|
GRADUATE SCHOOL
www.miami.edu/grad
Academic Policies
Recency of Credit |
Validation for Over-Aged Credits | Registration
| Full-time Study | Withdrawals
| Leave of Absence | Grades
& Credits | Award of Academic Merit
| Repeat Rule | Levels of
Graduate Study | RA, TA, GA Hourly Guidelines
| Policy on Outside
Employment for RA/TA/GAS |
Graduation | Clearance
for Degree Conferral | Class Attendance
& Absences | Student Responsibility
| Student Code of Ethics | Graduate
School Grievance Guidelines
TIME TO COMPLETION
All work must be completed within six years of the time of
admission to graduate work, for those studying for the various
master’s degrees; and within eight years for those studying
for doctoral degrees. For those admitted directly into a Ph.D.
program without a master’s degree in field, work must
be completed within eight years. Individual programs may set
a shorter time period. Exceptions may be granted by the Dean
of the Graduate School at the request of the Graduate Program
Director.
RECENCY/VALIDATION FOR OVER-AGED
CREDITS
Graduate credits transferred from another university may
not be applied toward a graduate degree at the University
of Miami if their age at the time of acceptance into the University
of Miami program exceeds six years. On an individual basis,
students may be permitted to validate over-aged credits by
examination, with program approval.
REGISTRATION
Graduate students can register on the first day of registration
and through the registration period. For more information
on registration, students should contact their respective
School or College. See academic calendar for dates of registration
periods at http://www.miami.edu/index.php/registrar/calendar/.
FULL-TIME STUDY
The categories of full-time students include:
1. Graduate students taking eighteen or more graduate credits
during the calendar year (nine credits in a regular semester,
or 3 credits in a summer session).
2. Graduate teaching and research assistants taking sixteen
or more graduate credits during the calendar year (eight
credits in regular semester or 3 credits in a summer session).
3. Graduate students enrolled in any course numbered 700
or above, i.e., any 700-level course required for the completion
of the degree.
4. All MBA for Executive and Professional students and Master
of Science in Professional Management students are considered
full-time.
In all cases, determination as to whether or not a student
is in full-time study is the privilege of the Dean of the
Graduate School.
The maximum number of credits allowed for full-time study
is 12 for each semester and three for each summer session.
Exception to this policy can only be made by the Dean of the
Graduate School or his/her designee and requires a signed
recommendation from the Program Director.
Full-time registration is required during the semester or
summer session in which a candidate defends the thesis or
dissertation.
No full-time faculty member may be a full-time student, whether
or not working toward a degree. Nor may a full-time student
be a full-time faculty member.
No full-time student will be a principal investigator in
any grant or contract, whether in name or fact. And no principal
investigator will be a full-time student.
Exceptions to these rules may be made in cases in which students
are encouraged to apply individually for small research grants
that are consistent with and contribute to their field of
study and their dissertation work, and, in certain programs,
in which students in a terminal degree status are obliged,
as a part of their degree program, to teach as de facto faculty
members. (Note: Faculty from School of Nursing and Health
Sciences and from the Physical Therapy program are permitted
to pursue Doctoral degrees in their home program/school.)
WITHDRAWALS
Withdrawals, either from individual courses or from a Graduate
program, should be processed through the office of the Dean
of the School of the student’s program. The date of
withdrawal is that on which the student notifies the office
of the Dean or the date of receipt of a letter requesting
withdrawal. No withdrawal from the University is official
until the student has consulted with the Dean of his/her school
and has completed the necessary forms. The withdrawal procedure
is described in detail at http://www.miami.edu/index.php/registrar/inactive_status_readmission_withdrawal/.
Veterans and children of deceased or totally disabled veterans
attending the University as students under the government’s
educational benefits bills must also clear their withdrawal
with the main campus Veterans Affairs Officials in the Office
of the Registrar in the Whitten University Center, Room 121
/ Phone: (305) 284-2294 or Email: registrar@miami.edu.
To officially withdraw from the MBA Program or Master of
Science in Professional Management program, students must
inform the Office of Graduate Business Programs in writing
prior to the beginning of a course/term. Tuition will be refunded
on a prorated basis based on the number of class meetings
attended. No tuition refund will be granted when class attendance
has exceeded 50% of class meetings. For further information
contact: Office of Graduate Business Programs, (305) 284-4643,
email: mba@miami.edu.
