Academic Regulations

Academic regulations and degree requirements are defined for each degree program. Please consult the Graduate Catalog, as well as the Student Handbook for your chosen program, to determine specific program requirements. Program-specific academic regulations may include: conditions for admission to candidacy, comprehensive examinations, projects, thesis, nonthesis, foreign language proficiency, and other proficiencies.

Information about specific degree requirements may include a summary of procedures, timeline, and the minimum credits to be earned for the degree. Students in a particular graduate program may also be required to take coursework above the minimum. The general information below pertains to all graduate degree programs.

Grading System

The grades which may be assigned to graduate credit courses are as follows:

Grade Pending. An IP is assigned only for thesis or project research or similar courses to indicate that a grade is pending until the sequence of courses is completed. A grade of “S” or “U” is then assigned to each course by the instructor.

Graduate credit accepted in fulfillment of the requirements for a graduate degree must not average lower than 3.0, and a student granted a grade of “F” or “U” will receive no credit toward the degree. Course work reported “Incomplete” must be completed within the student’s next term of enrollment, not to exceed a year. Any extension of this period must be approved by the Registrar and the School of Graduate Studies and Research.

Grade Appeal Policy

1. Statement of Purpose

The purpose of the grade appeal process is to provide a mechanism for student appeal of a final course grade that was given for impermissible or arbitrary reasons. Students who believe their final course grade was determined by a standard different from the standard used for other students in their class will be able to file a grade appeal. The grade appeal policy only applies to the appeal of a final course grade and not individual graded assignments. Grades that were given as a result of alleged violations of the student academic integrity policy cannot be appealed under the grade appeal policy. Appeal of decision under the academic integrity policy should be made according to the provisions of that policy. The appeal of grades that were given as a result of charges of sexual harassment should be filed with the Sexual Harassment Committee.

There shall be one policy for the appeal of a final course grade. All graduate students will follow this policy when appealing a final course grade. However, students in the School of Health Sciences and in other professional programs may appeal other academic concerns (program dismissals, dismissals from clinicals, etc.) using established guidelines outlined in their program/department handbooks.

2. Responsibility of Faculty and Students.
    

   1. Faculty Responsibility. The faculty sets the evaluation standards for the courses they teach and uses these standards in determining the grades on individual assignments and final course grades. Faculty members are responsible for including information in their course syllabi about all course requirements, all assignments/activities that will be graded and the method that will be used to evaluate each assignment, and the grading scale that will be used to determine the final grade. The course syllabi should be distributed to each student enrolled in a class. In the event that the faculty member decides to make changes in the course requirements and in methods and standards for evaluating a particular course, this information shall be shared in writing or orally with all students in the class prior to making an assignment. Faculty members are responsible for using previously established standards to grade all course assignments regardless of a student’s race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, or other personal characteristics. Faculty members are obligated to meet with students regarding contested grades and to explain how the grades were determined.
       
   2. Student Responsibility. The act of registering denotes an implicit declaration of the student’s acceptance of university regulations. Failure to abide by university regulations will subject the student to appropriate disciplinary action. The university also expects the student to obey the law, to show respect for properly constituted authority, to perform contractual obligations, to maintain absolute integrity and a high standard of individual honor in scholastic work, and to maintain conduct appropriate for a community of scholars.

The student is responsible for discussing any graded assignments that he/she believes were given due to error or for impermissible or arbitrary reasons with the faculty member during the semester the grade is given. Students are responsible for being aware of all university policies regarding academic integrity issues as published in the graduate catalog.I

3. Impermissible Grounds for Grading.
    

   Impermissible or arbitrary grounds for assigning a grade are:
   1. The final course grade was assigned in a manner not consistent with published standards and procedures; or
   2. The final course grade was based upon the student’s race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, disability, veteran status or sexual orientation; or
   3. The final course grade was assigned because of personal malice towards the student; or
   4. The final course grade was the result of an error in calculating or recording grades.

Individual graded assignments that contribute to a final course grade are not subject to appeal unless it can be established that the grade for the individual assignment was given for one of the four impermissible reasons cited above and resulted in an unfair final grade.

