AcademicPolicies andProcedures
<strong>Shippensburg</strong> <strong>University</strong>As a graduate student at <strong>Shippensburg</strong> <strong>University</strong>, you will need tounderstand and follow all academic policies and procedures in orderto successfully complete your course of study. <strong>University</strong> officialssuch as your faculty advisor, department chair, and academic deancan provide assistance, but it is ultimately your responsibility to beaware of policies relating to grading, academic progress, withdrawalfrom courses, and requirements for graduation. This chapter explainsthe general academic policies for graduate students. The chapter on<strong>University</strong> Curricula discusses the specific requirements for individualgraduate degree programs.Applicable PoliciesIn general, you will be subject to the academic policies and degreerequirements that are in effect during the semester you matriculatein a particular graduate program at <strong>Shippensburg</strong> <strong>University</strong>. Youmatriculate for this purpose by being admitted to a graduate degreeprogram and then registering for and starting an academic semester.If you begin taking classes in the summer, you will be considered asmatriculating in the fall semester.This catalog is intended to be a description of the policies, academicprograms, degree requirements, and course offerings in effectfor the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 academic years. It should not beconstrued as an irrevocable contract between the student and the university.<strong>Shippensburg</strong> <strong>University</strong> reserves the right to change any ofthe policies, procedures, or fees described in this catalog and to applythese changes to any or all of its students as it sees fit. The universitymay also choose to add or delete course offerings or degree programsat any time.Time DefinitionMany policies in this catalog refer to time periods such as “the firstweek of the semester.” A week of the semester (or “week of classes”) isdefined as seven (7) calendar days beginning with and including thefirst day of daytime classes. For example, if daytime classes begin on aThursday, the first week of the semester ends the following Wednesdayat the official closing time of university offices (usually 4:30 pm).<strong>Graduate</strong> CouncilWithin the university’s governance structure, the <strong>Graduate</strong>Council is responsible for recommending the policies that govern theoperation of the graduate program. These recommendations includegraduate courses and degree programs, admissions procedures andstandards, graduate assistant policies, and requirements for goodacademic standing. Membership in the <strong>Graduate</strong> Council includesgraduate faculty, college deans, the Dean of <strong>Graduate</strong> Studies, and arepresentative of the <strong>Graduate</strong> Student Association Board.Department Chairs and DeansAcademic decisions concerning individual graduate students aregenerally made by a recommendation from the student’s departmentchair to the dean of the college in which the department is located.Such decisions include admission to a degree program, admission tocandidacy, recommendations for independent study or individualizedinstruction, substitution or modification of degree requirements,extension of time for completing a degree, and final approval forgraduation. Decisions of the deans are subject to review by the Deanof <strong>Graduate</strong> Studies.Grading and Point SystemThe following system of grades is used to indicate the quality ofacademic work for graduate students:Regular Letter GradesA ExcellentA-B+B GoodB-C FairF FailureSpecial GradesI IncompleteQ Deferred gradeP PassedTR Transfer CreditN Audit (no credit)W WithdrawalIndividual faculty members may choose to use single letter grades andnot award plus/minus grades.Quality Point Average (QPA)Your quality point average or QPA is determined by assigningnumerical values to the letter marks and weighing them according tothe number of class hours. The values assigned to the letters are:A 4.0 quality pointsA- 3.7 quality pointsB+ 3.3 quality pointsB 3.0 quality pointsB- 2.7 quality pointsC 2.0 quality pointsF 0.0 quality pointsTo calculate your QPA, follow these steps:1. Compute the number of quality points earned for each course bymultiplying the value of your letter grade by the number of creditsearned. For example, a grade of B (3 points) in a 3 credit courseearned 9 quality points.2. Add up the quality points earned in all your classes.3. Add up the number of credits attempted in all your classes. Thistotal should include all classes in which you received a regular lettergrade (A through F).4. Divide the total number of quality points earned by the totalnumber of credits attempted. This is your QPA.Only courses in which you received a regular letter grade (Athrough F) are used in calculating your QPA. Courses you haverepeated will have an impact on the way your QPA is calculated. Seethe section on Repeating <strong>Graduate</strong> Courses for details.Your semester QPA is the average for one semester or summerterm, while your cumulative QPA refers to the average for all coursescompleted during a graduate degree program. A B average would bethe equivalent of a 3.0 QPA.Temporary GradesThe grades Q and I are temporary grades, which mean you havenot completed all the requirements for a particular course.With prior approval of the appropriate dean, the grade of Q(deferred grade) may be awarded for courses such as research, thesis,and internships that are planned from the start to extend over morethan one grade period. If you receive a Q grade in a course, youshould work closely with the instructor to plan a schedule in orderto complete the work within three years at most, or the grade will bechanged to an F.16