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Note: all Graduate and Professional Studies policies can also be found on the Stonehill Policies and Procedures webpage.
Graduate Student Standards of Work
Policy 2901
A Graduate and Professional Studies (GPS) student in good standing is one who meets the standards set by the graduate degree program and the Office of the VPAA. GPS students must maintain a minimum 2.7 cumulative grade point average (GPA) to remain in good academic standing.
A GPS student whose cumulative GPA falls below 3.0 but remains above 2.7 or receives a grade below B- in a required course will be required to meet with their faculty advisor. No required course in which a grade below B- (2.7) is earned may be credited toward any graduate degree.
A GPS student who receives below B- (2.7) in two courses is automatically placed on Academic Probation. A student whose cumulative GPA falls below 2.7 will be placed on Academic Probation and will follow a required improvement plan. Failure to meet the requirements of the plan will result in academic dismissal from the College, regardless of whether the student withdraws.
GPS students who are academically dismissed from the College must obtain written approval from the Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies or designee prior to reapplying. A GPS student who returns will be automatically placed on academic probation and required to follow an improvement plan.
A GPS student who is dismissed from the College may appeal to the Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies no later than five (5) business days after receiving the decision in writing. The Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies shall issue a decision in writing within seven (7) business days of receipt of the appeal. The Dean’s decision is final.
Some programs may require additional Standards of Work. Please check the appropriate program section of this catalog under Graduate Degree Requirements.
Graduate Student Grading Scale
Policy 2902
The College uses the following system of letter grades and quality points to evaluate graduate student performance.
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Satisfactory, work that fulfills requirements in quality and quantity and meets acceptable standard for graduation
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Unsatisfactory, work that does not fulfill requirements or meet acceptable standards for graduation, but still deserving of credit.
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Failure, work undeserving of credit
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Grades which are not assigned quality points and are not included in the computing of the quality-point average.
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IF (Incomplete/Failure)
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AU (Audit)
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I (Incomplete)
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P (Pass)
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S (Satisfactory)
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U (Unsatisfactory)
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W (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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Notes:
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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The student who fails a course can secure credit for the course only by repeating and passing it. A student has the option of repeating a course if the grade is below a B-.
Graduate Student Time to Degree
Policy 2903
Graduate and Professional Studies students must complete all degree requirements within seven (7) calendar years of matriculation. Leaves do not adjust or interrupt timeline toward the completion of degree.
Course work more than seven (7) years old will not be permitted for degree credit. Exceptions may be made through an appeal process by the Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies, or designee.
Graduate Leave of Absence
Policy 2903
Only Graduate and Professional Studies (GPS) students in good academic standing and good standing with the College may apply for a leave of absence, defined as a leave from the College that is more than one full semester (taking one semester off does not constitute a leave of absence). Leaves of absence may be granted for up to three consecutive semesters and are renewable up to three additional semesters thereafter. In some cases, taking a leave of absence may require graduate students to re-take/refresh coursework.
GPS students returning from a leave of absence may only return to their original program. Students taking leaves of absence will not have an extension of the limitation of time for degree completion (see Policy 2903, Graduate Student Time to Degree).
GPS students taking an official leave of absence must 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, which include 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.
Graduate Enrollment Status
Policy 2905
All Graduate and Professional Studies (GPS) degree seeking students are admitted to the College by the Office of Graduate Admission.
Full-time Status: A GPS student is considered full-time if they are registered for 9-18 credits in any graduate semester.
Part-time Status: A GPS student is considered part-time if registered for fewer than nine (9) credits in a semester.
GPS students can take a maximum of 18 credits per semester, with no more than 9 credits per 7-week part of term. Students may request an overload of more than 18 credits, in writing, to the Graduate Director. The Graduate Director’s decision is final.
Graduate Student Non-Degree Status
Policy 2906
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 and provide a copy of an undergraduate transcript with proof of a bachelor degree conferral. 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.
Skyhawk Accelerated Dual Degree
Policy 2907
Any accepted undergraduate student is eligible to apply to the Skyhawk Accelerated Dual Degree (Skyhawk ADD) program. Acceptance into the Skyhawk ADD program allows students to begin a graduate degree within the Stonehill College Division of Graduate and Professional Studies while completing their undergraduate degree. Current Stonehill undergraduate students who wish to apply to the Skyhawk ADD Program must obtain sponsorship from two (2) faculty members, have a minimum GPA of 3.0, and meet any other program-specific requirements, which can be found here.
