Prerequisites
and additional requirements for specific degrees will be found in the
appropriate departmental sections. It is the graduate student’s
responsibility to become fully acquainted with regulations and
requirements of the university, the college and the department in which
the student plans to pursue a course of study.
Admission
to Candidacy
While admission to a graduate program allows students to take graduate
courses, a student does not become a candidate for the graduate degree
until an application for candidacy has been completed and is on file in
Graduate Admissions. Each student is responsible for initiating
this form after completing nine hours of graduate work at Murray State
University with a minimum grade point average of 3.0. A student is
recommended for admission to candidacy by the student’s departmental
graduate advisor and the graduate coordinator of the college in which
the student is a major.
Admission to candidacy forms are available in Graduate Admissions.
Course
Load
MSU recognized nine hours of courses for credit is a full-time load for
graduate students. Students with graduate assistantships may be
considered full-time when enrolled for six hours of graduate credit.
Students with federal loans should refer to the Federal Loan Agency’s
definition of a full-time load, which may vary from the MSU definition.
The maximum graduate course load, including any undergraduate course
work or deficiency, may not exceed 12 hours during the fall or spring
semesters. For each five-week summer term, six-seven hours of
coursework constitutes a maximum load. Students with graduate
assistantships should refer to the sections below.
•Overload Exceptions
If an course overload exception is to be made in any individual
instance, a graduate student must have a cumulative GPA of no less than
3.0. Permission to exceed the credit hour limit can be granted only by
the collegiate graduate coordinator and dean of the college in which
the student is a major. A Graduate Course Overload form, located
on-line or in the dean’s office, must be completed by the student and
signed by the dean to authorize exceptions. Under no circumstances will
an overload exception be granted to a student who does not have a
cumulative 3.0 GPA. Graduate students petitioning to take more than 16
hours in any semester must have approval of the dean, the collegiate
graduate coordinator, and the university graduate coordinator in the
Office of the Provost/Academic Affairs.
Graduate Assistantships
Graduate teaching and research assistantships are available in most
departments for highly qualified graduate students.
Non-resident graduate students awarded an assistantship may be charged
the equivalent of in-state tuition during the semesters in which they
are actively employed. In-state tuition equivalencies do not modify
residency status. A student who has, or will have an approved graduate
assistantship may request an in-state equivalency for one summer during
his/her graduate career. Assistantships may only be awarded to an
individual student for a maximum of four semesters (excluding summers).
Stipends for assistantships may vary between departments.
Graduate assistants are expected to familiarize themselves with
university policies and to fulfill their professional responsibilities
to the university. An applicant for a graduate assistantship must be
admitted to a graduate program as a degree-seeking student and enrolled
in graduate courses during the semester of employment. Course load
requirements for graduate assistants are described below.
Applications for assistantships should be filed with the chair of the
department of the student’s major field of interest no later than May
1, prior to fall enrollment; October 1, prior to spring enrollment; and
March 1, prior to summer sessions.
•Assistantship Grade Point Average
Requirements
A graduate student who has been admitted
conditionally will become eligible for consideration for a graduate
assistantship upon completion of nine hours of graduate coursework with
a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. Exceptions may be made for one
semester only in cases of assistantships in academic departments when
an otherwise ineligible student has required expertise. In such cases,
this rule may be waived upon petition by the student, with approval by
the departmental chair, the collegiate dean, and the university
graduate coordinator.
•Graduate Assistant Course Load
To be eligible for an assistantship, students
must be admitted to graduate program at MSU, have earned a cumulative
GPA of at least 3.0, and be enrolled in a minimum of six graduate
hours. Graduate students in their final semester of coursework may
petition (in writing) the University Graduate Coordinator to qualify
for an assistantship while enrolled in fewer than six graduate hours.
Non-resident graduate assistants seeking the in-state tuition
equivalency must be enrolled in a minimum of six hours of
graduate coursework (during fall and spring semesters) and working a
minimum of 15 (but not more than 22) hours per week. During the summer
sessions, students must be enrolled for a minimum of three hours of
coursework in any summer session in which they receive a graduate
assistantship.