LEAVE OF ABSENCE
Leave may be obtained by petition of the Program Director
followed by the approval of the Dean of the Graduate School.
Leave of Absence officially stops the time to completion clock.
The Petition for Leave of Absence form may be found at http://www.miami.edu/gs/index.php/graduate_school/forms/.
GRADES AND CREDITS
The same letter grades are used for graduate and undergraduate
students, but with somewhat different meaning.
* Faculty Senate Legislation #85005(B)
An average of B (3.0) is required for a graduate degree,
and no “D” credit may be counted toward the degree.
All work leading to the graduate degree and taken as a graduate
student will be counted in computing the quality point average,
including courses graded “D”.
No transferred credits are calculated into the University
of Miami G.P.A.
AWARD OF ACADEMIC MERIT
Students who obtain a 3.8 G.P.A. or better will receive an
Award of Academic Merit from the Graduate School. The Award
is posted on the transcript.
Quality points are awarded as follows:
The quality point average is then determined by dividing
the total of quality points earned by the total of credits
attempted. The symbols “S”, “W”, and
“I” are not counted as credit attempted.
REPEAT RULE
A student may repeat a course in which a failing grade was
earned, but the repetition of the course will not eliminate
the previous grade from the record. A course may be repeated
only once unless written authorization is provided by the
Dean of the Graduate School. All grades are included in the
computation of the quality point average. If a course in which
an unsatisfactory grade (as determined by the program advisor)
was earned is repeated and the repeat grade is a “C-”
or higher, the number of credits required for graduation will
be increased by the number of credits repeated.
Registrations which involve repeating a course in which a
grade of “A” or “B” has already been
earned may not earn quality points or credit hours, nor count
as credits attempted.
LEVELS OF GRADUATE STUDY
Graduate study implies the need for a minimum of formal courses
and a maximum of independent work under faculty supervision.
Coursework, in itself, is not necessarily a determinant of
graduate progress and achievement. The appropriate determinants
are the ability of the qualified student to master the various
qualifying and comprehensive examinations that a program requires
of the student. All work taken by a graduate student in the
major area or area of concentration shall be at the graduate
level (500 or above). With the permission of the major department
or program of major concentration a student may take elective
credits (not prerequisite to the major) at any level provided
the following limits are observed:
Approval for undergraduate credits as part of the graduate
degree program can be made only after a minimum of 12 credits
is completed. Award may not be made retroactively, nor are
credits accepted from another institution.
RA, TA, GA Hourly Guidelines
To receive a stipend an RA, TA, GA must be a full-time
student.
Graduate students with appointments as RAs, TAs or GAs will
have work assignments limited to 20 hours per week with the
exception of efforts directly required for dissertation research.
International students may work on campus provided the student
is maintaining F1 status and does not work more than a total
of 20 hours per week (including any off campus work the student
may have been authorized to perform) while school is in session.
Questions regarding work for international students should
be directed to International Student and Scholar Services:
http://www6.miami.edu/international-student/
Graduate students with Assistantships and Fellowships
will be classified with the following designations. *(FE)
Fellows, *(RA) Research Assistant, *(TA) Teaching Assistant,
*(GA) Graduate Assistant, *(TR) Trainee. *Please contact the
Graduate School for specific codes.
Definitions:
FE (Fellow): Responsibilities do not include the
provision of direct services to the University and require
internal/external fellowship support.
RA (Research Assistant): Responsibilities are mainly
conducting research and/or assisting with research projects.
TA (Teaching Assistant): Responsibilities are mainly
teaching and/or assisting in the area of teaching.
GA (Graduate Assistant): Responsibilities are mainly
in professional support of University operations and programs.
Graduate students should not be hired to perform clerical
duties.
TR (Trainee): Designated as such by specific federal
guidelines which indicate a complex process wherein the trainee
takes on an increasingly independent role in the selection,
conceptualization, and execution of research projects under
the supervision of an experienced mentor.
In definitions where the word “mainly” is used,
“mainly” is defined as greater than 50%.