4. Grade Appeal Process
    

   1. A student must initiate the grade appeal process for a contested final grade by submitting the appeal no later than the last day to add (10th class day) a course during the fall or spring semester immediately following the term in which the final grade was issued, by completing a grade appeal form, and by submitting a written request for discussion with the faculty member. For a grade appeal to be considered by the grade appeal committee, at the time the appeal is first filed, it must be based upon one of the impermissible grounds listed in Section III. The student cannot re-file the same appeal and use a different set of impermissible grounds (See Section VI.2).
       
   2. Within ten business days following the receipt of the grade appeal form and a written request for a meeting, the faculty member shall meet with the student to discuss the contested final grade. If a grade appeal form and a request for a meeting is filed during a summer session, and the faculty member is not under contract or is not available, the faculty member shall meet with the student within the first ten business days of the semester immediately following the term in which the final grade was issued.
       
   3. Within five business days of the meeting with the student, the faculty member shall submit the grade appeal form with the faculty member’s decision to the chair of the department and to the student.
       
   4. If the student and faculty member have not resolved the grade dispute, the student must, within five business days of receipt of the grade appeal form which contains the faculty member’s decision, submit a request for a meeting to the chair of the department.
       
   5. The formal grade appeal process will follow these steps and may be accepted as final by the student at any level:
      
      1. Within five business days of receipt of the grade appeal form and request for a meeting, the department chair shall meet with the student and faculty member individually, or in a joint meeting, to resolve the appeal. At the end of the meeting, action taken by the department chair shall be indicated on the grade appeal form, and it shall be forwarded to the dean with a copy to the student and the faculty member.
          
      2. If the student is not satisfied with the decision of the department chair, the student may file a notice of appeal with the office of the dean of the school or college in which the contested grade was issued. The notice of appeal must be submitted within five business days following receipt of the decision of the department chair. The student’s notice of appeal shall include a written statement that will be used by the departmental grade appeal committee as a basis for deciding the appeal. The statement shall clearly describe the impermissible grounds that form the basis for the appeal, the action taken to seek redress from the faculty member, and why the student believes the grade assigned was not a fair representation of the graded work done in the class. The student shall include copies of all relevant graded work returned by the faculty member, and written testimonies from others who have evidence to support the appeal. For work not returned by the faculty member, the student shall include the reference to the work and the grade. Once the request for the appeal is submitted, the dean shall distribute the request for an appeal to the chair of the grade appeal committee within three business days of its receipt from the student. A copy of the student’s notice of appeal shall also be provided to the faculty member and the chair.
          
      3. If a student contests a final grade in a class taught by a department chair, the dean shall facilitate a resolution with the student and the chair.
         
         
      4. If a student contests a final grade in a class taught by a dean, the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research and the Senior Associate Provost for Academic Affairs/ Undergraduate Programs shall facilitate a resolution with the student and the dean.

5. Creation and Composition of Grade Appeal Committee
    

   1. During the spring semester of each year, each department shall select three faculty members and one to three alternate faculty members, two student representatives (in their second year of study) and two student alternates (in their second year of study) to serve on its grade appeal committee. Faculty and student members shall serve a one-year term. Alternates will serve on an appeal panel only when regular members are unavailable or ineligible to serve. Alternates shall not have voting rights unless they actually serve on a hearing panel.
      
      For each grade appeal committee, at least one faculty and one student should be selected from a related discipline in another department in the college or in one of the schools. Members of the committee will elect a chair from the three faculty members who serve on the committee. The dean shall appoint a faculty member from the school or college to serve on the grade appeal committee in those departments that have fewer than five full-time faculty members.
       
   2. An appeal shall be heard by the grade appeal committee from the department or school from which the grade originated. Only regular members of the committee are voting members.
       
   3. A quorum for the committee shall consist of two faculty members and one student.

6. Guidelines for Grade Appeal Panel
    

   1. Upon receipt of the grade appeal form, the grade appeal committee will meet within five business days to determine which members will serve on the appeal panel, and whether one of the impermissible grounds for grading has been asserted. In reaching a decision, the committee shall review the student’s statement and all documents presented by the student. The committee shall decide whether the student’s assertion of impermissible grounds and the student’s evidence suggest that the assertion may be established.
       
   2. If the appeal committee determines that the student has failed to sufficiently assert one of the impermissible grounds for grading, the appeal of the student shall be dismissed and notice of that decision shall be forwarded to the dean who shall notify the student, faculty member and chair of the department within three business days after notification by the committee. The student cannot re-file the same appeal and use a different set of impermissible grounds.
       