To maximize academic success, graduate assistants
should not carry a course load exceeding 12 hours (or 13 hours if the
student is taking a 4-credit hour course). Combined, a graduate
assistant’s course load and adjusted workload should not exceed 15
hours per semester. See the information below for calculating combined
load:
Non-Teaching
Graduate Assistantship (GA)
Adjusted Workload + Graduate Credit Hours < 15 hours
(Adjusted workload is calculated as follows: each five clock hours of
work per week = one hour of adjusted workload. Example: student is
working 20 clock hours per week and enrolled in 6 credit hours. 4 + 6
< 15.)
Graduate
Teaching Assistantship (GTA)
Teaching Credit Hours + Graduate Credit Hours < 15.
(Example: Student is teaching one 3-credit hour course and is enrolled
in 12 hours. 3 + 12 < 15.)
If a course overload exception is to be made in any
individual instance, the graduate assistant must have a cumulative GPA
of no less than 3.0. A Graduate Course Overload form, available
on-line, must be completed by the student and signed by the appropriate
authorizing parties. Graduate Assistants petitioning to take more than
a combined class and workload of 16 hours in any semester must have
approval of the dean, the collegiate graduate coordinator, and the
university graduate coordinator in the Office of the Provost.
Course
Levels
Courses at the 500 level are restricted to graduate students and to
undergraduates with at least junior standing. Exceptions to this
regulation must be approved in writing by the appropriate collegiate
dean and the Provost. A graduate student enrolled in a 500 level course
will be required to do substantially more work than an undergraduate
student in the same course. This requirement, which shall be clearly
specified in the course syllabus, may take the form of research or
other work appropriate to the discipline.
Courses numbered 500 and above taken while enrolled as a graduate
student may be counted for credit toward a master’s degree if they are
approved as part of the student’s graduate program. Students desiring
graduate credit for 500-level classes must be admitted to graduate
studies prior to scheduling any 500-level course. Under no
circumstances will 500-level courses apply to a graduate degree if
taken while the student is classified as a post-baccalaureate or
undergraduate student.
Courses numbered 600 or above are open only to graduate students. In
all master’s programs, at least half of the total formal coursework,
EXCLUDING THESIS, PRACTICUM, INTERNSHIP, or CO-OP CREDIT, must be in
courses open only to graduate students (600-level).
Grading
System
The following system of grades is used for the evaluation of course
work:
A exceptionally high quality, valued at four
points for each credit;
B good, valued at three points for each
credit;
C accepted for graduate credit (see
overall GPA policies), valued at two points for each credit;
D not accepted for graduate credit;
E failure, no credit, valued at no points
but counted as hours attempted;
P pass, credit valued at no points and no
hours attempted;
AU audit, no credit;
I incomplete, computed as hours
attempted and no quality points;
X absent from examination, computed as hours
attempted and no quality points;
W withdrawal, no hours attempted and no quality
points;
WP withdrawal passing, no hours attempted and no quality
points;
WE withdrawal failing, computed as hours attempted
and no quality points;
R A grade to be used in restricted approved instances
in specific approved courses to denote either completion of a course
for which credit is deferred until additional course work is completed,
or that the course must be repeated. This grade may be given for
courses numbered 698, 699, 798, and 799. It will change to a grade of I
(or an E at the department’s discretion) if work has not been completed
within two years from the time the R grade is given.
A grade of I (incomplete) means that some relatively small part of the
semester’s work remains undone because of sickness or other reason
satisfactory to the instructor. This work must be completed during the
next semester or summer session in which the student enrolls in the
graduate program if credit for the course is to be gained. If these
conditions are not met, the grade automatically becomes a failing
grade. This procedure is not applicable to incompletes recorded for
individual study such as special problems, practicum, research or
thesis.
A grade of X must be changed by special examination within one month
(two weeks during the summer term) after the student enrolls in the
graduate program if credit for the course is to be gained.
