APPLICATION PROCEDURES FOR STUDENTS SEEKING A DEGREE
 

1. Submit a completed online application form to the Office of Graduate Admissions.

2. Have two official transcripts from the school(s) granting the degree(s) sent to the Office of Graduate Admissions. To be considered official, a transcript must be received DIRECTLY from the institution concerned. Graduates of Virginia State University must comply with this requirement.

3. An applicant must have taken the GRE by the time she/he applies. GRE requirements differ by program. Applicants who do not meet GRE program requirements can be admitted on a conditional basis (for one semester only). Students admitted on a conditional basis can only take a total of nine credit hours of coursework until they have met the GRE requirements of their respective program.

After the first semester, the student must meet the specific GRE program requirements.

4. Requests for transfer credit for graduate courses already completed must be submitted to the Chair of the program with evidence that it is a graduate-level course; a catalog description for the course is necessary to determine its equivalency to offerings at this University.

5. Applicants whose native language is not English are required to present a minimum score of 500 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Exceptions are made for transfer students from other U.S. colleges who have completed at least one semester of coursework with a grade point average of “C” or better.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES FOR NON-DEGREE STUDY

1. Submit a completed online application to the Office of Graduate Admissions.

2. Attach a statement of study objectives.

3. Have two official transcripts of the record leading to the most advanced degree attained sent to the Office of Graduate Admissions. To be considered official, a transcript must be received directly from the institution. Graduates of Virginia State University must comply with this requirement (with the exception that only one transcript is needed).

4. An applicant who is a candidate for a degree at another institution should also submit a statement from an appropriate official certifying such status and authorizing study here.

TYPES OF ADMISSION

The College of Graduate Studies offers graduate students the following types of admission– unconditional, conditional, and special. In addition to the general admission requirements for graduate study at Virginia State University, academic program requirements must be satisfied. The specific requirements for each program are found under the description of the program.

UNCONDITIONAL ADMISSION

1. Graduates of a regionally accredited college, with a minimum grade-point average of 2.6 (on a 4- point scale) may be granted unconditional admission provided all other prerequisites have been met. The grade-point average is based on either the last two years of college or the entire undergraduate record, whichever is better, except that the grade-point average of a student who attended more than one college is based on the entire record.

2. Applicants must meet the requirements for admission to the program of their proposed majors. (See program descriptions.)

CONDITIONAL ADMISSION

Students are granted conditional admission to the College program under the following guidelines:

1. A graduate of an institution approved as a four-year college by the State Department of Education in the state where it is located, but not accredited by its regional accrediting agency, may be admitted conditionally; however, he/she must have an undergraduate average of at least 2.5.
2. An applicant who is a graduate of a college fully accredited by its regional accrediting agency, but whose academic average is lower than 2.6 will only be considered on an individual basis.

3. Applicants who have met the general admission requirements of the Graduate College but who have not cleared program area admissions requirements may be admitted conditionally, pending program area action.

REMOVAL OF CONDITIONAL STATUS

The student must remove his/her conditional status and attain unconditional status by:

1. Earning an average of 3.0 in the first nine hours of courses in an approved program of study.

2. Meeting all program area requirements for unconditional admission, and

3. Earning an average of 3.0 in all undergraduate prerequisites listed in the approved program of study.

SPECIAL ADMISSION FOR NON-MATRICULATING STUDENTS

Students who possess baccalaureate degrees and wish to study for their own personal growth may be allowed to take coursework as non-matriculating "special" students.

Students admitted to resident workshops and institutes and approved off-campus graduate courses, but who are not pursuing a program of study, will be considered special students.

A visiting student pursuing graduate work at another institution may, with the approval of the appropriate official(s) of that institution, take courses at Virginia State University for credit to be transferred to the graduate school in which the student is enrolled. Such a student has special status at Virginia State University.

TRANSFER TO A DEGREE PROGRAM

A special student who wishes to become a degree-seeking student may have his/her classification changed by presenting his/her request to the Chair of the department and submitting all required credentials. Not more than nine (9) semester hours of credit earned by a special student may be credited toward the master's degree.

