Graduate Student Policies

Academic Load

A student registered for 9 credits per semester is considered a full-time graduate student. Half-time status is applied to students who register for a minimum of 4.5 credits. A student may register for a maximum of 15 credits (18 credits in some cases) with written approval of the college dean and the department chairperson, school director or institute director of his/her major. In the Silberman College of Business a student may register for 12 credits (considered an overload) and needs the dean’s approval. No credit will be allowed for courses taken at another accredited institution of higher learning while enrolled in a degree program at Fairleigh Dickinson University unless approved in advance and in writing by the college dean, school or institute director and the student’s major department chairperson or school/institute director.

Degree Requirements

  1. Students must complete all required credits for the program at Fairleigh Dickinson University other than those for which transfer credits have been awarded.
  2. A cumulative grade point ratio (CGPR) of at least 2.75* is required for graduation from all colleges except the Silberman College of Business and Communication program (Maxwell Becton College of Liberal Arts and Education) and the Peter Sammartino School of Education, Master of Public Administration (School of Public and Global Affairs), the Henry P. Becton College of Nursing and Allied Health’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) programs, which require 3.00; a grade point ratio of at least 3.25 is required for the MA and MAT in Teachers of Students with Disabilities, PhD program in clinical psychology and PsyD program in school psychology. Students who receive two or more C grades will be warned, and if evidence of definite improvement in their academic performance does not ensue, they will be asked to withdraw from graduate study.
  3. All graduate programs have an exit requirement for graduation. Students should ascertain the specific requirements from their departments. *Check degree requirements for individual majors.
  4. Students must check with their department to ascertain whether a thesis is required for the degree. When the master’s thesis is completed — whether required or optional — a candidate must file three copies of the approved thesis with the Office of Enrollment Services, no later than the last day of final examinations for any given semester. If the student’s adviser does not require a copy of the approved master’s thesis, a candidate need only file two copies of the approved thesis with the Office of Enrollment Services. Students must register for two semesters of Research and Thesis consecutively. Students must use the approved form for typing the master’s thesis. Information may be obtained from the student’s adviser.
  5. Students should check with their major department to ascertain whether a comprehensive examination is required for their degree. If a comprehensive examination is required, students should inquire from their department as to the date for filing for the examination and the date on which it will be given.
  6. A graduate program of study must be completed within a period of five years from the time the student first registers for graduate study. Exceptions to the five-year limitation or to the Silberman College of Business’ and College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences’ seven-year limitation must be requested in writing to the dean or the institute director and the student’s major department chairperson or school director or institute director.
  7. A candidate who is deficient in the basic undergraduate prerequisites will be required to meet the deficiency or deficiencies according to department or school guidelines.

Maintenance of Matriculation Status

In order to maintain matriculation status, students must register consecutively for the fall and spring semesters. If consecutive registration is not maintained, students must reapply to the Admissions Office. It is recommended that graduate students who find it necessary to absent themselves from a major semester at the institution register for matriculation maintenance, thereby retaining active status. This process also provides the opportunity for the students to avail themselves of the use of various University facilities, i.e., recreational facilities and the libraries. See the Tuition and Fees page for matriculation maintenance fee.

Academic Leave of Absence

A leave of absence allows students to interrupt their graduate studies if necessary. A leave of absence is granted for one semester with the privilege of renewal for one more consecutive semester. Request for a leave of absence must be approved in writing by the student’s department chairperson or school director and the college dean. (Information on procedures for requesting a leave of absence is available from the Dean of Students Office on each campus.) Students wishing to renew their leave of absence also must do so in writing. Students who have been granted a leave of absence will be maintained as students in good standing during the semester in which a leave of absence is taken, but will be discontinued for graduate study unless students register the semester following a leave of absence, or request and are granted an extension of the leave of absence.

Withdrawal

Students must notify the Office of Enrollment Services in writing of their intention to withdraw from graduate study. Students who wish to return at a later date must reapply through the Admissions Office.

Candidacy for a Graduate Degree

The application for graduation is located in WebAdvisor under Student Profile. Students should click on the link: Apply for Graduation. This must be done no later than eight months preceding graduation. Filing dates must be obtained from the Office of Enrollment Services. Degrees are awarded September 1, February 1 and the day of commencement in May.

Probation and Academic Disqualification, Graduate Policy

Students must maintain a minimum grade point ratio (GPR) of 3.00 to complete a graduate program. If the cumulative GPR falls below 3.00, the student is placed on probation. Students who receive two or more C grades will be put on probation. An adviser will meet with the student to set up a course of remediation, the student’s records will be reviewed each semester, and the student may be limited to the number of credits taken while on probation. A student who has not shown evidence of academic improvement and has not met academic qualifications to graduate will be counseled out of the program. (The exceptions to this policy are the Henry P. Becton College of Nursing and Allied Health, the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, the College of Psychology and Counseling, Peter Sammartino School of Education Clinical Placement, Maxwell Becton College of Liberal Arts and Education M.A. and M.F.A. in animation all listed below).