   3. If the committee determines that the student has sufficiently asserted impermissible grounds for the grading, the faculty member shall be given five business days in which to reply to the student’s statements, and a hearing shall be scheduled.
       
   4. The hearing panel shall schedule a hearing within ten business days after receipt of a faculty member’s written response to the student’s statement and shall provide the student and the faculty member written notice of the hearing at least five days prior to the hearing. The student’s notice shall include any statement or documents submitted by the faculty member. Both the student and faculty member shall be advised by the chair of the names of the members of the hearing panel.
       
   5. The hearing shall be informal. The chair of the panel shall advise the parties of the reason for the hearing. The student will be allowed to present his/her evidence first, followed by the presentation by the faculty member. The hearing panel shall record the hearing except for its deliberations and shall provide a copy of the hearing recording to the faculty member and the student.
       
   6. The hearing panel may review documents and interview students, faculty, department chair or other individuals they deem appropriate. Individuals providing testimony will only be allowed to remain in the hearing room during the time they are providing testimony or answering questions. Following the hearing, the committee will meet in executive session to deliberate and to determine whether to support the original final course grade, recommend a re-evaluation of the final course grade, or designate an alternate grade. The standard for review shall be a preponderance of the evidence. This means that the student must establish that the allegations of impropriety are more likely true than not true. The committee determines whether this standard of proof has been met, by weighing all of the evidence, and the demeanor and credibility of the witnesses, in the light of experience and common sense.
       
   7. The chair of the committee will forward the decision of the committee to the dean within three business days.
       
   8. The dean will inform all parties of the decision of the hearing panel in writing within three business days of receipt of the hearing decision and will enforce the decision of the committee.
       
   9. If a change of grade is recommended, the faculty member shall be responsible for contacting the Office of the Registrar to make any changes to a grade within three business days, following receipt of the directive from the committee. The appropriate dean will ensure that grade changes are made as directed by the grade appeal committee and filed with the Office of the Registrar. In the event that the faculty member refuses to accept the recommendation of the committee, the dean will make an administrative grade change and will submit it to the Office of the Registrar.
       
   10. Notice of submission of a change in grade to the Office of the Registrar shall be submitted to the student, the faculty and the chair of the department by the dean within three business days.

7. Appeal of Hearing Panel Decision
    

   1. Within five business days of receipt of notice of the decision of the hearing panel, either the faculty member or the student may challenge the recommendation of the hearing panel, only on grounds that procedural errors occurred during the hearing process. A notice of appeal should be made to the dean of the school/college in which the grade was given. A written statement describing the procedural errors must be included in the notice of appeal. The dean will examine the procedures employed by the department or the grade appeal committee.
       
   2. If the dean determines that the procedures involved were not properly followed, and the procedural violations could have been material to the outcome of the hearing, within five days after receipt of notice of appeal, the dean will direct that the process be resumed at an appropriate point with such other recommendations designed to prevent further procedural violations.
       
   3. If the dean finds that no violations have occurred, the dean shall notify the faculty, student, department chair, and grade appeal committee within five business days after receipt of notice of appeal. The decision of the dean is final.
       
   4. In the event that the dean is the course instructor or is directly involved in a contested final grade, the notice of appeal of the hearing panel’s decision shall be made to the provost. The decision of the provost is final.

8. Finality of Appeal

There shall be no further appeal from the decision of the grade appeal committee except for procedural errors as indicated in Section VIII. No appeals from these decisions are allowable to the president or to the Board of Governors.

9. Representation of Parties

No attorney shall be allowed to appear in any meeting or hearing under this policy. A student may have a non-legal advisor in the hearing before the hearing panel.

10. Compliance with Timelines

The intent of this policy is to resolve all grade appeals in the semester immediately following the semester in which the grade was given. Failure by the student to comply with any of the scheduled timelines without justifiable excuse shall result in forfeiture of the right of appeal and dismissal of the appeal. A student may appeal to the next level of appeal if there is failure without justifiable excuse of any other person in the appeal process to comply with scheduled timelines. The presentation of an excuse shall be made to the appropriate dean of the school or college to which the appeal is filed.

11. Confirmation of Receipt of Notice

Any notice required by this policy to be responded to following receipt shall be delivered to the party with a requirement of response within a specified time by any means that documents actual receipt of the notice by the person to whom it is addressed.

