Graduate General Regulations

Time Limits Concurrent Master's Degrees Challenge of Courses Independent Study Transfer Credit Registration Dropping and Adding Courses Withdrawal from Courses Leave of Absence Withdrawal from NDNU Incompletes Grading and Reporting Repeat Policy

Auditing Courses Graduate Credit for Seniors Articulation Agreements Graduate Teaching Assistantship Changing Graduate Program Program Termination Program Record Advancement to Candidacy Completion for the Master's Degree Participation in Graduation Graduate Commencement Speaker Satisfactory Performance Academic Probation Disqualification

In addition to the General Academic Policies and Procedures, the following policies apply to graduate students and graduate programs.

Time Limits

Master's Degrees
All degree work must be completed within seven years from the beginning of the term of admission to the master's program, unless state licensure requirements are more restrictive. Additionally, any units of credit used to satisfy unit requirements within a master's degree program, whether earned at NDNU or transferred from another accredited institution, must have been earned within the seven-year period prior to the date on which the master's degree is to be awarded.

Graduate Certificates
All certificate work must be completed within five years from the beginning of the term of admission to the certificate program.

Credentials
The University does not set time limits on credential work, but students are subject to any state requirements that may apply.

Transfer Credit

A maximum of six semester units of graduate credit towards a 30-45 unit master's program or nine semester units of graduate credit towards a 50-53 unit master's program may be transferred from other accredited institutions at the discretion of the department chair/program director/advisor. Only three of those semester units may be from graduate extension courses, and the student must earn a 3.0 or higher in the course. No continuing education or workshop units may be transferred. Units for research courses and research projects are not transferable. Transferred units must have been earned within the seven-year period prior to the date on which the NDNU master's degree is awarded.

A student who wishes to take a course at another accredited institution after the student has been accepted to a graduate program at Notre Dame de Namur University must have the course approved in writing by his/her department chair/program director/advisor before registering. The green transfer course form must be completed before the course is taken. All transferred units must be within the seven-year limit of the master's degree. A student cannot clear Probationary status through transfer units. (See also Academic Probation, below.) Career experience cannot be substituted for graduate coursework.

Concurrent Master's Degrees

A graduate student may not simultaneously pursue two master's degrees.  However, the School of Education offers students the possibility of enrolling concurrently in some masters and credential programs.  Contact Dr. Kim Tolley, Program Director, (650) 508-3464, ktolley@ndnu.edu, for additional information regarding this opportunity.

Second Master's Degrees

A student wishing to pursue a second master's degree may transfer a maximum of six units from external master's level work into a 30-45 unit program, or nine units into a 50-53 unit program. The transferability must be deemed appropriate and is at the discretion of the department chair or program director. Research courses and research projects are not transferable. The transferred units must have been earned within the seven-year period prior to the date on which the NDNU master's degree is to be awarded.

Challenge of Courses

Courses that are part of a master's or credential program's core courses cannot ordinarily be challenged by examination. A student may, however, challenge (one time) a prerequisite/foundation course after discussing the reasons for the challenge with the department chair or program director and completing the appropriate challenge form obtained from the Registrar's Office. The student pays $100 per unit before taking the challenge exam. If a student does not pass the challenge with a 3.0 (B) or better, he or she must take the full course at NDNU or elsewhere. Only successful results of challenge exams are recorded on the transcript.

Independent Study

Independent Study will be permitted only in special circumstances as outlined in the Policy and Procedures for Independent Study summarized below.

Independent Study is individual study or research under the direction of an instructor. It is open only to matriculated students and is generally available only for upper-division and graduate work. The maximum number of units of Independent Study in a graduate degree program is six. In cases involving a combination of transfer and independent study units, no more than six units in either category may be granted nor more than nine units in combination.

Final approval of Independent study credit rests with the Dean of each school.  The contract must be presented at the time of registration and must be completed by the Add deadline of the semester or term in which the Independent Study is to be undertaken.

Independent Study may be taken under either optional or required circumstances:

Optional Circumstances:

1. The student wishes to pursue individual, creative research at the institution or in the field;
2. The student wishes to investigate new career opportunities;
3. The student has one or two units remaining in a requirement and wishes to complete the requirement through Independent Study.

Required Circumstances:

1. Independent Study is required as part of a program;
2. A required course is not offered again before the student would normally graduate;
3. A program is discontinued and student still needs a required course.

Procedure

Two forms are required to register for Independent Study:

1. A properly completed Registration Form;
2. A separate Independent Study Contract with all required signatures, including the School Dean.
   The contract must be completed by the Add deadline of the semester or term in which the Independent Study is to be undertaken.

