Graduate Student Policies

Please note that unless indicated below, graduate students are bound by the policies and practices that apply to all UArts students, especially as noted elsewhere in this catalog.

Graduate students are considered full time if enrolled in at least nine credits per semester, with the exception of students enrolled in the Summer MFA program who are considered full time if enrolled in at least 4.5 credits during the fall and spring semesters as per their program requirements. Tuition for part-time graduate students is charged on a per-credit basis.

A maximum of six credits of graduate credit may be transferred and applied toward the graduate degree requirements upon approval of the program director. All transfer credits must be graduate-level classes or upper-level undergraduate classes taken for graduate credit at an accredited college or university, approved by the Registrar and the Graduate Director, and the student must have earned a grade of  B- or higher grade.

Independent study by graduate students is governed by the policies listed above with the following exception:

The course number for graduate independent study is the department code (the course advisor’s department) and course number, e.g., GRPR 690.

A student’s class status is determined by the number of credits earned, regardless of the number of semesters of enrollment or the student’s standing in his or her major program. Class status is a factor in determining financial aid eligibility and is one indicator of academic progress. Class standing is also used to prioritize scheduling during registration.

Graduate status is determined as follows:

Graduate students may register for undergraduate liberal arts courses or studio courses (with permission of the graduate director and Dean of Liberal Arts) for graduate credit through the Graduate Topics mechanism. In order to register, students choose one of the graduate-level course numbers from the list below or, if the course is not listed complete a Graduate Topics form, available through the Office of the Registrar. Students are welcome to select an area of study that broadens or intensifies their background in the arts, education, and related disciplines. Often this work contributes directly to preparation of the graduate project or thesis proposal.

Graduate Topics Course numbers and departments

When no graduate number exists for an undergraduate course graduate students should use the Graduate Topics numbers below.  Choose the course number based on its home department.

Graduate Grade Point Average Requirements

A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required for good standing and for graduation for graduate students. If a student is unable to achieve a semester or cumulative GPA of 3.0, he or she will be placed on probation. The student must then bring his/her GPA back to at least 3.0 by the end of the next semester or face dismissal from the program. While on probation, a student is not eligible to hold a graduate assistantship or to receive a University supplemental grant-in-aid or scholarship.

The grade of IP (“In Progress”) signifies that the student is making satisfactory progress toward completing the graduate thesis. This grade will apply only to graduate thesis courses where the student’s thesis is still in progress.

This grade is available only for the following courses:

An IP grade acknowledges the fact that the final course product (thesis) may require some period of time past the semester of registration to complete. The IP grade will remain on the student’s record until a final thesis grade is submitted by the instructor. In some cases, a student will be registered for thesis courses as a sequence (e.g., MSEM 781/B). When the final grade is submitted by the instructor, it will replace the IP grade. The IP grade is not computed in the grade point average.

In order to remain in good standing while the thesis is “in progress,” the student must register for the thesis continuation fee for each semester he or she is not enrolled in coursework.

A student who has completed all the course requirements for the master’s degree and is currently working on the graduate thesis, either on or off-campus, must register and pay the appropriate fee for thesis continuation (0.5 credits per semester calculated at the per-credit cost for each semester of non-attendance) until the thesis is completed and accepted. This registration, through the Office of the Registrar, is required in each succeeding semester, excluding the summer sessions, until all degree requirements are met. Students completing a degree in the summer must pay the thesis fee in the final summer semester.

A student who has completed one degree and wishes to matriculate in another does so by applying to the new program through the Office of Admission..

A graduate student may take a leave of absence prior to the completion of all coursework, subject to approval by his/her program director, and in accordance with the policy described above. Graduate students may take a maximum of two one-semester, non-consecutive leaves of absence during their course of study. Once the thesis or Master of Music graduate project has begun and all coursework has been completed, graduate students are not eligible for a leave of absence. Students must register and pay the appropriate fee for thesis continuation for successive semesters.

Midway through the program, each graduate student’s progress in his/her discipline and thesis proposal will be reviewed by the appropriate Graduate Committee to formally determine whether a student becomes a degree candidate, and is ready to continue toward development and completion of the thesis or graduate project.

Graduate students have up to seven years from their date of matriculation to complete a two-year master’s program or the Low Residency MFA program in Studio Art, and up to five years from their matriculation date to complete a one-year program.

To be certified for a degree, a student must:

• submit a Petition for Award of Degree to the Office of the Registrar;
• fulfill all degree requirements with a B- or better;
• satisfy the minimum residency requirements; and
• achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of a 3.0 (B average).