12. Definitions

    1. Whenever business day is used in this document, it shall mean any day except Saturday, Sunday, or an institutional holiday.

    2. In computing any period of time, the day in which notice is received is not counted but the last day of the period being computed is to be counted.

    3. The delivery method may include: certified mail, registered mail, commercial service, personal delivery service, or hand-delivery by an employee or the student or his/her representative that obtains a signature.

Attendance

Graduate students are expected to attend classes regularly. A student whose attendance in classes is deemed unsatisfactory by the instructor, the advisor, or the Dean of Graduate Studies may be excluded from a course, a final examination, or a graduate program.

Advisors

Students admitted to a program of graduate study at Winston-Salem State University are assigned an academic advisor and/or advisory committee from the department or curriculum program in which the student plans to complete the major portion of their graduate work. Students are expected to meet with their advisors during the first semester of enrollment for the purpose of developing their plan of study. Changes in this program may be made only with the approval of the advisor and the Dean of Graduate Studies. Coursework taken without approval will not automatically be applied toward the degree.

Student Responsibilities

Graduate students are expected to monitor their own progress using the Plan of Study. They are to keep up-to-date records of the courses taken in their proposed programs and meet regularly with their advisor. Responsibility for meeting requirements of their programs rests with the students.

Admission to Candidacy

Admission to Candidacy for the graduate degree requires one semester of graduate study in the university. Admission to candidacy is contingent upon the recommendation of the applicant’s advisor and/or advisory committee.

Time Limit

All graduate credit earned toward a degree must have been earned within a limit of six (6) calendar years including credits transferred from another accredited institution.

Graduation Requirements

The Master’s Degree may be conferred upon a student who has successfully completed the program of work. Persons who wish to graduate in a certain term must: (1) apply for graduation and (2) have completed all graduation requirements by the specified dates for graduation in that term.

A graduate student’s grades cannot average lower than 3.00. No graduate course with a grade lower than “C” will be credited toward the master’s degree. All grades of “F” and “I”, which are in the approved graduate program of study, must be removed before completing an application for graduation.

Standards of Scholarship

In all work for a degree, a high level of scholarly performance is expected. The student is expected to demonstrate academic competence, intellectual honesty and responsibility, a willingness to do more than the minimum required, and the ability to think critically and constructively.

The following state statutes (North Carolina General Statute #14-118.2) address the issue of obtaining academic credit by fraudulent means.

1. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, corporation or association to assist any student, or advertise, offer or attempt to assist any student, in obtaining or in attempting to obtain, by fraudulent means, any academic credit, or any diploma, license or other instrument purporting to confer any literary, scientific, professional, technical or other degree in any course of study in any university, college, academy, or other educational institution. The activity prohibited by this subsection includes, but is not limited to, preparing or advertising, offering, or attempting to prepare a term paper, thesis, or dissertation for another and impersonating or advertising, offering or attempting to take an examination.
    
2. Any person, firm, corporation or association violating any of the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00), imprisonment for not more than six months, or both. Provided, however, the provisions of this section shall not apply to the acts of one student in assisting another student as herein defined if the former is duly registered in an educational institution and is subject to the disciplinary authority thereof. (1963, c.781; 1969, c.1224, s.7.)

Course Loads and Course of Study

An appropriate course load is dependent upon two factors: the scholastic ability of the student as reflected by his/her academic history and the time available for study. A course load of nine semester hours constitutes a normal full semester program for a graduate student. This is lower than the normal undergraduate load because of the extensive reading, independent thinking, and individual research required of graduate students.

The maximum course load during a four-, five- or six-week term of the summer session is six (6) semester hours, and graduate students may not earn more than 12 semester hours for an entire summer.

Nine (9) hours constitutes a full load for a graduate assistant, and a graduate assistant must register for at least six graduate-level semester hours during each semester.

Course Substitutions and Waivers

Only under exceptional circumstances will substitutions for or exemption from the prescribed courses in a curriculum be permitted. To substitute or waive a course, students must submit a request on the appropriate form to the advisor. The form must be approved by the department chair of the discipline in which the student is seeking a degree and forwarded to the appropriate dean of the college or school offering the program and to the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research. Only requests for academically defensible substitutions or waivers accompanied by justifications for the exceptions will be considered.

