Adds, Drops, and Withdrawal Policies
See the Academic Life: General Policies section.
Grading and Transcripts
Grading Scales
See the Academic Life: General Policies section.
Incompletes
Graduate students may request an Incomplete for a course when unforeseen circumstances prevent them from completing a course at its scheduled time. Students must obtain written permission for an Incomplete from the course instructor and the course instructor must agree to provide continued academic guidance to the student. Incompletes must be completed within three (3) weeks following the published end date of the course or the “I” [Incomplete] grade will convert to a grade of “F” unless an extension (Passing Incomplete or “PI”) is granted in writing to the Registrar by the instructor. Students may be assigned no more than one incomplete grade per term. For internships, practica, and workshops, the option of pass/fail (P/F) grading is available upon approval of the department overseeing the program of study.
Extensions
The end date of a class may be extended for the entire course cohort for up to seven (7) calendar days by the instructor and under the discretion of the instructor providing the extension does not interfere with the University final grade due date at the end of the term. The instructor must notify each student’s advisor, the degree program director, registrar, and, for online degree programs the coordinator of distance education.
Grade Reports
See the Academic Life: General Policies section.
Transcript Requests
See the Academic Life: General Policies section.
Credit Load and Validation of Credit
Credits Needed Semesterly for Timely Completion
See the Academic Life: General Policies section.
Credit Hour Definition
See the Academic Life: General Policies section.
Progress Toward a Degree
See the Academic Life: General Policies section.
Credit Load
The following applies to enrollment in graduate courses for a semester/term:
- Less than half time: 4 or fewer semester credits
- ½ Time: 5-6 semester credits
- ¾ Time: 7-8 semester credits
- Full time: 9 or more semester credits
Validation of Credit
Credit for a University of Mary graduate course must be earned within a seven (7) consecutive year time frame to be considered current for the graduate program of study toward a degree. University of Mary coursework taken more than seven years prior to completion of the graduate degree sought is considered outdated unless assessed to be current by the faculty within the program of study. Outdated coursework may be applied to the graduate degree if a student completes a revalidation process defined by the graduate program and approved by the School and University. Graduate work from another institution which is outdated more than seven years may not be revalidated for a University of Mary graduate degree unless approved by the graduate program director.
Work which was part of a completed prerequisite for a graduate degree program does not become obsolete. Students may
revalidate no more than 6.0 semester credits of outdated University of Mary graduate coursework required for the graduate degree.
The revalidation process includes the following steps:
- Students are required to submit a written request for revalidation of outdated graduate courses toward a program of study for a University of Mary graduate degree. The request includes:
- Method for revalidation agreed upon by the instructor and student
- Instructor’s assessment of the course (previous relevancy, current relevancy, student continued command of content based on the method for revalidation)
- Action (approve/deny) with signatures of the instructor, graduate program director, dean, and the director of graduate studies
- Students must pay the validation fee as published in the most current University of Mary Tuition and Fee Schedule.
Transfer of Credits
Credits from other United States regionally accredited institutions of higher education and from international schools approved by the countries Ministry of Education must be approved for transfer to the University of Mary by the program director and the registrar. All official transcripts must be received by the registrar from the institutions granting credit for the transfer to be considered. Credits under consideration must have been earned within a seven (7) consecutive year time frame to be acknowledged as current for the program of study. Once approved, up to one-third of credits toward a program of study with a grade of “B” or better may be transferred as part of the graduate degree. Approved courses and accompanying credits are listed on the student’s program of study and University of Mary transcript record.
Academic Progress
Satisfactory Academic Progress
To fulfill requirements for a degree, full-time and part-time students must:
- Have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 and
- Met Progress Toward a Degree requirements.
A minimum grade of “C” is required for all courses in a graduate program of study, unless specified to be higher by a graduate program.
Candidacy and Academic Review: An academic review is performed by the student’s advisor and program director following completion of at least the initial 6.0 graduate semester credits in the program of study. Students with good academic standing are considered “candidates” for the degree and their program of study is validated. Students who do not meet criteria for continuation in their program of study are notified of their academic standing in writing. Refer to departmental graduate programs for criteria regarding satisfactory academic progress, policies on grades, and evaluations of performance. All graduate students’ progress will be monitored at the end of the fall semester, spring semester and summer semester.
