Academic Standards and Probation for Graduate Study
You must maintain at least a B average (3.00 grade point average) to remain in good standing in a graduate program. Graduate regular students who fail to maintain at least a B average will be placed on probation. You must raise your overall grade point average to a B or better with the next 9 graduate credits you take. While on academic probation you cannot carry a graduate assistantship appointment or be admitted to candidacy for a degree. If you fail to raise the overall grade point, you will be dropped from your degree program and will be automatically reclassified as a graduate special student.
Grades of C will be accepted in no more than 8 of the 30 credits that apply toward a degree. Coursework with a grade below C may not be used to satisfy graduate degree requirements. You may not repeat a course unless you get approval from the dean of the college offering the course. For courses taken at this university, only the credit and grade earned in your second attempt will be figured into your grade point average, but the original grades are not taken off your record. If you plan to repeat a course, pick up a request to repeat a course form from the Office of the Registrar and have it approved by the appropriate dean.
If you need to take extra credits to raise your grade point average, you may take only 6 credits beyond the 30 credit minimum requirements for the degree.
Incomplete and Pass/Fail Grades. You must remove a grade of incomplete before the end of the next semester. If not, it automatically becomes a failure unless it is a culminating experience course. Normally courses with pass/fail grades do not apply to a graduate degree program. For exceptions, see the description of individual graduate degree programs.
Academic Progress Standards for Grad Students Receiving Financial Aid
You will maintain satisfactory academic progress for financial aid eligibility if you receive grades of A-C in 75 percent of the total graduate semester hours for which you are enrolled at UW-Stevens Point.
Your academic progress is determined each year in June. If you are not making satisfactory academic progress, you will be ineligible to receive financial aid until such time as you earn a sufficient number of credits to be making satisfactory academic progress. Additional conditions apply:
- “Total graduate semester hours for which enrolled” is defined as all the graduate credits for which you receive a grade of A, B, C, D, F, I, GP, P, W, or WF. Plus and minus grades are included.
- These standards are applied after you have accumulated 9 or more “semester hours enrolled.”
- Incomplete grades in thesis courses are excluded.
- Transfer credits are excluded.
- According to federal regulations, you are no longer eligible for financial aid after you attempt more than 48 graduate credits for a master’s degree.
- If you re-enter after being out of school one or more semesters, you must be making satisfactory academic progress at the time you re-enter in order to qualify for financial aid.
- If you are ineligible for financial aid due to unsatisfactory academic progress, you may appeal to the dean of your college for special consideration if you feel your lack of progress is due to extenuating circumstances.
Active/Inactive Status
Admission to a graduate program is usually granted to begin graduate coursework in a specific term (semester or summer session). If you delay your enrollment beyond the specific term of your admission (or if your admission letter does not include a specific term of admission), contact the Admissions Office to find out what will be needed to enroll in a future term.
If you do not earn any graduate credit for a period of five consecutive terms, you will be considered inactive and must be readmitted before enrolling. Inactive students who reapply must meet admission standards and degree requirements that are in effect at the time of readmission.
Courses
The courses approved for graduate credit are listed in the undergraduate Course Information section of this catalog by academic department. All courses in your approved Program of Study will be in the 500-999 group. You must have graduate standing to take courses 700 and above.
When you take dual numbered courses (300/500 and 400/600) as a graduate student you must meet at least one additional qualitative objective beyond the requirements for the undergraduate students in the same course. This might be a research project with a written and/or oral report, a term paper, a seminar or presentation given to the class, a product that can be used in class and shared with others, an essay or oral examination instead of an objective examination, etc. These additional qualitative objectives should be included in the course syllabus.
In addition, faculty members teaching dual numbered courses should use instruction methods that involve dialogue, student discussion/presentation. Where this is not feasible for the entire class, there should be additional discussion/seminar sessions for graduate students.
Coursework Criteria/Graduate Level
- Graduate coursework has a greater level of academic/ intellectual rigor, is more specialized, and requires significantly greater depth and intensity of study than does UW-Stevens Point undergraduate coursework.
