Graduate Policies

Academic Program Policies

Academic Load

To be considered a full-time student, a person must be enrolled in a minimum of nine semester credit hours of course work during a semester time block, which may include a combination of day, evening or weekend classes. Persons using veteran’s benefits should consult the Office of Financial Aid regarding the definition of a full-time course load and other financial policies. If concerned about eligibility for participation in varsity athletics or financial aid programs, students should consult with the Department of Athletics or Office of Financial Aid, respectively.

A student who wishes to take more than 18 hours in a semester (including combined block or weekend) must have the approval of the student’s academic adviser. A student wishing to take a course load of more than 25 credit hours must obtain approval from his/her academic adviser and the Student Academic Standards Committee (SASC) which requires a submission of an appeal. This excludes cohort weekend college programs.

Attendance

It is advised that students be in attendance at all classes and laboratory periods for which they are registered. Instructors are permitted to penalize students for inadequate work due to absences. Instructors may be able to accommodate students whose absences are caused by illness and job- or family-related responsibilities, but the student is responsible for all missed work. Instructors are not expected to reschedule tests or provide makeup sessions for students who have missed classes.

Degree Time Limit

The University of Findlay requires students to complete all graduate program requirements within seven years in order to be eligible to graduate. Students who do not complete their graduate program requirements within this time limit will be ineligible to graduate. The degree time limit begins and ends at the start and completion of a program of study. The degree time limit does not supersede any other obligations to maintain satisfactory academic progress throughout the student’s degree program.

Graduate students are expected to complete their program of study within seven (7) years from the time at which they commence their study.  That is, no course more than seven years old from the semester in which a student plans to graduate may be used for meeting the requirements of the degree.

A student will be required to retake any class which was taken more than seven years from the planned semester of graduation. For example: A student wishing to graduate fall 2012 will only be eligible to use courses from fall 2005 until fall 2012. Any course completed outside of this time period will need to be repeated or replaced with a course approved by the student’s graduate program. If the class is no longer available, a comparable or substitute class of a corresponding number of credit hours will be determined by the director of the academic area.  Please note, classes removed from a program of study are indicative of the changes that occur within a profession or academic body of knowledge. 

Students pursuing a Doctor of Education degree are eligible for an exemption to the degree time limit policy if they hold a current superintendent’s license during their enrollment at The University of Findlay and the courses exceeding the degree time limit were part of the student’s superintendent license requirements (i.e., UF’s or another accredited institution’s equivalent courses of EDAD 610, EDAD 611, EDAD 612, EDAD 613, EDAD 614).

Students pursuing a Doctor of Education in School Psychology degree are eligible for an exemption to the degree time limit policy if they hold a current school psychologist license during their enrollment at The University of Findlay, and students may receive transfer credit for EDPY 610, EDPY 614, EDPY 620, EDPY 622, and EDPY 624.

Students should proactively plan accordingly in order to be sure that their academic, work and personal lives will accommodate this seven-year rule.

A student may request an exception to this policy by submitting in detail a written appeal to the Graduate Student Standards Committee for review and possible approval.

Graduate Minimum Progress

Degree-seeking students enrolled in the graduate programs are expected to make normal progress toward meeting degree requirements. Failure to do so will result in academic probation or suspension from the University. Progress will be reviewed at the end of each semester and students will be notified if they are not making adequate progress. Graduate academic status does not preclude a student from registering in undergraduate courses.

A student’s minimum progress is tracked by cumulative grade point average. A student must maintain minimum progress based on the following conditions or he/she will be placed on academic probation or suspension from the University.

Note: Individual program policies may be more stringent than university policies. Please refer to the graduate program to determine its standard of minimum progress.

Probation

If a student’s cumulative grade point average falls below a 3.0 he/she will be placed on probation.

If a student is on probation but obtains a session GPA of at least a 3.0 he/she will remain on probation.

A student may be removed from probation and return to good standing once he/she has successfully improved his/her cumulative GPA to at least 3.0.