Changes in grades (other than an I or X) must be processed before the
end of the semester following the semester in which the grade was
recorded. Grade changes will not be allowed after a degree is conferred.
A student who fails to return within one year forfeits the privilege of
making up work or taking examinations to earn credit for courses in
which a grade of I or X was received.
Grade
Point Average Requirement
A candidate for a master’s degree or a specialist in education degree
must have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in all the approved
program graduate courses before the degree is conferred. No credit
shall be granted for a grade below C. Transfer courses do not count in
the grade point average.
A graduate course repeated does not remove the original grade received
in the course. In calculating grade point averages, a repeated course
shall be considered an additional course.
Grade
Change Policy
Grades are recorded in the Registrar’s Office as reported by the
faculty at the end of each term. No grade filed in that office may be
changed except upon a written statement signed by the instructor
certifying an error has been made.
When an error is made in reporting a grade, the instructor may make the
necessary change in the Registrar’s Office within the next regular
semester following the recording of the grade. A grade will not be
changed after a degree is conferred.
The policy concerning the changing of X and I grades is addressed above.
Grade
Appeals Policy
Murray State University recognizes that differences of opinion or
interpretation may arise between students and faculty members regarding
the assignment of course grades. The university urges students first to
seek resolution through informal discussion with the appropriate
faculty member. The following policy has been adopted as a formal
avenue for the resolution of a student grievance or appeal, in the
event that such differences cannot be resolved informally. The
university recognizes the right of students to present a grievance to
an established committee and to have that grievance considered on its
merit through an expeditious and orderly process. Situations involving
academic misconduct should be directed to the University Judicial Board.
•Definitions
Complainant: one
who files a grievance, complaint or appeal within the scope of this
policy.
Respondent: one
against whom a grievance is filed.
Days: counted when
classes or exams are scheduled, excluding weekends.
Faculty: all
persons, whether full or part-time, who are responsible for, assist in,
or administer the instructional program. (See Section 2.1 of the
Faculty Handbook for a complete definition.)
Grievance: a
written allegation or complaint that there has been a violation,
misinterpretation, or improper application of existing policies, rules,
regulations, practices, and/or procedures which a student believes to
be unfair, inequitable, or a hindrance to his/her effective performance.
•Limitations
A grievance procedure must be initiated within the first twenty (20)
days of the semester immediately following the semester or term during
which the incident of grievance is alleged to have occurred, exclusive
of summer session. Any special circumstance or request involving the
time limitation set forth above will be considered and evaluated by the
appropriate academic dean. Documentation of any revision of the time
limitation will be included in the grade appeals form.
A faculty member has the responsibility to retain all course material
and/or records not left in the student’s possession which contribute to
the final course grade. These materials must be kept for the 20-day
period of the following semester during which a student may appeal a
grade, or in the event of an appeal, until conclusion of the appeal
process.
•Procedures
Step 1. Before a formal grievance may be filed with the Academic
Appeals Board, the complainant should first seek resolution with the
instructor. In the event that the instructor is a teaching assistant,
the faculty supervisor should also be present during these discussions.
Step 2. Students should check with the department advisor to determine
whether or not there are collegiate grievance procedures.
Step 3. Should the matter not be resolved to the satisfaction of the
complainant, discussion should be sought with the appropriate
department chair. In the event that the chair is the respondent of the
grievance, discussion will be held with the academic dean.
Step 4. Should the discussions as outlined in Steps 1 and 2 not prove
satisfactory to the complainant, discussion should be sought with the
appropriate academic dean, if the dean has not been previously
consulted.
Step 5. Once all means of resolution on the collegiate level have been
exhausted, the complainant should present a completed grade appeals
form to the registrar (Registrar’s Office) within fifteen (15) days of
the collegiate decision. Grade appeals forms are available in the
registrar’s office and in the office of each collegiate dean.