- Graduate coursework involves a balance of theory and practice. Some courses in a master’s program will place more emphasis on theory while others will emphasize practice.
- The methods of instruction in graduate courses reflect a high level of personal interaction between the instructor and individual students. This requires small graduate course sections, regular and personalized advising, and interactive teaching methods.
- Graduate coursework requires more student self-directed learning than found in undergraduate courses and requires extensive use of learning resources that include but are not limited to library resources, laboratories, and computer facilities.
- Graduate coursework focuses on advanced disciplinary content, usually an extension of what was presented at the undergraduate level. When graduate work serves an introductory function, it introduces content that is not offered at the undergraduate level but is dependent upon understandings acquired at the lower level. However, introductory graduate coursework may also be used in an accelerated way to create a basic background for an individual with an undergraduate degree in another field or who lacks background from undergraduate preparation.
- All graduate coursework should contribute to degree program goals.
- Grades assigned in graduate courses distinguish between levels of achievement at the graduate level.
- Graduate courses should only be taught by graduate faculty or by those with similar qualifications. Evidence of graduate level coursework should be present in the form of specific, additional assignments when part of a slash (300/500 or 400/600) course.
Credit Load and Limitations
You should register for credit any time you use the physical or personnel resources of the university to fulfill the requirements of your degree program. You can register on a per credit basis when you are doing research and/or working on a project, paper, or thesis at UW-Stevens Point. The instructor or graduate adviser determines the number of credits according to the scope of the project.
The normal graduate course load for a semester is 9 to 12 credits. If you register for 9 or more credits you are considered a full-time graduate student. Undergraduate credits count when determining your credit load. Once you have completed all degree requirements except for your thesis, we consider you full time for one semester while you work on your thesis.
You may register for no more than 15 credits during the semester and no more than 9 credits (6 credits in any four week period) for the summer session. If there are exceptional circumstances, you can appeal to the dean of your college for permission to carry more than the maximum load. To do this you will need to submit an overload form for your dean’s signature BEFORE you register for the overload. You will not be allowed to register unless your overload has had prior approval.
The normal graduate course load for the eight week summer session is 6 credits (3 credits in each four week term or 6 credits in the eight week term). If you register for 5 or more credits in the summer, you are considered a full-time graduate student. You may register for up to 9 credits in the summer. However, be aware that the concentrated nature of summer courses with the extra commitment of time and energy places a strain on your academic performance. Taking more than 6 credits in summer is not advised.
If you are supported by a full-time assistantship, we expect you to devote at least half of your time to your assistantship duties. Therefore, you should enroll for a maximum of 9 credits per semester.
You do not need to be registered during the semester of your graduation. However, some programs require you to be enrolled in thesis or project credits each semester in order to maintain your status as a degree candidate. If your last semester only involves completing your thesis, you may enroll in RSCH 798 with the approval of your graduate adviser and graduate program coordinator. This zero credit “course” will allow you to use email, retain graduate student library privileges, and postpone federal loan payments. Or if necessary, the registrar will write a letter certifying that your thesis work involves at least 50 percent of your time.
Culminating Experience for Graduate Study
You must successfully complete a culminating experience. The individual colleges or departments determine the nature of this experience subject to approval by the Graduate Council. Examples of experiences meeting this requirement include: thesis, seminar paper, oral and/or written comprehensive examination, clinical paper or semester, integrative course, exhibition, or recital. Most programs will require more than one of these experiences.
Degree Completion Time Limit
All credits accepted toward a degree, including transfer credits, must be earned within a seven-year period. The time period starts with the beginning of the term in which the first course approved for your program of study was taken. For example: You are accepted into a UW-Stevens Point graduate program in fall 2007. Part of your approved plan of study for your master’s degree includes a course taken in spring 2005. Thus, your seven-year time period to complete the degree starts with the beginning of the spring 2005 semester, NOT the semester in which you were accepted into your graduate program.
Drop/Add Procedure
Go to the Academic Policies section of this catalog for drop/add (change of registration) instructions. Get drop/add forms at the Office of the Registrar, 101 SSC, or go online at: www.uwsp.edu/regrec/Pages/forms.aspx (select the desired term).
