Policies

Graduate and Undergraduate Studies within the College of Human Development, Culture, and Media follows all University policies as outlined in the University's Catalogues. Brief summaries of essential polices are available below, though students are responsible for adhering to all University published policies.

Please consult the University's Graduate Catalogue or Undergraduate Catalogue for all academic policies and procedures.

Policies for all CHDCM Students »

Graduate-Specific CHDCM Policies »

Undergraduate-Specific CHDCM Policies »

Policies for All CHDCM Students

Academic Integrity

Cheating and plagiarism in any form will not be tolerated in any College of Human Development, Culture, and Media (CHDCM) course and is promptly addressed. Cheating on any requirement, test, paper, or other project will, at the discretion of the instructor, result in failure for that assignment, no-credit [zero] for that assignment, failure for the course, and/or further disciplinary action at the program, Department, College, and/or University levels. Such further action may include dismissal from the College of Human Development, Culture, and Media.

The CHDCM's policy defines academic dishonesty as including, but not limited to, cheating on tests and other course assignments and providing or receiving information without acknowledging the source. Cheating by plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, copying of text or research assignments, using another person's papers, research or assignments without citation, and representing work as the student's own, which is, in actuality, another's work.

Web material which is not fully credited is considered plagiarized. The use of artificial intelligence tools to assist with academic work without proper permission, documentation, and attribution, is a violation of the academic integrity policy.

Instructors may set per-course policies in the area of academic integrity by including such policies on a course syllabus.

Some resources to learn more about Academic Integrity within the CHDCM, including Department-level expectations, include:

Continuity

Students enrolled in a degree program are required to register each Fall and Spring semester until all requirements for the degree are satisfied. Students in programs where summer coursework is prescribed are required to register in the summer. Failure to register without being granted a leave of absence is interpreted as a resignation from the academic major and/or program.

Course Withdrawal

Students may withdraw from a course during the withdrawal period which begins at the conclusion of add/drop. A withdrawal from a course will result in a grade of "W" being reflected on a student's transcript with no impact to the student’s term and cumulative grade point average (GPA).

Withdrawing from a course may impact a student's financial aid award and result in the returning of awarded funds. Students should review course withdrawal information and consult with a financial aid counselor if applicable.

Incomplete

An Incomplete grade for a course indicates non-completion of assignment(s) or failure to take the examination for a course. An Incomplete grade is considered on an exceptional basis and cannot be provided when a student does not complete any course requirements or fails to attend class meetings. Students must have completed 75% of course requirements (as defined in the course syllabus) and obtain written permission from a course instructor before the officially scheduled final examination. A student who is granted an Incomplete (i.e., an "I") may not attend class meetings in a future semester in order to make up outstanding requirements.

The only permitted rationale for considering an incomplete include unusual and unforeseen circumstances that normally involve sickness or a family member hardship that can be supported by documentation.

An unresolved Incomplete grade may also impact the student's eligibility for financial aid. Additionally, the "I" grade is not counted in determining class standing, eligibility or grade point average. If a grade of “I” is not resolved within the time allotted by the instructor, the grade will be changed automatically and permanently to “FI” which is a failing grade.

Leave of Absence

A student who is unable to attend the University during a regular semester because of illness, family emergency, extraordinary job requirements, military service or other factors may be granted a leave of absence without penalty. The student must submit a written request for a leave to their respective Department Chair and the Assistant Dean. Upon return to the University, the student must request reinstatement in writing to the Assistant Dean, who will consult with the student's Academic Department.

Student Grievances

Students have a right to initiate an appeal of a final course grade, up to 30 calendar days following the end of an academic semester, which they feel reflects a biased or inaccurate assessment of their performance. Students should keep in mind, however, that once a final course grade is appealed, the grade could potentially be adjusted in any direction. It is possible that an appeal may result in a lower grade.

The first step for a student seeking to resolve a grade dispute is to meet with the instructor who issued the grade. The instructor will then review the work in question and determine the accuracy of the final grade. If it is warranted, the instructor may submit a change of grade. If the grade is found to be correct, the instructor shall explain to the student how it was calculated.

If the student is dissatisfied with the instructor’s rationale and feels that the final grade is improper, the next step in the appeal process is for the student to email the Department Chair to request a meeting to discuss the circumstances. The email request for a meeting must include a detailed explanation of the alleged inaccuracies or improprieties in grading. The student must make available any disputed assignment(s) or other related documentation upon request. The Department Chair will review these materials carefully. If the Department Chair determines necessary, other faculty members with relevant expertise may be called upon to provide a supplemental assessment of the disputed materials. Simultaneously, the Department Chair must inform the instructor about the appeal and provide the instructor with an opportunity to present a rationale as to how the disputed grade was calculated. After conducting this review, the Department Chair will make a final determination on whether to confirm or adjust the original grade. If a grade is adjusted, the instructor must determine and submit a revised grade taking into consideration the determination of the Department Chair.

