Graduate Studies Policy (Policy 16)

Purpose

This policy shall be in effect for Graduate Studies throughout the University. Graduate level courses, certificates, master’s degree programs, specialist degree programs, and doctoral degree programs shall be offered through the various colleges of the University, as approved by the faculty, administration, and governing boards. Policies and procedures for graduate study shall be reviewed and recommended by the appropriate Faculty Senate committees in conjunction with the Graduate Council.

1. Graduate Culminating Experience: A Graduate Culminating Experience is a course or courses required in master’s, specialist, and doctoral degree programs. The course(s) provide intensive experiences in critical analysis, research, application, and/or evaluation, offering an opportunity for the integration of previous courses in the major. 
2. Open Portal to University Scholarship (OPUS): OPUS is an open-access publishing platform, hosted by Digital Commons, that serves as the University’s institutional repository. OPUS is a service of the University Library and functions as the digital archive for the scholarly output of members of the University community. Student dissertations and similar research projects are a core collection of the repository (https://opus.govst.edu ). 

1. Scope
   1. This policy applies to graduate courses, graduate programs, graduate faculty, and graduate students at GovState. This policy shall be in effect for graduate studies throughout the University.
   2. Graduate-level courses, certificate programs, master’s degree programs, specialist’s degree programs, and doctoral degree programs shall be offered through the various academic colleges of the University, as approved by the faculty, administration, and governing boards, under the oversight of the Graduate College. 
2. Policies and procedures for graduate study shall be reviewed and recommended by the appropriate Faculty Senate committees in conjunction with the Graduate Studies Council (GSC). 
3. Purpose and Outcomes of Graduate Studies at GovState 
   1. Graduate education is the pursuit of knowledge and skills at an advanced level. Graduate education is distinct and different from undergraduate education in terms of kind and degree. It demands of students a greater intellectual maturity and autonomy, a sense of deeper responsibility for their own learning, more intense study, and the mastery of different and more complex skills. A graduate degree is a distinction to be earned. The degree award symbolizes both the student’s accomplishment and the University’s endorsement. 
   2. The differences between master’s, specialist’s, and doctorate graduate degrees (together, “graduate degrees”) reside in the breadth and depth of the knowledge in the coursework and the requirements of their respective Graduate Culminating Experience. The following policy sets minima, leaving graduate programs to differentiate knowledge and the Graduate Culminating Experience for the different levels of graduate degrees. 
   3. All students earning a master’s, specialist, or doctorate degree must have demonstrated the following outcomes:
      1. An in-depth knowledge of significant theories, issues and findings, and mastery of appropriate skills, within their discipline; 
      2. The ability to apply such knowledge and skills; 
      3. The ability to read, interpret, and evaluate research literature and to relate results to selected areas of interest; 
      4. The ability to analyze problems and to critique attempted solutions, especially within their own discipline; 
      5. The ability to integrate knowledge from a variety of disciplines; 
      6. The ability to design and implement a research, scholarly, or creative project; and 
      7. The ability to communicate scholarly thought to professional colleagues through writing and discussion. 
      8. In addition, students must demonstrate outcomes specific to the programs they are enrolled in.
4. Graduate Faculty Qualifications and Functions
   1. Qualifications for Teaching Graduate Courses: Faculty involved in graduate education must:

      1. Possess an earned doctorate or terminal degree equivalency in a field relevant to the subject matter of the courses to be taught. 

         In merited cases, individuals who have demonstrated exceptional scholarly or creative activity or professional experience, but who do not possess the required academic credentials, may be approved to teach graduate courses upon the recommendation of the program, approval by the Department/Division Chair, approval by the Dean of the academic college, and final approval by the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies. In no case may an exception conflict with the program’s accreditation requirements