Employed Students
If you are employed, you should consider the time demands of your job when planning an academic program. Certain fellowships, assistantships, and scholarships specifically limit other employment. You have the obligation to learn these restrictions and abide by them if you receive one of these awards. As a graduate student at UW-Stevens Point, you are considered a student first. Employment within or outside of the university is of secondary consideration when determining the time devoted to the academic program.
Fees Assessments for Graduate Credits
Graduate fees are assessed for graduate credits. Undergraduate fees are assessed for all undergraduate credits.
During your last undergraduate semester you may register for graduate credits as long as all requirements for the completion of your bachelor’s degree will be met.
To do this, complete the Undergraduate/Graduate Split Program Status form from the Office of the Registrar. You pay graduate fees for graduate credits taken during the split program period. Please note there is no guarantee that these credits will be accepted into a master’s program.
General Requirements for Master’s Degrees and Clinical Doctorate Degree
- Have a maximum of 9 credits completed at the time of admission.
- Complete a minimum of 30 credits in graduate courses (Communication, 30 cr + 1 credit colloquium), (Communication Sciences and Disorders, 37 cr + 21 cr practicum).
- Take at least 15 credits in courses numbered 700 and above.
- Have an approved Program of Study on file with your adviser and the graduate coordinator of your department, school, or college before you complete 15 credit hours toward the degree.
- Maintain a minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.00.
- Apply no more than 6 credits total in special topics courses and independent study courses toward your master’s degree.
- Successfully complete a culminating experience.
All credits accepted toward a degree, including transfer credits, must be earned within a seven-year period. The time period starts with the beginning of the term in which the first course approved for your Program of Study was taken. For example: You are accepted into a UW-Stevens Point graduate program in fall 2007. Part of your approved plan of study for your master’s degree includes a course taken in spring 2005. Thus, your seven-year time period to complete the degree starts with the beginning of the spring 2005 semester, NOT the semester in which you were accepted into your graduate program.
Requirements for All Master of Science in Teaching (MST) Degrees
In addition to the general requirements of all master’s degrees, the MST degree has the following requirements:
- Be eligible for teacher certification in your area of specialization (biology, English, history) in Wisconsin or another state.
- Complete a minimum of 30 graduate credits distributed among:
Group I: Major area of specialization, 18-24 credits. These courses provide additional depth in your teaching field and increase familiarity with new knowledge, problems, and trends.
Group II: Professional education, 6-9 credits. These courses enhance your understanding of education and improve performance in the art of teaching.
Group III: Liberal studies, 0-6 credits. These courses are taken outside the content area of your specialization and broaden your knowledge and outlook.
- Complete, at minimum, the equivalent of a major in your area of specialization at the completion of the graduate program.
- Have a minimum grade point average of 3.00 in your area of specialization at the time of graduation.
Grading Standards
According to Graduate Study policy:
| A |
Indicates superior work. |
| B |
Indicates satisfactory but undistinguished work. |
| C |
Indicates work below the standard expected of graduate students. |
| D/F |
Clearly indicates unsatisfactory work and does not apply toward your degree. |
| GP |
Indicates thesis and thesis-like courses in progress. |
Graduation Requirements & Deadlines
You may apply for graduation online at: www.uwsp.edu/regrec/Pages/graduation.aspx. Submit an application before the start of your last semester. Complete all requirements by the end of your graduation term. If they are not completed by then, you must complete a new application for the next term in which you expect to graduate. There is a onetime graduation fee of $50.00.
You should check with your adviser and graduate program coordinator by the middle of your last term to be sure your file is complete except for the elements you know are outstanding, e.g. current courses, thesis approval, etc.
Since there is no August commencement, you may choose to participate in the prior May or following December ceremonies. Notify the Office of the Registrar at least two months before the commencement you wish to be in to allow time to include your name in the program book.
Incompletes - Graduate Study
A grade of incomplete indicates that you have done satisfactory work in the course, but because of circumstances beyond your control, you have been unable to finish all requirements. The incomplete is not given to enable you to do additional work to bring up a deficient grade. A grade of incomplete must be removed before the end of the next semester. Except for culminating experience courses, if the incomplete is not removed within that time, it automatically becomes a failure.
