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Graduate Studies promotes the professional competency of persons in schools, industry, and business, and prepares individuals to pursue further graduate education. Graduate degree programs are offered in the Colleges of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, Business, Education, Nursing and Health Sciences, and Science and Technology. Graduate Studies provides opportunities for students to:
The University Admissions Office receives and processes all applications for Graduate Studies. The following points apply to all applicants regarding admission to a graduate degree program.
Admission to Southeastern Louisiana University for graduate study is open to qualified students regardless of race, creed, color, natural origin, handicap, sex, or veteran status. To be considered for admission, all supporting materials should be in the Office of Admissions based on the schedule provided in the Application Procedures section of this publication.
Admission Procedure
An applicant for admission to Graduate Studies must submit a completed application, completed immunization form, non-refundable fee, official copies of all transcripts, official copies of the required standardized test scores, and all other required paperwork, to the Admissions Office prior to the established deadlines.
Individual departments may have their own deadline dates and standards for admission. These standards incorporate both qualitative and quantitative criteria more specific than those established by the University. Only individual program graduate coordinators/directors or graduate faculty advisors may recommend the admission of applicants into specific graduate degree programs. To be admitted to Graduate Studies, an applicant must meet the general University requirements and specific program/departmental requirements for which the applicant is applying. Admission to Graduate Studies is granted upon admission to a specific degree program or other graduate non-degree classification.
The categories of admission to Graduate Studies are Degree Status (Regular, Contingent, or Provisional) and Non-Degree Status (Classified or Unclassified). Individuals seeking admission to a degree program or non-degree status must have a bachelor degree from an institution of higher education recognized by a regional accrediting agency.
Students seeking the Doctor of Education degree must comply with all admissions criteria listed under that degree in the catalog and on the website of the department of Educational Leadership and Technology and in the "Doctoral Candidate Handbook" for the Consortium.
Admission Classifications
Degree Status
Degree Status includes all graduate students intending to pursue a graduate degree.
The listing of regular, provisional, and contingent admission status does not mean
that all programs admit students in each of the classifications.
A bachelor's degree is required of any individual admitted for graduate study.
Regular Admission
Graduate programs may prescribe requirements for regular admission in addition to
those described below. In addition to holding an undergraduate degree, an applicant
who receives regular admission status must satisfy one of the following minimum graduate
admissions requirements based on the level of work completed at the time of the application
and program/degree specific admission requirements.
An applicant not satisfying the academic standards by not having the minimum GPA noted above may be admitted to a degree program as a provisional student if recommended by the graduate coordinator of the academic unit offering the degree program.
A student in a Regular admission status is eligible for a graduate assistantship.
Provisional Admission
The University offers provisional admission status to students who do not meet the
one of the academic standards noted under regular admission. Some graduate degree
programs do not admit students with provisional status; therefore, a student must
check the specific program requirements. A student admitted in provision status must
advance to regular status as prescribed below.
A student admitted to provisional status is eligible (not guaranteed) for advancement to regular status after receiving a 3.0 GPA on the first nine hours of regular graduate level courses taken during the first semester at Southeastern Louisiana University. Part-time students will be allowed a maximum of 12 consecutive months in provisional status in order to complete the required nine hours with a 3.0 GPA in all courses taken while in provisional status. A student must be continuously enrolled to achieve the nine hour requirement. Graduate programs will specify for each student admitted in provisional status the academic requirements that must be met to advance to regular status. Once the required nine hours is met an admission decision will be made. Neither transfer credits nor credits earned while in Unclassified status can be used to satisfy this nine-hour requirement. A student in provisional status may be dismissed from the graduate program if the student does not complete the required 9 hours within 12 consecutive months, or if the required 3.00 GPA on all courses taken while in provisional status is not attained. Otherwise, the student's status will be changed to Regular or Unclassified as appropriate. Academic departments may set higher standards for students admitted provisionally into their programs. While in the provisional status, a student is not eligible to hold a graduate assistantship; however, an exception may be granted by the student's academic dean in well-justified cases if approved by the academic department head and/or graduate coordinator.
Contingent Admission
A student needing the final transcript recording the bachelor's degree or to provide
particular scores, .e.g., GRE, GMAT or PRAXIS scores, may be admitted in contingent
status. The final transcript or satisfactory standardized test must be provided by
the end of the initial semester of enrollment or the student will be dismissed. For
example, if the applicant has met all admission requirements but is in the final semester
of a bachelor's degree, the applicant will be admitted in contingent status until
the official verification documents that the degree has been awarded, at that time
the applicant will advance to regular admission status. A contingent admission can
also be changed to regular when the University receives GRE/GMAT or other required
test scores.
