Graduate Catalog 2010-12
Policies and Degree Requirements
The policies and degree requirements
for graduate students at Central Connecticut State University are
governed by the University faculty, and administered by the dean of
the School of Graduate Studies. The Graduate Studies Committee,
composed of faculty and graduate students who represent the graduate
programs at Central Connecticut State University, reviews graduate
curriculum and proposes policies affecting graduate students and
programs that then need approval by the Faculty Senate. The Graduate
Studies Committee also hears appeals related to student academic/performance
matters.
The sections that follow summarize
graduate academic policies of the University. All graduate students
are urged to become familiar with these policies and to follow them
when making decisions about their graduate studies at Central
Connecticut State University. The School of Graduate Studies
Handbook, available in the Office of the School of Graduate Studies
(Barnard Hall 102) and at the graduate website, details all policies
related to graduate students and programs. Advisors are assigned to
assist in planning the academic program, but they are not authorized
to change established policy of the University. Advisors and students
are responsible for ensuring that the academic program complies with
the policies of the University.
The Planned Program of Graduate Study
The
Planned Program of graduate study is an official document which lists
the courses and other requirements
that students must finish prior to graduation for
both degree and non-degree programs.
After
a student has been admitted to study for a graduate degree,
certification, or program of any kind, the student must consult with
the faculty advisor to develop the planned program of graduate study.
An approved planned program is required for all graduate programs.
After
the advisor and
student have signed
the planned program form, it must be submitted by the advisor to the
School of Graduate Studies for approval. Once approved by the dean,
School of Graduate Studies, or designee, it then becomes a formal
plan for graduate study which may be subject to revision by the University to reflect additional requirements imposed by outside licensing or accrediting agencies. A planned program of study does not constitute a contract, either express or implied, and is subject to revision as described above. Any changes in the planned program must
be approved by the advisor and the dean, School of Graduate Studies.
"Planned
Programs of Graduate Study" forms are provided to the student
upon full admission to the University. Additional planned program
forms and course substitution forms are available in department
offices and in the Office of the School of Graduate Studies.
The
planned program should be developed with the advisor early in the
student's graduate studies but must be approved prior to the
completion of 16 credits of course work. Further, no student may
undertake the capstone requirement without having a planned program
of study on file in the Graduate Studies Office; in addition no student is eligible for graduation without a planned program of
study on file.
There is also no assurance that course work completed prior to
admission to a program, or before the planned program has been agreed
upon with the academic advisor, will be approved. However, graduate
policy stipulates that no more than nine credits taken at the 500
level as a non-matriculated graduate student will be approved for
programs requiring 30-35 credits (or 25% of the total credits for
programs over 36 credits).
Six-Year Time Limit. All course
work and capstone requirements (i.e., dissertations, theses,
comprehensive examinations, and special projects) for the degree must
be completed during the six years which precede degree conferral.
That is, the student has six years from the earliest course listed on
the planned program (including any work transferred from another
institution or completed prior to matriculation) to complete all
degree requirements.
If a student, due to extenuating
circumstances, anticipates that he/she will be unable to complete all
degree requirements within the six-year time limit, the student may
request an extension by writing to the graduate advisor who will
forward it with recommendations to the dean, School of Graduate
Studies. When making the request, the student should include the
semester and year in which he or she expects to complete the degree
and the reason for not meeting the six-year time limit. If the dean,
School of Graduate Studies, deems the request justified, an extension
will be granted. However, for programs of 30-35 credits, a maximum
of eight years will be allowed in total to complete the degree; for
programs of 36 credits or more, a maximum of nine years will be
allowed.
Changes in the Planned Program.
A course substitution form must be completed whenever a student wants
to modify degree requirements or apply a course not previously
included in an approved planned program toward requirements. Requests
to change program requirements, which are initiated after the student
has started a thesis or attempted after the comprehensive
examination, must be approved by the student's academic department
as well as by the dean of the School of Graduate Studies.
Change of Program. To
change a graduate program after admission, the student must complete
the
Change of Graduate Degree Program/Advisor
form and submit it to the School of Graduate Studies Office. Students
must be matriculated and must meet any special requirements of the
program to which they are seeking approval for a change. The student
is responsible for submitting additional materials for acceptance, if
required, to the graduate studies at the same time they submit the
form.
The form will be forwarded to the department that offers the
requested program for a decision. The department may also assign
conditions for admission.
If the change in program is approved,
the student will be notified and assigned a new advisor. The student
must then consult with the new advisor to develop a new planned
program of graduate study for submission and approval. Subject to
approval, course work completed prior to the change in program may be
recommended for inclusion on the new planned program at the advisor's
discretion.
Degree Candidacy. Some graduate
programs require students to make formal application for degree
candidacy following the completion of nine credits (at least six of
which must be from the area of specialization) in the planned program
of graduate study. Students should consult the academic advisor
concerning degree candidacy requirements of the particular program
for which they have been accepted.
Admission to degree candidacy involves
a formal review of the student's progress and potential by
department faculty and a decision as to whether the student will be
permitted to continue in the graduate program. Degree candidates must
have a minimum cumulative average of 3.00 and must meet requirements
for candidacy established by the academic department.
Recommendations concerning degree
candidacy are included in the student's permanent graduate file. If
a student is not approved for degree candidacy, he or she will be
withdrawn from graduate study for that particular program.
Non-Capstone
Qualifying Exam.
Some graduate programs require qualifying examinations. To be
eligible to take the examination, students must complete an
application form, which is available in their
departmental office
or the School of Graduate Studies, or on the graduate website.
Students should submit this form to the Office of the School of
Graduate Studies. The academic department will review the application
and notify eligible students concerning the time and place of the
examination. The department will inform students of the results and
forward paperwork to the School of Graduate Studies for inclusion in
the student’s
academic
record.