Suspension

If a student is on probation and his/her session GPA is below a 3.0 he/she will be placed on suspension.

Suspension from the University lasts for a period of one semester. Readmission after the first University suspension is handled through the Office of Academic Affairs and the student’s specific graduate program. A student who is suspended more than once must appeal for readmission to the Graduate Student Academic Standards Committee and also his/her specific graduate program.

Students returning from suspension are automatically placed on probation.

In order to graduate a student MUST have a cumulative GPA of at least a 3.0.

Minimum Progress by Program

A student may be placed on probation, suspension or dismissal from his/her graduate program. A student should refer to the graduate program to determine its standards of minimum progress. However, if a student is still eligible to register via the University’s graduate standards of minimum progress he/she may request admission into another graduate program.

The Grade of Extended Course

The grade of “EC” is used for courses, such as clinicals, internships, capstone courses, and band (undergraduate only) that extend more than one semester. The grade “EC” will be replaced by the grade finally reported for the completed course work. A student must complete the course work within the semester (or a shorter time period based on the discretion of the instructor with documentation on file in the Office of the Registrar) immediately following the end of the course session in which the “EC” was given. If a student does not complete the required course work within the prescribed time period, the “EC” grade will automatically convert to an “F.”

Professional Level Program Minimum Progress

Change of Grades

After a final grade has been submitted to the Office of the Registrar, it cannot be changed unless there is evidence of an error in computation or transcription or successful grade challenge. Under normal circumstances, final grades may not be changed later than one month after the end of the semester in which the grade was earned. Changing an “X” or “EC” to a grade requires only the approval of the instructor. A change of grade requires the approval of the instructor, the appropriate area director/program chair, and the appropriate college dean.

Human and Animal Subjects Research

Any project involving the use of human subjects must be approved by the Institutional Research Review Board prior to the beginning of the study. Such a review is required by federal statute. Any project involving the use of animals must be approved by the Institutional Animal Use and Care Committee prior to the beginning of the study. Such a review is required by federal statute.

Proficiency Examinations

Re-Admission

A student who has not been enrolled in graduate-level courses for more than three (3) consecutive fifteen (15) week semesters including the summer term is required to re-apply through the Office of Admissions. A student who has been away from Findlay for more than two calendar years will be subject to the graduation requirements in effect at the time of re-entry. Additionally, past academic course work will be re-evaluated in order to assist the student in meeting graduate and retention policies.​

Directed/Independent Study

If a student is unable to meet with a class because of a schedule conflict or other special circumstances, it may be possible to take a course of directed/independent study. A directed study is used when the course is being offered but, because of special circumstances, the student cannot meet at the scheduled times; whereas, an independent study is used when the course is not on the approved schedule.

Typically, a student who needs to take a course as a directed or independent study during the fall or spring semester will have sixteen weeks to complete the course requirements. A student who needs to take a course as a directed or independent study during the summer will have twelve weeks to complete the course requirements. The weeks of completion are based on the regularly established academic schedule and not from the point of registration. A student registered for a directed/independent study will meet individually with the instructor at a convenient time.

The exception to the above term lengths will be when a student wishes to register for a directed or independent study in a program (e.g., degree completion, graduate business, graduate environmental) that offers its courses in an eight-week block format. Under these circumstances the student will have eight weeks to complete the course based on a regularly established eight-week block academic calendar.

A fee per course is charged in addition to the regular tuition fee for the directed/independent study course. Application forms may be obtained from the Office of the Registrar. All applications must have the approval of the supervising instructor, the academic advisor, the chair of the academic department, and the appropriate college dean. The approved application with the appropriate signatures will be sent to the Office of the Registrar where it will be processed and added to the student's registration for the semester. It is the responsibility of the student to make sure that all applications are received by the Office of the Registrar by 4 p.m. on the Friday of the third week of the fall, spring, or summer full academic term in which the student wants to take the class. For those students wishing to register for a directed or independent study in an eight-week block, it is the responsibility of the student to make sure that all applications are received by the Office of the Registrar by 4 p.m. on the Friday of the second week of the eight-week block in which he/she wishes to register.

