Graduate Care and Fresh Start Guidelines
Office: Office of the Registrar
Location: Ellington, Room 316
Phone: 931-221-7121
Email: Registrar@apsu.edu
Persons seeking re-admission to the College of Graduate Studies who have not taken graduate courses for at least three years and who have received grades of "C", "D" or "F" in previous graduate courses may appeal to the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies for consideration within the CARE (Credentials Analysis and Re-Evaluation) guidelines. Appeals will be granted only in cases where special circumstances exist. Requested courses and grades will remain on the student's transcript; however, the courses considered under this guideline will neither be calculated into the GPA nor counted as credit toward a graduate degree. Up to fifteen (15) hours of graduate course work may be removed from the GPA calculation; these may be earned in in multiple semesters.
The purpose of Graduate Fresh Start is to allow a graduate student to progress toward degree completion while meeting all the educational requirements of a particular graduate program. Graduate Fresh Start allows the student to petition his or her Graduate Coordinator and/or Department Chair to exclude prior graduate credits from other graduate programs; these other programs may not be concentrations within the same degree. Excluded courses will neither be calculated into the GPA nor counted as credit toward a graduate degree.
Please review the following regulations for using Graduate Fresh Start:
Once these changes are processed, the outcomes are final and immutable.
Graduate Fresh Start cannot be used to remove credits from conferred degrees.
Graduate academic transcripts will reflect all graduate coursework, credit received, and grades earned.
Federal guidelines that govern satisfactory progress toward a degree, as it relates to financial aid, will be enforced for all graduate credit earned. It is the student's responsibility to understand the regulations regarding financial aid and to seek appropriate input from the Office of Financial Aid.
Applications for Graduate Care and Graduate Fresh Start can be found on the Graduate office website at http://www.apsu.edu/grad-studies/current-students/graduate-student-forms.php.
Academic Status and Graduate Appeal Processes
Office: Office of the Registrar
Location: Ellington, Room 316
Phone: 931-221-7121
Email: Registrar@apsu.edu
The academic status of a student is denoted by one of four conditions:
Good Standing
Academic Probation
Academic Suspension
Academic Dismissal
Students who fail to meet prescribed academic standards are subject to disciplinary action. Official notification of academic probation, academic suspension or academic dismissal is sent to students at the end of the fall and spring semesters, summer terms, or Fort Campbell terms.
At any time a student's academic performance becomes deficient, he or she is placed on probation. When established standards are met, probationary status is removed. However, a second deficiency in academic performance will result in a one semester suspension, after which a student is eligible to appeal for readmission. Should a third deficiency in academic performance occur, then a full year suspension will be enforced, after which the student is eligible to appeal for readmission. Should more than two suspensions occur, the student will be dismissed from the graduate program and the College of Graduate Studies.
For students who are enrolled in the Ed.D program, should two failed attempts at an Ed.D. comprehensive exam occur, the student will be dismissed from the Ed.D. program.
Good Standing
Students are in good standing as long as their overall cumulative grade point average is 3.0 or higher (3.25 for Ed.D. students). Good standing indicates only that the student is meeting the minimum standard for retention.
Academic Probation: GPA and Maximum Allowable Withdrawals
The College of Graduate Studies establishes the minimum academic standards for maintaining good standing among graduate students. However, individual programs may have additional requirements or even more rigorous standards based on accreditation standards or other academic criteria. Students are strongly encouraged to review their program's specific guidelines and consult their graduate coordinator for further clarification.
When a graduate student's cumulative GPA falls below 3.0, he or she will be placed on academic probation. Every semester thereafter, the student must earn a minimum term/semester grade of 3.5, and the student will remain on academic probation until the cumulative GPA reaches 3.0 or better. When the student's cumulative GPA has returned to a 3.0 or greater, the student's academic status will return to "Good Standing." If the student fails to earn a minimum term/semester grade of 3.5 while on probation, he or she will be suspended. No grades of "D" or "F" are allowed in a student's Master's level program of study.
After a graduate student earns four (4) withdrawals "W"s, he or she will be placed on academic probation. If the student receives another "W," academic suspension will result.