Conditional Acceptance Policy. A
student who has been conditionally accepted into a graduate program
will be given only one opportunity to fulfill all conditions. If
conditions are not met, the student will receive a letter of
dismissal from the dean, School of Graduate Studies. A second attempt
may be granted by the department and the dean of the School of
Graduate Studies in exceptional circumstances; however, no student
will be granted more than two opportunities to fulfill any
conditions.
Master's Degree Requirements
The
master's degree is conferred upon the student who has completed,
subject to approval of the faculty and administrative officials, all
requirements of the planned program of graduate study. Requirements
include a minimum of 30 credits of approved graduate courses and a
capstone experience of a master's thesis (Plan A), a special project
such as an art exhibit, performance, or applied research project
(Plan C or E), and/or a comprehensive examination (Plan B). The
program
description
section of this catalog explains the capstone options available for
each degree program.
Each
candidate for the master's degree is expected to demonstrate ability
to present effectively the results of graduate study at the
University and to analyze problems related to the area of
specialization. Candidates must also maintain a minimum cumulative
grade point average of 3.00 (B) on the graduate record at Central
Connecticut State University.
No
more than two grades of C+ or C (i.e. two C’s, or two C+’s, or
one C and one C+) may be carried in a planned program; courses beyond
these in which grades of C+ or C are achieved may have to be repeated
or additional course work may have to be taken on the planned program
of study. Courses
in which students receive a C- or lower will not be counted for
graduate credit in the planned program and may not be used to meet
prerequisite requirements for graduate courses. Students will be
required to retake required courses as
listed on their planned program of study
in which grades of C- or lower are earned.
If
a graduate student retakes a graduate course in which the student
earned less than a C, both grades will appear on the student’s
transcript. However, only the most recent course grade and credit
will be applied to the GPA and course requirements. No course may be
repeated more than once without permission from the graduate advisor
and Dean, School of Graduate Studies. Certain graduate programs may
not be eligible for the retake policy. This policy is applicable only
for failing grades of C- or less.
Capstone Requirements. All
master's degree programs at Central Connecticut State University
include the capstone requirement of a thesis, a special project,
and/or a comprehensive examination.
Thesis.
The master's thesis is required of all graduate students completing
degrees under the Plan A option. The thesis represents a report of
original scholarship completed under the supervision of a faculty
thesis advisor. Depending on department curriculum policy, students
receive either three or six credits for completing the thesis
requirement as
listed in the catalog course descriptions.
Students
electing to write a thesis, in accordance with department or program
policy, will select or be assigned a faculty thesis advisor. Students
select a topic in consultation with the thesis advisor. The advisor
and committee of a minimum of one additional faculty member must
approve the thesis proposal and the thesis prior to the submission of
each item to the dean of the School of Graduate Studies, who
assures that the thesis meets University standards for format and
quality
through
her approval.
Some departments require the student to give an oral defense of the
thesis before it is submitted to the dean of the School of Graduate
Studies for
approval.
When
all requirements are met and approved, the thesis is transmitted to
the University library. A thesis handbook is available in the
Graduate Studies Office and also on the graduate website.
The following University requirements
apply to all students writing theses:
Whenever possible, the student's
graduate advisor will serve as the thesis advisor. If the student
and the advisor deem it appropriate, another faculty member may be
appointed by the department chair to serve as thesis advisor.
The student must register for the
thesis using the Graduate Capstone Course Registration Form,
available at the School of Graduate Studies or at the website.
Students must obtain all signatures as required on the form and must
register during the regular registration period. To register,
students must have a minimum grade point average of 3.00 and at
least 18 credits completed in programs of 30-35 credits or 24
credits completed in programs with greater than 35 credits.
Students intending to complete a
thesis should consult The Master's Thesis Handbook, available in the
School of Graduate Studies Office and also at the graduate website.
The thesis must be prepared in a
style and format appropriate to the discipline and approved by the
dean of the School of Graduate Studies. Among the currently approved
styles are APA, MLA, Campbell, and Turabian.
A copy of the approved thesis
proposal must be submitted to the dean of the School of Graduate
Studies by the thesis advisor.
Two copies of the approved thesis,
one original for binding by the library, plus three additional
copies of the thesis abstract (not to exceed 200-300 words and one
to two pages) must be submitted to the dean of the School of
Graduate Studies. A digitized copy of the thesis is also required,
accompanied by the permission form signed by the student and thesis
advisor.
If a student planning to graduate
in May wishes the thesis to be included in the May Commencement
Program, the thesis must be submitted by April 15 of the year in
which the student plans to graduate.
Comprehensive Examination. The
comprehensive examination is required of all students who select the
Plan B option. The comprehensive examination covers the course work
in the student's planned program. At the option of the department,
the comprehensive examination may include an oral examination and/or
an oral defense of the written examination.
The comprehensive examination is
normally taken during the last semester of study, but may be
attempted any time after the completion of at least 75% of planned
program requirements. Exceptions may be granted with the
recommendation of the advisor and permission of the dean, School of
Graduate Studies. Students are required to have a minimum 3.00 grade
point average at the time of application. Examinations are given each
fall and spring semester and, at the discretion of the academic
department, during the summer. Students should consult their advisors
and/or department chairs concerning the availability of a summer
session comprehensive examination. A Comprehensive Examination
Handbook is available in the Graduate Studies Office and also on the
graduate website.
To be eligible to take the
examination, students must complete an application form, which is
available in the Graduate Studies Office or on
the graduate website. Students should submit this form to the Office
of the School of Graduate Studies no later than October 1 for fall
semester examinations, and no later than February 15 for spring
semester examinations. The academic department will notify students
concerning the time and place of the examination and will inform
students of the results.