Repeat Policy

Students may register for a non-repeatable course with the understanding that the last grade received will be used to determine grade point average.

In general, students are limited to registering for a graduate course two times. A student who elects to register for a course more than twice may see an impact on his/her eligibility for federal financial aid (e.g., loans/grants), tuition remission, visa status and/or athletics; he/she is limited to register for only the repeated course. A course is considered a repeat when a student is registered for the course after the last day to add a class. Therefore, students withdrawing from a course after the first week of classes will be subjected to the repeat policy.

A student has the right to appeal the repeat policy with the Graduate Student Academic Standards Committee.

Resources and Support Services

Supporting resources and academic services assure a high-quality learning environment for students. Shafer Library, located on the University campus, contains more than 145,000 volumes and subscribes to nearly 1,000 periodicals. Shafer Library is also a U.S. government documents depository library. It provides CD-ROM databases, as well as access to online databases. Audiovisual equipment plus appropriate software is available. Shafer Library is a part of OhioLink, an online statewide resource lending library. The University of Findlay also subscribes to ConnectEd, a nationwide database of best practices in business and education.

Second Degrees

Normally, students may transfer a maximum of 12 semester hours (nine semester hours for the MSESHM program) from their first master’s degree at The University of Findlay toward a second master’s degree. Students wishing to transfer more than 12 semester hours (nine semester hours for the MSESHM program) between programs must petition the Graduate Student Academic Standards Committee for approval. The final decision regarding the acceptance of credit rests with the program director.

See the Retention and Graduation section of this catalog for time and completion policies.

Transcripts

Requests to have academic transcripts sent to a third party must be in writing to the Office of the Registrar and must include the student’s signature. Under no circumstances will a transcript or a copy of a transcript of work taken at another institution be released by The University of Findlay. Students should contact each school attended for copies of official records at that institution. A fee is charged for each official transcript.

Faculty Advisers

The system of faculty advisers is an essential part of the personalized education at The University of Findlay. When students enroll, they are assigned a faculty adviser who will guide them in developing an educational plan to their best advantage. Advisers counsel students each semester concerning choice of courses, future academic plans, and career goals.

Grades

The academic standards of the University are expressed in terms of grades that are worth points. Each semester hour of credit for each letter grade carries the number of quality points indicated: “A”-excellent, 4 points; “A-”-slightly less than excellent, 3.67 points; “B+”-slightly more than good, 3.33 points; “B”-good, 3 points; “B-”-slightly less than good, 2.67 points; “C+”-slightly more than adequate, 2.33 points; “C”-adequate, 2 points; “C-”-slightly less than adequate, 1.67 points; “D+”-slightly above poor, 1.33 points; “D”-poor, 1 point; “D-”-slightly above failing, .67 points; “F”-failure, 0 points. Other symbols recorded on the academic record are as follows: “X”-incomplete; “W”-withdrawal; “S”-satisfactory (“C” or better); “P”-pass (“C” or better); “U”-unsatisfactory (“C-” or poorer); “EC”-extended course; “NR”-no grade received; “NC”-no credit, does not affect the GPA. The grades of “S,” “P,” and “U” are used in selected courses.

Grade Challenge

The following procedure is provided to students who believe they have been treated unfairly by a faculty member in the final grade given for the course:

The student may initiate consideration of the challenged grade with the faculty member who gave the grade. The grade challenge must occur within four weeks after grades were posted on the student’s academic record.

If the issue isn’t resolved during informal discussions with the faculty member, the student must start the Application for Formal Inquiry. The Application for Formal Inquiry is available in the Office of the Registrar or on the Registrar's website.