Program of Study
You and your graduate adviser jointly develop a Program of Study that is primarily a listing of courses and other experiences that will be required for your degree. It is personally designed for you, taking into account previous academic strengths and weaknesses as well as your career goals. This plan is outlined on the Program of Study form that, once approved, becomes a contract-like agreement between you and the university. It is important that this agreement be made before you have accumulated 15 credits, since it is intended to be a realistic plan and defines all requirements necessary to complete your degree.
The Program of Study may include courses, both graduate and undergraduate, that are designed to add to your expertise or to correct deficiencies. These are in addition to the minimum of 30 graduate credits required of master’s degree candidates. The Program of Study also lists when courses are to be taken, the tentative title and completion date of the thesis or product, tentative dates for final examination and graduation, etc.
You may make minor changes in your approved Program of Study with the approval of your graduate adviser in consultation with the graduate committee members. Major changes such as course substitutions, changing of committee members, changing from thesis to nonthesis, etc. require formal concurrence of you, your major professor, your graduate committee, and the graduate coordinator of your department, school, or college.
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2014-2015 Catalog
Graduate Study
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Graduate Degree Programs
At UW-Stevens Point you may select among accredited programs leading to these graduate degrees:
Master of Arts in Communication
Master of Music Education
Master of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders with specialization in speech-language pathology
Master of Science in Education-General
Master of Science in Education-Elementary Education
Master of Science in Community & Organizational Leadership
Master of Science in Natural Resources
Master of Science in Nutritional Sciences
Master of Science in Teaching with specialization in biology, English, reading certification in English, or history.
Clinical Doctorate in Audiology (Au.D.) with UW-Madison
In addition, you may take part in programs offered through UW-Stevens Point’s cooperative arrangement with UW-Oshkosh that lead to the:
Master of Business Administration
You may also take part in programs offered through UW-Stevens Point’s cooperative arrangements with UW-Superior that lead to the:
Master of Science in Education-Educational Administration or Specialist in Education-Educational Administration.
Responsibility and Policy
The graduate faculty, through the Graduate Council and Faculty Senate, establish general requirements for graduate degrees. Each department offering a graduate program establishes discipline specific degree requirements.
Graduate Study policies intend to:
- facilitate orderly progress of graduate students through their degree programs;
- meet expectations of accrediting agencies, other graduate schools, and the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents;
- provide a common university standard and encourage the development of quality programs.
As a graduate student, it is your responsibility to become aware of and abide by graduate study policies. Every effort will be made by graduate study personnel, coordinators, and advisers to aid you as you progress through your graduate career at UW-Stevens Point.
Graduate Study: Faculty and Structure
Graduate Faculty. Members of the graduate faculty have all earned terminal degrees (or equivalent), hold the rank of assistant professor or higher, and have successful teaching experience or continuing evidence of scholarly achievement and professional activity in their disciplines. They are nominated by their departments and are approved by the UW-Stevens Point Graduate Council. Graduate faculty status allows individuals to regularly teach graduate courses, be actively involved in graduate affairs, and chair graduate students’ committees. Graduate faculty members have a (G) following their individual listings that appear at www.uwsp.edu/acadaff/CatalogPDF/UWSP_Faculty_Staff_current.pdf. Please check with your department for names of graduate faculty who are eligible to chair graduate students’ committees.
Graduate Council. The Graduate Council is a standing committee of the Faculty Senate. As the representative body of the graduate faculty, the Graduate Council has the authority to recommend and determine policies related to the graduate programs of the university (subject to review by the Faculty Senate).
Departmental Graduate Committees/Coordinators. Most of the larger departments offering graduate degrees have graduate committees and/or a graduate coordinator to deal with policy matters related specifically to their graduate degree programs. These committees/ coordinators handle general departmental concerns, and they should not be confused with your personal graduate committee and your graduate adviser. Departmental graduate committees/ coordinators serve ALL of the graduate students in the department. Your graduate adviser and your graduate committee serve YOU.
