Retention Policies
Good Standing
Any student who maintains a minimum grade point average of 3.00 in graduate courses will be in good standing. Undergraduate courses may not be taken to correct a grade point average deficiency. Programs may also have more stringent rules for remaining in degree programs.
Probation and Dismissal
If at any point a student earns a cumulative grade point average below 2.0, the student will be dismissed from the Graduate College. If a student is dismissed from a program she or he may not enroll again in the Graduate College until two academic years have passed. She/he must pay the application fee and be accepted. A program may be more, but not less stringent than the Graduate College in its application policies and it may choose the option of no reinstatement. If a program’s readmission policies are more stringent than those of the Graduate College, they must be documented in the program’s or department’s student handbook.
If at any point after a student has completed 9 credit hours in his or her program of study and the student’s cumulative grade point average is at least a 2.0 but less than a 3.0, he or she will be placed on probation. Some programs have more stringent requirements for remaining in degree programs. A student who is on probation may take no more than nine semester hours of coursework in a given term.
To return to good standing, a student must have earned a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 within the first 9 graduate credit hours attempted after being placed on probation. A student who does not meet the minimum cumulative grade point average in that time period will be dismissed from the Graduate College. A student who has been on probation and then reinstated may again be on probation if the student’s grade point average again falls below 3.0.
A student who receives more than two grades of “C” or lower in any work attempted at Radford University at the 500-level or above while classified as a graduate student shall be dismissed. This includes graduate supporting coursework and courses taken as a non-degree seeking student. Programs may be more but not less stringent than this criterion. All program- specific dismissal policies must be reviewed and approved by the dean of the Graduate College before adoption by a program.
Dismissal from a program based on non-grade related reasons not covered under the Radford University Code of Student Conduct shall be program specific. Each program’s criteria for dismissal must be communicated in the program’s or department’s student handbook along with the appeals process. If a program chooses to dismiss a student, the Graduate College, upon receipt of notification from the program, shall issue a formal letter of dismissal if the student does not appeal within the prescribed time frame or if the appeal is unsuccessful.
Dissertation, Master’s Thesis or Graduate Recital
A thesis or graduate recital is required in all Master of Arts and Master of Fine Arts programs. It can be an elective or a requirement in a Master of Science program, at the option of the department. For dissertations, students should see their program handbook.
When a thesis or dissertation topic has been established, the student should submit a Request for Convening of Thesis/Dissertation Advisory Committee form and the Thesis/Dissertation Proposal Defense to the Graduate College in order to register for thesis/dissertation credit. Standards and criteria for approval of the request are established by the student’s thesis/dissertation advisor. Programs and/or thesis advisors may require a written proposal prior to signing the Request for Convening of Thesis/Dissertation Advisory Committee form. Students should check with their individual departments for specific prerequisites.
A student cannot register for thesis/dissertation hours until the Request for Convening of Thesis/Dissertation Advisory Committee and the Thesis/Dissertation Proposal Defense form has been reviewed and approved by: 1) the thesis/dissertation advisor (who is in the student’s program and has full graduate faculty status), 2) a minimum of two additional committee members with graduate faculty status, 3) the department chair or graduate program director and 4) the Graduate College. A copy of this form may be downloaded online at http://www.radford.edu/gradcollege.
All members of the committee must have graduate faculty status. Faculty with associate graduate faculty status may not chair, but may serve on the defense committee. Students must be on regular status and have an approved program of study on file.
It is recommended that the student establish the thesis/dissertation topic and begin work on the proposal as early as possible. The Thesis/Dissertation Proposal Defense form is an agreement with the student and signifies that if the work described within an approved proposal is accomplished to a quality acceptable to the committee, the committee will honor it as a satisfactory thesis/dissertation.
Basic style guidelines required for all theses and dissertations can be obtained online at: www.radford.edu/gradcollege or from the Graduate College Office. Program specific guidelines must fall within the Graduate College guidelines and are available in the department or program student handbook.