Credit by Examination

Upon the recommendation of a graduate student’s committee and with the approval of the department chair in which it is listed, a student may challenge a course in which he or she has not previously been enrolled by demonstrating proficiency or competence. Grades are not recorded for credit earned in this manner. Anyone seeking to pursue credit through demonstrated proficiency or competence examination must be a candidate for a degree at Winston-Salem State University.

Independent Study and Selected Topics

With the approval of the instructor, the department chair, the dean of the college or school, and the Dean of Graduate Studies as appropriate to the degree program, graduate students who have been admitted to candidacy may register for independent study in their major fields. Students registered for independent study must be scheduled for regular conference periods. Not more than 25% of the student’s degree program may be taken in combination of selected topics and independent studies. Anyone seeking to pursue independent study must be a candidate for a degree at Winston-Salem State University.

Internships

The following administrative policy governs internships:

(1) An applicant for an internship must be working within a reasonable distance of the university as defined by the academic departments; (2) the intern must work under a fully licensed supervisor; (3) the supervisor must express a willingness to supervise the work and provide the experiences necessary for the intern.

Continuous Registration for Thesis/Projects

Students in graduate degree programs are required to maintain continuous registration during the fall and spring semesters for thesis or project until the work is completed. Students must consult with their graduate program regarding the requirements for summer enrollment. Continuous registration begins the semester that approval for the thesis or project is received. Students who exceed the required number of hours without completing their work should register for their departmental 9999 course until the thesis or project is completed. International students on F-1 visa status must remain continuously enrolled until the thesis or project is completed.

Thesis Defense Requirements

Graduate students who are required to write a thesis, or students who choose a thesis option, must defend the thesis. The student has two attempts to pass the defense. If the first attempt is  failed, the student must consult with the thesis committee and prepare for a second defense during the next semester. Students who are not prepared for the second defense must petition the dean of the School of Graduate Studies and Research for an extension in the thesis defense. Guidelines for the preparation of the thesis or project are available from the School of Graduate Studies and Research and on the Graduate School website.

Extension of Time

Course credits, including transfer credits, cannot be older than six years at the time of graduation. This policy is in place because of the university’s interest in a degree being current when it is awarded. Graduate students may apply for an extension of time if their coursework will exceed the six-year limit at the time of graduation. The Application for Extension of Time form is available on the Graduate Studies website.

Transfer Credits

Transfer of graduate level course work must be approved by the chair or other authorized departmental official and the School of Graduate Studies and Research. Please consult the Graduate Catalog to determine the transfer credit requirements for your chosen program.

Up to 20% of the credit hours in a master’s degree program may be earned in a different but regionally accredited institution.

NO CREDIT HOURS COMPLETED AS PART OF AN EARNED GRADUATE DEGREE CAN BE COUNTED TOWARD A SECOND MASTER’S DEGREE. SUBMISSION OF OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT(S) FOR NON-WSSU WORK IS THE STUDENT’S RESPONSIBILITY. APPEALS/ PETITIONS WITHOUT A TRANSCRIPT WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. The general guidelines for the number of transferred credits allowed are:

Number of Transfer Hours Allowed from Other Accredited Institutions

Transfer credits from other universities over five years old will not be accepted toward a degree program at WSSU. All course content over six years old must be recertified in a manner established by the program and approved by the Graduate Council. Such methods of recertification may include but are not limited to completion of additional coursework, comprehensive examinations of the current program content, evidence of continuing professional education, additional research papers, or reports related to the current program content. A letter describing the method(s) of recertification must be submitted to the School of Graduate Studies and Research at the time of the request for program extension. The outcome(s) of the recertification must also be submitted to the School of Graduate Studies and Research prior to student graduation or any additional requests for extensions. All requests for extensions must be made by the program as soon as it becomes evident the student will not finish all requirements within the six-year time limit.

Academic Regulations

Credits accepted for transfer must have been graded A or B, and be determined by the faculty to be pertinent to the WSSU degree program into which the student is matriculating. The remaining hours must be earned in residence.