Requirements for Teaching Assistants
1. Graduate teaching assistants who are the instructors
of record and responsible for assigning grades in a course
must have a master’s in the teaching discipline or
18 graduate credit hours in the discipline.
2. Graduate teaching assistants must be directly supervised
by a faculty member in the teaching discipline, must attend
regular in-service training provided by the Instructional
Advancement Center (in coordination with the Graduate School
or provided by the specific graduate program), and must
be reviewed by the supervising faculty member once a semester.
3. Graduate Teaching Assistants who have previous teaching
experience and indication of competency may be exempted
from TA Training by the Dean of the Graduate School in consultation
with the Graduate Program Director in the discipline. A
request for waiver must be submitted to the Dean of the
Graduate School by the Graduate Program Director.
POLICY ON OUTSIDE EMPLOYMENT
FOR RA/TA/GA
A graduate student must have prior approval from the chair
or advisor to work outside the department, since such activities
might impede progress toward his/her degree. Any question
or concern should be discussed with the Dean of the Graduate
School.
1. A graduate student is allowed to supplement his/her
stipend by tutoring undergraduate students in courses in
which he/she has no direct responsibility at the time.
2. A graduate student who is teaching a class or lab of
a multi-section course using a common syllabus and common
exams may not tutor any student in any section of that course.
3. A graduate student, like any other member of the teaching
faculty, may offer review sessions for his or her students
to which he or she may invite students from other sections
of the same course. The graduate student arranging such
sessions may not under any circumstances take money from
the students in attendance.
4. A graduate student may use his or her office for tutoring
or may ask departmental permission to use a classroom or
other appropriate university facility.
5. The graduate advisor or department chair may require
a graduate student to limit his or her outside employment
or tutoring activity if, in the view of the department,
such activity is impeding the graduate student’s academic
progress or keeping him or her from fulfilling responsibilities
within the department.
6. International students should clear their work instructions
with International Student and Scholar Services. Questions
regarding work for international students should be directed
to International Student and Scholar Services, (305) 284-2928,
email: isss@miami.edu
or visit: http://www.miami.edu/isss.
GRADUATION
It is the responsibility of the student to apply for graduation
through MyUM during the student’s final semester before
the date indicated on the Graduate School calendar and the
Schedule of Classes. These dates are published at http://www.miami.edu/index.php/registrar/calendar/.
Students who previously applied for a diploma but did not
receive the degree must repeat the application procedure.
Deadlines for the commencement program are firm. Students
may walk in the graduation ceremony, but the program will
indicate “in progress” if information is missing.
Students will be degree candidates until they have been cleared
by the Graduate School.
Graduation ceremonies are held in May and December only.
Those completing degree requirements during the Fall, Spring
or Summer sessions may, if they wish, participate in the graduation
ceremonies of the previous or following May or December. Students
receiving a Ph.D., D.M.A., D.N.P, D.P.T, or Ed.D. degree that
are participating in the hooding ceremony and all masters
marching in the graduation ceremony must have the approval
of the graduate advisor, director, or appropriate person in
the department/school to participate in the ceremonies.
Participation in graduation for students in all graduate
programs is contingent upon the following:
1. The student must have met the requirements for their
program.
2. The student must have a minimum of 3.00 cumulative grade
point average;
3. The student (Ph.D. D.M.A. and Ed.D. candidates) must
be admitted to candidacy one semester prior to graduation;
4. The student may not have any outstanding debt including,
but not limited to, tuition, fines, and fees. Tuition for
the last semester of study must be paid in full by the beginning
of the final semester.
5. The student must complete an electronic thesis or dissertation
(ETD) according to the Graduate School’s requirements
and submit all hard copies, paperwork, and fees (if required)
by the last day of exams in the semester the student wishes
to graduate. It is recommended that students begin the ETD
process early in the semester by discussing with their advisors
a suitable timetable for completing the defense of their
thesis or dissertation. Students should check the academic
calendar for the defense deadline date set for the semester
they wish to graduate. The Graduate School also encourages
students to familiarize themselves with the ETD process
at www.miami.edu/etd
or contact the Dissertation Editor early in the semester
at grad.dissertation@miami.edu
if they have questions regarding any aspect of the ETD process.