Step One: The student and the faculty member will provide a brief summary of their discussion(s) regarding the student’s request for a change of grade. The faculty member will sign the Application for Formal Inquiry before the student continues the process by meeting with the faculty member's department chair/program director. Note, the faculty member must sign the Application for Formal Inquiry within four weeks of when grades were posted to the student's academic record. If a faculty member is unavailable at the time of the appeal a student may move to Step Two without obtaining the faculty member’s signature. The student must provide written documentation (e.g., e-mail) showing that he/she attempted to contact the faculty member.

Step Two: If the student’s request is not resolved with the faculty member’s department chair/program director, the student and the faculty member’s department chair/program director will provide a brief summary of their discussion(s) regarding the student's request for a change of grade. The faculty member’s department chair/program director will sign the Application for Formal Inquiry before the student continues the process by meeting with the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs.

Step Three: If the student’s request is not resolved with the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs, the student and the Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs will provide a brief summary of their discussion(s) regarding the student’s request for a change of grade. The Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs will sign the Application for Formal Inquiry before the student submits the Application for Formal Inquiry to the Office of the Registrar for review by the appropriate Student Academic Standards Committee. The appropriate college dean will be notified when the Application for Formal Inquiry reaches Step Three.

Step Four: The Application for Formal Inquiry will be reviewed by the Graduate/Undergraduate Student Academic Standards Committee. An Application for Formal Inquiry submitted by a professional level student will be reviewed by the Undergraduate Student Academic Standards Committee unless the appeal is for a course that is offered by a graduate program (e.g., MBA or MSHI) or for a student in the last two years of the professional program. In such instances, the appeal will be reviewed by the Graduate Student Academic Standards Committee. The final grade will be determined by the Committee which will then report the grade to the student, the faculty member, the student’s adviser, and the Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs.

If at any time during steps 1-3 all parties are satisfied with the outcome, a change of grade form can be filed along with the Application for Formal Inquiry in the Office of the Registrar. The Office of the Registrar will process the change of grade form and will then report the grade to the student, the faculty member, the student’s adviser and the Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs.

If the University representative is associated with multiple roles within these steps, the lower of the two steps will be considered complete. Faculty response is expected unless the faculty member has left the institution.

Student Acknowledgement of University Honor Code

“I acknowledge that I have fully complied or will comply with all aspects of the University’s Honor Code in submitting this work.”

Student Responsibility Statement

The responsibility for planning academic programs rests largely with the student. Students must study the catalog and academic announcements carefully and arrange to take the required courses at the proper time. However, the services of faculty advisers, college deans, and the director of career planning are available to students.

It is the responsibility of the student to a) acquire the information needed to assume final responsibility for course scheduling, program planning, and the successful completion of all graduation requirements; b) seek the academic and career information needed to meet educational goals; c) become knowledgeable about the relevant policies, procedures, and rules of the University, college, and academic program; d) be prepared with accurate information and relevant materials when contacting the faculty adviser; e) consult with a faculty adviser at least once a semester to decide on courses, review the accuracy of the degree audit, check progress toward graduation, and discuss the suitability of other educational opportunities provided by the University.

The Grade of Incomplete

A grade of incomplete (X), initiated by the student, will be approved only when documented circumstances beyond a student’s control (such as serious illness or other emergency) have prevented the student from completing the course work. Inability to get work in on time will not constitute a reason for the grade of “X.” Once a student has initiated a conversation with the instructor and provided reasonable evidence for the need for an incomplete grade, the instructor must complete an Incomplete Grade Request in Workday which will be routed to the appropriate college dean. The approved Incomplete Grade Request will then be routed to the Office of the Registrar for processing which must be done prior to the last date and time to submit final grades. A student must complete the course work within 10 weeks (or a shorter time period based on the discretion of the instructor) immediately following the end of the course session in which the incomplete grade was given. The time limit may be extended, up to one year following the end of the course session in which the “X” was given, at the discretion of the instructor and the dean of the college responsible for the course. If a student does not complete the required course work within the prescribed time period, the “X” grade will automatically convert to an “F.” Once the remaining course work is completed, the instructor must initiate the Grade Change process in Workday, which routes to the appropriate department chair and college dean for approval, and then routes to the Office of the Registrar for processing.