UW-Stevens Point does not have a dedicated office for handling graduate student issues and administration. When you have questions about a specific degree program, go to the department graduate committee or coordinator first. You will find that these coordinators or committees are a valuable resource of information.
Student/University Relationships
Freedoms and Responsibilities. The university assumes that graduate students have intellectual maturity and a sense of commitment to the academic community. The freedoms and responsibilities listed below are general guidelines for your relationship to the university.
As a graduate student you are FREE:
- to express yourself freely in the classroom and take reasoned exception to the data and views presented in any course.
- from prejudiced or capricious academic evaluation.
- from disclosure of views or beliefs presented to an instructor during graduate study, except with your consent.
- to organize and join associations to promote your common interests.
- to examine and discuss questions of interest both publicly and privately.
- exercise the rights you enjoy as citizens (the freedom of speech, peaceful assembly, and rights of petition) without interference from the university.
As a graduate student you have the RESPONSIBILITY:
- to help maintain the atmosphere of free inquiry and free expression inherent in the academic community.
- to respect the right of other members of the community to express themselves freely.
- to observe scrupulous standards of intellectual honesty.
Graduate Study Academic Ethics. Only work that is solely yours may be submitted to a professor in the form of an examination paper, weekly coursework, term paper, class project, research project, or thesis, unless the instructor specifically authorizes group work. This expectation applies to all work submitted.
Cheating and plagiarism are prohibited. Plagiarism is the process of stealing or passing off as your own someone else’s words or ideas, or presenting as your own an idea or product obtained from an existing source. To avoid any appearance of plagiarism or accidental plagiarism, it is important that you learn correct citation procedures for your discipline and your classes. The plea of ignorance regarding citation procedures or of carelessness in citation is no defense against allegations of plagiarism.
You may not:
- purchase papers from commercial sources.
- use a single paper to meet the requirements of more than one course unless the professors of the courses approve.
- submit a paper or project completed by someone else.
If you engage in academic misconduct will be subject to UW System disciplinary procedures.
Research Misconduct Policy
Standards of Conduct. As a researcher, you are expected to retain appropriate documentation for your research and adhere to accepted ethical standards appropriate to your academic discipline.
Definition of Research Misconduct. Misconduct is intentional falsification of data, plagiarism, or other practices that deviate from common research practice within the academic community for proposing, conducting, or reporting research. Honest error and differences in interpretation of data are not considered misconduct. Misconduct is prohibited at UW-Stevens Point and may be cause for discipline or dismissal.
Reporting Research Misconduct. Research collaborators, colleagues, and anyone who has reason to believe that research misconduct has occurred are responsible for reporting the misconduct. Retaliation because of good faith reporting of misconduct is prohibited. However, individuals found to have brought allegations of a frivolous and/or malicious nature are subject to the same range of disciplinary action as those who are found guilty of this policy.
Research Misconduct Procedures for Culminating Experiences:
- Report allegations in writing to the dean of the appropriate college. The accused and the dean of his/her college will be informed in writing within 10 days of the allegation: (1) that he/she is being investigated, (2) exactly what the allegations are, and (3) the identity of the accuser.
- The dean of the college will undertake a prompt and discreet inquiry. All matters pertaining to the investigation and evidence supplied will be kept in strict confidence. An inquiry consists of information gathering and preliminary fact-finding to determine whether an allegation or apparent instance of misconduct warrants an investigation. The initial inquiry will be completed within 60 days from the time allegations were made to the dean.
- If the inquiry concludes that the allegation of misconduct is unsubstantiated, and an investigation is not warranted, the reasons and supporting documentation for this conclusion will be reported to the chancellor, who will be responsible for reviewing the conclusion of the inquiry. If the chancellor concurs in the conclusion that an investigation is not warranted, his/her determination, and all other supporting documentation from the inquiry will be recorded and the record maintained confidentially for a period of three years after the termination of the inquiry.