College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Good academic standing is defined as achieving cumulative grade point ratio (GPR) of 2.75 or above at the end of any semester and/or remediation period. The Student Affairs and Academic Progression Committee reviews the progression of all students in the pharmacy program.

  1. A student will be placed on academic probation when one or more of the following occurs:
    1. The student has failed course(s) or remediation for a course.
    2. The student’s cumulative GPR falls below 2.75.
  2. During the time a student is on academic probation, the student must meet with the assistant dean for student affairs and/or other deans or their designee(s) to discuss their course of action for returning to good academic standing.
  3. Any student who is placed on academic probation or required to meet with the Student Affairs and Academic Progression Committee, must meet with the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences financial aid counselor to discuss any possible financial-aid consequences.
  4. A student may be removed from academic probation when the specific cause for being placed on academic probation has been removed, that is:
    1. The student passes the course that was previously failed; or
    2. The student’s GPR is at or above 2.75; or
    3. For either cause, the student complies with any additional requirements from the assistant dean for student affairs and/or other deans or their designee(s).
  5. A student may be suspended or terminated from the Doctor of Pharmacy Program if the student is not in good academic standing at the end of any semester. Action of suspension or termination will be determined following evaluation of in-class performance and a determination by the Student Affairs and Academic Progression Committee. If a student is not seen to be progressing through the program toward successful completion, he/she may be suspended or terminated from the program following a formal hearing with this committee.

Peter Sammartino School of Education

Clinical Placement Clinical Probation and Removal

If a candidate is asked not to continue placement in a school by the school/district due to incapacity to fulfill teaching or internship responsibilities; ineffectiveness or conduct unbecoming of a teacher or intern; or other just causes, it is the policy of the Peter Sammartino School of Education (SOE) that:

  • The SOE program director/coordinator, the adviser of the candidate and all appropriate parties will be notified via email concerning this matter.
  • The SOE program director/coordinator, director of field placement, adviser of the candidate and all other appropriate parties will meet with the candidate.
  • The matter will then be considered by a committee consisting of the director/coordinator of the program, the adviser of the candidate, the director of field placement and at least one member of the administration of the SOE.
  • Based on the review of all relevant information, a recommendation will be made to the director of the SOE as to whether or not the candidate should be allowed to continue the clinical experience and if a new placement will be made. The Office of Field Placement will determine when and where the placement will be made. If a candidate is asked not to continue in a second placement by the school/district due to incapacity to fulfill teaching responsibilities; ineffectiveness or conduct unbecoming of a teacher; or other just causes, it is the policy of the SOE that:
  • The candidate will NOT be allowed to continue in the clinical experience or take other clinical experiences.
  • The SOE program director/coordinator and the adviser of the candidate will be notified by email.
  • The SOE program director/coordinator, director of field placement, adviser of the candidate and all other appropriate parties will meet with the candidate. The candidate may request to have a representative present.
  • The matter will be considered by a committee consisting of the director/coordinator of the program, the adviser of the candidate, the director of field placement and at least one member of the administration of the SOE.
  • Based on the review of all relevant information, a recommendation will be made to the director of the SOE as to whether or not the candidate should be allowed to continue in the program.

Gildart Haase School of  Engineering

Students must maintain a minimum grade point ratio (GPR) of 2.75 to complete a Master of Science degree. Any semester a student’s semester or cumulative grade point ratio (CGPR) falls below 2.75, he/she is placed on probation. A student who has not met academic qualifications will be dismissed from the program.

Henry P. Becton College of Nursing and Allied Health

Students must achieve a grade of B or higher in each nursing course. A cumulative GPR of 3.00 is required for continuation in the program and graduation from the University. Students who fail a second course may not repeat it. After failing a second course the student is dismissed. Clinical Probation and Removal A student may be placed on clinical probation at the end of a clinical rotation if the student demonstrates either of the following:

  • He/she cannot carry out expected clinical activities without direct supervision.
  • Fails to demonstrate professional growth and development, or appropriate initiative, decision-making, or leadership. After meeting with the course- responsible faculty or course instructor to discuss the student’s performance and the probationary process, the student will sign a contract agreeing to a plan to remove the probation. If the student meets his/her outcomes, probation will be lifted.

Clinical Dismissal

Grounds for clinical dismissal are:

  1. Failure to meet clinical educational outcomes.
  2. Behavior that requires direct instructor intervention to prevent omissions or incomplete or unsafe care that would result in actual or potential physical or emotional harm to the client.
  3. Behavior that actually or potentially harms the client physically or emotionally. Any of these behaviors result in an NC (No Credit) grade for clinical and an F in the professional course. The student is not allowed to continue in the clinical experience for that course. If this is the student’s first failure in a professional course, she/he may repeat the course the next time it is offered in their cohort. Programs in College of Psychology and Counseling (M.A., Psy.D., Ph.D.) M.A. in General/Theoretical Psychology Students receiving two or more grades below B- in any graduate course will be placed on academic probation with the possibility of a reduced course load for the next regular semester. Students receiving a concurrent or subsequent third grade below B- will not be permitted to continue in the program. A grade point ratio of at least 2.75 must be maintained at all times to continue in the program.

