The Sub-Committee has the right to pursue further information from the professor, Department Head, program director, and student.
7. If the Sub-Committee determines academic misconduct has occurred, it will confirm the recommendation of the professor concerning the penalty. Such a decision will be given both to the Chair of the Appeals Committee or an alternate member of the Appeals Committee and to the Graduate Dean. The student will be notified of the Sub-Committee's decision by the Chair of the Sub-Committee that sat for the appeal. The Chair of the Sub-Committee shall also notify the Vice President for Academic Affairs of the decision. The Vice President will review the case and forward the outcome to the Registrar after the appeal period described below in this section.
8. The student shall have the right to appeal the decision of the Academic Appeals Sub-Committee by filing a Notice of Appeal. The only basis for appeal shall be: 1) Alleged failure of the Academic Appeals Sub-Committee to follow the procedures set forth in the Academic Dishonesty/Academic Misconduct policy, or 2) Consideration of new evidence that was not available at the time of the hearing before the Academic Appeals Sub-Committee. The appeal should be in writing and submitted to the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs within three (3) working/business days of receiving notification of the Sub-Committee's decision. The decision of the Vice President for Academic Affairs will be final.
9. If the Sub-Committee determines academic misconduct has not occurred or the evidence is insufficient, the Sub-Committee will forward all pertinent information to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Vice President will confer with the Graduate Dean, Department Head, graduate program director, and professor to determine the course of action to be followed and the status of the student in regard to the class in question. The Department Head or graduate program director will notify the student of the decision.

Appeal of an Academic Course Grade

The assessment of the quality of a student’s academic performance is solely and properly one of the major responsibilities of university faculty members. A grade appeal is not appropriate when a student simply disagrees with the faculty member’s judgment about the quality of the student’s work. Grade appeals should be based on problems of process and not on differences in opinion concerning academic performance. A student who is uncertain about whether or not a grade can be appealed or who needs additional information about the grade appeal process can contact the department head’s office (or dean’s office should the instructor be the department head). This policy is implemented within the college that administratively houses the department through which the course was offered, irrespective of a student’s major or class standing.

Appeal of Academic Dishonesty/Misconduct 

The Graduate Academic Appeals Committee is an official committee of ATU and will be formed each academic year as a pool of qualified faculty and students to hear graduate student academic dishonesty and academic misconduct appeals.

Appeal of an Academic Graduate Program Dismissal

Appeal of a program dismissal must be made by the student directly affected and must be made immediately, within 10 calendar days, following the departmental decision to the department head.

Application for Graduation

In addition to satisfying all degree requirements, a candidate for a degree must file an Application for Graduation via their Degree Works audit. Students must apply for graduation by Reading day of the semester prior to the semester of graduation.

Degree Works

Degree Works is a software tool utilized by Arkansas Tech University designed to detail academic progression. It allows both students and advisors to monitor course progress towards degree completion and clearly indicates which course requirements have been met as well as how courses transfer into a program. Transfer courses must be approved through the use of a substitution/waiver form available via the Registrar for progress to display correctly within Degree Works. 

Degree Works will display course progression based on the current program of study, but a "what-if" scenario can be generated for any program to see how progression looks with the courses currently completed and in progress. Note that if you have applied to and been admitted to a graduate program while still finishing your undergraduate program, Degree Works will show your new program of study in the graduate program and you would have to generate a "what-if" query to see your undergraduate degree progress.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

Graduate Student Course Load

Graduate students may enroll for a maximum of twelve (12) hours of credit during each of the three semesters (Fall, Spring, and Summer) during the academic year. A one-credit-hour overload may be authorized by the program director of the student's major department. A graduate student will be considered full-time if enrolled for nine (9) or more hours of credit during each of the three semesters. Graduate Assistants will be considered full-time if carrying six (6) or more hours. Students receiving financial aid should check with the Financial Aid office for requirements necessary to be considered a full-time student. Permission to take more than the maximum loads stated above requires the written approval of the student's advisor, program director, and Dean of Graduate College.

Change of Major

Subject to the approval of the advisor, current program director, new program director, and Dean of Graduate College a graduate student may be allowed to change their major or add an additional certificate or master’s degree.  

Adding and Dropping Courses

Changes in the class schedule must be made on official forms available at the Registrar's Office, Suite 307, Brown Hall. Failure to follow the correct procedure for making changes in the class schedule may result in the grade of "F" being recorded for the courses involved. Deadlines for adding courses, dropping courses, or changing sections are listed in the graduate calendar in this catalog. Please note: A student accumulating an excessive number of unjustifiable absences in a course may be dropped from the course by the instructor with a grade of “WN.”