With departmental permission, students
may retake the comprehensive examination. Students who do not pass
the examination on a first attempt may be required to enroll in
additional course work or to make other special preparations for
reexamination. Students who fail the examination a second time must
appeal to the dean of the School of Graduate Studies for permission
to retake the examination. If the student again receives a failing
grade on the comprehensive examination, he or she will be dismissed
from the graduate program by the dean, School of Graduate Studies,
unless he or she is granted permission to choose another capstone
option by the program's department chair and the dean, School of
Graduate Studies. The student may file an appeal within two weeks of
receiving the dean's dismissal letter. If denied, the student may
make a final written appeal to the standing Appeals Committee of the
Graduate Studies Committee. Final results of the comprehensive exam
(pass/fail) will be included on the student's graduate transcript.
Special Project. Students who
elect the Plan C or E option must complete a special project. In
general, the special project involves completion of a body of applied
work appropriate to the degree specialty. The availability of this
option and the requirements for the special project vary according to
the degree program. However, all special projects, both Plan C and E,
must include as a minimum an abstract, a definition of the project,
project objective (purpose, rationale for conducting the project), a
review of literature, research methods or a plan for the project,
results or findings, summary or conclusions, and bibliography or
references, as well as appendices, if appropriate. The department
must specify the style and format to be used and whether an oral
defense is required. A special project handbook is available in the
Graduate Studies Office and also on the graduate website.
For Plan C, the faculty advisor or
another faculty member in the department will supervise the project.
The student's work will be evaluated by the advisor and by at least
one other faculty member as determined by departmental requirements.
Students in a Plan C special project
must register using the Graduate Capstone Course Registration Form,
available at the School of Graduate Studies or at the website.
Students must obtain all signatures as required on the form and must
register during the regular registration period. To register,
students must have a minimum grade point average of 3.00 and at least
18 credits completed in programs of 30-35 credits or 24 credits
completed in programs with greater than 35 credits. The
special project proposal will not be approved by
the
Dean,
School of Graduate Studies,
until the student has registered for the course.
A copy of the approved special project
proposal must be submitted to the dean of the School of Graduate
Studies by the advisor. When the special project is completed, one
copy of the approved special project, including the abstract, plus an
additional abstract for the Graduate Studies Office, must be
submitted to the dean of the School of Graduate Studies for approval. Students
completing special projects may elect to submit digitized copies of
their special projects for posting to the Elihu Burritt Library
website. Digitized copies must be accompanied by permission forms
signed by students and their advisors.
Students in a Plan E special project
will register for the designated special project departmental course.
To register, students must have a minimum grade point average of 3.00
and at least 18 credits completed in programs of 30-35 credits or
24 credits completed in programs with greater than 35 credits. The
student's work will be evaluated by the course instructor and by
other members of the department as appropriate.
Students should consult the program
descriptions section of this catalog concerning availability of a
Plan C or E option and discuss with their advisors their departments'
requirements for the special project. Students normally receive three
credits upon successful completion of their projects.
Doctoral Degree Requirements
At time of admission, all candidates
must commit to summer study. Courses and learning experiences are
sequenced over four summers and three academic years. The program is
limited to admitting approximately 25 students in alternate years.
They proceed through the program as a cohort, taking the same
required courses and having the same experiences. If candidates are
able to keep up with their cohort and do their dissertations in the
planned one-year period of time, the program can be completed in
three and one-half years.
The Ed.D. degree is conferred upon the
student who has completed, subject to approval of the faculty and
administrative officials, all requirements of the planned program of
graduate study. Requirements include a minimum of 63 credits beyond
the master's degree of approved graduate courses and a
dissertation. A dissertation is different from a thesis. The
dissertation in the Ed.D. program focuses on the translation of
theory to practice. It is connected to the candidate's research
interest and is expected to break new ground by providing a bridge
between what is known from research and what needs to be done in
practice. Each candidate is responsible for identifying a
dissertation advisor, choosing a dissertation topic with the
dissertation advisor, and completing the dissertation as outlined in
the department's approval processes and described in detail in the
Assessment and Dissertation Handbook.
The Sixth-Year Certificate
The
sixth-year certificate is presently offered in educational
leadership, mathematics education leadership, and reading and
language arts. The
certificate is awarded, subject to approval by faculty and
administrative officials,
to students who complete all requirements of the planned program.
All
course work and any related requirements for the sixth-year
certificate must be completed as specified within the "Six-Year
Time Limit" section.
Graduate Teacher Certification Programs
After the student has been admitted,
requirements for teacher certification at the graduate level will be
individually prescribed through a transcript evaluation by an
advisor in the School of Education and Professional Studies and
departmental subject advisor when applicable. Certification
requirements include not only course work (such as completion of
undergraduate requirements for appropriate subject majors,
professional education, and student teaching) but also the
satisfactory completion of all requirements for admission to the
Professional Program of the School of Education and Professional
Studies.
Students are advised to contact their
advisors as soon as possible after they are admitted to graduate
study. For current information concerning Connecticut and University
requirements for certification, they may consult the office of the
dean, School of Education and Professional Studies. Students
completing planned programs of teacher certification programs do not
participate in graduation ceremonies.
Official Certificate Programs
Official
Certificate Programs (OCP) are defined as academic programs of study
that have been through a complete University curricular review and
approval process, but which do not lead directly to a formal degree.
