Graduate School Academic Regulations

General Academic Regulations

Grades

Students may receive quality grades of A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D, or F on graduate course work, but grades of D and F are not acceptable for graduate credit. In calculating grade-point average, the quality points associated with the above scale are as follows: A = 4.0, A- = 3.7, B+ = 3.3, B = 3.0, B- = 2.7, C+ = 2.3, C = 2.0, C- = 1.7, D = 1.0 and F = 0. In certain specifically designated courses, the mark of Z is given to indicate that a student has received graduate credit but has been assigned no quality grade in the course; however, in courses approved for the Z mark, instructors may assign the quality grade of F. The only other marks that may be assigned in courses approved for the Z mark are I or W.

Graduate students must maintain at least a B = 3.0 average on all graduate work undertaken. Where a student is required to take, as part of the degree program, more than 12 hours in an area outside the field of specialization, a B = 3.0 average must be presented in both areas, computed separately. Unless specifically approved to be otherwise, no grades or marks are given for courses designated as thesis, doctoral essay, or dissertation. In any situation in which a graduate student wishes to appeal a grade, he or she should contact the dean of the Graduate School for a copy of the Graduate School Appeal Procedure, which shall apply in this case.

Good Standing and Probation

To be in good standing, graduate students are expected to maintain a B average. Students must have a 3.0 GPA on course work that is presented to satisfy requirements for a degree. Students whose grade-point average falls below 3.0 in any regular semester will be placed on probation and expected to improve their grades to an acceptable level before the end of their next period of enrollment. If the grade-point average of a graduate student for a semester or term has been unsatisfactory, the dean of the Graduate School may refuse permission for the student to register for further work or change the student’s classification.

Repeating Courses

Grades for all courses taken by graduate students will remain a permanent part of their transcript. (That is, the forgiveness policy does not apply to graduate students.) Except for courses identified in the catalog as “may be repeated for credit,” no course may be repeated more than once, and no more than two courses may be repeated and applied toward a degree. In instances of repeated courses, the grade and credit hours for the second attempt will be used to determine eligibility to graduate. Departments may impose higher standards. For those courses that may be repeated for credit, the department offering the course would notify the registrar’s office to rename (or index as I/II, etc.) the course on students’ transcripts at each offering.

Discipline

The broad purpose underlying student discipline is to order university living in such a way that the interests of the student body as a whole and of the individuals comprising it are best served. The university reserves the right to sever the connection of any student with the university for appropriate reason. In any situation in which a graduate student wishes to appeal a charge of academic dishonesty, he or she should contact the dean of the Graduate School for a copy of the Graduate School Appeal Procedure, which shall apply in this case.

Minimum/Maximum Enrollment and Definition of Full-Time

A minimum enrollment of 3 hours is required of every graduate student in each regular semester and 1 hour during the summer session, including registration for thesis or dissertation. The maximum enrollment for a graduate student during a regular session is 15 semester hours, including thesis and dissertation. In the summer session, the student may register for no more than 6 semester hours each term. Additional restrictions may be imposed by academic departments.

A graduate student registered for 9 or more graduate-level credit hours during the fall or spring semesters at the university is considered to be a full-time student. In a summer term, a graduate student registered for 4 or more semester hours is considered a full-time student though, to satisfy residence requirements, the student must enroll for a total of 9 hours during the summer session terms.

Students receiving a full university Nonservice Fellowship must enroll for at least 9 hours per semester. Enrollments for students holding service appointments are governed by the following schedule:

*Only 6 hours of which can be in course work, the balance being made up of enrollment in thesis, dissertation, or recital hours.

**Only 9 hours of which can be in course work, the balance being made up of enrollment in thesis, dissertation, or recital hours.

In order to be eligible to receive a partial tuition scholarship, graduate assistants must enroll for at least 9 hours of graduate credit.

Withdrawal from a Course

Registration for a course makes the student responsible for attending that course until the course is completed or until, with the approval of the instructor and the dean of the Graduate School, the registrar authorizes withdrawal from the course. The last day that a student may withdraw from a class without a record of enrollment in each semester is listed in the Academic Calendar.

Graduate Credit for Senior Undergraduates

Under certain conditions, University of Mississippi seniors within 15 semester hours of the bachelor’s degree may enroll for a maximum of 3 semester hours of graduate courses at the 500 level, and seniors within 12 semester hours of the bachelor’s degree may enroll for a maximum of 6 semester hours of graduate courses at the 500 level on which graduate credit will be given towards a degree program in the Graduate School. The conditions are that the student must have an overall grade-point average of at least 3.00 on the last 60 hours of undergraduate work and be otherwise qualified for admission to the Graduate School, that these courses must not be counted towards satisfying the requirements for the bachelor’s degree, and that the department chair concerned and the dean of the Graduate School must have approved the courses for graduate credit before the undergraduate enrolls in them. Whereas the general rule is that a maximum of 6 semester hours can be earned by an undergraduate for graduate credit, this maximum can be extended for specifically approved programs that are designed to accelerate a student’s entry into a University of Mississippi graduate or first professional program. Courses taken by undergraduates for graduate credit must be designated with the suffix G. Under no circumstances may undergraduates enroll in courses at the 600 level or above.

Transfer of Graduate Credit from Another Institution

A student may receive credit for work accomplished in recognized institutions upon the recommendation of the department and the approval of the dean of the Graduate School. Only courses for which the student received the grade of B or higher may be transferred. Transfer of credit from another institution will not be accepted for workshops, internships, and other courses of a similar nature, and for courses in which regular letter grades are not awarded. Grades from other institutions may not substitute for unsatisfactory grades earned at the university; nor may the grade of A or B earned at another institution be used to offset a lower grade earned at the university. Transfer work from another institution that constitutes an overload while enrolled as a full-time student at the University of Mississippi will not be accepted.

All transfer of credit is subject to the following conditions: (1) The residence or degree credit requirement is not reduced. (2) The other graduate school must offer a graduate degree in the field in which the work has been completed. (3) The student must have completed at least 12 semester hours of acceptable graduate course work at the university before transfer will be considered. (4) The credit must be recommended by the student’s department in the university as specifically applicable to the student’s degree program. (5) If the field is education, the other graduate school must be accredited for graduate study by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and by the regional accrediting association. For master’s degree students, a maximum of 6 semester hours of credit may be transferred; no more than 12 hours may be transferred for the Master of Fine Arts and Specialist degrees. The 6-hour transfer policy also applies within the university. No more than 6 hours, subject to departmental approval, may be applied from a previous master’s degree to a second master’s degree.

There is a six-year time limit on the applicability of transferred credit, as there is on all credits applicable towards the master’s degree. No work will be accepted for transfer to a doctoral program, but departmental doctoral program requirements may be waived or reduced as a result of graduate work completed at other institutions; however, Graduate School minimum degree requirements must be met.

Application for a Degree

A student must submit an application for a degree during the last semester or summer term of enrollment. If the student is not able to complete degree requirements at the end of that period, the student must resubmit the application during the semester or summer term at the end of which the student expects to graduate. A student must be formally admitted to the degree program prior to the beginning of the semester in which the degree is awarded and must meet the requirements of the catalog under which he or she was admitted or readmitted.

Final Enrollment

All students planning to receive their graduate degrees must be enrolled for at least 3 hours (thesis, dissertation, or course work) during the fall or spring semester in which they take the final oral and/or written examination. Those planning to graduate during the summer must be enrolled for at least one hour.