OFFER OF ADMISSION TO GRADUATE STUDY

A written acceptance or rejection of the offer of admission should be sent to the Graduate Office as soon as a decision on graduate study has been made by the student.

A student who enrolls at another institution is considered to have rejected the University's offer of admission.

An individual whose offer of admission has lapsed must submit a new online application to be reconsidered for admission at a later date.

RE-APPLICATION

Students who are accepted but do not enroll within a one-year period from the semester date for which they were accepted must submit a new online application and initiate the application process the same as new students.

REACTIVATION

Records of students who have enrolled previously but have taken no coursework during a two-year interval will be deactivated. Once records are deactivated, a student must reapply, submitting a new online application to continue with graduate studies. Transcripts of any coursework taken during the two-year interval from any other college or university will also be required.

REGISTRATION

Dates of registration are listed in the University Calendar. Registration is done via the VSU Banner website. Prior to registration, graduate students who are already enrolled in a program should consult with their advisors and work out programs for the ensuing term. For this purpose, the students should bring with them their Student Program and Data card and copies of their most recent grade reports.

Graduate faculty from program areas and the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies are available in their office during registration to assist students. A late registration fee is charged after the date specified in the University Calendar. The amount charged is listed under Special Fees. Registration is not completed until all financial obligations pertaining to it are met.

OTHER ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS

Note: All guidelines and regulations outlined in this section represent the minimum standards for VSU. Where departmental/program standards are more rigorous than these minimums, the program standards supersede. Students should consult their program’s section in the catalog for specific guidance regarding their program.

ACADEMIC CREDIT

The semester hour is the unit of academic credit and represents one hour of lecture or recitation or a minimum of two hours of laboratory work each week for one semester or the equivalent.

ACADEMIC STANDARDS

A graduate student who is a candidate for a degree must earn an average of 3.0 or higher in all courses applicable to his/her degree. Only courses with grades of "A," "B," "C," "S," or "P" may be applied to semester-hour requirements for the degree.

Students may receive no more than two (2) “C’s” in courses taken at the graduate level. Courses with "C" grades in excess of this number will not count toward the degree but will be figured in the total cumulative average. A prerequisite undergraduate course taken in conjunction with a graduate program must be completed with a grade of "B" or better.

Graduate students in non-degree programs are expected to meet and maintain the same academic standards as students in degree programs.

Because Virginia State University encourages a maximum of student responsibility, with a minimum of administrative regulation, it expects each student to maintain appropriate standards in his/her academic program. The University reserves the right to terminate the registration of any student who does not meet acceptable standards. A student whose record falls below standard or otherwise indicates a lack of ability or effort needed to succeed in graduate study will be denied permission for further study.

APPLICATION FOR GRADUATION

A candidate for the graduate degree or Certificate of Graduate Studies should file an Application for Graduation in the Registrar’s Office by dates published in the official academic year calendar prior to the appropriate Commencement Exercise. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain all required signatures in advance of this date.

ATTENDANCE

Responsibility for regular class attendance rests with the student. Regulations concerning attendance in a course are at the discretion of the instructor and should be present in the course syllabus. The University reserves the right to exclude from a graduate program, course, or final examination a student whose attendance in classes is unsatisfactory to the instructor of the class.

AUDITING COURSES

Students enrolled in a full program of study, or its equivalent, may audit a course that contributes to that particular program provided the student’s advisor approves and the instructor of the course agrees. Credit or grades are not assigned for auditing. Audit courses are not accepted in seminars, practica, research courses, field courses, clinical courses, workshops, or similar courses. (See auditing fees under "Special Fees.")

CERTIFYING HOURS AND COMPLETION OF REQUIREMENTS

The Dean will certify the completion of degree requirements to an employer upon written request from the student. The request should include the full name, title, address, and zip code of the persons to whom the student wants such certification made. Only the Dean of Graduate Studies is authorized to certify the number of hours completed and the completion of degree requirements to an employer.