College of Psychology and Counseling

PhD in Clinical Psychology

The following are the conditions under which students may be terminated from the program:

  1. If a student receives two or more grades of C+ or lower or one grade of F, or maintaining a grade point ratio of less than 3.20 for two consecutive years.
  2. If a student fails the Ethics Qualifying Exam a second time.
  3. If a student fails the Comprehensive Examination a third time.
  4. If a student has not finished the degree within the specified time limit.
  5. If a student has engaged in unethical or criminal behavior (plagiarism, cheating, violation of APA ethical guidelines or University or governmental law, including harassment). The criminal background check (described below) will be one source of information in this regard. Termination will be decided by the doctoral faculty as a whole.
  6. If a student has psychological problems or deficiencies in professional competencies that affect the student’s functioning in the program or ability to function effectively in a clinical or research capacity. Students should be aware that they are evaluated throughout their training with regard to their interpersonal, professional and ethical behavior, as well as their clinical and research competencies. Students’ progress in the program is evaluated regularly, and any student who is exhibiting competency deficiencies or psychological problems that interfere with progress in the program will be advised on appropriate procedures for responding to faculty concerns, including, but not limited to, leave of absence, personal therapy or repeating a clinical or research practicum experience. In the event of extreme concerns deemed unlikely to respond to remediation or sustained concerns with inadequate response to remediation will result in termination from the program.
  7. If a student has been asked to leave an externship or internship, that is grounds for termination from the program.

MA and PsyD in School Psychology

The following are the conditions under which students may be terminated from the School Psychology programs:

  1. Receiving two or more grades of C+ or lower or one grade of F, or maintaining a cumulative grade point ratio (GPR) of less than 3.20 for two consecutive years.
  2. Failing any part of the Comprehensive Examination on the third attempt.
  3. Unethical or criminal behavior (e.g., plagiarism; cheating; violation of American Psychological Association (APA) or National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) ethical guidelines, University policy or governmental law; harassment; or endangering the welfare of a child).
  4. Psychological or personal problems that affect the student’s functioning in the program or ability to function effectively in a clinical capacity.
  5. Not finishing the degree within the time limit.
  6. Not remaining continuously enrolled

MA in Clinical Forensic Psychology

The following are the guidelines by which students may be terminated from the master’s program in clinical forensic psychology:

  1. Receiving two grades of C+ or below or one grade of F.
  2. Failing the Comprehensive Examination a second time. Students must petition the program faculty for a third administration of the Comprehensive Exam.
  3. Not finishing degree requirements in three years.
  4. Unethical or criminal behavior (plagiarism, cheating, violation of APA ethical guidelines or University or governmental law, including harassment) that occurs either on campus, on internship site or in another academic or, in the case of criminal behavior, non-academic capacity. Termination will be decided by the program faculty and the department chair as a whole. The student will have the opportunity to present his/her side of the issue, as well as corroborating evidence. Legal advisers will not be involved in the hearing process.
  5. Psychological problems that affect the student’s functioning in the program or ability to function effectively in a clinical capacity. The program director and department chair will hold a meeting with the student to determine if such problems are evident. After consulting with the program faculty, a decision will be made on how to proceed. If deemed appropriate, the student will be asked to take a leave of absence to address these problems through psychotherapy. In the event of long-term, serious problems or a situation not adequately remediated by a leave of absence, a student may be asked to leave the program. 6. Unsuccessful completion (due to student’s performance) of the internship a second time. (Students must petition the program faculty for a second internship placement and demonstrate that issues raised during the first placement have been addressed).

MS in Clinical Psychopharmacology

Termination from the program will occur for the following reasons:

  • Surrender of a license in any jurisdiction for disciplinary reasons.
  • Documented academic dishonesty, as described in the University Academic Integrity Policy.
  • Unethical or unprofessional behavior. Please note that this also includes course website postings and email communications with faculty and staff. Students are advised that their behavior while participating in the program should exemplify the ethical behavior of a professional psychologist with respect to all communications with clients, colleagues, fellow students, faculty and staff.
  • Final grade of C+ or less in two or more courses.
  • Failure of the qualifying examination on three occasions.

Termination will be at the discretion of the academic director working in consultation with appropriate personnel within the University.

Maxwell Becton College of Liberal Arts and Education

MA in Animation and MFA in Animation

A student who completes 9 or more credits with a cumulative grade point ratio (CGPR) of less than 2.75 will be placed on Academic Probation and will be subject to a reduced course load the following semester. If, at the completion of an additional 9 credits the CGPR is still below 2.75, the student will be subject to suspension or dismissal. This decision will be based on the student’s overall academic performance and the student’s likelihood of obtaining the minimum CGPR of 2.75 needed for graduation. If the student is permitted to continue his/her studies, the student’s records will be reviewed each semester in which the CGPR remains below 2.75. The student will either be dismissed or will be subject to further credit limitations and minimum grade point requirements in order to be permitted to continue his/her studies.