General rules governing transfer credit are as follows:

1. Credits gained in correspondence courses, if acceptable, must be appropriately documented according to accreditation criteria.
2. Courses accepted for transfer are subject to the same time limitation as courses taken in residence—not older than six years at the time the degree is awarded.
3. Courses in which transfer credit is accepted must be appropriate for the approved university program in which the student is enrolled.
4. Winston-Salem State University is not obligated to accept any credit from another institution. To obtain approval to take a course at another institution and receive transfer credit, a WSSU student must complete a Graduate Transfer Credit request form prior to taking the course and file it in the Graduate School and in the Registrar’s Office.
5. Upon completion of the course(s) to be transferred, the student must request that an official transcript be mailed to the Graduate School. The Graduate Transfer Credit form for this purpose is available in the Graduate School.

Dropping a Course, Withdrawal and Suspension

A student may drop a course prior to mid-semester. Within the time limit specified by the calendar, a student is allowed to drop courses without either academic or financial penalty. Between week two and mid-semester, a student is allowed to drop courses without academic penalty. Note: there is no refund oradjustment of charges if a course is dropped after the first five days of classes. After mid-semester a course cannot be dropped except for exceptional circumstances and with the approval of the instructor, program coordinator, and department chair. A drop approved for exceptional circumstances will not be computed in the grade point average. A course not officially dropped will receive a grade of “F” or “U”; the “F” will be computed in the grade point average. The drop periods for the summer terms will be published in the summer school schedule of courses.

Withdrawal from the University

Students may occasionally find it necessary to withdraw from the Students may occasionally find it necessary to withdraw from the university after the semester begins due to personal or medical problems. Withdrawal is not intended to be used to alleviate academic difficulty. To initiate the official withdrawal process, the student should meet with a counselor in the Counseling Center to obtain the withdrawal form. The counselor will talk with the student to determine the nature of the problem and to determine if the university can assist the student to avoid withdrawal. If withdrawal is unavoidable, the counselor will direct the student to the chair of his or her academic department. If the chair signs the withdrawal form, it is then sent to the Dean of the Graduate School for approval and ultimately to the Office of the Registrar.

If a student initiates the withdrawal process within the first eight weeks of a fall or spring semester or within the first eight days of a summer school session, she/he will receive grades of “W” (withdrawal) and will not be penalized for withdrawing. If a student initiates a withdrawal beyond this period, then the department chair, after consultation with the counselor, will determine if the student’s reason for withdrawal is due to extenuating circumstances such as extreme emergencies or severe medical or psychological problems beyond the control of the student. The student must provide appropriate documentation to support her/his petition. If the reason is determined to be due to extenuating circumstances, then the Dean of the Graduate School will ask faculty members to indicate whether the student was passing or failing each course at the time of withdrawal by assigning a “W/P” or “W/F” for all courses.

Students who leave the university and do not initiate the withdrawal process will be held accountable for all course work and will receive the appropriate grade at the end of the semester. Thus, a student who stops attending classes but who fails to withdraw officially may receive a grade of “F,” as all missed assignments and classes will be computed in the final grade as outlined in the course syllabus.

Suspension and Dismissal

Winston-Salem State University reserves the right to exclude at any time a graduate student whose conduct is deemed improper or prejudicial to the best interest of the university. Graduate students who fail to maintain a cumulative grade average of at least 3.0 may not be permitted to re-register as degree candidates without the written recommendation of the Graduate Program Coordinator/Department Chair and the approval of the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research. Degree candidacy is discontinued for the student who has received as many as three (3) marginal grades (“C”), and if a graduate student receives a grade of “F” or “U,” the student may not continue in graduate school unless the Graduate Program Coordinator/Department Chair submits in writing an acceptable recommendation to the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research. In no case may a graduate student be permitted to repeat more than one course to improve the grade, and the student who receives a second grade of “F” or “U” may not continue toward the graduate degree under any circumstances.

Repeat Rule

If a course grade has resulted in termination of enrollment, the student must appeal to be reinstated to repeat the course. A given course may be repeated one time only. Whenever a course is repeated, no additional hours attempted accrue, and the new grade replaces the previous grade in computing the grade point average and in the assignment of academic credit. The record of the first attempt will remain a part of the student’s permanent record and will count in the number of marginal (“C”) grades accumulated. Successfully repeating a course does not change the number of marginal (“C”) grades accumulated. Enrollment will be terminated if a student receives a grade of “U” or “F” in a repeated course.

