Class Attendance

Graduate students are responsible for maintaining regular attendance in all registered courses. Attendance policies are determined by the course instructor and must be clearly stated in the course syllabus. The University reserves the right to administratively withdraw a student from a course, program, or final examination if the student’s attendance is deemed unsatisfactory by the instructor.

Schedule Changes

All schedule changes must be approved by the student’s academic advisor. Courses may be added with the approval of both the advisor and the course instructor, provided the request is submitted no later than the close of the second day of classes. Courses may be dropped without academic penalty and recorded with a grade of “W” (Withdrawn) up to two weeks following the mid-semester date, as published in the University Academic Calendar.

Withdrawal from Graduate Study

Students who officially withdraw from the University in accordance with established procedures will receive a grade of “W” in all courses for which they are currently registered. Students who fail to complete the official withdrawal process may be assigned the final grade earned in each course, which may include a failing grade (“F”) as reported by the course instructor.

Official Method of Communication

All graduate students are required to activate and maintain an official Virginia State University (VSU) student email account within one week of the start of their first semester of enrollment. This email account serves as the primary means of communication between the University and its students.

Students are expected to check their VSU email regularly and are responsible for reviewing and responding to all official university communications in a timely manner. The College of Graduate Studies uses this platform to disseminate important information, including updates on academic deadlines, enrollment status, and policy changes.

Instructions for activating a VSU email account can be found on the Information Technology Services website.