Graduate Programs

Graduate section under construction

Graduate Policies

Undergraduate Students Taking Graduate Classes - Mixed Credit Policy

There may be circumstances in which undergraduate students are, at the discretion of the relevant department, allowed to take graduate courses before the undergraduate degree (mixed credit) has been conferred. Students seeking mixed credit will be expected to meet the demands of enhanced workload and/or grading standards required in graduate level courses.

Circumstances in which mixed credit may be applied include, but are not limited to:

• Some academic programs offer courses at an undergraduate and graduate level. Undergraduate students accepted into a graduate program toward the end of their undergraduate program, may take the graduate level version of a course required of their undergraduate program. This course will be listed as a graduate course but will also fulfill the course requirement for the undergraduate degree.

Students seeking Mixed Credit at MSSU through this method will need be accepted to a graduate program accepting students seeking mixed-credit.

To apply, students must have:

1. Completed a minimum of 75 credit hours.
2. Earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
3. Completed the formal graduate program application process

• Undergraduate students may enroll in graduate courses and use the credit hours toward undergraduate credits in their undergraduate degree. In this instance, the graduate credit would be used to fulfill the university’s 120-hour undergraduate degree requirement. The course would be listed as graduate level but would count toward undergraduate credit. Students earning credit in this way may transfer the graduate credit or may internally apply the graduate course credit toward a graduate degree program requiring the course once admitted to the program through the regular admissions process.

Students seeking Mixed Credit at MSSU through this method will need to submit an online application through the Office of Admissions.

To apply, students must have:

1. Completed a minimum of 75 credit hours.
2. Earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
3. Received approval from the relevant department head(s) and dean(s)

Students may take a maximum of twelve (12) credits under the mixed credit policy, unless accepted into an accelerated program. However, students may take no more than six (6) credit hours, as Mixed Credit, in any single semester. Graduate credit taken as an undergraduate will expire after five years and will no longer count toward a graduate degree.

These minimum standards have been set for university-wide consideration, and exceptions to these standards must be approved by the department head and dean of the school offering the course. It is highly recommended that students who enroll in Mixed Credit courses contact the Financial Aid Office with any questions.

ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATE PROGRAMS/CERTIFICATES

REGULAR ADMISSION:
A student has a conferred bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university recognized by Missouri Southern State University, AND has an undergraduate cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale; OR a combined score of 300 on the verbal and quantitative sections of the Graduate Records Examination or minimum score on the GMAT (Business students only) of 450; AND meets specific departmental admission requirements for the program/certificate.

PROVISIONAL ADMISSION:
A student who holds a bachelor’s degree but does not meet course prerequisites for a specific departmental program/certificate or otherwise approximates but does not meet regular admissions requirements; OR is a senior seeking admission for a subsequent semester. Provisional admission will be granted for up to two consecutive semesters. Regular admission will be granted upon departmental approval.

GRADUATE READMISSION POLICY:

The University requires students who have not been enrolled for one regular term (spring or fall) to apply to be readmitted to the program through the Office of Admissions to enroll in future courses if they are still within the degree completion time established by the graduate program. Students seeking readmission to the program should contact the Office of Admissions for guidance on the readmission process.

Students who did not complete the program or who cannot complete the program within the degree completion time outlined by the graduate program will not be readmitted under this policy. Students will need to work with the appropriate Graduate Coordinator to determine an appropriate path forward.

This Graduate Readmission Policy does not apply to students who have been dismissed from a Graduate program. Students who have been dismissed from a graduate program for plagiarism, academic integrity, or other violations constituting program dismissal, will not be eligible to apply for admission to any graduate program for a period of three years.

GRADUATE ACADEMIC GOOD STANDING POLICY

1. Graduate students are expected to maintain a cumulative 3.0 GPA in all courses completed in their graduate program. Students in graduate courses can earn grades of A, B, C or F.

2. If a graduate student does not maintain a cumulative 3.0 GPA in all courses completed, the student:
    a. Will be placed on academic probation for the semester following the one in which a student’s cumulative GPA drops below 3.0.

• Graduate students placed on academic  probation are required to consult with their Program Graduate Coordinator, Academic Advisor or Designee.

    b. Will be placed on academic suspension if they cannot raise their cumulative GPA to 3.0 within one semester from which they were placed on academic probation.

• Graduate students are prohibited from enrolling in or taking courses, in their academic program, the semester following the notice of academic suspension.

• Graduate students may appeal academic suspension through The Office of the Registrar no more than two (2) times. If the academic suspension appeal is approved, the student will return to academic probation status and will be allowed to enroll in the upcoming term.

• Academic suspension from a graduate program does not prohibit the graduate student from seeking admittance into another graduate program.

    c. Will be dismissed from their academic program if they are unable to maintain a cumulative 3.0 GPA following academic suspension.