(See dissertation section of the Ph.D. description.)
CLEARANCE FOR DEGREE CONFERRAL
For the Graduate School to clear a student for graduation:
1. All original documents (transcripts from previous degrees,
GRE scores, etc.) must be on record in the Graduate School
(except for MBA students).
2. The Admission to Candidacy form must have been completed
by the program at least one semester before graduation.
The Graduate School does not require application to candidacy
for master’s, D.P.T., nor D.N.P. degrees.
3. The student must defend his/her thesis or dissertation
no later than two weeks before the last day of class in
the semester he/she wishes to graduate.
4. The student must submit his/her final, Dissertation Editor-approved
thesis or dissertation with all corrections completed and
final paperwork turned in to the Graduate School by the
last day of exams in the semester he/she wishes to graduate
for their clearance to be processed in time.
CLASS ATTENDANCE AND ABSENCES
Regular and punctual class attendance is expected of all
graduate students. It is the student’s responsibility
to know the instructor’s policies regarding examinations,
penalties for absences, and late or missed work.
V.A. students will be provided a grade report at the end
of each semester period. A copy of the report will be placed
in the student’s permanent file maintained by the Veteran
Affairs Office. Because of the far-reaching effects of these
revisions in the V.A. educational benefits program, it is
suggested that you exercise care and judgment in your program
planning and in the selection of your courses.
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY - GRADUATE
Standards of study and conduct in the Graduate School are
set and maintained, not by fiat of the Graduate School, but
rather by the faculty who determine the standards. The Graduate
School through its Council sets no course requirements for
a degree. It does set certain general residence, grade and
examination standards. Fundamentally the Graduate School devolves
responsibility upon the student and the appointed committee.
Within this broad responsibility the recommendation for the
degree rests with the committee.
All graduate students at the University of Miami are subject
to the general standards and requirements of the University
and its various departments in regard to attendance, examinations,
payment of fees, and conduct, as well as to the specific requirements
of the Graduate School. The graduate student is expected to
assume the initiative in completing all requirements at the
time specified.
To preserve its ideals of scholarship, conduct, and character,
the Graduate School reserves the right and the student by
his/her registration concedes the right to require the withdrawal
of any student for any reason deemed sufficient by the Graduate
School at any time.
It is the responsibility of the student to be informed concerning
all regulations and procedures required. In no case will a
regulation be waived or an exception granted because a student
pleads ignorance of the regulation or asserts that he/she
was not informed of it by an advisor or other authority. The
student should become familiar with the Bulletin, including
1. The section presenting the requirements for the degree
to be undertaken;
2. The offerings and requirements of the major department.
3. The Graduate Student Honor Code.
After the applicant has been admitted to the Graduate School
but before the first registration, the student should consult
the school or college and program in which the major work
will be done concerning course requirements, deficiencies,
if any, the planning of a program or special regulations.
Programs may have additional degree requirements that are
not listed in this Bulletin. All registrations require the
signature of the dean of the school or college (or his/her
representative) in which the degree is to be awarded.
Only the Council of the Graduate School may waive requirements
stated in this Bulletin.
GRADUATE STUDENT CODE OF ETHICS
Graduate students agree to abide by the Graduate Student
Honor Code.
The University of Miami expects all graduate students to
adhere to the highest standards of ethics and academic integrity.
All forms of academic fraud are strictly prohibited. These
include, but are not limited to, plagiarism, cheating, collusion,
falsification, violation of professional ethics or misrepresentation
of research data. Students certify that all work (whether
an examination, dissertation, thesis, research paper, research
project, form of creative expression, experimental data, or
any other academic undertaking) submitted for evaluation,
presentation, or publication meets these standards. Additionally,
graduate students are expected to respect and appreciate the
diversity of the community and to respect the rights of others,
be they property, privacy, opinion, or expression. Students
found to be in violation of these standards are subject to
disciplinary actions by the students program and/or the Graduate
School through the process described in the Graduate Student
Honor Code. All graduate students are bound by the rules and
regulations of the University of Miami that apply to them.
The Honor Code can be reviewed at http://www6.miami.edu/dean-students/pdf/graduate_honorcode.pdf.