These programs are designed for people interested in developing
expertise in a particular field of study, but who do not wish to
complete formal degree requirements. The advantage to these programs
is that they are formal programs of study, in which students are
matriculated,
and
may
pursue their studies on a full- or part-time basis, and be eligible
for financial aid. Most importantly, these programs are coordinated
by faculty closely tied to the area of interest who are committed to
advising students enrolled in these programs, ensuring that the
student is best able to achieve his or her educational goals.Requirements for Official Certificate Programs at the graduate level
will be individually prescribed by the program director after the
student has been admitted to Graduate Studies. When requirements have
been completed, students are issued a certificate from the dean,
School of Graduate Studies. Students completing planned programs of
certificate programs do not participate in graduation ceremonies.
Post-Master's Planned Programs
Students wishing to pursue
post-master's study in areas other than the sixth-year certificate
and the Ed.D. may request admission to a planned program of
post-master's study. Thirty-credit planned programs of graduate
study beyond the master's degree are individually prescribed
programs of advanced study which are developed with an advisor.
Students develop planned programs with their advisors. All
requirements must be completed within a six-year time period dating
from the earliest course included on the planned program. When
requirements have been completed, students may request an official
letter from the dean of the School of Graduate Studies which
documents that they have completed 30 credits in a planned program of
graduate study beyond the requirements for a master's degree.
Completion of post-master's requirements is also noted in the
student's official University record. Students completing planned
programs of post-master's study do not participate in graduation
ceremonies.
Graduate Student Research
In compliance with federal regulations,
CCSU has a policy in effect which states that all research (including
research conducted by graduate students) using human subjects must be
reviewed and approved by CCSU Human Studies Council (HSC). Proposals
must be submitted for review prior to data collection, as there is a
strict policy that no research will be reviewed retroactively.
Information regarding the HSC and the proposal submission process can
be found at www.ccsu.edu/humanstudies. Students may also refer to the
Master's Thesis Handbook or the Special Project Handbook or contact
the School of Graduate Studies or the Office of Sponsored Programs
for more detailed information regarding conducting research using
human subjects.
If research involves the use of
animals, CCSU policy mandates that approval must be sought from the
CCSU Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). Application
materials may be obtained by contacting the IACUC chair; the
application for project approval is also found in the Master's
Thesis Handbook.
Enrolling in Graduate Courses
This section includes information
about course numbers, enrollment, and withdrawal from graduate study.
Course Numbering System. The
following numbering system is used by Central Connecticut State
University:
001-099 Non-credit
courses
100 Search
courses (undergraduate credit)
101-199 Courses
open to first-year students, and in general to all undergraduate
students
200-299 Courses
open to sophomores, and in general to all undergraduate students
300-399 Courses
open to juniors, and in general to sophomores, juniors, and seniors
400-499 Courses
open to seniors, and in general to juniors, seniors, and graduate
students, when included in the graduate catalog. Additional work is required for graduate students to earn
graduate credit.
500-599 Graduate
courses; prior to enrollment undergraduates, who meet requirements of
a minimum 3.00 GPA and 90 credits of study, may request registration
by using the appropriate form to obtain approval of undergraduate advisor, instructor, chair of
the department offering the course, and the dean of the School of
Graduate Studies, who will give preferential admission to graduate
students.
600-699 Graduate
courses open only to master's, sixth-year, and doctoral students.
700-799 Graduate
courses open only to doctoral students
Courses numbered 400 and above may be
included in a planned program of graduate study only when they are
listed in the graduate catalog and the course description so allows
and when approved by the advisor and the dean, School of Graduate
Studies. Students may have a maximum of nine credits (and in some
cases zero to six, depending on the program) at the 400 level as
approved by the program advisor. Graduate students enrolled in
400-level classes are required to do additional work as compared to
their undergraduate classmates.
Courses numbered under 400 may be
applied toward teacher certification and official certificate
programs when recommended by the advisor but will not be approved for
inclusion in a degree program.
Maximum Course Load. Students
who register as part-time students may enroll for a maximum of eight
credits. Students who register as full-time students enroll for no
fewer than nine credits, and up to a maximum of 15 credits. Both
part-time and full-time students may register online through their
pipeline accounts or through the Registrar’s Office.
Adding a Course. Students may
add courses on a space-available basis (that is, enroll in courses in
addition to those for which they have previously registered) prior to
the scheduled beginning and through the first eight days of each
semester. All students add courses online through their pipeline accounts or through the Registrar's Office. Capstone and independent
study courses also may be added within this same period; however
specific forms are used that require signatures including that of the
dean, School of Graduate Studies. Registration after a semester's
scheduled beginning but within the add period is dependent on course
enrollment and/or the willingness of the instructor, department
chair, and dean(s) to approve an additional student.
Dropping
a Course.
Dropping courses will be allowed up to the last day of the third week
of classes during a regular semester. If a full-time graduate student
drops below nine credits, the student must change status from
full-time to part-time. Requests for dropping a course must be in
writing; a confirmation copy of this will be given to the student.
Courses dropped by the deadline do not appear on the student's
transcript. Forms are available in the Registrar's Office, Davidson Hall. The deadline for dropping all
full-semester courses is included in the schedule of classes provided by the Registrar's Office as
found on the Registrar’s Office website.
Warning: Failure to carry a minimum of
nine credits may affect Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and
receipt of certain federal, state, and other benefits, including but
not limited to various financial aid programs, Veterans benefits, and
Social Security benefits. Students dropping below nine credits are
ineligible for participation in intercollegiate athletics. In
addition, full-time graduate assistants must carry a minimum of nine
credits.
Withdrawing from a Course.