Repeating a Course

No graduate student may repeat a course for graduate credit except with the written permission of the advisor. The grade from such a repetition as well as the original grade will be counted in computing the grade point average.

Withdrawing

To withdraw officially, the student must complete a "Withdrawal Application." Failure to follow this procedure may result in a grade of "F" being recorded.

The deadline for officially withdrawing from the University with grades of "W" is the same as the last day for dropping courses. Withdrawing after this date, which is listed in the graduate calendar in this catalog, will result in grades of "F" being recorded for the semester/term. If circumstances justify special consideration, appeals should be directed to the Dean of Graduate College.

Auditing Courses

Auditing of courses requires official admission to the University, approval by the instructor involved, and payment of the regular fee for the course. Audit will be on a “space available” basis. Students auditing courses are subjected to the same regulations as other students with regard to registration and attendance, but they do not take examinations nor receive credit for the course. A student accumulating an excessive number of unjustifiable absences in an audited course may be administratively withdrawn at the request of the instructor. Students may change from taking a course for credit to audit during the first thirteen weeks of the semester. Students enrolled for audit who do not wish to complete the course(s) must complete official drop/withdrawal procedures stated in this section of the catalog.

Independent Study Courses

Independent study courses are intended for graduate students who have the interest and the ability to investigate a topic not covered in the graduate courses available in their major field of study. The topic, format, and specific requirements of each independent study project must be approved in writing by the supervising instructor, graduate advisor, program director, and Dean of Graduate College prior to enrollment for independent study credit. The original copy of the independent study approval form will be kept in the student's file in the Registrar's Office as part of the student's official graduate record. A student may not enroll in an independent study course before completing twelve (12) hours of graduate credit.

LIMIT ON WORKSHOP AND INDEPENDENT STUDY CREDIT

No more than six (6) semester hours of graduate course work completed in workshops and/or independent study may be applied to the master's degree.

Grading

The letters A, B, C, D, F are used in grading to indicate the quality of a student's work: A - Excellent, B - Good, C - Fair, D - Unsatisfactory, and F - Failure. The letters AU, W, WN, R, CR, and I are also used: "AU" indicates that the student was enrolled in the course as an "auditor"; "W" is used to indicate that a course was dropped without penalty; "WN" is used to indicate withdrawn for unjustifiable absences/non-participation.  The letter "R" indicates that the student registered for the culminating master's or doctoral project (e.g., thesis, portfolio, dissertation). The mark "R" gives neither credit nor grade points toward a graduate degree. The letters “CR” indicate that the student completed the requirements of the culminating project. "CR" gives credit for hours only.

A maximum of six hours of “C” grades can be counted toward graduate degree requirements; a maximum of three hours of C grades can be counted for a graduate certificate). A student receiving more than six (6) hours of "C" grades for a graduate degree or three hours of “C” grades for a graduate certificate is subject to the rules governing Academic Probation and Suspension. A cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or better must be achieved in all graduate work attempted at Arkansas Tech University for a Graduate Degree and/or Graduate Certificate. Cumulative GPA is calculated based on all graduate courses taken.

If a student needs to repeat a course or a significant portion of a course, a "W" or "F" will be assigned according to regulations governing the assignments of such grades.

Portfolio/Capstone Projects

Candidates for the Master of Education in Educational Leadership, School Counseling and Leadership, and Teaching, Learning and Leadership, and candidates for the Educational Specialist in Educational Leadership are required to submit a portfolio for completion of requirements of the degree demonstrating evidence of the candidate's competencies required by the specific program standards. A satisfactory portfolio is a requirement for completion of the program.

The candidate must enroll in two (2) hours of portfolio study after completion of 28 hours of course work. The portfolio is to be completed at the end of course work during the last semester of enrollment.

IN-COMPLETION OF CAPSTONE PROJECTS

Students enrolling in capstone projects such as the project in educational research, the liberal arts project, or thesis research maybe given a grade of "R" if requirements are not completed by the end of the semester. The grades of "R" or "CR" do not affect hours or grade point. Students receiving the grade of "R" will be required to enroll in the course the following semester(s) until the requirements are completed. The grade of "CR" gives credit only for the hours enrolled.