Academic Suspension Procedures
The College of Graduate Studies establishes the minimum academic standards for maintaining good standing among graduate students. However, individual programs may have additional requirements or even more rigorous standards based on accreditation standards or other academic criteria. Students are strongly encouraged to review their program's specific guidelines and consult their graduate coordinator for further clarification.
A student on academic probation whose semester GPA falls below a 3.5 and/or a student who earns five (5) or more "W"s will be suspended from the university. Students suspended for the first time may not enroll in the College of Graduate Studies for at least one semester following their suspensions. The University reserves the right to cancel a student's registration with full fee adjustment should the student enroll prior to being notified of an academic suspension. A student on academic suspension from the College of Graduate Studies may not be admitted to, or continue in, any graduate program at APSU for credit or grade point average calculation. A student may not enroll in a program at another University during the suspension period and have that credit transferred.
Readmission After Academic Suspension:
After an absence of at least one semester, a suspended student must request readmission by appealing to the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies. The Graduate Academic Appeals form is located on the College of Graduate Studies website at http://www.apsu.edu/grad-studies/current-students/graduate-student-forms.php. To request readmission, this form must be submitted, along with a written explanation of circumstances relative to the suspension. The student may provide additional documents if needed. The graduate appeal form must be received in the Graduate office no later than 14 days before the beginning of the intended semester of return, to allow time for consideration by the Graduate Academic Appeals Committee. If the student's graduate appeal is not received 14 days before the beginning of the semester, the appeal will be considered for the next upcoming semester. The Graduate Studies Office will present the complete appeals packet to the students' graduate coordinator or department chair for a recommendation. The Graduate Studies Office then presents the appeal packet and departmental recommendation to the Graduate Academic Appeals Committee, a sub-committee of the Graduate Academic Council, for its review and a final decision. The student will be notified via his or her campus email address (or other email address if student does not have a campus email account). Decisions of the Graduate Academic Appeals Committee regarding readmission are final and may not be appealed. The steps for completing an academic appeal are listed below.
Readmission After Second Academic Suspension:
If suspended a second time, the student may not enroll in the College of Graduate Studies for a minimum of one calendar year. Students seeking readmission must follow the same procedure specified herein. After a second suspension, if the student is denied readmission to the College of Graduate Studies by the Graduate Academic Appeals Committe, that decision is final, and the student is suspended from the University.
Steps for completing an Academic Appeal:
Students who are placed on academic suspension and are seeking readmission following suspension, or are seeking a time extension to complete their degree requirements will have to follow the steps outlined below:
Complete a re-admit application to the program they are seeking readmission.
Complete a Graduate Academic Appeals form and send it to gradstudies@apsu.edu; include "Graduate Academic Appeals" in the subject line.
The College of Graduate Studies will send the graduate academic appeals form, a copy of the student transcript, and the graduate appeal worksheet to the graduate coordinator and/or chair of the department the student is seeking readmission.
The graduate coordinator and/or department chair will speak with the student regarding the appeal and discuss a plan to graduation. The graduate coordinator and/or department chair will also discuss the grades necessary to increase their cumulative GPA to at least a 3.0.
The graduate coordinator and/or department chair will complete the graduate academic appeals form and the graduate appeal worksheet and send them back to the College of Graduate Studies.
The College of Graduate Studies will then send the graduate academic appeals form, the graduate appeal worksheet, and the student transcript to the Associate Dean of the College of Graduate Studies (chair of committee). The Associate Dean (chair) will review the appeal to ensure that everything is correct.
The Associate Dean (chair) will forward (via email) the graduate academic appeals form, the graduate appeal worksheet, and the student transcript to the Graduate Academic Appeals Committee. The Associate Dean (chair) will request that all decisions be made within 4 days.
The Graduate Academic Appeals Committee will send decisions to the Associate Dean (chair) via email.
Once a decision has been made the Associate Dean (chair) will send the decision to the College of Graduate Studies and the student will be notified via email
Course Repeats and Dropping, Withdrawal from the University
Office: Office of the Registrar
Location: Ellington, Room 316
Phone: 931-221-7121
Email: Registrar@apsu.edu
Course Repeats
The College of Graduate Studies establishes the minimum academic standards regarding course repeats among graduate students. However, individual programs may have additional requirements or even more rigorous standards based on accreditation standards or other academic criteria. Students are strongly encouraged to review their program's specific guidelines and consult their graduate coordinator for further clarification.
