University General Course Catalog 2021-2022 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
University General Course Catalog 2021-2022 ARCHIVED CATALOG: LINKS AND CONTENT ARE OUT OF DATE. CHECK WITH YOUR ADVISOR.

Academic Requirements for Maintaining Graduate Standing


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The following criteria must be met to remain in good graduate standing regardless of academic program.

Continuous Enrollment

Graduate students must register for a minimum of 3 graduate units each fall and spring semester until graduation or obtain online an Approved Leave of Absence Form signed by their program and the Graduate School. Approved leaves of absence do not abrogate the time limitations on course work (6 years for a master’s degree program and 8 years for a doctoral program). A Leave of Absence is a temporary cessation of study and may be granted for up to one (1) year for medical reasons and other emergencies. Any request for a leave of absence must be received by the Graduate School no later than the last day of enrollment for the semester the leave is to begin. A leave of absence will not be granted retroactively unless the student submits a written appeal with department approval for the Graduate Dean to review.

Exceptions to the time clock on course work accrued during a leave of absence may be granted for valid, compelling reasons by the Graduate School. For students on assistantships, the department/program will make efforts to continue the assistantship upon re-entry into the program, but because of the variations that occur with funding cycles and overall funding availability, it cannot be guaranteed. There are no minimum registration requirements during the summer unless the student was not enrolled for the previous spring semester and has applied to graduate in the summer. Summer graduation applicants who were not enrolled for the previous spring semester must enroll for at least one graduate credit for summer.

Students receiving funding of any kind should be aware of certain consequences of a Leave of Absence. A student on leave may not hold a Graduate Assistantship.

For students receiving federal financial assistance, the U.S. Department of Education regulations require the University to report enrollment status to lenders and guarantee agencies as “WITHDRAWN” when students take a leave of absence for a semester or more. This results in the beginning of the Federal Stafford Loan grace period and/or the starting of repayment of the Federal Supplemental Loan for Students. Additionally, upon returning to the University of Nevada, Reno Graduate Program, new loan applications must be submitted and an in-school deferment form must be filed with lenders.

Graduate Courses

Courses numbered 600 and above are for graduate units (see numbering explanation in the Course Numbering System  of the catalog). A dual-numbered (400-600) course completed at the 400-level for undergraduate units may not be re-taken at the 600-level for graduate units. Courses numbered 500-599 are post baccalaureate level and not applicable toward a graduate degree.

Academic Standards (Good Standing/Probation/Dismissal)

Good Standing: Each graduate course must be completed with a grade of “C” or better for the units to be acceptable toward an advanced degree. Some programs, at their discretion, do not accept any grade lower than “B” for the fulfillment of graduate program requirements.

In addition, students must maintain good standing with an overall cumulative graduate GPA of at least 3.0 on a scale of 4.0.

Probation: If a student’s cumulative grade-point average is between 2.99 and 2.31, the student is placed on probation. The student must then raise his/her cumulative graduate GPA to 3.0 by the end of the following semester or the student will be dismissed from graduate standing. 

Dismissal: If a student’s cumulative graduate grade-point average is 2.30 or lower, the student is dismissed from graduate standing, or if the graduate GPA remains below 3.0 for two (2) consecutive semesters, the student is dismissed from graduate standing. 

Course grades will be included in the overall grade point average, even when the required time period to obtain a degree (6 years for a masters, and 8 years for a doctoral) has expired. Grades of “D” or “F” are included in the average. Probation/dismissal recommendations based on GPA will be determined by the Graduate School. The student will be notified, and, if appropriate, the Office of Admissions and Records will also be notified that the student is dismissed from graduate standing. Notification of dismissal will be sent to the student, the student’s advisor, the Graduate Program Director, and Admissions and Records.

A student dismissed from graduate standing because of grade-point deficiencies may enroll as a graduate special in undergraduate or graduate courses. To enroll in graduate-level courses, advance written approval must be obtained from the course instructor, the department/program concerned and the Graduate School. Enrolling in undergraduate courses will not raise the cumulative graduate GPA. 

Dismissal recommendations other than failure to maintain a required GPA for the graduate program or a course within the program (e.g., failure to progress) require a written Notice of Dismissal from the director of the graduate program to the student and the Graduate Dean, and the scheduling of a Review Conference, according to Chapter 11 of the Nevada System of Higher Education CODE. 

If a student is dismissed from graduate standing for reasons other than grade-point deficiencies, they may register for either graduate or undergraduate courses as a graduate special.

A student may reapply for graduate standing after elimination of the existing grade-point deficiency and achieving an overall cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0. The student must re-file an application for admission to the Graduate School.

Student Unit Loads

A full-time graduate student may not register for more than sixteen (16) graduate units in any semester, or more than six (6) graduate units in any six-week summer session. Audited or undergraduate courses will not be counted toward the 6-credit minimum requirement. Graduate assistants may not register for more than twelve (12) graduate units per semester.

Students who register for nine (9) graduate units or more in a semester are considered full-time. For graduate assistants on a 20-hour (half-time) contract, six (6) graduate units or more constitute full-time. To be considered full-time for financial aid purposes, all graduate students, including those on assistantships, must be enrolled in nine (9) graduate units; to be considered part-time for financial aid reporting purposes, graduate students must be enrolled in five (5) graduate units. 

Grades and Units

Courses completed with a grade that is unacceptable toward fulfilling degree requirements may be retaken. However, the subsequent grade does not replace the first grade; both are computed in the overall cumulative GPA. Course grades are included in the overall average even when the required time period for obtaining the degree has expired. Grades of “D” or “F” are also included in the overall average.

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