Admitted Skyhawk ADD students must complete 60 undergraduate credits before they may enroll in courses for dual credit. Skyhawk ADD students may, with approval of the pertinent graduate director, then enroll in a maximum of two 3-credit courses at either the 500- or 600-level that may count toward both their undergraduate and graduate degrees simultaneously (dual credit).
Skyhawk ADD students must meet the Graduate Student Standard of Work of B- or better to earn graduate credit pursuant to Policy 2901. If a student does not meet the Graduate Student Standard of Work in a course attempted with the purpose of seeking dual credit, the student will earn only undergraduate credit. Skyhawk ADD students may enroll in additional graduate courses beyond six (6) credits while still completing their undergraduate degree, but any such additional courses will not count toward the undergraduate degree requirement. Students enrolling in any additional graduate courses beyond the six (6) credits allowed for dual credit must pay all relevant graduate tuition and fees related to that enrollment.
A bachelor’s degree is awarded after successful completion of all undergraduate requirements. A master’s degree is awarded after successful completion of all graduate program requirements.
Graduate Student Withdrawal from the College
Policy 2908
A Graduate and Professional Studies (GPS) student may voluntarily withdraw from the College for personal or medical reasons (with documentation), or the College may involuntarily withdraw a GPS student from the College for medical or other appropriate extenuating circumstances or violations of the community standards following the deadlines outlined on the graduate and professional studies academic calendar. GPS students should be aware of financial implications for withdrawal as outlined in the procedures. Suspension, separation, or dismissal of GPS students for disciplinary reasons shall be governed by Policy 1201 and Policy 3103. Separation of GPS students for academic reasons shall be governed by Policy 2901.
Procedures for administering the withdrawal and refund process shall be maintained and published by the Office of the Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies. Changes made to the procedures during an academic year shall be published electronically in the same area where the procedures were originally published.
Graduate and Professional Studies Registration and Late Registration
Policy 2909
Graduate and Professional Studies (GPS) students are allowed to change their schedules only during the GPS Add/Drop period. Specific dates for the GPS Add/Drop period will be listed in each year’s GPS Academic Calendar.
After the expiration of the appropriate GPS Add/Drop period, GPS Students may adjust their schedule only through petition to the respective GPS Director and may be subject to a late registration fee. Any approved adjustment is subject to withdrawal, refund, and course registration procedures.
Procedures in support of this Policy shall be published and maintained by the Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies or designee.
Graduate and Professional Studies Requirements for Graduation
Policy 2910
It is the personal responsibility of the Graduate and Professional Studies (GPS) student to ensure that all academic requirements in their degree program are satisfactorily completed.
The requirements to complete a master’s degrees include:
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Satisfactory completion of all degree requirements at the 500 level or above within 7 years of start date, unless otherwise granted in writing by the Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies or designee;
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Complete at least 30 credits;
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A cumulative grade point average of a 2.7 or above;
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A completed Application for Graduation on file in the Registrar’s Office.
Graduate diplomas are withheld until financial obligations have been satisfied.
Graduate degrees ordinarily are conferred by the College at the public commencement exercises. Once the degree is conferred, no change may be made to the GPS student’s academic record.
Graduate Transfer of Credits
Policy 2912
At the discretion of the Graduate Director, a graduate student may be permitted to transfer up to six (6) credits of comparable graduate coursework from a regionally accredited institution.
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 not transfer. Coursework more than five years old will not be accepted for graduate transfer credit.
All coursework, including transfer credit, must satisfy the time-to-degree requirement, as outlined in Policy 2903 Graduate Student Time to Degree Policy.
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.
Graduate Participation in Commencement Exercises
Policy 2913
GPS students may participate in Commencement Exercises if they are within six (6) credits of degree completion. Students may participate in Commencement Exercises if they are within nine (9) credits of degree completion with written permission from the Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies or designee.
Graduate Program Change
Policy 2914
Any graduate student wishing to change their program must meet the admission requirements and procedures of the program in which they wish to enroll. Students wanting to transfer from one program to another must submit a program change application, in consultation with their advisor. Program change applications will be subject to the published application deadlines.
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