Step 6. The registrar shall immediately forward the grade appeals form
to the chair of the Academic Appeals Board who in turn will notify the
faculty member/respondent that a formal grievance has been filed. The
faculty member/respondent will be provided a copy of the completed
grade appeals form.
Step 7. The chair of the Academic Appeals Board shall convene that
committee within twenty (20) days of the receipt of the grade appeals
form. (The Academic Appeals Board is defined in Section 1.6.3.1. of the
Faculty Handbook.) Prior to the hearing, both complainant and
respondent may elect to choose an advisor for the purposes of
collecting data and/or presenting his/her position to the board.
Complainant and respondent have the right to be accompanied by their
advisors during any open meeting of the board at which the board’s
agenda includes that particular grievance. The board holds the
prerogative to call for pertinent testimony from any party involved in
the grievance, or any party whom the board believes could clarify the
grievance.
Step 8. The written recommendation of the Academic Appeals Board shall
be forwarded to the provost for final disposition. Copies of the
recommendation shall also be sent to the appropriate academic dean, the
complainant, and the respondent, within ten (10) days of the completion
of the hearing, unless an extension of time is sought by the board.
Telephone notification to the complainant of the availability of the
recommendation shall fulfill the terms of this requirement. The text of
the recommendation and all pertinent testimony and gathered data shall
be kept in confidence.
NOTE: If at any
point in this process, the student alleges that actions have taken
place that may be in violation of Murray State University
Non-Discrimination Policies, this process must be suspended and the
matter directed to the Office of Equal Opportunity.
Transfer
Credit
A maximum of 12 graduate hours may be transferred from a regionally
accredited graduate school after a student has been admitted to
candidacy. All transfer credit must be approved by the student’s
advisor and collegiate graduate coordinator. Departments and colleges
may set more restrictive policies concerning the kind and amount of
transfer hours they will accept. All transfer credit must have been
earned within the eight-year period allowed for the degree. The student
must have an overall GPA of at least 3.00 on graduate work at Murray
State University and a grade of B or better in any course that the
student wishes to transfer to Murray State. It is the responsibility of
the student to initiate a request for transfer of credit. Graduate
transfer credit will not be posted to the student’s transcript or
included in the calculation of the student’s GPA until the point of
graduation.
•Transfer Credit to Repeat MSU Courses
If a graduate student takes a course at Murray State and chooses to
repeat that course at another institution, permission from the
student’s graduate advisor and collegiate graduate coordinator must be
secured. A repeated course is considered as a course added to the
student’s curriculum for the purposes of GPA calculation. A course
substitution form must be forwarded to Graduate Admissions in Sparks
Hall.
Correspondence
and Experiential Credit
Murray State University does not grant graduate credit for
correspondence courses or for portfolio-based experiential learning.
Challenge
Examinations
Murray State University does not grant graduate credit for the
completion of a challenge examination or any national testing for
credit in any course.
Military
Service Credit
Contingent on the approval of the graduate advisor, the collegiate
graduate coordinator, and Graduate Admissions, six hours of graduate
credit may be accepted toward a master’s degree for completion of U.S.
Military Command and General Staff College as recommended by the
American Council on Education.
Graduate
Degree/Course Time Limits
All course work used to fulfill master’s degree programs or specialist
in education requirements must be completed within the eight-year
period prior to awarding the degree, beginning with the date the
student initially enrolls in a class for graduate credit. Example: A
graduate course begun in August 2002 must be used for a degree no later
than August 2010. Failure to complete a degree in eight years will
result in the loss of all credits taken outside of the time limits and
the student being unable to continue with the approved program unless
an extension is sought and granted. Graduate degree grade point
averages are based on the courses listed on the graduate program form
and applying to the program being sought. Any courses excluded by the
eight-year rule shall not be included in the computation of the grade
point average.
Students may request a time extension through their advisor and their
program graduate coordinator. Time extensions must be approved by the
Graduate Studies Committee of the Academic Council. Extensions are
considered on a case-by-case basis. Students are strongly discouraged
from requesting more than one extension. In the case where all graduate
coursework has expired, no time extensions will be granted.
