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Academic Regulations

Credit and Points
Quantitative Unit
Qualitative Unit
Points
Grade Point Average
Academic and Retention Standards
Outdated Courses
Credit/No Credit (CR/NC)
Incomplete Grades (I)
Deferred Grade (Z)
Repeat Course Policy
Grade Grievance Policy
Course and Credit Limitations
Courses of Unspecified Content or Variable Credit
Independent Study and Thesis
Graduate Transfer Credit Policy
Waiver of a Program Requirement
Additional Master's Degrees
Credit by Examination


Credit and Points
The university uses specified quantitative and qualitative standards to appraise the quality of work done by its students.
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Quantitative Unit
The quantitative unit of credit is the semester hour.
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Qualitative Unit
The qualitative credit is the grade or rating used by the instructor to indicate an evaluation of the results accomplished. The work of the student in each course completed is rated in accordance with the following marking system.

A	4.0 points per semester hour	Superior
A-	3.7 points per semester hour
B+	3.3 points per semester hour
B	3.0 points per semester hour
B-	2.7 points per semester hour
C+	2.3 points per semester hour
C	2.0 points per semester hour
C-	1.7 points per semester hour*
E	0.0 points*	Failing
CR	Credit**
NC	No Credit	Not included
I	Incomplete	in computing
N	No Grade Submitted	grade points or
W	Withdrawn	for graduation
X	Audit	credit
Z	Deferred Grade

*Does not count toward graduate degree; does count on grade point average.
**Counts for graduation, but not on grade point average.

There is no grade of D in the graduate marking system. When a D grade is assigned to a graduate student, the Registrar's Office will convert the grade to an E before recording it on the student's permanent record. Courses in which the student earns or has earned a grade below C do not count toward meeting any graduate degree requirement, nor are they accepted, following the completion of the baccalaureate degree, for the removal of deficiencies. Particular programs may have more stringent grade requirements.

The grading system also applies to undergraduate courses taken for undergraduate or graduate credit by a student admitted to the College of Graduate Studies.
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Points
To compute the quality of work done, points are assigned to letter grades as indicated above for credits earned at the university.

Grade Point Average
The grade point average (GPA) for graduate students is computed by dividing the total points earned in graduate courses by the total semester hours of graduate courses attempted at CMU and graded A through E on the qualitative scale. Courses to be included in the computation of the grade point average must be graduate level. Such courses include all courses at or above the 500 level and those 300 and 400 level courses which have been specifically approved for a student’s graduate program. Credits graded CR/NC at this university and credits accepted in transfer from other institutions are not included in the computation.
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Academic and Retention Standards
In order to obtain a graduate degree, a student must have at least a 3.0 (B) cumulative grade point average, and a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (B) in all course work on the student’s authorized degree program. The policies which follow deal with cumulative grade point average; the College of Graduate Studies will monitor overall grade point average and follow these procedures when a student’s cumulative grade point average is below a 3.0. When a student’s cumulative grade point average in the academic program falls below a 3.0, the graduate program will monitor and initiate action relative to these procedures.

If, in the first semester after being placed on probation, a student obtains a semester GPA of at least 3.0 with a cumulative GPA below 3.0, the student will be allowed a second semester to raise the cumulative GPA to a 3.0. The student will remain on probation and will be so notified by the College of Graduate Studies.

If, in the first semester after being placed on probation, a student in a degree program does not obtain a semester GPA of at least 3.0, then the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies will ask the department to make a recommendation as to whether the student should be allowed a second semester to raise the cumulative GPA to a 3.0. The Dean will consider the department's recommendation and notify the student of the Dean's decision. If the student is a non-degree student, then the student must petition the Dean of Graduate Studies to continue taking graduate classes. The Dean will make a decision on whether to extend probation and will notify the student of the decision.