It is the student's responsibility to have all sections of both forms completed before submitting them to the Registrar's Office.

Registration

Information and instructions concerning registration are distributed by the Registrar's Office. Graduate students will receive advance registration instructions in the mail. The student's program advisor distributes registration forms. Students must arrange for an advising appointment with their program advisor.

For continuing students, Advance Registration for courses takes place in the preceding semester. A student who advance registers must pay tuition or make payment arrangements with the Business Office by a specified date. If payment or arrangements are not made, the Advance Registration is canceled, and the student must make arrangements for payment and re-register at Final Registration.

Final Registration (for new students and continuing students who do not advance register) takes place immediately preceding the opening of classes each semester. Failure to comply with the procedures specified by the Registrar for registration, changes in course registrations (Drop/Add), or withdrawal from a course may result in denial of credit and a failing grade.

Dropping and Adding Courses

A graduate student may not add a class after the class has met for three hours without the signature of both the advisor and the course instructor. A student's acceptance into a class at this late date is at the discretion of the instructor. In order to add the course, the student needs to (1) pick up the Drop/Add form from the Registrar's Office, (2) obtain the instructor's signature, (3) obtain the advisor's signature, and (4) return the signed form to the Registrar's Office. The instructor's signature must be provided before the advisor signs off.

Withdrawal from a Course

A graduate student may request a withdrawal from a class following the drop deadline up to but not including the last class by submitting a withdrawal form or a letter to the Registrar stating the circumstances of the withdrawal; a "W" will appear on the transcript. A student will receive an "AF" for a course from which there has not been an official withdrawal. Discontinuance of attendance does not constitute a withdrawal.

Leave of Absence

Upon completion of a Leave of Absence/ Withdrawal form, students may be absent from the University for two calendar years (four semesters and two summers) on an official Leave of Absence. Forms are available from academic advisors or the Registrar's Office.

Graduate students will be re-activated if they are within the seven year limit.

Graduate students need to be re-admitted if the seven year limit has passed .

Students intending to officially withdraw from the University must complete a Withdrawal form. Forms are available from the Registrar's Office.  "Official Withdrawal" will appear on the transcript.

Official Withdrawal from NDNU

A student who wishes to withdraw officially from the University must submit a withdrawal form or letter to the Registrar's Office stating the existing circumstances.

Grading and Reporting

Notre Dame de Namur University determines the graduate student's progress by assessing the academic and professional behavior of the student by means of letter grades. The grade point average is computed on a four-point system:

Grade Points Per Unit

A+  4.0	B+  3.3	C+  2.3**	D+  1.3****	F   0.0****
A     4.0	B   3.0	C   2.0***	D   1.0****
A-   3.7	B-  2.7*	C-  1.7****	D-  0.7****
*   Requires a B+ in another class of equal unit value. **   Requires an A- in another class of equal unit value. ***   Requires an A in another class of equal unit value. ****   Not acceptable.

Grades Not Used in Computing the Grade Point Average:

AF	Non-Attendance	NP	Not Pass
AU	Audit	P	Pass (equivalent grade "C" or higher)
I	Incomplete	W	Withdrawal
IP	In Progress

All grades except Incomplete ("I") and In Progress ("IP") are considered final when assigned by an instructor at the end of a semester. An instructor may request a "change of grade" when a computational or procedural error occurred in the original assignment of a grade, but a grade may not be changed as a result of re-evaluation of a student's work or submission of additional work. Grade changes for computational or procedural errors are accepted within the Fall or Spring semester immediately following the close of the semester for which the grade is to be changed.

Grades may be accessed online after they have been submitted by instructors.

Incomplete Grades

A grade of "Incomplete" may be given to a student who maintained satisfactory attendance and work throughout most of a course, including Independent Study, but due to extraordinary circumstances was unable to complete the required work by the end of the semester/session in which the course was taken. The Incomplete grade is to be replaced by a final grade within a period not to exceed one calendar year from the date on which the Incomplete was assigned, unless the instructor specifies a lesser time period. There will be no extension granted for clearing the Incomplete beyond this specified time period. Once the Incomplete has been changed to a terminal letter grade, no grade changes are accepted.

Either the instructor or the student may initiate a grade of Incomplete. The "Request for an Incomplete Grade" form is available from the Registrar's Office. On this form, the instructor specifies the work to be completed, the deadline for completion, and the default grade. An Incomplete grade will be recorded only if the form is completely filled out, signed by the student, the instructor, and the appropriate School Dean, and submitted to the Registrar no later than the due date for instructors' regular grade sheets.