A student who receives a grade of "D" or "F" in a graduate course in his or her program of study must repeat that course. The repeated course grade will be averaged with the original grade earned and the Request to Repeat Graduate Course form is not required (if a student receives a grade of "D" or "F" in a course outside his/her program of study, repeating the course is optional). All attempts to repeat a course will be included in the cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) with the original grade of "D" or "F" .
To repeat a course in which a student received a grade of "A" or "B," approval from the Provost is required. In this case, the student must complete The Request to Repeat Graduate Course form must be submitted online at the following link: https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/cfdb0500be2849df9fc7ca5c3c9f9e95. Once the request has been approved, the Office of the Registrar will process it accordingly. The repeated grade earned will be averaged with the original grade of "A" or "B." A student is not required to repeat a course in which a grade of "C" was earned (unless an Ed.D. student); nevertheless, if he or she repeats that course, a Request to Repeat Graduate Course form submitted to the Provost is not necessary. The repeated course will be averaged with the original grade of "C." The Request to Repeat Graduate Course form is located on the College of Graduate Studies website at http://www.apsu.edu/grad-studies/current-students/graduate-student-forms.php.
Dropping Courses
After a student has officially registered for a class, the student is considered to be a member of the class unless the student officially drops the class, withdraws from the University, or the course is cancelled. A course may also be dropped from a student's schedule by administrative authority for reasons such as academic suspension, student violations, or decisions made by the Student Academic Grievance Committee. Discontinuing class attendance without officially dropping or withdrawing from the University will be an unofficial withdrawal, and the student will retain financial obligation. Failure to drop a class via AP One Stop will result in the grade of "F" "FA" or "FN."
Reporting Grades for Courses Dropped
The grade awarded for a dropped course or for courses from which the student withdrew depends on the date the student withdrew from the course or from the University. The dates for awarding grades appear in the Official University Calendar.
A grade of "W" is awarded when the student drops or withdraws within the time period the University has established for awarding an automatic "W." The grade has no impact on the student's cumulative GPA.
Withdrawal from the University
Official withdrawal requires that all courses be dropped online through AP OneStop. Fee adjustments will be based on the published schedule for fee adjustments in the official University calendar. Withdrawal from the University may require repayment of financial aid. Students receiving financial aid should meet with a financial aid counselor prior to withdrawal.
Graduate College Honors Regulation
Graduate honors will be determined by a minimum GPA of 3.85 within a graduate program; grades earned outside of the graduate program will be excluded. It is the responsibility of the graduating student to be aware of any grades earned outside of the graduate program and to take steps to have those grades removed from the GPA calculation used to determine honors status.
Protocol for removing outside graduate credits from GPA calculations
The student should discuss outside graduate credit(s) with the program Graduate Coordinator or Department Chair. The Graduate Coordinator or Department Chair will notify the Office of the Registrar, by email, to take steps to calculate the GPA using only those credits earned within the program of study for the determination of awarding honors status upon graduation.
Leave of Absence
It is the policy of the College of Graduate Studies at Austin Peay State University to allow a leave of absence (cessation of graduate study) for students enrolled in graduate programs under the conditions listed below. A student may request a leave of absence by completing the Leave of Absence Request form located on the College of Graduate Studies website and submitting the form to the Graduate Program Coordinator (GPC). If the GPC, in consultation with the Department Chair, supports the student's request, the form is then forwarded to the College of Graduate Studies for final approval.
A leave of absence can only be requested for students in good academic standing for one semester, two semesters or one year at a time (a year is defined as Fall, Spring, Summer). Students can request additional time by re-applying for the leave. Up to a total of two (2) years can be requested. The student will be considered withdrawn from the graduate program at the end of a continuous two-year period.
Students who are awarded a leave of absence must consult with the appropriate University offices such as Financial Aid, Veteran's Affairs, and the College of Graduate Studies to determine the impact of a leave of absence (if applicable). Students who were awarded a graduate assistantship prior their leave of absence will not have guaranteed graduate assistantships upon return. Students are strongly encouraged to speak with their GPC prior to requesting a leave of absence.
