GRADUATE PROGRAMS
Stonehill College offers a small portfolio of graduate program and confers degrees in the following: Master of Education in Inclusive Education, Master of Science in Marketing, Master of Arts in Integrated Marketing Communications, and Master of Professional Studies in Data Analytics.
MASTER’S DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
Advising
An entering graduate student should meet with the graduate program director as soon as possible after arrival on campus. The program director will:
- Help design and then approve the student’s complete program leading to the master’s degree.
- Monitor the student’s progress toward the degree, which must be completed within a five-year time period in most programs (See Time for Limit for Degree Completion).
- General Requirements for the master’s degree
To be recommended for a master’s degree, a candidate must satisfy all requirements of the College and the specific requirements of the program in which he or she is enrolled. The requirements of the College are listed below, and the specific requirements established by the various programs may be found in the section describing the particular programs.
A candidate for the master’s degree must complete the following within seven years of matriculation in order to receive the degree:
- A course of study designed by the department in which he or she is enrolled and approved by the College. The course of study must have a minimum of 30 credit hours of graduate work including, where applicable, a capstone or project in the student’s chosen field.
- A student must successfully complete a practicum or field experience requirement for his or her master’s program if required by the program.
- Satisfactory grades in all subjects offered for the degree must be earned (See Academic Standing).
- All financial obligations, including tuition, fees, and expenses, must be satisfied as evidenced by the Office of Student Accounts.
- Research Option for the Master’s Degree
If required by the program, a student must complete a master’s project or a capstone. The proposal must be approved by the department/program in which the student is enrolled and the final project or thesis must be of graduate level quality.
Project/Capstone
The project must consist of a scholarly investigation, such as a review, report, synthesis, design, or experiments in the student’s field resulting in a comprehensive written document. Each project/capstone is awarded only three credits and is intended to be completed within the time limit of one semester. If the work for a project is not completed by the end of the semester, the instructor will give the student an Incomplete which is to be treated the same as an incomplete for a regular course.
GENERAL POLICIES FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS
Each graduate student is subject to two sets of academic regulations - those of the College as a whole, in designated sections of the Hill Book and amended for graduate students in this section, and the academic rules of the college and program in which he or she is enrolled. The academic rules of college and programs are listed in the designated sections of the Hill Book.
Undergraduate Credit for Graduate Courses
A qualified senior may take a course at the 500 level for undergraduate credit in accordance with the policy and procedures of the department in which the course is offered. The grade received in any such course is used in calculating the undergraduate’s cumulative grade point average. If a student matriculates into a graduate program the graduate course will be waived but no credit will be earned. This waiver is subject to approval by the graduate program director. At no time may grades computed in an undergraduate GPA be used toward a graduate GPA.
Full-time study
Full-time study is defined as nine (9) credits or three (3) courses per semester.
Part-time study
Part-time study is defined as three-six (3-6) credits or one-two (1-2) courses per semester.
ADMISSIONS POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
General Admissions Requirements
The general requirements for admission to graduate study at the college are listed below.
- The applicant must show official evidence of having earned a baccalaureate degree or its U.S. equivalent from an accredited college or university. If an international transcript does not adequately demonstrate that an applicant has the equivalent of an American bachelor’s or master’s degree, the Office of Graduate Admissions will require such verification by an independent service.
- The degree must have been earned with a satisfactory scholastic average to demonstrate that the applicant has had adequate preparation for the field in which graduate studies are to be undertaken.
- The Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires that all full-time graduate students (9 or more credits) must be immunized against measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, and diphtheria. Director of Health Services.
Program Requirements
Each program may have additional requirements mandated by the unique nature of its programs. It is the responsibility of the graduate student to be aware of the minimum requirements of the college and, in addition, to fulfill the special requirements of the particular program in which he or she is enrolled.
Masters Application Information
Below you will find a checklist of the application materials required for admission into the graduate programs at Stonehill College.
- Online application
- Written personal statement
- 2 Letters of recommendation
- Transcripts
- Resume
- MTEL (Education only)
- Interview (Education Only)
- Additional Requirements, if applicable
All required documents listed about can be submitted through the online application with the exception of Official transcripts and additional requirements listed below.
