Academic Regulations

The typical full-time graduate student load is nine credits per semester. It is recommended that students employed full time take no more than six credits per semester. It is also recommended that six credits be the maximum accumulated during any one 4- or 3- week summer session, to a maximum of twelve credits during the entire summer period. Students who wish to take more than nine credits per semester or six credits per summer session, must obtain the permission of their program coordinator.

All course work and degree requirements must be completed within six years of taking the first course at McDaniel College. Appeals for extension of the six-year limit must be sent to the Graduate Affairs Committee. Students may request a leave of absence for up to 12 months for personal circumstances, extending their time for completion of the degree.

A person who has completed the non-degree status requirements and who wishes to attend a course without satisfying the formal course requirements may do so by:

1. determining the requirements of the audit with the instructor;
2. securing the written permission of the instructor to register;
3. presenting this approval to the Registrar’s Office;
4. paying the audit fee.

Once audit (AU) grading is requested the student cannot change to a letter grade method. If the requirements of the audit are not met, the course is deleted from the student’s record.

The audit symbol (AU) will be recorded on the individual’s transcript; it does not carry grades or credit.

Graduate students may repeat only one graduate course. This course may be repeated once and must be retaken within one year of receiving the original grade (not including a grade of “I”). Both grades for that course will remain on the student’s transcript and are calculated into the GPA.

A student’s grade reflects the quality of the scholarly achievement. A total average of 3.00 (B) must be maintained in order to remain in good standing.

Letter grades are converted to numerical values on the following scale:

An Incomplete (I) grade may be given only for emergency reasons acceptable both to the instructor and the Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies. The date of completion may not be longer than one year from the date when the Incomplete (I) grade was issued. Any Incomplete grade which extends beyond the one-year time limit becomes an “F”. A grade of IP (In Progress) may be given for students who are continuing to complete requirements for courses that extend beyond one semester, such as internships, special projects, etc.

Grades submitted by the instructor are considered final and may be appealed only if:

1. a reporting or arithmetic error occurred which resulted in an incorrect grade. The instructor will submit a Change of Grade form to the Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies for approval; or
2. the student believes the grade was prejudicial or capricious. In such cases, the student will first discuss the grade with the instructor. If the student is not satisfied with the outcome of that discussion, then he or she will discuss the grade with the appropriate graduate program coordinator. If further discussion is necessary, the student may appeal the grade to the Graduate Affairs Committee. If a resolution cannot be reached, the student may then appeal the grade to the Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies.

The deadline for appealing a grade is the last day of classes of the semester following the term in which the course was taken.

A graduate student must maintain a 3.00 grade point average for all course work. If the average drops below 3.00 or a grade of “C+” or lower is received, a student is placed on academic probation. By action of the Graduate Affairs Committee, a student will be academically dismissed if:

1. academic probation extends beyond the completion of nine additional credits; or
2. the student receives two grades of “C+” or lower or one “F” at any time during his or her graduate study at the College.

A student has the right to appeal an academic dismissal. A written appeal must be sent to the Graduate Affairs Committee within 30 days after the notice of dismissal. The Graduate Affairs Committee will review the appeal and act on it in a timely fashion.

Dismissals from the College or the academic program may also result from failure to observe McDaniel College’s Honor Code, from unethical or unprofessional conduct, from unsuitability for one’s field of study, or failure to meet individual program requirements.

The Graduate Affairs Committee may be asked by program coordinators to review students for dismissal. A student has the right to appeal such a dismissal to the Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies within 30 days after the notice of dismissal. The Dean will review the appeal in a timely fashion.