Graduation Requirements: Students will not graduate unless the cumulative grade point average for courses in the graduate program of study is at least a 3.0. Students participating in a dual degree program must maintain an overall grade point average that meets the requirements of both graduate programs.
Progress Toward a Degree
See the Academic Life: General Policies section.
Academic Sanctions
Academic Standing
Students whose academic progress does not reflect the standards set forth in the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy will become eligible to be placed on Academic Warning or Academic Suspension.
Academic Warning
Students eligible for an academic warning have one additional semester to bring their standing within requirements and will receive a letter notifying them of this requirement and the Right to an Academic Appeal. As a student on warning, the student will be required to complete and maintain a Success Plan with a designated advisor and comply with all the terms and conditions set forth in the success plan. In the event that they are not able to achieve Satisfactory Academic Progress by the end of the warning semester, the student will be suspended or, in extenuating circumstances as determined by the Vice President for Academic Affairs, may be moved to a continuing success plan status.
Academic Suspension
Graduate students who have failed to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress or who have failed to achieve Satisfactory Academic Progress after one Warning semester will be suspended. Students will receive notice of suspension and their appeal rights in a letter (see section on Right to an Academic Appeal). Suspended students will not be eligible to register for coursework and will be terminated from active status. Their financial aid will be terminated. Students who have been suspended from the University must follow the Reinstate Policy to be readmitted.
Right to an Appeal: Academic Warnings, Suspensions, and Dismissals
Graduate students who have been placed on an Academic Warning, are suspended, or have received notice of dismissal from graduate studies may appeal their status to:
Academic Standards & Admissions Committee
Attn: Academic Affairs
7500 University Drive
Bismarck, ND 58504
The appeal must be in writing and submitted within 14 calendar days of the student’s notification. Students may appeal due to mitigating circumstances such as illness of the student or immediate family member, death of an immediate family member, or other circumstances that may have resulted in substandard academic performance. The student must comply with all requests for documents pertaining to academic performance, i.e., copies of papers, test results, attendance records, etc. The Academic Standards and Admissions Committee considers and rules on the appeal. That ruling is final and binding. A student’s status does not change while an appeal is under consideration. If he or she is in academic warning or suspension, the warning or suspension stands. If a student was dismissed, he or she remains dismissed. Approval of a suspension appeal does not ensure reinstatement of eligibility for financial aid. Graduate students who successfully appeal their suspension will be placed on academic warning.
Academic Success Plans
Graduate students who do not meet Satisfactory Academic Progress must maintain a success plan with a designated advisor and comply with all the terms and conditions set forth in the success plan.
Dismissal from Graduate Studies
Students who fail to achieve Satisfactory Academic Progress and are suspended and do not successfully appeal from the Program of Study ultimately will be dismissed from the University because of poor scholarship [less than 3.0 cumulative grade point average for two consecutive terms or for three cumulative terms; less than a grade of “C” in one or more courses in a term for students admitted to graduate studies on a probationary basis.] Students also may be dismissed for misconduct. See most current University of Mary Student Handbook at www.umary.edu.
Reinstatement of a Graduate Student
A graduate student seeking readmission after being suspended or who otherwise was not in good academic standing at the time of leaving must apply to the applicable Dean. Conditions for reinstatement may be imposed upon returning students.
Stipulations for reinstatement to University of Mary Graduate Studies may include, but not be limited to, the following:
- Must wait out one term and reapply for graduate studies prior to the returning term; a student may also be required to apply to the degree granting program of study
- Once re-enrolled, the student must repeat a course/s in which a grade less than a “C” was earned
- A minimum semester/term GPA of 3.0 must be achieved in the first semester of a reinstatement
- A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 must be achieved by the end of the second term of reinstatement
- The student will be reenrolled under the university catalog in place at the time of readmission,which may require additional coursework or contain different policies than those in place at the time of their original enrollment.
Students who are reinstated academically may still be on financial aid suspension based on the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy for Financial Assistance. Graduate students who have been withdrawn from the University for disciplinary reasons and who wish to be readmitted must apply to the Dean or the Assistant to the Vice President for Academic Affairs (in the Dean’s absence). Conditions for reinstatement may be imposed upon returning students.
Academic Petitioning
See the Academic Life: General Policies section.
Academic Conduct Standards
See the Academic Life: General Policies section.
Graduation
See the Academic Life: General Policies section.
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