- If the preliminary inquiry finds reasonable cause to believe allegations are not frivolous or misguided, the matter will be referred to an ad hoc committee appointed by the dean for formal investigation. The accused will be given a copy of the report of the dean’s inquiry. The committee members will be knowledgeable about the researcher’s area of inquiry, but will not be involved with the research in question or in competition with the accused. It may be necessary or advisable in certain situations to invite researchers from other institutions to participate. The investigation must be initiated within 30 days of completion of the inquiry. If the research has been supported by extramural funds, federal agencies require notification that a formal investigation is underway.
- The ad hoc committee will determine whether misconduct has taken place and assess its extent and consequences.
- If the ad hoc committee finds the charges to be true, regular governance procedures will be followed by the dean of the college in consultation with the associate vice chancellor in determining the proper course of action. Recommendations may range from reprimand to dismissal depending upon the seriousness of the misconduct. The investigation should ordinarily be completed within 120 days of its initiation.
- A copy of the ad hoc committee’s preliminary report will be provided to the individual being investigated. The dean shall give the individual an opportunity to discuss the matter with the ad hoc committee and himself/ herself before any action is taken under D2 of this policy. The individual may reply in writing to the committee. These replies will be attached to the committee’s report.
- Appropriate agencies and journals will be notified by the dean of the college of the ad hoc committee’s findings if the committee finds that misconduct is substantiated.
- If the misconduct is not substantiated, extensive efforts will be made to restore the reputation of the accused.
Academic Misconduct Procedures for Graduate Coursework:
As a graduate student, if you plagiarize or engage in academic misconduct within any aspect of your graduate coursework, you will be subject to academic misconduct sanctions as outlined in UWS 14.
Research Using Human Subjects. All graduate student research using humans as subjects, whether funded or not, must be approved by the university’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) to ensure compliance with the state of Wisconsin Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Guidelines on Research Involving Human Beings (45 CFR 46), and UW System principles concerning research on human beings as subjects.
Copyrights and Patents. Any copyrights you obtain as a graduate student on your original works (theses, educational products, research papers) belong to you except when they are subject to prior agreements between the university and extramural sponsors. You have complete ownership and control of any patents that result from inventions you make as a graduate student at UW-Stevens Point. However, you must honor any contractual rights of extramural sponsors if you develop an invention while being financially supported through a grant or contract. To ensure such sponsor rights, you should sign a patent agreement with the external agency at the beginning of your assistantship. Contact the associate vice chancellor for Academic Affairs if you have any questions regarding inventions or patents.
Admission to Graduate Study
There are three admission categories designed to meet your graduate needs.
Graduate Regular: If you wish to pursue a master’s degree at UW-Stevens Point, you will need to be formally admitted to the university as a graduate regular student. Submit to the Admissions Office (or apply online) a completed graduate study application form, the nonrefundable application fee ($56 domestic applicants; $125 foreign applicants), and official transcripts from each college you have attended (both undergraduate and graduate). The transcript from the college from which you graduated must certify that you have received your baccalaureate degree. Upon receipt of your completed application file, the Admissions Office will forward your application materials to the coordinator of your intended graduate program. You may then be asked to submit additional application materials to the graduate program coordinator of your intended program.
Graduate Special: If you wish to take graduate courses but do not wish to pursue a master’s degree at UW-Stevens Point, you may register as a student with graduate special status. To attend UW-Stevens Point as a student with graduate special status, you must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. You do not need to complete a formal application process. You will be granted graduate special status when you register for classes.
As a graduate special student you can enroll in graduate-level courses and receive graduate credit for teacher certification requirements or for personal enrichment. A maximum of 9 credits can apply toward a master’s degree provided they are approved by your adviser and fit within the seven-year time period. If you decide to pursue a master’s degree, it is in your best interest to change your status to graduate regular as soon as possible.
Graduate Guest: If you wish to apply credits taken at UW-Stevens Point toward a graduate degree at another institution, you are neither evaluated nor formally admitted to UW-Stevens Point, but are permitted to enroll in specific courses with the approval of your graduate adviser at the other institution. This procedure assures that credits taken at UW-Stevens Point will transfer properly to another institution.
