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Fort Lewis College, not an individual department, awards graduate certificates and degrees. For this reason, certain academic policies and procedures developed through faculty governance or administrative processes apply to programs in all departments upon approval by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. When an academic policy and procedure is presented as a link to the Undergraduate Academic Policy and Procedure section of the catalog, this indicates that the regulations for undergraduate students also apply to graduate students. These policies and procedures do not represent all regulations that relate to graduate students, are not specific to this catalog, and are subject to change without prior notice, with the changes becoming effective upon approval of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. Students will be notified via their official Fort Lewis College email account if and when changes are implemented. Departments may develop and administer additional academic regulations. Students have a responsibility to know their department’s requirements, policies, and procedures by reviewing the departmental requirements in the catalog, the department’s website, and the department’s graduate student handbook.
Click here for the Academic Dishonesty by Students policy.
Click here for the Academic Grievance and Appeals policy.
Academic standings for graduate students are GOOD STANDING, PROBATION, ACADEMIC DISQUALIFICATION and REINSTATED FROM ACADEMIC DISQUALIFICATION. To be in good standing, students must meet the minimum cumulative grade point average standards and minimum cumulative pace standards established in this policy, unless higher cumulative grade point average and/or pace standards have been established by their programs. Students can be academically disqualified by violating either cumulative grade point average or cumulative pace standards. Academic standings are updated at the end of each fall, spring, and summer semester.
Cumulative Grade Point Average Standard
Students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 in all coursework numbered 600-700 to be in good standing for GPA. Students with a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 – 2.99 are on probation for GPA. Students on probation who fail to achieve a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00 after one semester will be academically disqualified for GPA. Students who fail to achieve a minimum GPA of 1.99 will be academically disqualified for GPA.
This table summarizes the cumulative grade point average standard:
| Cumulative GPA |
Academic Standing |
| 3.00 or higher |
Good Standing for GPA |
| 2.00 - 2.99 |
Probation for GPA |
| 2nd semester below 3.0 |
Academic Disqualification for GPA |
| 1.99 or lower |
Academic Disqualification for GPA |
Cumulative Pace Standard
Students must complete 80% of all attempted courses numbered 600-700 to be in good standing for pace. A course is considered completed when the student earns a grade of A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, or C-. A course is not considered completed when the student earns a grade of D+, D, D-, F, I, GW, or MW.
Students who complete 50% to 79% of their attempted coursework are on probation for pace. Students on probation who fail to achieve a minimum cumulative pace standard of 80% of attempted graduate coursework after one semester will be academically disqualified. Students who achieve a cumulative pace standard of 49% or lower will be academically disqualified.
This table summarizes standing for pace:
| Cumulative Pace |
Academic Standing |
| 80% or higher |
Good Standing |
| 50% to 79% |
Probation for pace |
| 2nd semester below 80% |
Academic Disqualification for pace |
| 49% or lower |
Academic Disqualification for pace |
Consequences of Standings
Students who are in good standing for cumulative grade point average and cumulative pace may continue to enroll. Students who are on probation for either cumulative grade point average or pace may continue to enroll after establishing an academic plan with their Graduate Faculty Advisor. Students on probation who do not meet standards for a subsequent term will be academically disqualified. Students who are academically disqualified for either cumulative grade point average or cumulative pace may not continue to enroll unless reinstated on appeal by the Post-Baccalaureate and Graduate Academic Standards Committee.
This table summarizes the consequences of the cumulative grade point average and pace standings:
| |
Pace |
| GPA |
≥ 80% |
50 - 70% |
<50% |
| 3.00 |
Good Standing GPA
Good Standing Pace
May continue to enroll |
Good Standing GPA
Probation Pace
May continue to enroll after developing an academic plan |
Good Standing GPA
Academic Disqualification Pace
May not enroll unless reinstated upon appeal |
| 2.99 - 2.00 |
Probation GPA
Good Standing Pace
May continue to enroll after developing an academic plan |
Probation GPA
Probation Pace
May continue to enroll after developing an academic plan |
Probation GPA
Academic Disqualification Pace
May not enroll unless reinstated upon appeal |
| 0 -1.99 |
Academic Disqualification GPA
Good Standing Pace
May not enroll unless reinstated upon appeal |
Academic Disqualification GPA
Probation Pace
May not enroll unless reinstated upon appeal |
Academic Disqualification GPA
Academic Disqualification Pace
May not enroll unless reinstated upon appeal |
Notification of Academic Standing
At the conclusion of fall, spring, and summer semesters, an email will be sent to students’ Fort Lewis account explaining how they may check their academic standing for cumulative grade point average and cumulative pace.
Students on probation based on cumulative grade point average or cumulative pace standards are expected to establish an academic plan with their Graduate Faculty advisor prior to the beginning of the next semester.
Students with an academic standing of academic disqualification will be provided instructions in their notification email about how to appeal.
Adjustment of Academic Standing Based on Department Standards
In addition to the minimum academic standards established in this policy, a graduate student may be required to meet departmental standards. Departmental standards are published as part of the requirements for each program.