• Graduate students may appeal dismissal from their program through The Office of the Registrar one (1) time. If the academic dismissal appeal is approved, the student will return to academic probation status and will be allowed to enroll in the upcoming term.

    d. If a student’s GPA is below a 3.0 at the end of the penultimate semester, special permission must be granted to enroll in the capstone course (if applicable), including written student acknowledgement that he/she cannot graduate without a 3.0 GPA.

3. If a graduate student earns an F in a course, the graduate student may retake the course they earned a F in one (1) time, subject to the Graduate Repetition of Courses Policy.

GRADUATE ACADEMIC BANKRUPTCY POLICY

A student may petition the Graduate Academic Bankruptcy Committee to eliminate one semester of graduate work from MSSU in computing the academic record one time. Graduate Academic Bankruptcy allows one semester of recorded work to be eliminated in computing the student’s grade point average.

To be eligible to petition for Graduate Academic Bankruptcy the student must document the conditions that justify the petition. Students may not apply for Graduate Academic Bankruptcy once a degree has been earned.

Graduate Academic Bankruptcy may not be used as a means of obtaining academic honors or athletic eligibility.

Students may not apply for Graduate Academic Bankruptcy to avoid academic probation or suspension.

Graduate Academic Bankruptcy cannot be applied to transfer courses. The student should contact the institution where courses were taken and ask about their policy. If grades are subsequently bankrupted at that institution a new transcript should be sent to MSSU indicating the change.

It is typically not recommended to bankrupt courses required for your program since these courses must be completed to qualify for graduation. In some cases, repeating a course may be a better option. Please review the Graduate Repetition of Courses policy to see if it better fits your needs.

Graduate Academic Bankruptcy Procedure

Academic Bankruptcy Committee should be made up of a representative from the registrar’s office and two representatives from Graduate Council. Graduate Council representatives will be determined at the first meeting of the academic year and will serve a one-year term. When a Bankruptcy Form is submitted, the Registrar’s Office will reach out to the Graduate Council Chair to set up a meeting to review the submission. The committee’s decision will be sent to the Registrar’s Office, who will notify the student of the outcome.

Academic Load and Transfer Credit Policy

I. Student Load Status (aligns with Financial Aid Guidelines)
    a. Spring, Fall and Summer Semesters
        i. 9+ hrs Full-time
        ii. 7 to 8 hrs ¾ time
        iii. 6 hrs ½ time
        iv. < 6 hrs less-than-half-time

II. To enroll in more than 12 hours a student requires Department chair and Dean approval.

III. Transfer Credit
    a. The University maximum number of transfer hours (from a different university) at the graduate level is nine.
    b. Individual programs may determine lower maximums.
    c. Cross-listed courses are not considered transfer credits.
    d. Credits from another institution in which an A or B was earned may be transferred at the discretion of the department.

Graduation Policy

I. General Degree Graduation Requirements
   a. Minimum number of hours required to obtain a master’s degree
       i. 30 hours
   b. Minimum GPA
       i. 3.0
   c. Capstone Assessment
       i. The capstone assessment, research project, comprehensive exam, etc. will be determined by the individual programs
   d. Degree Completion
       i. Students have a total of seven years to complete a masters’ degree from the starting semester through the semester of graduation

II. Applying for Graduation
   a. Steps for applying to graduate will mirror those at the undergraduate level – see Registrar’s website for instructions.

https://www.mssu.edu/student-affairs/registrar/graduation.php

Graduate Incomplete, In Progress, and NO Grade Policy:

Incomplete (IN): A grade of ‘IN’ may be recorded by an instructor if a student is unable to complete the work of the course within the semester for a valid reason such as illness, death in the family, an emergency, etc. It is not intended as a substitute for an ‘F’ and does not entitle a student to attend the class during a subsequent semester. Incomplete grades are approved at the sole discretion of the instructor. Students must initiate communication with the instructor prior to the end of the course to discuss the option of an IN grade. Coursework for an incomplete grade must be made up by the last day of class to the final’s week of the next semester (excluding summers) or the grade will be converted to an ‘F’ automatically; however, instructors set the specific dates the coursework is due to them. Both credit and grade points for that course are suspended until the incomplete is converted to either a passing grade or an ‘F’. A student will not be able to graduate with an incomplete grade on their transcript.

 In Progress (IP): A grade of ‘IP’ will be recorded by an instructor in a situation in which a student is unable to complete the work of the course within the semester for a valid non- emergency reason, such as a research project or internship that overlaps two semesters. It is not intended as a substitute for an ‘F’ and does not entitle a student to attend the class during a subsequent semester. In Progress grades are approved at the sole discretion of the instructor. Students must initiate communication with the instructor prior to the end of the course to discuss the option of an IP grade. Coursework for an ‘IP’ must be made up by the by the last day of class to the final’s week of the next semester (excluding summers) or the grade will be converted to an ‘F’ automatically; however, instructors set the specific dates the coursework is due to them. Both credit and grade points for that course are suspended until the ‘IP’ is converted to either a passing grade or an ‘F’. BSE majors will not be able to begin student teaching if an ‘IP’ grade is in force. A student will not be able to graduate with an ‘IP’ grade on their transcript.