Official Transcripts should be mailed directly to Stonehill from the undergraduate institution in which you earned a Bachelors degree. We also require transcripts from any post-baccalaureate or graduate coursework that you have completed.
If your transcript is not in English, provide a notarized translation of it.
If you’re enrolled in a degree program when you apply, submit your transcript of the courses you’ve taken to date. Submit your final official transcript once you’ve completed the degree program.
Your transcripts need to be:
- Conferred by regionally accredited colleges or universities
- Original documents bearing the official institutional stamp
- Received by the Office of Graduate Admission in envelopes sealed by the sending Institution, or sent electronically directly from the institution
Additional Requirements
A Foreign Credential Evaluation- We require a foreign credential evaluation for any candidate who earned a degree from an institution located outside of the U.S. Please use World Education Services (WES): www.wes.org or Center for Educational Documentation (CED): www.cedevaluations.com. We require a Course by Course evaluation.
Proof of English Proficiency- If you are an International Student and English is not your native language we require a TOEFL or IELTS
Stonehill will seek candidates with a TOEFL score of 90 or greater or an IELTS of 7.0 to assure sufficient preparation for the academic challenge of the program. Additionally, the college will consider candidates sub-scores to assure sufficient preparation among all measures of English proficiency.
While U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents whose native language is not English are not required to submit the TOEFL or IELTS, applicants are welcome to do so to better demonstrate their English proficiency.
Application Deadline
Stonehill College Office of Graduate Admission accepts application on a rolling basis. However, some programs have fixed application deadlines. Consequently, the applicant is strongly urged to contact the Office of Graduate Admission to determine the last date on which applications may be received.
GRADUATE NON-DEGREE STATUS
Prospective students with Bachelor’s degrees may take up to two (2) courses for graduate credit on a non-degree basis. If a candidate intends on applying to a graduate program, it is strongly recommended that students complete the admission process before completing more than two (2) courses or a total of six (6) credits. Stonehill College requires that non-degree seeking students complete an abbreviated version of the application. Stonehill College does not guarantee the acceptance of credits earned prior to formal admission since the coursework may not be applicable to the program requirements.
Refer to “Masters Application Information” for Admission requirements.
GRADUATE GRADING SCALE
The College uses the following system of letter grades and quality points to evaluate student performance.
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Grade
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Definition
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Quality Points per Credit Hour
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A
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Excellent, work that is of the highest standard, showing distinction and meets acceptable standard for graduation
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4.0
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A-
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3.7
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B+
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Good, work that is of high quality and meets acceptable standard for graduation
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3.3
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B
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3.0
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B-
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Satisfactory, work that fulfills requirements in quality and quantity and meets acceptable standard for graduation
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2.7
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C+
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Unsatisfactory, for required or core coursework and does not meet acceptable standard for graduation
Acceptable only for one elective course and meets acceptable standard for graduation
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2.3
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C
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Unsatisfactory, work that does not fulfill requirements or meet acceptable standard for graduation, and considered failing grade for required graduate coursework
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2.0
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C-
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1.67
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D+
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1.33
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D
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1.0
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F
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Failure, work undeserving of credit
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0.0
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IF
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Incomplete/Failure
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0.0
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AU
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Audit
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I
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Incomplete
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P
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Pass
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S
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Satisfactory
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U
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Unsatisfactory
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W
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Withdrew
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Administrative Grades:
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IP In Progress
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NS Not Submitted
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Grades of “AU”, “I”, “P”, “S”, “U”, and “W” are not assigned quality points and are not included in the computing of the quality-point average.
An “IF” (Incomplete/Failure) is issued when a student has failed to meet the 30-day deadline for completing the work in an incomplete (“I”) course. An “IF” is assigned 0.00 quality points and is calculated as an “F” when computing the student’s grade-point average.
“IP” (In Progress) is an administrative grade marker automatically assigned to any course that is currently in progress. Quality points are not assigned and are not included in the computing of the grade-point average.
“NS” (Not Submitted) is an administrative grade marker used to indicate that a grade was not submitted by the instructor by the final grading deadline. The “NS” will be replaced with a final grade upon receipt from the course instructor. Quality points are not assigned, and the NS grade is not included in the computing of the grade-point average.