All students are expected to raise their cumulative GPA to a 3.0 within two semesters of being placed on probation. When they are successful in achieving this goal, they will be removed from probation and so notified by the College of Graduate Studies. If a student does not raise his/her cumulative GPA to a 3.0 within two semesters of being placed on probation, the student will be dematriculated. If the student is in a degree program, the relevant department may specifically request an exception to policy. If the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies concurs, the student will be granted one more semester to raise his/her GPA to a 3.0.

Given the time it takes to implement these procedures, it is possible that a student will be dematriculated after he/she has registered for classes and perhaps even started attending them. If that is the case, the student will be dropped from the classes.

In addition to maintaining a satisfactory cumulative grade point average, students in graduate programs must abide by the university's Academic Integrity Policy, which specifically prohibits "plagiarism, cheating and other forms of dishonest or unethical behavior..." Violations of the Academic Integrity Policy may lead to sanctions as described in the policy.

In addition, departments involved in clinical programs may evaluate students on the basis of their ability to relate successfully with clients. Students who do not meet the professional standards established by departments may be placed on probation, suspended, or dismissed from a program.

In cases where a student fails to satisfy departmental graduate program requirements, the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies, upon the recommendation of the advisor and the departmental chairperson or program coordinator, and after review of the student’s academic progress, may remove the student from the graduate program. Examples of specific departmental requirements to be met by students include, but are not limited to the following:

1. writing competency;
2. the number of attempts made in passing comprehensive or qualifying exams;
3. the completion of required papers or theses; and
4. meeting university and departmental time limitations.

Students dismissed from graduate study, regardless of whether they were non-degree students or students pursuing a graduate certificate or degree, may petition for readmission no sooner than one academic year after the semester they were dismissed. Exceptions to this waiting period can be granted by the Dean of the College Graduate Studies. A dismissed student can apply for either non-degree admission or admission to a graduate program. Admission as a non-degree student will be decided by the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies. Admission to a graduate program will be decided by the procedures normally used for that program.

(*"Semester" refers to semester for which the student registers. For example, "the first semester" refers to the first semester for which the student registers to take classes. A student may request that the two summer sessions be treated as a single semester.)
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Outdated Courses
In cases in which a graduate course is inadmissible on a student’s program because it predates the stipulated time period for the completion of the degree, both the course and the grade pertaining thereto shall be disregarded for purposes of evaluating the student’s performance toward the graduate degree or his or her status within the program.
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Credit/No Credit (CR/NC)
Courses in which graduate student performance is evaluated CR/NC, rather than by a letter grade on the A through E scale, carry the designation “CR/NC only” in the departmental course descriptions. CR indicates that the student has performed at a level equivalent to or above the grade point average for graduation (B grade) and shall receive credit in the course. NC indicates that the student has performed at a level lower than a B and shall not receive credit. In either case, the title and other course identification and the symbol CR or NC shall be entered on the student’s transcript. CR and NC are not equated with qualitative letter grades, however, and are not included in computation of the student’s grade point average. Optional registration for Credit/No Credit in other graduate courses is not available to graduate students.

Optional registration for Credit/No Credit is available to graduate students who register in a course below the 500 level for undergraduate credit. Courses taken under this provision may not be applied to graduate certificate or degree requirements. Such optional registration for undergraduate credit is not available to students removing deficiencies specified in their Conditional Admission. The courses for which graduate students may register for undergraduate credit on a CR/NC option basis must be designated in the Class Schedule by the department as available on a CR/NC option basis. Procedures for registration, grading, and recording are explained in the CMU undergraduate Bulletin under Credit/No Credit Policy.
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Incomplete Grades (I)
An incomplete (I) is a temporary grade used by the instructor in cases when a student is unable to complete course requirements because of illness or other justifiable circumstances. It is assigned only in cases in which the student has completed satisfactorily the major portion of the course requirements, and has convinced the instructor of his or her ability to complete the remaining work without re-registering for the course. It is not to be given to a student who is already doing failing work. A form must be completed and signed by the faculty member (and the student when possible) whenever a grade of I is assigned. The form is to be kept on file in the departmental office. An instructor who assigns the grade of I also submits to the department chairperson a formal statement of requirements to be satisfied for removal of the Incomplete grade. A copy of the statement of requirements, including deadlines for their completion, shall be made available to the student.