An applicant may also be admitted with one or more departmental contingencies, requirements the department expects the student to fulfill by a certain deadline. Departmental contingencies are monitored by the department and usually are prerequisite courses, standardized tests, or another similar requirement.
A student in the contingent status is eligible for a graduate assistantship. Continued eligibility for a graduate assistantship beyond the initial semester would require that any such graduate assistants advance to regular status by the completion of the initial semester. Students may not be moved from contingent status to provisional status. Failure to qualify for regular admission status will prevent the student from registering for the next semester.
Non-Degree Classified Admission
An applicant not wishing to pursue a graduate degree but wishing to achieve a special
certification or Master's plus 30 credit hours for teaching purposes (applicant must
have a Master's degree), would apply for admission to the University Studies for Non-degree-classified
admissions. A student enrolled at least half-time in this status is eligible for specific
types of financial aid. Individuals should contact the Student Financial Aid Office
for additional information. Students seeking admission as non-degree classified must
meet or exceed the university minimum requirements for admission (see minimum requirements
stated under Regular admissions).
Non-Degree Unclassified Admission
A student wishing to pursue graduate-level study for purposes other than advanced
degree, certificate program, or master plus 30 credit hours for teachers may be admitted
in unclassified status. Upon completion of one semester in unclassified status a student
wishing to be considered for admission to a degree is eligible to apply. No more than
nine (9) graduate hours of work received as an unclassified student may be counted
toward credit for a degree program. For courses taken in the unclassified status that
are to be counted for credit toward a graduate degree the student must have earned
a grade of B or A and the courses must be approved by the department graduate coordinator
and department head. In cases where a student has a graduate advisory committee, approval
of courses to count toward the graduate degree must be approved by the student's graduate
committee and the departmental graduate coordinator. Hours completed in this status
may not be used to satisfy provisional admission requirements. Financial aid may be
limited for students in unclassified status. Contact the Student Financial Aid Office
for additional information. Students seeking admission as unclassified must meet or
exceed the university minimum requirements for admission (see minimum requirements
stated under Regular admissions).
No more than 9 hours earned by a student in Provisional, Contingent, Non-Degree, or Unclassified Status may be counted towards a graduate degree, provided the credit is recommended by the appropriate graduate coordinator/director or graduate faculty advisor.
Changes in status from Provisional or Contingent status will occur automatically as a student completes course work or provides necessary documents. A change in status from Non-Degree Classified or Non-Degree Unclassified status to Degree status must be initiated by the student. This is accomplished by completing an application for admission to a degree program.
*Individual departments or programs may have earlier deadline dates for consideration of applications. It is the applicant's responsibility to be aware of specific deadline dates.
The completed application form, payment of required fees, official transcripts, and official results of standardized tests should be submitted to the Admissions Office on or before the date noted* for the specific semester the student wishes to enroll. Applications must be accompanied by the payment of the non-refundable application fee.
*Applications received after this date may delay consideration until the following semester. No applications for graduate studies will be accepted after the regular University application deadlines published in the Admissions Criteria and Academic Regulations section of this catalog.
Readmission
Students previously registered at Southeastern who wish to resume their graduate studies
after an absence of more than 12 months must submit an application for readmission
together with official transcripts of all graduate work taken at other institutions
to the Admissions Office. A student who does not attend Southeastern Louisiana University for
one calendar year or longer must meet the requirements of the catalog in effect at
the time of reentry.
International Students
Admission of international students is considered on an individual basis by the International
Admissions Office and by the appropriate graduate coordinator/director or graduate
faculty advisor. International students must meet all University and departmental
requirements for Degree Status. In addition, international students must submit to
the International Admissions Office the following documents:
Southeastern Louisiana University reserves the exclusive right to determine whether the documentation meets the minimum criteria necessary for the admission of international students to Graduate Studies.
International students are responsible for complying with all regulations of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). Failure to do so will jeopardize their status as students.
Graduate students are responsible for being fully acquainted and complying with all requirements for Graduate Studies and for the respective degree programs. When a particular situation is not covered in this Graduate Studies section of the catalog, graduate students should refer to the General University
Regulations.
Students seeking the Doctorate of Education degree (consortium arrangement) must comply with the following regulations unless otherwise specified under the Ed.D. section of the catalog, on the website of the department of Educational Leadership and Technology and in the "Doctoral Candidate Handbook." The formatting of the dissertation must follow Southeastern's Theses and Dissertations Standards.