      2. Have teaching experience at the graduate level. Those who do not have previous teaching experience at the graduate level should be mentored by the appropriate Division/Department Chairperson or by their designee; and 
      3. Demonstrate research/creative/professional accomplishments as guided by the applicable Division/Department Criteria. 
   2. Functions: Individuals meeting the above qualifications will be authorized to perform the following or similar functions: 
      1. Teach 5000, 6000, 7000, 8000, or 9000 level courses; 
      2. Serve as an advisor for Certificates and Master’s, Specialist’s, or Doctoral degree-seeking students; and  
      3. Serve as member of a Graduate Culminating Experience committee, barring any conflict of interest. 
   3. Additional functions of full-time qualified faculty:
      1. Define, articulate, and disseminate, in collaboration with their colleagues and relevant professional groups, the goals, requirements, content, and pace of graduate education, including: 
         1. Admissions standards, core curriculum, assessment of students, and electives, if applicable; 
         2. The specific programmatic requirements for candidacy, which are usually defined as where the coursework ends and the Graduate Culminating Experience begins; 
         3. Requirements for the completion of the Graduate Culminating Experience; and
         4. Degree completion and graduation requirements. 
            1. Communicate criteria for academic and degree requirements; 
            2. Require that students meet established criteria and standards of the program and counsel out or recommend for dismissal those who cannot or will not do so. 
            3. Only Unit A faculty may: 
               1. Serve as major professor/chair of a Graduate Culminating Experience; or 
               2. Initiate or modify existing graduate courses or curricula. 
5. Determination of Graduate Level Courses: There shall be at least three distinct levels of instruction for which graduate credit shall be given. These levels help to define the scope and sequence of program content. 
   1. 5000-5999 Courses: 5000-level courses are designed to introduce graduate students and advanced undergraduate students to fields of study above the undergraduate level. All work and competencies are at the graduate level. To register for a 5000-level course, undergraduates must meet the course prerequisites and obtain appropriate program permission. 5000-level courses may only be used for elective credit at the undergraduate or graduate levels. 
   2. 6000-6999 Courses: Graduate-level foundation courses are open to undergraduate students who meet the course prerequisites and obtain program permission. All work and competencies are at the graduate level. 
   3. 7000-9999 Courses: Graduate courses at the intermediate and advanced levels (7000-9999) are not open to undergraduate students. Graduate courses at the advanced level (9000-9999) are reserved for post-master’s level work. Graduate courses at the intermediate level (7000-8999) may be taken by post-baccalaureate and post-master’s certificate students. 
   4.  Determination of Graduate Student Status: The University shall establish five categories of graduate students as follows:
      1.  Graduate Degree-Seeking Student: Graduate degree-seeking students meet the established admission requirements of the University, college, and program for which the master’s, specialist’s, or doctorate degree is sought, and who have been officially admitted to the program. Admission to a graduate major does not guarantee admission to degree candidacy in the major. 
      2. Graduate Degree Candidate: Master’s, specialist’s, or doctorate degree candidates are those who have completed an approved Study Plan, have completed the specified program pre-candidacy requirements, and have applied for and been admitted to candidacy by their program faculty. Precandidacy evaluation reflects the faculty’s judgment of the student’s ability to complete the degree program. 
      3. Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Seeking Student: Post-baccalaureate certificate seeking students meet the established admission requirements of the University, college, and a certificate-granting program, and have been officially admitted to that program. Admission to a certificate program does not guarantee certification or admission to a degree program. Credits earned in a post-baccalaureate certificate may apply to the degree or additional certificate as allowable by University policy and approved in the student’s Study Plan. Candidacy does not apply to graduate certificates. 
      4. Post-Master’s Certificate Seeking Student: Post-master’s certificate seeking students meet the established admission requirements of the University, college, and a certificate-granting program, and have been officially admitted to that program. Admission to a certificate program does not guarantee certification or admission to a degree program. Credits earned in a postmaster’s certificate may apply to the degree or additional certificate as allowable by University policy and approved in the student’s Study Plan. Candidacy does not apply to graduate certificates. 
      5. Graduate, Non-Degree Seeking Student: Graduate, non-degree seeking, undeclared, and undecided students are defined as those with a bachelor’s or higher degree who have been admitted as a non-degree seeking graduate student but not admitted into a specific program. Credits earned as a nondegree seeking graduate student do not guarantee certification or admission to a degree program. With program approval, students who are subsequently admitted to a graduate degree program may apply courses earned while a non-degree seeking student toward the requirements of any graduate degree program. Such an application shall be subject to the degree requirements in effect at the time of admission to the specific major or certificate program. Graduate, non-degree-seeking, undeclared, and undecided students cannot take graduate-level courses designated by the program faculty as reserved for graduate degree candidates, majors, or certificate programs unless approved by the program. 
6. Requirements for a Graduate Degree
   1. Candidacy 
      1. All master’s, specialist’s, and doctorate programs must establish written requirements for degree candidacy. Minimum program degree candidacy requirements must include: admission to the program through which the student intends to earn a degree; a completed and approved Study Plan; successful completion of designated pre-candidacy coursework; and an application and admission to candidacy process. 
      2. Admission to candidacy is a prerequisite to enrollment in the Graduate Culminating Experience designated for the program. Candidacy must be attained at least one term prior to the term during which the degree is to be awarded. 
      3. Candidacy does not apply to graduate certificate programs and Stackable Credentials Master’s Degrees (Policy 105). 