Whenever possible, leave of absence requests should be submitted at least two weeks prior to the beginning of the semester for which the absence is being requested. While this is preferred, leaves of absence will be processed throughout the semester. In cases where a leave of absence is requested during a semester, the leave of absence will begin at the onset of the following semester.
The student must have been enrolled in classes for the previous semester.
The time spent on leave is not included in the time limit for degree completion.
A student on leave will not be considered an enrolled student during the time they are on leave; therefore, they will not be permitted to use University facilities (e.g., Library, Recreation Center, etc.).
A student who is not in good academic standing and is granted a leave of absence will be subject to the academic policy related to their academic standing when reinstated.
Student instructions for requesting a Leave of Absence:
Consult with the GPC about the process and any implications in taking a leave of absence.
Consult with the appropriate University offices such as Financial Aid, Veteran's Affairs, and the College of Graduate Studies to determine the impact of a leave of absence (if applicable).
Complete the Leave of Absence Request form, with supporting documentation, at least two weeks prior to the beginning of the semester of requested leave. It is preferred to have the completed document at least two weeks prior to the beginning of the semester of requested leave; however, leave of absences will be processed throughout the semester. In cases where a leave of absence is requested in the middle of a semester, the leave of absence will be initiated at the beginning of the next semester.
Obtain the signatures of the GPC, Department Chair, and the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies.
Submit the signed Leave of Absence Request form to College of Graduate Studies by:
Bringing the Request form to the College of Graduate Studies in person.
Scanning and sending the Request form to gradstudies@apsu.edu.
Mailing the Request form to APSU Graduate Studies, P.O. Box 4458, Clarksville, TN 37044.
Student reinstatement after a Leave of Absence:
Consult with Graduate Program Coordinator regarding readmission.
Apply to be reinstated for the term and year selected on the Leave of Absence Request form. Students may also request to return earlier than the originally approved date.
Apply to be reinstated for the same degree selected on the Leave of Absence Request form.
The graduate program or the College of Graduate Studies may set specific requirements to be fulfilled by the readmitted student during the first year of their readmission. Readmission will be revoked for students who do not fulfill these requirements.
Class Attendance, Grading and Course Withdrawal Limitations
Office: Office of the Registrar
Location: Ellington, Room 316
Phone: 931-221-7121
Email: Registrar@apsu.edu
Class attendance is a key attribute to academic success. Though the matter of class attendance is in the purview of the teaching faculty, the University requires faculty to routinely report students who have never attended class ("FN" – Failure, Never Attended) within 21 days of the first day of class. For those students who stop attending class and/or are no longer receiving instruction, a grade of "FA" (Failure, Stopped Attendance) should be reported. Faculty members will inform students of policies applicable to their classes through a syllabus distributed early in each semester/term. These punitive failing grades reported during the semester/term may affect the student's time status, financial aid repayment, and/or veteran benefits.
Course Withdrawal Limitations
A student who earns four (4) Withdrawals ("W"s) will be placed on academic probation. If the student receives another "W" (≥ five (5) "W"s) he or she will be suspended for one academic semester. A student on academic suspension from the College of Graduate Studies may not be admitted to, or continue in, any graduate program at APSU for credit or grade point average calculation. Students must adhere to the Academic Suspension appeal process for re-admittance.
Absence from Announced Tests and Examinations
Students who are forced by circumstances beyond their control to be absent from announced tests and examinations should notify their instructor, at the discretion of the instructor, the student will receive the grade of "I," "F" or "FA."
University Excused Absences for Students
When students are scheduled to participate in an institutionally scheduled activity (for instance, athletic activity, band, or military event), class absences that fall during the sanctioned time (this time may include travel) shall be considered as excused absences. Although the students are excused from attending classes, they have the responsibility to check with their instructors to find out what work was missed. Instructors shall make reasonable arrangements for students to make up assignments, quizzes and tests missed during excused absences. These make-up activities shall be comparable to the missed assignments, quizzes, or tests and shall not be graded for reduced credit or treated as dropped grades.
The Athletic Director shall determine if a particular athletic-related activity qualifies as a university-excused absence. The Dean of Students shall determine if a particular student affairs-related activity qualifies as a university-excused absence. If a faculty member desires to have a class-related activity designated as a university-excused absence, prior approval must be obtained by the department chair. Additionally, department chairs must request prior approval from the appropriate Dean. Once an activity has been granted excused status by an academic Dean, the Athletic Director, or the Dean of Students (as may be appropriate), the excused absence policy will take effect.