GRADUATE SCHOOL GRIEVANCE GUIDELINES
INTRODUCTION
These University of Miami Graduate Grievance Procedures provides
an opportunity for the resolution of disputes involving graduate
students in a fair and collegial manner. These Graduate Student
Grievance Procedures supersede all prior such procedures in
effect or formerly utilized at the graduate level. They do
not supplant UM Students Rights & Responsibilities or
any other published policy or procedure relating to graduate
students.
PURVIEW OF THE GUIDELINES
The formal grievance process described herein is intended
for cases not involving grades or matters covered by the Honor
Code, which have not been resolved at the department or program
level, and it is available only after a final determination
within the relevant School or College has been reached. Students
are encouraged to seek assistance from the University Ombudsperson
for possible resolution before initiating the formal graduate
grievance process. The procedures set forth here are applicable
to any of the following types of grievances by graduate students
who are enrolled in any graduate program at the University
of Miami, except exclusively in the MD and JD programs:
1. grievances alleging improper dismissal or suspension
from a graduate program;
2. grievances alleging the improper withholding or termination
of financial support of any kind;
3. grievances alleging any other improper treatment, either
substantive or procedural, of a graduate student by a faculty
member, department or program, or university agency or administrator
except:
a. allegations of improper evaluation of the quality
and/or quantity of academic work (see UM Student Rights
& Responsibilities);
b. allegations of unfair recommendation for employment
or further graduate study;
c. allegations of discriminatory treatment arising from
the student complainant’s age, race, gender, sexual
preference, handicap, national origin, or religion. (Such
allegations ordinarily are handled by the Office of Equality
Administration);
CONSTITUTION OF THE COMMITTEE AND GRIEVANCE PANEL
The Graduate Council Grievance Committee (GCGC) is a standing
committee comprised of the Schools’ and Colleges’
alternate representatives to the Graduate Council. Grievances
as understood herein shall be heard by ad hoc appeals panels,
constituted from time to time by the Dean of the Graduate
School to review individual graduate grievances. The grievance
review panel (GRP) shall consist of five disinterested members:
four faculty members of the GCGC and one graduate student
appointed by the executive board of the Graduate Students’
Association. Notice of the constitution of the GRP shall be
given by the Office of the Graduate Dean in writing to all
parties to the grievance within ten (10) days after the grievance
review request is properly filed.
Any party to the grievance may challenge the disinterestedness
of a GRP member in writing to the Dean of the Graduate School
within five (5) days after notification of the appointment.
The challenge must specify reasons that would prevent the
committee member or graduate student from making an unbiased
recommendation with respect to the grievance. If such a challenge
is determined to be valid by the Graduate Dean, a substitute
appointment shall be made and the process will resume accordingly.
PROCEDURE AND TIME LIMITS FOR FILING A GRIEVANCE
After a final determination has been made in the relevant
School or College (or by the head of the relevant administrative
office in the event of a grievance against a university agency),
a student who believes he or she has grounds for appeal within
the purview of these guidelines may file a written grievance
review request with the Office of the Dean of the Graduate
School. The request shall describe the student’s allegations
in a clear and concise fashion and shall clearly identify
the individual(s), program(s), department, School or College,
and/or University agency or administrator against whom the
grievance is brought. The student’s written grievance
review request shall be filed within thirty (30) days of the
final determination. No grievance review request nor any other
appeal of any kind will be granted after this time limit has
expired unless a written extension of time is granted by the
Dean of the Graduate School based on a written request from
the grievant stating good cause.
DEFINITIONS AND ASSUMPTIONS
Burden of Persuasion: The burden of persuasion is
on the grievant.
Final Determination: This grievance process is available
only after a final determination within the relevant School
or College has been reached. This provision is intended to
require the grievant to exhaust the remedies available within
the relevant School or College before appealing to the Graduate
Dean. In the case of a student in an interdisciplinary program
who does not yet have a chair and/or committee assembled,
the Dean of the Graduate School shall make a final determination
in the student’s case subject thereafter to the appeal
contemplated by this policy. Appeal from the Graduate School
Dean’s decision follows this same procedure, except
that the GRP shall be constituted by the Office of the Provost
from the pool of GCGC members. Written notice of the constitution
of the GRP in the case of a student in an interdisciplinary
program without a chair or committee, shall be given by the
Office of the Provost to all parties to the grievance within
ten (10) days after the grievance review request is properly
filed. All other deadlines, requirements, procedures, and
the hearing format remain the same.