Grade Point Average
All references to grade point averages (GPA) regarding admission to graduate credit in degree programs refer to the cumulative grade point average as defined by the student's degree program and computed on all hours attempted.
Graduate Credit
A student may receive graduate credit only for work taken while enrolled as a graduate student or as a qualified senior undergraduate.
Graduate Credit for Southeastern Seniors
A Southeastern senior may register for graduate credit if he/she has at least a 3.2 cumulative GPA on previous undergraduate work attempted and lacks no more than 21 hours to complete the baccalaureate degree requirements, unless the department of the graduate program stipulates that the student must be closer than 21 hours from the baccalaureate degree. The student may earn no more than 12 graduate credit hours while completing baccalaureate degree requirements. Courses taken for graduate credit cannot be used to satisfy undergraduate requirements. The student retains undergraduate status until awarded the baccalaureate degree. The student shall maintain a minimum cumulative graduate GPA of 3.0 while in the concurrent program. In a regular semester, the student may register for no more than 15 hours, six of which may be at graduate-level. In a summer session, the student may register for no more than 10 hours, four of which may be at graduate-level.
Transfer Credit
After earning a minimum of twelve (12) hours of graduate credit at Southeastern, a student may appeal to the graduate coordinator/director or graduate faculty advisor for approval to apply for transfer credit from another university. That university must be an accredited institution that regularly grants the master's degree or an equivalent foreign institution. The student must be eligible for readmission to the institution from which credits are to be transferred and must have earned a minimum grade of "B" in each course to be transferred. No transfer credits may be used to remove a student from probation. No transfer credit may be earned for courses taken more than six years prior to the date of graduation. No more than one-third of the hours required for graduation may be transferred. The graduate coordinator/director or the graduate faculty advisor will recommend to the student's academic dean the courses to be transferred, and the academic dean will make the final determination as to whether any or all of the recommended courses will be accepted for transfer credit.
Off-Campus Credit
There is no limit to the number of graduate hours a student may earn in off-campus courses. The graduate coordinator/director or graduate faculty advisor will recommend to the student's academic dean the number of graduate hours earned in off-campus courses that will count towards a graduate degree.
Correspondence Study
No graduate credit is allowed for courses completed by correspondence study with any college or university.
Standardized Test for Admission
The appropriate standardized tests should be taken no later than March for Fall semester admission, September for Spring semester admission, and February for Summer admission. Scores are to be submitted to the Admissions Office. Information about the Graduate Record Examination, the Graduate Management Admission Test, and the Test of English as a Foreign Language is available from the Southeastern Office of Testing or from Educational Testing Service, P.O. Box 955, Princeton, NJ 08540. Applications to take any of these tests should be completed and forwarded to Educational Testing Service along with the examination fee at least one month in advance of the testing date.
Eligibility of Faculty and Staff for Graduate Degree
To be admitted to a degree program (any level) at Southeastern, an unclassified employee must secure the approval of his/her supervisor. All faculty members may become candidates for graduate degrees at Southeastern, provided the degrees are offered in a department other than the one in which the faculty member is employed. "Unclassified employees" includes all full-time faculty members holding rank and all twelve-month, unclassified personnel serving on the administrative staff.
Graduate Assistantships
A limited number of Graduate Assistantships are available to qualified graduate students. Assistantships are awarded at the discretion of the individual department heads, and assignments are made according to the needs of the University. Qualified graduate students may also be eligible for a limited number of graduate teaching fellowships. Graduate Assistants are appointed in accordance with the University of Louisiana System, Department of Civil Service, and Southeastern policies.
A Master's level graduate assistant is eligible for an assistantship or fellowship
each semester during a period not to exceed twenty-four (24) consecutive months and
a student pursuing a doctorate will be eligible to hold an assistantship or fellowship
each semester during a period not to exceed forty-eight (48) consecutive months. Students
in the Counseling Master's degree program, due to a sixty (60) hour requirement for
the degree, are eligible for employment as a graduate assistant each semester during
a period not to exceed thirty-six (36) consecutive months. In all cases the clock
starts for consecutive months when the student is initially awarded an assistantship.
A student receiving a university funded assistantship may receive a one-time one semester
extension of the assistantship upon recommendation of the student's advisor and concurrence
of the student's advisory committee, where applicable and upon notification to the
student's academic dean. Any further extensions of university funded graduate assistantships
must be approved by the student's academic dean. Externally funded assistantships
shall be awarded according to the awarding agency or foundation guidelines, including
the length of time a student can be awarded an assistantship.