   2. Examinations

      Programs may establish oral, written, or combination examinations to determine a student’s eligibility for admission into a program, continuance in the program, candidacy in the program, and/or graduation from the program. 

   3. Graduate Culminating Experience
      1. All master’s, specialist’s, and doctorate degree programs must include a Graduate Culminating Experience of at least three (3) credit hours. 
      2. The Graduate Culminating Experience follows completion of other parts of the core curriculum. Candidacy is a requirement for registration in a Graduate Culminating Experience, except for Stackable Credentials Master’s Degrees (Policy 105). 
      3. Each program shall provide students with a copy of detailed procedures and specify the appropriate style manual for the program requirements. 
      4. The evaluating committee must always be chaired by a Unit A graduate faculty member. 
   4. Capstone (Master's and Specialist Degrees)
      1. For all master’s and specialist degrees, the Graduate Culminating Experience is a Capstone. Successful completion is required for graduation. 
      2. These alternatives may vary from one program to another; however, each program shall determine and require one or more of the following: 
         1. Major Research Course (i.e., Thesis): A major research/project course is an individually registered course in which the candidate must present evidence of (a) a thorough review and understanding of the literature germane to the subject, (b) the ability to do independent research, and (c) the preparation of a manuscript which conforms to generally recognized standards of scientific and scholarly writing in the discipline. This typically results in a thesis. The processes for a thesis shall mirror the processes for doctoral dissertations in this policy, as applicable. 
         2. Portfolio Course: As a discipline standard for evaluating student mastery of graduate work in the creative arts, students in this kind of Capstone develop an extensive portfolio of projects or pieces. For the degree, either a single piece is selected for evaluation, or the entire portfolio of work is reviewed. 
         3. Project Course: This type of Capstone may feature individual or small-group projects developed to demonstrate the student’s mastery of a given domain. Examples of this alternative include but are not limited to directed readings, master’s projects, graduate culminating seminars, software or educational program design and evaluation, case studies, simulations, or action research projects. 
         4. Fieldwork or Internship Course: In an internship-style Capstone course, the student participates in an internship or works in the field, supervised by a GovState Unit A graduate faculty member or appropriately credentialed member, as well as a field supervisor. 
         5. Comprehensive Examination: A comprehensive examination may be combined with one or more Graduate Culminating Experiences, but Comprehensive Examinations may not be used as the only Capstone activity.  
   5. Dissertation/Scholarly Capstone (Doctoral Degrees) 
      1. For all doctoral degrees, the Graduate Culminating Experience is typically a dissertation or similar scholarly project. Successful completion is required for graduation. 
      2. Programs may additionally require a Comprehensive Examination prior to candidacy. 
      3. A dissertation is a comprehensive, original research project for a doctoral degree. Students examine complex issues in substantial pieces of writing or other products and demonstrate synthesis of program content and mastery of program learning outcomes. The project results in a scholarly research product.  A scholarly capstone project is a comprehensive study of a complex issue in practice and applies original research and analysis and implementation processes to improve practice or systems in variety of professional practice disciplines.
      4. A dissertation course or doctoral capstone course(s) is an individually registered course in which the candidate must present evidence of (a) a thorough review and understanding of the literature germane to the subject, (b) the ability to do independent research, and (c) the preparation of a manuscript that conforms to generally recognized standards of scientific and scholarly writing in the discipline. 
      5. The proposal and final paper must be approved following the program’s defense procedures. 
      6. Student work must be evaluated and accepted by a committee of at least three qualified members and chaired by a GovState Unit A graduate faculty member. No faculty member may serve as a member or advisor for a dissertation or doctoral capstone if there is a potential or perceived conflict of interest. 
      7. Defense chairs shall be responsible for communicating defense information to the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies, including information on the student’s name, the date and time of the defense, the tentative title of the dissertation, the program and terminal degree, and instructions for attending the defense. The Dean of the College of Graduate Studies shall create processes for communicating these defenses to the campus community. 