Grade-Point Average:
The Semester grade-point average is based on all courses taken in that semester, including failures. It is calculated by (1) multiplying credits for each course by quality points assigned to each grade earned; (2) totaling points earned for all courses; and (3) dividing total points by the number of credits attempted.
Cumulative grade-point average is calculated in the above manner for all courses taken at Stonehill College, including failures. Grades earned in courses accepted in transfer, or in courses approved to be taken at other colleges, are not calculated in either the semester or the cumulative grade-point average.
The student who fails a course can secure credit for the course only by repeating and passing it. A student must repeat a course if the grade is below a B- if the course is required in the program. Students also have the option of repeating elective courses if the grade is below B-. Please see Graduate Course Repeat Policy.
GRADUATE REPEAT POLICY
- Students may repeat any regular graduate course when they have received a grade below B- or in order to improve their grade. Exceptions to this policy include internships, Directed Studies, Independent Studies, and courses already designated as repeatable under different topics. Topics courses may be repeated to improve the grade only when the second iteration of the course is offered under the same title.
- This policy only applies to Graduate students in graduate programs and certificates.
- The following rules apply to repeating a course at Stonehill for which a grade below a B- is earned:
- A course for which a grade of C, C+ C-, D+, D, or F is earned may be repeated only once.
- A grade of “B-” or better must be earned in all core or required courses for the course to count toward degree requirements. If a required or core course is failed, i.e. the student has received a grade of “C+” or below, the course must be retaken. For courses taken as “Pass/Fail” Pass shall indicate a grade of B- or better and fail shall indicate a grade of C+ or below.
- The repeated course must have the same number as the original course and may not be taken as a directed studies course.
- No more than one course for which a grade of C, C+ C-, D+, D, or F was earned may be repeated in a semester.
- A maximum of two courses can be repeated in a program before the student is dismissed from the program (exceptions may be considered at the discretion of the Director or Dean with extenuating circumstances).
- Graduate students may earn one “C+” grade in a non-required (elective) course to apply the credits toward their degree requirements. A grade of “C” or below in an elective course is also considered a failing grade. Elective courses may also be repeated following this policy.
- Repeated courses that were originally taken for a standard letter grade must be repeated for a letter grade. Repeated courses that were originally taken Pass/Fail may be repeated either on a Pass/Fail basis or for a letter grade.
- The course must be taken prior to the completion of the degree. In some cases, this may lengthen the duration of a student’s program given when the course is offered.
- All grades for repeated courses undertaken at Stonehill will appear on the transcript, Including both original and repeated courses.
- Only the higher grade of a repeated course undertaken at Stonehill will be used in the calculation of the cumulative GPAs.
- Academic probationary status, which is based on the semester GPA, is not removed while repeating a course.
- The student must complete the course repeat approval process established by the Registrar’s Office. Approval by the program director/faculty advisor may also be required.
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
It is the personal responsibility of the student to ensure that all academic requirements in the program are satisfactorily completed. The requirements for the degrees of Master of Arts, Master of Science, Master of Education, and Master of Professional Studies are the following:
- Satisfactory completion of all course requirements. Students must complete all degree requirements within seven calendar years of matriculation. Coursework more than seven years old will not be permitted for degree credit.
- Proof of a grade of “B” or higher for each transfer course.
- A cumulative grade point average of a 2.70 or above.
- Have a completed Application for Graduation on file in the Registrar’s Office.
The student is responsible for payment of all financial obligations to the College, and diplomas and academic transcripts are withheld until such obligations have been satisfied.
Degrees ordinarily are conferred by the College at the public commencement exercises. Candidates for degrees are to be present at these exercises unless excused by the Office of Academic Affairs.
Graduation Dates
While Stonehill only holds one public Commencement Exercise in May, graduate students who complete their degree requirements may earn their degree at the end of the summer (September 1st) or at the end of the fall semester (December 31st).
May Commencement Exercises will normally be held on the 3rd Sunday of May, when May is a four week month, and on the 4th Sunday of May, when May is a five week month.
Candidates for May degrees are to be present at these exercises unless excused by the Provost’s Office.