It is the student’s responsibility to contact the instructor to complete the remaining work. The required work should be completed and a grade reported by the end of the student’s next semester in residence, but in no case later than one calendar year following the receipt of the grade of I. A student not completing the remaining work by the end of one calendar year following the receipt of an I would retain an I only if the instructor chooses not to change the I to a specific grade ranging from A to E by the end of the calendar year. A grade of I may not be removed by registering again for the course.

If the instructor of the class in which the grad of I was incurred is no longer a member of the faculty, then the student should contact the department chairperson, who shall act on behalf of the former instructor.

Exceptions to these regulations can be made only when requested by the student and approved by the instructor or the department chairperson and the dean of the college, and certified by the dean of the college to the registrar.
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Deferred Grades (Z)
The Z (deferred grade) may be recorded for students registered for independent study, for thesis, International Program Studies courses, or for other courses specifically approved for Z grades in the Bulletin, if the instructor believes that the quality and quantity of work completed by the end of the semester justifies an extension of time. An instructor who assigns a grade of Z shall submit to the department chairperson, on the proper form, a statement of remaining requirements for removal of the deferred grade. A copy of the statement of requirements, including deadlines for their completion, shall be made available to the student.
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Repeat Course Policy
To improve a grade previously earned at CMU or elsewhere, a student may repeat any course except an Independent Study Course. The last grade and credit hours earned at CMU completely replace the previous grade and credit hours in computing the grade point average, although the earlier record remains a part of the student’s transcript. A grade of A through E must be earned in a repeat course to replace the previous grade in computing the average.

A Repeat Course Request card, available from the Registrar’s Office, must be filed by the student with the Registrar’s Office before repeating the course. Procedures and deadlines for repeat cards are found in the Class Schedule book.
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Grade Grievance Policy

1. The university recognizes that it is the instructor’s prerogative to determine a grade. Responsibility for resolving grading disputes is shared among the instructor, the student, the department, and the college. If a question is raised by a student concerning a grade, the instructor should discuss the matter with the student and give evidence to make clear his or her basis for determining the grade. (In turn the student should recognize the need to demonstrate a valid basis for complaint). At any time, either upon the student inquiry or upon his or her own initiative, the instructor who believes a change of grade is justified may initiate a request for a change in grade.
    
2. A student who desires discussion of a complaint about a grade shall contact the instructor or, if the instructor is unavailable, the department chairperson, either in person or in writing as soon as possible, but in no case later than sixty days after the beginning of the next regular semester. Any exception to the time limitation shall be for unusual and most compelling reasons. Ordinarily, the student should accept the instructor’s decision. However, if the student is still not satisfied, he or she may request in writing a joint consultation with the instructor and the chairperson of the department involved. In case the student’s request for joint consultation involves an instructor who is also chairperson of the department, the student’s request in writing should be sent to the dean of the college involved. In such cases that dean shall act in place of the department chairperson.
    
3. The following procedures are available for review of allegations of capricious grading. They are not for review of the judgment of an instructor in assessing the quality of a student’s work, nor are they to be used in cases involving academic dishonesty. Determination of the grade in such cases is left solely to the instructor. A student who is not satisfied after consultation with the instructor and department chairperson, and who alleges that the semester grade is the result of capricious grading, may file an appeal within ninety days of the start of the next regular semester to the dean of the instructor’s college for forwarding to the College Committee on Review of Change of Grade. The student shall file the appeal by submitting a written statement particularizing the basis for the allegation that the grade was the result of capricious grading, and present any evidence that he or she may have.
   
   Capricious grading, as that term is used herein, constitutes any of the following:

1. the assignment of a grade to a particular student on some basis other than his or her performance in the course;
2. the assignment of a grade to a particular student by resorting to more exacting or demanding standards than were applied to other students in that course. It is understood that standards for graduate credit may be different from standards for undergraduate credit;
3. the assignment of a grade by a substantial departure from the instructor’s previously announced standards.