Graduate students, full-time or part-time, can withdraw from any
class during the fourth week to the end of the eighth week by going
to the Registrar's Office and completing a two-part withdrawal request
form. No approval is necessary if completed by the deadline. A "W"
will appear on the transcript in all cases of withdrawal; no
exceptions. After the eighth week of classes, withdrawals are only
permissible under extenuating circumstances after recommendation of
the instructor and chair, and approval of appropriate dean(s). Poor
academic performance is not considered an extenuating circumstance. A
"W" appears on the transcript. If a student stops attending and
fails to officially withdraw from a course, a grade of "F" will
be recorded on the student's record.
"Bridge" Course. A "bridge"
course is an entry-level graduate course which may share lectures
with a specific advanced undergraduate (400-level) capstone course
that is integral to each program (undergraduate and graduate). Each
of these courses will have different numbers, titles, syllabi, and
requirements. Undergraduate bridge courses must not have graduate
credit.
"Link" Course. A "link"
course is a graduate course which may share lectures with a specific
advanced undergraduate (400-level) course on the same topic. These
courses may be electives. Each of these courses will have different
numbers, titles, syllabi, and requirements. Undergraduate link
courses must not have graduate credit.
Withdrawing
from the Graduate Program.
A full-time or
part-time
student who wishes to withdraw in good standing from all course work
in progress during the current semester at the University must
consult with the Registrar or designee and file all appropriate
forms. The
School of Graduate Studies should also be notified of such intent.
Any
student who no longer wishes to pursue a graduate degree program must
provide written notification to the School of Graduate Studies.
Readmission into a graduate program will be contingent on the
student's academic standing. Students obtain forms for reentry in the
Graduate Studies Office or Graduate Admissions. If the student
subsequently wishes to resume full-time graduate study within two
years, a Request for Reactivation
form
must be submitted through Graduate Admissions. After two years,
students must
request
reenrollment by
filing a re-enrollment form and paying a fee of $50 to resume their
studies.
The Grading System
Letter grades, including their plus and
minus combinations, are utilized by the School of Graduate Studies.
The following grade point equivalents will be used to compute
cumulative grade averages: A
(4.00);
A- (3.70);
B+ (3.30);
B (3.00);
B- (2.70);
C+ (2.30);
C (2.00);
C- (1.70);
D+ (1.30);
D (1.00);
D- (0.70);
F (0.00). No planned program credit is awarded for grades of C- or
below, but all grades received in post-baccalaureate status at
Central Connecticut State University remain on the graduate
transcript and are included in the student's cumulative grade
average. Additional grades used at CCSU include:
Inc
Incomplete
Aud
Audit (no credit)
NC
Satisfactory completion of a non-credit course
U Unsatisfactory
performance in a non-credit course
The Pass/Fail grading option is not
available to graduate students, other than for recording performance
on the Comprehensive Examination.
Incomplete Grades. A grade of
Incomplete may be recorded at the discretion of the instructor when a
student, for circumstances which cannot be controlled, is unable to
complete the requirements of a course in which he or she is
registered during the current semester or session.
The student who receives a grade of
Incomplete will be responsible for assuring that all course
requirements are completed within one calendar year of issuance, or
sooner if required by the instructor. A grade of Incomplete which has
not been changed by the instructor within the year allowed for course
completion will become an F (failure) automatically.
This latter policy does not refer to
grades of Incomplete received for capstone theses or special projects.
However, a Continuing Registration Fee (CREG) of $40 will be issued
each semester that a student maintains an incomplete in his or her capstone
thesis or special project. Letters will be sent to students owing the
CREG fee each semester; failure to pay will result in being withdrawn
from the program. Students who are withdrawn will then have to
re-enroll and pay a $50 re-enrollment fee.
Grade Appeals. Academic grading
reflects careful and deliberate judgment by the faculty member
instructing a course. However, the University recognizes that there
may, on occasion, be an error or injustice in the determination of a
final grade for a course.
Any student who believes that a final
grade involved an error or a palpable injustice should confer with
the instructor who awarded the grade no later than the fourth week of
the following regular academic semester (fall/spring). If the outcome
is not satisfactory, the student may present the case next to the
department chair who may effect a settlement upon written agreement
with the instructor. Further appeal shall be to the dean of the
appropriate academic school, and, if no settlement can be effected,
to the Grade Appeals Review Board of the Academic Standards
Committee. The full text of the Appeals for Grade Changes Policy may
be found on the Academic Standards and Regulations page of the Undergraduate Catalog linked here and in the
School of Graduate Studies Handbook.
Non-Graded Appeals. A formalized
process for appealing non-graded, performance-based assessments, such
as comprehensive examinations, degree candidacy, etc., has been
established by the Graduate Studies Committee. Similar to grade
appeals, a student who believes that an error or a palpable injustice
has occurred should first confer with the department to which the
appeal is directed. If the outcome is not satisfactory, further
appeal shall be to the dean of the appropriate academic school. If no
settlement can be effected, the student should bring the appeal to
the Standing Appeals Committee of the Graduate Studies Committee.
(Contact may be made through the dean of the School of Graduate
Studies, 102 Barnard Hall.) The Graduate Appeals Committee will meet
as a group to determine whether there is merit to an appeal of a
non-graded, performance-based assessment by reviewing documents and
records that are presented with the appeal. If the Appeals Committee
believes that additional information is needed, the committee will
request clarification from the department and/or student. The
Committee's determination will be based on whether the student was
denied due process. The Appeals Committee will render its decision in
writing by notifying the graduate student and copying the dean,
School of Graduate Studies.
Graduate Student Fresh Start Policy
A post-baccalaureate student who has
been admitted to a graduate program can independently, or in
conjunction with his or her department, initiate an appeal to the
dean, School of Graduate Studies, that includes a rationale as to why
grades for graduate-level courses taken seven or more years ago at
CCSU that appear on the graduate transcript should not be used in
calculating the student's GPA. The appeal should also substantiate
why he or she is now able to complete graduate-quality work.