CHANGE OF DEGREE PROGRAM

Admission to the Graduate College in one program does not entitle a student to transfer to another program without applying for and being accepted by the new program as a new student. Any student wishing to change from one program to another must complete a Change of Major form (which requires a number of signatures including those of the original advisor and the chairperson of the department to which the student wishes to transfer). The forms are available on the University's website under Registrar.

CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT

When the need exists, a student enrolled as a degree student may take graduate courses at another accredited institution. Prior approval of the advisor, Chair, Program Director, and the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies is necessary. It is the student's responsibility to request credit for such courses and upon completion and have an official transcript submitted to the Registrar and Graduate Office. Permission is not ordinarily given for a student to take a course elsewhere for transfer credit during the semester in which the degree is to be awarded.

CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT

The CNED prefix and the 90 to 99 endings denote the off-campus education courses. Degree-seeking students can take CNED courses if they are included on their approved program card. Courses taken for credit through continuing education programs of other institutions must have prior approval from the major professor, the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies, and the Dean of the College.

COURSE LOAD
The normal load for a full-time graduate student enrolled during a semester is nine semester hours; a maximum class load is 12 semester hours. To be considered in full-time study the student must be registered for no less than nine semester hours of work. Non-traditional students who are enrolled in an Alternative Program may enroll in 12 semester hours.
The academic load of a graduate student cannot always be measured in terms of formal courses. Frequently, his/her assignment will consist largely or entirely of research. The Chair and Graduate Program Coordinator in the student’s department will determine the extent to which these assignments are the equivalent of a full academic load through the use of variable credit research and thesis or dissertation courses.
Part-time graduate students, in-service teachers, and other employed personnel are advised not to carry a load in excess of two graduate courses, except by special permission of the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies on recommendation of the major advisor. Without special permission, the course load for part-time students may not exceed six credit hours.
During summer school, graduate students can carry 6 semester hours during both four and a half week sessions. Thus, a student may earn 12 semester hours of credit by attending two sessions of summer school.
General Student Appeals: A student who considers any of the regulations of the College of Graduate Studies, to have adverse effect upon his/her academic progress may request relief by addressing a written petition setting forth the particulars of the situation with approval of his /her advisor. The request should be addressed to the Policies and Petitions Committee in care of the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies. The Committee is composed of two graduate faculty members from each of college that has a graduate program, plus the graduate dean.
Grade Appeal: College Grade Appeal Committees consisting of at least three (3) faculty members from various programs shall deliberate requests for grade appeals and recommend an action to the college dean. The dean shall review the recommendation and make a decision on the outcome of the appeal. The dean shall serve as the final arbiter on the matter. At the end of each semester, the dean shall submit to the Policies and Petitions Committee a summary report of the dispositions of grade appeals handled at the college level. Only if circumstances warrant further deliberation should a grade appeal be referred to the PPC.
The appeal procedure for a student with a complaint about grading requires initial contact with the instructor involved and further contact with the instructor’s department chairperson if the matter is not resolved between the instructor and student. If the matter is not resolved at the departmental level, a grade appeal should be submitted to the dean of the college in which the instructor teaches. The dean shall then forward the request to the grade appeal committee for deliberation.

Normally, students may appeal final grades based upon documented evidence that a grade was incorrectly awarded. Typically, grade changes are warranted based upon the following:
• The Professor did not have information or documentation at the time the grade was awarded;
• The Professor made an error of calculation or other error or entry of a grade;
• A grade of “I” (incomplete) was entered and the student completed the necessary work for the course.
The student will follow the steps below:
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1. Make his/her case (with documentation) to the faculty member who awarded the grade. If the faculty member is no longer employed by the University, the student may approach the Department Chairperson for the unit through which the course was offered.
2. If the student is not satisfied with the disposition of the faculty member, he/she may repeat this process with the Department Chairperson.
3. If the student remains dissatisfied, he/she may appeal to the college grade appeal committee via a letter which states the student’s case with supporting documentation appended.
4. After deliberation, the college grade appeal committee makes a positive or negative recommendation to the dean.
5. The dean will consider the appeal, entering one of two dispositions:
• The appeal has no merit and the faculty member's grade stands as entered;
• The appeal has merit and is remanded to the department chairperson and faculty member for reconsideration. In these cases, the disposition of the faculty member is reported to the dean and is final.