Full-Time Status
For All Graduate Students, full-time status is defined as enrollment in at least nine (9) hours of course work or the equivalent during the fall and spring semesters, and at least six (6) hours during the Summer term. The full-time equivalent status for students receiving a graduate assistantship is 6 hours in the fall and spring semesters and 3 hours in the summer.
Graduate Students not holding Assistantships or Fellowships:
Maximum course load registrations is 16 hours of course work during the Fall and Spring
semesters and 9 during the Summer term.
Graduate Assistants and Teaching Fellows
Maximum course load registration is a combined total of 12 hours of graduate course
work and/or undergraduate prerequisite course work during the Fall and Spring semesters
and 9 hours during the Summer term.
Minimum course load registration is a combined total of 6 hours of graduate course work and/or undergraduate prerequisite course work during the Fall and Spring semesters and 3 hours during the Summer term.
Course load registration must be approved by the student's graduate coordinator/director or graduate faculty advisor. Appeals for increasing or decreasing the course load requirements should be made to the student's academic dean, whose decision is final.
Adding and Dropping Courses
A course may be added or dropped only during regular registration dates as indicated in the University Calendar. After registration is over, a student may withdraw from a class or resign from the University by completing the proper form(s) and obtaining the required signatures. Withdrawal/Resignation forms are available in the Office of the Registrar Office.
Combined Courses
Courses combining instruction of undergraduate and graduate students clearly differentiate the course requirements for both groups and require the graduate student to perform work at a substantially higher level of complexity and maturity.
The Graduate Grading System
A = 4 quality points per semester hour
B = 3 quality points per semester hour
C = 2 quality points per semester hour
D = 1 quality point per semester hour
F = No quality point value
P = Passing (See Pass-Fail Option)
I = Incomplete (See Incomplete Grades)
IP = In Progress (Thesis Courses Only)
W = Officially withdrawn as stipulated in the catalog
"D" and "F" Grades
No grade of "D" or "F" may be counted toward a degree.
A grade of "D" means unacceptable work, and all courses to be counted toward a degree in which a "D" is earned must be repeated with a grade of at least "C".
A grade of "F" means failure, and all courses to be counted toward the degree in which an "F" is earned must be repeated with a grade of at least "C."
No more than 6 hours of "C" grades may be counted toward a degree.
Incomplete Grades
A grade of "I" means incomplete and is given only for courses in which, because of circumstances beyond the student's control, cannot be completed during the semester in which the course is taken.
An "I" grade must be removed from a graduate student's transcript by the end of the next semester, including summers, unless extended by the student's academic dean. If the "I" grade is not removed, it will automatically be changed to an "F."
Pass-Fail Option
All Courses
Graduate students have the option of registering for graduate courses with a P (Pass)
- F (Fail) option. Except for thesis courses and certain internships, Pass grades
may not be counted toward a graduate degree. Graduate students may change from regular
letter grading to Pass - Fail, or vice versa, up to the last day for adding courses.
Students must notify the instructor in writing of this decision. For graduate credit
courses, only "C" quality or better work will earn the grade of "P."
Thesis Courses
The grade of "P," with a maximum credit of 6 hours, shall be assigned to all Thesis
courses, upon final approval of the Thesis by the faculty and by the appropriate authorities,
and upon receipt of the final approved copy of the thesis in the Library.
Good Standing – Grade Requirement
A graduate student is in good standing and is considered to be making satisfactory progress if a 3.0 semester and 3.0 cumulative GPA is earned in all graduate courses. Ed.D. students must maintain a 3.25 GPA on all graduate course work.
Appeals of Grades
Appeals of grades must first be made to the instructor within 45 days of grade reports. If the instructor’s decision is not satisfactory, the student may appeal, in writing, to the instructor’s department head (or the graduate director for Nursing students), with a copy to the instructor, and the instructor’s academic dean. The department head (or the graduate director for Nursing students) will render a decision within ten working days. If the decision of the department head (or the graduate director for Nursing students) is not satisfactory, the student may appeal, in writing, to the instructor’s academic dean, with copies to the instructor and department head (or the graduate director for Nursing students). The dean will render a decision within ten working days. The decision of the dean is final
Probation, Suspension, Readmission, and Dismissal
Probation: Graduate students whose semester or term GPA and/or cumulative GPA in graduate courses falls below 3.0 shall be placed on probation. During their next semester or term of enrollment in Graduate Studies, students on probation must achieve a minimum 3.0 GPA for that semester/term and may not register for any courses on a Pass-Fail basis.