COMPREHENSIVE EXAMS

Some programs require comprehensive exams as a part of their degree requirements. Comprehensive exams are intended to demonstrate students’ knowledge and mastery of the discipline. The format of comprehensive exams may vary by department or program. Please check with your program director or advisor to determine the comprehensive exam requirements for your program.

Students who do not pass the comprehensive exam may be allowed to retake the exam once at the discretion of the program director. The scheduling of a second comprehensive exam is at the discretion of the department but can be no earlier than the subsequent semester after the first attempt. A student must be enrolled in at least one hour of graduate coursework in the semester in which they take their comprehensive exam. If a student does not pass the second attempt at the comprehensive exam, the student will be dismissed from the program.

Master's Thesis

Candidates who prepare a thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirement for a master's degree must exhibit the capabilities of gathering, organizing, evaluating, and reporting data which are pertinent to the topic of investigation.

The candidate's thesis committee will be appointed by the program director in consultation with the student's department head which will include at least one other qualified member of the graduate faculty. In addition to the regular graduate faculty members, a person having no official relationship with ATU may be appointed to serve with prior approval of the graduate faculty in the program. The program director will have final approval of the dissertation chair and committee. Total composition of all thesis/dissertation committees shall be reviewed and approved by the Graduate Dean.

Once the general area of research is determined through conference with the advisor(s), the student begins the process necessary for preparation of the thesis. Under the direction of the committee, the student prepares and submits a Topic Approval Request for approval by the Dean of Graduate College via the program director along with IRB approval letter (if applicable). The Topic Approval Request form is found under Student Resources at Thesis Topic Approval Form. All thesis must be written in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the thesis writing guide Thesis Preparation Guide.

If a program requires a thesis proposal, a thesis may not be proposed and defended in the same semester. The student and advisor must follow all deadlines posted on the Graduate College website for thesis forms and drafts. If a student does not meet the Graduate College deadlines, the student will not graduate in that semester.

An oral defense, conducted by the thesis committee, of the thesis is required. Committee members must be provided a 10-day reading period prior to the date of the defense. The Graduate College must have 10-day notice of a thesis defense in order to advertise the defense publicly. The committee will notify the Dean of the Graduate College in writing when the student has passed the oral defense. Students who do not pass the oral defense may be allowed to repeat the defense once at the discretion of the program director. The scheduling of a second thesis defense is at the discretion of the department but can be no earlier than the subsequent semester after the first attempt. A student must be enrolled in at least one hour of graduate coursework in the semester in which they defend their thesis. If a student does not pass the second attempt at the thesis defense, the student will be dismissed from the program.

The thesis, in its defended and committee approved form, along with corresponding Graduate College forms must be electronically submitted to the Graduate College via the ATU Online Research Commons no later than two (2) weeks prior to the date of graduation; if revisions are required graduation may be deferred to the following semester.

The grade for the course will generally be CR (Credit) or NC (No Credit), with the understanding the person(s) supervising the thesis or project can assign a letter grade to explicitly indicate a student is making good (A or B) or unsatisfactory (C or lower) progress toward graduation.

Students working on thesis and other master's projects beyond the term in which coursework for the degree has been completed, will be required to enroll in at least one (1) hour of coursework each ensuing semester until all requirements for the degree have been met. Students who fail to continuously enroll will be dropped from the master's program. A student who has been dropped for failure to continuously enroll as stipulated by this policy (excluding summer, unless the student is planning to graduate in the summer) may be readmitted to a master's program by reapplying to Graduate College with written approval of the person(s) supervising the thesis or project and the Program Director. Readmitted students will be required to reapply for graduation and enroll in a number of hours of coursework equal to the number of semesters that have lapsed since the last time they were enrolled, up to a maximum of three (3) hours.

Dissertation

As a formal research paper, the dissertation should reveal the candidate is able to produce original research that meets the professional standards of the discipline. Preparation for writing a dissertation should include careful and wide reading of professional journals and texts of involved disciplines, including the most recent scholarly work in the academic field. Students must exhibit capabilities of gathering, organizing, evaluating, and reporting data which are pertinent to the topic of investigation, as well as exhibiting their ability to use technology appropriate to the discipline. A dissertation may not be proposed and defended in the same semester.

The student and advisor must follow all deadlines posted on the Graduate College website for thesis forms and drafts. If a student does not meet the Graduate College deadlines, the student will not graduate in that semester.

Students working on a dissertation beyond the term in which coursework for the degree has been completed will be required to enroll in at least one (1) hour of coursework each ensuing semester until all requirements for the degree have been met. Students who fail to continuously enroll will be dropped from the doctoral program.