COURSE NUMBERS
Courses numbered at the 500, 600, and 700 levels are primarily for graduate students. These courses may be taken by other students with the permission of the instructor and department chair. Courses with numbers below 500 will not be applied to graduate degrees.
DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
Graduate programs lead to the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Administration and Supervision, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Health Psychology, Master of Arts (M.A.), Master of Science (M.S.) or Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree. The M.A. degree is conferred when the major is in Economics or Media Management. The M.S. degree is conferred in all other majors that also include the preparation of a thesis. The M.Ed. degree is conferred in those professional teacher education programs which include an Action Research Project.
MASTER OF ARTS, MASTER OF SCIENCE AND MASTER OF EDUCATION, MASTER OF INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES
Each program determines general requirements for the Master of Arts, Master of Science, Master of Education, and Master of Interdisciplinary Studies
DOCTORAL PROGRAMS
The Doctor of Education and Doctor of Philosophy degrees require the hours determined by the programs.
DUPLICATE CREDIT
Any course used as credit toward another degree (a bachelor's degree or earlier master's degree at VSU or elsewhere) will not be used again as credit in a master's degree program at Virginia State University. A course may be used only once; no duplicate credit is allowed. This applies also to master's degrees being pursued simultaneously at VSU and another institution.
FACULTY ADVISORS
Each student admitted to graduate study in a specific program is assigned a faculty advisor by the Chair of the student's major program area. Special students may also be assigned faculty advisors by the Dean. The advisor of the degree-seeking student is the major professor whose responsibilities are to (1) aid thestudent in planning a program of study, (2) advise the student regarding his/her progress toward the degree or certificate, (3) advise on student petitions, and (4) aid the Dean in observance of the University policies on graduate study.
FINAL EXAMINATIONS
In addition to the regularly scheduled course examinations, a candidate for the master's degree must pass satisfactorily a formal examination arranged by the chairman of his /her committee. This examination may be oral or written or both, and will cover the field of the student's major and minor work as well as the specialized area of the student's thesis if his/her program includes one. The student's special committee will report the results of his /her performance on the examination to the Graduate Office within twenty-four hours.
A student who fails his/her final examination for the master's degree may, at the discretion of the Examining Committee, be allowed another examination not earlier than one semester after his/her failure. The Examining Committee, however, may recommend that the student take a course or courses before he/she is allowed a reexamination.
PROFICIENCY EXAMINATIONS
Graduate students are not eligible to earn academic credit through proficiency examinations.
GENERAL STUDENT APPEALS
A student who considers any of the regulations of the College of Graduate Studies, to have adverse effect upon his/her academic progress may request relief by addressing a written petition setting forth the particulars of the situation with approval of his /her advisor. The request should be addressed to the Policies and Petitions Committee in care of the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies. The Committee is composed of six graduate faculty members, plus the graduate dean.

GRADE APPEAL
The College Grade Appeal Committees consisting of at least three (3) faculty members from various programs shall deliberate requests for grade appeals and recommend an action to the college dean. The dean shall review the recommendation and make a decision on the outcome of the appeal. The dean shall serve as the final arbiter on the matter. At the end of each semester, the dean shall submit to the Policies and Petitions Committee a summary report of the dispositions of grade appeals handled at the college level. Only if circumstances warrant further deliberation should a grade appeal be referred to the PPC.
The appeal procedure for a student with a complaint about grading requires initial contact with the instructor involved and further contact with the instructor’s department chairperson if the matter is not resolved between the instructor and student. If the matter is not resolved at the departmental level, a grade appeal should be submitted to the dean of the college in which the instructor teaches. The dean shall then forward the request to the grade appeal committee for deliberation.
Normally, students may appeal final grades based upon documented evidence that a grade was incorrectly awarded. Typically, grade changes are warranted based upon the following:
• The Professor did not have information or documentation at the time the grade was awarded;
• The Professor made an error of calculation or other error or entry of a grade;
• A grade of “I” (incomplete) was entered and the student completed the necessary work for the course.