Students who plan to do a thesis/recital or dissertation are advised to begin serious planning of this work during the first semester of enrollment as a graduate student. Past experiences have shown that it is very difficult for a student to do a respectable job on the thesis/recital or dissertation if all work is concentrated in the last semester before graduation.
It is important that the student doing a dissertation, thesis or recital choose the committee before beginning work, and that the committee members are kept informed of the student’s progress in the preparation of the dissertation, thesis or recital.
The thesis or dissertations grade will be recorded as “Pass” or “Fail.” Conventional letter grades are given for the graduate recital.
All requirements for a thesis/recital or dissertation must be completed within the time frame by which the degree must be completed; six academic years for a master’s or eight academic years for a doctorate.
Preliminary Master’s Comprehensive Examination
In addition to the final comprehensive examination given during the last semester of enrollment, the graduate faculty in each program have the option of requiring a preliminary comprehensive examination to be administered sometime before completion of three-fourths of the master’s degree program. This preliminary examination would be designed to measure the student’s competence in the discipline. If a particular program requires such a preliminary examination, information is given in the program section of this catalog.
Final Comprehensive Examination and/or Thesis/Dissertation
Standards and criteria for all degree requirements, including comprehensive exams (if applicable), should be established by individual graduate programs and these degree requirements should be consistent with their discipline standards and/or accrediting requirements. If a comprehensive examination and or thesis/dissertation is required, it should be explicitly noted in the program section of the catalog and on the program of study. Program coordinators should provide specific procedural details in writing to students. The format of the examination is determined by the program. It should be taken during the last semester of the student’s graduate program and should be scheduled by the student and the advisor to be taken at least two weeks before graduation. The student must have at least a “B” average in the program of study and overall at the time of application for the examination. The necessary examination form is available in the Graduate College Office. The form must be requested at least five business days in advance of the examination date and must be returned to the Graduate College within 15 business days of the date of the examination by the advisor or a faculty designee.
At the start of the term in which any defense exam will be taken, the student is responsible for working with their advisor to establish a committee. Once the committee has been established the advisor or program coordinator will submit the information to the Graduate College.
In composing the membership of a comprehensive examination the majority of the membership must be full members of the Graduate Faculty at the time of the examination. The majority of the membership must also be from the student’s home discipline.
The student, in consultation with the advisor, can suggest the names of faculty to serve on the committee. An associate graduate faculty member may serve on the committee and must sign the final defense report. She or he may not chair the committee. A majority of the committee must recommend “satisfactory” in order for the student to pass.
A candidate who fails the defense (if one is required) may request one additional re-examination. A new defense form must be requested from the Graduate College. A student who fails to pass the defense on the second attempt will be dropped from the degree program.
Students should note specific program requirements for the final comprehensive examination, thesis defense, or its equivalent in the program description section of this catalog. Doctoral examinations may vary so students should see their program handbook.
Online Defense of Comprehensive Exam, Thesis, Dissertation, or Capstone Project
At the program’s discretion, an oral defense of the final dissertation, thesis, comprehensive examination, or capstone project may be conducted via audio-visual conferencing. Students should see the program or departmental handbook for details.
All sites must use compatible technology, and all participants must be visible to each other throughout the remote defense.
Materials for the remote defense (e.g., PPT or Prezi handouts) must be distributed to all committee members prior to the defense.
No recording of the remote defense will be acceptable.
Each department will have its own confidential protocol for voting on the outcome of the remote defense and conveying the results to the Graduate College.
The department will be responsible for all costs associated with the remote participation technologies and procedures.
Time Limit
All requirements for the master’s degree or Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degree must be completed within six academic years. Neither Radford University courses nor transfer courses more than six academic years old at the time of graduation will be allowed as part of the hours for graduation. All requirements for a doctoral degree must be completed within eight years. Neither Radford University courses nor transfer courses more than eight academic years old at the time of graduation will be allowed as part of the hours for graduation for a doctorate. At the discretion of the degree program, one or more courses that may fall within the time limit for any program may not necessarily be accepted.
Second Master’s Degree
Students will not be allowed to enroll in a graduate program leading to a master’s degree in a field in which they already hold a graduate degree. A student pursuing a second master’s degree in a new field may not count any credits toward the new degree already applied toward an earlier degree, but must meet all requirements for the appropriate degree.
Auditing Courses
Students may audit courses on a space available basis with written permission of the instructor and the department chairperson. Students who audit a course may not transfer to regular status in the course after the census date. Auditing students are expected to attend class on the same basis as a regular student. The instructor may delete from the roster any auditing student who does not meet course requirements.
After Nine Hours of Enrollment
- After the first nine hours of enrollment, a student must submit an official program of study to the Graduate College, approved and signed by his or her advisor. Any change in the coursework proposed on the program of study requires permission prior to making the change using a “Petition for Program Changes” form.
Last Semester of Enrollment
- The student should submit an application to graduate no later than the second week of the semester in which he/she expects to graduate. Information about commencement will be sent after the completed application has been received by the Graduate College.
- The student should check that all necessary changes to the program of study have been approved.
- If a program of study requires a thesis/dissertation, the student should submit a preliminary draft of the thesis/dissertation to the Graduate College’s Copy Editor for initial review no later than the dates posted on the Graduate College’s website. For all terms, one copy of the completed thesis/dissertation must be submitted to the Graduate College’s Copy Editor through the Repository no later than the dates posted on the Graduate College’s website. See “Thesis Manual” and deadlines on the Graduate College website for complete instructions.
The advisor or program coordinator must request an approval form for the final comprehensive examination, thesis/recital or dissertation defense at least five days in advance of the examination date. The date of the defense must be specified on the form. The advisor is responsible for returning the signed form to the Graduate College no more than fifteen business days after the defense.
A currently enrolled full-time student may meet the graduation requirements listed in the Radford University Graduate Catalog in effect at the time of the student’s initial enrollment at Radford. Or, the individual may elect to meet the requirements in any subsequent catalog published between enrollment and graduation as long as the catalog is no more than six years old for students in a master’s program or eight years old for students in a doctoral program. A student may not follow requirements for graduation listed in a catalog in effect prior to the student’s enrollment at Radford.
Application for Degree
Each candidate for an advanced degree must apply for the degree through the Graduate College by the census date of the expected term of graduation according to deadlines specified online. Unless the necessary forms are filled out by the student by the stated deadline, graduation may be delayed.
Commencement Exercises
Commencement exercises are conducted at the end of the fall and spring semesters and are open to degree-seeking students only. Students completing degree requirements are urged to attend. Extenuating circumstances may justify absence from these ceremonies. Diplomas will be mailed to students completing degree requirements. However, it is the official transcript issued by the Office of the Registrar that serves as confirmation that degree requirements have been completed.
Participation in Commencement
Radford University restricts participation in graduation exercises to those degree seeking students who will complete their degree requirements by the time of commencement. Students may participate in Spring commencement and hooding if they have no more than 6 credit hours or two courses remaining in their program of study and can complete all program requirements (including the thesis proposal defense, if applicable) during the immediately subsequent summer sessions (Maymester, Summer I, II, or III). Students in programs that require an extended off-campus internship may participate if all other conditions for participation have been met and the dates and location of the internship have been arranged. Individual programs may have more stringent requirements, as specified in the program sections of the Graduate Catalog.
M.A. students lacking only the hours of thesis credit may participate only after submitting the Thesis Proposal Defense form. All other students must have completed all degree requirements with the exceptions as described above in order to participate in commencement ceremonies.
Applications to graduate and to participate in commencement must be approved by the program following the guidelines established by programs and department. They must be submitted to the Graduate College by the census date of the expected term of graduation.
Participation in commencement does not guarantee that the diploma and a final official transcript will be issued.
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