If the appeal is approved, courses
omitted from the GPA calculation may not be used in the planned
program in which the student is now enrolled. Please note that
courses omitted from the GPA will include all courses that were
attempted in the Fresh Start period.
Each appeal will be decided on its own
merits and students may use this option only once.
Transcript Policy
A transcript is the complete,
unabridged academic record, without deletions or omissions, compiled
while at Central Connecticut State University. Upon the granting of a
degree or completion of a program, a student's transcript is
considered officially sealed, meaning no changes in grades or
alteration in courses will be made unless that student believes that
the information in his or her transcript is inaccurate, misleading,
or in violation of his or her rights of privacy. It is a student's
responsibility to review and confirm the accuracy of his or her
academic record. A student may view his or her transcript at any time
on the Web to verify its content. It is recommended that the degree
recipient confirm the accuracy of all grades, honors, terms, and
cumulative GPA notations at the time final grades are posted to their
academic records, on or about graduation.
It is a student's responsibility to
notify the Office of the Registrar, in writing, of the information in
the transcript that he or she believes is inaccurate, misleading, or
in violation of his or her rights of privacy. A student who believes
that his or her transcript is inaccurate, misleading, or in violation
of his or her rights of privacy has the right to request an amendment
to the transcript and, if this request is denied, the right to an
opportunity for a hearing to challenge the content of the transcript
on the ground that it is inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of
his or her rights of privacy. If, as a result of the hearing, the
student's request is denied, the University shall inform the
student of the right to place a statement with the transcript,
commenting on the contested information in the record or stating why
he or she disagrees with the decision of the University, or both.
Good Academic Standing
All graduate students must maintain a
3.00 (B) cumulative grade point average (CPA) in course work at
Central Connecticut State University in order to be in good academic
standing. Good academic standing is required to receive financial aid
and to graduate.
Dismissal, Probation Policies
Students
who drop below a 3.00 average will receive a letter from the dean of
the School of Graduate Studies, informing them that they are no
longer in good academic standing and that they have been placed on
academic probation or dismissed from their programs. Once a letter of
dismissal is received, a
student may appeal the dismissal. The
student is expected to promptly meet with the dean of the School of
Graduate Studies and provide an explanation for his/her poor
performance. If a student receives a letter of dismissal and fails to
meet with the dean of the School of Graduate Studies as recommended
in the letter, the student's schedule will be dropped and he/she will
be withdrawn from his/her program. A student who is dropped from the
program and who wishes to reapply must do so through the School of
Graduate Studies. The dean, School of Graduate Studies, in
consultation with the department offering the program, will decide
whether the student may continue with his/her studies. Continuation
will be contingent upon the student's progress in meeting the
requirements for good academic standing, as well as other materials
as required.
In
addition to grade-point requirements for good academic standing,
students should note that no more than two grades of
C+
or C (i.e. two C’s, or two C+’s , or one C and one C+)
are
permitted for courses included on the planned program of graduate
study leading to a doctoral or master's degree or sixth-year
certificate. Students
who
achieve grades low enough so that, in the judgment of the dean of the
School of Graduate Studies, they will not be able to attain the 3.00
CPA required for graduation, will be dismissed from the graduate
program.
Students
who are dismissed for academic reasons may appeal first to the dean,
School of Graduate Studies. If an unfavorable decision is rendered,
they may then appeal to the Graduate Studies Committee.
Students
who are dismissed from graduate study may request reenrollment upon
attainment of a 3.00 (B) cumulative grade point average on the
Central Connecticut State University graduate record. Forms for
requesting file reenrollment are available in the Graduate Admissions
Office and the Office of the School of Graduate Studies and at
www.ccsu.edu/grad. Along with submitting the reenrollment form to
Graduate Admissions, the student must submit to the department
offering the program any additional materials that are required by
the department for its review of the file. A department may also
consider prior performance in the program when reviewing for
readmission the file of a student who has been formally dismissed by
the School of Graduate Studies.
Students
who are dismissed from a graduate program will not be allowed to take
courses for graduate credit unless they have the permission of the
instructor, the chair of the department offering the course, and the
dean, School of Graduate Studies.
Transfer of Graduate Credit in Degree Programs
Students
may request transfer of credit for graduate courses completed at
another regionally-accredited institution of higher education or
a college/university of equivalent status outside of the United
States.
All
credit presented for transfer must show an earned grade of 3.00 (B)
or higher, must be included on the student's planned program of
graduate study at Central Connecticut State University, and must be
completed within the six-year period preceding graduation and
conferral of the graduate degree. Courses which were applied to a
previously completed degree will not be transferred to a new degree
program.
The
amount of graduate work transferable to a graduate degree program is
limited to a maximum of nine credits for programs requiring 30 to 35
credits or 25 percent of the total credits for programs requiring 36
credits or more, not including prerequisites. The
number of credits transferable
to
a
CCSU Official Certificate Programs is limited to a maximum of six
credits. (Some
programs may have more stringent policies for either degree or non
degree programs.)
In order to be transferred, a course or courses must be determined to
be:
-
graduate level from an
regionally-accredited
institution or
an out-of-country equivalent
authorized to grant graduate degrees;
passed with an earned grade of
3.00 (B) or higher or an equivalent (Pass/fail courses may not be transferred);
within the six-year limit at the
time of graduation from CCSU;
recorded on an official transcript
from the granting institution; and
included on the planned program by
the graduate program advisor.
When
international credits are presented for transfer, official
transcripts must be provided from the institution attended along with
a verified translation of the academic record. In some cases, it may
be necessary to seek assistance from an agency recognized by the
National Association of Credential Evaluation Services during the
credit evaluation process.