4. The appeal shall be dismissed if

1. the appeal was not timely;
    
2. the allegations, if true, would not constitute capricious grading; or
    
3. the student has not attempted to confer with the instructor or chairperson of the department. If the appeal is not dismissed, the committee shall submit a copy of the student’s written statement to the instructor of the course with a request that the instructor promptly submit a written response thereto, a copy of which shall be made available to the student. If, upon the basis of these papers, it appears that the dispute may be attributable to inadequate or incomplete communication between the parties, the committee may arrange to meet individually or together with the student and instructor to discuss the problem. If the instructor of the course is a member of the committee, he or she shall be disqualified from the consideration of that appeal.

5. If such a meeting is not held, or if held, such meeting does not result in a mutually agreeable solution, the committee shall proceed to hold a fact-finding session concerning the allegations set forth in the appeal. Both the student and the instructor shall be entitled to be present throughout the session and to present any relevant evidence, including testimony by other persons. The student and the instructor both may be accompanied by a person to assist them in presenting evidence. The session shall not be open to the public.
    
6. At the close of the session the committee shall deliberate privately. If a majority finds the allegations of capricious grading to be supported by substantial evidence, the committee shall proceed to determine the most appropriate remedy. The committee may direct the instructor to grade the student’s work anew or to give the student a new examination in the course, or may take such other action as will bring about substantial justice in the individual case. However, except in the most extraordinary circumstances, the committee itself should not award the student a new grade for the course. The decision of the committee shall be final and shall be reported in writing to the student, instructor, and departmental office.
    
7. The College Committee on Review of Change of Grade may also resolve complaints involving suspected violation of grading policies for incomplete and deferred grades, dropping a class, or withdrawal from the university. The same procedures as outlined above for review of alleged capricious grading shall be followed.
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Course and Credit Limitations
300 and 400 Level Courses
A graduate student may include no more than two 300 or 400 level courses in a degree program, and no more than one 300 or 400 level course in a certificate program, provided that (a) these courses are in disciplines which are cognate to or related to the discipline in which the student is earning a certificate or degree, and (b) the graduate student’s experience in the course is both qualitatively and quantitatively different from that of the undergraduate student. Prior to registering for courses at this level, the student must have received permission from the advisor, the person teaching the course, the chairperson of the department offering the course, and the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies to include such a course in the Graduate degree program. Petition forms are available in the Graduate Studies office. The petition asks the person teaching the course to indicate the qualitative and quantitative differences between the graduate student’s experience in the course and the undergraduate student’s experience in the course.
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Courses of Unspecified Content or Variable Credit
Variable credit courses are identified by a semester hour designation such as 1-3 (Spec). The maximum hours that a student may earn in a variable credit course to apply toward graduation is the highest number in the semester hour designation for the course (i.e., 3 hours maximum in the example listed above).

Unspecified content courses are defined to be courses in which the student or department is not restricted by the course description in the graduate Bulletin to a specific area or subject matter to be included within the course.

It is up to each graduate advisor to ensure that a student's authorized program plan has sufficient university-approved course work to provide the student with a solid grounding in the academic discipline. In order to assist advisors, a list of variable credit and unspecified content courses is given before the course listings of each department.
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Independent Study and Thesis
Not more than a total of ten hours of independent study and thesis shall be allowed on any master’s degree program. Exceptions to this regulation may be granted by the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies.
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Graduate Transfer Credit Policy
A maximum of 6 semester hours may be transferred in as credit toward a graduate certificate. A maximum of 15 semester hours (30 credits on the 54-credit hour, joint master's degree in history) may be transferred in as credit toward a master's degree.

On a specialist's degree program, a maximum of 12 semester hours beyond the master's degree may be transferred if the master's degree was earned at CMU. If the master's degree was earned elsewhere, eight semester hours beyond the master's degree is the maximum which may be transferred.