It is the student's responsibility to verify with the instructor whether she/he will be available to complete the evaluation of the course within the specified time period, to maintain contact with the instructor, to complete the coursework, and to verify that the instructor submitted a final grade to the Registrar's Office.

If the coursework specified on the Incomplete Grade From is not completed in accordance with the above policy, the grade will be converted to the default grade. Students will not be allowed to graduate with an "Incomplete" on the transcript.

In Progress Grade (MA English Only)

In the case of the Research Thesis Course, an IP for "In Progress" is automatically assigned at the end of the semester of registration and the research must be completed within twelve months after that date. Failure to complete the Research within the twelve month time frame will result in a NP (Not Pass) grade for the course, and the course must be repeated at full tuition. An exception is when, at the discretion of the research advisor, the student is considered to be very near completion (weeks, not months), the student will be allowed to register and pay for one or two units. If the thesis is still not complete at the end of the extended period, the full three-unit course must be repeated.

Repeat Policy

A student must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA in graduate courses in order to remain in good standing. A course with less than a grade of "C" (2.0) must be repeated. Check with advisor or program director regarding grading standards/criteria in your department/program. With the exception of research courses, all courses taken to improve the GPA may be repeated only once. All grades, whether repeated or not, will appear on the student's transcript, but only the higher grade will be used to compute the GPA. Courses which are transferred into a graduate program or courses with 400 numbers are not computed in the cumulative GPA.

Auditing Courses

Regularly enrolled students may, with permission of the instructor and the program director, enroll as auditors in certain classes. There is no reduced tuition rate for graduate level auditors. Classes which are audited are not taken for academic credit, and may not be changed to credit after the Drop/Add deadline. The extent of participation of an auditor is determined by the instructor.

Graduate Credit for Seniors

Notre Dame de Namur University undergraduate students in their last semester and within six units of completing a baccalaureate degree may complete a petition from Graduate Admission to take up to six units of graduate coursework. The student must have a cumulative grade point average of "B" (3.0). This graduate coursework may not be applied to the baccalaureate degree. Graduate standing and acceptance into a credential, certificate, or master's degree program must be attained before such units can be applied to a graduate program. Acceptance of such units is at the discretion of the appropriate department chair or program director.

Articulated Programs

Notre Dame de Namur University offers articulation agreements between undergraduate and graduate degree programs in fields where graduate study is compatible with an undergraduate degree program.  For information, see Undergraduate Policies and Procedures.

Graduate Teaching Assistantship

A teaching assistant is a student who has demonstrated scholarship, leadership, and competency within a graduate program, and is selected to serve as an assistant to the instructor of a graduate course. The student must have a GPA of 3.8 in graduate study and be advanced to candidacy. A Teaching Assistantship is noted on the transcript, except if it is part of the degree program as in the MA-English program.

Changing from One Graduate Program to Another

A student who wishes to transfer from the credential program to any master's degree program or from one master's program to another must submit a new application. New references may be required. The Graduate Admission Office may not require resubmission of all documents — check with that office for details. The student will receive a notice of acceptance or rejection into the new program.

Program Termination

When enrollment in a program becomes too low or the University decides to phase out a program, a student may be redirected to another program, asked to complete courses as they are offered at NDNU, transfer in courses from another accredited institution, or finally, to transfer to another accredited institution.

Program Record

A program plan listing courses is set up for each certificate and master's degree student by Graduate Admission and approved by the department chair or program director. The program plan is set up by the program director for credential programs. This document is a record of work taken for a degree and is kept in the Department Office. A student may review the Program Plan with his or her department chair or program director/advisor.

Catalog of Graduation

Students are bound by requirements in effect as of their term of admission. Students remaining in continuous registered attendance at NDNU may elect to meet graduation requirements in effect either at their term of admission or at the time of graduation. If the University determines that changes in requirements are essential for certification or competency in the academic or professional discipline, those changes in program requirements shall be mandatory for all students whose degrees have not yet been awarded.

Advancement to Candidacy

1. Advancement to candidacy is a traditional step in a master's degree program designed to evaluate the student's progress and to determine the student's capability and suitability to complete the requirements for the degree.
2. Advancement to candidacy depends upon the student's attaining a minimum 3.0 GPA in the first fifteen semester units of coursework taken for graduate credit and meeting any other requirements specified by the particular program. Other requirements include, but are not limited to, satisfactory completion of prerequisite/foundation courses, English as a Second Language (ESL) courses, program-specified evaluative reviews and examinations and proof of professional suitability. The Registrar's Office automatically evaluates students when they reach fifteen units. The decision to advance a student to candidacy is made with input from the appropriate program director.
3. Acceptance into a graduate program does not automatically qualify a student for candidacy for the degree.