   6. Formatting and Submission to OPUS: For doctoral programs requiring a dissertation for graduation, and for all additional graduate programs for which the Graduate Culminating Experience is submitted to OPUS, including a master’s thesis or doctoral capstone, the College of Graduate Studies shall have the following roles: 
      1. Establishes minimum standards and guidelines for these products and ensures internal and external dissemination of all necessary documents, forms, checklists, and other materials; 
      2. Establishes requirements and guidelines for a uniform format within the style guide of the discipline; 
      3. Approves dissertation or doctoral capstone for format checking and final approval; and 
      4. Verifies that the OPUS submittal form has been completed and submitted to OPUS. 
   7. Co-Chair Exceptions for Thesis, Doctoral Capstone, and Dissertation Committees: Under limited and exceptional circumstances, programs may request approval for qualified full-time Unit B graduate faculty to serve as co-chairs for Thesis and Dissertation committees with a Unit A faculty co-chair. In addition to meeting the requirements for graduate faculty, the Unit B faculty member must hold a terminal degree in their discipline and be able to supervise research and scholarship. This request for a Unit B faculty member to serve as a Thesis or Dissertation committee co-chair must be approved by the majority of Unit A program faculty and the proposed Unit A co-chair, the division/department chair, the Dean of the academic college, the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies, and the Provost. 
   8. Credit Hours
      1. Students seeking the master’s degree shall complete at least thirty (30) credit hours beyond the baccalaureate degree. Those seeking the specialist’s degree shall complete at least sixty (60) post-baccalaureate hours. Those seeking the doctoral degree shall complete at least seventy-five (75) post-baccalaureate hours. Exceptions will only be made for doctoral programs with fewer than 75 credit hours that existed prior to the academic year 2012-2013, and that also have IBHE and/or HLC approval. 
      2.  A minimum of sixty-seven percent (67%) of the graduate program coursework in a degree program and approved in the student’s Study Plan must be in graduate-only courses at the 6000-9999 levels. 
      3. A maximum of fifty percent (50%) of the credit hours, counted toward graduate degree requirements, may be earned from the same faculty member, unless there is an approved exception by the Dean of the Academic program. 
      4. The Study Plan for a University-approved joint degree program or graduate credit earned in a non-terminal degree program may allow up to fifty percent (50%) of the combined credit hours to be applied to each degree, with approval of the program, the Division/Department Chairperson, and the Dean of the academic college. Students simultaneously pursuing two or more degrees that do not constitute an approved joint degree program may not apply the same credit to more than one degree. Stackable Credentials Master’s Degree programs follow the University policy on Stackable Credentials Master’s Degree Programs (Policy XX) when determining courses applied from earned certificates. 
      5. A maximum of twenty-five percent (25%) of credit hours may be earned in elective independent study or elective internship, unless approved by the Dean of the academic college. 
   9. Grades
      1. All graduate programs must comply with the University grading policy (Policy 26). 
      2. The minimum cumulative GPA for graduation in all graduate degree programs is 3.0. Individual graduate programs may establish additional program grade requirements and procedures to align with accreditation, licensure requirements, curriculum, and program needs. 
      3. The grades of D+, D, D-, and F shall not be applied towards the completion of graduate degrees. 
      4. All graduate students must be in Good Standing, as per Academic Standing (Policy 14), for admission, candidacy, and graduation.
      5. To graduate, all incomplete grades (I or E) or continuing registration (CO) must be removed by the graduation processing date.
   10. Time Limits
       1. All requirements for the master’s, specialist’s, and doctorate degrees must be completed in a maximum of eight (8) academic calendar years from the student’s first semester of enrollment into the program. 
       2.  Graduate degree programs may allow students to use the Continued Registration (CO) status to extend the time to complete their Graduate Culminating Experience (see Policy 26). 
       3. Under extenuating circumstances, the student may request approval from the program, the Division/Department Chairperson, Dean of the academic college, and the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies for an extension to these time limits. 
       4. Individual graduate programs may establish additional program requirements and procedures to align with accreditation, licensure requirements, curriculum, and program needs.