Since graduate students do not always enroll for courses in consecutive
semesters, it is important to note the following:
• Enrolled graduate students need not apply every semester unless they
have not been enrolled for five consecutive semesters, or have
completed their graduate programs;
• Each graduate course must be used toward a degree within eight years
of enrolling in that course.
Master’s
Thesis Requirements
Many graduate programs require a thesis for which a maximum of six
hours of credit may be earned (consult program curriculum under the
appropriate departmental section). If a thesis is required, the
student’s departmental advisor should be consulted early in the first
term of graduate study. The advisor will assist the student in choosing
a thesis topic, a thesis director, and a thesis committee (to consist
of three to five members, including the director). Typically, thesis
courses are not scheduled until the student is at least mid-way through
a graduate program.
The thesis title, the thesis director, and members of the committee
must be approved by the collegiate graduate coordinator who will
formally appoint the committee and notify Graduate Admissions.
Students using human subjects in their research must seek approval and
follow the guidelines of the MSU Institutional Review Board.
•Thesis Approval
Two weeks prior to the date on which the degree is to be conferred, the
original and four copies of the signed thesis are to be submitted in
unbound form to Graduate Admissions. Failure to meet this deadline may
result in postponement of the student’s degree conferral until the
following semester.
Complete procedural and structural instructions are contained in
Guidelines for the Preparation of Master’s Theses, available from
the collegiate graduate coordinator and the MSU website. It is the
responsibility of the student to secure and comply with these
guidelines.
Students who change from thesis track to non-thesis track in a graduate
program possibly may not receive credit for the 698 and 699 Thesis
courses.
Tests
Nationally recognized tests of aptitude are required by some colleges,
departments, and programs of the university. Test scores may be used
for admission, for candidacy, or as a condition of degree completion.
Test score requirements for specific degrees will be found in the
Graduate Bulletin under the appropriate departmental sections.
Foreign
Language Requirement
Students who are required by their departments to demonstrate
proficiency in a foreign language may satisfy the requirement in one of
the following ways:
• by the completion of four semesters of college
level study in one language with an average of C or better,
• by passing the language examination of the
Educational Testing Service of Princeton, New Jersey, or
• by passing a proficiency examination administered
by the Department of Modern Languages.
The native language of an international student may be accepted to meet
the graduate language requirement if recommended by the student’s
advisor and approved by the graduate coordinator of the student’s
college.
For those disciplines permitting the substitution of statistics,
computer science, or a combination thereof for a foreign language, the
requirement may be met by the satisfactory completion of two semesters
of the permitted substitute courses with grades of C or better. These
courses are in addition to the total number of hours required for the
degree. A proficiency examination administered by the appropriate
department may be accepted in lieu of the required course work.
Summative
Evaluation
In addition to completing required courses, students in master’s degree
programs will be expected to demonstrate that they have successfully
met program standards through summative evaluation procedures
administered near the end of the course of study. Murray State
University also uses information on student performance gathered in
summative evaluations for purposes of program improvement.
Comprehensive
Examination
A student should refer to the section containing degree requirements of
the student’s graduate program for information regarding the
comprehensive examination, if required by the department.
A student normally takes the comprehensive examination during the
semester in which the student graduates; however, a student who has
completed 24 hours toward the master’s degree may also elect to take
the examination.
An application for the comprehensive examination must be filed in
Graduate Admissions during the first three weeks of the semester in
which the student plans to take the examination.
The comprehensive examination is usually administered three weeks prior
to the conclusion of the semester.
Application
for Degree
Application for the degree should be made and the degree fee paid
during the first three weeks of the semester in which the student
expects to graduate. If a student does not graduate after making
application, the student must reapply for the degree. Degree
applications are available in Graduate Admissions or on the MSU website.