If through a process established by the department, a student has been judged to not be making academic progress, the department may petition the Post-Baccalaureate and Graduate Academic Standards Committee to change a student’s academic standing to Probation or Academic Disqualification.
Consideration of Appeals and Petitions by the Committee
The Post-Baccalaureate and Graduate Academic Standards Committee reviews appeals three times per year in January, May, and August. Deadlines for student appeals and departmental petitions are published on the Academic Standards website.
Students may appeal academic disqualification based on cumulative grade point average or cumulative pace standards if:
1. There are documented special circumstances why the standards were not met, and
2. There is high probability that the student’s cumulative GPA can be raised to 3.00 or higher in no more than one additional fall, spring, or summer semester of coursework and/or there is high probability that the student can begin to maintain pace requirements in the future.
Students will be notified of the Committee’s decision by email to the Fort Lewis College account. If an appeal or petition is granted, the Committee, in consultation with faculty in the student’s department, will establish specific requirements the student must meet and the consequences of not meeting those requirements. If an appeal is denied, the student may appeal to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, whose decision is final.
Consequences of Withdrawing Entirely From a Term
When a student has a GW grade in all courses in a fall, spring, or summer semester, the student will have his/her academic standing adjusted as follows:
| Standing Before Withdrawal |
Standing after Withdrawal |
| Good Standing |
Probation |
| Probation |
Academic Disqualification |
All students are assigned an academic advisor Graduate Faculty Advisor by their department upon admission. Students must review their academic progress with this advisor at least once per term. Students may be assigned additional advisors in accordance with departmental advising policy.
Once a student has registered for the final courses to fulfill degree or certificate requirements, the student may submit the Application for Graduation form to the Registrar’s Office. The deadline for submitting the application for fall and spring is the Census Date of the semester in which the student is planning to complete degree requirements. A student completing a degree in summer must submit the form by Census Date of the spring semester. The Registrar’s Office will review the application and notify the student of the decision within seven weeks from the Census Date. If the application is approved, the appropriate graduation fee will be posted to the student’s account. A student may appeal if the application for graduation is denied. The appeal deadline will be the last business day of March for the spring degree candidates, the last business day of June for the summer degree candidates, and the Friday before the Thanksgiving break in November for the fall degree candidates. In the appeal, the student must provide documentation of how all missing degree requirements will be completed by the end of the semester indicated on the application. If the appeal is denied, the student must submit a new application in a subsequent semester.
Click here for the Attendance policy.
Click here for the Auditing policy.
Click here for the Census Date policy.
A student admitted to the College who has declared an intention to pursue the requirements for a master’s degree or graduate certificate will be classified as follows:
| M.A. First Year |
Fewer than 19 semester credits |
| M.A. Second Year |
19 or more semester credits |
| Certificate First Year |
Fewer than 19 semester credits |
| Certificate Second Year |
19 or more semester credits |
Unclassified students are those who have been admitted to the College without the intention of pursuing a degree or certificate.
Click here for the Communications Policy .
Normal Course Load
Normal course load is defined as the number of credits students are expected to enroll in each fall, spring, and summer semester as indicated in the departmental course sequencing. For graduate programs designed for working adults, the normal course load may be less than a full-time load.
Enrollment Certification Course Load
For purposes of enrollment certification for third parties, students’ course loads will be categorized as full-time, half-time, or part-time as follows:
| |
Full-Time |
Half-Time |
Part-Time |
| Fall, Spring, and Summer Semester |
9 semester credits |
4-8 semester credits |
1-3 semester credits |
Click here for the Course Offerings and Cancellations policy.
Click here for the Effective Catalog policy.
Click here for the Enrollment Certification policy.
Click here for the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) policy.
Click here for the Final Exams policy.
Click here for the Grade Appeals policy.
Click here for the Grade Change Policy .
Grades
Students are assigned a grade for each course registered for, completed, and/or withdrawn from after the Census Date for each enrolled term. A grade can be classified as either an appraisal of the quality of a student’s work or an explanation about why such an appraisal was not made.
Grades Appraising Quality of Work
Graduate Studies programs use the letter grade system to appraise the quality of a student’s work in a course. This system assigns a grade A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D- or F. Grades of A to C- earn credit. Grades of D+, D, D-, and F do not earn credits. Grades of A to F are figured into the computation of the cumulative grade point average.
Grades Explaining Why Quality of Work Was Not Appraised
A grade of AU, AW, GW, I, MW, and NG explains why the quality of a student’s work in a course was not appraised.
AU - A grade AU means the student initiated, and the instructor approved, the auditing of a course. No credit is awarded for a grade of AU. This grade does not figure into the computation of the cumulative GPA.
AW - A grade of AW means the College withdrew the student from a course or a term as allowed by an administrative policy. No credit is awarded for a grade of AW. This grade does not figure into the computation of the cumulative GPA.
GW - A grade of GW means the student initiated withdrawal from a course or from a semester and this withdrawal was approved by the program director. No credit is awarded for a grade of GW. This grade does not figure into the computation of the cumulative GPA.