Admission Status and Your Specific Degree Program
Successful admission to Graduate Study requires admission to a specific degree program. Most graduate programs require additional application criteria such as letters of reference, personal interviews, standardized test scores, verification of certification, etc. You should contact the graduate coordinator in your discipline for these additional requirements. The Admissions Office forwards your graduate study application file to the graduate coordinator of your designated program area for final consideration for admission to that particular program.
Admission to Candidacy
Admission to a specific degree program does not automatically make you a candidate for a master’s degree. You must meet residency and evaluation requirements before you are a degree candidate. The formal admission to candidacy process varies from one program to another, but generally you must:
- earn at least 9 credits in residence at UW-Stevens Point.
- remove any academic deficiencies and/or complete all subject matter prerequisites.
- maintain at least a 3.00 (B) grade point average.
- select a graduate adviser (and a graduate committee if required by your discipline).
- complete and get approval for your Program of Study.
Graduate Adviser
When you first enter your graduate program, you will probably be assisted by a departmental graduate adviser who counsels all incoming graduate students. In some of our graduate programs this person continues to advise all students in the program until the degree is nearly completed. In other programs, you will need your own personal adviser who may also be known as your “major professor.” This individual plays a key role in guiding you through your graduate career. Your graduate adviser should act as a personal adviser, mentor, advocate, constructive critic, and friend. Your graduate adviser is the person who should “go to bat” for you when you encounter problems with your program plan, courses, and/or research.
Selecting a Graduate Committee
Your graduate adviser may be required to use other graduate faculty to make final decisions about the acceptability of your program plan and the quality of your thesis, if you choose to write one. Therefore, give careful consideration to your choice of these critical advisers who will form your graduate committee. The graduate coordinator or your graduate adviser normally assists in this process.
The graduate committee consists of at least three graduate faculty members including your graduate adviser. Try to ask a person from outside your major discipline area to serve on your committee. A nongraduate faculty member who possesses expertise particularly relevant to your field of study may be appointed as a special extra member.
Your graduate adviser and/or the graduate committee is responsible for supervising your Program of Study and should:
- guide you in an appropriate selection of courses and experiences to ensure that you are aware of all relevant material necessary for a complete understanding of your chosen field of study. This not only includes concentration of coursework in your major area of interest, but also selecting courses to bridge the gaps you may have in your previous educational experiences. This may require you to take some undergraduate courses to make up for deficiencies.
- determine whether you have accumulated and demonstrated sufficient ability to engage in the analytic process of problem solving. A graduate degree entails more than just taking additional courses within a major. You will be expected to demonstrate your ability to synthesize the new knowledge you have gained in your graduate courses and apply this knowledge to solve contemporary problems.
- make certain that if you elect to write a thesis it is consistent with the degree, confronts the interdisciplinary relationships of your subject area, and focuses on problem-solving methodology.
Your graduate committee members, including your graduate adviser, will be listed on your Program of Study form. They must sign this form indicating their approval of your graduate program plan. If you desire a change in the composition of your committee, it is your responsibility to explain to the current committee members why the change is desirable or necessary. If the change is acceptable to the outgoing and incoming professors, you should then notify the graduate coordinator for your department, school, or college to complete the transfer of committee members.
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Registration Information
For current registration procedures, go to the Office of the Registrar “Registration” page (www.uwsp.edu/regrec/Pages/registration.aspx). Click on “Register for Classes.” Registration instructions for off-campus and credit-outreach courses are available from Continuing Education and Outreach and the CPS Continuing Education office. See www.uwsp.edu/conted; or www.uwsp.edu/cps/conted for more information.
Schedule of Classes
Be sure to check the online timetable available from the Office of the Registrar website (www.uwsp.edu/regrec/Pages/timetable.aspx). Click on “Class Search” to view available courses listed by term. Note that not all of the courses listed in the catalog are offered each semester. You should consult the timetable and your department chair when planning for registration in any given term.
Second Master’s Degree
If you have earned a graduate degree from UW-Stevens Point and wish to pursue another degree, you must submit a new application for admission. Normally, you do not need to furnish transcripts or other credentials previously submitted. Check with Admissions Office to be certain that your records are complete. Credits earned for one degree usually cannot be used to satisfy requirements for a second degree.
