Academic Standing / Satisfactory Academic Progress
Programs review academic records annually or every semester if the program length is less than two years. Directors of Graduate Study will make these determinations in consultation with Department / Program faculty in a way that ensures consistency across students. Programs will submit their recommendations for each student’s academic standing to the Dean of their school and to the Dean for Graduate Studies at the completion of the annual or semester review.
In order to be in good academic standing, students must be making satisfactory academic progress by meeting the following standards:
- All grades in classes that count towards the degree are a B- or above (or the program’s threshold for advancing in the curriculum, if higher than a B-). If classes in a program are credit/no credit, the student must have received credit for all classes that count towards the degree.
- The student has no unresolved Excused Incompletes (EIs) past the published deadline from the Registrar’s office for the terms in the current or prior academic year. Final incompletes (I) cannot count towards the degree.
- The student is completing non-course milestones (i.e., comprehensive exams, language requirements, prospectus defense, etc.) on the program’s typical timeline.
If a student is not making satisfactory academic progress, the program will recommend to the Dean of their school and to the Dean for Graduate Studies that the student be placed on advising alert. Advising alert is still considered good academic standing, but it signals that there are emerging concerns about the student’s ability to remain in good academic standing for the next review period. The purpose of advising alert is to facilitate proactive academic supports and strategies for the student and to ensure that the program and the school are working together to support the student’s success.
PhD students who are on extension of their time-to-degree will automatically be placed into the advising alert category. Master’s students will also automatically be placed into advising alert if they are requesting a third Extended Master’s semester.
Federal regulations require that a student receiving federal assistance make satisfactory academic progress in accordance with standards set by the university. Any student who passes their annual academic review within their program is allowed to enroll for the following year and is considered to be making satisfactory academic progress and is eligible for financial aid from federal sources.
Academic insufficiency or failure to make suitable progress toward the degree may result in withdrawal from the program and the university.