No Grade Assigned (NO): A grade of ‘NO’ will be substituted if the instructor does not assign a grade to the student by the grading deadline. A grade should not be left blank as a substitute for an ‘F’ and does not entitle a student to attend the class during a subsequent semester. A grade of ‘NO’ must be corrected or updated by the by the last day of class prior to the final’s week of the next semester (excluding summers) or it will be converted to an ‘F’ automatically. Both credit and grade points for that course are suspended until the ‘NO’ grade is converted to either a passing grade or an ‘F’. A student may not graduate with a grade of ‘NO’.

Graduate Policy - Repetition of Courses

Each course may only be repeated once with the intent to replace the previous grade.  Students may repeat courses in which grades ‘F, D, C, or B’ have been earned. When a course is repeated the highest grade will be used when computing GPAs. Once a degree is earned, a student is no longer eligible to exclude the grade of the original course in their GPA. Exceptions to this policy may be considered by the department head and dean of the college offering the course.

Graduate Policy for Course and Total Withdrawal

Withdrawal from a Single Class With a Grade of ‘W’
A student may initiate the withdrawal from a course in the Office of the Registrar. Deadlines cited in the Schedule of Classes apply. Withdrawn students are no longer permitted to attend the class.

Withdrawal from All Classes
A student who wishes to completely withdraw will initiate withdrawal in the Financial Aid Office (Hearnes Hall). A student who completely withdraws from the University prior to the last week of classes in a regular or summer semester will receive a grade of “W” in all courses in which the student is enrolled. Withdrawn students are no longer permitted to attend classes. If the last date of attendance precedes the official withdrawal date, the earliest date will be used as the separation date. A student who leaves school without officially withdrawing will receive grades of ‘F’ in all courses.

Military Withdrawal Policy
Persons involuntarily called to active duty in any branch of the military services of the United States while enrolled as students at Missouri Southern State University will be released from their academic responsibilities without penalty. The following options are available:
1.Complete Withdrawal*
A student called to active duty may request to be withdrawn from all classes and receive a full refund of tuition paid for class enrollment. Students selecting this option will follow the normal process for a Complete Withdrawal from the University. A copy of their orders must be submitted along with the Total Withdrawal form to receive a refund.
2.Incomplete Grade
A student called to active duty may contact course instructors to explore the option of receiving an “IN” (incomplete) grade for the course. The normal procedures for an incomplete grade will apply. The approval of this option is left to the discretion of each individual instructor.
3.Single Course Withdrawal*
A student called to active duty may request to be withdrawn from a single course past the normal published deadlines so long as the active duty orders were not received prior to the published deadline. Students are to complete the Single Course Withdrawal form. The military orders must be submitted along with the Single Course Withdrawal form to receive a tuition refund.

Graduate Policy, Academic Integrity

Policy for Graduate Assistantship Appointment

Graduate students hired as graduate assistants must be admitted to a graduate degree program and have earned a bachelor’s degree. Graduate assistants must work in support of the graduate degree program to which they have been admitted, unless approval for work assignment has been obtained by the Graduate Council. For academic year appointments, students must be enrolled in at least six hours of graduate credit course work at the 500 or 600 level that are required for the degree (unless in the final semester and the student has fewer hours needed to graduate). Students with summer assistantship appointments must either be enrolled in at least three hours of required graduate course work during the summer or pre-enrolled for the required hours of enrollment for the fall semester.

Students appointed to an assistantship may be enrolled in no more than 12 hours of course work during the fall or spring semesters. Individual departments may have a policy that reduces the maximum number of hours the student can be enrolled in for a semester. Departments may submit a request to the Graduate Council to allow a student to exceed the maximum number of allowed credit hours of enrollment.

International students are required to be enrolled in a minimum of nine credit hours with at least six hours of graduate credit course work at the 500 or 600 level that are required for the degree. Students whose first language is not English or are classified as an International Student must meet the Missouri Southern State University policies on Spoken English Language Competency.

During the academic year, students hired as full-time graduate assistants cannot work additional hours or be employed in other campus positions. Appointments as a student worker can be allowed for one-time special events that do not go beyond a maximum of two-days and 12 hours with permission of the Graduate Council. Students on assistantships can work as student workers for up to 40 hours a week during the time between semesters or during the summer.

Full-time graduate assistants work 20 hours per week on and/or off campus.

Part-time graduate assistants work 10 hours (or fewer with program approval) per week on and/or off campus.