Requirements for Readmission Following Suspension

When enrollment is terminated for academic reasons, students must appeal the suspension and be reinstated to continue their program of study. After notification of termination is received, the student initiates the appeal procedure by submitting a letter to the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research explaining any extenuating circumstances. The Graduate School will forward this letter to the student’s program for a recommendation.

The department/college will designate a readmission committee to consider the student’s appeal. The committee will be composed of faculty members other than the faculty member(s) who assigned the grade of “C” or “F” or “U” that resulted in the suspension. The readmission committee recommends to the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research that the student either be reinstated to or dropped from the program. The readmission committee makes a recommendation in each case on its individual merits. The Dean of Graduate Studies and Research will notify the student in writing of the decision.

Readmission After Academic Dismissal

A student who is dismissed for academic reasons will be eligible to submit a new application after two semesters or the equivalent and may be admitted only upon the recommendation of the specific Graduate Program Coordinator/Department Chair/Dean and with the approval of the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies and Research. While on academic dismissal, students are not eligible to take courses. Specific program requirements may supersede this policy statement.

Certificate Programs

Fully admitted students in Post-Baccalaureate, Certificate programs will become academically ineligible to continue in such or in other approved certificate program if the student:

1. Receives a grade of U or F;
2. Receives more than two (2) C grades; or
3. Fails to maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0.

Denial of Enrollment

Winston-Salem State University reserves the right to deny the enrollment of any student, even though the student has met the minimum grade point average required, if it is apparent from the student’s academic record of required courses that the student will not be able to meet the graduation requirements.

Appeal Procedures

Any student or applicant may appeal any decision affecting his/her status as a graduate student. Initial appeals should be presented to the appropriate academic officials: for academic appeals, first, to the department chair, and then to the divisional dean if the chair’s decision is unsatisfactory to the student. The student’s final recourse for appeal is to submit a written petition to the Appeals Committee of the Graduate Council in care of Graduate Studies and Research. The petition shall briefly describe the facts that support his/her claim and the remedy being sought. The petition must be submitted within six calendar months of notification of the action being appealed. After receiving the petition, the chair of the Appeals Committee will schedule a hearing. A hearing will be held within 60 days of receipt of the written appeal.

Evidence will be received from the petitioner and other parties having information bearing on the appeal. The chair of the Appeals Committee shall report its decision on any appeals matter (a) directly to the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research and (b) to the Graduate Council at the first meeting following the hearing.

The Dean of Graduate Studies and Research shall advise the petitioner in writing of the decision of the Appeals Committee within 30 days after the end of the hearing. Questions about the procedure should be addressed to the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research.

Course grades are appealed through the program offering the course and then, if necessary, through the college in which the grade was assigned. Course grades may not be appealed to the Graduate Council.

Student Grievances

Graduate students have the right to have personal and academic concerns addressed by a Student Petitions Committee comprised of graduate students, faculty, and administrators. The appeals process includes personal grievances such as harassment by a university employee. Policies will be followed insofar as they are pertinent and appropriate to graduate students—including policies and information related to sexual and racial harassment, student conduct, off-campus speakers, and disabled students.

Course Enrollment for Faculty and Staff Members

Faculty and staff members who want to take graduate courses should refer to the Office of Human Resources for information regarding staff registration benefits. University employees who enroll for courses are subject to the academic policies, procedures and deadlines in effect for all graduate students.

Permission to Register for Graduate Credit

Senior undergraduates with a grade point average of 3.0 or higher must request permission to register for a graduate level course. Seniors must file a “Permission to Enroll in a Graduate Course” form with the School of Graduate Studies and Research ten (10) days before the beginning of the term of registration. Although an undergraduate student may take a graduate level course, the student is not guaranteed acceptance into the graduate program after completion of the baccalaureate degree.

Continuous Enrollment Policy

Graduate students enrolled in an advanced degree or graduate certificate program are required to be continuously enrolled, excluding summer sessions, until all requirements have been completed. For the term in which a degree is granted, graduate students must register for at least 1-3 graduate credits. If submitting a master’s degree thesis in this final term, registration must include at least 1 of the 3 credits as Thesis.

Various on-and off-campus agencies and offices have their own course-load requirements. Because the minimum registration requirements for the Graduate School may not satisfy some agency requirements, it is the student’s responsibility to register for the required number of credits.

International students should request information from the Office of International Programs about Immigration and Naturalization Service regulations and minimum credit requirements.