Students
who have been admitted to graduate programs must obtain prior written
approval from their advisors and the dean of the School of Graduate
Studies/designee
if they wish to take courses at another institution for transfer into
their planned programs of graduate study. Forms for requesting
transfer and substitution of credit are available in the Office of
the School of Graduate Studies and the Enrollment Center/Office of
Continuing Education. Students who do not receive prior approval may
not be able to use courses from other institutions as part of their
planned programs. Students are responsible for requesting that an
official transcript of any approved transfer courses is sent to the
Graduate Studies Office. Students
should be aware that "continuing education units" (CEUs)
may not be transferred to graduate degree programs or applied toward
the completion of graduate degree requirements.
Graduate
students are advised that the Connecticut Department of Higher
Education as well as our various accrediting organizations have very
strict policies concerning the recognition of credit awarded by
non-collegiate institutions. The
University has only one agreement with a non-collegiate institution,
that of the Institute of Technology and Business Development (ITBD),
a comprehensive business outreach facility of CCSU. Students seeking
CCSU course credit thus associated with ITBD must demonstrate to the
relevant department that they have the course content and have met
the minimum number of contact hours as required. Further
demonstration of knowledge and skill competencies is at the
discretion of the department. Graduate
students in non-degree Post Baccalaureate Teacher Certification
programs may receive an advisor’s agreement to offset undergraduate
general education deficiencies through departmentally approved
subject examinations from the College Level Examination Program
(CLEP) of the College Board. The same rules that govern
undergraduate students in teacher certification programs as specified
in the undergraduate catalog will apply to graduate students. Passing
results for such CLEP exams may be posted on graduate records for
students enrolled in Teacher Certification Programs. Official results
for advisor-approved examinations must be submitted for consideration
to the Graduate Studies Office.
Degree Receipt and Graduation
Upon completion of all applicable
course and capstone requirements for the doctoral degree, master's
degree, or sixth-year certificate, students are eligible to receive
their degrees and to graduate. However, degree award and graduation
are not automatic. While a student may have completed all applicable
course and capstone requirements for his or her program, every degree
candidate is required to notify the University about program
conclusion by filing a graduate-level Application for Graduation form
with the School of Graduate Studies. Not submitting an Application
for Graduation in a timely manner may result in failure to receive
the appropriate degree for the requested semester. Further, if a
degree-seeking student fails to finish all requirements by the
completion date indicated on the submitted Application for
Graduation, a new application must be filed.
Central Connecticut State University
confers degrees three times during the academic year: May, August,
and December. Students expecting to receive degrees during any of
these periods must complete all applicable program requirements by
the last official day of the semester or session in which the degree
is to be awarded.
Students who anticipate finishing
degree requirements during the spring semester (May completion)
should submit the Application for Graduation no later than March 1.
Students who anticipate finishing degree requirements during the
summer sessions (August completion) should submit the Application for
Graduation no later than March 15. Students who plan to finish degree
requirements during the fall semester (December completion) should
submit the Application for Graduation no later than September 15.
Graduate-level Application for Graduation forms are available in the
Graduate Studies Office and on the website, as well as in other areas
on campus.
All
students who submit an Application for Graduation and expect to
receive the doctoral degree, master's degree, or sixth-year
certificate are eligible to participate in formal University-wide
commencement ceremonies held
annually each May.
Information
about commencement ceremonies will be made available on the
University website.
Student Regulations and Conduct
Graduate students at Central
Connecticut State University are expected to follow University
regulations outlined in the Student Handbook (available online at
www.ccsu.edu/Students/handbook) and the School of Graduate Studies
Handbook (available from the Graduate Studies Office, Barnard Hall).
These handbooks describe in detail the code of student conduct and
subsequent disciplinary actions that may occur as a result of
violations of this code. Policies of particular importance to
graduate students are summarized below.
Attendance. Regular attendance
for classes is expected of all graduate students and may be a course
requirement. Frequent absences can result in a lowered grade or
possible course failure.
Policy on Academic Misconduct.
At Central Connecticut State University we value personal integrity
as fundamental to our interactions with each other. We believe that
one of the purposes of a University education is for students to
learn to think critically, to develop evaluative skills, and to
express their own opinions and voices. We place special weight on
academic honesty in all of our intellectual pursuits because it is a
value that is fundamental to academic life and scholarly practice.
All members of the University community are obligated to uphold high
standards of academic honesty in their scholarship and learning.
Therefore, we expect students to take personal responsibility for
their intellectual work and to respect and acknowledge the ideas of
others. Academic honesty means doing one's own work and giving
proper credit to others whose work and thought one may draw upon. It
is the responsibility of each student to become familiar with what
constitutes academic dishonesty and plagiarism and to avoid all forms
of cheating and plagiarism.
The CSU code of conduct, Guidelines
for Student Rights and Responsibilities and Judicial Procedures,
defines academic misconduct as including, but "not limited to,
providing or receiving assistance from another, in a manner not
authorized by the instructor, in the creation of work to be submitted
for academic evaluation (including papers, projects, and
examinations). Plagiarism is defined as presenting, as one's own,
the ideas or words of another person, for academic evaluation,
without proper acknowledgement."
Cheating may take many forms. It
includes, but is not limited to, the following actions, unless
explicitly authorized by the instructor:
Exams:
Copying from another person's
paper or receiving unauthorized aid from another person during an
examination;
Use of unauthorized materials or
devices during an examination or any other form of academic
evaluation and grading; e.g., use of signals, notes, books, or
calculators during an examination when the instructor has not
approved their use;
Knowingly allowing another person
to copy from one's paper during an examination.