A student may request an exception to the policy, if he or she desires to have an activity approved as an excused absence. Any request of this type will be handled individually, on a case-by-case basis. This request must be submitted in writing, with appropriate documentation of the activity, date(s), and class schedule and will be reviewed by the Department Chair and Dean of the college in which the course is taught. If approved, the Dean will send a memo to the student and his or her instructors. If the activity will affect more than one course, the Deans of all the student's affected courses will make a joint decision. Granting of such exception does not guarantee future approvals of such requests, as each request is considered on a case-by-case basis. If the request is denied at the college level, the student may submit a written appeal within five business days to the Associate Vice President (AVP) for Student Affairs and the Dean of Students. The AVP for Student Affairs and Dean of Students shall provide a response within five business days of receiving the written appeal. If the AVP of Student Affairs and Dean of Students determines there is no merit to the student's appeal, then there is no further recourse for the student.
Auditing of Courses
An auditor is one who enrolls in a course without expecting to receive academic credit. The same registration procedure must be followed and the same fees are charged as for courses taken for credit. This guideline does not apply to TN e-Campus courses.
Audited courses cannot be used toward any degree. Audit hours will not be considered part of the minimum credits required for full-time enrollment but will be counted in determining overloads. Courses may be audited provided the instructor gives consent to enroll, space is available, and the student has satisfied any necessary prerequisites.
Regular class attendance is expected of an auditor. An auditor is not required to take examinations and does not receive regular letter grades. The student and the instructor should reach a precise agreement as to the extent and nature of the student's participation in the course, including class discussions, assignments, projects, and readings. A successful audit will be recorded on the transcript with the designation AU. Audited courses may be repeated for credit.
After the late registration period, a student may not change enrollment status in a course from credit to audit or from audit to credit.
Incomplete Grades
A temporary grade of "I" indicates that a student has performed satisfactorily in the course, but due to circumstances beyond the student's control, was unable to complete the course requirements. It also indicates that the student has received consent from the instructor to complete the work for which an "I" has been assigned.
The "I" grade cannot be used to enable a student to do additional work to raise a deficient grade. The course will not be counted in the cumulative grade-point average until a final grade is assigned.
An "I" must be removed no later than one calendar year from the time the grade was initially assigned. Time extensions must be submitted and approved by the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies before the time expires. An "I" not removed within a year will be converted to an "F," except in courses involving thesis, field study reports, research project papers, and research literacy papers, as indicated with a grade of "IP." A student cannot make up an "I" by registering and paying for the course again. No student may graduate with an "I" or "IP" on his or her academic record.
Proficiency in English and Grading
Students are expected to maintain satisfactory standards of oral and written English in all of their courses. The faculty of the University have agreed to accept English usage as a University-wide responsibility. Deficiencies in the use of English may be taken into consideration in assigning course grades, and students who fall below acceptable standards may make low grades or fail.
Grade Reporting
Students may obtain their grades through AP One Stop after each semester/term. Grade reports are not mailed to students.
Grade Changes
Students may obtain their grades through AP One Stop after each semester/term. Grade reports are not mailed to students.
Grade Appeal
Students may appeal final course grades entered in the fall semester no later than 30 calendar days after the start of the following spring semester. The informal discussion with the instructor and Department Chair or Director must be the first step toward resolution. Students may appeal final course grades entered for the spring, maymester, and summer semesters no later than 30 calendar days after the start of the following fall semester. If the deadline date falls on a weekend or holiday, then the deadline shall be the next business day. The formal, written appeal to the Department Chair or Director must be filed by the 30-day deadline. Once a degree has been posted to the transcript, the academic record is deemed complete and changes will not be made to grades earned prior to the posted degree. Review the Academic Grievance Policy section in the Student Handbook for appeal procedures.
Student Due Process
Students have the right to due process. If a student believes his or her rights have been violated, he or she may appeal that perceived violation to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Judgments at this level will be made only in relationship to procedural matters. All decisions made by the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies or the Graduate Academic Council that are substantive in nature, are not subject to appeal at the level of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