Originals: Wherever possible, the party in possession
of an original document in support of or rebuttal to or at
issue in the grievance shall provide it to the GRP within
the time frames set out in the Hearing Materials and Preparation
Deadlines. If a party has only a copy of a document not received
by him, her, or it, the copy shall serve as an original. Digital
documents or email messages in contention shall be printed
and may then serve as originals.
Party: A party is the student grievant or the individual,
program, department, School or College, or University agency
or administrator against whom the student brings his or her
grievance.
Time Limits: All time limits shall be calculated
based on working days of the Fall and Spring Semesters, excluding
reading and exam periods and University holidays. Grievances
originally filed after the end of the Spring semester will
be heard at the beginning of the following Fall Semester.
Any stated time limit herein may be extended with the written
consent of the grievant and the Dean of the Graduate School.
Written: Any document to which these guidelines
refer as written signifies paper (hard) copy. Email messages
and digital or other electronic versions do not meet the requirement
that a form or notice be provided in writing. However, a party
may transmit a digital version of any written document by
email in addition to providing it in paper form.
DEADLINES FOR HEARING MATERIALS, PREPARATION, AND
WITNESS IDENTIFICATION
All materials to be considered for review by the members of
the GRP must be submitted in writing to the Office of the
Dean of the Graduate School at least fourteen (14) days before
the scheduled date of the hearing, at which time such materials
will be distributed to all parties to the grievance and to
the members of the GRP. Thereafter, to the extent that any
of the parties wishes to have additional materials considered
by the GRP, such materials must be received by the Graduate
School no later than seven (7) days before the scheduled date
of the hearing, at which time all such additional written
materials will be distributed to the parties as well as to
the members of the GRP. Any party submitting written materials
for consideration shall submit the original(s) and five (5)
copies thereof to the Office of the Graduate Dean at his,
her, or its own expense.
The name of any witness to be called by any party at the
hearing shall be provided in writing to the Office of the
Graduate Dean no less than five (5) days before the scheduled
date of the hearing.
HEARING
The grievance review hearing is chaired by a designated member
of the GRP. The hearing is staffed by the non-voting Administrative
Assistant of the Dean of the Graduate School, who will record
it for archival purposes only. The hearing will proceed as
follows:
a. GRP chair's introduction, summary of issues, and process
overview.
b. Student’s presentation of issues (15 minutes maximum).
c. University representative's presentation of issues (15
minutes maximum).
d. Optional: Presentation(s) by witnesses (limited to 3
per side and a maximum of 15 minutes total per side).
e. Questions by members of the GRP.
f. All presenters and witnesses are excused.
g. Deliberation by GRP.
Presentation of the issues should be concise and relevant.
Undoubtedly the dispute is somewhat complex or it would not
have reached this stage. Points of dispute or ambiguity may
be summarized or illustrated by anecdote at the hearing. Experience
suggests, however, that the best approach is to minimize formal
presentations and allow the GRP members maximum time for questions.
GRP DECISION AND AUTHORITY
No additional substantive information may be submitted by
any party following the hearing, unless requested by the grievance
review panel. The GRP may but need not seek additional information
from other sources during its deliberations, which will be
conducted in closed session. Following its deliberations,
and within ten (10) days of the date of the grievance review
hearing, the GRP will make its confidential advisory recommendation
to the Dean of the Graduate School [Office of the Provost
in the event of a student in an interdisciplinary program
who does not yet have a chair or committee]. The subsequent
decision by the Dean of the Graduate School [Office of the
Provost], which shall be rendered within ten (10) days of
the GRP’s recommendation, is final.
Note: The above guidelines pertain only to matters which
do not involve representation by an attorney. If an attorney
is involved in the grievance, the Office of Legal Counsel
at the University should be contacted.
MODIFICATIONS
These procedures may be modified or withdrawn with or without
notice.
|