Graduate
Student Checklist
Once a student is admitted to a graduate program at MSU, the checklist
below may assist as progress toward completion of a degree is made:
• Graduate Program Form - This form was included along with the letter
of admission. Students should contact their academic advisor, and with
the advisor’s assistance, complete the proposed program form during the
first nine weeks of the first semester of study. Any changes to this
plan must be made by official course substitution forms.
• 600-level courses - In all master’s programs, at least half of the
total formal coursework, excluding thesis, practicum, internship, or
co-op credit, must be in courses open only to graduate students
(600-level).
• Application for Candidacy Form - After completing nine hours of
graduate work at MSU, graduate students should meet with their advisor
to initiate an Application for Candidacy form, available from
Admissions Services and the MSU website.
• GRE or GMAT results - It the student’s program requires the GRE or
GMAT, the student must request that an official score report be sent
directly to MSU from the Educational Testing Service. If the student
did not do this at the time of the exam, he/she should contact ETS
(www.gre.org or www.gmat.org).
• Grades - Graduate students receive no credit for earning a grade
below C. A graduate course repeated does not remove the original grade
received in the course. In calculating grade point averages, a repeated
course shall be considered an additional course. A 3.0 minimum GPA is
required for a degree to be conferred.
• Language requirement - Students enrolled in programs with a language
requirement should make certain that the language requirements have
been met and documented.
• Thesis - If a thesis is required, the student’s departmental advisor
should be consulted early in the first term of graduate study. Thesis
guidelines are available from Admission Services and the MSU website.
• Applying for a degree - Students must apply for the degree and pay
the degree fee at the beginning of the semester in which they intend to
graduate. If the program requires a comprehensive exam, students will
apply to take that exam at the same time.
Second
Master’s Degree
Students desiring to pursue another master’s degree at Murray State
University shall have completed all requirements for a previous
master’s degree at Murray State University or another accredited
university. In general, the same basic requirements for general
admission, admission to candidacy, and other conditions previously
stated in this catalog relative to a master’s degree are also
applicable to a second master’s degree with the following
exceptions:
1. A maximum of nine semester hours of completed graduate work from any
previous master’s degree may be applied toward an additional degree if
the courses are appropriate for the degree and are approved by the
department and if they fall within the eight-year time limit for
completion of the master’s degree.
2. If the new master’s degree involves certification, all requirements
for the certificate must be met prior to the completion of the degree.
3. Candidates for Specialist Degrees must check with their advisors
concerning the program regulations on second degrees.
Candidates for an additional master’s degree must file an application
for admission to graduate school and identify their subsequent program
prior to registration for additional coursework. The student must then
contact the advisor assigned from the department offering the
subsequent program and plan a complete program of studies. Individual
programs have specific requirements which must be met before pursuing a
subsequent master’s degree. Normally, any deficiencies in preparation
for a subsequent master’s degree must be resolved during the first
semester of enrollment.
Transcripts
Transcripts will be released at the written request of the student and
in conformity with existing state and federal statutes pertaining to
the release of student academic records. There is a fee for this
service. Request forms and instructions are available on the MSU
website.
The official academic record is the property of the university.
Consequently, the university reserves the right to withhold the release
of a transcript of that record if the student has an obligation to the
university, and reserves the right to maintain the information
contained in the permanent record according to established practice and
in compliance with state and federal laws.
Documents received from third parties (including high school and
college transcripts, test scores, etc.) are the property of Murray
State University. These documents cannot be released by Murray State to
other institutions or agencies nor can they be returned to the student.
Students needing to send high school transcripts, other school
transcripts, test scores, etc., should contact the original source.
Name
and Address Changes
After registration, a student who has a name or address change is
expected to notify the Registrar’s Office in writing or by updating the
information via the PIN system, and will be held responsible for any
communication from university offices sent to the address last given,
and may not claim indulgence on the plea of having changed lodgings or
name and therefore of not having received the communication. The
original demographic information from the student’s initial admission
to the university remains on the transcript, and any approved changes
are added to the permanent record when the proper legal documents are
presented to the Registrar’s Office.
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