Add/Drop Policy

No student may add a course after the first day of the semester. The last day a student may drop a semester course without a withdrawal appearing on the academic record is  the Friday after the residency concludes for the fall term and the second Friday after the start of the spring term. Students withdrawing after this period will receive a W on their permanent record.

Academic Standards

A student is responsible for maintaining satisfactory progress towards a degree.  A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required to be in good academic standing.  Should a student’s GPA fall below this level, the program director will review the student’s academic achievement, evaluate extenuating circumstances, and the student’s potential for substantial academic improvement.  Based on this review, the student may be placed on academic probation or dismissed from the program.  A student must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher in order to enroll in AAD 650: Internship or AAD 651: Major Paper.  A student receiving two or more “C” (2.0) or “C+” (2.330) grades in the program, or who receives on “F” (0.0) may be dismissed, again subject to review by the program director.

Leave of Absence

Students must enroll in a minimum of one course per semester to remain active on the rolls of the college. Students in good academic and financial standing may request a leave of absence for no more than two semesters during the total degree candidacy. They are expected to return to the college at the conclusion of their leave. Students must apply in writing to the director for a leave of absence.

Withdrawal from the College

A student wishing to withdraw from the college must consult with the director.  If no other option, such as a Leave of Absence, is viable, the student must formalize his/her request to withdraw in writing.  Upon receipt and approval by the director, the student will be officially withdrawn from the college.  A student must have a clear financial record prior to officially withdrawing from the college.

A student who withdraws and wishes to return to the college will be required to apply for readmission and will be subject to all regulations and requirements then in force.  Withdrawals from the college will be recorded on the student’s permanent record.

Course Extensions 

Courses are designed to be completed in the 14- to 15-week semester. Official extension fees are $370 per credit, for the 2012-13 academic year. The formal course extension allows the student until the last day of classes of the following semester to complete all missing work and requires  the permission of the course instructor and the program director. Course extensions may not be repeated.

Grading System

All courses except AAD 650-Internship and AAD 651- Major Paper, which are graded P, pass, or NP, no pass, will use the following grading system: A, B, C, F, EX (extension), W (withdraw). The letter grades B and C may be modified by plus (+) and grades A through C by minus (-).

As part of the continued guidance offered to each student, the director evaluates the record of any student whose grade point average falls below a 3.0. On the basis of this evaluation, the student may be placed on probation for one semester, or dismissed from the college.

Detailed information on policies and procedures is contained in the Welch Center for Graduate and Professional Studies Graduate Student Handbook.