I - A grade of I means the student initiated, and the instructor approved in accordance with grading policy, a delay in the appraisal in the student’s work. No credit is awarded for a grade of I. This grade is not used in the computation of grade point averages. The conditions for which a grade of I may be assigned are 1) the major part of the course requirements has been met; 2) the student is unable to complete the requirements in the term in which the course is taken for compelling and unforeseen reasons, and 3) in the opinion of the instructor, the requirements can be completed by the student without repeating the course. If the student completes the course requirements within the time allotted, the instructor will make an appraisal of the quality of the student’s work by submitting a Special Grade Report Form to the Registrar’s Office. If the course requirements are not completed within one year after the end of the appropriate term, the grade of I will revert to an F. The dean of the school in which the course is offered may waive for good reason the one-year deadline upon petition by the student to the program director. A grade of I must be resolved prior to degree conferral.
MW - A grade of MW means the student was called to active military duty. No credit is awarded for a grade of MW. This grade does not figure into the computation of the cumulative GPA.
NG - A grade of NG means the instructor did not file a grade for the course by the deadline. No credit is awarded for a grade of NG. This grade is not used in the computation of grade point averages. Once the deadline has passed, up to one year after the grade of NG was filed, the instructor may make an appraisal of the quality of a student’s work by submitting a Special Grade Report Form to the Registrar’s Office. NG grades will revert to F grades after one year. A grade of NG must be resolved prior to degree conferral.
Quality Points
Quality points for a course are determined by the numeric grade earned in the course multiplied by the number of credits for the course.
Graduate Studies uses the four-point system to three decimal points to assign numeric grades:
| |
| A = 4.000 points |
| A- = 3.667 points |
| B+ = 3.333 points |
| B = 3.000 points |
| B- = 2.667 points |
| C+ = 2.333 points |
|
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| C = 2.000 points |
| C- = 1.667 points |
| D+ = 1.333 points |
| D = 1.000 point |
| D- = .667 point |
| F = 0.000 points |
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Numeric grades are not given for the grades of AU, AW, GW, I,MW, or NG.
Cumulative Grade Point Average
The cumulative grade point average serves as the overall assessment of the quality of a student’s course work. It is computed by dividing the total number of quality points for graduate courses by the total number of GPA credit hours. The result is truncated to two decimal points. Grades of AU, AW, GW, I, MW, and NG do not figure in the calculation of the cumulative GPA.
Click here for information on Holds .
New graduate students are required to attend a departmental orientation immediately prior to their first term of attendance.
Click here for Registration policies and procedures.
Students have a right to pursue resolution of the problems they encounter in their dealings with Fort Lewis College faculty, staff or administrators. In the Student Complaints Policy, complaints are defined as problems that arise between a current, prospective or former student due to employee violations of Fort Lewis College policies or procedures, state statute or regulations, or accreditation requirements.
To initiate a complaint, complete the Academic Complaint Form.
Click here for the Time Limits on Coursework policy.
Students who have completed graduate-level courses application to their degree or certificate program may have those credits evaluated for transfer. The maximum number of credits accepted for transfer will be nine credits for a graduate degree program and six credits for a graduate certificate program. Credits will not be accepted for transfer if the course was not completed at a regionally accredited college or university with a comparable program; the course grade was less than B-; the course was completed more than six years prior to the date of admission; and the course was used to fulfill requirements for a previously earned degree.
Departments evaluate prior coursework on a case-by-case basis. The department may require a course syllabus to make a recommendation. Students will be notified of the department’s recommendation via email. The department’s recommendation will be reviewed following the standard policies and procedures of the Registrar’s Office. This review will be completed in four to six weeks after receipt of the official transcript(s) from the department. The Registrar’s Office will send official notification of the transfer of credit by email. Grades of credits accepted for transfer will not be included in the calculation of the Fort Lewis College grade point average.
Click here for the Transcripts policies and procedures.
Students who have registered for classes and decide not to attend have the responsibility to cancel their registration or initiate withdrawal by following the appropriate procedures.
Procedures to Withdraw from a Term
PRIOR TO THE FIRST DAY OF THE TERM
Students must cancel their registration through WebOPUS. Students should select “Student Services” > “Registration” > “Add/Drop Classes” > select the appropriate term > drop each of their classes prior to midnight on the day before the term begins.
FIRST DAY OF TERM TO LAST DAY OF REGULAR CLASSES
Students must initiate withdrawal through the department chair.
Technical Difficulties with WebOPUS
If a student experiences problems with using WebOPUS, it is the student’s responsibility to contact the Registrar’s Office as soon as possible.
Tuition and Fees for Students Who Withdraw
Students withdrawing from a term will be assessed tuition and fees according to the pro rata schedule published on the Student Billing & Cashiering website. There are separate schedules for the fall and spring semesters and the summer sessions.
Other Responsibilities Associated With Withdrawal
Students who have received financial aid have additional responsibilities associated with official withdrawal and must contact the Office of Financial Aid directly.
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