Graduate Studies
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Overview
Contact:
Graduate Programs Office
Office: (417) 873-6948
Toll Free: 1 (888) 740-4638
Fax: (417) 873-6681
grad@drury.edu
Graduate Programs Office
Office: (417) 873-6948
Toll Free: 1 (888) 740-4638
Fax: (417) 873-6681
grad@drury.edu
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Academic Affairs for Graduate Programs
Academic Honesty & Integrity
Grading System
Grade Appeals Process
Academic Probation
Time Limitations
Transfer Credit
Normal Course Load
Online Courses
Credit Toward a Second Master's Degree
Dual Master's Degrees
The policy on academic dishonesty is to be applied to occasions when cheating, plagiarism, theft of examinations, giving or receiving illicit aid on academic assignments, and any other instances of academic dishonesty occur. The policy and procedure regarding academic dishonesty is followed in addition to the usual student disciplinary procedures.
Academic dishonesty undermines the values of Drury University as well as the educational endeavor. Dishonesty and theft of any kind are not to be tolerated, but the act of cheating in academic work is detrimental to the educational process and ultimately cheats both the student involved and the entire community of scholars.
The authority and responsibility of making decisions regarding academic dishonesty and its penalties fall to the faculty member in the course involved, the graduate director, the dean of the College of Graduate & Continuing Studies, the academic standing committee and the president of the university.
The initial judgment regarding both guilt and penalty will be made by the faculty member in the course. That judgment should be clearly communicated to the student. Faculty members shall notify the department head and the office of the dean of the College of Graduate & Continuing Studies of instances of academic dishonesty.
A student who thinks she or he has been unfairly treated by the faculty member in question of academic dishonesty may appeal that judgment through the appeal process by contacting the dean of the College of Graduate & Continuing Studies.
The faculty member is encouraged to keep in mind the seriousness of academic dishonesty and its relationship to the entire academic community and its intentions. The faculty member will make the initial judgment regarding the appropriate penalty for academic dishonesty within the following guidelines: requiring that the assignments in which the offense occurred be redone, failure on the assignment in which the offense occurred, lowering of a course grade, failure in the course or such other actions as the faculty member deems appropriate to a particular case.
All instances of academic dishonesty shall be reported to the dean of the College of Graduate & Continuing Studies. Faculty members should have and retain evidence to support their charges of academic dishonesty and be prepared to present that evidence should a review or an appeal occur.
Review:
An offense(s) as documented by the faculty member(s) in question and as reported to the dean of the College of Graduate & Continuing Studies may be considered grounds for dismissal from the university. The dean of the College of Graduate & Continuing Studies may request the academic standing committee to convene to review the evidence and make a recommendation regarding dismissal. The dean will make the final decision regarding dismissal; that decision may be appealed to the president of the university.
Appeals:
Due process and the rights of students will be observed throughout this procedure. Records of academic dishonesty as reported by the faculty will be kept in the dean’s office. These records will be destroyed upon the graduation of the student.
The grading symbols used in the graduate programs are A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, S, U, I, and F. There are no grades awarded below C except for the failing grade of F .
A grade of A indicates excellent academic performance. A grade of B indicates the quality and standard of academic work expected of graduate students. A grade of C indicates barely acceptable achievement and may be counted toward the graduate degree only when offset by sufficient grade points on other courses. A grade of F indicates an unacceptable level of performance.
A grade of S (Satisfactory) indicates the attainment of a B level or better. A grade of F or U indicates an unacceptable level of performance.
The following grade point system is used to determine one hour’s credit in computing academic standing: each hour of A counts as 4.0; A- counts as 3.7; B+ counts as 3.3; B counts as 3.00; B- counts as 2.7; C+ counts as 2.3; C counts as 2.0; F counts as 0.
A grade of I is given for incomplete work only if illness or other unavoidable causes prevent the student from completing the course. The student is responsible for contacting the instructor and determining what must be done to remove the I grade. Coursework must be completed and the I grade replaced with a letter grade within six weeks after the beginning of the semester immediately following the semester in which the I was received. The instructor granting the incomplete, or the graduate program director in the instructor’s absence, is required to report to the registrar a grade for the permanent record at the end of that period. An I not removed within the time period allowed will automatically be changed to an F grade. A specified extension of time for removal of the incomplete grade may be granted by the graduate program director. Until the grade has been formally recorded, the course will not be considered as hours attempted and thus will not be a part of the cumulative grade point average.
Students should be protected from prejudice and capriciousness in the awarding of grades. They are entitled to a reasonable explanation of their performance in relation to the standards of the course. They are also entitled to (1) a review of their grade by a responsible group of faculty in such cases where the student can establish a reasonable doubt that the grade was awarded fairly and (2) an adjustment of the grade where prejudice or capriciousness is established. A student may appeal a final course grade by the following steps:
1. If a student has a question concerning the final grade, she or he should discuss the matter with the faculty member within the first three weeks of the following semester. If the faculty member who awarded the grade is not on campus during the regular term, the student should contact the graduate program director. When the faculty member who awarded the grade is not available, the graduate program director or someone designated by the director would, in normal circumstances, be responsible for reaffirming or adjusting the grade. The original faculty member would be consulted whenever possible. If no agreement is reached between the student and the faculty member, the student must file an appeal letter with the dean of the College of Graduate & Continuing Studies by the end of the fourth week.
2. The graduate program director concerned then mediates negotiations between the faculty member and the student (normally for 2 weeks, or the fifth and sixth weeks of the term). If the program director is the faculty member concerned, the dean of the College of Graduate & Continuing Studies will appoint a mediator.
3. If mediated negotiations are unsuccessful, the student may file a formal written petition with the Graduate Grade Appeal Committee (consisting of one faculty member from each graduate program and one graduate student) before the end of the eighth week of the semester stating the reasons why he or she feels the grade was awarded in a prejudicial or capricious manner and presenting evidence to support the case. The petitioning student will be responsible for presenting any papers, tests, or exams that were returned to him or her. The faculty member will be responsible for making available any papers bearing on the case that were not returned to the student.
The Graduate Grade Appeals Committee receives the petition and, based on their experience as educators and their evaluation of the fairness of the grade, decides by simple majority vote whether to hear the case or not. If they choose not to hear the case, the committee has completed its review of the appeal. If the Graduate Grade Appeals Committee decides to hear the case, the student and the faculty member will present any evidence or other information that is required by the Graduate Grade Appeals Committee. In those cases where a member of the committee is involved as the faculty member who awarded the grade, that member shall resign from the case and the Faculty Affairs Committee, serving as a nominating committee, shall appoint another faculty member to serve on the Graduate Grade Appeals Committee to hear the case. The committee may also call for whatever other information members deem significant to their decision including testimony from the mediating faculty member from step two above. The mediating faculty member also will be heard if he or she so desires.
The Graduate Grade Appeals Committee will then decide if prejudice or capriciousness was involved in determining the final grade. A two-thirds majority vote is required to establish prejudice or capriciousness, in which case the grade will be changed. In the absence of a two-thirds majority vote, the case is closed.
4. The new grade will be determined by the graduate program director in consultation with the Graduate Grade Appeals Committee. If the graduate director is the faculty member who awarded the grade, the same person who functioned as mediator will determine the new grade in consultation with the Graduate Grade Appeals Committee.
5. All decisions of the committee on such petitions will be subject to automatic review by the dean of the College of Graduate & Continuing Studies and thereafter move into the normal channels of the university.
Drury students are expected to maintain the highest level of scholarship of which they are capable. Notification of probationary status serves as a warning that students are not making satisfactory progress toward the degree and that unless the quality of work improves they will be subject to dismissal from the program. Students with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00 are automatically placed on academic probation.
All program requirements must be completed no later than seven calendar years (including transfer work) after the student has begun graduate-level work.
A maximum of nine semester hours of A or B graduate work from an accredited college or university may be accepted for credit toward the degree. Correspondence work is not accepted. An official transcript of all transfer work completed must be presented to the appropriate graduate program director. The transcript will be evaluated at the time of admission to graduate study. MBA transfer credit is accepted only from business schools that are nationally and professionally accredited by a recognized accrediting body or with whom Drury has an articulation agreement.
Any work undertaken at another college or university after admission to the Drury graduate program must be approved in advance by the appropriate graduate program director.
Graduate study is an intensive undertaking that involves the need to balance work, study and personal obligations. In scheduling classes each term, consideration should be given to the challenge of the total academic load.
Drury University offers a variety of courses in a Web-based format for graduate students. Online courses are designed for students to complete assignments on a schedule established by the instructor. The virtual classrooms are ongoing with students expected to actively engage in online discussions on a regular basis.
Online classes require students to possess Internet proficiency and have access to the necessary computer hardware and software to participate in the class. Online students should have:
• the self-discipline to learn without face-to-face interaction with the instructor and classmates;
• an interest in developing “virtual” partnerships with faculty members and classmates at a distance;
• willingness to dedicate the same amount of time and effort to an online course that would be given to an on site course; and
• the necessary time management skills that enable them to balance online coursework with professional and personal responsibilities.
Textbooks for online courses can be ordered online from the Drury bookstore.
For further information, please contact the Graduate Programs Office at (417) 873-6948 or grad@drury.edu. You also may visit the office Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Credit Toward a Second Master's Degree
A student who has completed one master’s degree at Drury University or elsewhere may, upon recommendation of the advisor and approval by the graduate program director, present a maximum of nine hours of credit earned in the previous program toward a second master’s degree.
A student may pursue and complete two master’s degrees simultaneously at Drury University by:
• satisfying the requirements of both master’s degrees in the chosen programs (a different emphasis area does not constitute a separate program); and
• completing degree requirements, including thesis or projects, if required, for both programs.
