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SEVEN Graduate Academic PoliciesStudent Degree and Nondegree StatusDegree or matriculated students have been formally admitted to a degree program in the School of Education or the School of Professional Studies. Nondegree students have been granted permission to enroll in no more than six credit hours. Students will be assigned nondegree status for no more than one semester. In such cases permission to register should not be construed as conferring admission to the degree program. Change from Nondegree to Degree StatusA student admitted for graduate study as a nondegree student may request a change to degree status within the same graduate program. To do so, the student must secure approval on the college's Student Request From. All admission requirements as normally defined by the student's program for degree status must be met (e.g. official transcripts, letters of recommendation, etc.). Credits earned as a nondegree student may be accepted toward fulfillment of the graduate degree subject to the degree requirements at the time of acceptance to degree candidacy. If the student intends to apply credit earned as a nondegree student toward a degree, the credits must be approved on the college's Transfer of Credit Form. However, a maximum of 6 credits earned in nondegree status may be applied toward a graduate degree. Exception: students may transfer graduate credits earned at Trinity College through the Accelerated Certification Program toward the Teacher Education M.A.T. Program. Full-time and Part-time EnrollmentA full-time graduate student registers for nine or more credit hours in a semester. A part-time graduate student registers for less than nine credit hours. A student must be registered for a minimum of six credits to be considered for financial aid. Attendance, Examinations, and Withdrawal from the CollegeAttendanceGraduate students are responsible for attending all class meetings unless they have made specific arrangements with the instructor. Students are responsible for reviewing the attendance policy of each instructor, as listed on the course syllabus. Faculty have the right to monitor attendance. Absence in any course amounting to at least one-third of the class periods is liable to a loss of one credit hour or to a final grade of "F" at the discretion of the faculty member. Capstone ProjectsA capstone activity is required for all graduate students near the end of their program. The capstone activity provides students with the opportunity to apply, synthesize, and evaluate knowledge and skills acquired during their graduate study. Students should consult their faculty advisor for a description of options and guidelines. Students should register for the capstone in the semester in which they plan to complete the project. Students who require more than one semester to complete the capstone project will be charged a continuation fee for each subsequent semester until the project is completed. Completion of Degree ProgramAll degree requirements must be completed within five years of initial matriculation as a degree candidate. Any request for an extension must be made to the appropriate academic dean. Any approved extension must be provided in writing by the dean. ExaminationsWritten examinations are held at the end of each semester. No changes may be made in the announced examination schedule unless approved in writing by the chair of the program offering the course. Students who are absent for a final exam are liable to receive a final course grade of "F." Leave of AbsenceA leave of absence is a voluntary leave from campus that a student may request for a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to: personal problems, stress, travel, mental exhaustion/illness, and illness or death in the family. A leave of absence allows students to continue their affiliation with the college and remain inactive students. A student may request a leave of absence for a semester or a year, with the declared intention of returning to Trinity within two semesters after leaving the college. Graduate students who return within two semesters do not have to be readmitted. Graduate students who leave for more than two consecutive semesters must apply for readmission and must re-enter under the most current catalog. Under certain circumstances students who leave the college may be required to repeat courses that have expired. If a student is on financial aid, lenders perceive a leave of absence as a withdrawal (see below). The student must have an exit interview with the Office of Student Financial Services. Leave of absence forms are available from the Office of the Dean of Students. Requests must be endorsed by the student's degree program and approved by the Subcommittee on Special Cases of the Committee on Scholastic Standing and Degrees. ReadmissionA student previously registered as a degree candidate who has failed to maintain continuous enrollment in the graduate program for one calendar year or more must apply for readmission. A letter requesting file reactivation should be submitted along with a $35 nonrefundable application fee to the Admissions Office. Two current letters of recommendation and a writing sample should also be forwarded to this office. Students who have not taken classes for five years or longer must apply for admission under the current academic program. Under certain circumstances, students who leave the college may be required to repeat courses that have expired. Students in specific programs may be required to complete additional course work to meet degree, licensure, or certification requirements. The student's transcript and program of study will be evaluated by the appropriate academic dean. Vacation PeriodsNo student may change a class or section in order to leave before the scheduled beginning of a vacation or the conclusion of her or his scheduled exams. Any vacation or travel must take place during the vacation periods listed on the official Academic Calendar. Withdrawal from the CollegeA student who withdraws from Trinity College concludes enrollment on his or her own initiative; withdrawal from the college should not be confused with withdrawing from a specific course during the semester. Withdrawal from the college becomes a matter of record only after the student has filed a notice of intention to withdraw with the Registrar. Such notification must be given before April 1 of the academic year preceding the withdrawal. Students who withdraw from the college and later wish to return must reapply through the Office of Admissions for admission with advanced standing. Forms for withdrawal are available from the Office of the Registrar and the Advising Center. Enrollment and RegistrationCourse Schedule AdjustmentsStudents may add or drop courses