To be eligible for May Graduation
A student must satisfactorily complete all degree requirements by no later than the final due date for spring senior grades.
The official date of graduation on the diploma and transcript will be the date of May Commencement.
To be eligible for September 1st Graduation
A student must satisfactorily complete all degree requirements by no later than August 20th of that year.
The official date of graduation on the diploma and transcript will be September 1st. Diplomas will be mailed by October.
To be eligible for December 31st Graduation
A student must satisfactorily complete all degree requirements by no later than the final due date for fall semester grades.
The official date of graduation on the diploma and transcript will be December 31st. Diplomas will be mailed by February.
Participation in Commencement Exercises
Any student who has completed all official degree requirements by the final due date for Spring grades for students who are graduating and who has an approved “Application for Graduation” on file in the Registrar’s Office will be allowed to participate in May Commencement Exercises.
September graduates may not participate in the Commencement prior to degree completion. September graduates are automatically included in the next May Commencement.
December graduates may not participate in the Commencement prior to degree completion. December graduates are automatically included in the May Commencement following degree completion.
GRADUATE TIME TO DEGREE
Graduate students must complete all degree requirements within seven (7) calendar years of matriculation. Leaves do not stop the clock for the completion of degree.
Course work more than seven (7) years old will not be permitted for degree credit.
GRADUATE TRANSFER OF CREDITS
At the discretion of the Graduate Program Director of each program at Stonehill College, a student may be permitted to transfer up to six (6) credits of comparable graduate coursework from a regionally accredited institution.
- Requests to transfer credit into a Stonehill College graduate program must be initiated in the Registrar’s Office - who will determine transferability of credit in consultation with the Graduate Program Director based on the educational quality of the learning experience being transferred in; the comparability of the nature, content, and level of the learning experience earned to Stonehill College’s academic programs; and the appropriateness and applicability of the credit earned in light of the student’s educational goals.
- No more than two (2) courses or six (6) credit hours may be transferred into a Stonehill College graduate program.
- Transfer credit will not be granted for courses in which a grade lower than a B was earned. Similarly, no credit will be granted for courses showing a grade of Pass or Satisfactory. Undergraduate-level courses will normally not transfer.
- Only credit hours are transferred. Transfer grades are not recorded on the Stonehill transcript and are not included in the computation of the cumulative grade-point-average. Credits transferred in from quarter hour, trimester, or other non-semester hour institutions may be adjusted to make them equivalent to a Stonehill semester-hour credit.
- Students are required to provide the Stonehill College Registrar’s Office with an official copy of the transfer school’s transcript before credits will be transferred.
- Descriptions of the classes for which credit is sought must accompany a credit transfer request. Additional information (e.g. syllabus) may also be required to determine transferability.
- Students wishing to take and transfer in courses from another institution after initial matriculation at Stonehill must have the courses pre-approved by the Graduate Program Director and the Registrar’s Office.
- All coursework, including transfer credit, must satisfy the time-to-degree requirement, as outlined in the Time to Degree part of this catalog.
- Coursework more than five years old will not be accepted for transfer credit. The Stonehill College Registrar’s Office will notify the student of the credit transfer decision.
GRADUATE LEAVE OF ABSENCE POLICY
Only students in good academic standing and good standing with the College may apply for a leave of absence. Leaves of absence may be granted for up to one academic year and are renewable up to an additional academic year thereafter. The academic year is defined as the fall and spring semester only. Students returning from a leave of absence must file a Request to Re-register Application from a Leave of Absence with the Registrar’s Office at least 30 days prior to the start of the semester in which they plan to return. The Request to Re-register Application must also be signed by the graduate program director of the academic program in which the student is enrolled. Students taking leaves of absence will not have an extension of the limitation of time for degree completion (see Policy Time to Degree). Students taking a leave of absence must officially drop all courses for which they are currently registered. Students on an approved leave of absence will not have access to the college’s resources during the leave, this includes but is not limited to faculty resources, library resources, recreational resources, etc. Stonehill College reserves the right to request documentation from a student who requests a medical leave. This documentation must be provided to the college in writing detailing that the medical problem no longer precludes safe attendance at the College including the successful completion of academic coursework.
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