Students will remain in Probation status as long as their cumulative GPA remains below 3.0.
Suspension: Students whose semester or term GPA falls below 3.0 for two semesters of enrollment, including summers, will be suspended from Graduate Studies.
Students suspended for the first time may not enroll in Graduate Studies for at least one semester following notification of Suspension status.
Readmission: After an absence of at least one semester, suspended students may apply for readmission by submitting a completed appeal form to the graduate coordinator/director or graduate faculty advisor. The graduate coordinator/director or graduate faculty advisor will submit the form, with a recommendation to readmit or not to readmit, to the department head. The department head will submit the form with a recommendation to readmit or not to readmit, to the academic dean. The decision of the dean is final.
Upon a second suspension, students seeking readmission must follow the same procedure, except the student will have been suspended from Graduate Studies for a minimum of one calendar year.
Dismissal: Graduate students with two suspensions must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA each semester for the remainder of their graduate career, or be dismissed from Graduate Studies. This dismissal is final.
Course Level
A student must earn at least one half of the course work in graduate courses for which there are no advanced undergraduate companion courses.
Each department has a graduate coordinator/director or assigned member of the graduate faculty who serves as advisor for all graduate students in the department. In some departments, additional graduate faculty members are used in advising graduate students. The graduate coordinator/director or graduate faculty advisor advises students about course selection, determines each student's specific degree plan, and may select the student's major professor and graduate faculty committee, schedule and administer comprehensive examinations, and supervise other matters related to graduate studies.
All graduate students must consult with the departmental graduate coordinator/director or assigned graduate faculty advisor before scheduling and registering for courses.
Degree Plan
The departmental graduate coordinator/director, graduate faculty advisor, or major professor will determine the degree plan for each graduate student in the respective departments. The degree plan must be finalized prior to a graduate student's registering for more than 12 hours of graduate credit. The degree plan will be formulated in accordance with the general regulations of the University, as well as those of the student's college and department. The degree plan will be filed in the Office of the Registrar/Graduate Studies.
Effective catalog
The degree plan shall be formulated according to the requirements published in the catalog in effect at the time of the student's admission to degree status or at any subsequent time during the six-year limit for completing the degree. A student may adopt a subsequent catalog only with the approval of the graduate coordinator/director or graduate faculty advisor, and of the student's academic dean. A student who does not attend Southeastern Louisiana University for one calendar year or longer must meet the requirements of the catalog in effect at the time of reentry.
All students seeking a master's degree must be admitted to candidacy for the degree. This entails the following:
A student pursuing a thesis option Master of Arts or Master of Science degree is required to present a thesis. A master's thesis should demonstrate the student's ability to conduct independent research and to present the results of that research in a scholarly format. It should provide a significant contribution to knowledge in the discipline and reflect independent research of high quality.
The thesis defense shall include a presentation by the student, open to the public, and an oral examination on the thesis held before the Thesis Committee and other persons invited by the committee.
Leave of Absence from Thesis
In certain circumstances, such as illness, pregnancy, or compelling economic pressures, a student may not be able to enroll in a thesis course on a continuous basis. The University will allow leaves of absence on an individual, non-discriminatory basis, provided the student receives written permission from the appropriate graduate coordinator/director or graduate faculty advisor and the student's academic dean.
The leave of absence policy does not affect in any manner the six year time limit for completion of the degree.
All students must pass a comprehensive exam or its equivalent. A student should speak with his/her graduate coordinator about the comprehensive exam or equivalency policies.
A student pursuing a second master's degree at Southeastern may, with approval of the degree committee, use credit from a previous master's Degree for up to a maximum of one-half of the total credit hours specified in the new degree plan. Credit will be given only for grades of "B" or better and must be approved by the new department head and academic dean.
To be eligible to receive a master's degree, student's must:
Individual degree programs have graduation requirements more stringent than the general requirements listed above. Additionally, students must meet all individual degree program requirements to be eligible for graduation.
Students shall apply for graduation in the semester preceding the anticipated semester of graduation, according to the published deadlines.
Students who do not graduate in the anticipated semester of graduation must reapply for graduation and pay an additional application fee for each succeeding semester of application.
Students applying for graduation must:
The following represent the minimum steps required of all graduate students. Additional steps may be required by individual departments.
All Students
Thesis Students
ACADEMICS
RESOURCES
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