At least 50 percent of the minimum required post-baccalaureate hours for a doctoral degree must be completed at Central Michigan University. The minimum required percentage for some programs may be greater. Credits earned through correspondence, and doctoral dissertation or doctoral project credits cannot be transferred to a doctoral program.
A separate policy exists for students entering the Au.D. with a master's degree in Audiology and significant, relevant professional experience. See the Au.D. program description for details.

Transfer credit will be accepted provided all of the following conditions are satisfied:
 

1. The credits were earned at a college or university of recognized standing (recognized at the time the credits were earned);
    
2. The credits are not in violation of any pertinent university regulation, procedure, or policy;
    
3. The credits do not correspond to a course previously taken at CMU;
    
4. The credits were earned within the time limit for program completion. Credits from a prior graduate degree or certificate that are to be applied to a doctoral degree may be exempt for the time limit for doctoral degree completion (see individual program description);
    
5. The credits are appropriate to the student's program and are not in conflict with credit limitation specified elsewhere in the Bulletin;
    
6. The grade for the credits must be B or higher. Undergraded course work will not be accepted in transfer unless accompanied by evidence that the work was of B or higher quality;
    
7. The student is in good standing (3.0 GPA or higher) at the institution at which the credit was earned. In addition, a student wishing to transfer credit toward a doctoral program must have regular admission to that program;
    
8. The credits must be certified on a graduate transcript as being of graduate level. The student must take personal responsibility for having official transcripts of the credits sent directly to the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies at CMU by the institution in which the credit was earned and for filing a Transfer Credit Request in the graduate studies office;
    
9. The credits must be approved by the advisor and the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies. For a doctoral degree, the credits must be approved by the Program Director and the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies.

Transfer credits are not included in the computation of the student's CMU grade point average. Exceptions to any aspect of this policy will be considered only in extraordinary circumstances and will be granted at the discretion of the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies.
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Waiver of a Program Requirement
Ad advisor/program director has the authority to waive a program requirement only if the proposed waiver is not in violation of any pertinent university regulation, procedure, or policy. Circumstances under which a course might be waived include:

 

1. The student has already met the required course objectives through some experience which was not in the form of a transferable course;
    
2. The student has not met the objectives of the course, but the advisor/program director determines that the student would derive greater benefit from a different course.

If a program requirement is waived, the minimum number of hours required for the program is unaffected.

A separate policy exists for students entering the Au.D. with a master's degree in Audiology and significant, relevant professional experience. See the Au.D. program description for details.
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Additional Master's Degrees
A student who holds a master’s or higher degree may earn an additional master’s degree in another discipline. With the approval of the department chairperson and the graduate dean, a student holding a degree in a discipline may earn another master’s degree in the same discipline, provided it is on a different published option. In any case, a maximum of six semester hours submitted in fulfillment of the prior degree program at CMU or elsewhere may subsequently be transferred to another master’s degree program, provided the hours apply to the stated requirements of the subsequent program and were earned within seven years of the student’s completion of the additional degree.
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Credit by Examination
A student who has been admitted to a graduate degree program and who has had experience or background comparable to a course at this university may file for a maximum of 12 semester hours of Credit by Examination under the following conditions:

1. No credit transferable to CMU has been earned in the course requested by examination;
    
2. No advanced placement has been given for the course requested by examination;
    
3. No higher level course in that subject area was taken prior to requesting credit by examination;
    
4. Credit by examination may not be used to repeat any course previously taken, either to remove a failure or to improve a grade, as provided in the Repeat Course Policy;
    
5. Graduate credit by examination is available as Credit/No Credit only, and is not included in the computation of the student’s grade point average.

At the time of the request, the student must have an Authorization of Degree Program signed by the advisor on file in the graduate studies office. The student should obtain the application form for the credit by examination from the College of Graduate Studies and then obtain approval from the faculty member administering the examination, the department chairperson, and the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies. Approval may be granted for the number of credits requested or any portion of the credits requested. The student should submit the signed application for credit by examination to the Registrar's Office to register for the number of credits approved.
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