The Thesis
Some degree plans require a thesis. After you select a research topic, submit a proposal to your graduate adviser briefly describing what you want to do and how you plan to do it. Your graduate adviser and thesis committee review your proposal, determine how many credits (up to 6) you earn for the thesis, and approve or reject your proposal.
A thesis is a formal written work and should follow the standards of the style manual preferred by your department. Also consult the Graduate Study Thesis Manual and your graduate adviser for proper format. If you are working on your thesis the equivalent of half time and not enrolled in other classes, you may enroll in RSCH 798 with the approval of your graduate adviser and graduate program coordinator. This zero credit “course” will allow you to use email, retain graduate student library privileges, and postpone federal loan payments.
As a degree candidate, you defend your thesis in an open, public oral examination at least 30 days before you expect to graduate. Your thesis committee conducts the exam.
You must deposit a bound and an electronic copy of your thesis at the University Library in order to complete your degree. The library provides a service for binding your thesis at a nominal cost.
Transcripts
See Programs & Services .
Transferring Graduate Credits
UW-Stevens Point does not automatically accept transfer graduate credits from other institutions. You must submit a formal application for approval of such credits. While credits taken prior to admission to a graduate degree program may be considered at the discretion of the coordinator of that program, in most cases you should obtain approval for any transfer credit PRIOR to taking those courses. The graduate coordinator for each program will determine the acceptability of transfer credits using the following criteria:
- The course must be from an institution regionally accredited at the graduate level.
- You must have taken the course for graduate credit at the offering institution.
- The course must be acceptable toward fulfilling degree requirements at the institution offering the course.
- The format and number of contact minutes (minimum of 800 minutes instructional time per credit) must be at least as rigorous as those for UW-Stevens Point grad courses.
- One credit per week is accepted.
- The course may not be a correspondence and/or mass media course, independent study course, or from extension divisions outside the UW System. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are not equivalent degree credits and are not transferable.
- Acceptance of the course does not make you exceed the 9 credit transfer limit.
- A maximum of 9 credits taken with graduate special status will apply toward a degree.
- You must have earned grades of A, B, or equivalent.
- You may not transfer credit applied toward another degree that you have already obtained.
If your graduate coordinator determines that the transfer course meets these minimum criteria, she/he may:
- Accept the transfer course and have the credits apply toward your Program of Study.
- Accept the transfer course as an addition to the normal 30-credit Program of Study.
- Accept the course as either applying to your degree plan or as an addition to the degree plan, but at a reduced credit level if the course does not meet UW-System’s contact-hour-per-credit standards.
You must complete a formal application for approval of transfer credits before graduate credits from any institution other than UW-Stevens Point can be considered. File the application for transfer credits with your graduate coordinator at least a month before the class begins. Your application must include (1) a copy of the catalog course description, (2) a course syllabus (if available), (3) verification that the course is a graduate course, (4) and verification that it applies to a graduate program at the institution offering the course.
After your graduate coordinator approves the transfer credit application, a copy will be sent to the Office of the Registrar. The transfer credits will be added to your record after receiving an official transcript indicating completion of the course with at least a B (3.00). You will be notified when this is completed.
Continuing Education and Outreach
(also see Programs & Services section of catalog)
Room 032 Main Building
Hours: 8:00 am-4:30 pm, Monday-Friday
Phone: 715-346-3838 or 800-898-9472
Web: www.uwsp.edu/conted
Credit courses are taught by faculty at various locations throughout Central Wisconsin, as well as online and via television and video. Courses are designed to meet needs of returning adult learners who are pursuing certificates, degrees, or other professional development while still in the workplace.
Withdrawing from Classes
When you withdraw, you terminate your complete registration for the semester. To withdraw, go to the Office of the Registrar and file a formal notice of withdrawal. If you stop attending classes and do not officially withdraw, you will be considered as still registered and receive a grade of F for each of your classes. Please see the section on Academic Policies earlier in this Catalog for more information.
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