Completion of Requirements for the Master's Degree

1. The degree is awarded upon the satisfactory completion of all requirements for the particular program including a cumulative GPA of 3.0 for all work done in the program.
2. It is the student's responsibility to file a Master's Degree Graduation Application (available from the Registrar's Office) no later than deadlines published in the Academic Calendar on line.
3. May and August candidates should file by the previous October 1.
4. December candidates should file their application for graduation by the previous March 1.
5. Graduate School advisors and School Deans review the record of an applicant for the degree, sign the application, and approve the awarding of the degree.
6. In those master's programs in which a graduate thesis/research project is required, two copies of the document are required and are forwarded to the School Dean: one is Catalogued in the NDNU Library and the other is distributed to the student's department.  A reader fee must be paid to the Business Office at the time the Thesis is submitted.
7. Transcripts and diplomas are not issued until all accounts and records are cleared to the satisfaction of the Business Office.

Participation in Graduation

Students who have finished all their degree requirements in the previous Summer session, Fall semester, or are finishing in the current Spring semester may take part in graduation ceremonies.

Exceptions to this policy are as follows:

A. Master's students may petition to participate in Commencement if they meet the following conditions:

1. They have three or fewer units remaining to complete their program;
2. These three units are not required Research units;
3. The remaining units will be completed in the Fall session following graduation.

B. Credential students may petition to participate in Commencement if they meet the following conditions:

1. They have six or fewer units in statutory requirement classes remaining to complete their program;
2. The remaining units will be completed in the Fall session following graduation.

Graduate Commencement Speaker

A representative of each graduating class is selected to address the graduates at Commencement. Selection is made by a committee comprised of faculty, staff, and students. The criteria for eligibility are: a minimum GPA in all university work attempted (at Notre Dame de Namur University and other institutions) of 3.9; a maximum of six transfer credits from other institutions; expected completion of all work before the graduation ceremonies; and outstanding writing and speaking skills.

Satisfactory Performance

Only those applicants who show promise of success and fitness will be admitted to a graduate degree program. Once admitted, students whose performance in a graduate degree curriculum is judged to be unsatisfactory may be required to complete a remedial course of action, engage in a forced Leave of Absence, or Withdraw at the sole discretion of the University.

Academic Probation

1. Any student accepted on academic probation who fails to make a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better in the first six semester units must contact his or her advisor or program director regarding policies on clearing probation. Licensure policies may vary.
2. Any student who fails to achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better in work taken for graduate credit at the end of a semester will be placed on first-time academic probation. The student must meet with his/her advisor or program director to devise a plan to regain clear academic standing.
3. Any student on academic probation who subsequently fails to achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better in work taken for credit will be placed on second academic probation. (Check with advisor or program director. Licensure policies may prohibit a second term of academic probation.)
4. Any student on second academic probation who subsequently, in any semester, fails to achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better in work taken for graduate credit will be disqualified.
5. No graduate degree will be conferred upon a student whose cumulative GPA is below 3.0 in work taken for graduate credit after completing the units required in the program. A student may petition in writing to add six or fewer additional units in the following semester to regain clear standing. Failure to petition within 30 calendar days after grades are posted results in disqualification.
6. A student on probation may not transfer units to clear probation; clearance from probation must be achieved through coursework done at Notre Dame de Namur University.

Disqualification

Any one of the following conditions justifies disqualification from the Notre Dame de Namur University graduate programs:

1. Evidence of academic failure in any semester;
2. Failure to regain clear standing after a period of academic probation. See Academic Probation above;
3. Failure to meet the standards set for candidacy;
4. Failure to complete a master's degree program within seven years;
5. Failure to complete a certificate program within five years;
6. Failure to meet professional standards required by the specific degree, credential, or certificate program;
7. Violation of the written Code of Student Conduct found in the University's Student Handbook;
8. Failure to satisfy financial obligations to the University at the end of the semester.

The Deans, in consultation with appropriate University officials, may issue notices of disqualification to students for any of the reasons listed above. Students who have been disqualified may not enroll in graduate courses at NDNU.

Notre Dame de Namur University 1500 Ralston Avenue Belmont, CA 94002 (650) 508-3500 www.ndnu.edu	Graduate Admission Notre Dame de Namur University Ralston Hall 1500 Ralston Avenue Belmont, CA 94002 (650) 508-3600 www.ndnu.edu/future grad.admit@ndnu.edu