At the graduate level, a maximum of three "X" grades or nine semester hours will be permitted. If a student should carry four or more "X" grades, the student will NOT be permitted to register for additional courses until the "X" grades are reduced to a maximum of three "X" grades or nine semester hours.

University Honor Code

Each and every student of the University will adhere to the following Honor Code:

“I will not knowingly engage in any dishonorable behavior, cheat, steal, lie or commit any act of plagiarism during any academic work, course or endeavor. If I observe an act which I believe violates the University’s Honor Code, I may, at my discretion, report it to the appropriate personnel.”

Graduation Policies

Declaration of Candidacy for a Degree

To graduate, a student must declare his/her intention to graduate and show the approval of the program director or college dean by completing a declaration of candidacy form and turning it in to the Office of the Registrar. The declaration of candidacy form is available in the Office of the Registrar or online under advising forms on the Office of the Registrar website. This form MUST be received six months prior to the expected graduation date. If a student's declaration of candidacy form does not accurately reflect the degree earned, the institution reserves the right to declare a student a candidate for a degree under one of the following two circumstances:

1. A student applied for degree candidacy but failed to meet all degree requirements listed on the declaration of candidacy form. The institution reserves the right to adjust a student's declaration of candidacy form and award a degree for the degree earned six months after a student's last enrollment. Therefore, dropping any unearned degrees from the student's declaration of candidacy form and awarding a degree based on at least one completed degree.
2. A student who has not applied for graduation but has satisfied all degree requirements may be awarded the degree one year after a student's last enrollment. Therefore, the institution reserves the right to declare a student a candidate for a degree and award the earned degree even if the student has failed to declare candidacy.

A grade point average of 3.0 in courses applied toward a degree program must be earned in order to graduate. No courses used toward graduation requirements can be completed with a grade of "D+" or lower.

Commencement Ceremony

The University of Findlay has one commencement ceremony each year, at the end of spring semester in May. Students who have completed all degree requirements; who are in the process of completing all degree requirements or those who are within two courses of completing their degree program, have a 3.00 cumulative grade point average or better and have registered for Findlay classes in the following semester in order to complete their degree may participate in the scheduled commencement ceremony.

Students who complete an application for graduation will be automatically assigned to participate in the first commencement ceremony that follows the semester in which their degree requirements are projected to be completed. Students are eligible to participate only in their assigned commencement ceremony.

Degree Conferral Date

The University of Findlay confers degrees three times each year, December, May, and August. The degree date is posted after successful completion of all degree requirements. Participation in a commencement ceremony is independent of degree conferral.

The December degree conferral date is given to those students completing their degree requirements by the end of the fall semester.

The May degree conferral date is given to those students completing their degree requirements during the winter or winter weekend term, the spring semester, or the spring weekend term.

The August degree conferral date is given to those students completing their graduation requirements during the summer semester or the summer weekend term.

Students who do not complete graduation requirements by the date for which they applied MUST re-file a graduation application. An application is not automatically considered for the next graduation conferral date.

Student Services Policies

ID Card

Students seeking an ID card, Oiler OneCard, must go to the Card Office located in the Alumni Memorial Union for an identification photo between 8 a.m. to noon or 1 to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. An Oiler OneCard is utilized to check books and other materials out of the library and for admittance to many other campus activities. Replacement for lost Oiler OneCards requires a $30 charge payable at the Business Office.

Parking

Students must register their vehicles with the Security Office located on the first floor of Lovett Hall, corner of Frazer and North Cory Streets of The University of Findlay campus. A student parking tag will be issued allowing the student to park on University property. A parking tag is required only for students who are taking day classes during the fall or spring semesters.