Academic Standards and Continuous Enrollment for Graduate Students
Students accepted to a graduate degree program are expected to work with continuity and to register in that program until all requirements are completed. Students are reminded that an interruption of studies will affect their ability to make satisfactory academic progress toward the completion of their degree requirements.
Students who have taken all of their courses but have not finished their culminating experiences, theses, or dissertations will be required to pay a course fee equal to one credit of tuition each semester to maintain a continuous enrollment status through the completion of all coursework.
Students who fail to remain continuously enrolled will be withdrawn from their program of study after two semesters. Withdrawn students will be required to reapply to their program of study and will be bound by all policies and stipulations related to readmission (see Requirements for Good Academic Standing).
Full-Time, Part-Time and Acceleration
Undergraduate:
Twelve credits constitutes full-time status.
Students registering for more than 18 credits must get approval from the appropriate Dean and may incur overload charges, even when a Program may require that a student take more than 18 credits per semester in order to complete the degree in eight semesters.
Graduate:
A student who is taking nine or more credits in a semester is considered full-time. A student taking six to eight credits is half-time. A student enrolled in fewer than six credits is part-time.
Leave of Absence from the University
Undergraduate:
A student with a serious and acceptable reason may apply for a leave of absence through the Retention Coordinator.
A student receiving financial aid or University scholarships who intends to take a leave of absence must check with the Financial Aid Office. An approved leave of absence may affect the student's financial aid and/or scholarship funding.
If registered for courses, a student requesting a leave of absence must also follow the course withdrawal procedures. Application for a leave of absence from the University does not guarantee approval for course withdrawal from the current semester.
Graduate:
Students accepted to a degree Program are expected to work with continuity and to register in that Program until all requirements are completed. Program Directors will consider student-initiated petitions for a leave of absence from studies for up to two semesters. Requests for a leave must be documented. Students are reminded that an interruption of studies may affect their ability to make satisfactory academic progress toward the completion of their degree requirements. Students who request a leave for more than one full year will be required to reapply to their Program and will be bound by all policies and stipulations related to readmission (see Requirements for Good Academic Standing).
Matriculation
- A matriculated student is one who has been accepted by the University and is working toward a degree.
- A non-matriculated student is one who is taking courses, but is not working towards a degree.
Probation/Dismissal
Undergraduate:
The records of students matriculated in the Undergraduate programs are reviewed by the Committee on Admissions and Student Academic Standing (CASAS) for academic performance at the end of the fall and spring semesters.
Undergraduate students will be issued a warning if a student:
- receives a grade of C-/D in two courses in a semester
- receives a grade of F in one course in a semester.
- receives a semester or cumulative GPA between a 2.0 and a 2.25.
Undergraduate students will be placed on academic probation under the following circumstances:
- if the grade point average for the semester is below 1.8 in the first year or 2.0 in any semester thereafter;
- if a first-time, first-year student receives NC in two courses;
- the cumulative grade point average is below 2.0;
- if a student receives an Incomplete grade, the student will be placed on provisional probation until a satisfactory grade is submitted; if the Incomplete grade is not satisfactorily completed in a timely manner the grade will be submitted as an FI (Failure due to Incomplete) which may result in further action.
Undergraduate students may be academically suspended under the following circumstances:
- if a student receives 3 or more NCs in the first semester;
- if a student receives 3 or more Fs in a semester;
- if a student did not meet the required 2.0 semester GPA for two semesters;
- if a student does not meet the conditions of the academic probation agreement, the student may be suspended.
The Committee reserves the right to suspend a student without a semester of probation.
Students who have been academically suspended from the University for academic reasons may appeal the decision to CASAS if they feel that their performance was affected by extenuating circumstances. This appeal should be made in writing and submitted to CASAS. If the student's appeal is accepted, the student will be placed on academic probation. The student must earn at least a grade point average of a 2.0 for every semester following their suspension.
If a student's appeal has been denied, she/he may apply for readmission after one semester. The applicant seeking readmission must document a successful academic semester by completing at least 12 credits and earning at least a 2.0. CASAS evaluates this document and other supporting material prior to making a decision on the reapplication.
If a student who has been readmitted after an academic suspension does not earn a 2.0 semester GPA for any semester after readmission, the student will be academically dismissed and will not be eligible to continue his/her studies at Saint Elizabeth University.
Graduate:
Students who fail to maintain a 3.00 cumulative grade point average in their course work are automatically subject to probation for two semesters and suspension from the degree program if a 3.00 cumulative grade point average is not achieved in the third semester.
A student on probation should meet with the program director to discuss the conditions of probation. Failure to meet the conditions and standards of probation will result in suspension. While on academic probation, the student's credit load may be restricted.
A student will receive an academic warning when he/she receives his/her first "C/C+" grade. A second "C/C+" grade will place the student in academic jeopardy. A student who obtains three "C+/C" grades, or one "F" in program course work, for whatever reason, will be suspended from the graduate program.
A student who is suspended from an academic program for any reason must wait one full calendar year past the semester of suspension before reapplying to a graduate program.
The program faculty may deny a student re-admission for any cause.
Requirements for Good Academic Standing
Undergraduate Students:
To be in good academic standing, undergraduate students must meet the following conditions:
- A semester GPA of a 1.81 and higher in their first semester
- A 2.0 GPA in all other semesters, and
- The cumulative GPA of a 2.0 for every semester after the first semester.
Graduate Students:
Satisfactory academic progress includes the achievement of the required cumulative grade point average and the accumulation of sufficient credits within a stipulated time frame.
A student must be in good academic standing with a 3.00 cumulative grade point average in order to apply for admission to degree candidacy.
Time Limitation for Graduate Degrees
Ordinarily, students are expected to enroll continuously until the program is completed. A student who does not earn any graduate credit toward the degree during two consecutive semesters will be required to reapply for admission to the graduate program; no fee is required for readmission. Students in good academic standing are readmitted under the catalog in effect at the time of re-entry.
The length of time given to a student to complete a degree is calculated from the date the student becomes matriculated in the graduate program.
A full-time student must successfully complete a degree within three calendar years; a half-time student pursuing a degree must successfully complete a degree in six calendar years. Less than half-time will be evaluated using similar criteria.
A full-time student in the 60-credit mental health specialty in counseling psychology must successfully complete a degree in five years; a half-time student in this program must complete a degree in seven-and-a-half years. Less than half-time students will be evaluated using similar criteria. However, a written petition for extension with full documentation of extraordinary cause, such as the granting of a leave of absence for medical or other good reason, must be made to the director of the program in which the student is enrolled.
Time spent in the armed forces is excluded from the time period. However, a student should apply for a leave of absence while in the armed forces.
A student will not be allowed to continue pursuing a degree beyond the stipulated time frame unless the student has received approval to do so. To petition for an extension of time, a student must submit a formal written request to the director of her/his graduate program, accompanied by a degree completion plan. A student approved for an extension will be placed on probation each semester until the degree has been completed. Approval for a time extension does not guarantee approval for additional financial aid.
Undergraduate Class Standing
- First-year (Freshman): 0-24 credits
- Sophomore: 25-57 credits
- Junior: 58-87 credits
- Senior: 88+ credits