2003-2005 - Graduate School - The University of Alabama

Academic PoliciesSCHOLASTIC REQUIREMENTSMany departments and programs produce manuals, procedures and policy guides,graduate student handbooks, and other publications for their students and faculty ingraduate programs. These statements are designed to provide detailed and usefulinformation; however, they are not statements of offi cial policy of The University of Alabama.In all matters, the graduate catalog of The University of Alabama shall supersededepartmental, program, or college publications.Degree requirements and academic performance standards outlined in this sectionare the minimum required by Graduate School of The University of Alabama. Satisfyingthese general requirements and standards, however, does not imply that all degree andprogram requirements have been met. Many programs establish additional requirementsfor their students. Such requirements are included in individual program descriptions inthis catalog and/or in departmental and program manuals or policy statements. Thesespecial requirements shall not be considered in confl ict with this catalog and shall havethe same force as this catalog.Academic ProgressA graduate student must have a cumulative grade point average of not less than 3.0on all graduate work undertaken at The University of Alabama in order to be in goodstanding.Academic warning. A graduate student with regular status in a graduate program whodrops below a “B” average (at any time after earning 12 semester hours) will receive anacademic warning. While the academic warning status is in place, the student will notbe permitted to apply for ad mis sion to candidacy and may not hold an assistantshipwith out approval of the graduate dean. This status must be removed by raising theoverall average to a “B” or better during the 12 hours of graduate work immediatelyfol low ing the period in which the status was incurred. Failure to do so will result in thestu dent’s being dropped from the pro gram.Incomplete grades. A grade of “I” (incomplete) is evaluated as an “F,” and must beremoved within two weeks during the next term of en roll ment if the student’s overall gradepoint average drops below a “B” as a result of the in com plete grade. The eval u a tionsof ac a dem ic progress of stu dents who reg is ter with “I” grades still on their records canresult in academic warn ing or dismissal.In-progress grades. A grade of “IP” must be re moved by the end of the se mes terfollowing as sign ment of the “IP,” or at the conclusion of the student’s ca reer, whichevercomes fi rst. If not re moved by that time, the “IP” will convert to an “I,” and appropriateschol ar ship rules will be applied.Repeating cours es. Courses may not be repeated for graduate credit; this includescourses initially taken on an audit basis. However, a course that is required in a student’scurriculum in which a “D” or “F” is earned may be repeated for credit, upon the recommendationof the ma jor department or pro gram area and the dean of the Grad u ate School.Both grades will be con sid ered in the com pu ta tion of the grade point average.Readmission. A person seeking readmission to the Graduate School to pursue aprogram of study different from the one from which the person was dismissed can initiateconsideration for re in state ment by com plet ing an application for admission in theGraduate School and communicating with the academic unit of the new program. Thegraduate faculty of the new academic unit will consider the re quest for readmissionupon receipt of the new application, will identify in a written request to the dean of theGrad u ate School the com pel ling reasons for readmission to the Graduate School, andwill state the conditions required of the student upon readmission.Reinstatement. A person seeking reinstatement after being dismissed from theGrad u ate School can initiate consideration for re in state ment by communicating withthe academic unit from which the per son was dismissed. The graduate fac ul ty of theacademic unit will consider the re quest for reinstatement and, if the fac ul ty requestreinstatement, they will iden ti fy in a written request to the dean of the Graduate Schoolthe com pel ling rea sons for reinstatement and the con di tions required of the student ifre in state ment is granted by the dean of the Graduate School.93