without academic penalty during the designated Schedule Adjustment Period at the start of each semester. A financial obligation due to a course change must be paid before the change will be processed. RegistrationDuring the registration period, each matriculated student registers for courses she or he plans to take during the following semester. In consultation with their academic advisor, students select courses appropriate for their academic program. During the first semester, students should meet with their advisor to plan a program of study for the student. If the student has a plan of study on file in the Office of Enrollment Services, the student may register with an advisor in the Office of Enrollment Services. If a student desires to take courses that deviate from the program of study, she or he must meet with the faculty advisor to obtain the advisor's signature on the registration form. Registration forms must be completed and submitted to the Office of the Registrar or the Office of Enrollment Services. Students should refer to the Academic Calendar and course schedules for registration dates, course availability, and course change deadlines. Withdrawal from a CourseOnce the Course Schedule Adjustment period has passed, a course may not be removed from a student's academic record for any reason. Students may still withdraw from a course at any time up to and including one week after the midpoint of any term or semester (exact dates are listed in the Academic Calendar). The policy is not applicable to Winter and May terms or other short sessions in which case withdrawal is not allowed after the Schedule Adjustment Period. To withdraw from a course, a student must fill out a withdrawal form (available from the Office of the Registrar) and obtain the signatures of her academic advisor, the course instructor, and the appropriate academic dean. A designation of "WP" (Withdrawal Pass) or "WF" (Withdrawal Fail) will appear on the student's transcript. In unusual circumstances, a "W" may be used. Students are responsible for the partial or full payment for courses from which they have withdrawn. Students who fail to withdraw officially or meet course requirements are liable to receive a grade of "F" (Fail). Late Withdrawal from a CourseWithdrawing from a course after the midpoint of a term or semester constitutes a late withdrawal; late withdrawal is a serious academic matter and an application for late withdrawal will be considered only in exceptional circumstances. To initiate the process of late withdrawal, a student must fill out a withdrawal form (available from the Office of the Registrar) and obtain the signatures of her or his academic advisor and the course instructor. Instructors will designate the student's academic status at the time of withdrawal as "WP," "WF," or "W." This grade will be recorded on the withdrawal form and the final grade sheet, pending final approval of the late withdrawal. Once the student has collected the required signatures, she or he must then make formal written application for late withdrawal through the Vice President of Academic Affairs to the Committee on Scholastic Standing and Degrees (SS&D). The Subcommittee on Special Cases of the SS&D Committee will consider the merits of the request and will make the final determination whether or not to allow the late withdrawal. Transfer PoliciesTransfer Credits Satisfying Degree RequirementsA maximum of six graduate degree credits may be transferred for approved courses taken at other regionally accredited institutions. The following policies govern the acceptance of transfer credit at the graduate level:
Credit for Experiential LearningTrinity College may award graduate credit for learning acquired from work, volunteer, or other professional experience. The experiential learning acquired in the non-college setting must be graduate-level and appropriate to the student's program of study. A maximum of six credits may be awarded for experiential learning. Students must be matriculated in a degree program and have completed nine credit hours at Trinity with a minimum GPA of 3.0 before applying for experiential credit. The student must submit an Experiential Learning Application form before work on the portfolio can begin. Students should consult the Academic Calendar for submission deadlines. Experiential learning fees are contained in the tuition and fees section. Experiential learning is not applicable to some courses (e.g. method courses in education, technique courses in counseling, or courses in organizational management). Students should consult their faculty advisor concerning courses that are appropriate for experiential learning credit. Degree Credit Through the Washington ConsortiumUnder certain circumstances, graduate students may register for courses offered at Washington Consortium institutions. In general, this privilege is extended only in the regular fall and spring academic semesters to full-time degree students. Registration is limited to a needed course or courses which cannot reasonably be expected to be offered at Trinity. The approval of the appropriate dean is required for registration in any Consortium course. Further, enrollment is subject to the regulations of the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area (available from the Office of the Registrar) as well as Trinity regulations. The following policies govern the participation of Trinity students in the Consortium:
Consortium Policy on Incomplete ("I") GradesStudents who arrange grades of Incomplete at a visited institution should note that the time limits for making up the incomplete are not to exceed those of the home institution. However, a faculty member at the visited institution may require an earlier deadline. Delays in Reporting Consortium GradesWhile Trinity College is not responsible for delays in the reporting of grades from visited institutions, the grades of courses taken through the Washington Consortium or other approved programs are recorded on the transcript and calculated into the student's grade point average (GPA). Grading System Students enrolled in the graduate programs are evaluated using the following grade point system:
Designations carrying no grade points include:
Academic Standing A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better is required for a student to be considered in good academic standing. Students may carry no more than one "C" on their transcript and students may repeat a course only once. Students receiving a grade of "F" in a course may be dismissed from the program. IncompleteThe grade of "I" (Incomplete) is recorded only in cases judged sufficiently serious by the instructor such as prolonged illness. In all cases, the student and instructor must complete and sign a Contract for Incomplete (available from the Office of the Registrar) stipulating the work to be completed and the deadline for completion. The contract must be signed by the student, the instructor, and the advisor. Graduate students have a maximum of one semester to make up incomplete work, with the three summer sessions treated as one term:
Students must submit work sufficiently in advance of these dates to allow instructors time for grading. A grade of "I" will be changed to an "F" if acceptable work is not completed by the date set forth the Contract for Incomplete. In Progress Course WorkThe grade of "IP" (In Progress) is recorded only in cases where a student has not completed the Practicum, Internship, Capstone Project, or Master's Project during the semester in which the student initially registered for the course. A student who receives a grade of "IP" for a course is required to register for the course for 0 credits for the following semester, and will be charged a continuation fee each semester until the required work is completed. Academic Appeals, Academic Probation, and Dismissal Grade Appeals ProcessA student wishing to appeal academic decisions must make all possible efforts to resolve the issue at the instructor, department, and dean levels. Any other application for the redress of a student grievance based on a charge of discrimination that relates to academic procedures or policies should be addressed to the respective academic dean. Appeal of a Final Grade Lower than "B" Any student who has reason to question the accuracy of a grade lower than a "B" should submit to the course instructor, in writing, the nature of the dispute and why the grade should be changed. The student and the instructor then discuss the matter in order to resolve the dispute informally. If the matter is not resolved, the student may request, in writing, the mediation of the program chair or the dean to receive final resolution of the dispute. The informal approach to changing a course grade of "B-" or lower must be initiated by the student no later than four weeks after the beginning of the semester following that in which the grade was assigned. The instructor will reply to the student within two weeks after receiving written notification of the appeal. If the student asks the program chair or the dean to intervene, another two weeks will be permitted for mediation. Appeal of a Final Grade of "F" To appeal a final grade of "F" in a course, the student follows the procedures outlined in the process for appealing a final grade lower than a "B." If these efforts fail to resolve the disputed grade of "F," a student may request formal appeal to the Committee on Scholastic Standing and Degrees, but this appeal must be filed no later than eight weeks after the beginning of the next semester following that in which the grade was assigned. To appeal a decision of the Subcommittee on Special Cases of the Committee on Scholastic Standing and Degrees, the student may submit a written request to the full Committee on Scholastic Standing and Degrees within two weeks of receiving notice of the prior decision. The committee shall decide whether or not to grant a reconsideration of the appeal. To appeal an action on the part of an academic administrator relating to academic matters, a student may submit a written request to the Committee on Scholastic Standing and Degrees within two weeks of the incident. Any other application for the redress of a student grievance that relates to academic procedures or policies must be addressed to the Committee on Scholastic Standing and Degrees. Academic Probation and DismissalA graduate student whose cumulative GPA falls below 3.0 will be considered on academic probation. If grades do not improve in the next semester, further participation in the program may be terminated. No more than one probationary term is permitted. If a student's GPA remains below 3.0, the student will be dismissed. Students on probation may register for no more than six credits. A student may also be dismissed for very poor scholarship in any one semester or for disciplinary reasons. Trinity College reserves the right to require students to withdraw because of academic standing or unsatisfactory conduct. Student Information, Records, and TranscriptsDisclosureThe following categories of student information are designated as public or directory information. Information from Category I or Category II may be disclosed by the institution for any purpose, at its discretion. Category I information includes name, address, telephone number, dates of attendance, and class standing. Category II information includes previous institution(s) attended, major field of study, awards, honors (includes Dean's List), and degree(s) conferred. Under the provision of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 students may withhold disclosure of any category of information. To prohibit disclosure, students must provide the Office of the Registrar with written notification. Trinity College assumes that any student who does not specifically request the withholding of Category I or II directory information has indicated individual approval for disclosure. Maintenance of Student RecordsTrinity protects the reputation of its students by carefully maintaining the confidentiality of their official college records. To preserve privacy, the records are safeguarded from unauthorized access and disclosure. Trinity College faculty, administrators, and staff are fully aware of the necessity to ensure integrity, accuracy, and confidentiality. Accordingly, Trinity complies with the provisions set forth in Sec. 438 of the General Educational Provisions Act, 20 U.S.C. 1232 (g), entitled the Family Educational Provisions Act of 1974. This law guarantees the student's right to examine her or his official educational records, as well as her or his right to privacy pursuant to the release of such records to third parties. Trinity's policy on the maintenance of student records is in accord with federal regulations. A copy of the policy is available from the Office of the Registrar, and this statement serves as notification of rights protected by law. Students are responsible for informing the Registrar of their current address to ensure timely and accurate billing. Trinity College is not responsible for bills or other materials sent to an expired address. TranscriptsCurrent and former students of Trinity College may request academic transcripts from the Office of the Registrar. Requests must be made in writing and include the student's social security number, most recent date of attendance or graduation, the full name and address of the party receiving the transcript, and the student's signature. A processing fee of $5.00 per copy is payable at the time of the request.
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