The student will follow the steps below:

1. Make his/her case (with documentation) to the faculty member who awarded the grade. If the faculty member is no longer employed by the University, the student may approach the Department Chairperson for the unit through which the course was offered.
2. If the student is not satisfied with the disposition of the faculty member, he/she may repeat this process with the Department Chairperson.
3. If the student remains dissatisfied, he/she may appeal to the college grade appeal committee via a letter which states the student’s case with supporting documentation appended.
4. After deliberation, the college grade appeal committee makes a positive or negative recommendation to the dean.
5. The dean will consider the appeal, entering one of two dispositions:
a. The appeal has no merit and the faculty member's grade stands as entered;
b. The appeal has merit and is remanded to the department chairperson and faculty member for reconsideration. In these cases, the disposition of the faculty member is reported to the dean and is final.

POLICIES AND PETITIONS COMMITTEE (PPC) POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
I. PURPOSE AND DUTIES
Purpose
The purpose of the Policies and Petitions Committee (PPC) is to deliberate requests for exceptions to academic policies for graduate students in the areas of academic suspensions, time limit for the completion of degree requirements, and general student appeals. Both the ACC and the PPC will provide a report of the types and disposition of cases to the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs.
DUTIES
The PCC is charged with the following duties and responsibilities:
A. Providing adjudication and disposition on students’ academic suspensions, and other academic matters, including (but not limited to) the following:
• Time limit for the completion of degree requirements1
• Reinstatement of students
• Admission to Candidacy
• Removal of “I” grades
• Transfer Credit
B. Monitoring and making recommendations to the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) relative to academic policy and procedure
II. COMPOSITION
The PCC is a group organized under the auspices of the Graduate Dean and Office of the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Committee is convened and facilitated by the Dean of the Graduate College. The Committee is composed of two graduate faculty members from each of college that has a graduate program. The Dean of the College of Graduate Studies serves as Chairperson of this Committee. The Dean, as chairperson, votes on cases and issues only to break a tie vote.
III. MEETINGS
The PPC meetings are held at least twice during the semester; however, on certain issues, the Committee members are sent electronic information and are requested to vote on the matter. All members are informed of the decision prior to informing the student. Minutes of the meetings are housed in the Office of the Graduate Dean.
IV. DISPOSITIONS
The PPC renders dispositions based upon students’ appeals for exceptions to established University policy. Each appeal is considered based on its individual merit, and exceptions are granted only if documentation clearly demonstrates at least one of the following:
A. Sanctions or other negative decisions based on incorrect or missing information;
B. Extraordinary circumstances beyond the student’s control; or
C. Situations where there is malfeasance on the part of the University.

The dispositions of PPC are the final recourse for students, i.e., students may not appeal to any other authority at the University. However, PPC decisions may be reviewed by the Provost, who has the authority to reconvene PPC if additional information relative to a case becomes available after a disposition is rendered. PPC decisions are communicated to students via letter from the Dean of Graduate Studies with copies to the student’s dean and department chairperson as well as the Office of the Registrar.
Members of the PPC must recuse themselves from deliberation on any case in which they have direct or indirect involvement, including familial relationships, personal ties to the appellant, or any other connection which might pose a conflict of interest.
Minutes of the proceedings of the PPC are completed by the committee’s recorder; hard copies are maintained in the Office of the Graduate Dean in accordance with the University’s record retention policy. A summary of dispositions of the PPC shall be submitted annually to the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Probation/Dismissal: Graduate students are expected to maintain high academic standards. Graduate students will be placed on academic probation under the following conditions:
• their cumulative or term GPA is below 3.00 for 1 semester,
• they receive 2 grades of C,
• they receive 1 grade of D, F, or U.
Graduate students will be suspended from their program for a minimum of 1 year, under the following conditions:
• their cumulative or term GPA is below 3.00 for 2 semesters (these semesters do not have to be consecutive),
• they receive 3 grades of C or lower,
• they receive 2 grades of D, F, or U.
Graduate students will receive written notification of their probation or suspension from the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies