Provost's Office

Stackable Credentials Master's Degrees

lhendrickson@govst.edu — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 19:13:54 +0000

Stackable Credentials Master's Degrees

Purpose
The University may offer master's degree programs that allow students to combine (or “stack”) two or more eligible graduate certificates into a cohesive stackable credentials master’s degree (SCMD) to provide flexible, modular pathways for graduate education.
Definitions
1. Stack: To combine two or more academic or workforce credentials into a larger credential.
2. Stackable Credentials Master’s Degree (SCMD): A degree program that allows students to combine (or “stack”) two or more University-approved graduate certificates into a cohesive master’s degree within an academic discipline.
The Policy
1. Scope
  1. This policy applies to graduate students and SCMD programs.
  2. The policy on Graduate Studies (Policy 16) and other applicable policies apply to SCMD programs, except as modified by this policy (Policy 105).
2. SCMD Curriculum Approval Processes
  1. Only graduate certificates (Policy 58) formally approved through the University’s established curriculum and program approval processes (Policy 2) may be combined (“stacked”) in an SCMD program.
    1. All courses shall be graduate-level courses. Upper-division undergraduate courses shall not be used to satisfy graduate certificate requirements.
    2. Each underlying graduate certificate must include cohesive courses within a single study area.
  2. The combination(s) (“stacks”) of underlying graduate certificates must:
    1. Result in a cohesive and coherent degree within the academic discipline of the overarching SCMD;
    2. Meet the minimum credit hours for a master’s degree (Policy 16); and
    3. Satisfy all requirements of applicable regulations and accreditation standards.
  3. The structure of the overarching SCMD program, including the initial selection of eligible certificates and the scheme for satisfying the Graduate Culminating Experience for a master’s degree (Policy 16), must be approved through the university’s formal curriculum approval process (Policy 2).
  4. The list of eligible certificates and combinations in an SCMD program is published in the university catalog and may include certificates approved through the University’s established curriculum approval processes (Policy 2).
  5. The scope of SCMD curriculum approval processes shall be limited to the overarching SCMD program requirements, including admissions and completion. Thus, individual courses, syllabi, assessments, modalities, learning outcomes, and other internal structures previously approved in the underlying graduate certificates shall not be subject to re-review or re-approval as part of the SCMD program approval processes.
  6. University processes for program review and program assessment shall occur at the program level for the underlying certificates.
3. Admission
  1. Students must apply for admission to each underlying certificate program and earn admission separately into each certificate program. Students also must apply separately for admission into the SCMD program. Subsequent application fees may be waived, as applicable, and alternate streamlined admissions processes may be implemented.
  2. As a conditional admission requirement within the first semester, students must work with their graduate advisor to develop a formal Study Plan delineating the underlying certificates, capstone experience, and other requirements, including any additional coursework required. Failure to complete an approved Study Plan during the first semester of SCMD admission shall result in removal from the program. Students may reapply in a subsequent semester, provided they receive program approval.
  3. Admission to individual graduate certificate programs shall not guarantee admission to an SCMD program nor approval of the underlying certificates on the Study Plan. Students are encouraged to apply for the SCMD before enrolling in graduate certificate programs and courses to ensure maximum consideration.
4. SCMD Program Requirements
  1. Students must meet all requirements of each underlying graduate certificate, earn completion of the underlying graduate certificates, and satisfy all Study Plan and SCMD program requirements to earn the SCMD.
  2. In the Study Plan, at least one underlying certificate must include a Graduate Culminating Experience. Alternatively, students may request approval of a Study Plan that adds an approved Graduate Culminating Experience (Policy 16) as part of the plan.
  3. In the Study Plan, students may combine (or “stack”) two or more eligible graduate certificates that include one or more overlapping courses that fulfill requirements for two or more certificates, under these conditions and with program approval:
    1. The overlapping course will only count once toward the SCMD aggregate credit hours for meeting the minimum requirements for a master’s degree (Policy 16).
    2. If additional credit hours are needed to meet the minimum requirements (Policy 16), students shall work with their advisor to plan additional related courses to satisfy the University’s minimum credit hour requirements for a master’s degree.
  4. In the Study Plan, programs may approve exceptions to the amount of credit hours earned toward the underlying graduate certificates earned while the student was a non-degree-seeking student.
  5. Students must meet residency requirements (Policy 28).
  6. Candidacy (Policy 16) does not apply to SCMD programs.
5. Transfer Credit
  1. The summative credit hours transferred into an SCMD in all underlying certificates may not exceed the limits for Transfer Credit (Policy 30).
  2. Students must meet the requirements of Academic Residency Requirements for Degree Programs (Policy 28).
  3. Previously earned certificates used to fulfill requirements for another earned master’s degree, specialist degree, or doctoral degree (or similarly earned degree) at ��Ƶ or elsewhere are not eligible for reuse in the SCMD Study Plan.
  4. Alternatively, but only in merited cases, students may request approval for coursework under Advanced Standing (Policy 104) in lieu of the Transfer Policy (Policy 30).
6. Graduation
  Students completing an SCMD program shall be eligible for the same graduation and commencement benefits as all other University master’s degree completers.
7. Individual graduate programs may establish additional SCMD program procedures and requirements to align with accreditation, licensure requirements, curriculum, and program needs.

lhendrickson@g… 07/01/2026

President Joyce Ester

06/29/2026

SEO Summary

Combine graduate certificates for a Stackable Credentials Master's Degree (SCMD). Achieve your master's with flexible, modular pathways for advanced education.

Graduate Studies Policy

Academic Residency Requirements for Degree Program

Transfer Credit for Graduate Students Policy

Certificates

Advanced Standing for Graduate Programs

Curriculum and Course Approval/Change Policy

Acknowledgements

Pennsylvania State University, Texas A&M University-San Antonio, National Skills Coalition, Harvard University

105

Stackable Credentials Masters Degrees - (Policy 105)

Policy Categories

Academic Policies

Policy Owner/Department

Provost's Office

Advanced Standing for Graduate Programs

lhendrickson@govst.edu — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 18:20:56 +0000

Advanced Standing for Graduate Programs

Purpose
This policy establishes the framework and criteria for awarding Advanced Standing credit in most graduate programs.
Definitions
Advanced Standing: The award of individual courses and/or a block of credit hours to qualified graduate students who have completed significant previous graduate coursework, and licensure or professional experience where applicable, that merits recognition beyond standard transfer credit limitations. A student granted Advanced Standing will be exempt from part of the course of study.
The Policy
1. Scope
  1. This policy defines Advanced Standing for most graduate programs.
  2. This policy does not apply to some graduate programs designated as bridge programs as delineated in the student’s applicable catalog (for example, Master of Social Work).
2. Individual graduate programs may award individual course credits and/or a block of awarded credits through Advanced Standing, in place of Policy 30 (Transfer Credit for Graduate Students).
3. Students who are awarded Advanced Standing must satisfy the residency requirements in Policy 28 (Academic Residency Requirements for Degree Program) to graduate from the program. The number of credits awarded for Advanced Standing may not diminish or override the residency requirements for the graduate degree program.
4. Students seeking Advanced Standing must apply for Advanced Standing before the conclusion of their first semester of their program. The application must delineate the requested courses and/or explain the significant circumstances that merit recognition beyond standard transfer credit limitations in Policy 30 (Transfer Credit for Graduate Students). No course evaluation can be performed or credit approved until the student has been admitted into the graduate program.
5. Advanced Standing may be recommended by the program faculty who evaluate applications for Advanced Standing. The evaluation of an advanced standing application requires an evidence-based academic judgment regarding the equivalence of learning. Supporting evidence for a successful Advanced Standing application must be authentic, current, sufficient, and valid.
6. When evaluating courses taken at other institutions for equivalence:
  1. Courses must be taken at an accredited University or College at the graduate level.
  2. Graduate course credits earned from previously awarded graduate degrees and professional licensure are eligible for Advanced Standing approval.
  3. Awarded credits are documented on the student’s transcript as individual course credits and/or a block of awarded credits.
7. Individual graduate programs may establish additional Advanced Standing program procedures to align with accreditation, licensure requirements, curriculum, and program needs.
8. Advanced Standing credit recommended by the program faculty must be approved by the Department/Division Chair, approved by the Dean of the college of record for the degree, with final approval by the Provost, submitted to the Registrar for documentation in official student records, and with notification to the Dean of the Graduate College.
9. Applying for Advanced Standing does not guarantee approval.

lhendrickson@g… 07/01/2026

President Joyce Ester

06/18/2026

SEO Summary

Earn Advanced Standing credit for graduate programs. Recognize prior coursework & experience to shorten your degree path. Apply now!

Academic Residency Requirements for Degree Program

Transfer Credit for Graduate Students Policy

Acknowledgements

The university acknowledges and credits documents from the following in the writing of this document: University of Cincinnati, Lehman College, Loyola University, Le Cordon Bleu Australia

104

Advanced Standing for Graduate Programs - (Policy 104)

Policy Categories

Academic Policies

Policy Owner/Department

Provost's Office

Financial Conflict of Interest (FCOI) in Externally Sponsored Research and Educational Activities - Interim Policy

lhendrickson@govst.edu — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 22:41:16 +0000

Financial Conflict of Interest (FCOI) in Externally Sponsored Research and Educational Activities - Interim Policy

Statement of Need & Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to promote objectivity in externally funded research and educational activities by ensuring that the design, conduct, and reporting of research and educational activities funded under external grants or cooperative agreements will be free from bias resulting from the investigator (and/or the investigator’s spouse and/or dependent children) having significant financial conflicts of interest.
A significant financial conflict of interest (FCOI) means a significant financial interest (SFI) that could directly and significantly affect the design, conduct, or reporting of research or educational activities. Faculty and staff of the University have an obligation to maintain the objectivity of their research and educational activities by avoiding any financial conflict of interest. ��Ƶ developed this policy to protect the integrity of externally sponsored research and educational activities and to comply with federal regulations.
Investigator Requirements
Any Investigator responsible for the design, conduct, or reporting of research or educational activities funded or proposed for funding by external sources is required to:
1. Disclose, prior to applying for external funding, all “significant financial interests” over the previous twelve-month period (and those of his/her spouse, or dependent children) related to his or her institutional responsibilities.
2. Complete an annual disclosure form at the beginning of each academic year during the period of an award.
3. Update the disclosure within 30 days of discovery or acquisition (e.g. through purchase, marriage, or inheritance) of a new significant financial interest (including those of the investigator’s spouse and dependent children), and at least annually throughout the life of a sponsored agreement.
4. Comply with FCOI management plans instituted by ��Ƶ.
5. Complete FCOI training via the method/curriculum approved by ��Ƶ as described on the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research (OSPR) webpage:
  1. prior to engaging in the externally sponsored research or educational activities funded by external sources.
  2. at least every 4 years during the award period.
  3. any time an investigator is new to the institution and plans to participate in externally funded research or educational activities
  4. in the event an investigator has been found to be non-compliant with this policy or a management plan instituted by ��Ƶ.
6. Disclose the occurrence of any reimbursed or sponsored travel (i.e., that which is paid on behalf of the Investigator and not reimbursed to the Investigator so that the exact monetary value may not be readily available to the project sponsor and/or university) related to the Investigator’s institutional responsibilities including:
  1. the purpose of the trip
  2. the identity of the sponsor/organizer
  3. the destination
  4. the duration
  Project directors/principal investigators must ensure that all individuals who are responsible for the design, conduct, or reporting of externally funded research and educational activities disclose all significant financial interests related to their institutional responsibilities (see Section XIV. B. for definition of institutional responsibilities). This includes individuals who come to work on an established project through reallocation of effort, hiring, transfer, promotion, etc., and who thereby take on a responsible position in a project. New disclosures regarding ongoing projects shall be made by contacting OSPR.
Applicability
1. General Applicability: This policy applies to each Investigator who is planning to participate in, or is participating in, externally sponsored research and/or educational activities, regardless of sponsor or sponsor type. The policy also includes the Investigator's immediate family, which is defined as his/her spouse and dependent children.
  This policy does not apply to Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) applications.
2. Subrecipients (ONLY APPLIES TO PHS FUNDED PROPOSALS AND AWARDS):
  Subrecipients: The responsibility to identify, manage, and report significant financial conflicts of interests only applies to subrecipients when funds flow down from or through an awardee Institution to another individual or entity and the subrecipient will be conducting a substantive portion of the work funded by the Public Health Service (PHS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH). No other subrecipients funded by external funds are included under this policy. Subrecipient agreements for PHS externally funded awards issued by ��Ƶ shall contain language documenting whether the subrecipient organization will be subject to ��Ƶ’s FCOI policy or the FCOI policy of the subrecipient’s own institution.
  
  When the subrecipient will be following his/her own institutional FCOI policy, ��Ƶ will obtain a written certification from the subrecipient organization that its FCOI policy complies with the applicable sponsoring agency regulations regarding the identification, management, and reporting of FCOIs. Additionally, the subrecipient agreement will require the subrecipient organization to report identified FCOIs for its investigators to ��Ƶ, and will specify an acceptable time-frame for this reporting that will allow ��Ƶ to in turn report these FCOIs to the sponsoring agency as required.
  
  If a subrecipient cannot certify that their FCOI policy and procedures meet sponsoring agency regulations, then the subrecipient organization will be required to adhere to the ��Ƶ policy and procedures, and to submit subrecipient Investigator disclosures to ��Ƶ. The timeframe for submitting disclosures will be specified, consistent with federal requirements. In addition, the subrecipient investigator(s) must complete training prior to engaging in PHS funded research at least every four years during the award period, and immediately under the designated circumstances:
  1. Institutional Financial Conflict of Interest policies change in a manner that affects Investigator requirements
  2. An Investigator is new to an Institution
  3. An Institution finds that an Investigator is not in compliance with the Institution’s Financial Conflict of Interest policy or management plan.
3. Policy Implementation Schedule: This policy was required as of August 24, 2012 for entities with PHS funding.
What is a Significant Financial Interest?
A financial interest that consists of one or more of the following interests of the Investigator (and/or those of the Investigator’s spouse and and/or dependent children) and reasonably appears to be related to the Investigator’s institutional responsibilities is considered a “significant financial interest” and must be disclosed:
1. Interests in Publicly Traded Entities: With regard to any publicly traded entity, a significant financial interest exists if the value of any remuneration received from the entity in the twelve months preceding the disclosure and any equity interest in the entity as of the date of disclosure, when aggregated, exceeds $5,000. For purposes of this policy, remuneration includes salary and any payment for services not otherwise identified as salary (e.g., consulting fees, honoraria, paid authorship). Equity interest includes stock, stock option, or other ownership interest, as determined through reference to public prices or other reasonable measures of fair market value.
2. Interests in Non-publicly Traded Entities: With regard to any non-publicly traded entity, a significant financial interest exists if the value of the total remuneration received from the entity in the twelve months preceding the disclosure exceeds $5,000, or when the Investigator (or the Investigator’s spouse or dependent children) holds any equity interest (e.g., stock, stock option, or other ownership interest), regardless of dollar value associated with that equity interest.
3. Intellectual Property Rights and Interests (e.g., patents, copyrights), upon receipt of income in excess of $5,000 related to such rights and interests.
4. Reimbursed or Sponsored Travel: Investigators also must disclose the occurrence of any reimbursed or sponsored travel that exceeds $5,000 (i.e., that which is paid on behalf of the Investigator and not reimbursed to the Investigator so that the exact monetary value may not be readily available to the project sponsor and/or university), related to their institutional responsibilities. The items that would have to be disclosed are the purpose of the trip, the identity of the sponsor/organizer, the destination, and the duration.
5. Other: An Investigator should disclose any other financial or related interest that might present an actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest.
Exclusions
Financial interests that are excluded from this policy and which need not be disclosed include:
1. Salary, royalties, remuneration paid by ��Ƶ.
2. Income from seminars, lectures, or teaching engagements sponsored by:
  1. A federal, state, or local government agency located in the United States
  2. A United States institution of higher education as defined at 20 U.S.C. 1001(a)
  3. An academic teaching hospital,
  4. A medical center, or
  5. A research institute that is affiliated with a United States institution of higher education
3. Income from service on advisory committees or review panels sponsored by:
  1. A federal, state, or local government agency located in the United States
  2. A United States institution of higher education as defined at 20 U.S.C. 1001(a)
  3. An academic teaching hospital,
  4. A medical center, or
  5. A research institute that is affiliated with a United States institution of higher education
4. Travel reimbursed or sponsored by:
  1. A federal, state, or local government agency located in the United States
  2. A United States institution of higher education as defined at 20 U.S.C. 1001(a)
  3. An academic teaching hospital,
  4. A medical center, or
  5. A research institute that is affiliated with a United States institution of higher education
  6. Intellectual property rights that the Investigator has assigned to ��Ƶ or instances where an agreement exists to share royalties to such property rights with the University. Unlicensed intellectual property that does not generate income is excluded.
  7. Income from investment vehicles or retirement accounts unless the Investigator directly controls the investment decisions for these vehicles.
  Note: Investigators must disclose all foreign financial interests (which includes income from seminars, lectures, or teaching engagements, income from service on advisory committees or review panels, and reimbursed or sponsored travel) received by any foreign entity, including foreign Institution of higher education or a foreign government (which includes local, provincial, or equivalent governments of another country) when such income meets the threshold for disclosure (e.g., income in excess of $5,000).
Disclosure Process
Each Investigator applying for external funding for research and educational activities must disclose all significant financial interests (and those of his/her spouse, and dependent children) by completing a ��Ƶ FCOI Screening and Disclosure Form, in keeping with the following disclosure requirements:
1. All significant financial interests must be disclosed prior to the time a proposal for external funding is submitted. The initial disclosure process will coincide with the normal proposal routing/approval process used by OSPR. No proposal will be submitted by OSPR until each Investigator (e.g., any individual responsible for the design, conduct, or reporting of the proposed project, regardless of title) submits the FCOI Screening and Disclosure Form.
2. During the period of the sponsored agreement, all financial disclosures must be updated by Investigators within 30 days of discovering or acquiring (e.g., through purchase, marriage, or inheritance) a new significant financial interest.
3. All financial disclosures must be updated by Investigators at least annually on September 1 of each year during the period of the award. Such disclosure shall include any information that was not disclosed initially to ��Ƶ at the time of submission.
4. Investigators newly hired or otherwise advancing to a role of responsibility in the design, conduct, and reporting of externally sponsored research or educational activities must ensure that they complete a FCOI Screening and Disclosure Form and notify the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research to disclose significant financial interests (SFIs) and complete the required training.
5. Individuals should contact OSPR to update disclosures for ongoing sponsored projects.
Disclosures made to OSPR will be forwarded to ��Ƶ’s authorized signing official for grants (or designee) for review.
Review Process
The authorized signing official for grants (or designee) is responsible for reviewing FCOI Screening and Disclosure forms in which significant financial interests have been disclosed in order to determine whether the interests could reasonably be expected to affect the design, conduct, or reporting of the activities funded or proposed for funding. The authorized signing official for grants (or designee) may request additional clarifying information from the Investigator as necessary to complete their review.
A Financial Conflict of Interest exists when the University, through its designated official(s), reasonably determines that an Investigator’s Significant Financial Interest is related to sponsored research and constitutes and FCOI. The Significant Financial Interest is related to sponsored research when:
1. the Significant Financial Interest could be affected by the research, or
2. the Significant Financial Interest is in an entity whose financial interest could be affected by the research.
If the Significant Financial Interest is determined to be related to the sponsored research, an FCOI exists when the designated official(s) determine the Significant Financial Interest could directly and significantly affect the design, conduct or reporting of sponsored research.

In the case of initial awards, the authorized official for grants or designee will conduct the review of disclosures and work with the Dean of the College where the individual will be employed to develop a management plan, if necessary, prior to the expenditure of funds. In the case of disclosures of new financial interests throughout the life of an on-going project, the authorized signing official for grants or designee will conduct the review of disclosures and work with the Dean of the College where the individual resides to develop a management plan, if necessary, within 60 days of receiving the disclosure.
Management/Monitoring Process for Identified Conflicts of Interest
The Dean of the College where the individual is employed is responsible for developing a management plan for any identified conflicts of interest to ensure that any conflict is managed, reduced, or eliminated. The Dean may include the Investigator in the development of this plan. In all cases, resolution of the conflict or establishment of an acceptable conflict management plan must be achieved before expenditure of any funds under an award.
1. Management plans may include, but are not limited to, the following conditions or restrictions:
  1. Public disclosure of significant financial interests;
  2. Monitoring of the research by independent reviewers;
  3. Modification of the planned activities (possibly subject to sponsor approval);
  4. Disqualification from participation in all or part of the project;
  5. Reduction or elimination of the significant financial interests (e.g., sale of an equity interest);
  6. Severance of relationships creating financial conflict.
2. Management plans will include at a minimum the following elements:
  1. Role and principal duties of the conflicted investigator in the research project.
  2. Conditions of the management plan.
  3. How the management plan is designed to safeguard the objectivity in the research project.
  4. Confirmation of the Investigator’s agreement to the management plan.
  5. How the management plan will be monitored to ensure investigator compliance.
  6. Other information as needed.
  In completing the FCOI Screening and Disclosure form, each Investigator must certify that if the authorized signing official for grants (or designee) determines a conflict exists, the Investigator will adhere to all conditions or restrictions imposed upon the project and will cooperate fully with the individual(s) assigned to monitor compliance throughout the life of the funded project.
Retrospective Review Process and Remedies
In instances where any of the following has occurred, the authorized signing official for grants or designee will complete within 120 days a retrospective review of the research project to determine whether bias has occurred in the research:
1. A financial conflict of interest was not identified or managed in a timely manner, including instances where an investigator failed to disclose a significant interest that is determined by the authorized signing official for grants or designee to be a financial conflict of interest;
2. The institution has failed to review or manage a financial conflict of interest;
3. An Investigator has failed to comply with the conflict of interest management plan proscribed by the Dean of the College where the individual is employed.
If it is determined through retrospective review that the research has been biased by the Investigator’s financial interests, then the authorized signing official for grants or designee and the Dean of the College where the individual is employed will specify an appropriate set of remedies to eliminate or mitigate the bias.
Depending on the nature of the financial conflict of interest, the authorized signing official for grants or designee may determine that additional measures are necessary with regard to the Investigator’s participation in the funded research project during the period of the retrospective review.
Maintenance of Records
OSPR will maintain records of all disclosures, reviews, and associated actions. All records will be maintained for three years following the letter of termination or completion of the project or resolution of any government action involving the records.

All FCOI Screening and Disclosure forms and related documents are considered sensitive information, and only those persons involved in the implementation of this policy will routinely have access to such records. However, all FCOI and SFI information (including institutional reviews and determinations) will be made available to the sponsoring agency upon request, or as required by this policy’s reporting requirements. Additionally, there may be circumstances in which FCOI related information is made public in accordance with sponsor regulations and the public accessibility requirements of this policy (see Reporting Process and Public Accessibility sections below).
Reporting Process
��Ƶ recognizes its obligation to report information originating from the University’s FCOI process to sponsoring agencies, and will provide the necessary information to those agencies in a manner, format, and level of detail consistent with the sponsor’s requirements for such reporting. OSPR will review the sponsoring agency’s reporting requirements to ensure the appropriate information is submitted.
1. Reporting to PHS Awarding Components: Management plan reports to PHS awarding components will include at a minimum the following elements:
  1. Sponsor Project Number or identifier
  2. Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) or contact PD/PI
  3. Name of Investigator with the financial conflict of interest
  4. Name of entity with which the Investigator has a financial conflict of interest
  5. Nature of the financial interest (e.g., equity, consulting fee, travel reimbursement, honorarium)
  6. Value of the financial interest (utilizing the categories below is permissible):
    $0-4,999
    $5,000 - $9,999
    $10,000 - $19,999
    $20,000 - $39,999
    $40,000 - $59,999
    $60,000 - $79,999
    $80,000 - $100,000
    Over $100,000 (document in increments of $50K) $
    Value cannot be readily determined
  7. A description of how the financial interest relates to the funded research, and the basis for the institution’s determination that the financial interest conflicts with such research.
  8. A description of the key elements of the management plan, including:
    1. Role and principal duties of the conflicted investigator in the research project.
    2. Conditions of the management plan.
    3. How the management plan is designed to safeguard the objectivity in the research project.
    4. Confirmation of the Investigator’s agreement to the management plan.
    5. How the management plan will be monitored to ensure investigator compliance.
    6. Other information as needed.
2. Retrospective Review and Mitigation Reports to PHS Awarding Components:
  In the event that the failure of an Investigator to comply with this policy or with a financial conflict of interest management plan, OSPR will notify the sponsoring agency of the corrective action taken, including the outcome of the retrospective review, and the mitigation plan.
  
  Retrospective Review and Mitigation Reports to PHS awarding components will include, at minimum, the following elements:
  1. Project Number;
  2. Project Title;
  3. PD/PI or Contact PD/PI if a multiple PD/PI model is used;
  4. Name of Investigator with the FCOI;
  5. Name of the entity with which the Investigator has a financial conflict of interest;
  6. Reason(s) for the retrospective review;
  7. Detailed methodology used for the retrospective review (e.g., methodology of the review process, composition of the review panel, documents reviewed);
  8. Findings of the review;
  9. Conclusions of the review; and
  10. Description of the impact of the bias on the research project and the Institution’s plan of action or actions taken to eliminate or mitigate the effect of the bias.
Public Accessibility for PHS Awarding Components (ONLY APPLIES TO PHS FUNDED PROPOSALS AND AWARDS)
��Ƶ recognizes the importance of transparency, and that PHS requires information about FCOIs to be made accessible to the public. ��Ƶ maintains an FCOI Public Accessibility webpage to fulfill this obligation regarding PHS Awarding Components. In instances where a financial conflict of interest of senior/key personnel has been managed (rather than eliminated) the following information will be made available to the public prior to expenditure of funds:
1. Name of Investigator with the financial conflict of interest
2. Title and role with respect to the research project
3. Name of entity in which the significant financial interest is held
4. Nature of the significant financial interest (e.g., equity, consulting fee, travel reimbursement, honorarium)
5. Value of the financial interest (utilizing the categories below is permissible):
  $0-4,999
  $5,000 - $9,999
  $10,000 - $19,999
  $20,000 - $39,999
  $40,000 - $59,999
  $60,000 - $79,999
  $80,000 - $100,000
  Over $100,000 (document in increments of $50K) $ _________________
  Value cannot be readily determined
Additionally, this information will be updated annually throughout the life of the funded project, and within 60 days of any new disclosure determined to be a financial conflict of interest. The information will remain available for 3 years from the date of the most recent update of the information.
Enforcement Mechanisms, Remedies, and Non-compliance \

Failure to properly disclose relevant financial interests or to adhere to conditions or restrictions imposed by the authorized signing official for grants or designee or the Dean of the College where the individual with conflict of interest is employed will be considered a violation of this policy.

Alleged violations of this policy will be investigated by the authorized signing official for grants or designee, who will provide a written report of findings to the Provost. Breaches of policy include failure to file the necessary disclosure statements; knowingly filing incomplete, erroneous, or misleading disclosure forms; or failure to comply with procedures prescribed by the authorized signing official for grants or designee.

If the Provost determines that this policy has been violated, he/she may impose sanctions consistent with the rights of faculty and staff members under the Ethics Act (5 ILCS 430/State Officials and Employees Ethics Act), subject to applicable collective bargaining agreements. These sanctions may include, but are not limited to: notification of sponsor and possible termination of award; formal admonition; a letter to the Investigator's personnel file; suspension of the privilege to apply for external funding and/or to seek IRB/IACUC approval; and other remedies necessary to eliminate or mitigate the impact of any potential bias.

If the allegations and review suggest a possible violation of the GSU Board of Trustees regulations regarding the “provisions to ensure that persons engaged in grant or contract funded activities do not have conflicts of interest that could compromise the integrity of the activities and the university,” then a concurrent report to GSU Internal Audit will be made. See http://www.govst.edu/AboutGSU/t_AboutGSU.aspx?id=9410 for the regulations issued July 12, 1996 in Section III. Academic Affairs Subsection D. Grants and Contracts.
Appendix
1. Definitions
  1. Disclosure of significant financial interests: an Investigator’s disclosure of significant financial interests to an Institution.
  2. Financial conflict of interest (FCOI): a significant financial interest that could directly and significantly affect the design, conduct, or reporting of externally funded research or educational activity.
  3. FCOI report: an Institution’s report of a financial conflict of interest to the external sponsor, including the awarding component within PHS for PHS funded research.
  4. Financial interest: anything of monetary value, whether or not the value is readily ascertainable.
  5. Institutional Responsibilities: an individual’s professional responsibilities on behalf of ��Ƶ, which include: research, teaching, institutional committee memberships, and service on panels such as the Institutional Review Board (IRB), Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), or other monitoring boards.
  6. Investigator: any project director or principal investigator and any other person, regardless of title or position, who is responsible for the design, conduct, or reporting of research; this may include collaborators or consultants.
  7. Manage: taking action to address a financial conflict of interest, which can include reducing or eliminating the financial conflict of interest, to ensure, to the extent possible, that the design, conduct, and reporting of research will be free from bias.
  8. PD/PI: a project director or principal Investigator of a funded research project; the PD/PI is included in the definitions of senior/key personnel and Investigator.
  9. PHS: the Public Health Service of the US Department of Health and Human Services and any components of the PHS to which the authority involved may be delegated, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
  10. PHS awarding component: an organizational unit within PHS that funds research.
  11. Research and/or Educational Activities: a systematic investigation, study or experiment designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge. The term encompasses basic and applied research (e.g., for a published article, book, or book chapter), product development (e.g., for a diagnostic test or drug), and artistic or creative works. As used in this policy, the term includes any such activity for which funding is available for research and/or educational activities through a grant (sponsored project) or cooperative agreement.
  12. Significant Financial Interest: a financial conflict of interest that could directly and significantly affect the design, conduct, or reporting of externally funded research. (See section “What is a Significant Financial Interest?”)
  13. Senior/key personnel: the PD/PI and any other person identified as senior/key personnel by the Institution in the grant application, progress report, or any other report submitted to the PHS by the Institution under this subpart
  14. Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program: the extramural research program for small businesses that is established by the Awarding Components of the Public Health Service and certain other Federal agencies under Pub. L. 97-219, the Small Business Innovation Development Act, as amended. For purposes of this policy, the term SBIR Program also includes the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program, which was established by Pub. L. 102-56
  15. ��Ƶ Institutional Responsibilities
    As an institution that receives external funding for sponsored programs, research, or educational activities, ��Ƶ must:
    1. Establish standards that provide a reasonable expectation that the design, conduct, and reporting of externally funded research and educational activities will be free from bias resulting from Investigator financial conflicts of interest.
    2. Maintain an up to date, written, enforced policy that complies with federal FCOI regulations and make this policy available via a publicly accessible website.
    3. Inform each Investigator of this policy and their responsibilities regarding disclosure.
    4. Require each Investigator to complete training regarding this policy prior to engaging in externally funded research and educational activities, at least every 4 years during the course of the project, and immediately when any of the following circumstances apply:
      1. The policy is revised.
      2. The Investigator is new to ��Ƶ.
      3. An Investigator is found to be out of compliance with the policy or an FCOI management plan.
    5. Take reasonable steps to ensure any PHS funded subrecipient complies with either this policy or their own institutional policy which must meet the external sponsor’s FCOI requirements.
    6. Designate an institutional official or officials to solicit and review disclosures of significant financial interests from each Investigator who is planning to participate in, or is participating in, funded research.
    7. Require that each Investigator disclose to the designated official(s) the Investigator’s significant financial interests, and those of the Investigator’s spouse and dependent children prior to submission of a proposal for external funding for research or educational activities.
    8. Require that the Investigator involved in externally funded research and educational activities submit an updated disclosure of significant financial interest at least annually.
    9. Require that the Investigator involved in the externally funded research and educational activities submit an updated disclosure of significant financial interest within 30 days of discovering or acquiring (through purchase, marriage, or inheritance) a new significant financial interest.
    10. Provide guidelines for the designated officials to determine whether a significant financial interest is related to funded research, and if so related, whether it is a financial conflict of interest.
    11. Take such actions as necessary to manage a financial conflict of interest, including any financial conflict of interest of a PHS funded subrecipient Investigator that is complying with our institution’s policy. Management of an identified FCOI requires development and implementation of a management plan, and, if necessary, a retrospective review and mitigation report.
    12. Provide initial and ongoing reports as required by the sponsoring agency.
    13. Maintain records of all Investigator disclosures of Investigator financial interests and the institution’s review of and response to such disclosures (whether or not a disclosure resulted in the institution’s determination of FCOI) and all actions under the institution’s FCOI policy or retrospective review if applicable. These records shall be maintained for at least 3 years from the date of submission of the final expenditures report, or as specified by the funding agency.
    14. Establish adequate enforcement mechanisms and provide for employee sanctions or other administrative actions to ensure Investigator compliance, as appropriate.
    15. Provide certifications regarding the University’s FCOI process in each application for funding when such certifications are required by the sponsor.
    16. Disclose information about FCOIs currently being managed in relation to the institution’s sponsored agreements via a publicly accessible website (when required to do so by the sponsoring agency)
  16. Informing the Campus Community of this Policy
    As a matter of process, Investigators will be informed of these requirements through multiple means and at several key time-points, including (but not limited to) some or all of the methods listed below. This list is not meant to be exhaustive or proscriptive, but rather is meant to convey the institution’s commitment to establishing a culture of compliance with this policy by utilizing multiple and varied communication strategies.
    1. Campus-wide communications/reminders regarding ��Ƶ sponsored programs and research policies.
    2. Publication of this policy on the OSPR website.
    3. During the ��Ƶ proposal routing process.
    4. New award communications sent to the principal Investigator during the award set- up phase, and prior to expenditure of funds.

lhendrickson@g… 04/16/2026

President Cheryl Green

11/21/2024

SEO Summary

��Ƶ's interim policy ensures objectivity in externally sponsored research by managing financial conflicts of interest among.

Policy For Protection of Human Research Subjects

Office of Sponsored Grants and Research

068

Financial Conflict of Interest (FCOI) in Externally Sponsored Research and Educational Activities - Interim Policy (Policy 68)

Policy Categories

Academic Policies

Business Policies

Policy Owner/Department

Provost's Office

Academic Grievance Policy and Procedures

lhendrickson@govst.edu — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 23:22:28 +0000

Academic Grievance Policy and Procedures

Purpose
This policy establishes ��Ƶ procedures for student grievances in order to ensure due process and respect for individuals’ rights. This grievance policy may be invoked in order to bring resolution to disputes regarding program admission decisions (beyond admission to the university), academic advising, grades, and other academic matters. This policy applies only to students admitted or enrolled at ��Ƶ. This policy is not intended to replace or duplicate the protections available to students under Policy 52 (Anti-Discrimination and Harassment Policy and Compliance Procedures) and Policy 78 (Title IX and Anti-Sex Discrimination Harassment and Retaliation). Nothing in this policy prevents a student from filing a complaint under Policy 52 and/or Policy 78 concurrently with an academic grievance.
University students are members of the academic community at ��Ƶ. As members of the university community, students have a right to request an explanation, reconsideration, and review of an academic advisor’s, faculty member’s, and/or administrator’s professional judgment related to decisions rendered in academic and non-academic complaints.
Definitions
1. Academic Grievances: This policy is focused on student grievances related to program admission decisions, academic advising, allegations of arbitrary and capricious grades received in a class, and other academic matters that involve a faculty member’s and/or administrator’s professional judgment. The other university policies that include redress for academic issues include: Policy 24 (Academic Honesty); Policy 26 (Interim Grading and Status Policy); Policy 52 (Anti Discrimination and Harassment Policy and Compliance Procedures); and Policy 78 (Title IX and Anti-Sex Discrimination Harassment and Retaliation).
2. Arbitrary and Capricious Grading: This constitutes either or both of the following: (1) the assignment of a grade to a particular student on some basis other than performance in the course; and/or (2) the assignment of a grade representing a substantial departure from the instructor’s previously announced standards.
3. College Grievance Committees: The College Grievance committees conduct hearings on student grievances.
4. Correspondence: All grievance-related correspondence shall be submitted in writing through GSU email or an alternative communicational means previously approved for grievance processing.
5. Dual Roles: Dual roles refers to staff or faculty who are assigned more than one level of review of a student’s grievance. For example, an advisor or faculty member may be the subject of a grievance while also serving as a division/department chair. Dual roles should be avoided to ensure that a student’s complaint is independently reviewed at each level.
6. Grade Appeal: A grievant may file a grievance appealing a final grade in a course. A grade appeal shall not be used to challenge the academic or professional judgment of the course instructor in evaluating the quality of student work. Grade appeals shall be limited to situations where a student alleges that a course instructor assessed a grade that was arbitrary or capricious.
7. Grievance: A written statement that describes the academic grievance raised by the grievant against the respondent and the requested resolution. The grievance may include supporting documentation. Examples of supporting documentation include but are not limited to: course syllabi; class assignments; directions for assignments; email communications; assessment criteria; faculty feedback on assignments; created study plans; and logs of verbal conversations.
8. Grievant: A student filing a grievance under this policy.
9. Hearing: A hearing is a review conducted by a College Grievance Committee of a grievance brought under this policy in order to make recommendations to the college’s division/department chair and academic dean about resolving a grievance.
10. Hearing Chair: The hearing chair is the member of the College Grievance Committee responsible for conducting the hearing. In most circumstances, the elected Grievance Committee chair will act as the hearing chair for grievance hearings. In situations where the academic grievance arises from the same division/department as the committee chair or when the committee chair is unable to fulfill the duties of hearing chair, the committee vice-chair or a designee who is a tenured faculty member of the Grievance Committee will act as the hearing chair. In this situation, the committee chair may serve as a member at the hearing if both the grievant and respondent approve.
11. Issue of Substance: An initial determination by a division/department chair, academic dean, or the provost or designee that, based on the submitted evidence, sufficient grounds exist to proceed with a hearing. Examples of issues of substance include but are not limited to: arbitrary and capricious grading; a mathematical or clerical error that remains uncorrected; more exacting standards used for one student than were applied to others; assignment of a grade to a particular student on a basis other than performance in the course; deviation from approved plans of study; or a grade based on substantial departure from the course syllabus and/or written assignment directions.
12. Nonacademic Grievances: Nonacademic grievances are described in other University policies, including Policy 52, Policy 78, and Policy 4 (Student Conduct).
13. Records: Records related to student academic grievances shall not be reflected on student transcripts or diplomas. Information about student records is described in Policy 12 (Access to Student Educational Records).
14. Respondent: A faculty member, advisor, or administrator against whom a grievance is filed under this policy.
15. Support Staff: A staff person appointed by an academic dean to assist the Grievance Committee, schedule hearings, and assemble documents as requested by the committee chair. Once a hearing is completed, the support staff communicates the committee’s recommendations to the student and the division/department chair and submits official records for archiving.
16. University Grievance Committee: A special grievance committee convened for the purpose of hearing an academic grievance that contains issue(s) of substance filed against an academic dean. A University Grievance Committee shall have as members four tenured faculty members and two students selected by the provost or designee.
17. Working days: For the purpose of this policy, working days shall mean Monday through Friday, excluding university holidays.
The Policy
1. Scope
  1. This policy applies to academic grievances. Procedures for such grievances are outlined within.
2. Informal Resolution
  1. Prior to filing a written grievance, except in instances of academic grievances that also involve allegations of violations of Title IX, sex discrimination, or harassment under Policy 78, or allegations of discrimination or harassment under Policy 52, the student must seek informal resolution of the issue with the faculty member or administrator directly involved in the issue/incident of concern. (In a case where violations of Policy 52 and/or Policy 78 are also alleged, a student may bring a complaint under Policy 52 and/or Policy 78 and an academic grievance under Policy 5 concurrently.)
  2. The student must seek this informal resolution within fifteen working days of the occurrence of the issue. If, after reasonable efforts, a satisfactory solution is not reached, the student may file a written grievance with the appropriate division/department chair.
3. Filing a Grievance
  1. To file an academic grievance, the grievant must submit a written grievance with any supporting evidence to the division/department chair of the academic unit in which the course(s) or advising is offered within thirty working days of the event that led to the grievance.
  2. The written grievance must state the reasons for the grievance and the remedy that is sought.
  3. Grievants are responsible for complying with the procedures described in this policy.
  4. When the division/department chair is named as the respondent in a grievance, the grievant shall submit the written grievance directly to the academic dean of the college in which the class or degree is offered, instead of the division/department chair. In this situation, the academic dean shall be responsible for acting in the place of the division/department chair as set forth in this policy.
  5. When a dean is named as the respondent in a grievance, the grievant shall submit the written grievance directly to the provost or designee, instead of the division/department chair or academic dean. In this situation, the provost shall be responsible for acting in the place of the division/department chair as set forth in this policy. When the provost or designee is acting in this capacity and determines that an academic grievance brought against a dean is an issue of substance, they shall convene a special University Grievance Committee to act in place of the College Grievance Committee with regard to this grievance.
4. Request for Extension of Filing a Grievance
  1. The grievant may request a one-time extension of the thirty working-day time period in which a grievance must be filed.
  2. This request must be in writing to the division/department chair prior to the end of the thirty-day period with reasons and requested time for extension.
5. Determination of Grievances
  1. In order to ensure that grievances are processed in a timely manner, each level of review during the grievance process should be completed within ten working days, unless the college determines that a different timeline is more appropriate given the circumstances. Either party may request a modification to the grievance timeline, which may be granted at the discretion of the Dean, Division Chair, or Grievance Committee Chair.
  2. The division/department chair should make a timely determination (within five working days if possible) of whether the grievance is an issue of substance or not.
  3. If the grievance is determined to be an issue of substance:
    1. After receiving the grievance and upon determination that it represents an issue of substance covered by the context of the procedures, the division/department chair shall refer the grievance to the academic dean and the College Grievance Committee chair.
    2. At the time the grievance is referred to the committee chair and dean, the division/department chair shall provide a copy of the grievance, any supporting documents, and a written statement of their decision that it represents an issue of substance and that it is being referred to the Grievance Committee to the respondent.
    3. In cases where the grievance arises from the Grievance Committee chair’s division/department, the grievance shall be referred to the committee’s vicechair or designee who will serve as the hearing chair. The Grievance Committee chair may continue to serve as a member for the hearing if all parties, including the grievant and respondent, confirm that there is no conflict of interest.
    4. After the referral of the grievance to the Grievance Committee, the hearing chair shall request from the respondent a written response to the grievance. The written notice must include the due date by which the written response is due. The hearing chair shall also send a copy of the notice to the grievant.
    5. At the same time, the hearing chair shall provide the grievant with a copy of this policy.
    6. Upon receipt of the respondent’s written response to the grievance, the hearing chair shall send a copy of the response to the grievant.
    7. All communication about the grievance and hearing will be maintained as part of the official record.
    8. Upon receiving a written response from the respondent, the hearing chair shall convene a hearing of the Grievance Committee. If the respondent fails to submit a timely written response, the hearing chair shall convene a hearing of the Grievance Committee within ten working days of the due date of the written response. All parties shall receive notice of the date of the hearing and their right to attend and speak to the Grievance Committee at the scheduled hearing.
  4. If the grievance is determined NOT to be an issue of substance
    1. If the division/department chair decides that the grievance does not represent an issue of substance covered by these procedures, the division/department chair shall so inform the grievant in writing with reasons.
    2. The grievant may appeal the division/department chair’s decision of no substance to the academic dean in writing.
    3. The decision of the academic dean shall be submitted in writing to the division/department chair and the grievant.
    4. The grievant may appeal the academic dean’s decision to the provost (or designee) in writing.
    5. The decision of the provost (or designee) shall be provided in writing to the academic dean, the division/department chair, and the grievant, and is final and binding.
    6. In cases where the division/department chair is the respondent in the original grievance, to avoid the division/department chair serving in a dual role, the determination of substance shall be made by the dean. If the grievant appeals a dean’s decision of no substance, the appeal is submitted to the provost (or designee), whose decision is final and binding.
  5. Composition and Election of College Grievance Committee Members
    1. Membership. Each College Grievance Committee is made up of faculty members and student members.
      1. Faculty members and alternates. Four full-time tenured faculty from at least two divisions/departments, as defined by college structure, shall serve as committee members for two-year staggered terms. Two additional full-time tenured faculty shall serve as alternates for one-year terms. Faculty members and alternates shall be elected by the college’s full-time faculty (Unit A & B) at the start of each academic year. Election results will be announced no later than September 1 of each year. Members may be reelected for subsequent terms.
      2. Student members and alternates. Two students from the college shall serve as committee members. Two students from the college shall serve as alternates. Student members and alternates shall be appointed by the academic dean each year.
    2. The members of the College Grievance Committee shall elect the chair and vice-chair and report the election results to the academic dean and division/department chairs no later than September 10 of each academic year.
  6. College Grievance Committee/Grievance Hearing Guidelines
    1. The grievant shall be responsible for establishing the prima facie validity of the grievance. The grievant shall establish the basis or grounds for the grievance by providing sufficient evidence.
    2. Hearings shall be conducted by the hearing chair.
    3. At their discretion, the grievant and respondent may each have one advisor present during the hearing. However, the advisor shall not participate in the grievance hearing in any way, including, but not limited to asking or responding to questions, making arguments, or presenting witnesses or evidence, and may only advise the grievant or respondent. If an advisor is an attorney, the grievant or respondent must notify the Grievance Committee chair, division/department chair, and dean of that fact a minimum of five working days prior to the hearing.
    4. The hearing shall be closed, except when both parties agree that other selected people may attend. Except in situations where extenuating circumstances occur, both the grievant and respondent shall be present for the entire hearing.
    5. The hearing chair shall make a written record of the hearing, which shall include:
      1. The hearing date and names of those present;
      2. A copy of any evidence (records, written testimony, duplicated materials, etc.) that is introduced; and
      3. A written record of the final recommendation of the committee.
    6. The hearing shall be conducted so that all parties to the dispute have an opportunity to present their views and to rebut those of others.
    7. Both the grievant and respondent must have the opportunity to review all submitted materials prior to the hearing. Both shall also have the opportunity to address the hearing committee.
    8. The committee shall not hear testimony nor make final recommendation unless a majority of voting members are present.
    9. All final recommendations shall require the agreement of a simple majority of voting members present at the hearing. These hearings are not a court of law and formal rules of evidence and procedure need not be followed or adopted. The hearing chair has authority to ensure the proceedings are conducted with decorum and to bar witnesses if necessary to ensure such decorum.
    10. Final Recommendation of the Grievance Committee
      1. The final recommendation of the Grievance Committee shall include:
        A statement that the grievance is founded or unfounded;
        The committee's rationale for its decision that the grievance is founded or unfounded; and
        A recommendation for resolving the grievance if founded.
      2. The final recommendation of the Grievance Committee shall be submitted to the academic dean or designee along with all materials related to the complaint, response, and hearing.
      3. The academic dean or designee shall communicate the recommendations to the grievant, the respondent, and the department/division chair.
    11. Division/Department Chair's Role Following Committee's Final Recommendation
      1. The division/department chair may affirm, reverse, or ask the committee to clarify or reconsider its recommendations.
      2. The division/department chair may also request further information from the grievant and respondent in rendering a decision.
      3. The division/department chair shall render a written decision within ten working days of receipt of final documentation from the Grievance Committee and shall send the written decision to the grievant, the respondent, and hearing chair.
    12. Appeal of the Division/Department Chair's Decision
      1. If the decision by the division/department chair is unsatisfactory to the grievant, the grievant may appeal the decision in writing to the academic dean. If the academic dean has assumed the duties of the division/department chair and issued the initial decision, the grievant may appeal the decision in writing directly to the provost or designee.
      2. The grievant must submit the written appeal to the academic dean or provost within ten working days of receipt of the division/department chair's decision.
      3. The academic dean shall issue a written decision within ten working days of receipt of the appeal and shall send the written decision to the grievant, the respondent, and the hearing chair.
      4. The student may appeal the academic dean's decision to the provost or designee in writing no later than ten working days of receipt of the academic dean's decision.
      5. The provost or designee shall issue a final and binding written decision within ten working days and shall send the written decision to the grievant, the respondent, and the hearing chair.
    13. Acknowledgement
      1. The university wishes to acknowledge consulting documents from the University of Illinois, Eastern Illinois University, Northeastern University, and Southern Illinois University in the preparation of this policy.

lhendrickson@g… 04/14/2026

President Cheryl Green

07/24/1980

06/17/2024

SEO Summary

��Ƶ establishes procedures for student grievances regarding admissions, academic advising, grades, and other academic matters to ensure.

Anti-Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation Policy

Anti-Sex Discrimination (Title IX) Policy - Interim

Academic Honesty

Grading and Status Policy

005

Academic Grievance Policy and Procedures (Policy 5)

Policy Categories

Academic Policies

Policy Owner/Department

Provost's Office

07/24/1980, 01/25/00, Interim Policy 09/03/04 and 09/01/07, 3/31/10, 6/17/10, 09/24/12, 10/04/22, 06/17/2024

English Language Proficiency Policy

lhendrickson@govst.edu — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 15:53:01 +0000

English Language Proficiency Policy

Prior to admission to an undergraduate degree, graduate degree, or certificate program, all applicants from an institution where English is not the principal language of instruction must provide evidence acceptable to the University of having attained sufficient mastery of the English language.
Methods for Determining Mastery
1. At least one (1) of the following three (3) items must be satisfied:
  1. Applicants must attain a minimum acceptable score on a test of English as a foreign language. Test scores must be no more than two (2) years old at the time of application.
  2. Applicants must have completed a minimum proficiency level of 112 through ELS Education Services Inc.’s Language Centers, or
  3. Applicants must have completed ��Ƶ’s Intensive ESL Program as outlined in V.
2. For the TOEFL, minimum acceptable scores are as follows (see TOEFL web site for explanation of scoring procedures):
  Undergraduate Level Applicants
  Type of TOEFL Exam Paper Computer Internet (iBT)
  Total Score 500 173 68
  Reading 53 20 19
  Writing 54 21 16
  Listening 53 19 18
  Speaking
  15
  
  Master Level Applicants
  Type of TOEFL Exam Paper Computer Internet (iBT)
  Total Score 550 213 80
  Reading 54 21 20
  Writing 58 24 20
  Listening 55 21 20
  Speaking
  20
  
  Doctoral Level Applicants
  Type of TOEFL Exam Paper Computer Internet (iBT)
  Total Score 577 233 91
  Reading 54 22 20
  Writing 61 26 24
  Listening 55 21 21
  Speaking
  26
3. For the IELTS, minimum acceptable score for all applications is 6.0 (academic version).
4. Complete Level 4 of the IEP satisfactorily with a grade of 4 of 5 or better, within two (2) academic years, and get a written recommendation from IEP faculty.
5. For the Pearson Test of English Academic, minimum acceptable scores are as follows:
  Undergraduate Level Applicants Total score: 47
  Listening 48
  Speaking 40
  Reading 51
  Writing 43
  
  Master Level Applicants Total score: 53
  Listening 53
  Speaking 53
  Reading 53
  Writing 53
  
  Doctoral Level Applicants Total score: 62
  Listening 56
  Speaking 70
  Reading 54
  Writing 64
The attainment of a minimum acceptable score on TOEFL, IELTS, PTE Academic, or minimum ELS proficiency does not take the place of any special English language proficiency requirements for specific majors or university requirements as stated in the University Catalog.
Implementation and verification of the minimum competencies will be done by the Office of Admissions. This office has discretionary authority to determine exceptions where appropriate.
Conditional Admission
Conditional admission is intended to facilitate admission of fully academically qualified, degree-seeking international students who have not satisfied the minimum English language requirement, yet are being considered for admission by a program.
1. The program must obtain approval from the Provost for their candidates to be allowed conditional admission.
2. In order to be considered for conditional admission, international applicants must meet the following criteria: an iBT TOEFL score of 43 or higher for undergraduate students, or 55 or higher for graduate students, but lower than the required TOEFL score, a PTE Academic score of 38 or higher for undergraduate students, or 42 and higher for graduate students, but lower than the required PTE Academic score, or an IELTS score of 5.0 or higher, but lower than 6.0, and formal recommendation of the conditional admission from the program.
3. Students who are conditionally admitted under these criteria will attend ��Ƶ’s Intensive ESL Program (IEP). Students are not permitted to hold graduate assistant appointments while attending IEP.
4. Students who are granted conditional admission will enroll in the IEP and will receive an I-20, or related official student visa documents, for IEP. They will also receive a letter of admission specifying their conditions for entry into full-time study in their admitted programs. Based upon an assessment with the students, students may enroll in one or two courses in their major while attending the IEP, based upon their English language ability and course availability.
5. Conditionally admitted students must:
  1. study in ��Ƶ’s IEP for a period of at least one semester;
  2. complete Level 4 of the IEP satisfactorily with a grade of 4 out of 5 or better; and
  3. demonstrate proficiency on the basis of an approved standardized test or written recommendation of IEP faculty.
6. Following attainment of the required proficiency certification, the student will then enroll in the admitting degree program not later than the second semester after starting in IEP. For those conditionally-admitted applicants who do not fulfill their language proficiency requirement during the specified period, the conditional admission is revoked. Such students may choose to continue studying in the IEP or elsewhere and reapply for regular admission at a later time.
7. The Office of Admissions will work with the Office of International Services, the program, and the IEP Program, process conditional admission

lhendrickson@g… 04/13/2026

President Elaine P. Maimon

01/01/1982

03/31/2016

SEO Summary

��Ƶ requires evidence of English language proficiency from applicants whose native language is not English through TOEFL, IELTS, or.

Undergraduate Admissions Policy

Graduate Admissions Policy

Policy on Undergraduate Readmissions and Special Admissions

Policy on Graduate Readmissions and Special Admissions

009

English Language Proficiency Policy (Policy 9)

Policy Categories

Academic Policies

Policy Owner/Department

Provost's Office

01/01/1982; 04/27/2001; 06/01/2006; 11/11/2009; 05/05/2015; 03/31/2016

Liberal Education - Deprecated

lhendrickson@govst.edu — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 15:23:58 +0000

Liberal Education - Deprecated

The Liberal Education Policy was deprecated and combined with Policy 51 - University General Education.

lhendrickson@g… 04/13/2026

President Stuart Fagan

09/01/1982

04/27/2001

SEO Summary

The Liberal Education Policy has been deprecated and combined with Policy 51 - University General Education.

018

Liberal Education - Deprecated (Policy 18)

Policy Categories

Deprecated Policies

Policy Owner/Department

Provost's Office

Revised AY 83-84

Curricular Requirements for Intra-University Status Change

lhendrickson@govst.edu — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 02:45:11 +0000

Curricular Requirements for Intra-University Status Change

Purpose
This policy addresses intra-university status changes. These include major or program changes, changes in concentration within the major or program, the addition of up to three (3) minors (for undergraduate students only); and changing from General Studies, Undecided or Undeclared status to a specific major.
Definitions
1. Graduate Degree-Seeking Students are those who meet the established admission requirements of the University, college, and specific program for which the Doctorate, Specialist, or Master's Degree is sought and who have been officially admitted to that program. Admission to a graduate program does not carry with it, nor guarantee, admission to degree candidacy in the program.
2. Undergraduate Student Classifications
  1. Undergraduate Degree-Seeking students are those who meet the established admissions requirement for the University and specific program for which the baccalaureate degree or second bachelor’s degree is sought and who have been officially admitted to that program.
  2. General Studies students are students admitted as first-year students who have less than 24 hours of transfer credit. Students stay in this status until the semester they will complete 45 hours of credit.
  3. Undecided students are persons who intend to pursue a bachelor’s degree but have not as yet decided which discipline to pursue and have less than 60 hours.
  4. Undeclared students are persons who have been admitted to ��Ƶ as a Degree-Seeking Transfer Student who have earned more than 60 hours of credit and have yet to declare a major.
The Policy
1. Scope
  This policy addresses intra-university status changes.
2. Intra-University Status Change:
  Any students must be in academic good standing or have permission from the intended college, program, or major prior to the transfer taking effect
  1. Graduate Students
    1. Degree-seeking, continuing students requesting a change from one graduate program to another graduate program is subject to the admission, degree, and program requirements in the intended program at the time of change.
    2. Any Non-degree seeking student may be able to use up to fifteen (15) credit hours towards the requirements of any graduate degree.
    3. Undergraduate students may elect to enroll for graduate credit but are limited to a maximum of nine (9) credit hours beyond the baccalaureate degree requirements, which may be applied toward graduate degree requirements. Undergraduate students may enroll in graduate (only 5000-6000 level) courses only with written permission of the course instructor and the dean of the college in which the course is offered.
    4. Credits earned and applied toward any degree or certificate previously earned may not be applied toward a second or additional degree. However, in rare instances, students entering may qualify for advanced standing. See program requirements for further information on advanced standing.
  2. Undergraduate Students
    1. Any Degree-seeking, continuing student requesting a change from one major or program to another major or program is subject to the admission, degree, and program requirements in effect in the intended major at the time of change.
    2. Any Undeclared student requesting to change from the undeclared status to a major is subject to the admission, degree, college, and program requirements in effect in the intended major at the time of change. A maximum of twelve credit hours taken as an undeclared student can be applied to the degree program. After registering for twelve credit hours, students who have not applied and been admitted to a major must secure authorization from their assigned advisor before registering for a subsequent semester. Refer to the Undergraduate Admissions Policy (34) for additional information.
    3. Any Undecided student requesting to change to a major is subject to the admission, degree, college, and program requirements in effect in the intended major at the time of change. The Undecided student can only be in this status until they have completed 60 hours. After registering for the 60 credit hours, students who have not changed their status will be switched to Undeclared status before registering for a subsequent semester.
    4. General Studies students may request a change from General Studies to a major upon registration for 45 credit hours. General Studies students are subject to the admission, degree, college, and program requirements in effect in the intended major at the time of change.
    5. Any undergraduate student may request to add up to three (3) minors with the approval of their advisor. They are subject to requirements in effect at the time of change.

lhendrickson@g… 04/12/2026

President Cheryl Green

08/01/1984

06/17/2024

SEO Summary

Understand curricular requirements for intra-university status changes, including major changes, program transfers, and minor additions at ��Ƶ.

Undergraduate Admissions Policy

Responsible University Office(s): The Registrar (or designee) in conjunction with the Academic Deans (or designees) are responsible for procedures associated with this policy, under the leadership of the Provost (or designee).

007

Curricular Requirements for Intra-University Status Change (Policy 7)

Policy Categories

Academic Policies

Policy Owner/Department

Provost's Office

Registrar's Office

Academic Deans

08/01/1984, Winter 2002, Fall 2007, 8/30/2021, 06/17/2024

Withdrawal

lhendrickson@govst.edu — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 02:27:23 +0000

Withdrawal

Purpose
This Policy outlines the various categories and associated grades for student-initiated for-credit course drops and course withdrawals. Additionally, this Policy outlines course withdrawals under emergency or medical conditions, and in circumstances where students have not withdrawn but course instructors and the University deem it appropriate for withdrawal under conditions outlined by Board of Trustees or University policies.
Definitions
1. Course - For the purpose of this Policy, the term “course” refers only to a credit-bearing course. The term “course” does not mean or include any non-credit bearing classes, including non-credit-bearing continuing education classes or trainings.
2. Withdraw - The term “withdraw” means to unenroll from a course in which a student previously was enrolled for/in a given semester.
3. Course Withdrawal - The term “course withdrawal” means when a student withdraws or is withdrawn from a course.
4. Course Drop Deadline – The “course drop deadline” is last date a student may drop a course. This deadline is published in the course registration system for each individual course.
The Policy
1. Scope
  1. This Policy applies to all courses, as that term is defined above, in which ��Ƶ students enroll.
2. Administrative Course Withdrawal
  1. The Registrar (or designee) may officially withdraw a student from any or all courses consistent with established Board of Trustees regulations and University policies.
  2. This includes formal notification by faculty and advisors that a student has missed all their courses before the conclusion of the drop deadline.
  3. A copy of the notification is also sent to the student.
3. Administrative Course Drop
  1. The Registrar may process an Administrative Course Drop for a student who is registered for a course or courses that have been transcripted in error. An Administrative Course Drop will result in the removal of the courses from the transcript.
  2. This includes formal notification by faculty and advisors that a student has missed all their courses before the conclusion of the drop deadline.
4. Student-Initiated Course Withdrawal
  1. If students simply stop attending a course, students are not withdrawn from that course. It is the student’s responsibility to withdraw from their courses. A student may officially withdraw from any scheduled course(s) through the dates specified in the University course schedule. Students should consult with their advisor and review the Course Withdrawal checklist available through both their advisor and the Registrar. As relevant, students should consult with the Office of International Services to consider the implications of course withdrawal that might affect their financial aid and/or VISA status and consult with the Financial Aid office, the Athletic Director, and other offices to determine the implications of course withdrawal.
  2. Student-Initiated Course Withdrawal Categories
    1. Course Drop
      Students who find it necessary to withdraw from a course may do so online via the GSU portal on or before the published drop deadline in the University course schedule with no penalty, tuition charges, or record on their transcript.
    2. Course Withdrawal
      Students who find it necessary to withdraw from a course after the published drop deadline may do so online via the GSU portal by the published withdrawal deadline in the University course schedule. A grade of “W” will appear on the transcript, and all associated tuition and fees will apply.
    3. Course Late Withdrawal
      Students who find it necessary to drop a course after the withdrawal deadline may petition for a late course withdrawal through the Registrar’s Office. A late withdrawal requires a completed form and instructor approval. Approved late course withdrawals will have a grade of “WP” or “WF” assigned, which will appear on the student’s transcript; tuition and fees apply.
  3. Course Withdrawal Grade Options
    1. W: Withdrawal. Authorized withdrawal. This grade is recorded for student-initiated withdrawals within established University deadlines.
    2. WP: Withdrawal Passing. When a student is granted a late withdrawal and receives a passing grade in the course, a WP is recorded.
    3. WF: Withdrawal Failing. When a student is granted a late withdrawal and receives a failing grade in the course, a WF is recorded.
    4. W grades (W, WF, WP) are not included in the student GPA calculations.
5. Emergency and Medical Withdrawal
  1. A student may request and be considered for an emergency or medical leave by the Dean of Students (or designee) when extraordinary circumstances, such as serious illness, injury, hospitalization, or pregnancy or related condition, prevent the student from continuing classes.
  2. The severity and duration of the circumstances must be such that it would not be reasonable to expect the student to be able to make up the missed work
  3. The Emergency and Medical Leave process covers both physical and mental health issues as well as military deployment and voluntary leaves by students for pregnancy or related conditions under Title IX.
6. Course Refunds
  1. Students who withdraw from a course on or before the Course Drop Deadline are entitled to a full refund of tuition and fees.
  2. A course withdrawal after the Course Drop Deadline does not qualify for a refund.
  3. Refunds of tuition and fees after the Course Drop Deadline may be issued in the case of an approved Emergency or Medical Withdrawal, the student’s death, or a remedy award granted from a successful grievance (see Policy 5: Academic Grievance Policy and Procedures).
7. University Withdrawal
  1. A student may request University Withdrawal in writing to the Registrar before their classification as a continuing student ends (see Policy 32: Continuing Student Status).
  2. When a student requests University Withdrawal, the Registrar will determine the status of tuition charges and transcript records for each course in accordance with this Policy.
Acknowledgements
The University acknowledges and credits documents from the following for previous versions of this policy: University of Illinois Springfield, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and Western Illinois University.

lhendrickson@g… 04/12/2026

Interim President Corey Bradford

08/31/1981

05/12/2025

SEO Summary

Learn about ��Ƶ's withdrawal policy, including student-initiated course withdrawals, administrative withdrawals, and procedures for.

Continuing Student Status

Academic Grievance Policy and Procedures

Contact Registrar's Office for forms and documentation

006

Withdrawal (Policy 6)

Policy Categories

Academic Policies

Policy Owner/Department

Provost's Office

08/31/1981; 4-27-2001; Interim 3-2-2010; 4-6-2010; 09-2011; 5-16-2019; 04-2020; 05-12-2025

Academic Standing

lhendrickson@govst.edu — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 20:58:58 +0000

Academic Standing

Purpose
This policy defines the various classifications of academic standing for students and related information.
The Policy
1. Scope
  1. This policy applies to both degree-seeking and non-degree undergraduate and graduate students.
2. Academic Standing
  1. At ��Ƶ there are four categories of academic standing for students:
    1. Good Standing
    2. Academic Probation
    3. Academic Probation Extended
    4. Academic Suspension
3. Good Standing
  1. Undergraduate students are in Good Standing when they maintain a minimum cumulative Grade Point Average of 2.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
  2. Graduate students are in Good Standing when they maintain a minimum cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
4. Other Academic Standing Categories
  1. Students are no longer in Good Standing when they fail to meet the minimum cumulative grade point average. All status changes take effect the semester immediately following the semester in which the student fails to meet the established minimum.
  2. The following applies to Undergraduate students:
    1. Undergraduate students performing below a 2.0 cumulative GPA but at a 1.0 cumulative GPA or higher are placed on Academic Probation.
    2. Undergraduate students performing below a 1.0 cumulative GPA are placed on Academic Probation Extended.
    3. Non-degree students failing to meet the minimum cumulative grade point average for the first time are placed on Academic Probation Extended.
  3. The following applies to Graduate students:
    1. Graduate students performing below a 3.0 cumulative GPA but at a 2.0 cumulative GPA or higher are placed on Academic Probation.
    2. Graduate students performing below a 2.0 cumulative GPA are placed on Academic Probation Extended.
    3. Non-degree students failing to meet the minimum cumulative grade point average for the first time are placed on Academic Probation Extended.
  4. After enrolling for courses while on Academic Probation, if the student fails to achieve the minimum cumulative GPA, the student will be placed on Academic Probation Extended.
  5. Academic Probation Extended means that as long as a student obtains the minimum semester grade point average each semester and is making satisfactory progress towards degree completion, the student will not be suspended. The first semester a student is on Academic Probation Extended they are required to complete a learning contract with the Academic Resource Center. The contract and a report of the work done will be shared with the student’s Academic Advisor to help ensure positive academic progress.
  6. After enrolling for courses while on Academic Probation Extended, if the student fails to achieve the minimum semester GPA, the student will be placed on Suspension for the next semester. Students may request readmission after being suspended by petitioning the Committee on Readmissions and Special Admissions (see policy 19U or 19G for additional information).
5. Students must be in good academic standing to graduate.
6. Some programs may have specific standards for academic performance that exceed the criteria in this policy.

lhendrickson@g… 04/12/2026

President Cheryl Green

12/01/2007

06/16/2024

SEO Summary

��Ƶ establishes academic standing classifications for undergraduate and graduate students based on cumulative GPA requirements and.

Graduate Admissions Policy

Undergraduate Admissions Policy

014

Academic Standing (Policy 14)

Policy Categories

Academic Policies

Policy Owner/Department

Provost's Office

04/21/2016

Graduate Studies Policy

lhendrickson@govst.edu — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 20:28:22 +0000

Graduate Studies Policy

Purpose
This policy shall be in effect for Graduate Studies throughout the University. Graduate level courses, certificates, master’s degree programs, specialist degree programs, and doctoral degree programs shall be offered through the various colleges of the University, as approved by the faculty, administration, and governing boards. Policies and procedures for graduate study shall be reviewed and recommended by the appropriate Faculty Senate committees in conjunction with the Graduate Council.
Definitions
1. Graduate Culminating Experience: A Graduate Culminating Experience is a course or courses required in master’s, specialist, and doctoral degree programs. The course(s) provide intensive experiences in critical analysis, research, application, and/or evaluation, offering an opportunity for the integration of previous courses in the major.
2. Open Portal to University Scholarship (OPUS): OPUS is an open-access publishing platform, hosted by Digital Commons, that serves as the University’s institutional repository. OPUS is a service of the University Library and functions as the digital archive for the scholarly output of members of the University community. Student dissertations and similar research projects are a core collection of the repository (https://opus.govst.edu ).
The Policy
1. Scope
  1. This policy applies to graduate courses, graduate programs, graduate faculty, and graduate students at ��Ƶ. This policy shall be in effect for graduate studies throughout the University.
  2. Graduate-level courses, certificate programs, master’s degree programs, specialist’s degree programs, and doctoral degree programs shall be offered through the various academic colleges of the University, as approved by the faculty, administration, and governing boards, under the oversight of the Graduate College.
2. Policies and procedures for graduate study shall be reviewed and recommended by the appropriate Faculty Senate committees in conjunction with the Graduate Studies Council (GSC).
3. Purpose and Outcomes of Graduate Studies at ��Ƶ
  1. Graduate education is the pursuit of knowledge and skills at an advanced level. Graduate education is distinct and different from undergraduate education in terms of kind and degree. It demands of students a greater intellectual maturity and autonomy, a sense of deeper responsibility for their own learning, more intense study, and the mastery of different and more complex skills. A graduate degree is a distinction to be earned. The degree award symbolizes both the student’s accomplishment and the University’s endorsement.
  2. The differences between master’s, specialist’s, and doctorate graduate degrees (together, “graduate degrees”) reside in the breadth and depth of the knowledge in the coursework and the requirements of their respective Graduate Culminating Experience. The following policy sets minima, leaving graduate programs to differentiate knowledge and the Graduate Culminating Experience for the different levels of graduate degrees.
  3. All students earning a master’s, specialist, or doctorate degree must have demonstrated the following outcomes:
    1. An in-depth knowledge of significant theories, issues and findings, and mastery of appropriate skills, within their discipline;
    2. The ability to apply such knowledge and skills;
    3. The ability to read, interpret, and evaluate research literature and to relate results to selected areas of interest;
    4. The ability to analyze problems and to critique attempted solutions, especially within their own discipline;
    5. The ability to integrate knowledge from a variety of disciplines;
    6. The ability to design and implement a research, scholarly, or creative project; and
    7. The ability to communicate scholarly thought to professional colleagues through writing and discussion.
    8. In addition, students must demonstrate outcomes specific to the programs they are enrolled in.
4. Graduate Faculty Qualifications and Functions
  1. Qualifications for Teaching Graduate Courses: Faculty involved in graduate education must:
    1. Possess an earned doctorate or terminal degree equivalency in a field relevant to the subject matter of the courses to be taught.
      In merited cases, individuals who have demonstrated exceptional scholarly or creative activity or professional experience, but who do not possess the required academic credentials, may be approved to teach graduate courses upon the recommendation of the program, approval by the Department/Division Chair, approval by the Dean of the academic college, and final approval by the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies. In no case may an exception conflict with the program’s accreditation requirements
    2. Have teaching experience at the graduate level. Those who do not have previous teaching experience at the graduate level should be mentored by the appropriate Division/Department Chairperson or by their designee; and
    3. Demonstrate research/creative/professional accomplishments as guided by the applicable Division/Department Criteria.
  2. Functions: Individuals meeting the above qualifications will be authorized to perform the following or similar functions:
    1. Teach 5000, 6000, 7000, 8000, or 9000 level courses;
    2. Serve as an advisor for Certificates and Master’s, Specialist’s, or Doctoral degree-seeking students; and
    3. Serve as member of a Graduate Culminating Experience committee, barring any conflict of interest.
  3. Additional functions of full-time qualified faculty:
    1. Define, articulate, and disseminate, in collaboration with their colleagues and relevant professional groups, the goals, requirements, content, and pace of graduate education, including:
      1. Admissions standards, core curriculum, assessment of students, and electives, if applicable;
      2. The specific programmatic requirements for candidacy, which are usually defined as where the coursework ends and the Graduate Culminating Experience begins;
      3. Requirements for the completion of the Graduate Culminating Experience; and
      4. Degree completion and graduation requirements.
        Communicate criteria for academic and degree requirements;
        Require that students meet established criteria and standards of the program and counsel out or recommend for dismissal those who cannot or will not do so.
        Only Unit A faculty may:
        Serve as major professor/chair of a Graduate Culminating Experience; or
        Initiate or modify existing graduate courses or curricula.
5. Determination of Graduate Level Courses: There shall be at least three distinct levels of instruction for which graduate credit shall be given. These levels help to define the scope and sequence of program content.
  1. 5000-5999 Courses: 5000-level courses are designed to introduce graduate students and advanced undergraduate students to fields of study above the undergraduate level. All work and competencies are at the graduate level. To register for a 5000-level course, undergraduates must meet the course prerequisites and obtain appropriate program permission. 5000-level courses may only be used for elective credit at the undergraduate or graduate levels.
  2. 6000-6999 Courses: Graduate-level foundation courses are open to undergraduate students who meet the course prerequisites and obtain program permission. All work and competencies are at the graduate level.
  3. 7000-9999 Courses: Graduate courses at the intermediate and advanced levels (7000-9999) are not open to undergraduate students. Graduate courses at the advanced level (9000-9999) are reserved for post-master’s level work. Graduate courses at the intermediate level (7000-8999) may be taken by post-baccalaureate and post-master’s certificate students.
  4. Determination of Graduate Student Status: The University shall establish five categories of graduate students as follows:
    1. Graduate Degree-Seeking Student: Graduate degree-seeking students meet the established admission requirements of the University, college, and program for which the master’s, specialist’s, or doctorate degree is sought, and who have been officially admitted to the program. Admission to a graduate major does not guarantee admission to degree candidacy in the major.
    2. Graduate Degree Candidate: Master’s, specialist’s, or doctorate degree candidates are those who have completed an approved Study Plan, have completed the specified program pre-candidacy requirements, and have applied for and been admitted to candidacy by their program faculty. Precandidacy evaluation reflects the faculty’s judgment of the student’s ability to complete the degree program.
    3. Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Seeking Student: Post-baccalaureate certificate seeking students meet the established admission requirements of the University, college, and a certificate-granting program, and have been officially admitted to that program. Admission to a certificate program does not guarantee certification or admission to a degree program. Credits earned in a post-baccalaureate certificate may apply to the degree or additional certificate as allowable by University policy and approved in the student’s Study Plan. Candidacy does not apply to graduate certificates.
    4. Post-Master’s Certificate Seeking Student: Post-master’s certificate seeking students meet the established admission requirements of the University, college, and a certificate-granting program, and have been officially admitted to that program. Admission to a certificate program does not guarantee certification or admission to a degree program. Credits earned in a postmaster’s certificate may apply to the degree or additional certificate as allowable by University policy and approved in the student’s Study Plan. Candidacy does not apply to graduate certificates.
    5. Graduate, Non-Degree Seeking Student: Graduate, non-degree seeking, undeclared, and undecided students are defined as those with a bachelor’s or higher degree who have been admitted as a non-degree seeking graduate student but not admitted into a specific program. Credits earned as a nondegree seeking graduate student do not guarantee certification or admission to a degree program. With program approval, students who are subsequently admitted to a graduate degree program may apply courses earned while a non-degree seeking student toward the requirements of any graduate degree program. Such an application shall be subject to the degree requirements in effect at the time of admission to the specific major or certificate program. Graduate, non-degree-seeking, undeclared, and undecided students cannot take graduate-level courses designated by the program faculty as reserved for graduate degree candidates, majors, or certificate programs unless approved by the program.
6. Requirements for a Graduate Degree
  1. Candidacy
    1. All master’s, specialist’s, and doctorate programs must establish written requirements for degree candidacy. Minimum program degree candidacy requirements must include: admission to the program through which the student intends to earn a degree; a completed and approved Study Plan; successful completion of designated pre-candidacy coursework; and an application and admission to candidacy process.
    2. Admission to candidacy is a prerequisite to enrollment in the Graduate Culminating Experience designated for the program. Candidacy must be attained at least one term prior to the term during which the degree is to be awarded.
    3. Candidacy does not apply to graduate certificate programs and Stackable Credentials Master’s Degrees (Policy 105).
  2. Examinations
    Programs may establish oral, written, or combination examinations to determine a student’s eligibility for admission into a program, continuance in the program, candidacy in the program, and/or graduation from the program.
  3. Graduate Culminating Experience
    1. All master’s, specialist’s, and doctorate degree programs must include a Graduate Culminating Experience of at least three (3) credit hours.
    2. The Graduate Culminating Experience follows completion of other parts of the core curriculum. Candidacy is a requirement for registration in a Graduate Culminating Experience, except for Stackable Credentials Master’s Degrees (Policy 105).
    3. Each program shall provide students with a copy of detailed procedures and specify the appropriate style manual for the program requirements.
    4. The evaluating committee must always be chaired by a Unit A graduate faculty member.
  4. Capstone (Master's and Specialist Degrees)
    1. For all master’s and specialist degrees, the Graduate Culminating Experience is a Capstone. Successful completion is required for graduation.
    2. These alternatives may vary from one program to another; however, each program shall determine and require one or more of the following:
      1. Major Research Course (i.e., Thesis): A major research/project course is an individually registered course in which the candidate must present evidence of (a) a thorough review and understanding of the literature germane to the subject, (b) the ability to do independent research, and (c) the preparation of a manuscript which conforms to generally recognized standards of scientific and scholarly writing in the discipline. This typically results in a thesis. The processes for a thesis shall mirror the processes for doctoral dissertations in this policy, as applicable.
      2. Portfolio Course: As a discipline standard for evaluating student mastery of graduate work in the creative arts, students in this kind of Capstone develop an extensive portfolio of projects or pieces. For the degree, either a single piece is selected for evaluation, or the entire portfolio of work is reviewed.
      3. Project Course: This type of Capstone may feature individual or small-group projects developed to demonstrate the student’s mastery of a given domain. Examples of this alternative include but are not limited to directed readings, master’s projects, graduate culminating seminars, software or educational program design and evaluation, case studies, simulations, or action research projects.
      4. Fieldwork or Internship Course: In an internship-style Capstone course, the student participates in an internship or works in the field, supervised by a ��Ƶ Unit A graduate faculty member or appropriately credentialed member, as well as a field supervisor.
      5. Comprehensive Examination: A comprehensive examination may be combined with one or more Graduate Culminating Experiences, but Comprehensive Examinations may not be used as the only Capstone activity.
  5. Dissertation/Scholarly Capstone (Doctoral Degrees)
    1. For all doctoral degrees, the Graduate Culminating Experience is typically a dissertation or similar scholarly project. Successful completion is required for graduation.
    2. Programs may additionally require a Comprehensive Examination prior to candidacy.
    3. A dissertation is a comprehensive, original research project for a doctoral degree. Students examine complex issues in substantial pieces of writing or other products and demonstrate synthesis of program content and mastery of program learning outcomes. The project results in a scholarly research product. A scholarly capstone project is a comprehensive study of a complex issue in practice and applies original research and analysis and implementation processes to improve practice or systems in variety of professional practice disciplines.
    4. A dissertation course or doctoral capstone course(s) is an individually registered course in which the candidate must present evidence of (a) a thorough review and understanding of the literature germane to the subject, (b) the ability to do independent research, and (c) the preparation of a manuscript that conforms to generally recognized standards of scientific and scholarly writing in the discipline.
    5. The proposal and final paper must be approved following the program’s defense procedures.
    6. Student work must be evaluated and accepted by a committee of at least three qualified members and chaired by a ��Ƶ Unit A graduate faculty member. No faculty member may serve as a member or advisor for a dissertation or doctoral capstone if there is a potential or perceived conflict of interest.
    7. Defense chairs shall be responsible for communicating defense information to the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies, including information on the student’s name, the date and time of the defense, the tentative title of the dissertation, the program and terminal degree, and instructions for attending the defense. The Dean of the College of Graduate Studies shall create processes for communicating these defenses to the campus community.
  6. Formatting and Submission to OPUS: For doctoral programs requiring a dissertation for graduation, and for all additional graduate programs for which the Graduate Culminating Experience is submitted to OPUS, including a master’s thesis or doctoral capstone, the College of Graduate Studies shall have the following roles:
    1. Establishes minimum standards and guidelines for these products and ensures internal and external dissemination of all necessary documents, forms, checklists, and other materials;
    2. Establishes requirements and guidelines for a uniform format within the style guide of the discipline;
    3. Approves dissertation or doctoral capstone for format checking and final approval; and
    4. Verifies that the OPUS submittal form has been completed and submitted to OPUS.
  7. Co-Chair Exceptions for Thesis, Doctoral Capstone, and Dissertation Committees: Under limited and exceptional circumstances, programs may request approval for qualified full-time Unit B graduate faculty to serve as co-chairs for Thesis and Dissertation committees with a Unit A faculty co-chair. In addition to meeting the requirements for graduate faculty, the Unit B faculty member must hold a terminal degree in their discipline and be able to supervise research and scholarship. This request for a Unit B faculty member to serve as a Thesis or Dissertation committee co-chair must be approved by the majority of Unit A program faculty and the proposed Unit A co-chair, the division/department chair, the Dean of the academic college, the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies, and the Provost.
  8. Credit Hours
    1. Students seeking the master’s degree shall complete at least thirty (30) credit hours beyond the baccalaureate degree. Those seeking the specialist’s degree shall complete at least sixty (60) post-baccalaureate hours. Those seeking the doctoral degree shall complete at least seventy-five (75) post-baccalaureate hours. Exceptions will only be made for doctoral programs with fewer than 75 credit hours that existed prior to the academic year 2012-2013, and that also have IBHE and/or HLC approval.
    2. A minimum of sixty-seven percent (67%) of the graduate program coursework in a degree program and approved in the student’s Study Plan must be in graduate-only courses at the 6000-9999 levels.
    3. A maximum of fifty percent (50%) of the credit hours, counted toward graduate degree requirements, may be earned from the same faculty member, unless there is an approved exception by the Dean of the Academic program.
    4. The Study Plan for a University-approved joint degree program or graduate credit earned in a non-terminal degree program may allow up to fifty percent (50%) of the combined credit hours to be applied to each degree, with approval of the program, the Division/Department Chairperson, and the Dean of the academic college. Students simultaneously pursuing two or more degrees that do not constitute an approved joint degree program may not apply the same credit to more than one degree. Stackable Credentials Master’s Degree programs follow the University policy on Stackable Credentials Master’s Degree Programs (Policy 105) when determining courses applied from earned certificates.
    5. A maximum of twenty-five percent (25%) of credit hours may be earned in elective independent study or elective internship, unless approved by the Dean of the academic college.
  9. Grades
    1. All graduate programs must comply with the University grading policy (Policy 26).
    2. The minimum cumulative GPA for graduation in all graduate degree programs is 3.0. Individual graduate programs may establish additional program grade requirements and procedures to align with accreditation, licensure requirements, curriculum, and program needs.
    3. The grades of D+, D, D-, and F shall not be applied towards the completion of graduate degrees.
    4. All graduate students must be in Good Standing, as per Academic Standing (Policy 14), for admission, candidacy, and graduation.
    5. To graduate, all incomplete grades (I or E) or continuing registration (CO) must be removed by the graduation processing date.
  10. Time Limits
    1. All requirements for the master’s, specialist’s, and doctorate degrees must be completed in a maximum of eight (8) academic calendar years from the student’s first semester of enrollment into the program.
    2. Graduate degree programs may allow students to use the Continued Registration (CO) status to extend the time to complete their Graduate Culminating Experience (see Policy 26).
    3. Under extenuating circumstances, the student may request approval from the program, the Division/Department Chairperson, Dean of the academic college, and the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies for an extension to these time limits.
    4. Individual graduate programs may establish additional program requirements and procedures to align with accreditation, licensure requirements, curriculum, and program needs.

lhendrickson@g… 04/12/2026

President Joyce Ester

08/07/1972

06/18/2026

SEO Summary

��Ƶ's graduate studies policy sets standards for master's, specialist, and doctoral degree programs, including coursework requirements.

Transfer Credit for Graduate Students Policy

Grading and Status Policy

Academic Standing

Academic Residency Requirements for Degree Program

Certificates

Advanced Standing for Graduate Programs

Stackable Credentials Master's Degrees

Code of Federal Regulations: Institutional Eligibility Under The Higher Education Act Of 1965, As Amended (34 CFR 600.2) at https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CFR-2011title34-vol3/CFR-2011-title34-vol3-sec600-2
Illinois Board of Higher Education

016

Graduate Studies Policy (Policy 16)

Policy Categories

Academic Policies

Policy Owner/Department

Provost's Office

8/7/72, 6/25/74, 6/19/79, 2/11/82, Fall/84, Fall/85, 2/8/90, 4/27/01, WI/02, 10/9/13, 3/30/21, 1/29/22

Type of TOEFL Exam	Paper	Computer	Internet (iBT)
Total Score	500	173	68
Reading	53	20	19
Writing	54	21	16
Listening	53	19	18
Speaking			15

Undergraduate Level Applicants	Total score: 47
Listening	48
Speaking	40
Reading	51
Writing	43

Master Level Applicants	Total score: 53
Listening	53
Speaking	53
Reading	53
Writing	53

Doctoral Level Applicants	Total score: 62
Listening	56
Speaking	70
Reading	54
Writing	64