Dissertation Committee Composition

The graduate student who plans to write a dissertation is responsible for determining the content area of the projected study in consultation with the dissertation chair. The dissertation chair must have doctoral faculty status and expertise in the selected topic area. Together they will decide upon the other members of the dissertation committee, which will include at least one other qualified member of the graduate faculty. In addition to the regular graduate faculty members, a person having no official relationship with ATU may be appointed to serve with prior approval of the graduate faculty in the program. The program director will have final approval of the dissertation chair and committee. Total composition of all thesis/ dissertation committees shall be reviewed and approved by the Dean of Graduate College.

If more than three members are appointed to the dissertation committee, a majority of the members must hold regular graduate faculty status. A Graduate Faculty member holding non-regular graduate faculty status may serve on a dissertation committee, with prior approval of the program director and written approval by the Dean of Graduate College.

If a dissertation committee makes a change in its membership, a “Dissertation Committee Member Change” form must be submitted to the Dean of Graduate College for approval.

Responsibilities of the Dissertation Committee

The committee will approve the dissertation proposal and ensure particulars of the proposal are carried out. Other responsibilities include reading the dissertation for content, style, and standard English usage; ensuring mechanics are followed according to departmental and university guidelines; affirming proper research techniques are followed, an in-depth review of the literature is completed, and the conclusions reached are both legitimate and supported by data; and ensuring plagiarism does not occur. The committee should make certain the dissertation is of quality and reflects high standards of scholarly writing. The dissertation committee chair is responsible for the initial reading and initial corrections of the student’s paper. The chair is then responsible for submitting the dissertation to the committee members for their review. Please use the Graduate College Dissertation Timeline that governs this process. The committee and chair will meet with the student as needed during the time the student is engaged in the Dissertation process.

Dissertation Committee Appointment Form

Students must submit a Dissertation Committee Appointment Form with all Committee Members signatures to the Dean of Graduate College for final approval of the dissertation committee. The form is available on the Graduate College website.

Dissertation Proposal Defense Form

A dissertation proposal must be prepared and defended by the student and approved by the dissertation committee before work on the dissertation continues. A Dissertation Proposal Defense Form is available on the Graduate College website. After the dissertation proposal has been defended successfully and signed by the dissertation committee and the program director, it is then submitted to the Dean of Graduate College for final approval. After the oral defense, the student may make no change to the dissertation, unless authorized by the dissertation committee.

Request to Schedule Dissertation Defense Form

The dissertation student and their committee chair must work together to determine a date and time to schedule the dissertation defense. Committee members must be provided a 10 day reading period prior to the date of the defense. A “Request to Schedule Dissertation Defense Form” is available on the Graduate College website. The form must be signed by the dissertation committee and the program director, it is then submitted to the Graduate College dean for final approval. The Request to Schedule Dissertation Defense Form should be submitted to the Graduate College at least 10 days before the defense date.

Dissertation Defense Final Report

An oral defense of the dissertation is required. It will be conducted by the dissertation committee, which will then notify the Dean of Graduate College, in writing, the student has passed the final oral defense. The Dissertation Defense Final Report form is available on the Graduate College webpage. The oral defense of the dissertation be successfully completed at least six (6) weeks before the degree is conferred for fall or spring graduates. After the oral defense, the student may make no changes to the dissertation, unless authorized by the Dissertation Committee.

Students who do not pass the oral defense may be allowed to repeat the defense once at the discretion of the program director. The scheduling of a second dissertation defense is at the discretion of the department but can be no earlier than the subsequent semester after the first attempt. A student must be enrolled in at least one hour of graduate coursework in the semester in which they defend their dissertation. If a student does not pass the second attempt at the dissertation defense, the student will be dismissed from the program.

Dissertation Approval

The dissertation committee, program director, Graduate College reader, and Dean of Graduate College must approve the dissertation before it is reproduced in its final form.

Credits and Grades

A grade of R is given on all dissertation enrollments until the dissertation is accepted, and then appropriate credit is granted. The mark R gives neither credit nor grade points toward a graduate degree. The mark CR gives credit for hours only. Departments may choose to assign a letter grade or only give credit for hours.

University Policy

While every effort will be made to conform to catalog announcements, the University reserves the right to adapt its program as may be necessary.

Graduation

Please refer to the section entitled Graduation Requirements for information pertaining to candidacy, application for graduation, payment of graduation fees, and other graduation requirements.