The Department Chair’s decision regarding the substance of the disputed grade is considered final. If a student believes that proper procedures were not followed as outlined in this policy, the matter may progressively be escalated by the student to the Director of Student Success, the Assistant Dean, the Associate Dean, the Sr. Associate Dean, and lastly the Dean.

University Withdrawal

A University withdrawal is withdrawing from all courses in a semester. Students seeking to leave the University must officially withdraw by completing the Request to Withdraw Form. It is required that students consult with the Director of Student Success prior to submitting the Withdrawal form.

Graduate-Specific CHDCM Policies

Academic Advising

The CHDCM offers graduate advising to ensure that students receive ample assistance and support while completing their programs. The graduate advisor serves as a resource for students in matters relating to completing degree requirements, understanding and complying to the College's policies and procedures, and defining and tailoring an individually designed degree plan based on students' needs. The Academic Advisor also serves as a resource to potential students thinking about joining the College or who are in the beginning stages of the application process. The graduate advisor takes time to personally get to know each student and works to create schedules to accommodate both full time students and working professionals. For more information about advising, please click here.

Graduate Academic Standing

A grade point average of 3.0 is the minimum requirement for satisfactory degree completion at the graduate level. Students who earn a grade point average below a 3.0 in any term or who have accumulated two "C" grades or one "F" grade are subject to review by appropriate faculty and administration to determine future standing. To ensure students remain eligible for their degree, mechanisms such as graduate probation, suspension, and dismissal are in place.

Students on graduate probation must receive clearance from their Academic Department and the Office of the Dean in order to register for future terms. Suspension constitutes removal from the University for a stipulated period. Dismissal constitutes permanent separation from the University. Dismissal and suspension are based on the student's unsatisfactory academic progress. Dismissed and suspended students are considered not in good standing with the University and are not eligible for registration nor financial aid.

Program Time Limits

Generally, candidates for all Master’s and the Educational Specialist degrees are expected to fulfill all requirements for the degree within six years after formal matriculation in a program. Time extensions may be granted in unusual cases upon written application to a candidate’s adviser and with approval by the Department Chair and Dean. Students provided an extension may need to repeat courses or enroll in new courses as stipulated in writing during the approval process. Any time a course is repeated, associated charges (tuition and fees) will be applied.

Doctoral degree time limits vary by program.

Dissertation, Thesis, and Graduate Project Capstones

The Graduate Catalogue contains important information related to graduate-level culminating academic requirements. Specific deadlines for the submission of requirements are outlined in the Academic Policies and Processes section of the Graduate Catalogue.

Undergraduate-Specific CHDCM Policies

Academic Advising

During the academic year students are expected to meet with their academic advisor at least once per semester in order to give the student the opportunity to discuss appropriate course selection, academic progress, curricular and co-curricular programs and the full range of services and opportunities available for all University students. It is the responsibility of the student to make every effort to obtain adequate academic advising, prepare for registration advising and receive their registration PIN each semester. For more information on Academic Advisor Assignments, please click here.

Academic Standing

Standards
Full-time undergraduate students are required to complete successfully at least 24 credits in each 12 months of full-time registration and have a cumulative GPA of at least:

A 1.75 for freshman
A 1.90 for sophomores
A 2.00 for juniors and seniors

Warning
A student who meets the cumulative GPA criterion but whose semester GPA fall below the requirements listed above is placed on academic warning.

Probation
A student whose cumulative GPA does not meet the minimum requirements are automatically placed on probation for the current semester. Probation is a disciplinary period during which the student is afforded the opportunity to raise their cumulative GPA to meet the minimum requirement. A registration hold id placed on the student's account.

If a student fails to meet the cumulative GPA requirements for two (2) consecutive semesters, the Office of the Dean will conduct a suspension/dismissal review. Students must receive clearance from the Office of the Dean to be eligible to register for future semesters. Suspension constitutes removal from the University for a stipulated period. Dismissal constitutes permanent separation from the University. Dismissal and suspension are based on the student's unsatisfactory academic progress.

For full policy related to academic standing, see the University’s Undergraduate Catalogue.

Major Declaration

Students seeking to change their major from a program of study outside of the CHDCM must earn a 2.50 cumulative GPA in at least 12 credits taken at the University. It is recommended that students declare their major prior to earning 60 credits. Any student in the CHDCM who has not declared a major and who has completed 75 or more credits prior to October 15 preceding a spring semester, or prior to March 1 preceding a Fall semester, shall not be allowed to register or pre-register for any further courses at the University without formally declaring an academic major. A hold will be placed on the student's record, which can only be removed with permission of the Office of the Dean and completing the Declaration of Major process.

For questions regarding these policies please reach out to CHDCM@shu.edu.