Improper Behavior:
Use of another person as a
substitute in any form of academic evaluation or acting as a
substitute for another person in any form of academic evaluation;
e.g., a student cannot have another person take an examination for
him/her;
Acquisition or distribution of
improperly acquired examinations; e.g., stealing examinations before
the test period or taking a copy of an examination from a testing
room without the permission of the instructor. (Examinations which
have been distributed by an instructor are legitimate study tools.);
Submission of another's material
as one's own for academic evaluation;
Preparation of work for another
student to submit for academic evaluation;
Unauthorized collaboration in the
preparation of materials to be submitted for academic evaluation;
e.g., working with another student on an assignment when the
instructor has not authorized working together;
Submission of the same work, or
substantially similar work, in more than one course without prior
consent of the evaluating instructor(s);
Disruption in classroom, lab, or
research and study areas; any conduct or actions that grossly or
persistently interferes with the academic process. (See Rights and
Responsibilities, "Prohibited Conduct," Student Handbook.)
Falsification or Misuse of Academic
Information:
Falsification or misrepresentation
of one's own academic record or that of anyone else; e.g.,
altering a transcript for admission, hacking into the University's
computer system and changing a grade, having another student take an
examination in one's place, signing someone else's name to an
attendance sheet.
Unauthorized use of information in
University computer records or the computer files of other students
(see Computer Use Policy);
Using unauthorized materials or
fabricated data in an academic exercise; e.g., falsifying data in a
research paper or laboratory activity; conducting research on human
or animal subjects without review by the appropriate panel or
supervisor.
Plagiarism:
Copying sentences, phrases,
paragraphs, tables, figures, or data directly or in slightly
modified form from a book, article, or other academic source without
using quotation marks or giving proper acknowledgment to the
original author or source.
Copying information from Internet
Web sites and submitting it as one's own work;
Buying papers for the purpose of
turning them in as one's own work;
Selling or lending of papers for
the purpose of violating academic honesty policies. (This may also
be an academic crime, see Connecticut General Statutes, §53-392a.)
Understanding Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is presenting another
person's work without acknowledgements, whether in the same or in
slightly modified form. In academic practice this is regarded as
theft, intended to gain undeserved credit. Like other forms of
academic dishonesty, plagiarism is cheating. To academicians, a
well-documented paper is more impressive than one which arouses the
suspicion of a reader who is familiar with the student's work and
alert to echoes of other writers. The proper use of outside sources
does not necessarily mean that a paper is lacking in originality, nor
does the presence of quotation marks in the text. In fact, the
purpose of research and documentation is to share useful information
with the reader. The penalties for plagiarism greatly exceed the
unlikely reward of gaining credit by getting away with it. Students
must be careful to avoid plagiarism and are responsible for learning
how to present the ideas of others in their own work. For current
documentation practice, student should consult the instructor and a
style manual. When material is borrowed from another person, the
source must be indicated. There are three ways in which another
writer's material may appear:
by putting quotation marks around
short passages borrowed verbatim (word for word); or by setting off
from the text, without quotation marks, for longer quotations;
by précis: condensing part of a
writer's argument; and
by paraphrase: interpretation of a
writer's ideas.
All three must be acknowledged either
in footnotes or informally in the text.
Consequence of Academic Misconduct:
On May 10, 2010, the CCSU Faculty Senate approved a new policy regarding the disciplinary procedures for academic misconduct. This policy applies to both undergraduate and graduate students, with the following exceptions:
- Attending an Academic Misconduct Workshop will not be considered as a sanction for graduate students.
- When an incident of academic misconduct involves a graduate student, the Dean of Graduate Studies, rather the Dean of the academic program, should receive a copy of the Academic Misconduct Report.
The specifics of the policy and all relevant forms can be found at www.ccsu.edu/AcademicIntegrity. As an overview, when a student is suspected of academic misconduct, the instructor shall attempt to meet with the student to discuss the alleged misconduct and the sanction he or she intends to impose. Sanctions for academic sanction should be commensurate with the severity of the misconduct. These sanctions may include one or more of the following: a reduced grade for the assignment in question, the opportunity to revise the assignment or complete additional course work, a grade of F for the assignment in question, a grade of F for the course.
Instructors are encouraged to file an Academic Misconduct Report for all violations, especially when the sanction involves a failing grade for the course and/or if the Instructor believes that further disciplinary sanctions (e.g., disciplinary probation, suspension, or expulsion) are warranted. If the student feels unjustly accused, he or she may appeal to the chairperson of the department in which the alleged misconduct occurred. If the student is not satisfied with the decision of the department chairperson, he or she may submit a formal appeal to the Office of Student Conduct requesting review by a Faculty Hearing Board. A Faculty Hearing Board also would be convened in cases for which the student has a prior academic misconduct violation and in cases for which the instructor recommends disciplinary sanctions.
Student
Records and Directory Information Policy. In accordance with the "Student
Records and Directory Information Policy," the Family Educational
Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with
respect to their education records, including "the right to
consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information
contained in the student's education records, except to the extent
that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception,
which permits disclosure without consent, is disclosure to school
officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official
is defined as a person employed by the University in an
administrative, supervisory, academic, or support staff position
(including law enforcement unit and health staff); a person or
company with whom the University has contracted (such as an
attorney, auditor, or collection agent); a person serving on the
Board of Trustees or assisting another school official in performing
his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational
interest if the official needs to review an education record in
order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility" (Student
Handbook).
Computer Use. The campus
computing facilities are available to graduate students to facilitate
educational objectives, research, and study. In exercising computer
privileges, graduate students are expected to follow University rules
and regulations governing the use of computer accounts and equipment.
These regulations are found in the Student Handbook.
